20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 46

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 46

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Near the center a little mound is set apart for the burial of Clark County's soldiers, of whom 208 lie buried there at this time. The association now owns about 170 acres of ground, not more than fifty acres of which is used at this time for burial purposes. The number of burials that have been made in these grounds up to November 8, 1907, was 11,- 796. The annual expenditure is some- where in the neighborhood of $10,000. It is kept up from sales of lots and interest on an endowment fund of $45,000.

In 1863 seventy acres of ground were purchased for $7,000 from the heirs of Henry Bechtel. The grounds were dedi- cated in 1864. Hon. Sampson Mason pre- sided and the grounds were dedicated by the Rev. Samuel Sprecher. Travellers who have had ample opportunity to pass upon such matters have said that the en- trance to this beautiful city of the dead along the north hanks of Buck Creek, be- Many of our citizens have from time to time served upon the Board of Trustees. A little lake at the foot of the hill is the donation of O. S. Kelly, formerly mayor, and a prominent manufacturer of this city. Gustavus Foos took very great in- terest in making the contour of the-east- ern slope, but perhaps it is not too much to say that to no person is so much due for the general manner in which these grounds are beautified as to the late John Dick, who was superintendent of this cemetery from 1863 until his death some three or four years ago. Mr. Dick was neath the overhanging rocks, was sur- passed by no other piece of natural scenery the world over. Not only in this entrance, but the general contour and elevation of the land is such as to adapt it most beautifully to the purpose to which it is consecrated, and our citizens may be justly proud of the place they have prepared for the final repose of those who are no longer makers of our city's his- tory. A number of very fine monuments have been placed in various parts of the grounds. The mausolenins of John W. Bookwalter, Governor Bushnell, P. P. born in Scotland from a family of pro- Mast and W. IL. Blee are works of art fessional landscape gardeners. His

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father removed to Cincinnati in 1867 and ter of Section 17, Springfield Township, was there employed in that business. Mr. lying on the north side of the National Road, two miles east of this city, and es- tablished a burial place for the members of the Catholic Church, intending to have it consecrated, but this was never done. Dick studied in the Royal Botanical Gar- dens of Edinburg. the best in that conn- try, and came to the United States in 1854 and was employed for a time on Long Island, laying ont parks, subsequently coming to Springfield on the recommenda- LAGONDA AVENUE CEMETERY. tion of Adolph Strauch, who was superin- tendent of Spring Grove, Cincinnati. The entire grounds are a monument to his industry and ability in making still more beautiful the admirable work of Nature.

At this time from fifteen to twenty per- sons are kept constantly employed in taking care of the grounds. In 1887, or thereabout, the beautiful stone residence of the superintendent was erected near the Plum Street entrance. It is now in contemplation to erect a chapel for gen- eral purposes sonth of the Plum Street entrance and likewise to ereet a large gen- eral utility house near the MeCreight Avenue entrance

Of the present organization J. W. Staf- ford is president; J. L. Bushnell, vice president ; J. F. Chorpening, secretary ; Ed. Harford, treasurer, and J. F. Diek, superintendent.

The trustees are E. O. Bowman, J. L. Bushnell, J. J. Hoppes, J. W. Stafford, Robert Johnson, C. H. Pierce, W. F. Foos and J. H. Rodgers.

The executive committee are J. W. Stafford, Robert Johnson, J. J. Hoppes, J. L .. Bushnell and C. H. Pierce.

CATHOLIC CEMETERIES.

In 1853 Rev. Morris Howard bought three acres of land in the southeast quar-

In 1864 Father Thisse purchased six acres, which was then just outside of the corporate limits on Lagonda Avenue. These grounds were consecrated by him and until other Catholic Cemeteries were established it was used as the sole place of burial by the Catholic Churches of our city. It is now entirely within the city limits, and not much space remains to be used for burial purposes.

ST. BERNARD'S CEMETERY.

In 1878 St. Bernard's congregation. through their then pastor, Father Schne- hardt, purchased ten acres west of the Urbana Pike and now opposite to the grounds of the Country Club. These grounds were consecrated hy Most Rev- erend J. B. Pursell and are used for burial purposes by the St. Bernard's con- gregation.

CALVARY CEMETERY.

