USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 90
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largest quantity of religious enthusiasm. Miss Kemp, during one of these meetings- which, by the way, begun at seven o'clock in the morning, continued all day and some- times as late as midnight-tore the hat from her head, threw it with great energy upon the floor, and then deliberately lay down on the floor and rolled over it. The unoffending head-gear was too gaudy for her now. She had become inspired. A third person who allowed herself to be carried away by excitement was Mrs. William Hunter. a modest and exemplary woman. Her antics were similar to those of Miss Cowle, and for vehemence and enthusiasm equalled anything of the kind erer wit- nessed. Picking out Ex-Marshall John Read one night, a heavyweight who would pull down the scales at two hundred pounds, she got behind him and clasped his bend tightly in her hands. Occasionally she released her grip long enough to stroke his hair gently, and implored him all the while in piteous tones to "Come to Jesus." She was beside herself, and was unconscious of what she was doing. Days passed in this way and the city hall, in which the meetings were held, became a pandemonium. The preacher and his worthy cohorts hardly took time to eat, and sleep was a secondary matter.
During one of these spirited seances a man in the audience was pounced upon by the preacher as a fit subject for "wrastling." This man was no other than George Cowle, the father of Sallie, a man who as the saying goes. Is "as close as the bark on the beech." He is wealthy and never spends a cent foolishly. As he was sitting there in the audience of Reverend Hayward, the pastor made it a point to go to him and any. "The Lord says for you to give up all your possessions for the good of the church. Will you do it?" Cowle, who had by this time come under the spell, responded in a feeble tone, "Yes" "Louder." yelled Hayward. "Yes," responded Cowle with a slightly increased accent. "Louder yet." cried Hayward. "Yes, I will," answered Cowle. "All but my two ponies." By this time Cowle was standing in the aisle, while Hayward was literally "weeping on his neck." Hayward replied. "The Lord com- mands me to thrust you aside." and thereupon he pushed the submissive Cowle ten feet away, and he was only kept from falling to the floor by one of the audience, who stendied him as he reeled backward.
One night during the fourth week of the revival the pastor announced that his sister, Mrs. Hunter, had come to him with tidings from the Lord to the effect that Christ would visit the meeting in person on a certain night. This announcement was made with the utmost sincerity. and It stirred the faithful to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. The time for the appearance of Christ came. The pastor took his place on the rostrum. and, Just before the music began he arose and, with his watch In hand. snid: "Sister Hunter, what time did you say Christ would appear?" "Between seven and eight o'clock," she replied. "He will be here In just twenty minutes." The uproar became fast and furious and the people were held in Intense expectancy. The night passed and no rision came, nithough seven of the faithful. Including the pastor, got to- gether in one corner of the hall and remained there praying, shouting, gronning, and gesticulating until two o'clock the next morning.
The following night the pastor made a statement in the meeting to the effect that Sister Hunter's prophecy had been fulfilled. that Christ had manifested Himself and that He had appeared in person.
THE CROWNING EPISODE.
The crowning episode of these remarkable manifestations occurred about a week before the close of the revival. At two o'clock in the morning on a certain day. the pastor arose from his bed and summoned together his faithful band. To each one he
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Imparted the startling Information that the Lord had commanded his wife to die, and that the sacrifice would be made at five o'clock in the afternoon. The preacher ex- plained that the remains of his wife would be buried in the northeastern part of his garden. at ten o'clock on the day following. Tuesday; but, that on Friday of the same week she would be resurrected and come back to life. At two o'clock the next day the pastor returned to his home and began to prepare for the sacrifice of his wife and unborn babe. As the hour of the sacrifice approached, the faithful band gathered at the home of the pastor to await the coming of the Lord, who would summon their dear friend.
Mrs. Hayward had arrayed herself in her nightclothes and was willing to meet her fate. She lay on a blanket on the floor of the parlor, with her form covered by a sheet, which was to serve as a shroud. As the hour drew near, the devoted hand of lunatics, driven stark mad by religious frenzy, began praying, sobbing, screaming and singing. The husband in his demented condition went to his room to get the razor with which to cut the throat of his wife. As he re-entered the room where his wife lay, he uttered this expression : "The Lord says, Thou shalt not kill.'" Throwing aside the weapon, he fell by the side of his wife and began to pray to God that he should come and take his wife and thus fulfill the Divine prophecy. Five o'clock came but the woman still lived. After a few minutes had elapsed, during which the faithful band was still praying for the death of the innocent woman, the preacher arose and said: "The Lord Is displeased : the prophecy will not be fulfilled."
