A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 101

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 101

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He and two associates, realizing the need of a cemetery, and one that would be creditable to a coming city, laid out what was known as Evergreen Cemetery, the southwest part of Greenlawn. Mr. Lloyd gave this project his personal supervision and the most, if not all, of the trees planted in that cemetery are the work of his hands, or were planted by his direction. His business and executive ability, as well as his judgement of real estate, brought him into considerable notice and his advice and opinions were often solicited. In 1841, a news- paper clipping would indicate that he held trust funds and loaned large sums of money to some different parties. Along in the early sixties, he was appointed to the Board of Equalization of the city of Portsmouth, and on five subsequent occasions was re-appointed to the same Board, serving from one to three years each term.

Thomas G. Lloyd was married to Lola Adams, May 8, 1833. To them eight children were born, four of whom are with their par- ents in the happy beyond. The four remaining children are: Lola Cornelia Duke, wife of John K. Duke of Portsmouth, Ohio: Louella N. Lucas, wife of Samuel B. Lucas, of Cherokee, Kansas: T. Frank Lloyd, the only son, a resident of Portsmouth, Ohio: Julia A. Rus- sell, wife of J. S. Russell of New Hartford, Missouri.

Mr. Lloyd's family were members of the First Presbyterian church of this city. Mr. Lloyd did not identify himself with the church till late in life. Yet from this it is not to be inferred that he was not an attendant and a supporter of the church. When the present structure was built, an indebtedness of considerable amount hung over the church for some time. Mr. Lloyd and his neighbor, George Johnson, each being large contributors originally, took it upon themselves as outsiders, to set the precedent of doubling their sub- scriptions and relieving the liability of the church, and they accom- plished this in a remarkably short space of time.

Mr. Lloyd was originally an old line Whig, but joined the Re- publican party at its organization, and loyally adhered to it through-

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out the residue of life. In the early part of the great civil strife of 1861-65. he joined the Home Guards, or what was known as the "Silver Greys" in which organization he did service. No one under forty-five years was permitted to be a member. During the dark days of the Republic his face was the index as to the success of our army. He was a loyal adherent to all the policies advocated by the President, Mr. Lincoln, and was equally as loyal in the support of the boys who wore the blue and followed the flag.

On May 8, 1873, Thomas G. Lloyd and wife celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their wedding, in their residence, now owned and occupied by Doctor W. D. Tremper, corner of Washington and Second streets. Mr. Lloyd spent sixty-seven years of his life in the city of Portsmouth and witnessed its slow growth from a small village to a city of 13,000 to 15,000. But few pioneers took more interest in the growth of the city and of relating its prosperity from its pioneer days, than did Mr. Lloyd. For a few years prior to his death, he was a great sufferer from kidney disease. but he bore this affliction with great fortitude and without complaint. His faithful wife passed to her reward February 10, 1880. The remaining years of Mr. Lloyd were spent with his family and to him they were lonely days as he and his wife had been happily mated near a half century. He died September 1, 1883.

William Lodwick

was born in the stockade at Manchester, Ohio, January 17, 1894. the son of Col. John Lodwick and Elizabeth Cooley, his wife. He was the oldest son. He came to Portsmouth in about 1814, and he made money very fast. He was a Councilman in the second year of the town in 1816, and was re-elected in 1819, and served until 1822. In 1821, he was elected a Supervisor of the town. He kept a general store, a wood yard for steamboats and was a money lender.

On April 24, 1822, Council gave him leave to have a woodyard under the bank, with the permission to put his wood on top of the bank in case of high waters. He was to pay the town one-half of one per cent on the wood he sold as a tax.

In 1823, he tired of municipal honors and resigned from the Council. He built several steamboats and built the first one ever built in the county. This was at George Hereodh's, at the mouth of Brush Creek. In 1825, he sold the county the blank books and stationery which it required. He owned Hahn's row on Fourth street near Madison. In 1819, 1820 and 1821, he conducted a general store in the town. In 1826, he and John T. Barr dissolved partnership. In 1828. he and his brother. Kennedy Lodwick had a general store. and in 1830, Kennedy Lodwick had a store alone. When Massie laid claim to the front of the town and laid out lots on the river bank south, Mr. Lodwick purchased two lots of Massie right opposite his

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

store on Front street about 1823. This controversy with Massie lasted till 1829. There was correspondence with him, suits were or- dered, and there were proceedings to take testimony de bene esse. In 1829, Massie offered to sell his claim to the front of the town for $3,000, but the 'town had no money to pay him. Thereupon Wil- liam Lodwick came forward and offered to sell his two lots for $2,000, to lend the town $3,000 to pay off Henry Massie, and to take the town scrip or notes in payment. The town borrowed $6,000 of Lodwick and gave its notes payable in gales and pledged the wharf- age of the town to pay the notes.

