USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 11
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In 1865 the first resident pastor of the parish of St. Rose's Catholic Church built a little frame schoolhouse in which the children of the parish were gathered. They were placed under the care of three ladies, Miss Richardson, Miss McGucken and Miss McGuire. In 1868 the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary took charge and were followed by the Francis- can Sisters, of Milwaukee. After these came the Dominican Sisters and these again were followed by the Sisters of Charity from Mount St. Joseph.
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In 1889 the little frame schoolhouse, with its additions, was abandoned for the beautiful Io-room, brick structure on West street, just north of the church. This building is a standing monument to the labors and efforts of Rev. James O'Leary and to the generosity of St. Rose parish. In 1904 another new school building was built on Mckibben street, to the rear of the church. The school in 1904- 05 enrolled 512 children.
St. John's Parochial School was erected on South Main street in 1901. It enrolled last year 258 children, who are under the able in- struction of the Sisters of Charity. The Cath- olic schools maintain a high standard of ex- cellence. Their teachers are finely educated and the intellectual progress in education is combined with the spiritual.
Dr. William McHenry was Lima's second physician. He came in the month of May, 1834, soon after his graduation from the Phil- adelphia College of Medicine and began at once the practice of his profession.
The lot of the pioneer doctor was as hard a one as could be found. The pools and ponds were full of stagnant water, which the drift- wood and decaying vegetation rendered perfect breeders of disease, especially malaria. Dr. McHenry manfully met all demands upon his patience and skill, making himself at the same time the friend of all his patrons. In addition to his regular practice, he had almost all the cases of surgery within a radius of 20 miles for 10 years or more.
On December 17, 1835, Dr. McHenry married Malvina Thompkins, sister of Daniel D. Thompkins. They made their wedding journey . on horseback-as was the custom in those days-taking the trip to Xenia and re- turn.
The Doctor always kept pace with the times and was ever ready to adopt new rem- edies as soon as they had been thoroughly tested. He was a man of rare ability, a scholar of high order, a profound reasoner and was peculiarly concise in expression. He was watch- ful of the city's welfare, and was a warm ad- vocate of any educational progress in the city. He died with the satisfaction of having done
all he could for his day and generation, after having acquired a fortune by his industry, economy and honorable dealing.
To Dr. and Mrs. McHenry were born nine children, five of whom survived him,-Mrs. Isaac Satherthwaite, of Lima; Mrs. McCauley. of Detroit; Mrs. C. B. Shepler ; William T., of Lima, and Frank T., of St. Louis. Dr. Mc- Henry died August 19, 1890, aged 78 years. His wife survived until 1892, being 75 years of age.
Dr. Samuel Sanford came to Lima in 1847 in company . with Dr. N. B. Howard and es- tablished a business in drugs, paints, oils, etc. In 1849 he married Jane, the second daughter of William Scott, and began the practice of medicine, still retaining his interest in the drug- store.
In several issues of the Lima Weekly Ga- zette of 1867 are accounts of the meetings of the Allen County Medical Society. Some fa- miliar names among the members that are men- tioned are: Drs. McHenry, Ashton, Neff, Thrift, Baxter and Hiner.
William Scott came to Lima with his wife in 1834, and established himself near the Market street bridge in East Lima. This bridge. was the subject of a great deal of controversy in its day, and "Uncle Joe" Hover was un- mercifully ridiculed about it. One of the. earliest editions of our very first paper burst forth into song as follows :
O Joe, my Joe, dear Uncle Joe, How much we like your temper- It varies so from top to toe 'Tis much like t'other gender.
O Joe, my Joe, dear Uncle Joe, Your fame is everlasting; Your bridge stands there so high in air With scarcely any fastening.
Mr. Scott owned all of the land that was. afterwards platted into town lots as "Scott's Addition," together with lands east to the Lima Northern Railroad, and north to High street. He operated a sawmill, by means of water just above the bridge, and supplied the early settlers. with lumber.
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Among the items in the old Allen County records none are more interesting than those concerning the mills, bridges and roads. We read of Quilna, a friendly Indian, assisting the settlers to open a road to the mill at Wapa- koneta. He surveyed the line of this road, with- out compass, using only his knowledge of dif- ferent points and the Indian method of reach- ing them. This Quilna belonged to the Shaw- nee Indians, who in the month of August, 1832, took up their line of march for the far West.
The first bridge authorized by the commis- sioners of Allen County was at the session of December 4, 1839, when "Alexander Beatty reported the expenditure of fifty dollars in erecting a bridge over Little Hog Creek, where the road from Lima to Wapakoneta crosses said stream."
