History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 5

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

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Big Miami on which the fort[[ stood that was taken by the French in 1752, until it meets the road from the lower Shawanese town to the Sandusky; thence south to the Scioto River, down that to its mouth, and thence up the Ohio River to the place of beginning."

It will be seen that at that time Washing- ton County included almost the entire eastern half of what is now the State of Ohio, in- cluding of course within its bounds what is now Columbiana County.

INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE.

Some of the privations of the early settlers were related by the pioneers of Washington County and the Northwest Territory. A num- ber of these have been reproducd in Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio."

During the Indian war, which soon suc- ceeded the first settlements, the inhabitants suf- fered much for the necessaries of life. Al- though some of the settlers were killed, and others carried into captivity, yet the massacre of Big Bottom was the most alarming event. The escape of the settlers from greater suffering

* Erected in 1779, on the Tuscarawas, below the mouth of Sandy Creek.

|| A fort at the mouth of Mad River. The "fort" was visited by Christopher Gist, in 1752, while making explorations in the country north and west of the Ohio, who found it to be only a trading-post with a stockade. He named the stream Mad Creek --

1 Imlay's "America," page 120.

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

from this source was owing to the strong fortifications erected, and the admirable judg- ment and foresight they displayed. in taking precautions against danger. Among the inci- dents connected with the troubles with the Indians, was the taking prisoner at Waterford of Daniel Convers, a lad of 16, who was car. ried to Detroit ; the murder of Warth, while at work near Fort Harmar; the taking prisoner of Major Goodale, of Belpre, who was, it is supposed, murdered; the death of Captain Rogers, who was out with Mr. Henderson, as a spy, and was killed near the Muskingum, about a mile from Marietta ; the death of a Mr. Waterman, near Waterford, and the narrow escape of Return J. Meigs, into Fort Harmar, by his fleetness of foot while being pursued by the enemy. On the other hand, retaliation was in a measure inflicted upon the Indians, and among those most active in this duty was Hamilton Carr, a man eminently distinguished as an Indian hunter and spy.

During the war a stockade, called Fort Frye, was erected near the mouth of Olive Green Creek above Waterford, which became the fron- tier garrison and had in it about seven or eight men and boys able to bear arms. Just before Wayne's victory, August 4, 1794, they lost one man, Abel Sherman, who went into the woods incautiously and was killed by the Indians. A tombstone with a scalped head rudely carved upon it marks the spot where he lies.

Among the inmates of this garrison was George Ewing, father of Hon. Thomas Ewing. His fortune and history were similar to that of many of the Revolutionary officers who mi- grated to the West at that early day. He in- herited a handsome patrimony and sold it. investing the proceeds in bonds and mortgages, and entered the Continental Army as a sub- altern officer in 1775, being then but little over 21 years of age. He continued to serve, with a few short intermissions, during the war. When the bonds fell due, they were paid in continental money, which, proving worthless, reduced him to poverty. In 1785 he migrated to the West and remained on the Virginia side of the Ohio until 1792, when he crossed over and settled at Olive Green.

From the communications of some of the early settlers at Olive Green are annexed some facts respecting their privations and the dis- covery of the salt well, which was at that day considered a remarkable interposition of Provi- dence :

"The inhabitants had among them but few of what we consider the necessaries and com- forts of life. Brittle wares, such as earthen ware and glass, were wholly unknown, and but little of the manufactures of steel and iron, both of which were exceedingly dear. Iron and salt were procured in exchange for ginseng and peltry, and carried on pack horses from Fort Cumberland or Chambersburg. It was no un- common thing fon the garrison to be wholly without salt for months, subsisting upon fresh meat, milk and vegetables, and bread made of corn pounded in a mortar-they did not yet indulge in the luxury even of the hand-mill. There had been an opinion, founded upon the information of the Indians, that there were salt springs in the neighborhood, but the spot was carefully concealed. Shortly after Wayne's victory, in 1794, and aften the inhabitants had left the garrison and gone to their farms, a white man, who had been long a prisoner with the Indians, was released and returned to the settlements. He stopped at Olive Green, and there gave an account of the salt springs, and directions for finding them. A party was im- mediately formed (of which George Ewing, Jr., then a lad of 17, was one), who, after an absence of seven or eight days, returned, to the great joy of the inhabitants, with about a gal- lon of salt, which they had made in their camp kettle. This was, I think, in August, 1795. A supply, though a very small one, was made there that season for the use of the frontier settlement. Whether this salt spring was early known to the whites I am unable to say. It may have been so to spies and explorers, and perhaps to the early missionaries ; but this was the first discovery which was made available to the people."

