History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 155

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 155

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The principal settlers near Union City were Mr. Fowler (Ohio). father of Gabriel Fowler, grocer, on the Fowler farm; Mr. Sheets, on the Smith (now Cadwallader) farm, north of town; Mr. Roe, father of Harrison Roe, south of town: Thomas Peyton, on the Converse farm, west of town: " Kid " Marquis, on the Parent farm, south of town.

UNION CITY. OHIO.

This town. though entirely distinct and separate from Union City. Ind., is yet closely connected in business and social inter- ests therewith. It seems proper. therefore, and in a manner

440

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

necessary, that a brief notice thereof should be given in this work.

A town is said by some to have been platted on the Ohio side in 1838, by whom we do not know. nor just where that plat was located. It is also said that Mr. Hayes made the first location of a town there, at the east side of the present town, near the Deer- field road, as aiso that Mr. Fruits and Mr. Colclazer added to the town. An additional plat was made by Josiah Montgar, proba- bly in 1852. The petition for the plat, however, was presented to the Board of County Commissioners of Darke County, Ohio. September, 1853, and granted December 5, 1853, and the plat was recorded January 5, 1854. This plat consisted of forty acres, which Mr Montgar had lately purchased of Messrs. Smith, lying on both sides of the railroad. Mr. Montgar donated ten acres to the railroad for shops, depot. switches, warehouses. and what not, and a saw-mill was built opposite where the brewery was lo- cated.

John Hayes made an addition to the town, and so also did Frederick Roe and Mr. Brownley. Jere Smith added ten acres to the plat. Fowler made two additions, and others also have been appended from time to time, the last one, perhaps, being Archard's Addition. The following statement is made. in suh- stance, by John D. Carter, who claims that his family was the first to move to the infant city.

At the first settlement of Union City, the only residents were Augustus Loveland. on the Indiana side, and John Hayes and Schultz Hayes and Mr. Conway and Mr. Frederic Roe, perhaps, on the Ohio side. John Hayes lived near the point at which the Greenville wagon road crosses the Bee-Line Railroad, on the west side of that thoroughfare, and Schultz Hayes on the farm still oc. enpied by a gentleman of the same name and connection: and a Mr. Conway had lived in the same vicinity. They had made small openings, but all besides was deep and tangled wildwood and heavy and unbroken forest. The Greenville Creek region had been settled for a long time, and the land there was already mostly occupied. The Deerfield road was largely traveled, and Schnitz Hayes kept a tavern, which enjoyed an abundant and ex- tensive patronage.

John D. Carter moved upon the Conway farm in August. 1851, being the first family to come there after the location of the town. having been induced so to do by the urgent solicitation of Hon. Jeremiah Smith, one of the proprietors of the embryo city. He was but a boy, as it were, not yet twenty-one years of age, though a married man withal. Having erected a saw-mill near Winchester. it had been burned, and the citizens there, Elias Kizer and others, had aided him generously in preparing to rebuild at that place; but. through the glowing persuasions of Mr. Smith, he changed his purpose. His saw-mill at Union City. Ohio, was erected in the fall of 1851, and commenced ope- rations in the spring of 1852, perhaps in April of that year. Mr. Carter. as stated, came upon the ground in Angust, 1851: Henry Debolt, not long after: and Mr. Montgar, in November of the same year, who purchased a forty-aere traet on the present site of Union City. Ohio, and. in connection with Mr. Hayes, Mr. Roe, etc., luid out that town.

Thus fur is the statement taken from the lips of Mr. John D. Carter. Just who came after Mossrs. Carter. Debolt and Mont- gar, who appear to have settled in 1851, we have not been able to discover.

EARLY BUSINESS (OHIO SIDE).

The first smith shop was put up by Frederick Roe, in 1853. at the south end of Division street (Ohio side). in the woods. In the same year, Lewis Gillanm had a shoe shop. A cooper shop was run by P. R. Galloway for eight months in 1855. Wood- bury & Hulse had another smith shop upon Division street not very far from the same time.

