USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 1 > Part 65
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
"At one of those sumptuous dinners, given by Angus McIntosh, the bottom of every wine glass on the table had been broken off, to pre- vent what were called heel-taps; and during the evening, many toasts were given, which the com- pany were required to drink in bumpers." ( Bur- net's Notes, p. 285.)
The very first party that landed included in its midst one of the most distinguished lawyers of the carly days of the Territory, William Mc- Millan. . In fact it is his testimony as to the date of the landing that has finally been accepted as the most authoritative statement on the sub- ject. He has been mentioned so many times in the course of the narrative and in connection with. so many phases of life in the settlement that an extended notice would seem unnecessary. Mr. Cist's statement that he was the master spirit of the place in the early days and a man who would have been a distinguished member of society anywhere seems to be borne out by his career. He died at the early age of 44; his untimely death made him the first of that long list of fa-
376
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI
vorite sons that Cincinnati has never ceased to mourn, especially because they died at an age when so much of usefulness still seemed before them.
McMillan was of Irish parentage, but born in Virginia. He graduated at the old College of William and Mary, but during his early days engaged in farming. He was about 28 years of age when he arrived in the Miami country, but took a prominent position from the outset. As has already been stated, he was the first magis- trate chosen by the people before provision had been made by law for official appointments. He was commissioned by St. Clair as the first jus- tice of the General Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in 1790. He was a member of the first Territorial House of Representatives, was the representative of the Territory in Congress to succeed General Harrison and was finally commissioned the first United States attorney for Ohio. The tributes of his nephew, William M. Corry, and his associate, Judge Burnet, have already been quoted.
His standing in the community was probably better shown by his appointment to the United States attorneyship than by his previous appoint- ments, as party feeling at this time began to creep into the Territory and the contest for such offices was usually a spirited one. Judge Bur- net says that "he possessed an intellect of a high order, and. had acquired a fund of information, general as well as professional, which qualified him for great usefulness in the early legislation of the Territory. * He was the son of a Scotch Presbyterian of the strictest order, who had educated him for the ministry, and who was, of course, greatly disappointed when he discov- ered that he was unwilling to engage in that pro- fession, and had set his heart on the study and practice of the law. After many serious discus- sions on the subject, the son, who understood the feelings and prejudices of the father, at length told him that he would comply with his request, but it must be on one condition-that he should be left at perfect liberty to use Watts' version of the Psalms. The old gentleman was very much astonished, and rebuked his son with severity, but never mentioned the subject to him after- wards." ( Burnet's Notes, p. 290.)
A letter of St. Clair to Ross in December, 1799, mentions him: "I am personally ac- quainted with him. He is a man of large appli- cation of his strong and not uncultivated mind, and awkward appearance and dress and is an indifferent speaker but has a fair reputation and
is in great esteem with the people." That this characterization was not written in an unfriendly spirit is shown by St. Clair's subsequent letter, January 27, 1800, to the President, in which he encloses a written request of the gentlemen of the bar of Hamilton County for the appointment of McMillan to a judgeship :
"I have taken the liberty to inclose to you the written request of the gentlemen of the bar of Hamilton County for the appointment of Mr. McMillan. The object of it I know to be a man of integrity ; much esteemed, and of considerable influence. Of his political principles, I have learned that some doubt has been made in Phila- delphia, and that the representative has men- tioned to some persons here that an explicit dec- laration that he would support the administra- tion, to be made by him or some person in his behalf that could be depended upon would be required in order to his being nominated. Al- though I have ever thought it wrong that offices should be trusted to enemies of the Government, I doubted of Mr. Harrison's authority to say that an express declaration that he would sup- port the administration would be required of any person, and it has not even been hinted to Mr. McMillan. Though he has rather leaned to- ward democracy, I can say with truth that he has always been moderate, and a single session in the assembly has entirely removed the preju- dice he had in favor of a single branch of legis- iation, which he openly and candidly acknowl- edges." (St. Clair Papers, Vol. II, p. 488. )
We are told by Judge Burnet that "only four individuals in Cincinnati are now remembered who then ( 1800) advocated the election of Mr. Jefferson against Mr. Adams. These were Major David Zeigler (Ziegler), William Henry Harrison, William McMillan and John Smith." ( Burnet's Notes. )
In his will William McMillan in 1804 left lot 135 to the Nova Caesarea Harmony Lodge of Masons, of this city. It was considered of so little value as to be allowed by the lodge to be sold for taxes and so left unredeemed for a con- siderable period of time. This let, the northeast corner of Third and Walnut streets, is now ocen- pied by the Masonic Temple.
