History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 70

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

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

editors and proprietors are Messrs. Baldwin & Tay- lor, who purchased the concern February 10, 1881. Names may have been omitted of other persons who, for short periods, edited the paper.

After The Day Book office had been purchased and merged into The Western Watchman, an effort was made to establish another paper, and The Democratic Banner was started in April, 1838, by Chauncey Bassett and Joel Robb. During the summer it was edited by C. J. McNulty, but upon its sale to Edmund I. Ellis, it was con- tinued without an editor during 1839, and, until it was sold to John Kershaw in 1841, was issued without an editorial, except as some partisan would furnish it an article. Kershaw edited and published it until in June, 1844, when he sold it to E. I. El- lis. It was then edited by G. W. Morgan until 1845, when it was sold to David A. Robertson, who after a short time resold it to Ellis, who continued its publication until its sale in November, 1847, to William Dunbar. The latter had associated with him in its publication for some six months, George W. Armstrong. For the remainder of his time Mr. Dunbar edited and published it himself until 1852, when he resold it to E. J. Ellis. In Decem- ber, 1853, it was purchased by Mr. Lecky Harper, then of The Pittsburgh Post, who has since edited and published it. During Mr. Dunbar's manage- ment, a daily Democratic Banner was published in the winter of 1852, for thirty days.

Upon the nomination of General Taylor to the presidency, in 1848, the editor of The Times re- fused to support the Taylor and Fillmore ticket, because Zachary Taylor lived south and owned slaves; whereupon another printing-office was opened in Mount Vernon.

The new paper was styled The Mount Vernon True Whig, and was published seven years. It was edited during the campaign of 1848 by Joseph S. Davis; in 1849-50-51-52, by John W. White, and the remainder of its existence, by A. Banning Norton. For three years Norton's Daily True Whig was published with the motto of David Crockett-"Be sure you're right, then go ahead." Its support was almost wholly derived from the purse of its editor, who bore it until the "pressure" became too heavy, when its publication was dis- continued, in March, 1855.

Several short lived newspapers have made their appearance in the county. The Rainbow, edited by the Rev. A. Sanback, was published a short time in Mount Vernon, and then removed to Frederick- town, then to Bellville, and from thence to Tiffin. The Lily, edited by Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, of the Bloomer costume notoriety, was published here about a year, and then taken to the far west. The Western Home Visitor, established in Mount Vernon by E. A. Higgins and edited by E. S. S. Rouse, esq., was a well conducted paper, but too large for its price. Soon after it started a half interest was sold to David C. Bloomer, and in about six months Bloomer became sole proprietor. After two years The Visitor was taken to Columbus. Then came The National, with Agnew & Ragnet, publishers, and William C. Gaston, as its editor. It champi- oned the cause of the "Lecomptonites" but.after its defeat it went out of existence. The Knox County Express was started by Agnew & Tilton, in December, 1860, and in 1862, was published by C. M. Phelps & Co., and edited by Judge S. Davis. The Express was finally merged with The Mount Vernon Republican then in the hands of the Mount Vernon Republican Publishing Company.

During the early stages of the greenback excite- ment in 1877-8, several new papers sprang up throughout Ohio in advocacy of that doctrine. Two made theirappearance in one week in Mount Vernon, viz : The Knox County National Advocate, edited and published by Joseph H. Watson and William A. Agnew, two of Mount Vernon's young typos, and The Knox County National, edited and pub- lished by John Lennon, a young member of the Knox county bar. It soon became evident that one paper was all the new party could support, and the latter withdrew from the field. Both papers appeared on the new plan prevalent throughout the west-that is, both had patent "insides," the second and third pages being edited and printed at Cleveland, while the first and fourth pages were edited and printed in Mount Vernon. The National Advocate, after one year's existence, find- ing its support insufficient, was turned into a Re- publican paper by dropping the word National. The plan did not seem to work for after a short struggle The Advocate suspended. During the exciting local campaign of 1878, Watson & Agnew,

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

for about two months, issued a daily two cent edition as a Republican campaign paper.

The Floral Gazette, a monthly magazine pub- lished by George Park, is an adjunct of his flower and seed store, and is intended as an advertising agent. The Broadax, a temperance monthly, edited by an advocate of that cause, was published about a year.