Alexander Beatty was one of Allen County's early sheriffs and at the session of December 3, 1833, he and Daniel Musser and Griffith Breese were appointed commissioners to view a public road commencing at Lima and running to St. Marys-and again Decem- ber 5, 1839, "Commissioners agreed to meet in Roundhead, Logan County, on the 2d day of January, A. D., 1840, for the purpose of pro- ceeding to Columbus to examine the State and county buildings, in reference to erecting a Court House and Jail in Allen County, Ohio." We read further that Columbus was in those times as many days away from Lima as it now requires hours to traverse the distance.
Robert Bowers in his reminiscences gives us an interesting picture, real or imaginary, of the road conditions of the early '30's. He says Lima had then "no outlet or inlet either by rail or earth. In the spring we traveled below, in the summer we traveled on top. As an illus- tration of the impassable condition of the roads, we would frequently pick up a hat, and upon close examination would find a man and a horse still further down. Our roads were trails and section lines. Emigrants were constantly changing the trails, seeking better and drier land for their footing and wheeling."
Mr. Bowers gives us also a charming view
of the domestic life of the times :- "The latch- string was always out and often the last pint of meal was divided regardless where the next would come from. The horse and hand-mill or the tin grater were always reliable and in constant use as the means of preparing our breadstuff. I was my father's miller, just the age to perform the task. My daily labor was to gather corn and dry it in a kiln, after which I took it on a grater made from an old copper kettle or tin bucket, and after supper made meal for the johnny cake for breakfast; after breakfast I made meal for the pone for dinner ; after dinner I made meal for the mush for sup- per. Our home was a cabin, containing parlor, kitchen and dining room. Connected was a shoe shop, also a broom and repair shop. To save fuel and light and to have everything handy, we had the whole thing in one room, which brought us all together so we could over- see each other better. After supper each one knew his place. In our house there were four mechanics. I was a shoemaker and corn grater. My father could make a sledge and the other two boys could strip broom corn. My sisters spun yarn, and mother knit and made gar- ments. Imagine you see us all at work. Sister Margaret sings a song, father makes chips and mother pokes up the fire. Isaac spins a yarn- John laughs at him-and thus our evenings were spent in our wild home, for we were all simple, honest people and feared no harm from our neighbors."
Silas Faurot followed the trade of wheel- wright, purchasing James S. Daniels' stock in 1839 or 1840. He made spinning-wheels for the spinning of flax or wool. As every house- wife did her own spinning then, the wheel busi- ness was almost as much of a fad as it now is. Each producer was also a manufacturer and consumer, so that political economy was not then the vexed problem that it is to-day.
Mr. Faurot was elected justice of the peace. soon after coming to Lima, and one of the first cases he had was the trial of two men for counterfeiting. Eli Manville and Titus Locy were the guilty ones. Amos Alfred was con- stable at the time and had brought the men
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from the northern part of the State at the in- stance of J. W. King, who had been duped into accepting a counterfeit $100 bill.
There was no jail strong enough to hold them, so they were quartered in Mr. Faurot's house for a time. David Fay, a nephew of Mr. Faurot, occupied an upstairs room adjoining that of the prisoners. The poor child could not sleep and rose at 3 o'clock in the morn- ing, starting down the stairs. A. J. Ward, Samuel Musser and C. E. Faurot were the guards and were armed to the teeth with billets of wood and iron pokers. There they stood ready to spring upon the poor youth, when luckily they discovered their mistake.
Mr. Faurot, Crain Valentine, Samuel Mc- Clure, David Tracy and James S. Cheever went up to Fort Meigs on the Maumee River to hear General Harrison speak at a mass meeting held June II, 1840. This little jingle compares very favorably with the campaign and poster poetry of to-day :
There's ne'er a lass in all the land, Unless she's very silly, Will e'er refuse her heart and hand To him who fights for Willy. (The People's Choice, March 4, 1841.)
The first hotel in Lima was kept by John P. Mitchell at the southeast corner of Market and Main streets, where the Union Block now stands. Another hotel keeper and also one of the true pioneers, was John Bashore, he being the seventh man to take up his abode in Lima. He brought his family in February of 1832. He was here at the sale of lots and had engaged workmen to build him a cabin. Upon arriving however, he was disappointed to find that no cabin had materialized. Dr. Cunningham, who had been here scarcely a month, with large and true-hearted hospitality characteristic of the man, took the Bashore family into his own cabin of two rooms. The cabin was without windows or doors, coverlets and carpets serv -. ing in their stead. "Doan" was then a baby of 18 months, and Mrs. Cunningham took her child in her arms, and climbed the ladder to the loft above, giving the room below to her unex- pected guests. Kate Bashore was born in the
Cunningham cabin March 10, 1832, being the second child born in Lima. Clementine Cun- ningham, now Mrs. W. K. Brice, was born the September following.