The first lawyer to be admitted to the practice we are told was Thomas Goudy (sometimes spelled Gowdy), who arrived in 1789. He was one of the settlers who formed Ludlow's Station in 1790 and his name has already appeared in a number of anecdotes of the time. In 1793 he married Sarah Wallace, a sister of Col. John S.
377
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Wallace. His name appears very frequently in the columns of the Centinel, more so perhaps than that of any other lawyer and he it was whose gorgeous apparel including waistcoats and breeches of many colors and (paist) knee buckles were stolen on November 20, 1793, as we learn from a notice in that paper. His office it will be remembered was on St. Clair square between Seventh and Eighth streets and was the only building for many years between Sixth and Court and Main and John. Near it was the first great fire of the settlement. One of Goudy's children married Alexander C. Clark of Syca- more township near Reading.
One of the trio mentioned by Judge Burnet as riding the circuit with him was Daniel Symmes .. He was a son of Timothy Symmes and a brother of John Cleves Symmes. Timothy Symmes had been a judge in New Jersey before lie came West and was the pioneer settler at South Bend, where he died in 1797. Daniel Symmes, born in 1772, was a graduate of Princeton. He was for a time clerk of the Ter- ritorial Court and after Ohio became a State was Senator from his county and presiding officer of the State Senate. Upon the resignation of Judge Meigs in 1804 he was appointed to succeed the latter on the Supreme bench of the State. At the expiration of his term he was appointed reg- ister of the Cincinnati Land Office. This posi- tion he held almost to the time of his death, which occurred May 10, 1817. He was one of the early presiding officers of the Cincinnati Council and as such the executive head of the town. He built the well known stone house at the corner of Lawrence and Congress streets which figures on the early maps of the city and which afterwards as the residence of his son, Peyton S. Symmes, was one of the best known in the social life of the community.
Arthur St. Clair, Jr., the third of the trio men- tioned by Judge Burnet, was a son of the Gover- nor. He was brought West by his father to take the position of attorney for the Territory and succeeded in gaining a very reputable position at the bar. He was the prosecuting attorney of the county in 1797 and afterwards in 1799 to 1807. At the first election of a delegate to Con- gress he was the principal candidate against General Harrison by whom he was beaten by but two votes.
Judge Burnet was of course the most promi- nent lawyer in the community. A history of the carly days of .Cincinnati without constant refer- ence to him and to Dr. Drake would be like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. An ac-
count of his career is almost a repetition of the history of the settlement. He was a native of New Jersey, a son of Dr. William Burnet of Newark who was a member of the Continental Army and surgeon-general. His father was din- ing withi Gen. Benedict Arnold at the time the news was conveyed to the latter of the capture of a spy who turned out to be Andre, and a brother was a member of the court martial that ordered the execution of this unfortunate Eng- lish officer.
Jacob Burnet was born on February 22, 1770, and educated at Nassau Hall, Princeton. He was admitted to the bar of Ohio in 1796 and located at Cincinnati, in which city until the time of his death he was one of the most promi- nent residents, not only in his profession but in every phase of the city life. As a member of the Legislative Council he drew most of the im- portant laws of the Territory. He was after- wards a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio but resigned his place to take a seat in the United States Senate to succeed William Henry Harrison. To Burnet is chiefly credited the management which resulted in the election of Harrison to the presidency of the United States and throughout the entire career of the latter he was his closest friend. He was during the years that he continued at the practice the head of the bar and was employed in every case of impor- tance. One of the most notable cases was that of Blennerhasset charged in being involved in the Burr conspiracy. He was Blennerhasset's leading counsel. Judge Burnet's name occurs so frequently in the text that an extended ac- .count of his life is unnecessary. Until the time of his death in 1853 no man was more promi- nent in the community and no house more hos- pitable than his. His early residence was in the block bounded by Third, Fourth, Race and Vine streets. Tlus he was obliged at the time of the financial troubles of the United States Bank to part with and he then moved his residence to his farm. Here on the northeast corner of Seventh and Elmi he erected the house which occupied that spot until it was removed a few years since to make way for the Odd Fellows' Temple. It has been well said that there has never been in Cincinnati any residence within whose walls have been gathered so many illustrious men.
