USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > A complete history of Fairfield County, Ohio > Part 14
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Adam Weaver, 1826.
Peter C. Bennadum, 1857.
Jacob Beck, 1830.
O. E. Davis, 1861.
Ewel Jeffries, 1837.
Bateman Beaty, 1863. Jacob Baker, 1867.
Gilbert Shaeffer, 1871.
Francis Lilley, 1849.
Henry A. Martens, 1875.
Edward Grabill, 1853.
The dates show the year of election.
The following incident has been related to me by a friend of one of the old-time Treasurers. The lesson it contains might be utilized.
When Jacob Beck went out of office, in 1837, and when his settlements with the Commissioners and the State had been completed, he found he had on hand a surplus sum of be- tween four and five hundred dollars. His accounts were all closed, and the question was, where did the money belong ? He insisted it belonged to the State. His political adversaries wanted to charge him with irregularity. It subsequently turned out that the State Auditor had erroneously transferred that amount from Muskingum to Fairfield County school fund.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
Previous to the year 1823, there does not seem to have been any legally constituted Surveyors for the County of Fairfield. Since that time the following men have served as County Sur- veyors, in the order and time below :
Samuel Carpenter, 1823 to 1826. Jonathan Flattery, 1826 to 1836. Salmon Shaw, 1836 to 1842. Wm. J. Card, 1842 to 1849. Gabriel Strunk, 1849 to 1854. Wm. Hamilton, 1854 to 1856.
Ezra S. Hannum, 1856 to 1867. Frank H. Carpenter, 1867 to 1869. Levi Hartzler, 1869 to 1874.
Ezra S. Hannum, 1874 to 1876. Charles Boreland, Jr., 1876.
The foregoing record of Probate Judges, Clerks of the Court, and County Surveyors, is completed up to the year 1876. In compiling the succession of other county officers I have expe- rienced difficulties, some of which, after much labor and pa- tient research, I am compelled to regard as insurmountable. The files of the Ohio Eagle between 1810 and 1838 are want- ing. From them we could have shown the annual and bien- nial election of officers. In the Gazette office the files are still more incomplete. The Court-house records are so voluminous and miscellaneously disposed, as to render the research too onerous to be undertaken clear through the seventy-six years
Asa Spurgeon, 1841. Jephthah Newkirk, 1845.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
of the civil history of Fairfield County. I am, nevertheless, under great obligations to the county officers for their kind- ness in affording me help in the prosecution of my researches during the last year, by which I have obtained valuable in- formation. The files of the Eagle from 1838 down, are com- plete, with the exception of one volume and a few mutilations.
Following are the dates of the election of the respective of- ficers, which I have no doubt are entirely correct :
COUNTY AUDITORS.
After the most thorough search through the Court-house records, I have been unable to go behind 1820 in the list of Fairfield County Auditors, as follows :
Samuel Carpenter, 1820 to 1828. Thomas U. White, 1829 to 1832.
66 1858. Henry C. Widler, 1833 to 1837. John C. Castle, 1838.
66
1840.
66 1842.
Alfred Mc Veigh, 1844.
60 1846.
Wm. L. Jeffries, 1848. 66 1850.
1852.
James W. Towson, 1854. A. J. Dildine, 1856.
Wm. Robinson, 1860.
1862. Wm. Shopp, 1864. 1866. Louis Blaire, 1868. 66 1870.
John C. Hite, 1873.
66 1875.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Wm. W. Irvin, 1838.
66 .“ 1840.
66 1842.
Washington Van Ham, 1844.
Emnnuel Giesy, 1846.
Wm. R. Rankin, 1848. 66 1850.
Virgil E. Shaw, 1852.
Alfred Williams, 1854. James W. Stinchomb, 1856.
James W. Stinchomb, 1858. Wm. T. Wise, 1860. Tollman Slough, 1862.
1864, Wm. A. Shultz, 1866. .6 66 1868. John G. Reeves, 1870. 66 " 1872.
66 66 1874.
