USA > Ohio > Morgan County > History of Morgan County, Ohio, with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 44
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Roswell Whipple, a native of New York, came from Pennsylvania and first settled in Bloom on the farm now owned by Jesse Ryan. From this farm he removed to the farm owned by his son William, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1861. He was a worthy citizen and a prominent farmer.
Samuel Farra came from Lancas-
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ter County, Pa., in 1819, and located in Bloom Township. He was a farmer and stonemason by occupation, and the progenitor of the Farra family in this county. Ile died in Bloom Township. His family consisted of five boys and three girls. William, one of the sons, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1804. He married Miss Francis, daughter of Wilkes Bozman, one of the pioneers of Bristol Township. He settled on the farm now owned by Joseph Parmiter. He was a successful farmer and accumulated a fine compe- tency. He died in Meigsville in 1879. He reared a family of nine children six boys and three girls.
John Sharp was born in Pennsyl- vania, and when a young man emi- grated to Ohio and settled in Washing- ton County, where he married Miss Mary Mitchell. But little is known of his history further than that he was a man of considerable prominence. Dur- ing the war of 1812 he recruited a com- pany, which he commanded ; he was taken a prisoner, and was not released until the close of the war, when he re- turned to his home near Marietta, where he died in 1820, aged 47 years. His wife died in 1818, aged 35 years.
R. J. M. Sharp, son of John Sharp, was born in Washington County, Ohio. December 31, 1806. In March, 1830, he came to McConnelsville, and in Sep- tember following married Miss Fanny, daughter of Andrew J. McAllister. She was born in Essex County, Vermont, November 9, 1807, and came to Morgan County with her parents in 1819. Her
father was born in New Hampshire and married Miss Abbie Rodgers. She died in Iowa in 1862, he in McConnels- ville in 1847, aged 76 years. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp reared a family of eight children ; Edgar B., one of the promi- nent business men of McConnelsville, is the only one residing in the State.
Among the early settlers of Meigs- ville Township were Charles and Sarah (Holbrook) McCarty, the former a native of Virginia, the latter born in Maine. They were staid and thrifty people and reared a family of seven children, Charles W. being next the eldest. He was born in Meigsville, May 29, 1831, and was reared on his father's farm. He received a good common-school education and at the age of twenty-two married Miss Margaret A. Triblett. She died in February, 1867. Six years after her death he was again married to Miss Sarah J. Wagner, of Meigsville, and the year following moved to where he now resides. Mr. McCarty is a thrifty and prosperous farmer, as his well-tilled fields attest. In his religious and polit- ical affiliations he is a Methodist and a republican.
James C. Loughridge was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, near Zanes- ville, January 29, 1836. He removed to where he now resides in 1853.
Samuel Koons was born in Frederick County, Md., December 7, 1809. In 1821 the family came to Perry County, this State, and from thence in 1844 to Malta village. Ile is the present pro- prietor of the Koons Hotel, in McCon- nelsville.
CHAPTER XIX
MALTA -THE VILLAGE AND THE TOWNSHIP.
MALTA VILLAGE-PLATTED IN 1817-THE EARLY SETTLERS-THE POOLS, BELLS, AND OTHERS- JUDGE YOUNG-THE FERRY-THE FIRST STORES AND INDUSTRIES-THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF VARIOUS BUSINESS INTERESTS-MANUFACTURES-THE BROWN-MANLY PLOW COMPANY -CHURCHES, LODGES, ETC .- PERSONAL MENTION-MALTA TOWNSHIP-ITS ORGANIZATION- PIONEER SETTLERS -- PIONEER INDUSTRIES-A NOVEL MILL-DAWES' STORE AND TANNERY -- SLOW GROWTH OF SETTLEMENT-HUNTERS-ABE AND BILL HUGHES AND THEIR ADVENT- URES-PERSONAL SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT FAMILIES.
M ALTA village was laid out in 1816 by Simeon Pool and John Bell, who jointly owned the land, and was named by the former to commemorate his visit as a sailor to the island of Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea.
The original plat of the town occu- pied nearly the entire width of the bottom-land from the river to the base of the hill, slightly curved on the west to correspond with the bend of the river. Originally there were one hundred and fourteen lots, extending from an alley west of Pool street, east to Young street. This plat included Front and Main streets and five cross streets- - Pool, Adams, Center, Bell and Young. The town has been enlarged by addi- tions made by William B. Young in 1821, William B. Young, Jr., m 1827, William Palmer in 1829, Francis A. Barker in 1840, and by "Upper Malta," consisting of thirty-eight lots laid out by the " Malta Real Estate Company," in 1883.
