USA > Ohio > Delaware County > History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2 > Part 3
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
been buried. But such dwellings could be afforded only by the well-to-do of the settle- ments. Iron latches and regularly made doors held together with nails were luxuries to be dreamed of by the masses, and to be indulged in only by the rich. The same state of things, in regard to the furniture and the culinary conven- iences of the cabins, existed. The commonest iron utensils were more highly prized than those of silver at this time. The distance from markets and the lack of roads made the transportation more expensive than the original price of the goods, and afforded opportunities for traffic which were not left long unimproved. John B. Grist was among the first to take advantage of this fact, and for years supplied most of the staple articles to his neighbors. He drove to Zanesville, taking out grain and bringing back iron goods, salt, etc. A staple article was a certain make of skillet manufactured at Zanesville, and this article formed in many a family their only dish with which to accomplish the various culinary operations incident to the domestic life of the cabin. It was the only oven; in it the meat was cooked, the potatoes boiled, the tea made, and in it the cow would have been milked if one had been possessed. This state of things existed but a short time, for, as the settler prospered. the iron pot and tea-kettle were added, but, with these additions, many a housewife labored for years under disadvantages that would send a modern housekeeper to the insane asy- lum. Salt, which is such a staple article in the domestic economy, was in large demand and diffi- cult to get. The indications of salt in the town- ship north never proved to be of any considerable value, and this article was to be procured only at the expense of long, tedious journeys. Grist bought this by the bushel at Zanesville, and sold it in Berkshire at $1.50 for a half-bushel. Even at such prices, it did not prove a very lucrative business. The trip to market and back, under favorable circumstances, took four days. In the mean while he camped out, cooking his meals in the inevitable skillet, frequently obliged to wait for a favorable opportunity to ford streams, and bringing home at last but a mere handful when compared with wagon loads of to-day. Under such disadvantages, it seems almost a marvel that the settlers were ever able to pay for their farms, even at the low price for which land was sold. It was years before any considerable quantity of grain could be sold, and then a market had to be sought so far away that the transportation robbed the
farmer of half the fruits of his toil. The expla- nation is that every settler supplied his necessities by the industry of himself and family. The little patch of flax supplied the coarse fiber which the busy wheel of the housewife prepared for the loom. From the loom it found its way to the dye-trough, where, in a decoction of butternut bark, it took on the fashionable color of that day. This cloth was made up of part wool and part linen, called " linsey-woolsey," and furnished the garments for both men and women. For hats, men wore fur skins fashioned at home, while the women wore such things as they could contrive out of the coarse materials at hand. Leather was procured in the annual trip to Zanesville, or of some nearer establishment where skins were tanned on shares. From this the shoes of the family were made by shoemakers who traveled from house to house, making up the leather in shoes or harness as desired. In the same spirit of economy the house was fitted up and furnished. Doors were put together . with wooden pegs, tables were constructed of punch- eons laid upon pegs driven into the logs. and beds only differed from them in proportions and height from the floor. In the latter article of furniture a corner leg was found necessary, and is remem- bered now as the one-legged bedstead. But, even with such rigid economy as this, it was often almost impossible to meet the payments upon the little farm. It is related of one of the earlier settlers of Berkshire Corners, that he had failed to meet his payments to Col. Byxbe for his land. After considerable delay, the property was put in the hands of the Sheriff and advertised for sale. The distressed man sought everywhere to borrow money, writing to friends in the East in vain. Coming home disheartened and in despair the night before the sale was to take place, he learned that in the township north was a man who had a little money to lend. He did not wait for his supper, but started out, taking with him a friend to sign with him as security for the payment of the loan. He needed $240. which he succeeded in getting, and paid to the Sheriff the next morn- ing. The note given for this money was not so easily paid. For ten years, this debt, growing gradually smaller, hung over him, and was finally extinguished by turning over to his creditor tive sheep, the whole of his flock, and his cow.
