History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 54

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

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

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J.W. Powell

DELAWARE AGE.83.

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY

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can hardly be said to have been in doubt. The Special Commissioners fixed the county seat at Delaware, in March, 1808, putting an end to a controversy, the effects of which were marked .in county matters for forty years afterward.

The first settlement made within the present boundaries of Delaware was by John Beard, in the southern part of the township. On the 2d day of December, 1807, he bought of Benjamin Ives Gilman, of Marietta, Ohio, 624 acres of land, in a square piece, situated on the west bank of the Olentangy River, its southern line forming a part of the boundary line of the township. He built a cabin on the bank of the river, near where the dam is placed, and brought his family there as soon as it was erected. As soon as preparations could be made in the spring, he set about erecting a log grist-mill, assisted by Ira Carpenter, of Liberty (who claimed to have cut the first tree within the limits of Delaware), and made the first dam across the river at that point. He operated the mill and made some progress in clearing a place for the planting of corn, though it is doubtful if he ever got so far as to realize a harvest He does not seem to have been fitted to confront the stern realities of frontier life, and, while ostensibly own- ing a large amount of land, his family were with- out some of the commonest necessities of the frontier cabin. In February, 1811, Col. Forest Meeker came here looking for a home, and, on the 21st of that month, bought Beard's property. Col. Meeker was born in Rutland, Vt., and emi- grated to Pennsylvania in 1797. Seven years later he came to Chillicothe, but after a year or two left for Kentucky, settling near Paris, Bourbon County. He stayed here about eighteen months, but his wife could not endure the institution of slavery, and persuaded him to return to Ohio, and it was at this time that he purchased of Beard. After engaging some one to build him a hewed- log house, and to " chop over " the five acres Beard had felled, he returned to Kentucky to wind up his business and bring back his family. On the 21st of May following, Col. Meeker returned, bringing his family and household goods in two wagons, and driving two cows. He found the walls of his cabin up and the roof on, but there were neither doors nor windows. They went to the cabin of Mr. Beard, farther up the river, where they were expected, and prepared to stay until their cabin could be made habitable. They had stayed the night previous with Mr. Cellars, in Liberty, and from one cause or another did not

reach Beard's until well along in the afternoon. Mrs. Beard had but one cooking utensil, an old- fashioned " Dutch oven," that had lost its cover by some accident. This was before the fire baking bread, a cabbage leaf supplying the place of cover. When the bread was taken out the potatoes were put into it and boiled, the meat fried and the tea made, and it is said by those who partook of the meal that there was nothing needed to add a relish to the fare. On the following morning, Mr. Meeker found his horses had taken advantage of their liberty to return to their old home in Vir- ginia. He followed after them with all haste, but did not succeed in overtaking them until he got to his old farm, where he found only three of the four horses. The site chosen for the house was on the west side of the Stratford road, just in front of the stone house situated a little distance below where the store now is. He was an energetic man, and soon had his cabin ready for his family. By the latter part of June, he had four or five acres of corn planted, which, in spite of his fears, an unusually long season enabled to ripen before frost. Game of all sorts stocked the woods, and a plenti- ful supply of meat could always be secured within gunshot of the house. Fawns were frequently found in the woods, and brought to the cabin. At one time, Col. Meeker had some nine young deer that he kept to kill as they had need of them. Later, in 1811, quite a colony came from Virginia, and another from Pennsylvania, settling all about Col. Meeker's section. Among those from Virginia, were the families of Robert Jamison, John Shaw and Matthew Anderson, and of the company from Pennsylvania were Frederick Weiser, Robert McCoy, Joseph Cunningham, John Wilson and Andrew Harter. In the following year, Samuel Hughs came from Virginia ; in 1813, Elias Scribner, and Reuben Ruby from Kentucky in 1814. The early experience of this settlement, while not that of a community provided with all the comforts of modern times, was far different from that of the earlier ones in the county. Saw and grist mills were within easy reach on all sides, roads were practicable for wagons, while store and post office, with a regular mail, put them in possession of such luxuries as they could afford. The finest farming lands were found along the margin of the river, and this fact influenced the location of the early farming community. Robert Jamison settled on the east side of the river, and his farm is now the property of James M. Jamison. Near his farm- house stands the original log cabin built in 1811,

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

now used as a shop. The settlement in the north part of the town was a year or two later. Some- where about 1812, John and Henry Worline bought land on the east side of the river, and stayed for three or four years, when they sold out and moved further north in the county. Here, also, in 1814, came Albreight Worline with his family of four boys and two girls, and built a cabin on the spot now occupied by the residence of Will- iam Siegfried. The boys were each old enough to " make a hand " in clearing the farm, and the woods soon gave way before their sturdy blows. As the prospects for a home grew brighter, the thoughts of the older hoy, Samuel, turned to his native State, where he had left a sweetheart, but, what was more discouraging, her father refused to smile upon his suit. He made up his mind that two were enough for such a bargain, and one night, packing in saddle-bags such things as his sweet- heart desired to take, they mounted horses he had provided, and started for their new home. Their flight was discovered, and, to express the scene in the figure of a more celebrated elopement-

" There was racing and chasing on Canobie Lee, But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see.'

