USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 28
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ORIGINAL STOCK SUBSCRIPTION OF THE LAN- CASTER LATERAL CANAL COMPANY
Value of one share $25.
We, the undersigned, have subscribed our names to this and the following sheets, for the purpose of making ourselves cor- porators in the Lancaster Lateral Canal Company, persuant to the act of incorpora- tion of said company, passed by the Legis-
243
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
lature of the State of Ohio, on the 8th day of February, A. D., 1826, and we do by our said signatures make ourselves hold- ers of the number of shares attached to our names; we do also make ourselves responsible for the sums which may be from time to time required thercon, per- suant to said act of incorporation, and we subject ourselves to the future rules, regu- lations and by-laws of said corporation :
No. of Shares.
No. of Shares.
G. Steinman
IO
Geo. Sanderson 3
F. A. Foster IO
John A. Collins 5
Hugh Boyle IO
Jacob Yong
5
John Crook I
Seymore Scovill 5
Samuel Hand
5
Henry Drum
I
Josonnus Curty
I.
E. Scofield
10
T. Ewing IO
Sam'l Effinger 25
John Thether
5
S. F. Maccracken
25
Daniel Arnold 10
G. Ring and J. Rice IO
William Trimble
3
Wm. Crook 2
Benj. Connell 6
John Ornig 2
A. Younkin 2
Adam Weaver 18
George Beery 2
Samuel Igbrand 5
H. H. Hunter
3
Jedh. Allen 2
Wm. Lewis 2
John Latta 10
John Noble IO
Christian Ressler 2
Gideon Martin 2
Jacob Church I
Isaac Havens 2
Tole McManamy
I
Catherine Williamson . 5
Christian Hooker 2
David Suayze, Jr. I
David Rees IO
William Coulson 2
Jacob Fellerson 2
George Hoot 1
Jacob Arnold
I
William Broomfield I
Tenatt Maclin 2
John A. Shroffe I
Joseph Grubb 5
Ezra Clark 3
Henry Arnold IO
P. M. Weddill 2
George Weiss 5
James White 5
Timothy Green 3
Jacob Beck, Sr. 3
John W. Geisey 10
C. R. Sherman 5
John Creed 20
W. W. Irvin (per Maccracken) 10
Andrew Buchanan 2
Christian Neibling 3
Campell & Rusill 10 Rudolph P. Hunar 2
Christian King
20
Christopher Weaver IO
Robert R. Claspill 2
Robert McNeille 2
Wm. M. Tong 5
Geo. Kauffman 2
M. Garaghty 16
Walter McDonald I
244
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
No. of Shares.
No. of Shares.
Samuel Matlack I
P. H. Smith
I
Wm. Bodenhimer 2
Apr. 28, Aug. Witte .20
Wm. Williamson (per Sumpter) 3
1831, Martin Parker I
Samuel Weakley 2
1831, Hanson and Heliner I
Samuel Herr
2
Grory Mayer
I
Michael Nigh
2
T. McCabe
I
Elkanah Watter
I
John McCabe 2
James Gates
I
J. Stalsmith
I
Jacob Mackling
3
Joseph Stuckey
2
Nathaniel W. Latimer
I
Wm. N. Thorne & Co. 2
Geo. Myers
2
George Laelill
I
Hunter & Eddingfield I
Ellison Martin
John Caffman I
Abraham
Frederick Imkoff I
B. B. Light
I
Henry Bauman
1/2
Jacob Wagner, Jacob Waggoner 1/2
Jacob Lamb I
I
Jacob Dietrick
3
P. Beecher and J. Beecher 15
A. Pitcher
IO
Wm. J. Reese
2
Lewis L. Clark 3
Wm. Summer 4
Wm. Cox .IO
Joseph A. Greene
15
John Anthony
2
David Rokohl 5
Henry Stanberry 5
Nicholas Beery 2
Robert M. Smith
I
Hoe
3
P. A. Cassat I
his
Geo. x Ward (per S. F. Maccracken) .. I mark
John V. Pearse
2
John Welshimer
I
2
William Jessell
I
Theodore Williamson
I
. 1/2
S. B. Watts . 1/2
I
Robert Carmi
2
George W. Williamson I
Jacob Huber, Sr.
