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 12
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A granddaughter is the wife of Jno. C. Wright, of Indianapolis, son of ex-Governor Wright, of Indiana. One of his daughters married Wm. L. Manson, son of Wm. Manson, the teacher, and deputy United States Marshal under his uncle, W. W. Sifford, during Bu- chanan's administration.
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Centennial History of Lancaster
CITIZENS OF 1837
It will interest the reader to know who the promi- nent business men of Lancaster were in 1837. Jan- uary 5th, 1837, one hundred and five of the leading citizens petitioned the town council to purchase a town clock and place it in the steeple of the Presby- terian Church. The petition was signed as follows:
R. M. Ainsworth,
T. U. White,
Joseph Work,
C. T. Cannon,
William A. Ritchie,
Samuel Rudolph,
G. W. Claspill,
Geo. H. Smith,
James Gates,
Cyrus Hurd,
Geo. Kauffman,
M. Garaghty, H. F. Blaire,
Robt. Fielding,
Henry Dubble,
John M. Bigelow,
John S. Walter,
Geo. F. Bull,
Silas Tam,
P. Van Trump,
B. Thompson,
John Reber,
John C. Haufler,.
M. B. Browning, G. Beck,
J. B. Hart, Matthew Myers,
Nelson Coates,
John Stallsmith,
Robt. F. Slaughter,
Daniel S. Lepp,
John Latta,
Henry Willey,
George Myers,
F. H. Carpenter,
J. W. Dumont,
John N. Little, Samuel Matlack, Jr.,.
G. Steinman,
J. S. Parsons, Robt. Reed,
D. Tallmadge,
P. Carpenter,
Henry T. Myers,.
W. F. Ferguson,
Jesse Woltz,
F. A. Shaeffer, S. McCabe,
F. A. Foster,
Philip Lantz,
David Foster,
G. Carpenter,
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Centennial History of Lancaster
James White,
J. S. Massey,
Hocking H. Hunter,
Wm. Phelan,
Levi Anderson,
Martin Beck,
John M. Creed,
Jacob Guseman,
Chas. Sager,
Daniel Arnold,
C. Sarter,
Lawrence Hyle,
Wm. Sanders,
John Connell,
Samuel Matlack,
D. T. Bobst,
S. F. Maccracken,
S. B. Butterfield,
John C. Fall,
John T. Brasee,
Thomas Sturgeon,
Wm. Upfield,
John Slevin,
Nathan Weatherby,
M. Z. Kreider,
Joseph Grubb,
J. Cranmer,
J. Work, Jr.,
John G. Willock,
Tunis Cox,
R. O. Claspill,
Henry Arnold,
Wm. V. Thorne,
John McClelland,
Boerstler & Edwards,
Jas. Cross,
John Garaghty,
Francis Gill,
John C. Cassel,
Wm. Cassel,
G. X. Rosser,
John W. Myers,
J. A. Weakley,
Wm. Anspach,
Hugh Boyle,
Geo. H. Little,
Chas. Mytinger,
Isaac Comer,
Wm. Willey,
Samuel Buckley.
Henry Orman,
Of this list but two are known to be living, Henry Orman and Lawrence Hyle.
OLD LANDMARKS
Of the old landmarks, now no more, the old weeping willow that stood in front of Judge Irvin's residence on the Public Square, will still be remembered by
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Centennial History of Lancaster
many of our citizens. For fifty years it adorned the square and gave shade and comfort to the Irvin family. It is a legend that Mrs. Irvin stuck her willow riding whip in the ground and thus produced the famous old tree.
The old elm on the pavement near the old Court House will be remembered. It grew from a log that had been imbedded in the ground in early times, a stray stick from the wood pile. At the time of the destruction of the old Court House in the sixties it was a stately tree and unfortunately was destroyed with its companion landmark.
A large sycamore once stood in front of Wm. Town- send's store on Main Street. In the shade of this tree General Sanderson, Harry Miers, and other old cronies were accustomed to spend their summer afternoons, generally jesting or tormenting Townsend, who did not always comprehend their jokes and roundly scored them in very profance language.
