Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 1, Part 83

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1020

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accounts in the hands of an attorney. Another professional notice is that of Seth M. Leaven- worth in the "Yellow Building" nearly opposite the west end of the market house on the Hill where the court sat. On January 26th, Daniel Gano and John S. Gano offered for sale a num- ber of building lots on the square on which the clerk's office stands, also the building. On Feb- ruary 18th, we are informed that the Columbian Inn has passed into the hands of Luther Gere.

John Wells on January 23rd advertises that his wife Rachel had left him. There appears on Feb- ruary 18th "Rachel's answer to John" reciting that John had the impudence to advertise Rachel in the newspaper wherefore Rachel thought it her duty to make known to the public that John was a notorious liar. "He left me; and I expect on the account of his being a hog merchant." This same issue contains an announcement of a new town to be laid out at the mouth of the Licking River on the farm lately owned by. Thomas Kennedy. The proprietors of this town were R. M. Gano, T. D. Carneal and John S. Gano. Its name was Covington. The first sale of lots was had on March 20, 1815.

A remarkable advertisement which appears in the issue of February 18th reads as follows :

"To DRUGGISTS and other venders of medicine in Ohio and Kentucky: An attempt has recently been made by the colored domestics of a family in this town, to destroy their Mistress, by infus- ing POISON into her coffee. As either Arsenic or Sugar of Lead, or both, were employed-and which will shortly be ascertained by analyzation -the Husband of the Lady earnestly entreats all persons who. vend either of those deleterious ar- ticles, to give information by note addressed to either of the printers here, whether any people of color (describing them) have, for a few months past, purchased either or both of the poisons mentioned, or any other strong poison. In do- ing so, it will serve the cause of humanity. Cin- cinnati, February 11."

From time to time other familiar names ap- pear among the advertisers, for instance those of Jacob Baymiller, dry goods, hardware and queens- ware; Henry D. Wheeler, black and white- smith ; Simeon Churchill, sign and house paint- er; Aaron Drake & Company, glue; Jesse Hunt, buikling lots on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth; Robert Boal, Jr., & Company, dry goods, etc .; Jesse Reeder, powder: Philip P. Price, clock maker; Sullivan & Locklin, tailors ; Robert Best & Company "having removed their shop to the center one of three big brick

houses lately erected on Main between Columbia and Market streets," jewelers; and Walsh & Matthews, dry goods, and Sam Newell and James Cobb, saddlers. Another advertisement is of Jolm Piatt offering for sale "that elegant stand for entertainment the Cincinnati Hotel at present occupied by General Wingate, situated on the bank of the Ohio, near the Steam Mill, corner of Broadway and Front streets." Another advertisement continued for many months is that of a pamphlet entitled the "Accuser of the Breth- ren Exposed, by Truth supported by Facts, in a letter to Joshua L. Wilson, minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati. By John Goadfoot Smith, cabinet maker." Another of similar character relates to "The Western Har- monist" by John McCormick, cited elsewhere.

On April 15, 1815, a communication relates to the result of an experiment with steam lately tried in the Cincinnati steam mills by which on one pair of burr stones six feet in diameter, 19! bushels of wheat were ground in 59 minutes and on another pair of the same diameter 17 bushels were ground in one hour.

A familiar locality is called to mind in an ad- vertisement of David Loring, offering for sale a number of lots on the bank of the river, one of the pleasantest parts in Cincinnati, known by the name of Hobson's Choice, this side of the steam sawmill.

That the publishers did not find the printing of the paper sufficient to occupy all their time is shown by the advertisement of Messrs. Looker and Wallace on May 2, 1815, to the effect that they had opened a store on the west side of Main two doors above Samuel Kidd's where they offer a "handsome assortment of Spring and Summer goods." A communication of May 8th calls for a meeting of the "Friends of Humanity" to be held at the office of Seth M. Leavenworth at carly candle light for the purpose of forming a society for the freeing of such poor Africans as were held in bondage contrary to the laws of the State. This communication, signed by a "friend to the oppressed Africans," excited the ire of "a hater of duplicity" who accuses the judges with construing the laws relating to per- sons of color in a way which would threaten them with the loss of privilege, whatever that may mean. It states that the town was overrun with persons of color and that such a society would invite scores of negroes to run away from Kentucky and that the zealots of African free- dom in other places have been guilty of forg- ery, perjury and violence. For this reason he

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thought that as long as the magistrates, judges and prepossessions of the people were all en- gaged for the protection of these people it was not necessary to form a phalanx of this kind and thereby encourage an influx of negroes innumer- able as the locusts and frogs which infested Egypt.