Other lawyers prominent in the early days were Abner M. Dunn, who also was postmaster and at another time register of deeds, Ezra Fitz Freeman, the unfortunate Isaac Darneille, Jolin S. Wills and George W. Burnet, each of whom was at one time or another attorney for
1
378
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI
the United States. John S. Wills was a native of Virginia who was admitted to the bar in 1794 and practiced in Cineinnati but for a few years. George W. Burnet was a brother of Judge Bur- net who says of him that he was a young man of high promise whose life was terminated by rapid consumption in the summer of 1801. John Blanchard, Franeis Taylor and John Pennington Smith were also prominent lawyers of the time. Blanchard it will be remembered was the attor- ney for Bartle in his controversy with an officer of the garrison. His speech reflected so upon the offieer that a sergeant and thirty soldiers · were sent to whip Blanchard. The citizens, lieaded by Col. John Riddle and William McMil- lan, rallied to the attorney's defense and drove off the soldiery. Smith was one of the attorneys for Mays in his murder trial.
Samuel Findlay, who afterwards became a eclebrated lawyer, is mentioned as a member of the bar in the early days and Harrison himself practiced a little bit at the bar. It is to be hoped that none of these lawyers is referred to in the statement of Judge Burnet that when he came to the bar there were nine resident lawyers engaged in tlie practice, all of whom with the exception of himself and his brother became confirmed sots and descended to premature graves. ( Burnet's Notes, p. 37.)
Ford in his history mentions two lawyers named Clark and Glover who made preparations to fight a duel. Fortunately the affair was set- tled without bloodshed, but not until one of them irad pulled off his shoes to fight more eon- veniently in his stocking feet. (Ford's Cincin- nati, p. 312.)
The courts, during the first year of the set- tlement, were held for a time at the various tav- erns. We know that Isaac Martin's tavern was not only the seat of Justice McMillan's eourt, but also of all the courts during the first year or SO. Judge Burnet tells us that afterwards a room in the tavern of George Avery near the frog pond at the corner of Fifth and Main had been rented for the accommodations of the court in front of which was a pillory, stock, whipping post and at times the gallows. In February, 1795, the court ordered the erection of a Court Hlouse 30 by 40 feet in dimensions, to be all log and frame, two stories high, and to be placed on public land near the intersection of Fifth and Main. This was erected on the west side of Main about twenty feet back from the street. Thomas Goudy and Seth Cutter were appointed commissioners to superintend the building and John Ludlow and Isaac Hamilton were the com-
missioners who built the jail near by. The old log Court Honse was replaced, by a contract let in 1801, by one of brick and stone. This erected in 1802 remained the seat of justice until 1814, when it was burned by a company of soldiers who were using it as a barrack.
ARTISTS.
In the line of artistie endeavor the only name of any consequence during the village period is that of George Jacob Beck, a German who was a painter of some ability. ' He was one of a com- pany of scouts during the Wayne campaign and was at the battle of Fallen Timbers. After the termination of the war, he settled at Cineinnati, where he married the daughter of Menessier. He remained here until 1800, at which time he moved to Lexington, where he died in 1812. His wife returned to the eity and opened a school of drawing for young ladies at the corner of Third and Walnut streets, which continued with vary- ing success for a number of years. Beek was particularly successful in the painting of land- scapes and many of the scenes of this part of the beautiful Ohio Valley were the subjects of his brush. It has been suggested that he was the artist who decorated General Wilkinson's fa- mous barge.
