History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 68

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 68

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Up to the settlement of the county seat ques- tion, Clinton was far in advance of Mt. Vernon and even Fredericktown, although about two years younger than its more fortunate rival, seemed to of-

fer greater advantages for the county seat than Mt. Vernon. That matter having been decided, how- ever, probably in a great measure by Ben Butler's "trick," the destiny of the town was thus decided -it was to become a city.

From 1805 to 1811 no territory was added to its limits as the increase in population was no more than sufficient for the original plat. Since the lat- ter date the following additions have been made: Joseph Walker's, January 15, 1811 ; Samuel Kratz- er, March 20, 1811; Joseph Walker made a sec- ond addition, September 11, 1816; Mr. Ham- tramck, November 15, 1826; Mr. Shaw, April 3, 1828; Trimble's addition was made May 5, 1832; Banning's, September 21, 1832: Burgess', October 12, 1832; Jesse B. Thomas', August 2, 1836; Nor- ton's Western, February 4, 1837; Eastern addition, April 13, 1837; Samuel Kratzer's second, July 9, 1838; Mr. Norton made two additions in 1841, one March 25th, and the other July 2 Ist ; Norton's, Northern, November 29, 1845; Potwin and Ray- mond's, December 31, 1845; Thomas, Warden & Brown's, May 22, 1848; Brown's Executors', June 9, 1848; Factory, July 5, 1848; M. M. Beam, June 23, 1849; Benjamin F. Smith's, April 7, 1852; Russell & Hurd's, March 14, 1853; Norton's, Southern, May 20, 1853; Blackman's, April II' 1854; S. B. Doty's, September 18, 1854; Sturde- vant's, September 27, 1854; A. Banning Norton's, October 31, 1854, Norton's Great Western, De- cember 8, 1854; Norton's Island, December 28, 1854; P. Lothorp's, January 22, 1855; Henry B. Curtis', May 7, 1855; John Irvine's, November 7, 1860; Henderson's, January 3, 1861; George K. Norton's, February 12, 1862 ; H. W. Owens', April 21, 1862; Henry B. Curtis', October 8, 1862; J. F. Hobbs', January 12, 1863; Henry B. Curtis', December 1, 1863; George K. Norton's, May 1I, 1864; Sheahan & Quade's, November 8, 1866; John Purcell's, March 2, 1867; James Worley's, March 20, 1867; Joseph Watson's April 1. 1867; Adam Randolph's, August 22, 1868; H. B. Rogers', December 18, 1868; Adam Snow, April 10, 1869; C. H. Osborne's, January 14, 1871 ; Arthur Greer's, September 7, 1871; G. B. Potwin's Executors', July 20, 1871; James Rogers', August 7, 1872; James Rogers' Eastern, November 25, 1872; H. O. Taft's, February 8, 1873; Boynton & Hill's,

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February 21, 1873; Frederick Vohls', May 13, 1873; Sherwood's, July 7, 1873; John Wilson's, July 26, 1873; Rogers & Doyle's, Ootober 9, 1873; and Newham & Williams', April 30, 1874.

February 26, 1845, the State legislature passed an act entitled "An Act to Incorporate the Town of Mt. Vernon, in Knox county," the first section reading as follows :

SEC. 1. Be it Ordained by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That so much of the town of Mt. Vernon, in the county of Knox, as is comprised in the limits hereinafter described, that is to say, all the in-lots, streets and alleys, and other public grounds bordered by the same, within the old original town plat, and its several recorded and confirmed additions, together with all fractions of lots or parcels of ground lying between the old town plat and cither of said additions, especially to include such fractions or portions of ground not already laid out into town lots, as lie between the south line of Hamtramck street, and the north line of Burgess street, cxtending between the Hamtramck addition and Norton's addition; and so much of like ground as lies north of the south line of Chestnut street, extending east to the Coshocton road, and to include one ticr of in-lots of usual size on the north side of Chestnut street, so ex- tended as aforesaid; also embracing the following grounds- commencing at Lambton square, at the junction of the Mans- field and Wooster roads; thence along the Mansfield road to the intersection of the north line of the cross street or road, to the new graveyard; thence along the north line of said cross street to the graveyard lot; thence north and so running around said graveyard lot and including the school-house lot to the south- east corner thereof; thence following the aforesaid graveyard street to the east line of the Wooster road; thence southward along the east line of the said Wooster road and the east line of Gay street, as extended to North street; thence west to Main or Market street; thence north to the place of beginning, except such lots and streets in any of said plats or additions as have been vacated; Provided, That this exception does not exclude the vacated lots and streets east of Division street, and north of Front street in the Eastern addition, but the same are hereby in- cluded in the limits according to the eastern boundary of said addition, as originally laid out and recorded-be, and the same is hereby created into a town corporate, to be known by the name of the town of Mount Vernon; Provided, That all ground here after laid out and recorded as town lots, or additions to said town, by name or otherwise, if contiguous thereto, shall, from the time of being so recorded, be included within the corporate limits of said town and constitute a part thereof.

