History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, Part 11

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1108

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CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO.

road Company : and provided further, that the amount subscribed by us be expended on the line between Wilmington and Dayton."

The interest at this meeting was great and forty-two shares of stock was subscribed, which amounted to two thousand one hundred dollars, These meetings for the sale of this stock were held every week and the enthusiasm often ran high. The meetings were well attended and thrilling speeches were made. The minutes of the meeting of December 5. 1571, are here copied : "Meeting called to order by secretary-the chairman not present. On motion of John Grant. Allen Binganon was asked to preside Members present : John Grant. Jesse Spray, Jr., Henry Hurley and George Mann. There not being a quorum present of the committee. the evening was spent in speeches. On the motion of John Grant, duly seconded. George Mann and Hurley were asked to address the committee. which parties agreed to, provided Mr. Grant would make the first one. The latter gentle- man, being then called. arose and delivered a very neat little speech. setting forth the many inducements that were calling out the support of the people in this railroad enter. prise. He was followed by George Mann, who arose only to excuse himself, and to insist upon Mr. Hurley addressing the committee. Mr. Burley then addressed the meeting at considerable length, showing plainly the benefits to be derived from publie improvements."

The last meeting beld by the committee was on the evening of December 20, 1871, and the minutes as recorded are as follows: "Committee met at the store of John Grant ; Samuel Lamar in the chair. The meeting was called to order. and the mitittes of the previous meeting read and adopted. The meeting was largely attended, owing to an appointment made at a former meeting by James Swindler. Esq .. to be present and address the committee on the railroad question. The speaker failed to come to time. Not much was done at this meeting. but. by hard work and perseverance, It was not altogether a failure, and the receipts of the evening were one share."

The list of the largest subscribers is given, with the number of shares which each subscribed : Samuel Lamar, twenty-two shares: G. E. and N. B. Stingley, ten shares; G. E. Stingley, teu shares: John Grant. twelve shares; Jesse Spray. twelve shares; Henry Spray, ten shares: William Hurley, nine shares: Solomon Hoffman, Sr .. ten shares: George Mills, ten shares; Levi D. Shambaugh, nine shares; Jacob 8. Peterson. six shares; Jesse E. Jessup, six shares: Abram Peterson, six shares; Jonathan MeKay, six shares: Archibald Peterson, six shares : John S. Lamer. five shares: Ebenezer Leas. five shares ; George W. McKay, five shares; Daniel H. MeKay, five shares: M. C. MeKay, five shares: John Lamar. five shares.

The people of this township subscribed to a total amount of twenty thousand dollars. The road was located. ten per cent. of the stock being paid In, but. from some unknown reason, which has not been ascertained by the historian. the enterprise failed and the money was refunded. So another failure on the part of the citizens of Clinton county to locate a railroad through this section is recorded.

MIDLAND RAILROAD.

The Journal, In Its issue of February 21. 1853. set the machinery going in the apita- tion for the proposed railroad from Columbus to Cincinnati. This project was the work of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company and It was their desire to built this road in order that a direct line from Columbus to Cluehmati might be secured. This would run from Columbus to some point on the Marietta & Cincinnati railroad, probably via Wash- Ington Court House and New Vienna, or perhaps from Blanchester to Wilmington. The location depended to a certain extent on the enthusiasm which would be shown by the citizens of the different places and the assistance which they would give the proposed Une. In other words, the rante was open to the towns which made the hest proposition.

In the Journal, April 19th issue. the following head line is set in large type, "Left Again. Proposed Road to Miss Wilmington, Owing to Lack of Interest of the Citizens

CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO.

of this City." Judging by the way things eventually turned out, this was a clever advertising scheme on the part of the promoters, for in this issue it set forth the posst- bilities which this rond would have afforded the citizens of this town, but, through thelr Inck of interest. the golden opportunity had been lost.

In the next Issue of the Journal a lengthy article was written on the Midland line. the gist of this article being to the effect that it was not entirely too late for the citizene of Wilmington to secure this proposed line if they really wanted it and would show the proper enthusiasm.

The issue of Miny 9. 1SS. bore these startling headlines: "$100,000 is the Price which the Midland Railroad will Cost this County." The proposition was set forth as follows: If the citizens of Clinton county would donate one hundred thousand dollars and the right of way. the proposed line would be run through this county. The route of this live would be through Sabina. Wilmington and Cuba. Previous to this, a meeting had been held at the court house and a committee appointed to meet with the stock- holders of this road in an effort to come to some terms whereby the rond would come through this county. R. E. Doan, John S. Savage, Madison Betts and Cyrus Linton presented the argument to this company for bringing this road through Clinton county. Colonel Yeoman made the speech for the directors. After several hours of deliberation on the part of the stockholders behind closed doors, the verdict, which was set forth in such astounding headlines by the Journal, was given. This money was to be divided between the three towns and townships, as follows: Wilmington and I'nion township, sixty thousand dollars; Sabina and Richland township, twenty-five thousand dollars; Cuba and Washington township. Afteen thousand dollars.

