USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the State of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 29
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
and one, he died in his cabin on the banks of the Mohican, where a monument was erected to his memory.
A PANTHER SLAIN.
William Robinson, already mentioned as Fayette's first settler, was surrounded by a multitude of game, and in 1802 killed fifteen bears, three catamounts, fifteen elk, and one hundred deer. He was, on one occasion, hunting upon the head-waters of the Rattle- snake, when a light noise behind him caught his alert ear. Wheel- ing, he saw at a little distance an enormous panther following his trail. It was the work of a moment to leap behind a large oak at hand, pick his flint, and cock his rifle. A failure to inflict a mortal wound was a prelude to a terrible struggle, and carefully the iron tube was leveled as the beast came near. He fired, and as the ball struck the center of its head, the panther fell lifeless to the ground. Its length was eleven feet, its height thirty inches.
POT-HUNTING.
The grass on the prairies growing as high as a man, and the many creeks and pools in the country supplying plenty of food and drink, made the lands of Fayette to abound in game. The number of deer slain seems incredibly large. In the winter of 1815-16 there fell a snow of sixteen inches, followed by rain, which froze and formed a crust, on which boys and dogs could travel, but which broke through beneath the deer. Every one turned deer hunter, and venison was peddled in Washington by the settlers at six cents a saddle, or two saddles for a pound of lead or quarter pound of powder.
Wild turkeys abounded in the county till 1830. Their meat was wholesome, and preferred to bear or deer. They have been killed of twenty pounds weight.
Wolves are dangerous only when famishing. They had here abundant food, and were never known to make an attack. The last wolf was killed in 1848, on the waters of Sugar Creek, by Daniel Carmaen.
Hogs ran at large, and multiplied marvelously. Hordes of them infested the woods. They had long tushes, long and sharp head and nose, and when aroused to anger were more to be dreaded
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than any beast of the forest. They were swift of foot, and ran like hounds. Their favorite resort was on the banks of Sugar Creek, where their nests were made in the jungles.
Snakes were numerous. Of these there were rattlesnakes, black snakes, the garter, the spotted or "cabin" snake, and the copper- head.
THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE.
During the initial steps toward educational advancement in this county, the facilities for literary attainments were not so varied as are thrown around the youth of to-day.
Following our cicerone along a blazed path through the woods to the old log school house; rapping, a voice from the far interior says, "Come in." We pull the latch-string, enter, and at the re- quest of the "master," settle down upon a puncheon bench, the cynosure of all eyes. The first thing we observe is that nearly the whole end of the house is occupied by a fire-place, within whose capacious depths the crackling blaze sends forth light, heat, and cheerfulness. Our gaze being attracted to the outside, we look- not through French plate, but a hole, made by sawing out a log and replacing it with paper greased with lard. Our attention is re- called by a shrill voice: " Master, mayn't I git drink?" The urchin goes to the bucket, setting on a bench near the door, takes the tin from the accustomed peg, dips it full, drinks a few sups, holding it over the bucket meanwhile, pours the balance back, looks around awhile, goes back to his seat, and with his dog's-eared book close to his face, is soon lost in study.
We observe the benches are made out of flat rails and puncheons, with wooden pins in them for legs; backs they have none. The "master" has a table made by driving pins in the wall, and placing hewed puncheons on top of them. Under each window a similar contrivance accommodates the scholars.
While examining these unique writing-desks, we are again startled by a sharp cry, apparently in agony : "Master, please mayn't I go out?" Consent is given, and the boy hurriedly moves toward the door, pausing to take down a crooked stick and carry it out with him. Our curiosity is excited, and while the "master's" back is turned, we ask a big, white-headed boy near us what it is for, who, opening his mouth wide, and staring at us in blank
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amazement, says : "No other boy don't darst go out while that stick is gone."
As incentives to close application to study, we observe a rule of about a pound in weight, and a formidable-looking beechen rod, whose acquaintance every boy in school has long ago formed.
