History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 54

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 54

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The citizens of early Bucyrus had their gala

days when the farmers visited the village with their families to have a good time. Fourth of July was celebrated with even more patriotic fervor than at the present time. On that day, every lady who had brought a silk dress or fine article of wearing apparel from her former East- ern home, put it on, no matter how old the gar- ment was, and the nation's anniversary was generally celebrated by the fairer sex with a general display of all the old styles adopted for several generations previous. Many men took their enjoyment in a liquid shape, and the inns of the village were well patronized ; the large quantity disposed of by the bar-tenders assisted in creating an enthusiastic population. On one occasion at an early day, an English- man, named Martin, made the Fourth of July oration. He was a very smart man, and in glowing language fired the patriotic hearts of all true Americans by a vivid description of the tyrannies inflicted by Old England upon the colonies, and of the wonderful results which followed "On Bunker's crest, on Concord's field and Saratoga's plain." But the greatest features of the year were "Training Day" in the spring. and "General Muster" in the fall. The first muster held in Crawford County took place about the year 1824, at the Scioto bridge, and for over twenty years the militia laws were enforced with more or less strictness, until they were finally repealed by the Legislature. Many humorous incidents åre related of these poorly drilled companies, and of the inefficient officers. At one general muster after 1830, the militia commanded by Gen. Samuel Myers, were drilled upon the plains just south of Bucy- rus. The force marehed and re-marched to please their officers ; the men wheeled in vari- ous directions at the same time, as their own pleasure or fancy directed ; after much ma- neuvering, they were marched toward town. While on the road, the enemy appeared, a soli- tary man in a wagon, driving two horses. It is said he was just returning from Sandusky City,

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where he had sold a load of wheat; he felt proud, and despised the troops massed directly in the road he wished to occupy. "Turn out," commanded the General, and this order was reiterated by numerous similar remarks by the brave men occupying all grades in the force. But the haughty civilian would not " turn out." The General spoke to one of his Colonels, the late Judge Scott, and this officer rode forward to insist that the command should be obeyed. The old fellow still refused, when the Colonel unsheathed his sword and waved it in close proximity to the heads of those faithful beasts drawing the wagon, supposing the war-like weapon would have some effect. And so it did, for the Colonel's unsteady hand permitted the sword to approach so near to these horses' heads, that one ear suffered, and it lay on the ground, a proof that the instrument was sharp. The old fel- low then turned out, but was very indignant ; he returned to Bucyrus and demanded satisfaction. The Colonel was a general favorite in the vil- lage, and, when the man sought legal advice on the subject, he found the universal opinion to be " You have no recourse ; the county, for the day, was under military rule ; you should have turned out." At another time, Capt. George Shaeffer desired to drill his company in the court house yard. Court was in session, and the confusion outside disturbed the proceed- ings. The Judge did not consider the militia supreme that day, and ordered the Sheriff to preserve order. This officer, John Moderwell, endeavored to carry out the wishes of the court, and ordered Shaeffer to keep quiet. The Captain disregarded this order, and the Sheriff made.an attempt to arrest the valiant officer ; the men clustered around their commander, who foolishly shouted out the order " fire." One gun loaded with a blank cartridge went off in close proximity to Sheriff Moderwell's hand, and the eivil officer was slightly wounded. Occasionally, when the men turned out to drill on muster days, they appeared in fantastic uni-

forms, and these grotesque companies became so frequent in some counties that they had considerable influence in hastening the repeal of the old militia laws. One of these fantastic companies was organized by James Steen. John Caldwell, "Jake" Yost and others, after the year 1840, which was possibly the last note- worthy incident connected with the early mili- tia musters of Crawford County. The "Jake " Yost of this fantastic company was a notorious character in the village at an early day. He was a cousin of the gentlemen bearing this name who are now citizens of Bucyrus. Mr. Yost was a shoemaker by trade ; Ile married William Crosby's sister, a young lady with very red hair; Mr. Yost possessed a very quarrelsome disposition, and when drunk, abused his wife and family in a shameful manner. One time he got into a dispute with a man named Moflit, cousin of Philip Moffit, of Bucyrus; the fuss was about a dog, and wound up with a fight. During the fracas, Moffit bit a piece off Yost's nose, and the latter was disfigured for life. Mr. Yost afterward moved to Iowa, joined the church and lived an exemplary life.

