History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 38

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 912

USA > Ohio > Columbiana County > History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens > Part 38

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the midst of which was constructed a rude log cabin schoolhouse, of round logs, clap-board roof, light being admitted through greased paper used in the place of window-glass. The furniture of that day was generally constructed of slabs, flat side up, adjusted by fixing pins in the walls, and desks to correspond, and the teacher sat on a stool of primitive style, with rod near, at hand to insure obedience to his man- dates. This school was early presided over by Daniel Wilson, who continued to teach until 1808, when he died of a fever which prevailed at the time and proved fatal in many cases. He was succeeded by Reuben McNamee, who was afterward county commissioner, and also by Rev. Thomas Rigdon, a Baptist minister, who was elected a Representative in the Legislature from 1813 to 1816. This primitive log cabin schoolhouse was succeeded by a hewed-log house, which was at the time considered a great improvement in architectural style. The School Board was composed about this time of Gen. Rezin Beall, Maj. Thomas Rowland, Daniel Harbaugh and Fisher A. Blocksom. In the last named house John Whitacre taught school, also De Lorma Brookes, who was a Representa- tive in the Legislature in 1826-27. Thomas Morrel, long a citizen of New Lisbon, and David McKinley (grandfather of William Mc- Kinley, later President of the United States) were also early teachers in this school. In later years Robert Whitacre and Jacob J. Wil- liard taught school in the same house, the former for six years auditor of the county and the last named serving as treasurer and also as county surveyor. The last teacher to occupy the old building was David Anderson, who, for 37 years, well and faithfully served the people of New Lisbon as a teacher. In Septem- ber, 1849, the board of school directors de- clared the old hewed-log house 'no longer ten- able,' and Mr. Anderson and his pupils were obliged to abandon the premises and occupy a building on West Walnut street which had been rented for school purposes."

Among other eminent teachers and superin- tendents of the New Lisbon schools were Will- iam Travis, Reuben McMillan, Henry C. Mc- Cook, T. M. T: McCoy, I. P. Hole and R. W.

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Tayler, afterward Congressman and judge of the United States District Court. In 1905 the town was splendidly equipped with school build- ings, the two fine structures, the Market street and the Chestnut street buildings furnishing ample facilities for school purposes. For sev- ereal years Prof. H. W. Crooks had been super- intendent of schools; but in 1905 Professor Crooks received a more lucrative call, resigned, and Prof. W. O. Lambert, of Barnesville, Ohio, was chosen to fill this vacancy, and had accepted the position.

Intimately associated with the subject of schools is that of libraries. The Lepper Li- brary of Lisbon was founded in 1897 by Mrs. Virginia Lepper, in memory of her husband, Charles W. Lepper.

Substantial contributions were also made by citizens and former residents of the town. The late Senator Marcus A. Hanna and Gen. Anson G. McCook made generous contributions to the cause. The title of the library property is the Lepper Library Association, a corpora- tion composed of seven trustees chosen for life. The board as originally constituted was: N. B. Billingsley, president ; Isaac P. Farmer, vice- president ; C. C. Connell, secretary ; S. J. Fire- stone, treasurer ; I. B. Cameron, R. W. Tayler and W. S. Potts. R. W. Tayler and I. B. Cameron resigning, Dr. Frank Moore and Hal. Wright were, in 1904, chosen in their stead. Mrs. M. P. Springer was chosen librarian at the beginning, and continued to serve in that capacity in 1905.

The Columbiana County Law Library As- sociation was organized in 1896, and was given as quarters what had been the grand jury room in the Court House, On the shelves are 1,700 volumes, the property of this association. They embrace the legal reports from several States, the "Reporter" systems of all the States, digests, encyclopedias, etc. Fifteen per cent. of all the fines in criminal cases in the county courts is applied to the maintenance of the library. The county pays the librarian a salary not to exceed $500 a year. Abram Moore, who had served the county as recorder from 1884 to 1889, inclusive, was librarian in 1905.

By a decree of the Common Pleas Court

January 17, 1895, the name of the town was changed from "New Lisbon" to "Lisbon." In this work both names appear, so as to accord with the period to which reference is made. The census of 1900 showed the town to have a. population of 3.330. In 1905 George T. Far- rell was mayor and Lodge Riddle, clerk.

