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 19
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In 1853 a second organization was formed by the Rev. John K. Ford, a supernumerary preacher of Huntersville, Ohio, with the fol- lowing members: Benjamin Glassco and wife, James Smith and wife, W. I. Witeraft and wife, James Dobey and family, and Mrs. P. R.
Asbury. Benjamin Glassco was the first class leader. The first meetings were held in "The Rough and Ready" schoolhouse situated on the estate of JJames Smith about one mile west of Mt. Victory, the farm now belonging to Mr. Newton Reams. The place of meeting was soon changed to the new schoolhouse east of town. In the fall of 1855 the place of holding service was again changed to the United Brethren church. In 1860 the society purchased this church.
The society was weak in numbers for several years and yet there was a slight advance anmally. In 1857, under the administration of the Rev. A. J. Frisbie, a gracious revival was secured, and from that date this denomination has been the leading church of the town.
The first church property was purchased from the United Brethren church for $140, the building having been only partially completed and situated on the same lot as the present church edifice. Those instru- mental in purchasing this property were I. W. Pennock, J. S. Blair and Coleman Asbury. A new brick church was built in 1879 under the pastorate of the Rev. Win. Dunlap-W. I. Witcraft, Elias Converse, Wm. Bloomer, S. G. Humphrey and E. A. Chapin being the trustees. It was completed in the fall and dedicated November 29, by Dr. C. H. Payne of Delaware, Ohio, costing $3,300.
At the time of the organization in 1853 and until 1856, the society was known as "Seioto Mission," Delaware District, North Ohio Con- ference; from 1856 to 1859 "Mt. Victory Circuit," Sidney District, Delaware Conference; from 1859 to 1860, "Mt. Victory Circuit," Ken- ton District, Delaware Conference; from 1860 to 1868, "Mt. Victory
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Circuit," Kenton District, Central Ohio Conference; from 1868 to the present time, "Mt. Victory Circuit," Delaware District, Central Ohio Conference.
The following have served as presiding elders: Joseph Aryes, J. S. Kalb, Jacob M. Holmes, E. C. Gavitt, S. II. Alderman, Alexander Harmount, D. D. Mather, D. Rutledge, Isaac Newton, L. A. Belt, Lewis M. Allbright, J. M. Avann, J. H. Fitzwater and Wm. MeK. Brackney.
The following ministers have served the church in the order named : John K. Ford, Lemuel Herbert, S. L. Roberts, David Bulle, A. J. Frisbie, Nathan S. Morris, J. M. Longfellow, Samuel M. Boggs, H. J. Bigley, Hiram M. Shafer, A. J. Frisbie, Frank B. Olds, Caleb Hill, H. Boyers, J. W. Morrison, D. B. Rinehart, L. O. Cooke, Philip Lemasters, Wm. Dunlap, Jas. C. Clemens, Benjamin W. Day, L. O. Cook, Daniel Carter, C. F. Gowdy. John Parlett. W. HI. Smith, Wm. S. Philpot, A. C. Barnes, J. F. Newcomb, W. P. Bender, C. M. Baker, J. J. Richards and D. Carl Yoder.
Dr. J. S. Blair, a local preacher at time of the organization, was the first Sunday school superintendent and also class leader and trustee. The following were some of the leading officials of the church in its early history : Benjamin Glassco, James and Margaret Andrews, Mr. and Mrs. W. I. Witcraft; W. H. Baldwin, and Henry Reams, local preachers ; T. V. Mears, Wm. Ballinger, Wmn. Smith, Jas. W. Boyd, Thos. Hiatt, John W. Baldwin, Samuel Stanton, Elias Converse, S. W. Korns, F. K. Carson, B. D. Owen, Lemuel Haine, II. Lynch, and E. A. Chapin. The present official board is as follows: W. I. Witcraft. W. H. Boyd, Olen Williams. F. M. List, W. A. Zeigler, J. A. Korns, J. T. McCall, W. W. McCall, T. J. Boyd, H. E. Dickinson, S. W. Korns. T. M. Wallace, F. Minshall, Frank Perry, Dr. Frank Humphreys, Will Harvey, Ed. Williams, John Hill, D. C. Postle, Mrs. Wmn. McKim and Mrs. Harriet Littler.
