History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I, Part 78

Author: Middleton, Evan P., editor
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1196

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CERTIFICATES OF PAYMENT.

Another interesting record is contained in the blank book, headed "Cer- tificate of payments into the Volunteer Bounty fund-Volunteers under calls of July 2nd and August 4, 1862." It is evident that these contributions to the fund were to be a part of the general county bounty fund. The first name of the seven hundred and seventy-six names which are listed was A. F. Vance and the last was Adam Linville. The payments began on January 5, 1864, and continued through to September 6, 1864, considerably more than half of them having been made prior to the first of June. The donations to the fund range from one dollar to one hundred dollars, those giving one hun- dred dollars being William M. Murdock, James Rawlings, Bela Kimball, John Wilson, B. F. Golden, Richard D. Williams, Samuel K. Sowers, H. N. and A. Johnson. James Long, Oliver Taylor and John J. Ware. There were only three who gave more than one hundred dollars-James B. Armstrong giving five hundred dollars and John McDonald and John Enoch, Sr., each giving two hundred dollars. The total amount raised by subscription from January 5 to September 6, 1864, was twelve thousand two hundred and sixty- nine dollars.

While all of the townships in the county raised a bounty fund by volun- tary donation, yet the two subscription lists above noted are the only ones which are preserved in the auditor's office. There was a blank order printed

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for each township, one of which is given verbatim as it appears from an original which happened to be in the Salem township record book.

$5.00

Treasurer's Office, Salem Township, June 6, 1864.

I hereby certify that Jas. Zook has contributed Five Dollars to raise volunteers for Salem Township. Champaign Count. Ohio. under the call of the President, Issued on the 24th day of October. 1863. No. 191.

M. E. MORGAN. Treasurer of Volunteer Fund.

OTHER INTERESTING RECORDS.

Another interesting Civil War record is contained in a blank book whose index leaf is labeled "Claims for Money advanced to Bounty Fund in 1863-4. Adjusted and Certificates issued to Claimants as per the following pages." This record gives a list of the subscribers to the bounty fund for each of the townships in the county, the number of their certificate and the amount of their donation. The names of the subscribers are arranged alphabetically and written in a very legible hand, presumably the chirography of Auditor Zumbro. Mad River leads the list with a total of 282 donors, the other townships furnishing the following number: Jackson, 265; Urbana, 257; Johnson, 239; Union, 202: Salem, 194; Waynet, 184; Concord, 139; Rush, 112; Goshen, 97; total, 1.971. It will be noticed that Adams and Harrison are not represented in the list of townships recorded as having subscribers to this bounty fund.

One more interesting Civil War record remains to be noticed. This is a large blank book record which contains a miscellaneous collection of Civil War statistics, but much of it is in such illegible handwriting that it is hard to decipher. It contains, among other things, the following: (1) Receipts of volunteers to whom money has been paid by Champaign county military committee ; (2) Account of money paid volunteers by the Champaign county military Committee: (3) "Names of persons to whom I issued certificates for money contributed to raise volunteers under the two calls issued by the President of the United States, 2nd of July and 4th of August, 1862, with amount of certificate and date of same beginning December 31, 1863. R. C. Fulton."

The record shows about seventy-five members of the Sixty-sixth Regi- ment who were paid varying amounts; about one hundred and seventy-five members of the Ninety-fifth Regiment ; eighty-six members of the Forty-

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fifth Regiment, and eighty-three of the One Hundred and Thirty-third Regi- ment.

On August 14. 1862, the commissioners agreed to make up any deficit so that any volunteer would receive the fifty-dollar bounty, and ordered that twenty-five thousand dollars worth of certificates be issued by the county, authority for this action being based on a recent act of the Legislature. On September 4, 1862, the commissioners reported that $4,114.26 had been received from the state for soldiers' relief fund; also $2,655 for relief fund raised by subscription. At the same time the commissioners had paid out $8,016.86 for war orders. On December 3. 1862, the commissioners appro- priated $2,000 for relief. On March 4, 1863, an enumeration showed males over twenty-one ( white) to the number of 4,449 and colored to the number of 151. On July 28, 1863, the commissioners borrowed $3,000 at six per cent, from Armstrong's Bank for relief.