2
George Eversole 1/2 .
Henry Eversole
1/2
Thomas Anderson
I
Joseph Work 2
Robert Wilson
2
K. Slaughter I
Daniel Smith
2
Jacob Adams
2
Henry Dubble
2
Jacob Greene
IO
Frederick A. Shaeffer
5
Joseph Work
I
James Hampson (per E. Scofield) IO
Nicholas Beery
2
Joshua Clark
3
E. G. Pomeroy
2
John Herman
2
Lancaster Ohio Bank by John Creed 50
Jacob Claypool 5
Jesse Wotts
David Ewing
Lamuell Kisler
Apr. 29, Thos. Man
Abram Middleswarth
I
H. H. Waite I
OLD BRIDGE AT ZANESVILLE (Zane's Trace)
From "Historie Highways of America," by Courtesy of the Publishers. Copyrighted 1904 by The Arthur H. Clark Company.
AN OLD CONESTOGA FREIGHTER ON ZANE'S TRACE
From "Historie Highways of America." by Courtesy of the Publishers. Copyrighted 1904 by The Arthur 1. Clark Company.
247
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
No. of Shares.
John Wylie (draw two per cent) 2
Sam'l Beery
2
Jacob Beck, Jr. 2
John Padden, Jr. 1/2
Horatio Evans I
Isaac Minteeth I
Samuel Leather
I
J. Imbeck
I
John Huber, Jr. 2
Lancaster Gazette Office
I
John Gekeler
I
Jolın B. Meed I
Thomas B. Peeler . 1/2
Jesse D. Hunter 1/2
David W. Bildermits I
Martin Lautzer (per J. Work) I
I
Jacob Guile his
Edward x McCauley (per S. F. Mac- mark cracken) 1/2
Jonathan Coulson I
Nathan Weakley I
Valentine Cup 2
Jonathan Hattery 1/2
Peter Barnhard 1/2
By acts of April 11, 1873, April 11, 1876, and May 18, 1894, the entire Hocking Canal was abandoned. Not so with the Erie, Ohio and Miami Canals. For in Ohio the income to the state from the canal lands, and the water rental derived from the canal as a source of water power is greater than that derived from them in their palmiest days-ten, twenty and thirty years ago. Dayton, Piqua, Delphos, Akron and Canal Dover, and other cities use water power from canals for manufacturing purposes. The income from canals in Ohio is about $130,000 annually and it is estimated that in 1912 it will amount to $150,000.
ROADWAYS
Edmund Burke says: "There be three things that make a nation great and prosperous -a fertile soil, busy workshops and easy com- munication from place to place." Fairfield County has all of these, and many more ad- vantages. The fertile soil has brought wealth, contentment and happiness to her farmers ; hier shops and factories have been noted for the quality and quantity of their products. But the county has long been especially fortunate in the number and grade of her turnpikes and roads, there being today almost a thousand miles within the county.
Good roads liave formed a large element in the life of every civilized nation and the names of these highways are almost as prominent as the nations themselves. Who has not read of "The Great Trans-Siberian Road," "The St. Bernard Pass" over the Alps," "The Appian Way," and the "Corso" of Rome; "Broad- way," the old road from the Battery north along the Hudson, now claimed to be the long- est street in the world; "The Old Pennsylvania Road" from Philadelphia to Pittsburg; "The National Road" from Cumberland to Van- dalia, or "Zane's Trace?"
Thus we see the importance of good roads, for this famous old National Road, which was planned by Albert Gallatin to follow Zane's Trace, really made the cities of Columbus, In- dianapolis and Vandalia. The "Good Roads" movement is one of the most important now before the people and is nation-wide.