The Sunday school was organized in 1855 and the following have served as superintendents: Dr. J. S. Blair, James W. Boyd, Samuel Stanton, Thomas Hiatt, A. Evans, Elias Converse, E. A. Chapin and F. M. List. According to the records, there were several heroic struggles made that maintained the standing of the school and there were also several splendid advances made so that there is now found a most up-to- date Sunday school, well equipped and doing splendid service. There was a high tide in attendance during the pastorate of the Rev. J. F. Newcomb, with E. A. Chapin, superintendent, the highest attendance reaching 211, April 12, 1896. The high water mark was made in 1909. with F. M. List as superintendent, the highest attendance having been 271, August 23.
Great revivals have visited the church at different times, swelling the membership from a little handful to nearly three hundred.
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A handsome church edifice was built in 1904, under the pastorate of J. J. Richards and dedicated by Dr. Jas. W. Bashford at a cost of $15,000. Very few towns of the size of Mt. Victory have a church equal to this one in architec- ture and beauty and so well arranged for all the functions of the different departments of the church.
With the present faithful members and a well-equipped church building, the outlook for the extension of the king- dom of God is splendid. Last year the society gave for the benevolences nearly as much as was given for local ex- penses, The "Go ye into all the world," has been heard and Mt. Victory church is go- ing. One of the "boys," John Korns, expects to go to METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH MT. VICTORY China as a medical missionary this year (1910) and besides this the church is sending too its representative money for the cause of missions, and to the Throne of Grace, prayers, that the kingdoms of this world may soon become the Kingdom of the Lord.
THE VILLAGE OF ALGER was laid out October 23, 1882, on the lands of Elias JJagger and named for him. It was incorporated March 3, 1896, and at present has about 1,000 inhabitants. Some years after it was laid out the name was changed from Jagger to Alger in honor of Russell A. Alger of Michigan. It is a progressive, active little town, located on the C. & E. railroad in Marion township, and its inhabitants are almost all engaged in onion farming on the Marsh, or in onion ship- ping; some of them, in both.
The Alger Clay Working Company is the only manufactory of the town, being a large concern engaged in the manufacture of brick and tile, and also has in connection with it a planing mill and sash and door factory. C. C. Clark is the manager.
Alger was visited by a disastrous fire in the summer of 1909 that
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destroyed the hotel, livery stable and most of the business section. Although steps were innnediately taken to rebuild, the town has only a few stores at present. A. L. Basden conducts a good general store and Chas. Kennard, the postmaster, has a large hardware store, and sells implements and buggies.
M. C. Ewing also has a general store.
The schoolhouse in Alger is a substantial brick building well located, that cost about $18,000, and the board of education in building it inade provision for the years to come, in providing plenty of room. Mr. Clarence Hindall is the principal.
Alger has two churches, the Methodist Episcopal and the United Brethren, both doing good work in the village.
There is but one lodge in Alger, the Maccabees.
The Alger Gazette, a progressive little country paper, which has done much to boom the town, is ably edited by Paul Scoles.
The physicians of Alger are Drs. Robert A. Elliott, B. F. Severns and M. H. Spangler.
The J. W. Kirts Company will soon open a general store in Alger, with a capital stock of $25,000.
The Alger Storage Houses for the onion crop are located near the railroad for convenience in shipping. Ben Warrington has houses, with a capacity of 15,000 bushels; Reed Dunlap two houses, capacity 20,000; Hardin County Onion Company, 20,000 bushels; J. C. Man- chester, 6,000 bushels, and A. L. Basden, 4,000 bushels.
