A history of Adams County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the country's growth, Part 64

Author: Evans, Nelson Wiley, 1842-1913; Stivers, Emmons Buchanan
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: West Union, O., E.B. Stivers
Number of Pages: 1101

USA > Ohio > Adams County > A history of Adams County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the country's growth > Part 64

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).

On March 16, 1837, he was married at Pine Grove Furnace to Miss Elizabeth Caldwell Clarke, already mentioned, and they began housekeep- ing at Mt. Vernon Furnace.

Digitized by Google

536

HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

In 1837, he had an interest at Vesuvius Furnace, and he induced the other owners to test the hot blast principle. This was the first hot blast put up in this country and though it met with srong opposition through expectation of bad results, the experiment proved satisfactory in produc- ing an increased quantity of iron for foundry use. Mr. Campbell was always among the first to project any useful enterprise. He was largely concerned in the first geological survey of the State, and by reason of his study of local geology he purchased lands extensively in the Hanging Rock region with a view to future development of their mineral resources.

In 1845, he left Mt. Vernon Furnace and took up his residence at Hanging Rock.

In 1846, he and Mr .. John Peters built Greenup Furnace in Ken- tucky, and in 1846, Olive Furnace, Ohio, to which was added Buckhorn. In 1847, he built Gallia Furnace, and in 1848, he and others built Key- stone Furnace. In 1849, while residing at Hanging Rock, he evolved the project of establishing the town of Ironton. The Ohio Iron and Coal Company, composed of twenty-four persons, was formed. Twenty of the organizers were iron masters. He became the president of the com- pany and was its soul, so far as a corporation is capable of having a soul. The company purchased forty acres of land, three miles above Hanging Rock, and undertook to form a model town and succeeded as near as any- one has ever succeeded. Mr. Campbell gave the town its name, "Iron- ton." He was one of the projectors of the Iron Railroad which was de- signed to make the furnace, north and east of Ironton, tributary to the town. . In 1850, Mr. Campbell moved to the city of Ironton which there- after was his home during his lifetime. The same year he purchased La Grange Furnace. The same year was built in Ironton the foundry of the firm of Campbell, Ellison & Co. In 1851, Mr. Campbell became one of the founders of the Iron Bank of Ironton, afterwards changed to the First National Bank. In 1852, he was one of the organizers of the Iron- ton Rolling Mill, afterward the New York and Ohio Iron and Steel Works. The same year he took half the stock in the Olive Furnace and Machine Shops. The same year he purchased the celebrated Hecla Cold Blast Furnace. In 1853, he became one of the largest stockholders in the Kentucky Iron, Coal and Manufacturing Company, which founded the town of Ashland, Kentucky.

In 1854, he, D. T. Woodrow and others, built Howard Furnace. The same year he built a large establishment to manufacture an iron beam plow, and also built Madison Furnace. This year he took stock in the Star Nail Mill, one of the largest in the country and now known as the Belfont Iron Works. In 1855, he, with V. B. Horton, of Pomeroy, or- ganized a company and built a telegraph line from Pomeroy to Cincinnati. In 1866 he organized the Union Iron Company, owners of Washington and Monroe Furnaces, and was its president for many years. From his majority he had been opposed to the institution of slavery, and was an Abolitionist. His opinions on the subject of slavery were no doubt largely formed by his associations with Rev. John Rankin and men of his views, but as he grew older, his views against the institution intensified. His home was one of the stations on the Underground Railroad, and there the poor, black fugitive was sure of a friendly meeting and all needed assistance.

Digitized by Google

587

PIONEER CHARACTER SKETCHES

Mr. Campbell acted with the Whig party, and after its death, with the Republican party. He was a delegate to the State Republican Con- vention in 1855. He never sought or held any public office until 1862, when, in recognition of his great and valuable services to the Republi- can party and to his country, President Lincoln appointed him the first Internal Revenue Collector for the Eleventh Collection District of Ohio, and he served in the office with great fidelity and honor until October I, 1866, when he was succeeded by Gen. B. F. Coates.

In 1872, Mr. Campbell reached the height of his fortune. He was then worth over a million of dollars. Up to that time he had invested in and promoted almost every enterprise projected inside the circle of his acquaintance. He had not done this recklessly or extravagantly, but from natural disposition to promote prosperity.

In 1873, the Cooke panic overtook the country and from that time until 1883, there was a steady contraction in every enterprise with which Mr. Campbell was connected. In 1880, it was largely through the in- fluence and work of John Campbell that the Scioto Valley Railroad was completed to Ironton and eastward.

