USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 14
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Charlie Lamison, who was to make a speech, swore he couldn't and he wouldn't talk with that infernal thing for a background.
And what did the women say? Well, when they could catch their breath it was good and plenty.
Judge Mackenzie, who used snuff and who by the sense of smell couldn't tell the difference between eau de Cologne and Limburger
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cheese, insisted that the ox was all right-a few little worms did no harm and that we should "on with the dance."
My old teacher, Jasper Newton Guttridge, was a learned man but a solemn one. He came forward and remarked, "Brethren, I should say that this poor defunct relic of animal life
"AND WE DID."
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should be worked up into 'stearate of pro- toxide of potassium' (which in the language of the uncultivated means 'soft soap') and divided among the unwashed Democracy."
This was the last straw on the ox's back, and Editor Fisher said, "Let's get the damn thing out and bury it." AND WE DID.
RECOLLECTIONS OF E. T. COLE.
John F. Cole came to Lima in February, 1831. He had a contract with the man who brought the family "that they were to remain in the wagon until such time as the cabin was built." It was occupied without door or floor, quilts being hung up to answer as doors; the size of the cabin was 12 by 14 feet. John P. Mitchell, who on his arrival in Lima built a double cabin, which was used by him as a tav- ern, sold the three yoke of oxen with which he came to my father, who did not have one dol- lar to pay down. My father settled one mile from town, down the river. Enos Terry came at the same time with his family; his
wife was my mother's sister. Terry settled between us and town. I have heard my folks tell about my father coming home with cattle after helping some one roll logs and then be- fore going to bed, pound enough hominy to last the family the next day. He would turn the cattle out at night and before going to bed would get the direction they were feeding by the bell, so that he would know where to find them in the morning, at which time they would be lying down. It was not an unusual occur- rence to find them in the company of 10 or 15 deer ..
My father hauled the first stock of mer- chandise into Lima with those oxen, from Dayton, Ohio, 60 miles-a 14 to 16 days' trip. My mother remained with four children at the cabin, only 10 rods from the path on the bank of the river the Indians used to go to and from Shawneetown, the Indian village.
I remember hearing my father tell about going to this village to get seed corn the spring they arrived, having cleared off three acres to plant. To fence the patch, the rails were car- ried on the shoulder, on which a pad of rags and feathers, made for the purpose, was secured.
On one occasion my uncle Terry went with my father to the Indian village for seed corn. (The squaws were in the habit of raising small patches of corn.) The chief Pht had "passed in his checks," and the Indians were engaged in funeral exercises. The white men were in- vited to participate, and dared not refuse; con- sequently they did not get home until after dark. The tribe were the Shawnees. I think in the settlement with the government they were privileged to remain in that vicinity for two years. Their destination finally was Iowa.
I remember hearing the folks tell about their living six weeks on squashes the fall fol- lowing their arrival. One of the "men folks" at the time-I don't remember which one- shouldered one bushel of shelled corn and walked 30 miles east to a grinding apparatus that had been established, and on returning home divided with three families the meal ob- tained.
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My father was ruptured badly the next sea- son after coming and so gave up farming. He borrowed $500 from a friend in Warren coun- ty, Ohio, where he came from, moved to town, bought a half-lot, built a house for storeroom and living room combined and bought a stock of goods with that $500. Probably it was not a very extensive stock of goods.
A man by the name of Breese became the owner of the Indian village. He was in the habit of bringing apples to town gathered from trees planted by the Indians, very much sooner than any one in the vicinity. This calls to my mind that my father and 'Squire Williams went into Champaign County about the fall of 1846 or 1847 and brought home two loads of apples. Williams had a fancy for a good dog, and bought one on the way home. On making a stop on the journey to water the horses, the dog jumped out of the wagon; in getting him back again, Williams was bitten, but did not give it any thought; nine days later he was taken with hydrophobia and died a terrible death.
It was a red-letter day for Lima when Dan- iel D. Tompkins and two other families, all loaded in covered wagons, led by the brass band, marched out of town for Oregon, where at that time all settlers received a deed for a quarter-section of land for each member of the family.
