Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 146

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 1006

USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I > Part 146

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LIBERTY CENTRE is 7 miles northeast of Napoleon and 29 miles southwest of Toledo via W. St. L. & P. Railroad. It has 1 newspaper : Press, Independent, J. H. Smith and D. S. Mires, proprietors. Four churches : 1 Methodist Episco- pal, 1 German Reformed, 1 Adventist, and 1 United Brethren. Population in 1880, 504.

HOLGATE is 10 miles south of Napoleon and 42 miles southwest of Toledo, at the crossing of the T. C. & St. L. and B. & O. Railroads. It has 1 newspaper : Times, Independent, W. E. Decker, editor and publisher. Four churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Lutheran, and 1 Catholic. Factories and employees : Chris. E. Whitlock, lumber, 10; Shelly & Bros., hoops and staves, 60; Bray Bros., staves and heading, 40; G. Laubenthal, lumber, etc., 1C .- State Report, 1888. Population in 1880, 595. School census, 1886, 353; W. E. Decker, superintendent.

912

HIGHLAND COUNTY.

HIGHLAND.

HIGHLAND COUNTY was formed in May, 1805, from Ross, Adams and Cler- mont, and so named because on the highlands between the Scioto and the Little Miami. The surface is part rolling and part level, and the soil various. As a whole it is a wealthy and productive county. Area about 470 square miles. In 1887 the acres cultivated were 119,588; in pasture, 128,380; woodland, 54,430; lying waste, 4,728 ; produced in wheat, 323,884 bushels ; rye, 3,434; buckwheat, 47; oats, 134,249 ; barley, 796 ; corn, 1,192,567 ; broom corn, 10,095 lbs. brush ; meadow hay, 19,965 tons ; clover hay, 1,952; potatoes, 24,083 bushels; tobacco, 25,940 lbs .; butter, 560,802 lbs .; cheese, 150; sorghum, 4,044 gallons ; maple syrup, 6,486 ; honey, 2,748 lbs .; eggs, 598,205 dozen; grapes, 5,100 lbs .; wine, 16 gallons ; sweet potatoes, 2,464 bushels; apples, 2,132; peaches, 760; pears, 327; wool, 88,442 lbs .; milch cows owned, 6,536. School census, 1888, 9,189 ; teachers, 256. Miles of railroad track, 50.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880

Brush Creek,

1,502

1,651

Marshall,

811

Clay,

783

1,449

New Market,

1,302

1,080

Concord,

1,014

1,235

Paint,

2,560

2,476

Dodson,

795

1,871

Penn,

1,507

Fairfield,

3,544

2,470

Salem,

1,004

1,144

Hamer,

1,051

Union,

1,089

1,453

Jackson,

2,352

942

Washington,

944

Liberty,

3,521

5,381

White Oak,

887

1,248

Madison,

1,916

3,568

Population in Highland in 1820 was 12,308; in 1830, 16,347 ; 1840, 22,269 ; 1860, 27,773 ; 1880, 30,281, of whom 26,373 were born in Ohio; 1,120 in Vir- ginia ; 527 in Pennsylvania ; 367 in Kentucky; 134 in Indiana; 123 in New York ; 382 in Ireland ; 214 in German Empire; 156 in France ; 64 in England and Wales; 51 in Scotland, and 21 in British America. Census, 1890, 29,048.

This county was first settled about the year 1801; the principal part of the early settlers were from Virginia and North Carolina, many of whom were Friends. The first settlement was made in the vicinity of New Market, by Oliver Ross, Robert Huston, Geo. W. Barrere and others. Among the settlers of the county was Bernard Weyer, the discoverer of the noted cave in Virginia, known as " Weyer's cave," who is yet living on the rocky fork of Paint creek. The celebrated pioneer and hunter, Simon Kenton, made a trace through this county, which passed through or near the site of Hillsboro': it is designated in various land titles as " Kenton's Trace." The fight between Simon Kenton with a party of whites and another of Indians under Tecumseh took place in what is now Dodson township, south of Lynchburg, as described in full in Vol. I., page 328, of this work.