Dilworth's Arithmetic, Webster's Spelling Book, and the Testa- ment, were the text books. It seemed to be an expressly settled fact, that during a recitation a boy could get up a better spirit of inspiration by stentorian competition with his fellows; and in the spelling class, the boy that could spell the loudest should stand head. It was interesting to see the boys at the end of the bench standing on tiptoe, with every muscle in a quiver, waiting for the master to say " noon," in order to get out first and raise the biggest yell.
EARLY MAILS.
Postal facilities in early days were not so varied as at present. Letters at that time, on account of the difficulty of transmitting them, and their consequent scarcity, were of vastly more significance than at present, and to become the favored recipient of one mail a day was truly enviable.
The stamped envelope had not been invented, and such a thing as delicately tinted, highly perfumed note paper was altogether un- known to the most fastidious youth of the land.
The letter was simply folded in such a manner as not to come open, and the address written upon the blank page. The necessity of mucilage was not known, as a wafer or red sealing-wax answered every purpose. In order to transmit this primitive missive over the country, it was necessary to pay the United States a revenue of twenty-five cents. Once every two weeks the blowing of a tin horn announced the arrival of a dilapidated horse and rider, with a dyspeptic mail bag, containing the semi-monthly news.
The sack was take from the saddle, where it had served as a cushion, by the mail-carrier, who looked over the anxious gaping crowd with that stolid indifference born of long habit. While the contents of the sack were being distributed, after which, with a few additional letters, he moved on his beat. Such then were the postal facilities.
Now, a three cent postage stamp will send a letter from ocean to ocean, or the telegraph transmit a message, with lightning speed, far across the ocean, to all the nations of the globe.
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PIGEON ROOSTS.
Beginning at the mouth of Sugar Creek, and extending down both banks of Paint Creek, about one and one-half miles, was a dense grove of cedar trees, known throughout the country as the " Cedar Hole."
At these roosts the pigeons congregated to breed, and in some cases one tree would contain a hundred nests. The noise at night caused by the continual fluttering of birds and the cracking of ov- er-loaded branches could be heard for quite a distance, and each morning, it is said, the ground was strewn with dead and wounded birds, so that the pioneers in the vicinity were bountifully supplied with pigeons without gun or club.
Samuel, John and Frank Waddle, Henry Snyder, William Blair and sons, Frank MeLaughlin, Jack Daugherty, and indeed all the neighborhood for miles around, visited this spot at night, arriving about sunset as the pigeons began to come in. It is said that the noise created by their arrival was almost equal to the roar of a cat- aract, continuing for two or three hours, until they became so far settled down as the breaking limbs would permit, when they knock- ed them off the trees, wrung off their heads and turned them over to the housewife, who soon converted them into delicious pot-pie, roast, etc.
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THE JUDICIARY.
On the 15th day of April, 1803, the general assembly of the State of Ohio, passed an act establishing the judiciary system of that time. It determined that the supreme court of the state should consist of three judges chosen in the manner directed in the constitution, that is, they were to be appointed by a joint ballot of both houses of the general assembly ; and they were to hold their office for the term of seven years, "if so long they behave well." This court was declared to have original jurisdiction in all civil cases, both in law and equity, where the title of land was in question, or where the sum in dispute exceeded the value of one thousand dollars. It had exclusive cognizance of all criminal causes where the punishment was capital ; and of all other crimes and of- fenses not cognizant by a single justice of the peace ; it had cogni- zance concurrent with the court of common pleas.
By this act, also, the state was divided into circuits, of which the counties of Hamilton, Butler, Montgomery, Greene, Warren and Clermont comprised the first district. A president of the court of common pleas was to be appointed in each circuit, in the same manner that the supreme judges received their appointment. The president, together with three associate judges, appointed in a sim- ilar way, for each county in the state, constituted the court of com- mon pleas for such county.
COURTS AND COURT HOUSES.
It is said that the first court in the county was held in the cabin of John Devault, a little north of the present site of Bloomingburg, presided over by Judge John Thomson. It appears that chairs were a scarce article and Mrs. Devault's bed was pressed into ser- vice by his honor, for which he received a severe Caudle lecture from the old lady. Sometimes a stable, and again the adjoining hazel thicket accommodated the grand jury in its sittings. Judge
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Thomson is described as a man of Puritanical morality, and dis- tinguished himself by the long and tedious moral lectures he in- variably delivered in open court to culprits tried before him. To such an extent did he indulge this practice, and so severely did he lash them, that his lectures were much more dreaded than the sen- tence of the law.