TAXES
At one period in the history of Ohio there was a tax of one-half of one per cent. upon the income of attorneys and physicians.
In the year 1831 the professional men of Lancaster returned their income for taxation as follows:
Income in 1831
W. W. Irvin.
$ 1,000
H. H. Hunter
$ 600
P. Beecher.
500
W. J. Reese.
250
Thos. Ewing.
1,000
Dr. McNeill
1,000
Henry Stanbery .
1,000
Dr. H. H. Wait
1,000
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Income in 1836
H. H. Hunter
$ 1,000
W. J. Reese
$ 500
H. Stanbery
1,000
John Garaghty 250
W. W. Irvin.
1,000
J. B. Hart. 250
Thos. Ewing
1,000
Dr. J. White.
1,000
Wm. 'Medill
750
Dr. M. Z. Kreider. 1,000
George Reber .
500
Dr. H. H. Wait.
1,000
In those days the fees of attorneys were small, as the amount of income returned by eminent lawyers would indicate. Judge Irvin disposed of valuable lands by order of court. His fee was $5.00.
FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION 1837
The sixty-first anniversary of American Independ- ence was celebrated at Lancaster in good style. Geo. Myers was marshal of the day, assisted by one or two aids. Joseph Grubb was president of the assembly and Dr. Geo. W. Boerstler and Daniel Sifford were vice presidents. John Brough read the Declaration of In- dependence and Chas. Borland delivered the oration. Colonel Chas. Sager, of the Swan Hotel, furnished an ample dinner. A regular set of prepared toasts were read. Among the volunteer toasts was one by a young law student, Horace P. Biddle, since judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana and still living in Lo- gansport. His toast was: "The tree of liberty; planted by the sword of our fathers, watered by their blood, pruned by the wisdom of experience of sixty- one years, we this day dine beneath its shade."
Previous to the year 1834, the growth of Lancaster was slow, the population at that time being less than 2,000. There was no home market for farm products and but little could be transported to the East. After the completion of the National road from Cumberland,
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Maryland, to Columbus, Ohio, Lancaster merchants received goods from Baltimore in the old-fashioned Conestoga wagons drawn by six or eight stalwart horses, and returning they carried such produce as could be most conveniently stored in their wagons, to the sea shore. During this period it was no unusual thing to see the main street of the town crowded with these ponderous vehicles, and it was always an in- spiring sight to see the long trains and their often richly caparisoned horses, that were always in sight on the road from Lancaster to Zanesville.
July 4, 1834, the Lancaster Lateral Canal was com- pleted to Carroll, its junction with the Ohio Canal. Elnathan Scofield, Samuel F. Maccracken, Jacob Green and B. Connell were the principal members of the company and promoters of the enterprise, with F. A. Foster as secretary. The total cost of the improve- ment was $61,241.
September, 1840, the State of Ohio completed the Hockhocking Canal to Nelsonville and the first boat load of coal to arrive was quite a curiosity. The cost of this improvement was $947,670.65. Upon the com- pletion of this canal the Lateral Canal Company sold their property to the State, presumably at cost price. About this time the Zanesville and Maysville turnpike was completed through Fairfield County.
The completion of this series of public works gave a great impetus to business. Merchants prospered and became wealthy and the town grew in importance and population. This brings us to the fortieth year of Lancaster's existence. The population had increased to three thousand inhabitants, and the fame of its mer- chants, bankers, and lawyers was second to none in the state of Ohio. Ewing, Stanbery, Hunter, and
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Brasee were then in the zenith of their fame. Drs. Carpenter, Bigelow, White, Kreider, Wait, Boerstler, and T. O. Edwards were practicing physicians and eminent in their profession. As Dr. Robt. McNeill died in 1835, he is not named in this list.
PROMINENT MERCHANTS OF 1840
It will be interesting to the reader to know who the leading merchants were at important periods. On the 4th of July, 1840, the merchants of Lancaster signed an agreement to close their stores on that day. In this way we arrive at the names of merchants then in business.