Further provisions of the above quoted act of incorporation, divided the town into five wards, and allotted one councilman to each ward, and provided for their election, and also for the election of one mayor, one recorder, one town treasurer, one town marshal, and one street commissioner.

Eight years later, by the passage of the following sections, the legislature enabled the town to be- come a city of the second class :

SEC. XIX. of the municipal code, passed May 3, 1852, pro- vides for the election of two trustees for each ward.

SEC. XXI. Any town which by the special act of incorpora- tion has been divided into wards, shall be denominated a city of the second class if the council shall so determine .- Ohio Law, passed 1853.

The completion of the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark railroad, about 1846, enabled Mount Ver- non to take a long step forward, and thus avail itself of the privileges granted by the legislature. The several additions made to the city in 1873, were caused principally by the completion of the Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Columbus railroad.

On the second of March, 1870. the city council passed "An Ordiance Defining and Establishing the Corporate Limits of the City of Mount Ver- non, Ohio." The provision of the ordinance reads as follows :

SEC. I. Be it ordained by the City Council of the city of Mt. Vernon, That the City Corporation Line of the City of Mt. Vernon be, and is hereby established by the following described lines, to wit :

Beginning at the southwest corner of the north abutment of the bridge at the south end of Main street, and running thence S. 5312°, E. 20 50-100 rods along the stone wall south of John Cooper's Steam Engine works, to the southeast angle thereof. Thence N. 831/2°, E. 516-100 rods to the southeast angle of John Cooper's fence, on the west side of Gay street. Thence S. 8312°, E. 12 40-100 rods to the southwest corner of the Fac- tory addition. Thence by the courses and distances bounding the south side of said addition to the southwest corner of Curtis. and Byer's lot, being lot No. 34 in said addition. Thence N. 8314", E. 25 80-100 rods, continuing along the south line of said addition. Thence N. 7414°, E. 32 60-100 rods along said south boundry, and by the same course to a point on the east line of Ridgely street, and near the south line of Water street. Thence N. 2°, E. I 36-100 rods on east line of Ridgely street to a point on the south side of the Springfield, Mt. Vernon and Pittsburgh railroad line. Thence S. 80°, E. 38-100 rods to a white oak 28 inches diameter, S. 7374°, E. 21 52-100 rods S. 64°, E. 27 16-100 rods along the south side of said railroad line to the centre of Allen Beach's alley. Thence N. 134°, E. 28-100 rods along the centre of said alley to a point 12 rods south of the south side of Gambier street. Thence S. 7332°, E. 114 40-100 rods on a line parallel with the south side of Gambier street to the east line of Clinton township. Thence N. 2º, E. 94 50-100 rods on said township line to the south side of the new Gambier road. Thence N. 88°, W. 37-100 rods along the south side of said road to a point in line with the east side of Centre Run street. Thence N. 2°, E. 98-100 rods along the east line of Centre Run street to the centre of Coshocton road. Thence N. 70", E. 14 12-100 rods along the centre of said road to John Flynn's southeast corner. Thence N. 1712°, W. 13 92-100 rods to said Flynn's northeast corner in the the centre of the "Harkness road." Thence N. 88°, 20' W. 166 86-100 rods along the centre of said road to the southeast corner of Mrs. Plimpton's lot, known as "Round Hill." Thence N. 2º, E. 41 90-100 rods along the east side of said lot, to a point in line