When it seemed to the conservative citizens of the town that the climax had about been reached, Elder Brewster of I'rbana and Rev. G. H. Kenedy, a former pastor of the church, were telegraphed to come at once. They arrived one-half hour after the time appointed of the death of Mrs. Hayward. The house was surrounded by excited citizens and nearly three hundred people were stationed on Maple street in front of the house where this remarkable scene was being enacted. The crowd having been dispersed. she was cared for, and her husband was put under the Influence of chloroform by Drs. Williams and Smith, and quiet once more reigned in that household.
After pence and quiet had been restored in the village. the preacher acknowledged that he was under the infinence of a personal devil: and said that if anyone doubted his present sanity let him come and trade horses with him.
FIRES.
Very few are the towns, large and small, that have not had the terrible experience of a disastrous fire. Oftentimes these fires are due to gross care- lessness, or they may be traceable to unavoidable causes. Be it as it may, all fires result in irreparable economic loss to the community, and all care should be taken to prevent such disasters. Of course the improvement in fire-fighting apparatus tends to reduce damage to a minimum, but the most important thing is to prevent the start of such fires. Thanks to the fire-prevention pro- paganda of recent years, such disasters are becoming fewer in number.
Lewisburg paid a heavy toll of property in its most destructive fire, which occurred on February 7, 1895. Its origin remains a mystery to this day. It was about six-thirty in the morning when the fire started in the rear of Frank
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Connell's or T. W. Weston's restaurant, and soon the whole population organ- ized themselves into a bucket brigade. Notwithstanding the valiant efforts of the fire fighters, both of these buildings were soon consumed; and the fire showed no disposition to cease its destructive work. Hawkins and Holt's meat market, and the hotel, a three-story brick building on the south side of the street, were the next to succumb. In quick succession the business rooms occupied by J. N. Embreys, jeweler ; Fereman and Spain, furniture dealers; the Bank of Lewisburg, the Lindsay Hotel, and the drug store of Christopher Brothers were in ruins. So completely did it sweep the east side of North Main street, that the drug store belonging to E. G. Ware and the postoffice were the only buildings left standing.
Not satisfied with the wholesale destruction they had wrought, the flames crept eastward on Maple street where they totally destroyed C. S. Overfield's barber shop, Samuel Landis's saloon, Jordan Asher's livery stable, Jule South- wick's saloon, the grocery stores of Thomas Tracy & Company and McClung & Foster, and the blacksmith shop belonging to H. H. Foster.
When the seriousness of the fire became evident, the authorities tele- graphed to Urbana, Springfield, Marion, Galion and Richmond for aid; but, owing to adverse weather conditions none could be given from these four points. The fire was finally checked after it had destroyed fully one-half of the business district of the village, leaving only fifteen business rooms standing.
On November 19, 1899, came the next fire of any note. It destroyed the dwelling of Dr. Wagstaff, B. F. Painter's meat shop, F. E. James's novelty store, and the dwelling of Mattie Marquis.
The only other fire worthy of mention occurred on March 5, 1904. Then the large grain elevator and electric-light plant belonging to Chamberlin brothers were destroyed, causing a loss of approximately ten thousand dol- lars. It was at this time that the new fire apparatus was called into use and rendered excellent service.
CURRENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The business and professional interests of North Lewisburg are in the hands of the following: Bank of North Lewisburg; J. H. Beltz, grist-mill; Dr. H. A. Boulger, dentist ; Buckwalter Hardware Company; Frank Connell, clothing ; A. K. Cooksey, harness shop; William Curl, barber shop; William Dobbings, pool room; J. B. Draper, barber shop and pool room; G. L. Dur- nell, blacksmith shop; Fisher & Son, grocers; Floyd Freeman, undertaker ; Harry Freeman, auto repair shop; Cora Foster, milliner; M. C. Gowey,
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attorney ; H. D. Grube, jeweler; E. R. Huber, druggist ; Hunter & Company, general store; J. C. Immel, coal dealer; W. C. Jackson, pool room; John Jones, barber ; F. A. Jordan & Company, elevator ; D. W .. Lease, bicycle and general repair shop; E. A. Kerns, cement blocks; A. M. McCreary, meat mar- ket; North Lewisburg Reporter, Levi Millice, editor; North Lewisburg Tele- phone Company ; C. S. Overfield, pool room and barber shop; J. P. Overfield, saw-mill; Mrs. B. K. Spain, hotel; Spain & Dolan, hardware; R. L. Stout, produce dealer; H. C. Williams, decorator; Willis Auto Company, garage and auto supplies.
FOUNTAIN PARK.
Fountain Park was surveyed by Samuel G. Smith for A. J. Smith and Azro Smith, proprietors and owners of the land. The forty-four lots were in surveys Nos. 1118 and 13503 in Rush township. The plat was recorded on May 28, 1883. An addition of seventy-eight lots was made later, but there was no need for them. Of this addition, lots 74 to 122, inclusive, including streets and alleys, were ordered vacated by the county auditor, Aug- ust 25, 1905. Lots 46 to 61, inclusive, known as the South Side addition, were platted for A. J. Smith by S. G. Smith and recorded on October 1, 1886.
The village was planned primarily as a summer resort, but it has failed to live up to the expectations of its promoters. A hotel was erected, but its destruction by fire soon lost whatever hopes it may have had. There is now no business of any kind in the village.
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CHAPTER XXXV.
MECHANICSBURG.
John Kain, the original proprietor of Mechaniscburg, came to Goshen township in the early part of 1814, with the idea of laying out a town some- where in Champaign county. On account of the fine site and the natural drainage of the land he made arrangements for the platting of what was later to become Mechanicsburg. He came from Springfield and built the first house in his own village. At that time he had no name in mind for his vil- lage, but left the matter for the incoming inhabitants to determine. It is not known exactly when the name Mechanicsburg was given to the village, but it must have been sometime within three or four years after the town was platted. During this time a flood of emigrants were coming into this county from the East and among them were men representing all trades, and because the town had so many mechanics it was given the name of Mechanicsburg. Thus it may be said that the town named itself.
PIONEER CONDITIONS.
The ground now occupied by the little city of Mechanicsburg was once a wilderness, covered with a dense forest of all kinds of timber and underbrush. What are now some of the principal streets were then mere cow paths. These conditions remained unchanged until the town was platted by John Kain in 1814.
These pioneer conditions gradually improved, and in 1814 a small saw- mill was built within what is now Mechanicsburg, about a hundred yards back of the house of Joseph Wilkinson, now belonging to Tully Mckinney. This mill seemed to mark the beginning of Mechanicsburg, for it was laid out by John Kain on August 6th of the same year. As it was then platted, the only streets were Chillicothe and Sandusky streets. Since then the former has become Main street. The corporation limits extended north and south from the residence of Doctor DeMand to that of R. D. Williams; and east and west from Locust to Walnut streets. Before Kain laid out the village, he built a double log house which was undoubtedly the first residence erected
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within what is now the corporation. Following this beginning a small store was built and run by a man whose name was Owen. In 1816 a small hotel was erected and operated by Warren Owen on the present site of the Ander- son Inn. Later another hotel was needed, and Kelly's tavern was erected across the street from the first one. It was kept by William and John Kelly. The present hotel, however, was built in 1874. Samuel Miller was among the first merchants. Since the people of Mechanicsburg were not then blessed with the present rapid means of communication and transportation, he had to borrow a horse from Ed. Legge and rode the same to Cincinnati for goods which he brought back in a saddle-bag slung across the horse's back.
DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH AND SCHOOL.
The church is always in the vanguard of civilization. Back in those old days whenever a few of those doughty settlers got together, they recognized the need of a minister of the Gospel. Mechanicsburg was no exception to the rule, for the first church was built the same year that the town was laid out. It was located on the brow of the hill in the rear of the old Methodist Episcopal church. This building was made to serve another purpose, for it was also used as a school house. This building, which was made of logs, hewed out of the neighboring forest, served the two purposes until 1819, when it was replaced by a more modern frame building, which stood only a few feet distant from the old structure. This last building sufficed until 1839, when it was replaced by a brick structure.