It is quite difficult to reconcile the date and locality at which the first courts in the town of Washington were held. Time has taint- ed the credibility of contemporary sources, but in the absence of direct or presumptive evidence to the contrary, the authority of Judge McLain and William Robinson seems to be the most satisfactory.
In about the year 1811 a double round-log cabin was standing on the corner of Court and Main streets, fronting on Court, on the site now occupied by Brownell's grocery and Willit's gallery. This cabin consisted of two independent rooms, probably ten or twelve feet apart, with the roof meeting in the center and covering the space between. In the room nearest Main, the first court in Wash- ington was held, in about the year 1812. While the jury retired to the hazel brush which grew thickly near, to hold their delibera- tions, and whenever the presence of the sheriff or prosecuting at- torney were needed, their names were loudly proclaimed from the thicket. It is stated that while justice was solemnly dispensed in one room, whisky was as hilariously sold by the owner of the cab- in, Valentine Coil, in the adjoining roon.
We have no means of knowing just how many terms of court were held in this cabin, but it appears that the court house was ready for occupancy at least as early as the spring of 1814; also that court was held in the cabin during the latter part of the year 1812, and by good authority it is stated that court was held in the Coil cabin a much longer period than elsewhere, we conclude that it served as a court house from 1812 till about the latter part of 1813, then was removed to the Melvin (now Vandeman) corner, and shortly afterwards to the corner now occupied by Brown & Brothers' drug store, and from here to the
FIRST COURT HOUSE.
Valentine, or "Felty" Coil, while but two years old, was captured by the Indians and taken to Canada, where he learned to make brick. Coming to this county in its infancy he found use for his
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
knowledge in making brick for the first court house and first brick building in the county.
Early in 1813, excavations were made on the site of the present court house and the clay taken out was burnt into brick by Coil and used in the building, which was completed and occupied as early as March, 1814. This building was about the same size and shape as the present main building minus the wings.
The windows were composed of twenty-four lights, each ten by twelve. The cupola was different from the present, in that it had no base, or at least a very small one.
Its location was about twenty feet west of the alley, and twenty feet back from Court Street. While it seems that the building was in the main finished and occupied in 1814, yet it is stated that two men, by the names of Life and Burnett, finished the cupola in 1815. It cannot be ascertained who built the house, but itis known that Jacob Kelley and Silas Young, in addition to "Felty" Coil, were brick-makers and brick-layers, and resided in Washington at the time.
In about the year 1828, this building burned down, involving the loss of nearly all the records.
Court was then removed to a little brick office, then occupied by Judge Wade Loofborough, situated in the rear of the present of- fice of Dr. Saulsberry, in the Brownell grocery building. From here it was next removed to the house now owned by Mrs. R. A. Robison, junior, where it was held until the new court house was built.
NEW COURT HOUSE.
On the first day of February, 1828, the board of commissioners, then consisting of Jacob Jamison, Thomas Burnett and Matthew Jones, met for the purpose of entering into negotiations for the erection of a new court house. Together with other citizens, the brick walls of the old building, yet remaining, were examined, and after consulting mechanics and masons, the board decided that they were not worth repairing. On the following day, after "mature reflection," the board agreed to build a new court house, with fire proof offices attached for the clerk of the court, recorder and auditor.
The clerk of the board, Norman Jones, was instructed to draft a
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plan for the new building, and the auditor was ordered to give no- tice that the commissioners would meet on the fifth day of March, following, to receive bids for the building of the new court house. The auditor was also authorized to sell the brick in the old walls to the highest and "best" bidder.
On the 23d day of February, the board met to select a location for the new house, which resulted in their choosing the southeast corner of the public square, the main building and offices fronting on Court and Main streets.
