History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 85

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 85

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Bonar in 1880, Dr. John Atwood in 1880, Dr. E. A. Thoman, Dr. L. A. Perce, Dr. L. W. Jordan.

Dr. Price, who was a botanic physician, lo- cated south of Bucyrus, in 1837, and practiced there about fifteen years when he removed to Illinois.

Those now engaged in the practice of medi- cine and surgery in Bucyrus are as follows : P. R. Brubaker, W. C. Gates, F. W. Kehrer, Lucia Kemp, C. H. King, W. A. Koch, J. B. Lewis, Claude A. Lingenfelter, A. H. McCrory, J. J. Martin, E. R. Schoolfield, Howard H. Smith, Charles A. Ulmer and W. L. Yeomans, and L. J. Dellinger, osteopath. Dr. Ulmer is the present coroner and Dr. Kemp is the only lady physician in the city.

One of the first physicians in Galion was a Dr. Johnson, who came sonietime in the thirties and remained a few years. His wife, assisted by Mrs. Jacob Ruhl, was instrumental in establishing the first Sundayschool in Galion. Shortly after he came, Dr. Bleymeyer ar- rived, and in 1838 he sold out to Dr. Reisinger. The latter resided in Galion for nearly thirty years, and perhaps it may not be too much to say that the town never had a citizen more highly or more deservedly esteemed. It has been said of him that he practiced his profes- sion more "for the sake of suffering humanity than for the money he might obtain for his services." During the building of the Cleve- land, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad, when many of the workmen were stricken down with cholera, he attended them during their sickness, freely risking his own life, and, as they were poorly supplied with comforts or necessaries, he personally supplied their wants so far as he was able, and, at their death, dug their graves and buried them. In 1866, learning that his son, a student of medicine at Cincinnati, had been attacked with cholera, he hastened there to care for him, and on his arrival was him- self attacked by the disease and died eight hours before his son. Their bodies were brought to Galion and interred in the village cemetery.

Among the early physicians of Galion were Dr. John Atwood in 1849, J. Stiefel who came in 1852, N. E. Hackedorn, who came in 1854 and ran a drug store for thirty years, and was one of the active business men of Galion, H. S.

Barbour in 1864, C. L. Coyle in 1865, H. M. and Frank Duff in 1858, H. R. Kelly in 1868, J. C. Campbell in 1872, J. C. Mcllvaine in 1878, who wrote the history of Galion thirty years ago; H. and F. Mannhart, Brown, Chase, Griffin, J. Webb Kelly and Ridgeway.

Those now practicing in Galion are T. L. Brown, D. W. Brickley, H. H. Hartman, E. D. Helfrich, O. L. Huffman, C. C. Mandeville, J. G. Mannhardt, Guy C. Marsh, C. D. Mor- gan, L. H. Neville, Katheryn Rayl, A. A. Starner and Herbert W. Todd and B. R. Mans- field, osteopath, Katheryn Rayl being the only lady physician.

One of the earliest physicians in Crestline was Dr. W. P. Carnyham, who located here in 1852 and practiced until his death, which took place about ten years later. Dr. Wm. Pope came to Crestline in 1855 and practiced until about 1870, when he became connected with the Franz & Pope Knitting Machine Works, and removed to Bucyrus. Among those who came later were the following, the dates indicating the year of their arrival: Drs. Edward Booth, 1860; Alex Jenner, 1854; P. B. Young, 1865; John McKean, 1867; Charles W. Jenner, about 1870; still later, Drs. Gibson, G. A. Emery, James Booth, Z. P. Harris, J. T. Robinson, and Dr. Bennett, a homeopathist. The physicians and surgeons now located here are J. A. Agnew, T. H. B. Clutter, R. R. Har- ris, D. D. McCallum, C. A. Marquardt, J. B. Moses and Charles E. Trimble

Several physicians settled at an early day in Sulphur Springs, or Annapolis, but most of them remained but a short time. Dr. George Zeigler, who settled there in 1840, remained until his death in 1872. He was a hard worker and established a large practice, but the circum- stance of his patients being widely scattered obliged him to make long professional rides. He finally died in the harness, being overtaken by a severe attack of lung disease when about two miles from home. Compelled to stop at the nearest farm-house, he remained there until his death two or three days later. Another hard-working physician at this place was Dr. John B. Squiers, who began the study of his profession under Dr. Zeigler and commenced practice with him in 1848, subsequently grad- uating from a medical college in Cincinnati in 1853. He was largely self-educated, but was

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY

a hard student and won the confidence of the people. He also has long since passed away. There was also a Dr. Turley who practiced in Annapolis in the forties, but he was not pop- ular. Dr. H. S. Bevington commenced prac- tice at Sulphur Springs in 1872, coming here from DeKalb. Dr. M. M. Carrothers came the same year.

