USA > Ohio > Madison County > History of Madison County, Ohio : its people, industries and institution with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 25
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Rosedale is situated in the northwestern part of the county, about the center of Pike township. Although it has been handicapped by the lack of a railroad, still it is a very thriving little business center for the country people of that vicinity. At present the business interests of the town consist of the general store of E. M. Mccullough & Sons and the blacksmith shop of John and Joseph Roseberry. It has a population of sixty people. The centralized township high school for Pike township is also located there, a first-grade high school, with seven teachers. The present school building was
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erected in 1905 at a cost of twelve thousand dollars, and is modern and up-to-date in every respect. Seven wagons are used to carry the children to and from the school, and the present enrollment is one hundred and seventy.
'MT. STERLING.
Pleasant township contains but one town and two villages within its limits. Mt. Sterling is situated in the southeastern part of the township and also of Madison county. John J. Smith came to this county from near Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and pur- chased quite a large tract of land in Pleasant township, embracing the ground upon which Mt. Sterling now stands. After over twenty years of pioneer work, there was no town or village in the township, and Smith, about 1828, surveyed and laid off some lots for a town. The same was platted and duly recorded at London on June 26, 1829, under the name of Mt. Sterling, after Smith's favorite town, Mt. Sterling, in his native state. The first house erected was a small frame house built by Jacob Alkire, and just opposite to it, on Columbus street, Alkire erected the second house. The first tavern was built and conducted by Andrew J. Mure, who was succeeded by Benjamin Leach, and he by Robert Abernathy. Soon after, a second hotel was built and con- ducted by John Peterson, located where Levi Southward's livery barn later stood. Mr. Mure also opened the first store. Wilson & Graham were the first to keep a general stock of merchandise. William D. Wood and Wesley Howard were two early merchants. The first carpenter was James Baker, who was quite an early settler and became some- what prominent in the early progress of the place. Stephen S. Beale, the first shoe- maker of the town, was a native of Virginia, and settled there about 1834; he followed the shoemaking trade for fifteen years, after which he entered upon farming and became wealthy, owning as much as one thousand acres of land. William Atkins and Otho Will- iams were the first blacksmiths.' 'The first physician was Dr. J. Gregory; the next, Doctor Leeds, after whom came Dr. D. E. McMillan, who located there in 1837. The postoffice was established about 1840, with Rowland Wilson as the first postmaster.
The town was incorporated on March 12, 1845, and the first election held on August 15, 1845, the following being elected to the first offices in the town: Lewis Timmons, mayor ; Smiley Hughes, 'clerk; N. R. Stanford, marshal; John Merrill, Dr. Samuel McClintick, C. W. Cozens, R. W. Evans 'and Dr. William McClintick, councilmen. The present officers are: J. N. Waldo, mayor; George W. Tanner, clerk; O. J. Ray, treas- urer; Dr. E. W. Elder, Laban Fulton, Glenn Johnson, J. N. Waldo and Homer C. Wilson, councilmen.
THE TOWN'S BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Mt. Sterling has a population of about one thousand two hundred. The country for many miles around is fertile and produces immense crops, and the farmers are prosperous and up to date. The Baltimore & Ohio railroad from Columbus to Cin- cinnati runs through the town and makes it a good shipping point. A great amount of live stock and grain is shipped from the place every year and the two great grain elevators do a big business. Mt. Sterling has a fine high school, and also a splendid grade school, with a large enrollment. The churches are well attended. The town is lighted by electricity and has waterworks, an opera house, a fine public library, halls and other public buildings. One of the oldest corn festivals or corn shows held in the state is given there annually in January. Another event of great interest is the chau- tauqua, which is held annually. 'Mt. Sterling has a baseball team that it is proud of, the team being composed of a splendid set of ball players.