Thos. H. Dolson, 1876.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
Hugh Boyl, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, did the re- cording of the County, in connection with the County Clerk- ship, up to about 1830, as is supposed, when Wm. Gruber was appointed, and after him Henry Miers. These latter two men filled up the interregnum between Hugh Boyl and Mr. King,
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
who took charge of the office in 1837. There may be one or two inaccuracies in the following dates, but not important :
Wm. L. King, 1837 to 1848. John K. Baker, 1849.
Adam Syfert, 1859 to 1852.
E. C. Hannum, 1854 to 1856. Adam Syfert, 1857 to 1864. Timothy Fishbaugh, 1866 to 1876.
JUDGES OF COURTS OF COMMON PLEAS.
Alexander H. Keith was Judge of Common Pleas for Fair- field County from about 1837 to 1850. Henry C. Whitman succeeded him, and remained on the bench until about 1860 or 1861, when he resigned, and P. B. Ewing was appointed to fill out his time. In 1862, Philadelphus Van Trump was elected, serving until his election to Congress in 1867, when Silas H. Wright was chosen, and has continued up to this time.
Judges Swan and Grimpky preceded Judge Keith, but their time I have not the means of fixing definitely. In a former chapter we have given several of the early Judges of the Com- mon Pleas, beginning with Judge Wyley Silliman, who opened the first Common Pleas in Fairfield in the year 1803. Follow- ing him was Judge Belt, and then Robert F. Slaughter, who was on the bench a number of years.
A BAND OF HORSE-THIEVES, AND HOW THEY WERE BROKEN UP.
The following statement, in substance, has been given me by more than one of the older citizens, and is therefore probably correct in its main features, as I find only slight discrepancies by the different narrators :
The time of the occurrence was not far from 1820-perhaps a little later. There was a band of horse-thieves and counter- fiters infesting the southern portion of Fairfield County, and the country below. Possibly some of them lived in surround- ing counties ; but, be that as it may have been, their place of rendezvous was ascertained to be three or four miles south, or south-west of Lancaster, in what is commonly known as "Sleepy Hollow." The number of the thieves was not exactly known, but it came to be understood that six or eight of them were in the habit of meeting at a house in Sleepy Hollow. They were rough and desperate characters, and their leader,
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
who was well known, was a man of powerful strength and activity, and as desperate and daring as he was strong.
Several attempts to make arrests and break up the lodge had been unsuccessful, the villains defying all law and all the posse that had undertaken their capture. Thomas Ewing was the Prosecuting Attorney for the county at the time of the final descent upon their den, and upon report being made that they could not be taken, he said the conclave must be broken up, and asked that he might be deputized as special constable for the occasion. His request was granted, and having, by some method, best known to himself, learned the night and place of their meeting, he proceeded to select and organize his posse comitatus, composed in part of the following names : Nathaniel Red, Christian Neibling, Adam Weaver, Christian King, David Reece and Elenathan Schofield. At a suitable hour, when the darkness of night had "in her sombre mantle all things clad," the company, equipped with ropes and other implements that might be needed in the execution of their mission, mounted their horses and proceeded down through the hills in the di- rection of the cabin where they expected to find their birds.
Having arrived in the vicinity of the lodge, they halted under the cover of a thicket, and began the reconnoiter. They soon found that they were on the right track, and having matured their plans, they surrounded the house silently, and bursting the door, rushed in without giving a moment's time to extinguish lights or attempt escape. The thieves were holding their conclave in the second story, and instantly each deputy attacked his man, Mr. Ewing selecting the leader as the most powerful man of them all. Within a very brief space of time every man of the robbers was securely bound, with a single exception-Mr. Schofield's adversary was about proving too much for him, which fact coming to Mr. Ewing's notice, he at once went to his assistance. While the tying of this last man was in progress, the leader, who had regained his feet, threw himself backwards through the window, bound as he was, and, strange to say, actually succeeded in making good his escape. It was a fearful risk, but he did it, and was never subsequently heard tell of. It was supposed that he was as- sisted by the women below. The balance of the robbers were taken to town and lodged in jail, and subsequently, I believe, every one sent to the Penitentiary.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
I have given this story as it has been given to me. It may be relied on as true ; at least in outline and in the principal facts. The men selected by Mr. Ewing as his posse were all men of herculean strength and undaunted courage; but to himself, undoubtedly, belonged the credit of the success of the enterprise, and of the clearing of the country of the bandits.
