History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 93

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826

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William C. Schenck was an officer in General Harrison's army in the War of 1812, and was best known as General Schenck. He was a true patriot, ¿ gallant soldier, and was conspicuous for heroism in the heroic age of the great northwest.

He became part owner of section four in this ownship, his partners being G. W. Burnet and John N. Cummins; and being a practical surveyor, came over here from Warren county to survey their and and ascertain its exact location. He brought with him the plats of the surveys of this and the idjoining townships, and boarded with Isaac Stad- len, while engaged in his work. He was soon ible to inform the settlers here, who were the owners of the land. No one in what is now Lick-

ing county, in 1801, was living on his own land except John Van Buskirk; all the rest were squatters.

After locating their land, it appeared to these men that the forks of the Licking was a good place for a town, and Newark was accordingly platted. The surveying was done by a well known early settler, Samuel H. Smith. The following is a copy of the original record:

"In conformity to a law of the territory northwest of the Ohio, now in force, this plat and description of the town of Newark is made for the purpose of being recorded.

"The town is laid out in blocks or squares of twenty-five perches, each block is subdivided into lots, and has an alley one pole wide, running through the center each way, and crossing at night angles. Each lot contains seventy-two square poles, and is six perches in breadth, and twelve in length. Main street is eight poles wide, the other streets are each six poles wide. The common or public ground may be appropriated to county purposes by consent of two-thirds of the inhabitants of the town, and not otherwise, excepting one hundred and forty- ' four square poles in the centre of said public ground, which is given for county or State purposes, to be applied to no other purposes whatever.

"The ground between Front street and the river, all the streets and alleys and the public grounds, except as before ex- cepted, are given perpetually for the use of the inhabitants of the town of Newark.

"The course of Main street is south sixty-five degrees west, and vice versa, and the other streets run at right angles from it except East and West streets which run parallel with it. The out-lots are twenty-six poles square, and contain four acres and thirty-six perches, and between every two tiers of out-lots is an alley two poles wide.

"To the Recorder of Fairfield county:

You are requested to record this plat and description of the town of Newark. WILLIAM C. SCHENCK, For himself and agent for John N. Cummins and John Burnet. "FAIRFIELD COUNTY, S.S .:

Before me Joseph Vandorn, one of the justices of the afore- said county, personally came William C. Schenck, and ac- knowledged the foregoing and within to be a true description and plat of the town of Newark, and saith he wished it to be recorded as such, as witness my hand and seal, the sixteenth day of March in the year of our Lord 1803.

JOSEPH VANDORN.

"Received and recorded March 16, 1803.

In addition to the plat and destription of the town of New- ark, we, the subscribers, inhabitants, of the town of Newark, do certify that the following alteration in the plan of the town of Newark was made by William C. Schenck previous to his making sale of lots in said town, and that the said alteration was made by and with our advice and consent, to-wit: A street four rods wide on the north, south and west sides of the town, and alleys two rods wide, extending from the said street on the north side through a tract of land reserved by the proprietors to the alleys running between the out-lots; also no more common may be left between the upper block of in-lots and the river than a street six rods wide, and that an alley two poles wide may be

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continued from that street to the lower side of the out-lots, and along the same to the river; and we do hereby request that said alteration may be made, as we are certain it will be highly · advantageous to the inhabitants of the town.

Signed, -

RICHARD PARR, SAMUEL ELLIOTT, JR., HENRY CLAYBAUGH, JAMES BLACK, SAMUEL PARR, ADAM HATFIELD,

SAMUEL ELLIOTT.

To the Recorder of Fairfield county, Newark, eighteenth March, 1803:

I hereby certify the foregoing to be a correct copy, as taken from the transcribed records of this office.

I. W. BIGELOW, Recorder.

In addition to the names on the above record, the following constituted the entire number of in- habitants then in Newark township, so far as can be astertained: Mrs. Catharine Pegg, Abraham . Miller, James Macauley, Benoni Benjamin, James Danner, James Jeffries and Beall Babbs.