Simeon Pool, one of the original pro- prietors, traded a brick tavern in Mari- etta for the tract on the north, and
including part of the town-plat. Ile settled here before 1812, and lived and died on his place. He had two sons, Simeon and Guy W., who lived here until after 1830, and then moved West. Pool had been a seafaring man, and like most sailors, was greatly addicted to profanity. He was a large man physically, and of more than average intelligence. He served as justice of the peace some years before the organ- ization of Morgan County.
John Bell, son-in-law of Simeon Pool, probably came about the same time. He was a native of Tennessee, but moved here from Marietta. He was the proprietor of the lower part of the town, but sold out to John Sea- man in 1817. His sons were John Randolph, Simeon and William ; his daughters, Mary Ann (Miller) and Har- riet (Lackey)-the latter still living in McConnelsville. Bell was a rough mechanic, a boatbuilder, etc. He was a large, strong man, of good intelli- gence, but intemperate. He used to compose verses and songs, which were considered remarkably good.
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George Miller, who kept the first tavern, located on the site of the town in 1815. He moved here from Salt Run, where he had. previously been engaged in making salt. He afterward moved farther up the river, where he died.
One of the earliest pioneers, William Palmer, came with his family in the fall of 1818, and with another family wintered in a log cabin. The cabin was without a floor. A table was im- provised out of a tool-chest, and blocks sawed off the end of a log served in- stead of chairs. Mr. Palmer had five sons- Jackson, Ambrose, Jesse, Elias and William. Ambrose W. was a Cali- fornia "forty-niner;" was sheriff of Calaveras County, and had many ex- citing adventures in that wild period which followed the discovery of gold.
William B. Young, a prominent man among the early settlers and afterward associate judge, located in Malta in 1817. A hewed log house built by him in that year is still standing on the bank of the river below the bridge. He was a quiet, unobtrusive and much- respected citizen. He built and oper- ated the first ferry across the river between McConnelsville and Malta. He also kept a few groceries for sale at his house. About 1818 he built a saw- mill above the town on the stream since known as Clemens' Run. Judge Young died suddenly, and after his death his widow rented the ferry. Three sons- William B., Alexander and Joseph-and four daughters comprised his family.
On lot 70, where is now the residence of Robert Lutton, stood the log cabin built by Wm. Palmer, the first cabinet- maker and carpenter of the village, not only in time but in skill as a mechanic. Hle afterward built the frame on the sontheast corner of Main and Center,
where Dr. Rusk resides. Mrs. Wm. Sherwood, one of his daughters, says her parents came to Malta in 1818, and built and resided in the log cabin for several years. She is one of the few persons yet living who were residents of Malta in 1818-19, and could fill a volume with reminiscences of the days when bears and deer and wolves were not strangers on the adjacent hills, and occa- sionally visitors of the village. She gives one instance of a nocturnal visitor still less welcome. Early one night, while a number of the family-mother and children-were engaged in boil- ing sugar-water in the vicinity of home, preceded by a terrific scream a panther leaped into the light of the campfire. Although greatly alarmed. they did not lose their presence of mind, and while the more juvenile placed the fire between them and the visitor, the others lighted their pre- pared torches, and with calls for aid, which were responded to, induced his retreat. But there were then no bear or panther-hunters in Malta, and the prowler went on his way unharmed.
Mrs. Sherwood says that in 1818 there were six families in Malta-those of William B. Young, Jonathan Whit- ney, George Miller, John Seaman, Jon- athan McMullen and William Palmer- and memory through the mist of years can only perceive double that number in 1826, when there were ten or twelve dwellings, nor present a panorama of progress from then till now, when there are about one hundred and twenty- five.
The first store, if such it could be called, was started in 1818 by Hyman Lazarus, a Jew, who had previously tramped about the country as a ped- dler. Ile had but a very small stock,
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but sold whisky, bought ginseng, and made some show of business. Ile first had his goods in a room in the end of Young's house, but afterward built a story-and-a-half log house where A. W. Walker's residence now is, where he continued business many years.
A few years later Abel James, from Virginia, opened a small store in the building on the lot now occupied by Coulson & Co.'s store, where George Miller had kept the first tavern. In 1829 James sold out to Francis A. Barker, Esq., county auditor, who moved his family into the rooms over the store. The kitchen, which was also the 'Squire's office, was on the ground floor in the rear of the store. Later Barker erected a brick store.
