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 47

Author: Dills, R. S
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Dayton, Ohio : Odell & Mayer
Number of Pages: 1070


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 47


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" Miss Annie Ustick followed with a fervent prayer. After con- sultation the ladies decided to leave the premises, and take a posi- tion on the adjoining lot. They sent for the ' tabernacle,' a rude frame building they had used in front of Slater's saloon. This they erected on an adjoining lot, put up immense lights to illumin- ate the entrance to the beer garden, and kept up a guard from early morning till midnight."


For two weeks religious services were held in the tabernacle day and night, and the women were constantly on duty. At the end of that time an injunction was granted the saloon keeper, and the tabernacle was taken down. Suits were then in progress against the two beer sellers, under the Adair Law, and judgments were being obtained in various amounts; the ladies appearing in force in the court room during each trial, thus giving their moral sup- port to their suffering sisters.


On Friday, February 6, another man opened a beer saloon in a new locality. The ladies immediately visited him by committees, and thus spent the day. Next day, however, they took up their stand in front of his door, continuing their services until late in the evening, at which time their force was increased by the entire congregation at mass meeting, who chose to conclude their services with the watchers in front of the saloon.


Temperance was still the pulpit theme on the Sabbath, and on


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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


Monday morning, February 9, all the business houses were closed from 8 to 9 o'clock, to attend the business men's prayer meeting. Large delegations were present from adjoining villages at that early hour. At the meeting, there come a messenger from this man, stating that he would give up his business, which announce- ment was received with cheers. It was then decided that all who were not enjoined from so doing, should march out to the beer garden before referred to. They were met at the gate by the pro- prietor, and after a brief consultation with a committee appointed for that purpose, he publicly announced : " You gomes so many I guits. I vill never sell any more beer or whisky." Again the crowd gave vent to their feelings in cheers. Messengers were dis- patched to the women, who remained praying in the church, to join them. All the bells commenced ringing, and the procession, numbering two hundred strong, started out to Sullivan's beer house, now the only remaining saloon in the township. Marching up Court Street, the number increased, and amidst the most pro- found silence the men and women pursued their journey. About half way there the man in question was met and interviewed. He asked two days to consider, which was granted. The procession then returned, the bells all the time ringing out their chimes upon the crisp morning air. Meetings, morning and evening, continued with unabated interest, and at each came the cry from other points: " Come and help us."


On Wednesday morning, February 11, at mass meeting in the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Sullivan came in and publicly pledged himself to "quit forever the liquor business." A general rejoicing and thanksgiving followed this surrender of the " last man."


Thus through most of the winter of 1874 no alcoholic drinks were publicly sold as a beverage.


As Dr. Dio Lewis had signified his intention of again visiting Washington on Tuesday, February 17, that day was appointed as one of general rejoicing and thanksgiving. Accordingly arrange- ments were made for a mass meeting to be held in Music Hall at 2 P. M. At 1:30 a thousand people were gathered at the depot awaiting the arrival of the train. Promptly at the hour, Dr. Lew- is, accompanied by quite a corps of newspaper men, alighted from the car, and was greeted with music from the band and cheers from the vast concourse of people. The address of welcome was made by Mrs. M. G. Carpenter, and after the response by Dr.


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Lewis, the remainder of the afternoon was spent in general speech making. The evening was occupied in listening to a lecture by Dr. Lewis, and the day fitly closed by an informal' reception given the orators of the occasion, at the home of one of the crusaders.


At the spring election for mayor and city council, temperance was made the issue, and from motives of policy the temperance men brought out conservative candidates. The other party did the same thing. The whisky party were successful, and emboldened by that success, many of the former saloonist gradually reopened their business. Since that time, five of these men have gone to render to God an account for their violated vows ..


" The word of the Lord is true from the beginning, and he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be de- stroyed, and that without remedy."


The summer was given up to the defeat of the license clause in the new constitution, which was to come before the people on the 18th of August.


Mass Temperance picnics were a prominent feature of the season, and the untiring zeal of the workers was crowned with success on election day.


During the intervening years, weekly Temperance League meet- ings have been kept up by the faithful few, while frequent Union Mass Meetings have been held, thus keeping the subject always before the people.


