USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio. Embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the county and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy families and individuals > Part 4
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Moisture 3.50
Volatile combustible matter 46.44
Fixed carbon 45.87
28
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.
Ash.
4.19
Total
100.00
Sulphur
3.84
Creek township, but boundaries for a coal field of this particular seam, when laid down in ad- vance of careful exploration, are of little worth. The probabilities are thought by Prof. Orton to be all in favor of a large territory for this Brush Creek basin. Throughout the area
These figures show a remarkable coal, higher in volatile combustible matter than any other bituminous coal in the series, the can- named it presents ample signs of steadiness nels not being included. The proportion of and seems uniform and regular in its character. sulphur is excessive, constituting the only It does not vary much from a thickness of four feet in any of the numerous openings that have been made in the seam for local coal banks. At the Dewall banks in Section 36, Newton, there are four feet four inches of coal overlaid by six inches of cannel. Its quality also seems drawback upon the otherwise high quality. The seam carries, when normal, a regular thick- ness of four feet, but, as elsewhere, it is liable to sudden interruptions, some of which are strikingly shown in the main entry of the pres- ent Blue Rock mine. The coal is here entirely in all respects satisfactory. It is a bright, cut off for many yards. Much time and some fairly clean coal, well jointed, cutting easily money have been spent at various points along and mining to good advantage, much freer from the valley, and especially on the opposite side shale and clay than this seam usually is. The of the river, in a fruitless search for the Blue Rock coal. The horizon of the coal is every- where made clear, though not generally recog- regular black slate above the seam becomes locally a cannel coal, but of no great value. The coal is shown on the east side of the Brush nized by its fire clay and limestone, but of the Creek valley in every farm for two or three coal itself not a trace may be left. This fact miles, through Sections 5, 7 and 27. It dips Prof. Orton says should be borne in mind in all down under the heavy ridge that separates investigations directed toward this seam. It Brush Creek from the Muskingum river in the was never universally distributed, like the Mid- townships of Brush Creek and Harrison. dle Kittanning, in its field. In addition to the Crossing this ridge to the eastward and de- irregularity of original formation, the seam, scending toward the river valley by one of the where once duly formed, was afterwards ex- branches of Blue Rock river, upon reaching the posed to the accidents of quite a violent level at which the coal is due, one finds the erosion. So coarse a sandstone as the Mahon- farmers mining it by stripping from the creek ing cannot be explained without calling into bottoms, the coal still holding a thickness of action strong currents for its transportation. four feet. From this point on to the famous From these two causes, viz., failure of uniform Blue Rock mines, the coal appears almost con- and continuous formation and waste of the tinuously, being everywhere called a four-foot basins that were formed by erosive currents, seam. Where the change begins to occur by results the exceeding uncertainty of the upper which the present remarkable character of the Freeport coal through a large portion of the Blue Rock coal is acquired, there are no territory in which it is due. The upper Free- present opportunities for learning, but the in- port clay is worked at its proper level at Bal- ference is a legitimate one that the Brush lou's landing, in Brush Creek township. It is Creek coal extends under the divide until it here a non-plastic clay of good quality. It unites with the Blue Rock field, for these two . has been worked to some extent in the fire- fields belong, says Prof. Orton, to one and the brick factory at Putnam. The coal does not same basin. If the proper exploration shall appear in immediate connection with the clay, confirm this view, it is clear that here is one of but it has been found and mined on adjoining the largest and most promising of the Upper farms at its proper level. Freeport coal-fields of Ohio. While the seam
The least known and least developed but does not show as great thickness here as in the by far the most promising field of the Upper other chief centers of production, it seems Freeport coal in Muskingum county is included steadier than elsewhere, and if this fact is es- in Clay, Newton and Brush Creek townships, tablished it will more than compensate for the and is rendered accessible by the valleys of smaller measurement. It must not, however, Brush Creek and its tributaries. There is a be forgotten, that the seam has everywhere possible important extension of it into Harri- else, and even in this field to some extent, son townships as will be presently shown. So suffered from the erosion due to the transpor- far as can be determined by natural exposures, tation of its sandstone-roof and that, in conse- the coal occupies parts of Sections I, Clay; 25 quence, a hitherto undisclosed irregularity may and 36, Newton, and 7, 6, 26, 5 and 27, Brush hereafter appear. The wide limits provision-
29
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.
