USA > Ohio > Knox County > A history of Knox county, Ohio, from 1779 to 1862 inclusive > Part 6
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The rates of taxation on the county levy were established as follows :
# The first clerk was a very good pensman, a gentleman and scholar; but like General Jackson, he had his peculiarities of spelling and pronuncia- tion, as, for instance, license without the E final, and gentlemen with a J.
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" On each stud horse and jack at the rate of what he stands at the season."
" On each other horse, mare, mule and ass, 30 cents.
" On each head of neat cattle, 10 cents; on honses, and other property made subject to taxation by law, one-half per cent. on its appraised value."
At this time horses were valued for taxation at $30 per head, and cattle at $10. The trouble about the tax duplicate and matters connected therewith was satisfactorily adjusted, as appears by the follow- ing entry on the 27th of June :
" This day we have prepared our duplicate for Collection, and prepared our Returns for the Auditor of the State of Ohio."
Great was the relief of the board at having ar- ranged matters which had troubled them from January till June 27th !
" James Smith is appointed collector of the Taxes for the year 1809, and gave bond.
In September, 1809, we find : "On return of a Road laid out from Mount Vernon to a point on Mohicking, the viewers return the same unprofitable, and the same is Rejected."
KNOX COMMON PLEAS-FIFTH TERM-SEPTEMBER 4, 1809.
" Grand Jury .- Jabez Beers, Joe Walker, George Downs, Gil- man Bryant, John Baxter, George Lybarger, Henry Roberts, Thomas Townsend, Jonathan Hunt, Sen'r, John Green, James Craig, Samuel Wilson, Benj. Thompson, and Wm. Johnson, returned into Court and brought in the following Indictments :
" The State of Ohio vs. Henry Smith .- For retailing liquors contrary to the statute of this State; a true bill; who appears and pleads guilty. The attorney for the State of Ohio will no further proseente this Indictment.
"ED. HERRICK, Pro. Att'y.
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" Same vs. Benjamin Butler .- For retailing S. liquors contrary to the statute of this State; who comes forward and puts in his plea-Guilty. The Court, in consideration of his offense, do assess his fine to $3.
" Same vs. Samuel Martin .- For same. Henry Roberts, John Harod and James Bryant enter into recognizance of $50 each to give evidence in this case.
" Same'vs. Wm. McDougal .- For retailing goods without license. Pleads guilty, &c.
" Luke Walpole vs. Wm. Wallace .- Trespass on the case. Judgment by confession, $91.88, and Interest from 11th Jan'y, and costs.
" The State of Ohio vs. Peter Baxter .- For assault and battery.
" Jury .- James Walker, Jr., Peter Kyle, Sr., James Bryant, Abraham Sperry, Alexander Walker, John Hown, Daniel Dem- mick, Isaac Bonnett, Charles Cooper, James Walker, Sr., Jolin Click, David Pettigrew, who do say the defendant is guilty.
" The State of Ohio vs. Wm. Scritchfield .- Assault and battery. Defendant pleads guilty, and is fined fifty cents and costs.
" John Barry vs. Samuel Kratzer .- On the case. Judgment confessed by defendant for $200, with interest from 26th April, 1806.
" The State of Ohio vs. Peter Baxter .- John Merritt becomes his security in $50 for his appearance next Court.
" The State of Ohio vs. John Morryson .- For assault and bat- tery. Jury's verdict-Not guilty.
" John J. Bruce vs. Thomas B. Patterson, Joseph Walker, Gil- man Bryant .- This cause is to be continued until 1st of October for answer to bill of plaintiff.
" Wm. Douglass vs. John Young .- On the case. The parties appeared and settled.
" Christian Shoolts vs. James Walker, Jr .- On the case. Settled.
" John Byard vs. Wm. Walker .- On the case. Settled.
" Sylvanius Lawrence, for the use of Benjamin Rush, vs. George Davison .- Nathaniel Spurgeon and Wm. Scritchfield appeared and undertook for the defendant's appearance, &c.
" License is granted to Henry Smith to keep public house for one year.
" The State of Ohio vs. Peter Baxter .- On Indictment. Defend- ant pleads guilty, and is fined 50 cents and cost.
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" Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage .- On the case. Con- tinued till next term.
" 5tlı September.
" Michael Click, John Baxter, Samuel Lewis and Abner Ayres obtain licenses for houses of public entertainment.
" Wm. McDonald and Benjamin Tupper are each licensed to sell goods.
" Samuel H. Smith is also licensed to retail goods one year, on payment of $10.00.
