Located in Clinton County, Ovid’s first settler was Sam Barker in 1836. In 1840, the township was organized and named ‘Ovid’ by Bill Swarthout, who named it after his hometown, Ovid, New York.
One of the early settlers was Jabez Dennison, who was called the “slayer of bears” thanks to his slaughter of nineteen bears.
In 1856, the first store was opened by B.I. Udell; a post office began operating in 1857; the village was platted in 1858 and incorporated in 1869.
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Once incorporated, the village grew. Soon, there was a blacksmith, carriage maker, cooperage, flour mill, foundry, general stores, grocery, hardware shop, a number of hotels, lumber company, sawmill, and tannery…