The most noted roads of this county are The Lancaster and New Salem road, about 12 miles long-a most excellent road; the Cedar Hill Pike; the Baltimore and Kirkersville road, leading north from Lancaster, passing through the cut at "Shimp's Hill," and on into Licking
248
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
County; the Lancaster and Lithopolis Pike, and the Lancaster and Carroll Pike, passing through Carroll and on to Canal Winchester ; the Amanda Road and the State Reform Farm Road. There are many miles of good mac- adam in the county, of recent construction, especially in Walnut township, where there are fourteen miles of limestone road, superior in quality to many pikes. The following excel- lent account of Fairfield's roadways is from the report of Mr. H. C. Belt, clerk to the county commissioners, submitted for publica- tion in January, 1912.
The act of the General Assembly passed at its session last winter relating to the office of State Highway Commissioner, required among other matters that the County Commissioners report to the Highway Commissioner the mile- age of roads within the county, an enumera- tion of the principal used highways, their condition as to matter of repair, character of materials, width of roadway, established width and many other details together with expend- itures for construction and repair of roads, and for construction and repair of bridges and culverts. This report to be accompanied by a map of the county, giving accurate loca- tion of all the roads, state, county and town- ship, showing in different colors the various materials of which composed.
H. C. Belt, Commissioners' Clerk and J. R. Schopp, County Surveyor, have completed the report and map. This report and map has been prepared, to a great extent from data furnished by the several Boards of Trustees of the townships. Many things were of neces- sity omitted from the report because it was impossible to secure reliable information with- out going over certain parts of the county to procure the same. In several of the townships, the Township Trustees went over the roads of their townships and procured the neces- sary data, and were thereby enabled to make full and accurate reports. In preparing this report it is found that because of the chaotic condition of the records of roads established years ago, and the fact that there is no accurate
county map in existence showing the roads of the county that it was impossible to make this report and map as accurate as it should be.
A detailed report is made on ten principal highways of the county, because of their in- ter-county importance. They are as follows : Zanesville & Maysville pike; Winchester pike; Sugar Grove pike ; Amanda & Circleville pike ; Cedar Hill pike; Infirmary pike; Pleasantville pike; Baltimore pike; Lancaster & Lithopolis pike ; and Hamburg pike. These roads being highways extending from Lancaster to prin- cipal cities and towns in adjoining counties.
The report shows 997 miles of highways in Fairfield county of which 228 miles are maintained by the County Commissioners and are termed improved roads, and consist of 78 miles of macadam and 150 miles of graveled road.
The various Boards of Township Trustees control and maintain 769 miles of road, dis- tributed as follows: Amanda township, 40 miles ; Bloom township, 55 miles ; Berne town- ship, 98 miles ; Clearcreek township, 60 miles ; Greenfield township, 471/2 miles; Hocking township, 52 miles; Liberty township, 78 miles ; Madison township, 461/2 miles ; Pleasant township, 61 miles; Rushcreek township. 581/2 miles; Richland township, 43 miles; Violet township 60 miles ; Walnut township, 70 miles. This mileage does not include pikes. Seven townships have in their reports indicated the surfacing materials used on their roads. Lib- erty township reports that they have five miles of macadam or limestone road under their jurisdiction improved for the most part by money levied locally. Pleasant township re- ports six miles built in the same way, and Walnut township, reports fourteen. In Wal- nut township, the people by their popular vote several years ago adopted the policy of a special levy for money to be expended for limestone, and their fourteen miles of lime- stone road, which is superior to many of the so-called pikes. is the result. This township is the only one of the county having no gravel fit for road building. Brick roads are found in Hocking township being the drives at the Boys' Industrial School.