Speaking of Mr. Barker, who was an early justice of the peace, brings to mind the following anecdote :
On one occasion a stout, athletic bully named Adams had whipped most unmercifully a fellow known as "Blinky" Johnson, whom he had met at the gro- cery and saloon of Lazarus, the Jew. 'Squire Barker issued a warrant and had Adams arrested, then left the town, to be gone for the day on business. As the day wore away, Adams, who was in the custody of James Roland, be- came uneasy, and taking advantage of relaxed vigilance on the part of his keeper made a dash for liberty, and be- took himself towards the woods. Mr Roland was too aged to overtake the prisoner, therefore he summoned John Wright, a young man, and ordered him to bring back the fugitive. Wright quickly began the chase, was joined by Joshua Davis and others, and an inter- esting running match ensued. Adams, seeing that he was likely to be over- taken, rushed into John Seaman's house
and out through the back door, Wright close after him. Adams was soon over- taken and secured.
Adams had his trial in the 'Squire's kitchen, back of his store. He sat on the bed while Johnson, the prosecuting witness, gave his testimony, in the course of which he nsed some very un- complimentary language regarding the prisoner. Adams, not being able to control his temper, made a spring to- ward Johnson, and with one blow felled him to the floor. For this offense Adams was taken to jail, but managed to make his escape by boring through the log walls of the primitive structure.
Jolm Seaman arrived in the incipient village August 2 1817, coming from Zanesville in a canoe. He was a native of Bedford County, Pa., and came to Ohio from Wayne County in that State. He purchased land of John Bell, and thus became the proprietor of the greater part of the town. He first moved into a house that had previously been occupied by Charles Kinzel. Shortly afterward he erected a shoe- maker's shop, and next a log dwelling. As the first Knight of St. Crispin, with the assistance of his sons, he made coarse and fine shoes to order for the people of the village and the surround- ing country. He died in Malta. The family consisted of ten children-Min- erva (Pool), Milton, Harmon, Henry, Prudence (Kirby), Charles O., John L., David, Narcissa (Beck), Jesse and Perley. Three are still living-Har- mon, born in 1809, and a resident of Malta since 1817; Charles O. and Jesse.
William Palmer began working at his trade, cabinet making, in 1818, and for many years supplied the demand for articles in his line. In 1841, with his son, Jackson J., he founded the
Joshua Davis
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Malta Furniture Manufactory. At first all the work was done by man power, but in 1851 a steam engine was added. This engine, the first built in the county, was a product of the foundry of Dunsmoor & Dickerson. In 1858 H. Dunsmoor and Samuel McCaslin bought the furniture manufactory from J. J. Palmer. Three years later Duns- moor & Son became the proprietors of the establishment, which is still run in the same name, although the senior Dunsmore is now deceased. From a small beginning the works have grown in size and importance until they now rank among the chief industries of the town. In 1875 the first parlor organ made in the county was manufactured in this establishment. Several have since been made.
The first tavern was a hewed log house, on the present site of A. A. Coul- son & Co.'s store, erected by George Miller. Miller kept tavern a few years and was succeeded by William Murphy. Next Abel James kept store in the build- ing, purchasing it for $150. Francis A. Barker next occupied it; then the Grif- fiths owned it and sold out to Alexan- der Simpson. About 1836 Simpson, in partnership with Milton Seaman, kept store there. The building was next occupied by J. M. Rogers as a saddler's shop, and afterward by Lazarus, the Jew. In 1846 it was torn down and the present building erected.
The new building was first occupied by Alexander Simpson as a store ; then by Simpson & Woodmansee ; next by Joseph Black, and afterward succes- sively by Thomas W. Simpson and Simp- son & Young (T. W. Simpson and Win. B. Young).
The first tinshop in the place was opened in 1846 by John Mellor, who
is still in the same business. Mr. Mel- lor learned his trade with George P. Morris in McConnelsville.
In 1844 Hiel Dunsmoor and David Dickerson started the Malta Foundry, the second in the county. Later Eras- tus Guthrie became one of the firm, which carried on business under the name of II. Dunsmoor & Co. Milton Seaman bought out Dickerson's inter- est and the firm name became Duns- moor, Guthrie & Co. In 1853 Dunsmoor and Seaman sold out and the firm of Guthrie, White & Wadley began bus- iness. In 1858 J. Q. and P. B. Dicker- son bought the entire establishment and carried on business under the name of J. Q. Dickerson & Co. In 1864 W. P. and John Brown and James and Frank B. Manly succeeded to the own- ership of the property which thus be- came the basis of the Brown-Manly Plow Works.