The Indian is often met with in the traditions of the earliest settlements of Berkshire. Their trails took them through this section, and, attracted
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
by curiosity and the results of begging, became frequent visitors at the settlements previous to the war. They seem to have accepted the logic of events with the unquestioning stoicism of their race, and were disposed to be on good terms with the whites without raising the question of pro- prietary rights in land or game. A marked characteristic of the Indian was his entire lack of anything like modesty in his demands. A story is told of one which sounds more like an exploit of a modern tramp than of the poetic red man of the forest. A pioneer, overtaken by night, had rolled himself in a blanket and lost himself in sleep, when he felt some one crawling under his blanket and making himself as comfortable as the sit- uation would permit. There was nothing to do but to await quietly further developments. The Indian soon went to sleep and remained till morning, when he arose, expressed his thanks as best he could, and left the discomfited pioneer to regain his composure at his leisure. He considered it no breach of courtesy to enter a cabin unannounced, and it was no unusual thing for the settler to look up from his breakfast or supper and find in an- other room one or more Indians watching the family repast with greedy eyes. They expected to be fed, and the pioneers soon learned the wisest course to adopt. They supplied these aboriginal tramps with a generous portion of the meal in their hands, which they devoured with sundry grunts expressive of their satisfaction. This done, they departed with the same nonchalance with which they approached. Occasionally one was found who felt that some recompense was due for such favors and who seemed willing to make such remuneration as he was able. Such a one made the acquaintance of Mr. George Fisher in the usual Indian fashion. While busy at his clearing, he became aware of the presence of an Indian who was busily gathering brush and placing it in piles to be burned. He seemed to pay no attention to Mr. Fisher, nor to care whether he was observed or not. Finally, after doing as much as he thought would pay for a meal, he went up to the proprietor of the patch and made known his desire for some- thing to eat. Mr. Fisher, probably desiring to encourage such industrious habits in his new- found assistant, promptly produced the wished-for meal. This maneuver was frequently repeated with fair satisfaction to both parties. Mr. Fisher had an occasion subsequently to reap the benefit of his wisdom in this case. This Indian absented himself after a little while, and had been entirely
forgotten. Subsequently, when Mr. Fisher was returning from Sandusky with goods, his wagon- axle broke near the Indian camp, on their reserva- tion. The delay was vexatious, but the difficulty was greatly increased by the long distance from any workmen or tools to repair the damage. He learned, however, of an Indian who had a set of tools, but could not prevail on him to lend them. He was about giving up in despair, when he was approached by a native, who made signs expressive of the utmost good will. He turned out to be the Indian of the clearing, and, learning the difficulty, at once secured the tools and assisted him to get his wagon righted up again. There was an Indian camp about two miles north of the Corners, and this furnished almost all the loafers that the earlier settlements had. They were ever ready for sport, challenging the settlers to wrestle, shoot, jump or run. Occasionally, when a pioneer accepted the challenge and threw his antagonist, the vanquished brave jumped up with a laugh as hearty and good natured as that of his successful opponent. They watched the traps of the settlers, and were the first to bring information of the game caught. Those set for wolves were of especial interest to them as providing them with capital sport. These traps were of various plans ; but a very common design was to build a log pen, six feet square and about three feet high, with a roof sloping up to a point some two feet higher in the center. The roof was supported so as to leave a hole in the center just large enough to admit the body of a wolf. The bait was fastened to the ground below the aper- ture. When once in, the animal found it impos sible to jump up straight enough to effect his escape, and thus found himself entrapped. One of the settlers by the name of Helt had such a trap, and the Indians informed him of the capture of a wolf, at the same time asking the privilege of taking the animal out alive for their own sport. This was readily granted, and the braves proceeded to " beard the lion in his den." Cutting forked sticks, two Indians thrust them between the logs and pinned the animal by the neck and body to the opposite side of the trap. A third leaped lightly into the trap and skillfully muzzled the animal with strips of bark. The wolf's legs were then trammeled so that he could run, but threw himself when trotting or walking. He was then turned loose, and the Indians, like overgrown schoolboys, chased and sported with the terrified animal, until, completely exhausted, it refused to furnish further sport, when it was dispatched. The
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 442 - 43
intercourse of the whites with the natives were of a perfectly peaceful nature throughout, until the war of 1812 removed them from this vicinity. They were counted by the pioneers as generally well disposed and faithful to their friends, taking especial pains to manifest their loyalty on every occasion.
