Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 149

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 149

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).

ONE OF "THE OLD GUARD" AN OHIO PIONEER.

There died in Logan county, in June, 1885, Christopher Stahley, aged 104 years and 10 months. He was a "last survivor" of the grand army of Napoleon ; a native of Alsace ; a typical veteran of the wars, scarred and crippled. He was a man of culture, and grew eloquent when describing his campaigns; and, like all of Napoleon's soldiers, adored his leader and worshipped his memory. We give herewith extracts from Stahley's story, as related to the correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer :

" I became a soldier at fifteen, and was one of the thirty thousand men who went with Napoleon to Egypt, and was one of the first to enter the city of Malta. I was with my command at the Pyramids, and participated in the terrible conflict with the Mamelukes. Thence across the desert and through the Isthmus of Suez to Gaza and Jaffa, and saw the 1,500 put to death for breaking their pa- role, and helped to annihilate the allied army of 18,000 at Aboukir.

"It was in 1804 that we helped to pro- claim him Emperor, and saw the prepara- tions made to invade England. But England was spared and Austria punished instead.

"Three years of preparation and we were on the road to the Capital of Russia in that memorable campaign of 1812. There were 480,000 of us who went forth to glory. Less than half that number returned, and the most of them after being detained as prison- ers. I saw them fall by battalions at Smo-

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HOCKING COUNTY.

lensk and Borodino, and perish by grand divisions on the retreat from Moscow to Smorgoni. I personally attended the Eu- peror to France, when he bade adien to his soldiers at the latter city.

" I was one of the Old Guard. There is a blank in my memory, and I do not know how I got back to Paris; but I found myself there, and learned that my old commander was a prisoner at St. Helena. Then came the news of his death. I had taken part in fifty engagements, great and small, and had scen men die by the thousand ; but that death affected me more than all the rest put to- gether.

"In 1822, in company with my wife, I emigrated to America. We reached Pitts- burg by stage. From there we floated down the Ohio on a flat-boat to the mouth of the

Muskingum, and ascended that river to Zanesville in a canoe. From Zanesville I trundled all my earthly possessions in a wheelbarrow to St. Joseph's, near Somerset. where I bought a farm and settled down. Then began my disasters. My oldest son was with me in the forest hewing logs for a barn, and by a false stroke of the broad axe cut off my thumb and finger. A few years later a vicious horse kicked me in the forehead and left this scar that looks like a sabre cut. The next year I fell from a tobacco-house I was helping to raise, and broke four ribs and my collar-bone. Ten years later I slipped and fell into a threshing-machine, and I had my foot torn off. A few years ago I was on my way to church, and my horse ran away, threw me out of the carriage, shattered my elbow, and left me with a stiff arm. I am in con- stant dread of meeting a fatal accident. Had I remained in the grand army of the Em- peror I would feel perfectly safe."

TRIP TO THE HOCKING VALLEY COAL MINES.

The coal mining interests of the Hocking valley have developed enormously within the past ten years. Immense quantities of this coal are carried by rail to Lake Erie, and thence transported by water to points on the lakes, while large quantities of it are reshipped by rail at Duluth and other points, for consumption in the Northwestern States.

The operators of the Hoeking valley have ever been ready to take advantage of new improvements in mining machinery and labor-saving deviees to increase the output of their mines. An account of a recent visit of the members of the Ohio Institute of Mining Engineers, for purposes of inspection, was published in the Ohio State Journal. We make extracts therefrom :

The first stop was made near Straitsville, where No. 11 mine, owned by the Columbus and Hoeking Coal and Iron Company, was visited and the thickness of the great vein was noted. The next stop was made at Sand Run, where the box-car loading machine was in operation. This machine is truly wonder- ful in its mechanism. The coal runs from a chute into the box-car door, where the coal is received on a portable platform run in through the opposite door. There is a steam- shovel attached to this platform, which works from right to left. throwing the coal to each end of the car. The machine is worked by steam and is under the control of an operator, who regulates the speed of the engine. This labor-saving device takes the place of four men, and with it a box-car can be loaded as quickly as an open car.