An idea of the growth of the little village may be gained when it is said that in 1826 there were only eighteen houses, most of which were built of logs. But it is surprising the number of people that these houses accommo- dated. A great majority of these rude log houses contained only two rooms, but in them lived as many as six persons and several boarders. But even under these circumstances the people were very sociable and hospitable. Dur- ing these early days some of the more religiously inclined from the surround- ing country would come to the little village to attend church, and were usu- ally entertained in these pioneer dwellings by the towns-people. The annual revival meetings that were held during these pioneer days attracted attention not only in the immediate vicinity, but for a radius of from ten to fifteen miles around. According to tradition, it has been said that when the interest in these revival meetings was at its highest point, the services frequently lasted until two o'clock in the morning, and the shouting could be heard from a dis- tance of two or three miles.
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DERISIVELY KNOWN AS "FROG POND."
As early as 1825 the village had long been officially known as Mechan- icsburg, but it was known in derision as "Frog Pond," from a small pond opposite C. H. Newcomb's residence, which was used as a swimming hole in summer and a place for skating in winter. The streets, if they may be so called, were so muddy that wagons would mire down in the mud and the young men had to carry their girls across the streets while escorting them about the village.
From some time before the town was incorporated, which was in 1834, until after the Civil War, the village had a reputation as being a very "rough" . place, and it well deserved the name, as there was much drinking, quarreling and fighting. The boys, encouraged by older persons, helped to make drunk- enness more disagreeable than funny. But the way of the drinker was hard, because the method of treating him was rather harsh. One of the most com- mon means of dealing with a drunkard in those days was to tie him to a wagon, haul him to the race, and give the "patient" a cold bath. This treat- ment was repeated if necessary.
A short time after 1850 an important enterprise was agitated for the improvement and convenience of the people. This was the construction of the Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburg railroad as it was then called. This road was only built from Delaware to Springfield and is now used as a branch of the Big Four. It may be added in passing that although the rail- road had the name of the Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburg system, it was never extended to either Pittsburgh or Mt. Vernon.
This railroad is not the only one the town had, however; for back in the early fifties there was another of quite a different nature. In all the long, dark years of its use there was no noise to announce the arrival and depart- ure of its trains ; there was never a merry farewell by those leaving. This is not to be wondered at, when it is remembered that the travelers were pas- sengers on the "underground railroad." Mechanicsburg was a very import- ant point in this system, the local station of which was located east of the present Methodist Protestant church and on the site of the present parsonage. The principal conductor on this road was Udney Hyde and it was he who transported more than five hundred fugitive slaves to Northern limits with his horse and wagon. It was about this time that the Addison White diffi- culty occurred, an event that stirred the little village from center to circum- ference.
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ORGANIZATION AND INCORPORATION.
. The land now occupied by the town was first owned by William Reynolds. He disposed of the property to Robert Means, who sold it to Duncan McAr- thur. The latter sold to John Kain, who laid out the town site into twenty- eight lots, on August 6, 1814. Many additions have been made to the orig- inal site, until now the town extends over a section of land. The additions include the following: Isaac Putnam, March 25, 1836; A. B. Cowan, et al., March 7. 1849: John Sheppard, et al., March 10, 1849: Millicent addition, March 8, 1849; Jayner addition, March 6, 1849: A. B. Cowan, et al., March 8. 1849: James Woodard, April 15, 1852: Seeva addition, October 12, 1868; T. Jones, 1869: P. E. Colwell, 1870: W. H. Baxter, 1870; J. R. Ware, 1870; S. S. Staley, 1875; Clemans & Martin, part of old fair grounds.
On August 5, 1865, the council resolved to submit to the voters the question of extending the corporation limits so as to make them exactly a mile square. When the vote was taken on October 10, 1865, the result was one hundred and three for, and three against.
