USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 1 > Part 27
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On the 29th of January, 1833, the Legislature passed a law making the office elective by the people, and mak- ing the term of office two years. It has lately been made three years. Jesse Corwin, 1833 to 1835; John B. Weller, 1835 to 1839; Elijah Vance, 1839 to 1843; John Woods, appointed by court, 1848, one termi; Thomas Millikin, appointed by court, 1843, one term: Oliver S. Witherby, 1844 to 1848; M. C. Ryan, 1848 to 1852; Isaac Robertson, 1852 to 1856; Z. W. Selby, 1856 to 1860; F. Ven Derveer, 1860 to 1862; S. Z. Gard, 1862 to 1866; D. Vance, 1866 to 1870; John W. Wilson, 1870 to 1871; S. Z. Gard, 1871 to 1872; H. L. Morey, 1872 to 1874; J. L. Vahandigham, 1874 to 1876; James E. Campbell, 1876 to 1880; John F. Neilan, 1880 to 1885.
CORONER.
According to the constitution, there is elected in each county one coroner. who shall hold his office for the term of two years. The persons hereafter named have sue- cessively filled this position :
Samuel Dillon, 1803 to 1805 ; Joshua Delaplane, 1805 to 1807 (died in 1807) ; David Beatty, 1807 to 1815; Samuel Dillon, 1815 to 1817; John Hall, 1817 to 1819; Joseph Wilson, 1819 to 1821; James B. Cam- ron, 1821 to 1825: William Blair, 1825 to 1831; WiH- iam Hunter, 1831 to 1833: James S. Greer, 1833 to 1835; William J. Elliott, 1835 to 1839; John M. Flagg, 1839 to 1840; John Crane, 1842 to 1846; B. F. Raleigh, 1846 io 1848; Clement Clifton, 1848 to 1852; Joseph L. Gar- rison, 1852 to 1854; Jacob Troutman, 1854 to 1856; J. Longfellow, 1856 to 1858; S. L. Hunter, 1858 to 1864; Thomas Reed, 1664 to 1866; William Spencer, 1866 to 1870; Thomas Knox, 1870 to 1872; William Spencer, 1879 to 1884.
THE MIAMI RIVER.
Ar the prescut thue, when bridge building has been reduced to a science, and bridges are made in sections, transported a thousand miles, and then set up, it must be a very large structure, such as those in St. Louis, Cincinnati, or Brooklyn, which excites more than the most moderate measure of curiosity. But sixty-five years ago we had not accomplished so many marvels as we since have, and the erection of s roadway across the Great Miami at this point was an event in the history of the country. Travelers went a long distance out of their way to view it, many grown men having never be- fore seen a bridge of any kind more elaborate than a log
or a couple of planks thrown across a brook. It was the earliest structure of this kind in all the surrounding country.
The Miami, it is well known, is subject to great fluet- vations in its quantity of water. Some seasons it is very low. Boys can wade across it at these times almost any- where. At other times it is full, up even to its banks. and, where these banks are low, overflows the country. It has wrought, at different times, great devastation in this way, and frequently, in these rises, changes its course more or less. Where it meandered previously, it makes a direct eut across, and where it once went in a straight channel, it is deserted for a more torevons one. The soil on either side is entirely alluvial, and affords no perma- nent obstacle. Indeed, the whole valley, for a mile or two back, displays evidences of having been the bed of the river at some remote period.
The earliest of the great freshets or inundations which have been recorded was in the year. 1805. At this time the whole of the Miami River rolled in the bed now called. Old River, and ran in a deep channel along the eastern bank, on the side next Hamilton, and where the prescut sand-bar appears below the bridge. Four-mile Creek then emptied into the river on the west, a short distance above the upper part of the town, where the mouth of New River now is. The occasion of the change in the channel of the river was owing to the erection of certain water-works on Four-wile Creek.
, In the years 1803 and 1804 Messis. James Smith ant Arthur St. Clair (son of General St. Clair) erected a mill at the bend of Four-mile Creek, about a mile and a half above its mouth, and dig a race from the Miami River to bring the water from the river to their mills, in order to supply an additional quantity of water when the creek should be low. In the month of March, 1805, an extraor- dinary flood occurred in the Miami River, which tore away the head gates of their race. and let the water of the river have a free passage to their mills, and thence down the channel of Four-mib Creek. This flood wholly destroyed their mills, and carried their works down the eurrent, after which time the channel continued to widen and deepen, until, in a few years, at ordinary stages of the river, the whole of the water passed by that channel. which acquired the name of New River. The river was at its highest on the 10th of March. The island formed between this channel and that of Oll River contains about three Inindred and fifty aeres, and was formerly owned by Dr. Daniel Millikin, but now by 1. D. Camp- InH. The Hamilton and Rossville Hydraulic Company have constructed two dains across the obi channel of the river, and formed a grand reservoir, aboat a mile long. to retain water for the supply of their milh an! factor .. in Handton.
