USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 48
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George Sanderson was married to Nancy Abrams. He died in 1871. Their children were George, Saint Clair, Alexander, Maria (Mrs. Crim) and Emma (Mrs. Julian), all deceased but George, now a resident of Lancaster but who has traveled extensively having been in the Sandwich Islands and other distant countries.
Robert married Hannah Kerr; both are deceased, leaving no heirs. Margaret was married to Judge Heck near Somerset, and the only one of their family now living is the widow of their son, formerly Rachel Shaffer, now at the advanced age of 86.
William A. Sanderson married Hannah Kerr. His death in the prime of life, over fifty years ago, was greatly regretted, but his widow took good care of the young chil- dren and raised them well. There were five sons and three daughters. One daughter Margaret (Mrs. Johnston) and two sons, Robert and George, and their mother died a number of years ago. The survivors are Elizabeth, Mary (Mrs. Funk), Alexander, John and William.
The two remaining children of Alexander Sanderson and his wife Elizabeth died early in life.
The family were all valuable citizens- Whigs in politics in the olden time. "The Lancaster Gazette" has been taken regu- larly by William A. Sanderson and his fam- ily ever since its establishment in 1826.
Three of the brothers, George, Robert and William A., served their country in the war of 1812; and among other experiences were part of the forces surrendered by Gen. Hull at Detroit. The Hull surrender was so generally considered unnecessary and dis- graceful that they did not observe the terms of their parole, but went to work and raised another company, which they took to the front ; and George became a Major Gen- eral.
In his youthful days, George carried the mail on horseback along a portion of "Zanes trace" (as it was called) from Chillicothe through Lancaster, Rushville and Somerset to Zanesville once a week and return.
In after life George Sanderson was for many years justice of the peace in Lancas- ter, and it was no uncommon thing for per- sons in distant parts of the county who had some special case to take it to Squire San- derson. One such occurrence is recalled when the procession of persons from New Salem to Lancaster in vehicles and on horse- back extended for one-fourth of a mile. Robert Sanderson was Justice of the Peace for a number of years in Rush Creek Town- ship.
In those old days persons were known in order to benefit their own lands changed public roads, and made them worse; some- thing which would not be allowed now. But the public spirit of William A. Sanderson was shown by his changing a road on his farm from a very bad place to some of his best land; all at his own instance and with- ont remuneration.
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A much worn copy of "The Lancaster Gazette" for March 22, 1844 ("Gazette and Express" then), now on the desk, contains an interesting address delivered by Gen. Sanderson concerning old times in the West and in Lancaster, the request for its publica- tion being signed by William Medill (after- ward Governor of Ohio), Joshua Clarke, M. A. Daugherty. John C. Pearce and Geo. T. McDonald.
After his patriotism the distinguishing trait in Gen. Sanderson's character was his fairness and exact justice to all with whom he became acquainted in any way. His busi- ness qualifications were very good and his intellectual attainments without any benefit from advanced schools were altogether in advance of his time.
He was the first editor and publisher of "The Lancaster Gazette."
MARY ELIZABETHI REESE
The eldest daughter of Charles R. Sher- man was Mary Elizabeth, born April 12. 1812. She lived 78 years in Lancaster-all of her life, except ten years in Philadelphia. She enjoyed a wide acquaintance, was a cul- tured and refined woman-an extremely in- teresting woman-the center of social life of Lancaster for three-quarters of a century. At the age of seventeen years she was married to William J. Reese, a Philadelphia lawyer who had located in Lancaster and together they spent more than fifty years of married life in Lancaster. Mrs. Reese spent the last days of her life in her historic old home with her son, Col. Henry B. Reese, who on July 3. 1888, retired to Lancaster after 27 years' service in the United States army. The chil- dren of General and Mrs. Reese are Col. Henry B. Reese, Mrs. Margaret Reber, whose husband was Judge Samuel Reber, of St.
Louis, Mrs. Granger, wife of Judge M. W. Granger of Zanesville, Mrs. Alfred M. Hoyt of New York City, and Miss Julia Leah Reese of Lancaster. In 1900 Mrs. Reese passed away in Lancaster. The local chapter Daughters of American Revolution, is named in her honor the Elizabeth Sherman Reese Chapter.