JEFFERSON COUNTY ORGANIZED.

Jefferson County was organized July 27, 1797, with the following boundaries :

"Beginning upon the bank of the Ohio

HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY

River, where the western boundary of Penn- sylvania crosses it, and down the said river to the southern boundary of the fourth town- ship in the fourth range (of those seven ranges of townships that were surveyed in conformity to the ordinance of Congress of the 20th of May, 1785), and with the said southern boundary west, to the southwest corner of the sixth township of the fifth range; thence north along the western boundary to the said fifth range to the termination thereof; thence due west to the Muskingum River and up the same to and with the portage, between it and the Cuyahoga River; thence down the Cuyahoga to Lake Erie; thence east, along the shore of the lake, to the west boundary of Pennsyl- vania, and south with the same to the place of beginning."

An act of Congress was aproved by the President April 30, 1802, "to enable the people of the eastern division of the territory north- west of the Ohio River to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal foot- ing with the original States, and for other purposes." The State constitution was adopted November 29th of the same year, at a conven- tion held at Chillicothe, at which the following nine counties, then existing within the limits of the present State, were represented : Washing- ton, organized July 26, 1788; Hamilton, or- ganized January 29, 1790; Adams, organized July 10, 1797; Jefferson, organized July 29, 1797; Ross, organized August 20, 1798; Trum- bull, organized July 10, 1800; Clermont, or- ganized December 6, 1800; Fairfield, organized December 9, 1800; and Belmont, organized September 7, 1801.

COLUMBIANA COUNTY ORGANIZED.

At the first session of the State Legislature, in March, 1803, at Chillicothe, eight new counties were erected, viz., Scioto, Warren, Butler, Montgomery, Greene, Columbiana, Gallia and Franklin. The following is a copy of the act organizing Columbiana County :

An act for the erection of the part of the counties of Jefferson and Washington into a separate county, by the name of Columbiana.

Section I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio: That all that part of the counties of Jefferson and Washington as comes within the following boundaries be and the same is hereby laid off and erected into a separate county which shall be known by the name of Columbiana: Begin- ning at the mouth of Yellow Creek, on the north side of the same; thence up said creek, with the meanders thereof, to the northern boundary of the eighth town- ship in the second range; thence with the same west to the western boundary of the seventh range; thence north to the northwestern corner of the sixteenth town- ship of the said seventh range; thence west on the south boundary of the ninth township in the eighth and ninth ranges to the Muskingum River; thence up the said river, with the meanders thereof, to the south- ern boundary of the county of Trumbull; thence with the same east to the Pennsylvania line; thence with the said line south to the Ohio River; thence down the same, with the meanders thereof, to the beginning.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That from and after the first day of May next the said county shall be vested with all the powers, privileges, and im- munities of a separate and distinct county ; Provided always, That all actions and suits which may be pend- ing in the counties of Jefferson and Washington, on the said first day of May next, shall be prosecuted and carried on to final judgment and execution; and all taxes, fees, fines, and forfeitures, which shall be then due, shall be collected in the same manner as if this act had never been passed.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That until a permanent seat of justice be fixed in the said county by the commissioners appointed for that purpose the temporary seat of justice shall be at the house of Matthias Lower, in the twelfth township and second range; and courts shall be held thereat, in and for the county of Columbiana aforesaid.

MICHAEL BALDWIN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, Speaker pro tem. of the Senate. March 25, 1803.