The first business enterprise established in the place was Abel Cary's mill for grinding grain, which was erected on the river just west of the north end of Main street ; this building was put up as early as 1822, and a dam con- structed across the river at this point, but the machinery and mill were afterward removed to the old site of MeLean's Flouring-mill. at the north end of Walnut street, where it was de- stroyed by fire some years afterward ; James Kelly, the proprietor at that time, then erected another mill on the same site in 1844, which re- mained twenty-six years ; during the greater portion of this period. it was the property of James McLean. This mill was destroyed by fire Saturday night. April 9, 1870. It is im- possible to collect and describe, after so many years have elapsed. all the early business es- tablishments of the village, but among those

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

who were in business at Bucyrus during those early years of the village were the following persons : Joe Umpstead made the first chair in the town; Lewis Stephenson was a hatter in 1821 ; Lewis Cary started the first public tan- nery in 1822 ; he continued this business until 1839, when he transferred the establishment to his son Aaron, who conducted the business un- til he sold out to Richard Plummer, about 1855 ; Christian Shonert learned the trade un- der Aaron Cary, and purchased the tannery of Plummer about 1856. Aaron Cary was a sad- dler and harness-maker as early as 1823. Rus- sell Peck was a blacksmith near the present site of the American House as early as 1823. Bowen burnt the first brick near the present schoolhouse lot to erect a brick blacksmith- shop for himself; the building occupied the present site of the Blair and Picking Blocks. McMichael and Rogers ran a distillery located near the river in 1823. John Moderwell was a cabinet-maker as early as 1827, and Harry Miller also followed this same trade at an early day. David Holm ran a tannery near the pres- ent site of C. G. Malic's residence in 1831, and at the same time llenry Minich had a tan- yard on the opposite side of the road. Brick yards were started at an early day near the site of A. W. Diller's present residence, J. R. Miller's butcher shop, and C. G. Malic's residence. William Bratton was a hatter during 1826, and had a shop in a round-log cabin which stood on the lot now occupied by Quinby Block. Elias Slagle was a proprietor of the old Cary mill at an early day. He was also interested in a pot- tery near this mill site at an early day, and after 1830 ran an oil-mill with a large circular tramp-wheel on the same lot. Jourdan Jones ran a wagon shop cast of Rogers' tavern after 1830. Jesse Quaintance put up a mill on the river bank, southwest of the village, after 1830. In these early days, when many of the settlers spun their own yarn and wove their own cloth, several carding mills were estab-

lished in the county. Among those started in Bucyrus are the following : Jourdan Jones ran a carding machine by tramp wheel-power near the present site of Vollrath's Flouring Mill, and sold his establishment to Lautenheiser, who put in a steam engine. Old man Kirk also ran a carding mill at an early day. Samuel Clapper induced Dr. A. M. Jones to establish him in this business, and Jones bought out Kirk, and the business was conducted by these men for several years just west of the southwest corner of Walnut and Perry streets. In the spring of 1843, Dr. Jones visited Sandusky City and pur- chased a steam engine, and for some time they run their carding machine with this engine, both night and day, in consequence of the large amount of their business, and in the spring of 1844, Jones & Clapper bought a double ma- chine. Dr. Jones asserts that this steam en- gine purchased by him was the second one brought into Crawford County, the first engine being the one used at the old flouring-mill run by James Kelly.

The first store opened in the village was started on the lot just south of the gas works, by E. B. Merriman, who was known also as "Judge " and "Bishop" Merriman. Moder- well says, in regard to the early stores of the village : "Judge E. B. Merriman had the monop- oly, for some time, of exchanging goods with the red and white people for deer skins, furs, beeswax, honey, ginseng, cranberries and other articles, but he finally divided the trade with S. Bailey, from Pittsburgh, who soon concluded that the country was too new for a man so re- cently from the Emerald Isle, and he sold out to French & Bowers and returned to Pittsburgh, and they to Judge John Nimmons. About this time, additions had been made, and continued to be made, to the trade, in the persons of Henry St. John, Coleman & Kerns, Caldwell & McFarlan. D. S. Norton & Co., Martin Barr Jones & Butler, B. Meeker, O. & D. Williams, James Quinby, Babcock & Ranney, Smith &