The present physician in the village is Dr. F. M. Virtue.

Dr. J. N. Richie read medicine with Dr. Leonard Firestone of Wayne county, Ohio, and Dr. Henry Houtz of Canal Fulton, Stark county ; graduated at Willoughby Medical Col- lege and began the practice of medicine at Oceola in 1847 continuing in active practice for many years. He was a gentleman pleasant in address, affable at all times and to all per- sons, familiar with the details of his profes- sion, energetic in business, and obtained and retained the confidence and esteem of persons of Oceola and for miles around that village.

During his practice of medicine in this field many physicians, at different times, located there, but soon finding the field unprofitable sought locations elsewhere. In the spring of 1874 he entered into a partnership with Dr. William O. Hanby, a young man of great promise, but the partnership was broken by the untimely death of Dr. Hanby in October, 1879. A year later he formed a partnership with Dr. John A. Chesney, a physician who afterward became one of the leading physicians and surgeons of the state. After he had prac- ticed with Dr. Richie for two years Dr. Ches- ney resumed his studies and later located at Bucyrus, where his practice was extensive and where he died August 31, 1912.

Dr. Richie received a kick from a horse about 1880 which caused the loss of one eye, and which otherwise much affected his health. so that toward the end of his active life he was unable to give his practice the attention he desired, suffering from fatigue in the rounds of his country practice.

Dr. Hahn, later of Three Locusts. began practicing medicine at Oceola in 1852, but re- mained only eight months, going then to New Winchester, where he remained until 1867.

Dr. Fruth located at Oceola in the autumn of 1879 and enjoyed the confidence and re- spect of the people of the vicinity.

Oceola was always a good field for a physi- cian since that portion of the county west of it was settled, many years after the other por- tion, on account of its being a part of the Wyandot Reservation.

Oceola does not now (in 1912) have a physi- cian, none having been located here for a num- ber of years.

The first physician to locate in Chatfield was Dr. A. B. Fairbanks, about 1847; he was post- master for two years from 1848 to 1850; he re- mained about ten years. He was succeeded by D. J. Pitezel who came in 1858 and was also postmaster; he left about 1863 for Missouri, where he died in the seventies. He was suc- ceeded by Dr. Urias Tubbs, who died there in 1873. He was succeeded by Dr. Zeigler. The present physician is C. D. McLeod.

At West Liberty, Dr. Wood was the first physician, commencing there about 1843 and he died of typhoid fever about 1847. He was succeeded by Thomas C. Aiken, who remained until the summer of 1851. That year Dr. Keller located at West Liberty where he prac- ticed until his removal to Bucyrus in 1861, and after his departure few physicians located there but only remained a few months, and for fifty years there has been no physician at WVest Liberty.

Dr. Carleton came to DeKalb in 1831 or 1832, and remained for several years. In ad- dition to practicing medicine he sold dry goods in a log building standing on the lot afterward occupied by David Anderson and others, at the junction of the Plymouth road and the one running north through Vernon township. Early settlers spoke of him as a man of con- siderable ability.

Dr. R. A. N. Be was born in the state of Rhode Island about the year 1798. He re- ceived a tolerably liberal education, and grad- uated at one of the Philadelphia medical col- leges. He came west about 1830 and at first located in southeastern Indiana, but, not being satisfied with the country, came back to Ohio and located at DeKalb in the year 1836. He continued to practice here until 1854, when he went to Van Wert county, Ohio, and remained there about ten years, coming back to DeKalb in 1864. In December, 1865, he had an apo- plectic attack, which very considerably im- paired his mental powers and he resided with

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Dr. Keller from February, 1866, to July, 1867, when he visited his brother at Galesburg, Ill., dying there the following December. Al- though quite eccentric in many particulars, and particularly reticent in everything pertaining to his early life, he was a man of much more than ordinary ability and attainments.