On the 10th of May, 1803, the associate judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Columbiana County met at the house of Matthias Lower, in Fairfield township, section 23, and proceeded to lay out the county and townships, and apportioned the number of jus- tices to be elected in each township. They estab- lished by name five townships and defined their boundaries, as follows: "Springfield was made

COUNTY COURT HOUSE, LISBON

CITY HALL, SALEM

CITY HALL, WELLSVILLE

CITY HALL, EAST LIVERPOOL

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

ten miles square, and commenced for boundary line at the southeast corner of Trumbull County. Middleton township was ten miles square, im- mediately south of Springfield. St. Clair town- ship extended south to the mouth of Yellow Creek, west with the creek and including parts of Jefferson and Carroll counties as they now are, and north including part of Stark County, and east to the Pennsylvania line, including what is now seventeen townships. Salem town- ship was a small state when first described, commencing at the boundary line of Trum- bull County, west of Springfield township, and running south ten miles to the southeast corner of section 20, in Fairfield township, thence west to the Muskingum River (now called Tuscara- was), and from there to the south line of Trum- bull. Center township commenced at the north- east corner of section 29, in Fairfield township, and running south ten miles to the southeast corner of section 8, in Madison township, and including all west of these north and south lines." The number of original townships (consisting each of an area of about 36 square miles ), embraced within the county limits at the time of its erection, was 47. For a short time subsequent to the erection of the county, courts were held at the house of Matthias Lower, in Fairfield township. Resin Beall was appointed by the court to the office of clerk (or recorder ) and treasurer, July 26, 1803; John Crozer was elected sheriff, October 17, in the same year ; William Heald was appointed surveyor in 1803; Obadiah Jennings, of Steubenville, was the first prosecuting attorney, appointed soon after the county was organized; David Scott, the first auditor, was appointed in 1821 ; Calvin Pease, the first president judge, was appointed in 1808, Robert Simison, Henry Bachman and William Smith were appointed associate judges in 1803, and constituted the first Probate Court. The commissioners met March 4, 1805, and fixed the boundaries of the several townships.

CHANGES IN THE EXTENT OF THE COUNTY.

Since the erection of Columbiana County, its territory has been reduced at three different times, as follows: By the formation of Stark

County on the west, in 1808; Carroll County on the south, in 1832; Mahoning County, on the north, in 1845. February 13, 1808, all that part of Columbiana County west of the fifth range was attached to Stark County, just or- ganized, but continued for several years to participate with Columbiana County in the election of Senators, Representatives, and mem- bers of Congress. The territory surrendered to Stark County embraced but a single.organ- ized township (Lake) out of the following 13 then existing: Springfield, Middleton, St. Clair, Salem, Center, Elkrun, Greene, Butler, Lake, Hanover, Unity, Yellow Creek and Fair- field.

Carroll County was erected by act of De- cember 25, 1832, and took from Columbiana the townships of Saline, Fox, Augusta and East, being about three and one-half townships. This left Columbiana with 21 organized town- ships, the name of Saline being changed to Washington. June 3, 1833, upon petition of "sundry inhabitants of the township of Wayne, and the fractional townships of Franklin and Saline" the Board of County Commissioners altered the boundaries of such townships as follows : Sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31 were taken from Wayne and attached to Franklin; sections 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 were taken from Wayne and attached to Saline (now Washing- ton). They likewise provided for the election of township officers on the 25th of the same month: for Franklin, at Jacob Fox's resi- dence; for Washington, at " 'Squire Gilson's." The commissioners present at the meeting at which the changes were made were Michael Arter, Issac Wilson and John Smith.

Perry township was erected, by order of the same commissioners, December 5, 1832, for which purpose sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 were taken from Salem township; 29, 30, 31 and 32, from Greene township; 25, 26, 35 and 36, from Goshen township; and 1, 2, II and 12, from Butler township. A township called Damascus was formed by the commissioners, December 2, 1833, from parts of Goshen, Butler, Smith, and Knox; but the order for the erection was re- pealed March 4, 1834. The township of Liver- pool was erected June 3, 1834, and was com-

HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY

posed of fractional township 5, of range I,- which had been a part of St. Clair, an original township whose boundaries were fixed by the commissioners March 5, 1805-added to other sections of St. Clair, in township 6, viz .: 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36. The first election was appointed for June 23rd at the house of Aaron Brawdy, in the town of East Liverpool.

An act passed by the Legislature, February 16, 1846, authorized the erection of Mahoning County, and carved from Columbiana the five townships, Springfield, Beaver, Greene, Goshen and Smith. Greene and Goshen had each sur- rendered four sections, in 1832, to Perry town- ship. The five townships continued to vote with Columbiana County for State and national officers, until a new apportionment was made.

