USA > Ohio > Hardin County > A twentieth century history of Hardin County, Ohio : a narrative account of its historical progress its people and principal interests, Vol. I > Part 10
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
sive of those creeted by railroad companies, and the smaller streams are all bridged at convenient distances.
At various times the county paid bounties on wolves, hawks and other pests, the commissioners taking the ground that the sooner the country was eleared of these things, the sooner it would prosper, and the records show that hundreds of destructive birds and animals were destroyed. The bounty on hawks varied from twenty-five to fifty cents per head, and the bounty on wolves was $3.50 on an animal over six months of age and half that much for a cub. The person claiming the bounty had to make a sworn statement that he had not spared the she wolf, in order to have the opportunity later to kill her young, so in time the cowardly creatures that had so preved upon the live stock of the pioneer disappeared. The wild hogs were exterminated simply by shooting down every animal that could be found, but not until farmers ceased the practice of turning their hogs loose in the woods to fatten did this destructive animal disappear.
With the building of good roads, bridges and better schools came great numbers of settlers, and as the country began to take on a eiv- ilized look farmers began to think of improving their farms and live stoek. Especially did the idea of bringing in fine sheep and hogs pre- vail, for all over the county there were men engaged in these two occupations, and very soon the pure blood spread to adjoining neighbor- hoods, and even outside the county. Everybody seemed convinced that the Poland China hog was much better than the scrub animal that had to be two or three years old before it could be fattened, and about the same time Short-horn cattle and Merino sheep were first brought into the county. A few years after the Civil war, or about 1870, dozens of farmers began the business of stoek raising as a regular occupation, instead of a side issue, because markets were good and people generally becoming educated to see that scrub animals did not pay. While the Poland China hog. the Short-horn cow and the Merino sheep had a monopoly for a few years, in time other breeds of eattle, sheep and hogs made their appearanee, together with fine horses and mules, until now Hardin county is well supplied with fine stock of every description. Among the pioneer breeders of good stock were such men as W. J. Emmons, Whitley Bros .. J. R. and George Ansley, J. B. Pumphrey, J. S. and Enos Allen, David Sloan, Justus Stevens, Asher Letson, J. W. Stinson, Samuel Stewart, James Dunlap, D. H. Benton, Aaron Curl, William Simpson, W. Richardson, J. A. Rumer, James R. Millar, John Wilson, A. V. Hartle. George Lisles, Thomas Sloan, Thomas Espy and many others.
While fine horses came a little later, they soon became common, and here and there over the county companies were formed to import animals from the famous stables of England and France. The Hardin County Importing Company brought many fine horses to this county,
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
and at present Grindell and Company are bringing from Europe yearly the pick of the old world markets. At Mt. Victory, George W. Gill has a herd of imported Jerseys, and almost every breed of live-stock is represented in Hardin county by fine specimens.
Shortly after what might be termed the pioneer period, farmers began planting fruit and ornamental trees about their premises, and also to erect better buildings. The introduction of labor-saving ma- chinery though rude and worthless to the present generation, brought about better conditions, and people had time to pay attention to the little refinements of life. The old flail had given place to the horse- power threshing machine, a clumsy affair which required the whole neighborhood when it came time to thresh, and the sickle and scythe were laid aside for the reaping and mowing machines that seemed too good to be true, when first they came into use. The history of the rise of these two machines to public notice reads like a romance, and the famous contests between rival machines are still remembered by the older farmers. To be sure the reaper did not bind the grain, and at first even required a man in attendance to rake it off into sheaves, with four or five "hands" stationed here and there about the field as binders, but it was a vast improvement over the hand method, and people began to be frightened lest there would be no employment for men in harvest once the new invention came into general use. Along with these won- derful things came the horse hay-rake and the click, that astonishing device for planting corn in a way to put the hoe in the shade forever; and improved plows which were the ancestors of the present machines for turning over sod rapidly. Such men as Dwight Calhoun, of Buck township, W. C. Hampton of Dudley, and J. B. Murray of Ada, were supplying people with plants and shrubs, and from nurseries in the older parts of the state came fruit trees to take the place of the decay- ing orchards set out by the eccentric but kind hearted Johnny Appleseed, when the settlers were too busy to think of cultivating fruits.
