History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 73

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 73

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paper on a high plane, giving it intelligent su- pervision and directing its editorial policy with keen judgment and its business affairs with rare ability. He has been city clerk for several years.

The Bucyrus Evening Times was established in 1884 by six young men and was managed by James R. Hopley. The paper was published during the summer and quit early in the fall.

The Daily Critic was probably the out- growth of the Times, but had no connection with it. It was established by Orvis & Mc- Kelvy, job printers, and had many owners and managers before it came into the hands of the Holbrooks and was discontinued early in 1888.

Since the first printing press was brought to Bucyrus several attempts have been made by different parties to establish other miscellane- ous publications. In 1838 William Robbins issued the first number of a semi-monthly pub- lication called the Buckeye. It was printed at the Republican office, and the articles contained in it were of a class intended to amuse rather than instruct; no efforts were made to publish local news. The Buckeye was continued for several months. No. 9, Volume I, appeared April 27, 1839, but shortly after this the paper was discontinued.

In May, 1855, the first number of an agri- cultural paper, the Crawford County Farmer, was printed at the Journal office. Robert N. Patterson was publisher ; J. A. Crevier and C. Elliott were editors. It was a monthly paper, four pages in size, and was "devoted to agri- culture, horticulture, gardening, mechanics and domestic industry," but it was discontinued after several numbers.

May I, 1861, No. 1, Vol. I, of the Millers Journal was published by Raub & Butterfield. It was a small four-page monthly "devoted to the interests of millers-terms 50 cents per an- num." Although it was issued in the interest of the Ingham California Wheat Cleaner, it was a bona fide publication, but the second number never appeared. Martin Deal, who had the only copies in existence when he lived here, says this was the first milling journal ever published in the United States.

In 1867 Henry J. Deal published the first number of the Bucyrus Chronicle, a paper for boys. The next year the name was changed to the Bucyrus Budget, and the second number

appeared, which was followed by several others during the next six months. Another amateur publication was started January 1, 1869, by J. E. Hopley & Co. This little sheet, the Acorn, was issued semi-monthly ; after the first three months the senior partner gave his brother, Thomas P., an old shot-gun if he would assume the financial responsibilities of the paper. An entire volume of 26 numbers was published and then the Acorn was planted but never sprouted. In July, 1879, Daniel Kanzleiter issued the first number of the Sunbeam, an illustrated sheet printed "semi-occasionally." The wood cuts were designed and engraved by the publisher and four copies of the Sunbeam appeared be- fore it "ceased to shine for 25 cents a year."

Outside of county seats, papers were only started when the size of the village or its pros- pects justified the venture. When the railroad was completed to Galion that village started on an era of prosperity. In 1855 John W. Putnam, who for many years had been the able editor of the Ohio Statesman, looked on Galion as a promising field for a paper. In the five years after the arrival of the railroad it had more than doubled in size. He had a printing plant at. Union City, the western terminus of the Bellefontaine and Indiana Road. He moved this office to Galion, and in connection with Dr. D. Abger issued the first paper in Ga- lion, which was called the Galion Weekly Train. The office was on Main street in the building owned by P. D. Weber. Later it was changed to the Galion Weekly Times. A copy of the first issue of the Train is still in exist- ence, in the possession of J. C. Euler at Wash- ington, D. C. These papers were necessarily independent in politics, as there was no county patronage to assist in their support, and if they succeeded it must be from merit and the support of the entire village. Dr. Abger soon retired from the partnership and went to Crest- line to run a paper of his own. When he left, J. V. D. Moore came from Union City, Ind., and took the management of the paper for Mr. Putnam. When the campaign of 1856 was on, political excitement ran high, and Jacob Riblet purchased the paper, and changed it into a po- litical organ, supporting the principles of the Democratic party, and it was now the Galion District Democrat. It was not a success finan- cially, and Mr. Riblet sold the paper to An-

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drew Poe, who was one of the Democratic leaders at Galion. While Mr. Poe ran a redhot Democratic paper as long as he had it, there were too many in the opposition party, who re- fused to support it, and his editorial experience was a financial failure, and the paper came again into the hands of the Riblets.