CAPTAIN KELLER
AAugustus Ruffner Keller was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, July 1, 1838, and died at his home in Lancaster, Ohio, May 11, 1896, in the fifty-eighth year of his age. He was the youngest son of Daniel and Su- sannah Ruffner Keller, who were among the earliest, most widely known and most highly respected of the pioneer families of Fairfield County.
A. R. Keller was a citizen of Fairfield County, comparatively all his life. Born and reared an unpretentious farmer boy, he re- ceived his early education in the local schools of the county, and later he attended college at Otterbein University at Wester- ville, and also at Ohio University at Athens. Intellectually, he was of a bright spirited na- ture ; his fund of information was unlimited, and consequently he was a keen conversa- tionalist, delighting all with whom he con- versed. His patriotic sympathies early made him a student of the times which pre- ceded the rising of the secession war cloud of 1861, and when its dark shadow envel- oped our country in its threatening folds, he unhesitatingly took the step which gave the best years of his young manhood to the cause of Union and Freedom. No braver or truer soldier ever served his country and he was a great friend to all who wore the blue.
He enlisted as a private soldier in Co. I, Ninetieth O. V. I. at its formation in 1862;
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was made first lieutenant ; transferred to Co. B in July, 1863 ; appointed captain and A. Q. M. in August, 1864; and subsequently quar- termaster of civil engineers on Gen. Steed- man's staff, stationed at Chattanooga, Dept. of Gen. Thomas' Army of the Cumberland.
At the close of the war, on April 20, 1865, he was married to Miss Margaret McFar- land, the youngest daughter of the vener- able pioneer of Greenfield Township, Mr. Walter McFarland. To this union were born four children : Helen J., of Lancaster and Dan M., of Chicago, while the two youngest, Edith and Henry Wilson, had pre- ceded the father to the spirit land.
In addition to his very creditable military career, Capt. Keller served the public in various positions of trust and responsibility in civil life. He was always active in all edu- cational matters and served various terms on the county boards of education, where his name bears a living influence. He also served a number of years as a member of the
Board of Directors of the Ohio Penitentiary. He was a presidential elector in the cam- paign of 1876, which resulted in the election of R. B. Hayes as president, under whom lie was appointed as Indian Agent for the Crow Reservation, which place he creditably filled from 1878 to 1883.
Capt. Keller was a member of the Ohio Commandery of Loyal Legion and of the Ezra Rickets Post, G. A. R., of Carroll. He was an uncompromising Republican, de- voted and loyal to his party. As a public- speaker he was eloquent and much in de- mand. As a journalist he was keen, intelli- gent and forceful. As a friend, he was true as steel, with a great big heart ever attuned to the calls of suffering humanity.
Dr. H. A. Thompson of Dayton, an inti- mate friend of Capt. Keller, was present at
the funeral and paid a most worthy and elo- quent tribute to a worthy man. Then wrapped in the flag that he had loved so well, the body was carried to its last resting place by the following, all of whom were in- timate friends : Captains O. B. Brandt, H. O. Harden, Jacob Orman, G. W. Welsh and John Strentz. A military salute was fired, the trumpet sounded "taps" and the funeral rites were over.
HELEN CALDWELL HADSELL.
HON. HENRY J. BOOTH
Mr. Henry J. Booth was born at Lancaster, Ohio, March 14, 1849, a son of Henry Mad- ison Booth, a descendant of a collateral branch of the James Madison family, and Ann A. (Jones) Booth, of Welsh, English and Scotch descent: educated in the public schools of Licking County-later at Denni- son University-and Amherst College, from which Mr. Booth received the degree of A. B. in 1873. He was admitted to the bar in 1874 and has practiced continually in Co- lumbus since that time. He is now (1912) the senior member of the firm of Booth, Keating, Peters and Pomerene.
In politics Mr. Booth is an ardent democrat and served his state as member of the General Assembly 1878-79. He has been a Trustee of the Ohio State University, Starling Medical College, Columbus Medical College and a lec- turer on medico-legal jurisprudence in the Columbus Medical College, and is now a trustee of Starling-Ohio Medical College. He is the author of "Law of Street Railways" the pioneer and the standard text-book on that subject.