Mr. Lodwick left the town soon after this and went to St. Louis, where he died at a comparatively early age. He came to Portsmouth without anything. He became associated with John T. Barr and made a great deal of money. At one time, he owned more lots in Portsmouth than any one in it, not excepting Henry Massie, and he was one of the early money lenders. While he did not keep a bank,, he managed to find money if any one wanted to borrow it. He was an excellent business man and that is the most we know of him.

James Lodwick.

It was his misfortune not to have been born a Virginian, but he came very near it. His father and mother were married in Win- chester, Va. His father was Col. John Lodwick, born in Winches- ter, Va., March 24, 1767. His mother, Elizabeth Cooley, was born in 1760. She was a widow with one child. Peter Cooley. when John Lodwick married her in June, 1790. Their eldest child, Sarah was born in Winchester, Va., on July 13, 1791. In 1792, the family went to Mason County, Ky., and in 1794, to the stockade in Man- chester.

In 1795, Col. John Lodwick purchased the farm on Zane's Trace known as the Col. John Means farm. It is one mile south-west of Bentonville in Sprigg Township. Here, our subject was born March 15, 1798, the fourth child and third son of his parents. Here his mother died on July 6, 1800, in her 4Ist year. While a boy in Adams County he was treed by a wolf, which his father's dog drove away. In 1812, being somewhat of a musician he played airs on a horn for Henry Clay who was passing through Adams County on his way to Washington.

His eldest brother, William, born in the stockade in Manches- ter, July II, 1794. had located in Portsmouth and in 1814 was a mer- chant there in the firm of Barr & Lodwick. He was then one of the principal citizens of the town and at one time owned more real estate in Portsmouth than any one. James Lodwick entered the store of Barr & Lodwick as a clerk and so continued with his brother for five years. The first year he worked for his board and clothes, and the second year, he was allowed a salary of $500.

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PIONEER SKETCHES.

October 14, 1819, he married Jane Hempstead and the same year he went into the business of merchandising for himself and con- tinued it for fifteen years. He made soap and candles, carried on a bakery, and a woodyard for steamboats. He sold the wood to steam- boats at $1.00 to $1.50 per cord. Elijah Glover, as a boy did his first work in cording wood for Mr. Lodwick at thirty cents per cord. In the year after he was married, he built the Buckeye House on Front street and lived in it until 1850. While in the bakery busi- ness, Martin F. Timmonds came to him as an apprentice to learn the business under him. He also had Robert Montgomery for an ap- prentice and taught him the bakery business. Mr. Lodwick also sold goods from a keel-boat, which traveled between Portsmouth and Guyandotte.

In 1832, he began selling lumber on commission for B. Cham- berlain. At the end of two years, he bought out his principal and conducted the business until 1848. At the same time he was in the dry goods business. In 1848, he took his eldest son, John K. into the dry goods business.

He retired from the dry goods business in Portsmouth, on Feb- ruary 15, 1871, having been in it fifty-one years. In 1852, he became agent for the Protection Fire Insurance Company and, from that time, was an insurance agent the remainder of his life. Mr. Lod- wick was not born a Virginian and therefore not born with a thirst for public office, but he held office persistently and long enough to make any Virginian green with envy. John R. Turner, who was a native Virginian has always been considered the star office holder of Scioto County, but a close comparison of his record with that of Mr. Lodwick, will satisfy any one that the latter was a close second to Mr. Turner. The first office he held in Portsmouth was that of town councilman in 1823, but the honors wore on him and he resign- ed in 1824.

In the fall of 1825, his brother. William was nominated as coun- ty commissioner, but declined to run and thereupon, James Lodwick run in his place. At that time parties had not been organized to any extent and it was a free for all race. The vote was James Lodwick, 424: Daniel Mckinney, 265 : Charles P. Hatton, 203: John Brown. 122: James Chapman, 121 : Samuel Monroe, 79 and Thomas W. Burt. 19. His first official act was to concur with the other two com- missioners in appointing Samuel M. Tracy as legal adviser for the county.