In 1864 the District Democrat was pur- chased by the Matthias Brothers, and Peter Schum was the editor. He soon after removed to Joplin, Mo., and later published the Morn- ing News in that city. When he left, H. S. Z. Matthias took the editorial charge and dropped the word "District," calling it the Galion Dem- ocrat, and supporting the Democratic party. In November, 1864, with the defeat of McClellan for the presidency, the Democrat decided life was no longer worth living and ceased to exist, the editor announcing that the support he was receiving did not justify him in continuing, especially as printing paper was 28 cents a pound. The Matthias Brothers turned the en- tire plant into a job office, Lew Matthias being one of the finest and most artistic job printers ever in the county. But H. S. Z. Matthias had had a taste of newspaper work and enjoyed it so much that in July, 1865, he re-entered the field and commenced publishing a paper called the Weekly Review, and this time independ- ent in politics. In September 1871 the Mat- thias brothers sold out to John C. Covert of the Cleveland Leader, who changed its name back to the Galion Democrat, but ran it as a Republican paper, believing there was nothing in a name. In the fall of 1872 G. W. DeCamp, of Mansfield, edited it under the same political color, but changed the name back to the Review, and so continued it until it passed into the hands of .F. E. Coonrod and A. D. Rowe in July, 1874. These gentle- men made it once more Democratic in politics and conducted it in that faith until February I, 1877, when it flopped again and became Repub- lican in sentiment though still owned by Rowe and Coonrod, and retaining the name of the Review.

George T. Ristine was editor and owner of the Galion Sun, which he established October 31, 1872, as an independent weekly newspaper. Success followed his enterprising management and he enlarged and improved the paper. The Public Spirit was established by Ed. G. Slough

about 1888 and it, too, was operated as an in- dependent paper. Later its name was changed to the Leader. This publication was issued daily, the first daily to be published in Galion. It had a precarious existence. The Review and the Sun were combined as the Sun-Review, and the Leader was taken over by the same com- pany, the Sun-Review being the weekly edition, and the Leader the daily, both being Republi- can in politics. J. W. Cupp was the owner of the plant, and after he was appointed postmas- ter in 1897, it was managed by Charles F. Mon- roe who had an interest in the company. Mr. Cupp, after retiring from the post office, be- came cashier of the Commercial Savings Bank, and later removed to Washington, and sold the plant to a company organized by J. W. Hopley of Bucyrus, who took charge of the manage- ment for only a month, when he sold to the Crestline Publishing Company, and James Mc- Mahan became the manager of that office as well as the Crestline Advocate. The Sun-Re- view was discontinued, subscribers being fur- nished with the Daily Leader. The office, which had been for years in the northwest cor- ner of the Square, was removed to a new site, one door west of the Central Hotel. It was completely refitted with new type, presses and engines. Mr. Monroe, on retiring from the pa- per, started the Commercial Printing Company.

In August, 1876, a campaign paper was es- tablished at Galion under the name of the Re- publican Free Press. As such it was run for one year and seven months. On the 28th of September, 1877, it was purchased by S. G. Cummings & Co., which company changed the name to the Galion Inquirer, and ever since it has been a Democratic paper. For a time J. G. Meuser was its political editor but it was best known as the paper of H. S. Z. Matthias. Mr. Matthias was elected county recorder but lost none of his interest in Democratic principles and continued to boost the paper for the benefit of the party. The Inquirer was sold to W. V. Goshorn and R. W. Noyer, who are the present proprietors, their office being at the northeast corner of Main and Union streets. They have purchased ground and erected a block especial- ly for their office half a block east of their pres- ent site and will occupy it yet this year. The paper is Democratic in politics, the senior pro- prietor, Mr. Goshorn, being the present clerk

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of the Ohio Senate. Several years ago the Weekly Inquirer was discontinued and all patrons are supplied with the daily.

On Dec. 21, 1852, the plat was filed for the village of Crestline; its marvelous early growth is demonstrated by the fact that, in 1853, C. M. Kenton started a paper there called the Ex- press. He was a practical printer and did his own work, but he lacked sufficient capital to keep the paper on its feet until the town was large enough to support it, and after issuing the Express for six months, he moved away with his plant. A year or two later Dr. D. Abger tried the experiment and started the Watchman and Reflector but he, too scored a failure.