In October of this year (1802) quite a little col- ony came from Washington county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Newark and Cherry valley. These were Abraham Johnson, Abraham Wright, Will- iam B. Gaw, James Petticord, Edward Nash, Carlton Belt, Benedict Belt, Acquilla Belt, Little John Belt, Black John Belt. These Belts were also joined in a few years by Long John Belt.

In the winter of 1802-3 James Petticord and Little John Belt began the erection of a mill which became the Buskirk mill in 1804. John Van Buskirk run this mill more than thirty years. To the names above may be added that of John War- den who, with Abraham Miller and Henry Clay- baugh, came from the south branch of the Poto- mac, settling in the vicinity of Newark-Warden near the east line of the township.

The first sale of lands in this township occurred May 20, 1802, and was made by Messrs. Schenck, Cummins and Burnet, to John Warden, who pur- chased two hundred and eighty-five acres of land on the east side of section four. On the same day the same party sold to Anthony Miller three hun- dred and fifteen acres of land adjoining Warden's. Both of these deeds were acknowleged before Isaac Stadden, then justice of the peace.

The city was laid out in the spring of 1802, · though the plat of the same was not recorded until March, 1803. The original plat and much of the

present city is enclosed on three sides by the North, South and Raccoon forks of Licking river. It is situated on a beautiful, level plateau of sandy loam, the original plat extending from Front street along the North fork on the east to Fifth street on the west, and from Walnut street on the south to Lo- cust on the north. It is a square of which the public square is the center. Its surveyors had lit- tle regard for points of the compass, the streets in the original plat running at a right angle with the North fork, which here bears northwest and south- east.

It is very evident that General Schenck was a liberal minded gentleman, from his manner of lay- ing out this town. Its very broad streets and am- ple public square testify to this. His views were broader than those of others who have since made additions to the place, as nearly all the streets out- side of the original plat are cut down to ordinary, and some even less than ordinary width. Many additions have been made from time to time, the growth of the city having been mainly west and north.

The first sale of lots was to James Jeffries, who purchased out-lot number three and in-lot number fifty-nine. The first cabin was erected by James Black, on lot eighty, where the Park house now stands, and was used as a hotel. It was the first in the new town, and was called "Black's tavern." About the same time Samuel Parr erected a cabin on lot seventy-three (the Culley lot), now occupied by Kellar's livery stable. Samuel Elliott built the first hewed-log house. It stood on lot seventy-nine, where Mrs. Fullerton now resides. Beall Babbs built on lot seventy-eight, where Matthew Newkirk now lives. Mrs. Catharine Pegg erected a cabin on the lot afterward occupied by the Episcopal rectory, but now the property of Mrs. Blandy. These were probably all the buildings erected in Newark in 1802; and all were built after July and before October.

It is rather difficult to follow closely the settle- ments after 1802, as the settlers came in rapidly from that time forward. In the summer of 1803 Rev. John Wright visited the place for the first time. He was a Presbyterian minister and the second one of that denomination to visit the place -Mr. Mc Donald being the first. His brief experi-

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nce will enable one to form an opinion regarding he then little hamlet in the wilderness. He arrived on a Saturday afternoon, and learning that there ras but one Presbyterian in the place, and being nwilling to intrude upon him, as he was in very umble circumstances, he concluded to stop at Black's tavern, the only place of entertainment in own. The proprietor informed him that it would le necessary for him to sleep on the floor, as his leeping apartments, which were not numerous nor pacious, were occupied by persons who were at- ending a horse-race. This, Mr. Wright readily onsented to do. On the following day (Sunday) rrangements were made for a repetition of the ace, which had not terminated very satisfactorily n Saturday.

Though during the forenoon of that Sabbath he chief interest of the little community was cen- ered in that horse-race, Mr. Wright preached, and ield a second service in the afternoon, at which le preached a sermon on the "observance of the jabbath," to an audience largely composed of hose who had attended the horse-race.

At the close of this service one of his hearers rose and said the preacher had told them the ruth, and proposed that a collection be taken up or him. The hat being passed around seven dol- ars was contributed.