David Fruits set up a shingle machine in the northeast part , tion of both parts of the city, and that and other outside offices of the town in 1853, and ran it until 1855.

Henry Weinland had a saw-mill on the west side of Division street, near the railroad (Ohio side).

S. P. McMillan and Thomas Workman erected a steam grist- mill, with four run of buhrs, which is yet in operation, with a capacity of 100 barrels per day. The first dry goods store on

that ground was by Morgan & Carter, in 1853, opposite the flour- ing-mill. Brown & Archard opened a wholesale liquor store in 1856. In 1857, P. R. Galloway set up a hoop-pole establish ment, which was the largest at that time in the State of Ohio. During the winters of 1858 and 1859, the shipments were 400 car-loads.

The first store of all was on the Deerfield road, just north of the railroad. in September, 1852. and Alfred Lenox started a grocery in the same vicinity, running it only a short time.

About 1853, Katzenbarger & Stahl opened a bakery. and M. B. Dickey began tailoring. both near the flouring-mill.

Mr. J. D. Carter, now of Winchester, says that he moved rom that place to Union City, Ohio, building the first saw-mill on that ground in 1852, and a residence; and that his family were the first to move to that town, that his mill was opposite the brewery, and that he remained at. Union City till 1857. In 1860, Witham & Son built a handle factory, east of State Line and south of the railroad. The building was burned, and a new one built in 1874. now owned by Carter & Son.

In 1876, there was business as follows: A stave factory, with twenty to thirty hands; a planing-mill, with twelve to fif- teen hands: a furniture factory, ten to fifteen hands; a hub and spoke factory, ten to fifteen hands; two steam saw-mills and an- other furniture factory ; a steam grist-mill with four run of buhrs; five brick manufactories and a tile factory. At present, the business may be briefly described thus (it has been partly stated already): G. Lambert & Son's grain warehouse, hand. ling 250.000 bushels yearly; Snook's brick, tile and neckyoke factory (the latter not running). The brick factory can make 10,000 brick per day. The tile factory turns out about $6.000 worth per year. The stave factory, by Wiggim & Son, in 1870, with sheds 1,200 feet and two dry houses. Capacity, 20,000 staves and 8,000 to 10,000 heading per day.

Turning factory by Carter & Son, producing 500 dozen clamps, 50.000 broom handles, 2,000,000 trunk slats and the same number of trunk handles. Worth of products, $25,000 annnally. Force, eighteen to twenty hands.

Furniture factory, John Koons built in 1876. Saw-mill, wagon factory, turning factory, etc., by John T. Hartzell, in 1878.

'Tub and pail factory; Hook Brothers, came to Union City, Ind., in 1877, and to their present location in 1879 They em. ploy thirty-five hands and make 100,000 vessels annually. Val- ue, $30,000 per year. Their engine, and that of Carter & Sons also, was made by Smith Brothers, Union City, Ind.

Furniture factory, Meanck & Son, in 1863, eight or ten hands. Paper bagging factory. MeKee & Robison, in 1880, in the Orr Building, five to eight hands.

Handle factory, Lambert & Sou, in 1880, extensive establish- ment, and do a large amount of work.

Lumber-yard (hardwood), Jones, Ebert & Benner, 1880, large business: buy from an extensive region, and ship great quantities to the seaboard and elsewhere.

Lumber-yard, Kuntz & Willson, in 1880, a branch of the im- mense establishment of Peter Kuntz, increasing largely his al- ready wonderful business.

There is one church, United Brethren; pastor, Rev. Keister, aetivo and useful and successful. There is one school building. brick, built in 1870, two stories, containing five rooms; in course of enlargement summer of 1882. Principal, Gillum Cromer: four subordinates. Town officers. ISSO: Mayor, William M. Giriines: Clerk. James McMahan; Treasurer, H. S. Stockdale; Marshal, W. R. Gard; Councilmen, Messrs. Norris, Pureell. Spangle. Eldridge, Thomas, Hankman.