This flood in the Miami River was the greatest ever Known since the first settlement of the country, and was long remembered by the inhabitants resident there at the
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THE MIAMI RIVER.
time, and with them formed an epoch in the history of the country.
In speaking of events, it was long afterward custom- ary to designate the time by stating that it was so many years before or after the "great flood."
The whole of what is now called the island and all the low bottoms along the Miami River were entirely inundated, and much damage done to persons residing in the river bottoms. The water of the river backed up on the low ground above Hamilton, inundating Bigham's bottom, and flowing out, passed over the out-lots (where the east branch of the Hydraulic Canal has been con- structed), inandated the lower part of the town, to the depth of several feet, and discharged into the river above where the bridge now is. The water in Front Street, between Stable and Dayton Streets, was deep enough to come midside on a horse, and in some places would swim a horse.
Previous to this flood, a grove of sycamore and cotton- wood trees lined the bank of the river, on the eastern side, from where the bridge now stands to the upper part of the town. They were all washed up, destroyed, and carried away by the force of the current. Cedar-bushes then grew indigenous along the river bank from Buckeye Strect to the upper part of the town, and a few struggling bushes remained growing in 1809.
The ground where the sycamore grove was, near the Columbia Bridge, extending up some distance on the present sand-bar, was then a fertile field, which had been for many years cultivated in corn, having a house stand- ing upon it. The flood swept over the whole, carrying away the house and the alluvial soil, and when the water subsided nothing appeared but a naked beach of gravel.
The bridge between Hamilton and Rossville had long been felt to be a necessity. At the times when the river was very full, no communication existed between the east and west banks of the river, and in ordinary stages the charges for ferriage were high. The Legislature passed ar act, in the year 1816, incorporating Joseph Hough, John Sutherland, Joseph Wilson, John Hall, Samuel Dick, Isaac Falconer, Samuel Millikin, Thomas C. Kel- sey, William Murray, Pierson Sayre, Robert Taylor, William Riddle, Thomas Blair, William Blair, and Mi- chael Delorae into a company to erect and build a bridge across the Great Miami River, between the towns of Hamilton and Rossville, in the county of Butler. The style of the corporation was to be the "Miami Bridge Company."
Under this act stock was subscribed, and on the twenty- third day of Marel. 1818, a contract was made and en- tored into by the directors of the company with Nathan S. Hunt, for the erection and completion of the bridge. However, in September, 1819, Mr. Hunt died, before the work was ended, but it was afterward finished by William Datuels. The whole ligth of the bridge, exclusive of the wing-walls, was three hundred and sixty feet. The
superstructure was composed of two arches resting on two abutments, one on each side, and one pier in the middle of the river, the chord-line of each are being one hundred and sixty-five feet and six inches, and the rise from the chord to the apex being twenty-two feet. It cost 825,194.84. The venture proved a highly profitable one, and although there was, from time to time, grumbling in the public journals respecting its charges or its management, yet no other bridge was for many years erected, either in Ham- ilton or elsewhere in this county.
The stockholders in the Miami Bridge Company, in the year 1824, were Adam Andrew, Joseph S. Benhan, Miss Loretto M. Brenan, James Brown, the Commis- sioners of Butler Coumy, Jolm Clark, Edward Corp- thwaite, Samuel Davis, Samuel Dick, George Dick, William S. Hatch, Matthew Hueston, Robert Irwin, John C. Kibby, Squier Littell Andrew Lewis, James McBride, Andrew MeCleary, David McMechan. William MeMechan, Tobias Miller, Robert B. Millikin, John Rainey, John Reily, Elizabeth Rhea, John E. Scott, Robert Scott, John Slack, Abel Slayback, Joseph Sinith, Oliver Smith, John Sutherland, William Taylor, John Henry Traber, William Wallace, Joseph Wilson, John Winton, Michael Yeakle, and James Young.
