USA > Ohio > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of the Northwest Territory, history of Ohio, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc > Part 69
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The Findlay Manufacturing Company was organized November 14, 1873, with a capital stock of $30,000, by E. P. Jones, J. S. Patterson, James H. Wilson, W. H. Haven, Charles E. Niles and D. C. Fisher. A two-story brick building was erected on West Crawford Street, and began the manu- facture of planed lumber, fanning-mills and washing-machines. It ran only a few years, and was succeeded by a window-shade factory, and known as the " Novelty Works;" but this was of very short duration. In the fall of
1879 the building was leased by Y. Bickham and Charles Wright, who com- menced the manufacture of carriage bent-work. In January, 1881, Mr. Wright bought out his partner, and ran the business until the spring of 1882, when it ceased further operations. Mr. Jones, who owns the building, has recently sunk a gas-well in the yard, and rented both to J. W. Smith, for the manufacture and working of a metal said to be aluminum.
J. J. Bradner's fanning-mill and handle factory on the Lima road, was started in 1881, and is still in successful operation. Bee-hives and honey- sections are also manufactured at this shop, where five hands find steady employment.
The Findlay Hoop Works commenced business in the spring of 1882, on East Sandusky Street in East Findlay. This factory was established by James P. Kerr, in the building formerly occupied by Yocum & Hollowell's foundry, which had been in operation only a brief time. Mr. Kerr pur- chased a portion of the machinery and the stock of the Findlay Carriage Bent Works, and removed them to East Findlay, where he began the man- ufacture of hoops and hardwood lumber. A saw and planing-mill is also operated in this factory, and eight hands are employed in the several branches of the work.
The Findlay Woolen Mill was established by William Anderson and John D. Mckibben in the old Presbyterian Church on East Crawford Street. They purchased this building in May, 1858, and fitted it for the manufact- ure of woolen goods. Mr. Anderson bought out his partner four years
33
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
afterward, and continued alone. On the 14th of April, 1865, the corner- stone of the large three-story brick building in East Findlay was laid with imposing ceremonies, as there were thousands of people in town that day celebrating over the fall of Richmond and the surrender of Lee's army. In the summer of 1865 Mr. Anderson sold the old property on Crawford Street, and the same year the new mill began operations. Mr. Anderson carried on the business with varying success until the spring of 1884, and was then succeeded by L. Rambo & Son, the present proprietors, who opened the mill for business in June, 1885. The mill is only run a portion of the year, and when in operation furnishes employment to about eighteen hands. Cassimeres, satinets, blankets, flannels and yarns are manufactured in this establishment, the capacity of the mill being about 50,000 pounds of wool annually.
The Linseed Oil Mill of McManness & Seymour had its inception in the summer of 1865, when James T. Adams, C. A. Croninger and William Anderson purchased the old frame woolen-mill on East Crawford Street and began to manufacture linseed oil. Mr. Croninger sold out to his partners in February, 1868. In 1873 Adams & Anderson erected the front portion of the present two-story brick. Mr. Anderson sold his interest in 1877 to Mr. Adams and Milton Taylor, who in 1880 tore down the old frame church portion and replaced it with a brick structure. In June, 1882, Adams & Taylor sold the property to McManness & Seymour, who have since carried on the business. Six hands are employed in the mill, which has a capacity of 45,000 bushels of seed per annum.
Early in 1865 S. F. Gray, J. S. Patterson and Milton Taylor leased the old foundry on East Crawford Street, and fitted it up for a flax-mill. They, however, could not find a paying market for the product, and after a few months' trial the enterprise was abandoned. In 1870 the Delaware Bagging Company started a similar establishment in East Findlay, which was pur- chased in 1872 by James T. Adams and William Anderson. In 1877 the former sold out to his partner, who several years afterward gave up the business as unprofitable. The building is now occupied by some parties en- gaged in baling hay.