About this time the project of draining the marshes and making them profitable for farming, attracted the attention of Hardin county citizens, but the coming of the Civil war, that robbed the country of so many men, put a stop to many enterprises. However, there was a steady growth from the very first, and agriculture always took the lead. Many of the present farmers of Hardin county are descendants of those hardy pioneers who saw at an early day that farming must become a scientific pursuit, rather than a ship-shod occupation. for those who could do nothing else, and as a result of their efforts the country is what it is today. We owe a debt of gratitude to the inen and women who, even in the midst of hardships and privations, sought to improve their surroundings and educate their neighbors. To them is due much of the prosperity and success of the present generation of farmers.
CHAPTER III. HARDIN COUNTY MILITARY HISTORY
MEXICAN WAR-ITS HARDIN COUNTY VICTIM-FIRST CIVIL WAR MEETINGS-PIONEER COMPANIES OF CAPTAIN WEAVER AND CAPTAIN CANT- WELL-OTHER COMPANIES FROM THE COUNTY-WORK AT HOME AND IN THE FIELD -- COMPLETE INDIVIDUAL RECORD-SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR- SECOND OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-ROSTER OF SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR VETERANS.
Hardin county played a very important part in the War of 1812, though there were no citizens within its borders to shoulder their guns and march through the boggy forests with Duncan McArthur and Governor Shelby, and during the later war with Mexico the little set- tlements sent a fair number of men to fight the enemy, but the real military history was made in two wars-the War of the Rebellion and the Spanish-American war. At the time of the War of 1812 this eounty was unorganized and a trackless wilderness, and when the Mexican war was at its height could muster only 1,238 voters. Of these many were men past middle age, whose pioneer trials and perils had weakened their bodies, and all of them were so busy fighting disease, wild animals, poverty and the ills due to isolation and lack of eleared lands at home, that it is surprising any of the men could be spared at all. The names are given elsewhere of Hardin's volunteers in this war, as far as ean be learned, and afterward many veterans moved into the county; but these could hardly be classed as Hardin county soldiers. No official record of the volunteers exists, but the best authorities among the older citizens agree that Hardin county lost but one man in the war, Fred- eric Traegar, who was killed while on his way home (June 30, 1847) by a Spaniard in New Orleans, as his regiment was marehing through the eity.
In common with all the Northern states, Ohio had observed the signs of the times, and it was common talk that bloodshed must be expected in the days preceding the Civil war, and yet when the news eame on January 10, 1861, that "The Star of the West" had been
80
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
fired upon, consternation seized the citizens of this community. John Brown's raid, the debates in congress, the fiery talk of demagogues and the predictions of the press, had all paved the way in a measure for the coming struggle, but after all the country was ill prepared for the bloody war that followed. On April 16, 1861, Hardin county citizens met at the court house to take action regarding volunteers, and a very enthusiastic meeting was held. The day before, April 15th, President Lincoln had issued his call for troops, and the Ohio soldiers were pour- ing into Columbus at a rapid rate, so the men of Hardin county were eager to do their share at once. The Adjutant General of Ohio was fairly swamped with offers of men by mail and by telegram, and many of the younger men were afraid the war might be over before they could get started, so everything was hurry and confusion to organize a regiment at once. James Cantwell was chairman, and David Thompson secretary of the meeting, which was a very exciting one. Resolutions were adopted ringing with patriotism, for they declared: "We will stand by our government, our country and our country's flag forever," and committees were appointed to rush matters through at once and provide headquarters where soldiers might enlist.