Of the villages in this township, Berkshire Corners, though not the most important, came first in point of time, and for a while prom- ised to play an important part in the affairs of the county. Its history was the history of Berkshire Township, and has therefore been re- hearsed somewhat fully in the foregoing pages. Its first settlement was the first settlement of the township, but in its most brilliant days it never approached the dignity of a village. It was dubbed the " Corners," and is that now and noth- ing more, a place where two roads cross. But influence is not measured by geographical bound- aries, and in this respect the " Corners " in its time occupied a place not less desirable than the other villages. From this point went out at an early date the dominating spirit of the township, and to it is largely due the eminent characteristics which marked its early history. After the removal of" Col. Byxbe, and with him the hope of its future greatness, the place languished, and its business was diverted to other places. It was never platted, and the suspicion is entertained that Byxbe never intended it should interfere with his further proj- ects. The first store or, rather, the first goods offered for sale, was kept by Maj. Brown. His stock consisted of lead, powder, tea and coffee, with a few pieces of calico and cotton cloth. A quantity of brown earthenware was added, but cost almost as much as the ordinary stone china of to-day. These goods were brought by wagon from Phil- adelphia to Pittsburgh, thence by boats down the Ohio to the Scioto River, and thence on pack animals or in wagons to the consumer. The prices charged for these goods are astounding when the prices received for grain and meat, the farmer's only resource, are remembered. Tea sold at $2 per pound ; coffee at 50 to 75 cents per pound ; salt, at 10 cents per pound, and calico as high as $1 per yard. Maj. Brown died in 1816, and was suc- ceeded in trade by Flavius Fuller. The laying-out of Sunbury about this time began to attract trade and enterprise in that direction, and Fuller's bus- iness was but short-lived. S. S. Bennett was an active business man, and did much for the business growth of the "Corners." In company with a
Mr. Comstock, of Worthington, he bought hogs all through that section of the country, driving them to Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The hogs were taken in and weighed at the " Corners." and on such days made the little would-be village as lively as a bee hive. The hogs were paid for in goods, and thus added largely to the business at- tractions of the place. The former prestige has long since passed away, and a store, a blacksmith- shop, two wagon-shops and two churches, with a quiet cluster of homes, now serve to mark where the early metropolis of Berkshire flourished.
Sunbury; located southeast of the " Corners," and east of the central part of the township, is the legitimate successor of the "Corners " to metropolitan distinction. It was laid out by William and Lawrence Meyers on land formerly owned by a Mr. Alden, the original plat bearing the date of November 9, 1816. The site seems to have been admirably chosen for the future pros- pects of the village. It was situated near the conjunction of three counties-Knox, Licking and Delaware, and on the Columbus and Mount Vernon road, which was for years the only thoroughfare by which to reach the outside world. It was rea- sonable to suppose, that, with such natural advan- tages to attract enterprising men, the newly formed village might grow to considerable size and attract to itself the business of that part of the three counties which was so remote from any town of considerable size. It is quite probable that the changes wrought by the substitution of railroads for coach lines has somewhat modified the sanguine expectations of its citizens, but there is still enough truth in the theory of its location to make it now a very active village. Sunbury, at this writing, is not incorporated. Several efforts have been made to secure its incorporation, but the majority of those to be affected, overawed by fears of the bur- den of taxation, have opposed the measure. But the village has not on that account stood still. It has pushed improvements in schools, sidewalks, roads and public buildings, by private subscription, to an extent which reflects the highest credit upon the enterprise of its citizens.
About a year before the town was regularly laid out, the first store in Sunbury was opened by a Mr. Whitmore, from Worthington. He occupied a small brick house which stood on the spot where now stands the residence of Mr. Joseph Letts. He sold goods for a short time ouly, when he engaged in another enterprise, and was succeeded by Benjamin Webb, who opened up the first.