A member of the bar thus speaks of Henry J. Booth: "It may be safely said that in medico-legal cases he has no equal in Central Ohio, and that he has been employed in
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nearly every important will case that has been tried in the courts of Franklin County for a quarter of a century. He is an all round lawyer, as safe and conservative as a coun- selor as he is efficient in the court room. His oratorical powers are of a high order and his arguments, whether oral or written, are logi- cal and forceful, and statements of fact are re-inforced by pertinent citations of authority. Scholarly attainments; a modest, dignified, gentlemanly bearing; a respectful considera- tion of his professional associates and of the courts ; a loyal devotion to clients and friends ; a high moral sense; high ideals of civic duty -these are the qualities which have made Mr. Booth a leader in his community, not only as a lawyer, but as a citizen."
In July 1876 Mr. Booth was married to Miss Madge I. Coney. They have four chil- dren-Florence (Mrs. Charles D. Young), George H. Booth, admitted to the bar in 1906; Marjorie, and Herbert Barton.
DR. HENRY C. EYMAN
Dr. Henry C. Eyman, superintendent of the Massillon State Hospital, at Massillon, Ohio, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, April 13th, 1856. His early education was obtained at Fairfield Union Academy. After completing the course at that institution he taught school for several years, and then en- tered the Columbus Medical College, where he graduated with the class of 1880. Since then he has made mental and nervous dis- eases his great specialty.
His first location was at Tarlton, Pickaway County, Ohio, where failing health, due to the severe exposures of country practice, forced him out of the active work for a short time. He and his brother, Lou Eyman, purchased a drug store in Lancaster. In 1884 he was ap- pointed assistant physician at the Athens
Asylum. In July, 1887, he was appointed as- sistant superintendent of the new asylum at Toledo. His success in the treatment of those mentally ill brought him deserved recognition, and his ability was so thoroughly demon- strated that he was made superintendent of the asylum at Newburg, Cleveland, on August 6, 1891. He remained at the head of this institution until November 1, 1899, when he was unanimously called to the super- intendency of the Massillon State Hospital, to succeed the renowned Richardson, who had been elected to preside over the Govern- ment Hospital at Washington.
Under Dr. Eyman's superintendency at Cleveland the last of the mechanical means of restraint were abolished. Under the old regime dozens of patients were kept in sol- itary confinement, tied to benches and chairs, slept in cribs, were daily subjected to the muff and straight jacket. Dr. Eyman had been educated in the school of non-restraint under the accomplished Richardson, and the great, lovable Tobey; consequently these almost mediaeval means of controlling the insane were quickly abandoned and diversion, occu- pation and recreation were substituted. The doctor was for twelve years Professor of Mental and Nervous Diseases in the Cleve- land College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is a member of the American Medical As- sociation, the Ohio State Medical and the American Medico-psychological Associations.
He has written numerous monographs, and his contributions to the literature of his specialty have attracted much attention. He was appointed a member of the building board of the Massillon State Hospital, then the Eastern .Asylum for the Insane, by Gov- ernor Mckinley, and consequently has been associated with the work at this institution since its inception.
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The founder of the Eyman family in Ohio was the Doctor's great grandfather. Henry Eyman, who, a farmer, settled in Fairfield County, Ohio, soon after the Revolutionary War, in which he had fought under General Washington. Henry Eyman, the first, settled in Virginia over 200 years ago. Henry B. Eyman, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a school teacher and farmer, and for the last ten years of his life was mayor of New Salem, Ohio. He had eight children. namely D. S., late a resident of Rushville, Fairfield County, Samantha Henderson, Jate a resident of New Salem, Maggie Spitler, now a resident of Pleasantville, Ohio: C. B .. Lou E. and Homer E., residents of Lan- caster ; Frank P., assistant traffic manager Chicago and Northwestern Railway, and Henry C., our subject.
Dr. Eyman was married September 12, 1880, in Fairfield County, to Miss Lestia, a daughter of Warren Dern, a stock dealer of New Salem, Ohio. Mrs. Eyman died October 21, 1908, at Massillon, Ohio. Two daugh- ters, Ethel and Gladys, live with their father at the Superintendent's residence, Massillon State Hospital.
NETTIE KAGAY GRAVETT
Mrs. Nettie Kagay Gravett-Among the sons and daughters of Ohio who have taken up their residence in the far West is Mrs. Nettie Kagay Gravett, State Librarian of Colorado. Mrs. Gravett was born at Bre- men, Fairfield County, Ohio, during the throes of the Civil War. She is the only daughter of Rudolph and Anne Taylor Ka- gay, and on both sides of the family is de- scended from distinguished Revolutionary ancestry. On the paternal side she has as her fifth removed grandfather, James Pat-
terson, who was the leader of William Penn in the Cresap Rebellion.