To-day, the disgraceful and humiliating fact exists, that there are more places where liquors are sold than before the crusade. Does any one ask the result of all this labor, and if the movement was a failure? We answer to the first question of results: The idea that women are to take an active part in the great conflict be- tween Religion and the Rum power, was evolved by this very cru- sade. None saw quicker than the women themselves the weak and strong points of the movement, and these praying bands have be- . come thoroughly organized Women's Christian Temperance Unions; and reform clubs, reading rooms, coffee houses, and friendly inns are the outgrowth of these " Unions." Other countries have felt the impulse, and the best women of Europe and Canada are being organized into`" Leagues " and " Unions."


Another result was the great International Women's Temper- ance Convention, held June 10th to 12th, and World's Congress on the 13th day of June of the centennial year, in the land that gave


ยท


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the crusade its birth, where. were convened representatives from our own land, from every country in Europe, from the Sandwich Islands and Japan, to pray and plan together as to the best means for carrying forward this great work.


Was this movement then, a failure? No! No! The long list of reformed lives, the restored happiness and prosperity of once deso- lated homes, the still longer list of our noble young men, who were arrested in their first downward steps in the path of intemperance and ruin, and whose upright and useful lives will be standing mon- uments of good for years to come ; who dares to compute such results ? The improved public sentiment, banishing the wine cup from the social circle, from the sideboards and cellars of respectable homes, the awakening and uniting of all Christian hearts in one grand work for God and humanity. All these are the outgrowth of a reformation which has since belted' the world-the most far- seeing being utterly unable to grasp its results.


During the winter of 1876, a grand banquet was given the Ohio General Assembly, Judiciary and Military officers, by some of the prominent citizens of our capital city. No labor or expense was spared in ministering to the comforts or pleasure of the guests, yet no wine was to be found in all that banquet hall. One of the hosts of the evening remarked, that " before the ' Women's Crusade,' the giving of such an entertainment without wine would have beeni impossible."


A failure? No! Eternity alone will unfold the glorious success of that work. To have banished liquor from the land, as at first the movement seemed to promise, would have been a miracle, and God does not now work in such manner, and the work we feel he meant to do in this crusade, was to rouse up his people to a sense of their duty, to awaken his church which seemed to be strangely indifferent, and asleep to this terrible evil. Thus he crowned the movement with success, and while his followers believe and trust Him, the good work will go on to completion, for-


" Right is right, as God 'is God, And right the day will win, To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin."


Thus far we have copied from the report prepared for the World's Congress, June, 1876, but a word of the work since that half de- :


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cade of years has flitted by, and where are we now in this great reform, in which the citizens of Fayette County have so much reason to rejoice in their having led the van. For while Dr. Dio Lewis inaugurated a similar movement in three other places during the same winter before it was started here, it would have been classed as the idle vagary of a bewildered brain, but for the mar- velous success which attended it first in Washington, and gave it a "local habitation and a name" which struck fire there, and has been answered by flame upon every hill top in almost every state of our land.


Among the later outgrowths of the crusade was the Murphy move- ment, which counts its reformed men by the thousands; and the Reynold's movement of almost equal proportions-waves of reform which have swept across the nation from Maine to the sunny Pacific slopes, and brought happiness and comfort to untold thous- ands. But above all, stands our thoroughly organized "Women's Christian Temperance Union," representing twenty-seven states and thirty-one thousand six hundred and thirty earnest, devoted Christian women, pledged to the cause for life. This mighty host of workers are making themselves heard and felt on our platforms, in our pulpits, through our legislative halls, and all over our land ; and must be a great "power behind the throne" of our law makers.


They are moving in every direction; introducing temperance lessons in Sabbath-schools, and scientific temperance into public schools and colleges, forming juvenile temperance schools ; induc- ing corporations and employers to require total abstinence in their employes; scattering temperance literature broadcast in the land, influencing the spirit of the press, working in our jails, prisons, among foreign population, Indians, and colored people ; establish- ing drawing-room meetings, reading rooms, and friendly inns to save the unfortunate victims of this cause, by reaching out a . helping hand and to bind the work together by. publishing a sprightly organ, "Our Union," which should be in the hands of every temperance woman. In many of these lines of work, Fay- ette County is showing herself worthy of the spirit which could inaugurate so wonderful a movement.


