A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 84

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 84

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).

July 28, 1878 .- John B. Clingman was visiting in Portsmouth. His father, George W. Clingman, removed from Northumberland County, Pennsyl- vania to Portsmouth in 1804. He was a brother of Mrs. Aaron Kinney. The family removed in 1805 to Clingman's Hill, now the Mrs. Zaph property. At that time there was not a store, gristmill or bushel of wheat in the county, so Mr. Clingman says. His father sent to Pittsburg for a coffee mill, tea kettle and skillet. The people lived on hominy and game. A pen was built at Third and

620

THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH.

Market to trap wild turkeys. In 1825 and 1827 he collected the taxes of Scioto County, and rode to Columbus on horseback to settle with the State Treasurer. On May 1, 1828, he married Miss Sarah P. Turner, daughter of John R. Turner. He removed to Illinois in 1840, and at this date was in his seventy-sixth year.

January 14, 1879, a deer which swam the Ohio at Lawson's Run from Kentucky was shot and killed by Ambrose Heidelberger.

In November. 1833, George H. Gharky built a box on a flatboat bottom and loaded it with goods for Cincinnati merchants. He made four trips down and three back, pushing and pulling the boat along shore and tying up at night. She carried eleven tons. On her last trip he sold her for $75, or twice what she cost. Captain William Ripley was chief engineer, cook, bottle washer and mud clerk. He was a good boy to work, but once fell overboard and took the chills as a result. The dry goods Mr. Gharky handled were shipped from Now York to Cleveland, and from there to Portsmouth by canal.

March 29, 1885,- a series of pioneer reminiscences is begun on this date in the Portsmouth Tribune. This was No. 5. No. 4 is in the same of March 4, 1885; No. 2 in February 18, 1885; No. 1 in February 11, 1885, and No. 6 in April 15, 1885.

April 29, 1885 .- In this issue of the Tribune George Ball writes a letter from California. He says in 1837 Colonel Kinney kept a livery stable in Ports- mouth; that Robert Lucas' wife was Friendly Summer, a sister of Henry Sun- mer, of Wheelersburg; of Mrs. Charles Boynton, of Mrs. Dr. Runnels and Mrs. Robert S. Wynn.

Joseph Riggs & Co. kept a store where the Biggs House now stands. Conway & Avery had an office just above where Riggs' store stood. They after- ward built Pig Iron Corner. Mr. Conway was prompt pay above everything. He would pay his men without being asked.

.James Davis had three children; one daughter married a son of C. O. Tracy, and another a son of A. Bentley. He also had a son, John. He thought Samuel Tracy the ablest lawyer ever in Portsmouth. In the same article he related one of C. O. Tracy's anecdotes.

November 21, 1803 .- Thomas Waller, Justice of the Peace of Union Town- ship, fined John Meirs, a school teacher of the township, $2 for using two profane oaths. James Norris was a complainant.

Uriah Barber was bound over to keep the peace on complaint of Joseph Lucas.

May 1, 1804 .- Nathan Glover, a hatter, was given two days' work on the roads for swearing. He died in 1823.

Thomas Waller's Justice of the Peace docket:

William Bennett swore in the presence of the Justice of the Peace, and was fined fifty cents.

Thomas Waller in one of his account books gave the prices of his wear- ing apparel. His hat cost $7.26; stockings, $2.10 per pair; shoes, $1.32; pewter buckles. $3.04; bandana handkerchief, $1.45.

In 1801 calico was from 84 cents to $1.32 per yard; gingham, $1.56; tick- ing, $1.08 per yard; linen handkerchiefs, $1.44; cotton hose, $2.52; worsted, $2.10, and raw silk, $4.32 per pair.

John Quincy Adams visited Portsmouth in 1843. It was arranged to have him stop off the "Ben Franklin No. 6" and make a brief address. The schools were given a half holiday. The scholars were formed in procession and marched to Bigelow Chapel, on Second Street. It was about 4 p. m. when he arrived in the church. A cannon on the boat announced his coming. Mr. Adams made an address in the chapel and shook hands with each of the school children as they passed out. He left the chapel in the rain and was escorted to the boat with a brass band and a procession. The boat fired her cannon oppo- site Court Street.