The Liberty Hall of May 9, 1815, contains the extraordinary news from Europe of the return of Napoleon Bonaparte as the Emperor of France on the 20th of March and the departure of King Louis and the princes of his family for England on the 19th of March. This ex- traordinary series of events filled practically the whole paper of May 5, 1815. On June 5th, D. Drake & Company published a card notifying the inhabitants that they had commenced the manufacturing of artificial mineral waters in a retired department of their drug store where ladies who were desirous of attending at the foun- tain could find it sufficiently detached from the bustle and confusion of business as to render their visits tranquil as they were salutary and refreshing. The ship news at the port of Cin- cinnati of that day announces the arrival on June Ist of the barge "Nonsuch," Capt. M. Baum of New Orleans, cargo,-cotton and sugar. On June 19th is chronicled the fact that the steam- boat "Enterprise" had arrived at Louisville on the Ist instant in 25 days from New Orleans; left Louisville on the ioth and arrived at this place on the 13th. She departed on the 15th for Pittsburg. On the same day J. B. Robinson claims that three gentlemen whom he denom- inates as thieves and robbers had broken into his enclosure to steal the dimension of his horse

wheel in order to obtain a patent right for their invention. He offers six cents for the disclosure of their names.

That the publisher's lot is not always a happy one is shown by the advertisement of M. S. Petit to the patrons of the Spirit of the West to the effect that circumstances of an uncontrollable nature had compelled him to dispose of his print- ing establisliment and he therefore called upon his patrons for arrearages. His embarrassments were too well known to require a minutia of ex- planation. He was confined in the prison cell for debt.

Other extras were called for on August 17th and August 21st by reason of the defeat of Na- polcon at Waterloo. The first extra contains Wellington's account ( dated June 19) of his suc- cess and the second gives the news of the ab- dication of Napoleon and the proclamation of his son as Emperor under the title of Napoleon II.

The first issue of the combined paper, Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gasette, was that of Decem- ber 11, 1815. The explanation of the addition to the title is given by the publishers in a state- inent to the effect that it was from a desire not only to designate the place of publication but the object,-"that of an ardent zeal for the welfare of this flourishing city and State." The new paper continued to be of the same size, four pages of five columns cach. The first page of the first number was entirely taken up by ad- vertisements but this was soon changed and a large part of the advertisements was moved to the last page. The local news was as before of very slight consequence, the first number in fact not containing any local item.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE TOWN OF CINCINNATI (1802-1819)-IV.

RELIGION, EDUCATION, MEDICINE, INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND WAR OF 1812.

THE CHURCHES-THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS-THE MEDICAL PROFESSION -- THE FINANCIAL IN- STITUTIONS -- STEAMBOATS-PHYSICAL DISTURBANCES-THE GROWTH OF THE POPULATION-THE MARKETS-THE BRIDGES-THE WAR OF 1812.

THE CHURCHIES.

A number of changes took place in the re- ligious community during the town life of Cin- cinnati. After the termination of the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Wallace in April, 1804, the First Presbyterian Church was without any minister for a few years. The New Light doctrines seem to have produced dissensions and it was impossible to agree upon a permanent pastor. Three ministers, Revs. Dunlevy, MeNemar and Thompson, had seceded from the Presbytery and the first two finally joined the Shakers. In fact the Cincinnati church was refused representa- tion in that body because of allowing New Light preachers in its pulpit. Rev. Peter Davis offi- ciated for a short time and at his death Rev. John Davies also acted on occasion. Interest in the church was revived in the fall and winter of 1806 and in January, 1807, the church was regu- larly incorporated at the First Presbyterian So- ciety. Its first trustees, elected July ist of that year, were James Ewin, Joseph Van Horn, David E. Wade, Thomas McFarland and Robert Merrie. Jacob Burnet was the treasurer. Its member- ship had increased to about eighty and the church longed "for a man of God who would take charge of it and stay." The man was found in the person of Rev. Joshua Lacy Wilson, who ac-