Another interesting machine at these works is the endless-rope haulage system. The en- gine is made on the same plan as a railroad locomotive, and the large drums over which the wire rope runs can be run backward or forward at the will of the engineer. Ten bank-cars are brought ont of the mine at a time, making about fifteen tons of coal, or about the average amount loaded on each railroad coal-car. There is a large dial, with a hand attached to the fly-wheel. This en-

ables the engineer to know at all times where the train is.

Leaving Sand Run at 9.10 A. M., the next stop was made at the mines of the Consoli- dated Coal and Mining Co., at Brashears, where the air-compressor and the Harrison mining machines are in operation. The Lechner air-drills and wire-rope hanlage were also in use.

After dinner the party visited the mines of the Ellsworth and Morris Coal Company at Brush Fork, which are the largest mines in the United States. At these mines there is an entry on each side of the valley, traeks leading in a "Y" on the same hoppers, and the coal is dumped over the same tipple. The capacity of the mines at this place is two thousand tous per day. One cannot imagine the magnitude of this great work without seeing it. Seven bank-cars are dumped per minute, or ten and a half tons. The wire- rope haulage system is used here also, but on a larger scale. The two last mines visited are fitted out with the latest machinery.

Leaving Brush Fork at two o'clock the next stop was made at Buchtel, where some left the train to visit the large blast furnace, while others went to Happy Hollow to see the coke-ovens of the Nelsonville Coal and Coke Company.

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HOCKING COUNTY.

Mr. Thomas E. Knauss, of Columbus, was with the party. Mr. Knauss was formerly located at Nelsonville, and is the pioneer of

the wire-rope haulage system in the Hocking valley.

The Haydenville Mining and Manufacturing Company, of which Peter Hayden, of Columbus, was president and principal owner, is a large concern; owning 3,000 aeres of valuable mineral land, underlaid by rich deposits of coal and fire- clay ; large and substantial building and factories, employing a large force of men, the company turns out immense quantities of sewer-pipe, fire-proofing, terra cotta, and paving-blocks. The industry is a valuable one.

Its development is due to the enterprise of Peter Hayden, he being one of the pioneer coal operators of the Hocking valley, and one who has done as much as any one man for the development of the vast mineral wealth of this region.

Mr. Hayden's death, which occurred April 6, 1888, brought sorrow and grief to many hearts in this valley, as he was renowned for his patriarchal care, his consideration for the comfort and interests, and benevolence to

those in his employ. Men of all classes deemed it an honor to work for him. He employed none but sober, industrions, and intelligent men, and never permitted a good man to leave his service, if money and con- siderate treatment were an inducement to re- main. As a result, his enterprises were sin- gularly free from all labor complications ; and his career affords an example to be emulated by all those employing large numbers of men.

HAYDENVILLE is six miles southeast of Logan, on the Hoeking Canal and C. H. V. & T. Railroad. Population about 600.

GORE is eight miles northeast of Logan, on the Straitsville branch of the C. H. V. & T. Railroad. Population about 600. School census, 1888, 200.

CARBON HILL is eight miles southeast of Logan, on the H. V. division of the C. H. V. & T. Railroad. Population abont 500.

LAURELVILLE is twenty-two miles southwest of Logan. It has one Cumber- land Presbyterian and one Baptist Church. Population abont 300. School cen- sus, 1888, 111.

MILLVILLE is eight miles northwest of Logan, on the C. H. V. & T. Railroad. Population about 250. School census, 1888, 115.

MURRAY CITY is twelve miles east of Logan, on the C. H. V. & T. Railroad. Population about .500.

SOUTH BLOOMINGVILLE is seventeen miles southwest of Logan. Popula- tion, 350.