THE TOWN OF MCGUFFEY was laid out December 23, 1890, and named in honor of John MeGuffey. It was incorporated March 6. 1896 and now has about 1,000 inhabitants. It is situated in the western part of the county on the C. and E. railroad in Marion township, and its residents are chiefly occupied with the onion industry. There are no manufactories in the town.
McGuffey has three churches-the Disciples, the Presbyterian and the Methodist Episcopal. These are all frame churches of good style and ample to accommodate their congregations.
The schoolhouse, which is a fine brick building, was erected in the summer of 1908 and cost $18,000. Previous to this four frame structures were used for school purposes. The new building has six rooms, but at present only four teachers are necessary. Mr. Earl Craft is the principal.
McGuffey has one lodge-the Modern Woodmen.
The general stores of McGuffey are owned by W. A. Fullilove, LeRoy Thomas and James Bowen. The Hotel Kellar is owned and managed by Mrs. Beltz. The village physician is Dr. J. B. K. Evans.
Like the other marsh towns, McGuffey is a great shipping point for onions, and has many large warehouses located near the railroad. Allen Edwards has four houses, with a capacity of 80,000 bushels;
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DEPOT AND DUNLAP'S ELEVATOR, MCGUFFEY
Albert More's house holds 20,000 bushels; J. B. Stambaugh's, 15,000 bushels; Mr. Milligan's, 20,000 bushels ; Geo. Sheldon's, 15,000 bushels ; C. MeGuffey and Son's, 15,000 bushels; Geo. Krumrie's, 15,000; Isaae Hunsieker's, 4,000 bushels; J. B. Stroupe's, 6,000, and C. E. Nash's, 4,000 bushels.
RIDGEWAY is on the extreme southern boundary of the county in Hale township, and is a thriving incorporated town of 600 inhabitants. It was laid out by County Surveyor Robert D. Millar May 20, 1851, on the farms of William Boggs and Samuel Mccullough, on the line of the newly projected railroad, which is now a branch of the Big Four. The town was incorporated December 7, 1858, under the name of West Ridgeway. It was named for the people who first owned the land-the Ridgeway family-one member of which is now the pub- lisher and owner of Everybody's Magazine, New York City.
Like most of the little villages laid out about that time, Ridgeway grew slowly, and it was not until the prosperous times after the Civil war that business began to pick up. There was one log cabin in the town when it was laid ont, which had been built by the pioneer, Abner Snoddy, and soon afterward a small frame house was built by Gorham Bunker. Dr. D. C. Wooley, father of L. G. Wooley, the electrician and inventor, was the first doctor in the village, and Michael Printz was the first postmaster when the office was established in 1851. Quite early in the history of the town there were saw mills, for people were begin- ning to erect frame houses, and these mills were owned by William
METHODIST PROTESTANT, PRESBYTERIAN AND METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES OF RIDGEWAY
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Callahan, Van Dueser and Headly and William Watson. When the timber disappeared the mills gradually lost their business, and other industries sprung up.
At present Ridgeway is a good country town, a convenient shipping place and a good stock market. The fine blue grass pastures of Hale township support many flocks and herds, and the two enterprising towns located along the railroad have much to do with the prosperity of the farmers. For a long time Ridgeway had but one railroad, but in 1893 the Toledo, Kenton and Columbus railroad was built through Hale town- ship, just touching the eastern part of the town, and since then Ridge- way has enjoyed a greater degree of advancement than ever before in her history. Both railroads do a great deal of business, and the town is steadily growing.
The town never had a real pioneer schoolhouse, for the first one built in 1853 was a frame structure. As the years went on and the town grew, the little building was inadequate to the needs of the school children, and in 1866 a brick building was put up in its place. This building lasted until 1880, when a four room brick building two stories high was built, and is still used, though quite recently another room had to be added. This building eost about $5,000 and, though almost thirty years old, is still in good repair and modern enough for all pur- poses.
