Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 56

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 56

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3. As my usefulness in a great measure depends on my discipline, I am determined to keep my arms in good order, to keep my clothing mended and brushed, to attend all drills, and do my best to master all my duties as a soldier, and make myself perfectly acquainted with all the evolutions and exercises, and thus feel always ready to fight. It seems to me stupid for a man to apprentice himself to us serious a trade as war, und then try by lying and deception to avoid learning anything.

COLLEGE CORNER is on the Indiana State line, and takes its name from the number of sehools located here, and three counties cornering at this point. It is on the C. H. & D. R. R., forty-four miles northwest of Cineinnati. Newspaper : Investigator, Independent, J. L. Scott, editor. Churches : 1 United Presbyterian, 1 African Methodist Episcopal, 1 Methodist Episcopal, and 1 Presbyterian. In-

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BUTLER COUNTY.

dustry : Manufacturing building material. Bank : "Corner Bank," John Howell, president, O. M. Bake, cashier. Population in 1880, 329.

WEST CHESTER is twenty-one miles north of Cincinnati, on the C. C. C. & I. R. R. Newspaper : Miami Valley Star, Independent, Peter Wrieden, manager and editor. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Cumberland Presbyterian, and 1 Catholic. Population in 1880, 281.

SOMERVILLE, fourteen miles northwest of Hamilton, had in 1880 370 inhab- itants.

CARROLL.

CARROLL COUNTY was formed in the session of 1832-33 from Columbiana, Stark, Tuscarawas, Harrison and Jefferson. The population mainly originated from Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, with some Germans and Scotch-Irish. The surface is somewhat hilly. Its area is 400 square miles. In 1885 the acres culti- tivated were 68,121; in pasture, 109,149 ; woodland, 40,350; lying waste, 273 : produced in wheat, 81,869 bushels ; corn, 514,155 ; apples, 303,928 ; sheep, 141,345 ; coal, 216,630 tons. School census 1886, 5,513 ; teachers, 124. It has 63 miles of railroad.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

Augusta,

1,234

1,126

Loudon,

1840. 966

1880. 965

Brown,

2,165

2,305

Monroe,

1,060

1,283

Centre,

1,139

1,590

Orange,

1,528

1,327

East,

995

868

Perry,

1,344

1,040

Fox,

1,491

1,275

Ross,

1,593

1,195

Harrison,

1,308

1,075

Union,

889

684

Lee,

1,372

933

Washington,

1,014

750

Population in 1840 was 18,108; in 1860, 15,738 ; 1880, 16,416, of whom 14,283 were Ohio-born.

This county was named from Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Md., the last sur- vivor of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He died at Baltimore, Nov. 14, 1833, aged ninety-six years. He was born Sept. 20, 1737 ; was of Irish descent, a Catholic, and highly educated in France and in London, thus passing his time from the age of eight years to that of twenty-eight, when he returned to Maryland a fine scholar and a polished gentleman. When informed by Gen. H. A. Stidger, of this county, on a visit to Baltimore, that Ohio had named a county in his honor he was extremely pleased ; this was about six months before his decease.

The Sandy and Beaver Canal extends from the Ohio river through Columbiana, Carroll, Stark, and Tuscarawas counties. It was begun in 1835 and it was navi- gable to some extent until 1850, when it was abandoned. The aggregate loss to the stockholders was nearly two millions of dollars. Its principal use was as a feeder for mills. It is said that only one boat ever made the entire passage through it. This was by the contractors who built it, and because it was conditional upon their receiving their pay for its completion.

The following items upon the history of Carrollton and Carroll county are de- rived mainly from a series of articles, "Annals of Carroll County," written for the Carroll Free Press by Peter M. Herold,

CARROLL COUNTY.

Centreville, now Carrollton, was laid out by Peter Bohart, Oct. 4, 1815; Hon. Isaac Atkinson gave much of the land for the site. Bohart was a Pennsylvania German and came here about 1810. About the same time came Richard Baxter, Richard Elson, Isaac Dwyer and some others. At that time the line between Stark and Columbiana counties ran just west of the village. Here Mr. Dwyer built what he called upon the sign " The Rising Sun Tavern." When the (Quaker) Commissioners of Columbiana county refused to grant him license to sell strong drinks he removed his bar into the room on the Stark county side of the line and handed down the bottles and mixed toddies with impunity. Peter Bohart gave the land for the Carrollton cemetery and is buried in it, where also is buried Joseph Bushong, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and several soldiers of the Mexican war. On the farm of Nathaniel L. Shaw, in Washington township, is a pre- historie graveyard containing the remains of a people that were buried in earthen- ware coffins, two or three of which were unearthed a few years ago when digging a cellar.