The proposition was accepted and a soliciting committee was appointed at an open meeting held in the court house. From this time until June 6 all the issues of the paper contain articles on the proposed line. In some of the articles the people are being urged to subscribe and pointing out the advantages. In others, the proposition is spoken of as sure to fail and the citizens who do not back the project are blamed. Hot air and the time limit are the chief lines of appeal. The Issue of June 6 has this headline: "They wul Run Cars on the Midland Railroad," and the list of contributors are printed. Over forty-eight thousand dollars had been subscribed and it was sure of sucress. In the next issue the entire proposition is rehashed and the last appeal made to the people of the county. It stated that the proposition was not altogether cinched and that at the last minute it might fall from the lack of a few hundred dollars.

The issue of June 27 allays all fears and Insures the people that the road will come through Wilmington. The following was the contributions by townships: Wilmington and Union township. $66.441.50; Sabina and Riebland township, $20.830: Cuba and Wash- ington township. $10.118; total. $97,399.50; deficit. $2.618. This deficit was apportioned among the three townships, as follows; Wilmington and I'nion township. $1,560; Sabina and Richland township. 8650; Cuba and Washington township. $300. The trus- tres who had been behind this movement went to Columbus to meet the officials of the road and deliver the report. After the report was given, the officials also asked for the right of way. in connection with the one hundred thousand dollars. This necessitated the raising of about six thousand five hundred dollars more.

But this was a small matter and the report that the Midland division of the Baltl- more & Ohio railroad wonld pass through Clinton county was met with great rejoicing. Meetings were held and the people gave vent to their feelings In all parts of the commity. The stockholders arrived in Wilmington, October 3. 1883, and made a trip over the proposed route, viewing the right of way.

On October 8-9, 1553. work of grading began. The contractor arrived that day and all the paraphernalia and tools for making the euts and Alls was unloaded. The work was rushed through and it was hoped to have the road completed by July 1, 1894. The total

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amount of stock subscribed at this time was one hundred and eight thousand dollars. As different parts of the road was finished, trial trains were run over that part. The Arst train to make the through trip over the entire route from Columbus to Cincinnati passed through Wilmington, November 13. This was a special train and carried the members of the board of trade of Columbus. Several of the citizens of Wilmington accompanied this band in their initial trip over the line. The first time card went into effect on November 16. The rails laid on this division were sixty-pound steel and there were three thousand cross ties to the mile. The hopes and dreams of the citizens bad been realized and Wilmington now bad the services of two roads.

HIGHWAY STATISTICE.

According to the report of E. D. Trickey, the surveyor of Clinton county, the fol- lowing statistics on the roads of the county are complete up to March 1, 1915: The 835 miles of roads In the county were divided Into three classes: Macadam, 121; gravel, 627; earth, $7. This total of $35 miles of roads Includes the 100 miles of state rouds, part of which are macadamized, the most of them being gravel. There were a total of 748 miles of improved roads, of which 99.9 was listed as inter-county highways. The main market roads total 19.2 miles: the improved state roads totaled 8 miles. The last available statistics show that the county expended $72.363 for road and bridge construction and repairs during the last year. The manin market road above mentioned is the Cleve- land and Cincinnati road, running through Sabina, Wilmington and Clarksville. Of its total length of 259.1 miles, there are 24 miles in Clinton county, 19.2 of which are outside of municipalities. The 8 miles of Improved state highway comprises that part of the Wilmington and Xenia highway in Clinton county.

The largest and oldest bridge in the county is the covered wooden bridge over Todd's fork at Clarksville. There are approximately 5,500 bridges and culverts in the county, the longest bridge having a span of 175 feet, with a clear water way of 20 feet. At least 100 bridges, ranging from 10 to 85 feet, have been constructed during the past year. All the culverts were made of stone or concrete.

The macadamized roads of the county range from ten to fourteen feet In width, most of them being ten feet. All of the state roads so far constructed have been fourteen feet wide. The average cost of a ten-foot macadamized highway (eight-inch rolled stone or thirteen-inch trathe packed ) is about $3,000 per mile; a fourteen-foot highway of similar construction costs about $5,000 per mile. All ronds are let out to the lowest bidder, the county surveyor having general charge of the construction. The repairing of the roads is in charge of road superintendents, each township having from one to three auch officials.