The harness and saddlery establishment of the Ruhl Bros., on Main Street, gives employment to a greater number of hands than any other factory now (April, 1886,) in operation in Findlay. The present business was started in the spring of 1876, by John S. and George W. Ruhl, and they have since grown into an extensive wholesale trade, one of the firm traveling "on the road" the greater part of his time. Thirty-nine workmen find steady work in the establishment, and their sales reach an aggregate of $60,000 a year.
The Barnd Limekilns south of the village were established by Elijah Barnd in 1871, and over 20,000 bushels of first-class lime are annually burned in these kilns. From five to seven men are employed, and the business ranks among the leading manufacturing interests of the town.
In 1860 Martin Hirsher established a stoneware pottery in East Findlay on the Mt. Blanchard road. He gets his clay from Akron, Ohio, and the Hocking Valley, and annually turns out about 30,000 gallons of stoneware. His ware has a good reputation, and his sales are principally confined to Hancock County.
The American Mask Manufacturing Company was organized in April,
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VILLAGE OF FINDLAY.
1884, and began the manufacture of masks in a small way in a room in the headquarters building on Main Street. By 1885 the business had so grown that the firm purchased a two-story brick building on the south side of Main Cross Street, immediately west of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. The business is owned and operated by Oscar Kirsten and Christian Heyn, and fifteen hands are employed in the factory. which is the only one of the kind in the United States.
The John Shull Novelty Works is one of the recent additions to the busi- ness interests of the village. It had its inception in the spring of 1885, in its present quarters in the old Lutheran Church on West Crawford Street, where Mr. Shull began the manufacture, by hand, of ironing tables, etc. But the present works were equipped and started in January, 1886, and have since been doing a prosperous trade. Ironing tables, step and exten- sion ladders, clothes racks, etc., are turned out on a large scale, fourteen hands being now employed in the factory.
The works of the Brigg's Edge Tool Company is the latest and most prominent manufacturing institution of Findlay. To encourage the location of this factory in the village the citizens donated to the company four acres of land and a gas-well, north of the river and east of the Toledo, Columbus & Southern Railroad, also $1,500 in money. The factory was completed and opened in the spring of 1886. The company say they will now employ fifty hands, and expect to finally increase the number to 100. The present buildings are good sized brick and frame structures, and if the promises of the company are realized these works will prove a wonderful advantage to the material interests of Findlay.
The great development of natural gas is bringing a few more factories to the village. "The Findlay Window Glass Company, of Bellaire, Ohio," was incorporated April 21, and has commenced the erection of buildings for the manufacture of glass in North Findlay, at the junction of the Toledo, Columbus & Southern, and Lake Erie & Western Railroads. Palmer & Arnold are erecting a large brick flouring-mill near the Indianap- olis, Bloomington & Western Railroad depot. Including the basement it will be four stories high, will be furnished with the roller process and have a capacity of 125 barrels of first-class flour every twenty-four hours. Sev- eral other manufacturing institutions are investigating the advantages which natural gas has conferred upon Findlay as a future field of operations, and some of them will probably locate here.
The Hancock County Bank was organized June 22, 1847. under the act of February 24, 1845, as a branch of the State Bank. A banker named A. C. Stone came here from the East to establish the enterprise, and en- listed the following stockholders in the project: D. J. Cory, John Dukes, Dr. William H. Baldwin, W. J. Wells, S. N. Beach, H. L. Wood, Edson Goit, Dr. David Patton, Eli S. Reed, A. H. Hyatt, James Robinson, U. A. Ogden, James H. Wilson, Charles W. O'Neal, P. D. Bigelow, Frederick Henderson, William Porterfield, Calvin W. Seaver, Hugh Newell, W. M. Patterson, William E. Chittenden, Wilson Vance, Benjamin Huber, Squire and Parlee Carlin, Robert L. Strother, William Taylor and Dr. Bass Rawson. the capital stock being established at $100,000. Stone returned to the East to settle up his affairs ere opening the bank; there got into financial trouble and never came back. Thus ended the first banking enterprise of the village.