Another artist who is said to have visited Cin- cinnati, although he could not have remained here long, was William Edward West, who af- terwards became known for his portraits of Irv- ing, Byron, Shelley, Mrs. Hemans and the Coun- tess Guiceioli, executed in Europe, and his fig- ure picees, the "Pride of the Village," the "Cou- fessional" and "Judith." West was born in Lex- ington in 1788 and if he came here at all it must have been while he was quite a boy.
The subject of musie is of such importance in the history of the eity that it is treated in a spe- cial chapter by Mr. Glover. Some idea as to the musical ability of the early inhabitants can be gathered from the advertisements quoted else- where from the Centinel, as well as from the comment on the singing and dancing schools in the earlier part of this chapter.
THE POST OFFICE.
The difficulties experienced by the early set- tlers with regard to the mails are referred to very frequently in the letters of the time. There was no regular mail service so far as the West was concerned, and packets were entrusted to passing travelers of greater or less responsi- bility. Although a post office had been estab lished in Boston as early as 1639 and letters were
THE ART SCHOOL AND ART MUSEUM.
AT THE "ZOO."-THE CARNIVORA.
ELSINORE ENTRANCE TO EDEN PARK.
381
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
delivered in Virginia from plantation to plan- tation as early as 1757, there was no general system throughout the Colonies until the middle of the 18th century, when Dr. Franklin became the deputy postmaster for the Colonies. He was dismissed by the crown in 1774 because of his sympathy with the colonists and for a time the colonial post office was in confusion. In 1775 he became the first postmaster general. The re- organization of the postal service under the new government was not effected until 1792. At the time Franklin resigned his office in 1776, there were but 75 post offices in the whole United States. It was Franklin's boast that this branch of the service, which had never paid a penny of revenue to the royal coffers under him, yielded more than three times the income of the Irish post office. This was largely due to the high rates which were necessary in view of the great risks. Under the act which established the post office in 1792, the rates varied from six cents for distances of 30 miles or less to 25 cents for distances of 450 miles or over, with like amounts for each enclosure. Newspapers paid a cent for every hundred miles and less and a. cent and a half for greater distances. Mails were carried by post-riders in a pair of saddle-bags and long periods of time were occupied in transmission. Post day, the most important day of the week, was the occasion for the assembling of half the village. The package for the whole village was generally made up of a roll of newspapers, two weeks or more old, and a few bundles of drugs for the doctor. Great excitement prevailed if there were letters included in the saddle-bags. The post-boy was himself a sort of a traveling newspaper and in advance of his official burden of papers he detailed the gossip of the towns through which he passed. Although it was a capital offense to rifle the mails, letters and pack- ages were frequently opened. Jonathan Dayton complains in his letter to Symmes of September 8, 1789, of the great expense of the mails. One letter forwarded by Major Willis was thrown into the post office and it cost Dayton six shill- ings and eightpence in specie.
It can be well understood that a news item which appeared in The Centinel of the North- western Territory in the issue of June 28, 1794, was the occasion of great excitement. It read as follows: "We learn that there is a Post estab- lished from Pittsburgh to this place and that Abner M. Dunn, Esq., is appointed Deputy Post Master General in this place." Two weeks later came the announcement that the post had ar-
rived from Pittsburg and that the post office was kept at the dwelling house of Abner M. Dunn. This was at the corner of what is now Butler and Second streets, beyond Fort Wash- ington in the artificer's yard.
The post was not very regular, however, 'for on November 15th Mr. Maxwell, the printer, announced that by reason of the uncertainty of the arrival of the mails he had concluded to fill the first page of each week's paper with the laws of the Territory, probably as interesting matter to the readers of those days as the murders, sui- cides and other tragedies which occupy so much space in our modern newspapers. Not only was the mail infrequent, but the citizens were not always ready to pay for their news, for a little later in March of the following year Mr. Dunn notifies "those who have a right to calculate on receiving letters or papers at his office that in fu- ture they must come prepared with ready cash in hand or no letters or papers."
Postmaster Abner Martin Dunn, having served the citizens well and faithfully, departed this life in 1795 and the announcement of his death is contained in the Centinel of July 25th of that year. He was buried on the site of the post office.
Mr. Maxwell, who had complained of the in- frequency of the mails was given an opportunity to better the service, for on October 26, 1795. appears the announcement that he was appointed postmaster in lieu of Mr. Dunn. "Gentlemen and others wishing to send letters by the post may leave them at the Printing Office where the Post Office is now kept."