September 10. 1887 .- John Gharky in The Times:

William Carey was elected Sheriff in 1824. He was a candidate for re- election in 1826, but died just before the election. Moses Gregory defeated Washington Clingman for the office.

621

REMINISCENCES.

The sons of four or five of the principal citizens stole bee hives and Samuel M. Tracy prosecuted them. Their fathers and friends brought out Ransom Odle against him and ran him for Prosecuting Attorney. He made a living by digging roots for the druggists, and he sometimes preached on the streets.

June 2, 1888 .- Times: James Emmit brought the first canal boat to Ports- mouth in the fall of 1832. It was called the "Governor Worthington." It came only to the Union Mills, as that was before the canal was opened for traffic.

November 30, 1889 .- In 1825 squirrels were so plentiful they were a nuisance and a curse. Hunts were made to destroy them. Usually a day was set apart and everybody went. The party was divided into two sides and cap- tains chosen. Each captain selected a man till all were chosen. Then each party tried to kill the most squirrels. At a fixed hour the two sides met and compared their game. In the grand hunt, in 1825, William Dailey was captain of one side and Colonel John McDonald, author of "McDonald's Sketches," of the other. When the sides met and compared notes they were even, but one liunter on the Dailey side was out. It was Washington Kinney. He was hailed and reported one black squirrel. That gave the championship to the Dailey side. That night they had a great feast in a frame building, where the Biggs House now stands, and eggnogg was free.

December 14, 1889 .- The Gaylord Rolling Mill was built in 1832 by Glover, Noel & Company. It was the first west of Pittsburg. John Glover, John Noel, Greenough, Basil Waring and others were in the firm. Thomas Lewis, father of T. C. Lewis, who lived at Third and Washington Streets, was the contractor. He came from Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The castings were made by William Maddock at the old foundry at the corner of Fourth and Chillicothe Streets. Henry Westwood, Sr., and Henry Westwood, Jr., were the first two rollers. Thomas Thomas was the first heater. The mill not only made bar iron, but nails as well. The engine was put up by Brenneman, a Pittsburg man. When the flywheel was started, being made on sections of wood and iron, it flew to pieces, but no one was hurt. The company failed in 1837, and Thomas Gaylord, then of Maysville, Kentucky, bought it. He gave for it a lot of mountain land in Pennsylvania, a stock of queensware at Maysville, and a four-horse wagon load of maps of the United States. He paid no money, be- cause he had none. Mr. Gaylord was a plunger, with any amount of nerve, and never hesitated at a venture. The purchasers of the land he traded brought suit to annul the contract, on the ground that the lands were worthless, but the suit came to nothing. Afterward the lands were found to be in the oil belt, and were very valuable, but their value was not discovered until after Gaylord's purchasers had parted with them. Thomas G. Gaylord greatly improved the mill. New boilers were put in. The old-fashioned knobling furnaces gave place to the modern puddling furnaces. and the hammers gave way to rolls. In 1889 Thomas G. Gaylord gave his son, Thomas Gaylord, a resident of Louisville, a one-fourth interest, and promised him another fourth as soon as he could pay for it, which he soon did. Benjamin B. Gaylord, a cousin of Thomas G., was taken into the concern, and soon made his personality felt. He developed wonderful talents for the business, and under his management it prospered as it has never before or since. Mr. Gaylord took the contract to make gunboat iron during the war, and made a great deal of money at it. When Benjamin B. Gaylord's health began to fail Jared B. Green was put in charge, and he made inferior iron, and the concern went into bankruptcy. After Mr. Green's failure Mr. Lewis, of Pitts- burg; John G. Peebles, John T. Terry and J. Scott Peebles ran the mill for a while.

The first towboat which ever passed Portsmouth was the "Condor," built by the Pomeroy Coal Company. in 1835. This was the first steamboat on the Ohio River used for towing coal. Pittsburg coal was not sent down the Ohio River by steamboats until 1845. The "Walter Forward" was the first steamboat to tow coal from Pittsburg.

