USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 32
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In about 1832 or 1833, John Gilmore, after losing the above pioneer mill, by litigation with Mr. Pancoast, erected a mill two and a half miles above, on what is called Island branch of Deer creek, in the Overton survey, No. 463. After a dozen years he was succeeded by a colored man named Sylva, and very soon thereafter it was abandoned altogether.
William Harrison built a large steam flouring mill-the Madison Mills- in 1859. After doing a thriving business five years, he sold it and eight acres of ground to Andrew Shriver, of Ross county, who, failing to meet his payments, was relieved by John Harrison, who took the property over. A few years longer and the mill was dismantled and the machinery removed to Stuckey's mill, at Washington C. H. At the same time the grounds and buildings were sold to Abraham Lindsey, whose son. A. C. Lindsey, in 1880, bought new machinery at a cost of five thousand dollars and opened up, doing an extensive and profitable milling business.
Thomas Lindsey located a portable saw-mill on East fork of Paint creek, one mile southeast of Madison Mills, in March, 1881. Later the mill was moved a mile northwest of White Oak.
In 1822 Samuel Pancoast started a single carding-mill at Pancoastburg and operated the same about seven years. About 1829 he secured a partner, a Mr. Muzzy, from Springfield, Ohio, who added fulling and finishing ma- chinery. Then they secured John Messmore, an expert in such work, and another carding machine was added. Ten years later hand-spinning ma- chinery was put in-these were known as "Billie and Ginnie." It was not many years before John Messmore was sole owner, and he, in 1835, added a
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condenser and spinning-jack, thus continuing to card, spin, do the fulling process, dying, and finishing, until 1860, when steam power was added to run the machinery in dry and low-water seasons. Five years later his son succeeded him, and soon it became the property of Appleton Mowry, who, finding the larger mills and factories too much to compete with, sold off most of the machinery for old iron, and was content at manufacturing stocking varn.
VILLAGES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
There are now a number of very small hamlets within this township, the larger of which has less than three hundred population. These villages are Pancoastburg (old Waterloo), with about two hundred and fifty people ; Cook, with seventy population; Madison Mills, with less than a hundred and fifty people.
What was originally called Waterloo is in the extreme southeastern part of the township, on the road leading from Chillicothe to Urbana. It was laid out June 20, 1816, by Isaac Pancoast and Jesse Woodson, and occu- pies a part of the James survey, No. 470. The first lots, ten in number, were auctioned off in September of the year of the platting. This was the second, or re-platting, as no lots were sold at first, so in 1829 Pancoast again platted his town over. The first house was erected by Nathan Loofborrow, after the re-survey had been effected. Prior to that there had been a log cabin on the site. The second house was erected by John Messmore in 1833-34. This was a brick building.
Nathan Loofborrow opened a store in part of his dwelling soon after the last surveying. He continued five or six years and sold to Rowland Wil- son and a Mr. Jackson, of Mt. Sterling. They were short-lived. Prior to this store was that of Thomas Littleton, who began merchandising and kept it up until his death, about twelve years later. J. W. Blizzard closed out this stock in 1860. With the flight of years many have been engaged in trade at this village, and their names may appeal to some reader, who may know of or be related thereto, hence they are subjoined : Vance & Bailey, Girton & Phebus, J. W. Moore, Shreve Gaskill, A. P. Littleton, Daniel Kelley, J. W. Smith, Wharford Young, J. W. Gaskill, B. T. Corkwell, George D. Ladd, W. H. H. Timmons. James Lewis, Wesley Geoley, R. W. Messmore, Wick- man & Leach and E. A. Peasley. The last named opened a dry goods store in 1879, when J. W. Moore started in the grocery trade.
In 1850 A. S. Decker commenced to run a harness shop at this point and
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in the late eighties was still furnishing such work and goods for that section of Fayette county.
A shoe shop was put in by A. Howser, in 1879.
The earliest blacksmith of Waterloo was in 1830, in the person of Mr. Tracy, who at that date was eighty years of age, hence only wielded the sledge a few years longer. Others of that trade were Messrs. McClelland, John Timmons, Adley Bostwick, who was killed by the falling of a pile of native lumber. Also William Scott ran a shop later than this. Bostwick patented a plow which his apprentice manufactured.
At the present date, summer of 1914, the business at this point is chiefly in the hands of : F. W. Hatfield, hardware; C. A. Richardson, groceries ; M. R. Scott, general dealer ; R. L. Hutchison, general dealer; D. M. Norris, blacksmith; J. H. Richardson, postmaster.