Hillsborough in 1846 .- Hillsborough, the county-seat, is on the dividing ridge between the Miami and Scioto, in a remarkably healthy situation, sixty-two miles south from Columbus, and thirty-six westerly from Chillicothe. It was laid out as the seat of justice in 1807, on land of Benjamin Ellicott, of Baltimore, the site being selected by David Hays, the commissioner appointed for that purpose. Prior to this, the seat of justice was at New Market, although the greater part of the population of Highland was north and east of Hillsborough. The original town plat comprised 200 acres, 100 of which Mr. Ellicott gave to the county, and sold the remainder at $2 per acre. It contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, and 1 Baptist church, 2 newspaper printing offices, 14 stores, and had in 1840,

913

HIGHLAND COUNTY.

868 inhabitants. It is a neat village, the tone of society elevated, and its in- habitants disposed to foster the literary institutions situated herc.

The Hillsborough academy was founded in 1827 ; its first teacher was the Rev. J. McD. Mathews. A charter was obtained shortly after, and the funds of the institution augmented by two valuable tracts, comprising 2,000 acres, given by Maj. Adam Hoops and the late Hon. John Brown, of Kentucky. A handsome brick building has been purchased by its trustees, on a beautiful eminence near the town, which is devoted to the purposes of the institution. It has the nucleus for a fine library, and ere long will possess an excellent philosophical and chemical apparatus. It is now very flourishing, and has a large number of pupils; " the classical and mathematical courses are as thorough and extensive, as any college in the West;" instruction is also given in other branches usually taught in col- leges. Especial attention is given to training young men as teachers. It is under the charge of Isaac Sams, Esq. The Oakland female seminary, a chartered in- stitution, was commenced in 1839, by the Rev. J. McD. Mathews, who has still charge of it. It now has over 100 pupils, and is in excellent repute. Diplomas are conferred upon its graduates. The academy is beautifully located in the out- skirts of the village, and is well furnished with maps, apparatus, etc., and has a small library .- Old Edition.

HILLSBOROUGH, county-seat of Highland, about 60 miles southwest of Colum- bus, 61 miles east of Cincinnati, is at the terminus of the Hillsborough branch of the C. W. & B. Railroad, and on the O. & N. W. Railroad.

County Officers, 1888 : Auditor, George W. Lefevre; Clerk, John H. Keech ; Commissioners, John M. Foust, Isaac Larkin, George W. Miller ; Coroner, R. A. Brown ; Infirmary Directors, E. V. Grim, Richard Crosen, George W. Smith ; Probate Judge, Le Roy Kelly ; Prosecuting Attorney, J. B. Worley ; Recorder, Samuel N. Patton ; Sheriff, M. S. Mackerly ; Surveyor, Nathaniel Massie ; Treasurer, E. O. Hetherington. City Officers, 1888 : A. Harman, Mayor; W. H. Ayres, Clerk; G. W. Rhoades, Marshal ; James Reece, Treasurer; D. Q. Morrow, Solicitor ; Patrick McCabe, Superintendent of Public Works.

Newspapers : Gazette, Democratic, A. E. Hough, editor, Hough & Dittey, pub- lishers ; News-Herald, Republican, News-Herald Publishing Company, editors and publishers. Churches : 1 Protestant Episcopal, 2 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Baptist, 1 Catholic, 1 Wesleyan Methodist (colored), 1 Baptist (colored). Banks : Citizens' National, C. M. Overman, president ; O. S. Price, cashier. First National, John A. Smith, president ; L. S. Smith, cashier. Mer- chants' National, Henry Strain, president ; E. L. Ferris, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees : Carroll & Downham, carriages, etc., 20; J. S. Ellifritz & Co., blankets, etc., 13; J. W. Pence, building material, 5; Enterprise Planing Mill, doors, sash, etc., 8; Evans & McGuire, flour, etc., 5; C. S. Bell & Co., bells, etc., 60; Richards & Ayre, flour, etc., 3; J. M. Boyd & Co., flour, etc., 21 ; C. A. Roush & Co., lumber, 7 .- State Report, 1888.

