Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 37

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086


USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 37


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109


A well known character of this town for many years was Michael Way. He seemed to have a knack of obtaining pub- lic positions, at different times being mayor, justice of the peace and assessor. He was a shoemaker by trade. He came to the village before the war and has been dead some fifteen years. His son John, who likewise held a number of public positions, died a few years ago.


Alonzo F. Taft was one of the old-time merchants of this village. Mr. Taft was mayor of the village within recent years and is still living and in good health.


James Pringle, while not living within the village limits, was a well known per- son in and about this place, having been born in its proximity. He made a busi- ness of dealing in Clydesdale and Perch- eron horses and met his death some ten or twelve years ago in a railroad accident on the edge of the village.


Among other persons who have been actively engaged in village affairs may be


352


HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


mentioned Isaac Landacre, who for long time was engaged in the brick busi- ness, likewise now deceased. Henry E. Bateman and Seymore Harrold are re- tired farmers.


John W. Warrington, now a distin- guished attorney of Cincinnati, was born near this village. His brother, William Warrington, is now justice of the peace. Another brother, Charles Warrington, formerly a well-known attorney of the Queen City, has, on account of ill-health, resided in South Charleston.


POLITICAL.


The best information at hand indicates that the village of South Charleston was chartered before the organization of Clark County, to-wit, in January, 1816. The writer has no information as to the various persons who have served as pres- ident of council or as mayors of the vil- lage, other than it is known that some twenty-five or thirty years ago Michael Way was mayor and after him came Wil- liam Barrett, Almon Bradford, S. R. Hud- son, William Cheney, Lou Diffendal, to the present mayor, J. B. Allen, W. L. Wentz being now clerk.


At the recent (1907) election Jason Mercer was elected mayor and W. L. Wentz, clerk; T. S. Orbison, treasurer; Charles Duffey, marshal, and Ed. Hous- ton, Aquilla Carr, Peter Hill, L. C. Lewis, L. H. Holdren and George Slaughter, members of council. The salary of these officials is not large, being fixed by a re- cent ordinance as follows: Mayor, $150 per year; marshal, $100; clerk, $150, and treasurer, $75.


MISCELLANEOUS.


The South Charleston Cemetery was purchased by the town council in 1855. It is situated a short distance north of the village, in a very pleasant location. The Catholics also possess a cemetery about a mile east of town.


South Charleston has its fair share of secret societies. Clark Lodge No. 166, I. O. O. F., was chartered July 18, 1850. The charter members were John A. Skin- ner, Pressly Jones, Isaac P. Paist, Daniel Smith, William Paist, Jr., Michael Lidigh and William L. Warner.


South Charleston Encampment No. 200, ยท I. O. O. F., was organized May 31, 1876. The charter members were Robert S. Ful- ton, George R. Armstrong, William Wat- son, S. B. Hoadly, Edward Rott, Dar- win Pierce. Abihu Raines and George W. Jones.


Fielding Lodge No. 192, A. F. & A. M., South Charleston, was chartered October 13, 1850. The original petitioners were John A. Skinner, E. W. Steele, Alex Rowand, G. W. Jones, William Paist, Jr., Daniel Bruner, David Morgan and James R. Bailey.


Recently charters of the following or- ganizations have been established: Cath- olic Order of Foresters, Daughters of America, Junior Order of American Me- chanics and Sons of America. A lodge of the A. P. A.'s had but a short life here some years ago.


TREMONT CITY.


