USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 36
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NORTHAMPTON.
Northampton is located in Pike Town- ship, one mile west of the eastern bound- ary of said township, three miles from the northern boundary and ten miles from Springfield on the Clark and Miami Turn- pike. It enjoys the distinction of being the only village ever platted in Pike Township. The first plat was made by Peter Baisinger in 1829, with lots num- bering 1-16.
In 1834 George Cost made a second ad- dition of lots from 17-24. In 1905 the Zinn heirs made a plat in addition to this town. The first merchant of the village was Joseph Smith, who built a frame house here in the year 1830.
The recent construction of the S. T. & P. Traction Line through this village has given it a marked impetus ; it bids fair to become a village of considerable impor- tance.
The Knights of Pythias and Junior Orders both have erected good halls. The population of the village is now probably about 200. The Knights of Pythias hall was built in 1893, costing $1,500, and was remodeled in 1899. Junior hall was built in 1905 and cost $3,500. In addition the village has several stores. D. R. Taylor is postmaster.
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
OWLTOWN.
Owltown is the name of another village that has passed off the map. It was lo- cated about one mile east of Tremont City on Mad River. Here, in 1839, was built by Kiblinger and Kneisley the largest dis- tillery in Clark County, and with the dis- tillery was also erected a grist-mill and likewise a saw-mill, and at one time there was also a cooper shop here and nine or ten dwelling houses. This distillery was run with great success, and as late as 1864, under the name of Blose, Seitz & Blose. During the time that the "still"- house, mill and saw-mill were in operation it presented a scene of great activity, there being from fifteen to twenty-five men at work. In connection with the still- house, to take the refuse slop, there were large hog pens attached, feeding as many as three thousand hogs.
The village received its name in this manner. For a long time the housewives of the neighborhood had been missing their poultry, and naturally attributed the loss to marauding owls. They finally dis- covered that the owls were in the shape of human beings and that the boys at the still-house had taken the chickens and roasted them in the furnace. Thereafter the place was called "Owltown." After- wards the distillery ceased operation and in a few years the grist-mill likewise, un- til now not a vestige of its former exist- ence remains. Immediately east there were two covered bridges across Mad River, displacing two old open wooden bridges, erected in 1865-7. At the west abutment of the east bridge Jesse Mead was drowned about 1888. When the cov- ered bridges were removed in 1904 for the
construction of the one iron bridge, some Urbana parties ran over the west abut- ment of the west bridge one night about 3 o'clock a. m. with an automobile and one person was killed outright. Suit was brought against the county and about $7,000 was collected. The present iron bridge was constructed in 1904, while Joseph H. Collins was commissioner.
PITCHIN.
Pitchin is located southeast of Spring- field about six and a half miles, in Greene Township, on the pike leading to Selma. On the map gotten out by Colonel Kizer in 1850 it is designated as Concord, de- riving that name no doubt from that of the Methodist Protestant Church located on this spot, which is identical. It is said that it received its name of Pitchin in the following manner: Formerly a man by the name of Ambrose ran a saw-mill there and to every one that applied for work when he was building it he would reply, "Pitch in." This is what an old citizen relates.
In Everett's Atlas, 1875, this is found : "It seems that one David Bennett started a grocery, and opening a keg of beer told all to 'pitch in,' hence the name."
The first building was erected here by Green Porter, he building a residence and a blacksmith shop in 1845.
In 1846 the Methodist Protestant Church, before referred to, was built. In 1854 George Hansbrough built and oper- ated a steam saw-mill, which was run for a number of years after by John G. Hat- field and Aaron Dean. The population of the village was given as 120 in 1880 and probably it does not exceed that number
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at this date. For a long time Granville Elliott ran a grocery store here and J. H. Littler a blacksmith shop. E. L. Nave conducts the grocery at this time. A hall for general entertainments was erected about the year 1891. The schoolhouse con- sists of three departments.
The Springfield and Charleston Trac- tion is about half a mile north of the village.
PLATTSBURG.
Plattsburg is located near the center of Harmony Township, nine miles west of London and eleven miles east of Spring- field. It was platted in 1852 by William Osborne and Amaziah Judy, lots num- bered 1-16 being taken from Mr. Os- borne's lands, and from 17-30 from Mr. Judy's lands.
