History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 76

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 76

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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 carly 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 ont 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 sangnine 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 only, 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 suo-

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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 carn 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

* Since the above was written, a weekly paper called the Sun- bury Monitor has been established by J. G. Sharpe.

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

that feature added to the business. The school- building for the special school is an object of pride to every citizen of Sunbury. It occupies a com- manding position on the hill north of town, and presents a very attractive appearance. Whatever may be thought of the future of Sunbury, it can- not be denied that there is a spirit of enterprise among its people which will carry it triumph- antly over many an obstacle. In 1865, $700 was raised by subscription and expended on the side- walks ; three years later, $6,500 were raised to build the town hall; in 1869, $20,000 was sub- scribed to the Delaware, Berkshire & Sunbury pike, and, in 1871, $22,000 more was subscribed to build the Columbus & Mount Vernon Railroad, a total of nearly $50,000 within some seven years.

South and west from Sunbury, on the southern boundary of the township, is situated the village of Galena. It is located between the Big and Little Walnut Rivers, near where they join, and is com- pactly built for a village of its size. It is reached from Sunbury by the Columbus & Mount Vernon Railroad, which touches the northwest corner of the village. From the depot, a long street passes through the center of the village, leading to one corner of the square in the south end of the place, and passing through it into Genoa Town- ship, becomes "Yankee street" further down. The earliest settlers in the vicinity of Galena have been mentioned in the preceding pages, but who originally owned the property where the village now stands, is not so clearly known. The plat of the village was made by William Carpenter, of Sunbury, April 3, 1816, attested by Matthew Mar- vin, Justice of the Peace, April 20, 1816, and recorded on the 23d day of the same month, but has never been incorporated. Hon. Ezekiel Brown bought land on the Big Walnut River, 'northeast of the village, and it is quite probable that the Carpenters, coming in soon after, were the original possessors of the land. The Carpenter family was a large one. Gilbert settled at Galena, and his four sons-Benjamin, Samuel, Moses and Gilbert, Jr., the youngest of whom was thirty-eight years of age-with their families. These names, with those of Judge Carpenter's family, appear on every page of Berkshire tradi- tions, and the traces of their activity are seen and felt yet in the southern part of the township. Other names closely associated with the history of Galena are those of Nathan Dustin and George Vanfleet. The latter brought in a family of five boys and two girls, about 1820. At that time

the public square bore a fine growth of bushes, which made admirable riding-whips. The earliest public building of which we can find information was an old log schoolhouse, which stood near the site of the present school building. This was used years before the town was laid out for both school and church purposes. Following close upon this was the erection of a saw-mill by Gilbert Car- penter, Sr. The location of the two Walnut Rivers is finely calculated for milling purposes. The larger stream is on a much higher level than the smaller one, and, taking advantage of this fact, he constructed a race from the one to the other, and got a motor power which is not excelled even at this day. This was done in 1809, and, nine years later, Benjamin Carpenter, Jr., the son of Judge Carpenter, constructed another race coming out a little south of the first one, and built a grist-mill, which, in the hands of Mr. George Vanfleet, still does excellent work. The con- struction of a grist-mill at that time was a great undertaking. Day after day, Mr. Carpenter sad- dled his horse and went with his tools to a place in Liberty Township, where he cut out the buhrs for his .mill. These were called "nigger-heads," and served the public of their day with a flour that was quite as palatable, if not so fine, as now. Later, "raccoon " stones were put in. Since then, the old wheel and stones have given place to more modern inventions. The first store was kept about 1810, by one Manter, in a log cabin situated near the bridge leading east out of town. He was closely succeeded by Elias Murray, whose estab- lishment stood on the southwest corner of the square, it is said, in the very house now owned by Chester Campbell. Mr. Gilbert Carpenter, Sr., is credited with building the first frame building. The earlier deaths are not remembered, but that of Mr. Gilbert Carpenter was early, though not perhaps the first one. The first marriage was the union of the two earlier and most prominent fami- lies of the settlement-the marriage of John S. Brown to Sarah, daughter of Judge Carpenter. This was in 1812. On August 19 of the follow- ing year, Nancy, the daughter of Hon. Ezekiel Brown, was married to Samuel Leonard, the cere- mony being performed by Gilbert Carpenter.

The village was platted under the name of Zoar, probably because they felt it to be a city of refuge though a little one. About 1834, when a post office was established here, it was found that there was already an office called Zoar. To meet this emergency, at the suggestion of Nathan Dustin,

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

the name of the village was changed to Galena. The law required, that, in order to secure a post office, the signature of the nearest postmaster was to be secured. Marcus Curtis then was Post- master, on " Yankee street," and responded to the request of the Galena people for his name, that "it was no use, they would always have to come to ' Yankee street' for their mail," and refused his signature. At that time the stage line passed at the place of Curtis, and a daily mail from both directions was received. The post-office business is on another footing now, and " Yankee street" comes to Galena, where there is a money order office. The growth of this village has been grad- ual and without any special efforts to stimulate it on the part of its citizens. It occupies a high ridge of land between the two rivers, and, viewed from the rise of ground east of the Big Walnut, presents a very attractive appearance. The prin- cipal public buildings are the Episcopal church, a large Methodist church, and the school building. Most of the business houses of the place are clustered about the square or on the street leading to it. There are two general stores ; a notion and millinery store combined ; a drug store ; a tin and stove store ; warehouse ; three blacksmith-shops ; a harness-shop ; shoe-shop; an undertaker's-shop ; a tailor-shop ; two saw-mills; a flouring-mill ; a lum- ber-yard and a manufactory of agricultural imple- ments, which is doing quite an extensive business. It should be mentioned as an evidence of the town's enterprise, that a subscription of $13,000 was paid toward securing the location of the railroad which passes through here, in addition to three acres of ground given for depot purposes.