The navigation of the Miami was, in the beginning: regarded as good as that of any other stream in the state, excepting the Ohio, and not far behind that. There were obstacles, however, which could easily have been abated. Here and there was a sand-bar or a shadow channel, and the various dams were not always constructed in the best manner. By a small expenditure of money the river could be much improved. In one of the news- papers of 1824 appeared the following
CIRCULAR. " To the citizens of Hamilton and its cieinity:
"At a meeting of the citizens of Dayton and the neighborhood, convened on the 24th ult., we were ap- . pointed a committee to address the citizens of the Mirmi country on the subject of the navigation of the Great Miami River.
" We consider the navigation of the Great Miami River of the utmost interest to the inhabitants of this district of country (on this subject we conceive there can be no difference of opinion), and as we consider your to be acquainted with the difficulties aud ob-truetions as well as the advantages to be derived from a free navigation of the river, we shall be brief.
"It is generally known that the navigation of the Miami River was very little inferior to that of the Ohio, previous to the dans being placed in it. By the compact between the State of Ohio and queral goverment. - til river was declared to be and vennin a puldie highway : that the legislature bave, from time to time total laws respecting the navigation of the said river, non. of which have been complied with, and the time . granted
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
for placing locks in the river has long sinee expired, and the obstructions still remain.
" We are confident that a moderate expense will be sufficient to open and deepen the channel, so as to admit steamboats of reasonable draft and burthen, to navigate the river for the greater part of the year, provided that some method be adopted by which they may pass the mill-dams in safety, or those obstructions removed. This, we are confident, can be effected by placing locks in the sides of the dams or river bank, through which boats may ascend or descend. By this means the produce of the Miami country may be conveyed to any place on the Ohio River by steamboats in safety and at a trifling expense, while merchandise may be brought up the Miami from- either Pittsburg, Wheeling, Louisville, or Cincinnati for about the same.
"Believing the navigation may be effected, that it is important, and will be of great benefit to the country, we earnestly solicit your assistance and co-operation with us in effecting so desirable an object. We would further take the liberty to request you to make this public in your neighborhood, and obtain the sense of the people on it, by a public meeting or otherwise, and a correspond- ence with us.
"C. R. GREENE, ! Committee. G. S. HOUSTON. S "DAYTON, May 1, 1824."
Nothing canie of this appeal. The State of Ohio soon after began the construction of the Miami Canal, and after that went into operation there was no longer any reason for the improvement of the river. But until 1833, or thereabouts, boats descended the stream and car- ried the produers of this country to Louisville, St. Louis, and New Orleans. The voyages were long, and at the end the boats were sold or broken up, and the owner or captain returned overland. It was necessary to send down the boats while the water was high, and this gen- erally occurred in the Spring of the year.
In 1823 the Spring shipments were as followe: Flour, 6,495 harrels, at $3.25 each; pork, 1,424 barrels. at $6 each; whisky, 945 barrels, at 22 cents per gallon ; cu- cumbers and pickles, 50 barrels, at 84 each ; eorn meal, 600 barrels, at $1.50 each; beans, 28 bartels, at $2.50 each; crout, 15 barrels, at 84 cach ; lard, 950 keg> of 80 pounds euch, at 4 cents per pound; corn in cars, 7,000 bushels, at 125 cents per bushel; potatoes, 1,400 bush- els. at 25 cents per bushel ; chicken-, 200 dozen, at 75. cents per dozen; cherry haber, 30,000 feet, at 812 per M; burrer, 80 kegs, of 50 pounds each, at & cents per pound.
Seventy-nine boats, chiefly flat-bottomed, descended the Miami, and passed under the bridge, for the New Orleans market. from January to June, 1823, with four, whisky, lumber, etc. averaging Boy barrels, at 85 per barrel. or $115,009.
Sixty six hundred live hoge passed over the bridge at
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Hamilton, from October, 1822, to January, 1823, aver- aging 200 pounds, at $5.
A great part of the flour and whisky from Butler County was transported in wagons to Cincinnati, then shipped to New Orleans, probably as much as descended the Miami.
In the earlier years of the century, a rise of the river was annual, or even oftener, and boats would lic for months waiting their opportunity. In 1847 there was an overflow between Christmas and New-Year's. The rain had fallen steadily for more than a week, and the ground was completely saturated. The Straub House was in- undated, and the landlord, Peter Shurz, was compelled to move his valuables up stairs. Robert Howard had just bought the iron store lately occupied by Daniel Shafer. It had a large and capacious cellar, and in it had been placed, by David Yeakle (a cooper, living a little west of town). two or three hundred whisky barrels, to be kept there until prices raised. When the water began to rise, it naturally filled the cellar, and the barrels. which were good sound specimens of the cooper's art, were soon afloat, and began striking the ceiling. Those ou the main floor heard a mysterious thumping, but were unable to account for it. Presently there was a crash, the floor heaved upward, the hardware tumbled down, and the stove capsized, sending up a great cloud of steam. Only one person was in the store at the time. who was overthrown with the rest. He gathered himself up and fled.