Under a low which went into effect on September 1. 1915, the supervision of the county roads was placed in charge of a county highway superintendent. The law provides that the surveyors of each county shall be such highway superintendents and prescribes their duties in detail. The county highway superintendent has from one to four superintend-

· ents in each township, who are appointed by the township trustees. This law relleves the county commissioners of all administrative duties in connection with the highways and places the burden upon the highway superintendent, who, in turn, is responsible to the state highway commissioner.

Clinton county is fortunate in having plenty of Hinestone for road construction. although all of the gravel has to be shipped in from outside counties. The eastern part of the county is plentifully supplied with Clinton limestone, which outerops in all of the eastern townships. The stone in the western part of the county comes mostly from the heds of the creeks and is known as the Cincinnati group of limestone. Vernon township is the only one operating a crusher of its own. all other crushers being owned by the contractors. The county owns three ten-ton road rollers, which are used only for repair work

CHAPTER VII.

MILITARY HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

No one in this country wants or expects to see the gruesome shadow of the war-god visit this beautiful land of ours again. Yet neither North nor South would forego one tittle of the herole savagery, of the brutal chivalry, that marked the shock of brother against brother in those never-to-be-forgotten battles of the Civil War. Yet from their bloody fields has arisen an Imperishable understanding that must come when hostile members of the same stock try ench other's mettle. And this is why we like to hear about it and they like to talk about it. Who is there that has not seen the gatherings In the country lanes, under the silver poplars before the village blacksmith shop, in the shade of the awnings that shelter the cove oysters and mackerel kits in front of the store. C'rops are very essential affairs, and the prospects of rain must need be discussed as they foregather at the hallowed trysting places. But the conversation languislies after a while, until one pipes up: "Bill, d'ye remember so and so, and so and so?" Does Bill remember? Well, he should say, yes! And they fight it over again, until through the horned glaze in the eyes of the oldest of the old who took part there comes the light of other days, such as Byron only knew by proxy and had to tell second hand. Until Anally Steve Johnson goes out in front, draws the line of attack In the dust of the village' street, leads the ghostly corps in a forlorn attack, routs the enemy, lock, stock and barrel ! Then they, at the call of the smith, hitch up and each wends his way back to the crops in the field, to the vegetable garden in the rear of the town home, where the pole beans are climbing high and the promise of early roastin' ears lends new vigor to aged hands. as they gulde the hoe through the fast-growing grass, or whang a jusson weed Into the "kingdom come" of useless things.

REVOLUTIONARY WAB.

Clinton county has had residents in every war that our country bas waged-the War of Independence, the War of 1812, the Indian struggles, the Mexican War, the war between the North and the South and, lastly, the war with Spain. It is hard to find the names of those who saw service In the Revolutionary War, but the following were Revolutionary pensioners who became residents of Clinton county : Thomas Fugate, private. Twenty-second United States Infantry, died September 11. 1833: William Spen- cer, private, Virginia Continental Line; William Venard, private, Tupper's brigade ; Daniel Redington, private, Massachusetts Continental Line; John Allen, private, Virginia State Troops; Jacob Beard. private. Virginia Militia; Asa Disbrow, private, Connecticut State Troops: Abraham Ellis, private, Pennsylvania State Troops; William Lloyd. private. Virginia Continental Line: Thomas Gaddis, captain and colonel, Virginia State Troops; Isaac Grant, private, Virginia Continental Line; John Hall, private, Virginia State Troops: David Harwick, private, Virginia Cavalry ; Thomas Hardin, private. Dela- ware Militia; John Jones, private, Pennsylvania Militia; Elijah Sabin, private. New York Militia ; David Shields, private, Virginia Militia; James Spencer, private. Virginia Militia ; Jobn Wollard, private. Virginia Militia ; Gordon Howard, private, Pennsylvania Continental Line: Dennis O'Laughlin, private, Pennsylvania Continental Line : Alexander Strickland, private, Virginia Continental Line: Michael Wolf, private. Virginia Con- tinental Line; Abraham Westfall, New York Continental Line; Thomas Weekly, Connecti- cut Line.

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The claim that he had fought under Washington in the Revolutionary War and under William Henry Harrison in the War of 1812, was always made by Capt. Joseph Parrott, who was living in the county in 1840, and was then a very old man.

WAR OF 1812.

There can be no doubt that (Hinton county furnished men for the Army of the Northwest under Harrison, In the second war with Great Britain, but no lists can be found giving their names. At that Ume the county did not have many men to send. but no doubt can be entertained that she furnished ber full quota.