I think that it was in 1845 that Linn, the merchant, who was holding forth in the old log Court House on Main street, went to Cin- cinnati to buy goods and brought the cholcra to Lima. He was taken down the evening of his return and died the following day. A Ger- man cooper's boy, living up town, was soon after taken sick and died. McConnchay ran a saddler's shop in a shanty situated on the Court House grounds. A boy learning the trade and sleeping in the garret of the shop died without the knowledge of any one. Every available trap that had wheels was brought into requisi- tion to take the people out of town. Mly mother gave my father no rest until he had "hooked to" the wagon, and two sisters and two brothers besides myself "hiked" for the Amanda woods, where my father's sister, Mrs.
Woodrough, lived, three miles from any public road. The cholera quit business with five vic- tims; I suppose because it had no more timber to work on.
James S. Cheever came to Lima in 1834. My wife, Juliet, was born in 1836, and the families lived so near each other that my mother dressed the young lady with the first suit she wore.
To look back over the ground, it seems but a few months or years since we went to school together, slid down the hill in the winter on the same sled, and visited the sugar camps at "stirring off" time in squads of 15 or 20.
James S. Cheever brought with him a stock of goods, made up of such articles as were sold and traded to the Indians, who were in evidence to a considerable extent up to the year 1840. They would come to Lima in squads of from six to 12, and pass our house going to Saint's tan yard, which was just across the way from us, where they traded hides for leather.
Levi Saint was one of the first settlers of Lima ; I think he came in 1836. His business seemed to be a paying one. as he built the first brick residence in Lima. Some years after, he built a brick storehouse on the southeast corner of the Square, and entered into the mercantile business. George was the eldest son and my chum. Hudson Watt had occupied that corner with a small building as a shoe store, from my earliest recollection. "The Old Fort," as the building was called, stood on the northwest cor- ner of Main and Market streets, opposite the Court House. North of it was a two-story wooden building, which when the Square was graded down was left some five or six feet above the sidewalk; Market street, sloping up from the corner, was on a level with the back end of the building.
When the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chi- cago Railroad was being built. I think it was in 1852 or 1853, the laborers employed in the construction, some 250 or 300 men, Irish and Dutch, working in the cut at the river. would frequent a saloon in "The Old Fort" and. on Saturday afternoons more particularly, would get in a hilarious mood and step out on the walk on Market street and commit all kinds of
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nuisances. It had been a source of complaint for some time. Henry Misner and myself were in the grocery and restaurant business two buildings south of the Square, on the west side of Main street. One Saturday evening, Christ- mas Eve, we had roast goose and invited the friends in. We were there until 11 :30 p. m., and when we closed up some one noticed a con- motion at "The Old Fort" and suggested we go up and investigate. I think there were eight or 10 in the party. John Vanatta, a very large and powerful young man, then the gen- eral boss at the railroad work, was one of the party; John Carpenter, blacksmith, working for Isaac Delrell; Misner and myself, with others that I cannot name now, made up the investigating party. By the time we had ar- rived at the "Fort" the number had increased somewhat.
We found the room full of railroad work- men, well "tanked up." Some one called for drinks and it being about 12 o'clock Saturday night, and an ordinance against selling on Sun- day being in force, the barman thought we were there to catch him and refused the custo- mer, and so the row began. Our boys helped themselves to a keg of axe handles standing in a corner and in less than 10 minutes they cleaned out the shanty and began to investigate the back room, out of which were rolled 18 barrels of liquor, chiefly whiskey, with some brandy. When the barrels of liquor reached the pavement, they went down hill to the mid- dle of the Square; there the heads were knocked in and the contents ran to the river. The boys tried to set it on fire, but it would not burn.
Some friends of the saloon men tried to set the building on fire about 3 o'clock, for the purpose of holding us for damages. The upper story was used for storage, and in it were two kegs of powder,-25 pounds each; near these a box of packing was placed and set on fire. John Carpenter, the blacksmith, who had eyes like an eagle, with no fear in his makeup, ran up the stairs where the kegs of powder were enveloped in the flames of the box and its con- tents, and kicked the box out of the front door. A guard was then placed over the premises until morning.