Coming soon after the Worlines, on the same side of the river, and a little north of them, was William Sweetser. He bought out John and Henry Worline's property and built an addition to a single-roomed cahin he found standing on the place. Mr. Sweetser came from Dummerston, Vt., in the fall of 1815, after a forty days' journey through the wilderness. He had a family of five boys and three girls, the youngest child only six months old, when he came into Delaware. The journey was full of such mishaps as breaking the wagons or harness, causing at times a tedious delay of days to effect repairs. The family came in two wagons, Mrs. Sweetser driving a single horse all the way from the East, caring for her young bahe beside most of the time. When they arrived in town, they went to the house of Thomas Butler, which stood about where Mitchel & Vogt's store now stands, where they remained during the win- ter. The next spring they moved on to their farm, where but little clearing had been done. In 1823, he laid the foundations, and partially completed a brick house on the river road. There is nothing now left of the original buildings to mark the spot save an old stone spring house. With the Sweetser family, came the family of Hosea Miller, and two young men, Solomon and Wilder

Joy. In 1817, Rutherford Hayes came from Ver- mont and bought land in this neighborhood, but took up his residence in town, where he lived until his death. During the years succeeding the war of 1812, settlements began to increase on the farming lands west of the river and along Dela- ware Run, among the earliest being the settlements of David Hefner, Abraham Williams and Edward Potter. These names do not include all who are entitled to be remembered as among the early settlers of Delaware. After so many years, it would be surprising if none of the names of those who entered into the labors of the new com- munity should not have been lost, We have, after considerable patient research, secured a list of pioneers, with their native States, and the year in which they came to Delaware. In this list, we hope to have approximated the facts in the major- ity of cases, leaving any reader better informed to correct it at his leisure. The first thirty-two names are taken from the Delaware poll-book of the first election, held October 11, 1808, and are put in the order of their voting : Thomas Van- horn, 1808; Asahel Hart, 1808; John Aye, Pennsylvania, 1808 ; Jacob Filgey, 1808 ; George Soop, 1808 ; Moses Byxbe, Massachusetts, 1808 ; Peter Ealy, 1808 ; Silas Dunham, Rhode Island, 1808 ; Appleton Byxhe, Massachusetts, 1808; Timothy Squire, 1808, Solomon Smith, Massa- chusetts, 1808 ; Ira Carpenter, Pennsylvania, 1808 ; Solomon Finch; 1808; Roderick Crosbey, 1808; Moses Byxbe, Jr., Massachusetts, 1808; William Little, Connecticut,1808 ; Noah Sturde- vant, 1808; Jacob Drake, Pennsylvania, 1808; Nathaniel Little, Connecticut, 1808; Thomas But- ler, Massachusetts, 1808; Salmon Agard, Penn- sylvania, 1808; Jeremiah Osborn, 1808; Azariah Root, Massachusetts, 1808; Nathaniel Disbury, 1808; Alford Carpenter, 1808; Clark Beebe, 1808; Charles Robbins, 1808 ; Alexander Enos, 1808 ; Noah Spaulding, Vermont, 1808; Daniel Munsey. 1808; Josiah Grant, 1808; Renben Lamb, New York, 1808; Joseph Barber and John Beard, 1807 ; Paul D. Butler, Massachuetts, 1808; Aaron Walch, New York, 1808; Jacob Kensell, Pennsylvania, 1808; Frank Smith, Massachusetts, 1808 ; David Smith, Massachusetts, 1808; Nathan Messenger, Massachusetts, 1808 ; Adonijah Messenger, Massa- chusetts, 1808; Erastus Bowe, Vermont, 1809; Jacob Koester, 1809 ; Deacon Anderson, Pennsyl- vania, 1809 ; George Storm, Maryland, 1809; Henry Smith, New York, 1809; James De Witt, 1810; Otho Hinton, Virginia, 1810; Micah