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

with the north side of Curtis street. Thence on said line N. 89", W. 43 50-100 rods to the east side of Mckenzie street. Thence N. 2º, E. 24 84-100 rods to the south line of land owned by the heirs of Rev. James Scott, deceased. Thence N. 31%°, E. 36 5.100 rods across said Scott's land, 10 feet north of the stable, and along the northeast side of an alley, across and to to the west side of Wooster road. Thence on the west side of said road N. 402°, E. 13 40-100 rods to the northeast corner of John McGibney's lot. Thence N. 49%°, W. 12 40-100 rods along the north line of said lot, to the northwest corner thereof. Thence N. 881/2", E. 26 50-100 rods along the north side of land owned by John McGibney to the east side of the cemetery. Thence N. 2°, 10', E. 39 80-100 rods on the east side of the cemetery to the northeast corner thereof. Thence N. 88°, 50' W. 18 92-100 rods on the north line of said cemetery to the east line of the Catholic cemetery. Thence on said east line N. 2°, 10' E. 8 60-100 rods to the northeast corner of said cemetery. Thence S. 7634°, W. 43 8-100 rods along the north side or said cemetery and Mr. Pollock's lot, to the west side of the Mans- field road. Thence along the west side of said road N. 14°, W. 2575-100 rods to the south side of a road on the north side of lands owned by widow Trimble's heirs. Thence continuing along the south side of said road S. 7634°, W. 39 80-100 rods to the angle thereof. Thence S. 68°, W. 24 rods along the south line of said road, to a point in the line with Mr. Flaharty's east line.' Thence on said east line N. 1572°, W. 12 60-100 rods to said Flaharty's northeast corner. Thence S. 72°, W. 25 84-100 rods along along the north line of Flaharty's lot to the east end of the alley north of the tannery. Thence across the east end of said alley N. 22°, W. 67-100 rods to the north side thereof. Thence S. 72°, 11 68-100 rods on the north side ot said alley, and to the west side of Sandusky street. Thence on the west side of said street N. 21°, W. 6 80-100 rods to the northeast corner of John Cassil's lot. Thence on the north side of said lot S. 68X4°, W. 60 25-100 rods to the west side of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Thence along the west side of said railroad to the north line of Norton's northwestern addition. Thence S. 6834°, W. 10 rods to the northwest corner of said addition. Thence S. 4172°, E. 25 50-100 rods along the west side of said addition to the west side of said railroad. Thence along the west side of said railroad by the curves and tangents thereof 156 50-100 rods to a point 4 feet west of the west end of the race bridge abutment and 9 rods north of the north line of Chestnut street. Thence N. 88%/°, W. 60 23-100 rods through lands of George K. Norton, James Rogers and others to the east line of lands owned by heirs of John Mitchell, deceased. Thence N. 134°, E. 7 20-100 rods on said Mitchell's east line to the north- west corner of said land. Thence N. 89º, W. 78 62-100 rods along the north line of said John Mitchell's, Silas Mitchell's John Gotshall's, Sapp and Rogers' land to the northeast corner of lands formerly owned by Samuel Hookaway. Thence S. 11%º, W. 91 62-100 rods along the east line of said land and through lands of Israel and Devin, to a point 833 rods south of the line of Wood street extended. Thence S. 89º, E. 115 14-100 rods to the west line of lot No. 10 in Norton's Southern addition. Thence south 2º, W. along the west side of lots 10 and 11, 6 35-100 rods to the southwest corner of lot No. 11, the same being on the south line of said southern addition. Thence S. 89º, E. 8 rods on the south line of said lot No. 1I, to the west side of Norton street. Thence N. 2º, E. 8 rods on the west side of said street. Thence S. 89º E. 19 rods along the south side of lots marked "S. Gray" on city map, to the

west side of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Thence S. 581/4º, E. 22 rods along the west side of said railroad to a point on the north side of the old race. Thence S. 64º, E. 35 48-100 rods along the north side of the old race, to a point from which an elm tree about thirty inches in diameter bears S. 17º, W. 64 links distant. Thence S, 7012°, E. 35 rods to the place of beginning.

SEC. 2. That William McClelland, the city solicitor, be and hereby is directed to prosecute the proceedings necessary to effect the annexation contemplated in section first of this ordi- nance.

SEL. 3. That the foregoing ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and due publication.

In 1830, Mt. Vernon contained about five hun- dred people. The following extracts from a letter written in 1871, by a gentleman now a prominent merchant in Gambier, gives a picture of the town in 1830, as well as some account of the changes in forty years:

In passing down Main street, the other day, I could not but notice the great change that has taken place since I knew the town. I came to Mt. Vernon in 1827, so that by the beginning of 1830, I was pretty well acquainted with the town and the people. The whole make of the ground has been changed, and there are very few buildings now standing (1871) which were then (1830) in existence, or if standing, have been moved to other streets. Commencing at the upper end of Main street on the east side, there is yet standing what was then the residence of H. B. Curtis, esq., now occupied by him as an office, and formerly by the Knox County National bank. North of this until you get above what was then a deep valley, there is not a vestige of the town of 1830 now standing. Above where this valley then was, stood a brick house now owned, the writer thinks, by Mr. B. F. Criswell.