cepted the charge of the church on May 28, 1808, coming to this city from Bardstown, Ken- tucky. Wilson was a man of great ability, at that time 34 years of age and of four years ser- vice in the ministry. He remained for 38 years "a powerful and positive force in the communi- ty. * * He had the ruggedness and se- verity of doctrinal conviction that impress while they dismay us in Hawthorne's pictures of Puri- tan New England. He prosecuted the trial of Lyman Beecher his brother pastor and pressed it to the conclusion, animated by the same spirit that was in Prym and Prynne, in Mather and Eliot. The voice of Nicaea was not more bind- ing upon Athanasius and Leo, than was the truth as he had been taught it upon Dr. Wilson, and no man ever spoke with less uncertain sound upon the principles of the faith." ( Dudley Ward Rhodes.)

Wilson was a native of Bedford County, Vir- ginia, where he was born on September 22, 1774. His parents subsequently moved to Kentucky at the time he was seven years of age and it was there he made his preparation for the min- istry "for which he was ordained by the Pres- bytery of Transylvania. He entered upon his work when he was 30 years of age at Bards- town where he remained until he removed to

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Cincinnati in 1808. His ministry here was ter- minated by his death March 14, 1846. His body rests in Spring Grove Cemetery.

Mansficid comments on him as follows : "The

city he found a village of one thousand inhabi- tants, and left it, at his death, with one hundred thousand. In this period Dr. Wilson maintaincd throughout the same uniform character and the same inflexible firmness in principle. He was a man of ardent temperament, with great energy and decision of character. The principles he once adopted he held with indomitable courage and unyielding tenacity. He was not only a Presbyterian, but one of the strictest sect. It is not strange, therefore, that he contended with carnestness for what he thought the faith once delivered to the saints, and that in this he some- times appeared as much of the soldier as the saint. In consequence of these characteristics, many persons supposed him a harsh or bigoted man. But this was a mistake, unless to be in carnest is harshness, and to maintain one's prin- ciples bigotry. On the contrary, Dr. Wilson was kind, charitable, and in those things he thought right, liberal. Among these was the great cause of popular education. Of this he was a most zealous advocate, but demanded that education should be founded on religion, and the Bible should be a primary element in all public education."

The same writer in his "Memorics" says of him that after making due allowance for gen- erals, lawyers and merchants there was no man in the Cincinnati of that day ( 1825) more noted, more respected or more remarkable. "Personally I knew little of him, but his name and acts in society were known to everybody. He was a man amiable in character, just in life, of great authority and scarcely less pugnacity. So though no Ishmaelite his hand was uplifted against the Ishmaelites when they came in his way. ** *

* Wilson took the Bible in the simplicity of faith and its terms literally. It is said he never would have a portrait or picture in his house because it was an image. He was a strict Cal- vinist and thought he should earnestly contend for the faithi which was once delivered unto the Saints." ( Memories, p. 150.)

The pastorate of Dr. Wilson was so success- ful that in 1812 it became necessary to arrange for a larger building. For this purpose another subscription paper was circulated. By its terms the money was to erect an edifice for 'public worship in which cach subscriber should have the right to purchase'a pew at public auction, which

pews were to be subject to an annual tax for the support of the minister. The subscriptions given aggregated $16.745, and some of the sums given were quite large. William Lytle gave in land $1,000 and Jacob Burnet and Martin Baum gave $500 each. Daniel Symmes, David E. Wade, Jesse Hunt, Lucy Ziegler, James Fergu- son and Joel Williams gave $400 each, the last named subscription being in land. Joseph Ruff- ner, William Woodward, Elmore Williams, Will- iam Stanley and Thomas Graham gave $300 each. John Riddle and James Riddle gave $250 each. Nicholas Longworth subscribed the same sum, of which $200 was to be in cash. His sub- scription was conditional upon the raising of $12,000. Others subscribed sums varying from $200 down as low as $25. Among the prominent names of these subscribers are those of Culbert- son Park, Samuel Stitt, Francis Carr, Casper Hopple, Griffin Yeatman, Samuel Lowry, Will- iam Barr, John Kidd, David Kilgour, William Irwin, Jacob Williams, Nathaniel Reeder, Jesse Reeder, William Betts, John S. Wallace, Jacob Baymiller and John Armstrong. Each one sub- scribed two hundred dollars. George P. Tor- rence, O. M. Spencer, Isaac Bates, Clark Bates, Charles L'Hommedieu, Daniel Drake, Robert Al- lison, Jonah Martin, Samuel W. Davies, and Jeremiah Hunt were also among the subscribers.