"The Findlay Bank" began business in August, 1853, with James Purdy,
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
James Weldon, Charles Hedges, William S. Granger, David J. Cory, Will- iam Taylor and James M. Coffinberry, directors, and Cunningham Hazlett, cashier. This bank lasted until the spring of 1857, and was succeeded by the "Exchange Bank," C. Hazlett & Co., proprietors, which, however, did not carry on business very long.
The Citizens' Bank, under the firm name of Ewing, Carlins & Co., was established in the spring of 1854, and commenced business on the 3d of April. John Ewing, Squire and Parlee Carlin, Charles W. O'Neal, Louis Adams and Samuel Howard composed the firm. In April, 1855, Mr. Howard retired from the firm, the following November Mr. O'Neal dropped out, and Mr. Ewing in April, 1856. Adams, Carlins & Co. continued to run the bank until December, 1863, when Paul Sours took the place of Mr. Adams, and the firm became Carlins & Co. This bank was at that time the leading banking house of the county, and did a very large business. On the 17th of January, 1876, it was reorganized as the "Citizens' Savings Bank," with the following stockholders: Parlee Carlin, Dr. Lorenzo Firmin, M. D. Sours, Lewis C. Carlin, James A. Bope, Squire Carlin, Dr. Bass Rawson, George W. Myers, Samuel D. Frey, D. J. Cory, William L. Davis, John W. Davis, Isaac Davis and Mrs. D. B. G. Carlin. Soon afterward Peter Hosler, Isaac Blaksley and Jacob Wagner were added to the list, while Squire Carlin dropped out. The advertised capital was $50,000, and a guaranteed security of $100,000. It was regarded as a sound financial institution, as its stockholders embraced several of the wealthiest men of the county; but on the 25th of March, 1878, it went down in financial ruin. The board of directors at the time of the failure were Dr. Lorenzo Firmin, president; D. J. Cory, vice-president; James A. Bope, secretary; Parlee Carlin, John W. Adams, Isaac Blaksley, Lewis C. Carlin and Jacob Wagner, with M. D. Sours, cashier. The cause of the failure was claimed by the officials to be the "heavy liabilities" and "scaly assets" of the old bank, which were un- knowingly assumed by the reorganized institution. It was thought by many that the bank would resume business in a short time, but it never again opened its doors.
The First National Bank was organized in the spring of 1863, the orig- inal stockholders being E. P. Jones, Mrs. Frances Brainard, Charles E. Niles, Dr. Anson Hurd, Robert B. Hurd, William H. Wheeler, H. P. Gage, Henry Brown, Henry Byal and Miss Lucinda Suber. The following officers were elected at the time of organization: E. P. Jones, president; Charles E. Niles, cashier; Henry Brown, William H. Wheeler, H. P. Gage, Robert B. Hurd and E. P. Jones, directors. The capital stock was $50, 000, and authorized capital, $100,000. It began business in the summer of 1863, and has ever since been one of the safest and soundest financial institutions in northwestern Ohio. Messrs. Jones and Niles have been its president and cashier, respectively, since the bank was organized, and under their careful administration it has gone forward on a prosperous career, disbursing mill- ions of dollars without any comparative loss during the twenty-three years of its existence. It now enjoys a reputation for strength and solidity unex- celled in this portion of the State.
