USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of Dayton, Ohio. With portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneer and prominent citizens Vol. 2 > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
Fiscal. Trustees .- Messrs. J. H. Winters, Eben M. Thresher, and S. W. Davies.
The association has had but four treasurers: Mrs. IT. D. Carnell, Misses Ruth Marshall, Mary Mitchell, and Carrie Brown.
Its recording secretaries have been: Miss Maggie Cox, Mesdames J. B. Thresher, John G. Doren, T. F. Marsh, James A. Robert, Miss Ruth Marshall, Mrs. George W. Hoglen, and Miss Virgina Whitmore.
The association began without a penny. To-day it owns three pieces of property, valued at fifty-three thousand dollars, with an endowment fund of thirty thousand dollars for the Widow's Home and of five thou- sand dollars for its general fund. Its rooms are in the west half of the Young Men's Christian Association building.
Its work is varied in character. For thirteen years it has successfully conducted an industrial school, Saturday afternoons, of over two hundred little girls. Mrs. A. L. Connelly and Mrs. James Applegate were the founders. Young ladies of different churches assist in this grand work. A Widow's Home is sustained, with twenty-eight permanent inmates. A Woman's Exchange is well established, meeting a long felt need in 18
642
HISTORY OF DAYTON.
the city. The educational department holds evening classes for women and girls. A committee visits twice a month the Soldiers' Home hospital. Another committee twice a month conducts Sabbath services in the Soldiers' Home Church. It has also a jail committee, a work house committee, a nursery basket committee, infirmary, Chinese, employment, and reformatory committees, together with committes in every ward of the city for missionary work. Regular business meetings are held on the first Saturday of every month, at two P. M. All interested or willing to help are cordially invited.
In this limited space but a mere outline of this association's work has been given. Many touching'incidents might be related, but it would be a breach of confidence to portray to the public these every-day home scenes to which these ladies have been admitted. What has been done by this band of the King's daughters, "In His Name," will be carefully noted by the recording angel. And the work will some day all be tried as with fire; the wood, the hay, and the stubble will all be cleared away, and only the gold and the silver will remain.
CHAPTER XXIV.
City Graveyard-Woodland Cemetery-St. Henry's Cemetery-Calvary Cemetery-Hebrew Cemetery.
"THE first " graveyard" of Dayton was located at the northeast corner of Main and Third streets. Mr. D. C. Cooper, the proprietor of the town, gave lots 133 and 134 on his plat to the Presbyterian Church, and as it was the custom at that day to connect the graveyard with the church, the ground was also used for burial purposes. It was soon manifest that these lots would be encroached upon by the town, and in 1805, Mr. Cooper donated to the Presbyterian and Methodist churches and the town, for a graveyard, four aeres of ground on the south side of Fifth Street, between Indlow and Wilkinson streets, cach to have equal parts. Woodland Cemetery having been established, in 1849 the city bought a "potter's field" just south of the cemetery, and subse- quently, by ordinance, prohibited further burials in the graveyard. The reversionary interest of the Cooper heirs having been purchased, the ground was laid out in building lots and sold, realizing a handsome sum for the churches and the city. The remains of the dead were carefully disinterred, and decently buried in Woodland Cemetery and potter's field.
In 1840, a movement was made to establish a rural cemetery, where every possible safeguard should be thrown around the resting-place of the dead. Mr. John W. Van Cleve made the suggestion, and was most active in promoting the object. At his death in 1858, the trustces expressed their sense of obligation to him in the following memorial, which is recorded in the minutes of the association :
"The death of John W. Van Cleve demands, on the part of the trustees of the Woodland Cemetery Association, a grateful and heartfelt acknowledgement of his worth as a man and of his invaluable services as an officer of the association. To him more than to any other person is the association indebted for its inception and continued prosperity to the present time. From the beginning he has served as its president, and given an amount of labor and watchful supervision to its affairs which money could not have purchased. To his skillful management the association is indebted for its prosperous financial condition, and its beautiful records, kept by his own hand, attest his abiding interest in it until the time of his death.
6-43
614
HISTORY OF DAYTON.
