Animal Pound
Vienna Township maintained a pound for stray animals throughout the nineteenth century.
The Township clerk was in charge of advertising found strays.
An Animal's Artifical Mark Register was created by Dennis Clark Palmer, the first Vienna Township Clerk, to determine ownership of stray animals.
This handwritten notice is found in the Vienna Township historical records:
Stray mare & colt
Broke into the enclosure of the subscriber on or about the first of October, a sorrel mare with a stripe in the face. The colt is also a sorrel & a wide stripe in the face with white hind legs up to the ham joints & is a horse colt. The mare is a good size, is supposed to be about nine years old.
Vienna, October 11, 1838
Abell Truesdall
The pound was an open lot located on the west side of Vienna Presbyterian Church parsonage, facing Youngstown-Kingsville Road (State Route 193).
The Township Trustees leased this land from the Presbyterian Church. The lease was renewed as late as 1890 for at an annual rate of $3.00 over a ten-year term. A photocopy of the 1890 lease may be found here.
The text of the 1890 Animal Pound lease appears below:
This indenture of lease made at Vienna in the State of Ohio this 22 day of April 1890 by and between Geo. Pound, D.W. Garrard, and L. J. Norton, Trustees of the Presbyterian Church and their successors, of the Township of Vienna, party of the first part, and H. L. Scovill, John Evans, and C. S. Greenwood, Trustees of the township of Vienna and their successors in office, party of the second part. Witnesseth that the first party hath let and leased unto the second party a certain plat or lot of land situated in said Vienna Township and is bound and described as follows. Beginning at a joint at the south east corner of lands of J. A. Humason, known as the Mill lot and at the side of the public highway, thence west fifty feet (50), thence south fifty (50) feet, thence east fifty feet, and thence north fifty (50) feet to place of beginning. To have and to hold the same for the terms of ten (10) years commencing on the 22 day of April 1890 and ending on the 22 day of April 1900 upon the following terms and conditions. Said second party hereby agrees to pay the sum of three ($3.00) dollars per year during the continuance of this lease and which rent is to be paid by the second party in installments of three dollars per year payable on or before the 22 day of April in each year in advance from the commencement of this lease. That if the rent aforesaid shall all any time be in arrear and unpaid, the first party may avoid this lease and enter into possession of said premises and sue for and recover all the rent due at said rate up to the time of such entry. It is further agreed by and between the said parties to this lease that said second party is to build a good and substantial fence on the west, south and on as much of the east side as said second party may desire for the purpose of enclosing the said lot for the purpose of using the same for a public or township pound. Said fence is to be of sufficient height to prevent any animals impounded therein from breaking over into adjoining lot to the injury of any crops that may be growing there. In witness whereof the parties to this lease sells their hands and seals the day and year first above written.
D. W. Garrard
Geo. Pound
L. J. Norton
H. L. Scovill
John Evans
C. S. Greenwood
The State of Ohio, Trumbull County, before me as Justice of the Peace in and for said county, personally appeared the above named, Geo. Pound, D. W. Garrard, L. J. Norton, H. L. Scovill, John Evans, C. S. Greenwood, who acknowledged that they did sign and seal the forgoing instrument and that the same is their free act and deed. In testimony whereof I have hereunto sell my hand and official seal this 22 day of April AD 1890.
Witness
C. A. Pierson
W. D. Griffis
Unclaimed animals were subject to public auction, advertised by the Township clerk.
Updated 12/04/2022
Additional research by Christine Novicky in February 2021.