The square and the old building presented a sad sight when daylight came. On Monday, Charles N. Lamison, prosecuting attorney, had 22 persons arrested. The sheriff, Ridenour, had been very lately installed in office and was not "up to snuff" very extensively. The county judge lived four miles east, and to get us there Sheriff Ridenour procured a four- horse sleigh. We "loaded in" and John Van- atta, having had some experience in driving four horses, took the reins and gave us quite a ride about town; then it occurred to us that it was time for dinner, which we were not slow in demanding. Mr. Sheriff led us to the tav- ern, kept by one Captain Fisher. After dinner the sheriff was informed that if he wanted to present us to the judge he had better bring his Honor in. We went home.
The following morning the judge presented himself and the trial opened for "riot." Two days were consumed in getting a jury. Cap- tain Fisher was foreman and John Haller, a young man living two miles west of town, school teacher and surveyor, was one of the jury. The trial was finished Saturday noon. The jury retired, occupying a room to the right of the judge's stand in the court room. They remained all night, all Sunday and Sunday evening. William Mitchell got a position over the jury room by climbing through the roof timbers and made a small hole through the plastering, sufficient to hear what transpired below. It seems that all were for "not guilty" except Haller. About 9 o'clock he announced his intention to go with the rest. Captain Fisher asked him to write the verdict, which he did and the Captain signed it as foreman and they adjourned.
The intelligence was too good to keep. Mitchell came down and told the decision, with the injunction that it should not be repeated. When morning came it was common talk and some of the friends of whiskey (county offi- cers) then engaged the attention of this man John Haller, and when court was called and the jury were asked if they had a verdict the foreman answered, "yes," and presented it. After reading it. the prosecuting attorney asked that the jury be polled, which was done, -all the jury answering. "Yes, your Honor"
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except the man Haller, who replied, "No, your Honor." The prosecuting attorney asked for a continuance, which was granted and the de- fendants were ordered to give bond; but the answer to this was, "We'll go to jail." The judge proceeded to order the sheriff to take us to jail.
Carpenters had been laying a floor in the debtors' room and had not finished, leaving some of the joists partly exposed. It was a short job to get one loose and use it for a bat- tering-ram and bend the iron bars of the win- dows until they were pulled out of the wall. No one made any attempt to go out. About that time dinner was called and Mr. Sheriff was ordered to bring in tables and spread the "grub" upon them. The texture of the "grub" was such that it did not satisfy the fastidious taste of the guests. By mistake, or otherwise, the table went over and the "grub" was spilled on the floor. About that time some ladies ap- peared with a prepared dinner, which was dished out and enjoyed by the boys, after which a fiddler was introduced and some danc- ing enjoyed, when the ladies gathered up the fragments and retired.
The attorney employed to defend was from Bellefontaine. At that stage of the game, the attorney called on Judge Metcalf, who hap- pened to be at home, and presented a writ of habeas corpus, and the judge asked the sheriff by what authority he held the prisoners. The county judge had failed to issue and deliver a mittimus to the sheriff, hence the latter had no authority to hold his prisoners and the defend- ants were discharged by Judge Metcalf. More- over, having been incarcerated without author- ity, they were not responsible for any damage accruing to the public property. The boys went home. The County Court convened the first Monday in each month, when the prosecuting attorney would ask for a continuance of the case, which was granted by the judge. The defendants presented themselves at each call of the court for four or five calls and then gave it no more heed.
A damage suit was instituted against the entire party for $2.300 for goods destroyed at
the party on Christmas Eve. The citizens' committee paid the bill; I don't recollect just the amount paid.
About 30 days after this, some saloon mar at Delphos, concluding to engage in the busi- ness at Lima, loaded three wagons with the necessary goods, drove to within two miles of town and camped until the proper time in the night, expecting to occupy "The Old Fort" be- fore daylight, without the knowledge of those opposed to that style of business. The fact was. learned and 10 o'clock found 40 persons gath -- ered at the foundry, with captain chosen and! everyone armed, four men with revolvers, four: with crowbars and the remainder with axes and! sledgehammers. All were disguised, mostly with coffee sacks, with eye and mouth holes,. pulled over their heads. They were formed! into line, counted, every man instructed as to, his duty, marched in front of the "Fort," the. men with revolvers taking stations as guards. 'to admit no one. The crowbar men opened the doors and windows. I think it could not: have exceeded 10 minutes until the building- had neither plastering nor weatherboarding- left on it from top to bottom. The men were then formed in line, were counted (no word spoken during the transaction) and were marched to the foundry. The wagons went on the back track with the "rotgut."