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Moderwell, J. A. Gormly, Musgrave & Merri- man, John Beaver, Nye & Majors, Quinby & Grant, Phillips & Anderson, Henry Converse, Loring Converse, and others." The first store, started in the village by Merriman as early as 1823, was not an extensive establishment. James Nail relates the following incident in re- gard to it: "I now remember that the first goods I bought in a store at Bueyrus were from Bishop Merriman. As I was getting a few ar- ticles, a Mr. Peter Clinger took his pencil and paper and commenced writing. Merriman asked him what he was doing. He said he was taking an invoice of his goods, and that the amount of liis stock was $37.41. Merriman said he was not far out of the way." These early stores could not sell a large amount of goods, for the few inhabitants in the village and vicinity were very poor, and, considering the great distance from the Eastern market and the poor facilities for transportation, the traffic in produce with the settlers was necessarily limit- ed. Moderwell says : "For the first ten years after the settlement of the country, it may be truly said of the inhabitants that they were poor ; having but little to sell, and no market for that little except what supplied the wants of new-comers." The few hogs and cattle raised had to be driven to the East on foot, and sold there at barely living prices. One steer or cow would now bring about as much as four did at that time, and other products were equally low. A price current at that time would have given about the following quotations : Wheat, per bushel, 40 to 50 cents ; corn, 15 to 25 cents ; oats, 12 to 18 cents ; potatoes, 12 to 25 cents ; cranberries, 50 cents ; honey, per gallon, 50 cents ; pork, per pound, 1} to 2 cents ; butter, 5 to 6 cents ; maple sugar, 5 to 6 cents. After the New York Canal was completed, the Bucyrus merchants offered the settlers better prices for what was raised in the country, and they were also able to sell them store goods on more reasonable terms ; consequently, the set-

tlers were in much better circumstances. Mer- riman purchased some logs at an early day, and it is reported that some of these animals were so wild from running loose in the woods that they had to be trained before they could be driven East, and then it generally took the whole town to start the drove. E. B. Merri- man, the first store-keeper of Bucyrus, was elected one of the County Commissioners when Marion County was organized, and was ap- pointed, February 4, 1825, one of the Associate Judges for the Common Pleas Court for the same county. He afterward held the same of- fice in the new county of Crawford. The loca- tion occupied by some of these early mercan- tile establishments of the village was as fol- lows : Martin Barr occupied the lot north of the northeast corner of Main and Galen ; Ben- jamin Meeker kept store on Emrich's corner ; Henry St. John. on the Kaler corner; John Nimmon, in the fall of 1827, built the frame store which was torn down when the Fisher Block was erected on the same corner ; Babcock & Ranney, near John Myers' present site, north of the railroad ; they afterward built and occu- pied the brick storeroom which was torn down when the Bowman Block was erected ; Musgrave & Merriman occupied the present site of Jolin- son & Son's drug store ; Daniel & Owen Will- iams, on the Rowse Block corner. Among the best customers of the early merchants and other business men of the village were the Indians, who came from the Wyandot Reservation to buy articles in the village. The names of some of these warriors were Walpole, Hicks, Summon- dewat. Gray-Eyes, Sandstone, Barnett, Between- the-Logs, Sirehus, Jocco, Curly-Head, Big Tur- tle. Johnny-Cake, Lewis Coon, Tom Enos. Char- ley Elliott and others.

Sixty years ago, the occasional traveler pass- ing through this section of country. generally found when he needed entertainment for the night that the "latch-string" of the rude log cabins always " hung out," it was rare that a

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

man was turned away to seek lodging farther on his journey. The first regular inn kept in the village of Bucyrus was started by Abel Cary. It was a rude log cabin with a very low door, and occupied the lot at the northwest corner of Perry and Main streets. Cary did not continue at this business very long. Some two years afterward, Robert More built a public house on the lot now owned by Mrs. Lucy Rogers. More opened the first public bar or saloon started in the village ; his daughter married Hugh McCracken. Squire S. Roth, generally pronounced Rhoades, by the early settlers, then opened an inn near Cary's old stand, and in a few months transferred the busi- ness to Dr. Pearce who was a regular physician and also pulled teeth for those early settlers, if they required the services of a dentist. Ichabod Rogers bought out Robert More's inn, and after several years built the present residence of Mrs. Lucy Rogers on the northeastern cor- ner of Main and Perry streets. Many interest- ing incidents are related in regard to the busi- ness conducted at this stand. The Government did not permit the white settlers to sell the Indians any intoxicating drinks, but the laws on this subject were evaded ; the Indians always called for "Sandusky water." When the red man was under the influence of this "Sandusky water," he was just as reckless in his manners as many white settlers who became intoxicated with the same liquor which was sold to them as whisky. An Indian once stole a black silk handkerchief from Mrs. Rogers, and then went up street, and, before returning, threw it over into a lot. Mrs. Rogers suspected him and concealed his gun ; she then snatched the knife he carried in his belt, and, taking a large raw-hide, gave him a severe thrashing. The Indians were sometimes without money ; they then brought venison and cranberries which they wished to exchange for "Sandusky water," flour and other articles. Mrs. Rogers relates that at one time she had fifty bushels of