The Lisbon Buckeye State, of August 3, 1905, has this to say editorially of the earlier and later business men of Lisbon :

"The older merchants and business men of Lisbon have nearly all passed over, the river .. A few years ago we had the Shultz Brothers,. Mahlon Briggs, Samuel Small, James Percival, H. H. Gregg, John A. Morron, Martin Hel- man, Horace P. Hessin, J. F. Benner, William Huston, Ezra Frost, George Nace, David. Bower, and one or two others, but these have aff passed over. leaving behind M. N. Hamil- ton and James K. Frew as sole rep- resentatives of the older generation of Lisbon business men. William . Bradbury, proprietor of the Commercial House, and S. J. Firestone, the banker, might ob- ject to being classed as 'has beens.' 'Billy' is apparently as young as he was 40 years ago- and can still hold up his end with the boys. William Myers, the pioneer carriage maker, is still with us, though not actively engaged in business. The new generation of Lisbon busi- ness men are mostly young men, and one nota- ble fact is that with perhaps a few exceptions they are all native to Lisbon or Columbiana County. G. L. Miller, the clothier, may per- haps be considered the oldest merchant of the new generation in years, although he doesn't allow time to affect his spirits, nor enterprise. But the distinguishing characteristic between the merchants of 20 years ago and those of to- day is that then they were mostly grey-beards while now they are composed of comparatively young men."

ELKRUN TOWNSHIP.

The township of Elkrun is in the interior of the county, adjoining Center on the east. A larger portion of the township is yet timbered, the surface being broken to a considerable ex- tent with rough hills, with intervening fertile.

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valleys. The principal stream is the Middle Beaver. The settlement of the township was begun about 1800 by John Snyder and others. Snyder settled on section 2, where he lived until about 1836. Levi Haines settled on section I near the same time. John Gardner settled in the township about 1801. He had five sons, namely,-John, George, Michael, Rudolph and Lewis. In the fall of 1801 Jason Morlan pur- chased section 12. His sons and sons-in-law long occupied and cultivated the section. Will- iam Neal was an early settler on section II. In the same neighborhood was Benjamin Har- rison, whose sons, Latham and William, lived on the section to a good old age. James Cow- gill, Nathan Heald, William Siddell, Gilbert Williamson and Smith Bell also settled in the same locality about 1802 and 1803. Isaiah Morris in 1803 purchased section 10 at $4 an acre. His wife lived to the age of 102. Their sons, Isaiah and Jonathan, lived and died in the township; Isaiah had six sons and nine daughters; Robert, son of Jonathan Morris, had a family of 21 children. These are but ex- amples of many large families in those early times. There was no fear of "race suicide" in those early days in Columbiana County. In the northwestern part of the township Hugh Pike, Alexander McCoy, Frederick Zeppernick, William Caldwell, Henry Walter, Robert Whan and Thomas Hawkins were among the earliest settlers. William McCready settled on a part of section 17 in 1805. John Thompson about 1811 purchased this tract. On this farm in 1854 was built probably the finest and most commodious barn in the county, at that time, costing $10.000. On section 34 and adjoining Levi Lowry, John Hollinger and Martin and John Switzer were early settlers. Matthias Walter located on section 26 about 1810: he died in 1854. His son, Henry, settled on the northwest quarter of section 25. The father and son both kept taverns. Henry Walter was a soldier of 1812, as was also Christian Bow- man, who married a daughter of Henry Wal- ter. Christian Bowman settled on the south- west quarter of section 26, on the farm occu- pied years later by Christian Bowman, Jr. In 1811 George and David Bowman settled on

section 25. On the same section James Bris- bine and William Downey were pioneer set- tlers, and to the north was Jonas Farr, who settled about 1805.

Elkrun township was organized in 1806. The records from 1806 to 1820 are missing. In 1820 Samuel Kemble, John Travis and An- drew Armstrong were trustees, and James Orr was township clerk. In 1904 Horace Martin was township clerk.

The Sandy and Beaver Canal was built along the north bank of the Middle Beaver, and while commerce continued on that ill-starred waterway the interests of the township were considerably promoted thereby.

April 30, 1835, County Surveyor J. G, Wil- liard platted the village of Elkton, on the north bank of the middle fork of the Beaver, in sec- tion 21, for William Kemble. In 1848 the village attained its maximum growth, having then about 25 houses. After the canal sus- pended business, the village ceased to grow and lost its importance as a business center. It continued to be a country trading point. The Elkton post office was established about 1845, George Kemble being the first postmaster. Prominent among the early physicians were Dr. Hardman, Dr. William Moore and Dr. J. N. Calhoun.