ally assigned to the field may also be proved in limitless quantities, and of the very best incorrect; but in any case a very valuable and quality. Of the limestone alone there are promising body of the upper Freeport coal is twenty two distinct and separate seams, vary- already in sight in the Brush Creek valley. ing in color from a light gray to a deep blue. These statements complete the accounts of the It is susceptible of a high polish and is used lower coals of Muskingum county. While in all ornamental work, and for purity, beauty there is not a large mine in the county, the and durability, they have not a superior in the aggregate production is not insignificant, but state. The sand and building stone, which are the mining is of such a quality as to escape in great demand throughout the country, are public notice and record to a great degree. here easily and cheaply quarried and are equal The possibility of larger mining interests has to that of Waverly and Berea. Buhrstone is however, been indicated.
found in the western townships. It is fine
By an inspection of geological maps it will grained and imparts a keen edge to tools. It thus be seen that there is hardly a hill in the was formerly quarried for millstones, but is not southern half of the county that does not con- now used.
Gypsum and kaolin both exist tain iron ore, and in many instances this ore is here. The county has a large number of found in workable seams. But the most valu- inexhaustible salt wells, from which the best able ore-beds, both in extent and quality, are grades of salt can be manufactured, but owing in the northern and northeastern portion of to the cheapness of salt at the present day this the county. The ore is of great excellence and branch does not command the importance it purity, and the iron made from it has a high repu- did years ago. Should the demand for salt tation; the ore is known as the brown and red revive so that its manufacture would again hematites. The ores of this county are likely to bring remunerative prices, her salt wells would prove of importance. They are of excellent all again be put in operation. Many of them quality, and are made the more available by have a capacity of 7,000 to 8,000 barrels per the proximity of good coking coal. It is not year. Petroleum in considerable quantities is improbable that Coal No. 4, in Jackson town- obtained in the southern part of the county.
ship, may be employed raw, as it does not
The clays of the Muskingum valley are cake, and contains less than two per cent. of destined to play an important part in the future sulphur. In Washington township good ore is of the great clay industries of this country. found fifteen feet below Coal No. 6. In Jack- They are of remarkable variety, there being no son, Licking, and Muskingum townships an other single locality in the United States where ore bed is seen in conjunction with the chert so many different sorts of valuable clays are above Coal No. 3, and the same was observed obtainable. They are adapted to making stone- in Madison township. This is the horizon to ware and faience of nearly all descriptions, which belongs analysis No. 2, in Jackson town- and are also suitable for the manufacture of ship. Another bed rests almost upon the concrete of the highest grade. That the de- conglomerate in Jackson and Licking town- velopment of the clay interest is to be a most ships. Analysis No. I, in Jackson township, potent factor in the county's future growth is of ore from this deposit. These ores should is a demonstrated fact. The use of the clays be smelted at Frazeysburg and Irville or Nash- here found has conclusively proven that they are port, as those places are upon the Ohio canal, pre-eminently adapted to be made into bricks of by which coke and the richer ores could be all descriptions, pottery of every variety, and the encaustic tiling that has won, by its beauty transported without difficulty.
Omitting coal, omitting iron ore, omitting and durability, such worldwide fame.
lime and building stone, there are to be found
Pottery may be divided into three classes; more than twenty varieties of clays and sands stone ware, common white ware (technically existing in beds that are inexhaustible, all of known as faience) and porcelain. Stone ware which are being utilized and in demand, in may be called the lowest order of pottery, it their raw, unmanufactured condition, through- being the cheapest, simplest in manufacture out the Union. It is safe to say that the and least susceptible to artistic ornamentation aggregate amount of sand, clay, lime, lime- of the three. It is made as follows: After the stone, and the manufactured products of the clay has been moulded on the potter's wheel, same, that are shipped from the county during the interior is coated with 'slip-clay,' whichi the current year will not fall short of sixty car melts when fired and forms an opaque glass. loads per day-the shipment of pressed brick The exterior is generally given what is known fron Zanesville alone being 40,000 car loads as a 'salt-glaze;' that is, when the fire is at its annually. Limestone and sandstone abound greatest heat, common salt is thrown into the
2
30
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.
