USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > Lancaster > Centennial history of Lancaster, Ohio, and Lancaster people : 1898, the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the spot where Lancaster stands > Part 10
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"In 1862, the Board appointed as superintendent Rev. J. F. Reinmund, a citizen of our town. He was a graduate of Wittenberg College, Springfield, O., and had been for several years the loved pastor of the English Lutheran Church of this city, and in every way eminently qualified to take charge of our schools. He took hold of his work with great earnestness, and watched with anxious solicitude the proficiency and advancement of the youth under his charge. His in- dustry was unremitting. He loved his work, and all
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his energies were consecrated to the cause of educa- tion. His honesty of purpose and fine scholarship, his kindness of heart and enthusiasm in the work of the schoolroom could not fail in making an impression upon teachers and pupils, stimulating them with an earnest zeal in their work and studies. After six years of faithful service as superintendent, he resigned his charge. By fidelity to duty and watchful care over the interests of the schools under his charge, he
secured the love and respect of scholars and teachers, and the confidence of the Board of Education, who very reluctantly accepted his resignation. The succes- sor of Mr. Reinmund was W. R. Spooner, a young man who possessed the requisite scholarship and sat- isfactory evidence of good moral character, but being young and inexperienced, he did not meet the require- ments of the Board of Edncation, and at the end of six months he handed in his resignation.
"Mr. Geo. W. Welsh, the successor of Mr. Spooner, was appointed in February, 1869. Mr. Welsh had been a popular and successful teacher in our grammar school for the preceding two years. His high moral character, his kindness and unobtrusive manners, and his ambition to excel in his chosen field of labor, strongly recommended him to the Board of Education as a suitable person for superintendent of our schools. He was therefore elected to that position by a unan- imous vote of the Board. His successful management of our schools for the last seven years, and the advance- ment and proficiency of teachers and pupils, indicate the wisdom of the Board in his selection. Impressed with a sense of the responsibility of his charge, he exerted to the utmost all his energies in qualifying
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himself for the duties imposed upon him. Under his administration the schools have steadily advanced in excellence."
MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
The following gentlemen have served at different periods as trustees of the Union Schools: H. C. Whit- man, William Slade, John Reber, Robert Reed, John C. Rainey, William Kinkead, M. Smalley, N. Schleich, O. H. Perry, E. C. Kreider, Jacob Hite, Jesse Vande- mark, William Vorys, H. A. Gebelein and General Thomas Ewing. Robert Reed was one of the best trustees the Union Schools ever had. He was a faith- ful, honest, conscientious officer, and spent much of his time in visiting the schools. He deserves to be remembered by every friend of our schools.
SUPERINTENDENTS SINCE 1876
S. S. Knabenshue, 1880; G. W. Welsh, 1881 to 1882; J. J. Burns, 1883 to 1884; G. W. Welsh, 1884 to 1892. E. Burgess is the present efficient superintendent and has been since 1893.
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BOARD OF EDUCATION IN 1876
A. BRENNEMAN, President, J. C. WEAVER, Secretary,
J. D. MARTIN, J. L. TUTHILL,
S. J. WRIGHT, JOHN GRAVETT.
GEO. W. WELSH, Superintendent.
LIST OF TEACHERS-1875-6.
High School
E. B. Cartmell, Principal.
Mary Hamilton, Assistant.
North A Grammar
W. H. Wolfe.
South A Grammar.
S. S. Knabenshue.
North C Grammar
Eloise S. Reed.
South C Grammar ..
Ellen Elder.
North A Intermediate. .
Mary Schleich.
South A Intermediate
Mary King.
North B Intermediate
Sarah Brumfield.
South B Intermediate
Olivia Towson.
North A Primary
Clara Bope.
South A Primary
Sarah Scott.
North B Primary
Anna E. Edgar.
South B Primary
Ella Gravett.
North C Primary
Anna Reck.
South C Primary ..
Belle Williams.
North D Primary -No. 1.
Anna Davidson.
North D Primary- No. 2.
Fannie Boerstler.
South D Primary
Julia Reinhold.
German
Mrs. A. Siemen.
Colored School
[ Amos C. Guy, Principal.
Miss S. Smith.
J. C. Harper, J. C. Hartzler, Wm. Whitney, and Wm. McCleery were at one time prominent teachers of the classes in grammar in the Union Schools. Miss Ellen Elder, Miss Eloise S. Reed, S. J. Wolfe, Miss Mary Hamilton, and Mary King were accomplished teachers and deserve to be mentioned, on account of
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long and faithful service. Too much cannot be said in praise of competent and conscientious teachers.