It was ordered that a draft be made of the contemplated struc- ture, the main building to be forty feet square, with a wing thirty feet long and fourteen feet wide attached, facing each street.,
On the day appointed, March 5th, the board met to receive the bids and award the contract, which resulted in awarding the con- tract for the erection of the house to Thomas Laughead, of Ross County, for one thousand three hundred and eighty dollars and ninety cents, and the carpenter work of the same to John Harbi- son, of Greene County, for one thousand three hundred and sev- enty-two dollars and forty cents.
March 4, 1829, one year after the awarding of the above con- tracts, the house was ready for the inside work, the contract for which was awarded to John Harbison, for six hundred and eighty- nine dollars and sixty-seven cents.
The floor of the lower story was to be laid of white or burr-oak, one and a half inches thick and seven inches wide. The upper, of yellow poplar. A washboard of good seasoned walnut, one and a quarter inches thick and eight inches wide, surrounding the floor of the lower story. The fire-places were to be made of brick, with brick hearth. Also a handsome chair-board of walnut around the lower story. In the smallest office on Court Street, there were to be three plain fire-boards in the lower floor.
At the same time the contract for plastering was given to Silas Young, who undertook to do it for three hundred and twenty-nine dollars, and on December 8th, same year, the work was completed, examined by the commissioners and accepted, and the key deliver- ed to Norman F. Jones, who was appointed to take charge of the building, and enjoined not to open it for any purpose except dur- ing the sessions of court, without the consent of the board.
On the 10th day of April, 1830, the inside work was examined, and accepted by the board, and the balance paid. Thus it would
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
appear that at this date the new court house was finished and ready for occupancy, although it had been used before fully completed.
June 5, 1833, the board gave Benjamin Croan thirty dollars for repairing the floor and blinds of cupola, so as to render it water- proof.
June 29, same year, Jesse Milliken and Wade Loofborough were appointed to make out a draft of the repairs needed for jury-box and necessaries for court and bar, not to cost more than fifty dol- lars, and the auditor was authorized to employ a suitable person to do the work.
January 30, 1836, the auditor was authorized to cause a sufficient quantity of clay to be so placed at the southwest corner of the court house as to turn the water from the same, and prevent the foundation from being undermined.
June 9, 1836, Daniel McLean was ordered to purchase a bell for the court house, at any sum not to exceed one hundred dollars.
April 4, 1844, a description of an office for county auditor, and treas- urer, was made public, which were to be built on Court Street, thirty feet long, fourteen feet wide, nine and one-half feet ceiling, three windows in front, two in the rear, and one door in the north- east corner. The contract, for which, was sold to William Harfor, for one hundred and fifty dollars; R. J. Freeman doing the car- penter work for one hundred and twenty-five dollars.
March 4, 1846, a description of the repairs to the court house was made public, and the contract for the same, awarded to Ben- jamin A. Crone, at four hundred and ninety-six dollars; the inside to be finished July 10th, and the outside September 1st.
These repairs were as follows : Four girders, 9x12 inches, were to be placed across the building, resting on the stone pillars, in the center, upon which a floor of oak plank, one and one-half inches thick, by eight inches wide, was to be laid. The doors and win- dows to be repaired so as to fit tight, walls plastered and white- washed, new panel durable doors for the front entrance ; the outside walls of the court-room, and fronts of the offices, on Main Street, to be stained with a solution of Venetian red and lime; four air holes 9x9, on Main Street, four on Paint, and two on each side of the rear, immediately under the floor. A new floor in the cupola ; windows and cornice to be painted with three coats of white lead and oil; new blinds, etc .; lightning-rod to be raised; judges seat raised three steps above the bar, and with the clerk's seat and desks
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to be repaired, juror's seats, also, to be raised seven and one-half inches. Stair case to be sealed up on side, etc.
On the 29th day of August, the work was examined and all ac- cepted, but blinds and lightning-rod, which were not complete. They also allowed the contractor two hundred and fifty-six dollars ; the same amount having been previously allowed. Twenty-one dollars and seventy-five cents was allowed for extra work.
March 3, 1847, William Holt, was allowed one dollar for filling up fire place, and cutting a hole for a stove pipe in the clerk's office.