"Letters of administration on Michael Shinabery's estate are issued to Catharine Shinabery. Gilman Bryant and George Downes, securities; John Mills, Matthew Mant and James Smith, appraisers.
" Court adjourned till the next Court in course."
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY TREASURER.
The first fiscal year of Knox county made the following showing on settlement of the Treasurer with the Commissioners, and "from a full investi- gation of all the accounts and monies paid into his hands as Treasurer, that the said Treasurer has paid and accounted with us for above, the same twenty- three dollars seventy cents and four mills, which is as follows:
Dr. Treasurer to am't of monies Due to the county .... $906.60.4 Cr. By monies paid and accounted for from June last until this day, June 6th, 1809 930.30.S
To order in your favour on settlement 23.70.4 Balance 906.60.4
930.30.S
" Ordered, that Henry Hains be allowed the sum of $23.70.4, which is a balance due him on settlement as Treasurer of Knox county, and the Treasurer is ordered to pay the same."
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HISTORY OF
THE TREASURER OF KNOX COUNTY FOR SEVEN YEARS-HIS MELANCHOLY EXIT.
Henry Haines, first Treasurer of Knox county, was one of the best men in the county at its organ- ization. He was a native of -- , and settled on the tract of land, since owned by Beams and others, next to the Merritts.
He had been a man of education and property, and was in easy circumstances. He was a very in- genious, handy man, had a turning lathe, made chairs, farmed, etc. He became deranged on the subject of religion, was an active and leading mem- ber of the Disciple or Christian denomination, at that time called "New Lights." He officiated with James Smith in the first conference held in the county, of which David Young, of Zanesville, was Presiding Elder.
Haines became a loud exhorter, and, becoming deranged, got a tin horn and rode around the town and county, day and night, notifying the people to prepare for judgment, as the world was coming to an end. He proclaimed the same doctrine in his derangement that Millerites subsequently did.
When he became ungovernable he was taken to Dr. R. D. Moore, who confined him in a mad shirt, or straight jacket, and treated him for several weeks until he was restored to reason; but he said if he ever became insane again he would kill Dr. Moore. Shortly after this the doctor removed to Fayette county, Pa., and Haines again became deranged, and was missing for some time. Search was made for him, but the first information that his family
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received of his whereabouts was in a letter from Dr. Moore. He had made his way into Connells- ville for the purpose of killing the doctor, and had stolen the family silver spoons to pay his way in. Upon arriving there he had become rational again, and he told what his purpose had been, and stayed several weeks with the doctor, and was treated very kindly by him. Not long after this he took a rope and hung himself to a tree on his own farm.
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CHAPTER VII.
THE SEAT OF JUSTICE FOR THE LAST TIME.
BEN. BUTLER'S VERSION OF THE WAY MOUNT VERNON WAS MADE THE PERMA- NEXT COUNTY SEAT, SHOWING THAT OLD VIRGINIA WAS UP TO TRICKS.
THE only one of the proprietors now living re- lated to us the following interesting story :-
" When I moved my family to the thirty-six acres of land which I had bought, I had no thought of ever laying out any portion of it in town lots, or of any town ever being laid out there, nor at that time had Walker or Patterson. The idea, when suggested, was pleasing, and we at once took up with it. Clinton had been laid out by Sam. Smith, and had never been paid out, I believe. It was started chiefly on the donation principle. Those who would put up buildings had their own time to pay for their lots, if ever they could.
" When we got word that the Commissioners were coming on to locate the county site, we were greatly stirred up about how we should manage. Kratzer and Williamson and Walker came to see me about it, and we all had a general consultation. I thought we had no chance of getting it, for I told them that they had, at Clinton, Bill Douglass' mill and a lot of good houses, and Sam. Smith's big
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brick house, and a plenty of smart Yankees to manage, and they had at Frederick Johnny Kerr's mill and a lot of rich Quakers around it, and both those places looked better then than our d-d little scrubby place ; and Sam. Kratzer asked me
Benjamin Buttery.
what I would do about it ? And I said to them that I had studied out a pretty d-d bad trick that I could manage if they would only go into it, and if they wouldn't there wasn't a d-d bit of chance for us ; and they said, let's hear it; and I told them I would give $10 myself, and each of
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them must give $10, to make up a purse and get liquor for the devils we had, and engage them to go up to Clinton and Frederick, and get drunk, and fiddle and fight and play hell generally when the Commissioners came up there to look, and that we would get two good yoke of oxen to work on the streets, and the rest of the men must take hold and spade and shovel and pick and roll logs and dig up stumps, and be fixing up the streets right, while all the women and girls must get out into their gardens, hoeing and weeding and working like good fellows, and I would have the best victuals cooked and the best cheer the little old tavern could afford, so as to please the bellies of the Commis- sioners, and we might then come out first for the county site selection.