Nine of our teachers were elected for the position of superintendent in other cities: Harper, at Bucyrus; Hartzler, at Galion; Manley, at Galion; McCoy, at Waverly; Long, at Chillicothe; Major, at Ironton; Smith, at Hillsboro; Keyser, at London, and George W. Welsh, at Xenia.
WESLEY NEWMAN
Wesley Newman came to Lancaster at an early day from Oswego, N. Y. He spent his life in Lancaster as one of the early school-teachers. He taught on the old subscription plan long before public schools were known. He taught in a school building that stood on Columbus Street at or near the corner of Walnut Street. He died in the fall of the year 1826, leaving his wife and family without an estate. Of the pioneers none deserve more honor than the early teachers, who for a small compensation, started many men on the road to fame and fortune.
CHARLES NOURSE
Charles Nourse came to Lancaster in the year 1842 from Shephardstown, Virginia. He had lived for some time in Sharpsburg, Md. He was immediately employed as teacher by the School Board, of which General Sanderson was a member. He taught for a year or two and then moved to Millersburg, Ky. For his second wife he married Hattie Herron, a sister of Mary Herron, one of the old Union School teachers of Lancaster. He was the father of the late Dr. John D. Nourse, of Lancaster, and of Judge Charles Clinton Nourse, of Des Moines, Iowa, and of the late Joseph
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Nourse, a prominent merchant of Cincinnati, formerly of Rushville, Ohio. He was a fine scholar, a good teacher, a refined, dignified, and courtly gentleman. He favorably impressed all with whom he came in contact. He taught school for some time in Reynolds- burgh, Franklin County, of this state. He died a few years since and was buried by the side of his favorite son, Joseph, at Rushville, Ohio. Judge Nourse, of Iowa, is a very prominent man and an able lawyer.
M. A. DAUGHERTY
M. A. Daugherty, mentioned elsewhere, was one of the early teachers before the Union Schools were established. He taught in the old brick Presbyterian Church, corner Broad and Mulberry Streets. School- house and teacher have long since passed away and but few, if any, of his pupils are left.
"Time, like an ever rolling stream, Bears all its sons away."
JOEL S. PARSONS
Mr. Parsons came to Lancaster from the State of Maine in the year 1829. He was and remained a bach- elor. He was born on the 5th day of February, 1801. His profession was that of a teacher, and he was one of the first teachers under the then new law establish- ing free schools in Ohio. He taught in the old brick schoolhouse on Walnut Street in Carpenter's addition.
He was a good teacher and esteemed by his scholars. He died in the year 1840 and his body was buried in Elmwood Cemetery. His scholars erected over his grave an elaborate monument, fine for that day, and one that still attracts attention. Benjamin Connell had the credit of writing the beautiful epitaph.
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A worthy teacher, worthily remembered. Parsons was for a brief time a partner of Benjamin Connell in the dry goods business.
DR. JOHN WILLIAMS
Dr. John Williams, the famous scholar and teacher, so long identified with the educational interests of Lan- caster and Fairfield County, was of Revolutionary an- cestry. His ancestors were residents of New Jersey, from whence they emigrated to Western Maryland, where at Old Town, near Cumberland, he was born, October 8, 1801. He died at his country home near Lancaster, Ohio, August 10, 1879.
He was a brainy, precocious boy and a tireless stu- dent from his earliest years. In the year 1810, his parents moved to Western Pennsylvania, camping out on the way. During this trip, amid all of its excite- ments and novelties, this boy of nine years studied and mastered Pike's Arithmetic. In the year 1814, his parents again moved, this time to Morgan County, Ohio. Here this self-instructed student continued his studies, receiving advice, encouragement and the use of a fine collection of books from Dr. Moore, a grad- uate of the Miami University. He made substantial progress in the study of the Latin and Greek lan- guages. At the age of sixteen years he taught school; up to this time he had never entered a schoolhouse as a student. The only school that he ever did attend was for six months at the Canonsburg Academy, Western Pennsylvania.