At the last annual convention held in Boston, October, 1880, there gathered such numbers, such eloquence and power, such de- votion to God and temperance, and such faith in the triumph of our 38


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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


cause, that the proud old city felt her pulses stirred, and her soul quickened with such an awakening upon this subject as she had never felt before. On the Sabbath immediately following the close of convention, twenty-four Boston pulpits were filled by members of that convention, who spoke to crowded audiences in earnest, burning words. Upon this all important theme, later, during in- augural week in our capital city, our gifted President, Miss Willard, honored herself, and the great body she represented, in presenting to the nation the portrait of Mrs. Hayes, who will always be " hon- ored among women" as having first banished the fateful cup from our national home, America's highest social pinnacle; thus setting an example to all other lands.


We are saddened when we recall the old crusade days as we find so many vacant places, and long for the touch of vanished hands, and the sound of voices that are still.


THE PRESS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


We are indebted to Mr. M. Herbert for the following exhaustive account (with very slight changes) of the newspapers and newspa- per men of this county. Not only does his excellent article em- brace these, but much matter of great historic interest is also in- corporated :


Of the pioneer press of the county, we have found it impossible to procure necessary material or information wherewith to compile such a record as would enable us to present to our readers a clear and succinct summarizing.


Of the earlier newspaper publishers, none are left to enlighten us as to their varied experience, by detailing the many perplexities and annoyances which encompassed and surrounded them in pros- ecuting their. labors. Their brightest thoughts and chief chron- iclings lay buried with them.


But a few fragments of pioneer journalism remain-but a few scattering numbers of the many and different newspapers published here "in the long ago" can now be found-and relics historic they are truly! serving forcibly to remind us that we of to-day are also makers of history, and that they who come after us may regret that we did not better keep and store the record.


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FREEDOM'S ADVOCATE.


The first newspaper published in Fayette County, was issued here on Saturday, February 21, 1829, by Joel S. Bereman. It was styled Freedom's Advocate. Mr. Bereman came here from Hillsboro, in the adjoining county of Highland, where he had studied the intricacies of "the art preservative." Through the columns of his journal, he promulgated and advocated Whig doctrines and principles. We have seen but one copy (No. 13) of the paper, which is now in pos- session of one of his daughters, Mrs. M. V. Logan, of this place. It is considerably frayed, and presents an aged appearance. Mrs. Logan prizes it highly. It is encased in a frame, under glass, so that both sides may be read without danger of further mutilation in handling and perusing.


In the Advocate of date mentioned, there is published a portion of a letter from one of the engineers of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, who was then sojourning in England in the in- terest of that great thoroughfare, the letter bearing date Liverpool, February 4, 1829, and in which the writer mentions having trav- eled on the Stockton and Darlington Railroad. The distance (twelve miles) between the points named, he says, was traversed in about an hour and a half, the locomotive engine and "wagons" in the train weighing about eighty tons. In those days, with such a load, that was considered rapid transit! The letter writer further says that " the snow had just been scraped off the rails, so that they were not in the best state for locomotion," and that experiments made before snow fell, on a down grade of ten feet per mile, fifteen miles per hour, with a load of about seventy tons were made. The engineer closes his letter by saying: "Upon the whole, we have every confidence that we shall succeed with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad." The letter was first published in the Baltimore American, which journal still has existence.


Mention is made of a steam canal boat, a packet called the "En- terprise," which had then commenced running between Cincinnati and Dayton, at speed-rate of four miles per hour! The cabin con- tained. twenty-seven berths, and two cords of wood were used as fuel in making the trip, as stated by the Dayton Journal at the time. It was also stated that George Washington Adams, son of Ex- President John Q. Adams, was lost overboard from the ship Benja-


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min Franklin, on the morning of April 30, 1829, while the vessel was on her way to New York-from what port not mentioned. Among the Advocate's selections is a chronological list of the prin- cipal officers of the United States Government under the constitu- tion, from 1789 to 1829. An interesting compilation for the time.