Tremont City is located on the Mad River Valley Turnpike, seven miles north of Springfield, about two and a half


353


AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


miles west of the Urbana Pike. It is in the Morris addition in lots number 139- the northeastern part of German Town- 196. In 1836 the Rosses, John and Wil- liam, kept a dry goods store where the Knights of Pythias Hall is now being erected. In 1837 John Hupp erected a hotel, which was demolished by Gus Weigel to erect his residence. The post office was established in 1839 and the name of the town was then changed from Clarksburg to Tremont. shop. There was a settlement here early in the Nineteenth Century. It was orig- inally called Clarksburg and as such was platted, according to references in old deeds, by John Ross. This plat had a tier of lots on each side of Main Street, west, beyond the mill. The northeast corner of Main and Mulberry Streets, was lot one. The hotel corner was lot sixteen. The name of this place was originally Treemount and signified that the burg was located at the foot of a large hill upon which there were a number of large trees at an early date. This plat seemed not to have been rec- ognized, or at least was changed by subsequent persons. At what date it was made is not definite. It was re- corded in 1838. It is known that as early as 1836, where the Seitz Mill is now located, that there was a small carding- mill, and in that year John Ross erected a small distillery there. Afterwards Mr. Lance erected another distillery a short distance east of the village, where the residence of Michael Sullivan is now lo- cated. In 1843 Samuel Bechtle and others made a plat, somewhat re-arrang- ing the original plat of lots. This plat in- cluded the ground running west of Main Street to Seitz's Mill and north to the Methodist Church and east to the second lot beyond the hotel.


In 1845 Benjamin Turman laid out a plat. This extended north from the Methodist Church along both sides of Mulberry Street, and in 1847 Gabriel Al- bin laid out an addition to the lots from 1-6. This was the land immediately east of the Reformed Church.


In 1870 Daniel B. Morris purchased a tract of land belonging to Christian Neff, east of the village, and laid out an addi- tion of lots, 66-138. And in 1877 John H. Blose made an addition on the north of


The towns of Fremont and Tremont were so alike in their spelling, especially the first letters of each-T and F-when made in writing, that very much mail which was sent to Tremont went to the larger place, Fremont, and to avoid this, about the year 1879, the word "city" was added to Tremont and thus we have its present name of Tremont City. The in- dustries of the place have not been very many. While possibly as far back as 1802 there was some kind of a mill erect- ed somewhere near where Seitz's Mill now is. Up to the present time the run- ning of mills has been the principal in- dustry. In the '80s there was a chair factory established and later a steam saw-mill in the north part of the town, and afterwards a table factory. These have all vanished, the chair factory hav- ing been moved to Urbana and the table factory to Richmond, Indiana. For a long time the village's progress was re- tarded because suitable ground could not be obtained for its enlargement and also because it had no railroad facilities.


In 1893 the D. T. & I. Railroad was


-


354


HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


built, and shortly thereafter Mr. Emerson E. Gard erected the elevator at that place, which is now conducted by Omer Snyder. When the post office was first established in 1839, Dr. MeLaughlin was postmaster. During the war period Daniel B. Morris served in that position. Afterwards came J. E. Fennimore, John Mckinley, Walter Mckinley, Ras. Nichols and E. B. Hinton, the present postmaster. . There is one rural delivery, J. R. Elvin being the carrier.


For a long time Dr. Mclaughlin and Dr. Senseman attended the sick of the community. Both were rather noted in their profession. Dr. Mclaughlin, a physician of the old school, was consid- ered the best fever doctor in the county, Dr. Senseman being more of a specialist in pulmonary diseases. Later came Dr. A. H. Nesbit and a brilliant young doctor by the name of Hughes, who was here for a few years. The present physicians are Dr. Hirons and Dr. Neece.


The first brick schoolhouse that was built in the town was built in 1835. This was near where the residence of Joe Rit- ter is now. This schoolhouse was torn down in 1865 and a two-story building erected, which was used until the present school building was erected, 1885.


The old Methodist Church was built in 1838 and the present one erected at the same place in 1880. The German Re- formed Church "on the hill" was organ- ized in 1863, the Rev. Jesse Richards, who is still living, being instrumental in its organization. For some time past a de- nomination known as "Saints" have oc- cupied the hall in the northern part of the village, but recently it has become dis- organized.