In 1883, the Union Iron Company failed. For years Mr. Campbell had sustained it, and for some time had been endorsing for it personally, hoping to sustain its waning fortunes, but its failure was too much for him and he was compelled to make an assignment in his old age, but he went down with that grand and noble courage, which in his youth and middle life had caused him to go into every business venture. No one who knew Mr. Campbell ever thought any less of him on account of his failure, but he had the sympathy and good will of every man who had known him in a business way. His changed financial condition never af- fected the esteem in which he had been held or lessened, in any way, the great influence he held in the community. He survived until August 30. 1891, but owing to the condition of business affairs and his advanced age, was never able to retrieve his lost fortunes.

In the case of Mr. Campbell, it is most difficult to make a just and true character estimate which will truly display the man. He had so many excellent qualities that there is danger that all may not be men- tioned. He had a wonderful faculty of looking forward and determining in advance what business enterprises would succeed The writer does not know a proper term by which to designate this feature of his char- acter. He could and would predict the success of a proposed business venture when all others were incredulous. He lived to see his business judgment verified. He never hesitated to act on his judgment of the future, and personally, he was never mistaken or wrong. He had a won- derful influence over his fellow men. He could bring them to his views and induce them to carry them out. He was never haughty or proud. He was approachable to all. . He took a personal interest in all men of his acquaintance who tried to' do anything for themselves. He was al- ways the friend of the unfortunate. The colored people all loved him. In the slavery days no fugitive ever called on him in vain. He was sure of aid, relief and comfort in Mr. Campbell. His judgment was incisive. He examined a matter carefully and made up his mind, and when once made up, he was immovable. He possessed a most equable temper. He never got impatient or, angry. Under the most trying circumstances, he

Digitized by Google

538

HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

was calm and gentle. He was, in his time, by far, the most conspicuous figure in the Hanging Rock iron region. He was identified with every public enterprise in Ironton from the foundation of the town. Many of the important industries in Ironton owe their success to his excellent judg- ment. No one went to him to enlist him in a worthy public enterprise who did not succeed. No meritorious appeal for aid was ever made to him and refused by him. He was always ready to aid any deserving man or association of men, either in business or charity. The universal sorrow expressed on the occasion of his death and funeral show how he stood among his fellow citizens. There was a public meeting called to prepare resolutions expressive of the sentiments of the community. The bar of the county met and passed resolutions, though he was never a member of that body. The city council also met and made public record of its sentiments. He had the confidence, the respect, the esteem and love of the entire community. The attendance at his funeral of itself demonstrated the regard in which he was held. No greater funeral was ever held in Ironton. The city police were mounted, the city and county officials and the bar attended as bodies. All the church bells were tolled and all business suspended. It was well that the whole city mourned, because to John Campbell, more than to anyone else, was it indebted for its existence and its prosperity. In the space allotted in this book, justice cannot be done to the career of Mr. Campbell. We have given and can give but a partial view of his career and character. His wife survived him. They had five children, three daughters and two sons, who grew to maturity. His eldest daughter was Mrs. Henry S. Neal, who died be- fore her father. His second daughter is Mrs. William Means, of Yellow Springs, Ohio. His daughters Emma and Clara are both now deceased. His son, Albert, resides at Washington, D. C., and his son, Charles, at Hecla Furnace. His wife died November 19, 1893.

Col. Daniel Collier

was one of the pioneers of Adams County who came to the Northwest Territory in 1794. He was born in January, 1764, and died on his mag- nificent farm on Ohio Brush Creek, where he is buried, April 17, 1835. His wife was Elizabeth Prather, born December 9, 1768, and who died August 4, 1835. She bore him twelve children: James, John, Thomas, Daniel, Joseph, Richard, Isaac, Sarah, Elizabeth, Katharine, Luther and Harriet. The latter was born September 17, 1815, and married Andrew Ellison, a son of James Ellison, a native of Ireland.