Doctor George B. Crane located at Lucasville, Ohio, in 1832. He paid $1,50 a week for board and stable room. He bought a horse of a son of Doctor Waller for $50. He bought corn for his horse at 621/2 cents per barrel, five

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THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH.

bushels to the barrel. Corn was then eight cents per bushel, in quantities. When he rode to Portsmouth his dinner and horse feed cost him 371% cents. A Doctor Kendall was then in Concord (Wheelersburg). He left in 1833, and Doctor Crane located there. Doctor Belnap was at Franklin Furnace, but was dissipated. He was an excellent physician and a good friend to Doctor Crane, but killed himself by the drink habit. Doctor Crane lived in Wheelersburg, or Concord, from November, 1833, to November, 1835.

THE OHIO RIVER.

On November 8, 1839. the Ohio River was very low and had been for a month.

On March 19. 1846, the river was at the top of its banks.

On April 22, 1846, the Ohio was four feet at the stage.

On June 4, 1840, it was measured by B. F. Conway, R. Arthurs and J. Murfin. The following are its measurements: From the curbstone to the water's edge, 256 feet; water's edge to water's edge, 990 feet; water's edge to the foot of the Kentucky bank, 162 feet; from the foot to the top of the Ken. tucky bank, 30 feet. This made a total of 1438 feet.

On February 5. 1855, it was measured by B. F. Conway, J. Tetlow and J. Hurd: From the curb to the water's edge, 312 feet; water's edge to water's edge. 1031 feet; from the water's edge to the foot of the Kentucky bank, 192 feet: from the foot to the top of the Kentucky bank, 36 feet. Total, 1573 feet. Difference in wash of banks, 135 feet.

On February 11, 1857, the river had been closed with ice for some weeks. The ice gave way and began to run.

On February 21. 1859, the river was 52 feet above low water. Some facts: Pittsburg to Cairo. 520 miles; slope on north side, 140 miles wide; on the south side, 200 miles wide; 70.000 square miles drained on the north and 100,000 on the south. The valley of the Allegheny, 30.000 square miles drained. Kanawha River rises on the western slope of Blue Ridge and cuts through the Alle- ghanies. Winter floods usually forty to forty-eight feet above low water. May floods usually thirty to thirty-five feet above low water. Extraordinary floods are fifty to sixty feet above low water. On April 15. 1815, river was fifty-eight feet above low water. February, 1832, it was sixty-three feet. December. 1847, it was sixty-two feet. The highest land in Portsmouth is sixty-eight feet above low water, averaging 60 feet. Seventy feet may be considered the highest possible rise, with one chance in a thousand above that.

At this date. Februarv 21. 1859, 21.000,000 cubic feet of water, weighing 500,000 tons, and moving with the energy of 100,000-horse power, was passing Portsmouth. Current at flood, four miles an hour; at low water. two miles an hour. Fall from Pittsburg to Portsmouth, 400 feet, or five inches to the mile. Marietta to Portsmouth, six inches to the mile: Portsmouth to Cincinnati. four - inches. Low water at Portsmouth is ninety-eight feet below Marietta, ninety- six feet below Lake Erie and 432 feet above the sea level.

February 18, 1860, Judge Collings had a watercraft law for collection of claims passed.

September 23. 1859. wharfboat was being completed by Croker & Roxhy. It was for Captain J. N. Lodwick.

October 2. 1861. there was a sudden rise in the Ohio, twenty-four feet in twenty-four hours. The corn in the bottoms was destroyed.

January 22, 1862, the river was three to five feet deep in Slabtown, in the Gaylord Mill and over parts of Third Street.

July 6. 1864, very heavy ice was running and navigation about closed. January 27, 1864, the river opened up.

Mav 25. 1864, the Scioto bottoms were covered with water, three to ten feet. for one week.

December 21, 1864, Yeager & McColm had a new wharfboat.

January 8. 1865, the river was full of floating ice, and there was skating on the backwaters.

623

SCIOTO BRIDGES.