Mrs. Gravett received her education in the common schools of Fairfield County, at Fairfield Union Academy and at Oxford College, Oxford, O., graduating from the last named institution in the last class under Dr. Robert Desha Morris, who was for forty years president of that school and one of the greatest educators of his time.
In 1888 she was married to John Gravett. the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Gravett, prominent citizens of Lancaster, O., and went to Little Rock, Ark., where her hus- band was engaged in business. They lived there but a short time and then removed to Denver in 1889. At that time the Woman's Club movement was in its beginning and Mrs. Gravett became identified with it and took active part in organizing and establish- ing clubs in different parts of the state where she lived from time to time. She served the Colorado State Federation of Women's Clubs, an organization of 10,000 women, as chairman of the Art Committee, first vice president. and is at the present time the General Federation State Secre- tary.
Mrs. Gravett has also been an active worker in the Daughters of the American Revolution and at present is State Confer- ence Registrar, D. A. R. Through the ge- nealogical department in the State Library she is arousing much interest in genealogy and building up the patriotic societies in the West.
Ever since women were given the right of suffrage in Colorado Mrs. Gravett has exer- cised her rights of citizenship and has taken a deep interest in the political welfare of her state, at all times loyal to the cause of
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women and serving her party faithfully whenever and wherever needed. When her husband died five years ago, her friends in Ohio urged her to return East, but she said, "No I would never live in a state where I could not have the rights of citizenship. A woman's chance for happiness in her home and success in business is infinitely greater in a suffrage state and I will cast my lot in Colorado."
At this time Mrs. Gravett turned to li- brary work. She took the training in Li- brary Science and was appointed librarian of the new Carnegie Library at Salida, Colo- rado. She opened and organized this li- brary, which is considered one of the finest in the state. In January, 1911, Mrs. Gravett was appointed to the office of State Libra- rian by Mrs. Helen M. Wixson, State Super- intendent of Public Instruction. Here she is working with her characteristic zeal and en- thusiasm. She has undertaken the work of cataloguing the library and is trying to widen its scope of usefulness, to raise its standard. She is putting forth her best ef- forts to eliminate politics from library man- agement, and to better library conditions in Colorado.
HON. JOHN G. REEVES MOUNT PLEASANT
Mount Pleasant, which is the highest soli- tary mountain in Ohio, is situated one mile due north of the crossing of Main and Broad streets, Lancaster. It rears its head 250 feet above the surrounding plain. It has a base, one and one-half miles in circumference. and its top is not more than two acres in ex- tent, so that the whole resembles a hugh pyramid. As to the texture, Prof. Hyde says "Mt. Pleasant, at Lancaster, is com- posed wholly of sandstones, which are Cuya-
hoga in age, and it requires considerable elasticity of imagination to believe that the massive, coarse, pebbly sandstones found here were deposited simultaneously with the shales on Salt Creek. Such is, however, the case."
It is said also by geologists that an inland sea once spread over Central Ohio, and that from out of this vast expanse of water. "Standing Stone," as it was called by the Indians, raised its head, a solitary island. The main approach is by a gradual ascent from the east. Three of its sides are seamed by deep ravines and gullies, while the fourth or western slope is abrupt and sheer, 325 feet above the level of the Hocking river. Mount Pleasant is a place of unusual inter- est to all strangers because of the beautiful view which its summit affords of the sur- rounding country. The valley of the Hock- ing river is seen many miles in both direc- tions and the Reform Farm can be seen six miles to the southwest. The Duke of Sax- ony visited it in 1828 and carved his name in the yielding sandstone where it is still visi- ble. This mountain has been the scene of a number of tragic deaths-people have fal- len from its summit over the perpendicular side, and death has relieved their suffering before they reached the base. The well known "Summer House," a natural recess carved by the ages from the western side. was almost inaccessible until in recent years, an artificial ladder was placed there. This latter device has removed much of the haz- ard in reaching the "Summer House." Be- fore the ladder was put in place, many men and women, each year. risked their lives in gaining this chamber.