'The space set aside for burial purposes in the Lagonda Avenne Cemetery having become very much depleated, additional grounds were purchased for cemetery purposes in Section 14 of Springfield Township, located about two and a half miles sontheast of the city and the short distance of what is known as Locust

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Grove. These twenty acres have been set continued it under the name of the West- aside for this purpose and the greater ma- jority of Catholies belonging to the St. Raphael's and St. Joseph congregations use this place for burial purposes. It has been given the name of Calvary. The ground was dedicated November 1, 1889, und the first person buried was Patrick Welch, in that year.

THE PRESS. FIRST PAPER.

There seems to be some discrepancy as to when the first newspaper was printed in Springfield. Oscar 'T. Martin, in Beers' History, makes the date 1820, and Mr. C. M. Nichols, in his address before the Springfield Centennial, makes it 1817- two sources of information to which we are indebted for much of the information contained in this article. Whether or not the first paper was established in 1817 or 1820 is not very material, but we know that at the later date one George Smith published a paper called The Farmer. This paper was printed upon a small sheet a little larger than a foolseap sheet. It advocated the principles of Madison's administration.

Smith's office was in a small log house situated on the southeast corner of the lot on which the First Presbyterian Church now stands. In the year 1820 a religious paper was started under Rev. Saul Henkle, called the Gospel Trumpet. It was soon removed to Dayton.

ern. Pioneer. Benjamin H. Rogers died in 1884 and the paper was published for some time by his brother, Simeon Rogers. In 1825 George W. JJewett was the pub- lisher. He moved the office to a new building on the Court House Square. In 1828 Benjamin and Moses M. Henkle be- came the owners of the Western Pioneer and in 1829 Colonel William A. Camron appears to have been the owner. In 1831 the press and materials were owned by Jeremiah Warder, and Edward H. Cum- mnings became the editor.

In 1833 a paper was started called Farmers' Chronicle. This was absorbed in a short time by the Pioneer and for a time the paper was issued under the name of the Pioneer and Chronicle. In 1836 it resumed its old name of Pioncer. In the same year a paper called Calumet and Warclub, advocating the election of Gen- eral Harrison, was published by J. D. Nichols. It did not continue longer than the campaign. It was renewed in 1840 and again advocated the election of Gen- eral Harrison.

THE REPUBLIC.

In Angust, 1849, the name of the Pioneer was changed to that of the Repub- lie and the office was removed to Main Street, where in 1840 a disastrous fire of- curred. In 1848 it began the issue of its tri-weekly number. In 1853 the Republic beemne the property of Wick, Frey & Mayn, with their office in King's Row, Limestone Street; George H. Frey, still living, was its editor.

Abont 1821 the Farmer became the property of Henry Rogers and its name changed to The Farmers' Advocate. In 1853 George W. Hastings, still a rex- ident of our town, began the publication Henry Rogers disposed of the paper to his brother, Benjamin H. Rogers, who of a newspaper called The Nonpareil.

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This paper afterwards became the Mad River Valley News and Clark County Journal.

In 1861 the Republic was sold to W. F. Coggswell. In this same year the Springfield Daily Evening Telegraph was published by Henry C. Croft. The Tele- gram was subsequently sold to E. R. Gard and by him to Mr. Kost, and the latter disposed of it to Messrs. Hastings and Nichols; they consolidated it with the Daily News. In 1864 Hustings & Nichols became the owner of the Republic and consolidated with this paper the Mad River News.

In 1867 the Weekly Advertiser was started, of which paper Mr. Oscar T. Mar- tin was for n time the editor. In 1872 it became the property of the owners of the Republic and was consolidated with that paper.

In 1879 the Springfield Daily Times was published, but did not long survive. Along in the eighties a paper was pub- lished called the Champion City Times. About this time the Globe was started, published by the Winter Brothers and edited by a Mr. Perkins, a very brilliant man, who years afterwards, when he had left the city, committed suicide. This paper consolidated with the Times and in 1883 or '84 the Globe and Republic be came consolidated, with Governor Bush- nell as the principal owner, and was then called the Globe Republic. It was after- wards sold to Cotes Kinney, Mr. Nichols and others.

PRESA REPUBLIC.

Along in the nineties the Press Repub- Tic became the property of Mr. Arthur D. Hosterman. Mr. Hosterman bad pre-

viously become the owner of the Cham- mon C'ity Times, and the paper was then called the Times Republic. Later it was sold to Ed. S. Kelly and was issued under the name of the Press Republic.

THE NEWS.

Mr. Kelly continued the publication of the paper until 1905, when it was sold to its present proprietor and became con- solidated with the Democratic paper and was continued as a morning paper under the name of the News. This practically ended the career of this paper, as up to this time it had been Republican in pol- ities, while now it is Democratie. It may be interesting now to go back to the Dem- ocratie branch of this consolidation.