There are churches as follows: Methodist Episcopal, Christian, Chris- tian Union societies. The present school house was erected in 1889.
CHAPTER XXIX.
CITY OF WASHIINGTON COURT HOUSE.
Washington C. H., the county seat of Fayette county, is located near the central portion of Union township, on Paint creek, and occupies a part of land entry No. 757, which consisted of twelve hundred acres and be- longed to Benjamin Temple, of Logan county, Kentucky, who donated one hundred and fifty acres to Fayette county for a county town, or seat of justice. The deed conveying this land to the county was made December 1, 1810, by Thomas S. Hind ( through a power of attorney from Temple) to Robert Stewart, who was appointed by the Legislature of Ohio as "director of the town of Washington," and who had the town laid off sometime be- tween December 1, 1810, and February 26, 1811, the latter date being the day on which the town plat was recorded.
The name "Washington Court House" was not given to the place until later. This was affixed in order to not confuse a town in Guernsey county, this state, with this one. It was a quite a common custom in both Virginia and Maryland to have the affix of "C. H." to many of their county seats, and hence, as many of our early settlers came from those states, it was but natural that some such affix be made. After the change was made it was almost universally used and not until a few years ago was there any attempt to cut off the "C. H." at the end of Washington. Petitions were freely cir- culated in 1911, and an exciting campaign was had over the proposed change, but when all was over it appeared that a majority of four hundred was in favor of retaining the affix of "Court House," and so it will probably always remain. The postal department will not admit of two offices by the same name in any one state. At the time this county was organized there was no such law, otherwise this difficulty might all have been remedied. A few years since the government changed the name Washington, Guernsey county, to "Old Washington," to distinguish it from the county seat of Fayette county, for much trouble arose over the distribution of mails for these two Ohio points. The fact is, that the Ohio Legislature gave this town-the seat of justice of Fayette county-the name of "Washington," and also when it was incorporated in 1831 it was incorporated as "Washing-
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ton." So, legally, it has never had the "C. H." attached to it, but is so called by common consent.
FIRST BUSINESS EVENTS.
Joseph Runk was probably the first merchant in Washington C. H. and occupied a hewed-log building, one end of which he used for a dwelling, on the east corner of Main and Market streets. He began business there perhaps as early as 1811, and continued until 1813, when he became finan- cially in straits, and his property was sold to Samuel Waddle, step-father of Judge D. McLain. About the time Runk began business at the place above located, or probably a little later. Peter Hefley opened a small store on the southeast side of Court street. Henry Snyder and Jesse Mulloy ran a store for awhile, then Mulloy retired, and Snyder carried on the business. Pierce Evans came with a large stock in 1814. He was soon followed by Samuel Evans and sons, from Highland county. Pierce Evans built a store room on the site of the old Toledo, Dayton & Baltimore depot and ran it until 1822, when he failed. Samuel Evans and sons continued for a time, sold out, and went into the tavern business on the corner of Court and Fay- ette. Waddle & McGara started a general country store in 1817, the former running the store and the latter practicing medicine, which was continued until 1822. When Pierce Evans failed, his goods were taken up by John Boyed and the business was carried on for years by James Shivers, who also kept drugs, and when he retired he was succeeded in the drug business by Daniel McLain. In 1830 there was a firm by the name of John McManis & Company. Samuel Yeoman, William McElwain, Webster Melvin & Com- pany and Henry Robinson & Company were in business about 1838-40.
In connection with his store, Peter Hefley also sunk a tanyard in the space to the rear of his store room and exchanged goods for hides. In this manner he carried on business for several years. This was the first tan- yard at Washington C. H. and was started shortly after he opened his store. The next tannery at Washington C. H. was started by McQuita & Stran in 1820, on the north corner of Court and North streets. This business was continued five or six years. In 1838 Jesse L. Millikan started a tannery on Main street, near the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley depot and carried on the business five or six years.
Henry Fletcher, in about 1812, opened a blacksmith shop on the south corner of Court and Fayette streets, which, if not the first, was among the very earliest blacksmith shops in Washington C. H. He carried on the busi- ness at this point fifteen or twenty years.