In those days no act was done by any city or county officer un- til Mr. Tracy had been consulted and advised it. Mr. Lodwick was .a candidate for the same office in 1853, and was elected. The vote stood James Lodwick, 1,446, Leonard Groniger, 1,076. In 1874, Mr. Lodwick was a candidate for the same office on the Democratic tick- et and was elected. The regular Republican nominee was Dr. L. A.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

Norton. Col. Sampson E. Varner ran as an independent Democratic candidate and contrary to expectation his candidacy defeated the Re- publican nominee. The Republicans divided between Norton and Varner, while the Democrats stood by Lodwick. The vote stood, Lodwick, 2,255; Norton, 2,023; Varner, 728.

In 1823, 1825 and 1835, Mr. Lodwick was a trustee of Wayne Township. From June 23, 1829, to February, 9, 1842, he was the postmaster at Portsmouth. He received the appointment from Gen. Jackson and his appointment created a great newspaper controversy because of the removal of John R. Turner to give him the place. This was the first example the people had had of Jacksonian doctrine that "to the victor belonged the spoils." He removed the office to the Buckeye House and kept it there till November 15. 1841, when he re .. moved to the market house, where he kept it till relieved by Gen. Wm. Kendall.

In 1839, he was appointed by the council as inspector of do- mestic spirits and served as such until 1839. In 1838, he was elected a school trustee for the First ward.

In 1839. he became a councilman for the Second ward and in 1841, was re-elected for Third ward. In 1842 to 1851, he was City Treasurer, elected annually.

In 1845, he was a town guard for the First ward. In 1850, he was a guard for the Third ward. In 1840, he was a director of the Portsmouth Insurance Company and in 1841, its president. From 1832 to 1879. he was Treasurer of Aurora Lodge of Free Masons.

The only time that we have found that he was defeated for office was in 1870. He was a candidate for City Treasurer and the pol! stood W. T. Cook, 884. James Lodwick, 788. In 1844, he and Mr. Joseph Riggs were sent by the town council to Columbus to lobby against the machinations of the Portsmouth Dry Dock Company, which was then supposed to be intending to have. the mouth of the current made a mile below Portsmouth. 'Their errand was success- ful.

In 1863. 1868 and 1873, he was appointed to the City Board of Equalization and served nine years. In 1867, he was in the City Board of Health. In 1872, he was appointed city collector and served as such until his death, October 11, 1879. His wife died Oc- tober IT, 1865, and he never re-married. His four sons were, John Kennedy, Oliver C., Eggleston B., and Henry C.

Mr. Lodwick made a great deal of money in his time, but made no noise about it. He was very liberal with his sons and helped them while they were in business to the amount of $60,000 all told. Mr. Lodwick was a quiet unostentatious citizen. He had a great vein of humor but never used it offensively. He had a faculty of dealing pleasantly with every one and was for this reason much liked. He was just and exact in all his dealings. He was very fond of Mas-

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onry. He became a Master Mason in 1820, Royal Arch in 1839, and Knight Templar in 1850. He was secretary of the Chapter over twenty-five years. He was a man whom every one trusted. In 1861, when Sumter was fired on, he was appointed one of three to take charge of the $5,000, appropriated by the county for the defense of the town. Whenever there was any public business to be done which required discretion and good judgment, he was usually called on. He was a safe man, and the whole public knew it. He was true to every trust he ever undertook and was as reliable as the bank of Eng- land. He was of dark complexion, over medium height, with small black eyes deeply set in his head. He had a pleasant salute and greet- ing for his friends, enjoyed a good joke or story and liked to tell it himself. He was a firm Democrat in faith and practice all of his life and never wavered. He was a good husband, a good father, a good Democrat, a good citizen and a good Christian. He never fail- ed in any duty, and left the record of a busy, pure and good life.

Captain Preston Lodwick

was born on three mile creek, three miles from Manchester, in 1810. In 1824, he came to Portsmouth, Ohio, and engaged in mercantile business with his brother, James Lodwick. He continued in that till 1828, when he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and became a member of the firm of Barr, Lodwick & Co., dry goods dealers. In 1832, he formed a partnership with Thomas Huff as Huff & Lodwick. They purchased the store of Graham & Clare at Second and Main streets. They continued their business for several months, and then moved it on a boat on the river. He closed out this business and then he and his brother, John N., and two others bought the steamboat "Argo" and took her south and entered her in the Natchez and Shreveport trade. "Honesty" Joe Jones was one of the pilots. He kept the boat one season, made a lot of money and brought her back and sold her at Cincinnati. He then re-entered the dry goods trade, where he re- mained until 1842.