"Mr. Van Cleve was no ordinary man. Endowed with a vigorous intelleet he had improved it by diligent study. Few men have cultivated so wide a field of knowledge, and yet few were so thorough in each department. A geologist, botanist, engineer, musician, painter, and engraver of no mean skill, he yet found time for the widest reading, and possessed of a most retentive memory, there were few subjects with which he was not familiar.
"A striking trait of his character was his unbending integrity. His scrupulous honesty was so well known and appreciated that he was frequently selected for the discharge of the most responsible trusts. Born in Dayton, June 27, 1801, he grew up with the town, and was identified with all its interests. No one was more thoroughly versed in its history, or felt a livelier interest in its prosperity.
" Attacked with consumption, he bore his lingering and. painful illness with the greatest fortitude and patience. He died September 6, 1858. Aged fifty-eight years."
Articles of Association were drawn by Mr. Van Cleve and fifty- two subscribers obtained. Each subscriber agreed to pay into the treasury one hundred dollars, to be repaid to him without interest, either in burial lots or in money, when the affairs of the association justified. In a short time the claims of the subscribers were liquidated the majority of them, taking lots in payment. In 1842, a charter was obtained from the legislature. By the provisions of the articles of association and the charter, Woodland Cemetery Association is a close corporation. The title of all property, real and personal, is vested in the trustees, who are elected tri-annually by the original subscribers or their successors. The charter provides that "each subscriber may transfer his right and share by assignment or devise thereof; and in case no such assignment or devise shall have been made at the death of such subscriber, the said right shall vest in his oldest heir at law." The only privilege, however, enjoyed by members of the association, not common to all lot-owners, is the right to vote for or serve as trustees. All the proceeds from the sale of lots or other sources are sacredly set apart and devoted to the care and improvement of the grounds. The trustees have served from the begin- ning without compensation.
A meeting of the subscribers was called at the office of the Firemens Insurance Company, on Thursday evening, February 17, 1841. James Steele was appointed chairman and David C. Baker secretary. At this meeting the Woodland Cemetery Association was organized by the elec- tion of the following officers: Trustees, Job Haines, James Perrine, Edward W. Davies, J. D. Phillips, and John W. Van Cleve; secretary, Robert C.
645
CEMETERIES.
Schenck; treasurer, David Z. Peirec. At a subsequent meeting of the trustees, John W. Van Cleve was elected president of the association.
It is an interesting fact that Woodland Cemetery is in order of the the third rural cemetery of any magnitude established in the United States, preceding Spring Grove, at Cincinnati, three years.
On the 29th of April, 1841, a deed was received from Augustus George for forty acres of ground at forty dollars per acre. This tract of land was covered with a deuse growth of forest trees, many of them of the largest size. By the judicions removal and sale of the surplus timber a handsome sum of money was realized.
As a matter of interest, the sylva of the cemetery grounds, in 1843, as recorded by Mr. Van Cleve, is given; the largest part of the trees in- digenous to this region are found in this list:
Acer saccharinum, - Sugar Tree.
Mulberry.
Acer rubrum,
R. Flower'g Maple,
Morus rubra, Nyssa multiflora, Ostrya Virginiea,
Gum. Sour Gum. Iron Wood.
Caspinus Americana,
- Hornb'm. B. Beech.
Carya amara, Bit. nut. S. Hick'ry Carya squamosa, Shell-bark Hick'y. Common Hickory.
Populus Canadensis, Populus grandidentata,
- Cotton Wood. Am. Large Aspen.
Carya tomentosa,
Cellis crapifolia Hackb'y. H. Ash. Wild Cherry. R. Bud. Jud. Treo. Dogwood.
Pyrus coronaria, -
Quercus albre, Quercus coccinea, Quercus tinctoria,
Crab Apple. White Oak. Scarlet Oak. Red Oak.
Cornus florida, -
Cornus paniculata, - Bush Dogwood.
Gratacgus pyrifolia, - Oratarms coccinea, Red Haw. - Fraxinus acuminata; - White Ash.