Population, 1880, 3,234. School census, 1888, 1080; Samuel Major, school superintendent. Capital invested in manufacturing establishments, $85,500. Value of annual product, $90,350 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888. Census, 1890, 3,645.

The site of Hillsborough is commanding. It stands like Rome "on seven hills," 753 feet above the Ohio, and with beautiful surroundings. It has an ex- cellent public library of 6,000 volumes, supported by town taxation. Its people possess a high reputation for culture ; a natural consequence of its long-enjoyed advantages as an educational centre. Here are located the " Highland Institute," the " Hillsborough Conservatory of Music," Rev. G. R. Beecher, president, with nineteen teachers in music, art, and elocution, and one hundred and eighty-one pupils ; also the Hillsborough College, which admits pupils of both sexcs. It has a faculty of sixteen members, J. H. Mckenzie, president ; its entire course occupying four years. It has a gymnasium and a military department, under

914

HIGHLAND COUNTY.

Major Wm. E. Arnold, by which "stooping forms become erect, narrow chests · expanded, and the whole bearing more manly."

As is natural on such a spot some of its citizens have ventured into the realms of authorship, viz. : Henry S. Doggett, by a biography of Prof. Isaac Sams ; Samuel P. Scott, by " Travels in Spain," "elegant in illustrations, accurate and full in its facts ;" Chas. H. Collins, of the Hillsborough bar, by a book of poetry, " Echoes from the Highland Hills ;" also by "Highland Hills to an Emperor's Tomb," combining travels with poetry ; Henry A. Shepherd, a lawyer also, in a " History of Ohio," which was only partially printed when he suddenly died broken-hearted. His history in connection with that work is sad ; his materials, after years of industry, having been twice destroyed by fire. Another author of great promise was Hugh S. McNicol, who died young of consumption. Otway Curry, journalist and poet, was born in Greenfield, this county, in 1804; and Rev. Jas. B. Finley, who wrote books, was one of the first settlers, married here, and began life as a hunter.

THE WOMEN'S TEMPERANCE CRUSADE.

In 1873 there was inaugurated at Hillsborough, Ohio, the most remarkable movement against intemperance in the history of the world. Unique in its methods, widespread in its results; and although a failure, as regards its direct purpose, nevertheless it accomplished much good, and advanced public sentiment toward the reformation of the great evils of the vice of intemperance.

It had its origin in an address delivered in Hillsborough, on December 23, 1873, at Music Hall, by Dr. Dio Lewis, before a large audience. The lecture was an eloquent and effective appeal. Dr. Lewis graphically portrayed the misery of his childhood home, caused by an intemperate father. In the New York village in which his parents resided, many of the fathers were intemperate and neglected their families, which were supported by the wives and children, who worked in mills and factories. He told how his mother, driven to desperation, started and led a movement in which most of the women of the village participated.

These women met in the village church, appealed to God to aid them and crown their efforts with success ; and, kneeling before the altar, solemnly pledged themselves to perse- vere until victory was won. Their plan of operations was to go in a body to the liquor- sellers, appeal to their better nature to cease a traffic that was carrying sorrow, degrada- tion, and poverty to so many of their homes. The movement was successful, and the sale of liquor stopped in that village.

Dr. Lewis appealed to the women of Hills- borough to do likewise. He then asked if they were in favor of trying the experiment there, and received a unanimous affirmative response. All who were willing to act as a committee to visit the liquor-dealers were re- quested to rise, and more than fifty promptly rose.

A committee of fifty leading citizens was formed to aid the women by moral and finan- cial support. More than $12,000 was pledged.

