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 8
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COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.
Soon after the county seat was laid out, the erection of county buildings became a necessity. The records reveal that Curtis Ballard was paid the sum of two dollars "for crying the sale of the court house and jail in the town of London." Uriah Hum- ble obtained the contract for erecting the court house and Elias Langham, the jail. The court house was a two-story hewed-log building, the first story being used for a court room, while the second was divided into two apartments for jury rooms. It stood on lot No. 40, the present site of the Farmers Hotel, immediately west of the present court house, cost one hundred and seventy dollars and was received by the commis- sioners on March 5, 1813, who "considered it finished according to contract." There can be no doubt that the building was occupied prior to this time, as on the journal under date of December 2, 1811, it is recorded that "William Sutton was paid $9.25 for making benches and table for the court," and "Jonathan Minshall was allowed $1 for hauling the benches and table to the court house." The following item on record in the clerk's office makes it probable that this building was used as early as November of that year: "The November term of the Court of Common Pleas, held in London, the newly laid out county seat, was opened November 18, 1811." It is not known that the county officials had any regular offices outside of their own homes, and A. A. Hume has remarked that "most of them had their offices in their hats," so it is evi- dent that little business was done. and the early official had not much use for an office.
The jail was built of logs hewed on four sides, and was two stories high. The lower story had a double wall of logs, and was without door or windows. The upper story was reached by an outside stairway, and was used as a debtors' prison; while access to the lower story was obtained through an iron trap door in the floor of the debtors' room, connected by a movable ladder with the ground floor. This lower room was occupied by those who had committed criminal offenses or the more serious breaches of the law. It stood across the alley from the court house, on the west side of the present building, and cost $270, the last payment of $10 being made to Mr. Langham on June 7, 1814.
In 1814 and 1815, considerable repairing was done to the court house and jail. It is recorded that in July, 1814, Joseph Russell was paid $40 for repairing the court house, and in March, 1815, William Turner was allowed $50 for building a chimney to the same. Throughout the latter year $284.621% was expended in repairs on these buildings, besides the above amounts. One item of $17 was paid Joseph Warner "for
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chinking and daubing the court house." Truly this house of justice was a modest one, and in keeping with pioneer times, yet the law was, doubtless, expounded as logically, and even-handed justice meted out with as much dignity as it is today, in the beautiful temples of law which adorn nearly every county seat from the Ohio to the lake.
SECOND COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.
As the population and wealth of the county increased, it soon became evident that the old county buildings were not in harmony with the general progress of the county, and that new and more modern ones were necessary. So, in 1816, the commissioners entered into a contract with Nathan and Benjamin Bond toward erecting a new court house. The work was pushed as rapidly as circumstances would allow, and soon a two-story brick building stood on the site of the present court house. It was, in shape, nearly square, and faced both streets. Philip Lewis was appointed by the county as superintendent of construction, and the cost of the building was $7,370, while the inter- est on the balance due, the painting, fencing and other extras, ran the cost up to $7,782.09, the last payment being made in 1826.
In 1829 a brick jail was erected on the southwest corner of the court house lot facing High street, and cornering upon the alley. It was a two-story building, con- taining four rooms, two in each story, and cost $832. The contractors were J. Warner and James Rankin. The jailer lived in the two front rooms, the two others being used as cells. The jail was not fully completed until 1830, when it was ready for the reception of prisoners.
The offices of the treasurer and recorder were in a one-story brick, between the court house and jail, on High street, while those of the auditor and clerk were in a similar building north of the court house, on Main street. The sheriff's office was in a small frame structure, which stood between the court house and the offices of the clerk and auditor. These buildings were erected by Amos G. Thompson, at a cost of $294.50, Nathan Bond being paid $34 for extra work on the same. They were all small, cheap structures, but answered admirably the purposes and times for which they were built.
In November, 1830, Robert Hume bought a bell for the court house, at a cost of $105.60. The ironing and hanging cost $31.75, and was done by Robert Hume, William Jones and Nathan Bond. This is the same bell now in use in the belfry of the present court house, having performed its mission for more than eighty-five years.
THE THIRD BUILDING.