Thomas L. Patton, the first child born in Carrollton, was an officer in the Union army in the Rebellion, and is now living here, as is also John Beatty, the first sheriff of Carroll county. He was born Oct. 4, 1804. Among his recollections is attending a Whig meeting at Massillon, July 4, 1838, where Gen. Harrison made an address. On the platform were the " Poe Brothers," Adam and Andrew, the Indian fighters, whose noted fight is related under the head of Columbiana county. They were then very old and imbecile.

Gen. B. F. Potts, originally colonel Thirty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, was born in Fox township. He was, when a member of the Ohio Senate, offered by Grant the governorship of Montana. He refused to accept it at the time, though he did so later, and his refusal was because the adoption by Chio of the fifteenth amendment to the constitution depended upon his vote, which would be lost if he vacated his seat.

In that daring railroad raid in Georgia of a band of Ohio men from Gen. Mitchell's army was Wm. Campbell, a native of Fox township, and he was one of those executed. His mother's maiden name was Jane Morgan, and she was a cousin of Gen. John Morgan, of the rebel army.

When Morgan was on his raid through Ohio he passed through Carroll county, and in Fox township he took dinner with Mrs. Allison, whose maiden name was Keziah Morgan. She was the sister of Mrs. Campbell, and therefore also a cousin of Morgan. While eating his dinner the family genealogy was traced back to Kentucky. Ere he left, the old lady gave him a clean shirt, of which John was sadly in need, and he went on his way rejoicing, with a good dinner inside and a clean shirt out. Several of Morgan's men who were wounded were obliged to remain behind at Mrs. Allison's, and were consequently soon taken prisoners by the Union soldiers. Mrs. Campbell is still living, but since the execution of her son she cannot talk upon that subject without its effects showing upon her mind ; she imagines she has a mortgage upon the government. She is twice a widow ; her first husband was a soldier in the Mexican war. Her last husband's name was Shipley, and her present residence is near Caldwell, Noble county.

CARROLLTON IN 1846 .- Carrollton, the county-seat, is 125 miles east-northeast from Columbus. It was originally called Centretown, but on the organization of the county changed to its present name. It has a public square in the centre-shown in the engraving-on which stand the county buildings. It contains 1 Presby- terian, 1 Lutheran, 1 Methodist Episcopal and 1 Associate Reformed church, 6 mercantile stores, 2 printing offices, and 800 inhabitants .- Old Edition.

Carrollton, the county-seat, is on the C. & C. R. R., eighty-seven miles south- casterly from Cleveland. County officers, 1888 : Probate Judges, James Holden and Junius C. Ferrall ; Clerk of Court, Harvey B. Gregg ; Sheriff, Jolmn Camp- bell ; Prosecuting Attorney, Irving H. Blythe; Auditor, Luther M. Barrick ; Treasurer, John B. Van Fossen ; Recorder, Will. J. Baxter; Surveyor, Richard

CARROLL COUNTY.

36t

H. Lce ; Coroner, Harvey D. Dunlap ; Commissioners, James Murray, Wm. Davis, James H. Rhinehart.

Newspapers : Chronicle, Democratic, J. V. Lawler & Bro., publishers ; Free Press, Republicau, Jolin H. Tripp, publisher, Peter M. Herold, local editor ; Republican,

Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.

VIEW IN CARROLLTON.

Republican, S. T. Cameron & Co., publishers. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Lutheran, 1 Reformed and 1 United Presbyterian. Banks : Cum- mings & Couch ; Stockton Bros., V. Stockton, cashier. Population in 1880, 1,136. School census 1886, 417. A. M. Fishell, superintendent. In October, 1887, "no saloon in the town and no prisoners in the county jail."

Port C. Baxter, Photo , Carrollton, 1887.

THE PUBLIC SQUARE, CARROLLTON.

The engraving shows the new court-house and other buildings on the public square. This was finished in 1886, costing with jail in the rear about $150,000. It is built mainly of Navarre sandstone, with some from Berea. It is just to the left of the old court-house shown in the old view. The old court-house was sold on the 11th of June for $196 and the bell for $138.

Daniel McCook, father of one of the two famous families of "Fighting

362

CARROLL COUNTY.

McCooks," was the first clerk of court of Carroll county after its formation, in the winter of 1832-33. He resided in the large, white house shown on the corner, to the right of the old court-house, at the time the view was drawn ; and it was the birthplace of several of his family. It is now partly occupied by Geo. J. Butler as a dry-goods store.

