Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 2

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1048

USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2 > Part 2

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).

Of the Bank of Cincinnati with a capital of $600,000, incorporated in 1816, Ethan Stone was president and Lot Pugh, cashier. Among its directors were James Glenn, Nathaniel Reeder, John S. Wallace, Joshua Reynolds, Hezekiah Saunders, Oliver Martin, Levi James, Thomas Graham, Joshua Gibson, Jr., and Elijah Pearson.

Jacob Burnet was president, and Gorham A. Worth, cashier, of the United States Branch Bank, which commenced operations in 1817. Other directors were Martin Baum, James Find- lay, John H. Piatt, Hugh Glenn, James Keys, Thomas Sloo, Jr., William M. Worthington, Andrew Mack, William Piatt, Joseph Perry, Daniel Drake and William H. Harrison.

Richard Dement was cashier of John H. Piatt & Company's bank, which commenced operations in 1817. A curious item is that which gives the discount days of the several banks. Each bank had but one discount day a week and all notes for discount had to be dated and de- posited in the banks the day previous before one o'clock except those for the Branch Bank which had to be dated on Tuesday. Banking hours were from ten o'clock in the morning until one o'clock in the afternoon.

The only insurance company given is the Cin- cinnati Insurance Company incorporated in 1819 with a capital of $500,000. Its president was William Barr and secretary, John Jolley. Among its directors were Francis Carr, James Keys, Isaac G. Burnet, O. M. Spencer, Levi James, Elijah Pearson, Thomas Graham, John H. Piatt, M. T. Williams, James Glenn, David Kilgour and John Buffum. This insurance company like a bank had its special office hours from ten. to twelve in the morning and from two to four in the afternoon. .

Under the head of manufactures were in- cluded two foundries, the woolen factory, glass works, steam mill, sugar refinery, oil mill and other institutions. The principal one mentioned was the Cincinnati Bell, Brass and Iron Foun- dry, owned by the partnership of William Green & Company of which William H. Harrison, Jacob Burnet, James Findlay and John H. Piatt were members. There was also the Phoenix Foundry, 21 blacksmiths, six tin-shops, four copper manufactories, three nail factories, nine silversmiths, three whitesmiths, two gunsmiths, a fire engine maker, a patent coffee-mill maker, a copperplate engraver, a gilder, a maker of sieves and lattice work from wire, 15 cabinet work- shops, 16 cooper shops, nine coach and wagon shops, four chair makers, 80 to 100 house carpen- ters and joiners, several ship carpenters and boat builders, an ivory and wood clock factory, 26 shoe shops, 23 tailor shops, II saddlery shops, six tan-yards, six tobacco shops, 15 bakeries, one or two horse flour mills in addition to the steam mill, five hat shops, seven soap boilers and tallow chandlers, nine distilleries, three ropewalks, two breweries, three potteries, two stone cutters, 25 brick-yards, a saddletree maker, a plow maker, a pump and block maker, spinning wheel factory and window sash factory, two turners of fancy woodwork, one fanning-mill maker, five book- binders, five painters and glaziers, two brush makers, one comb maker, two upholsterers, one bellows maker, two last makers, one whip maker, 100 bricklayers, thirty plasterers, 15 stone masons, 18 milliners, one dyer, 10 barbers and hair-dressers, 10 street pavers, one rackoon burr mill stone factory. The total annual value of the different manufactures, not considering the foundries, woolen factory, glass works, steam and oil mills and sugar refinery, was given as $1,059,459. The hands employed were 1,238.

There is also a discussion of the commerce of the city which had increased wonderfully since the introduction of steamboats about seven years

528

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI

before. The importations of 1815 amounted to $534,080 and of the year following, $691,075. This jumped to $1,442,266 in 1817 and in 1818 to $1,619,030. The cause of this in the opinion of the writer was the great influx of goods from foreign countries after the war, the consequent depression in prices and the establishment of the United States Branch Bank which was quite lib- eral in the matter of loans. During the year 1819 he estimated that the limit of importations would not exceed a half million as the merchants were more prudent and anxious in the imports and were trying to pay their debts in the East by exportation. "Nothing can relieve the Western States from their present embarrassments, but to dispense with as many of the luxuries im- ported as they conveniently can, to rely more upon their own resources, and to promote, as far as practicable, the exportation of the productions of our fertile soil." The events of the two following years vindicated this judgment.