For a long time the Republic was print- ed in the building which had formerly heen called the Willis House, or the Na- tional Hotel, and was loented on Main Street, on the ground now ocenpied by the eastern part of the Bushnell Building, and it continned there nutil it became the property of Mr. Hosterman. It was then mnoved to and ocenpied a part of the old church, removed on the building of the Kelly Building, on the east side of South Limestone Street, not far north of the railroad.

MAD RIVER DEMOCRAT.

In 1839 there was issued the Mad Rirer Democrat. It did not live a very great length of time. In 1846 the Union Demo- crat came into existence, edited by John M. West. In the following December its name was changed to the Clark County Democrat.

In 1849 this paper beenmne the property

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of William Mossgrove and E. G. Dial, who removed the same to Urbana, where the name was changed to Expositor of the Fourth Congressional District.

TRANSCRIPT.

In 1852 the paper returned to Spring- field and became the property of William Boggs, and afterwards, after going through various hands, became the prop- erty of Ellfritz & Balentine, who changed the name to the Transcript, Mr. E. C. Balentine, now of Washington, D. C., be- ing the editor. This paper afterwards became, through various changes, the property of Mr. T. D. Wallace, largely, who published the Springfield Daily Dem- ecrat, with Mr. Harry E. Rice as editor. in 1905 this paper became the property of the owners of the present Daily News, who had previously bought the Press Re. public.

The owners of the Democrat had pre- vions to this time become the owners of the Sunday News, which was started in Springfield in 1879, and was edited by D. T. West. Mr. West was a very able man and his seathing denunciations were ex- celled by none. Thus it will be seen that the Daily News becomes the successor of a long line of former newspapers in this district in both the Republican and Demo- cratie ranks.

It is owned and controlled largely by Mr. Cox, a resident of Dayton, the editor at present being George R. Hippard. It is a large paper issued principally as an evening edition, the present proprietors having changed it from a morning to an evening paper.

GAZETTE.

In 1873 T. E. Harwood commenced the publication on a small scale of the Com- mercial Gazette, which was afterwards changed to the Gazette and when the old Press Republic ceased to be a Republican paper the name was again changed to the Republican Gazette, Mr. Harwood con- tinned to be the proprietor of this paper from its commencement in 1873 until his death in 1905. During this time Robert Nelson, now of Los Angeles, California, was for a while editor, and latterly Charles E. Folger occupied that position; Mr. Folger being at present the oldest ac- tive newspaper man of the city. This paper was for a long time conducted as an independent, but abont 1890 changed its policy and became largely Republican in its tendency, although still retaining in some measure its independent character. After the death of Mr. Harwood it was continned by his sons for a short while and then became the property of Thomas J. Kirkpatrick, who is the present pro- prieter. Mr. Kirkpatrick had previous ex- perience in journalism, having been one of the founders and for a long time active- ly interested in condueting the Farm and Fireside: later he became owner of one of the Akron papers.

The Gazette had very few changes in its location. It was issued for twenty- five years or more from the Kizer Build- ing, located immediately west of the alley on the south side of Main Street between Limestone and Fountain Avenue. Mr. Harwood afterwards purchased the build- ing located on the northeast corner of Spring and Main and there continued the operation of the paper until his death,

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same being ocenpied by the present prop- rietor of that paper for printing, the office being moved to 125 E. Main Street.

Mr. Kirkpatrick assumes the general management and controlling editorship of this paper. Since he has had control he has infused new life into it and it is now a leading paper of the town and county.

THE MORNING SUN.

The Morning Sun came into existence in 1894 and was caused chiefly by some disagreement among the then owners of the papers in the city and a number of leading printers. These printers organ- ized themselves together and formed a stock company and began the issuance of this paper. It has continued under prac- tically the same management np to the present time. For a long time Enos Con- rad was the president and manager. It is independent in polities, although some- what inclined to favor Democratic policies,

It is located immediately south of the west County Building. It was first lo- rated on Main Street, East of Spring, afterward ocenpying the rooms inme- diately south of where it now is, it having moved into its present location in Decem- ber, 1906. It is a live and vigorous morn- ing paper aud for that reason commands a large country subscription, as the paper can be carried in the morning deliveries of the rural ronte. Fred S. Wallace is the present managing editor. Walter L. Har- rison being general manager.

FARM AND FIRESIDE.