A few words regarding the pioneers of the press in this county, and of their successors may be in- teresting in this connection.

John P. McArdle, the first practical printer, re- moved to one of the northwestern counties, where he resided many years, honored and respected, and where he died a few months since at an advanced age.

Samuel H. Smith was residing in Texas some twenty years ago. His present residence, if living, is unknown.

Charles Colerick died after having served a cam- paign in the Texan war of independence, where he assisted in achieving, though he did not live to be- hold the recognition of her independence.

General William Bevans, after having served his fellow-citizens creditably in many official positions, has departed.

Dan Stone, a quiet, unassuming man of much goodness of heart, died in this town, where his widow and two sons still reside.

Dr. M. L. Bliss' death occurred shortly after he left the paper.

James Harvey Patterson moved to West Union, Adams county, and, after the death of his wife, went south.

John Thomas was a very singular genius, well read, particularly in anatomy, geology and other ologies, but was subject to the "blues," and did not enjoy life. He would not drink out of a cup or saucer that had a crack or flaw in it, nor eat with a knife that he did not see scoured bright-conse- quently he worried himself out of the world before his time.

W. H. Cochran and H. M. Ramsey died with the editorial harness on-both much lamented; both leaving widows.

S. M. Browning died at Burlington, Lawrence county, about 1852; his widow is a resident of this city, in her eighty-third year.

Dr. Dyer resided awhile in Fredericktown and went to Iowa. He is dead.

Reznor removed to Illinois. His fate is un- known, as is also that of Harkness, who, some twenty years ago, also resided in Illinois, and was noted for his large nurseries of excellent fruit trees.

Kershaw is, or was, an attorney living in Phila- delphia.

Bronson removed to Boston, and died there some years ago.

D. A. Robertson was appointed United States marshal for Ohio in 1844, which office he held four years. In 1850, then a resident of Lancaster, he was elected a member of the Constitutional con- vention of Ohio from Fairfield county, and resigned after holding the office three months to accept the appointment of United States marshal for Min- nesota, taking up his residence in 1850 at St. Paul. December 10, 1854, he issued the first number of the Minnesota Democrat, which became, under his management, the leading Democratic paper in the then territory. In 1856-7 he visited Europe. He was a member of the Minnesota house of representatives in 1859-60, mayor of St. Paul in 1860, and sheriff of Ramsey county in 1863, serving in this office two years. He is dead.

C. J. McNulty, one of the most brilliant attorneys of his day, represented Knox county in the Ohio house of representatives during the sessions of both 1841 and 1842, and was afterwards clerk of the Lower House of Congress. In 1846 he volun- teered as a private soldier in the Mexican war, died en route to the scene of strife, and was buried at Helena, Arkansas, by his comrades.

William C. Gaston is at present practicing law at Steubenville.

Mr. Ragnet, after marrying one of Mt. Vernon's fair daughters, took up his residence in Iowa.

Those living in Mt. Vernon at this time are Hon. Columbus Delano, General G. W. Morgan, Hon. Lecky Harper, Judge J. S. Davis, C. Wilkinson (who lives a retired life on a farm a short distancs from the city, while his late partner, Knabenshue, is superintendent of the Lancaster schools), J. A. Tilton, Benjamin F. Agnew, Harry G. Arm- strong, and John W. White.

A. Banning Norton has been for a long time a resident of Dallas, Texas, and pays the city of his

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

birth a visit once or twice a year. He has held several important official positions in his adopted State. At present he is one of the Federal circuit judges of Texas, a position he held once before .: He edits and publishes a paper styled Norton's Union Intelligencer.

The first book printed in Knox county was The American Revolution, written in scriptural or an- cient historical style, printed by Smith & Mc- Ardle at the office of the Ohio Register, in Clinton in 1815. The second book, from the same press, was The Columbian, a poem on the American war, in thirteen cantos, by Richard Snowden, thirty- eight pages. The next was James Smith's Vindi- cation. There was also published at the Ohio Reg- ister office A Caveat against the Methodists, by a Gentleman of the Church of Rome.