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Robert Casna was the first saddler, followed by Samuel Young, George Upp and Robert Wilson. Doctor Baldrick was the first physician in the town, but stayed only a few years. He was followed by Doctor McGara. Baldrick was also a Presbyterian minister. Zimmerman, Benjamin and John Hinton, James, David and Joseph Hopkins were all physicians and early residents. G. Dempsey was the first school teacher and James Clark one of his successors. Sampson Dempsey was the first justice of the peace and John Popejoy the next.
WASHINGTON C. H. IN 1815.
The following is taken from an old account and portrays well the ap- pearance of the town in that early year :
In 1815 Washington C. H. consisted of a few scattering log houses. The only brick in the village was the newly completed court house. There were two taverns. One was kept by William Harris in the house now occ11- pied by Mrs. Parvin, on Main street, north of the jail; the other on the corner now owned by Henry Dahl, corner of Court and Main streets, by Jacob Jones. They were both cabins, with roofs of clapboards. In the winter of 1815 Thomas McDonald opened a good public house, distinguished by a good shingle roof, on the lot built up by Colonel Yeoman. There were three dry goods stores, kept by Evans & Sons, Millikan & Snyder and Rank & Patterson. Their entire stock would not make a wagon load. There crossed Court street, on the site of Robinson & Herbert's building, a stream called Plug run. It was spanned on the street by a puncheon bridge. Heavy rains destroyed this bridge and required its reconstruction. West of the run there were but three buildings, a saddler and gunshop on the south side and a cabin on the north side, where is the residence of Doctor Rush. The town, on Court street, extended east to the corner now owned by Mrs. Evans. Where Millet resides stood a tanyard and two cabins. On Main street there were log houses as far north as Judge Priddy's corner : all beyond was woods. On Market street scattering cabins stood along from the corner on which stands the Methodist Episcopal church; west to the creek, north of Market, was a thicket where Mother Hubbard, a colored wo- man, shot quails and rabbits as well as a man. The grounds and residence of Benjamin Brown were an oak wood, in which stood the two-story log house of Samuel Buck, the lawyer. Henry Pursley's home stands where Jesse Millikan, the first clerk, recorder and postmaster, had built a two- story log dwelling. The tavern kept by Harris had for a sign the likeness
SOME WASHINGTON CHURCHES.
.
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COLUMBIA AND WASHINGTON AVES., WASHINGTON C. H.
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of Monroe or Madison. The people gathering in town on Saturday to trade and drink, shot out one of the eyes of the sign. The town site was heavily wooded with white oak and for years their great stumps blocked the streets, wherein wagons sank axle-deep in mud. There was a one-story school house built of round logs upon the lot of Market street where stood the old Methodist Episcopal church. Scholars came to the school from the De- Witte settlement four miles east of Washington C. H. The town had no churches. Methodists and Presbyterians met at the court house and held prayers at private cabins. There were but three or four Baptists in the town, to whom Revs. Yeoman, Bell and Snelsen preached at intervals. Bands of Cherokees and other tribes came to town and stayed for weeks. In 1813 Joseph Rank sold to Samuel Waddle inlots Nos. 10, 13, 20, 21 and outlots Nos. 1, 6 and 20 for ten thousand dollars. The same property was sold by the administrator of the estate in 1824 for one thousand dollars, showing the depreciation in property after the war.
In 1846 Washington C. H. contained a Presbyterian church, a Metho- dist Episcopal church, an academy, eight stores, two printing offices, two woolen factories, one saw-mill, two grist-mills and ninety-seven dwellings.
In 1889 the city had increased to the following: The Herald, the Fay- ette Republican, Ohio State Register, the Commercial Bank, People's and Drovers' Bank, Merchants' and Farmers' Bank, a Presbyterian, Christian, Methodist, Catholic, two colored churches and a Baptist church; also had the Janney & Manning machine shops, Fayette Creamery Company, White & Ballard's shoe factory, a sash, door and blind factory by A. Coffman & Company, the Ludlow soap factory, and flouring mills. As late as the nineties on the last Tuesday in every month there was held a public stock sale in the streets of the city, and on some occasions as high as six thousand four hundred head of cattle were sold in a single day.
FIRST AND EARLY EVENTS.
It seems pretty well established that the following are among the first events of the city :
The first white man's house was built by and for a Mr. Crusuer. It was erected in 1807 of rough logs cut from the forest where it stood.
The first store was kept by Joseph Houk ; the second by Peter Hofler, after which came Messrs. Robert Waddell, Pearson and John Evans.
The pioneer saddler and harness-maker was Robert Casna.