The building was begun at once but not con- pleted until the winter of 1814. The structure which was afterwards known as the "two horned" church was situated just in the rear of the okdl building and faced Main street. It was of brick, 68 by 85 feet with two square towers crowned with cupolas at its corners which gave it its name. It contained a large audience room with one hundred and twelve pews provided by five broad aisies. Around three sides ran a gallery and in the back was an octagonal projection for a vestry. Its height from the ground was but 40 feet except at the corners where the cupolas were 80 feet high. This is what gave it the low and licavy appearance of which Dr. Drake complained.

The old church was sold to Rev. William Burke who conducted an independent Methodist church and who moved it to the west side of Vine street about where the Emery Arcade is now located. As is well known, in 1847 it was broken- up and some of its timbers were used for building cottages in Texas at the northwest corner of Clark and Cutter streets.

The women of the congregation took a large part in its work. In the carly directories full

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lists of various societies connected with the church were given, together with the names of the officers which included many of the most prominent citizens of the day.

. The growth of the city was probably the prin- cipal cause for the organization of a new church although the exact circumstances are not clearly understood. We are told that at a meeting of the session held September 13, 1814, that a communication was received from Charles Greene and John Kelso looking to the establishment of another church. This met with opposition but it was the beginning of the Second Presbyterian Church. The records of that society begin Jan- uary 29, 1816, although its organization was not authoritatively settled until 1818. It orig- inated virtually in a small colony from the First Church who worshiped for some two years in such rooms as they could find about the city, in private houses, in school rooms and the like. In an application to the Presbytery for a min- ister to supply them, they offered the sum of $550 per annum. In 1817 or 1818 they erected a small building on the east side of Wal- nut street little north of Fifth, where they continued to worship for about 12 years. "The erection of this humble build- ing cost them not a little of trouble and anxiety. One of those mothers in Israel used to relate that at one time they were stopped in the work for want of lumber; they had not been able to lay it in beforehand, and there was none in the city, and none expected.

"They had a prayer-meeting at her house, and, among other things, prayed earnestly that God would help them along with the work. Next morning some of the members happening to be at the river, saw a raft of lumber afloat which the men aboard could not land for want of help. So they hurried out, helped them ashore, and in return got a supply of lumber very cheap, and thanked God for it. The architect of the Court House had a lot of window-sash, which, through some mistake, would not fit, and gave them to the church at half price. Thus it was that little church was built.

"The salary of Mr. Root, the first settled pas- tor, was nominally one thousand dollars; but it was fixed at a time when the circulating medium here was greatly depreciated, and ultimately con- tracts of that period were generally settled at one-third discount for specie; so that Mr. Root received only six hundred and sixty-six dollars in coin. I presume his salary was ultimately raised above that sum, though I find no record

of it." ( Nathaniel Wright's Memorial Address, p. 9.)

The membership of this church included some of the most prominent of the early citizens, among them such men as Judge Burnet, Martin Baum, John H. Groesbeck, Nathaniel Wright and Henry Starr. Of the first 11 members, how- ever, but four were men. The church prospered and grew until it found it necessary to move once more, which it did in 1830. In this year it took charge of the building on the south side of Fourth street between Vine and Race, the site of the present- McAlpin store where it re- mained for 43 years, to remove at the end of that time to its present location at Eighth and Elm streets.

Rev. William Burke had preached several times, as already stated, in the dwellings of the Methodists and once in the Court House but the actual birth of Methodism in Cincinnati is said to be due to Rev. John Collins who was a farmer living on the cast fork of the Little Miami. In New Jersey, his old home, he had been licensed as a local preacher and had preached in his own neighborhood beyond the Miami on several occasions. One day he came to town to buy salt and to his great joy he found that the storekeper Mr. Carter was a Methodist. Such an opportunity could not be neglected and in the evening the young New Jersey exhorter preached to 12 people in an upper room in Mr. Carter's house on Front street between Walnut and Vine. The text of the sermon was: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that be- lieveth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall de damned." Mark XVI, 15, 16.