cranberries in the house. Sometimes the Indians brought their silver trinkets and exchanged them for the articles they wished to purchase. One brave warrior appeared late one evening and ordered supper; he was very badly intoxicated, but asked a blessing before he commenced his repast. Very many noisy times were experienced in this old building by the proprietors with drunken Indians. It was necessary that the brave warriors should receive threshings occasionally to make them quiet and orderly. When in a fight with an Indian, if he said " woah," it was an acknowledgment on his part that he had been vanquished, and the brave was then ready to quit. But many white settlers also had very noisy times at the Rogers bar. It is related of one early promi- nent settler, that his favorite amusement when intoxicated was to hire some person to haul him in a wheelbarrow from one saloon to an- other. Mrs. Rogers states " that the hotel business in Bucyrus was always profitable in those early days, in consequence of so many persons visiting the village to enter land at the land office ; that she has frequently admitted travelers at midnight who had journeyed all day to reach the village at nightfall." Among those who also conducted taverns or inns at an early day were Capt. Miller, Mr. Funk, George Lauck, Abraham Hahn, Abraham Holm, Mr. Colrick, Samuel Norton, Jacob Poundstone, W. W. Miller, Samuel Picking and others. The sites occupied by some of these parties were as follows : Lauck's tavern was inaugu- rated in 1826, at the present site of Henry Willer's residence, on the northwest corner of Main and Mary streets. Abraham Hahn built the present Sims House and kept hotel there in 1830. Samuel Norton erected his building as a private residence, but opened it as a hotel in 1836. W. W. Miller occupied the present Western Honse stand, and in the year 1840 dug the famous sulphur pump well. Samuel Picking kept the " Spread Eagle " House north

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of the Square, and afterward at Hahn's old stand.

During the first winter Samuel Norton was a resident of Crawford County, his family was increased by the appearance of the first native white inhabitant of Bucyrus Township, and pos- sibly the first within the present limits of Craw- ford County ; this new citizen was Sophronia Norton (now Mrs. M. M. Johnson, of Chicago), who was born February 11, 1820. Among those born in the village at an early day were Jane Rogers, in 1822 ; Harris P. Norton, Au- gust 9, 1822 ; and Lucy Ann Stephenson, a short time afterward. It is reported, the first couple married in the village were Mary Inman and Samuel Carl. The young lady posted the required notice, or banns, to a tree, but some one tore it down. At one early marriage, it is asserted of the Squire who performed the eere- mony, that he was so intoxicated he did not know what to say, as he had forgotten the usual form of speech ; but a schoolmaster was pres- ent who did know, and he told the Justice, who repeated the words over after the schoolmaster. The first death in the village was little Daniel, a four-year-old son of Mishael Beadle, who died about September 1, 1822, and was buried on the lot now occupied by Hiram Fisher's resi- dence, at the corner of Walnut street and the Middletown road. Several other persons were interred on this lot at an early day, among whom were the child of a Mr. Kel- logg, John Deardorff, and his daughter, aged some four or five years. But this first spot used as a burying-ground was not afterward held sacred to the memory of these departed ones ; the lot was plowed over and buildings erected upon it. Some twenty years ago, in digging a cellar drain, the coffins of two chil- dren were uncovered, which event created con- siderable excitement in the neighborhood at that time. When Mrs. Lewis Cary died, she was buried on her husband's land ; the site of her grave is now in Joseph Henry's apple or-