Next morning a meeting was held at the Presbyterian church. Addresses were made by all the pastors present, and Col. W. H. Trimble, Hon. S. E. Hibben, and Judge Matthews. The ladies all signed a solemn compact, as follows : " With God's help, we will stand by each other in this work, and persevere therein until it is accomplished ;

and see to it, as far as our influence goes, that the traffic shall never be revived."

On Christmas morning, at nine o'clock, having completed the organization, one hun- dred and fifteen women filed out of the church, formed a procession, and marched to the drug stores. These were the first to re- ceive their attentions, and on this first morn- ing two proprietors of the four drug stores- J. J. Brown and Seybert & Isamenn-signed the pledge ; the third offered to sell only on his own prescription, but the fourth, Mr. W. H. H. Dunn, refused any dictation.

On Friday, December 26, the saloons were visited ; and Mrs. J. H. Thompson, daugh- ter of the late Gov. Trimble, made the first prayer in a liquor saloon. There were eleven of these in the town, and they presented a defiant front ; so that no signatures were se- cured as a result of this first day's work.

The next morning they received a commu . nication from Mr. Dunn, the druggist, in re ply to the appeal of the Committee of Visita tion. It was as follows :

"LADIES : In compliance with my agree' ment, I give you this promise : That I will carry on my business in the future as I have in the past ; that is to say, that in the sale of intoxicating liquors I will comply with the

Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.

COURT-HOUSE, HILLSBORO.

MRS. RUNYAN.

DIO LEWIS.

MOTHER STEWART.

SINGING BEFORE A SALOON.

916

HIGHLAND COUNTY.

law ; nor will I sell to any person whose fa- ther, mother, wife or daughter sends me a written request not to make such sale."

Dunn was represented as a man of frank, open disposition, and with a high sense of honor, which rendered the people unpre- pared for the strong opposition which he manifested. He was moved by no prayers, and would listen to no entreaties. For a while he made no objection to the ladies coming into his store and carrying on their devotions ; but at length, one Friday morn- ing, they found the door locked upon them, and were thereafter inexorably excluded. This picture of the scenes there was thus de- scribed :

"However bitter the cold or piercing the wind, these women could be seen, at almost any hour of the day, kneeling on the cold flag-stones before this store. In the midst, with voice raised in earnest prayer, is the daughter of a former governor of Ohio.

"Surrounding her are the wives and dauglı- ters of statesmen, lawyers, bankers, physi- cians, and business men-representatives from nearly all the households of the place. The prayer ended, the women rise from their knees, and begin, in a low voice, some sweet and familiar hymn, that brings back to the heart of the looker-on the long-forgotten in- fluences of childhood. Tears may be seen in the eyes of red-nosed and hard-hearted men, supposed to be long since past feeling. Pass- ers by lift their hats and pass softly. Con- versation is in subdued tones, and a sympa- thetic interest is depicted on every face. Then follows another subdued prayer and a song, at the close of which a fresh relay of women come up, and the first ones retire to the residence of an honored citizen, close at hand, where a lunch is spread for their re- freshment. Soon it is their turn to resume their praying and singing ; and so the siege is kept up from morning till night, and day after day, with little variation in method or incidents."

Meanwhile the saloons were not neglected. The war upon them made slow but certain progress.

By January 30th, five saloons and three drug-stores had yielded, and about the same number of saloons and one drug-store re- mained.

The following amusing "inside view " of one of these saloon visits appeared in a Cin- cinnati paper. It was given by a young blood who was there. He and a half dozen others, who had been out of town and did not know what was going on, had ranged themselves in the familiar semicircle before the bar, and had their drinks ready and cigars prepared for the match, when the rustle of women's wear attracted their attention, and looking up they saw what they thought a crowd of a thousand women entering. One youth saw among them his mother and sister ; another had two cousins in the invading host, and a still more unfortunate recognized his intended mother-in-law. Had the invisible prince of

the pantomime touched them with his magic wand, converting all to statues, the tableau could not have been more impressive. For full one minute they stood as if turned to stone; then a slight motion was evident. and lager-beer and brandy-smash descended slowly to the counter, while segars dropped un- lighted from nerveless fingers. Happily, at this juncture the ladies struck up :

" Oh, do not be discouraged, For Jesus is your friend."

