Rockford, Ohio


Rockford is a village in Mercer County, Ohio, United States. The village is on the St. Mary's River near the center of the western Ohio border 12 miles Northwest of Celina. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census.
The village was founded in 1820 by French-Indian trader Anthony Shane and originally named Shanesville.

History

Deep into remote times dips the history of what once was Shanesville, later Shane's Crossing, and last by Post Office Department decree, Rockford. This community is rich in lore and legend.
Before European colonization, the high ground adjacent to the St. Marys River at Rockford served as a camping ground and village site for Native American tribes. Weapons, tools, arrow heads and stone axes tell of long occupancy.
From time immemorial the St. Marys River has been a busy thoroughfare for traders, trappers, and adventurers. Trails along the banks of the rivers were used greatly, one of these became known as the Piqua-Fort Wayne Trail, which crossed to the north side of the river here, a part of the journey from the Great Lakes to the Ohio River.
In the late 18th century were the bloody Indian Wars. The Miamis and the Shawnees and other tribes were then entrenched in their stronghold at Kekionga, in what is today northern Indiana. General Josiah Harmar and his army went through Rockford en route to Kekionga where he was more or less defeated.
This bloodshed went on unchecked until General Anthony Wayne came on the scene. After mopping up at the site of St. Clair's Defeat two years earlier, he built a stockade, Fort Recovery, which was unsuccessfully stormed by the Indians. He made his way diagonally across Mercer County to the St. Marys River where he built Fort Adams in the first week of Aug., 1794, a temporary relay station and supply depot. It was initially garrisoned with 100 men under Lieutenant Underhill. It was here on the third day, that a tree fell on Gen. Wayne's tent nearly extirpating him. He continued on the march, slightly wounded. The fort was abandoned in 1796. It's located east of U.S. Route 127, about 2 miles north of Mercer. Today, the site of Fort Adams is an archaeological preserve owned by The Archaeological Conservancy. There are no physical remains of the fort.
The earliest records of the history of Rockford and community, begins with that of Anthony Madore, a French-Indian who ran a trading post located just north of the Junction of Routes 118 and 33, and east of the Rockford American Legion home. It is not known how long Madore owned the post, but he died around 1815.
During the War of 1812, Rockford heard martial music. General William Henry Harrison camped here with his army en route to Detroit to fight the British and their Indian allies. He was joined at Rockford by 200 mounted Ohio volunteers and 800 foot soldiers. The Indians who were besieging the garrison at Fort Wayne fled when Harrison's army approached. When Tecumseh, the famous Indian warrior was killed in a duel with Col. Richard M. Johnson at the Battle of Thames, this almost ended the War of 1812 in this country.

Anthony Shane

Anthony Shane, born Antoine Chene, a French-Indian and his wife lived for years in a double-log cabin, just north of the town now named Rockford. He ran a trading post and for his services as a scout for the army of General Anthony Wayne was given a large tract of land known as the Shanes Grant, and all abstracts of title for royalty here start with this grant. The grant consisted of north of the town and at the town site. On June 23, 1820, Shane filed his plot to the town of Shanesville which then comprised 42 lots on the south side of the river. Shane lived here until 1832 when he acted as a government agent and accompanied the Shawnee Indians to Kansas. It is not known if he ever returned to this part of the country.

Geography

Rockford is located at .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,120 people, 454 households, and 301 families residing in the village. The population density was. There were 495 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 96.3% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.
There were 454 households of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96.
The median age in the village was 41.5 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,126 people, 453 households, and 298 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,747.9 people per square mile. There were 489 housing units at an average density of 759.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 99.11% White, 0.27% African American, 0.53% Native American, and 0.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.
There were 453 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the village, the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $37,574, and the median income for a family was $45,735. Males had a median income of $30,980 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,699. About 4.8% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Media

The community is served by WRKD-LP 101.3 FM

Notable people