In 1877 P. P. Mast & Co. issned a small agricultural paper which they called the Farm and Fireside. It was issued orig-

inally, largely for the purpose of advertis ing the productions of P. P. Mast & Co. In 1879 the paper changed its ownership. although P. P. Mast continued to have a controlling interest ; he and J. S. Crowell and T. J. Kirkpatrick became the owners. This firm continued the ownership of this paper until Mr. Mast's death, when Cro- well and Kirkpatrick beeame the pro- prietors.

Afterwards Mr. Crowell, having pur- chased Mr. Kirkpatrick's interest, became the sole proprietor and conducted the busi- ness under the name of the "Crowell Pub- lishing Company." He continued as sole proprietor and manager until 1906, when the present proprietors, pincipally New York people, became the owners. It has grown to one of the largest agricultural papers of the country, having a circula- tion close on to 500,000. It is issued twice a month and occupies one of the most complete printing establishments in the country, located on the northwest corner of High and Factory Streets.

In 1885 Messrs Crowell and Kirk- patrick started the publication of the il- lustrated monthly periodieal known as the Woman's Home Companion. This became a strong rival to the Ladies' Home Journal and has now a circulation of near 250,000.

FARM NEWS.

In 1890 publication of the Farm News hegan here under the proprietorship of J. N. Garver. It was afterwards sold to the Simmons Publishing Company, who now issne the same from their office located on the southwest corner of Washington and Mechanic Streets, It has a circulation of

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250,000. It is a monthly, bright and this city. In 1841 a religious journal newsy.

POULTRY SUCCESS.

In 1895 Arthur D. Hosterman became the principal proprietor of the Poultry Success. It is a journal particularly de- voted to the raising of poultry and has a virenlation of about 35,000. This is one of the leading poultry journals in the county.

SPRINGFIELD JOURNAL ADLER.

On September 11, 1874, Louis Weixel- baum and Jacob Schoenthal established the Springfield Journal, a paper published in German. They continued to occupy the sole field until 1890 when Lonis Jorth es- tablished the Adler.

The Journal was inclined to be Demo- cratie in its proclivities and the Adler, Republican, although both professed to be independent.

In 1891, Schoenthal having died, Weixelbaum became the sole proprietor of the Journal and on August 1, 1895, he purchased the Adler and its subscription list and changed the name of the paper to the Journal Adler.

The office of the Journal, until after the death of Mr. Schoenthal, was in Black's Opera House Building. Thereafter, hav- ing become connected with the bindery business. it was moved down to its present location in the Bowman Building on W. Main Street. It is a paper fairly well patronized by our German inhabitants and it is edited by a man of ability.

MISCELLANEOUS.

called the Presbyterian of the West was published here edited by Rev. J. Dunlap and Rev. W. D. Smith. This publication was afterwards moved to Cincinnati.

The Gospel Herald was published in New Carlisle in this county in 1843. In 1847 a little pamphlet was published here called the Moss-Covered Bucket, and in 1858 the American Ruralist was published and existed for two years. In 1846 the Western Recorder was issued from the press in this town. The name was after- wards changed, in 1855, to the Western Methodist Protestant and in 1866 to the Methodist Recorder. This paper was afterwards moved to Cincinnati. During the Woman's Crusade, D. C. Ballentine and others edited a paper for a short time called the Daily Leader. The Champion Reaper and Mower Company in 1870 pub- lished a paper called the Illustrated Cham- pion for gratuitons distribution, and about the same time Rinehart, Ballard & Co. published the Illustrated Springfield Thresher to advertise the threshing ma- chiue. Somewhat along the same line was Leffel's Mechanical News, which was first issued in 1871. It became quite a noted paper in its line aud in 1886 was moved to New York.

R. S. Thompson published the Lire Patron and the New Era for a nmuber of years, having quite an extensive circula- tion, especially among the grangers, For a long time it was the official organ of the Ohio State Grange.

It suspended a few years ago. On sev- eral oreasions there have been Lutheran

A number of papers of various kinds publications issned from the various have in different periods been printed in printing ofires of this town.

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EMTORS, ETC.

Two of the persons having unich field in former years are still liv- ing, namely, George H. Frey. Sr .. and George W. Hastings. Mr. Frey has had a long und active career; for a number of years he was County Com- missioner und was a member of the first board of Water Works Trustees be- sides having filled other places of trust. George W. Hastings, by reason of failure of his eyesight, has not been actively iden- tified with business affairs for a number of years past; otherwise, however, enjoy- ing good health at a ripe old age.