Myers, Fall & Collins, Fahnestock & Nye, W. J. Alkire,
G. Kauffman & Co.,
M. B. Browning & Co.
Myers & Beck,
Ainsworth & Willock,
Bury & Beck,
Bope & Weaver,
H. Dittoe & Co.,
James Sherman,
S. J. Workman & Co., J. C. Kinkead & Co., Thomas Reed,
Reber & Kutz,
Rice & Hedges,
John Connell, Levi Anderson,
F. J. Boving, Jr.,
Hopkins & Symonds.
A very good list of men well known fifty years ago. Many of them were familiar men upon our streets as late as 1860 or 1870. At this writing the only sur- vivor is John D. Martin of Browning & Co. We can read their names in our cemeteries, talk with a few old people who knew them, enter the storerooms they occupied, walk the same pavements they walked, but,
"No voice is heard, no sign is made."
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Smith & Arney and 'G. Devol were iron founders; George Ring ran the woolen factory; George Kauff- man and Bury & Beck were druggists; Claspill, Bo- denheimer and Gibbs were gunsmiths; Pratt and Gideon Peters were tanners; F. A. Shaeffer kept the Shaeffer House, G. Steinman the Tallmadge, and Over- halser the Swan Hotel, all famous hostelries; Brasee & Kauffman operated the canal mill; Henry Orman and I. Vorys were the principal builders; David Fos- ter was the chair maker; Baker & Schultz, cabinet makers; Amos Hunter, Edingfield & Guseman, the blacksmiths.
Other prominent mechanics: Robt. O. Claspill, Ro- bert R. Claspill, Geo. W. Claspill, John B. Reed, Nich- olas Little, Wm. Vorys, John C. Smith, confectioner, Robert Fielding, Mahlon Smalley, Wm. Upfield, Jacob Holt, Jacob Hite, W. H. Shutt and Wm. Geiser.
Nathaniel Red, Christian Neibling, Christian Ro- kohl, who owned the Mithoff corner, Wm. Ferguson, Bob Barnett, Wm. Peck, Mike Leonard and Jacob Cly were noted characters of the olden time.
C. Rudolph was a public carrier from Cincinnati to Sandusky on the Lake, and later a livery man, and always a popular character.
Captain John Van Pearse belonged to a pioneer family and married John Carpenter's daughter. He was a fine horseman and prided himself upon the qual- ity of his blooded stock. Fred A. Schaeffer's hotel was for many years the headquarters of business men and noted characters, who met there in their leisure moments for social enjoyment. John Van Pearse was one of that number. John Reber, Colonel Van Trump, Dr. Tom O. Edwards, General Sanderson, Chas. Borland, John C. Weaver, Dr. Kreider, Henry
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Orman, Daniel Kutz, Nicholas Little and many others were in the habit of dropping into Uncle Fred's to hear the news, tell a story, or crack a joke, a sort of exchange. After the close of Shaeffer's Hotel the headquarters was changed to the office of Dr. P. M. Wagenhals and it was called "the coon box." Here for four years during the war scores of people daily read the War Bulletin; and many a sad-hearted father and mother came there, vainly hoping for good news from their boys. Of the many men who made an hour pleasant at Schaeffer's, none excelled Dr. Kreider. He was the spell-binder. Dr. Kreider once met Gov- ernor Whitcomb of Indiana at his hotel in Indiana- polis. The Governor was a famous story teller. With a few friends they sat down for an evening's chat. The two champions were well matched and the time passed pleasantly and, as the sequel proved, rapidly; the coach due at 7 A. M. in which Dr. Kreider had en- gaged a seat for Columbus drove up and the Doctor was called, no one in the room supposed that it was later than midnight.