From the advertising columns we learn that Joseph Bloomer was sheriff of this county in 1829, and that Samuel Millikan was depu- ty clerk of court. A. Johnson and H. L. Akin were hotel keepers here then, the former being landlord of " Washington Hall," and the latter of the " Washington Hotel." Andrew Holt was engaged in the business of wool-carding here, and John Messmore at Isaiah Pancoast's factory, on Deer Creek. Benjamin S. Yeoman announces that he has commenced the Windsor chair-making business at the shop formerly occupied by Samuel F. Yeoman, in Wayne Town- ship. Samuel Lydy and Joel Bohrer publish notices of partner- ship dissolution, Mr. Lydy stating that he would still continue to sell groceries and liquors at the old stand. Thomas Rickey was then conducting the tailoring business here.


The Advocate of date referred to contains but one local news item, and that of an advertising character, while there is but one original general news item in the issue-brief mention of a fire in Cincinnati! Such a newspaper, nowadays, would be of brief ex- istence. Yet, when it is understood that rags, feathers, beeswax, tallow, flour, sugar, bacon, oats, wheat, and deer-skins, were taken in payment of subscription (two dollars per annum), editorial labor was doubtless but poorly recompensed then.


THE PEOPLE'S PALLADIUM.


Some time in 1831, as we are .informed, Arthur Critchfield be- came proprietor of Mr. Bereman's establishment, and issued there- from the People's Palladium, a Democratic journal. We have failed to procure a copy of the paper.


WASHINGTON HERALD.


In the fall of 1832, the office, we are told, passed into the posses- sion of S. F. Yeoman and S. Lydy, who commenced the publication of the Washington Herald, the tone of which was Democratic, Mr. Yeoman, as our informant states, "furnishing the brains" in its editorial conduct.


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WASHINGTON HERALD AND FAYETTE COUNTY REGISTER.


We have before us four copies of the Washington Herald and Fayette County Register. The first (No. 35 of Vol. 1) is dated Friday morning, May 31, 1833. The name of S. Lydy appears as propri- etor, and that of William Hill as printer and publisher. In his published prospectus the proprietor announces that "the columns of the paper shall be open to all well-written essays, either on poli- ties, morality, literature, or religion ; but at no time shall anything like personal vituperation or political invective be encouraged or inserted." In. the announcement of terms of publication, notice is given that " all persons whose names are on the subscription list of the People's Palladium will be considered as subscribers to the Her- ald until notice to discontinue delivery shall be given;" and that " any person who has been taking this paper, as published by Yeo- man & Lydy, wishing to withdraw, will be so good as to give im- mediate notice."


The Herald above mentioned does not contain a news item of a local character; but the publisher apologizes for its non-appearance at the usual time, "in consequence of having the list of forfeited lands to publish, together with other inconveniences which we (the publisher) have labored under!" From its advertising columns we learn that James Henton was auditor, and William S. Williams sheriff of the county, in 1833. Daniel McLean and Henry Bly- stone, jr., were then operating a wool-carding machine here, Mr. Blystone attending to the practical part of the business. The Si- amese twins were then on exhibition here, at Stockdale's inn.


The Herald of date Wednesday, June 25, 1834, gives the names of Hill & Baird as its publishers, and champions the Whig cause. It contains the proceedings of a Whig meeting held at the court house here on the 21st of that month, on which occasion Dr. T. MeGarraugh was appointed president, Benjamin Rodgers, vice- president, and H. C. Stewart, secretary. The meeting was ad- dressed by Robert Robinson, General W. Vance, William Edwards, and J. S. Bereman. William Vance, Jesse Millikan, sen., and W. A. Ustick, were appointed a committee to report names of dele- gates to the nominating convention of the then seventh congres- sional district, to be held in Chillicothe on the 3d of July following. Delegates were chosen as follows: For Union Township, J. S. Bere-


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man, Dr. T. McGarraugh, R. Robinson ; Paint Township, Colonel S. Myers, John Hays, Moses Stitt; Jefferson, Joseph Parrett, sen., E. Popejoy; Wayne, Benjamin Rodgers, William Edwards; Con- cord, Peter Brown, Leonard Bush; Madison, General B. Harrison, James Manary; Green, Robert Irion, R. Eyre, Jesse Millikan, sen., J. S. Bereman, R. Robinson, John Rankin, James Stewart, Samuel Myers, J. B. Webster, N. F. Jones, B. Harrison, H. Burnett, David Creamer, W. S. Cockerill, and J. F. Claypoole, were appointed as County Central Whig Committee.