Col. Collier selected the site of his future home on Ohio Brush Creek while with Nathaniel Massieand others surveying in that region. The lands, five hundred acres, were purchased from Gen. William Lytle, who held military warrants of Jonathan Tinsley, John Shaver and George Shaver. Virginia Line, Continental Establishment. The site of the homestead is on an elevated terrace some forty acres in extent formed in the geological past by a drift of conglomerate in Ohio Brush Creek. The general level of this terrace is about twenty-five feet above the bottom lands along the creek, and from it a fine view of the valley presents itself for miles up and down the stream. At the base of this drift several fine springs of most excellent water wells forth. The one across the public road oppo- site the Collier residence afforded the water supply for the old still-house

Digitized by

Google

539

PIONEER CHARACTER SKETCHES

owned by Col. Collier. There was a fine young poplar sapling near it which young Tom Collier climbed and bent over while the Colonel and his wife were temporarily absent from home. On his return Thomas received a "grubbing" for the supposed destruction of the young poplar. That sapling is now a most beautiful and stately tree.

Col. Collier was prominently identified with public affairs of Adams County in his time. He was commissioned Colonel of the Third Regi- ment, First Brigade, Second Division, of Militia by Governor Samuel Huntington, December 29, 1809. He served in the War of 1812 and was in the engagement at Sandusky. On May 2, 1814, Acting Governor Thomas Looker, endorsed Colonel Collier's resignation as follows: "The resignation of this commission accepted on account of long service, ad- vanced age and bodily infirmities."

Among Col. Collier's old tax receipts in possession of one of his grandchildren, is one dated September 8, 1801, for one hundred and seventy-five cents, his land tax for that year. Subscribed by John Lod- wick, Collector for Adams County. In 1811, the tax on the same land was nine dollars as shown by the receipt of Thomas Massie, Collector.

Rev. James Caskey.

Rev. James Caskey was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia. March 8, 1807. His father, James Caskey, was born in County Derry, Ireland, February 21, 1773. He married, in Ireland, Peggy Anderson, born Feb- ruary 21, 1770, emigrated to this country and located in Rockbridge County, Virginia, about 1787. He re-immigrated to Ohio and located at Cherry Fork in 1811, where he spent the remainder of his life. Our sub- ject attended Miami University and graduated there in 1831. He studied theology part of the time at the Associate Reformed Theological Sem- inary at Oxford, Ohio, and afterwards at the seminary of the same church at Alleghany. April 30, 1835, he was licensed to preach by the First Presbytery of Ohio and was ordained and installed as pastor of the West Union and Russellville churches the same year. During his residence in West Union, he was quite intimate with the Rev. Dyer Burgess, and held the same views as did the latter in regard to slavery. He resigned the church at West Union in 1838 and moved to Ripley, in Brown County. He resigned the church at Russellville in 1851. He was the pastor of the United Presbyterian Church in Ripley, Ohio, from 1838 until his death, February 9, 1854. He was married May 21, 1839, to Isabel Wallas, a daughter of Judge Wallas, of Urbana, Ohio, and left two chil- dren, Mrs. Margaret C. Roberts, of 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, Mass., and James D. Caskey, of No. 2715 Twenty-second St., Minneapolis, Minn.

He was a very fine preacher, preparing his sermons with care. For years he was Clerk of the Presbytery, and his records were always pre- pared and recorded in a very neat style. He was a pleasant speaker. His style of sermonizing was attractive; his language was comprehensive and his reasoning always logical. As a man, he was exemplary and he commanded the respect of all who knew him. He was but forty-seven years of age when he died and his career of usefulness was cut short by the "Last Enemy." His ashes repose in the old cemetery at Ripley.

Digitized by Google

540

HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

Leonard Cole

was born in Harford County, Maryland, in 1788, the son of Ephriam Cole and his wife, Ada Mitchell. In 1793, his parents moved to Mason County, Kentucky, and in 1794 they joined Massie's colony at Man- chester, and in 1795 his father located just south of West Union and built a home near Cole's Spring. The house is gone and the spring has been forgotten, but both were on the slope of the hill to the east of the Collings graveyard, looking down into the valley of Beasley's Fork. Here Leonard Cole grew to manhood. He was one of the early schoolteachers in West Union and instituted the reprehensible custom of flogging every boy in school if any mischief was done by a single one. He was a firm believer in King Solomon's rule as to the use of the rod and applied it to both boys and girls. As to the custom of flogging all the boys when any mischief was done, that was kept up by the successors of Mr. Cole, and the writer suffered from that custom with the other boys of his time. Mr. Cole always thought a boy never got a lick amiss, and if he did not deserve it at the time he received it, he would very soon afterward and he might as well have it in advance. Aside from his whipping procliv- ities, Mr. Cole was a very good teacher. He was a follower and disciple of Gen. Jackson. He was a Justice of the Peace of Tiffin Township from 1829 to 1832. He was a candidate for Auditor in 1825 and received 478 votes. Ralph McClure received 130 and Joseph Riggs 715, . and was elected. In 1827, he was again a candidate for Auditor, and received 303 votes to 876 for Joseph Riggs. He persevered in seeking the Auditor's office, and when Joseph Riggs resigned in 1831, he was appointed and served five months, October 3, 1831, to March 6, 1832. He was elected and served from March 6, 1832, to March 4, 1844, twelve years.