Boliver Judy built the first warehouse and station on the railroad in 1853. A brick hotel was erected on the northwest corner by William Osborne. The People's house of worship was erected in 1846 by the Universalists and Christians.
The brick schoolhouse was erected here as early as 1825. It was succeeded by another one built in 1848. A township high school building was erected here in 1904.
Campbell & Price conduct a general store and the elevator for the purchase of grain. Their store burned down in 1905, but was promptly rebuilt. Rev. Mr. Hook is pastor of the church, which is now un- der the control of the Christian denomina- tion.
SELMA.
Selma is located in the southwestern part of Madison Township on the Penn- sylvania Railroad. It was laid out in
town lots in 1842 by Dr. Jesse Wilson. The State road from Springfield to Hills- boro crosses the Xenia and Columbus Pike at this place, and early made it a crossing of some importance; so much so that it was deemed proper to plat it even before the road was built, and in 1845 the post office was transferred from Corts- ville to this place and Dr. Wilson was the first postmaster. The first merchants were probably the firm of Lans & White.
In 1844 a storehouse was put up on the site now occupied by John Scanlan by W. G. Thorpe.
A branch of Massey's Creek, called Willow Branch, flows through this village. The railroad was located a little north of the village as originally platted and through what was then known as swamp land at an early date.
The old school building having been torn down, a special district was created in 1905 and the present very fine school building was erected at a cost of $15,000. Five original sub-districts are centralized in this school and it is giving good satis- faction.
In 1888 a new precinct of Selma was created and in 1896 the present town hall was erected at a cost of $600.00. About 1890 R. G. Calvert erected the elevator and is at present conducting the grain business there. Robert Elder conducts a general store. Mr. Black runs a black- smith shop and William Grant is a hay merchant. Dr. Baumgardner is the vil- lage physician.
There are three churches, the Friends, Methodist Episcopal and African Meth- odist.
The original society of Friends was or- ganized in 1822, near the residence of
19
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
Samuel Howell, three-quarters of a mile tion is on the north, but this is but little northeast of Selma. In 1826 this society here and elsewhere divided; one was known as the Orthodox and the other the Hicksites, the Orthodox branch leaving the Hicksites in possession of the meeting house and whatever property the original society owned at the time of separation, and in 1832 this branch numbered 220 members and built a frame church where they worshipped until 1871, when they built their present house of worship at a cost of $4,300.
The other branch, to-wit, the Hicksites, continued to worship in their own church property until 1843, when this branch also had a division, and the building on the old ground was abandoned. A conservative portion began a house of worship a mile northeast of the former one.
The first Methodist Church here was erected in 1830. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1875. Selma was known all over the country in slavery times as a station for the under- ground railway.
SUGAR GROVE.
Sugar Grove is west of Springfield, just beyond Mad River, and were it not for the fact that Mad River makes such a natural boundary line, it would before this have been absorbed in the city of Springfield.
The first plat was made by Peter Schindler on behalf of the Springfield Brick Manufacturing Company, in 1874. The main part of it was laid out by John H. Thomas in 1880, lots numbering 5-61.
used at the present time, as this railroad . transfers its passengers to the city of Springfield on a traction car coming from Durbin. The station for the Masonic home is located here, and on this place was formerly the old Sugar Grove Hotel, which gave to the surroundings the name of Sugar Grove. This hotel building was erected in 1840 by Daniel Leffel. It was once destroyed by fire and afterwards re- built by Colonel Peter Sintz, and torn down a few years ago, when the Masonic Home was built. On this hotel immedi- ately over the door as the paint scaled off could be seen the letters O. K., abbrevia- tion of "All Korrect." The origin of this expression is given in Howe's His- torical Collections of Champaign County, there having been a banner at a Whig political meeting in 1840 which read, "The People Is All Korrect." There are perhaps all told one hundred people resid- ing here. The traction line has been re- surveyed to go around the hill by way of the station on the Erie Railway.
SOUTH CHARLESTON.
South Charleston has the distinction of being the largest town or village in the county next to Springfield, although New Carlisle follows it very closely in this re- spect. Whether it had an identity before the first plat of lots was laid out in 1815 by Conrad Critz is not now known. Neither is the historian of today able to give any reason for the name that it bears, nor can he say definitely why the town was originally laid out. It is located not far from the main channel of the Lit-
There are several stores now along the National Road. The Erie Railway Sta- tle Miami River, that river having its
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source as recognized in history a few Columbus Street to Jamestown Street -. miles a little north or east of the village.