The next building south of H. B. Curtis', then standing, is now owned by Samuel Israel, esq., and then the residence and mercantile establishment of Dr. Timothy Burr. South of this until you get below Gambier street, there is not a single build- ing now standing that was then in existence. Passing the George building, now occupied by Armstrong & Miller, on the corner of Main and Gambier streets, there are two or three old ac- quaintances, but so dressed up they are scarcely recognizable. The brick now occupied by Samuel Clark, known as the Jacob Martin house, the writer thinks was then in existence. From this to the bridge he sees no old acquaintance.

Passing to the west side of Main street, let us go north of the valley before spoken of. Here is found a part of a brick dwell- ing that has been added to and remodelled, built, the writer thinks, by William Watkins. The story was, that said Wat- kins having broken his leg, was prevented from going out to work, and not knowing what to do with himself until his leg got well, conceived the idea of laying up the walls of a house. By the assistance of his wife and neighbors, he was helped to the spot every morning, where he sat and laid brick all day, his wife tending mason.

South from this until you come to the building occupied by J. Stauffer & Son, the old town has all been swept away. This building was then occupied by Hugh Newell as a hotel. It was one of the notables of the town.

Passing down the street nothing of old acquaintance is seen

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until we get below Woodward block. There we come across a little group of frame houses, two or three in number.

The next old acquaintance that strikes the eye is the building at the southwest corner of Main and Gambier streets-Potwin's Phonix building-looking all the better for having been purged by fire. It was in 1830 one of the "institutions" of the town, known as The Golden Swan Inn, kept by Thomas Irvine. Here the county courts were held. Here in the west wing, up stairs, was the hall of the Thespian society. From this to the bridge there is nothing standing of the buildings of 1830.

Let us return to the north end of Main street, and note some of the then buildings and their uses:

The Whig paper was then published by Willian Bevans in a little one-story red frame, where Mrs. Dr. Thompson now re- sides. The next building south was the residence of H. B. Curtis, before mentioned. On the corner where Dr. J. J. Scrib- ner's drug store now is, was a frame house, the residence of William Y. Farquhar, then treasurer of Knox county. Next, the residence of Dr. Timothy Burr, before noted. Next, south on the corner stood a little one-story frame, the office of Dr. Maxwell. Back of this, fronting the public square, was the small brick residence of P. L. Norton. On the site of those old buildings stands the Norton block-the corner room occu- pied by Dr. Israel Green as a drug store, and the upper story by offices of the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus railroad. On the next corner, now occupied by the Knox County National bank, in the "Curtis house" block, was a brick building occu- pied by Gilman Bryant as a store. But before crossing the public square, I should have noticed on a bank, at least twenty feet above Main street, at the southeast corner of Main and High streets, was a large pile of brick and nearly three sides of a wall of what used to be the court house. (I might mention here in passing that a new court house was under contract, and was afterwards built on the northwest corner of Main and High streets.) Another feature which should not be omitted. On the north side of High street, and a short distance east from Main, stood a building whose iron grated windows and gloomy aspect, told all persons travelling through the town that the building was intended to be a warning to evil doers, and was put in a conspicuous place that all might see and order their steps accordingly.

From Bryant's corner south the next building was a brick occupied by Sherman & Browning as a store. Next was a small one-story frame occupied as a shoe shop and law office. Next stood a large frame, occupied by Eli Miller as a residence and store, in which was the post office, Mr. Miller being then postmaster. On the southeast corner of Main and Vine strects, was a frame building occupied by S. J. Updegraff as a store. That frame was moved off, and now forms a part of the resi- dence of Daniel McDowell, esq., and on its site is the Ward block. Next, a frame building in which Mr. James Huntsberry kept a saloon (grocery it was then called). After this came the tailor shop of Adam Pyle. The Democratic paper was published near here. Next, where the Odd Fellows' building now stands, occupied by C. A. Bope's hardware store, was a two-story frame hotel and stage house, kept by Calvin Anderson. Next, two or three small frames, in which were J. W. Warden's law office, Dr. J. N. Buri's office, John Gregg's harness shop, and a drug shop, the proprietor's name not now remembered, also the residence of Isaac Vore. Next to this, where the Peterman building now stands, was a hewed log building, weather boarded, occupied by S. Rowley as a tavern, and was familiarly

known as "the old war office." On the southeast corner of Main and Gambier streets was a two-story frame building occu- pied by William E. Davidson as a tavern. Then follows Silers' residence and hat shop. Charles Sager, Jacob and Joseph Martin, and some others not now remembered.