Hawthorn. Quercus macrocarpa, - Black Oak. Quercus imbricaria, Jack Oak. Rhus glabra, Smooth Sumach. Black Willow.
Fraxinus quadrangulara, Blue Ash. Gleditschia triacanthos, Honey Locust.
Solis nigra, Tilia Americana, Ulants Americana,
Linden. Bass W'd. Eim. White Elm.
JJuglans nigra, - - Black Walnut.
Ulmus fulra, -
Ship. Eh. R. Em.
Juniperus Virginiana. - Laurus sassafras, - Sassafras.
Red Cedar.
Uvaria tritoba, - Pawpaw. Black Haw.
Vilnonum prumifolian.
Liriodendron tulipifera, Poplar. Tulip Tree.
The trustees proceeded at once to enclose the ground, to lay out suitable carriage ways, and to sub-divide the whole into burial lots, seven- teen by twenty-two fect cach. The surveying and platting was done by Mr. Van Cleve withont charge.
This method of division into square lots of equal size, which was perhaps the best which could be devised at the time, has not been followed by the trustees in platting new ground. Regard is now had to the direc- tion of the roads and the lay of the ground, and a much better effect produced.
On the 7th day of June, 1843, the cemetery was opened, and the lots offered at public sale. On the 21st of the same month, the grounds
Platanus occidentalis, - Sycamore. Prunus Americana, - Wild Plum.
Cerusus scrotina,
Cercis Canadensis,
Gimnocladus Canadensis, Coffee-nut Tree.
616
HISTORY OF DAYTON.
were dedicated with the following order of exercises: Prayer by Rev. James C. Barnes; hymn, "Old Hundred; " address by Rev. John W. Hall; hymn, Pleyel's German hymn; dedication and prayer by Rev. Ethan Allen; hymn, " Dundee; " benediction.
The first interment was made July 11, 1843, when Allen Cullum was buried near the center of the cemetery. Up to April, 1889, there have been fourteen thousand six hundred and forty-six interments.
It has been the aim of the trustees to increase the size of the cemetery grounds by the purchase of adjacent land when opportunity offered. Contiguity to the city, while an advantage .in some respects, has rendered large additions of ground impossible. The cemetery now comprises over one hundred aeres, nearly three times the amount of the original purchase. It is estimated that forty acres of available ground remain unsold. As much the largest part of the expense that will be . required for permanent improvements, consisting of roads, sewerage, water works, and buildings of the most permanent character, including the handsome new office and chapel at the entrance, has been paid out of the sale of lots, leaving a surplus of over ten thousand dollars at interest, it is manifest that the ground remaining unsold will produce a permanent fund, the interest of which will keep the cemetery in perfect order in all time to come.
Desiring to avail themselves of the best advice, the trustees consulted with Mr. A. Stunch, the late superintendent of Spring Grove Cemetery, . Cincinnati. By his system of landscape gardening applied to the come- tery, it is relieved of the repulsive features associated with the ordinary burial ground, and while nothing is admitted inconsistent with the sacredness of the place, it presents to the eye the sober beauty of the park. The trustees have sought to introduce this system at Woodland Cemetery. Unfortunately, it was too late to thoroughly remedy the errors, which had been committed in laying out and improving the okler portion of the ground, but the superior effect of the new method is ap- parent to every eye in those parts where it has been adopted. Inclosure of private lots and the creetion of head stones, more than two feet in height at graves, are now prohibited. It is hoped that at no distant day the few fences that still deface portions of the cemetery will be removed.
The prevalence of fine forest trees very appropriately gave the name of Woodland to the cemetery. Before the opening of the grounds in 1843, such frees as were thought unsuitable had been removed. Up to 1870 nothing further had been done, and owing to the growth and decay of trees, it was thought best in that year to remove a large number. As
647
CEMETERIES.
tree after tree fell before the axe, many persons thought that the chief glory of the cemetery was being destroyed, and the trustees were sub- jected to much criticism. All are now satisfied that the removal of the trees was necessary, and that the appearance of the ground is greatly improved. The same year the trustees planted in suitable places a large number of the choicest evergreen and deciduous trees.