The village site of Elkton is elevated but a few feet above the level of the creek, and on the night of August 11, 1861, a flood occurred, resulting from a long and continued rain and the breaking of several mill-dams and ponds on Beaver Creek and Elk Run, which formed a confluence in the neighborhood of the village; and soon the water stood eight feet over the level of Canal street, the principal thorough- fare. So sudden was the rise of the water that the occupants of the houses were in some cases unable to robe themselves and escape to higher ground. Several dwellings were washed away and many bridges, outbuildings, etc., and four persons lost their lives, viz. : Mrs. Susan Kem- ble, mother of the founder of the village, aged 73: her grandson, Alonzo Hawkins, aged 15: and Mrs. John A. Huffman and her two-year- old child. The destruction of property by the flood was great.

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The Society of Friends first established pub- lic worship in the township, building a meeting house on section 2 about 1810, on a piece of land given for the purpose by Isaac James, who was the first minister. The meeting house was abandoned as a house of worship about 1860, the Friends of Elkrun township uniting with those of Carmel in Middleton township in form- ing a monthly meeting, and assembling at the places alternately. Many of the Orthodox Friends joined the "Hicksites" in 1828. A class of Methodists was formed at the house of Samuel Kemble, on section 9, in 1814. Oc- casional meetings were held at the houses of members until about 1825, when a log church was built and used until 1862. Then a new house was built on the same section but farther east. The church since 1862 has been one of the four charges constituting the Elkton cir- cuit. In September, 1840, Rev. Joshua Monroe organized in the village of Elkton a class, which in the course of years, became known as the "Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church of Elk- run," but later adopted the name of the Elkton Methodist Episcopal Church. The services were first t held in members' houses, in barns and often in groves in the summer sea- son ; but about 1830 a meeting house was built on land given by Amos Stevens, which was the place of meeting for many years, from which fact the appointment became known as the "Stevens Church."

In 1822 the Bible Christians first held serv- ices in Fairfield township but without establish- ing a permanent society. Four years later Rev. John Adams, at that time a resident of Elkrun township, began holding meetings in the house of Joseph Paxton, at what was afterwards known as Chamberlain Mills and in course of time a goodly number became associated in the church fellowship. John Paxton occasionally ministered to the society during a period of six or eight years. In 1828 the society built its first meeting house at Church Hill. It was a log, building and had a loose floor, without stove or fire-place. In 1835 a frame house was built on the same site which was used until 1872, when a more modern structure was erected at a cost of $2,750.

In 1840 a fund was raised by- subscription and what was known as the "Elkton Free' Church" was built, and dedicated to the use for public worship of any Christian denomination under proper restrictions. The church was used by different denominations until 1870, when the old house was sold and removed, and a new structure built, larger and more modern, largely through the munificence of Alfred Dickey. It was continued as a union church as was its predecessor. Because of a clause in the constitution of the Free Church limiting the meetings to "preaching services," the people of Elkton determined, in January, 1842, to build a house for Sunday-schools, singings, township meetings and other public gatherings. Subscriptions to build such a house were raised in all parts of the township, to be paid in money, labor, building material or farm products. A frame house was erected on a lot adjoining the Free Church and, being painted white, was almost universally known as the "White House."

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP AND COLUMBIANA

Was organized in 1805. It is township 12, range 2, on the northern border of Columbiana County. The surface is level in the northeast, undulating in the central part, and moderately hilly in the southern portion, almost the entire area being susceptible to cultivation. It was originally covered with forests, and has yet much timber land. The soil is very favorable to the cultivation of fruits. It has no large streams, but is reasonably well supplied with the smaller ones. Matthias Lower, is said to have been the first permanent settler. He was a native of Maryland, and located in the valley of Bull Creek, in 1800, before the land was surveyed. He afterward united with William Heald and the two purchased section 23, Heald taking the northern part. It was in Lower's log barn that, in the fall of 1803, the first ses- sion of the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court was held. In 1801 and the few ensuing years a large settlement of Friends was formed in the southeastern part of the township. Among them was William Heald, a surveyor,

VIEW IN PUBLIC SQUARE, LISBON

AN OLD VIEW OF THE PUBLIC SQUARE, LISBON, INCLUDING THE OLD MARKET HOUSE (Copied from original print)