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

Spaulding, 1810; J. S. Hughs, Pennsylvania, 1810; James W. Crawford, Pennsylvania, 1810 ; Elem Vining, Sr., Connecticut, 1811; Forest Meeker, Vermont, 1811; Grove Meeker, Ver- mont, 1811; Nathan Anderson, Virginia, 1811 ; Elias Murray, New York, 1811 ; Frederick Weiser, Pennsylvania, 1811; Robert Jamison, Virginia, 1811 ; Robert McCoy, Pennsylvania, 1811 ; John Wilson, Pennsylvania, 1811; John Shaw, Vir- ginia, 1811 ; Joseph Cunningham, Pennsylvania, 1811; Andrew Harter, Pennsylvania, 1811 ; Samuel Hughs, Virginia, 1812; Abraham Will- iams, Connecticut, 1812 ; John Welshance, Penn- sylvania, 1812; John Worline, Pennsylvania, 1812; Henry Worline, Pennsylvania, 1812; John Dobson, Vermont, 1813 ; James Swinerton, 1813; Elias Scribner, 1813 ; Albreight Worline, Pennsylvania, 1814; Samuel Worline, Pennsyl- vania, 1814; Reuben Ruby, Kentucky, 1814 ; L. H. Cowles, Connecticut, 1814; William Sweetser, Vermont, 1815; Wilder Joy, Vermont, 1815 ; Solomon Joy, Vermont, 1815; Miner Miller, Vermont, 1815; Hosea Miller, Vermont, 1815 ; Calvin Covell, Vermont, 1816; Pardon Sprague, Rhode Island, 1816; William Manser, Ver- mont, 1816; Henry Rigour, Pennsylvania, 1816; Frederick Welch, New York, 1816; William Walker, Maryland, 1816; Anthony Walker, Maryland, 1816; Reuben Steward, 1816; Ira Wilcox, Connecticut, -; Titus King, 1816; Hosea Williams, Connecticut, 1817; Sidney Moore, Vermont, 1817 ; Bela Moore, Vermont, 1817; Hezekiah Kilbourn, Connecticut, 1818; Asahel Welch, New York, 1818 ; Caleb Howard, Maine, 1818; Frederick Avery, Connecticut, 1818; Ebenezer Durfee, Rhode Island, 1818 ; Charles Boynton, New York, 1818 ; Luke Boynton, New York, 1818; Winslow Bierce, New York, 1818 ; Justus Chamberlain, Connecticut, 1818; Jona- than Kelly, Connecticut, 1818; James Osborne, Sr., Pennsylvania, 1818; Milo D. Pettibone, Connecticut, 1818; Judah Chase, Vermont, 1818 ; Joseph L. Webb, New York, 1819; Gotlieb Al- breight, Bavaria, 1819; Edward Potter, Connect- icut, 1819 ; Horatio P. Havens, Vermont, 1819; Thomas Reynolds, Maryland, 1820; Martin Shoub, 1820; Samuel Calvert, Virginia, 1820 ; John Ross, Vermont, -; Lockland McLean, 1820 ; Evan Davis, Wales, 1820; William McClure, Pennsylvania, 1820; Benjamin E. Ball, Connect- icut, 1820 ; James C. Crawford, Kentucky, -; Horton Howard, Pennsylvania, 1820; Richard Evans, Wales, 1820; Thomas Wasson, Pennsyl-

vania, 1820; Platt Brush, New York, 1820 ; Ezra Griswold, Connecticut, 1821; George Rosctt, New York, 1821 ; Thomas Jones, Wales, 1821; Ralph Hills, 1822; J. H. Hills, Massachusetts, 1822; Bildad Welch, New York, 1823; Amos Fuller, Pennsylvania, 1823; Joseph Oviatt, 1823.

The settlement of the city of Delaware was sui generis. Nature had conspired with the abo- rigines to prepare a site, while the community, linked together by family and business relations, was like a colony fitted and furnished for a career already marked out. The founder and patron of the new town was wealthy, skillful, and wielded a power that "knew no criterion but success." The social machinery which he had elaborated to serve his purposes at Berkshire, he transferred intact to Delaware, where it performed its proper functions to the same end. His hand was upon all the sources of power. He had unlimited control of the whole property of which he was part owner, his dependents or relatives filled the larger share of the offices in county and town, and for years his will became law. It was under such auspices that the town of Delaware began its career. When