HOLMES.

HOLMES COUNTY was formed January 20, 1824, and organized the next year. It was named from Major Holmes, a gallant young officer of the war of 1812, who was killed in the unsuccessful attack upon Mackinac, under Col. Croghan, August 4, 1814. Fort Holmes at Mackinac was also named from him.

Area about 420 square miles. In 1887 the acres cultivated were 99,862; in pasture, 111,913; woodland, 50,474; lying waste, 2,919; produced in wheat, 462,252 bushels ; rye, 6,145; buckwheat, 1,096; oats, 553,489 ; barley, 898 ; corn, 554,491 ; broom corn, 1,200 lbs. brush ; meadow hay, 23,882 tons; clover hay, 11,440; potatoes, 56,16I bushels; tobacco, 955 lbs .; butter, 499,561; cheese, 197,623 ; sorghum, 870 gallons; maple syrup, 5,017 ; honey, 5,505 lbs. ; eggs, 550,828 dozen ; grapes, 19,550 lbs. ; wine, 317 gallons ; apples, 24, 153 bush. ;

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HOLMES COUNTY.

peaches, 24,153 ; pears, 1,110; wool, 211,529 lbs. ; milch cows owned, 6,868. School census, 1888, 7,029 ; teachers, 171. Miles of railroad track, 47.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS. 1840.

1880.

Berlin,

1,151

1,378

Paint,

1,361

1,381

German,

1,281

1,517

Prairie,

1,347

1,462

Hardy,

1,985

3,230

Richland,

1,088

1,463

Killbuck,

906

1,375

Ripley,

1,279

1,359

Knox,

1,178

1,005

Salt Creek,

1,730

1,494

Mechanic,

1,400

1,271

Walnut Creek,

1,000

1,371

Monroc,

898

1,054

Washington,

1,457

1,416

Population of Holmes in 1830 was 9,123; 1840, 18,061; 1860, 20,589; 1880, 20,776; of whom 17,436 were born in Ohio, 1,345 in Pennsylvania, 105 in Indiana, 96 in Virginia, 74 in New York, 2 in Kentucky, 782 in Ger- man Empire, 177 in France, 71 in Ireland, 45 in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland, 5 in British America, and 18 in Sweden and Norway. Census, 1890, 21,139.

The following historical and descriptive sketch of Holmes county and of Millersburg, the county-seat, was carefully prepared by one of its venerable citizens, Mr. G. F. Newton, of Millersburg. It being more full than that in our first edition we substitute it.

The territory included within the county of Holmes was taken from the counties of Wayne, Coshocton and Tuscarawas: from Wayne, 87,440 acres, from Coshocton, 162,200 acres, and from Tuscarawas, 16,200 aeres; total area, 267,840. A line running diagonally through the county from east-northeast to west-southwest, commonly known as the " Indian Boundary " line, separates the United States military district and the Indian reservation (new purchase).

The territory north of this line was surveyed into townships of six miles square, and again into sections of 640 aeres. That south of said line is surveyed into townships of five miles square, and again into quarter townships of 4,000 acres. Some of these quarter townships were again divided into 100 acre lots for the private soldiers of 1776. Within this county 480 of these 100 acre lots were given to the soldiers of the Revolutionary war. Six of the 4,000 acre tracts of land were set apart as schools-land for the Connecticut Western Reserve and sub- sequently sold at public sale. The remainder of this territory was surveyed into sections of 640 aeres and sold at private entry at Zanesville.

The valley of Killbuck river passes from north to south through the centre of the county ; the valley is deep and adjoining hills high and steep. On each side of the river, seven to nine miles distant, is a high ridge of land, separating its waters from those of the Mohican and Tuscarawas. From the valley to the hill- tops are innumerable springs of pure water, many of them very strong, which in their rapid descent to the river furnish good water-power.