HOCKING CANAL HISTORY,
The response of Major B. W. Carlisle to the toast, "The Hocking Canal, " given at the Hocking Sentinel anniversary, held at the Remple House, in Logan, on the 26th of April, 1877, is of such value as a part of the history of Fairfield County, that I here insert it entire. Also the letter of Gen. Thomas Ewing; addressed, on the same occasion :
RESPONSE OF MR. CARLISLE.
" In response to the sentiment assigned us, we beg to indulge while we review in abstract, and briefly, the history and reminiscences of the Hocking Canal. Its history, though brief, and to some probably mo- notonous and uninteresting, is fraught with facts important to, and well remembered by the pioneers of the Hockhocking. We call upon you friends who have lived for two and a half or threescore years in this beautiful valley of 'milk and honey,' to return with us upon the wings of memory and hear again the shouts of joy echoing through the length and breadth of this valley, as we heard them in the earliest days of our settlement.
" The first part of the Hocking Canal was built by the Lancaster Lat- eral Canal Company, from Lancaster to Carroll, there forming a junc- tion with the Ohio Canal. The Lancaster Lateral Canal was put under contract in 1832, by Samuel F. McCracken, Jacob Greene, E. Schofield, Benjamin Connell, and others, with F. A. Foster as Secretary. This piece of canal, known as the 'Side Cut,' was completed, and the first boats towed into Lancaster on the 4th day of July, in 1835, or 1836, amidst the booming of cannons, beating of drums, and the wafting to the breeze of flags and banners, and being witnessed by some ten thou- sand of Fairfield's yeomanry, who were assembled at the Cold Spring Hill, near Lancaster, where there was a roasted ox and a free dinner served; and after which the Greenes, Bill Furguson, and others, in- dulged in the popular exercise of fisticuffs.
" Up to this period (1836), our farmers usually got from 25 to 40 cents for wheat, but many of them became rich from prices received for their surplus products afterward. Lancaster was then one of the large commercial cities of the country, getting all the grain from most parts of the county, as well as from parts of Perry, Hocking and Pickaway counties. There were nine dry goods stores, all doing a large business.
" In March, 1838, an act was passed by the Legislature of the State, authorizing the then Commissioners to purchase the Side Cut from its owners. On April 6th, 1838, a committee was appointed to confer with
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
the Lancaster Company and negotiate terms; and on the 22d of Decem- ber, 1838, a contract was matured for the same, at a cost of $61,241.04. " The Hocking Canal was projected and put under contract by the Board of Public Works, in 1836, that Board having just been made to substitute the Canal Commissioner of the State. Sixteen and one-half miles, being from Lancaster to Bowner's Lock, was put under contract in 1837, and to be completed in 1839. And that portion from Bowner's Lock to Nelsonville, being sixteen and one-half miles, was put under contract in October, 1837, and to be completed in 1839, but was not completed until 1840. In September of this year the first boats loaded with coal came out of the Hocking, and served as a curiosity to most of the upper valley citizens, who had never seen stone-coal. In 1841, the canal was completed to Monday Creek, being forty-four miles from Carroll; and from Monday Creek to Athens completed and boats run- ning through in 1841.
"The Hocking Canal has 31 locks, 8 dams, 34 culverts, and 1 acqueduct of 80 feet span.
" The total cost of construction of this canal was $947,670.25.
"To the opening of this canal, Lancaster, Logan, Nelsonville and Athens owe their principal prosperity, in affording an opening for the importation of their goods, and the exportation of their grain, pork, lumber, salt and various minerals of the Hocking Valley. Hemmed in as you were by towering hills, your agricultural wealth was unobserved, your mineral wealth unknown. To the Hocking Canal you owe your introduction to the world without. Through the medium of the canal, a market was brought near, and the latent wealth of your hills was then developed, and the beautiful hills of the Hockhocking became the "hub" of the mineral wealth of Ohio.