The earliest physician to practice the healing art was Doctor Baldrich,
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who was also a Presbyterian minister of some historic note. The next phy- sician was Doctor McGarraugh (sometimes spelled McGara).
The first school teacher was G. Dempsey and the second was James Clark.
The first blacksmith to wield the sledge and blow the forge was Henry Fishler.
The first to run a meat business was Samuel Fisk.
The first hatters were John Wilbright and Peter Gray.
The first tailors were G. Bloomer and S. Dempsey.
The first lawyer was Wade Loofborrow and the next was Samuel Buck, an account of whom will be found in the Bar chapter, and of him a good incident is told of how he was elected prosecuting attorney.
Natural gas was first piped into Washington C. H. in 1910, from the east, Ohio and West Virginia.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
Washington C. H. was incorporated in February, 1831, by an election held at the court house, when the following officers were duly elected : Mayor, Benjamin Hinton : recorder. Calvin B. Woodruff ; trustees (the cor- poration then only being a town or village), Thomas McGarraugh, William Halt. Jesse Millikan, Eber Patrick and James Shivers. Daniel McLain was appointed treasurer, and Arthur McArthur, marshal.
There are no complete sets of records or election books until in later years, hence a complete list of mayors, etc., cannot here be given. From all that can be gleaned from old papers, the following served the town as mayors in early days: Benjamin Hinton, first, then in order came John Saunders, Dr. James Beard, Joseph Bell, Thomas Hall, Wade Loofbor- row, John McLain, who was elected in 1841.
From 1888 to the present date the mayors of the city have been as fol- lows: John Millikan, 1888-90: J. B. Koontz, 1890-95: James L. Zimmer- man, 1895-98: V. U. Dahl, 1898-1901: J. T. Blackmore, 1901-3: C. C. Bateman, 1903-06; George F. Robinson, 1906-10; Rell G. Allen, 1910-12; Harve W. Smith, 1912-14: Charles F. Coffey, 1914 and still mayor.
The city officers in October, 1914, are: Mayor, Charles F. Coffey; auditor, John McFadden; service director, Charles Gesner ; safety director, William Dahl: city solicitor, Polk Gregg: clerk of the council, James Flynn; clerk of the service directory, Ray Maddox; health officer, John Bryan; city engineer, Bert Jacobs; treasurer, William Dwer. City council : Dr. L.
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P. Howe, Clark Rowe, William Sheets, James Whelpley, Peter Tracy, Mil- ton Tracy, Taylor Veal; president of council, Al Melvin. There are three regular policemen : D. L. Moore (chief), John Bond, Noah Bell, and an extra in the person of Stewart Judy.
CITY FINANCES.
The city's present indebtedness is about $250,000. The following was the statement, or report rendered in Sptember, 1914, by thecity auditor, showing some interesting details :
General Fund.
Safety Fund. $1.914.58
Health Fund.
License Fund.
Balance Sept. 1
$1,613.33
$187.71
$2.339.69
Receipts in Sept.
407.05
101.68
Total
$2,020.38
$1,914.58
$187.71
$2.441.37
Expenditures in Sept.
1,038.41
1,170.56
35.33
940.57
Balance Sept. 30.
$ 981.97
$ 744.02
$162.39
$1.500.80
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The organization of the Reliance Fire Engine, Hook and Ladder, and Hose Company took place at the court house Friday evening, September 20, 1872. Officers were elected and preparations made. On November 4, 1872. the city was divided into four fire wards, Court street being the dividing line. The first ward composed that portion of the city lying north of Court street and east of Fayette; the second ward consisted of the territory lying north of Court and west of Fayette; the third occupied that part of the city lying south of Court and west of Fayette; and the fourth comprised the remainder of the corporation lying south of Court and east of Fayette. Great changes have been wrought in the city and its territory since then. The present fire company is among the good ones of cities of the class in which Washington C. H. is placed. It has seen many fires and been active and always on the alert for the firebugs and their work. At present the crew consists of Chief Gig Paul, who has been in service for the last twenty years and who is the right man in the right place. His assistants are Lem Mayo, Ernest Rodgers and Earl Leach. One team is kept by the city for the use of the department, and in December, 1913, the city purchased a splendid
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FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
Ahrens-Fox automobile fire truck of the celebrated makers at Cincinnati, the expense being ten thousand dollars. It is a splendid modern piece of fire- fighting machinery, and at the fire alarm is on the scene of the fire in won- derfully quick time. It carries a large amount of hose, and has as its chief feature an excellent pump capable of forcing water over the top of the Goddess of Liberty on the dome of the court house if occasion should demand so great a force. The department is equipped with one thousand eight hundred feet of new and six hundred feet of partly worn hose; also any amount of common hook-and-ladder appliances. Aside from the men named, the company is made up of citizen volunteers who act in harmony with the chief and his regular crew of firemen. There are now one hundred and forty-five fire plugs or street hydrants in use in the city.