He read law for some time with Judge Hanna, of McConnelsville, O. Subsequently he studied medi- cine and graduated at the Medical College of Cincin- nati, Ohio. During these years he was a diligent stu-
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dent of English and classical literature and of lan- guages, both ancient and modern. He was a ripe Latin and Greek scholar, and well versed in the litera- ture of those languages; was fond of Homer and the orations of Cicero, having committed much of both authors to memory. He read the Greek Bible through several times. He was also a good German scholar and read French and Spanish authors in those lan- guages. Great as he was in language and literature, he was still greater in mathematics. He was master of every branch of this science and familiar with the luminous pages of the great authors, and as Judge Wright said, "could have conversed with Sir Isaac Newton." This wonderful self-made man had reached this high position by the time he was twenty-nine years of age. At this age he taught a select school in Green- field Township, Fairfield County, in the year 1830.
This was the foundation of the famous Greenfield Academy, which continued for sixteen years, and was closed in 1846.
This was a very popular classical school and many brilliant young men of Southern Ohio were educated there. From 1847 to 1850 Dr. Williams taught a classical school in Lithopolis, Ohio. In the spring of 1851 he was elected superintendent of the Lancaster schools, and filled this position for five years. Re- tiring from this position, he devoted much of his time to authorship and wrote and published the Parser's Manual and Topical Lexicon, both valued books; the latter a work showing great research and replete with learned definitions. Dr. Williams was a pure man, an honest man, a Christian man, an honor to the human race. As a scholar, he was the greatest man
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Centennial History of Lancaster
of Lancaster, and his mighty intellect and great attain- ments would have done honor to any seat of learning.
"O flower of all the year, O flower of all! A day beside thee is a day of days;
Thy voice is softer than the throstle's call, There is not song enough to sing thy praise, O flower of all."
Dr. Williams died a few years since and is buried at Lancaster.
His son, Alfred, is a man of ability, and fills an im- portant position in the office of Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
The mother of General John Beatty, of Columbus, Ohio, was a Williams and a near relative of the Doc- tor. The Williams families, prominent people of Marion and Bellefontaine, Ohio, are relatives.
JOHN REBER
John Reber was born in Lancaster, Ohio, October 12, 1811, and died at his home on Wheeling Street, August 27, 1883. He was the son of Peter Reber, an early pioneer of Lancaster, who emigrated from Berks County, Pennsylvania.
His mother was a daughter of Frederick Arnold, and both father and mother were members of the first Methodist Society formed in Lancaster.
His parents died when he was quite a youth, and he became a member of the family of his mother's brother, Henry Arnold. He was educated in the private schools of the town, and at an early age became a clerk in his uncle's store. Attaining his majority he engaged as clerk for Mr. Lutz, then a prominent mer- chant of Circleville, Ohio, where he remained one or two years. Returning to Lancaster, he opened a dry
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Centennial History of Lancaster
goods store upon his own account. About this time, 1834, he was united in marriage with Sarah Foulke, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, whose acquaintance he made while she was here on a visit with the family of General Samuel F. Maccracken.
In the year 1836, his brother-in-law, Daniel Kutz, settled in Lancaster and they became partners under the firm name of Reber & Kutz, which continued until the death of Daniel Kutz, December 25, 1873. Dur- ing that period several of their clerks became partners at different periods. Jacob Ulrick and Philip Rising were of the number. For many years this was the most widely known and prosperous business house in Lancaster. The coming of the Amish to Fairfield County in 1836, many of whom knew Mr. Reber's rela- tives in Pennsylvania, laid the foundation of their prosperous business. The entire society followed their leader to the store of Reber & Kutz.
Mr. Reber was an ardent Whig politician, and an intelligent, honorable man. He was chairman of the Whig Central Committee for Fairfield County in 1840, and gave his whole time to the conducting of the cam- paign. He was well known to the leading public men of Ohio of that period. The famous campaign of 1840 brought great throngs of people together at Lancas- ter to hear such men as Corwin, Storer and Vinton, and to hear Governor Greiner sing his impromptu songs. We remember three lines:
"And Sanderson and Ewing To help to pass the cider round And see what we are doing."
He was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the Lancaster Union Schools. He was a member of the vestry of the St. John's Episcopal Church and a
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Centennial History of Lancaster
liberal contributor to that society. For twenty years it was his custom to go East, traveling in the stage coaches to Baltimore, to purchase goods.
The Whig party having passed into history, he be- came a Republican and a pronounced supporter of its principles until the day of his death.
In connection with his partner he was a number of years an extensive farmer and breeder of fine cattle.