For natural beauty and adaptation to the purpose, the grounds of Woodland Cemetery can hardly be surpassed. Every effort has been made to improve them in the best and most tasteful manner. The roads are kept in perfect order, and by a system of underground drainage, the water is carried off rapidly and gutters are dispensed with. Water works have been constructed, and water is conveyed by pipes to every part of 1 the grounds." The buildings of all kinds are substantial and tasteful, and the new office and chapel, of contrasted gray limestone and red sand . stone, at the entrance, are strikingly beautiful structures. No doubt each year will add to the beauty and attractiveness of this quiet resting place of the dead.
The following are the names of the original stockholders: Richard Ames, Henry L. Brown, Thomas Brown, R. N. Comly, William F. Comly, John Compton, Archibald Crawford, Ziba Crawford, Isaac Demarest, Edward W. Davies, William Eaker, David K. Este, Samuel D. Edgar, Frederick Gebhart, Richard Green, Andrew Gump, Joseph Gilmore, Alexander Grimes, Job Haines, Henry Van Tuyl, Nathaniel . Wilson, Henry Frantz, George W. Smith, Isaac N. Partridge, David C. Baker, Jolm W. Harries, Henry Herrman, Christian Koerner, Peter Odlin, David %. Peirce, James Perrine, Johnson V. Perrine, J. D. Phillips, Horatio G. Phillips, William Roth, Robert C. Schenck, Samuel Shoup, James Steele, William B. Stone, Sinon Snyder, David Stout, Charles G. Swain, E. W. Towner, John W. Van Cleve, Peter Voorhees, Edward Edmundson, Henry Stoddard, Sr., John Steele, Samuel Forrer, and George Newcom.
Only five of the original stockholders are living ( April, 1889), namely, Thomas Brown, Richard N. Comly, William F. Comly, John F. Edgar, and Robert C. Schenck.
The stockholders in 1889 are: Thomas Brown, William F. Comly, J. Fred Boyer, Ziba Crawford, Samuel W. Davies, John F. Edgar, Will- iam II. Frantz, Charles G. Grimes, Josiah Gebhart, Charles Harries, John G. Lowe, John S. Lytle, James McDaniel, Daniel E. Mead, Frank Mul- ford, Il. E. Parrott, James JJ. Rossell, Robert C. Schenck, Elias Stout, Robert W. Steele, William Il. Simms, Henry K. Steele, Jonathan 11. Winters, Alexander Gebhart, J. H. Peirce, B. F. Gump, J. Fay Dover,
618
HISTORY OF DAYTON.
J. K. MeIntire, Horace Phillips, J. Elliott Peirce, Wood Odlin, Torrence Huffman, John W. Stoddard, William Hoffman, J. H. Perrine, Mrs. George W. Shaw, Mrs. HI. Seeger, Mrs. L G. Evans.
Following are the officers from 1841 to 1889:
Presidents-John W. Van Cleve, elected February 18, 1811; deceased September 6, 1858. Robert W. Steele, elected September 14, 1858.
Scerdarics-Robert C. Schenck, elected February 18, 1841; term expired February 18, 1853. Robert W. Steele, elected February 18, 1853; elected president September 14, 1858. Edwin Smith, elected September 14, 1858: term expired September 11, 1865. Ziba Crawford, elected September 11, 1865.
Treasurers-D. Z. Peirce, elected February 18, 1841; deceased August 15, 1853; V. Winters, clected 1853.
Superintendents of Grounds-George Lane, appointed -; deceased September 5, 1860. William W. Lane, appointed September 5, 1860; resigned June 14, 1869. J. C. Cline, appointed June 14, 1869.
Trustees-John W. Van Cleve, elected February 18, 1841; deceased September 6, 1858. Job Haines, elected February 18, 1841; deceased July 16, 1800. James Perrine, elceted February 18, 1841; deceased January 22, 1864. J. D. Phillips, elected February 18, 1841; deceased February 13, 1871 Edward W. Davies, elected February 18, 1841; deceased Decem- ber 11, 1873. Robert W. Steele, elected September 14, 1858. Thomas Brown, elceted March 4, 1861; term expired September 11, 1865. J. G. Lowe, elected April 16, 1864. Andrew Gump, elected September 11, 1865. John JI. Winters, elected March 13, 1871. Thomas Brown, reelected January 12, 1874. Samuel W. Davies, elected February 18, 1875.