Mr. Cole was first married to a Miss McDonald, by whom he was the father of a large family of children. When first married, he was em- phatically an ungodly man. He was opposed to his wife attending church, and she went secretly. Mr. Cole was at this time a fighting and drinking man. At one time he was indicted for seven assaults and bat- teries, all charged in one week. He got so dreadful that his wife could not live with him and left him. He did then what all prodigals did. shipped on a flatboat to New Orleans. He came back by steamboat and when the latter was a short distance below Memphis, in the night, it ran into a snag and sunk immediately. Cole swam to a snag. In the dark- ness, he feared he would not be discovered and would be left there to die. He vowed to the Lord that if rescued, he would devote the remainder of his life to His service. Soon after he was rescued, Mr. Cole went home, hunted up his wife, and was reconciled to her. He joined the Methodist Church and lived a member of it the remainder of his life. He main- tained family worship, but would interrupt it to drive the pigs out of the yard, to drive the dog out of the kitchen, to serve a neighbor with milk, or for any other necessary work, and many tales are told of this pecu- liarity of his. When James Moore was courting Caroline Killen, he did it at the house of Leonard Cole, as he was forbidden at William Killen's home. On one occasion. when Caroline Killen and James Moore were at Mr. Cole's, they were present during family worship in the evening. Mr. Cole prayed for those who were going to bed and for those who were going to sit up-Caroline Killen and James Moore.

Digitized by Google

541

PIONEER CHARACTER SKETCHES

Mr. Cole acquired the confidence of the entire community after he joined the Methodist Church, and lived the life of a model citizen. His first wife died in 1838, and in 1839, he married her niece of the same name. There were no children of this marriage. In 1850, he removed to Brookville, Kentucky, where he died in 1857, and where he is buried. Mr. Cole was an intensely earnest man in all he did. When he was a drinking and fighting young man, he went into it with all the force of his nature. When he reformed. his devotion to the church and to good cit- izenship was as earnest as human effort could make it. He left many descendants, but none of them are known to the writer.

Allaniah Cole.

Ephriam Cole, a man of good English descent, married, in 1773. Sophia Mitchell, of Maryland. It is said of them that as boy and girl. they lived on adjoining plantations, on the Susquehanna River, near the Chesapeake Bay.

When the accounts of the adventurous conduct of Daniel Boone, in Kentucky, inspired the husband to follow that intrepid hero, the brave young wife was ready to leave a refined home, where her mother, although the proud descendant of the English Kents, had taught her daughters those homely virtues, which fitted the women of those times for the perils and hardships of pioneer life. It is needless to follow this resolute couple through the pathless forests, inhabited by red men, whose savage nature had been justly roused by the white men, who came to steal their lands and drive them from their homes.

At Williamsburg, Ky., where they made their home, Mrs. Cole was ever the ruling spirit of the family of three boys and five daughters.

In 1800, Allaniah. a fourth son, the subject of this sketch, was born. The remittance from Mrs. Cole's home and her untiring energy kept the family above want, and the girls as well as the boys were. for those times, well educated, but there came a time, shortly after the birth of Al- laniah, that the parents felt that better times awaited them in Ohio. They located in West Union, a town settled by persons far above the average : schools and churches. the best obtainable, were there and Allaniah did not fail to appreciate his mother's earnest desire to have him take advant- age of all that was offered. At that early day, a college education meant a long journey eastward and a greater outlay of money than could be obtained by even the most prosperous. These West Union people determined to surmount the seemingly insurmountable difficulties and when their bright- est sons and daughters were ready for a higher education, "Dewey's Grammar School" was awaiting them. This school must have been in advance of the so-called colleges which sprang up in other Ohio towns a little later, for we hear of no one being excluded on account of sex. Allaniah Cole was a student of "Dewey's Grammar School," where he became acquainted with Miss Nancy Steece, one of the girl students, who years after became his wife.