It made a diversion, and the party escaped to the street, " scared out of a year's growth."

On the morning of January 31st Mr. Dunn had printed and distributed about the town a "Notice to the Ladies of Hillsborough," which addressed some thirty ladies and nearly the same number of men by name, and warned them that further interference with his business would be followed by suit at law for damages and trespass.

Notwithstanding this notice it was resolved to go on with the work. The mayor's con- sent was given for the erection of a tempo- rary structure on the street in front of the store. This was called the "Tabernacle." It was constructed of canvas and plank, and the ladies at once took possession. Dunn applied to the Court, and Judge Safford issued an injunction, and the "Tabernacle " was quietly taken down that night. Then came the trial of the case. High legal talent was employed on both sides. It was a long and weary contest, and the verdict was not reached until May, 1875, when a decision in favor of Mr. Dunn awarded him five ($5) dollars damages. From this judgment an appeal was made to the Supreme Court, but the case was finally compromised and never came to trial.

The day after inaugurating the " Crusade " at Hillsborough, Dr. Lewis started the move- ment at Washington Court-House, the plan being the same as that adopted at Hillsbo- rough, and it met with such success that in eleven days eleven saloons and three drug- stores had capitulated. Not a drop of liquor could be bought within the corporate limits of Washington Court-House ; but there were two obdurate saloon-keepers just outside the cor- porate limits. One of these, named Slater. resorted to several plans for freezing the ladies out of his establishment. He allowed his fire to go out, opened all the windows, and wet the floor down with water until it stood in pools. It was bitter January weather and the cold was very severe on the ladies. But one morning Mr. Slater was surprised to find before his door a small portable building, hastily constructed of boards, supplied with seats and a stove. The side facing him was open. Comfortably seated in this, the first Tabernacle" of the Crusade, the besieging party continued praying and singing, but the besieged held out against "moral suasion" until about the middle of January, when he was brought to terms by a criminal prosecu- tion under the Adair law.

917

HIGHLAND COUNTY.

From Washington Court-House the move- ment extended to Wilmington and other towns and villages, until finally almost every town and village in Southern Ohio had its band of "Crusaders." The outside world began to grow interested. The public press said it was destined to be the sensation of the day, and special correspondents were de- tailed to chronicle its history and incidents.

A number of women under the stimulus of the movement developed into powerful public speakers, with a wonderful power of expression and fervor. These were called from their native places to do missionary work in other localities. Prominent among these were Mother Stewart, of Springfield ; Mrs. Runyan, wife of a Methodist minister

of Wilmington, and Mrs. Hadley, a soft- spoken Quakeress of Wilmington.

The most refractory individual with whom the ladies had to deal during this " Crusade " was John Van Pelt. An account of this case is given in the Clinton county chapter of this work.

About the 1st of February, 1874, the Cin- cinnati Gazette published statistics showing that, in twenty-five towns, 109 saloons had been closed and twenty-two drug-stores pledged not to sell intoxicating liquors. An effort was made to start the movement in larger cities, such as Columbus and Cincin- nati, but without success, and a few months later the whole movement had gradually sub- sided and died out.

ALLEN TRIMBLE was born in Augusta county, Va., November 24, 1783. His parents were of Scotch-Irish stock. His father, Captain James, removed to Lexington, Ky., and shortly after his death, which occurred in 1804, Allen settled in Highland county, where he was clerk of the courts and recorder in 1809-16. In the war of 1812 he commanded a mounted regiment under Gen. Wm. Heury Harrison, and rendered efficient service. He was sent to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1816; was elected State Senator in 1817; was made Speaker of that body, and held the position until January 7, 1822, when he became acting Governor and served to the end of that year. In 1826 he was elected Governor, and re-elected in 1828. In 1846-48 was President of the first State Board of Agriculture.