By the act for the erection of Carrol County, passed December 25, 1832, the following de- scribed territory was taken from Columbiana and attached to Jefferson County : "Beginning at the northeast corner, of section three in town- ship thirteen, range four; thence due east six miles to the northeast corner of section three, in township twelve, range three; thence south one mile to the southeast corner of section three, township and range aforesaid; thence due east to the Ohio River; thence down the river with the meanderings thereof to the termi- nation of the eastern boundary line of Jeffer- son County, on the said river; thence west along the present boundary line between the counties of Columbiana and Jefferson, to the southeast corner of section one, in township thirteen, range four; thence north three miles to the place of beginning."

The townships named, so far as can be ascertained, were organized on the several dates mentioned, viz .: Springfield, Middleton, St. Clair, Salem, Center, May 10, 1803; Unity, Yellow Creek, Elkrun, Fairfield, Greene, Wayne, Hanover, Butler, June 3, 1806; Knox, March 7, 1808; Madison, June 12, 1809; Goshen, September II, 1810; Beaver, April I, 18II; West, February 15, 1814; Franklin, March 4, 1816; Washington (as Saline), 1816; Smith, March, 1821 ; Perry, December 5, 1832; Liverpool, June 3, 1834. (Compiled from En- sign's "History of Columbiana County.")

COURT HOUSES AND JAILS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT.

In relation to the location of the county sent at New Lisbon (now Lisbon), a couple of paragraphs will be quoted from the "Histori- cal Sketch of the Old Village of New Lisbon, Ohio," published on the occasion of the centen- nial celebration of the town, June 17-18, 1903, which sketch was written by Charles D. Dickin- son, associated with the centennial celebration committee, C. S. Speaker, C. C. Connell and George T. Farrell :

"It would be interesting to know just when the first settlement (of Lisbon) was made, and the name of the hardy adventurer who began the work of civilization at this place, but no record is available from which to learn these facts, and any one who might have given the information has long ago passed away. Enough is known, however, to fix the date of the earliest permanent settlement of this lo- cality as being about the beginning of the last century, for Lewis Kinney, who owned the land upon which the village was laid out, built a cabin near the creek where the Arter tannery was afterward erected, and proceed to found the town, which he named New Lisbon, on Feb- ruary 16, 1803. He donated lots for county buildings and erected a log Court House and Jail in the fall of that year, for which he re- ceived from the county the munificent sum of $150. He sold the land upon which he had first settled to John Arter in 1805. His name was well known in county affairs in the early part of the 19th century, for he was major of the First Battalion of Columbiana County Miltia, which was first mustered in 1806, and he served in the State Senate from 1808 to 1813. He afterwards moved to Missouri.

"The log Court House erected by Mr. Kinney continued in use until 1816 when the brick Court House which was torn down some years ago was built. The present structure was erected in 1871-72, and was occupied several years before the old brick building was razed. "The oldest public building now standing in our peaceful midst was the first permanent Jail of the county and can be easily found on

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

the northeast corner of the intersection of Beaver and Chestnut streets. This landmark was erected in 1808, of native sandstone, strong walled and deep windowed, meant to keep the elements out and the vicious in, and to this day it looks its part. No better preserved monu- ment of the past can be found in the town, it now being substantially as it was when first erected."

That old stone jail served its day and gen- eration to better purpose, considering the needs of the times, than its successor has done during the past 60 and odd years, or, at least, for the past 20 or 30 years; for the present county prison during the past 30 years, has been re- peatedly condemned by grand juries, one of the duties of which has been to visit, at the opening of each term of court, and inspect and pass upon the condition and adaptability to the requirements to which it is suposed to be sub- jected, of the county "gaol."