Indian trails and early roadways were inclined to follow river valleys, and so we find that an early roadway went through or near this village leading up the Little Miami Valley and either going towards Columbus or Sandusky not far from where South Charleston is now located. One of the early roads laid out in this vicinity is the road leading directly south and directly north, the former dating from 1823 and the latter 1830. Lisbon was laid out the same year that South Charleston was and for a long time was its rival, but as the state increased in growth and population and the travel from Columbus towards Cincinnati be- came greater, South Charleston had the advantage in its locality, and when the P. C. & St. L. Railway Company was built in 1848, Lisbon could no longer be considered a rival to this village. Until the building of the Springfield, Jackson & Pomeroy Railroad, in 1878, much of the trade of South Charleston went to the towns of London and Xenia, it being about the same distance from these various towns. Prior to the establishment of Clark County, in 1818, the land upon which the village is now located was mostly, if not all, in Madison County. It is usually said to be twelve miles from the city of Springfield.
PLATS.
It is mostly, if not all, located on land in the Military Survey, and not on Congress lands, and from this fact a peculiar con- dition of things exists, namely, that but one street-the Jamestown Road, from
runs with the compass. This is a short street, being due north and south. As be- fore stated, Conrad Critz made the first plat in 1815 containing lots 1-32. The center of this plat was about where the Miami Hotel is now located. In 1824 Christopher Lightfoot laid out lots 33-60. This plat of lots adjoined that of Critz's along Chillicothe Street. In 1849 Wil- liam S. Warner made an addition of lots 61-67 immediately south of the Critz plat. In the next year on Chillicothe Street, south of Jamestown Street, Robert Hous- ton laid out lots from 68-75 and in 1851 Jacob M. Smith made an addition of lots from 83-88 near the extremity of James- town Street, and in the same year at the junction of the Xenia Pike and the Clif- ton Road, Edward Garrett laid out an ad- dition. In the same year Edward Evans made a plat of lots at the junction of Jamestown Street and the Jamestown Road. In 1855 Plasted & Moore laid out quite an addition to the Jamestown Road and Chillicothe Street and gave a number to their own addition of lots from 1-59; and in 1871 Henry E. Bateman made an addition of lots, which were numbered from 1-11. As late as 1906 Marion Kes- inger made a plat in this town. There is not much regularity in the lots in the village. Some, on principal streets, were sold by metes and bounds.
In Beers' History it is stated that the early settler remembers a large pond that extended out and along where the town hall is now located, and that it was a fine place for duck shooting and that the fol- lowing persons were early residents of the village: David Vance, John Briggs, Nathan Low, James Pringle, Sr., Isaac
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
Davisson, Jesse Ellsworth, Jeremiah Bodkin, Samuel Thomas, Seth Saint John, John McCollum and Christopher Light- foot.
EARLY EVENTS.
Conrad Critz built the first cabin in the village. The first roadway was laid out in 1815. John Kelsey was the first justice of the peace. A man by the name of Surlot kept the first store in the village, and a person by the name of Best was the proprietor of the first tavern.
Ephriam Vance was the second keeper of a public house. Robert Halsted was the first resident doctor, and Eli Adams the first shoemaker. The first preacher in the vicinity was a man by the name of Trader, who preached in 1818 in the cab- in of Jeremiah Sutton. Daniel Cutler, about 1830, built a saw-mill run by oxen. The first burial in the Charleston Ceme- tery was that of Mary Lott, in 1825. The first election for township officers was held September 19, 1818, at the house of George Searlott. Moses Pierce is said to have been the first school teacher. James Woolsey is said to have built the first two-story frame building, and Phillip Hedrick the first brick building, and it is likewise said that E. Rowan and George Hempleman were engaged in the distill- ing business at an early date, but the loca- tion of the distillery is not known; prob- ably it was a miniature affair.
The writer is not aware as to when the post office was established in this place, but the following persons have served as postmasters: Absalom Mattox, K. Brown, Asbury Houston, John Buzzard, 1857; Milt Houston, 1861; R. B. McCol- lum, 1869; Levi Burnsides, 1885; T. J.
Hicks, 1889; George Wilkison, 1893; E. P. Flynn, 1897.