Mt .. Sterling has a live set of merchants and business and professional men, who take a great interest in the progress and welfare of their town. The firm of Clock & Boyd handles a full line of dry goods, carpets, curtains, boots, shoes, clothing, hats,
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caps and household goods. T. R. Dille has a large hardware store and carries a general line of everything in the hardware line. Gilbert S. Carpenter, gents' furnishing goods. has a fine store and carries a full line of goods. A. J. Tannehill, druggist, has a mod- ern store and does a flourishing business. H. Clay Johnson & Company, dealers in all kinds of footwear, carry a full line. W. O. Mendenhall, grocer, enjoys a big trade. George A. Boice sells dry goods, notions and groceries. G. D. O'Day handles cameras and supplies, fishing tackle, baseball goods, bicycles and sundries, and a general line of sporting goods. F. H. Hott is the proprietor of the bakery. W. E. Waldo deals in buggies, harness and harness supplies. Miss Olive E. Silverthorne conducts a millinery establishment. The Citizens National Bank, with a capital of about a quarter of a mil- lion, has considerably over a half million dollars in resources. H. J. Taylor is the cashier. Bowman & Reynolds, furniture dealers, also conduct an undertaking estab- lishment. The Hotel Richard serves the needs of the traveling public. Ed. Neff, the proprietor of a garage, also has a machine shop. Jones & Jones, grain merchants, have a large elevator and also sell flour, lime, coal, cement, fencing, etc. Dr. G. M. McDon- ald, a well-known dentist, is the manager of the Rockley Airedale kennels, breeders and importers of these high-class terriers. J. C. Parkinson, meat market, does his own butchering. The Mt. Sterling Lumber Company does an extensive business. The Car- ter Fence Company ships goods all over the country. The First National Bank is among the "Roll of Honor" banks. Mrs. D. N. Erskine carries a full line of millinery. W. L. Hastings, watchmaker and jeweler, also handles men's shoes. W. E. Erskine conducts a general garage and is the agent for cars. Schryver & Neff conduct an insur- ance, bonding, real-estate and loan business. J. O'Brien, merchant tailor, also has a cleaning and pressing establishment. The Gerlach harness store handles all kinds of horse goods. Ed R. Johnson conducts a plumbing shop and does general work in that line. E. T. Snyder, who conducts a furniture store, is also an embalmer and under- taker. The Park restaurant is conducted by Mrs. Mattie Runyan, who conducts a con- fectionery and ice cream parlor in connection. The Sterling Grain Company are dealers in grain, coal, cement, hay, straw, feed, salt, posts, wire fence, sewer pipe, drain tile, implements, high-grade fertilizers, buggies, wagons, etc. Blessing's Smoke House is a barber shop, cigar store and poolroom combined. G. W. Thomas is the proprietor of the B. and O. livery barn. The Security Building and Loan Company is steadily increas- ing its business. Wilby Cowan, proprietor of a dry-cleaning and pressing establishment, has a shoe-shining parlor and laundry agency. S. E. McDilda does all kinds of uphol- stering. The Mt. Sterling Monument Company has a fine display room. W. C. Dyer, a dealer in agricultural implements of all kinds, is a specialist on such subjects as fer- tilizer requirements, balanced rations for stock, soil requirements and other farm ques- tions.
Antioch and McKendree are two sinall villages in Pleasant township. These ham- lets have no business or professional interests, and only a few houses to mark their location.
SEDALIA.
As Range township became thickly settled and the people advanced in the various improvements, from which spring, as an outgrowth, all towns and villages, so there have sprung into existence three villages. Sedalia is the largest of these villages, with Range, or Danville, and Chenoweth following in order.
"Midway," long since known as Sedalia, was the first to come into existence as a town. At quite an early date a road was opened through from east to west, passing through Range township and subsequently becoming a general thoroughfare, over which droves of cattle passed from the west to the eastern markets. Travel and traffic kept increasing, and hotels and stores for their accommodation were soon in demand to meet
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these increasing wants. On this great thoroughfare from east to west, in Range town- ship, was a central point, which was half way between Chicago and Philadelphia. It is also a middle point between several of the towns of closer proximity. Hence, from these circumstances of its position, geographically considered, it was given the name of "Midway."