Mr. and Mrs. Bashore were the parents of the following children: Mary B., born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, who died at Find- lay; Edward Strohl, born at Findlay, who died at Lima February 20, 1892; Susannah Cath- erine, born March 10, 1832, and married to Jolin Adams; Elnora, born January 28, 1834, now Mrs. Cyrus Mowen; John Washington, born 1836; William Jefferson, born March 5, 1837, who died December 18, 1869; Henrietta Malinda, born January 16, 1839, afterwards Mrs. J. C. Musser; and Harriet, born February 23, 1844, now Mrs. James Langan.
Mr. Bashore kept hotel in Lima for a num- ber of years. The old American House was located between Spring and Elm streets and furnished entertainment for "man and beast." The structure has long since been torn down and in later years the grounds passed into the hands of Judge Collett, who erected a pleasant home there.
Mr. Bashore died at Lima April 13, 1849. He was a good man and a good citizen, beloved by all who knew him. His wife died August 10, 1891, having lived to see a village of a few souls grow into a prosperous city.
Daniel Musser, in 1836, married Mrs. Jolin P. Mitchell and kept hotel at the old Mitchell stand for a number of years. This was a favor- ite place for travelers and was one of the best buildings then in the town.
Mr. Musser came to Lima in 1833 where he passed the remainder of his life. He was one of the pioneers who helped to hew the city out of the wilderness and his energy and enterprise made him for many years a central figure in the community. Many amusing incidents are told of "Uncle Dan," as he was familiarly called. He was a great huntsman and in his time killed many deer. They tell one story of his craftiness as a huntsman, or rather woods- man. Having been lost in his excursions for cattle which had strayed after wild pea-vines. his plan was to rush suddenly at his cattle and frighten them, whereupon they would make for
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Lima. All Mr. Musser had to do to find him- self at home, was to follow the cattle.
To Mr. and Mrs. Musser were born Julius C., November 15, 1837; Lavinia, May 20, 1839, died March 1, 1845; Evelyn H., March, 1842, died January 15, 1847, and Harriet L. (Harrington).
Mr. Musser sold his hotel to Hollias Fisher, whose daughter became the wife of that emi- nent man, Mathias H. Nichols. Among the regular boarders at Fisher's were the eccen- tric but gifted Abelard Guthrie, Gen. Lester Bliss, Julius C. Curtis, Moses B. Newman and Lorin Kennedy, all of whom were prominent men, well known to the oldest inhabitants.
The general merchandise stores, of which there were three in the early '40's, embraced stock of rather a promiscuous and diversified nature. There were coonskins (which were then a legal tender for all they were worth), stoves, tinware, "stoga boots," pegged shoes for the women, Kentucky jeans, drugs, calicoes and other things. Productions of the farm lands were also kept.
James Peltier, our first merchant, sold out to Henry Lippincott, and he in turn sold his stock to Daniel Musser, Sr. Mr. Musser built the first frame business room in Lima. It was afterwards known as "The Old Fort" and was situated on the northwest corner of Main and Market streets.
Rev. John Alexander, who had been a mis- sionary minister when the Indians inhabited the country, and Adgate Hoover were a mer- cantile firm occupying a room on the Public Square near Musser's tavern. These stores all extended credit, it being the general belief that there was no money in the country with which to pay for necessaries required for even the very limited wants of the people. Later, how- ver, J. W. King, a merchant from the East, ap- peared with a stock of goods well adapted to the needs of the country, and offered bargains for cash and cash only. His price rates tempted the people and brought forth hidden treasures from old stockings and other secret places.
James Cunningham came to Allen County in the spring of 1833. He was one of Lima's early school teachers, became partner in a store
and finally secured a position in the Land Office under General Blackburn. At this time he was. appointed colonel of the militia, whence his title.
Colonel Cunningham was married Febru- ary I, 1837, to Martha Kennedy, only daugh- ter of Thomas and Hannah Kennedy, who came to Lima from Portage County in 1836. The Kennedy family consisted of the oldest son Russell, and Lorin, who was elected prose- cuting attorney in 1837, at the time Colonel Cunningham was elected treasurer. The oldest son and the mother died in 1840.