The nature of the land surrounding this village is such that it has always been prominent in stock-raising, and one of the first agricultural fairs of Ohio outside of Hamilton County was organized here in 1837.
POPULATION.
While South Charleston is splendidly located, its growth, like that of many other villages, has not been very rapid. In 1850 its population was 413; 1860, 516; 1870, 818; 1880, 933; 1890, 1,041; 1900, 1,096. While it may not have increased in population rapidly, yet for its size it i's one of the wealthiest villages in the state of Ohio, having palatial residences which would do credit to a city of much larger size. And while it has had no par- ticular manufacturing industry (although historians state that as early as 1825 Clement Stickley conducted a tannery in its western suburb), it has always been a good distributing center, by reason largely of the elevator and general busi- ness conducted by the Houston Brothers, which is one of the leading establishments. Of recent years the building of the rail- roads and traction lines have added much to its desirability as a place of residence. The traction line was built from here to Springfield in 1904, and is now known as the D. T. & I. Railroad. It was built from Springfield south through Washington C. H. in 1878.
BANKS.
The wealth of this place is well indi- cated by its two thriving banks. While one of these banks is called the Citizens'
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and the other the Bank of South Charles- ton, yet they are more generally known by the names of the "Houston" and "Rankin" banks, taking these names from persons who are the principal stock- holders. The Bank of South Charleston, as it is now called, is the successor of the First National Bank of South Charleston, which was organized in 1863, with L. W. Haughey as president and Milton Clark, cashier. In 1877 it ceased to be a national bank and took its present name, John Rankin becoming president and Mr. Clark continuing as cashier. Mr. Rankin con- tinued to be president until his death, which occurred a few years ago, and the bank is now managed by his two sons, Stacy B. Rankin as president and James F. Rankin as cashier, S. C. Arbuckle and T. S. Orbison being tellers. The bank has always been recognized as a thoroughly safe and well managed institution.
In 1879 L. H. Houston, with others, or- ganized the Citizens' Bank, and has con- tinued to act as its president until the present time, Mr. Houston being recog- nized as one of the best business men of Clark County. Edwin D. Houston is now vice president and W. A. Malsbary cash- ier. The following persons, in addition to the Houstons, appear in the directory : Alex Comrie, J. S. Kitchen, Ann K. Clark, Peter Comrie and James Vince.
In 1891 the Mutual Home and Savings Association was organized and continued in operation until the spring of 1904, at which time, owing to irregularities in management and the defalcation of an of- ficer, the business of the concern was dis- continued and the depositors received but sixty-six cents on the dollar of their sav- ings.
NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
Since 1840 South Charleston has prided itself as having a local newspaper, that being the time that what is now known as the South Charleston Sentinel was organ- ized. Various persons in the past have edited this paper. E. P. Flynn held that position prior to the time he became post- master. Ralph Harrold is now editor and proprietor. In the '50s the paper was published by a man named Whorton, as- sisted by "Artemus Ward." The paper ceased publication during the war. When the war closed it was resumed under the name of the Charleston Banner, edited by A. N. Barlow. His successors were M. H. Young, E. B. Zartman, Wells Trader, Harvey Rice, Hamilton Smith, Toney Bratton, Westley Rowe (when the paper took its present name), E. P. Flynn and Ralph Harrold.
In 1897 W. R. Montgomery, a practical printer, now deceased, established the South Charleston Echo, which became quite a rival to the Sentinel for public patronage. Mr. Montgomery died in 1906, and the paper is no longer issued.
South Charleston prides itself in a number of churches. (See history of Madison Township.) And during the present year there is being built a new schoolhouse, which will be a credit to the village. It has a very fine town hall, which was erected in 1877 at a cost of $25,000. Artemus Ward, when a journey- man printer, worked on the South Charleston paper, and Whitelaw Reid, afterwards distinguished as a journalist and now minister to St. James, was at one time superintendent of the schoo's and resided here.
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
HOTELS.
The village has two hotels. The Miami House dates its history from near the time that the village was originally laid out, that locality furnishing a stopping place for travelers before the building of railroads. Thurman Johnson is the pres- ent landlord, Mr. Furgeson and S. H. Carr having preceded him.
In 1871 several of the enterprising people of the village organized what is now known as the Ackley House, which is the principal hotel of the village at this time, and is one very creditable to a vil- lage the size of South Charleston. For more than thirty years B. F. Dodds wel- comed the guests to his hostelry; before him was Mr. See; Mrs. Emeline Clark is now the manager. Where Heilman's Inn is now located, near the railroad, was for- merly a tavern called Gallagher's Place.