Liberty Hall was erected by a stock company some time in the later seventies. It is a very substantial structure. When first erected it had a nice stage, with suitable paraphernalia, but it seems that the town was hardly large enough to sup port an entertainment hall. Before the war a hall was erected close to where Gus Weigel now resides known as an Armory Hall. This served as a place of entertain- ment quite a number of years; later it was particularly used by the Grange. At this writing the Knights of Pythias have about completed a commodious hall on the southwest corner of Main and Mul- berry Streets, upon what was the site for many years of Carter's store.


The hotel on the southeast corner is at present unoccupied. It first became a hotel site in the early '30s, Peter Ferree being the landlord in 1846. He was suc- ceeded in 1859 by George Heller, and he by Jeremiah Ilges in 1867. Later there came Emanuel Masonhammer and Jacob Sanders; afterwards came David Carter, Jr. and Sr., J. E. Fennimore, Josiah Faber and Mrs. Adelia Genell. In the forties John Balentine erected this hotel and conducted it for some time.


David Carter, who ran a grocery store where the Knights of Pythias Hall is now located, was for many years a merchant of this place, having at one time a store north of the office of Dr. Senseman; Daniel B. Morris for a number of years conducted a store a little north and op- posite to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The oldest merchant in the town and one who continued longest in the business was the late Daniel H. Thomas, who com- menced keeping store here as early as 1861 and continued until his death in 1907.


355


AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS


Mr. Thomas was a man of some ability, having high school, with a total enumera- tion of 122 pupils.


but mingled very little with the world, it being a rare thing to see him outside of his store building, but by the application of good business principles he acquired a considerable fortune.


Later Captain Lafayette Bechtle had a grocery store on the northeast corner of the square and was followed some time afterward by Mr. Jasper E. Ward and C. T. Rohrer, and he by the present oc- cupant, Erasmus Nichols.


J. E. Fennimore conducted a drug store for a number of years, and at the same place Adelia Genell had a grocery from 1898-1906, Josiah Faber having like- wise carried on a grocery store at the same place. For a number of years Wal- ter Mckinley has been conducting a store upon North Mulberry Street.


Gus Weigel & Son conduct a general butchering business, and J. H. Breneman is conducting a poultry business ; he also deals to some extent in live stock.


Among the older settlers now may be mentioned Eli Gard, 75; David Enoch, past 82, and Sarah Morris, 87; Henry Dean, 82; William E. Woodward, Henry Rockel, Daniel B. Morris and John H. Blose.


Not only the Knights of Pythias, but the Redmen and the Maccabees and the G. A. R. have thriving societies. The Grange was organized here as early as 1876, Hugh Staley being secretary at this time.


The village was never incorporated and has a population, however, of about 350. In 1902 a special school district was formed of what was formerly a special district, including the village and sur- rounding country. This school is graded,


VIENNA.


Vienna is situated on the National Road ten and one-half miles from Springfield. It was platted by John H. Dynes in 1833. At the time that this plat was made the National Road had been surveyed, but not yet made. In 1904 another plat was add- ed by Charles Arbogast of lots 57-64, and in the same year John Goodfellow platted an addition. The first house built in this place was erected by a person by the name of Taylor and was situated in the west part of the village ; like many of the build- ings of that day, it was of the log cabin character. Caleb Barrett was the first merchant, who began business here in 1834 and continued for about twenty-three years. At an early date Emanuel Mayne erected a hotel building on the southeast corner. This property was sold in 1836 to Daniel Brown.


In 1839 Mayne built a building on the northwest corner and managed it for some time as a hotel and in after years David Davis and Andrew Ryan, William Johnson and others kept public entertain- ment at this place. In 1837 D. W. Hinkle built a tannery in the northeastern part of the village, which he continued until 1852. About 1848 William Golden and Garner McIntire built a brick shop on the north side of East Main Street for a tavern. These various businesses have been abandoned. In 1850 the Odd Fel- lows erected their building on West Main Street. This was remodeled in 1870. The brick storehouse on the opposite side of the street, built in 1849 by W. S. Funston,


356


HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


was demolished by an explosion of powder in 1871. About 1898 Charles Snyder built the large storeroom on the north- west corner. The Knights of Pythias building south of the traction line was built about fifteen years ago and was very substantially remodeled in 1907.