The exports from October, 1818, to March, 1819, were estimated at $1.334,080. Of this, $650,000 was made up of flour at $5 a barrel and $150,000, of pork at $15 a barrel. Other items were bacon and hams pickled at eight cents per pound, $22,080; lard at 11 cents per pound, $46,000 ; tobacco at II cents per- pound, $66,000; whiskey, 50 cents per gallon, $40,000.

Under the head of steamboats were given the names of 63 vessels from 25 to 700 tons burden, which had plied the waters between Pittsburg, New Orleans and St. Louis. Ten or 15 boats whose names were not ascertainable were not mentioned. One-fourth of the boats then on the Western waters had been built in the vicin- ity of Cincinnati within less than two years. Among the boats mentioned was the "General Pike," built at Cincinnati in 1818, the first steamboat built on the Western waters exclus- ively for passengers. She measured 100 feet keel, 25 feet beam and drew but three feet three inches of water. Her cabin was 40 feet long and 25 broad. There were 14 state rooms and a large hall 40 by 18 feet, affording accommodation for 100 passengers. The largest vessel given was the "United States," of 700 tons, built at Jef- fersonville in 1819. Another vessel mentioned was the "Rumsey" of 200 tons, which operated without wheels according to a plan which it is claimed was invented as early as 1782. The system is described at length in the directory.

The canal at Louisville as well as the pro- posed ones in the Miami country are discussed at'some length and a description is also given

of the Cincinnati and Hamilton Turnpike Com- pany, which had been incorporated in January, 1817, for the purpose of making a turnpike road from the north end of Main street to McHenry's ford on Mill creek and thence to the town of Hamilton. Another company was the Cincinnati and Dayton Turnpike Company, incorporated the same year to build a turnpike road throughi Franklin to Dayton. This was to begin at a bridge east of Hunt's tan-yard.

The names of the principal city officers at that time are given elsewhere. To those already mentioned may be added Samuel R. Miller, marshal; William Ruffin, clerk, and Nathaniel G. Pendleton, prosecuting attorney. The presi- dent judge of the Court of Common Pleas at that time and for many years was George P. Tor- rence. Ilis associates were Othniel Looker, James Silvers and John C. Short. The prose- chting attorney of the county was David Wade; clerk, Daniel Gano; sheriff, Richard Ayres; cor- oner, William Butler; and jailer, Samuel Cun- ningham. The commissioners were Ezekiel Hall, Clayton Webb and Adam Moore; clerk, Micajalı T. Williams ; treasurer, David Wade; recorder, Thomas Clark; notary public, Griffin Yeatman ; and justices of the peace, Ethan Stone and John Mahard.

The names of 25 attorneys and 22 physicians are given. These appear in the account of those professions given elsewhere in this work.

At the conclusion of an article concerning the Land Office of the land district of Cincinnati, which included the territory bounded on the cast by the Virginia Military Reservation, on the north by Cass and McArthur's purchase, west by the Jeffersonville and White River districts and south by the Ohio River, we are informed that Peyton S. Symines was the register, near the corner of Lawrence and Congress streets, and James Findlay, receiver, at No. 30 East Front street, near the hotel.