Meetings followed each other in rapid succession after this. On April 17th, at another meeting. B. Eglin, E. Stillings, Judge Hugh Letson, J. S. Robinson and William Cary were appointed a committee to raise funds to equip the soldiers and provide food and lodging until they could go to the front, and also to look after their families while they were away. This was done by popular subscription, and every- body responded generously. Colonel Weaver of Patterson, a Mexican war veteran, was placed in charge of the recruiting station, which was located in Kinnear's hall, and by April 18th, almost before the news had spread over the county, thirty-six men had enlisted. Two com- panies were formed, the first with George Weaver of Patterson, as cap- tain and G. A. Stewart as first lieutenant, and the second with James Cantwell, captain; J. S. Robinson, first lieutenant, and Peter Grubb, second lieutenant. Three days later Captain Weaver's company left for Columbus where they went into camp with other volunteers at Camp Jackson. During the few days that elapsed between the call for volunteers and the departure of the men for Columbus, Kenton was a very busy place. Court was adjourned and business practically suspended as the men turned out to watch the drills, and the ladies to provide comforts for the soldiers. Bibles were purchased for the men and many comforts provided by the ladies.
On April 23rd, the second company left for Columbus, but they had to be quartered in another place, as Camp Jackson was full to overflowing. They were assigned to the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and James Cantwell was elected lieutenant colonel. Just one week after the first call for troops, Hardin county had sent 170 men
Vol. I-6
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
to Columbus, and others were eager to enlist. On June 1, 1861, Peter Grubb and G. A. Stewart came home to recruit more men, and by this time it was known that the war would probably last longer than was first expected; so many of the men enlisted for three years, and many of the three months' men re-enlisted. William Hatch of Kenton, was the first soldier to re-enlist for three years. The county commissioners during this month levied a tax of one-half mill to provide a relief fund for the families of soldiers at the front. L. T. Hunt was appointed to disburse the relief funds. On July 30, 1861, Colonel Luther Furney made up a company and went to join the famous Zouaves of Colonel Donn Piatt.
In August, 1861, C. H. Gatch recruited Company K for the Thirty- third Ohio regiment, and the same month Asa Carter made up Company D for the Thirty-fourth Ohio regiment. Both these companies saw much service in the South, chiefly in Virginia and Kentucky and Ten- nessee. On October 2, 1861, news of the first real battle in which Kenton men took part was received from Romney, Va., and several were injured from Kenton and the county. By the death of Colonel Andrews, Colonel Cantwell became colonel, and Captain Weaver was made major. On December 13 of the same year the news of the first deaths in the ranks of Hardin county soldiers reached Kenton. The men died from wounds received in battle or disease. They were Wesley Walker, George Ritzler and Hiram Lusinger. All were members of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and all died at Romney, Vir- ginia. On December 31, 1861 a military festival was held in the large hall on the third floor of the old Central school building in Kenton, and the proceeds were used to buy gloves and mittens for Hardin county soldiers. The young people of the high school about this time organized a sock society, which did good work in providing necessities for the men at the front, and the ladies of Kenton and all the other towns were diligent in collecting articles of food for the sick and wounded soldiers, and garments such as the government did not provide.
On December 31, 1861, the Eighty-second regiment, peculiarly a Hardin county organization, was recruited at Camp Simon Kenton just south of town, with James Cantwell as colonel; B. R. Durfree, lieutenant colonel; J. S. Robinson, as major; A. S. Ramsey, adjutant; J. Y. Cantwell, surgeon ; A. W. Munson, assistant surgeon. There were 924 men in the regiment, and of these Companies A, B, C and G were from Kenton. With fences changed and landmarks destroyed opinions differ as to the exact location of Camp Simon Kenton, but it is safe to say it was near the present fair ground boundary on the south, and just east of Taylor creek, as the water for the camp was taken from this stream. On Saturday January 25th, at four in the afternoon the Eighty-second left Kenton over the old Mad River railroad (Big Four), after being drawn up in front of Colonel Cantwell's residence where
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
his daughter, Miss Jennie, presented the regiment with a flag. Lieu- tenant Colonel Durfree made the response, and the regiment at once went to the front. They were ordered to West Virginia, and within a few days were at the scene of war. With the departure of the Eighty-seeond. 1,200 men had gone from Hardin county in less than a year, and from a county none too thickly populated. At the begin- ning of the war the entire population of Kenton was only 1,648; yet four companies were recruited from Kenton citizens and the near vicinity. Up to this time Hale township furnished a larger number of soldiers in comparison with her population than any other town- ship. On August 29, 1862, seven months after the regiment left Kenton, Colonel Cantwell was killed at the Second Battle of Bull Run and his body was brought home for burial. The late Judge S. L. Hoge was wounded in the same engagement. James S. Robinson was promoted to the eoloneley and David Thompson advanced to lieutenant colonel.