chard. Several others were interred on this piece of ground, among whom were John Rodgers, Daniel McMichael, Mrs. Kirk, Eliza- beth Bucklin, Lewis Cary's old colored servant and others. The graveyard on the opposite side of the Tiflin road was established about the year 1828, upon land donated by Amos Clark. It is reported that Samuel Yost, the little son of Abraham Yost, was the first person interred. The Lutheran graveyard, called also the "Southern Graveyard," was established about 1830, and it is said Henry Myers, son of Abraham Myers, was the first person buried in this piece of sacred ground. These two ceme- teries were the only publie graveyards started in the village. until Oakwood Cemetery was laid out, in the year 1859. The land was purchased of Watson Moderwell, in the fall of 1858, by gentlemen who afterward formed the Oakwood Cemetery Association, which society was or- ganized Tuesday evening, March 8, 1859, with the following officers : President, George Quin- by ; Secretary, Gerard Reynolds ; Treasurer, C. W. Fisher ; Trustees, A. M. Jones, John A. Gormly, R. T. Johnson, Hiram Fenner and J. H. Keller. B. F. Hathaway was the engineer who formed the plan of the grounds, and laid off the walks and drives in the spring of 1859. The cemetery was dedicated with appropriate exercises June 22, 1859. The first interment, however, was made over six months previous, and was Lillie Ann Craig, daughter of J. A. and S. S. Craig, who died November 19, 1858, aged five years nine months and five days.

One of the first, and probably the most im- portant, public improvements which enlisted the attention of the early citizens of Bucyrus, was the Columbus & Sandusky Turnpike road. This great highway of trade and travel was of untold benefit to the town. and did much in securing settlers for the county. The citizens, from the time the building of this road was de- termined upon, took active measures to have it pass through Bucyrus. It required consid-

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erable effort to raise the amount of stock the company expected each county to take. Some of the citizens subscribed, and paid for more stock than all their real estate would have sold for in cash. As an evidence of the importance attached to the enterprise, one item may be given : At a meeting held for the purpose of getting stock taken, Abel Cary remarked, “If we succeed in getting the road, we may yet see a daily line of stages through Bucyrus." In less than ten years from that time, two daily lines, and frequently one or two extra coaches each day passed through the village. This highway was originally built as a toll-road, and the United States Government gave the State of Ohio, in trust for the corporation that built it, a large grant of land, the only stipulation be- ing that in case of war the Government troops had the right to use the road. The first stage line was started in 1827, before the road was fairly under headway. For some years, the turnpike was the great thoroughfare of the State, from the river to the lake, and was the principal road to the market, at Sandusky City, for the counties of Delaware, Union and Ma- rion. Seventy-five wagons, loaded with wheat, were counted passing through town in one day, over forty years ago. All of these would of course return, and the constant traffie incident to so much transportation created business, and was an active stimulus toward developing the town.

The carly settlers of Bucyrus and this sec- tion of Crawford were for several years without convenient post-office accommodations, and it was necessary for them to receive their mail through the Delaware office. Mrs. Lucy Rogers asserts that for a year after she removed to the village (in 1822) with her husband, their horse was frequently loaned to persons who wished to visit Delaware for the purpose of se- curing the mail for this neighborhood. In the year 1823, an office was established at Bucyrus. The first mail route through the village was a

weekly mail from Marion to Sandusky City, and it was carried on horseback. Occasion- ally in the winter when the ground was not frozen sufficient to bear a horse, the mail-car- rier would leave his beast at Bucyrus, and make the rest of the trip to Sandusky City and back on foot. Lewis Cary was the first Post- master ; he kept the office at his tannery shop, on the lot now occupied by Messrs. Shonert & Haller. In those days, the rate of postage was 25 cents each letter, and the postal business transacted by Mr. Cary was not extensive, not- withstanding most of the settlers in Crawford County received their letters at the Bucyrus Post Office. Until 1826, only four offices were established in the territory then embraced in Crawford County ; these were Bucyrus, Little Sandusky, Tymochtee and Upper Sandusky, the latter three being in that part of Crawford which is now Wyandot County. The settlers of Liberty Township received their mail at Bucyrus until several years after 1840. Cary continued as Postmaster until the administra- tion of President Jackson, when Henry St. John, a merchant, was appointed. This was the first practical illustration in Crawford County of the political war-cry, "To the victors belong the spoils." Since this time, whenever the polit- ical character of the White House was changed, Bucyrus has received a new Postmaster. St. John kept the office from 1829 to 1837, at his store on the corner now occupied by Malic & Gloyd, and was succeeded by John Forbes, a harness-maker. The office was removed to Forbes' shop, near the present site of the Raiser Block. The following list of mails, taken from the Crawford Republican of November 4, 1837, is an interesting relie of the postal business over forty years ago :

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 54

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034