,
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
regular business in the place. He occupied a small room on the corner of Columbus and Granville streets, and built a house near it. The two build- ings have since been united by inclosing the space between them and tearing down partitions, and it is now used as a hotel. A third store was built by Steven R. Bennett, which was situated diagonally across from Webb's, establishment on the corner of what is now the public square, and occupied the site of the old log schoolhouse-the first one in Sunbury. He afterward built another, putting the first store in the rear for a warehouse, which may still be found, occupied by James Stockwell, where it was moved in 1837. Following close upon the building of the first store was the first tavern. This was a hewed-log building, and was placed on the lot adjoining Webb's, on the south. A Mr. Rogers kept hotel and accommodated the traveling public of 1816 with the best that the season afforded. There are those now living in Sunbury who remember the fare set forth in the old hotel, and who do not seem to think that hotel- keeping has improved any on the days of the old log house. In 1820, the stage line bringing more hotel trade to the town, naturally built up compe- tition, and Lawrence Meyers put up the hotel which now faces the west side of the square. This was a frame building, and entirely eclipsed the Rogers house. Here the stage stopped, and it finally absorbed so much of the business that its humble competitor, accepting the logic of events, gave up entertaining strangers, and " kept boarders'
at $1.25 a week. About this time, B. H. Tay- lor and B. Chase built a fulling-mill, provided with apparatus for carding and pressing. The motor power was a tread-wheel worked by oxen, and is described as follows : the wheel was laid flat upon its hub, the axle being inclined a little from per- pendicular so as to afford an inclined surface on the wheel. In place of spokes, the upper surface of the wheel formed an inclined platform provided with cleats, upon which the oxen traveled. The upper end of the axle was provided with a spur- wheel, which, acting upon gearing on horizontal shafting, communicated the motion to the machinery of the mill. The old mill is now the property of Mr. Joseph Letts, and is used as a stable. The curious will find there the pit in which the tread- wheel revolved, and the great timbers which once supported the heavy machinery of the mill. The establishment of this mill was a piece of enterprise which did much to stimulate the growth of the village. The people then made all their own
flannel, but it needed fulling, carding and pressing, before it was merchantable. This was the only mill of the kind for miles about, and naturally attracted a good deal of business to the town. It afterward passed into the hands of Bennett, and finally passed away with the demand that called it into existence.
Another old landmark is the old hewed-log schoolhouse, which stood on the southwest corner of the square. : This was the first institution of the kind built in Sunbury, and served the public until 1831, when it was removed, and its successor built on the east side of the square. The new schoolhouse was about 20x30 feet, built of brick made by Rufus Atherton, on the place now known as the Widow Grist farm. This building served the community as schoolhouse and church for sixteen years. Under its sheltering roof the citizen of Sun- bury became a cosmopolite in religious matters. Here the Methodist. the Universalist, the Baptist, the Presbyterian, the Episcopalian, the New Light and the Mormon worshiped in his own way, " with none to molest or make him afraid." In 1847, it was replaced by a wooden structure, 24x60 feet, which still remains.
The saw and grist mill and distillery, built by Manville, and the tannery which was erected across the stream from them, are noticed in an- other place. Later, another saw-mill was erected by Samuel Peck and T. P. Meyers, a half-mile due east of Sunbury. In 1848, six years later, it was sold to Bailey, who added a grist mill. From his hand it passed through the possession of two other parties into that of Mr. Burr, who moved the mill, in 1875, to the village, and it is now an institution to which the citizen points with pride.
Berkshire's early settlement was peculiarly favored in the number of its skilled tradesmen, and the result appears in the substantial progress of the early community. Brick residences and schoolhouses succeeded the primitive log structures, and frame buildings appear to be only an evidence of the degeneracy of a later day, and, reasoning from analogy, it is but fair to suppose that the pioneers wore better-fitting clothes than did their cotemporaries. At any rate, it was not for the lack of tailors if they did not. As early as 1816, the Collum Brothers set up their business of tai- loring at Berkshire Corners. They furnished the first tailor in Sunbury from their list of appren- tices. Haultz Evans first let the " goose hang high" in this village about 1828, but left for Granville about two years later. He was suc-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ceeded by James Smith in 1831, who has remained in the village, though having laid by the goose and press-board.