He bought a one-half interest in the steamboat "Sylph" with his brother, Capt. John N., and they ran her from Louisville to Owens- boro, Ky., making two trips per week. The trade was profitable and they purchased the "Gallant," and put her in the same trade. They extended her trips to Henderson, twenty-four miles further. They sold the "Sylph" and ran the "Gallant" on this trade for two years, when they sold her. Captain Preston then built the "Swallow" and sold her in New Orleans. Then he built another boat and called her the "Argo." He took her to the Upper Mississippi, and sold her, and became a Captain on one of the boats of the Northern line. Soon after, he went to Madison, Ind., ard superintended the building of a large steamboat called the Northern Light, for the Northern line. After that he returned to Cincinnati where he, David Gibson and oth-

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

ers built the "Prince of Wales." a fine steamboat. She was sold to the southern trade, captured by the rebels and burned. He bought the steamer "Kentucky" and ran her in the St. Louis and New Or- Jeans trade. The rebellion coming on, his boat was impressed. Af- ter a time he escaped, and came north. He bought the interest of Captain Wm. McLain in the "Bostona." She was burned and an- other built and he kept his interest till he sold out to Captains Wm. and Enos Moore. He bought an interest in the Arms & Wick Roll- ing. Mill in Portsmouth and dropped $80,000 in it. He again went to Cincinnati and commanded the steamer "Ohio" for a while and then the Kanawha steamer, "Virgie Lee." He was associated with Captain W. W. Little in constructing the "Eldorador" in 1874. This closed his steamboat career. He returned to Cincinnati and dealt in real estate there. He accumulated quite a fortune. He died at his home in Sedamsville, Ohio, November 16, 1887.

John Newton Lodwick

was born October 24, 1812, on the Col. John Means farm in Adams County, now owned by A. V. Hudson. As a boy he was very fond of fun and mischief according to his own accounts. He used to play all manner of tricks in school and out of it and sometimes came to grief. Notwithstanding his aptitude for mischief he thought he got a whipping too much when he was a school boy and he laid it up against the teacher, intending to whip him when he became a man. When he became a man he was mate on a steamboat, and the teacher came aboard the boat and recognized him. He spoke very pleasantly to Mr. Lodwick but he was very gruff and told him he intended to whip him the first time he saw him and as this was the first time the whipping was in order. Capt. Lodwick says that he got the best whipping then and there that he ever got in his life.

In 1826, he came to Portsmouth and attended the school taught by Erastus Dwyer for two years. He began life on a flat boat in 1828. At the age of 20, in 1832, he took the river and made a trip to New Orleans with two flat boats loaded with pork, lard and bulk. meat. The cargo was owned by Renich and Hurst of Circleville. In 1831, he began to learn the trade of ship carpenter under Archi- bald Gordon at Cincinnati. In 1832, he built the steamboat "Car- roll" at Portsmouth for Gordon. In 1834, he was shipping clerk at Portsmouth for a canal boat line called the Troy and Erie. There were two boats a day for the line which was then considered a small business. In 1833, he went on the river as a mate on the "Helen Mar" under Captain Fuller.

He was captain of several different boats, and in 1836, he went as mate on the "Comanche" to New Orleans and Texas. When he arrived there the war for Texan Independence was going on and he joined a company of independent scouts, as he then believed them,

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but thinking over the matter for 50 years he thinks they were plain cattle thieves. Their business was to go into Mexico and steal cattle from the Mexicans and sell them to the Texan government. After the war, and some bouts with the Mexicans and Indians the Captain returned to New Orleans and continued on the river as. captain and mate.

In 1840, he was married to Elizabeth A. Stephens, of Wheeling and took up his home at Hawesville, Ky. He then owned one-fourth of the steam-boat "Pensacola" and was its Captain. She was sunk and he came down to mate again. In 1834, he came te Portsmouth and bought the "Sylph" of McDowell and Davis. The boat cost $2,700 and he did not have a dollar to pay for her. He took her to the Illinois river and paid for her in six months. He bought a new boat, the "Gallant," and the purchaser of the "Sylph" sunk her on the first trip out. Captain Lodwick wore the "Gallant" out in the Louis- ville and Henderson trade. In 1833 he moved back to Portsmouth. He purchased the "Hamburg" and run between Portsmouth and Pome- roy. He was Captain and J. W. Vance was Clerk. Dr. A. B. Jones and Col. S. E. Varner were part owners with the Captain and Clerk. On April 26, 1854, he was walking along the track of the Little Miami Railroad near its station in Cincinnati and was reading a paper as he walked. A switch engine with a baggage car attached was backing up and struck him and knocked him down in the middle of the track. The baggage car passed over him but the fire box caught him and he was dragged 95 yards. He held on to the fire box and this saved his life. About all his ribs were broken loose and his jaw and nose were broken. His right arm was wrenched out of place and his left leg lacerated from hip to foot. He was laid up for twelve months. After this he bought a shoe store and run it for a while.