The Hancock Bank was organized in May, 1867, by Croninger, Gage & Co. In November, 1868, the firm became H. P. Gage & Co., H. P. Gage, Parlee Carlin and A. S. Julien composing the firm. In June, 1873, this bank was reorganized and incorporated as "The Hancock Savings and Loan
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Association," with a capital stock of $50,000, by H. P. Gage, M. C. White- ley, John D. Bishop, Dr. Charles Osterlen, William L. Davis and Aaron Blackford. By a decree of the court of common pleas of Hancock County, issued October 6, 1873, the name was changed to the "Hancock Savings Bank," and incorporated under this name three days afterward. Its authorized capital was placed at $200,000, with a guaranteed security to depositors of $100,000. It carried on an apparently successful business until the failure of the Citizens' Bank, when a "run" was at once made upon it, and on March 28, 1878, it closed its doors. The stockholders at this time were H. P. Gage, Abraham Grabill, John D. Bishop, Richard Dukes, Dr. Charles Osterlen, Alfred Graber and A. R. Belden, with H. P. Gage president, and Alfred Graber cashier. The bank suspended for ninety days, but an investigation revealed the fact that President Gage had squandered the funds in speculation, and business was never resumed. The successive failure of these two banks caused large financial losses to many people, and therefore wide-spread dissatisfaction, and under the pres- sure of the stigma attached to his name through the misuse of the bank's funds, Mr. Gage committed suicide.
The Farmers' Bank commenced business January 10, 1873, the firm being Seymour, Vance & Co. The owners of this bank were C. E. Sey- mour, M. W. Vance and H. M. Vance. P. J. Sours was cashier during its brief existence of about one year, when the firm mutually concluded to give up the business and then ceased operations.
The Farmers' National Bank is the successor of the Farmers' Bank, established January 1, 1880, by Peter Hosler, George W. Hull and J. G. Hull, with a capital stock of $60,000. Messrs. Hosler and J. G. Hull were presi- dent and cashier, respectively, of the old bank from its inception up to the close of its history, April 30, 1886. On March 30, 1886, the Farmers' National Bank was incorporated with a capital stock of $80,000 and an authorized capital of $160,000. The present officers of the bank are Peter Hosler, president; Milton Gray, vice-president; J. G. Hull, cashier; W. F. Hosler, assistant cashier; Charles Williams, teller; Peter Hosler, T. Car- nahan, Milton Gray, Aaron Blackford, E. T. Dunn, John A. Scott, George W. Hull, S. D. Houpt and A. H. Balsley, directors. The new bank com- menced operations on the 1st of May, and as many of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the town are stockholders of the institution, it will doubtless continue to do a safe and extensive business. Its officers are successful, energetic and careful business men, which also insures sound financial management.
The "Findlay Savings and Building Loan Association" was organized October 12, 1867, by John M. Hamlin, C. D. Ettinger, Charles E. Niles, J. S. Henderson, O. S. Langan, H. P. Gage, D. C. Fisher, J. S. Ballen- tine, Lewis Glessner, John C. Martin, W. A. Millis and C. N. Locke, with a capital stock of $500,000, divided into 2,500 shares of $200 each. In January, 1870, the capital stock was reduced to $200,000. The association was carried on successfully till the spring of 1878, when its business was wound up and it ceased operations.
The "Findlay Building and Loan Association" was organized March 20, 1886, with a capital stock of $500,000 in $250 shares. The officers are F. B. Zay, president: A. C. Heck, vice-president; W. F. Hosler, secretary ; John Shull, treasurer; E. T. Dunn, attorney; P. E. Hay, R. A. McGeary,
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Edward Dietsch. A. W Ray, A. C. Heck, William Edwards and F. B. Zay, directors. These associations are in a certain sense banking institutions, and may properly be placed in the same class of business interests.