In the northwest corner of the county is Odell's Lake, a beautiful body of pure water, in places thirty feet deep. It is half a mile broad, two miles long, and abounds in fish. It furnishes water-power sufficient to run a large flouring mill. The P. Ft. W. & C. R. R. has constructed a station on the north side of this lake. Since then it has become a popular place of resort for pleasure and fishing parties.

All the valleys of this county are very productive when properly cultivated, and those of Paint, Martin's and Doughty's creeks are wide and beautiful. The chief productions are wheat, corn, oats, hay, sheep, cattle and horses. Taking into consideration its size, Holmes is hardly surpassed by any county in the State for its productions of wheat and fine horses.

The sonthwest part of the county is quite broken and hilly ; yet its immense quarrie of brown, white and blue limestone, coal and other minerals, make it

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HOLMES COUNTY.

equally valuable with other parts. Coal has been successfully mined in every township of the county and in some of them extensively.

FIRST SETTLEMENT.

In July, 1809, Jonathan Grant, of Beaver county, Pa., and his son, then a boy, built the first cabin in the county. They came on foot through the woods, carry- ing a gun, ammunition and tools for doing their work. Their cabin was on Salt creek, in Prairie township, about one mile east of the Killbuck. They made a clearing and sowed a large patch for turnips. Grant then fell sick, and for twenty-eight days lay on a bed of bark and leaves, and subsisted chiefly on roots, attended only by his son. He became reduced to a skeleton, and the boy was but little better.

An Indian passing along the valley discovered the cabin and stopped. He told Grant that "Pale Face" and his family were encamped in the Killbuck valley, at a big spring, and pointed the direction. The boy went and in a short time returned with Jonathan Butler, who had, with his father-in-law, James Morgan, reached the valley the day previous.

Through the timely assistance of Butler, Grant soon recovered and became of much service to his new acquaintances. Grant could speak the Indian language, and was with the surveyors as their "lookout" while surveying the "new purchase," and knew all about the country, as well as being a great hunter. His patch of turnips turned out abundantly and of excellent quality, and proved of much service that fall and next spring. Grant did not return home to his family in Pennsylvania until cold weather.

In April, 1810, Edwin Martin, then John L. Dawson, David and Robert Knox, settled on Martin's creek, about one mile south of Grant's cabin. A few days later a dozen or more families settled in that neighborhood, Grant's among them. Settlements were commenced on the east end of this county-then Tuscarawas- along the valleys of Walnut and Sugar creeks, in 1809-10, by the Troyers, Hoch- tellers, Weavers, Millers, Domers, Bergers and others : also on Donghty, the Carpenters and Morrisons. In 1810-11 Peter Casey and others settled on the Killbuck, near Millersburg ; and Abraham Shrimlin farther sonth on Shrimlin creek. Peter Shimer, Jacob Korn, Thomas Edgar and others, near Berlin ; and the Finneys, Mackey, Hevelands and others, in what is now Monroe township, then in Coshocton county. In 1810-11 the Priests, Bonnets, Newkirks, Drakes and Quicks settled in the valley of Mohican, then Wayne county.

In 1812 the settlers fearing the Indians built a block-house on the Dawson land, half a mile east of Holmesville ; but the Indians not becoming troublesome it was used but a short time. Col. Crawford on his unfortunate campaign crossed the Killbuck north of Holmes, and camped at night near the " big spring," May 30, 1781 ; there one of his men died that night, and his burial-place was marked on a beech-tree near by. At this spring Jonathan Butler settled, and February 4, 1810, his daughter Hannah was born. The spring is known as the first burial and first birth-place of white persons in the county.

On the organization of the county the associate judges of the Court of Com- mon Pleas appointed were : Peter Casey, William Hutchinson and George Luke. They met at Millersburg, February 18, 1825, and organized the court. They appointed James S. Irvine clerk of court and county recorder, and Samuel Robinson county surveyor. They also issued a proclamation for an election to ensue April 4th, for the necessary township and county officers, whereby Daniel Hutchinson was elected sheriff; Anson Wheaton, coroner ; Seth Hunt, auditor ; for county commissioners, David I. Finney, Griffith Johnson and Frederick Hall. The commissioners at their June term organized the county into townships, which remain unchanged.