The county auditor (James Henton) publishes a list of receipts and expenditures in the Herald of above date, by which it appears that the total expenditures for the year ending on the last Saturday in May, 1834, were $4,301.57. Among the listed contingent items, we notice that Samuel Lydy was paid $99 "for publishing list of forfeited lands, expenditures, and notices, in 1833;" and he was . also paid $57 " for publishing list of delinquent lands in 1833, and notices to school clerks." Three dollars and sixty-one cents were paid for paper, pasteboard, chair, etc., for use of auditor's and com- missioner's office. The quantity of stationery used in the public offices here in those days must have been immense, and the furni- ture and fixtures therein at the time quite elaborate! The latter is simply gorgeous now! The account of the county treasurer (Ben- jamin Henton) shows the total receipts for the year to have been $8,845.19.4, including balance in his hands at June settlement in 1833 ($1,368.72.7). The total disbursements for the year were $6,- 983.88.7, which left a balance in treasurer's hands of $1,861.30.7. Among the receipts we notice that $52 was paid for tavern license, and $215 for horse license. Jesse Millikan was clerk of court here in 1834, and postmaster also.


October 22, 1834, the names of Baird & Lydy appear as publish- ers of the Herald. The issue of that date closed the second vol- ume of its existence. On that day, however, but a half-sheet was printed, for which the publishers apologize, assigning as cause therefor the failure to receive paper in time for that week's issue. In speaking of the election news, the Herald says "the returns come in gloriously from all quarters," portending victory for the Whigs. Notice is given that flour, corn meal, corn, potatoes, wheat, oats, hay, tallow, hog's lard, pork in proper season, and fire-wood at all times, would be received in payment of subscription to the paper.


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The Herald of November 13, 1834, (No. 3, of third volume,) pre- sents the name of Robert R. Lindsey as the printer and publisher. Through the advertising columns, Messrs. Baird and Lydy give notice that they have disposed of their interest in the office, and call upon those indebted to them for the last year's subscription, or part thereof, to settle their dues at the Herald office. Notice is also given that a petition would be presented to the State Legislature, asking for the creation of a new county to be taken off the coun- ties of Ross, Highland, Adams, Pike and Fayette-Bainbridge to be the county seat. But that quiet village still nestles cosily among the hills of Ross ! Editorial mention is made that " an Englishman by the name of Thompson, in addressing an anti-slavery conven- tion in Augusta, Maine, used language and preached doctrines, which were so offensive to the citizens that a committee of their appointment requested him to leave the place," which request he complied with, but asserted however, that he had " as good a right to lecture on our internal affairs as we had to send missionaries among the heathen." N. F. Jones, as secretary, notified the board of directors of the county agricultural society, to meet at the court house on the 15th of November, 1854. L. P. Reid was the land- lord of the "National House," and Joshua Holmes was caterer in " Washington Hall," previously known as " Stockdale's Hotel," in which latter building Jesse Millikan preceded William Stockdale as hostelry keeper. The Herald, under Mr. Lindsey's management, disseminated Whig doctrine.


GENIUS OF LIBERTY.


We have also before us three numbers of the Genius of Liberty, a Democratic journal, printed and published here, in 1834, by J. M. Morgan. The first (No. 14, of volume 1,) bears date Saturday, November 1, 1834, and is but a half-sheet, from which issue the publisher apologizes, making mention that it is the first occurrence of failure to print a whole sheet, " a number of circumstances pre- venting the appearance thereof." It chronicles the destruction of "the splendid mansion of President Jackson," near Nashville, Ten- nessce, by fire, on the 14th of the preceding month. Its news columns contain nothing of a local character, but the delinquent tax list occupies nearly an entire page (four of the five columns) of the paper.




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