From the days when Findlay was a small village up to the present the ever popular circus and other traveling shows came at intervals to amuse and entertain the quiet lives of its inhabitants. One of the first, if not the first, of these was June & Turner's circus, which pitched its tent on West Front Street in 1847. Of course, as circuses always do, this pioneer drew a big crowd. In February, 1818, the theatrical company of S. E. Brown & Co. appeared to large audiences in the court house for one week. Melodeon Building was erected by James H. Wilson this year (1848), on the site of the Carnahan Block, and contained the first public hall worthy of mention opened in the village. In August, 1851, Van Amburgh's menagerie, with the then famous elephant, "Columbus," exhibited in North Findlay. He came again in 1856 with the big elephant, "Hannibal," and pitched his tent in East Findlay. In 1855 Maj. Ward, a conjurer and ventriloquist, gave a tent exhibition on the public square which created a good deal of curiosity. Maybe & Co's, in 1856, was the first combined circus and menagerie that appeared in Findlay. The street parade which it gave was then a new fea- ture and attracted much attention. A traveling company gave Uncle Tom's Cabin in Melodeon Hall in 1856, and created a profound impression, as at that time the question of the abolition of slavery was at its height. Spal- ding & Roger's circus came to Findlay in August, 1857, and their steam calliope, drawn by forty horses, driven by one person, drew out a very large crowd to their tent, near Eagle Creek. Corbin & Co's "Hunters of the West," a sort of Indian combination troupe, showed here in October, 1857, and, with gaudy trappings, paraded Main Street. Yankee Robinson's circus gave an exhibition in the village about this time, pitching its tent near Eagle Creek, between the Branch Railroad and Main Cross Street, where Spalding & Rogers had previously exhibited. In the fall of 1858, Prof. Winchell, one of the greatest ventriloquists and facial performers of his day, appeared in Melodeon Hall. He was also a good singer and performed to large and delighted audiences. Gulick's Old Folk's Concert Company gave one of their very popular entertainments in Melodeon Hall in the winter of 1858- 59. In the summer of 1860, Dondley's Theater Company, of Cincinnati, showed for a week in the court house, was well patronized and regarded with high favor. The foregoing comprise only some of the principal shows that appeared prior to the Rebellion. Wheeler's Hall was built by William H. Wheeler in 1863, and completed the following year, and was subsequently used for all classes of entertainments up to the opening of the present Davis Opera House, on Thanksgiving night. 1876. The latter was built by Will- iam L. Davis, John W. Davis and Martin L. Detwiler. It was commenced in 1875 and completed in the autumn of the following year. Though an occasional troupe or lecturer is well patronized by the people of the village, Findlay is not generally regarded by the profession as a good show town, and the gentlemen who have heretofore run the opera house, have therefore, made no money out of the business. Public places of amusement are, however, a necessity in every progressive town, and the Davis Opera House is suffi- ciently large to supply the present demands of Findlay in that direction.
The several bands that have existed in the village have been so closely identified with the amusement field as to deserve mention in this connection.
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VILLAGE OF FINDLAY.
The first of these was the Findlay Brass Band, organized by the Germans of the town in 1857, which lasted some three years. In 1858 the Schneyer Band broke off from the German Band, but existed only about one year. The Citizens' Band was organized in 1859 by Charles Mains, and was in great demand during the earlier stages of the war. Some of its members went into the army, and it was reorganized by Prof. Wildman in 1868, as the Findlay Cornet Band. About five years afterward the name was changed to the Northwestern Band, and in 1879, to the Opera House Band. This lasted about three years and then went out of existence. In the fall of 1882 the Union Band was organized but never amounted to anything, and February 11, 1883, it was reorganized by J. B. Markle as the Northwestern Band, of which organization Findlay has good reason to be proud. It con- tains eighteen instruments-brass and reed-and is generally recognized as the peer of any other band in northwestern Ohio ..
CHAPTER XXXIII.
FINDLAY CONCLUDED.