The first burying ground of the Catholies of Dayton bore the name of St. Henry's Cemetery. In September, 1844, one half of outlot Number 27 was purchased by Archbishop Purcell of Thomas Morrison for three hundred and five dollars. March 2, 1858, the south half of the same lot. was purchased of E. W. Davies for eight hundred dollars. These two pieces of ground constitute St. Henry's Cemetery. This was the only burying place for Catholics for many years, and by 1872 had became so crowded as to lead to the establishment of Calvary Cemetery. Inter- ments are not now permitted in this cemetery.
On the 9th of July, 1872, Calvary Cemetery Association was organized by the election of the following board of trustees: Revs. J. F. Hahne, William M. Carey, F. J. Goetz, and I. Stackenborg, for the form of three years; William Helfrich, N. Ohmer, John Stephans, and Heury Hilgofort, for two years; and Robert Chambers, Severin Wiegert, Theodore Barlow,
.
649
CEMETERIES.
and Henry Sehlaman, for one year; Jacob Stephans, secretary. Ninety acres of ground were purchased two and one-half miles south of the city on a commanding bluff. No finer view of hill, valley, and river can be found anywhere than may be obtained from Calvary Cemetery. Because of this wide outlook, it was a point selected by the mound builders, and one of their curious earth works is included in the cemetery grounds. In the improvements of the grounds the best modern system of landscape gardening has been adopted. The roads have been constructed in the most permanent manner, the native forest trees so far as suitable preserved, and large numbers of the finest deciduous and evergreen ornamental trees planted. In time it will become one of the finest cemeteries in the country. The total number of interments to date is 4,140, 1,400 of which are removals from St. Henry's Cemetery.
The present officers of the association are as follows: Trustees: Emmanuel congregation, Rev. Charles J. Hahne, Michael Walter, and Augustus Meyer; St. Joseph's congregation, Rev. Patrick Cusack, James II. Hall, and James Hartnett; St. Mary's congregation, Rev. II. Stucken- borg, J. Christian Luehrs, and Joseph Burwinkle; Holy Trinity, Rev. F. J. Goetz, Sebastian Demphle, and George Deis; Sacred Heart congrega- tion, Rev. R. A. Finnerty, Nicholas Ohmer, and Michael J. Gibbons; Holy Rosary congregation, Rev. J. B. Frohmiller, Anthony Hasenstab, and Frank Lukaszewitz. President, Rev. Patrick Cusack; vice-president, Nicholas Ohmer; secretary, Jolm H. Finke; treasurer, Sebastian Demphle; superintendent, William Irwin. Mr. Nicholas Ohmer has been vice- president of the association from the beginning, and the success of the association is largely due to his enterprise and good taste.
The Hebrew congregation purchased July 15, 1851, of Jacob Diet- rich one aere of ground on South .Brown Street, near the corporation line, for a cemetery, to which they gave the name, Kilah Kodesh Bucay Jeshurun. This cemetery is still in use, but interments will soon be dis- continued in it, six acres of ground south of the city having been purchased of A. C. Brown. The new cemetery is located on elevated ground, commanding a fine view of the city and the surrounding country, and when improved as contemplated, will be very beautiful. 49
CHAPTER XXV.
Transportation Interests-The Miami and Eric Canal -- The Railroads-The Street Railroads.