SOME EARLY-DAY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
April 13, 1831, by an ordinance it was required of every groceryman who desired to sell intoxicating liquors from his stock to procure a license of the town, which cost him three dollars and seventy-five cents.
April 28, 1832, when the town was only a year old, as an incorpora- tion, it was resolved that no license should be given to any person to sell liquor in the limits of the town, after July of that year.
May 19, 1833, Henry Phelps, Norman F. Jones, Wade Loofborrow and Jesse Millikan were allowed nine dollars and thirty-seven cents for their interest in the fire engine "Leo," which they had purchased of W. H. H. Pinney. The same year, at an expense of thirty-nine dollars, the town built a fire engine house, eight by fourteen feet in size.
In 1834 it was ordered that ten ladders be made at once for the use of the firemen.
June 3, 1843, it was ordered that a levy of one mill be made for cor- poration purposes.
March 28, 18.45, it was ordered by an ordinance that it was lawful to kill any dog running at large in town for the following three months. It is not stated whether the council were given medals for this act or not.
August 7, 1848, the council adopted rules and regulations for the gov- erninent of Washington Fire Company, which was duly organized under the act of General Assembly, March, 1843.
November 15, 1851, the mayor and recorder were instructed to grant the right-of-way through the town to the Cincinnati, Zanesville & Wil- mington railroad, the same to run on the north side of East street.
E
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MAIN STREET, LOOKING WEST, WASHINGTON C. H.
4TH OF JULY, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, WASHINGTON C. H.
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C .. H.000
PEUPLES CP
OF JULY HEADQUARTER
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H.L.B
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.
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In 1852 the tax levy was raised to three mills on a dollar.
The same year an ordinance was passed prohibiting the sale of intoxi- cating drinks in the town.
December 2, 1852, one thousand two hundred and twenty-five dollars were ordered paid to a Cincinnati firm for the fire-engine, hose, reel and hose carriage. William Burnett was also paid twenty-five dollars for bringing the fire-engine from Cincinnati by wagon.
In March, 1855, another liquor prohibition ordinance was passed, but owing to the courts saying it conflicted with a state law, it was never en- forced.
July 16, 1858, an ordinance was passed prohibiting the flying of kites within the town, the penalty being a fine of not less than fifty cents and not over five dollars. The boy of today would certainly rebel, on the ground of conflicting with his "personal liberty."
As late as 1863 they had to have an ordinance to prevent the running at large of swine in the streets of this town.
In 1868 it was unlawful to be a vagrant in the town, and the act of prostitution came in under the same head and subject to the same fine.
In 1870 the council passed an ordinance prohibiting the stores and shops from opening on the first day of the week-Sunday, commonly known. In January, 1875, the first regular board of health was created here.
May II, 1875. an ordinance was passed permitting the Washington Gas and Light Company to establish their works within the city.
August 14, 1876, an ordinance was passed prohibiting "fast driving" in the streets.
January 4, 1875, the council granted the fire company the right to pur- chase a steam fire-engine, in place of the old Babcock engine then in use.
Union township and the city went "dry" (saloonless) in 1906 by four hundred and twenty-six majority and still remains in the dry column.
OLD TIMES.
From an old issue of the Fayette County Herald the following is taken :
An old friend from the country, who had lived in the county from the time of its organization, was sitting in our office the other day and looking across the street at the old Parvin building, which was made of hewed logs and weather-boarded up. noticed that the boards were torn off and the logs exposed, said that his mind was carried back sixty years or more, when the old log house was occupied by the late John Popejoy as a tavern; and,
(23)
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said he, "When we youngsters used to come here to muster, we used to buy whiskey of John and pay him in Piatt shinplasters, and he would stick the currency between a crack in the logs and the mischievous young soldiers would take the same currency from its depository and buy more whiskey with it from old John."
This log house was the last relic of the olden times in the town and has been long since removed. It was erected in 1811, from logs which were cut from the ground on which it stood. It was the first hotel in Washing- ton C. H.
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