William Harris, now deceased, was storekeeper in this place for many years, and likewise filled the place of justice of the peace and postmaster.


For the past ten years John McCoy has conducted a grocery in this village, this grocery having its location in the Snyder building. The Enterprise Manufacturing Company, composed of John McCoy, John Goodfellow and Dr. F. H. Smith, com- menced business in the year 1900. The industry is principally that of manufac- turing blankets and is now in a prosper- ous condition. It gives employment to from ten to twenty persons.


McCoy & Goodfellow conduct a general implement store. For many years James S. Rice has conducted a saw-mill located in the eastern part of the town.


The Springfield & Columbus Traction Company goes through this village, leav- ing the National Road a short distance west of the town, and going south, and afterwards coming back on the road. This village enjoyed prosperity in stage- coach days. After the railroads were built a good deal of the former business was transferred to Plattsburg. Since the building of the traction line, however, the village has assumed a renewed appear- ance, and considerable improvement has manifested itself in the last few years.


Many of the Catawba people drive their horses to this village and take the trac- tion cars from here to Springfield. The


first post office was established in 1838. By reason of there being some other post office by the name of Vienna the office at this place was called Vienna Cross Roads. The first postmaster was Caleb Barrett. In stage-coach days, existing for almost twenty, years after the establishment of the post office, the mail was carried daily on the National Road by four-horse stage coaches, and after the railroad was built it was for a time supplied from West Jef- ferson in a one-horse coach. Latterly the people got their mail from Plattsburg.


The Odd Fellows Lodge was instituted in 1859. The Christian Church was built in the same year at a cost of $1,200. The Methodist Episcopal Church was first es- tablished here in 1835. In 1836 George Jones built a large two-story brick build- ing two miles west of Vienna on the north side. In 1848 this property was pur- chased by Phillip Weaber and fitted up as a hotel and was conducted in that ca- pacity until the stage coaches were aban- doned. This is now used as a private res- idence.


The first schoolhouse at Vienna was built in 1835. It was succeeded by a brick building in 1845. In 1866 the present brick house was built.


Formerly the coopering business was quite an industry of this place. Samuel Sullivan came here in 1837, and with his son-in-law, Zachariah Jones, carried on the business as late as 1880. Mr. Sulli- van died in 1898 at the ripe old age of ninety-eight years.


Clark & West, merchants, in the Snyder building, had a severe fire on the night of October 23, 1907.


Dr. D. H. Thomas is present mayor.


357


AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


VILLA.


Villa is located in the southern part of Moorefield Township, on the Clark and Union Turnpike, two miles north of La- gonda. It has never been platted, and the name was given to a cluster of houses built on small portions of land surround- ing the pike crossing at that place. It afterwards reached the dignity of a post office, and Joel Little was the first post- master. There is at present a small store there and a blacksmith shop. Since the free delivery the postoffice has been abolished.


WINDSOR.


There is no way at present of determin- ing the former location of Windsor, ex- cept from the plat of lots that was made by Simeon Bardwell in 1816. This plat contained 105 lots and was located in the northwest quarter of Section 24, Town 6 and Range 9. This would locate Windsor between schoolhouse No. 5, in the north- western part of Harmony Township along the Columbus Road and the western line of Section 24, and not far from where the


road turns north through Pleasant Town- ship, on the lands of C. A. Neer. The only record we have of any business ever being conducted in this place is that prior to 1825 Caleb Barrett conducted a store here, which was abandoned by him after the completion of the National Road, when he removed to Vienna. Windsor was located about seven and one-half miles east of Springfield on the old Colum- bus Road. At one time there was a blacksmith shop there. Windsor was known by name by all early travelers, and was a landmark of travel in those days.