A most interesting organization "The Cincin- nati Society for the promotion of Agriculture, Manufactures and Domestic Economy," is de- scribed in this directory. Among its officers were William H. Harrison, president; Andrew Mack, first vice-president ; Ethan Stone, second vice-president : Zaccheus Biggs, third vice-presi- dent ; Stephen Wood, fourth vice-president ; Jesse Embree, secretary ; James Findlay, treas- urer ; James Taylor, Ephraim Brown, Daniel Drake, Jacob Burnet, William Corry, Gorhan A. Worth, Isaac H. Jackson, James C. Morris and Jacob Broadwell, standing committee. Its

529

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

general purpose seems to have been the improve- ment of agriculture and domestic productions for a remedy against the unhappy effects of foreign merchandise. The society was to hold stated meetings, collect a library and give prizes for the best productions in agriculture or do- mestic manufactures and for essays on the sub- jects. Its most interesting feature was the dec- laration of the members as follows :

"Being convinced that a retrenchment in the expense of living will be an important mean in alleviating the difficulties and pecuniary embar- rassments which exist in every section of the country we concur in adopting and recommend- ing to our fellow citizens the following declara- tion, viz. :

"Ist. We will not purchase, or suffer to be used in our families, any imported liquors, fruits, nuts or preserves of any kind, unless they shall be required in cases of sickness.

"2d. Being convinced, that the practice which generally prevails of wearing suits of black as testimonials of respect for the memory of de- ceased friends, is altogether useless, if not im- proper, while it is attended with a heavy expense, we will not sanction it hereafter in our families, or encourage it in others.

"3d. We will not purchase, for ourselves or our families, such articles of dress as are ex- pensive, and are generally considered as orna- mental rather than useful.

"4th. We will abstain from the use of im- "ported goods of every description as far as may be practicable, and we will give a preference to articles that are of the growth and manufacture of our own country, when the latter can be pro- cured.

"5th. We will not purchase any articles, either of food or dress, at prices that are considered extravagant, or that the citizens generally cannot afford to pay; but will rather abstain from the use of such articles until they can be obtained at reasonable prices.

"6th. We will observe a rigid economy in every branch of our expenditures, and will, in all .our purchases, be influenced by necessity rather than convenience, and by utility rather than ornament.

"7th. We believe that the prosperity of the country depends in a great degree on a general and faithful observance of the foregoing declar- ation-we therefore promise tliat we will adhiere to it ourselves, and that we will recommend it to others."

In the appendix (every directory seems to have an appendix of information arriving too late for insertion in its regular order) are several items of interest. The officers of the Cincinnati Library Society, of which Daniel Drake was president and David Cathcart, librarian, are given. The officiating clergyman of Christ Church is given as Rev. Samuel Johnston. Three newspapers are mentioned: Western Spy and Cincinnati General Advertiser, and Inquisitor and Cincinnati Advertiser, both weekly papers, and Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gazette, a semi- weekly. Comment is made upon the fact that although the corporation owned two fire engines neither of them is kept in proper repair and the city is almost destitute of ladders, fire-hooks, buckets and even water. The sale of salt is given as $180,000 annually while that of lum- ber is but $150,000. The fact is noted that there are 30 four-wheel pleasure carriages, 40 two- wheel and 40 wagons within the corporation as well as 80 carts and 60 drays.

Attention is also called to the Cincinnati Read- ing Room founded about a year before and amply furnished with the most respectable news and literary journals in the country as well as maps, European gazettes, etc. This was located in the rear of the Post Office and conducted by E. P. Langdon, assistant postmaster. The Post Office at this time was located at No. 157 Main street and was in charge of William Burke.

The Cincinnati Museum recently commenced by Messrs. Letton and Willet occupied the upper story of the building on the corner of Main and Upper Market streets. The officers of the Cin- cinnati Royal Arch Chapter instituted in 1817 included the names of Davis Embree, William Burke and Griffin Yeatman.

Another item of interest is to the effect that a frame building of considerable size situated at the northeast part of the city was nearly ready to be opened for public worship by the people of color.

A reference to a contemplated theatre is given elsewhere.