The land upon which the town is located was owned by William Morris, Frank Thompson and Lockhart Biggs. The exact date of the laying off of the first lots can- not be definitely stated, but the records at London reveal that it was surveyed and laid off in lots, and that the town was platted and laid off by Holt, Morris and Blue, under record of June 13, 1833, Also, January 18, 1838, was recorded Ward's addi- tion; again, on October 30, 1868, an addition by J. Q. Minshall; on January 6, 1869, an addition by Cyrus Timmons; on May 8, 1876. an extension by the council, and on Feb- ruary 15, 1879, an addition by Levi Counts. It appears that there were two small cabins built there before the town was laid out-one on the corner where later the hotel stood, built by William Oliver. After the laying out of the town, the first house was built by Isaac Newman, and was occupied by John Blue as a hotel. He was suc- ceeded by Joseph Wilmuth, and he by. W. T. Garrard. This house then ceased to be used longer for hotel purposes, but two others were erected, probably at nearly the same date, one by Richard Smith, who was succeeded by James Williamson, and he by Mr. Jackson ; then Thomas Green, Elihu Watkins, and last by David Small, after which the property went into ownership as a private residence. The other hotel was erected by L. D. Rowe, and was kept by John McElhaney, who was succeeded by the following persons, in the order, respectively, as their names appear: Mrs. Elizabeth Watkins, James Blizzard, A. J. Thacker, Isaac Byers, A. Miller, Caroline Morris, Charles Bailey, A. Miller, Carty Ellers, W. C. Wheaton, John Timmons, Benson Hedley, E. C. Duff and Isaac N. Fisher. Thus this enterprise has been carried on by different parties, and in an early day, when this great thoroughfare was doing its greatest business with stock dealers, and its varied travel and traffic, the hotel trade was a very profitable business. There was the meeting place of the Eastern stock buyers and the Western stock sellers, and there they left hundreds of dollars with the landlords of the hotels for their accom- modations. But when the railroads passed through the county, and stock ceased to be driven in the old slow and tedious way, and was transported by steam from the West to the East, then this road, with its numerous hotels, lost its prestige and the attention of the people was turned to other channels of business.
SPLENDID NATURAL ADVANTAGES.
The first postmaster in Midway was James Williamson. The first store was opened by William Holt, who kept a general stock of merchandise, tinware, etc. The first blacksmith was a Mr. Boss. Doctor Clark was the first practicing physician of the town, and he was followed by Doctors Lemon, Garrard, Darling, Atkinson, Fields, Seaton and others. When the Dayton, Toledo & Ironton railroad was built the town took on a new life and has since continued to hold its place among the towns of Madison county. The name of the town was later changed to Sedalia and it has since continued to be known by that name. It is located in a splendid farming community and has many advantages. It has a large grain elevator and warehouse, owned by Vent & Riddle. Sedalia is well supplied with good schools and churches, has a high school, a group of the Madison county Young Men's Christian Association and a good, live class of mer- chants and business men.
The department store owned by C. C. Hewitt carries pretty much everything that is needed in that community. The Sedalia Auto Company handles automobiles and acces- sories, and does painting and general blacksmithing. M. C. Price & Son, dealers in
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groceries, also carry a full line of candies and cigars. The Farmers Bank of Sedalia has a good surplus and is a solid institution. George Dorn is the cashier. J. R. Jones is proprietor of a cement-block factory located in the old Dick Williams shop. Alfred Moore conducts an ice-cream parlor and confectionery store. H. L. Steele is proprietor of a general store and operates a barber shop. The Sedalia House is conducted by Sherman West, who also has a livery and feed barn in connection. Sedalia has a population of three hundred and fifty people, and the present (1915) mayor is J. N. Ford.
DANVILLE.
The land where Danville now stands was formerly owned by Daniel and Joseph Counts, the latter owning the northeast corner between the cross-roads, and the former owning the northwest corner. and all south of the federal road. About 1827-28, a stock dealer, Daniel Brown, who had been buying stoek and driving to the Eastern markets, proposed to opeu a store at the cross-roads. Daniel Counts gave him a piece of land to erect a house upon, and assisted in putting up the building, a hewed-log house. When the building was completed, Brown put in a small stock of goods and continued in trade there about three years. Ile was succeeded by Joseph Counts, a brother of l'eter Counts, who continued iu trade two or three years, at the end of which . time he removed to Ross county. Finally, Daniel Counts gave several lots to individuals for the purpose of erecting houses, and the result was the beginning of a town, From the fact that both the proprietors of the town, Brown and Counts, were named Daniel, the new town received the cognomen of Danville. About 1836-37 a build- ing was erected by the McClimans Brothers for a hotel, which was kept by Andrew Willoughby, who was succeeded by John Justis. Danville enjoyed a similar trade and prosperity to that of Midway from the stock dealers, and the trade and traffic of those early days. The first blacksmith in the town was James Counts, a brother of Peter Counts. The first shoemaker was William Mitchell, a one-legged man, a Frenchman by birth, who served during the War of 1812 with Perry on the lakes, was taken prisoner and subsequently was released and settled in Danville. The town was duly laid out and the plat recorded at London on October 18, 1848, by Daniel Counts. This town has had no natural advantage to further its growth and has not been accommodated with a rallroad, hence its growth has not been rapid. The present business interests of the town consist of a general store, owned by J. M. Pampsey, and a blacksmith shop, oper- ated by David Weaver.