" By the introduction of this old water-horse (the canal), the long- hidden treasures of mineral wealth of this valley were brought into notice and general use; manufactories built up in all the contiguous towns and territories, thus affording employment to a large and needy class of mechanics, and the employment of an equal number of laborers in penetrating the bowels of the earth for fuel, and the employment of horses, boats and men, to ship the fuel all along the line of our canals, and enriching many of the citizens of the Hocking Valley.
" Allow me to say, in conclusion, that although the iron-horse moves majestically along the valley, bearing the greater share of your trade, yet the old water-horse still lives and possesses a large amount of vitality, and is therefore not yet ready to be turned out to die. as some would have him. And if any inanimate object were capable of awakening in the human breast sentiments of gratitude and esteem, these, the citi- zens of the Hocking Valley owe to the canal."
LETTER OF GENERAL EWING.
LANCASTER, OHIO, April 26th, 1877.
EDS. SENTINEL-Gentlemen : But for unexpected business calling me elsewhere, I would have attended the anniversary banquet to-night, to join your other friends in bragging of the success and promise of the Sentinel, and of the wonderful region, in the development of which it has had, and will yet have, an important part. We who were born in the Hocking Valley always knew, and "the rest of mankind" are fast finding out, that it is one of the choicest regions ever fashioned by the Almighty for the abode of man. Rich, healthful and beautiful, she
-
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
holds her sons and daughters to her breast by every tie of interest and affection.
Yet she attracts us more by what she is than what she is soon to be- for all men love to be associated with the birth of great events and indus- tries. The most western out line of the Apalachian basin, this coal and iron region, began six years ago to furnish light, heat and power, to the cities and towns of the great agricultural plain of the North-west ; and now it is about to become, not only their coal-yard, but their work-shop. The hard times, by means of which the usurers are crushing and robbing the industrial classes, have only demonstrated its unequaled capabili- ties for making cheap iron ; and great industries perishing elsewhere, are being transplanted here, where even the blight of forced resumption can't kill them.
It needs no seer to predict, that before the editors of the Sentinel shall have grown grey in the cause of Democracy and the country, every hill-top of this region will be teeming with husbandmen, every depth with diggers of coals and ores ; while the clang and roar of mills and furnaces will make each valley resonant-a busy hive, which, in time, as my father long ago predicted, will surpass in numbers and pros- perous industry any equal space on earth.
Very truly your friend,
THOMAS EWING.
TYPHOID EPIDEMIC.
The oldest citizens of Lancaster describe a typhoid epi- . demic that prevailed in the village in the fall of the year 1823. Its ravages are believed not to have been exceeded on the continent at any age, or by any visitation of epidemic disease, not even excepting the cholera. No direct or remote cause could be assigned. It prevailed largely among the promi- nent and better conditioned citizens. It is spoken of as having decimated the town, which means one death out of every ten citizens. One gentleman thinks the mortality exceeded even that proportion. If one should inspect the grave-stones of the old grave-yards in the vicinity of Lancaster, he would be surprised at the number of stones bearing date of 1823, most of the occupants having fell by the epidemic of that year. No similar disease and mortality has subsequently visited the place. It is said that some portion of the time there were not well persons enough to nurse the sick and bury the dead.
FAIRFIELD'S PUBLIC MEN.
Governors of Ohio from Fairfield County, from the organization of the State up to 1876 .- William Medill was elected Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in the fall of 1851. His term began in January, 1852. He was Acting-Governor the latter part of
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
the term. He was subsequently elected to the Gubernatorial chair in the fall of 1852, and served until 1856.
Judges of the Supreme Court under the Constitution of 1802 .- William W. Irvin, of Lancaster, was appointed to the Su- preme Bench in the early years of the State, but the exact year does not appear upon the records.
Charles R. Sherman, of Lancaster, was also on the bench. He was appointed to fill the place of John McLain, of Warren County, who resigned on the 11th of January, 1823. Mr. Sherman was Judge at the time of his death, at Lebanon, in 1829.
Hocking H. Hunter was elected to the Supreme Judgeship for the District of Ohio, under the Constitution of 1851, but resigned before taking his seat.