NATURAL GAS IN HANCOCK COUNTY-ITS DISCOVERY IN 1836-FIRST NATURAL GAS FOUND AND USED IN FINDLAY-NUMEROUS EVIDENCES OF ITS PRES- ENCE-DR. OSTERLEN'S BELIEF IN ITS PLENTIFUL EXISTENCE, AND HIS EARLY INVESTIGATIONS OF THE SUBJECT-THE GAS ON THE FOSTER LOT UTILIZED BY JACOB CARR-OIL EXCITEMENT IN FINDLAY-ATTEMPTS TO FIND OIL AND THEIR FAILURE-DR. OSTERLEN'S PERSISTENT ADVOCACY OF A GREAT NATURAL GAS DEPOSIT-ORGANIZATION OF THE FINDLAY NATURAL GAS COMPANY-THE MEN WHO FIRST RISKED THEIR MONEY IN THE ENTERPRISE-THE FIRST WELL DRILLED, AND GAS DEVELOPED IN PAYING QUANTITIES-TO WHOM THE CREDIT IS DUE-MAINS LAID AND GAS PIPED INTO FINDLAY-OTHER WELLS PUT DOWN-CONSOLIDATION OF THE OLD AND NEW COMPANIES-SUBSEQUENT ENTERPRISES, AND NUMBER OF WELLS NOW DRILLED-THEIR CAPACITY, PRODUCT AND PERMANENCY -LATER COMPANIES IN THE FIELD-DESCRIPTION OF THE GREAT KARG WELL-ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF GAS, ITS SUPERIORITY AS FUEL, AND COM- PARATIVE SAFETY-COST TO THE CONSUMER-A FEW CASES ILLUSTRATING ITS WONDERFUL CHEAPNESS-WIIAT NATURAL GAS HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR FINDLAY.
Nº O event in the history of Findlay has given the town such a wide rep- utation, and conferred upon its people such material benefits, as the recent development of its great natural gas deposits. The history of natural gas in Hancock County goes back to the fall of 1836, when a small vein was tapped by Richard Wade while digging a well on his farm, on the southeast quarter of Section 6, Jackson Township, about two miles and a half south of Findlay. Plenty of water was found at a depth of ten feet, but the flow of gas was so strong that the well had to be abandoned, as the water was unfit for use. The escaping gas was subsequently conveyed from the well through a wooden box, to the end of which Wade attached a piece of iron tubing, and he would sometimes light it in exhibiting the phenomenon to visitors. Very little attention, however, was paid to it at the time, for
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
the ample reason that the pioneers were then struggling to establish homes, and possessed neither the knowledge nor means to investigate the subject.
In the autumn of 1838 Daniel Foster, a brother of Jacob Foster, of North Findlay, put down a well on the lot now owned by Jacob Carr, on Main Street. in the village of Findlay. At a depth of eight feet he struck a very strong vein of gas, and had to suspend operations. Covering it over he placed a pump tube, extending under his house from an opening in the well covering to the vicinity of the chimney, and then boring a hole through the floor attached a musket barrel to the pump tube, through which the gas was conducted to near the mouth of the open fire-place, and first used in Findlay. Foster utilized the gas to light his house, and his wife would often boil her coffee in the summer time on top of the gun barrel, and thus this primitive contrivance. first constructed as a curiosity, became a source of great convenience to the family. Soon after the discovery of gas by Foster, a well was sunk by Jesse George on the southwest corner of Main and Hardin Streets, a sycamore gum put down to prevent caving in, and a loose covering of puncheons placed over the top. The water had a strong sulphuric taste, and the family soon began to amuse strangers by showing how the water in the well would burn. But an event finally occurred which gave them a wholesome respect for this strange fluid. While a party of young ladies were exhibiting the wonderful phenomenon to a Mr. Green, he jokingly thrust a torch into the well, when an explosion occurred, blowing off the covering and seriously burning the experimenter. John H. Morri- son then decided to nail down the top, and thus prevent further accidents. Two days afterward Henry Byal and Anthony Strother came in from the country to examine the strange well, and inserted a light under the cov- ering. A loud explosion followed, blowing off the cover, which had been nailed down, and throwing both young men into the air. They were thor- oughly frightened, and Mr. Byal, who is now a resident of Findlay, says: "I have ever since had a very respectful opinion of the power which this fluid possesses."
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