SOME WEDDINGS
Samuel Crim was married to Maria Sanderson, eldest daughter of General Sanderson, March 4, 1841, by Rev. William Cox; Anthony L. Clark, to Mary Jane Jeffries, daughter of Ewel Jeffries, County Treas- urer, May 5, 1840; William Phelan, to Mrs. Gillespie, sister to Henry Miers, February 8, 1841; James Sher- man, to Sophia, daughter of John Connell, Wednes- day, October 14, 1841; James C. Maccracken, to Elizabeth, daughter of John Connell, October 14, 1841; Samuel Beery, to Mrs. Ann Matlack, mother of Mrs. Judge Biddle of Indiana, August 1, 1840, by
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Centennial History of Lancaster
Rev. William Cox; John H. Tennant and Maria Reber, June 10, 1840, by the Rev. William Cox; Robt. H. Caffee and Nancy Reber, June 25, 1840, by Rev. William Cox; John G. Willock and Julia Sherman, June 5, 1838, by Rev. William Cox; Joseph Grubb and Emma Claypool, October, 1820, by Rev. Thomas A. Morris, afterwards a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Wesley Newman, teacher, to Mrs. Lucy Cook, December, 1820; James Clark, of Chillicothe, to Sarah Quinn, daughter of the Rev. James Quinn, February 4, 1820; Rev. John W. Fowble, to the youngest daughter of Rev. James Quinn, in the year 1838; Dr. William Trevitt, to Lucinda Butler, adopted daughter of Colonel John Noble, in Columbus, Ohio, November, 1839.
SOCIETY LEADERS
The society leaders of the period of 1840 were the families of Thomas Ewing, Hocking H. Hunter, Henry Stanbery, P. Van Trump, General S. F. Maccracken, General William J. Reese, the Creeds, Dr. M. Z. Kreider, Samuel Effinger, John Reber, Daniel Kutz, Thomas Reed, Robt. H. Caffee, Jesse B. Hart, John H. Tennant, John G. Willock, Dr. Jas. White, Dr. Boerstler, Dr. Edwards, Mrs. Colonel Sumner, John T. Brasee, Michael Garaghty, and William Medill. Senator Ewing in 1833 gave a grand party in honor of his distinguished visitor, Hon. Daniel Webster, which was attended by the elite of Lancaster. Of those who attended that great function, there is but one survivor, Mrs. General Reese. From about 1830 to 1845 Lancaster was famous for fine and elaborate entertainments, and as was the custom of the time, wine and punch was served to the guests. The use
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Centennial History of Lancaster
of stimulants was not confined to these occasions. John Sherman tells in his "Autobiography" that in- toxicating liquors were in common use among young men, and that he and his companions were occasional victims. Men of position and high standing indulged in stimulants more freely than is the custom in our day. There has been a great reform in this respect, and the cut glass in use upon the side boards of that period is now a mantel ornament.
CITY OFFICERS OF 1840
In the year 1840 Lancaster was as well officered as at any period of her history; indeed, we doubt if the list of municipal officers herewith presented has ever been equaled; President of Council, Wm. J. Reese; Recorder, H. F. Blaire; Treasurer, Jacob Green; Town Surveyor, Gabriel Carpenter; Assessor, Robt. R. Claspill; Street Commissioners, Henry Miers, Daniel Sifford and Amos Hunter; Board of Health, Dr. James White, Dr. Boerstler, Dr. Bigelow, Samuel F. Maccracken, M. Garaghty; Fire Wardens, George Ring, Benj. Connell and Geo. H. Smith; Property Guard, Capt. T. O. Edwards, G. Steinman, Henry Arnold and Jas. A. Weakley; Marshal, Adam Short; Cemetery Trustee, Adam Short. For this year Jacob Green, Treasurer, received $9144. The expenditures were $5399. Charles H. Brough was editor of the Ohio Eagle in 1840 and elected to the Legislature soon thereafter. Captain John Duffy was temporary editor of the Gazette, employed for the campaign. They were both pungent and forcible writers and made the cam- paign hot.
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Centennial History of Lancaster
POLITICAL MEETINGS
No town in the State of Ohio was ever more thor- oughly aroused than was Lancaster in the campaigns of 1840 and 1863. Ohio being the home of General Wm. H. Harrison, the Whig candidate, it was but natural that the Whig campaign should eclipse all others and but little else was done beside holding political meetings. The great day, when Corwin and other great orators appeared, capped the climax. Long processions with banners, coons, cider, and buckeyes were hours in passing through the town. The town was full of people wild with enthusiasm. A log cabin of buckeye timber was built and used afterwards as headquarters. This was on the Public Square north of the Court House. A pole two hundred feet high was erected by Henry Orman and William Cassel. For some purpose William Cassel ascended the pole one hundred feet sailor fashion. Such excitement was never before witnessed in Lancaster. Long proces- sions came from Chillicothe, Circleville, Columbus, Newark, and Zanesville. A free dinner of immense proportions was served in the grove.