The "History of Columbiana County," published in 1879, by Ensign & Company, of Philadelphia, contains a detailed account of the erection, and some description of several of the public buildings of the county, ancient and modern, and much of the data for that which follows on this subject has been secured from that authority. Between the years 1811 and 1817 the brick Court House, which preceded the one standing at present, was planned and built, being completed in 1817. It was built by William Harbaugh and Peter Spiker. An entry on the commissioners' record, August 29, 1817, shows that John Ritz and others were paid for examining the work done in the New Lisbon Court House; while another entry, De- cember 17, 1817, shows a payment of $38 to Peter Spiker, "in full for finishing the New Lisbon Court House." This building cost not far from the sum of $4,700. The first bell was bought in May, 1815; it cost $315.48, and was used nearly 60 years. The building was enlarged in 1823 by the addition of "public offices." In April of that year the commis- sioners-Thomas Creighton, George Atterholt, and Reuben Taylor-caused a plan of the of- fices to be furnished, and let the contract for their erection.

The third edifice is much larger and more imposing than its predecessors, and marks the increase of the county's wealth no less than the growth of its demands upon the ministers of the law. This building is of stone, and was erected in 1871-72, at a total cost of $106,- 350.14, exclusive of furniture. The dome is surmounted by a statute of Justice, with her suggestive symbols of authority and equity.

The following account of the proceedings of the commissioners in regard to the erection of this new edifice is taken from the records : On the IIth day of March, 1870, the Board of County Commissioners-Samuel Burger, An- drew Armstrong and Uriah Thomas-caused the following entry to be made on their journal :

"Notice .- Notice is hereby given that the county commissioners of Columbiana County intend to build a new Court House in the vil- lage of New Lisbon in said county, the cost of which shall exceed the sum of $1,000. The commissioners will hear petitions for and re- monstrances against said proposed improve- ment at their office in said county."

On the 12th day of March, 1870, the notice having been legally published, the board took up the remonstrances on file against the build- ing of the Court House, and carefully con- sidered them, together, with all the objections urged against said proposed improvement; and after full consideration of the subject, determ- ined that "the board are of the opinion that it is necessary to build a new Court House in New Lisbon, and hereby resolve and determine to proceed forthwith to take the necessary steps to build the same, in the manner provided by law."

On April 2nd, plans and specifications of the building were presented by H. E. Myer, archi- tect, which were duly aproved by the commis- sioners, and by John A. Myers, clerk, Thomas C. Morris, sheriff, and Solomon J. Firestone, probate judge.

On May 20th, after due notice for sealed proposals for building the Court House, a con- tract was made with William C. Megown and Simon Harrold, the lowest bidders, who agreed to erect the same according to plans and specifi- cations, for the sum of $98.717, and entered into

HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY

a bond in the penal sum of $75,000, with sure- ties, for the faithful performance of their en- gagement. On the same day the commission- ers awarded the contract for heaters for the new Court House to Peter Martin, who agreed to furnish the same for $6,500. The bell was purchased October 19, 1871, at a cost of $932.60, from A. Fulton, Son & Company. The town clock was furnished by the Telegraph Supply & Manufacturing Company, of Cleve- land, February 8, 1873, upon a contract made by the commissioners with the Automatic Fire Alarm Company, of Leetonia, and cost $735.

The present Court House is, considering the time at which it was built, and the ability of the people 35 years ago to bear the cost of such a building, an imposing and altogether creditable structure. The first floor of the building is occupied by the offices of the auditor, commissioners, probate judge, treasurer, re- corder and surveyor; the second floor by the court room, offices of the clerk and sheriff, jury room and apartment intended for wit- nesses room, but which, proving too small for that purpose, has been given over to the court stenographer.

The original log Court House and Jail, erected by Lewis Kinney, in 1803, have already been referred to. On July 12, 1819, there was held a meeting of the commissioners-John Crumbacher, Reuben P. McNamee and John Springer-"on purpose of consulting of pur- chasing one lot of ground for a gaol and draw- ing a plan of a gaol house, and proceed draw- ing the plan and describing the same." '. The following day they proceeded, finishing the de- scription of the "gaol," and purchased of Matthias Springer lot No. 119 in the town of New Lisbon, on the northwest corner of Beaver and Chestnut streets, for the sum of $200, "$100 payable on the 26th day of July, 1819, and $100 to be paid on the first day of January, 1820, next." The work of building the jail was let at auction July 26th, and was "openly struck off of John Beeson and Daniel Harbaugh, be- ing the lowest bidders, for the sum of $1,819, $300 to be paid at time of entering into bonds for the performance, and $300 every three months' end." In October the contractors were

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 5

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