In 1830 C. & J. Colerick published a Directory of Knox County, compiled from the tax list by Ed- son Harkness. In 1835 the Laws and Ordinances of Mt. Vernon were printed by the Day Book of- fice and bound. In 1852 the Charter and Ordi- nances of Mount Vernon were printed by the True Whig office, and bound, making a work of fifty pages. In 1879 was issued from the Republican office, Revised Ordinances of the City of Mount Vernon of a General Nature. This work contained ninety-four pages and was bound. In 1878 the same office published The History and Rules of the Mount Vernon Public Schools, by Joseph S. Davis, A. M., forty pages. An Essay on Justifica- tion by Faith, with Particular Reference to the Theory of Forensic Justification, by Joseph Muen- scher, A. M., rector of St. Paul's church, Mount Vernon, sixty pages, was issued in 1847.

In 1858 John W. White published George Sey- mour, or Disappointed Revenge, a drama in three acts, and the same year, The Book of Chronicles, humorously illustrated, being A History of the Dissensions among the Harmonious Democracy of Knox County upon the Kansas Question. A few years later Mr. White issued from the press of the Ohio State Journal The Ambitious Shoemaker-A Farce without a Plot-One Act. In 1876 he published his Mount Vernon Directory for 1876-7, from the press of the Gambier Argus, one hundred and six- ty pages.

In 1862 the Rev. Dr. Muenscher published A

Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, four hun- dred duodecimo pages; and also A Treatise on Biblical Interpretation, three hundred and fifty pages, duodecimo.

From the Acland Press, Gambier, a number of pamphlets and small works have been issued per- taining to church and college affairs. Among others, Tissue's Greek Forms, a valuable book, by one of the professors.

A few years prior to the death of the late Judge Hurd he published his standard law book On Ha- beas Corpus, which has already been supplemented by a second edition under the immediate supevi- sion of his son, Hon. Frank H. Hurd, now of To- ledo, who followed with one of his own On Home- stead and other Exemptions. Hon. Charles H. Scribner, then of Mount Vernon but now of Tole- do, was the author of a valuable work entitled Treatise on the Law of Dower. A copy of these three law books can be found in almost every law library in the State as well as in other States and are valued as standard works.

In 1862 A. Banning Norton issued from the press of Richard Nevins, Columbus, Ohio, A History of Knox County, it being the first work of the kind ever published relative to the early history of the county. The book contained four hundred and - twenty-four pages.

THE SCHOOLS OF MOUNT VERNON.

The following history of the Mt. Vernon schools is from the pen of Joseph S. Davis, A. M .:

In attempting to write even a brief history of the schools of Mt. Vernon, we labor under some difficulty, from the fact that in the earlier schools no record of their proceedings, plan of government, or mode of education, was kept; or, at least, if any record was kept, it has not been preserved.

We have no correct information as to the exact date the first school was established, but this is not material, since the time fixed is near enough to the true period for all practicable pur- poses.

We deprecate a resort to tradition, which might be amusing, but not instructive or satisfactory, and direct our attention to the collection of well authenticated facts, and to their proper arrangement in chronological order. In the year 1805, the town of Mt. Vernon was laid out by Benjamin Butler, Thomas Bell Patterson, and Joseph Walker, and a plat thereof filed for record in the recorder's office at Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio. In the year 1808, by an act of the legislature, the county of Knox was carved out of the territory of Fairfield county, or ganized, and Mt. Vernon selected as the county seat.

About this time the pioneer settlers upon the town plat, with families rapidly increasing, feeling the imperative necessity of

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

REFERENCE

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777

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Families

236

170

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Stores

174

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Hotels

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Gun and Blacksmith's

182

175

116

Grave Yard

235

172

726

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have buildings on

231

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CHESTNUT

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250

129

112

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160

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230

227

HIGH

STREET

Public well

Facsimile of a Nimap of

226

180

School house

125

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192

163

121

MOUNT VERNON

VINE

STREET

as drawer

194

161

195

160

155

106

WOOD

STREET

104

217

156

103

102

101

124

Apple

FRONT

STREET

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153

148

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203

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204

211

205

Saw Mill

WATER

STREET

206

208

207

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3.3

J. D.M. Kisson Del

Furnished by Mrs P. B. Gray

CREEK

215

200

155

Capt J. Walker

215

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154

MULBERRY

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193

162

MARKET

and recorded in Fairfield Ohio, July. 1.6:4 1805.