MEXICAN WAR.

During the war with Mexico in 1847. R. B. Harlan, of Wilmington, raised a company of volunteers, but they were not used. as the quota of the state had been filled and they were not needed. Gen. James W. Denver, at that time a volunteer from the state of Missouri, but later a resident of Wilmington, achieved distinction in the Mexican War. Throughout the period before the Civil War, militia companies were organized in Ohio. Judge Robert B. Harlan, a resident of Wilmington, rose to the rank of major-general of Oblo Militia.

CIVIL WAR.

Then came those stirring @mes that tried men's souls. To us. as to them. it now seems like a dream. The call to arms, with a spontaneous response in North and South, that filed the ranks with city-born and country-bred: with the sophisticated and the simple: with the innocent from the farms and the early-wise wastre's from the docks of seaport cities: the riot In the streets of Baltimore; the earlier skirmishes, followed by the heart-deadening rout from Bull Run: then a setting down to the long, grim contest. with uncertain hopes and fears, until Vicksburg fell and the historie fight at Gettysburg jointed to the beginning of the end. when the flag of a lost cause should be furleal forever and one banner again float over a reunited people.

There is no more magnificent record than that of Clinton county during this struggle. The Clinton Republican of Friday, April 19. 1861. has the following article. headed "Popular Exeltement :"

"The news of the surrender of Fort Sumter fell heavily upon the citizens on Sunday evening, as it flashed along the wires, and on Monday. when the daily papers arrived confirming the report. and bringing the President's proclamation calling for seventy-five thousand volunteers. the excitement became Intense, Preparations were Immediately commenced for erecting a national flag on the top of the court house, whilst those of our citizens who happened to be possessed of national banners, inmuediately unfurled them to the breeze. About one o'clock. a large flag. displaying thirty-four stars, was run up on the court house, accompanied by the cheers of the hundreds of people who lined the sidewalks and thronged the streets, A large meeting of the citizens then spontaneously assembled in the court house, which was organized by the appointment of Willlam Fuller, Esq., chairman, and Rodney Foos, secretary, The meeting was spiritedly addressed hy Mossrs. William Fuller. J. Q. Smith, R. B. Harlan. A. W. Doan. I. B. Allen. Leroy Pope. A. C. Diboll. J. D. Hines and David Linton. An agreement was then presented to the tureting of volunteers to be subject to the call of the proper authorities, to march to the defense of the Union whenever and wherever called, which was signed on the spot by the following named citizens: R. B. Harian. J. D. Hines, I. B. Allen. A. W. Doan, IT. R. Crumly. C. B. Lindsey. William S. Foos, William Adams. Jesse Hines. D. C. Kearns, James D. Roak, C. H. Morgan, S. J. Reed. E. Foos. H. S. Doan, J. W. Campbell, Jonathan Doan. Jr .. C. T. Atkinson; A. H. Chapman. W. J. Speers and Samuel Woodruff.

"The following names have been added since: C. M. Robinson. Michael Heck. P. A. Stamats, James B. Ireland. Samuel S. Dunham. Ell Madden, Cyrus Hunt. Eden Andrew. Albert Harvey. 8. T. Darbyshire, John Pennington. Stephen G. Job. Silas Page, Franklin

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Bayhan, John W. Shirey. Carey Johnson, John B. Abbott, W. B. Moore, G. P. Dunham, Elias Doan, G. D Bendel, William H. Garrett, G. D. Smith, C. P. Penn, J. Parkerson. A. Arnold, J. F. Dakin. Frank S. Wheeler, J. N. Clovin, Rockey Osborn, Michael Long, John J. Harris, Amos T. Sewell, Miles Reeder, Joseph Smith, W. N. Wilkerson, E. S. Cline, G. M. MeKinsey, John Fugate, James Garrison, Thomas P. Tyrrell, Thomas M. Pugh, C. 8. Outealt, George M. Zeigler, and several others whose names we have not learned.

"Attention, Clinton County Volunteers! The volunteers of Clinton county will assem- ble in front of the court house in Wilmington today ( Friday, at one o'clock P. M.) for the purpose of arranging to start to Washington on Monday next. Any suitable persons, destrous of joining the company, by attending at that time, may possibly have an oppor- tunity to do so, but as the number is limited, it would be safer to apply before. By order of the captain. R. B. HABLAN."