John Reber was the wide-awake chairman of the Whig Central Committee.
In 1863 John Brough came to Lancaster and the grandest pageant ever witnessed in Lancaster passed in review, requiring two hours and thirty minutes to pass the Postoffice. One wagon, commanded by Cap- tain Dresbach Drum, was drawn by eighty horses,. a rider to each horse. Governor Brough personally complimented him and said it was the finest turnout he had seen in the state. The Democrats were just as. active as the Whigs, but their meetings were not so
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Centennial History of Lancaster
large. John Brough and his brother, Charles H., and William Medill were the Lancaster speakers of ability in 1840. John L. Tuthill, Daniel Sifford, M. A. Daugh- erty and M. Z. Kreider were active local leaders. Joshua Clarke, John Reber, John M. Creed, Chas. Bor- land, and Dr. Edwards were members of the Tippe- canoe Club of 1840. Thos. Ewing, Tom O. Edwards, Amos Hunter, Geo. H. Smith, and Hocking H. Hun- ter were the committee of arrangements for building a log cabin. It will be interesting to the reader to know the names of a few other prominent Whigs: William Cassel, Thomas Reed, Adam Weaver, Samuel Foster, Elias Nye, George Willhite, Lawrence Hyle, Geo. Beery, Henry Orman, Matthew Myers, Levi Ander- son, Robt. Fielding, Samuel Michaels, John A. Heber- ling, Elisha Bull, John K. Myers, Jacob Embich and William F. Ferguson.
Upon the death of President Harrison in .1841, funeral services were held in Lancaster. General San- derson presided, and General William J. Reese de- livered an eloquent and scholarly oration which was highly praised.
RED LODGE
" The Red Lodge met and spiked our cannon." -Old Whig song of 1848.
Years ago the county built a two-story brick build- ing on the Public Square on the corner now occupied by the City Hall. This building was occupied by the county officers for a number of years, until the Irvin residence on the north side of the Square was pur- chased for the same purpose. During its occupancy it was headquarters for the leaders of the Democratic party, and the place where they held their caucuses. The Whigs called it the Red Lodge. Here many a
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Centennial History of Lancaster
scheme of party management was concocted and the fate of many an aspiring politician sealed. Here the party was controlled and nominations dictated or con- firmed, and the man without friends at this court was doomed to defeat. The men whom common rumor set down as members of this lodge were William Medill, John Brough, Chas. Brough, Silas Tam, D. A. Robertson, H. H. Robinson, J. L. Tuthill, H. C. Whitman, F. M. Ellis, Alfred McVeigh, John C. Rainey, and John C. Cassel. After the removal of the county offices the building was rented for various pur- poses. John L. Tuthill once kept a book store in the room fronting on Main Street. The Lancaster Gazette was published for several years in the upper room in the time of Tom Slaughter and Geo. W. McElroy. The building was removed to make way for the first City Hall.
TEMPERANCE
The Washingtonian Temperance movement had its origin in the city of Baltimore. Lancaster was agi- tated by it as early as 1842. Dr. M. Z. Kreider and John M. Creed were the lecturers who thrilled the multitudes who never failed to greet them when it was known that they were to speak. In 1843 the movement took a different form and the Sons of Tem- perance, a secret society, was organized in every town in the county. The lodges were large and numerous and were called to meet in Lancaster in June, 1843. General Samuel F. Cary and John C. Vaughn, of Cin- cinnati, were the orators on this occasion. Both were eloquent and brilliant men. General Cary still lives at his beautiful home on College Hill, and John C. Vaughn is an inmate of the Old Men's Home, Walnut Hills. From time to time after this period there were
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Centennial History of Lancaster
spasmodic temperance movements. In 1874 occurred the great phenomenal temperance movement known as the "Women's Crusade." The women assembled at a given point and marched in solemn procession two by two from their hall or place of meeting to the business part of the town. They would stop in front of a drug store, supposed to sell liquors, or in front of a saloon, ask for permission to enter and hold ser- vices. If this was not granted, they arranged them- selves upon the pavement, sang a hymn and then knelt upon the damp stone and offered up fervent prayers. In this way every saloon upon the streets was visited. The proprietors were prayed for and reasoned with and begged to quit the business. These prayer-meet- ings upon the pavements drew large crowds of lookers- on. The prayers were fervent and impassioned and often eloquent; and it is safe to say, that many people heard eloquent appeals to the Almighty, to which they were not accustomed.