On February 27. 1834, the state Legislature passed an act for the incor- poration of Mechanicsburg, and in pursuance to said act the first corporation election was held on April 5, 1834. The result was the election of Joseph H. Rathburn, mayor; Isaac Putnam, recorder; Ebenezer Owen, J. H. Spain, William Neal, David H. Tullis and Jacob R. Ware, trustees. The council met for the first time on April 11, 1834. The council then elected John Shep- herd, marshal: Dr. E. Owen, treasurer: John Shepherd, street commissioner ; William Kelly, assessor. The town was now started on its official career. The taxable property, real and personal, of the town at that time was thir- teen thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight dollars, upon which a tax levy was made of one-fourth of one per cent. for corporation purposes. The tax produced by the levy was thirty-four dollars and eighty-two cents. Evidently the simplicity of those days did not require a large amount of money for the general expenses of the town. As an evidence of the small salaries paid the officials, D. F. Spain was allowed three dollars by the council for two years of service as treasurer of the town.
EARLY INDUSTRIES.
The industries of Mechanicsburg have been many and varied, and date almost from the time of the beginning of the existence of the town. . \t one
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time the town was filled with nearly all classes of artisans and tradesmen, so numerous were the different industries of the place. One of the first enter- prises was a corn-cracker which was owned and operated by the proprietor of the town, John Kain. He operated the mill for a few years and then sold it to Andrew Staley, who was an experienced millwright. Staley operated this mill for a number of years, but as his business grew the little corn-cracker became quite inadequate. He then tore down the old mill and erected a new one on the same site. This latter mill gained more than local reputation, as customers came not only from many parts of Champaign county but from Union, Madison and Clark counties. Staley built the mill that is in use at the present time, but it has been remodeled and changed in many respects.
Among the other early industries of Mechanicsburg was an "ashery," the proprietor being Azro Mann. This small manufacturing industry was one which meant a great deal to the little village during its infancy. Wagons were sent out into the country to secure ashes from the farmers, who were paid at the rate of two cents a bushel. The product formed from these ashes was known as saleratus, which was very much like our common soda. It was estimated that one hundred barrels of ashes were required to make one barrel of saleratus. This little factory was located along the creek in the southern part of the village and was operated for about twelve or fifteen years. Merch- ants for miles around expected Mann to supply them with saleratus. His product was sold even in Cincinnati, for at regular intervals merchants in Mechanicsburg hauled saleratus to Cincinnati and returned with groceries and other necessities.
The village boasted of two woplen-mills. Since steam as a power in industry was then in its infancy and had not penetrated so far westward, the millers had to depend upon the water power from the nearby creek. One of the mills which was owned by a man named Dye was on the creek below the town. Near it was a carding-mill, where all kinds of dress goods were made. The market for this commodity was less extensive than one might imagine, for there were few women living in Mechanicsburg at that time who were not skilled weavers. The other mill was located above the town. Its owner was a man whose name was Cheney.
In the village and on the creek was a distillery which was always busy during the time it was operated. This distillery afforded an excellent market for the corn that was raised in the vicinity, for which the distillery owner paid twenty cents a bushel. The whiskey retailed to the consumer for twelve cents and a half a gallon and there was always a ready market.
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Mechanicsburg was well supplied with tanneries from the time that the town was laid out until the smaller tanneries throughout the country passed out of existence. The first tannery located near the cemetery was owned and operated by Col. Thomas Moore. The second tannery was operated by Reed & Jones, and was located between the railroad and the creek, just back of George Bumgardner's place. The third industry of this kind was in the house now occupied by Levi Venrick. Later, another tannery was located on a hill just back of the Lawler house.
Sometime after the Civil War, at a date which cannot now be exactly ascertained, a disease attacked all the sheep, not only in Champaign county but throughout the central states. Under the circumstances it was a question as to what was best to do with the diseased animals, and it was Major John Baker, of Mechanicsburg, who solved the problem to his satisfaction. At the saw-mill near the railroad, where B. A. Phillips now lives the Major estab- lished a slaughter house, which he later moved to the present site of the Chautauqua grounds. He went about through the country buying sheep by the thousands at prices ranging from twenty-five to fifty cents apiece. Hun- (Ireds of these animals were killed daily, the pelts and wool being turned to commercial uses, the tallow rendered at the slaughter house and the car- casses turned over to farmers to be used as fertilizer.
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