On November 21, 1863, the county commissioners appropriated the fol- lowing sums for relief to soldiers' families: Johnson township, $36; Con- cord, $0.67: Urbana, $26.67; Mad River, $50.66; Harrison, $43.34. At a special meeting of the county commissioners with the citizens of the county on November 30, 1863, called to discuss the question of providing additional bounty for volunteers, the following resolution was passed: "Resolved that this meeting authorize the commissioners in any way they may see fit to provide a fund sufficient to give to each volunteer a bounty of one hundred dollars who may enlist under the present call of the President of the United States, not exceeding the quota assigned to the county."

On January 14. 1864. a report was made to the county commissioners showing that for the previous six months seven thousand three hundred and one dollars had been paid out to soldiers' families for relief. At this time the commissioners ordered that necessitous adults be allowed two dollars and fifty cents a month and children one dollar sixteen and two-thirds cents. On this same day it was ordered that the "old war-worn flag of the 66th O. V. I." be placed where it would be safe. The commissioners ordered it placed in the auditor's office where it could be seen by the citizens.

ADDITIONAL WAR ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS' RECORDS.

On September 29. 1864, the county commissioners appropriated six thousand dollars for the relief of soldiers' families for the three months fol- lowing October 1, 1864, allowing each adult three dollars per month and each

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child one dollar and fifty cents. On April 1, 1865, an additional six thou- sand dollars was set aside for the relief fund.

On December 7, 1864, a lengthy complaint was registered with the county commissioners to the effect that the trustees of Adams township were not doing their duty and the commissioners "being satisfied that the com- plaints are well founded appointed Samuel Calland and Ziba P. Sayre and hereby authorized and required them to do and perform all the duties required of the trustees and trustees are hereby required to deliver up all books and papers to the said Sayre and Calland."

Reference has previously been made to the disloyal sentiment in the western part of the county during the war. Harrison, Adams, Mad River and Jackson furnished nearly all of the deserters of the county. The great- est trouble which the county commissioners experienced was in Adams and Harrison townships, but the commissioners' records give only a faint hint of the really serious disaffection which existed in those two townships. The Home Guards had to be called out on more than one occasion, and the village of Carysville was so openly defiant of authority that a company of Home Guards had to be stationed there for a time in order to protect the lives and property of the loyal citizens. Instances might be cited without number of the acts of the Knights of the Golden Circle in Champaign county. Many are still living who can recall the ruse which effected the capture of a preacher at St. Paris who was industriously engaged in having pistols delivered in baskets by a couple of boys. Not only was the pistol supply confiscated, but before the St. Paris Southern sympathizers knew what was going on, a detective of Governor Brough had been in the village, enlisted in their organ- ization, learned their secrets and of course, secured a complete list of all their members. This same list is now on file at Columbus in the adjutant general's office.

SPECIAL TAXES FOR BOUNTIES.

The Legislature passed an act on March 28, 1864, which authorized townships to levy special taxes for the payment of bonuties. Pursuant to this act the following townships of Champaign county levied a tax and raised the amounts credited to them as shown in the following table, the report being filed with the commissioners on June 8, 1864: Urbana, $2,332.50; Mad River, $4,960.50; Jackson, $4,693.20 ; Concord, $3,310.50; Johnson, $2,060.50; Wayne. $2,052.50; Rush, $1,748.00; Goshen, $2,582.61; Union, $2,386.65; Salem, $2.652. Total, $28,768.97. It will be noticed that there was no return made for Adams and Harrison townships. It was reported that

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Adams township had collected five dollars, but "the bill was counterfeit and rejected by the treasurer of the committee."

The hundred-days service of 1864 made another drain upon the county's resources. On June 16, 1864, the commissioners offered the same relief for the adults and children of the one hundred-days men as for those who had enlisted for three years. On that date there were reported one hundred and eight necessitous adults and two hundred and sixty-five necessitous children of the one hundred-days volunteers, and the commissioners authorized the payment of a total of one thousand seven hundred thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents for their support. On July 30, 1864, the commissioners reported that all the relief money was again expended. They at once made arrange- ments for a loan of six thousand dollars from the Champaign County Bank. The county treasurer on September 7, 1864, showed that there had been paid on in the previous year $8.762 state bounty and $19.399.82 township bounty. During the summer and fall of 1864 there were frequent complaints that the trustees of Jackson and Johnson townships were not doing their duty in regard to taking care of the necessitous soldier families.

SOLDIER RELIEF IN 1917.