In 1862 many other Hardin county men enlisted, some joining regiments made up in Allen, Marion and other adjoining counties, and some going into cavalry and infantry divisions made up of members from all over the state. It would be impossible to mention the names of all the organizations in which Hardin county was represented, but some of the most prominent were the Eighty-seeond Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; the Fourth Ohio; the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth, Fifty- seventh, Sixty-second, Forty-fifth, One Hundred and Eighty-eighth, Fifteenth, Eighteenth, Fourth, One Hundred and Twenty-third, Forty- third and many other Ohio regiments; as well as in the navy and the army recruited in other states of the union.
In 1862 other regiments were also made up wholly or partly of Hardin eounty men. Regiments recruited at Lima drew from the western part of the county, and those on the other boundaries went with their friends in many instances to other county seats near by, to offer their services. About this time the first rumors of the draft came and the Governor of the state appointed a military committee consisting of Henry G. Harris, B. R. Brunson, Edward Stillings, William Sehroeder and Thomas Rough to ascertain how many men Hardin county eould furnish if necessary, and for their use the county auditor, R. D. Millar, made up the table given below. It is interesting to note that though many of the townships had few inhabitants, the number of men who had enlisted at that early date was very large. In many instances the noble women were compelled to do all the field work, as husbands, brothers and sons were all in the army doing good work. In giving credit to the men who fought to save the country from ruin in those dark days, the heroic women at home should not be forgotten.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
Number Liable for Military Duty
Number in Field August, 1862
Blanchard
166
59
Buck
1
1
1
I
194
35
Cessna
107
25
Dudley
173
37
Goshen
191
38
Hale
244
77
Jackson
226
61
Liberty
292
57
Marion
122
23
McDonald
149
44
Pleasant
647
161
Roundhead
195
45
Taylor Creek
145
29
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
I
I
1
I
1
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1
1
1
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1
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1
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1
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1
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1
Before the close of 1862 many other Hardin eounty men had enlisted, as the above table was prepared in August or September of that year. Daniel Ammerman and Nelson G. Franklin, assisted by C. H. Stanley and A. K. Rarey, recruited two companies for the Forty- fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and late in the fall these men were sent to the front. About the same time C. H. Gatch and others recruited less than full companies of men in and about Kenton, who ultimately made their way into other regiments. The Eighty-seeond is about the only regiment having many Hardin eounty men, in looking over the war records of the dead and gone heroes, and those who are still alive to furnish statistics. Hardin eounty had men in dozens and dozens of regiments, as the small numbers for the new counties, as they were were looked upon then, were assigned plaees as fast as possible, when the demand was great. Often within a week after enlisting the vol- unteers would be in the field, and though these untrained recruits were the amazement of the drilled and organized armies of Europe. in many cases they fought with greater skill than the trained soldiers, and certainly with much greater zeal and interest. In those days every man was a soldier if need be, and should the occasion ever arise again, Ameriea can show the world that her standing army is always ready to respond to her eall, and that without years of training.
With the opening of 1863 the North had settled down to the belief that everything was more serious than even things on the surface seemed to show. The talk of the draft was becoming more and more in earnest, and all hearts were anxious for the safety of the boys in blue. A number of Hardin county men had been taken prisoners, and several had been killed from each neighborhood. Poverty was begin- ning to stare some of the families left at home in the face, and the out-
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
look was gloomy. In the spring of this year the famous Mitchell raid took place in which a Hardin county man took an active part, and this stirred the blood of patriotic citizens everywhere. It was a piece of daring that called for the bravest of the men and they responded. Jacob Parrot was under twenty-one, and was chosen (because he had no family) to take part in the capture of the famous train, but he lived through all the fire of the enemy and the punishment given when captured, until many years after the war. A sketch of this brave man is given elsewhere, for Hardin county citizens are very proud to honor his memory.