A story was afterward published in connection with this visit of Mr. Wright, to the effect that bout the middle of the night of Saturday he was roused by a gang of drunken roughs, who swore hat as a stranger he must stand treat or be ducked Inder a pump near by, but that he escaped and pent the remainder of the night with his Presby- erian brother. The truth of this is doubted.

John Warden has been mentioned among the ettlers in Newark in 1802. He succeeded Isaac Stadden in the office of justice of the peace, and vas the first office-holder within the limits of New- irk township. Isaac Stadden has been mentioned y some authorities as a resident of this township, out this is an error; he resided in Madison town- hip, very near the east line of Newark township. Abraham Miller, who came with Warden, raised a rop here in 1802, and then, in the fall of that rear, returned to the south branch of the Potomac ind married, returning with his wife in the spring

of 1803. He became a permanent settler on the first farm east of Newark; John Warden occupy- ing the second one.

Mrs. Sarah Haughey, daughter of Abraham Johnson, was born in December, 1802, in Newark, and is now the oldest living native in the town.

Nancy Cunningham, wife of John Cunningham, and daughter of David Lewis, born October, 1803, is the next oldest. She is yet living, in good health, on Mt. Vernon street. These two old ladies have noted the mighty changes of more than three-fourths of a century in this one spot.

Patrick Cunningham was born in Tyrone county, Province of Ulster, Ireland, and came to the Licking valley in 1801, settling near the cabin of John Jones, on the Munson farm, in Granville township. He built the second cabin in that township. In 1803 he removed to Newark, where he became quite a character. His nephew, John Cunningham, who married the second white child born in the town, above mentioned, is yet living on Mt. Vernon street.

From 1801 to 1810, Newark barely had an existence, containing a score or two log cabins, erected in the midst of a great forest, but upon the ruins of an ancient city of the Mound Build- ers. Black's "tavern" was a log building, on the east side of the frog pond, now known as the public square. It was, probably, the most impor- tant building in the place, standing high and dry on an elevated piece of ground, which has since been leveled. Whether this elevation was an arti- ficial one the record does not say. Some years afterwards this log building was replaced by a brick, which was painted a bright green color, and was called the "Green tavern." That build- ing in turn gave way to the present substantial one. It has, in all these years, changed hands many times. Some of its early landlords were, James Black, James Taylor, Thomas Taylor, Major Hus- ton, Willard Warner, G. C. Harrington, and others. "Taverns" were busy places in those days. Im- migrants came rapidly and they were all hungry and dry; consequently the little log taverns were generally "packed" at night and the bar, inseper- able from the business of hotel keeping, was well patronized. They were often noisy places, people in their neighborhood resorting to them for the

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purposes of drinking, frolicking, wrestling, pitching quoits, and often fighting. A specimen of a coun- try tavern was located about half way between Newark and Granville in an early day, called the "Tar tavern." It was the half-way house for sleighing parties, and travelers from one town to the other. Some of the performances at the Tar tavern were not always creditable to those en- gaged, but this class of houses has long since dis- appeared.

Every tavern had its sign, an article considered of great importance. Something must be painted upon it that would attract attention; in this they took lessons from across the water, following closely the habit of the English inn. George Washing- ton's head frequently appeared on tavern signs, as well as that of General Wayne and other noted people, while horses, dogs, and every species of animal and bird were frequently painted in the brightest colors, life size, framed and swung to the breeze on creaking iron hinges. This sign was generally fastened to the top of a large post which stood in front of the tavern door, and served as a hitching post.

The second hotel in Newark was started by Abraham Johnson, in 1803. It was a log building and stood on the corner of Church and Third streets, immediately in rear of what is now the Lansing house. This house was also kept by Mr. Spellman, and was subsequently purchased by Will- iam Trindle, and called the "Ohio house." The present brick building was erected for and used some years as a hotel. It was called the "Green Tree" house, having a tree painted on the sign.

The third hotel was erected by Maurice New- man, who came to Newark in 1804. It stood on second street, facing the square, on the site of the residence of the late S. D. King.