I have heard my father and others talk about a "graft" that was worked extensively by two parties. One gentleman occupied the Land. Office and when parties would make applica- tion for entry of lands nothing but gold or sil- ver would "go;" they were informed that a gentleman next door could probably furnish the necessary coin; 10 per cent, was the penalty. The coin would pass back ready for the next victim; a few hundred dollars did the work.
John Bashore kept tavern down Main. street. General Blackburn, a very large man, lived just below. I think he was general in the War of 1812; he afterwards moved to Allen- town, four miles west. I thought at that time that General Blackburn was the "only man," when general muster would occur, and he with his regimentals on was mounted on a dapple
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gray horse weighing about 1,600 pounds, be- longing to Colonel Riley, who was a prominent individual at that time.
Joseph H. Richardson was one of the first school teachers I remember, holding forth in the upper story of the old log Court House on Main street, just south of the Square.
James Satterthwaite, who did the boot and shoe act, was unusually small in stature. The boys said he was made that way to go down into the boots to cut the pegs out. Bart, his brother, was jeweler and the first postmaster I remember. Dan Blubaker was the mail car- rier at one time, making his trips on horseback. John Hubbard "dished out" the groceries in a small building situated on the corner where the Lima House was erected later on.
Charles Fanrote turned out the spinning wheels on Market street, east of the Square, a near neighbor to Thomas Delrell, the black- smith. Thomas K. Jacobs was county treas- urer for many years. The Know Nothing party was organized on the quiet, and turned him down as well as some others-"Court House Rats," as they were called at that time.
John Cunningham's pottery at the foot of Main street was one of the ancient landmarks ·of Lima.
Mr. Chaffee was one of the first school teachers; he held forth in the old Methodist Episcopal Church, just over the alley from our house. Mr. Thomas, who "navigated" on crutches, taught school; his brother George was a shoemaker, known as "Dickey" Thomas : neither was ever married; they lived with their mother.
Abraham Bowers ran a cabinet shop and Samuel A. Baxter, a hat shop. These enter- prises were conducted on the first cross street below the Square, and old lady Gibbler lived at the west end. "Nute" Hoover had the first · drug-store in my recollection.
I remember my father and others went with wagons over the corduroy roads 60 miles to Dayton, Ohio, in 1840 to see Gen. William Henry Harrison, who was running for Presi- dent. O. Curtis was one of the men. The boys called him "Bottle O." Curtis. The sign over his place of business was a bottle, filling
a glass with foaming beer, then "O. Curtis" (hence the name).
One year, I think it was 1856, a Fourth of July celebration was on. After a cannon, made for the occasion by Joseph Smith, the foundry man, had been fired by the members of the firing squad, they turned their attention to arranging a platform for the speakers. A young man, who was working in the pattern department of the foundry, thought he would fire the two or three charges left, and called on young Alexander, who was about 14 years old, without experience in that line, to thumb the cannon. When the second charge was being rammed in, a premature discharge followed, which blew the arms from the operator at the elbows. My wife and I were sitting in the sec- ond-story window of Saint's storehouse, look- ing directly at the operation. The young man recovered, minus his forearms.
The following winter there was formed a Thespian Club, which played several plays, one of which was "Black-Eyed Susan." A young lad, known as Samuel A. Baxter, Jr., whose stature and complexion were suited for the occasion, made a magnificent representation of "Black-Eyed Susan." I remember that about $75 was turned over to the unfortunate young man, who suffered on the Fourth.
ROBB'S REVENGE.