He devoted his time, when not profession- ally engaged, to reading, both professionally and otherwise, and in his office there might al- ways be found rare medical works not usually found in the office of a country practitioner, with the best serial medical and other litera- ture. He was a good practitioner, a reliable friend and a strictly honest man. The follow- ing points connected with his early history, not known during his life at DeKalb, will ex- plain many things in his private life, which were regarded, generally, as eccentricities. When reading medicine he was thrown from a horse, fracturing his skull and otherwise in- juring him, the result of which was the im- pairment of his intellectual faculties to a considerable extent and for some length of time. While in this state he was sent by his preceptor to visit a patient. The mother was highly incensed at the doctor for sending a crazy man (as she expressed herself) to visit her daughter, and so informed the young man. The doctor, on hearing himself thus spoken of, determined to leave the country at once, go west, change his name, and forever cut loose from his then friends and relatives, ar- guing that if he kept up any correspondence with them that his history would soon follow him wherever he would go, and destroy his future prospects. He accordingly went to In- diana, as we have stated, changed his name from Roman Babcock to Rom A. N. Be, by which name he was known until his death. During the long weary years from 1830 to 1866, he never once communicated directly or indirectly with mother, brothers, sisters, or other relatives-completely dead to every friend and associate of his youthful days. His many surviving friends at his death understood why he was always so reticent in reference to his early life and family .*

Dr. R. Cahill, from Wayne county, Ohio, practiced here from April, 1846 to April, 1848, after which he returned to his old home and * Dr. George Keller.

from there went to Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, at which place he died.

Dr. Henry Mack came in 1846; remaining for nearly a year.

Dr. Thos. A. Mitchell practiced here from 1856 to 1872, and for a time was postmaster.

Dr. H. S. Bevington practiced at DeKalb from 1855 to 1861 and was very successful, and later he entered the army and fought through the war, and after it was over moved to Sulphur Springs where he practiced up to the time of his death.

Dr. Benjamin McKee came in the early sev- enties and practiced for a number of years, being the last physician in DeKalb.

Soon after the village of Leesville was started, Dr. John McKean located there, about 1834. The town was on the old Portland Road from Columbus to Sandusky. Dr. Mc- Kean had the field to himself until about 1847, when Dr. Peter Rupp commenced practice there, and remained about six years when he went into the drug business at South Bend, Ind. Dr. Adrian came in 1853 and remained about a year. In 1857 Dr. McNutt practiced at Leesville for two years, from there he went to New Washington, and later was a surgeon in the army, and has now retired from practice and is living at Bucyrus. In 1872 Dr. T. H. B. Clutter located there and after remaining a number of years removed to Crestline. Lees- ville has no physician at the present time.

The first physician was perhaps Dr. J. Pite- zel, who located at Benton about 1844, and re- mained until he removed to Chatfield in 1858. Dr. Bissell also practiced there about the same time. Dr. J. Atwood came in 1846 remained about three years and then went to Galion. About that time Dr. Yates and Dr. D. Alvord located there, the latter removing to Bloom- ville in 1873. Between 1860 and 1870 were Drs. Jones, Porter, Beiler and Jacob. In 1868 Dr. Jerome Bland located in Benton, where he remained for twenty years and then moved to Bucyrus. Dr. Schwan came in 1877 remaining several years. One of the last physicians was Dr. M. O. Wirt, who was there a dozen years, but retired from practice several years ago. One or two physicians have located there since, but only remained a short time, and there is today no physician at Benton.

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Dr. Andrews located at New Washington in 1840, the village then having but a few houses. During his first year two of his chil- dren died, and he became discouraged and re- turned to his eastern home. In 1842 Dr. Main located there and remained two years, and he too, left. Following him was Dr. Stoutenour, who came in 1845 and remained for six years, Dr. Wandt was the next physician, but shortly after his arrival he committed suicide.

Dr. A. B. Hashizer came in 1855 and re- mained for two years. In 1867 Dr. John S. Heshizer located at New Washington, and was there for more than a quarter of a century, having a very extensive practice.

Dr. McNutt practiced at New Washington

for two years from 1860 to 1862 Dr. Heinz and Dr. Benner came in 1878, the former soon leaving.

New Washington has today three physicians, Drs. Charles F. Kimmerline, A. E. Loyer and W. W. Lucas.

Tiro has two physicians today, Drs. G. O. Blair and W. H. Guiss.

C. R. Sheckler is practicing at Broken- sword, Dr. H. L. VanNata at Lemert, Dr. A. D. Traul at North Robinson and Dr. C. W. G. Ott at New Winchester.

In many of the townships much relating to the early physicians is given in the general his- tory.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

The Ordinance of 1787 and Its Provisions in Regard to Slavery-Popular Feeling in the North-The Fugitive Slave Act-The Underground Road-Escape of Slaves Through Crawford County-The Penalty-Interesting Anecdotes-Underground Stations in Crawford County and Those Connected with Them-How the Aspect of the Civil War Might Have Been Changed."