TRAVELLING NOTES.

"You must see Gen. Eckley when you visit Carrollton," said varions parties when I was in the counties adjoining. "He can tell you everything." He was, they said, "a man of great public spirit and large intelli- gence." On the evening of my arrival, Fri- day, June 11, I found two old gentlemen seated on a dry-goods box on a street corner -- I may say two old boys-engaged in a social chat ; and one of these was Capt. John Beatty, the first sheriff of Carroll county ; the other Gen. Ephraim R. Eckley, who was a judge before he was a general-a man of law before a man of war. His first greet- ing was, "You've grown old since I have seen you." I did not remember to have ever seen him, but must have done so when for- merly here-when I took the old view shown on an adjoining page-took it as one told me he remembered seeing me seated on a wheel- barrow in the centre of the street.

Gen. Eekley has lived almost the entire period of the history of the State ; was born in 1811. Having been long in public life, he has witnessed many changes. Among his experiences was his being in at the death of the Whig party in 1854 : the Free-Soil party, in nautical phrase, had "taken its wind." He was then the Whig candidate for the United States Senate, which was the last effort of the Whigs at organization.

In 1861 he served in the Virginia cam- paign under Rosecrans ; later, under Sher- man, had command at Paducah ; in April, 1862, was elected to Congress, where he re- mained until 1869. He gave me these inter- esting items, illustrating the morals of the people here, viz. : that the jail was generally empty, and when used at al! it was largely for violation of some police arrangement ; and that from 1842 to 1863, a period of twenty-one years, Carroll county had not supplied a sin- gle inmate for the penitentiary. Other conn- ties in Ohio, I find, can give a like record. Such, however, have mainly rural popula- tions.

General Harrison and the Honest German. -On July 4, 1838, Harrison addressed a Whig meeting at Massillon, and the next day came here and "put up" at the tavern of David J. Levy. In the evening he made an impromptu address from the hotel steps. Next morning he arose early to take a walk before breakfast, the ostensible purpose being to get a drink from John Young's spring, a spot on the outskirts where Mr. Young had a tannery with a bath-house and fine spring of water. On his arrival there he met Jonas Miller, an honest, simple-hearted German, on his way to town. Harrison bade him good- morning, and observing he had his hand done

up in a bandage, asked him "What was the matter with it?" He replied he had a felon on it and was going to town to get a drink of whiskey ; thought it would ease the pain. Harrison advised him kindly not to drink, it would be only the worse for him, gave him a receipt for its cure and the twain walked into the town together. Harrison was dressed in a plain suit of fustian, and, after parting from Miller, some one asked the latter if he knew whom he had been talking with ? He replied "No." When told, he was so over- come that he sat down and cried like a child. Miller had been a strong Democrat, but thenceforth was an enthusiastic Harrison man. In speaking of this event he would say in broken English : "Mein Gott, it was the great Gineral Harrison that walked down the street and talked with me and cured my felon."

Rural Sights. - Having slept upon the General's chat I took a walk the next morn- ing. There is an advantage in these small towns ; a few steps take one into the country where the green earth and the blue sky have an open chance to look at each other square in the face and exchange notes ; and there, too-and it is not a small matter-are the cattle on a thousand hills, peaceful, patient and picturesque; chewing the cud and whilom keeping the fly-brush agoing and often with a rhythm so well pronounced that some pains- taking, head-scratching poet might pause there for a hint, if so disposed.

Carrollton is on undulating ground and the country around a series of beautiful swells. Each house is generally on an ample home lot and the people live mostly in cottages. The gardens of the villagers, rich in flowers, were yet moist with the dew of morning, while the sunlight, stealing in long, slanting ribbon-bands across their beds, illuminated them in richest glory of color and in sweetest blending of light and shade. And the thought came upon me, now this very morn- ing, all over this broad land, there are multi- tudes of just such villages as this with just. such scenes and with just such worthy, vir- tuous people as these. And with this grate- ful fact upon the heart, should we question is life worth living? Whatever man might answer, the bee, flitting on golden wing from flower to flower, would reply, "Yes ; don't I get honey ?"

