History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 6

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

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allowed $53, "for extra work found necessary to be done to said gaol, of an alteration in the 'petitions' of the entries between the entry and the gaoler's parts above and below." January 5, 1820, the work of the contractors was ac- cepted. The finishing of the Jail was struck off to David McCurdy, January 4, 1820, for $1,087, whose work was completed and ac- cepted December 4, 1822. This Jail, a substan- tial stone building, is still standing, being used as a residence.

The old "jail and kitchen" were sold at auc- tion May 4, 1821, the former to Joseph Morris for $55.25, the latter to Daniel Harbaugh for $15.27.

After about 17 years the prison of 1819-20 was decided to be unfit for occupancy, and on the 6th day of December, 1837, the board of commissioners --- John Smith, George Burns, and James Justice-took the following actions con- cerning it: "The board having repaired to the prison of the county, to examine into the situation of the inmates who had been confined for insanity, found that the situation of the prison was such as to be deleterious to their health and adverse to their comforts; the board, upon due-consideration of the matter, order that Mrs. Wise, William Smoot and Thomas McCoy be discharged from confinement in the jail, in order that they may be sent to the poor-house of the county."

On the 8th of March following, after due deliberation, the board determined "to build a new prison on the public square on the hill," and authorized the auditor to give notice for proposals accordingly. On April 5th, not be- ing satisfied with the proposals received, they postponed their award until the 23rd, when a contract for erecting the new prison was made with Morris Miller and Nathaniel McCracken, their bid of $7,800 being the lowest presented. A change in the plan of the walls was made on October Ist, and the structure completed and accepted September 9, 1839. Alterations were made in the northeast room of this Jail by David and John Strickler, under a contract dated February 3, 1840, and cost $291.45. This jail is still in use, though, as has been stated, it has been condemned repeatedly. The grand

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jury of the January, 1905, term of court, not only condemned the structure, but recommended that the commissioners take steps as early as possible looking to the submission to the people of the question of the erection of a new jail- one which shall be commensurate with the in- crease of population, and the reasonable require- ments of such a structure.

THE COUNTY INFIRMARY.

The Infirmary farm is three miles west from Lisbon on section 17. It contains 332.65 acres -- 200 acres of which was purchased in 1829, at a cost of $3,100, and 132.65 acres acquired in 1861, at a cost of $3,600-the total cost of the land as it is now embraced in the farm be- ing $6,700.

The first notice found in the commissioners' records concerning a poor-house is under date of August 15, 1829, where it is stated that "The board proceeded to examine the old house on the land on which the poor house is erecting, and order that it be repaired and that certain other improvements be made on the land in rela- tion to the well, etc .; to-wit, the board ordet that a new sill be put under the sleepers, that the corners of the house be cut down and new floors be laid above and below, that a partition be put up, a chimney of brick in the inside be built large with a hearth, that a closed flight of stairs be built, and four twelve-light win- dows be put in-two above and two below --- and that the house be chinked and daubed with lime mortar, and a door be made and cased for the outside. They order that the old well be dug deeper and walled, or a new one dug and walled." On October, 3rd the contract for the repairs named was made with Andrew Scott, who was to receive therefor the sum of $92. March 23, 1830, it was determined by the board that the "work of the poor-house and the old house near it" was not according to contract.

The main Infirmary building, which is still in use in 1905, being well suited for the pur- poses for which it was erected, and in good condition, was built in 1861, at a cost of $12,- 570. The insane building, added to meet a growing need, was built in 1873, at a cost of $8,000. The main building is of brick, is 45 by 100 feet and three stories high. It is in- tended for the general use of the infirm and well-disposed inmates. The insane building is also of brick, and three stories in height. There are on the farm several other large buildings, including a fine frame barn. The appraised value of the farm and buildings was, in 1870, $25,000; in 1880, $40,000; at the present time (1905) at a reasonable valuation the farm and improvements are easily worth $50,000. As the property is not taxable, no legal valuation is put upon it.