249
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
The improved roads, or pikes under the con- trol of the Commissioners are distributed as follows : Amanda township, 26 miles ; Bloom township, 251/2 miles; Berne township, 1512 miles; Clearcreek township, 15 miles ; Green- field township, 24 miles; Hocking township, 19 miles; Liberty township, 221/2 miles; Madison township, 10 miles; Pleasant township, 19 miles; Rushcreek township, 91/2 miles; Rich- land township, 412 miles; Violet township, 20 miles ; Walnut township. 1712 miles.
The amounts in round numbers expended per mile of road by the several Boards of Trustees are as follows: Amanda township, $86.00; Bloom township, $29.00; Berne town- ship, $35.00; Clearcreek township, $43.00; Greenfield township, $60.00; Hocking town- ship, $43.00; Liberty township, $52.00; Pleas- ant township, $65.00; Richland township, $28.00; Rushcreek township, $42.00; Violet township, $56.00; Walnut township, $50.00.
The Commissioners, in the year ending Sep- tember 1, 1911, expended on the 228 miles under their control, the sum of $50,608.32, or about $222.00 per mile. In addition to this the Board expended for general road purposes other than on pikes, the sum of $5,226.24, this being used for making fills, cutting hills and otherwise assisting various townships with in- portant road improvements.
The report further shows that there has been expended by the Commissioners and Township Trustees for the construction of bridges and culverts the sum of $25.38, and for the repair of bridges and culverts the summ of $127.50.
The roads of Fairfield County compare favorably with those of other central Ohio counties, and considering the scarcity of first class road building material within its bor- ders, it is remarkable that so many good roads are to be found therein.
The Zanesville & Maysville Pike, extend- ing from the Pickaway County line at Tarle- ton, through Lancaster to the Perry County line east of Rushville, over the route of Zane's Trace practically, is one of the old-
est established roads of the county. This was formerly a toll road, constructed by The Zanesville & Maysville Turnpike Com- pany, and we are informed that it was a part of a road extending from northeastern Ohio south through Kentucky, Tennessee and to a point somewhere in Alabama. This road is a part of a national highway suggested in a recent magazine article, proposed to extend from Buffalo, N. Y., to New Orleans, to be called the Jefferson Memorial Road. (This is a suggestion of some good roads enthusiast and in the opinion of the writer is entitled to con- sideration, if the Federal Government en- ters upon the construction of good roads as now desired by many people.) The Z. & M. Pike in this county was purchased of the operating company in 1891, the gates removed and the road thrown open as a free pike.
Several other roads were constructed by turnpike companies, operated as toll roads for a number of years, but all are now free roads.
Some of the principal pikes were con- structed under the one and two mile as- sessment laws. All others, except those constructed by turnpike companies, were constructed on a plan peculiar to Fairfield County. Citizens residing in the vicinity of the road sought to be improved would raise by popular subscription an amount from 33 1/3% to 40% of the cost of the improvement proposed; to this the town- ship trustees would pledge enough, to be paid from the township road levy, to make the whole amount subscribed 50% or 60% of the estimated cost of the improvement ; the commissioners then appropriate enough to make up the full cost of the improve- ment, appoint a superintendent of construc-
250
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
tion and construct the road, permitting "straight as the eagle's flight." Parts of this persons subscribing to work out his sub- road are in just as good condition as when constructed 2,225 years ago. They knew how to construct a road that would stand the test of time. This is the great question now be- fore the people of Fairfield County and Ohio, and this demand for better roads is national. scription if he so desired. After a road was improved so as to conform to the standard required by the statute, the commissioners by resolution took over the road and there- after maintained the same as a free im- proved road.
The commissioners of this county as yet have made no experiments with oil, tar or asphaltum binders in road construction, but are awaiting with interest the result of ex- periments elsewhere.
The State Highway Department have ap- proved an application by the commissioners for four and a half miles of road, to be con- structed from the Pleasant Valley Church in Walnut township to the Licking County Line over the old Granville Road. This stretch of four and a half miles will make all inter- county roads improved roads, when this is con- structed. This is the only new construction in view at the present time.