He also bred thoroughbred race horses, and became the owner of Old Fashion, Lady Canton, Lady Lan- caster and Monarch. He also purchased of Captain Cornish and Wm. Ianson their imported horse, Bonnie Scotland, future sire of great race horses. He visited England and imported the thoroughbred horse Hur- rah, and after his return to America, ordered by letter the great horse Kyrl Daly. He raised many fine horses and at his death his stud sold for $28,000. Mr. Reber was an enterprising, public-spirited citizen, and no Lancaster man was better known or more universally respected, a plain, unassuming man. He was at one time president of the Hocking Valley Bank, president of the Starch Company, and for many years president of the Agricultural Society. He was a useful citizen, a good friend, and a good neighbor. He left a hand- some estate, and, being childless, it passed by will to his widow and the children of his brothers and sisters. His brother George lived and died in Sandusky, as did his sister, Mrs. Camp. His brother Thomas died in New Orleans. His sister Mrs. Robert Caffee died in Covington, Kentucky, Mrs. Jessie B. Hart died in Lancaster, and Mrs. John H. Tennant at an advanced age lives in San Francisco. Mrs. Yale died in Lan- caster; another sister, unmarried, also died here, and one in Somerset.
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Centennial History of Lancaster
DARIUS TALLMADGE
Darius Tallmadge was born June 30, 1800, in Schaghticoke, N. Y., and died in the Tallmadge House, Lancaster, March 27, 1874.
He was a descendant of Thomas Tallmadge, who emigrated from England in 1631. Many descendants of Thomas Tallmadge occupied honorable positions in the War of the Revolution, War of 1812, and of the Rebellion, and in political and civil life. N. P. Tall- madge was senator from New York and governor of Wisconsin. Josiah Tallmadge and Margaret, his wife, were the parents of Darius, who was left an orphan at the age of ten years. At the age of fifteen years he taught a humble country school for two quarters in Duchess County, New York. In the year 1825, he embarked in a skiff on the Allegheny River for the West; reaching Pittsburgh, he took passage on a keel boat for Maysville, Kentucky, where he arrived April, 1825. Here he engaged in buying horses for the New Orleans market. In about two years he removed to Tarlton, Ohio, and continued in the horse business in company with Dr. O. Ballard. He was not long in attracting the attention of Wm. Neil, of the Ohio Stage Company, by whom he was employed at a salary of $400 per annum. His industry, ability and integrity was soon appreciated and his salary was increased to $1,200 and he became the general Western agent of the Company. In six years he became a partner and in time sole owner of the Ohio Stage Company. In 1833, Mr. Tallmadge became a citizen of Lancaster, from which point he directed his Western business. His industry and activity and other good business qualities soon brought him into prominence, and for
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Centennial History of Lancaster
twenty years he was one of the most enterprising and public-spirited men of Lancaster. His coaches ran to Wheeling, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Portsmouth. In that day there were no pikes and in winter, on account of the deep mud, wagons or the front wheels of wagons were used to carry the mails, drawn by four horses. On one of these carts William Allen, before he was a senator, rode from Lancaster to Chillicothe.
The destruction by fire of the Union Hotel of Colonel Noble, necessitated the building of a new one. The citizens took stock and a new brick building was erected and named the Phoenix. When Mr. Tall- madge began to prosper he purchased this hotel build- ing and added one story to it, and changed the name to Tallmadge House.
Mr. Tallmadge owned two good farms near town and was the pioneer in the use of clay tile for draining and reclaimed many acres of swamp land.
He was the pioneer in raising good stock, both horses and cattle. Many remember his Duroc horse, Sparrowhawk.
In 1847 he organized the Hocking Valley Bank, and became its president and managed it successfully until merged into a National Bank, of which he was made president, and so continued until 1865. He was a member of the Board of Control for Ohio Banks for twenty years.
Darius Tallmadge was one of the most active and influential citizens of Lancaster in the organization and completion of Lancaster's two railroads. He was a benevolent man, the friend of the poor, kind and con- siderate to his numerous employees. He was a kind friend and a fighting enemy. His first wife was Sarah
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Ann Wood, who died in 1849. In the year 1850 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Jno. Creed.
His son, Theodore, a well known resident of Wash- ington City, was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in the year 1827. His other son, James Augustus, died in Valparaiso, Chili, June 5, 1856.
The writer remembers one occasion when he called at the postoffice, a few years prior to his death, and purchased two or three money orders for fifty dollars each. He said that they were for widowed daughters of old friends and he would not permit Christmas to pass without remembering them, as they had been left without much of this world's goods.