The most important events in Lorin Ken- nedy's life are told in the quaint and humorous. language of Mr. Williams, our first mayor and a royal gentleman of the old school. It is taken from his diary : "Jan. 10, 1843 .- This evening we attend a Bridal party of our neighbors. Bachelor Lorin has concluded to take unto- himself a Rib at the ripe age of thirty-five. The wedding to be celebrated at J. C. Curtis, our next door neighbor." "Aug. 30, 1844 .- This morning about five o'clock Lorin Ken- nedy, a lawyer, died at his residence on Elm street at the house we formerly owned and lived in. He has left an amiable and affec- tionate wife who will most truly feel and deeply mourn his loss." Mr. Kennedy was here but a short time, but he made himself felt in. the community. He was a remarkably bril- liant man and fine lawyer.
In 1849 Colonel Cunningham was elected to. the State Senate on the Democratic ticket. He carefully studied the needs and wishes of the- people, serving them with ability. He was an active Democrat all his life. He was at one. time provost marshal, and was succeeded in 1863 by Captain Brown.
Colonel Cunningham bought the land now covered by South Lima, from the river, south .. 200 acres. The farm buildings were located upon what is now known as "Coulson's Hill." Here he resided until his death, March 15,. 1864. Mrs. Cunningham survived the hard- ships of pioneer life, and lived to see her family of eight children grown and settled in life.
Colonel Cunningham was a representative pioneer, combining the qualities of hospitality
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and liberality with the desire to do the best he could for his family, his neighbors and his friends.
Another prominent name in the early offi- cial history of Lima is that of Richard Me- theany. He was born June 16, 1805, and died June 22, 1879. The following review of his life is taken from the tribute delivered by T. E. Cunningham at the funeral of Mr. Ma- theany, which occurred on Wednesday, June 25, 1879.
"In the month of March, 1844, he came to Lima from his farm three miles north of Wa- pakoneta, which at that time was within the territorial boundaries of Allen County. Under the old judicial system, he was appointed to be clerk of the courts, in place of John Alexander, who had just died. Mr. Metheany was then less than forty years old, mild in his manners, but always self-sustained and dignified. He fast won the respect and affections of the peo- ple, and, happier in this respect than most men who are in public life, he retained the public esteem without abatement, until the end of his life. He remained in the clerk's office until 1852, when his office was terminated by the operation of the new constitution of the State. At this juncture the Ohio & Indiana Railroad was projected and Mr. Metheany at once com- prehended its importance as a link of the great thoroughfare, which the near future was to realize in the great road which now connects the valley of the Mississippi with the Atlantic seaboard. He was the right-hand man of Judge Hanna, of Fort Wayne, who was the inspiring genius of this great work. The road could not be built unless the counties would lend their credit and to the difficult task of securing this county, Mr. Metheany bent every energy of his mind and heart. Dr. Mc- Henry was a noble coadjutor in the work of bringing public opinion in favor of the project, and success crowned their efforts. The mag- nificent railroad from Pittsburg to Fort Wayne is one of the monuments he aided to build in his life, which living after him perpetuates one of the results of his labors.
"In 1855 Mr. Metheany was elected to the office of county auditor, the duties of which,
for one term, he discharged with singular fidel- ity. After this he embarked in business and re- mained in business until a few months past. But while in business he was repeatedly chosen to be mayor, justice of the peace, and member of the School Board, until at last he refused any further public employments.
"But it was in his social life that Mr. Metheany was loved the most. His kind and genial face was always shining for his friends. He always had a good word with which to en- courage his weaker neighbors, and no worthy object of charity was ever dismissed empty- handed from his presence.
"On the 16th of June, 1836, he was mar- ried to Esther Ann Levering, daughter of Judge Charles Levering, one of the associate judges of the county, and together they climbed the hill of life for more than 40 years. Twelve children were born to them and II are here, with their mother, with bowed heads before their father's coffin. The other one, with three of his grandchildren, met him last Sabbath when it was afternoon here, but there it was in the perpetual morning of Eternity."