fire places; the salt volatilizes, and, being an the efforts of the chemists in the royal porce- alkali, combines with the surface of the clay lain factory at Berlin, and the national French and gives a blush of glaze. The object of factory at Sevres, and work is done on a scien- glazing is, of course, to make the body per- tific basis. It has been found what combina- fectly impervious to liquids. Common white tions of chemicals are necessary to make glass ware, the next higher grade of pottery, is dis- suitable for the purpose, and how to vary them tinguished from stoneware and porcclain in so as to adapt them to different clays. It was that it has a porous clay body, upon which a discovered that the ' crazing' or crackling of comparatively easily fused glass is melted to glass on some, and peeling off on other clays, make it impervious. It is further characterized was due to the fact that the body of ware as well in that it is made with two fires. The first and as the glaze meltcd intimately upon it, expanded hotter fire is on the clay itself and is techni- and contracted with the variations of the tem- cally known as the 'biscuit fire.' The clay perature of the atmosphere; and, while this ex- comes out of this heat hard but porous. To pansion and contraction was so minute as to make it impervious it is then dipped into a escape detection except by the most delicate thin slop consisting of the materials of crown physical instruments, it was found that the in- glass suspended in water. By the suction equality of expansion and contraction was the of the dry, porous, once-baked clay, it becomes cause of the incompatibility of the clay and evenly coated in the dipping process with a the glaze for each other in making ware. Re- thin coating of glaze material. It is then re- cognition of the true facts of the problem placed in the kiln and gets a second or 'glost' cleared the way to its solution, and has taken heat. This heat melts the constituents of glass the art from the ignorant experimenter and together, and covers the surface of the ware placed it in the hands of scientific men. In- with a thin, impervious sheet of glass. In the deed, until very recently the knowledge of the case of tiling, which belongs to the fai- composition and properties of clay current ence class, the glass is stained with metallic among clay workers in Ohio was almost wholly oxides-as cobalt, nickel, copper, etc. Thus practical, and there may seem to be ground for one of our beautiful American encaustic tiles surprise that such excellent results should have may be roughly but accurately described as a been attained with so little aid from science. little brick in a glass covered box. The scientific research directed to it is much
Porcelain is the third and highest grade of more scanty in proportion to the interests in- pottery. It is distinguished from faience in volved than in almost any similar field.
the fact that the glass is much harder than
The literature of a technological subject al-
crown glass, it being made of feld-spar, and the ways represents the progress of science in re- second or glost heat is therefore much higher spect to that subject. In this field it was long than the first or biscuit heat. The result is that represented by only one book that is largely in this second fire the body as well as the glass useful in American practice, viz .: Prof. G. H. becomes vitreous; which accounts for the trans- Cook s Report on the Clays of New Jersey. In lucency of the porcelain. Because of the high many respects, the Ohio field is different from temperature that the glaze of porcelain requires, that of New Jersey, as for instance, in the geolo- it cannot be colored in the glaze, and in order gical horizon of its clays, which are all coal to decorate it, it is painted in soft firing colors measure formations, and until the publication on the glaze, after the ware is finished, and of Prof. Orton's report, in 1884, there was burned at a very low hcat. Common white little scientific literature directly devoted to ware is decorated on the clay after the first or them. The clay deposits of Ohio may be sep- biscuit fire, and then glazed over; which arated into two well-defined divisions, viz .: the accounts for the fact that the colors of such clays of the drift, and the far older group that ware are never dimmed by use; while the colors is found interstratified in various horizons of true porcelain wear off in timc. The French among the bedded rocks of the state. In geo- Limoges ware, that made in England by Doul- graphical distribution, these two divisions are ton, and the Rockwood pottery in the United quite distinct, the former having its chief de- States, is decorated in this manner. . The prob- velopments throughout the northern and west- lem of adapting the glaze to the clay has always ern portions of the state, and the latter through- been difficult, and for a long time was kept a out south-eastern Ohio, but they overlap to secret; so that in the middle ages, the work of some extent upon the boundary. The drift the potter was regarded a black art. Within region of Ohio is bounded on the south by a the last twenty-five years, however, experiment- sinuous line, entering the state on the south- ing has ceased to be done empirically, through east, in Columbiana county. There are then in
31
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.