IN a chapter on the transportation interests of the city, the canal natu- I rally takes first place, even if it is not of the first importance. The history of its construction has been recited in carlier pages of this work, and it is necessary to mention in this connection ouly some facts with reference to the amount of transportation which annually is carried on by means of this avenue of communication between the Ohio river and the great lakes. And a comparison between the shipments of produce in the earlier days and those for the last few years will serve to show the importance of the canal as well as, or perhaps better than, a full history and statistical account of the work done by the canal for each consecutive year since its construction. For the first three years of the canal's exist- ence the shipments were as follows: Flour, 1829, 27,121 barrels; 1830, 56,864 barrels; 1831, 59,550 barrels. Barrels of whisky, 1829, 7,378; 1830, 7,142; 1831, 5,602. Barrels of pork, 1829, 3,429; 1830, 2,497; 1881, 4,244. Barrels of oil, 1829, 423; 1830, 281; 1831, 344. For the last four years, each year ending November 15th, the shipments have been as follows from Dayton: For 1885, barrels of ale and beer, 68,970; flour, 2,639; oil, 220, and of whisky, 10; bushels clover seed, 335; corn, 28,800; oats, 35,200; rye, 500; of coal, 58 tons. Of various kinds of merchandise, such as hides, iron, lard, rags, etc, there were shipped in the aggregate, 1,346,834 pounds; of lumber, 9,580 feet; of stone, 339 perches, and of bark, 353 cords. Of merchandise received in Dayton by means of the canal, there were 10,000 barrels of beef, and a little flour, oil, and salt. There were 68,000 pounds of pig iron; 94,263 pounds of general mer- chandise; 272,062 pounds of paper; 141,200 pounds of rags; 352,000 pounds of sand, and 664,740 pounds of unclassified freight. Of lumber, there were received 409,477 feet, and of bark, 87,000 cords, besides con- siderable other freight.
In 1886, there was but little freight shipped in barrels, the largest item being 1,267 barrels of flour. Of corn, there were shipped 22,100 bushels, and 22,900 of oats, and a few bushels each of clover seed, coal, and wheat. The total number of pounds of various kinds of merehau- dise was 925,618. Of lumber, there were shipped 51,255 feet, and but.
650
651
TRANSPORTATION INTERESTS.
little other freight Of freight in barrels, there was received but little except 1,175 barrels of linseed oil. Of various miscellaneous kinds, there were received 865,670 pounds; of hoop poles, 41,000; of slate, 9,550, and of staves and heading, 40,500. There was little else received besides, except 115,580 feet of lumber.
For 1887, the shipments and receipts were as follows: Barrels, ale and beer, 1,037; flour, 167; and linseed oil, 1,018. Bushels, barley, 51; oats, 85; rye, 7,250; and coal, 22,260. The number of pounds of freight of various kinds of merchandise was 4,008,798, the number of hoop poles 18,000, and the number of feet of lumber 193,848. The receipts were: Of linseed oil, 3,000 barrels, and a few barrels of several other articles, as rosin, acid, vinegar, pork, lime, and salt. There were received 5,795 bushels of barley, 100 bushels of oats, and 121 bushels of rye. The number of pounds of various articles received was 1,863,464. There were received 59,200 hoop poles, 54,300 staves and headings, and a few empty barrels and posts. Of lumber there were received 713,525 feet, and 1,246 cords of wood.
For the year ending November 15, 1888, the shipments were as follows: Barrels, ale and beer, 1,241; linseed oil, 337, and a few barrels of other articles. Of corn there were shipped 18,200 bushels, of oats 30,700 bushels, and a few bushels of other grain. The number of pounds of various kinds of goods shipped was 6,605,014, and there were shipped 101,682 feet of lumber. The receipts were as follows: Barrels, acid, 795; flour, 207; linseed oil, 2,905; vinegar, 876; rosin, 282, and a few barrels of other goods. There were received 1,800 bushels of corn and 425 bushels of oats, and the number of pounds of miscellaneous goods received was 1,681,432. There were received 42,200 hoop poles, and 11,900 staves and headings, 567,500 feet of lumber, and 1,474 cords of wood.
The cash receipts from the canal from November 15, 1879, to Novem- ber 15, 1885, were $571,200.04; for the year ending November 1, 1886, they were $76,043.57; for 1887, $87,200.36; and for 1888; $75,955.13. The expenditures for the years from November 15, 1879, to November 15, 1885, were $577,339.22, an excess over receipts of $6,139.18. The expend- itures for 1886 were $88,935.64; for 1887, $71,431.06; and for 1888, $98,838.04.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.