The water extended up Main Street as far as LAp. haok's shoe store, then a dry-good: store, kept by James and William Traber. A boat was rowed to the post in front, by James Traber, sud was there hitched. On the west bank of the river, where the tau-yard now is, was, at that time, a stable belonging to Andrew M. Cleasy. This was washed away, and in its desent strack the abutment of the old bridge, tearing out a considerable portion.
In September, 1866, there was a remarkable freshet. Great damage was done to all the surrounding country. aud railroad travel was interrupted for a long time. Upon the island, just east of the Globe Flour Milis, stood a very large svenmore tree. It is a peentiarity of the floods of the West that they wash out the earth from beneath a tree while it is still standing, and finally, when there is no support, cause its mail. It was so hu this care. The mighty free stood looking over the thoni until its equilibrium could no longer be maintained, wiru it fell, and began rapidly floating down the river. Pro- jecting from the main trunk was a huge stag, which sometimes showed above the water, and at other times was buried. Experienced observers saw the davor which it might occasion, and warned person- on foot or in our- riages from crossing. Coloud Morre distingu Sad Min: self in this respect. Jesse Havens, the express driver. was passing through the bridge at the time, with his two
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THE PRESS.
boys. Pushing the children ahead, he urged them to get out, and hurried on as fast as he could himself. He found himself unable to get out in time, and stopped, turning around to witness the catastrophe. Just be- fore the tree reached the bridge, above and west of the middle pier, it disappeared. But not for a great while were the people in suspense. The snag came erushing up through the timbers and planking, destroying every thing it touched, and then quietly floated down stream. It narrowly escaped striking the railroad bridge, which: would also have been destroyed. The remainder of the bridge was carried away at about half-past ten the same evening.
Near the east end of the new bridge may be seen the stone set up by the contractors of the old bridge It reads as follows :
MIAMI BRIDGE COMPANY, Chartered A. D. 1816. Bridge erected in 1818 and 1819. DIRECTORS. JOIN RILEY, PRESIDENT ; JAMES M'BRIDE, SECRETARY ; JOSEPH HOUGH, JOHN SUTHERLAND, SAMUEL DICK, THOMAS BLAIR, AND JOHN HALL.
NATHAN S. HUNT, CONTRACTOR; WILLIAM DANIEL, MECHANIC; JAMES M'BRIDE, ARCHITECT AND SUPERINTENDENT.
THE PRESS.
NEWSPAPERS soon followed the advent of settlers in this country, and several were soon in operation. But Butler County, from its nearness to Cincinnati, did not have a press as soon as some other counties of less pop- ulation. In the columns of Liberty Hall, a newspaper of Cincinnati, under date of April 16, 1813, appears the following :
" PROSPECTUS,
"BY E. MORGAN & CO., OF A NEW WEEKLY PAPER, TO BE ENTITLED "THE MIAMI GAZETTE.
" An age like the present, portentous beyond any parallel to be found in the history of mankind, will offer the best apology for the multiplication of periodical pub- lirations-whose object is: 1st. The ditinsion of literature and science in the most enlightened and scientific epoch known within the pale of human knowledge, and, 2d. An early communication of the great political events, booth foreign and domestic, which are now agitating every parter of the globe.
"The proposed paper shall be conducted with the most undeviating hapartiality, alike avoiding the perolance of party and the designing mi-representations of disorgan- iding partisans, of whatever description they may be. It will be our aim to detail things as they are, following ap
the lights of truth, according to the best of our percep- tion, and discarding every thing which may have a tend- ency to mislead the judgment or warp the heart from the best interests of its country. Such is the plan we are determined to pursue.
" CONDITIONS.
"1. The Miami Gazette will be published weekly, on a royal sheet, with an elegant new type, in the town of Hamilton, Butler County, and delivered to subscribers within the town. The first number will appear in July. "2. Yearly price two dollars, if paid in advance ; two dollars and fifty cents, if paid within six or twelve months, according to the term subscribed for. But if payment be delayed beyond either period, then three dal- lars will be demanded. Subscribers receiving their papers by a private post will be charged for the packing and post- age an additional fifty cents. Country produce will be re- ceived in payment.