September 1, 1880, the total number of in- mates of the Infirmary was reported as 176, classified as follows: Total sane inmates, 100; insane --- males 16, females 28-total 44 ; epilep- tics-males 6, females 4-total 10; idiotic- males 9, females 10-total 19; children-boys 2, girl 1-total 3. February 16, 1905, the num- ber of inmates reported was 125, classified as follows: Sane-males (including one boy, the only child in the institution) 77, females 18- total 95 ; insane-males 4, females 5 -- total 9; idiotic-males 13, females 6-total 19; epilep- tics, males 2. The reduction in the number of inmates of the Infirmary during the past 25 years, notwithstanding the rapidly increasing population of the county, speaks well for the enhanced conditions of health, industry and prosperity throughout the county. In April, 1905, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Riddle had com- pleted their 12th year as superintendent and matron, respectively, of the infirmary, and their administration had been so efficient and satis- factory that it seemed likely that their lease of official life might be continued almost in- definitely.

CHAPTER V.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Privations of Early "Settlers-Rapid Growth of the County and Its Resources-Incidents of Pioneer Life-Poe's Memorable Fight with Big Foot-Bloody Deeds on the His- toric Ohio.

People of the present generation can scarcely conceive of the privations of the early settlers. To the lack of creature comforts were added many lurking perils which it was difficult to guard against, and the necessary banishment from many intellectual and spiritual advantages and privileges. The descendants of the brave and sturdy pioneers owe a debt of gratitude which they can never repay. The hardships endured by the ancestors of those who now enjoy the rich heritage of prosperity and civil and religious liberty were many and grievous. But the experience of those early and trying days were, after all, not without their compensation. They developed and ripened a noble race of men and women, in their physical, mental and moral beings, and fitted them to become the progenitors of a race of people who for sterling integrity of character and hardy physical endurance are worthy of so noble an- cestry.

HARDSHIPS ENDURED BY THE EARLY SETTLERS.

A writer in the "History of the Upper Ohio Valley," speaking of the privations of the early settlers of the Virginian "Panhandle"-which description applies equally well to the pioneers of Columbiana County-has left a record from which some of the data for several paragraphs following is drawn.

In the days of the pioneers the mode of com- munication was either by means of a long and

tedious journey on foot, or by pack-horses. One horse would be devoted to carrying the mother of the family, who often traveled with an in- fant in her arms, her animal being encumbered with the cooking utensils of the family and such table furniture as was necessary for the use of the members. Another horse would pack the family provisions and the various imple- ments of husbandry which it was necessary should be brought with them, as none such could be obtained in the new country. Again, where there were young children of too tender an age to walk and undergo the fatigue inci- dent to physical effort, two large creels made of hickory withes-resembling in size and shape our crates-would be thrown across the back of the horse, one on each side of the horse, in which were packed the beds and necessary bed clothes for the same, to- gether with the apparel of the family. In the center of these creels the young children would occupy a space in a depression of the bedding which was secured by lacing in such a manner as to hold and keep them in their positions, and as the animal moved along, their heads only, which were above, were to be seen bobbing up and down with every motion of the beast as it walked along with measured pace. As the early settlers greatly depended on milk, one or more cows invariably brought up the rear of this unique cavalcade. At night, if fortunate enough to come across a deserted cabin, they

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would take possession of it for the time being and thus secure shelter. But it was seldom that they enjoyed such a comfort and protection. Hence they were mostly compelled to make their camp upon the bare ground, beneath the green arches of the forest trees, and in the vicinity of some spring or stream of running water.

It must be borne in mind that a journey to the West in those days was not over beaten roads and well-defined avenues of travel, of which at that period there were none. Hence travel was neither easy nor comfortable. Their way was usually along a trail, a bridle path, or marked by notched trees to indicate their course. These led through wild, primeval for- ests where the precipice, the ravine and the streams presented natural obstructions to their progress.

After reaching their destination and making a location, the first thing they undertook was the erection of a cabin for the shelter and pro- tection of the family. For this purpose timber was procured by felling the trees suitable for the building, which were chopped into logs of the desired length, and these were then rolled to the spot selected for the site of the house, where strong arms placed them in position, and covered them with a roof of clapboards. After- ward they were furnished with a puncheon floor, the interstices between the logs were filled with "chink" and mortar to make it storm proof, and the chimney, built of sticks and mud, was added on the outside. The next thing in order was the girdling of the trees and the felling of those in the immediate vicinity of the newly erected cabin, to obtain a clearing, which at the proper time was made ready for the re- ception of seed corn and potatoes. As our pioneen ancestry did not depend on "store clothes" for their outfit, each pioneer had his patch of flax, which the busy housewife spun in her leisure moments, and worked into yards of homespun fabric, out of which she made the unpretending garments for the family wear.