The first mill in Malta was built by Isaac Baker on two flatboats, and was of the rare pattern known as a " float- ing mill." (For a description of it see chapter on Internal Improvements.) Baker came from Washington County and rented Young's ferry. It is related that the first time Hyman Lazarus, the Jew, saw a steamboat on the river, he came to Baker on the run, his eyes wide with astonishment, and shouted, " Mr. Baker! Mr. Baker! your mill haf got loose, und he is coomin oop the river a-grindin' like the devil !"
About 1830 Abraham Lippett con- structed a brush dam across the river near where is now the Malta Mill, and built a mill, which was in operation a few years.
The first drugstore was established by James Cornelius in 1852. In 1867 he sold out to Dr. W. Wood, who cou-
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
tinued business in the same vicinity- on the east side of Bell street-until 1873, when he sold out to Dr. Daniel Rusk, who still continues the business. George Z. Dickerson began the drug busi- ness in 1868, and is still engaged in it.
The first fancy-goods store was started by G. E. Halliday, who sold out to James Neely. The latter sold to Robert Lutton in 1879. The Misses Beckwith opened a millinery and fancy- goods store in 1878.
A. L. Miller was the pioneer jeweler of Malta, and is still in successful bus- iness. In 1872 he erected the Miller Building, in which the Malta National Bank is located.
In 1827, on the corner opposite James' store, Henry Dawes embarked in the mercantile business. He was a man of somewhat peculiar tempera- ment, but enterprising and very success- ful in business. He became a promi- nent citizen and represented the county in the legislature. He continued busi- ness until about 1857, then removed to Wisconsin, where he died.
All the early merchants sold whisky, and with many of them it was custom- ary to keep a bottle standing on the counter.
Malta grew very slowly. Although a trading-point of considerable impor- tance in the early years, yet the village increased very slowly in population until after the beginning of the slack water improvement of the Muskingum. Since then the town has rapidly im- proved, and its business development has been correspondingly great.
It was incorporated as a village by a special act of the legislature passed March 7, 1842. John Timms was the first mayor and Hiel Dunsmoor the first recorder.
In the amount of business transacted and in general thrift and enterprise there is no village in Southern Ohio which can make a better showing in proportion to population. There were 652 inhabitants in 1880, according to the census of that year.
The Malta National Bank, the first and only banking institution in the town, was chartered in 1872, and began busi- ness November 19 of the same year, in the rooms still occupied. The first officers were E. M. Stanbery, president ; Joshua Davis, M. McDaniel, John Hall, John Harris, John Miller and F. B. Pond, directors ; D. H. Mortley, cashier, and H. D. Miller, bookkeeper. D. H. Mortley was succeeded as cashier in 1874 by II. D. Miller, and W. II. Pier- point became bookkeeper. Mr. Miller still holds the position of cashier. The remaining officers in December, 1885, were as follows: W. P. Sprague, presi- dent ; George S. Corner, vice-president ; Joshua Davis, E. M. Stanbery, John Miller, Peter Miller, J. M. Rogers, directors. The bank is well-managed and prosperous. Capital, $75,000.
The leading business firms of Malta in the year 1885 were as follows :
Brown-Manly Plow Co., manufact- urers of agricultural implements; G. L. Hoffman & Sons, tanners; II. Duns- moor & Son, furniture manufacturers; the Malta National Bank; Corner, Walker & Davis, dry goods and mer- chant tailoring; A. A. Coulson & Co., and Dewees & Co., dry goods; George Z. Dickerson and Dr. Daniel Rusk, drugs ; J. M. Rogers & Co., hardware ; Robert Lutton and E. & S. Beckwith, millinery and notions ; H. A. Davis, G. S. Hann and F. C. Thomas, groceries ; C. Palmer, cigars ; A. L. Miller, jew- elry; John Mellor, tinsmith ; John
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Glass and J. W. Thomas, hotels, besides the usual variety of minor business in- terests.
W. P. Sprague & Co. began the mer- cantile business in 1853. The members of the firm were W. P. Sprague, Joshua Davis and John E. Thomas. J. H. Davis and R. H. L. Updike afterward became members of the firm, taking the places of Joshua Davis and W. P. Sprague, respectively. The firm was Davis, Thomas & Co., and next Rogers, Thomas & Co., then Coulson & Hann, Power, Coulson & Hann, Power & Hann, and next discontinued.
The hardware business was not made a distinct one until the village had grown to considerable size. The hardware firm of J. M. Rogers & Co., the first and at present the only one in town, was es- tablished in 1855, and for thirty years has carried on a successful business.