Mr. John Jones built a house here at an early date, and put a paved walk in front of it, which was then quite a dis- tinguishing feature. An Englishman came along, and, with a little more pom- posity than Jones thought proper, in- quired where Windsor was. Jones told him to look around and he would find it. The Englishman then inquired where the mayor was. Jones replied, "I can't tell you where the mare is, but I am the horse." The old house is still standing, having been moved across the road, and is used for a sheep stable.


1


CHAPTER XVII.


CITY OF SPRINGFIELD.


Distances from Springfield to Other Cities-Springfield in 1907-Location, etc .- Naming and Platting of the City-Plats and Additions to City-Early Settle- ments-Selection as County Seat-Early Events-Council with the Indians- Early Customs-"Sleepy Hollow" and Old Virginia-EARLY SETTLERS: James Demint, Griffith Foos, Robert Rennick, John Daugherty, John Ambler, Cooper Ludlow, Walter Smallwood, Pierson Spinning, Rev. Paul Henkle, Ira Paige, Maddox Fisher-Condition in 1828-Condition in 1832-Village Days, 1834-1850 -- Condition in 1850-City Government --- ROSTER OF OFFICIALS : President of Council-Mayors of City-Solicitors-Treasurers, City Clerks -Police Department-Chiefs of Police-Police Judges-Police Prosecutors -Police Clerks-Board of Public Safety-Roster of 1907-FIRE .DEPART- MENT : Volunteer-Paid Fire Department -- Roster of Present Department- PUBLIC BUILDINGS : Market House-City Hall-City Jail and Station House- Public Library-Hospital-Postoffice-Postmasters-Snyder Park-Foun- tains, etc .- HOTELS: Foos Tavern-Lowry Hotel-Ludlow Hotel-Ross Tavern-Hunt's Hotel-MacElroy Hotel-Norton Hotel-Werden Hotel- Buckeye House-Hagenbach Hotel- Murray-Cherry House-Williss House -National Hotel-American and Western Houses-Lagonda-Bookwalter Hotel-Arcade Hotel-Palace Hotel-Palmer House -- OPERA HOUSES : Black's Opera House-Grand Opera House-Fairbanks' Theatre -- The New Sun- OFFICE AND STORE BUILDINGS : Kizer-Old King-Union Hall-Commercial- Bookwalter - Buckingham - Mitchell - Arcade -. Johnson - Zimmerman -Gotwald - King - Bushnell - Wren's Department Store-Fairbanks- Dial-FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS : Mad River National Bank-First National Bank-Citizens' National Bank-Lagonda National Bank-Springfield Na- tional Bank-Springfield Savings Bank-Springfield Building and Loan Asso- ciation-Merchants and Mechanics' Building and Loan Association-Other Associations-American Trust and Savings Company --- MANUFACTURING IN- DUSTRIES : Defunct Industries-Paper Mill-Oil Mill-Woolen Mills-Car Shops-Threshing Machines-Sewing Machines-Whitely, Fassler & Kelley


359


AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.