Resident attorneys, Messrs. Baker and Pickett.

"There is one physician and no post office, and no post office in Jackson Township, Union City, Ind., serving for the popula- supplying the entire township.

It was the expectation that the Ohio side would be the main town, but Jere Smith " knew better." It was not " his calculation," and it turned out the way he wished and intended. The town grew up on the west side of the line, and for many years the Ohio side was only a feeble suburb separated from the main part

441

WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

by a considerable vacant space. owned by Smith, and kept out of market on purpose to hinder the growth of the Ohio side till the other part had attained a clear and permanent strength.

Most of the owners of the business establishments named re- side in Indiana. There are. besides those. a few groceries. a store or two, a blacksmith shop or two, and a host of liquor saloons. There used to be a foundry and a brewery, but both are discontinued years ago.

The grist.mill described is in operation at present. run by Mr. Wunder.

Much of the custom of the groggeries comes from the Indiana side, and their presence is an unmitigated nuisance to the whole place and the entire region. Indeed, the non-drinking residents of the Ohio side maintain. with how much reason we cannot tell. that, were it not for the patronage afforded from Indiana. most of the saloons would be obliged to " dry up." When shall it once be :

PROGRESS.

A large amount of business seemed waiting for the new rail- road and the town. The completion of these pioneer tracks 'marked. indeed, a grand era in the life of this region. Grain. stock and trade in general began to pour in from far and near, especially from the great, destitute region lying toward the north. The grain trade of the infant town was very great. The capac- ity of the new warehouse was tested to the uttermost. and the crew of men employed to handle the grain were pressed day and night. Within three or four years, no fewer than six dry goods stores in this " new town in the woods " displayed their contents and their wares to tempt the eyes and the hearts of the teamsters fresh from the farms in the surrounding regions. Other estab). lishments, too-groceries. hardware stores, tin shops, hotels, doctors' offices, smith shops -- all were here. So great was this wagon trade from the north that for many years the Union City magnates would give no encouragement to any scheme for build- ing a northern road to Portland. Jay County, because it would give those northern "back-country " men a nearer railroad point. And they fought it so much as to produce the result that when Portland obtained her road, it came not through Union City: but through Winchester: and that now, while Portland has two thriving roads. the track to that place via Union City is still unlaid, and will perhaps long continne so. But in 1852, the Bellefontaine & Indianapolis Railroad, through Union City, aud the road to Dayton and Cincinnati were truly a Godsend, and sent a thrill of new life throughont this whole region, then, in fact, largely a wilderness.

The advancement of Union City, Ind., was at first, therefore, quite brisk-too rapid, in fact, for a solid and healthy growth. It was then for several years comparatively at a standstill. Since 1872, the upward movement has been strong and nearly constant. Before 1869, there had been no costly buildings nor residences. Most were frame, and the few briek ones were bnt of moderate size. Branham Hotel was the only large brick edifice. At about 1869. Esquire Jackson erected a fine dwelling on West Pearl street, and, soon afterward, Col. Isaac P. Gray built the dwell- ing (then thought to be wonderful). now the residence of Hon. N. Cadwallader. Just after these erections, building took a new impulse. Three brick edifices went up near Paxson's shoe store. The Citizens' Bank, and some others on Oak street were erected about the same time. These all were at that time reckoned to be fine structures, and counted an honor to the little "wooden city."

In 1870, the corporation limit north was the alley, or narrow street, between Brandon and Tritt, and there was just one house on Howard and one on Plum north of that (except, indeed. the " cooper's" and Mr. Livengood's, both of which were far in the country). But the city has been extended largely since that date. and the mania for building has become very strong and many costly residences and business blocks have made their appearance in various directions, so that now those former structures which seemed, when built, to be so splendid. have fallen far into the background.