The United States is the most generous nation in the world towards its soldiers. Since the close of the war it has paid a pension to every Civil War veteran who was unable to take care of himself by reason of accident or dis- case ; and in extreme cases, the government provides a military home where the veteran and his wife may live surrounded by all the conveniences of life. Practically all of the Northern states have homes for soldiers maintained at the state's expense and also. homes for the orphans of soldiers and sailors. In 1917 there is not a soldier of the Civil War in Champaign county who is not drawing a pension, a recent act of Congress providing that every soldier who reaches the age of seventy shall be entitled to a dollar-a-day pension. Upon the death of the soldier his widow receives twelve dollars a month. The county appropriates fifty dollars to assist in burying the old soldiers, provided the estate of the deceased is not sufficient to meet the expenses of burial.

In addition to these many provisions in behalf of the old soldier. the Legislature of Ohio passed an act on April 14, 1900, which provided for the appointment of a soldiers' relief commission of three persons in each county, their appointment to be made by the common pleas judge. Two members of the commission must be honorably discharged soldiers, sailors or marines.

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They serve for three years, or until their successors are appointed and quali- fied. The commission in turn appoints a soldiers' relief committee of three for each township, their tenure to be one year from the first Monday in Janu- ary of each year. V. S. Magruder is secretary of the county committee.

This township committee hears applications for relief and sits as a court to determine whether the relief asked should be granted. All applicants for relief must have been bona fide residents of the state for a year and of the county for six months. The committee makes a list of all indigent soldiers, sailors and marines and the indigent parents, wives, widows and minor chil- dren of the same. including the widows of such soldiers, sailors and marines, who have remarried but have again become indigent widows.

The relief committees of three for each township are as follows: Adams township. W. E. Jordon, W. W. Lovett and Frank Ford: Concord, H. P. Wilson, W. L. Bargar and ( vacant ) ; Goshen, J. W. Tway, T. W. Crim, and Levi Venrick ; Jackson, Morgan Howell, J. C. Morett and O. Lamb; Johnson, Jason Kite, H. Smith and J. Q. Baker : Harrison, J. L. Wren, William Brown- field, and D. M. Baker: Mad River, James Ireland, J. N. Smith and D. E. Weaver : Rush, Minard Sessions, William Hunter and John M. Smith; Salem, James Harvey. W. H. Shumate, and J. M. Maitland; Union, Chris Goul, John F. Byers and Harry Neer : Wayne township: E. D. Thompson, Marion Guth- ridge and William Thompson; Urbana. J. W. Evans, C. G. Glessner and (vacant). The city of Urbana has four wards and their committees are as follows: First ward, J. P. Northcutt, Charles McDargh and J. Woodward; second, J. P. Neer, B. R. Wilson and Jacob Bartell; third, John Woolenham, Thomas Neild and Frank Redmond; fourth, James Dolson, Young Busser and Haroki Houston.

The following persons received relief in varying amounts during 1917, ranging from four to eight dollars a month : Adams township, Ellen God- frey, John Smith, Thomas West; Goshen township, Sarah Knox; Harrison township, Mary A. Cozier and Lydia A. Green; Johnson township, Charlotte Grafton. Mary F. Martz and Elizabeth Taylor; Salem township, Nancy J. Andrew, Emmaline Shaul, Martha J. Chormell, Salome Collins and Eliza M. Toomire : Wayne township, Sarah Orahood, Maria Jones and Caroline South; Urbana, Ellen Spain, Sarah Wagoner, Sarah Helderbrand, Mandy Sayres, Henry Welsh, Nancy J. Buckley, Anna Grayson, Sarah E. Hayes, Martha Lymus, Mariah Dunn, Sarah Barr, Mary Stilgess.

According to a recent act of Congress all widows of soldiers receive a pension of twenty dollars a month after they reach the age of seventy-five and this act has relieved the county from paying benefit to a number of soldiers' widows during the past year.

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THE PROVOST MARSHAL.

Capt. Alexander C. Deuel was provost marshal of the county during the Civil War and the office was not closed until Saturday, September 30, 1865. The Citizen and Gasette in its issue of October 12, 1865, comments on the closing of the office as follows :

Stand erect, ye skulkers! Look square and laugh, ye copperheads! And, oh. ye trackless fugitives from justice, turn us asquint of your bonny e'nn from Canada ! The Inme, the halt, the blind, the sick, the sore and "played out" can walk, feel, see again, and be well for the Provost Marshal's office is closed against you! Capt. A. C. Denel, after months of trials and tribulations in the pursuit of effective soldiers, has retired to private life and you have no longer cause for dread of the cold, cold draft that might have sent you south, or to a much warmer climate.