As governor he did much to extend and improve the common school system, en- courage manufactures and promote peniten- tiary reform. He was a man of strong religious feeling, of strict integrity, shrewd and with much of what is commonly called "good common sense." These qualities made his career of greater service to the people of Ohio than if he had possessed more brilliant parts without balance. He died at the age of eighty-seven, at Hillsboro, Ohio, February 3, 1870.

The HON. WM. A. TRIMBLE was born in Woodford, Ky., April 4, 1786. His father, Captain James Trimble, bad emi- grated with his family from Augusta, Va., to Kentucky. In the year 1804, being deeply impressed with the evils of slavery, he was about to remove into Highland, when he was taken unwell and died. His son William graduated at Transylvania University, after which he returned to Ohio, spent some time in the office of his brother Allen, since Gov. Trimble, later studied law at Litchfield, Conn., and returned to Highland and com- menced the practice of his profession.

At the breaking out of the war of 1812, he was chosen major in the Ohio volunteers, was at Hull's surrender and was liberated on his parole. Some time in the following winter he was regularly exchanged, and in March was commissioned major in the 26th regiment. In the defence of and sortie from Fort Erie, he acted with signal bravery, and received a severe wound, which was the prominent cause of his death, years after.

He continued in the army until 1819, with the rank of brevet lieutenant-colonel, at which time he was elected to the national senate, to succeed Mr. Morrow, whose time of service had expired. In December, 1819, he took his seat, and soon gave promise of much future usefulness. He progressed for two sessions of Congress in advancing the public interest, and storing his mind with useful knowledge, when nature yielded to the recurring shocks of disease, and he died, December 13, 1821, aged 35 years.

JOSEPH BENSON FORAKER was born July 5, 1846, in a log-cabin, about one mile north of Rainsboro. His ancestors came to Ohio from Virginia and Delaware on account of distaste of slavery. Bred on his father's farm he assisted him on the farm and in the grist and saw mill thereon. One day when a small boy he tore his only pair of pants. There was no suitable cloth at hand to make a new pair and time was too precious to send any one to town ; in this dilemma his mother made him a pair out of a coffee sack. He protested against wearing these to school, saying, "All the boys will laugh at me." "Never heed what the boys say," replied his mother. "If you become a useful man nobody will ask what kind of pantaloons you wore when a child."

At the age of sixteen he enlisted in the 89th Ohio infantry, and distinguished him self wherever duty called him. He was made sergeant in August, 1862; first lieu- tenant in March, 1865 ; was brevetted captain " for efficient services." He was at the bat-

Kratzer, Photo.

RESIDENT STREET, HILLSBORO, 1890.

Kratzer, Photo. BUSINESS STREET, HILLSBORO, 1890.

616

HIGHLAND COUNTY.

tles of Missionary Ridge, Kennesaw Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and was with Sherman in his march to the sea. Ryan's History of Ohio says of him : "He was mustered out

JOSEPH BENSON FORAKER.

of the army, after a brave and brilliant ser- vice, when but nineteen years of age. After the war he spent two years at the Ohio Wes- leyan University, Delaware, Ohio, and thenee went to Cornell University. He graduated there July 1, 1869.

In 1879 he was elected Judge of the Su- perior Court of Cincinnati, which position he held for three years. In 1883 he was nom- inated for governor, but was defeated by Judge Hoadly, the Democratic candidate. In 1885 he was again nominated and eleeted. He was renominated and re-elected in 1887. [In 1889 he was again renominated, but was defeated by the Democratie candidate, James E. Campbell, of Butler county. ]

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 146

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio Number of Pages: 1006

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 1006