He made several trips over the mountains on horseback, to see for himself the country he had heard so much about, and finally decided to move. He came to Tiffin about 1830, where he purchased several large tracts of land and also engaged in merchandise.

At a sale of government lands, he purchased 1200 acres in Seneca and Sandusky county, including the Sulfur spring.

It has been told by older citizens of that time that he really did not get the spring then, but bought it later from the Indians for 12 bags of wheat, 12 bags of oats, 12 bags of corn and perhaps a mule or two.

M. B. Adams was the first settler, coming from Norwich, Connecticut in 1834. He built the first home and his daughter Ellen was the first child born in the village

During these early years the village was known as "Stemtown." It was not until May 1839, that David Reeves and David Risden surveyed a town, on Section 5 in Adams township, for Jacob Stem, and it received its name from the color of the water of the spring north of the village and was called Green Spring. It became well know later as a health resort. The "Water Cure" and "Dr. Brown's' Disbetic Cure" being among the prominent institutions of the village.