U. S. Senators :- Thomas Ewing was first elected to the Sen- ate of the United States to fill the place made vacant by the resignation of Thomas Corwin, in 1831, and served till 1837. He was again Senator from 1850 to 1851.
Members of Congress .- The following are the men who have been elected to the Lower House of Congress from Fairfield since the admission of the State into the Union, in 1802:
Philomon Beecher, 1817 to 1821, and 1823 to 1829.
William W. Irvin, 1829 to 1833.
John Chaney, 1833 to 1839.
William Medill, 1839 to 1843.
Thomas O. Edwards, 1847 to 1849.
Charles D. Martin, 1859 to 1861.
Philadel phus Van Trump, 1867 to 1873.
Of the foregoing mentioned men, only two are living in 1877, viz : John Chaney and Charles D. Martin.
Officers of the year 1876 .- State Senate, Robert E. Reece (Dis- trict) ; Representative, Adam Seifert; Judge of Common Pleas, Silas H. Wright; Probate Judge, Wm. L. Bigby ; Clerk of Court, Geo. W. Grabill; Auditor, John C. Hite ; Treasurer, Gilbert Shaeffer ; Recorder, Timothy Fishbaugh ; Sheriff, Wm. Bush; Prosecuting Attorney, John Reeves; Commissioners, Thomas Barr, Caleb Moore and William Fink.
Here follow some important historical and statistical mat- ters, culled from the various official reports of the Secretaries of State :
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
The first General Assembly of the State of Ohio met in Chil- licothe on the first Tuesday of March, 1803. The names of the Senators were :
John Beasley (this seat was contested and given to Joseph Darlington early in the session), Joseph Buell, William Buch- anan, Nathaniel Massie, Abraham Claypool, Francis Dunlavy, Jeremiah Morrow, John Paul, Daniel Symmes, Samuel Hunt- ing, Zenan Kimberly, Razaliel Wells, William Vance.
Representatives .- Michael Baldwin, Robert Culbertson, Thos. Worthington, Win. Patton, Rudolph Bear, Z. A. Beaty, Thos. Elliott, Isaac Meeks, Thos. Brown, John Bigger, James Dunn, Wm. James, Robert McClure, Wm. Maxwell, Thomas McFar- land, Win. Jackson, Robert Safford, Wylly Silliman, Thomas Kerker, Ephraim Kibby, Joseph Lucas, Wm. Reuffle, Ephraim Quinby, Aaron Wheeler, David Reece 'of Fairfield), R. Walker Waring, Amos Ellis, Joseph Sharp, Elijah Woods. Speaker, Michael Baldwin ; Clerk, R. Dickerman.
In the month of December, 1803, Fairfield County contained, by official report, 1,051 free white male inhabitants over the . age of 21 years. (The word "free". was used because at that time there were in the county redemptionists-persons who had been sold to service to pay their passage from the old country). In 1807 it contained 2,166 free white males above the age of 21 years.
Here follows a statement of the vote cast by Fairfield County for Governor, from and including 1806, up to and including 1873:
1806-For Edward Tiffin, without opposition, 327 votes.
1808-Three candidates-Samuel Huntington, 973; Thos. Worthington, 192; Thos. Kirker, 3.
1810-Return J. Meigs, 335; Thos. Worthington, 738.
1812-Return J. Meigs, 241; Thos. Scott, 1,213.
1814-Thomas Worthington, 945; Othniel Looker, 176.
1816-Thomas Worthington, 1,059; James Dunlap, 878.
1818-Ethan A. Brown, 1,535; James Dunlap, 239.
1820-Ethan A. Brown, 1,794; Jeremiah Morrow, 33; Wm. H. Harrison, 35.
1822-Jeremiah Morrow, 87; Allen Trimble, 32; William W. Irvin, 1,819.
1824-Jeremiah Morrow, 1,369; Allen Trimble, 1,157.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
1826-This year there were four candidates who were voted for, as follows, in Fairfield-Allen Trimble, 2,609; John Big- ger, 5; Alexander Campbell, 14; and Benjamin Tappin, 2.
1828-Allen Trimble, 1,234; John W. Campbell, 2,076.