736

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STREET

Peach orchard

171

110

If orchard

212

130

197

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

affording their children some opportunity and accommodation for acquiring at least the rudiments of an education, determined to make some provision for this important object.

The result of this determination was the erection of a small log school-house on the southwest quarter of the public square, near the line of High and Main streets, in size about fourteen by sixteen or eighteen fcet, one story in height, covered with clapboards nailed on, lighted by small windows, and heated by a large old-fashioned fire-place, with no furniture but the teacher s chair, rough slab benches for pupils' seats, desks made of boards attached to the walls, mclining inward and a little downward, on which the pupils placed their books, slates, and materials for writing. The benches and desks were so arranged that the pupils all sat with their faces toward the wall, and backs to the teacher, except the primary class, which was being in- structed in the mysteries of the English alphabet

This rude, humble, primitive structure was the first school- house built in Mt. Vernon ; and, in its day, answered an excel- lent purpose, although its rough walls were not adorned with any charts, maps, pictures, or other modern contrivances, to at- tract the attention and instruct the mind of the pupils,

The only ornament that relieved the unbroken and monoto- nous view of rough log walls, was a map of the town of Mt. Ver- non, drawn by the teacher with his pen, to exhibit his skill and dexterity in wielding that little instrument. On this map was delineated the buildings that had been erected in town, and most prominent among which was this humble educational edi- fice. In the southwestern part of the town plat was graphically portrayed the tall wild grass, the thick undergrowth of the na- tive forest, with a few large trees, and upon a branch of one of these perched a lonely owl, in all his silent, solemn wisdom, overlooking, like a guardian angel, the rise and progress of the town, embryo city, of Mt. Vernon, and the beautiful stream bearing his name. *

The name of this teacher and artist is lost to us, but his ex- cellent work has long outlived his memory, or the recollection of his name.

The many worthy men who taught school in this humble edi- fice have gone to parts unknown, and most, if not all of them, to their final account. But the descendants of two of them are yet quite numerous in this country. Thomas Irvine, a native of Ireland, located in Mt. Vernon in the spring of 1811, and was in- duced by his neighbors to assume the character and occupation of a pedagogue, and taught the children of the town in this humble building very acceptably to his patrons. Also John Roberts, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, moved to and settled in Mt. Vernon in 1816, and taught school two successive winters in this school-house upon the public square. Both these gentle- men were afterwards honored by their fellow-citizens with an

* There is little doubt that this is the same map that appears upon the records of Fairfield county, a cut of which is here given. The only con- tradiction to this view of the origin of the map is the date (1805), which may have been placed there by mistake. That it appears upon the records as here given, the following is evidence:

"LANCASTER, OHIO, March 16, 1881.

"The county recorder and myself have this day carefully examined the records of this county in reference to the above plat of Mt. Vernon and find the same,correct, the date being July 16, 1805.

"E. ACKERS, County Auditor."

The date is evidently an error, as the town was laid out July 16, 1805, the date of the map, while the map itself shows a town several years older.

election to the office of justice of the peace and served in that capacity many years.

Henry B. Curtis, esq., informs us that he remembers this school-house very well, and describes it as an old dilapidated building in the spring of 1817.

No doubt time and neglect had so far wrought the work of decay upon this building that its days of usefulness for school . purposes had passed, and it was permitted to disappear. Its re- moval afforded a site for the erection of a new and more impos ing structure, generally known as the market house, In wi.ich the physical wants of the people were supplied. But, 11: the lapse of a few years, the market house had to yield to the inex orable law of public opinion, and be removed from the square The population of the town having largely increased, more ex- tensive school accommodations were required than this primi- tive structure afforded, even had it been thoroughly repaired and properly cared for.

At a public town meeting, called for the purpose, subscriptions were made, and a committee appointed, with full power to collect the same, and procure additional means by voluntary contributions sufficient to purchase a lot and build a new school-house.