The fourth was the "Cully" or "Black Horse" tavern, started about 1807, by John Cully, in the log house built by Samuel Parr, in 1802. This was, probably, the most popular of the early tav- erns; the most prominent thing about it being the sign, upon which was painted a black horse. It is hard to say what made the place popular, as it always appeared to be a tumble down old rookery, and its outward appearance was anything but invit- ing, but Cully seemed to be a favorite with the

traveling public and the place was well patronized. The north end of the building was two stories in height, the upper story being fitted up as a lodging room for guests. This was called the "potter's field," a place where everybody slept. This tavern stood opposite the Park house, on the site of Kel- lar's livery stable.

About 1812 or 1814, Colonel William H. Gault came and erected a hotel on the south side of the square. The sign of the tavern was a big bell, and it was called the "Bell tavern." By this time and for some years before, VanBuskirk's saw-mill had been at work, and lumber could be procured for building purposes. Gault's tavern was frame, or it was at least weather-boarded. Subsequently this was torn down and a brick erected on the spot for the same purpose, which in turn gave way to the present edifice, called Shield's block. Gaul: was an ambitious, stirring business man, and occu- pied the positions of county commissioner, sheriff. auditor, and also represented the county in both branches of the legislature at different times.

Dr. J. N. Wilson speaks thus of Newark in 1810 :

"We had at that time several log houses, as well as some frame ones, but so scattered as to give but a faint idea of the shape and form of a town. These houses stood mostly north and northeast of the square. Scarcely could there be found in the town one hundred yards square without a pond or pool of water, standing most of the year. An ugly swamp was then in existence just north of Church street, along Fourth, with a gully running down by the corner of Church and Third streets. to near the southwest corner of the square, with a large pond just northeast of the old wooden jail which stood there in the center of the square. This large pond remained for a dwelling place for frogs, and a resort for ducks and geese, in some de- gree, as late as 1837."

Mrs. Haughey says the old jail above mentioned stood near the south side of the present park, and was a squatty, round-log building, though two sto- ries in height. The jailor, Adam Hatfield, lived in the lower part, and the prisoners were kept ir. the upper part. It was probably erected about or after 1808. She remembers that the whipping- post was brought into requisition at one time. A man by the name of Courson was bound to the post, which stood near the jail, and whipped by a man named Zeigler, who was employed for that purpose. This punishment was meted out to Courson for stealing a sack of wheat from the Van Buskirk mill. All the citizens of the town wit-

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nessed the performance, the children being allowed the place of honor inside the ring formed around the post, the women being next, and the men around the outside.

She says the VanBuskirk mill was a log concern, and not much of a mill at the beginning. The Indians had an encampment a short distance be- yond the mill, and were to be seen in town every day. They frequently got drunk and made trouble. This VanBuskirk mill was rebuilt about 1830; the present frame structure was then erected by Bradley Buckingham, who was among the ear- liest merchants of Newark, and a man of wealth. He was probably a partner, at that time, of the Van Buskirk's. This mill always did a large busi- ness, and was run exclusively by water-power until two or three' years ago, when steam was added. It is now owned by Mr. Montgomery.

In addition to the old jail the square contained another building of great importance to the pioneers, this was the first court house, probably erected in 1809 or 1810. It was a hewed-log building, and was said to contain but one room, with no floor for some time after it was erected, and the seats were slabs, laid upon logs. In this building, which stood just north of. the present building, were held the first meetings of the settlers. Probably the first schools were taught here and the first religious meetings held-or at least among the first. No doubt the earliest religious meetings were held in the open air and in the cabins of the pioneers.

Among the first school-teachers were James Maxwell, who came with John Larabee in 1801, to the Licking valley; Archibald Wilson, jr., Samuel English and a Mr. Mills. Maxwell was somewhat noted as a song singer. It is said he could sing a different song for each day in the year. He was elected the first constable in this territory in Janu- ary, 1802, and made school-teaching his business. He married a daughter of Elias Hughes.