Ridgeway has a number of fraternal organizations, among them being the following: G. A. R. Post (J. R. Spring, Commander) ; W. R. C. (Mrs. J. R. Spring, President) ; Modern Woodmen, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.
Ridgeway has four churches-Disciples. Presbyterian. Methodist Protestant and Methodist Episcopal. At present the Disciples and Presbyterian churches are without pastors. The Methodist Protestant pastor is Rev. Eugene Price. The Methodist Episcopal minister is Rev. H. H. Horn.
The Ridgeway physicians are : Drs. E. B. Crow, N. G. Vassar and E. E. Lynch.
L. A. Smith is the only attorney-at-law.
J. R. Seiders is the village mayor and R. J. Williams, the post- master.
The leading eitizens of the town are E. B. Crow. Elzie Limes. J. R. Spring, E. E. Lynch, L. A. Smith, Otis Brungard, John Brungard, J. R. Selders, N. G. Vassar, Oliver E. Perry, B. F. Fisher, P. A. Eaton, Robert McElheney, Jacob Seig, R. J. Williams, F. Eaton, T. J. Cot- terill and J. Eaton.
Ridgeway has a very complete township and city hall, which, in addition to a business room and several offices, has ample room for the fire department to house its equipment. The town has a very
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good volunteer fire department, and has never, since the organization of the department, been visited by a very disastrous fire.
The Ridgeway cemetery is located east and a little south of the town, along the Big Four railroad. It was laid out shortly after the town was founded, and is a plot of ground containing four aeres. While many of the citizens of the town own lots in Hale township eemetery, many of them hold to the original town cemetery, and it is well kept up.
Ridgeway's business firms: Ridgeway flouring mill, owned and oper- ated by Bungard and Bungard; tile factory, G. Postle; poultry dealer, Geo. W. Johnson; dealer in bees and honey, Milton Limes; hardware store, A. C. Campbell; general stores, B. F. Morris, Robert McElheney, B. F. Fisher, and B. Huffman ; meat markets, P. A. Eaton and Son and Christopher Smith; livery and feed barn, Cronley Bros .; drug store, Dr. E. E. Lynch; Hotel Culbertson, managed by Mrs. Howell; restau- rants, Frank Pecon and J. S. Smith (Farmers) ; Independent Tele- phone, Miss Kate Hughes, chief operator; Big Four agent, Chas. Limes ; T. & O. C. agent, A. G. Hlanks; Ridgeway Bank, Dr. N. G. Vassar, president ; O. E. Perry, cashier ; Eleetrie light plant, J. A. Early, man- ager ; furniture and undertaking, J. C. Evans.
ROUNDHEAD, the oldest settlement in Hardin eounty, is located in the southwestern part of the township of the same name on the Scioto river. It received its name from the Indian chief of that name, and it is hard to really say when the town was established, as the red men had a village there when the first settlers came. However, its real history dates from July 16, 1832, when Jonathan Carter laid off some lots and had the town recorded in Logan county, to which Hardin was then attached. Jonathan Carter, the MeArthurs, the Bowdles and other pioneer families of the township owned lands near here, and very soon a store, tavern, school, church and other evidenees of pros- perity came to the little town, which has ever sinee been an important trading place for the citizens of that vieinity. At a very early day there was also a blacksmith shop, and a mill, so that trade was brisk in those days. A doctor, Dr. James Starrett, early located in the vil- lage and later a Dr. Smith. The chief troubles they had to deal with were milk sickness and "chills," which greatly afflicted the families of the pioneers.
At present Roundhead is a thriving town of 300 inhabitants, with good stores and facilities for trading. Drs. Fox and Zies look after the sick in the village and also in the surrounding country, each having a fine practice. There are four stores-an unusual number for a small town, and all are up-to-date, progressive business places. They are owned by J. W. May, Ben Hoey, Mr. Farmer and W. M. Neville. Irwin Bowdle is the village druggist and Jerry Scullins has a hardware store. Jacob Hawkins has a hotel, and also a livery and feed barn. James
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Russell conducts a restaurant. Jacob Young is the proprietor of the second livery and feed barn of the place.