There is no good roads association in the county, organized as such, but we may safely say that the interest in good roads in Fair- field County is equal to that of any other. The time is here when the average tax payer is perfectly willing to pay the necessary taxes for the construction and improvement of roads, recognizing the fact that bad roads operate in a negative way as the heaviest tax on his in- come that he has to bear.
ZANE'S TRACE
The Romans were the greatest road build- ers in history. The Roman roads have been noted in all ages and in all countries. Perhaps the most celebrated road in all history is the Appian Way, built by Appius Claudius, the Censor, 313 B. C., leading south from Rome, wild beasts of the forest, the trail of the Indian,
The plan of construction now under con- sideration is that there should be two roads side by side, leading across the country, one a dirt road for summer use, the other a high- grade macadamized road, both well drained and sufficiently elevated. In this connection it might be of interest to note the manner of construction of the celebrated Roman road re- ferred to above-the Appian Way.
Much time and expense was put upon the foundation. The ground was thoroughly drained, then all soil was removed from the substructure, then various layers of fine stone cemented by lime were put down. Lastly came the pavement, consisting of large, hard hexagonal blocks of stone, of basaltic lava, or marble, and so perfectly joined that it is yet impossible for one to discover the joints. These blocks are yet so perfect as to defy in- spection, and when the long years of usage are taken into consideration the workmanship seems marvelous. The same is true of the old Roman roads in England, upon which the modern railway companies have placed their tracks, thus forming the best possible road- beds.
But the roadway that interests us most in this history, is one no less valuable or noted than the Appian Way, and one which was built upon the same plan as was that famous Roman road. It is "Zane's Trace." Count- less thousands have journeyed along this fa- mous old road that was once the path of the
251
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
the blazed bridle path of the pioneer and the erty to locate such bounty lands lying at the great National Highway-the road that is "nobody knows how old."
Ebenezer Zane was an intrepid pioneer, born 1747, in the Valley of the Potomac in Vir- ginia, but whose life was largely spent in Ohio. His remains, and those of his family, rest in a neglected grave at Martin's Ferry, Belmont County, Ohio. He was a thrifty, hard-working man, honest and courageous. He married Elizabeth McCulloh, who was, like himself, a lover of the forest. They early accumulated considerable property, be- coming the founders of Wheeling in 1770, though the town was not regularly laid out until 1793. On consulting the oldest records and documents, we find that Ebenezer Zane held title to all the land upon which the city of Wheeling now stands; also the island in the river, and considerable valuable agricul- tural lands along the Ohio on the Ohio side of the river. He had learned through his brother Jonathan and others that there was much valuable land far in the interior of Ohio, along the Muskingum. In his early manhood he had opened a road from Pittsburg to Wheeling. Now, the rich lands about the Muskingum, and on to the west are attracting the attention of settlers, and Zane at once sees the necessity and the advantage of a road- way connecting all the settlements with the Ohio, and Wheeling and the East.
Thus this road stands alone among the great roadways in America, for it springs not as the result or demand of war, but of civilization; and not for exploration and settlement, but because those settlements were already there. Therefore, to aid struggling humanity in the wilds of central and southern Ohio, Ebenezer Zane, through a member of Congress, Mr. Brown of Kentucky, on March 25, 1796, pre- sented a memorial to Congress "praying lib-
crossing of certain rivers mentioned in the said memorial, as may be necessary to enable him to establish ferries and open a road through the territory northwest of the Ohio to the State of Kentucky." The memorial was passed and approved May 17, 1796.
"An Act to authorize Ebenezer Zane to lo- cate certain lands in the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio."
"Be it enacted, etc., That upon the condi- tions hereinafter mentioned, there shall be granted to Ebenezer Zane three tracts of land, not exceeding one mile square each, one on the Muskingum river, one on the Hocking river, and one on the north bank of the Scioto river, and in such situations as shall best pro- mote the utility of a road to be opened by him on the most eligible route between Wheeling and Limestone, to be approved by the Presi- dent of the United States, or such persons as he shall appoint for that purpose; Provided such tracts shall not interfere with any exist- ing claim, location or survey, nor include any salt spring, nor the lands on either side of the river Hocking at the falls thereof.