Chenoweth is the third town in Range township. It was never platted and con- sists of only a cluster of houses. The business interests of the town are a grocery store, owned by Truitt & Truitt, and a blacksmith shop owned by Frank Fast.
SOUTH SOLON.
South Solon, the only town within the limits of Stokes township, is located on the Dayton, Toledo & Ironton railroad and is in the west central part of the township. It was laid out and platted on December 23. 1831, by J. K. Hudson and Andrew Doug- las. The latter built the first house and was the first blacksmith in the village. John Noland opened the first store, and was the pioneer in the mercantile trade. Doctor Simmerman, a root and herb doctor, and possessed of some Indian blood in his veins, was the first 'practicing physician, and was quite skillful in treating diseases under his system. The town grew slowly for many years, as it had no railroad or other stimulus to promote its growth or to create business. The entire township was without a rail- road for many years after its organization, and all grain, stock and farm products were hauled to some distant market or for shipment. As a result of this, when the farmers were at these foreign markets they made their purchases of dry goods and groceries for home consumption; hence there was little inducement for men of means
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or business ability to locate or invest at South Solon. Things were at a standstill until 1878, in which year the Springfield Southern railroad, since known as the Day- ton, Toledo & Ironton railroad, was built and passed through the village, connecting it with Springfield and the coal fields of southeastern Ohio. This opened a way for shipping the products of the country and made, as it were, a home market for all classes of goods. John Hudson erected a warehouse and grain elevator, after which the farmers hauled their grain there and shipped their stock from the home market. This created quite a business. Men were in demand, and this created a demand for houses. Merchants found an opening for the profitable investment of their capital. From this time the town has experienced a steady growth. The railroad, which at first was a narrow-gauge line, was, in 1880, transformed to a standard-gauge road and is doing quite a live and thriving business. South Solon at present has a population of about five hundred. One of the finest centralized school buildings in the state, recently completed there at a cost of over twenty thousand dollars, has eight departments and along with domestic science and manual training it has first-year work in high school. South Solon is a pretty place, having wide streets, cement sidewalks, some beautiful residences and a number of good churches. The Titus Elevator Company located there handles an immense amount of grain every year. R. C. Brant, who has a general merchandise store, has been there for many years. The. Farmers & Traders Banking Company does a large business and is one of the best-equipped banks in the county. L. C. Titus is an auctioneer and a general dealer in grain, wool and all sorts of farm implements, real estate, etc. The South Solon Hardware Company, of which H. C. Whitaker and F. W. Knowles are the proprietors, handles general hardware supplies. Smith Jenks & Son are butchers and conduct a meat market. The Park Hotel provides for the needs of the weary traveler. John W. Black conducts an ice cream parlor, lunch counter and confectionery store. Charles Lower, who conducts a barber shop, has been in business for twenty years. J. R. Stroup, mayor and justice of the peace, is the editor of the South Solon News. Mayor Stroup is an old newspaper man. W. P. Bainter has a general repair shop. Clemens' restaurant is one of the popular eating places. There are also a number of other business enterprises, including two good livery barns and one or two garages.
EARLY HISTORY OF SOUTH SOLON.
The following history of South Solon, written by Thomas Scott Cooper, was clipped from a recent issue of the London Enterprise:
"In about 1833 there lived within a mile or so of the crossing of the federal and Washington roads John K. Hutson, Jacob Smith, Samuel Harrod, David Harold, Griffith Thomas, Andrew Douglas, John Kelso, Noble Ladd and a Mr. Burley. The site of the original village plot was a thicket of hazel brush, oak saplings, haw and plum; in fact, most of the territory now occupied by the village of South Solon was then a howl- ing wilderness.