Another paragraph of interest in the light of subsequent events concerns the bridge across the Ohio :

"Some considerable discussion has at various times agitated the public, touching the practi- cability of bridging the Ohio opposite Cincin- nati. Many have ridiculed it as an hypothesis, at once absurd and visionary, whilst others have viewed it in a more serions light. It is now satis- factorily ascertained that a bridge may be per-

530

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI

manently constructed, and at an expense vastly inferior to what has generally been supposed. The current of the Ohio here is never more rapid than that of the Susquehanna, Monongahela, and Allegheny sometimes are, where the experi- ment has been successfully proven. There is little doubt, if we can be allowed to form an opinion from the public enterprise which now distinguishes our inhabitants, that very few years will elapse before a splendid bridge will unite Cincinnati with Newport and Covington."

In the list of roads leading from the city are enumerated those to Detroit, 277 miles; Vin- cennes, 201 miles; New Orleans, 862 miles ; Greenville by Dayton, 92 miles; Louisville, 103 miles ; Chillicothe by Lebanon, 100 miles, and by Williamsburg, 95 miles; and Pittsburg, 305 miles.

Not the least interesting part of the book is the directory proper which contains roughly estimated about eighteen hundred names. An examination of its pages shows many names fa- miliar in the city's history and gives an idea of the location of the residences in those days. It must be remembered that the numbers ran cast and west from Main street instead of Vine as at present and were continuous. Ethan Allen Brown, Governor of Ohio, lived at No. 4 Broad- way. William Barr, president of the Cincinnati Insurance Company, lived in the house on Mound street between Sixth and Seventh which has al- ready been referred to. William Betts is men- tioned as a farmer living near the corner of Western row and Chestnut street. Moses Brooks kept tavern at No. ILI East Front street. Francis Blake had his law office on Fourth between Wal- nut and Vine and lived at No. 120 Sycamore street. Jacob Brumwell ( Bromwell Manufactur- ing Company) wire weaver, was at No. 30 West Fifth. Isaac G. Burnet the mayor had his office of course at the City Hall and his house was at No. 49 Water street. Martin Baum's house on the corner of Pike and Congress street and Jacob Burnet's on Vine and Third have already been referred to. The business place of the for- mer was at No. 120 Main street. William Burke, the postmaster, lived on Sixth between Main and Sycamore. Louis Baker, a merchant tailor, did business at No. 19 West Fourth street and lived at the corner of Walnut and Fourth upon the site of the Baker Building, now being replaced by the First National Bank Building. Francis Carr, merchant, lived at No. 24 Lower Market and did business next door. George Charters, piano-forte maker, also kept a circulat-

ing library on Fifth between Main and Sycamore. J. G. Cooper, the Episcopal clergyman, lived ou Walnut between Fourth and Fifth. The Metho- dist minister, Alexander Cummins, lived on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth streets. David Cathcart, teacher in the Lancaster Sem- inary and librarian, resided on Seventh between Walnut and Vine. Thomas Clark, the attorney- at-law, also acted as commission land agent at No. 155 Main street. Another prominent at- torney, William Corry, was at No. 217 Main. Joseph Cotertill, cooper, lived on Sixth between Smith and Mound. James Chute, a prominent merchant, kept a shoe store at No. 115 Main and lived on Fourth between Vine and Race. Longworth & Benham, attorneys-at-law, had their office at No. 22 Fast Front street. The head of the firm, Nicholas Longworth, lived at No. 118 East Front street and Joseph S. Ben- ham at No. 83 East Sycamore. James W. Gaz- lay and Nathan Guilford, attorneys-at-law under the firm name of Gazlay & Guilford, had their office at No. 245 Main, where also was Gazlay's residence ; Guilford lived at No. 276 Main. Ben- jamin M. Piatt, the attorney-at-law, lived at No. 238 Main. His brother lawyer, Nathaniel G. Pendleton, was at No. II West Front street. Este & Storer had offices at No. II East Front street. Here too was Griffin Yeatman's office as a notary public. David Wade had his office at No. 105 Sycamore and lived next door. David Shepherd combined with his law business a lottery and exchange office at No. 190 Main street, living at No. 167 Main. Stephen Sedg- wick, the attorney, also lived on Main street near the Court House and Arthur St. Clair, Jr., lived on the same street in the familiar St. Clair resi- dence, at No. 267. Daniel Roe lived on Sixth be- tween Main and Walnut. The well known attor- ney, William M. Worthington, the first of a dis- tinguished family of lawyers, lived at No. 18 Lower Market while near him over No. 22 Chauncy Whittelsey had his office. Another well known name among lawyers is that of Nathaniel Wright who had his office at No. 4 West Second street. Samuel Q. Richardson had an office at No. 220 Main and lived on Sixth between Main and Walnut. Richard S. Wheatley also had his office at No. 229 Main and lived at No. 36 East Front street. John Lee Williams dispensed law near the corner of Fifth and Walnut and lived on Fifth between Plum and Western row. Elisha Hotchkiss also had his office at the corner of Fifth and Walnut and lived near the corner of Fifth and Plum. Samuel Todd held forth at