March 8, 1865, Mill Street was submerged. Also, the south side of Third Street.

May 3, 1865, Mr. Hunt's new ferry boat began to run.

February 2, 1867, the Ohio River was closed by ice from the last of De- cember, 1866, to this date.

December 30. 1876, the river was closed up with ice at Portsmouth.

January 9, 1877, the ice broke and at once gorged again below town.

January 3, 1879, the river was closed with ice. Teams were crossing on the ice.

January 11, 1879, the river opened. Many barges were lost.

January 6, 1881, the ice broke at Portsmouth. Losses, $30,000, among which was the S. B., "Eldorado."

The Bonanza Bar.

Charles Barton, J. F. Towell, Philip Kelley, Sam Reed and William Kinney are responsible for it. They owned the land from Funk's Gut to the sawmill. The river was cutting their land from the Gut to the sawmill, and they drove piling between those points to protect themselves. There had been no bar there before that. The current. changed by the piling, piled up sand and gravel on the Kentucky side. In the summer of 1876 the bar had begun to make itself felt in extreme low water. The Bonanza came up on her first trip. The water was rather low for a boat of her size, but she came up light all right. When ready to leave she wanted to show off. From time immemorial Portsmouth boats on their first trips had steamed above town and then steamed down past the town under full head of steam to show off. The Bonanza went up with full steain and flags flying, intending on her return to astonish the natives. Before her pilots were aware she had climbed on top of the Bonanza Bar, and raised herself out of the water. This was a revelation to her pilots. The Bonanza pilots were strangers to it, though those of the up-river "dinkies" knew it. The boat was full of passengers. She puffed and groaned and wallowed around on the bar a day and a half before she got off, and came back to the wharfboat as meek as a lamb, and slipped away without any noise or ceremony. Ever since then the bar has been known as "Bonanza Bar."

BRIDGES AT THE MOUTH OF THE SCIOTO RIVER.

The First Bridge.

The first bridge was built after 1832 at the mouth of the Scioto at "Pop Corn Point." It was built by a private company. It had three piers and two abutments. It was a toll bridge and kept by Isaiah Clark, father of Josiah Clark. Pop Corn Point is made ground, and was made to ascend and descend from the end of the bridge. A spring flood came up and covered the floor, and one night it fell. It had been up only a few months.

The Second Bridge.

In July, 1846, the New York Company was building a bridge over the Scioto River at "Pop Corn Point." It was completed August 6. 1849. It was 666 feet long. 20 feet wide and 161/,, feet high. It had a stone abutment at each end and three stone piers between the abutments. It had a trestle at the west end. It was a toll bridge. Soon after it was completed a storm blew the whole thing into the river, and the New York Company was d'scouraged and did not build again.

The Third Bridge.

was built by a company called the Portsmouth Bridge Company. It was built across the Scioto River at the point of the present bridge. The county spent $5000 to make the elevated road from the east end of the bridge to Union Mills. Of this $70 was paid to Joseph Riggs for engineering. An act authorizing the bridge was passed March 28, 1857, Vol. 54, Page 254. The County Commissioners were authorized by this act to establish a county road on the towing path of

624

THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH.

the Ohio Canal, for two miles north from the east end of the bridge. The top of tlie towpath of the canal was to be twenty-five feet wide. Jefferson W. Glidden, Daniel A. Glidden, Lucien N. Robinson, Wells A. Hutchins and E. P. Gray were in the company, known as the Portsmouth Bridge Company. The special act required the freight to and from the canal should pass free, until a different provision should be made by law. The bridge company was to receive $600 per year from the canal, or rather from the State.

On November 7, 1859, the pier at the Portsmouth end fell, and the whole structure was precipitated in the river. Two men were on the bridge when it fell. Their names were William Shawley and Stephen Smith. At 8 o'clock that morning it was discovered that the pier was in danger, but it did not fall for three hours. These men had started across the bridge twice, and the third time the bridge fell, and they were engulfed. This made the third bridge which went down near this place.

The citizens of Portsmouth subscribed $5300 toward rebuilding this bridge, and the citizens of the West Side gave $6000.