It cannot be said that this unique movement, as solemn and impressive as it sometimes was, resulted in any immediate apparent good for temperance. The community was aroused, and thought upon the sub- ject was stimulated and quickened, and in this way good was done that made itself felt in the future of the town. There were not many people in Lancaster, even ardent temperance men, who believed that much good would result from a movement so far beyond the pale of good taste as this Crusade; but no one doubted the motives of the women or their sincerity, and while their work was not fully endorsed it was quietly acquiesced in. As a rule the saloon men re- ceived them pleasantly, though evidently much em- barrassed. In fact, the ladies were well treated in
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Centennial History of Lancaster
every part of the town. It could hardly have been otherwise, however; men everywhere in this country, in every walk of life, respect and honor women. An insult to those women or violence would have been followed by swift retribution. Following the temper- ance movement of 1842 and 1843 the whiskey bottle vanished from the side-board. John Sherman says, "No reform in my time has been so general and bene- ficial, as that of the disuse of drinking intoxicating liquors commencing in 1841." In the great temper- ance movement of 1842 and 1843, Dr. M. Z. Kreider and John M. Creed took a very prominent part. They were both influential men, able and eloquent speakers, and their voices were heard on all proper occasions both in public and private. D. Tallmadge also gave his influence and example upon the side of temperance. At this period Mr. Tallmadge was one of the most prominent and influential men of Lancaster. Three men better fitted to champion this great cause, this great reform, could not have been selected in Lan- caster. Their standing was unquestioned. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. As leaders in the greatest reform of our time they deserve to be honored.
In 1843 the sympathies of all Irish-Americans were aroused in favor of Ireland and an "Irish Repeal Association" was formed which held monthly meet- ings. Resolutions were offered, speeches were made, and addresses promulgated.
The president of the association was the ever elo- quent John M. Creed; the vice-presidents were John M. Bigelow and Thomas Reynolds; the treasurer, H. F. Blaire; the secretary, M. A. Daugherty; corres- ponding secretary, P. B. Ewing.
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Centennial History of Lancaster
All are dead with the possible exception of Thomas Reynolds, who through the influence of Hon. Thos. Ewing was appointed U. S. Marshal of Wisconsin in 1849. He was a gallant soldier from that state in the War of the Rebellion and was a colonel of one of the Wisconsin regiments. He came to Lancaster and was a contractor in the construction of the Zanesville and Maysville turnpike. He was one of the callers at Shaeffer's Hotel and on one occasion while there had a fight with Joseph Lilly, in which he was the victor
LANCASTER INSTITUTE
The writer was present at a meeting of this society in the year 1848. It had been in existence for a num- ber of years. The meeting was held in the old City Hall over the Market House. Captain Mallory, a retired seaman from Philadelphia, and then living in the General Reese house, was the president. This society was formed for discussion and a delivery of lectures by local talent. On the evening in question, Charles Slade and Charles D. Martin were leaders in debate. The question was ,"Was the career of Napo- leon Bonaparte a benefit to mankind?" Judge Whit- man and John D. Martin made speeches. M. A. Daugherty delivered a lecture. His subject was "The Ancient Druids." It was well-written, instructive and entertaining. C. D. Martin had but recently become a resident of Lancaster. He was a bright young man and gave promise of the eminent position he was des- tined to hold in this community and at the Lancaster Bar. This institution was in existence in the year 1834. General William J. Reese delivered a lecture during that year which was so highly prized that he was called upon by the managers for a copy for pub-
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