One of the first schools was taught by Archibald Wilson, jr., on the south side of the square, in a cabin that had been used as a dwelling; and another by Samuel English near the Gault tavern. The. first house erected for a school-house was a log building on the corner of Main and Fourth streets. A grocery now occupies the corner. Hosmer Curtis was one of the early teachers in

this house. Later, Mr. Mills taught school on Church street, just west of the Second Presbyterian church, in a cabin that had been used as a dwell- ing. John Johnson, the two Mrs. Haugheys and John Cunningham were pupils here at one time. Mrs. Haughey remembers attending school about one and a half miles north of the town on Mt. Vernon road, in a cabin erected for a school- house; probably the first erected in this vicinity. She thinks this antedates the one erected in town. The railroad now passes over the spot where this building stood. Later, between 1815 and 1820, Rev. Thomas Baird was an efficient teacher here. His school was in the Newman tavern.

Prior to 1848, the schools of Newark, as of other towns in Ohio, were in a rudimentary condition. It would seem that less progress was made in this most important branch of civilization than any other, and this, perhaps, the most important of all. For years after the first settlement of the county, the only schools were "subscription" schools, which were established in some deserted cabin or barn, by some individual who considered himself competent, without preparation or examination, and constituted himself a committee of one to estab- lish a school and keep it (not teach it) according to his own benighted ideas. There were certainly exceptions; some of the teachers were competent and educated, but the majority were not; and there was a time, probably within the memory of the "oldest inhabitant," when there was no such thing as public money for school purposes; hence, if the pioneers attempted to educate their children they must send them to one of these "select " schools and pay the tuition out of their own pock- ets to the teachers. This tuition usually amounted to two or three dollars per scholar for a term of three months. The would-be teacher went around with a paper, to which those who desired his ser- vices would attach their names, with the amount to be paid set opposite. This amount was collect- ed by the teacher himself during and at the close of the term.

When public funds were obtainable for school purposes, there was a little improvement in the schools. School-houses were erected, teachers hired, who were required to present to the directors a certificate of qualification, and the schools were

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regularly maintained a certain portion of every year-usually three or four months in the summer and the same time in the winter. This system of teaching was universal, and continued with little improvement nearly half a century, and the greater number of the great men of the State and Nation received the rudiments of their education, and all the education they ever received inside of a school-house, from this system of teaching.

February 5, 1825, the general assembly passed an act empowering the school board to levy a tax of one-half mill on the dollar to be appropriated to the use of common schools. All the funds coming into the hands of the school board, other than these, were raised by direct taxation, and authorized only by a majority of the qualified voters within the district limits. When these funds were exhausted the schools were closed. The teachers were poorly paid, and, according to the general custom, "boarded round." All the chil- dren within the district limits between the ages of four and twenty-one years, were privileged to at- tend these schools. The branches taught were reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, and further along, English grammar. Later still, philosophy, algebra, and other branches of study were intro- duced.

Newark, probably, made greater effort to estab- lish good schools than most other towns of its size. This was, probably, owing somewhat to the fact of the early establishment of Granville college; New- . ark did not like to be outdone in this respect by her sister town. In 1837 or 1838, a Miss Stimp- son established the "Newark seminary for young ladies." This was worthy to be called a "select" school. And at the same time the "Newark high school" was opened for the reception of pupils, being conducted by Mr. R. K. Nash, and con- trolled by a board of trustees composed of Asa Beckwith, A. Brown, E. S. Woods, James Young, and George M. Young. The tuition fees were, reading, writing and arithmetic, six dollars per term of twenty-two weeks; English grammar and the higher branches of mathematics, eight dollars per term, and the languages ten dollars. The school-room was over A. Beckwith's store. This school was continued during 1839, under the superintendence of Messrs. Smith and Cochran.

In 1848 an important change occurred. The schools were reorganized under what is known as the "Akron law," which is the foundation of the present school system in the State.

At a meeting of the teachers and others inter- ested in 'education, held in the First Presbytetian church of Newark, February 28, 1848, it was re- solved to organize into what was called "The Edu- cational society of Newark township," and to in- vite all others interested, to co-operate with them. At this meeting, a committee, consisting of A. W. Dennis, Isaac Smucker, and L. P. Coman, was appointed to draft resolutions. This committee reported the following, which were unanimously adopted:

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 93

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr. Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages: 826

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826