The Knights of Pythias Lodge of Roundhead was founded in 1895, and has at present thirty members. The Odd Fellows' Lodge was founded in 1903, and has forty-one members.
Roundhead has never had a railroad, but is connected with Belle Center by star route for mail purposes, and also receives much freight overland from the same place. An electric road would boom this vil- lage and help the citizens very much in disposing of their produce.
O. H. Limes has a saw and grist mill at Roundhead, which is quite a convenience to the people living in the southwestern part of Hardin and the northern part of Logan counties.
The first school at Roundhead was taught in a pioneer cabin, and was a subscription affair, poorly attended because of the great distance the pupils had to go to reach it. In time this was superceded by a regular log schoolhouse, and then by a frame one. At present the village has a large and convenient building of four rooms, which really is a township school, as it belongs to the township and draws its pupils from country as well as the town. It has a well graded high school in charge of Mr. John Osborn, and there are two other teachers for the grammar and primary departments. About one hundred pupils attend this school which is modern in every way.
The exact date of organization of the Methodist Episcopal church of Roundhead is unknown, but it probably was in pioneer times, in one of the cabins in the village. The first church was built in 1850 at a cost of $500, and at that time there were twelve members. The present church was erected in 1889 and cost $3,000. At that time there were fifty members and at present about one hundred. An Epworth League is kept up, with John Wyley as president, and there is also a Ladies' Aid Society in connection with the church. Mrs. Pat Clark is the pres- ident of the Aid Society. The Sunday school, with Mrs. I. H. Manchester as superintendent, has an average attendance of one hundred, and is in a flourishing condition. The following pastors have served this church : Revs. Close, Herbert, Bogs, Lawrence, Kalb, Pound, Cameron, Pope, Blain, Parlette, Curl, Longworth, Hill, Smith, Gordon, Sour, Brumbaugh, MeNealy and Wright.
THE VILLAGE OF DOLA, which is the only town in Washington township, since the little settlement at Blocktown has ceased to exist, began its existence as North Washington in 1852, when it was laid out and platted by A. Landis and Judy Shaw. E. Harvey and George Orth built the first cabins on the town site, and another early settler was C. W. Show. The town grew slowly, but with the clearing of the land, the draining of the Hog Creek marsh and the great influx of set- tlers, it became an important market place for the township, and is
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growing every day. In 1853 the postoffice was established and Samuel Andrews appointed postmaster, a position he held for many years. The first blacksmith was Peter Ash, the first store keepers Show and Darst. Dr. Rayl was the first physician. The name of the first sehool teaeher in the village cannot be learned.
At present the village has about 225 inhabitants. In 1907 the name was changed to Dola for convenience, as the Postoffice Depart- ment has adopted the policy of avoiding prefixes and long names where possible, and also to keep mail from being mixed up in transit is doing away with many of the towns having similar names, or rather ehanging them. So North Washington became Dola, and everyone seems sat- isfied with the change. It is said that Mrs. Richard Clevenger, wife of the village doctor, had the honor of selecting the new name.
Dola is a compaet little town on both sides of the Pennsylvania railroad, which is rapidly bringing the little town into prominence on account of some improvements they are making there, and its citizens are enterprising and progressive. The fine new coal dock of the rail-
COAL DOCK, DOLA, OHIO
road and the plant for watering engines on the run, are furnishing employment to many men and giving the place quite a little boom just now. This system which is in vogue on large roads in the East and various parts of the country and is new to this part of Ohio. The water for the engines must be kept warm in cold weather, and to do this it must be kept in circulation. An underground system of pans, as they are ealled, supplies the reservoir, which is located in the middle
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of the track for some distance, and this water will be heated and kept in circulation by means of the power house which is located in the western part of the town. Not only must the water be heated, but the track must be kept warm also, for the water that is splashed out of the reservoir by each passing engine in taking its supply would soon make the track a glare of ice, so the entire track will be kept hot enough to prevent ice forming in cold weather. This of course necessitates the employment of a large force of men, and the estimated cost is $95,000. The overhead coal docks and the new power house are the largest build- ings in the town.