Millersburg in 1846 .- Millersburg, the county-seat, is situated on elevated

937

HOLMES COUNTY.

ground, surrounded by lofty hills, on Killbuck ereck, eighty-seven miles north- east of Columbus, and about seventy south of Cleveland. It was laid out in 1824, by Charles Miller and Adam Johnson, and public lots sold on the 4th of June of that year. There had been previously, a quarter of a mile north, a town of the same name, laid out about the year 1816. The names recollected of the first settlers in the village are Seth Hunt, Colonel William Painter, Samuel S. Henry, George Stout, Samuel C. M'Dowell, R. K. Enos, Jonathan Korn, John Smurr, John Glasgow, Thomas Hoskins, James Withrow, James M'Kennan- the first lawyer in Holmes, and James S. Irvine, the first physician in the same. A short time previous to the sale three houses were erected. The first was a frame, on the northeast corner of Jackson and Washington streets; the second, a frame, on the northeast corner of Washington and Adams streets; and the last, a log, on the site of S. C. Bever's residence. The Seceder church, the first built, was erected in 1830, and the Methodist Episcopal in 1833. The village was laid out in the forest, and in 1830 the population reached to 320. About fourteen years since, on a Sunday afternoon, a fire broke out in the frame house on the corner of Washington and Adams streets, and destroyed a large part of the vil- lage. Among the buildings burned were the court-house and jail, which were of log, the first standing on the northeast corner of the public square, and the other a few rods south of it. Millersburg contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Episcopal Meth- odist, 1 Lutheran and 1 Seceder church, 2 newspaper printing-offiees, 10 dry- goods and 3 grocery stores, 1 foundry, 1 grist-mill, and had, in 1846, 673 inhab- itants .- Old Edition.

MILLERSBURG is eighty-three miles northeast of Columbus and eighty-four miles south of Cleveland, on the C. A. & C. Railroad. Newspapers : Holmes County Farmer, Democratic, Newton & Barton, editors and proprietors ; Holmes County Republican, Republican, White & Cunningham, proprietors. Churches : 1 Catholie, 1 Disciples, 1 United Presbyterian, 1 Lutheran, 1 German Reformed, 1 Methodist Episcopal, and 1 Presbyterian. Banks : Commercial, Robert Long, president, Jolin E. Koch, Jr., cashier ; L. Mayer's Exchange, C. R. Mayer, cash- ier ; J. & G. Adams, A. C. Adams, cashier. County Officers, 1888 : Anditor, Edwin A. Uhl ; Clerk, Jacob J. Strome ; Commissioners, Jacob Schmidt, Philip Petry, Henry Shafer ; Coroner, John A. Gonser ; Infirmary Directors, Edward E. Olmstead, Joseph Geisinger, John McClelland ; Probate Judge, Richard W. Taneyhill ; Prosecuting Attorney, Samuel N. Schwartz; Recorders, Theodore H. Thome, Jacob B. Lepley ; Sheriff, William S. Troyer; Surveyor, William S. Hanna ; Treasurers, A. B. Rudy, Samuel Anderson. City Officers, 1888 : Mayor, John P. Larimer ; Clerk, J. G. Walkup ; Treasurer, Allen G. Sprankle ; Marshal, John E. Albertson.

Manufacturers and Employees .- Gray & Adams, planing mill, 4 hands ; Henry Snyder, tiles, etc., 12; Maxwell, Hecker & Pomerene, flour, etc., 10 .- State Re- port, 1888. Population in 1880, 1,814. School census, 1888, 590; John A. McDowell, superintendent. Census, 1890, 1,923.