"It was certainly a momentous occasion when those old settlers decided that it would be a good thing to start a town at the crossroads. We may imagine some of the arguments put forward in favor of the project-some were in the need of a gen- eral store, a hotel, a blacksmith, a shoemaker and a doctor, and there were other advan- tages they expected to enjoy. After many conferences over the matter it was finally settled and a surveyor was employed to make the survey. We may be allowed to imagine a beautiful day in the spring, or early summer, rather, of the year 1833. All nature seemed to be in repose, yet was never more alive. While the sun's rays glinted through the tree tops dispersing the dewdrops that hung pendant from the tips of the leaves, the air was redolent with the perfume of the many wild flowers that grew in
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profusion alongside the road or in the wood bordering the same-the daisy, the butter- cup and the ivy, and then the wild plum and the haw, clothed in white, were seen inter- mingled with the hazel and briar thickets. Down in the low lands the dogwood bloomed. The hum of the wild bee, as it flitted from flower to flower, the cooing of the turtle dove, the chatter of the linnet and blue jay, the chirping of the young squirrel as it frisked about from limb to linib in the joy of living, and the lowing of distant kine were some of the sounds that broke the drowsy stillness.
ALL NATURE SEEMED TO SMILE.
"The wild rose was beginning to open her petals to the sun, filling the air with the sweet aroma; the blue violet nodded 'neath the thorn trees' shade, and far off was heard the bay of the faithful watch dog, and the woodman's ax and blue wreaths of smoke ascending designated where some settler was busy clearing his land.
"All the elements of nature seemed to smile upon the undertaking at hand, as marking an epoch in the history of the world. And while we are meditating upon the glories of nature and the goodness of God in placing our lives in so goodly a land, two men came down the road from the west and halted at the crossing of the federal and Washington roads. They looked to be men of about thirty-five years of age. We recognize them as John K. Hutson and Andrew Douglas. They were soon after joined by Samuel Harrod and Thomas Ellis. While they were engaged in animated conversa- tion, gesticulating and pointing first one way and then another, three or four men, coming from the north, carrying a chain and compass, joined them. The one with the compass, I believe, was Patrick McLene, of London, and county surveyor.
"Without following them any further through the labors of that day we will refer the reader to the original plat, as surveyed and laid off that day-commencing at a point north of the federal road at lot No. 1, east to Washington road-eight lots with an eight-foot alley between each block of four lots. East of Washington road were laid out six lots with eight-foot alley between each block of three lots. On the south side of federal road, corresponding with above, were laid out fourteen lots, each lot being made fifty by one hundred and seventy-five feet. The main street was to be sixty feet wide. The plat does not show any provision for a rear alley nor space for side- walks, so I presume the sidewalks encroach on the road.
"The original town plat of Solon consisted of twenty-eight lots. The land upon which these lots were laid out belonged to John K. Hutson on the south side of the federal road, and on the north side to Samuel Harrod. My father lived near where the Pancake chapel now stands, but by 1850 I had become pretty well acquainted with the lay of the town: On lot No. 1, as described in the plot, stood a one-story log house; lots 2 and 3 were vacant; on No. 4 stood a one-story log house; on lot 5 was a two-story hewed log house; on No. 6 a one-story frame; lots Nos. 7 and S were owned by John Nolan and William Snyder; on lot 7 was a frame storeroom. On No. 8 two log cabins; on 9, where the Brant store is, was a two-story frame, part of it being used as a storeroom, but don't remember now who occupied it; the last house on that side was a small frame on lot 11.
"On the south side of the federal road, on lot 15, opposite lot 1, stood a one-story log owned and occupied by Hugh Orr; the next house standing on lot 19 was a double house, part log and part frame, built by one of the old pioneers by the name of Ray ; on lot 20 a one-story frame; on lot 21 a one-story frame and a blacksmith shop; on lot 22 stood the old hotel, in which many a high jinks was played; they were supposed to issue out the best of liquors, and I presume it was of a better grade than is dealt in today, if there is any better to it; on lot 23 was a one-story log; 24, a real nice hewed log house; 25 and 26 were vacant lots; on 27 a one-story hewed log; on 28 two log cabins occupied by William Linville, an old sailor. North of lots 7 and S was quite a
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large frame building. at first used as a distillery and later as a grist-mill, owned and operated by Jacob Smith. I indistinctly remember the old log school house, which stood near where the Methodist Episcopal church now stands.
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