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History of Williams County Williams County was formed in 1820 and was named after David Williams who, with two other men, captured John Andre, a British spy. Defiance, Ohio was selected as the county seat. Temporary buildings were used for courtrooms for many years. A new building, 32" x 22" with 20' walls, was built for $987,000. This building was occupied in December 1832. Putnam and Henry counties were carved from Williams County in 1834, followed by Paulding County in 1839. This took land away on the south and east sides but about 150 square miles were added on the north when the Ohio-Michigan dispute was settled. A petition was introduced into the Ohio legislature in December 1839 and three Commissioners were appointed to determine where the county seat of Williams County should be located. Bryan, named after John a. Bryan, Secretary of State, was chosen. The owners had agreed to donate two acres of land in the center of town, to be plated for a public square. The order establishing Bryan as the county seat of Williams County was given in July 1840. Several reasons, including the dislike of traveling eighteen miles through the wilderness to the new county seat, delayed beginning Williams County business in Bryan. Actually, the last session of court was held in Defiance on February 25, 1841. In 1845, Defiance County was formed from a part of Williams County and once again Defiance, Ohio was a county seat. In 1850 Fulton County was formed partly from Williams County. The remaining 421 square miles has been the size of Williams County to the present time. The county is divided into twelve townships. The four which form the top tier of townships are situated on the area gained from Michigan in 1835. The southern or lower part of Williams County was surveyed into townships and sections under the Ohio survey. The northern or upper part of Williams County was surveyed into townships and sections under the Michigan survey. Since these two surveys started form different bases and proceeded toward each other from different directions, it was natural that section lines would not coincide where they met at the original Ohio-Michigan line. As a result, the townships abutting the line have fractional sections and because roads are generally on section or fractions section lines, an offset in road alignment occurred. For more information on the history of Williams County, Ohio please visit Holiday City's website by clicking here.
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