The office was finally closed on Saturday, September 30, when the furniture was sold at public sale, and, by virtue of an order from the War Department, the Provost Marshal of the 4th District, Oblo, ceased to be an officer. Capt. Deuel has labored well and successfully in the discharge of the duties of his office. He has supplied the army with hundreds of good soldiers and by his energetic work in recruiting, saved the people at home the necessity of a draft. We may well thank him that Champaign county has never been represented in the army by draft.

THE END OF THE WAR.

The Urbana Citizen and Gazette in its issue of April 13, 1865, carried the first news to the people of Champaign county that the war was over. The editor had copious extracts from war bulletins, proclamations, etc., pertaining to the war, but the striking feature of this issue of the paper was his display heading over the news of Lee's surrender. It follows :

VICTORY !

LEE SURRENDERED !

HIS FORCES LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS.

OFFICERS AND MEN PAROLED !

THE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

THANKS FROM SEC'Y STANTON.

GRAND SALUTE ORDERED.

500 GUNS TO BE FIRED.

GRAND OFFICIAL BULLETIN.

SURRENDER OF LEE'S ARMY

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War Department, Washington. April 7, 1865, 9 P. M.

MAJOR GENERAL SIX, New York :

This Department has received the official report of the surrender of Gen. Lee and his army to Lieut. Gen. Grant on terms proposed by Gen. Grant.

E. M. STANTON. To HON. F. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

Gen. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia this afternoon upon the terms proposed by myself. The accompanying additional correspondence will show the condition fully.

U. S. GRANT, Lieut. Gen.

THE JOYFUL NEWS.

Under the caption of "The Joyful News" the editor of the Citizen and Gazette goes on to give a graphic description of the events in Urbana fol- lowing the receipt of the fall of Richmond and the subsequent surrender of Gen. Lee.

In the evening a bonfire was kindled in the square and the noise and confusion wna kept up until a late hour. Cheers went up, gun after gun exploded, the bells of the town pealed forth their joyful tones; an excited crowd ordered out a bus from the livery stable; another crowd fitted up a wagon with bells, and with flags, guns and cheers went swiftly through the streets proclaiming the joyful news until the horses were fairly jaded out. Soon the streets were thronged with men, women and children, all seeming to vie with each other that the great rebellion was so nearly crushed out. Company A, National Guards, then made their appearance on the square, parading and firing salutes, and boys with their swivels and other small guns kept up a con- stant firing on the streets. Then came a cavalry parade which attracted a good deal of attention. Next in order came the Young America Fire Company with their machine. giving the crowd an exhibition of its capacity to throw water. During all this time Shyrigh's Martial Band enlivened the proceedings with soul-stirring music.

The description of the proceedings goes on paragraph after paragraph. It seemed that every man, woman and child, horse, dog and living creature, in the town and county paraded through the streets of the county seat. Every gun in the county was fired, all the spare powder was used up, and every band in the county played continuously for nearly twenty-four hours. To con- tinue with the editor's description of the occasion :

A train of drays and wagons made their appearance on the streets representing "The Last Ditch." On each draw was a couple of boxes in which were sented the representatives of the Confederate government, each box being properly labeled with the name of its occupant, all of whom were dressed in the most ludicrous style. Fol- lowing this train was Confederate Battery Q. being an artificial cannon on wheels, manned by as ludicrous a set of fellows as you seldom will see. During this perforin- ance the Kingston Martial Band came into town and alded materially In the musical entertainment.

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Continuing in similar strain, the editor was unable to do justice to the description of the scene because he had used up all the adjectives at his com- mand. He notes the parade of all of the colored people of the town "happy at their deliverance from bondage." The wild excitement of the day and its manifestations in every possible, conceivable way continued through the day and most of the night of Monday, April 10, 1865. The editor is so impressed with the occasion that he falls into a philosophic dissertation in his concluding words.

The dark night of the rebellion is passing away. The light of peace and liberty is dawning over the land. Let the eagle scream and let the kettle to the trumpet speak, the trumpet to the cannoneer without, cannons to the heavens, and the heavens to the earth.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow ; Praise Him all creatures here below.