The beautiful story of Forest Rose, founded upon the "Cold Spring Rescue," an Indian legend, put into charming form by
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Emerson Bennett, has added lustre to the age-old story of the rock. Three names have, in as many periods of time, designated this grand old pile of Nature's handiwork. First the Indian name, Standing Stone, sec-
ond Mt. Pleasant, and lastly "Rising Park" from the fact that Mr. Philip Rising pur- chased the mountain, and graciously pre- sented it to the city of Lancaster as a public park.
CHAPTER XX
CONCLUSION
Influences that Helped to Build a Great County-A Brave, Devoted and Enterprising People -Fairfield County a Type of the Great American Nation of To-day-Sail On! Sail On!
History is a record of what man has done. of "quartered" oak; and in a thousand useful The tides of old ocean; the storms of winter; ways it serves the convenience of man, and has filled his pockets with shining gold. the torrid blasts of summer-all the influences of Nature combined have not wrought as great changes upon the earth's surface as has man, the type of an endless life.
Long before the dawn of civilization man commenced to make history, to change the face of Mother Earth. In all the ages of civilized man, these changes have been grow- ing at an increased rate. The great virgin forests, once covering the earth with a shield, have been laid low by the hand of man. The streams have been bridged, and the marshes drained. The black diamond and the amber oil have been brought from the depths for the comfort and necessity of man. The East and the West, the North and South have been brought together by steam and electricity, al- most causing us to forget time and space.
These facts apply to no part of the country more fittingly than to Fairfield county.
The old Swamps-once a menace to health and a bar to progress-have been made to blossom like the rose, and well-ordered farms with commodious dwellings and giant barns, are seen on every hand. The primeval forest has been converted into polished floors
Schoolhouses and churches stand at every crossing of the ways, and these silent emblems are the means by which a great and noble people was evolved. Fairfield County, with her millions of wealth, her yet undeveloped resources, is an excellent type of the great American Nation of which she is a part. The same brand of patriotism that was born in the breast of Otis, Hancock, Jefferson, Henry and Adams, was found, fully ignited in the breasts of the people of Fairfield County when Lincoln sent forth his call for help, and in just sixty hours thereafter soldiers from this county were en route for Washington. Of the 100,224 common soldiers which Ohio sent to the war, Fairfield County furnished 3,000.
In the veins of the people of this county pours a flood of rich blood, formed from the mingling of the best of many nations-the German, the Welsh, the Scotch-Irish, the French, the Danish, and the English-and the product is a type of citizens of energy and determination.
In intellectual pursuits the people of the
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county have always taken an advanced stand- ing. They have been prominent in law, med- icine and statesmanship. Her voice has been heard in the councils of the State, and of the Nation. Her people are independent and courageous-they could live well if shut off from the rest of the world by some impas- sable barrier. From the soil, responsive to the farmer's patient toil, comes annually 400,- 000 bushels of wheat, and a million bushels of shelled corn, and other cereals in like pro- portion.
The future of Fairfield County is assured -her rank and her standing in the sisterhood of counties of a great State, are unalterably fixed. She cannot retrograde ; she must go on to still greater achievements.
"On, Sail On"
It is fitting to close this History of grand old Fairfield County with Joaquin Miller's in- spiring poem on Christopher Columbus for the poet sees in him what we see in this County-"the embodiment of the deathless surge that sends men and nations ever for- ward."
COLUMBUS.
Behind him lay the gray azores, Behind the gates of Hercules;
Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas.
The good mate said, "Now must we pray, For lo, the very stars are gone.
Brave Admiral speak, what shall I say?"
"Why, say, 'Sail on, sail on, sail on.'"
My men grew mutinous by day, My men grew ghastly wan and weak. The stout mate thought of home. A spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say at break of day, 'Sail on, sail on, sail on, and on.'"
They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow, Until at last the blanched mate said, "Why, now, not even God would know Should I and all my men fall dead. These very winds forget their way, For God from these dread seas is gone,
Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say-" He said, "Sail on! Sail on! and on!"
They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the mate
"This mad sea shows its teeth tonight,
He curls his lip, he lies in wait With lifted teeth as if to bite! Brave Admiral, say but one good word, What shall we do when hope is gone?" The words leapt as a flaming sword : "Sail on! Sail on! Sail on! and on."
Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck, And peered through darkness. Ah that night Of all dark nights! And then a speck- A light ! A light! A light! A light! It grew, a starlit flag unfurled ! It grew to be Time's burst of dawn. He gained a world; he gave that world Its grandest lesson : "On! Sail on !"
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