the south and east of the state twenty-one composed of a large number of small potteries. counties in which no upland drift is found. The There are not less than eighty-five or ninety in clays which constitute bedded formations may the district, and most of them employ only a be divided intotwo groups,-coal measure clays, small number of hands. Fire brick is made and the lower clays. The geographical extent in this county. Pressed brick is one of the of the coal measures is bounded by a line some- newer departments of building material manu- what similar to that which bounds the drift. factures, and is making rapid progress. The Included in and cut by this boundary are largest center of manufacture in the state is at thirty-three counties, but not more than twenty- Zanesville, where the natural facilities have two hold any large measure of mineral wealth. been utilized by two large firms, Messrs. Harris The valuable coal seams of Ohio are mainly in Bros. and T. B. Townsend & Co., and by others. the lower measures, and the clay deposits The only artistic application to which clay is worked are wholly confined to that group. put in Ohio is the manufacture of encaustic Following the nomenclature of the coal meas- tiling, ornamental pottery and terra cotta. ures with which they are associated, the clays Encaustic tiling is manufactured in only three of Muskingum county are known as the Kittan- places in the United States, at present, among ning and Freeport clays. In this county the which the works at Zanesville were the first to Kittanning clay appears at Zanesville and be established and are the most extensive. Roseville. The coal is usually absent, leaving The name of this firm is the American Encaus- the clay, hence some question can be raised tic Tiling Company. Nearly all its products as to whether the clay lies over or under the are sold in New York in the face of foreign coal. The deposit extends from north of Zanes- competition. Our best tiles are as good as the ville to below McLuney, in Perry county, and best of the English and French, but the aver- towards Deanstown, Morgan county. The age foreign tiles exceeds the average of the Middle Kittanning clay is also worked in a few home manufacture. The clays used are of cases, though its developments have none of the many kinds, those varieties used in largest pro- characteristics that attach to the lower coal. portion which constitute the "body " clays and The horizon of the lower Freeport coal is pro- are found in the immediate vicinity of the ductive of good clay in two districts. One is works, but the clays which are employed for at Zanesville, where it is opened at Downerd's the more delicate processes come from widely- bank, the Tile works bank, and at several scattered and distant localities.
trict is at Moxahala, where the Pyle clay is re- ferred to this horizon. It is mined and shipped by rail largely to Columbus. It is a clay of second rate in part of its territory, and in other portions, plastic, ranking as a high grade No. 2 clay. It carries red oxide of iron enough to dis- color it, and to affect its character for refractori- ness, doubtless, but portions of it are excellent. The Upper Freeport horizon, in one or two places, yields valuable clays. The best is found near Taylorsville, Muskingum county, where it is called the Ballou clay. It is here a hard clay of some value, and is carried to Zanesville for the fire-brick works. The higher veins of coal are not used at all, and are met only in limited places. No clay from above the Upper Free- port is used in this state, unless it be in one mine in Jefferson county, where a small amount of clay is taken from beneath a coal, probably the Brush creek vein.
There are three stoneware districts in Ohio; the largest at Akron, the most widely spread at Roseville, in Muskingum and Perry counties, and the least important near Rock House, Hocking county. The Roseville district is
Combined silica.
31.07
Alumina
26.47
Combined water .. 9.96
Per cent of the kaolinite base .. 67.50
Quartz 27.71
Titanic acid .. .94
Total sandy material. 28.65
Sesquioxide of iron.
1.22
Lime .
.59
Magnesia
.82
Potash
.99
Total deleterious impurity 3.12
Moisture
1.04
Sum total 200.08
Brumage's stoneware clay, Roseville:
Combined silica. 25.60
Alumina
19.08
Combined water 5.57
Per cent of the kaolinite base 50.25
Quartz 43.73
Titanic acid. .29
Total sandy material 44.02
Sesquioxide of iron.
1.26
Lime ..
.60
Magnesia
.63
Potash
2.14
Soda, lithia
.02
other places. The clay is of second grade, plastic and quite ferruginous. The other dis- clay is given by Prof. Orton:
The following analysis of the Ballou fire-
32
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.