The homes of the people, as has already been indicated, were of the rudest kind. A com- pany of choppers would gather, on a day ap-

pointed, and with their teams assist in hauling the logs to the designated place. Then would follow the raising, which required many willing hands. In the meantime a carpenter would be engaged in searching for a tree out of which to make the clapboards for the roof. The boards were split, about four feet in length and as wide as the timber would allow. They were used without shaving. The puncheons for the floor were made by splitting trees about 18 inches in diameter, and hewing the faces of them with a broadaxe. These were the usual preparations for the first day. The second day the neighbors collected to finish the house. The third day's work generally consisted in what was called "furnituring" the house, sup- plying it with a clapboard table, made of a split slab, and supported by four round legs, set in auger holes. Some three-legged stools were made in the same manner. Some pins stuck in the logs in the back of the house, supported some clapboards which served for shelves for the table furniture, consisting usually of a few pewter dishes, plates and spoons, but mostly of wooden bowls, trenchers and noggins. If these last were scarce, gourds and hard-shelled squashes made up the deficiency. The iron pots, knives and forks were brought from the east side of the mountains, along with iron and salt on pack horses. A single fork placed with its lower end in a hole in the floor and the upper end fastened to the joist served for a bedstead, by placing a pole in the fork, with one end through a crack between the logs in the wall. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one within the fork, with its outer end through another crack. From the first pole through a crack between the logs of the end of the house, the boards were put on, which formed the bot- tom of the bed. Sometimes other poles were pinned to the fork, a little distance above these for the purpose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while the walls were the sup- port of its back and its head. A few pegs around the walls for a display of the coats of the women and hunting shirts of the men, and two small forks or buck's horns to a joist for the rifle and shot pouch, completed the car- penter's work.

HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY

The hospitality of the people was proverbial ; no one ever appealed in vain for help or food in their emergency, whether it was a neighbor or a stranger, and nothing would give greater offence than an offer to pay for the same. The latch-string always hung on the outside, and the stranger and the wayfarer alike always re- ceived a generous and hearty welcome. In their friendships they were firm, constant and true.

GROWTH OF THE COUNTY.

The earliest settlement of Columbiana County was supposed to have been made in 1792-93 by John Quinn, who built a cabin near Calcutta in St. Clair township, where he seems to have led the life of a hunter for many years. After the organization of the State and the erection of Columbiana County, both in 1803, settlements rapidly increased. The growth of the county for the ensuing quarter of a century is illustrated by the additions of new townships to the tax lists, and by items of contemporaneous history, as given by Hon. H. H. Gregg, of Lisbon, in an address delivered before the Columbiana County Pioneer and Historical Association, September 13, 1873. Said Mr. Gregg :

"The first levy of taxes ever made in Columbiana County was made at a term of the court held at the house of Christian Smith (whose hotel was just in the rear of the stone house on Washington street), in New Lisbon, on the 6th of September, 1803, Robert Simpson, Henry Bauchman and William Smith sitting as judges. The levy was made on five town- ships, for the amounts following: Springfield, $94.69, Peter Forney, Jr., lister or assessor ; St. Clair, $98.38, Hugh Clark, lister; Middle- ton, $88.62, Benj. Bradfield, lister; Salem, $27.021/2, George Bair, lister; Center $31.9412, Isaac Pierce, lister. Total tax for 1803, $340.66.

"At this day the people may wonder why the taxes were only levied upon the five town- ships named above. The reason is easily given. At that day Springfield, Middleton, St. Clair, Salem and Center were the centers of popula- tion, settlement and civilization, and Salem and

Center were on the western frontier. The first county seat, at Matthias Lower's barn, was fixed in the center of this population, and all outside was pretty much wilderness and woods.