Clifton M. Nichols deserves more than a passing notice when speaking of news- papers of Springfield, Ohio. For more than thirty-five years he was in the editor- ial harness, all that time practically with the old Republic, and of him it enn he said that his aim was always to make a news- paper that was clean and truthful, earn- estly npholding the principles of the party to which he belonged-the Republican. After he left his editorial work he became secretary of the Board of Trade and con- tinued in that position until his death in 1903.

Mention should likewise be made of Charles F. Folger, who as reporter and editor was an active newspaper man of this town for thirty years or more. Mr. Folger was for a time on the Gazette then on the Press Republic and then again on the Gazette, having retired from that paper upon Mr. Kirkpatrick, a gentleman of mnch originality, energy and ability. becoming the owner.

Republic for some six or seven years pre- vions to his becoming postmaster in 1899. One of the brightest newspaper men this who edited the Globe while it was owned by the Winters Company. He afterwards went back to his native state, Kentucky.

D. T. West, who was owner of the Sun. day News, was for a long time actively identified with the press of this city.

In the writing of spiey editorials and the trenchant use of the English language he was perhaps withont superior. Major W. H. Dugdale for a time was editor of the Democrat. Ile left the city in 1881.

Coates Kinney, the famous author of "Rain on the Roof," and other poems, for a time was largely interested in editor- ial work on the old Republic.

Robert T. Nelson, who afterwards be- enme prominently identified.in newspaper work in Los Angeles, California, was the first editor of the Gazette.

Captain D. C. Ballentine, now in Wash- ington, D. C., for a long time was editor of the Transcript and the Democrat. Cap- tain Ballentine was a writer of force.

R. S. Thompson wielded the editorial pen with ability in his paper the New Era. He is still living in the city engaged now in other business.

A. D. Hosterman, the present owner of the Poultry Success, and John N. Garver. have made a success of a number of pub- lications, at different times.

Harry Rice, now the proprietor of a Xenia paper, for the past fifteen years has been connected with the newspaper work of our city.

John A. Reid and Chas. A. Warren have

James H. Rabbitts was editor of the been connected with our local papers for

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to do with newspaper work in Spring- city ever had was Mr. George W. Perkins

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near a score of years, as has Fred Wal- Springfield's material interests. This lace now with the Sun.

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES.

BOARD OF TRADE-COMMERCIAL CLUB.

For some time leading men of Spring- feld had felt the need of some organiza- tion that could look after the welfare of the city, generally. This need was more keenly felt in the strenuous times that fol- lowed the business depression occurring in the latter part of the eighties.

The great East Street Shops had been standing idle for a number of years, The plant of the Armstrong Bros., boiler makers, was in like condition, so was the plant of the Springfield Manufacturing Company operated by E. W. Butt, in the sonthern part of town, and several others of a lesser character. The old Gray Malleable Works and the shops of the Champion Machine Co., now occupied by the Superior Drill Co. and the Foos Gas Engine Co. were likewise or nearly quite unorenpied.

To induce business firms to locate and start work in these vacant factories, and inangurate enterprises of a kindred char- acter for the welfare of the city generally, a large number of business men organ- ized, in 1889, the Board of Trade and in- stalled as secretary the veteran newspaper man. Clifton M. Nichols. This organiza- tion continued in existence until 1904, when it was absorbed by the Commercial Club. This latter club was organized by a yonuger and perhaps more vigorous set of men, than those who composed the Board of Trade. Both the Commercial Club and the Board of Trade had for their objeet the advancement and fostering of

club was organized in November, 1897. For the remainder of the year 1897, Theo- dore Troupe, was president and D. T. West, secretary. In 1898 S. J. Wilkerson was president, D. T. West continuing aş secretary. In 1899 A. F. Sparks served as president, and J. F. Kitchen ps sec- retary. In 1890 W. H. Schaus was presi- dent and J. H. Long secretary. In 1891 J. Frank MeGrew was president, Long continning as secretary. In 1902 E. B. Hopkins was president, Long still con- tinning as secretary. In 1903 R. B. House was president, Long still secretary. In 1904 Chas. S. Kay, who had previously served as president of the Board of Trade, was elected, Long continning as secretary. In 1905 John L. Plummer was president, and George H. Knight, secretary. In 1906 N. H. Fairbanks, was president, Knight continuing as secretary. In 1907 W. H. Stackhouse was president, and Dr. W. A. Barber, secretary, and in 1908, John N. Garver was elected president and James G. Stewart, secretary.

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20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 46

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993