There are three stores in the place-two general and one hard- ware. The general stores are owned by Fulks & Robinson and William Kahler and Amil Oberly, while the hardware store is in the hands of William Kahler and Marion Robinson. James Fulks of the firm of Fulks & Robinson is the postmaster, and the postoffice is located in their store. Dr. Richard Clevenger, who is located here, has been the village doctor for twenty-five years. Among his predecessors was Dr. E. B. Heistand, now of Kenton, Ohio. The only hotel in the place is the Washington House, which is owned by Chas. Allones. This hotel has gained quite a reputation for good `meals, and is popular with anto- mobile and driving parties from neighboring towns and the country adjacent.
For many years school was in session in a brick building on the site of the present township hall, but about eighteen years ago the pres- ent substantial two story building was erected, and has been used ever since. There are about fifty scholars in charge of R. L. Wade, super- intendent, and Miss Cora Hoffman, primary teacher. The Washington township hall is a neat substantial building across from the Methodist Protestant church, and serves all purposes as a public gathering place. The grain elevator is owned by The Western Grain Company, and is managed by William Cummings.
There are two churches in the village, the Presbyterian and the Methodist Protestant. Formerly there was a German church, but in time the congregation at Blocktown drew all the members there, and the church was given up. The Methodist Protestant church was organ- ized in the fall of 1905, and the following spring the present pretty little frame church was built at a cost of $1,400. There are at present about fifty members in charge of Rev. J. L. Henkle, of Forest. A good Sunday school under the leadership of Mr. Ira N. Kelly meets every Sunday, and the average attendance is about fifty.
The Presbyterian church was organized October 17, 1883, by a committee appointed by Bellefontaine Presbytery. consisting of Rev. T. J. Cellars of Forest, and Rev. D. G. Carson of Upper Sandusky. The following persons were received as charter members: Homer Vaughn, Martha Vaughn, Bradford Cotner, William . Pees, Clara A.
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Pees, Martha Andrews, Mrs. A. Brayton, Mrs. Carrie Hunt, Mrs. M. IInffman and Mrs. Alice Highie. William Pees was chosen ruling elder and G. C. Ludwig and George Burnworth, trustees. George Jamison, Bradford Cotner and Dr. Sager were appointed a building committee. Services were held in the schoolhouse for two or three years until the present church was erected and dedicated. This church held pastoral relations with the Presbyterian church of Forest for some years, and then with the church at New Stark. At present the church is in a flour- ishing condition, under the pastorate of Rev. J. S. Dapp, having between eighty and ninety members. The Sunday school was organized February 13, 1887, and is still in a flourishing condition.
PATTERSON was laid out August 29, 1846, by the county surveyor, Chas. Artenschield, on lands owned by H. G. Ilarris and P. C. Boslow. At first the town was called Petersburg, and at one time Sylvia, but in time both station and postoffice became known at Patterson, and have so remained ever since. In its early days Patterson was a very thriving place, four entire sections of land being platted at one time, when it was expected that the town would be the chief one in the county. Looking at the village of today it would scarcely seem possible that more than two thousands of acres of land would be thought necessary for its growth in pioneer days, but at one time Patterson was a very thriving business center. When timber was plentiful the town did a great bus- iness in hoop poles and staves, but with the clearing of the land that industry gradually declined. It is a curious fact that in those days Patterson and Marseilles were the most remarkable towns in this part of the country, and there was much talk of connecting them by means of a plank road, a project that never came to anything, however.
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