December 30, 1848, notice was given that an addition would be made on the northwest side, twelve feet wide in the clear, by thirty long; foundation of good stone sunk in the ground eighteen inches, six inches above the surface and eighteen inches thick, the balance of the wall of good brick, thirteen inches and eight feet high in the clear, the whole to be finished in good order July 1, 1849; the contract for which was awarded to Nelson H. Reid and James Grubb, for two hundred and forty-nine dollars and seventy- five cents.
In 1851, March 5th, the auditor caused a small gate to be put up between his office and Grubb's store ; also a case for books and papers in his office, and to contract with some one to take the steeple off the court house, just above the dome, and cover it with tin or zink, and repair the lightning-rod.
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JAILS.
It is said by some that an old dry well served the purpose of the first jail in Fayette County.
The first jail built at Washington, was located near the present one, about sixty feet from Main Street, and about thirty feet south- east of the alley running along the northwest side of the old pub- lic square. It consisted of two square pens, one inside the other, the intervening space of perhaps one foot between the walls being filled in with stone, the outer wall being about twenty-four feet square. It was built of hewed logs, was two stories high, and was erected about 1811 or 1812. At the east corner a door opened into a hall-way, about six feet wide, that extended along the northeast side of the building to the north corner. About five or six feet from the entrance to this hall, a stairway led to the "debtor's room " above, where the impecunious delinquent expiated the ter- rible crime of being too poor to meet his financial engagements, thereby vindicating the " majesty" of the law-the relic of English barbarism-that thus confined him. The room below was about 12x18 feet, and was called the "criminal" cell, or dungeon. This jail was burned, in 1823, by an incendiary; and the sheriff's dwell- ing, a small frame structure contiguous to the jail, was also de- stroyed at the same time, with all the household effects of Sheriff Robinson, save a deer-hide trunk, containing some of the clothing belonging to his deceased wife.
In 1825 a new jail was built on the same square, a little nearer the alley, and also closer to Main Street. This was a two-story brick building, twenty-five feet square, and was arranged inside similar to the old log jail. The walls of this jail were only thir- teen inches thick, and several prisoners escaped while it was in use.
On the 9th day of December, 1835, the auditor was ordered to offer the old jail for sale on the 15th of the following June, except such materials as the board might reserve.
January 15, 1836, at a meeting of the board, it was decided that,
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by reason of a lack of funds, the old jail should be repaired in- stead of building a new one. New walls of brick were to be built, the same height as the old ones, also one dungeon and one prison room, and the whole building to undergo general repairs; the con- tract for which was let to Benjamin A. Crone, for $350. On the 27th of the following August the work was reported completed.
March 7, 1838, James Fenton was ordered by the board to en- ploy suitable hands to repair the jail, and make it strong and se- cure, on as "reasonable a condition as possible."
This jail was used until September 16, 1839, when public notice was given that a new jail was to be built, located on the public square, forty-four feet front, thirty-five feet back, and two stories high, with all the necessary cells and other fixtures for the confine- ment and accommodation of prisoners, all of which work was to be done by Edward Lamme, for $4,700, who entered into bond for the faithful performance of the same. After the walls were up the carpenter work was begun by Benjamin A. Crone, who was to com- plete the same for $1,000.
September 28, 1840, Edward Lamme, contractor, received per- mission to make an alteration in the gable end of the jail, and agreed to deduct twenty dollars from the original contract. He received one thousand dollars on the 1st of January, 1841, as part payment for the work performed. Thomas Holland, the contractor for the carpenter work, on the 7th of June, 1841, was allowed two hundred dollars, part payment, on his contract. July 19th, and 21st respectively, Lamme was paid four hundred dollars, and two hundred dollars additional.
On the 25th of August, 1841, the commissioners after a careful examination of the masonry of the new jail accepted it, the con- tractor being paid eleven dollars and sixty-seven cents in full, on the last payment. Two days later, the carpenter work was exam- ined and pronounced satisfactory, and executed according to contract, except the roof, for a defect in which a deduction of one hundred and fifteen dollars was made. The contractor was paid two hundred and eighty-five dollars, the full amount due him. On the same day the board received the jail and jailor's house from the contractors, and delivered the same to Robert Cissna, sheriff. September 18, 1841, the material of the old jail was sold to Joseph Bell for one hundred and eighty-six dollars.
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