The head of this firm, James M. Rog- ers, one of the leading business men of the town, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1819. His father, John Rog- ers, a local preacher of the Methodist church, moved his family to Malta in 1842. He was a native of Virginia ; died in 1877, aged over eighty years. J. M. Rogers began business in Malta in 1842 as a saddler and harnessmaker; was afterward in the dry-goods business, and since 1855 in his present business. He has always taken an active interest in the growth and prosperity of the town, and has filled many local offices. He was married in Malta in 1852 to Margaret, daughter of Nathan Sprague, and has five children living.
After John Seaman the next shoe- maker was Peter Bricker, who came in 1839, and for many successive years plied the thread and awl to the satisfac- tion of his patrons.
George Townsend came to Malta in 1839, and commenced making saddles and harnesses in a shop on Main street, between Bell and Adams streets. J. M. Rogers began the same business in 1842.
William Breeze had a small dwelling and a blacksmith shop on the southwest corner of Bell and Main streets. He afterward made additions to his house and converted it into a hotel, which is now kept by John Glass.
On the southwest corner of Adams and Main streets was a frame building erected by William Sherwood. The building was burned down when owned by Isaac Hedges, who, in 1880, erected the three-story brick building, now the popular " Valley Honse," kept by J. W . Thomas.
Edward and William Miller, with whom H. Dunsmoor was associated for a time, were merchants between 1830 and 1840. Timms & Dunsmoor, and Timms, Dunsmoor & Taylor succeeded then.
George L. Corner came to Malta in 1833. With the assistance of a man whom he brought with him, Mr. Corner. went into the woods, felled trees, hewed timber and erected a building for a store. (This structure was removed to the Joshua Davis lot in 1846, to make room for the Corner Block. For a number of years it was used as a tobacco packing- house, but afterward torn down.) Later Mr. Corner took his brother Arthur into partnership. In 1837 Joshua Davis bought out Arthur Corner, and the firm became Corner & Davis. In 1848 Will- iam P. Sprague, who had previously clerked for the firm, was admitted to partnership. In 1853 the firm became G. L. Corner & Co, Peter Woodmansce and Albert Clarke taking the place of
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Sprague and Davis, who retired. G. L. Corner died in 1857. Woodmansee re- tired shortly before, and the business was managed by Clarke, the Corner heirs being his partners. Joshua Davis became connected with the firm again in 1861, and business was carried on under the name of Corner, Davis & Co. Upon the death of Mrs. G. L. Corner. George S. Corner became a member, the style of the firm continuing the same until 1868. Davis then retired, and the firm became Clarke & Corner, and so remained until it was consolidated with the firm of A. W. Walker & Co., in 1871, under the style of Clarke, Corner & Walker. J. G. Walker and Clarke sold their interests in 1873, and J. F. Davis became a member of the firm, the name of which was changed to Corner, Walker & Davis, which is the present style. The firm do an extensive dry- goods and tailoring business.
On the bank of the river near a spring Israel Redman erected his residence prior to 1825. It was a building about twenty feet square, the lower story of stone and the upper of logs. Adjacent was his tanyard, currying shop and barkmill. Later, on Pool street, Emery and David Keves started another tan- nery. The third and present was started by George Brownell. He sold out to Robt. Crawford. The property then passed to Davis & Hoffman, and next to G. L. Hoffman & Sons, the present proprietors. The establishment does a large business and is among the most important industries.
The schoolhouse, which occupies the southside of the East Square, was built in 1858. It is a two-story brick building. Prof. James M. Rusk has been the superintendent for a number of years.
On the West Square is the town hall,
built in 1879. It is a two-story brick 45 feet on Adams by 75 on Main street. The interior is neatly finished and will seat an audience of 600 persons. The lower story is divided into rooms for the mayor's office, township trustees' office. marshal's office and lock-up.
In the early years of Malta it was understood that the squares on the east and west corners of Adams and Main streets were intended for the courthouse and jail in the event of obtaining the county seat. Bnt in this as in other events disappointments are often advantageous. The East Square is now occupied by a building of more valne than a forum for litigation, and the West Square by one more ornamental than windows decorated with iron lattice-work.
The village got along without a school- house until after 1830. The first term of school in the place was taught by a man named Walbridge in 1820 in a small log house situated on the lot now owned by Uriah Brown. There were few schools in the early years, most of the young people who went to school at all attending in McConnelsville. The first schoolhouse, a frame building, was erected about 1838 on the square near where the present school building is, and served until the present house was bnilt.
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