The Fremont and Indiana Railroad Company was incorporated April 25, 1853 by L. Q. Rawson, Sardis Birchard, James Justice, John R. Pease, and Charles W. Foster. The route was to be from Fremont, Ohio through Fostoria, Findlay, and through Hancock, Allen, Auglaize and Darke counties to the western boundary of Ohio. Directors were chosen and L. Q. Rawson was elected president, Andrew J. Hale as secretary and Squire Carlin treasurer. Track was constructed to Fostoria, then known as Rome, and freight and passengers cars began running February 1, 1859. The road was built to Findlay in 1860, but the line went bankrupt and was sold to creditors in 1862 for $20,000.
On January 21, 1862, a new company named the Fremont, Lima and Union Railroad Company was incorporated with L Q. Lawson, president and R. W. B. McClellan, secretary and treasurer.
The Fremont, Lima and Union Railroad and the Lake Erie and Pacific Railroad Company merged in 1865 to form the Lake Erie and Louisville Railroad Company. The aim was to form a line between Louisville and Fremont, the head of navigation on the Sandusky River. Heavy freight could be offloaded onto ships to descend the Sandusky River, cross Lake Erie to Buffalo, New York and thence to the east coast. Passengers and light freight would pass east and west through Fremont. This line lasted until April, 1871, when it passed into receivership. L. Q. Lawson was appointed receiver by the U. S. Circuit Court, and the company was sold to bond holders October 18, 1871.
On November 4, 1871, the Ohio portions of the railroad were re-organized as the Fremont, Lima and Union Railway Company, and the Indiana portion was organized November 18, 1871 as the Lake Erie and Louisville Railway Company. These companies merged April 12, 1872 under the name Lake Erie and Louisville Railway Company. This road was foreclosed, and placed under Isadore H. Burgoon, receiver, on April 25, 1874. The road was sold by the court in 1877, and continued to be managed by Burgoon until September, 1879. It was then sold to the Lake Erie and Western Railway.