1830-Duncan McArthur received 1,035 ; Robt. Lucas, 1,819.
1832-This year we give the votes cast in Fairfield for Presi- dent of the United States, thus : Andrew Jackson received 2,648 votes ; Henry Clay received 1,274 ; Mr. Wirt, Anti-Mason can- didate, received 2 votes.
1834-For Governor : Robert Lucas (Dem.), 2,024; James Finlay (Whig), 1,349.
1836-For President of the United States: Martin Van Buren (Dem.) had 2,906 votes in Fairfield; and William H. Harrison (Whig), 1,846.
1838-For Governor : Wilson Shannon, 2,717 ; Joseph Vance, 1,633.
1840-Thomas Corwin for Governor (Whig), 2,421; Wilson Shannon (Dem.), 3,411.
1842-Wilson Shannon, 3 212; Thomas Corwin, 2,037.
1844-Mordecai Bartley (Whig), 2,402; David Tod (Dem.), 3,584.
1846-William Bebb (Whig), 2,116; David Tod (Dem.), 2,931.
1848-John B. Weller (Dem.), 3,573; Seabury Ford (Whig), 2,266.
1850-Reuben Wood (Dem.), 3,232; Wm. Johnson (Whig), 2,098.
1852-Reuben Wood (Dem.), 3,042; Sam'l. F. Vinton (Whig), 1,736; Samuel Lewis (Abolition), 2 votes.
1853-For Governor: William Medill (Dem.), 2,803; Nelson Barrere (Whig), 1,157.
1855-William Medill (Dem.), 2,614; Allen Trimble (Know- Nothing), 52; Salmon P. Chase (Rep.), 2,474.
1856-This year the vote for Attorney General is given : Christopher P. Wolcott (Rep.), 1,631; Samuel M. Hart (Dem.), 3,095 ; John M. Bush (Know-Nothing), 581.
1857-For Governor: Salmon P. Chase (Rep.), 1,281; Henry Payne (Dem.), 2,917 ; P. Van Trump (Know-Nothing), 357.
1859-William Dennison (Rep.), 1,394; Rufus P. Ranney (Dem.), 2,821.
1861-David Tod (Rep.), 2,137; Hugh J. Jewett (Dem.), 3,119.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.
1863-John Brough (Rep.), 2,790 ; Clement L. Valandingham (Dem.), 3,478.
1865-For Governor : Jacob D. Cox (Rep.) ; home vote, 2,328; army vote, 23; total, 2,351. Geo. W. Morgan (Dem.) ; home vote, 3,393 ; army vote, 1; total, 3,394.
1867-Rutherford B. Hayes (Rep.), 2,056; Allen G. Thur- man (Dem.), 3,940.
1868-For President : U. S. Grant, 2,439; Horatio Seymour, 4,076 votes in Fairfield County.
1870-In 1870, the candidates for Governor in Ohio, were Rutherford B. Hayes (Rep), and George H. Pendleton (Dem.) Hayes received in Fairfield County 2,144 votes; and Pendleton 3,831 votes.
1871-For Governor : Edward F. Noyes (Rep.), 2,185; Geo. W. McCook (Dem.), 3,622 ; Gideon T. Stewart (Prohibitionist), 25 votes.
1872-For President: U. S. Grant (Rep.), 2,540; Greely (Dem.), 3,888.
1873-For Governor: Edward F. Noyes (Rep.), 2,034; Wm. Allen (Dem.), 3,551.
NATIONALITY.
The German element of nationality predominates in Fair- field County. The first emigrants were largely from Pennsyl- vania, especially in and near Lancaster. These almost en- tirely spoke the German language; and some of the first schools were purely in that language. Subsequently, the county became the center of immigration from the Fatherland, including Swiss and Hollanders, so that probably to-day every provincialism of the Teutonic language is spoken within the limits of Fairfield County.
Next to Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky contributed to the early settlement of the county. A few came from the more southern States, and afterward Maryland supplied many good citizens. There is, perhaps, not one of the original States that is not represented-New England, probably, furn- ishing the fewest number. And there is, perhaps, no civil- ized trans-Atlantic country that is not represented here, and w hose language is not spoken.
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