--- Champion Machine Co .- The A. C. Evans Co .- Champion City Manufac- turing Co .-- Tricycle Factory-Present Industries-International Harvester Co .- P. P. Mast Co .- American Seeding Co .- Thomas Manufacturing Co .- Springfield Metallic Casket Co .- Crowell Publishing Co .- Good & Reese Co. -James Leffel & Co .- Wickham Piano Plate Co .-- Bettendorf Metal Wheel Company-Robbins & Myers Co .- Foos Manufacturing Co .- Springfield Ma- chine Tool Co .- The O. S. Kelly Co .- Springfield Malleable Co .- Mast, Foos & Co .-- Indianapolis Switch & Frog Co .- Miller Improved Gas Engine Co .- Patric Furnace Co .- Trump Manufacturing Co .- Springfield Gas Engine Co .- The E. W. Ross Co .- Foos Gas Engine Co .- HEATING AND LIGHTING PLANTS: Gas -- Electric Light-Home Lighting, Power & Heating Co .- The People's Light, Heat & Power Co-Ansted & Burk-Barnett Flouring Mills -Stone and Lime Industries-Springfield Breweries-SUMMARY OF INDUS- TRIAL MATTERS : Machinery, Material & Supplies -- Gas & Steam Engine Group-Iron & Steel Products-Manufacturing Publishers-Manufacturing Florists-Medicine, Chemical and Coffin Companies-General Factories- Miscellaneous Factories-MERCANTILE AFFAIRS: Retailers-Groceries-Dry Goods - Clothing - Druggists - Jewelers - Shoes - Meats, etc .-- Livery Men-Hatters-Hardware Stores, etc .- Books and Book Binderies- CEMETERIES : Columbia Street Cemetery-Greenmount Cemetery-Ferncliff Cemetery-Catholic Cemeteries-Lagonda Avenue Cemetery-St. Bernard's Cemetery -- Calvary Cemetery. THE PRESS: First Paper, The Farmer-The Republic-Press Republic-The News-Mad River Democrat-Transcript- Democrat-Gazette-Morning Sun-Farm & Fireside-Farm News-Poul- try Success-Springfield Journal Adler-Miscellaneous-Editors, etc .- So-


CIETIES : Commercial Club-Lagonda Club-Country Club-Literary Clubs- Men's Literary Club-Young Men's Literary Club-Miscellaneous Clubs- Women's Club-Authors-Masons-Odd Fellows-Knights of Pythias- Miscellaneous -Trades and Labor, Organizations.


DISTANCES FROM SPRINGFIELD TO OTHER


Jackson


108


CITIES.


Miles


Bellefontaine


32


Boston (Mass)


822


Buffalo


348


Burlington


341


Omaha


723


Chattanooga


415


Philadelphia


592


Chicago


281


Pittsburg


938


Cincinnati


80


Salt Lake City


1.643


Cleveland


165


Sandusky


135


Columbus


45


San Francisco


2,637


Cresline


88


Savannah


1.220


Dayton


St. Louis


421


Delaware


50


Toledo


139


Detroit


204


Troy .


24


Franklin


41


Urbana


14


Galveston


1.444


Washington C. H ..


35


Horse Shoe Bend


353


Washington, D. C.


532


Indianapolis


130 Xenia.


20


Kansas City


697


London


20


Mammoth Cave


212


Mechanicsburg


18


New Orleans


1,000


New York


712


Niagara Falls


370


360


HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


SPRINGFIELD IN 1907.


Population .45,000


Assessed Valuation $23.000,000


Area in Acres


.5,760


Tax Rate .


.2.73


Elevation Above Tide Water, in Feet. 1,000


Streets, Miles 123


Improved Streets, Miles .73


Macadamized Streets, Miles


.14


Paved Streets, Miles 12


Graded and Graveled, Miles 48


Water Mains, Miles 75


Sewers. Miles Constructed .12


Sewers. Miles Under Construction 120


Street Railway, Miles .30


Traction Line Terminals


.6


Steam Railways, Systems


4


Manufacturing Industries


325


Capital Invested


$15,000,000


Number of Wage Earners, Men


8.000


Number of Wage Earners, Women .500


Total Paid in Wages, Annually


.$3.750.000


Value of Products


$18,000,000


More than one half the product is rep- resented under the classification of agri- cultural implements, but one city in the United States, Chicago, exceeding Spring- field in this industry.


LOCATION, ETC.


No doubt to many a citizen of Spring- field, viewing it now as a city of 45,000 or more, the query has presented itself, "Why was a town located upon this site?" For, as viewed today, the natural advantages are not many, otherwise than as it is located in a fertile country and inhabited by an active, intelligent class of people. No great river bears its com- merce on its bosom to and from wharves; no great mines of coal or iron are found in its locality; but to the pioneer of one hundred or more years ago in this local- ity these things did not present them- selves as necessities. Springfield owed its location, no doubt, to the site appearing to man at that time as a desirable one for a village, if not for a city. It was on a never-failing crystal water stream run- ning through one of the finest valleys that




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.