VIEW ON EAST WALNUT STREET, LISBON

VIEW ON SOUTH MARKET STREET, LISBON

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under whose direction a greater part of the county was subsequently surveyed. With his family of five children he settled on section 26, and lived in the county more than 60 years, being active in his profession until 1850. In 1801 Samuel Oliphant settled on the north- eastern part of section 27. A daughter mar- ried Hon. Richard Beeson, of Unity, in 1804, and lived to become a centenarian. John Cro- zier, the first justice of the peace in the town- ship, settled there about 1802, and lived at East Fairfield until his death. Abel Lodge was an early settler. He became widely known as an innkeeper at East Fairfield. Near Middleton, Henry Dixson owned a tract of land, upon which his sons-in-law, John Woods and John Cope, were early settlers; and in the same neighborhood John Allman lived as early as 1802. In 1806 James Boulton became a resi- dent of the township; in 1837 he died from in- juries received by being thrown from a wagon. Joshua Dixson in 1802 located on sections 3 and 4, building his first cabin home on section 4. In the organization of the township he took a prominent part. When he located in the township he had II children, a 12th child being born afterwards.

Among the first marriages in the township was that of Benjamin Hanna and Rachel Dix- son, which was solemnized December 15, 1803, according to the custom of the Friends.

The first officers in the township in 1805 were: Justice of the peace, John Crozier ; trus- tees, Robert Hanna, Caleb Cope and Nicholas Firestone. In 1905, the trustees were: Frank P. Windle, H. O. Newell and J. M. Levan. The justices of the peace were: S. S. Weaver and Stanton Thomas.

The principal town in Fairfield township is Columbiana and there is none in the county more beautifully located. It was laid out in the spring of 1805 by Joshua Dixson, on sections 4 and 5. and the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway was afterwards built through its borders. It is said Jesse Allen was the first merchant in the place, and began business about 1812. Later Benjamin Hanna had an inter- est, the firm being known as Jesse Allen & Company.

The village of Columbiana .became a corpo- rate body in 1837. Under the charter an elec- tion of officers, was held at the house of John Sturgeon, May 27, 1837. William Hickman was elected mayor and Samuel Nichols, re- corder. The charter was surrendered in 1842, and for 14 years the village was unincorpo- rated. Then in 1856-June 9th-the county commissioners granted a new charter, the cor- porate limits being the same as those under the original charter. A borough election was held April 14, 1857, when George Lamb was elected mayor and Jonathan Esterly, recorder.

In June, 1858, School District No. 2 was organized, under act of March 14, 1853, as a special district. In the fall of 1864 the schools were transferred to what was afterwards known as the East building, which was completed that year. The West building was erected in 1873, at a cost of $12,000.

Moses Curry is believed to have been the first settled physician in Columbiana. Other physicians who practiced long and quite suc- cessfully were: Drs. Gustavus Allen, John B. Preston, John McCook, John C. Levis, Gideon Wansettler, Enoch Cloud, Eli Sturgeon, George Willand, Nicholas Sampsell, D. Beard, Sylva- nus Fisher and A. C. Yengling. Dr. Yengling removed to Salem, and in 1905 was still prac- ticing. Other Columbiana physicians were : Drs. John Metzger, Daniel Deemer, George S. Metzger, A. L. King, J. B. Thompson, Enos Greenamyer, John B. Weaver and Charles Orr.

Early in the history of Columbiana a num- ber of hatters plied their trade in the village. About 1835 Sheets & Homes operated a stove- foundry. The building was subsequently con- verted into a blacksmith shop. In 1858 the Strickler Brothers began the manufacture of boring machines and agricultural implements. The later history of the establishment, with the large business which grew out of it, are noted in the industrial chapters of this work. The manufacture of carriages and light wagons was long the principal business of the town; but in later years, owing to the cheaper work being produced in the larger cities, the business in that line had fallen. Two firms, however, in 1905

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continued to command a paying trade, viz. : N. M. Fuhrman and Hanna & Zimmer.

J. Esterly & Company for many years did the leading banking business; but in 1896 J. Esterly, the head of the concern, died suddenly, and the bank went into litigation. A receiver was appointed and by 1904 the affairs of the concern had been closed up, the creditors secur- ing about 33 per cent. The firm of Shilling & Company also went into litigation in March, 1905, and its affairs were thrown into the bank- ruptcy court. This failure involved the affairs of the Columbiana Handle Works, one of the leading industries of the town. This concern, originally doing business as the Columbiana Handle Company, had failed in 1896, and S. S. Shilling had undertaken to put it on its feet. It was reorganized as the Columbiana Handle Works, but it seems that all parties involved had not done their part financially and the final' collapse of the works and the Shilling bank seems to have been one result.