On the 9th of June, 1853, the commissioners, Henry Alder, John Garrard and John T. Maxey, opened the bids received by them towards erecting a new court house, the old one having previously been condemned by the grand jury. Bids were received from Messrs. Gould, Biddle, Hills, Turnbull, Carey, Scott & Reese, Strain and Simpson. On the 10th of the same month, after a due examination of the several bids, the con- tract was awarded to A. E. Turnbull. On the 2d of August, the contract was com- pleted and closed, in which the contractor agreed "to build said court house, as per contract and specifications on file, for the sum of $26,975, and to have the same com- pleted in good style by the first day of July, 1855." It was ordered to be erected with the front facing Main street, and placed in the middle of the lots originally set aside for court house and jail, with the steps commencing at a distance of six feet from the southwest line of Main street, and the northeast line of the lots.
The old buildings were ordered to be sold on June 24, 1853, and on that date E. W. Turner, auctioneer, sold the court house to William Gould, John Warner and J. F. Freeman. for $77. The county offices and jail not bringing prices sufficiently large were withdrawn from the sale. On November 2, they were again put up for sale, Wil-
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liam Turner being the auctioneer. The treasurer's and recorder's offices were sold to Joseph Chrisman, for $37; the auditor's and clerk's offices, to David Haskell, for $34; the jail, to James M. Thompson, for $50; the inside pavement, to Nathan Bond, for $6.50; the old hook and ladder shed, which stood in the rear of the jail, to Joseph Warner, for $2, and the fence around the lot, to J. C. Kemp, for $3; while the sheriff's office, which was not sold until December 4, brought, including the stove, $35, and was purchased by William Jones.
The county officials were compelled to find offices elsewhere, and on November 2. John Rouse, the auditor, was authorized by the commissioners to rent of George Phifer the two southwest rooms on the second floor of his new brick building, for the use of the auditor and treasurer, which was accordingly done, at a rent of forty-five dollars per annum. This is the same building in which Wolf's clothing store is now located. The clerk made his office in his house; the recorder, in a small log building which had been weatherboarded and which yet stands on the south side of High street, between Main and Union, while the sheriff did without an office until the new building was completed.
OVERCAME OPPOSITION TO A FENCE.
On the Sth of March, 1854, a petition was presented to the commissioners praying that the court house be so changed as to have two main fronts, one on each street, which prayer was granted; and at a meeting held March 23, they decided to change all former plans as to position, front, etc., and to alter the same so far as to make the size sixty-eight by sixty-eight, with two fronts, one on each street, in harmony with said petition. The building was to contain six fireproof rooms attached to the various offices, in which the records were to be preserved. In January, 1856, the building was ready for occupancy and on the first day of that month the auditor and recorder moved into their new offices, the balance of the officials soon following their example. The fence around the lot, together with the outbuildings, were the next necessary improvements, but much opposition had been developed toward the expendi- tures already undergone, and some of the commissioners had resigned in consequence. Prominent in this class was Harvey Fellows, one of the board of commissioners, at the time, while the other two, Edward Fitzgerald and David Haskell were in favor of an iron fence. The recorder, William Love, was something of a wag, and getting up the following fictitious bid sent it through the postoffice addressed to the board of com- missioners :
"March 1, 1856.
"I propose to build the fence around the Court House at the following rates, furnish good white-oak rails at $3 a hundred, and put them up ten rails high with stakes and riders, two pair of bars at $1, and paint them for fifty cents extra.
"Reference :
(Signed) "H. P. KITS."
John Betts, Mike Berry.
It is needless to say that this amusing proposition demoralized the opposition and the contract was awarded to John F. Dodds & Co., of Dayton, Ohio, to build an iron fence around the court house and erect necessary outbuildings, at a cost of $4,903, which was carried into effect and the entire work was done in a satisfactory manner. The court house, fence and outbuildings were completed at a total cost of $31,878. In March, 1857, the shade trees on each front were planted under the supervision of A. A. Hume, and added much to the appearance of the site.
The building, as it stood until about 1890, presented a very creditable outward appearance, which the interior did not justify. It was three stories in height and was surmounted by a cupola, the second story being reached by a flight of stone steps from both Main and High streets. The auditor's office was in the first story facing Main and
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High; the treasurer's office was in the northeast corner of the building on the first story, and faced Main; the recorder's office was in the southwest corner of the building, also on the first story, and faced High; the clerk's office was immediately above the recorder's, in the second story ; the probate judge's office was in the same story, directly over the treasurer's, while the sheriff had an office cut off from the large center hall, but it was only temporary, to give him more room in his living apartments a portion of which originally formed his office. At the summit of the steps, leading to the second story, were two large stone pillars gracing each flight, and supporting the roof above the alcove formed at the head of each. In the third story was the court room and jury rooms, while on the first story, in the northwest corner of the building, was the jail and jailor's residence. None of the offices in this building were what they should have been in that progressive age. They were small, unhealthy and wholly inadequate to the amount of business transacted in them.