On the west side of Main street where N. N. Hill resides was a two-story frame occupied by William Mefford. Next south on the ground now occupied by the fine residence of Hon. Joseph C. Devin, was a long one-story red frame building used as county offices.

On the southwest corner of Main and Chestnut streets, was a small frame house used as a bakery by William Mackey. Next a two-story frame occupied by Dr. J. W. Russell, and as a select school. The second story became the hall of the Mount Vernon Lyceum. This building, like many of early days, be- came a traveller, but cast anchor, I believe, on the south side of Gambier street, near Main.

The next building was Washington Hall, a hotel, kept by Hugh Newell, before spoken of.

Crossing the public square, the corner now known as the Kirk Opera House block, and occupied by Stadler the clothier, and Van Aikin's boot and shoe store, was covered by a two- story frame, the residence of J. B. Rogers, and the mercantile establishment of J. B. Rogers & Co. West of this building and fronting to the north, were two or three small frames, in one of which T. W. Rogers kept military goods, and in another D. D. Stevenson kept a shoe shop. In their places are now the fine business houses built by Raymond and Sperry. Next south of J. B. Roger's store was a small frame building on the ground now covered by the store of J. S. Ringwalt. Next to this, where James Rogers' hardware store now is, stood a small one-story frame, occupied by Anthony Banning, jr., as a store. This was formerly the building occupied by the Owl Creek bank. It had a double batton door and window shutters filled with nails, "burglar proof." The paint, which was nearly gone, had been red. Next to this, on the corner, was a two- story brick, occupied by James S. Banning as a store and res- idence.

Where the Woodward block now stands was a two-story frame, the store of A. & S. Elliott. Next to this stood a frame occupied by P. L. Norton as a store. Jacob Banning's store came next. These two last named buildings can still be seen. Then came Zimmerman's tavern, a good sized wooden building, two-story front with a wing in the rear. Next, the residence of R. M. Brown, a little back from the street. The site of these two last named buildings is now occupied by the large three- story brick edifice built by R. M. Brown, and occupied as places of business by Browning & Sperry, T. B. Mead, and W. B. . Russell's drug store. Next the residence of Mr. Brown, on the corner, was a brick, the residence and business place of J. E. Woodbridge.

Just across the street was the "Golden Swan Inn," before spoken of. The building is now occupied on the ground floor by the dry goods store of H. C. Swetland, and the drug store of Baker Brothers, and the second story by the Democratic Banner newspaper and job office. Next to the Golden Swan came a small frame or two, and then another tavern almost on the bank of the creek.

One more business establishment I will mention, and then be done with the west side of Main street. This was Morey's soap factory, on the bank of the stream, and a little west of the street. It was here that mischievous men and boys sent -

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strangers and others not posted for any article not found at any of the stores. If butter was scarce, and a person seen walking up and down street with a plate in his hand, he was told Morey had plenty. So from a needle to an anchor, it mattered little what was wanted, they were sent to Morey. The latter was considerably bored by these practical jokes, but yet not quite so bailly bored as those who were sent there.

The places for public worship then were few. The Presby- terian church stood on the site of the present fine edifice. It was a low, square, four-roofed brick, covering quite a space of ground, and capable of holding several hundred people. It passed away long ago. Its successor, a large frame building, was burned, and now the third building occupies the ground. The building then occupied by the Methodists was standing until a few months since, and in 1830 was also used as the Fifth ward school-house. Its upper story was then used as a Masonic lodge.

In the early part of 1880, this old landmark was razed to the ground, to make place for the resi- dence of William R. Brown, the present mayor of the city.

Another school-house in the southwest part of the town was frequently used for preaching.

The above comprises all the places then used for public worship known to the writer. Elder Rigdon did occasionally preach in his own house, west end of Chestnut street.

Of the persons then living the majority have passed away. Of the members of the bar the writer knows of only one repre- sentative, the Honorable H. B. Curtis; of the clergy none. Of the medical fraternity, Drs. J. N. Burr and J. W. Russell.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 68

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096