"Two years after, in 1805, when Mr. Blocksom came to New Lisbon, he gave me this description of his journey: 'On the third day of November, 1805, left Steubenville for New Lisbon, on horseback. Came on first day to Gillingham's salt-works, 16 miles south of New Lisbon. At that time there were but three houses, or rather. log cabins, between the salt works of Mr. Gillingham and New Lisbon ; one three miles north, occupied by George Clark, who was afterward elected to the Legis- lature; one about three and three-fourths miles : and the other at westfork, north side, occupied by Thomas Hoovey, and afterward by Peter Koffel. The country at that time, with the above exceptions, was a dense forest or wilder- ness, and but a very narrow road through it and,' Mr. Blocksom further says, 'at that time, on the road to Canfield, there were but three houses, one about where Samuel Berger now lives, a very small log cabin at the creek be- yond Franklin Square, and also a house about where Greene village now stands, the balance of the road being all woods.'

"Such is Mr. Blocksom's description of the country, south as well as north, two years after this levy of taxes was made, which fully ex- plains the reason why the levy was only in five townships, and only for $340.66. Collectors were then appointed for each township, and were ordered to have the money collected in three months, and the assessor, or lister, was generally the collector. If Springfield, Middle- ton, St. Clair, Salem, and Center paid all the taxes, they also did all the voting; for the only persons paid for bringing in election returns were the following: Springfield, Moses Black- burn ; St. Clair, Enos Thomas; Salem, George Bair; Center, Isaac Pierce; Middleton, Jason Moreland and Benj. Wright. And these elec- tion returns were for June and October, elec- tions, and had to be taken both to New Lisbon and Steubenville. The court allowed to the persons named for carrying the returns a total sum of $40.

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"The number of inhabitants in each town- ship at that early period may be judged of by the following number of grand and petit jurors ordered at the court held December 2, 1803 :

Grand Jurors. Petit Jurors.

Springfield

12 20

Middleton

12 20

St. Clair

Salem

Center

"And, further, it must not be forgotten that the boundary lines of Columbiana County at this early day took in a great portion of Carroll County, including Carrollton, the county seat, which was cut off in 1832, and nearly all of Stark to the Tuscarawas River, including the territory now occupied by the prosperous towns of Massillon, and Canton, and of Alliance and Minerva, which was cut off as early as 1808, and also five of the best townships in Mahon- ing County, which are bounded on the north by the 4Ist degree of north latitude, or the old Western Reserve line, and which last-named five townships were cut off in 1845.

"If, however, the territory for taxation in 1803 only covered five townships, the court expenses were likewise reduced and very mod- erate, and the pay of jurymen was so small that they must have lived very cheap, or paid part of their'expenses out of their own pockets. For instance, at the March term of court, 1804, the following amounts were appropriated out of the county treasury, to pay the grand jurors : Thomas Gillingham, $1.30; John Babb, $1.30; John Hindman, $1.10; John Quinn, $1.30; Jason Moreland, $1.00; James McConnell, 85 cents ; Samuel Richardson, $1.20;' Peter Shriver, $1.20; Francis Andrews, $1.20; Matthias Lower, 95 cents; Samuel Smith, $1.05; Nathan Heald, Jr., 85 cents, and John Gartner, $1.00 as constable of court; making the whole expenses $16,45.

"But our early settlers and pioneers lived economically in those days, had none of the luxuries of our time, and but few of the neces- saries; and they cared so little for show or the glitter of our times, that it is told by reliable authority that one of our very early

Representatives actually rode to the Legislature at Chillicothe on a sack well filled with straw, from which we may conclude that saddles were scarce, and straw soft and comfortable, and legislators independent, and not afraid of los- ing votes. And I say all honor to the old pion- eer who could take to the wilderness on a sack of straw, and hunt his way to Chillicothe, through the woods, for the benefit of a con- stituency who had braved the dangers and hard- ships of the then Western frontier. Even in my day the Representatives of some of the Western Reserve - counties came through Columbiana County to Wheeling, in order to get to Columbus by the National Road. And our own Representatives used to rely on Colonel Harper and his hack ( 'Perseverance' as it was called) to get to Columbus; and the Colonel would always take along a hatchet to repair a wheel, in case one turned inside out.