While Crestline holds the record in this county of having had a paper started in the shortest time after the town was laid out, it also holds the other record of being the largest town to be without a paper. The village had over 2,000 population when Adam Billow in July, 1869, issued his first number of the Crest- line Advocate. It was four pages, 16x20 in size, and was published at the residence of the owner. Mr. Billow was not a printer ; he had been in business at Leesville, and after removing to Crestline, started his paper, learn- ing the printing business in his own office. How well he did this is evidenced by the fact that in a few years it was one of the neatest and most attractive mechanically of any paper in Ohio. He made the Advocate a success from the start, and at the end of six months it was enlarged to a six-column paper and later to eight columns. Business increased beyond the capacity of his residence, and the office was removed to the Masonic building, where he conducted the paper until his death on May 20, 1876. His son, D. C. Billow, had learned the business in his father's office and took charge of the paper, and like his father made a success of it. It has always been the paper of Crest- line, and several attempts to share that popu- larity have resulted in failures. Some years ago it was incorporated as the Crestline Pub- lishing Co., with James McMahon as manager, and its financial success continued under the new owners. It was this company that pur- chased the Galion Leader, and both papers are today under the management of Mr. McMahon.

The Independent Democrat was started by

Dr. A. E. Jenner at Crestline, in February, 1873. He was at that time State Senator, having been elected in 1870 and 1872. The paper was folio in form until May, 1875, when it was made eight pages and the name changed to the Crawford County Democrat. For two years it was in charge of A. N. Jenner, son of the proprietor, who continued in the office until July 15, 1875. Some months previous to his retirement J. E. D. Ward purchased an interest in the office and when young Jenner left, continued sole proprietor until Charles Wright became associated with him in 1876. About this time the office was removed to Bucyrus but some months previous to this change a Bucyrus edition had been printed at Crestline. Wright retired after several weeks' experience, and Frank Plants took his place. When Major Williston purchased the Forum in 1877 the publishers of the Democrat soon found they could not successfully compete with him for the patronage of Crawford county democracy, and their paper wis discontinued about July 1, 1877.

The Crestline Democrat, and the Crestline . Vidette, owned by Will W. Pope, were papers which during their lives made quite an im- pression on the community, but the Advocate had such a hold in Crestline that they could not last, perhaps not even receiving the support they merited.

The New Washington Herald was estab- lished many years ago by Mr. Wheeler. Later J. E. Cory was associated with the paper and he sold out to J. I. Smith and J. F. Kimmer- line. L. M. Smith bought an interest in the paper in 1891. J. I. Smith was elected county auditor and L. M. Smith located in Bucyrus, and they sold the paper to the present owners, Lantz & Wheeler, Percy Lantz now having. entire management of the plant. Some years ago a paper was started in Tiro called the American, but the village was not then large enough to support it, and it was discontinued. In 1911, W. Z. Davis began the publication of the Tiro World, the mechanical work being done at Bloomville, but as soon as the business justifies it, he will open an office at Tiro.

In the early days, owing to excessive post- age, newspapers were delivered in the places of publication by carrier, and it was the duty of the "devil" on the day of publication to go

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over the entire town serving the patrons with their favorite paper, and if it so happened that the carriers of the rival papers met, there was a battle royal to the finish, for in those days every employe in the office was intense in his loyalty to the paper, and not even a wan- dering tramp printer given employment for a day or two, but what spoke, as a man of ex- perience who had traveled over many states, of the wonderful ability of his employer and of his able and convincing editorials, at the same time speaking equally positively of the vapid utterances and meaningless nonsense of the childish efforts of the editor of the other "sheet." It was so, too, with the readers. What the editor said politically was indisput- able, and what the opposition editor said was absolutely false. Not that they saw what the opposition said; God forbid; they would not be caught reading the dirty and villainous "sheet." More than half a century ago there were very many honest, conscientious God- fearing men, any one of whom would have had a spirited interview with his son in the · woodshed if he had discovered he had hap- pened to read a copy of the Forum at the home of some Democratic neighbor, and there were equally as many good and substantial men and respected citizens, that would have had a similar interview with the misguided son who in an unguarded moment might mention some item he had seen in the Journal. Still the editors thundered away to the intense delight of their readers, who only had an idea what the other paper said by the garbled extracts their own editor copied for the purpose of attacking the statement.