The county has had three court-houses and three jails. The first of these were constructed of wood and burned in 1834; these were replaced by brick strue- tures, since taken down to give place to the present buildings. The present court- house, completed in 1886, is all of stone, in three colors-white, blue and gray- taken from quarries within the county. For beauty and durability they are un- surpassed by any in the State. In the county are ten thriving villages, all having good schools, churches, stores and various mechanical shops.

The county has fifteen school districts, 106 well-built school-houses, many of them having large grounds with trees, vines and flowers; eleven of them with two or more departments, and sixty-one comfortable frame, brick or stone churches, and about as many more worshipping congregations meet in school-houses, which, if the entire population of the county were at once to assemble, would give an average of 120 attendants at each place.

Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.

MILLERSBURG.

Ross Hall, Millersburg, Photo., 1886.

MILLERSBURG.

Each of the views is taken from the same point, forty years apart in time.

939

HOLMES COUNTY.

The first newspaper published in the county, the Millersburg Gazette, was printed June 9, 1828. It was Democratie in politics, and as such had a continuous pub- lication as the official paper of the county. In 1840 its name was changed to Holmes County Farmer, which name it still bears. It is now published by D. G. Newton and L. G. Barton ; the former has been connected with its publication thirty-three years. In 1835 an opposition paper, the Holmes County Whig, was started. It had many suspensions, revivals and changes of name. In 1870 Messrs. White & Cunningham became proprietors of the Holmes County Repub- lican. Under their management it has been more prosperous, and has had a con- tinuous publication.

The foregoing includes all of Mr. Newton's article. We here remark that the two views of Millersburg were taken from the same point.

The new court-houses, through Central Ohio more especially, are elegant strue- tures, in which the people of their respective counties have a just affection and pride, for with them chuister the associations connected with the protection of society through the administration of law, the preservation of titles to the savings of honest industry in the form of real estate and its proper distribution to the widow and the fatherless. The church, the court-house and the school-house are the three prime factors of our civilization.

For our original account of the historical facts connected with this place and its vicinity we were indebted to Dr. Robert K. Enos, whose acquaintance we made on our first visit. We substituted the article of Mr. Newton (excepting the old description of Millersburg), because it embodied the same facts with important additions. Dr. Enos died here September 13, 1884, after living a long and highly useful life. He was born in Hanover, Washington county, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 7, 1806, and came to this county April 24, 1824. He was one of the leading men in the organization of the county and town ; was the oldest inhabitant of Millersburg ; ent down the first trees within its limits, preparatory to laying it out ; planted the first ornamental shade-trees; practised medicine with the first physician of Millersburg, Dr. James S. Irvine, until his death-thirty-one years ; started with him the first bank, and was its cashier ; was the first mayor of Mil- lersburg ; was twenty-one years clerk of court, and was the chief instrument in bringing the first railroad to the town.

In politics he was an ardent Republican, and, in what his friends took especial pride, as a delegate to the Chicago Convention of 1860, he was one of the memo- rable Ohio four who in that Convention brought about the nomination of Abraham Lincoln. The circumstances connected with the change of votes which gave this result were published the next morning in the Chicago Tribune, under the caption of

The Four Votes .- "During the progress of the third ballot for President, the steady in- crease of Lincoln's vote raised the expecta- tions of his friends to fever-heat that he was about to receive the nomination. When the roll-call was completed a hasty footing dis- covered that Lincoln lacked but 2} votes of election, the ballot standing, for Lincoln, 331} ; Seward, 180; scattering, 34} ; neces- sary to a choice 334.

Before the vote was announced, Mr. R. M. Corwine, of the Ohio delegation, who had voted for Governor Chase up to that time, and three other delegates, viz., R. K. Enos, John A. Gurley and Isaac Stecse, changed their votes to Lincoln, giving him a majority of the whole convention and nominating him. D. H. Carrter, chairman of the Ohio delc-

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 149

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