The Old Lady and her Flowers .- On coming to one of the cottages I saw an old lady on her knees with a wet cloth in hand wiping her porch. She was surrounded by the pots of flowers which she had nursed through the winter and had brought them out alongside of those that kind mother Earth had put forth from her bosom in the

363

CARROLL COUNTY.

open air. "Good-morning," said I. With that she turned her head, lifted her sun- bonnet and arose to her fcet to see who it was that had greeted her. I then continued, as she still held her cloth in her hand with her arm limp by her side : "Do you know, Madam, what a favor you confer upon every passer-by by your display of flowers?" Upon this she smiled and said, "Why, I never thought of that ; I cultivate them be- cause I love them." ""You people," I re- joined, "appear to live very pleasantly and the country around looks very sweet to me as I see it rolling away in graceful swells of grassy fields interspersed with clumps of trees." "Yes," she rejoined, "and it is now in all its beauty." Yes ! she was right. It was the beautiful month of June that had come, and had she felt like quoting the poe- try she might have started straight for Long- fellow, as he thus speaks for June :

"Mine is the month of roses ; yes, and mine The month of marriages ! All pleasant sights

And scents, the fragrance of the blossom- ing vines,

The foliage of the valleys and the heights. Mine are the longest days, the loveliest nights ;

The mower's scythe makes music to my ear ; I am the mother of all dear delights,

I am the fairest daughter of the year."

"You people," I continued, "appear to live in this village in a great deal of comfort and

freedom." "I don't like it," she replied. "There is too much style for me ! Until I was forty years of age I lived on a farm, and I pine for its open, free life. There is so much to interest one, and the animals are a continued source of gratification. Then your neighbors run in and out without any for- mality and we all seem as one great family. This village life has too much restriction. If one's gate gets open and your cow happens to get out she is taken up and put in the pound, and there is seventy-five cents or a dollar to pay to get Muley out." "Trouble everywhere," I said. "Yes," she rejoined, and opening wide her mouth, displayed a full set of perfect, pearly white teeth. God bless the dentist, I then thought, whose inventive art permits a refined old lady like you to give full play to her merriment without compelling her, when the hinges of her mouth relax for a good hearty laugh, to hide it with her hand.

A moment later I met a young mother happy as a lark. Instead of turning over her children to the care of Bridget and lolling on a luxurious couch, absorbed in reading the details of the make-up of Mrs. Cleveland's wedding-dress, she was leading by the hand, amid these rustic surroundings on this bright June morning, her own little girl, perhaps her first-born. I watched as I came up the slender limbs of the little one alternately stealing in and out from beneath the folds of her blue dress and said, "Good-morning ; I see the blu- birds are out." "Yes, sir ; this one.'

LEESBURG is on the W. & L. E. R. R., 100 miles northeast of Columbus and twelve miles southwest of Carrollton. One Leg courses through it, a stream so named from a one-legged Indian who anciently dwelt upon its margin. The Indian name of this water course is "Kannoten ;" and the branch known as the " Dining Fork of the Kannoten" derived its appellation from the first explorers in this region on an occasion partaking of their noon meal upon its banks. The post-office name of Leesburg is Leesville, as there is also another Leesburg in Highland county. Part of Orange township in which it is situated originally formed a part of One Lég township, Tuscarawas county,.a name now extinct even there, as applied to a township.

Leesburg was laid out August 1, 1812, by Thomas Price and Peter Saunders. It contains one newspaper, Connoton Valley Times, Independent, R. G. Rivers, editor ; has 1 Presbyterian and 1 Methodist church, and, in 1880, had 408 inhabi- tants ; coal mining and farming are its main industries.

Leesburg has a peculiar history ; has long been noted as an intellectual and reforming centre. It was one of the stations of the Underground Railroad, and in those days its little public hall at times resounded to the voices of Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Fred. Douglass, Wendell Phillips, Parker Pillsbury and their coadju- tors. Some noted characters are now residents of the place. Hon. Wm. Adair, author of the celebrated liquor law, and a member of the last Constitutional Con- vention of Ohio, is a practising lawyer of the place. Charles Dunster, also a resi- dent, is builder of an ingenious astronomical clock which keeps the time of some of the principal cities of the world, and is remarkable from the fact that he is entirely self-taught, and constructed it from such rude tools as he could make in an ordinary blacksmith shop. This clock is still ticking the time by the forge where lie earns his daily bread.

And lastly for our mention is a lady, Mrs. Mary E. Kail, noted for her patriotic

364

CARROLL COUNTY.

poems, the outgrowth of an intense and absorbing love of country. She is a native of Washington City, but from childhood has been a resident of Ohio, excepting for a few years when she was clerk in one of the departments at Washington, which position she lost reeently through a change of administration. Her spir- ited songs have been sung and with great acceptance on many public oeca- sions, such as Decoration Days, at meet- ings of the varions posts of the Grand Army of the Republic, dedication of soldiers' cemeteries, lodges of Good Tem- plars, and in the political canvass.