THE PRESENT COURT HOUSE AND JAIL.
The first steps taken toward the realization of the present beautiful structures were taken when, on April 9, 1889, a delegation composed of John F. Locke, J. C. Bridgman, Mayor Hamilton, R. H. McCloud, Bruce P. Jones, Judge Clark and others, went to Columbus to present the Hon. Daniel Boyd, the local representative in the General Assembly, with a petition asking that the Legislature grant the commissioners of Madi- son county the authority to issue twenty-year bonds to the amount of one hundred and fifty thousands dollars, for the purpose of erecting a new court house, a new jail and a sheriff's residence. Such a bill was introduced and was enacted into law within the next week. The first step taken by the commissioners was on April 13, when they passed a resolution to build a new court house and a new jail. On July 2, following, they hired G. W. Maetzel, of Columbus, as architect. At their meeting of June S, they decided to erect the new building on the site occupied by the old court house, with the addition of lots Nos. 11 and 12, adjoining which were purchased of Phoebe Phifer for the sum of eight thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars. A building committee was organized, composed of the commissioners, the clerk of the court, the sheriff, the probate judge and one other appointed by the court of common pleas. Its personnel consisted of W. E. Beals, A. C. Willett and J. P. Bowers, commissioners; M. F. Dunn, clerk of the court; J. T. Vent, sheriff ; O. P. Crabb, probate judge, and Charles Butler, appointee of the court of common pleas. W. E. Beals was chosen to act as the committee's chairman, with M. F. Dunn as secretary.
On July 15. 1SS9, Architect Maetzel submitted plans and specifications for the court house to the building committee and they were accepted with a few minor changes on September 9. The following description of the edifice is taken from the specifications :
"The total length of the building is one hundred forty feet by eighty feet wide: it contains a basement and two stories.
"The basement contains a hall for public meetings, which has a height of about ten feet. The balance of the basement will not be utilized at present, but at any time in the . future, if more store room for documents is required, the greater portion of the base- ment can be fitted up for the purpose without great difficulty or expenditure of money.
"The first story is fifteen feet in height and contains the offices of the treasurer, auditor, probate judge, recorder, commissioners and surveyor; the spacious halls, cor- ridors and stairs leading to the second story are thoroughly lighted by means of a sky- light extending over the entire main corridor.
"The second story is fifteen feet high and contains the clerk's and sheriff's offices, the rooms for wituesses, the grand jury and petit juries, a room for the prosecuting attorney and court stenographer, also a room for the board of education ; the court room and the private office of the judge of the court of Common Pleas are also on this floor.
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"The floors of all rooms and offices, halls and corridors will be covered with encaus- tic tiling; all stairways will be constructed of iron.
"The buildings will be fire-proof, the foundation to be built of sandstone, the super- structure of stone and brick, all joists and roof support construction to be of iron and steel, the cornice of stone, the roof covered with slate and copper, all stairways of iron, floor construction to be of terra-cotta tiles between the joists; wood will be only used for windows, doors and baseboards.
"Ventilation will be through a series of conductors connecting all rooms, halls, etc., with the main ventilating shaft, which will be built in connection with the boiler house in the rear of the court house. From this boiler house the heating by steam, of the court house and the new jail will be accomplished."
PLANS RECEIVE A CHECK. -
The auditor was ordered to advertise for bids on the construction of the proposed building on September 16, 1889. The bids were received and opened on October 17, and the contract was awarded to the firm of Wittemeir Bros., of Columbus, Ohio, at the sum of $127,666. When the time came for the approval of the contract with the above mentioned firm, Prosecuting Attorney Corwin Locke refused to sign the contract, claim- nig that the building was going to cost more than was allowed by the enabling act of the state Legislature. On January 20, 1890, the commissioners revoked their award of the contract to Wittemeir Bros., dismissed the building committee and it then appeared that all hopes for a new court house were killed indefinitely.