In July, 1863, a volunteer militia company was organized in Kenton, with A. S. Ramsey, captain; James L. Stevenson, first lieu- tenant ; A. Bogardus, second lieutenant, and H. M. Shingle, orderly ser- geant. In the same month occurred the terrible battle of Gettysburg, in which many Hardin county men were killed and wounded. Dr. A. W. Munson sent home a full list of the men who fell in the Eighty-second, but those in other regiments were not reported as promptly. General J. S. Robinson was seriously wounded in this battle. The Eighty-second saw much hard fighting during the years it was in the field, and was in most of the important engagements in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia during those dreadful years. They were in the thick of the fight at Gettysburg, Mission Ridge, Second Bull Run, Sulphur Springs, Peach Tree Creek, Chancellorsville and many other important battles, and also participated in the famous march to the sea under Sherman. Survivors of this regiment say they tramped more than three thousand miles and rode about the same distance in old box cars during the three years and eight months they were in the war.
The Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry which was made up partly of Hardin county men, saw much hard fighting during the Civil war. The surviving veterans of this historic regiment held their annual reunion in Kenton, Ohio, September 7, 1909, and recalled many of the hardships of those bloody days from 1861 to 1865. This regiment was formed in Columbus, Ohio, in April, 1861, with Lorin Andrews for colonel and James Cantwell lieutenant colonel. This regiment was only organized for three months, but at the end of that time most of the men reenlisted for three years and from that time on saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war.
The Fourth Regiment participated in battle after battle, among the most notable being Rich Mountain, Petersburg, Romney, Winchester, Harrison's Landing, Leesburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettys- burg, Rappahannock, Centerville, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor and Laurel Hill. This regiment participated in the great parade at Fredericksburg, which was reviewed by President Lincoln, Secretary of War Stanton and other Washington officials, May 21, 1862, and also was with General Hooker's army when they were
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
again inspected by President Lincoln at Stoneman's Station, April 6, 1863. Many of its members fell during the years of service and fill unmarked graves in Virginia, while others were taken prisoners and endured months of torture in the foul Confederate prisons, and still others bear to this day the scars received in battle. Only a few of the regiment are able to gather to the reunions, as many have fallen victims to disease and old age, but their gallant work will never be forgotten. General Grant personally congratulated the men on their fine record when their time expired, and they were mustered out June 24, 1864, after being in sixty-nine engagements and enduring weary miles of marching, many hardships and continual dangers.
On January 23, 1864, the Eighty-second came home for a thirty days' furlough, and there was universal rejoicing in the county. They arrived at one o'clock in the morning, but the whole town turned out to see them come in, and all the bells were rung. Later a grand reception and banquet were held in the old Crowley and Steiner Hall, and the horrors of war were forgotten for a few brief hours. Just one month later, February 23, the regiment started south once more. On May 15, 1864, the Hardin County Republican published the account of the tragic death of Captain W. J. Dickson, who was killed while leading his com- mand up a hill at the battle of Resaca. His body did not reach home until May 28, when it lay in state at the residence of Henry Dickson. In May of this year came the first draft which took thirty-seven men from the county. This was followed by a second one on June 13, and a third on June 24, though many of the townships had their full quota of men in the field. In all about four hundred and fifty men were drafted from this county.
During the war a whole company for the Second Ohio Heavy Artillery was made up in Hardin county, part of a company near Roundhead for the One Hundred and Eighteenth at Lima, three com- panies for the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth and several parts of com- panies for other regiments. In the spring of 1864 Hardin county also had four companies in the Thirty-second Regiment of state troops sta- tioned at Camp Chase, Columbus, and during all this time men from every township were enlisting at home and in companies in various other towns. Conservative estimates place the number of men who went from Hardin county at eighteen hundred, though the records appear to be less than that. For a county only about thirty-three years old that certainly is a good showing.
After the death of Colonel Cantwell at Bull Run, James S. Robin- son was made colonel of the regiment, and from that position rose to the rank of brigadier general January 12, 1865. David Thompson, who started out as captain of the Eighty-second, rose to colonel, and many other Hardin county officers were rewarded for meritorious service. On April 4, 1864, the news that Richmond had fallen reached Hardin
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