Total deleterious impurity
Moisture .94
4.65
Sum total 198.78
on the east, to Columbus, Cincinnati and Chi- cago on the west, affords unsurpassed shipping facilities.
Allen's stoneware clay, Roseville: The Pittsburgh, Chicago & St. Louis rail- road over its branch, the Cincinnati & Musk- Combined silica 28.61 ingum Valley road, gives the city and county Alumina 23.01 Combined water direct communication with Pittsburg and all 8.03 points east, over the famous Pan Handle Per cent of the kaolinite base .. 59.65 Quartz 34.79 .35 Titanic acid system, as well as reaching all important points in the West: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis Total sandy material. 35.14 and Chicago. The Cincinnati & Muskingum Sesquioxide of iron 1.50 Lime .62 Valley railroad, extending from Morrow, Ohio, Magnesia. .41 through a rich belt of country, enters Zanes- Potash . 1.26 ville from the south, and running north con- Total deleterious impurity. 3.81 1.97 Moisture. nects with the main line of the Pan Handle system at Dresden Junction. The Columbus Sum total 199.15 & Eastern railroad gives direct connections for Walker's stoneware clay, Roseville: Columbus. The Zanesville & Ohio railroad connects Zanesville with Marietta and all points Combined silica 69.79 along the Ohio river. The Bellaire, Zanesville Alumina 19.31 & Cincinnati railroad, running through the 5.08 Combined water coal belts, terminates at Bellaire. The Cleve- Quartz with clay. 94.18 Total deleterious impurity, by diff. 4.80 land, Akron & Columbus railroad, extends from Moisture. .94 Columbus to Cleveland, via Akron. The Cleveland, Canton Tota 194.10 & Southern railroad gives still another outlet. The Junction rail- For the establishment and maintenance of road, for which right of way has been secured a trade and manufacturing center, the question upon the west side of the river, will cross the of transportation is paramount to all other Licking and join the Chicago & Eastern rail- considerations. The county is well favored in road at the south side of Zanesville. In addi- this respect. In the early days the Muskingum tion to the above-mentioned roads, the county river afforded the benefits of a navigable stream has two projected roads for which rights of which was of extraordinary service to the set- way have been secured and construction tlement. Later, with the National road passing already begun. The Zanesville, Newcomers- through the village, with all of its travel, Zanes- town & Cleveland railroad-from Zanesville to villeand the county at large, felt that they had Cleveland,-and the Zanesville, Mt. Vernon & reached the height of transportation facilities, Marion railroad, from Zanesville to Marion, and, at that time the seat of justice, ranked as Ohio, where it will connect with the Cleveland, second only to Cincinnati in the Common- Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis railroad wealth. Railroads, however, in the present system.
day, have superseded the old methods of con- The Muskingum-the largest navigable veyance, and Zanesville to-day is a common stream in Ohio, is navigable from its mouth and terminal point for seven railroads, viz .: to Dresden, a distance of ninety-four miles. Baltimore & Ohio; Pittsburgh, Chicago & St. From Marietta to Zanesville, a distance of Louis; Bellaire, Zanesville & Cincinnati; Zanes- forty-eight miles, it has a capacity to carry ville & Ohio, Columbus & Eastern; Cleveland, boats of two hundred to three hundred tons Akron & Columbus and Cleveland, Canton & burthen, and from Zanesville to Dresden, Southern. Besides these the Belt Line road and the Ohio canal, boats from one to two encircles the city of Zanesville and connects hundreds tons burthen. The river is now all of the roads, beside furnishing shipping receiving extensive improvements at the hands facilities at the door of every local manufact- of the government, and at no distant day the uring concern. Combined, they offer trans- river traffic will be resumed with all points portation facilities equal to those of the more upon the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The favored localities, and their branches and Ohio canal, which crosses the northwestern connections reach to every point of this portion of the county, connects with the Musk- country and by the most direct route. The ingum river at Dresden, and by some it is pre- Baltimore & Ohio railroad-Trans-Ohio divi- dicted that in time a ship canal connecting sion-extending from New York and Baltimore Lake Erie with the Ohio river will be a neces-
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