From 1856 to 1862, he was wharf master at Portsmouth, Ohio, and built a fine wharf boat, the first one ever at Portsmouth. Dur- ing this time he was agent for the B. & O. Ry. In the year 1862; he sold his wharf boat to Thos. T. Yeager and went on the river and re- mained until 1868. He ran as Captain on all the "Bostonas" but the last one. In 1879-80 he served on the city Board of Equalization of Portsmouth and from 1883 to 1888, the time of his death, he was a member of the Board of Health of Portsmouth. In 1881 he was in- vited by his friend, A. W. Williamson to take a ride on the propel- ler, "W. F. Gaylord." When she was opposite Ashland in the night the tow boat "D. T. Lane" was coming down. She ran the "Gay- lord" down and sunk her and the Captain was thrown into the river. He seized two board life preservers and floated down the river until he was picked up by the "Nellie T. Brown." The cook, Elizabeth Meade, was drowned.

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After that the Captain stated that he had been blown up four times, sunk three times and run over by the railroad once. After his experience at Ashland he came to the conclusion that he was bound to die in bed; and was not born to be killed on the railroad or drowned in the river. However, he did die with his boots on, as he was found dead in his yard in March, 1888. He served on the Board of Health twelve years, and took a great interest in the work. After he had left the river for good, he became a member of the First Presbyterian church. In politics he was a Democrat, and ready to serve his party at all times, although he was not a strong partisan. In 1868 he opened a commission house on Pig Iron Cor- ner. The same year he was a candidate for the position of wharf master and was defeated. He was also a candidate for Coroner in 1873.

He was a very strong patriot in the civil war, and when his son Blashford got up a company of volunteers, he spent $600 in equipping them. He had a fund of anecdotes entertaining enough to enter- tain a regiment at any time. He was one of the most agreeable com- panions and was greatly esteemed by all who knew him. He was one of the old fashioned steamboat captains, the generation of which has forever passed away.

John Wood Lummis

was born near Vineland, Cumberland County, N. J., September 5, 1813. His father was James Lummis, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Wood, a native of Holland. His education was limited to the common schools of Cumberland County, N. J. When a youth of eighteen, he went to Wheeling, W. Va., where he served three years as an apprentice in a machine shop. At the age of twen- ty-one, he went to Hanging Rock, Ohio, and became an engineer for Mr. Dempsey. He worked here a time, then went to Tennessee. to a furnace, and worked for a man by the name of Peters, running a furnace engine. He did not like it there and returned to Ports- mouth. Shortly after returning to Portsmouth, he was offered the place of engineer at Bloom Furnace, and went there and remained in the employment of the Bloom Furnace Company for twenty years. After leaving the furnace, he bought eighty-four acres of land in and near Webster. He built him a comfortable home in Webster and resided there until his death.

He married Elizabeth Chaffin, the daughter of Shadrach Chaf- fin of Vernon Township, February 1, 1849. She died in March, 1883. They had eight children, all of whom are deceased, but three, Sarah E., wife of Simeon E. Evans, of Jackson, Ohio: Jacob W., agent on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, and Postmaster at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., and Shadrach Chaffin, Treasurer of Custer County, South Dakota.

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Mr. Lummis was always an abolitionist but acted with the Re- publican party. He had a talent for accumulation, and left a good estate at his death, September 5th, 1891. He was a religious man and a Christian. He was a member of the United Brethren church at South Webster, and one of its main pillars. He was a man of strong convictions. He examined a subject carefully and made up his mind. When once made up, nothing could prevent him. He was never idle a day in his life. He always found something to do. He was not only a good mechanical engineer, but a draughtsman as well. He built the engines for Ohio. Buckhorn and Bloom fur - naces. When he took up farming he was just as busy at that as he had ever been before, and death struck him and took him while he was out in his field at work; but he had been ready for his call for years. Mr. Lummis was essentially a good citizen and a credit to the community in which he dwelt.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 101

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612