At the meeting thus called, A. W. Doan was elected first lieutenant and J. D. Hines, second lieutenant. It was agreed that the non-commissioned officers should not be elected until they reached Columbus, A subscription of a thousand dollars, which was later greatly increased. was presented to the meeting for the future ald of the volunteers. By the Monday morning following the number of applicants for admission to the com. pany were so many that there was almost enough to form two companies. At nine o'clock on that morning the ladies of Wilmington presented the company with a beautiful flag. The company left on a special train at nine-thirty o'clock for Columbus where about sixty were dismissed owing to the great number of men offered in Ohio, and many returned home, while others joined other companies, Captain Harlan's company, as finally organized, contained about one hundred men. The following non-commissioned officers were appointed : First sergeant. Morris Harlan : second sergeant. C. B. Lindsey : third sergeant. A. H. Chapman: fourth sergeant. B. A. Hines: first corporal. J. V. Drake: serond corporal, E. G. Rizer : third corporal, Hiram MeKay; fourth corporal. HI. S. Doan.

The following is a list of the private soldiers of this company, as shown by the original roll: P. A. Arthur. John B. Abbott. Anderson Arnold, Isaac B. Allen. C. T. Atkinson, Abraham H. Anson, John W. Bardsley, George D. Bendel, John J. Barlow. John Brehlman. John Briant. Andrew J. Brown, Henry C. Brown, John C. Cline, Ephratm S. Cline. Harvey F. Conklin, Martin V. Crossen, James Crossen. Burlington Carlisle. Thomas Conway. Henry B. Crumley. Lewis Duun. Samuel S. Dunham, Jonathan Doan, Jr .. John F. Dakin. James W. Eaton, William Foos, Edward Foos, William R. Gillespie. Timothy Garner, Jesse Hines, Sock Harlan, John Harris, William Hartman. Michael Heck, James E. Harman. A. J. Hodson. J. A. Johnson, Carey Johnson, James Johnson, Stephen G. Job. De C. Kearns, Jacob Moon. Samuel Marks. G. B. Long. David Lyon, Will- iam H. MeLean, Jacob Moon, Samuel Marks. G. B. Miller, William Miller, Thomas I. Mercer. William B. Moore. P. R. Osborn, John Owens, Charles P. Penn. Silas Page. A. J. Pennington. Seymour J. Reed, James D. Rake, John B. Roberts, Elias Roberts, J. G. Smithson, J. D. Smith, Orlando Smith, Joseph F. Smith, James R. Smith, James M. Speers, W. J. Speers, William H. Stroad. Henry Sands. P. A. Stamats, John Standard. Isune Sewell, John S. Surfas. W. F. Sttvins, John Talbert. James Todd, Thomas Tyrrell, F. M. Inderwood, Isalah Wilkerson. William N. Wilkerson. Ellis B. Wall. Jesse R. Williams. Joshua R. Walker, Silas Woodmansee. Frank S. Wheeler and George M. Zeig- ler. The company. known as the "Clinton County Guards." was assigned to the Twelfth Obio Volunteer Infantry. Their term of enlistment was for three months.

The Twelfth Regiment took up its quarters at Camp Dennison, near Milford. May 8. 1801. Subsequently. Lient. J. D. Hines was made adjutant of the regiment and I. R. Allen was appointed second Bentenant in his place. It is said that Colonel King, the commanding officer of the guard at Camp Jackson, Columbus, asserted that the "Clinton

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stavers" were worth any two companies of the regiment to preserve order and keep a good guard line.

A second company, known as the "Clinton Guards, No. 2," was organized in Wilming- ton almost immediately after the departure of Captain Harlan's company, its officers being. D. Linton, captain ; Thomas Vantress, first lieutenant ; Thomas Thatcher, second lieutenant. This company was offered to the state, but was not accepted, as the num- ber of men from the county was so much greater than that called for. The company was then disbanded.

A fine company of Ellsworth Zouaves had been organized at Wilmington by the efforts of some of the young men of that place, and fifty-two men were enrolled by May 31, 1861. The officers chosen were, J. A. Farden, captain; H. P. Foos, first lieutenant, and Robert Dillon, second lieutenant. On this same date companies were organized and ready for service at Port William, Westboro, Sabina, Cuba, Reesville, New Vienna and Wilmington -- seven in all. besides the one at Camp Dennison. In June of that year, Charles J. Ent had a company of boys between the ages of ten to fifteen in training which he called the "Wilmington Lancers." A number of citizens of Wilmington had also organized a rifle company and were intending to uniform and equip themselves. They elected A. Koogle, captain: John Rutherford, first lieutenant ; S. Rulon, second lieutenant, and L. B. Welch, orderly sergennt.

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History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, Part 11

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1108

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1108