O, goodly and grand is our hunting to see, In this "land of the brave and this home of the free." Priest, warrior, and statesman, from Georgia to Maine, All mounting the saddle, all grasping the rein,- Right merrily hunting the black man, whose sin Is the curl of his hair and the hue of his skin. -JOHN G. WHITTIER.

The Ordinance of 1787 prohibited slavery in the Northwest territory, but added further : "Any persons escaping into the same from whom any labor or service is lawfully claimed in any one of the original states, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service aforesaid." On Feb. 12, 1793, (Lincoln's birth- day to be 15 years later ) the first fugitive slave act was passed, which was that when a fugitive slave had crossed the Ohio river the owner of the slave can produce oral testimony or make affidavit before any magistrate that he is the owner and the fugitive shall be given to him. Any person obstructing or hindering the owner or secreting the fugitive was subject to a fine of five hundred dollars.

Later, the feeling of the North had become so pronounced against slavery that the question was beginning to take form as a party issue, and through the influence of the South, Con- gress was forced into the passage of laws in the interest of the slave-holders. On Sept. 18, 1850, Congress passed the notorious "Fugitive Slave Act," which allowed the owner to go be- fore any magistrate, swear to his ownership of the slave, and take possession of him. The

officer who failed to arrest the man on this affidavit was liable to a fine of $1,000, and if he failed to prevent the escape of the slave after his arrest, the officer's bondsmen were liable to the slave-owner for the value of the slave. Further, any officer with a writ, had the right to call on any citizen to assist him in the capture of the slave. The slave could not testify in his own behalf, neither was he al- lowed trial by jury. Any person rescuing or secreting an escaping slave was liable to a fine of $1,000 and six months' imprisonment, and civil damages to the owner for the value of the slave.

Of this law, Joshua R. Giddings, a member of Congress at the time, truly said, "The free- men of Ohio will never turn out to chase the panting fugitive. They will never be metamor- phosed into bloodhounds to track him to his hiding-place and seize and drag him out, and deliver ·him to his tormentors. Rely upon it, they will die first. Let no man tell me there is no higher law than this fugitive bill. We feel there is a law of right, of justice, of free- dom, implanted in the breast of every intelli- gent human being, that bids him look with scorn upon this libel on all that is called law."

From earliest time the general sentiment of the people of Ohio was against slavery, and there was great anxiety among the early set- tlers as to whether the constitution of 1802, which followed the Ordinance of 1787, would make Ohio a state where slavery would never

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY

exist. Col. Kilbourne, who laid out the town of Bucyrus in 1821, had in 1802 organized a company and selected the land where Worth- ington now stands, north of Columbus, with the intention of bringing mechanics and farm- ers to that section from Connecticut. All ar- rangements had been made. Then he returned home and patiently waited to see whether Con- gress would accept the Constitution of Ohio and admit it into the Union as a free state.

The Constitution was drawn up and submit- ted to Congress, was accepted, and slavery was forever barred in the state of Ohio. As is known, south of the Ohio river were the slave states; north of Ohio was Canada where slavery did not exist, and as time ran on, the state of Ohio became traversed by routes over which slaves sought freedom in Canada after escaping from their masters south of the Ohio river. At the start the few who escaped were not sufficient to cause any special worry to the slave owners. The United States had passed a law giving the slave owners the right to come into Ohio and seize their property wher- ever found. The people in this State did not favor so radical an action, and the result was laws were passed if not annulling at least crip- pling the rights of the slave owners.

The first case of an escaping slave in which this county is in any way interested, was in 1812 in which Col. Kilbourne, who laid out Bucyrus, cut a prominent figure. The town of Worthington was about half-way between Del- aware and Columbus, the latter being then known as Franklinton. An alleged runaway slave had been seized by the owner at Delaware and he had started south with his property. The Delaware citizens sent a rider ahead to notify the people at Worthington of the arrest, well knowing they were from Connecticut and were opposed to the return of any slave. As soon as word reached Worthington, Col. Kilbourne took prompt measures for the release of the slave. He was at that time justice of the peace. The slave owner arrived on horse-back, and the negro was on foot, a strong rope being around him which was attached to the pummel of the saddle and the tired wretch was com- pelled to keep up as best he could. When they reached Worthington the villagers surrounded the horse and rider and in the confusion, the rope was cut and the negro released. but Col.