"3. Advertisements inserted at the usual rates."
The Gazette does not appear ever to have been issued. But two firms of printers had their eyes fixed on this place, and had sent out notices of their intention to estab- lish a paper. The town was clearly too small for both, and they consolidated. Keen & Stewart constituted one of the firms, and Colby & Bonnell the other. The result of their joint labors was entitled the Miami Intelligencer, and the publisher, were Colby, Bonnell & Co.
Mr. James MeBride owned the press and type, which he purchased at Deer Creek, then above Cincinnati, from a Frenchman named Menessier. Some ase had previously been made of them, but what we are unable to learn. The first number of the journal was dated June 22, 1814. It was printed on a coarse, dingy royal sheet of four columns to the page, or a little larger than a page of Hurper's Weekly. A large eut of the Goddess of Liberty blowing her trumpet was worked in the second number. It bad evidently seen hard usage. The news- paper was published in the old Wingate House, corner of Dayton and Water Streets.
In the second number the proprietors have the follow- ing card :
" Colby, Bonnell & Co. respectfully submit to their friends, and to the friends of republicanism, the follow. . ing proposals for publishing in Hamilton, Ohio, a weekly newspaper, to be called Miami Intelligencer.
"ADDRESS.
" From the sheets of the Mind Intelligences the reader may inform himself of the principles and politics of the editors. However, lest the omission of giving some small outlines of our political opinions might be construed to our prejudice, we have no hesitation in avwing ourselves as American Republicans. not of those pretended Repub- licans who sce but to cortemn. who with impunity violate all law and outrage all order, nor of those Republicans
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
who, under a pretended attachment to the principles of Washington, daily contradiet by their words and actions every moral and political opinion which that great and good man promulgated-but of those genuine, honest Republicans who are independent enough to condemn, and candid enough to praise, where cither may have been deserved; to censure only where censure may be due, and give applause where merit deserves it.
" Although we are the avowed friends of the present administration of our country, yet we never shall become the tool of any man or set of men, be they attached to what party they may, or their station ever so high and their influence ever so extensive.
"The moralist, the poet, and the politician whose pro- ductions deserve attention shall find place in our paper for their accommodation ; but senrrility or personal abuse shall never disgrace the pages of the Midini Intelligencer. Such are our political opinions; such are the plans which we have determined to pursue, and from them we trust no consideration shall ever induee us to swerve."
This was followed by the
"TERMS OF PUBLICATION.
"1. The first number was published on Wednesday, June 22, on a royal sheet of good paper, in handsome type. " 2. Priec to subscribers : Two dollars, if paid in ad- vanee, for one year; two dollars and fifty cents, pail within the year ; three dollars, if paid after the year ex- pires.
"3. In all cases where the paper is sent by post, there will be an additional charge of fifty cents per year. "4. Advertisements will be inserted at the usual rates.
"5. Produce will be taken at the market price.
" The subscribers, believing that a consolidation of the establishments of the Volunteer and Miami Intelligencer would be most beneficial in themselves and pleasing to the inhabitants of Butler and the adjoining counties, have formed a union. The Intelligencer shall be published every Wednesday morning.
"Gentlemen who have interested themselves in behalf of either establishment will please accept our thanks. 'They will confer another favor by sending a list of the . subscribers obtained, to this office immediately, or deliv- ering it to the post rider of their district.
" KEEN & STEWART, "COLBY & BONNELL."
The motto was "Virtue the sont of Freedom." The matter under the editorial head in the number before us is as follows :
" William H. Harrison, Isaac Shelby, and Lewis Cass have been appointed, by the President, commissioners to treat with the Indians at Greenville.
" The late arrival of the eastern mail last evening prevented our making copious extracts from our papers, . letters, etc. The mail should arrive at uoon. We have ...
discovered the cause, and represented the same to the proper department. The imposition will, no doubt, soon be remedied."
Under the head of " Married," we find the following: "On Thursday last, by Willian: D. Jones, Esq., Mr. Noah Wiley, of Crosby Township, Hamilton County, to Miss Mary Buffington, of Ross Township, Butler County. "At the same time, by the same, Mr. William Russell to Miss Roxy Hungerford, both of Ress Township."
Under the date of Boston. May 30, it notices the ar- rival at that port of the British letter of marque schooner Brilliant, captured by the privateer brig Scourge.
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