During the year following the appointment of Mr. Dunn, M. T. Green of Marietta made a con- tract by which he contracted to carry the mails between Cincinnati and Pittsburg in a pirogue. He also carried freight and passengers. The service to the interior of the Miami country was by the old-fashioned method, that of a post-boy carrying saddle-bags on horseback. For a time the post-boy was the son-in-law of Mr. Dum, William Olin. Dunn himself added to his ex- chequer as postmaster by practicing law. Under Mr. Maxwell the service was considerably ex- tended. Jolin G. McDowell, we learn from a letter printed in the Centinel on October 3, 1795. was the contractor from Graham's Station to Cincinnati. Announcement was made that by his contract he was to arrive at Cincinnati on Monday at twelve o'clock noon and that he would not leave until the next morning, "which
382
CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI
is giving a sufficient time for the inhabitants of Cincinnati to answer their letters."
On April 2, 1796, another item with reference to the post office is the notice of the postmaster requesting those indebted to the post office to make immediate payment, and those who expect newspapers by post are requested to call and pay the postage.
Maxwell was succeeded in turn by Daniel Mayo, who however remained in office but a short time. His removal to Newport, Kentucky, necessitated his resignation. That his services were appreciated is shown by the fact that he was appointed postmaster at his new residence, and acted in that capacity until his death. He is said to have been an upright citizen and one highly esteemed in public and private life.
Mayo was succeeded by the man who was known in the early days as the postmaster, Maj. William Ruffin. He was appointed by President Washington in 1796 and served throughout the administrations of Washington, the elder Adams, Jefferson and the greater part of that of Madi- son .· He resigned to enter into mercantile busi- ness with his son-in-law, Major Oliver. During his term the office was located at his residence, a red two-story frame on the corner of Columbia and Lawrence streets. A corner covered with glass doors furnished a sufficient receptacle. for all the mail matter of the day. The postage on a single letter in those days was 25 cents in specie. The mail occupied frequently four weeks in transit from the Eastern States.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
Naturally the problem of water was one of the first the settlers were called upon to solve. The village, being immediately on the bank of the river, was near the source of supply so far as water for purposes other than drinking was concerned. Drinking water, however, was ob- tained at first from springs in the hillsides, of which there were a number, particularly on the line of the bank about where Third street now runs. This supply was, however, very irregular and much of the water was carried in buckets from the river. One of the largest springs was on the site of the Little Miami freight depot, where was originally a tan-yard. This, known as "Kilgour's Spring," supplied the whole neigh- borhood. Another large one was at Deacon Wade's tan-vard on Congress street, between Pike and Butler streets. Another was in Deer creek valley at the foot of Harrison street. In Hunt's tan-yard, northeast of Court street, was another. All of these continued to flow up to
the "thirties," and some up to the memory of those now living.
In 1791, the eccentric genius, John Robert Shaw, the well digger, was at Fort Washington, "where I dug the first well that ever was in Cin- cinnati, and by_ my directions the well in the garrison was finished, besides a number of other wells which I laid off, and which have been fin- ished since my leaving there, which is a clear demonstration of the infallibility of the forked rod. For I do maintain that there is no danger of failing in procuring water, provided a man digs to the depth prescribed by the man who carries the rod, and understands the efficacy of it."
The time referred to is more than two years after the beginning of the settlement, and it seems hard to believe that during this time no one had resorted to the simple device of digging wells, a device with which all the settlers would be familiar.
The water carts of David McCash and his sons have already been referred to. Mr. Cist tells us of the dry summer of 1802, when most of the springs failed. Among the rest was one that supplied Deacon Wade's tan-yard. "With- out water the business could not go on-not a dray in the settlement-what was to be done? An inventive genius, James McMahan, came to their relief; with an axe and auger he repaired to the adjoining fields, cut a couple of saplings, pinned cross-pieces, and upon them secured a cask. To this dray by aid of a yoke, or wooden collar, he geared his bull, and with this 'fixin' the water was furnished, and the business of the yard kept in operation."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.