In July, 1902, the First National Bank of Columbiana began business, with a capital stock of $50,000. In 1905, John E. Allen was presi- dent ; C. M. Young, cashier, and J. B. Stewart, assistant cashier.

The Columbiana village school district em- braces some territory outside the town, and the one building, although large and well-equipped, is usually in a somewhat crowded condition. Prof. E. O. Trescott was superintendent in 1905.

In 1900 Columbiana had a population of 1,339. In 1905 Dayton Fisher, president of the Council, was acting mayor, Mayor Renkenber- ger having died the year before.

CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES OF' FAIR- FIELD TOWNSHIP.

Among the early settlers of Fairfield town- ship, the Friends largely predominated. They founded a religious society which was the first in the township, and was the second Monthly Meeting of the Friends in Ohio. In 1803 a delegation was appointed by the Redstone Quarterly Meeting of Pennsylvania to visit the new settlement and organize what was after- wards known as the "Middleton Monthly Meet-

ing of the Society of Orthodox Friends." The same year a log meeting house was built near the center of section 26, which was used as a place of worship until 1810, when a brick house was built in Middleton. This was destroyed by fire in 1858, and a frame structure erected in its stead. A school for instruction in the common English branches was maintained by the Friends at Middleton for many years. The membership of the Middleton Meeting was re- duced by the formation of societies in adjoining. townships, and by defections to other factions and denominations. To accommodate those living in the northern part of the township a social meeting house was built of logs, before 1820, in . what was afterward the Friends' graveyard in Columbiana. For a time worship, held according to the custom of the Orthodox branch, was maintained, but most,of the mem- bers in that part of the township became Hicks- ites, and meetings were held by that organiza- tion. And so the Hicksite Friends' Meeting of Columbiana may be said to have a distinct history since 1832. The regular Monthly Meeting was discontinued in 1867.

The Carmel Meeting of the Orthodox Friends was organized in Middleton about 1810. In that year a log meeting house was built on a lot donated by Jacob Heacock, and was used until 1835, when a new one was built, which was partially destroyed by fire in 1845. The first Monthly Meeting at Carmel was on December. 12, 1817. The monthly meetings were discontinued in 1854, nearly all the old members having either died or removed. How- ever, the Friends living in that neighborhood held monthly meetings in Middleton, after that date, and in 1828 the Hicksites formed a sepa- rate Meeting in Elkrun township. Here until about 1845 the meetings were well attended, but soon after that date members began to re- move, and after. December, 1851, no monthly meetings were held. The Carmel Monthly Meeting for Women was established in 1820, but discontinued in 1840.

About the year 1813 a Reformed Church missionary from the East by the name of Mahn- esmith visited the northeastern section of the State, preaching in Columbiana and Mahoning

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counties. This missionary's labors continued with greater or less regularity at Columbiana until about 1830. August 13, 1814, the "School and Meeting. House Society of Co- lumbiana" was organized, the object of which was to build a house on a lot granted the society ·by Joshua Dixson, "proprietor of the town of Columbiana." The only conditions of fellow- ship required in this society were a "practical conformity to the principles of equity, and that every member shall be considered as possessing in himself an original and inalienable right to believe and worship God as his own conscience may dictate, without being called into question by any of the other members." It was "allowed for any licensed preacher that preaches the Gos- pel of Jesus Christ in purity to preach in the above meeting house, if he makes application to the trustees; and should it happen that applica- tion should be made for two preachers in one day, let the one preach in the forenoon and the other in the afternoon. so that none may meet a disappointment." The house built by this society was of hewed logs and stood on the lot afterward occupied by Grace Reformed Church. In 1821 a movement was started by the Luth- eran and Reformed congregations to build a new union church. The effort succeeded in 1822 in which year the builchng was dedicated. Each congregation had its own pastor, elders and deacons, but the trustees, a secretary and a treasurer were elected annually by the congre- gations in joint meeting. The house occupied the site where Grace Reformed Church after- wards stood. After the separation of the two congregations-Reformed and Lutheran-the latter worshiped in the old Methodist meeting house. A few years later they built a fine house of worship of brick in the southern part of the village. which received the name of "Jerusalem Church." In 1905 Grace Reformed Church had no settled pastor. Rev. G. A. Uber was pastor of the Lutheran Church.

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 38

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844 Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 912

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 912