" My plan struck their fancy, and Sam. Kratzer, .although he was a great Methodist, didn't say a d-d word about its being a sin to cheat them that game, but at it he went, and they all fell into the plan. And we had a clever fellow named Munson, from Granville, and a big fellow named Bixbee, from over about Big-belly, and they agreed to go along and each to captain a gang of the row- dies, and see that it was played out right.
" It was Thursday afternoon when the Commis- sioners first came to our town, and they rode up and asked me if they could get to stay all night, and I told them that it was hard fare we had, but if they would put up with it they could, and they stopped. I guessed who they were at once, and passed the word around, and everything went on as we had planned it, and the next morning about
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daylight the busiest set of bees ever collected about a hive were at work, hammering, pounding, dig- ging, hoeing, scraping and working on the streets and in the lots. Leah had breakfast bright and early ; I had their horses all cleaned up and well fed, and ready after they cat to start. They won- dered at the work they saw going on, and if it was kept up always as they had seen it in town, and I told them we were all poor and hard working, and we never lost any time in our little town. They said they were going up to Clinton and Frederick to see those places, and were going to fix the county seat, and wanted me to go along, but I tried to beg off-that I was poor and must work, and couldn't lose the time, as it would take them two or three days to determine it. They said no, it wouldn't take them that long, and I knew d-d well if the trick was played out well by the rowdies that they would soon be back, so I sort of hesitated as though I would and I wouldn't go, and finally told Krat- zer if he would go too, I would, as I would like to see them fix the county seat up there, and then Jim Dunlap, who was a jovial fellow about 35, spoke up , and said to come ahead ; the other two were sort of gruff, it seemed to me, and didn't say much, but looked solemn. They asked if we didn't expect to get the county seat at Mount Vernon, and I told them no, that we were too poor to try for it; that I felt too poor really to go up with them, for some fellow might come along and stop with me, who would want me to go with him and look at land, and every fellow that I showed land to, gave me $2, which helped right smart. There were three sorts
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of poor-God's poor, the devil's poor, and poor devils, and that we were all poor devils ; but Sam. Smith was long headed, and Johnny Kerr had lots of rich Quakers to back him, so us poor devils were left out of the question.
" We then rode together up to Clinton, and there the rowdies were cutting up, and the fiddle going, and shouting and cursing being done of the tallest kind, and when we went to go into the tavern there was a rush to the door way, and two men scufffing and fighting, and before the Commissioners could get in they were jammed and scuffed about, and in the din and confusion, and yells of 'pull them off,' ' part them,' 'don't do it,' 'fair play, by G-d,' ' hit him again, d -- n him,' 'let 'em fight it out,' and all such calls, the Commissioners backed out from the tavern, and proposed to go and look at Fredericktown. About that time old Sam. Smith came up, and when he found out they were the Commissioners, and going, he tried the hardest kind to get them to stop, but it was no go; they had seen enough of that place then, but promised him to call again to-morrow. On the way to Frederick- town I talked much with them, and apologized for the way our people up there had acted, and they asked me if they cut up like Indians all the time, and I told them that about Clinton and Frederick there were a great many rich men's sons, and they had no trades, and would frolic a little just to put in their time, but they were a mighty clever set of people, &c. And I pointed out to them the pretty scenery, and bragged on the land around, but said not a word for Mount Vernon. When we got to
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Frederick, they stopped at Ayres' tavern, and found a good deal such quarreling going on as at Clinton, and I got afraid then that they might see through it, and suspect that we had a hand in getting it up, and so I got down about the mill, and sat on the logs awhile with Kratzer and Patterson, and left them up at the tavern to see the fighting in the yard, and just before going in to dinner I called one of the rowdies to me and told him it was all working well, and gave him more money, and told him to swear the others not to revulge on them ever, and we would make it right with 'em. After dinner the Commissioners sauntered around, and I proposed going back and leaving them, as they would want to stay all night there, and I had some work to do and chores to attend to at home before night ; but they would have me wait a while longer for them, and I did it. While there sitting on a log, we bet two gallons of wine with Johnny Kerr, as to which place would get the county scat. When they were ready they started, and we rode back to Mount Vernon, where Mrs. Butler had the best kind of a supper cooked up, and it put them in right good humor. She knew how to fix things up right on such an occasion.