531

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

No. 162 Main. Thomas P. Eskridge practiced law in the City Hall and lived at the corner of Main and Front. Hugh McDugall had his office at No. 80 Water street. The most dis- tinguished physician at that time, Dr. Drake, had an office at No. 91 Main and lived at the corner of Third and Ludlow. The drug store of I. and B. Drake was at No. 93 Main street. Isaac Drake lived on Congress between Broadway and Ludlow.

The doctors seem to have been located along Main, Front and Fifth streets. At No. 24 East Front street was the office of Drs. John Selman and Thomas Morehead, next door to Dr. Selman's residence. At No. 14 West Front street was Dr. Samuel Ramsay and at No. 35 Dr. Oliver B. Baldwin. Passing up Main street, the first doc- tor's office was that of Dr. John Cramner, No. 39. Crossing Second street on the west side No. 51 was the office of Dr. Isaac Hough, whose house was two doors farther north. A little beyond on the west side of the street below Fourth, No. 133 was Dr. Vincent C. Marshall. On the east side of Main just two doors above Fourth at No. 157 was the office of Dr. William Barnes whose honse was just around the corner at No. 7 West Fourth street. Dr. John Woolley had his office on the east side of Main at No. 170. A little farther up at No. 194 was the office of Dr. Daniel Slayback, whose residence was on Fifth between Sycamore and Broadway. Dr. Douglass had his office at No. 228 which was on the cast side of Main between Fifth and Sixth and Dr. Charles V. Barbour was next door at No. 230. On Walnut street at the corner of Fourth was Dr. Coleman Rogers and between Fourth and Fifth Dr. Daniel Dyer. The only physician ap- parently on Sycamore street was Dr. Ebenezer HI. Pierson who had his office at No. 87 and lived at No. 85 on the west side of the street just above Third. At No. 6 Lower Market was the store of Messrs. Hallam and Clark, chemists and druggists, at the head of which was Dr. John A. Hallam. On Fifth and Race was Dr. Edward Y. Kemper and a little farther west between Race and Elm Dr. Jonathan Easton. In the outskirts of the town at Sixth and Smith practiced Dr. Ithiel Smead.

Other prominent citizens can be located as well. The city marshal, Samuel R. Miller, lived at No. 110 Main which was on the east side of the street between Third and Fourth, while the clerk, William Ruffin, had his residence at No. 95 East Front street just a square from his office in the City Hall. The prosecuting attorney,