A story related by Horace K. Knapp, re- specting the court of Allen County in 1857, is valuable both on account of its personnel and incident. "In 1857." says Mr. Knapp, "a new sheriff was inducted into office in All'en Coun- ty. He was much inclined to waggery, and plumed himself upon his success in the practi- cal jokes he would get off on his friends. Judge Robb, who habitually takes everything in good humor, and had been in several instances his victim, devised the following retaliatory scheme: Seeking a conversation with the new officer, he informed him that it was the smallest number of sheriffs who understood the true form of opening court. Now,' said Robb, 'while our Democrats may not like the English government and people altogether. it must
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nevertheless be admitted that we are indebted to them for the fundamental principles of our admirable system of jurisprudence. The more closely we adhere to their venerated forms, the more imposing and sublime appears the admin- istration of justice.' The sheriff concurred in this view, and Judge Robb then proceeded to drill the officer in his method of opening court, and having learned to 'speak his piece,' Judge Metcalf, the bar and spectators were electrified the next morning to hear the new sheriff pro- claim, in response to the order to open court,- 'Oh yes! oh yes! all manner of persons having anything to do with this court of nisi prius, held in this county of Allen, will draw near and give attention. God save the Queen!' This drew out a long-continued roar of laughter at the expense of the sheriff and the Queen and necessitated the reopening of the court in due form. Robb had his revenge."
THE FIRST ALLEN COUNTY FAIR. (From the Ada Record, 1902.)
In a farmer's shop in Huron County the Record man recently espied an old book, minus a back and reposing in a nail-box. He dug it out and in leafing through it discovered it to be an Ohio Agricultural Report for 1852, just 50 years ago, and on page 217 is a report of the organization of the Allen County Agricult- ural Society, the first secretary being our ven- erable fellow-citizen, Hugh Dobbins, and Mat- thew Dobbins, the first president, was his father. The report is as follows :
To the State Board of Agriculture:
In pursuance of previous notice a meeting of citi- zens of Allen County was held at Lima on Saturday, the 11th of January, 1851, for the purpose of forming an agricultural society.
On motion, Samuel P. Tingle was called to the chair and Hugh Dobbins was chosen secretary pro tem. Whereupon a committee of five, consisting of Joseph Shotwell, William S. Rose, James Huston, James Men- denhall, and Matthew Dobbins, were appointed to draft a constitution for the government of the society, which was unanimously adopted and signed by over 30 members.
The society then proceeded to the election of offi- cers for the ensuing year, which resulted as follows : Matthew Dobbins, president; Joseph Shotwell, vice- president; Samuel P. Tingle, treasurer; James Huston,
James Mendenhall, George Rankins, Isaac Merchant, J. H. Richardson, managers.
A condensed report of the First Annual Fair of the Allen County Agricultural Society .-
This fair, held in this place on the 21st of Octo- ber, 1851, was attended by a large number of the farm- ers and others of our county, and from the degree of interest which seems to be taken, we are quite sure that all take a deep interest in its welfare. For the first of the kind in our county, we think we may chal- lenge comparison with any other county in North- western Ohio. The numbers of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., far surpassed the most sanguine expecta- tions of its best friends, and the quality of the different kinds of stock was much better than could have been reasonably expected, and the quality of the fruit is not surpassed by any other in the State.
On the afternoon of the same day M. H. Nichols, Esq., of Lima, Ohio, delivered an address to the mem- bers of the society and others in attendance, after which the premiums awarded by the several commit- tees were made known. HUGH DOBBINS, Secy. Lima, Dec. 30, 1851.
The old sulphur spring referred to in the following poem was located on the Lamison farm, north of Lima. It has been destroyed by the railroads passing through the farm.
THE OLD SULPHUR SPRING.
The old sulphur spring, let's sing its chronicle in song, To the many boys and girls, who around it have thronged; In days of love and song, when the summer days were long, To the sparkling spring of water, there many have gone.
No architect of note, of his skill had need to boast, For a gum of ancient growth, of either sycamore or oak, Was the only thing that showed where the silver water glow'd, In its endless supply, while to the little river it flowed.
With love tales on their lips, in moments of bliss, There lovers have sipped, and occasionally kissed; And the plain and the proud have each stood around The old sulphur spring, as it flowed from the ground.
And residents old, its many virtues have told, How health was reclaimed and no medicine sold; And no microbes of malaria or other diseases have stayed Near the spot where the spring in its purity played.
That no evil could come from this old hollow gum; Its treasure was pure, and as true as the sun; And as free as the air its fragrance perfumed, To the many who sought and of its bounty consumed.
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