It was in 1862, when party spirit over the war was beginning to be very bitter, and Rev. John Walcott was pastor of the Presbyterian church at Bucyrus, that his pastoral duties

called upon him to visit one of his elders in the country. They talked of church matters, the old man being as loyal to the Presbyterian faith as he was to the Democratic party. Finally the conversation drifted to the war, which each had striven to avoid, knowing their views were not in accord, and as the danger point was reached, the gray-haired old elder, knowing the minister was his guest, quietly rose and said: "Waal, Mr. Walcott, while the women folks are getting supper, I'd better go out and do the chores. On the centre table there, you'll find the Bible and the Forum- both sides of the question."

If some may doubt the intensity of party spirit in the era prior to the Civil War, one incident among many may convince. Col. Robert Cowden was brought up in a Christian home, was a leader in church work, and a minister, and yet he writes of that boyhood home in southwestern Vernon, under date of Oct. 15, 19II: "The people were generally Pennsylvania Dutch, with some Germans, and a few others. Of school books there were but few. The only book in our home was a small Bible and that was my first text book in school at the age of six years. I had been taught in the home to read and spell. As late as 1848 there were two Whigs, three Abolition- ists, and all other voters were Democrats. I could not myself understand how any but a Democrat could ever be saved."

Times have indeed changed, and for the better. And the change has been brought about, not alone by a more intelligent people, but by a fairer press, especially in the towns and smaller cities, where both press and people are rising to that highest principle of self- government-that every right a man claims for himself that same right he must concede to his neighbor.

CHAPTER XXVIII

MILITARY HISTORY OF THE COUNTY

The Revolutionary War-Two Battlefields in Crawford County-Revolutionary Soldiers Who Lived in Crawford County-Ancestral Data-The War of 1812-1815-The Mex- ican War-The Great Civil WI'ar; Historical Sketches of the Principal Regiments Which Contained Crawford County Men-Decoration Day-Formation of G. A. R. Posts- Relief Corps-The Oldest Soldier-Crawford County Heroes-Southern Prisons- Tribute to Sergeant D. W. Young-The Il'ar With Spain-Record of Company A, 8th Regiment, O. V. I.

On Fame's eternal camping-ground Their silent tents are spread, And glory guards with solemn round The bivouac of the dead. -THEODORE O'HARA.

Crawford county was not in existence until half a century after the Revolutionary War, but Col. Crawford's campaign of 1782, to put a stop to the attacks of the British and In- dians on the American frontier, led to the only two battles of the Revolution that occurred in Ohio being fought on Crawford county soil, the one at Battle Island, northwest of Upper Sandusky on June 4, 1782, and the Battle of the Plains, half way between Bucyrus and Ga- lion two days later, on June 6; this latter bat- tle-field being marked by a monument erected by the Pioneer Association of Crawford county.

After the county was opened to settlement in 1820 several soldiers of the revolution made their home in this county as follows :

Robert Carson, in Cranberry township. Among his descendants are Tarlton B. Car- son, for many years postmaster at New Wash- ington. Robert Carson is buried about three miles north of New Washington.

Christian Couts came to Liberty township in 1821 and is buried in the Crall graveyard, Liberty township. His son Henry came to the county with him, and when a young man moved to Bucyrus, where he resided up to the time of his death.

Adam Link came to Liberty township from Maryland. He died at the home of his daugh- ter, Mrs. Horatio Markley, on August 15, 1864, aged 103 years, and was buried in the Union graveyard northeast of Sulphur Springs. Another daughter was Mrs. George W Teel. At the time of his death he was one of half a dozen veterans of the Revolutionary War living at that time in Ohio.

David McKinley came to Chatfield township in 1835. He died in 1840 and was buried in the German Lutheran graveyard south of Chatfield. He was the great-grandfather of President Mckinley. One grand-daughter, Martha, married Stephen Waller of Lykens township. Another grand-daughter, Hannah, married T. J. Tilford, and still another, Ellen, married James Winters, all these marriages being in Lykens township.

There are quite a number in the county who are descendants of soldiers of the Revolution.

Thomas Beer was in the Revolutionary War. He was the great-grandfather of Judge Thomas Beer who came to Bucyrus in 1860 and of Capt. William Nevins Beer, who came to Bucyrus in 1861.

Clendenin was in the Revolutionary war; his daughter Margaret married James Andrews, who came to Texas township in 1832.