Kilbourne was a law-abiding citizen and when the slave owner appealed to him for redress, the justice coincided with him, and the negro and his owner were both taken before Squire Kilbourne. The owner claimed the slave was his property, but the justice had grave doubts as to whether his affidavit was sufficient proof of ownership and released the slave to await further proof, to the great delight of the cit- izens of Worthington. The owner of the slave went to Franklinton, the next nearest justice, where he secured legal papers, and two days later he returned, and Mr. Kilbourne promptly gave him another hearing, and decided the slave was his. But when they came to look for the slave he was not to be found, and al- though nearly everyone in the village was examined, no one appeared to know what had become of him until after the disgusted owner had left. The facts are that the day after the slave had been released, Col. Kilbourne had himself placed him in charge of the driver of a wagon train that was carrying supplies to Gen. Harrison at Ft. Feree, now Upper Sandusky.

By 1825 the escape of slaves through Ohio was becoming so serious a matter to the slave owners that the secretary of state wrote the British Government that it was a growing evil and might endanger the peaceful relations ex- isting between the United States and the Brit- ish Government, and suggested that something be done so that owners might secure their prop- erty in Canada. England steadfastly refused, on the ground that the British Government "could not with respect to the British posses- sions where slavery is not admitted, depart from the principal recognized by the British laws. that every man is free who reaches Brit- ish ground." The next year, in 1826. the United States endeavored to make an extradi- tion treaty with England for the return of the fugitive slaves. The English Government again refused, holding a fugitive slave was not subject to extradition, on account of the Eng- lish principle that when any man sat his foot on British soil, he was free. So Canada at all times, remained the haven of refuge to the es- caping slaves. and for thirty years Fourth of July orators were rewarded with thunders of applause as they boasted of the freedom of America and denounced the despotism of Eng- land.

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The Quakers, the Free Presbyterians and the Wesleyan Methodists had among them many members who looked upon slavery as a crime, and these gave assistance to slaves who were making their escape through Ohio to freedom in Canada; they later sent emissaries into the Southern States to induce slaves to flee from their masters, all information as to their route through Ohio being given them before they started. From the Ohio river to the lake, Ohio had become honeycombed with routes taken by these fugitives, and these became known as Underground Roads. When an owner started in pursuit of his slave, it was easy following him to the Ohio river, but once across the river all trace appeared to vanish, and one slave owner after losing track of his property when he had reached Ohio, made the remark that he must have gotten away by some "underground road," and that remark gave these routes their name.

It should be remembered that the aiding of a fugitive slave to escape, or the giving of suc- cor or support to him was an offense punish- able by fine and imprisonment. Therefore it was seldom that any record was kept by the men who ran the underground stations, from which any absolute and definite information could be obtained, and yet, any number of these stations existed in Crawford county. There were two principal routes through this county, one the pike road which goes through Bucyrus, and the other the old Portland road which passes through Galion, Leesville, and West Liberty. Professor Wm. H. Seibert in his work, the "Underground Railroad," gives two towns that were stations in Crawford county, Lees- ville and Tiro; in the list of those connected with the underground road he gives but two names, Fisher Quaintance and Joseph Roe. No trace can be found of Tiro being a station, nor is there any trace of Joseph Roe.

In 1839 a slave case occurred at Marion, in which a negro known as Black Bill was seized by his owner. Black Bill had been a resident of Marion for about a year when one day a man named McClanahan came to Marion and claimed the slave. Public opinion was against the slave being spirited out of the community, so the owner returned to Virginia, secured what he thought was the necessary papers and came on to Marion, where with half a dozen

of his marshals, the slave was seized and the case came on for a hearing before Judge Ozias Bowen and his three associate justices, one of them being Thomas K. Anderson. At the trial, the court found the owner's case had not been proven and the negro was released. No sooner had the judgment of the court been pronounced than the marshals, who were assisting the owner, promptly seized the slave, and notwith- standing the opposition of the court officials and some of the citizens, the negro was hustled and dragged from the court room and taken before a justice of the peace, where the owner made the usual oath that the slave was his. Naturally Judge Bowen and his associates were indignant at the outrageous act of the slave owner in seizing in the court room a man whom they had declared to be free. Judge Anderson went to the squire's office, where he secured an entrance, and opening the back door of the building he told the negro to make his escape, and before the friends of the owner realized what was going on, Black Bill was out the back door, fleeing down the street. His pursuers followed and there was shooting and stone throwing on both sides. Generally the friends of freedom contented themselves with getting in the road of the pursuing party, and sometimes tripping them up. Fear lent the negro wings, and as it was evening and dark- ness coming on, he eluded his pursuers. That night, he slept in a swamp north of Marion.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 85

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