THE ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN.

The people of Urbana were still rejoicing over the news of Lee's sur- render when their joy was thrown into grief upon the receipt of the news that the beloved Lincoln had been assassinated on Saturday night. April 15, 1865. The news of the assassination and its reception in Champaign county is graphically set forth in the Urbana Citizen and Gasette in its issue of April 20, 1865. The editor issued a "mourning edition" of his paper, as did prac- tically all the Northern newspapers the same week, with his columns separated by heavy black lines and the whole surrounded by a black border. The article telling of the assassination follows :

The announcement on Saturday morning, last (April 15. 1865). of the assassination and death of President Lincoln fell upon the nation like a clap of thunder in a cloudless sky. From a joyful state of exultation over a redeemed country, the country was sud- denly plunged into mourning for the loss of its Chief Magistrate, who fell a martyr to his country at the hand of treason, About ten o'clock, in the midst of one of the nets, a pistol shot was heard, and at the same time a man leaped upon the stage from the same box occupied by the President, brandishing a long knife. and shouting Sic semper tyrannus. He then rushed to the rear of the scene and out of the back theatre. So sudden was the whole thing that most persons in the theatre supposed it was a part of the play. and It was some minutes before the fearful tragedy was fully comprehended.

The assassin was pursued to the outer door and seen to mount a horse and ride rapidly away. Scarcely had the news of this tragedy been detailed. when couriers came from Secretary Seward's residence, announcing that he too had been assassinated. The city was soon in a blaze of excitement and every possible effort was made to arrest the assassins. That such scenes can be enacted in the capital of the nation, at a moment when the rebellion was tottering to its fall, may well shock the heart of

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the nation, and rouse it to a realizing sense of the malignity of the treason that sur- rounds it. But the nation will survive the shock and the Ship of State under the direction of others will continue to sail on. undisturbed, to peace and universal liberty.

The editor evidently had not received word yet who the assassin was, but later he states that it was John Wilkes Booth, "tradegin". The issue of the week following gives a graphic account of the killing of Booth and the capture of some of his accomplices.

FUNERAL TRAIN OF LINCOLN PASSES THROUGH THE COUNTY.

The funeral train of President Lincoln passed through Champaign county Saturday night, April 29, 1865. The following extracts are taken verbatim from the Cincinnati Gazette of Sunday, April 30, 1865 :

Woodstock, Ohio, April 29, 9:46 P. M .- About 30 people were present. The Indies presented bouquets. One by Miss Gillard, Miss Lucy Kimball and Miss Mary Cranston on the part of the ladies of Woodstock; another by Miss Ann M. Curriler, and another by Mrs. G. Martin and Miss Delilah Betts, sisters. These ladies were permitted to enter the President's car and strew flowers on the coffin. The Woodstock Cornet Band, ['. Cushman, leader, played a dirge and hymn. The village bells slowly rang. The men stood silent with uncovered heads. The scene was as fleeting as it was beautiful.

Cable. Ohio, April 20, 10:13 P. M .- The gentlemen on the train asked Mr. Smith, superintendent, where all the people came from who had assembled at this time, they were so many. They were also Inrge bonfires. A soldier stood in the center of the assemblage holding a flag. All the men stood uncovered.

Urbana, Oblo, April 29. 10:40 P. M .- Some 3,000 persons are present. A large cross is on the platform. entwined with wreaths of evergreen, which was worked under the direction of Mrs. Milo G. Williams, president of the Ladies' Soldiers Aid Society. From the top of the cross, arms hung Illuminated with colored transparencies. On the side of the track was an elevated platform on which were forty gentlemen and ladies, who sand with pathetic sweetness, the hymm entitled "Go to thy Rest." The singers repre- sented the Methodists, Baptists. Episcopalians and Presbyterian churches, Large bon- fires made the night light as day. Minute guns were fired. Ten young ladies entered the car and strewed flowers on the hier. One of the Indies was so affected that she erled and wept in great anguish.

St. Paris, April 20, 11:24 P. M .- There are brilliant Illuminations by which may be seen a number of draped flags. A large assemblage is present, who stand in silence as they look on the train. A beautiful bouquet was a most artistic one and was made by Mrs. Stoutenmeyer.

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History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I, Part 78

Author: Middleton, Evan P., editor Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1196

Author: Middleton, Evan P., editor
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1196