"Sec. 2 .- And be it further enacted, That upon the said Zane's procuring at his own ex- pense, the said tracts to be surveyed in such a way and manner as the President. of the United States shall approve, and returning into the treasury of the United States plats thereof, together with warrants granted by the United States for military land bounties to the amount of the number of acres contained in the said three tracts; and also producing satisfactory proof, by the first day of January next, that the aforesaid road is opened, and ferries es- tablished upon the rivers aforesaid, for the accommodation of travelers, and giving secur- ity that such ferries shall be maintained dur- ing the pleasure of Congress; the President of the United States shall be, and he hereby is, authorized and empowered to issue letters patent, in the name and under the seal of the United States, thereby granting and conveying to the said Zane and his heirs, the said tracts of land located and surveyed as aforesaid;
252
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
which patents shall be countersigned by the secretary of State, and recorded in his office : Provided always, That the rates of ferriage, at such ferries, shall from time to time, be ascertained (inspected) by any two of the judges of the territory northwest of the river Ohio, or such other authority as shall be ap- pointed for that purpose.
Approved May 17, 1796." (U. S. Statutes at Large, Private Laws 1789- 1845, P. 77.)
After the passage of this enabling act, Mr. Zane, aided by his brother Jonathan, and his son-in-law, John McIntire, both experienced woodsmen and Indian fighters, began work with vigor upon the 226 miles of almost un- broken wilderness. The work consisted, in all probability of cutting a broad path, or trace. through the woods. They followed the In- dian trail-the old, old, "Mingo trail"-from the Ohio to the Muskingum. This passed near the center of Belmont, Guernsey and Muskingum counties, avoiding the low marshy places, but keeping well upon the ridges and hills. In time this rude bridle path became a much-used highway, with hundreds of pack- horses and mules going over it daily. Cordu- roys were cut and laid in the low wet places ; then the plank roads, and finally the macadam, and we have the old Indian trail at its widest and best, and we now call it the "National Road." This noted roadway runs almost ex- actly upon Zane's trace from Wheeling to Lan- caster, and on to Chillicothe.
At Zanesville, named in honor of Ebenezer Zane, the "Trace" crossed the Muskingum for many years by means of a ferry, as was pro- vided in the enabling Act of Congress. Then a rude bridge, a faithful copy of which is shown herewith, was used. Then came the first, second and third "Y" bridge-the bridge of today.
The "Trace" entered Fairfield County on
the National Road, or more properly speaking, "The Zanesville and Maysville Pike," east of East Rushville ; thence it followed that road to Lancaster.
Zane's Trace passed through the present vil- lages of East and West Rushville. Edward Murphy kept a hotel near this road, a short distance from West Rushville. Among the many distinguished guests who partook of the bounties of this hotel at various times were General Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. The old hotel-now a rather dilapidated struc- ture-is still standing (1883). (Graham's His- tory of Fairfield and Perry Counties. )
In Lancaster the authorities differ as to the exact course of the "Trace," but it is generally accepted that the course followed Wheeling street as far as to Columbus street. Thence it must have turned to the south, crossing the Hocking, near what was for many years known as Coates' Cabin. This crossing was about 1,000 feet below the present bridge.
From Lancaster the "Trace" followed the Zanesville and Maysville Pike to Chillicothe, passing through a corner of Pickaway County, through the widely known "Pickaway Plains." The old "Trace" then made its way through the western part of Pike and the central part of Adams, and a small corner of Brown County, reaching the Ohio at Maysville, Ken- tucky. (Old Limestone.) Thus it will be seen that this road crossed through ten counties of the state, from the Ohio at Wheeling to the Ohio at Maysville-in all 226 miles.
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