Benjamin Coe was in the Revolutionary War, and his great-granddaughter, Mrs. George Whysall, is a resident of Bucyrus.

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James Cole. See Samuel McDonald.

John Coon was in the Revolutionary War, and also the War of 1812. His son, Adam, came to Crawford county about 1822, and died March 19, 1877. He had land in Texas township.

Leonard Crissinger was in the Revolutionary War and one of those who for a time went barefooted for lack of shoes. His grandson, John Crissinger came to Crawford county in 1832, settling in Whetstone township.

Robert Cunning was in the Revolutionary War. He was the grandfather of Jacob H. Stevens who came to Cranberry township in 1834.

Jacob Ferree was in the Revolutionary War. His great-grandson William Ferree came to Crawford county in 1873, residing in Galion, and in 1881 removed to Bucyrus.

Harris was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. He was the grandfather of Ste- phen R. Harris, who came to Bucyrus in 1849. Hise came from Hesse, Germany with a comrade named Kuncle as British soldiers. They were in one engagement, after which both joined the Revolutionary cause, and fought with the patriots until the close of the war. John Hise married Eve Kuncle, and came to Jackson township in 1824; their son Wm. H. Hise being for many years justice of the peace in Liberty township.

Simon and John Hopple enlisted in the Revolutionary War at its commencement, but both were lost and no trace of them ever found. Their nephew, Reuben Hopple, came to Lib- erty township in 1856.

Samuel Kearsley was a captain in the Con- tinental Army, and a favorite officer of Gen. Washington, the latter presenting him with the sword he wore at Braddock's defeat in 1755. His grandson, Edmund R. Kearsley came to Bucyrus in 1851.

Philip Keller and two of his brothers were in the Revolutionary War. Philip Keller, a grandson of the Revolutionary Philip, came to Sandusky township in 1856.

Kuncle. See Hise.

Joseph Lochbaum was in the Revolutionary war ; his son Solomon came in 1830, settling in what is now Jefferson township.

Livingston was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War. His grandson Rensselaer Liv-

ingston, came to Crestline in 1848, and in 1851 laid out the village of Livingston, afterward Crestline.

John Marshall and two brothers were in the Revolutionary War. James Marshall, a grand- son of John, came to Bucyrus in 1826. John Marshall reached the rank of Colonel, and was presented with a sword by Gen. Washington.

Samuel McDonald was a soldier in the Revo- lution. James Cole was a Nova Scotian and entered the Revolutionary army, and for this was disinherited by his wealthy English rela- tives. He was with Washington at Valley Forge. Later he was wounded in battle, and confined in one of the prison ships in Boston Harbor until the close of the war. Reuben McDonald, a son of Samuel, married Matilda Cole, a daughter of James Cole. They came to Liberty township in 1832, and with them their son George, four years old. Another son, Hiram W. McDonald, was born in 1846. Both sons were later in business in Bucyrus.

Frederick W. McMichael was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. His great-grand- daughter Mrs. C. F. May is a resident of Tiro.

Abraham Monnett was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war. His son Isaac came to Craw- ford county in 1825; his son Jeremiah came in 1835, both settling in Bucyrus township.

Henry Nail came to America in 1777 and entered the Revolutionary Army. In 1818 he came to Richland county, where he died and was buried at Mansfield. His son James Nail came to Jefferson township in 1821.

Capt. Patton was a soldier in the Revolution- ary War and a brother-in-law of Major Andre. His grandson, Noble Mckinstry, came to Whetstone township in 1820; another grand- son, James Mckinstry, came to this section in 1833, settling near Caledonia, and in 1863 moved to Bucyrus.

Christian Riblet entered the Continental Army at Philadelphia in 1779, at the age of 18. He died April 6, 1844, and was buried in the graveyard on the Galion and Mansfield road, just east of the Crawford county line. His grandson, Daniel Riblet, came to Polk township in 1851.

Benjamin Sears was in the Revolutionary War. His son Elkanah Sears came to Bucyrus township in 1837.

James Sharrock came to America from Ger-

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many during the Revolutionary War, as one of the hired soldiers to fight on the side of the British. His sympathies were with the Ameri- cans and he promptly deserted and joined the Revolutionists, fighting until the close of the war. His son, Benjamin Sharrock, came to Polk township in 1818.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 73

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302