" The men about Mount Vernon were all quiet, and kept so, and when Dunlap asked Coyle's two boys to take a dram with him, they hung back and hesitated, until I told them to come up and take a drink with the gentleman-that there was no harm in it; and they poured out the least bit of drams they ever took in their lives. The next morning the Commissioners got ready to start, and I had
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got Knuck Harris, the only nigger in the country then, to sleek their horses off, and they came out looking first rate. Dunlap was a funny fellow, and he thought he could hop, and bantered some of the boys to hop, but they were afraid they would be beat by him, and said it warn't no use to try, as they knew he could beat them. But I told him to make his hop, and he went out in the road and gave a sample ; I went over it just a little, and we hopped several times, until I concluded to show him what Ben. could do, and I hopped so far over his furtherest mark that they all laughed him right out, and he gave it up, saying I could hop some. In those days I never found the man that could beat me. When they were about starting I asked them if they were not going back to Clinton and give it another look, but they said no, and the Clinton- ites never saw them any more. They wanted to go to Delaware, and asked me to pilot them a part of the way, which I did, and when I got out with them back of George Lewis' place, I tried to find something out of them as to what they had de- termined on, but they evaded my questions, and gave me little satisfaction. On bidding them good- by, I hoped they were not put out with our place on account of the hard fare I had given them-that I had nothing nice to give them, as I kept only a little log tavern, and supplied my table by hunting and butchering. One of them remarked that if they ever came this way again, they were well enough suited to call on me. I then said that I was poor, and felt discouraged, and thought that I would quit off and go some where else and make a
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KNOX COUNTY.
better living for myself and family. Dunlap then said I was doing well enough, and must not get out of heart. And so we parted. When we got back to town all the men gathered around me to find out what was our chance. I told them what had passed between us, and that I was satisfied it would be found that our side was ahead, and I called them all up to take a good drink at my expense on Mount Vernon being made the permanent county seat. That little trick of ours, I am sure, made the scales turn in our favor, and when we knew that it was established at Mount Vernon, you can imagine that we had loud rejoicing over it."
In this time of war, when the public mind is educated to believe that it is fair in any way to gain an advantage over an enemy, there will be but few who will not consider this little county scat contest to have been properly conducted upon the part of the Vernonites. The rule that "all is fair in poli- tics" having of late years gained general acceptation and credence, those who have dabbled in govern mental affairs will say that this was rightly done, and all who have won in matters of love, and who has not, will concede that " the end justifies the means," and all who believe that " whatever is is right," will determine that Mount Vernon honorably, justly and legitimately became the permanent scat of jus tice of Knox county.
JONATHAN HUNT'S RYDER.
Jonathan Hunt informs us that he was one of the volunteer workers on the streets at the time the Commissioners came on, and that Gilman Bryant
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sort of bossed the work, and, being a cripple, he tended on them and gave out the whisky and water, cheering them up as he came around, saying : " Work like men in harvest, but keep sober, boys." Mike Click, and John Click, his brother, drove the oxen." Mike was a bully hand with a team, and made them tear up stumps, haul logs, plow and scrape, as necessary. Men never worked better on a road than that force then did. They chopped down trees, cut off logs, grubbed, dug down rough places, filled up gulleys, burned log heaps, and made a wonderful change in the appearance of things. It was the first work ever done on the streets of Mount Vernon.
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KNOX COUNTY. ·
CHAPTER VIII.
SIXTH TERM OF COURT-JANUARY 1ST, 1810.
THE LAW AND THE TESTIMONY .- COURTS, FINANCE, AND ELECTION, 1810.
" Grand Jury .- Isaac Bonnett, foreman, David Miller, Peter Bricker, Abner Brown, Jr., John Johnson, Casper Fitting, Francis Hardesty, Josiah Talmage, Willis Speakman, Wm. Darling, Robert Dalrymple, Joseph Coleman, David Johnson, Jolın Merritt, James Walker, Jr.
" Indictments were found vs. Henry Smith, Eli Freeman, John Click, Thomas McBride.
" Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage .- This case was tried by a jury, who do find for the plaintiff and do assess his damage $1.
" Wm. Sapp was appointed guardian for John Melton, and gave bond in $50.
" John Green, administrator of Isaac McClary, was allowed till next September Term to settle.
" William Wallace was licensed to keep public house on paying the proper sum.
January 2d.
" Isaac Applegate, by his Agent, Israel Ross, vs. Thomas B. Pat- terson .- On Saassarara. Ordered, that a Declaration be filed vs. two o'clock.
" The Case of John J. Brice vs. Thomas B. Patterson, Gilman Bryant, and Joseph Walker .- In Chancery-is disposed of by or- dering defendants to pay $50, in nine months, or make a deed and to pay costs.
" Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage .- By consent of parties this action is to lie open for a new trial, and continued on the Issue Docket. 7
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" Plumb and Murray are Licensed to retail goods three months.
" Notice is given of an appeal in the cases of Dalrymple vs. Talmage, and John J. Brice vs. Patterson, et als.
" Letters of administration are granted to - Simpkins on the Estate of John Simpkins. Joseph Coleman and Sele Simpkins securities for $400.
" And the Court adjourned till Court in Course."
SEVENTH TERM-COURT OF COMMON PLEAS-30TH APRIL, 1810.
" James Colville appears as an Associate Judge in place of Wm. Gass.
" Grand Jury .- Joseph Walker, toreman, Nicholas Riley, Jas. Walker, Jr., Daniel Demmick, George Davis, Jonathan Craig, C. Loffland, Wm. Fuller, Jacob Lybarger, C. Cooper, Peter Majors, Henry Haines, John Ervin, Nathaniel Critchfield.
" Bills of Indictment were found vs. Ichabod Nye, Samuel Nye, Alexander Enos, Richard Alspaugh.
" But one case was tried by Jury-that one vs. John Click, for assault and battery.
" Another State case for assault and battery vs. Thomas Mc- Bride was disposed of by the Court assessing a fine of $1 and costs, and two cases were dismissed at defendant's cost, and one at the plaintiff's cost.
" Ordered, that an additional Justice of the Peace be added to the township of Morgan.
" Benjamin Barrey was Licensed to keep public tavern at Clinton, on payment of $5.
" This term continued two days, and the above is the business transacted."
THE JAIL BOUNDS DEFINED.
Special Term-2d day of June, 1810.
" Ordered, that the jail bounds of this county be as follows, to wit : Front street, thence to include all the balance of the town of Mt. Vernon lying North said street, which does include the Jail of said county."
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KNOX COUNTY.
" LO! THE POOR AFRICAN " DEMANDS ATTENTION.
" The Court convenes at 2 o'clock P. M. to determine the negroe's case.
" The State of Ohio vs. Ned Jackson, a negro .- For Larceny. The criminal comes forward and pleads not guilty, and the Court, from the testimony given, do consider and order that the said criminal be confined in jail until the Court in course."
HAVING A QUAKER JUDGE CAUSES A QUAKER MEETING-4TH DAY, 6TH MONTH.
" Court met. Present : John Mills, Wm. W. Farquhar, and James Colville."
The record is silent as to the cause of their meet- ing-only sheweth that the three gentlemen met and adjourned until the Court in Course.
EIGHTH TERM-COURT OF COMMON PLEAS-3D SEPTEMBER, 1810.
" Grand Jury .- Robert McMillen, foreman, John Wood, Wm. Wallace, John Herrod, John Shrimplin, John Merrit, Silas Brown, John Hown, John Wheeler, David Jolinson, Nathaniel Critchfield, Ziba Leonard, Jas. Wallace, Jr.
" Bills of Indictment were presented against Robert Davidson and James Butler, each of whom were on plea of guilty of assault and battery, fined $2 and costs."
The cases must have been exceedingly aggravated, or the Court become more severe upon the offenders, and doubled the fine.
Three causes were tried by jury, to wit: Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage ; Lawrence, for use of Rush, vs. George Davidson; and Martha Zenick, by her guardian and father, vs. David Miller and Mary Miller. This time Dalrymple was awarded $5 damages, but neither party, as usual in law, was
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satisfied with the decision ; hence, on the next page we find, side by side with each other, the following entries :
" Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage .- Notice is hereby given by the plaintiff of an appeal.
" Robert Dalrymple vs. Joseph Talmage .- Notice is hereby given by the defendant of an appeal.
" The Jury in the second case gave judgment for the defendant, George Davidson, for costs, and the plaintiff gives notice of appeal."
In the Zenick case, the Jury, "upon their oaths, do find the defendants guilty, and assess the dam- ages of the plaintiff to $30." This was the first slander suit ever tried in Knox county. The defend- ants moved, in arrest of judgment, "that the words contained in the third count in the plaintiff's decla- ration are not actionable," but, having been over- ruled in this effort, then gave notice of an appeal. This was a case of unusual interest, and William Guardian, for failing to appear as evidence in it, was fined $1.
Three cases were dismissed at plaintiff's cost. Three judgments were entered by default, and one by confession. The highest amount of any judg- ment was that of Josiah Morriss vs. David Debel, alias Debolt, for $70 and costs. A case of David Miller vs. Martha Zenick, on the case, was dismissed with judgment for costs vs. plaintiffs. Such was the business of two days of the 7th regular term.
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