On February 22, 1860. Stephen Smith's body was found near Buena Vista, and William Shawley's body was found near Vanceburg. They had been in the water three months.

The Fourth Bridge.

On November 24, 1860, the new suspension bridge was completed, and T. M. Lynn ran a hack to Union Mills. Max J. Becker came to Portsmouth as en- gineer to rebuild the bridge and put the south pier on high ground, and it stood, and is standing today. As a reward he was appointed Postmaster on April 17. 1861. and held that office until January 14, 1863. This bridge was soon after- ward bought from George Davis on July 8, 1873. George Davis sold this bridge to the county for $45,000. Long before that he had bought up all the other in- terests in it, and owned all the stock of the company. The Commissioners purchased under the act of March 3, 1869, as amended May 7, 1869, Ohio Laws, Vol. 66, Page 338.

May 24. 1884, the Suspension Bridge fell at 11:30 a. m. Four yoke of oxen with a wagon load of stone, weighing four or five tons, came on the bridge. Charles Barr was the driver. At the middle of the bridge he stopped and sent two yoke of oxen across. Mrs. Charles Fulwiler, of Union Mills; her son Sam, aged six years; her daughter Zella, three, and Earl, her baby in arms, were going over. The upper cable parted, and that in an instant threw all the weight on the lower, and it parted. The mother and three children, as well as Barr and the oxen, were thrown sixty feet below in the wreck. The little girl was killed by the fall. the babe fell out of the mother's arms and was drowned. The mother and boy and Barr were rescued.

After the fall of the Suspension Bridge, in 1884, the county determined not to rebuild it, but build a pier bridge. Scioto County undertook to rebuild the bridge and the contract was let to the Canton Bridge Company. The mid- dle span of the bridge fell on January 2, 1885. The moving out of the ice took away the false work before the superstructure could be secured on the piers. It was impossible to rest the span on the piers before the ice took ont the false work. The loss of $5.000 fell on the Canton Bridge Company. The total cost of the entire bridge was $28,466.40. That is the present bridge across the Scioto River at its mouth.

MILITARY AFFAIRS.

December 2, 1874, there was a company formed of which Arthur C. Davis was Captain, and John W. Kinney was First Lieutenant. It was called "The Scioto Greys."

March 15, 1875, "The Kinney Guards" were organized. John W. Kinney was Captain and H'ram Brown was First Lieutenant. William Waller was First Sergeant and Frank F. Varner was Second Sergeant. The company had twenty-seven members, and it was to be Infantry and Artillery. Colonel Kinney had purchased a howitzer for it. The same now stands in the Soldiers' lot in the cemetery.

625

MILITARY AFFAIRS.

There was an organization called the "Gaylord Guards." The Captain was Arthur Davis.

May 5, 1875, "The German Light Guards" were organized. The Captain was Charles F. Best, the First Lieutenant was William Koblens, and the Second Lieutenant, F. A. Stearns. "The Gaylord Light Guards" had three rows of buttons on their suits. The High School Cadets had a company. "The Kinney Guards" had received their arms. They had three rows of but- tons on their dress coats.

May 19, 1875. "The High School Cadets" changed their name to "The Davis Cadets," for George Davis.

May 28, 1875. "The Kinney Guards" had a fancy drill. At its close a fine flag was presented to the company. Miss Nan Musser made the presentation. Then a fine sword was presented to the Captain. John W. Kinney. It had two scabbards and a reversible belt, for parade and undress occasions. It was a complete surprise to him, and cost over $50.00. Then there was a dance in which Captain Kinney led with Miss Nan Musser. Will Fryer was Drum Major; William Waller, First Sergeant; F. F. Varner, a Sergeant; Huston Varner, a Marker; Masters Julian, McBryan and Weatherwax, drummers; Theodore Brushart, fifer. At 11 P. M. a supper was served by John Cooper.

June 7, 1875, "The Gaylord Guards" had a reception. Ed Burke was Drum Major. Frank Ross, Charles Tracy and James Drouillard, drummers. The reception was followed by a dance.