Her writings under the title of "Crown our Heroes and other Poems" have recently been published through the generosity of Mrs. Leland Stanford. This little book is her only source of KOSS ENUS livelihood in her advanced years. Of MRS. MARY E. KAIL. Authoress of "Crown our Heroes." all the songs sung on Decoration Day throughout the land "Crown our He- roes " stands at the head. This and the one entitled "Ohio " we copy entire.

13 -

CROWN OUR HEROES.

Crown our heroes, the soldiers, whose spirits have fled To the land of the blest; crown the heroic dead. Let the fair hand of woman weave garlands of flowers Kissed by heaven's pure sunlight in sweet morning hours. Go tenderly, gently, and scatter them where

Our heroes are sleeping ! go scatter them there.

Crown our heroes, the soldiers, who sleep on the shore Where the call of the bugle can wake them no more. Men who fought to defend us-oh, can we forget The tribute of glory we owe to them yet ? Bring love's fairest offerings, with tears and with prayer, And gratefully, sacredly scatter them there.

Crown our heroes, the soldiers, whose grandeur and power Saved our own dear Columbia in war's troubled hour. When amid the fierce struggle each soul was a host, Who was ready to die lest his country be lost. They are dead ! they are dead ! what now can we do As a token of love for the noble and true ?

Crown our heroes, the soldiers. Oh ! scatter the flowers O'er the graves of the dead ; they are yours, they are ours. Men who fought for the flag, and our foes in the fray; For as brothers they sleep, both the blue and the gray. And true to our banner, our offerings we bring- Blushing roses of summer, and violets of spring.

Crown our heroes, God bless them ! no true heart must lag ; Crown the dead and the living who stood by the flag. Through the oncoming ages let each have a name Carved in letters of gold in the temple of fame ; For the bright stars of freedom-our banner unfurled- Is the joy of Columbia, the pride of the world !

OHIO.

Ohio, I love thee, for deeds thou hast done ; Thy conflicts recorded and victories won ; On the pages of history, beaming and bright, Ohio shines forth like a star in the night.

365

CARROLL COUNTY.

Like a star flashing out o'er the mountain's blue erest, Lighting up with its glory the land of the west ; For thy step onward marching and voice to command Ohio, I love thee, thon beautiful land.

Commonwealth grandly rising in majesty tall- In the girdle of beauty the fairest of all, Tho' thunders of nations around thee may roar- Their strong tidal waves dash and break on thy shore- Standing prouder and firmer when danger is nigh, With a power to endure and an arm to defy ; Ohio shall spread her broad wings to the world, Her bugles resounding and banners unfurled.

A queen in her dignity, proudly she stands, Reaching out to her sister States wealth-laden hands, Crown'd with plentiful harvests and fruit from the vine, And riches increasing in ores from the mine. While with Liberty's banner unfurled to the sky- Resolved for the Union to do or to die- Her soldiers and statesmen unflinchingly come, Mid booming of cannon and roll of the drum.

To glory still onward, we're marching along, Ev'ry heart true and noble re-echoes the song, Ever pledged to each other, through years that have filed We have hopes for the living, and tears for the dead. Bless the heroes who suffered, but died not in vain ; Keep the flag that we love-without tarnish or stain. Thus uniting with all, shall my song ever be Ohio, my home-land, my heart elings to thee !

Mechanicstown, nine miles northeast of Carrollton, was laid out in 1836 by Thomas MeGovern ; it has 1 Presbyterian, 1 United Presbyterian, 1 Methodist Episcopal church, and about 200 population. Kilgore, twelve miles southeast of Carrollton, has 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Lutheran, and 1 Reformed Lutheran church, and about 200 people. Magnolia, on the C. & P. R. R. ; population 300. Dell Roy is on the C. V. R. R., eight miles southwest of Carrollton. It has 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist Protestant church, and, in 1880, 664 inhabitants. This place is now the centre of the most important coal mines of the county, and its population is largely composed of miners.

New Harrisburg is a small village five miles northwest of Carrollton, and which in 1883 contested with it for the county-seat. This was the birth-place of Jonathan Weaver, bishop of the United Brethren church and president of Otterbein University. JONATHAN The village has 1 Presbyterian, 1 Christian church, and about 200 inhabitants. In the little churchyard adjoin- LEWIS. ing the town, " in a valley of dry bones, amid the silent monuments of death and desolation," is a marble slab, AGED twelve by eighteen inches, bearing the simple inscription 104. as annexed : a remarkable instance of longevity.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 56

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