About 1865, a company was formed to manu- facture a general line of furniture. Machinery was procured, and the business got well a-going, but the project was marked more by the enter- prise of the members of the company than by good management, and it failed in the crash of 1873, leaving a considerable loss to be shared by the stockholders. An attempt was made to man- ufacture extension tables exclusively. This prom- ised well for a time, but eventually succumbed to the pressure of the panic.
In 1868, the large building which occupies the center of the public square was erected, at a cost of $6,500, by public subscription. Fifteen hun- dred dollars of this amount was contributed by the lodge of Masons in the village, to build the third story, which they own and occupy. The building is about 35x55 feet, three stories high, and built of brick. Col. G. A. Frambes, who was teaching a select school in the village, origi- nated the movement, and was ably seconded by Mr. George Armstrong and others, and the building was soon furnished for school purposes, and known as the Sunbury Institute. Since the erection of the special school district, in 1868, the second story has been used as a public hall, and the lower story for church purposes. It is now called the Sunbury Town Hall.
In October, 1872, the Farmers' Bank of Sun- bury, with a capital of $50,000, was organized. This is a joint-stock concern, and had for its stockholders some of the most substantial men of Berkshire. The original stockholders were E. Kimball, John Hall, Alanson Knox, George Armstrong, George Grist, E. R. Thompson, O. D. Hough and B. Moore. The first officers were : Elias Kimball, President; W. A. Thompson, Cashier ; Elias Kimball, E. R. Thompson, Elan- son Knox, O. D. Hough and B. Moore, Direct- ors. On the death of Mr. Kimball, which oc- curred very soon after the formation of the bank, Mr. Moore succeeded him as President, and still holds that position. In January, 1875, Mr. O. H. Kimball succeeded as cashier, and still serves in that capacity with acceptance. Business was begun in a building on the east side of the square, built by Mr. Marble, but was afterward transferred to a building erected for the purpose by Mr. Moore, three years later. on the south side of the square.
In 1873, a number of the prominent citizens of Sunbury formed a stock company and furnished means to establish a weekly paper in the village ; it was very appropriately named the Sunbury Enterprise, and was managed for some nine months by D. M. Pyle. It was expected that he would take the paper and pay for it as he could earn it out of the office. The people supported the proj- ect, but there was an evident lack of the right man in the right place, and it was sold to Mr. Wayman Perfect, who changed the name to the Spectator. In this gentleman's hands, the paper made rapid progress. It grew in popularity, and gained a paying subscription list of some six hundred, with an advertising patronage which afforded an ample support. In 1876, it was sold to J. S. Watson. He seemed to meet with the same success, but a better business arrangement being offered at another place, he suspended the publication of the paper in the spring of 1879, and moved the office and material out of the county .*
The agitation in regard to the numerous grave robberies, resulted in Sunbury, as in many other places, in the formation of a Cemetery Associa- tion in the summer of 1879. This association bought about two acres of finely situated land, joining the old cemetery, and are just finishing a fine stone vault at a cost of $750.
Located here is Sparrow Lodge, No. 400, of Free and Accepted Masons. The Lodge first worked under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of 1867, and was chartered by that of 1868. There were eleven charter members, but the membership has increased to about eighty-five in the last ten years. The meetings were held twice a month during the first year, in the old " hotel building," but since then in their new rooms, in the third story of the town hall.
There are three general stores, two jewelry stores, one hardware store, two shoe-shops, a ma- chine-shop, two carriage-shops, two harness-shops, two tailor-shops, two blacksmith-shops, two milli- nery stores, three saloons, to one of which is attached a bakery, a bank of discount, flouring- mill, warehouse, tin-shop, picture-gallery, barber- shop, drug store, gun-shop, three churches, Meth- odist, Baptist and Presbyterian ; two hotels, and a handle factory. This factory is a recently established enterprise, but has been quite success- ful, shipping goods to California and Europe. Machinery for turning spokes is to be put in, and
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