The general business of the town has increased very greatly, and, considering that the city has no public advantages of loca- tion or official business, being not the county seat, and being di-

rectly on the line between two counties and two States as well, and having no natural water privilege of any sort, its growth has indeed been a thing showing a marked energy and most praiseworthy activity on the part of her principal men, and in some respects, at least, it is superior to any town in the ro. gion. In 1582. the improvement still continues: several dwell ings are being erected; the business of the principal firms is ap- parentiy and largely increasing; some new establishments have been set up, among them the Union City Carriage' Company, with a capital of $10,000, intended to employ thirty five hands, as also the Heat Fender Company doing an extensive business.

STREETS-IMPROVEMENTS.

Considerable labor and expense have boen applied to grading and graveling the streets of Union City. Many think, indeed. that no small amount has been unwisely expended, in changing grade, regrading, digging up streets once graveled, etc .: but what human enterprise is free from mistakes: Within a year or two past, several thousand dollars have been expended upon North Howard street, making a regular and even slope northward, to give free and easy drainage to that part of the city. During 1881, the city graded and graveled West Pearl street, making a fine highway for the western travel, as also a good connection between the factories in the western part of the town and the business part of the city. In fact, the improvement of Pearl street was one of the conditions upon which Woolley & Fisher consented to establish their electric light and motor factory near its western terminus.

The Council, during 1881 -82, constructed a capacions sewer, to supply the constantly growing demand for adequate and per manent sewerage for the needs of the town. Two thousand dol- lars are already on hand, which, with the further avails of the sewer tax that the Council are authorized to levy each year, will suffice to complete the payment for that necessary purpose. It is to be hoped that before long, some system of lighting the streets can be established, which, indeed, the steady growth of the city will call for as a necessary improvement before the lapse of many more years.

The water works, described more at length elsewhere, have been and are of incalenlable benefit to the town, and have done much toward its permanent growth and prosperity.

PROMINENT MEN.

The advance of the city, especially since 1872, has been, on the whole, brisk and substantial. Most of those who are now solid business men had originally little or no capital-conn try lads, wood-choppers, apprentices, farmers' boys who left home to try their fortunes, or because the farm was too little for all the male members of the flock.

Simeon Branham was an orphan lad, who began with nothing.

Peter Kuntz, the prince of Inmber-dealers, began life as a wood chopper.

Jesse Paxson, boot and shoe dealer, came to I'nion City a poor carpenter.

Bentley Masslich was an apprentice lad.

Nathan Cadwallader was a farmer's boy, a widow's son, and her only one.

Messrs. Smith's grandfather was a blacksmith.

W. H. Anderson and E. L. Anderson were country lads.

Messrs. Kirschbaum and Bowers, our enterprising merchants, were men of little means at first, and they are only in early middle life still.

Samnel L. Carter was a carpenter for nearly twenty years, and still works as hard as ever.

John Koons was bred a farmer, and was a journeyman car- penter for years.

R. S. Fisher's father was left an orphan lad in Carolina, and came to Indiana alone on horseback, over mountain and valley and flood. His wife made her first bedstead in her rude log cab- in from two pole benches, with clapboards laid across.

Simon Hedrick was a country boy. Dr. Joel N. Converse was also poor in his boyhood and youth. John T. Shaw was the son of a shoemaker. William Kerr was a tinner's apprentice.

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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

John S. Starbnek was a farmer's son, and a farmer himself. Ed. ward Starbnek was a farmer and a brick-mason. A. A. Knapp was a finner. John W. Starbuck was a farmer's son and a brick- mason. Ephraim Bowen was a farmer's son. Rufus A. Willson was the son of a New York farmer.