The committee thus appointed entered immediately upon the discharge of the trust reposed in them, and purchased two lots on Mulberry street from John Williamson, of Lancaster, Ohio, and on the twenty-third of August, 1817, John Williamson and wife conveyed said lots, Nos. 166 and 167, in the town of Mt. Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, by deed of general warranty, as a site for a school-house, to Joseph Brown, James McGibney and Robert D. Moore, trustees of the school-house in Mt. Vernon, and their successors in office. By the vigorous and united ef- forts of the school trustees, the citizens, and the masonic order of the town, a very respectable two-story brick building was erected on these lots in the year 1818.

The masonic order, under some agreement or arrangement with the school trustees, built, finished and occupied the second story of said building as a lodge-room, while the first story was prepared and used for school purposes.

The means raised having been exhausted in putting up and enclosing the walls, the room remained unplastered, but was furnished with slab benches for seats, and rough board desks placed against the walls, similar in style and arrangement to those used in the original school-house on the public square. This was the second school-house erected in the town of Mt. Vernon. Joseph Chapman, a brother of the late Judge Chap- man, of this county, taught school successfully a number of terms in this building. It was occupied on the Sabbath for religious services by the different denominations of Christians who had no church building in town, and also the meetings of a literary society were held therein.

·About the year 1824 the citizens of the town resolved to fin- ish this school-room, and Henry B. Curtis, esq., having taken a very active part in soliciting aud procuring the means, was ap- pointed, by a public meeting, a committee of one to design the changes and superintend the completion of the same. Under his good judgment and management the room was neatly plas- tered, and re-seated, in a more comfortable and modern style, entirely changing the whole internal arrangement by placing the seats against the walls and the desks in front of them, so that the scholars would face the teachers. The-central part of the room was an open space, occupied by the teacher, and the classes when called up to recite.

380

HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

After the passage of the general law establishing free common schools in the State of Ohio, the schools of this town were under the management of the Clinton township trustees, and so continued until the year 1845. But they were slow in growing into public favor, on account of the prejudices of caste, and reluctance on the part of many of the best citizens to patronize them. Some of the more wealthy and refined, fearing that evil consequences might result from the mingling of the children of all classes of society in the free common schools, preferred to send their children to private select schools. To overcome this preju- dice, and to improve, develop, and perfect the free common school system, so as to gain the confidence and support of the public, was the work of many years.

In the meantime private schools were well sustained. Rev. R. R. Sloan established a school and academy, which was suc- cessfully conducted more than twenty years, in which a high educational standard was maintained, and the youth of the town, both male and female, were well trained and liberally edu- cated. This high school, taught by Mr. Sloan, assisted by his estimable wife and such male and female teachers as he found it necessary to employ, prospered until the free graded school system grew into public favor. It was then converted into a female seminary, which flourished for a time, and began to de- cline, and finally, for the want of sufficient patronage, was closed up.

By an act of the legislature, passed February 26, 1845, the town of Mount Vernon, in Knox county, Ohio, was incor- porated. In the charter thus granted the town was divided into frve wards by metes and bounds, and authorized to elect one councilman for each ward, and among other provisions the following is made in reference to the schools: Each ward shall constitute a separate sub-school district of said town, subject to the regulations hereinafter provided. The mayor and common council of the town of Mount Vernon shall have the control and regulation of the school districts within said town, in the same manner as the same is now held by the trustees of the township ; and shall also be a board of school directors for said town, subject to all the regulations and re- quirements of the act for the support and better regulation of common schools, except as hereinafter provided. Each council- man, by virtue of his election as such, be a special school direc- tor for the ward in which he resides and the election of school directors, as provided for in the thirty-second section of said act, shall, so far as this corporation is concerned, be dispensed with ; all taxes for building, purchasing, repairing or furnishing school-houses and lots shall be equally assessed upon all prop- erty in the sub-district where such expenditure shall be required, and shall be expended for the benefit of such sub-district only ; and such sub-district shall have in all respects the same power to purchase lots, build, repair, or finish school-houses, and assess taxes therefor, and do all other acts that other school districts can lawfully do ; and the mayor and common council, acting as a board of school directors for said town, shall ap- point a district treasurer, other than the treasurer of the corpora- tion, who shall give bond and security, and perform all the duties required of him by law.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 70

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