"In 1805 the commissioners added Unity, Fairfield and Yellow Creek to the list of town- ships for taxation, showing some progress in the amount of revenue to be collected, as well as in the settlement of the county. For instance, the taxes of Springfield on personal property were returned at $74.10; Unity, $82.80; Mid- dleton, $67.40; Yellow Creek, $57.50; Center,. $174.71; Fairfield, $53.90; Salem, $81.80; St. Clair, $76.20; making a total of $668.41 to be collected in 1805; and 8 per cent was allowed for collecting the taxes in the remaining town- ships. And in the year 1805 elections were held in the eight organized townships named above. In 1806 the same eight townships were listed for taxation to the amount of $666.97.

"June, 1807, the commissioners added to the tax list the newly organized townships of Elk- run, Greene, Butler, Hanover, Wayne and Lake, and, of course, with taxation comes the privilege of having elections and voting; Lake being the first organized township in the terri- tory which was struck off to Stark County in the following year. The taxes in those six townships were listed as follows: Elkrun, $47.86; Greene, $66.37; Butler, $45.97; Han- over, $66.37; Wayne, $27.99; Lake, $46.51. The total taxes on personal property in 14 townships being listed in 1807 at $880.27; land

HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY

taxed on resident proprietors, $464.86; making a total tax for the year 1807 of $1,345.13.

"September 8, 1807, the first account of an organized township at Canton is the allowance of $3.15 to Christian Bair for bringing in the returns of the election of Justice Leonard to the clerk of our court. Lake township having been struck off to Stark County, the addition of Knox still kept the number up to 14.

"June 12, 1809, Madison township was added to the list of townships for taxation, to the amount of $35.70 on personal property, and Thomas George was appointed collector.

"The land tax for 1809, upon resident land owned in the county, was $1,410.69. In 1810 the tax upon personal property was $1, 187.04, and was confined to the 15 townships of the previous year, and the land tax amounted to $2,207.34; making a total tax of $3,394.38, and no doubt thought to be heavy taxes at that early day; but they were preparing to build a new Court House.

"According to the United States census, taken in 1810, Columbiana County contained 10,879 inhabitants.

"June 18, 1812, Beaver and Goshen were added to the list of organized townships for taxation and for holding elections. Taxes in Beaver, $35.25 ; in Goshen, $36.79.

"The commissioners at their session on the 13th of June, 1815, added Augusta (now Car- roll) to the lists of townships and assessed the tax at $17.97. Columbiana county then con- sisted of 18 organized townships, and the total tax on personal property was $1,585.031/2. In 1816, West, Washington and Franklin town- ships were added, and the personal property in the county assessed at $1,386.591/2, and the land tax at $6,251.63, less than what is assessed and expended in a single union school district of the present day; and to show the vast in- crease of wealth, as well as of taxation, at the present day, I will add that the tax duplicate of Columbiana County, in 1873, amounted to $299,548.64, and I have no doubt that the peo- ple of our county paid it with greater ease than they did the land and personal tax of 1816 named above.

"The Ohio Patriot, of December, 1811,

contains over two columns of legal advertise- ments for Cuyahoga County, signed by Elisha Whittlesey, as attorney for the party. At that time the Ohio river counties contained most of the population and 'representation, Geauga, Ashtabula and Cuyahoga being the only lake counties represented in the House of Represent- atives, and Cuyahoga, Geauga and Portage by one Senator. At the same session, Belmont, Hamilton, Washington, Butler and Warren had each three Representatives, while Jefferson County had four; Adams and Clermont each had two, Ross and Pickavay had five, and the three counties of Columbiana, Stark and Wayne, but three Representatives.

"The lake shores then were looked upon as almost a barren waste, never dreaming of the population, trade, and commerce of the present day, or of the great cities that would grow up around those inland seas, or of the vast wealth which would be accumulated in them. When we look at the growth of Cleve- land, even within our own recollection, how easy it is to imagine a population of a quarter of a million, and to believe that our children will see the city extended to three or four times its present size and population, and witness our rich coal fields and hills hollowed out and transported in innumerable trains of cars to supply the necessary heat and steam to aid in building up manufactures and amassing wealth in that city. Like the wish of old Ben Franklin, who would not like to appear here in a hun- dred years, to see what was going on? And if the human family (as sometimes prophesied) have the privilege of crossing the Atlantic, or sailing around in balloons, or using patent wings, who would not be tempted to ask for a ride?"

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 6

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