After leaving "Dewey's Grammar School," Allaniah's first business venture was the index to his character. Hearing that horses were bring- ing fabulous prices in New Orleans, he went to Mr. John Sparks, a wealthy citizen of the town, who directed him that he could buy, on time, as many horses as he could drive. Mr. Sparks said: "I'll go on your

Digitized by Google

542

HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

paper, Al." It was then determined, and the nineteen-year-old boy was soon started on his long journey, over bad roads, sometimes mere bridle paths, with his trusty men driving his fine horses. He arrived in New Orleans in six weeks, long rests having been needed to keep the horses in mar- ketable condition. The venture was successful and Allaniah was soon at home paying every cent due his creditors, besides being able to show Mr. Sparks that his good offices had not met the too frequent ingratitude of beneficiaries. Years after Mr. Cole would speak to his children of Mr. Sparks' great kindness to him, when he had "nothing but his good name." After several similiar expeditions south, Allaniah found himself the proud possessor of five thousand ($5,000) dollars. His next venture was at an iron furnace, in Lawrence County, where he learned the busi- ness, before he risked his precious, hard-earned five thousand.

In the beginning of the year 1828 he made his best and most suc- cessful venture, when he married the "Dewey's Grammar School" stu- dent, the daughter of Henry and Mary Anne Steece. Henry Steece was a German, who came early in the history of Pennsylvania to develop that iron center of the world. He was what, at the present time, would be called "the chemist of a furnace." When, toward the latter part of the past century, marvelous accounts of the great iron ore deposits of Brush Creek, Adams County, Ohio, reached the Pennsylvania "iron men," Mr. Steece soon started with his family, consisting of wife, four sons and five daughters, down the Ohio River in a keel boat, to a landing (now called Manchester) twenty miles from their objective point, Brush Creek. It is recorded that Archie Paul and James Rodgers, afterwards dis- tinguished "iron men," were on the ground to meet them, and that one at least, of the three furnaces-"Old Steam Furnace, Marble Furnace and Brush Creek Furnace"-was already nearly ready for the "Dutchman." Henry Steece, whose valuable work was to terminate so soon. When Henry Steece's work was finished, his widow, who was already understood and ap- preciated as a woman of great intellectual and moral force, did not fail of the moral support of her husband's friends. While she in turn repaid their kindness with intelligent help that broadened their homes, and kept their children fit companions for her talented boys and girls, whose discipline and education had added to her task of supplying their daily bread. Nancy, the youngest of the girls, was sent to West Union to Dewey's Grammar School, to board in the family of Mr. Armstrong, a wealthy merchant. An illustration of the hospitality of pioneer times, as well as the desire of making their academy famous, it may be told that when the mother went to Mrs. Armstrong, to pay her daughter's board. she refused to accept payment, saying, "Nancy is the guest of my daugh- ter. Keep your money."

About 1830, Mr. Cole bought the Old Forge, eight miles above Portsmouth, on the Scioto River, where he lived but two or three years, when he went to take the then great charge of Bloom Furnace. While at Bloom, he was among the first to introduce the "Sunday Reform," against the judgment of most of the furnace men, who felt sure that stopping the furnace from midnight Saturday until midnight Sunday, would give the much dreaded "chill." Few, looking at these old furnaces today, could realize their past importance, the army of workmen, wood- choppers, ore diggers, lime diggers, lime burners, stone-coal miners,

Digitized by Google

543

PIONEER CHARACTER SKETCHES

charcoal burners, besides the many employed on the immediate furnace grounds.

At Bloom, Mr. and Mrs. Cole, while accumulating what was in those days considered a large fortune, were unconsciously doing missionary work. The schoolhouse, of their building, was also the place of worship, and Mrs. Cole saw to it that the people were not neglectful of the privi- leges of religious as well as mental training.

A curious phase of that age, at the furnaces, was, notwithstanding the houses were of rough logs and the want of which is now considered necessary furnishings, the high style and strict etiquette of living, the table linen was always the finest and cleanest, the silver bright, the china beautiful, the glass clear, knives and forks polished after each meal. It is told of Mr. Cole, that when a young man appeared at his table, on a warm day, without his coat, he rose and waited: "Mrs. Cole always liked the gentlemen to wear their coats here." Needless to say the man put on his coat.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A history of Adams County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the country's growth, Part 64

Author: Evans, Nelson Wiley, 1842-1913; Stivers, Emmons Buchanan Publication date: 1900 Publisher: West Union, O., E.B. Stivers Number of Pages: 1101

Author: Evans, Nelson Wiley, 1842-1913; Stivers, Emmons Buchanan
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: West Union, O., E.B. Stivers
Number of Pages: 1101