Representative Martin of this district introduced. on February 25, 1890, a bill in the General Assembly, asking for authority to issue an additional fifty thousand dollars in bonds for the construction of the proposed new court house at London. This bill revoked the prosecuting attorney's authority over the contract. It was passed in the House but was defeated in the Senate, by a vote of sixteen to nine. Senator Wilson, of this district, who opposed Representative Martin's bill, introduced another bill, the provisions of which were intended to take the control of the construction of the edifice out of the hands of the commissioners and place it with four citizens of the county, to be appointed by the governor of the state, who, as trustees, should be invested with like powers as the county commissioners in the premises. The bill went to committee, where it "died a-bornin'."
It becoming apparent that Senator Wilson's bill would never pass the House, a compromise was proposed by amending the Martin bill with the additional appropria- tion left in and the Wittemeir contract knocked out. This bill passed the Senate and went to the House, where the amendments were concurred in. All thought that the matter had been brought to a definite head, until Senator Wallace, of Franklin county, moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill had passed the Senate, and the motion was declared carried. This opened up the whole affair once more. This was on Friday, but on the following Monday Senator Wilson let himself loose. There was no quorum in the Senate, and the introduction of a few bills was followed by an immediate adjourn- ment. However, immediately after the reading of the journal the senator from Madison arose to speak on a question of privilege. He supported the motion by stating that Senator Wallace was one of the five senators who voted against the bill on its passage, and therefore, under the rules, could not make a motion to reconsider. He charged that Wallace had exceeded the bounds of his duty in trying to legislate for Madison county, and thought there was something queer in the position the senator from Frank- lin assumed on the question. Senator Wallace angrily retorted that he did not have to plead his honesty; his actions spoke for him, and that he had a perfect right to come to the defense of the persons opposed to the bill when the senator from Madison
.
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represented the other side. He made the point of order that the question as to his right to move the reconsideration should have been brought up and determined at the time the motion was made, and that if the journal correctly reported the day's pro- ceeding it could not be corrected. The chair ruled against the point of order, and Mr. Wilson's motion carried. and the matter was stricken from the journal. This disposed of the question and the court house bill became law.
New bids were advertised for and were promptly received, being opened on May 15, 1890. The contract was let to the lowest bidder-Doerzbeck & Decker, of San- dusky. Ohio, for $127,000. These people had built the court houses and jails at Circle- ville and St. Clairsville and the sheriff's residences and jails at Ashland and Norwalk, and a few of the buildings at Oberlin College. The contract was approved on May 1, 1890. County Engineer Clint Morse was appointed to represent the county as super- intendent of construction. The contractors sublet the brickwork to James Self. of London, who had received from the commissioners the contract for taking down and removing parts of the old court house.
On April 9, following, the commissioners had purchased the west half of lot No. 40, of Mrs. Sarah J. Dresback, for fifteen hundred dollars, and on April 19, the northeast portion of lot No. 40 from William Gamlin and Mrs. Catharine Hardman, for five thou- sand seven hundred and fifty dollars. Work on the construction of the new building began on June 5. and progressed nicely, although the contractors had a little trouble with striking stone-cutters and stone-masons in early July.
LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE.
The corner stone was laid on Saturday, October 4, 1890, with the full Masonic cere- mony for the laying of corner stones of public buildings, Chandler Lodge No. 138, Free and Accepted Masons, of London, having complete charge of arrangements. About one- thirty o'clock on the afternoon of the above mentioned date the procession formed, marching in the following order: Barracks band, Mt. Vernon commandery, Columbus ; Palestine commandery, Springfield; Leonore lodge, Sedalia; Urania lodge, Plain City ; Mt. Sterling lodge, Mt. Sterling; Madison lodge, West Jefferson; Chandler lodge, Lon- don : Grand Tyler M. W. Dungan, with drawn sword; Grand Stewards J. T. Vent and W. A. Jones, with white rods; a past master. P. Speasmaker. with a golden vessel containing corn; the principal architect, J. H. Decker, with square, level and plumb ; two past masters, J. C. Peck and William Chandler, with silver vessels, containing wine and oil; Grand Secretary S. J. Paullin and Grand Treasurer J. C. Bridgman ; one large light, borne by Past Master George H. Rowland; the Holy Bible, square and com- pass, borne by Preston Adair : two large lights borne by two past masters, T. J. Stutson and William A. Athey ; the grand chaplain, Rev. J. W. Dillon ; grand wardens, senior, James B. Sprague, junior, Jeriah Swetland; Deputy Grand Master Levi C. Goodale ; grand deacons, with black rods. H. G. Jones and O. P. Converse, and Grand Master Leander Burdick.