June 23, 1875, Captain R. A. Starkey was made Major of the companies of military in Portsmouth.

September 24, 1875, "The Kinney Guards" gave an exhibition drill. Col- onel P. Kinney, Captain A. C. Thompson and Dr. D. MoBriar were on the stage. The company drilled an hour and a half, and then remarks were made by Colonel P. Kinney, Captain A. C. Thompson and Dr. D. McBriar. The visitors were then served with supper, and then the "Guards" and their friends, and then there was a dance.

October 13, 1875, "The Gaylord Guards" visted Chillicothe and were entertained by the "Campbell Guards." The following is the roster of the Gaylords who went to Chillicothe: Captain A. C. Davis, Lieutenant L. B. Smith. Men: William Crichton, F. W. Robinson, Percy Miller, William C. Sil- cox, William Starks, J. C. Singer, Augustus O. Bing, Henry H. Brushart, J. H. White, E. G. Gibbs, G. H. Gharky, C. Maddock, F. Royse, A. Clare, Frank Glover, Thomas Overturf, C. Masters, Sam Johnson, Ed Kinney, Charles E. Jewell, Charles Kinney, J. Herrell, Van Cole, Eg Gates, Charles Glidden, Maury Pursell, Alexander Robinson, James Connell, Ed R. Burke, Charles McFarland, Ira Crull, F. Ross, W. Smith, Charles Tracy and James Drouillard. A number of lady visitors went along and there was a banquet. W. Edgar Evans made tho welcome address. Dan J. Ryan responded. The banquet was followed by a dance. Captain John W. Kinney and Ensign Foote Hall, of the Kinney Guards, were along. General Turley and wife, Mrs. Captain Davis. Jennie Tewksbury, Rhoda and Ivy Nichols, Josie Kinney, Ang. Sanford. Harry Robin- son, Frank Hall, Dan McFarland, Dan J. Ryan and Harry Kinney were along. Frank White and Sam Turner, colored, had charge of the baggage. Captain McKee received the company in Chillicothe. Both "Gaylord" and "Kinney Guards" were parading at times, on the streets of Portsmouth with a brass band.

November 3, 1875, "The Gaylord Guards" and the "German" Company rented Richardson's Hall for an armory.

May 10, 1876, the "Kinney Guards" had minstrels. The object was to save money to visit the Centennial.

December 22, 1880, the Tribune published the roll of a company of Home Guards organized in 1861, in April. They were known as the "Silver Grays." The following are the names and ages of some of them when enlisted. Those marked deceased, were so, prior to December 22, 1880. None were enlisted un- der 45 years:

626

THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH.

Roll of Silver Grays.

Name.

Age.

Died.

Name.

Age.

Died.

William Hall.

Deceased.

George W. Calvert

Deceased. 66

John McDowell

March, 1876.

Matthias Kricker ..

Benjamin Fryer.

Deceased.

James Salsbury.

Conrad Overturf.

B. B. Gaylord.

David Scott

Jacob P. Noel

Robert Montgomery

Benj. Barklow

Deceased.

Cornelius C. Hyatt ..

John Waller

William Miller

Deccased.

John H. Ward

Andrew I. Stroube

5.1

M. R. Tewksbury

John P. Terry

Thomas S. Currie.

Died, 1869.

George Johnson

Deceased.

David Davis

John Ratcliff.

Died 1864.

R. W. Lewis

James W. Davis

Deceased.

D. N. Murray ..

John N. Lodwick ..

M. Seeberger,

45%

Edward Bannon

Deceased.

John H. Allen

Erastus Pond ..

T. J. Graham

John W. Purdum

Charles S. Smith

David F. Heaton

James M. Shackelford

Deceased.

Joshua V. Robinson

Daniel McIntire

John Musser.

Richard Lloyd.

Hiram Roads.

Leonard Groniger

John E. Fawn

Aaron Noel.

B. F. Cunningham

Eli Glover

Sept., 1880.

John Armstrong.

Adam Kerr

James Heycr.

John Row ..

May 1871.

William Ravnor

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 84

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