the act of the Legislature was passed in February, 1808, erecting the county of Delaware, the town of that name was not in existence on paper or in fact. Between that time and the 7th of March, however, it was platted and surveyed, but under what arrangement between Messrs. Baldwin and Byxbe, it is now impossible to determine. This plat was recorded on the 11th of March, 1808, and placed the site of the city on the east bank of the Olentangy, including about the same territory covered at present by the city east of the river, though laid out according to the plan which was afterward transferred to the west bank. Here the county seat was fixed by the special commission- ers. It is probable that in their hurry to secure a town de jure, the proprietors took little time to canvass the claims of the different locations as a site for the future city. The main object was to secure the county seat in a position that would benefit the two adjacent sections of land lying on both banks of the river. It was thought desirable in that early day to place a town near some stream of water, and to accomplish this object and at the same time be as near as possible to the center of the tract of land, the eastern bank was chosen as the site of the town. No lots were sold here, however, and, influenced by the superior advantages to be found across the river, the proprietors trans- ferred the site to that place, the plat, modified and

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

adapted to the location, being made May 9, 1808. This plat included that part of the present city embraced by Henry, North, Liberty and South streets. The latter street formerly extended west across Liberty and through the outlots. The fol- lowing explanation, taken from the plat as recorded, will give the plan of the proprietors : " This town is laid off into 186 lots, containing, by estimation, 77} square poles each, be the same more or less, 6} rods by 12} rods, excepting Lots No. 53, 54, 55, 56, 89, 90, 91 and 92, which by the variation of Williams street from west 17º to the north, from Washington street to Liberty street. The streets which run from north to south are Henry, Union, Sandusky, Franklin, Washington and Liberty streets, and those running from east to west are North, Winter, Williams, Abraham, Tammany and South streets, which cross the other streets at right angles. All the streets are four poles wide, except Williams, Abraham and Sandusky streets, which are six poles in width. The lots or squares includ- ing Delaware Run, or which are not numbered, ex- tending from east to west through the town are reserved for future disposal, or for the benefit of the town as the proprietors may think proper hereafter." The founders evinced their patriotism in the names of most of the streets, the rest taking their names from persons intimately connected with the history of the town. Abraham street was named for the original owner of the property ; Henry, for one of the proprietors ; Williams, for a brother of Henry Baldwin, who had an interest in the property, and Winter grew out of a corruption of Witter, the maiden name of Mrs. Moses Byxbe. These names remain now,save those of Abraham and Tammany, in the place of which are Hill street and Third street. Delaware Run then flowed in its natural course, and Williams street deflected to the north after crossing Washington street to avoid it. The square, bounded by North, Sandusky, Franklin and Winter streets, was given by the proprietors for a burying ground, and for religious purposes ; the square bounded by Abraham (Hill), Franklin and Sandusky streets and the run, was set aside for the public buildings (Spring street was not laid out at that time) ; and a square situated between Franklin and Sandusky streets, through the mid- dle of which South street extended, was reserved for the parade ground. To Delaware, as thus laid out, the proprietors invited emigration. It was hardly to be expected that one who paid so much attention to details would overlook a matter so vital to the success of his new venture as that of its

settlement, and herein the historian finds the greatest obstacle in the way of unraveling its his- tory. Mr. Byxbe had attracted a number of fam- ilies to Berkshire Corners by the promise of lands or preferment, and to further the interests of his new project he made the fulfillment of such prom- ises conditional upon their joining the new settle- ment. Thus the early settlement of the town was made something like the dissolution of the famous " One-Horse Shay,'

" All at once and nothing first, -- Just as bubbles do when they burst."

A generally accepted tradition is authority for the statement that the first settlement made and the first cabin reared on the site of the city of Delaware, was by Joseph Barber, in the fall of 1807. His cabin was a pole-log house, fifteen feet square, situated just southeast of the sulphur spring on the university grounds, and fronted on the trail which led up from Worthington along the river. He was, evidently, a squatter in very poor circum- stances, and, on August 20, 1808, for the' nominal consideration of $1, was given a deed of the lot which took in his premises. At the same time he bought Lot No. 4, situated on the corner of North and Franklin streets, for $15.36, payable in annual installments of $3.84, the first to be paid on the 15th of the following March. He left the town and went to. Berkshire in a few months, selling his property to Dr. Noah Spaulding. As soon as the county seat was fixed at Delaware, Col. Byxbe made preparations to take up his residence there. He sold his house and farm in Berkshire to David and Joseph Prince, and put up a frame building on Lot No. 70, on the north side of William street, between Henry and Union streets. Henry street was not then opened across Williams, and he re- served the whole square on which his house stood, extending from Union street to the river, for his own used. In later years, an orchard occupied the space east of his house, while back and west of it his cows found a scanty subsistence. Early in May of 1808, his household goods having been brought over to Delaware by Joseph Prince, Mr. Byxbe came with his family and became a citizen of the county seat. At the same time came Solomon Smith, Azariah Root, Nathan Messenger, Reuben Lamb, and Jacob Drake, who had come the year previous from Pennsylvania. These families all came from Berkshire, and were closely attached to the Byxbe interests. The providing of homes for their families engrossed the attention of the male