MERCANTILE.
As far back as 1861 the Houston broth- ers founded a business in grain, groceries, wool and produce. It was continued in their name until 1904, in which year it became a corporation; Leon H. Houston is the principal manager and is ably as- sisted by his brothers, Edwin and Foster.
A. Clemans bought out the old McCul- lom grocery store in 1896 and in 1905 F. R. Murray established his store and in 1906 Barmann & Hamm established their store and they have recently bought what is known as the Milikin Block, where they will conduct their business on and after January 1st.
Cook since 1906. J. R. Wheeler formerly conducted the bakery now owned by G. H. Flowers, and C. H. Wentz a saddler and harness shop. For twenty-five or thirty years W. H. Brown conducted a dry goods store opposite to the Ackley House. H. R. Gross carries on a dry goods store, as does Pierce Simmerman. Besides these there is one novelty store, one bowling alley, one jewelry store, two pool rooms, two plumbing shops, five saloons and three restaurants.
PROFESSIONAL MEN.
Thirty years ago Hamilton Smith was an attorney-at-law in this place. After- wards he became the owner of the news- paper, and having disposed of that enter- prise, he went away and has since died. Following him was Lawrence Heiskel, whose father, Daniel O. Heiskel, was an old resident of this township and lived a short distance south of the village. Mr. Heiskel afterwards moved to Port Wil- liam, where, I believe, he still resides.
Some ten or twelve years ago Charles E. Ballard opened a law office in this vil- lage and was a resident here for a time. He afterwards established his main office in Springfield, still retaining the office in this village and coming here every Tues- day. John L. Dickey for some time had a law office in this village, but afterwards removed to Springfield. James B. Ma- lone, a native of this place, was recently. admitted to the bar and has opened an office in Springfield. To him the writer is indebted for many of the facts concern- ing the village history.
Barmann & Scheetz have been in the E. T. Collins was a resident physician meat business since 1895 and W. R. of this village for more than a half-
KHAM PIA
NO PLATE CO.
WICKHAM L. DUIGHT
THE WICKHAM PIANO PLATE CO., SPRINGFIELD
THE THOMAS MANUFACTURING CO., SPRINGFIELD
-
HIGH SCHOOL, PLATTSBURG
-
"THE PEOPLES' HOUSE," PLATTSBURG
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
century. He was born in Moorefield Township in 1818, and commenced prac- ticing in this village in 1845, and was per- haps the best known physician that South Charleston ever had. He amassed con- siderable wealth and died some years ago. Dr. M. H. Collins is his son. Dr. W. H. Barnwell commenced the practice of med- icine in this village in 1871 and remained here for a considerable period. Dr. T. J. Farr came here in 1872 and Dr. William H. Graham in 1900. They are still in active practice. Dr. J. J. Moores is also a practitioner in this village. Dr. H. R. Conklin plies the vocation of a dentist. Dr. J. M. Immel being a veterinary sur- geon.
OTHER PERSONS RECENTLY PROMINENT.
R. B. McCollum was a native of this township and for a long time conducted a grocery store here. For some time he was postmaster of the village. With him in the grocery business was his brother Seth.
A person well known in this vicinity twenty-five or thirty years ago was J. M. Jones. He married the daughter of James Pringle, and his daughter Ethel became the wife of Ed. Houston. Mr. Jones was an ardent Sunday school man, making addresses at many Sunday school celebrations or conventions; so much so that he received the nickname of "Sun- day School Jones." After his wife died, about 1893, he and his son Pringle went west and engaged in other enterprises. He has been dead some three or four years.
For a long time E. C. Jones conducted a drug store in our village. At one time
he was in partnership with A. N. Barlow in editing what was then known as the "South Charleston Banner." Laban W. Haughey came to this village in 1849 and continued an active business until his death a few years ago. He amassed quite a fortune. He was known as a quiet, courteous gentleman, of very good business qualifications, and was the first president of the Bank of South Charles- ton.
Milton Clark came to this village in 1849 and first went into the drug business, then the grain and grocery trade. After- wards he was railroad express agent and then cashier of the South Charleston . Bank. He was another of the substantial citizens of the town. He is now deceased.
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