A kuowledge of facts is lacking as to the rest of the promi- nent citizens, but probably not one in fifty of those who are at the head of business was anything but a poor, hard-working lad. and many of them were very poor. The same thing. indeed, is true of the whole county. Moorman Way was an orphan boy, and for years after his manhood was a carpenter and a poor man. Thomas Ward's father, when he came to the county in 1819, was too poor to enter forty acres of land. Thomas W. Kizer is the son of a pioneer farmer. Mark Diggs was an early settler, who entered his quarter section in the woods sixty years ago. Henry H. Neff. James S. Cottom, the Carters, etc .. are sons of pioneers who had only a moderate amount of this world's goods, Henry Neff being a printer's apprentice, and James Cottom a dry goods clerk. Asahel Stone was a carpenter's son, and a carpenter him self. J. B. Mckinney's father was very poor.

These are but specimens of the whole group of active business men in the county.

Daniel B. Miller, Ephraim L. Bowen, James Ruby, the War. rens, Arthur McKew, Elihu Cammack. Ezekiel Clough, William O. King, the Starbucks, Gideon Shaw, Philip Barger, the Hirsches, Lemuel Wiggins, Willson Anderson, John Randle. William Shoemake. William M. Campbell, and scores of others, have all been of . the same sort, the sons of poor men, and most or all of them hard-working farmers. mechanics, artisans or tradesmen. Let their children and their posterity heed the sal- utary lesson afforded by their laborions, energetic and successful career.

Thus the whole town, and the county as well, is the growth of native energy, and thorough and persistent application to bus- iness. During the past eight years, many fine rosidonces and substantial business blocks have been built, streets have been widened, graded and graveled, and, altogether. the town has been greatly enlarged, improved and beautified, and now does a very large amount of business of many kinds.

The people, as a whole, are an upright, moral, intelligent, enterprising. thriving and prosperous community, though it must be confessed that here, as well as elsewhere, vice dares to show its hydra head, and manages to accomplish somewhat of its mis. chievous, tormouting, fatal work.

OFFICIAL HISTORY.

Union City. Ind., was carly organized as a town, but no rec- 1 ord can be found before 1863 From that time to the city charter the officers were as follows:

Presidents of Board of Trustees. -- Messrs. Weddington. Lambert, Maloy. White. Hill. Cowdery. Swain. Cranor. Jagna and Harris.

Clerks of Board .- Messrs. Reeder. Swain, Gregory. Beall, Smith. Lambert, Wiley, Johnson. Converse.

Treasurers. - - Mossrs. Cadwallador, Polly. Coats, Anderson. Jolinson.

Marshals, -- Messrs. Sutton, Harkrader, Murphy, Nickey, Ma- son. Readington.

Siner the city charter (1875) the officers have been -Mayors. Lambert, Ross. Shockney. Stall: Treasurers. Tansey. Grahs; Clerks. Converse. Gregory. Woodbury: Marshals. Reeves, Murray.

The salaries of the officers in 1881 were as follows: Mayor. $200: Clerk. $300: Treasurer. $300; Marshal, $500; Councilnen, The Trustees have been Messrs. Maloy, Grahs. Simmons. William Branham. Weldington, Hoka, Lambert, Coons. Greg- ory. Hill, White, Coats. Wiggs. Heitzman, Cowdery. Humphrey, W. K. Smith. Willson. Frey. Cranor. Gist, J. Dye Smith, Mathes, Jagna. Knapp. Johnson, Ewen, Kerr. bndd, Harris. Frank $50; Attorney, $200; night police, $45 per month: Superin- tendent Water Works, 30 cents per hour; Board of Water Works. $25 each: Board of Health. 810 (five members). The salaries of the officers alone foot up about $2,500 yearly, while water works, street cuttings, grades, sewers and what not, make city taxes a fearful burdon to be borne. It was an unfortunate cir- euistance connected with the water works that the city encoun- Messrs. Coddington. Pierce, Koons. Stall, Harris, Frank, Doty. . tored a serions and expensive law suit for infringement of patent, which was settled'at last, after great outlay of money. by pur- chasing of the plaintiffs the right to continue their machinery and methods.