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

portion of the settlement ; while the women were engaged in the scarcely less arduous cares which fell to the helpmeet. Mechanics were few, and facilities for building meager, and the houses of Col. Byxbe and Joseph Barber for weeks afforded the only home for the little community. It was not long, however, before the hewed-log house of Azariah Root was erected on the corner of Abraham and Henry streets, and joined in the general hospitality. Then came in rapid succession a frame house on the southeast corner of Sandusky and Williams streets, built by Col. Byxbe for his son-in-law, Nathan Messenger ; the log house of Reuben Lamb on the northeast corner of Williams and Union streets, on Col. Byxbe's square; and the foundation of the brick house of Jacob Drake on the southwest cor- ner of Franklin and Williams streets. This house was finished in the fall, and is especially interesting from the fact that, owing to the scarcity of masons, Mrs. Drake laid all the inner wall herself. The house of Dr. Lamb was a temporary one, and was replaced the following year by a brick, situated on the southwest corner of Union and Williams streets. During the summer and fall of this year a number of others, attracted from the different settlements about, came and built their homes in various parts of the village. Among these were : Silas Dunham, from the Dunham settlement in Ber- lin ; Noah Spaulding, from Berkshire; Joab Nor- ton, from Orange; Aaron Welch and Ira Carpen- ter, from Liberty. From Worthington came Na- thaniel and William Little, Paul D. Butler and his brother Thomas. Another arrival was that of Jacob Kensell, but where he came from is not known. He was a shoemaker and soon had a place for evening loafers and for mending shoes in Barber's old tavern.

The little village was a scene of bustling activity. The whole domestic and social machinery of the community was to be fashioned and put in motion, and there was plenty of work for every hand to do. Col. Byxbe was everywhere the animating spirit, and his restless activity found ample scope for its exercise. In the newly formed court he sat as Associate Judge; he ruled the Board of Town- ship Trustees; he originated and viewed the new roads which united the town with the older settle- ments ; he was his own sole agent in the disposal of the vast tracts of land he held, and every move- ment for the prosperity of the town obeyed his guiding hand. Others were less active only as they were less able, or occupied positions less com- manding. Solomon Smith, whom later years

knew only to honor, came fresh from his duties as teacher in Chillicothe. Elected as Sheriff of the new county, whose business assumed no great pro- portions, he found ample service for his abilities, as an aid to Col. Byxbe. Azariah Root was chosen County Surveyor, and the demand for avenues of communication with the outside world kept him busy with chain and field note. Jacob Drake, the first County Treasurer, added to that the double calling of Baptist minister and Surveyor, while Dr. Lamb added to a professional practice which compelled him to ride over two counties, the du- ties of County Recorder. In spite of all the earnest reality of that time, there is a gleam of humor in the picture, as we think of those spec- tacled men of years, carrying the treasury about in their breeches pocket, or taking the county books of record to their homes, and by the " broad hearth- stone " making entries pregnant with the fate of men and moneys, as the careful honsewife counts up her sales of butter and eggs. In the mean time, amidst all these engrossing cares, the corn- planting had not been forgotten, and, on one of the bottoms which had been used by the Indians, a large field had been devoted to

" That precious seed into the furrow cast Earliest in springtime, crowns the harvest last."

With the fall came the first harvest home in the new settlement, and the occasion was celebrated by a grand husking bee. The corn piled in a long row was divided into equal portions and a prize of whisky offered. It is said Jacob Kensell won the prize. On the 11th of October, the first State election in which Delaware took part, was held, and thirty-two votes polled. Azariah Root was elected Justice of the Peace. The Judges of elec- tion were Jacob Drake, Azariah Root and Noah Sturdevant, with Jeremiah Osborn and Salmon Agard as Clerks.

The succeeding years were years of rapid growth and development. The success which had hither- to attended the efforts of Col. Byxbe, gave him a prestige that worked greatly to the advantage of the new town. It was felt that under the power- ful patronage of such a man its future success was assured, and the town at once gained a flattering notoriety. So marked was this fact that Moses Wright, the founder of Columbus, recognizing it as a business reality, purchased in September of 1808, several village lots. He was destined after- ward to have the shrewdness of his purchase con- firmed at the expense of a close contest for the

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History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 54

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818