Nathaniel G. Pendleton, is given as at No. 11 West Front street. Jesse Hunt, merchant and president of the City Council, had his place of business at No. 3 East Front street and resided across the street at No. 4. The recorder, Will- iam Oliver, who was also cashier of the Miami Exporting Company, lived at No. 57 West Front street, which was between Walnut and Vine. Jacob Wheeler, merchant, who was the treasurer, had his house on the Hill at the northeastern part of the city. Richard L. Coleman, the clerk of the Council, who in private life was a house carpenter, was on- Third between Race and Elm. John Armstrong resided at No. 26 Broadway. Peter A. Sprigman lived at the corner of Water and Walnut streets. Samuel Davies, member of the Council from the First Ward and cashier of the Farmers' & Mechanics' Bank, lived on Fourth between Broadway and Sycamore. Oliver Lovell, councilman from the Second Ward, was a painter and glazier who resided on Sixth between John and Smith, while John Tuttle his fellow mem- ber was a measurer of carpenter work who lived on London street between Western row and John. Judge Torrence, the president judge of the Court of Common Pleas, lived on Broadway between Third and Fourth. Daniel Gano, clerk of the court, resided at No. 237 Main, while Richard Ayres, the sheriff, lived at No. 280 Main just below Seventh. Micajah T. Williams is given as a land agent with house on Fourth street between Walnut and Vine. Ethan Stone, the justice of the peace, was located on Fourth between Walnut and Vine while his associate John Mahard was at the corner of Walnut and Water streets.

Passing from those prominent in official life to the merchants and business men, among the first of prominence was Oliver M. Spencer, president of the Miami Exporting Company, who lived on Sixth street between Broadway and Sycamore. Samuel Perry lived at No. 17 Syca- more street. The president of the Farmers' & Mechanics' Bank, William Irwin, resided at No. 34 Main. Lot Pugh, the cashier of the Bank of Cincinnati, lived at No. 120 Main. Nathaniel Reeder did business next door, at No. 122, and resided at No. 124. John S. Wallace did business at No. 164 Main. James Findlay, receiver of public moneys, had his office at No. 30 East Front street and lived at No. 38. John Il. Piatt's office was at the corner of Second and Broadway. The cashier of the bank, Richard Dement, lived a couple doors cast at No. 77 East Second street. Joshına L. Wilson, the minister, had his resi-

532

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI

dence on Elm between Third and Fourth. Jesse Embree '& Company, commission land agents, did business at No. 91 Main street. Mr. Embree himself lived on Fourth between Walnut and Vine. The most prominent store in the town for many years was that of Platt Evens. It is the only one which contains an advertisement in the midst of the list of names in this directory, which announces that Platt Evens, merchant tailor at No. 138 Main street, Cincinnati, will execute all orders in his line in the most fash- ionable style, etc., etc. He lived on Walnut be- tween Third and Fourth. Oliver Farnsworth, the printer, was on Race between Fourth and Fifth. The house of James Ferguson was on Vine between Sixth and Seventh streets. Oliver Fairchild kept a drug store at No. 19 Main and Thomas D. Fork kept another at No. 85 Main. Joshua Gibson, the merchant, resided on Fourth between Vine and Racc. Another drug store was that of Oliver Goodwin & Company at No. 29 West Fifth street. Another well known name was that of Joseph Gest, surveyor, whose address is given as Main on the alley near Wal- nut between Fifth and Sixth. John H. Groes- beck, the grocer, was at No. 5 Main street. The Episcopal clergyman, Samuel Johnston, lived on Fifth between Race and Elm. John Jolley, the secretary of the Cincinnati Insurance Company, resided on Fourth between Vine and Race. James Kirby, merchant, was at No. 18 Main and James Kemper at No. 53 Sycamore. John F. Keys & Company had their place of business at No. 8 Lower Market while the head of the firm lived on Third street between Broadway and Ludlow. The confectioner, Francis Le Peinter, was at No. 45 Main. At No. 266 Main was john Langdon. Culbertson Park lived on Fifth near the corner of Mound. William Pounsford, bookbinder and stationer, was at No. 197 Main. Thomas Reddish, the bookseller and stationer, kept the Sun Circulating Library at No. 53 Broadway. Jeremiah Tibbets ( Emperor of the West !), barber and hair-dresser, was on Second between Sycamore and Broadway. In capital letters we are informed that the Cincin- nati Theatre is on Second street between Main and Sycamore.

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.

Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 2

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1048

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1048