John Meily was born at Lebanon, Penn- sylvania, December 15, 1817, and died at Lima, December 25, 1883. His wife, Catherine Fisher, was born in Franklin County, Penn- sylvania, July 25, 1820. They were married in Mansfield, Ohio, December 3, 1839. Mr. Meily was part owner of a foundry in Mansfield, but sold out and moved to Lima in 1845, when the town was but a little village. It was at that time that our second Court House, which used to stand at the corner of Main and Market streets, and which by its grand Doric columns put to shame the unpretentious log dwellings of the town, was new and the pride of the county. Mr. Meily's eldest daughter Olivia cried to live in that edifice, but her vaulting ambition had to content itself by living in a little log hut of no particular style of archi- tecture. Olivia, however, lived to become the wife of one of Ohio's noted United States Senators.
When Mr. Meily came to Lima, he followed the trade of weaver for two or three years, weaving coverlids and carpets. These cover-
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lids now pass for examples of American tapes- tries. Afterwards he engaged in the foundry and brick business.
To Mr. and Mrs. Meily were born the fol- lowing children : Olivia ( Brice), Luther, mar- ried to Miss Young, Anna Eliza ( Freeman), -- these three born in Mansfield; Ringgold, married to Miss Orbison, George Henry, mar- ried to Miss Tucker, Frances Josephine (Orr), Harriet Amelia (Motter), Mary Vanda (Irwin) and Sarah Elizabeth, who died in 1887 at the age of 24. Luther passed away in 1894.
Mr. Meily was at one time township clerk, receiving $8 a year. That was in our infant days. Later he was clerk of the court. Judge Mackenzie says of him: "He was firm and steady in his opinions and thinkings, and some- times apt to express himself with severity of indignation at what he judged to be public or private wrong ; but I have rarely known a man more free from all malice and personal ill-will to neighbor or citizen than the deceased or who thought more kindly or generously of others. He was in force of character all he aimed to ap- pear, of simple manners, of good intellect, not ambitious, of strong sense, and fair and gen- erous judgment, a kind neighbor and an un- selfish friend."
John P: Haller was for several years con- nected with Lima's municipal affairs. He was
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born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth ( Beck) Haller, who came to Ohio in 1835, and to Allen County in 1839. Our subject, who was educated in the country schools, studied civil engineering under Mr. Washburn. He was elected county surveyor in 1850 and re-elected in 1853 and 1856, serving nine years. In 1861 he was elected county auditor, re-elected in 1863, continuing in same until 1866. From 1866 to 1870 he was employed by the City Council as engineer. In 1880 he was elected city engineer and re-elected in 1882 and 1884. He was also contractor for a number of years and built the first large brick schoolhouse in the city-the old West Building, one of the most substantial ever constructed. His name ap- pears as contractor for the first County In- firmary built in 1856-57. He finished the front of the old Court House, putting up its Doric columns and stone steps, and laid the large brick sewer running from High street through Main street and the Public Square to the creek. In excavating for this sewer the workmen came upon logs in a good state of preservation, which had been thrown in years before to help fill up the Square. The sewer is five feet in diameter and upon its completion Mr. Haller gave it final inspection by walking through it from beginning to end. He died June 3, 1886.
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CHAPTER VI
A CHAPTER OF REMINISCENCES
BY DR. SAMUEL A. BAXTER.
Deer Hunting in Lima-A Great Nimrod-Samuel McClure and the Honey-Josh Hover's Pranks-Friendly Intercourse with the Indians-Fun at School-An Old-Time Politi- cal Jollification-The Pioneer Gentlemen in Full Dress-Pauper Poor Sold at Auction -A Pioneer School Teacher-"Caesar and the Devil's Gait"'-Going to Mill-An Ex- perience with Fire-Water-Quilna, the Friend of the White Man-Mrs. Baxter and the Soap-Judge Metcalf and His Virginia Story-An Accident to the Supreme Court -- Dr. Baxter's Famous Accounts of Lima's First Circus and of The Democratic Ox Roast- Recollections of E. T. Cole-Robb's Revenge-The First Allen County Fair-The Old Sulphur Spring.
The old settler, in the matter of tall stories, distances all competitors. A pioneer who has not an Indian, panther, or wolf story, which for blood-curdling details surpasses all other stories of the like, is not a pioneer worthy of the name.
It was the writer's good fortune to come upon a party of these "old boys," while they were holding a festival of reminiscences. "What's come o' old man so and so?" and "Don't you recollect" prefaced all remarks. And then the stories-I cannot begin to recol- lect the half of them, but I caught several that may serve to "drive dull care away" for a few minutes at least. It is impossible to give you the animated faces and hearty laughter of these "lads" of the proverbial three score and ten. No "old fellow had got mixed with the boys." The years had rolled back and they were 20 again, back in the golden age of their lives.
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