Galena was the place of the earliest organized Lodge of Masons in Berkshire. This was Charity Lodge, No. 54, a flourishing organization of some forty or fifty years ago, but it was allowed to die because the members, scattered about the country, found it impossible to get to the regular sessions. The Galena Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 404, was instituted in 1868, with Thomas Vanfleet, Roswell Cook, W. E. Cope- land, G. A. Frambes, J. P. Maynard, D. L. Fer- son and others as charter members. They hold their sessions in the building formerly owned by Charity Lodge, which they bought in 1869.

Rome, in the western central portion of the township, is the last of Berkshire's village quad- rilateral, but by no means the least. It has achieved a distinction which has been denied all the others. Its founder, Almon Price, was a man

who had studied Roman history, He had read of a couple of orphans, brought up by a wolf, who, with scarcely a suit of clothes to their back, had founded a town

"That sate on her seven hills, and from her throne Of beauty ruled the world."

Fired with a lofty ambition, he laid off his farm into lots, and in 1838 Rome was incorporated. Here he lost sight of his great prototype and branched off into the chair business. He was fairly successful in making the " Windsor " pattern of chairs, but it needed something more to stimulate the growth of his city. He disposed of his land, and the purchasers, after enduring the farce of city life long enough, by petition secured the annulment of the act of incorporation. The place then took on the less ambitious name of Rome Corners, and is now satisfied with the distinction of being the voting precinct of the township. Mr. Price was long known as the Pope of Rome, a name he accepted with the dignity of a prince. The old chair factory still exists, and is now occupied by Newell Carpenter. The place is made conspic- uous by the meeting of five roads at that point, and, besides three or four residences, is marked by a church, the town house and a saw-mill. The place has given its name to Grange No. 741, which was organized here March 24, 1874. The Grange started with twenty-four charter members, G. D. Searles as Master, and Mrs. J. N. Dyer as Secretary. Some two years ago, this Grange or- ganized a movement, which has resulted in estab- lishing a Mutual Fire Insurance Company, with its principal office in Sunbury. The Company does not limit its risks to this township, but takes farm property wherever offered. It has an ex- tensive business, which is rapidly increasing.

The history of the churches and of the religious work of Berkshire Township is an interesting study, and dates back to the arrival of the first settlers. They were a religious people, and needed missionaries not so much as material for mission- aries to work upon. The family of Col. Byxbe was of the Presbyterian creed, that of Maj. Brown belonged to the Episcopal Church, together with the Princes, Plumbs, and Curtises. With the advent of the Carpenters in the southern part of the township came in the Methodist element. Gil- bert Carpenter was a minister in that church, of an active nature, and it was not long before the first church was organized in that part of the town. There were about fourteen members, and meetings

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were held in a large hewed-log schoolhouse that was erected not far from 1813. Gilbert Carpenter and his nephew, Benjamin, Jr., supplied the preach- ing, with occasional visits from itinerant ministers. Some two years later, the Methodists organized a church at Sunbury, holding their mectings during the winter in the cabins around the neighborhood, and in Judge Carpenter's barn in the summer- time. The people came from a distance of ten miles with ox teams, barefooted in summer, and fre- quently so in winter, to hear the Gospel preached. The ministers were not college-bred men, nor men marked with especial gifts for the ministry. They wore the same homely garb of the settler, and were often compelled to suffer privations which were seldom known in the settler's cabin. In the southern part of the township the larger gatherings of the church were held in the mill and barns until 1825, when the frame building now standing in Galena was erected. This is the largest church edifice in the township, and continues to be the rallying-point of that denomination. At Sunbury the church used the brick schoolhouse until 1839, when their present building was erected at a cost of $1,500, which was built in connection with the Episcopal organization, each using it on alternate Sundays. The latter organization finally became extinct by removals and members changing their place of worship. To erect such a building in those days was quite a tax on the community, and there was a vigorous effort made to interest the outside community. James Smith, a young tailor, and full of life, took an active part, and rode three weeks to raise the subscription, starting the list himself with $100, a sum greater than all his worldly possessions. Such interest is difficult at this time to explain, save on the theory of his own statement, that he had "got tired of seeing the girl's pretty faces in that old schoolhouse." The first circuit was established in 1831, with Rev. James McIntyre as Presiding Elder. The church has numbered as high as 140 members, but now numbers about 67. At the " corners," a Meth- odist church was organized in 1858, by Rev. Amos Wilson, with about twenty-five members. The organization now numbers about eighty-five. They erected a place of worship in 1860, where they have maintained a Sunday school summer and winter. Church services are held one half day only on each alternate Sunday.

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History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 76

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