During the parade large crowds of people assembled at the court house and took advantage of every available point where it was possible to witness the ceremonies. A platform had been erected for the grand lodge near the northeast corner, and the stone to be laid was held suspended by block and tackle supplied with a steel cable. Above and surrounding the platform, a temporary flooring had been laid and seats pro- vided for the band, members of the order, ex-county officials, ladies and other citizens.
At three o'clock the procession halted at the court house and the grand officers and others took their assigned places. After music by the band, Grand Marshal Crabbe, by order of the grand master, commanded silence and announced that the ceremonies would now begin. He asked undivided attention to the invocation of Right Worthy
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MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.
Grand Chaplain J. W. Dillou. The reverend gentleman proceeded to read in an impres- sive manner the beautiful prayer prescribed by the rubic, at the close the brethren responding, "Amen and amen."
After the band had rendered another stirring air, J. D. Maddux presented the trowel to Grand Master Burdick, who received it with appropriate remarks. John P. Bowers, on behalf of the commissioners of Madison county, then delivered the fol- lowing address :
"Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons :
"The board of commissioners of Madison county having official charge of the structure now in the process of erection upon these premises, recognizing the import- ance aud dignity of your aucient order, and being impressed with the propriety of your ceremony of laying corner stones of public edifices, have unanimously resolved to invoke your services in laying the corner stone of our magnificent court house.
"It is a matter of pride to us that we are honored by your distinguished presence today, and we trust that you will regard the occasion as beiug worthy of the sacrifice of time and effort which you have made in answer to our invitation.
"We are about to erect a temple to Justice-to Justice, the greatest of the four cardinal virtues to which the Masonic order is devoted; to Justice, the foundation of our security as citizens; to Justice, the very genius of good government.
"All preparation being now complete it is my privilege to formally communicate to you our desire, and to respectfully ask that you do now perform the ceremony of lay- ing this corner stone."
The grand master complimented the members of Chandler lodge on the thorough manner in which the occasion had been provided for. He said that he had hoped to have the governor present, but he had been unavoidably prevented from coming by sickness. He then directed the senior grand warden, J. B. Sprague, to proclaim to the junior grand warden, J. Swetland, and he to the craft and others present that the corner stone of the structure would now be laid in due and ancient Masonic form, which proclamation was duly made. After music the grand master made inquiry of the grand treasurer if the deposit had been prepared and was in readiness. Grand Treasurer Bridgman replied that all was iu readiness, and by order of the grand master read the list of the contents of the casket as follows: Acts of the Legislature empow- ering the commissioners to build the new court house; proceedings of the building com- mittee, specifications for the erection of the new court house, copy of bills of materials, notice to contractors, schedule of bids, advertisement of sale of bids, bids for bands, lithographic cut of the old court house, notice to tax payers of the year 1855, issued by W. A. Athey, county treasurer; copy of the Ohio statutes for the year 1899, Daniel J. Ryan, secretary of state ; articles written by Samuel P. Davidson, Esq., giving names ages and nativity of Madison county pioneers who, at the time the article was written, June 1, 1888, had attained the age of seventy years, also an article by the same author giving observations on the weather from June 6, 1818, to June 18, 1888; short sketches of the history of the various church organizations and benevolent institutions of Lon- don up to that date, furnished by the pastors of the churches and secretaries of lodges; census figures of 1890 pertaining to Madison county, through the kindness of Hon. S. H. Prettyman, central supervisor of the fifth district of Ohio; copy of the London Times of October 3, 1890, copy of the Madison County Democrat of October 1, 1890, copy of the London Enterprise of October 3, 1890, copy of the London Vigilant of September 30, 1890, the Daily Nickel Platc of October 3, 1890; history of Chandler Lodge No. 138, Free and Accepted Masons; portrait of Leander Burdick, grand master; copy of the Masonic directory of London, Ohio; copy of the printed ceremonies of the laying of the
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