Councilmon since the city corporation was created have hopu Wetz. Reeder. Bowersox. Castle, Rubey. Witham. John D. Smith, Jones, Vestal. Ladd. Nivison. Masslich, Frey: City Engi- neer. S. R. Bell: City Attorney. Pierre Gray.

Probably Union City was organized as a town abnost as soon

as it began to be settled, but the records are not at hand earlier than 1863. The minutes for 1863 speak of ordinances passed in April, 1855.

In 1865, the Assessor reported the assessment at $357,564.

Treasurer's report for 1865-66 was as follows: „Dr., $2,976.40; Cr .. $2,946.76; on hand, $33.75. Officers "held over" 1866-67: election notice illegal. In 1867, Trustees borrowed $1,600 to build schoolhouse. addition to old one.

Treasurers' report April, 1867 -Dr., $2,168.41; Cr., $1,841 .- 11: on hand. $327.30. Trustees received for services $36 each. May, 1868, city bought a gravel bank of Jonathan Mote, fonr. teen acres, for $1,000. City reported in debt above resources $2,922.95.

Treasurer's report-Dr., May. 1870. $7,833.28: Cr .. $7,631- 39; balance, $201.89. Office of Town Engineer created.

July 20. 1870. wards declared as follows: First Ward, north of Oak and east of Howard; Second Ward. north of Oak and west of Howard: Third Ward, south of Oak and east of Howard, north of railroad: Fourth Ward, south of Oak and west of Howard, north of railroad; Fifth Ward, south of rail- road.

Treasurer's report April 27, 1871-Dr., $5, 102.71; Cr., $5, -. 058; on hand, $43.71.

Treasurer's report April, 1872 -Dr., 84,003. 12; Cr., $3,996 .- 39; on hand, $6.73.

Marshal's report May, 1872-Paid out for improvements $5,892.

Angust, 1873, water works contracted for, and built shortly afterward. Treasurer's report for 1875-76 -Dr., $18, 140.47; Cr., $16.954.07; on hand, $1, 154.40.

Bonds of officers as follows: Mayor, $3.000; Clerk. $2,000; Treasurer. $30,000; Marshal. $2.000; Assessor, $1,000.

April. 1878, running expenses of water works for a year. 82.727.93.

April. 1880, James Moorman offered Moorman's Park. east sido of Columbia street. to the city, and the Council accepted the donation on the conditions specified. In 1880. Howard street. was cut through so us to make an even slope and a sufficient drainage north from Ouk street, leaving the banks on each side in the highest place some ten feet. In 1881, Pearl street was graded and graveled to its extreme western terminus.

Howard street has been further improved by the laying of sidewalks (stone or brick) along much of its northeru portion, and gutters, etc., in some places. The city is now laying water pipes far along the new improvements, giving North Howard, etc .. the full advantages of the water works.

TREASURER'S REPORT. APRIL. 17. 1882.

RECEIVED.

DISKURSED.

ON HAND.

Water Works Sinking Fund.

$ 1035 02

$1066 25

Water Works Fund ...

489 63

$ 2004 05

718 74

Water Works Interest Fund.

3800 00

3900 00

Water Works Trustees Fund.

4505 65

6300 70

11 83

General Fund ..

3941 4:

3066 02

1725 63

General Sinking Fund.

1034 17

991 50

1035 33

Sewer Fond.

1071 68

2005 00

10-46 68

Expense Fund ...

149 85

171 80

130 10

Street Improvement Fund

1104 31

1027 07

77 24

Total

$17131 78 -

$19366 11

$0711 30

In May, 1882, the salaries of the city officers were raised as

443

WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

follows; Board of Health, Secretary, $50; others $20; Mayor, $350; Clerk, $350; Treasurer, $350; Marshal, $600; Council, $80; Attorney, $200; night police, $600; Water Works Trustees, $35; City Engineer, 35 cents per hour; Street Commissioner, 20 cents per hour; increase about $1,000 per year, total about $3,500.

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History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 155

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman Number of Pages: 664

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664