When the time came that a failure in business was inevitable, he called upon his numerous help and paid all in full. He could not prevent the calamity that was to fall upon many warm friends, but did not want the poor and helpless to suffer.
His first wife was the cousin of Mrs. M. A. Daugh- erty and of Colonel John Wood, of Indianapolis. Colonel Wood and his father were Lancaster mer- chants in the year 1833.
HOCKING H. HUNTER
Captain Joseph Hunter, father of Hocking H. Hunter, came to the Hocking Valley over Zane's trace from Kentucky, in the year 1798. He was a native of Virginia. His wife, Dorothy Berkshire, was born in Maryland. Hocking H. Hunter was born in the year 1801, and was the first child born within the present corporate limits of Lancaster. He was edu- cated in the private schools of the town and in the Lancaster Academy under the instructions of Prof. Whittlesy. He studied law in the office of Wm. W.
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Irvin and was admitted to the bar in the year 1824. In the year 1830 he was appointed Prosecuting Attor- ney for Fairfield County and held the position until the year 1836.
During the war he was elected Judge of the Supreme Court on the Union ticket, but for business reasons, resigned before taking his seat upon the bench. He was during a long life one of the great lawyers of the State of Ohio, and one of the chief ornaments of the Lancaster bar. He was a man of extraordinary ability, and of the highest integrity. Late in life he was employed in many large and difficult cases, chiefly in Cincinnati and Columbus. So great were the de- mands for his services that he was seldom at home.
He took a deep interest in the welfare of his town, and was the friend of the poor and needy. But few men lived in Lancaster who left behind greater claims to the love and veneration of his neighbors and fellow citizens.
He was married to Miss Ann Matlack, November 30, 1823. His wife was a native of Kentucky, and born in 1802. Of this union were born nine children, of whom one son, Ed. F., and two daughters, Mrs. Graff, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Mrs. Cornyn, are still living. He died February 4, 1872, at the age of seventy-one years. Emerson says:
"It is natural to believe in great men. They make the earth wholesome. We call our children and our lands by their names. Their names are wrought in the verbs of language; their works and effigies are in our houses, and every circumstance of the day recalls an anecdote of them. He is great who is what he is from nature, and who never reminds us of others."
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Mr. Hunter was an impetuous man, of strong pas- sions. This gave him force and power. Luther said, "When I am angry, I can pray well and preach well."
JACOB ULRICK
Jacob Ulrick was born in Karlsruhe, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, July 10th, 1826.
At the age of six years he came with his grand- parents to America and they took up their residence at Richmond, Virginia, where they remained three years. His father remained in Germany, his mother having died previous to their departure for America. Not being satisfied with their situation in Richmond, they concluded to try their fortunes in the Northwest and made their way as best they could through the wilderness to Lancaster. In the year 1836, when but ten years of age, he entered the dry goods store of Reber & Kutz, then, or soon to be the most widely known business house in Lancaster. He made him- self useful, being an industrious and ambitious boy. The Amish, about that time in large numbers came to Fairfield County, and young Ulrick and Daniel Kutz could speak to them in the German language and they soon controlled their very desirable trade. When the canal opened the firm dealt largely in grain and other produce, and this bright, young, energetic boy had much to do with the warehouse. He grew to be one of their best and most trusted clerks.
In the year 1848 he thought it time to enter into business for himself, and formed a partnership with Captain Julian, who had returned from the Mexican War, under the name of Julian & Ulrick. They con- tinued in this business for five years, when Ulrick, not realizing his expectations, became a member of the old
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firm under the style of Reber, Kutz & Co. Philip Ris- ing was a member of the firm in 1856. Rising retired in 1861 and the name of the firm became Reber, Kutz. & Ulrick, which continued in business until the death of Daniel Kutz in 1873. The firm name was then changed to Reber & Ulrick. In a few years James C. Ulrick and U. R. Bell, clerks of the concern, be- came partners under the name of Reber, Ulrick & Co. After a few years of successful business this firm dis- solved and another clerk, Frank Deitz, became Ul- rick's partner, the firm name being Ulrick & Deitz. In 1887 this firm was dissolved and Jacob Ulrick be- came a member of the firm of C. W. Woodin & Co., which was dissolved by his death on September 3, 1895.
February 19, 1849, he married Martha Jane Church, the daughter of an old pioneer of Lancaster. His wife at the time resided with his life-long friend, John Ash- brook. J. C. Ulrick and Mrs. Stanley Robinson were children of this marriage, as was also Jennie, now clerk in the old store.
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