The assemblage is described by the writer of the life of Collins as follows: "Will the reader linger a moment on that remarkable congrega- tion of twelve-not remarkable for their posi- tions in society, but as the first assemblage of Methodists, to hear a sermon by a Methodist preacher, in a town which, in a few years, was to become noted for Methodism? In the small apartment, lighted with one or two flickering candles, sat the twelve. The preacher performed his duty most faithfully and affectionately. Many tears were shed. Some wept under a conviction of their sins, others from a joyful hope of the future. The speaker had a word for each hearer, and it took effect. There were 110 dry eyes nor unfeeling hearts in the congre- gation. How small and how feeble was this

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beginning ; and yet who can limit the conse- quences which followed it?"

Shortly afterwards, Rev. John Sale, from the Scioto circuit, preached in a house on Main street between Front and Second streets to a congrega- tion of 35 people and organized the first society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Cincinnati.

"After preaching, a proposition was made to organize a society in the usual way, and accord- ing to the discipline of the church. According- ly, a chapter was read from the Bible; then fol- lowed singing, prayer, and the reading of the General Rules of the society. All then who felt desirous of becoming members of the society, and were willing to abide by the General Rules as they had been read, came forward and gave in their names. The number who presented themselves on that occasion was only eight, con- sisting of the following, namely : Mr. and Mrs. Carter, their son and daughter (the latter after- wards Mrs. Dennison, mother of Governor Den- nison, and long a resident of Cincinnati), Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, and Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair. Mr. Gibson was appointed the reader.

"A regular church being organized, arrange- ments were made to have preaching regularly every two weeks by the circuit preachers. The society received an accession in the ensuing spring by the arrival in town of two Methodist families, namely, those of Messrs. Nelson and Hall, and their families. * Meet- * ings were held in the little log school house below the Hill, and not far from the old fort. The location of this school house was such as to accommodate the villagers; and as its site was somewhere not far from the intersection of Law- rence and Congress streets, it is presumed that this portion of the town was the most thickly inhabited. Sometimes the rowdies would stone the house; and on one occasion Ezekiel Hall, a zealous Methodist, and one who was always present to lead the singing, was taken by the rowdies after the meeting, and carried to his home on Main street, where, after giving him three hearty cheers for his zeal and fortitude, they left him. The rioters were followed by two very strong young men, who were members of the church, and had determined at all hazards to protect their feeble brother. The young men were Benjamin Stewart, now (1854) living near Carthage, in this county, and Robert Richard- . son, now living on Broadway, in this city." ( Finley's Western Methodism. )

During the following ycar the Methodist min- ister was Rev. John Meek. In this year too

was held under the direction of Rev. William Burke, the presiding elder, the first revival meet- ing. Enthusiasm by this time had reached the point of erecting a church. A lot for the build- ing and for the cemetery was purchased on the north side of Fifth street between Sycamore and Broadway and here on the site of the pres- ent Wesley Chapel was erected the Wesley Metli- odist Episcopal Church so long known as the "Old Stone Church," which was finished and dedicated in 1806. This building was about 20 feet wide and 40 feet long and was soon found of insufficient capacity. The rear end was taken out and a brick structure 20 feet deep was added to it. In course .of time the sides of the brick part were taken out and the building extended 20 feet in three directions giving the church the form of a cross. This church was the scene of many interesting episodes. Elder William Burke was regularly assigned to it in 1811 and preached there three times every Sunday and on Wednes- day nights. As the Methodists were too poor to buy a stove to warm the house in winter and crowded the church to its full capacity every Sunday morning, the breath of the listeners would condense on the walls, causing the water to run down and across the floor. Father Burke as he was called finally lost his voice and Mans- field says that he "always spoke low and in guttural tones. He was always chewing tobac- co, and being a postmaster was always a Demo- crat. He was a strong Methodist and scenicd an amiable man." ( Memories, p. 152.)

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Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 1, Part 83

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1020