USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794 > Part 20
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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
make as few middlings as possible ; separate the flour, middlings, and bran, by bolting, re-grind the middlings, together with all the impurities, such as fine bran, germ of the wheat, dust and fuzz from the crease in the wheat grain and its fuzz ends-the whole ground up, making a low grade of flour ; and consequently the wheat life was killed by too close grinding, and poor, heavy, soggy bread was the inevitable result. The exceeding fine grinding destroyed the cells in the wheat, thus taking away its raising ele- ment, or quality. The value of the "New Pro- cess" becomes more apparent when it is known that by studying the grain of wheat, the best flour is included in the middlings, which, in the old way of grinding, was made into the lowest grade of flour, because mixed with the impurities described above.
To purify the middlings, therefore, invited in- ventive talent of the highest order, since the ma- chine must act mechanically and chemically, so to speak ; and, as a result, a multitude of de- vices involving these principles have been given to the miller-world, from which he must choose. And, it is needless to say, involving the most subtle power of analysis in order to determine the most perfect adaptation to the purpose intend- ed. Among these are: the blast or suction of wind from a revolving fan, and the size of mesh in the bolting-cloth, which separates the fine particles of bran, fluff, and other impurities, from the middlings, leaving them sharp-resem- bling pure white sand. From the middlings thus purified, the flour so much prized by all who have used what is known as Patent flour, is made-grinding it with buhrs and bolting through fine cloth. The use of the Purifier is a change for the better, by allowing the miller to grind higher, as he terms it, or with the stones at a greater distance apart, without fear of losing in yield and increasing the ratio of low grade flour ; thus avoiding the danger of sometimes getting a little too close in grinding, which would destroy the cells in the wheat and, of necessity, result in soggy bread, as stated. And it is found that the higher the grinding the larger the quan- tum of middlings, of which the highest grade of Patent flour is made ; and the flour from the first bolting (wheat flour, or clear flour) is more gran- ular, whiter, and better. But this high grinding produces a heavy bran, leaving too large a quan- tity of flour adhering to the bran, and hence the necessity of a machine to get it off in good shape for flour. Some grind the bran over on buhrs, others use machines for knocking or threshing ; but the most successful machine at present seems to be the sharp, corrugated roller, so arranged that one roller goes faster than the other, and the wheat, passing between the corrugations, is cleaned by the mode of applying the friction. For further particulars, "The American Miller" and other publications furnish details. "The Brush Scourer," a superior machine, is also used. But this article is not intended to be a cyclopedia, and we pass on.
The wheat heater-used to warm the wheat to
a temperature that is known to facilitate grinding into good flour, in cold weather-is used by many mills. A little reflection will show the wisdom of this, as frozen wheat will not grind to the same advantage as unfrozen grain.
The speed in running is an important factor in the manufacture of good flour. Formerly it was thought necessary to run four-foot stones from 180 to 210 revolutions per minute, and grind from 12 to 18 bushels of wheat per hour ; now the mills that have the best reputation only run from 120 to 135 revolutions per minute and only grind from four to six bushels to the run of stone, thus avoiding undue heating of the chops, and leaving the flour, when bolted, free from injury by over-heating, and with all the life pe-" culiar to healthy, perfect grain, and therefore af- fording the highest grade of healthy bread-food.
NAIL MAKERS .- The first man in Zanesville to make a business of manufacturing nails was John Hough, who opened his shop at the foot of Main street in 1814. E. H. C.
The Zanesville "Express and Republican Standard," of December 8th, 1819, contained the following :
" R. & G. Reeve inform the public that their Rolling Mill and Nail Factory are in oper- ation (located at the east end of the upper bridge), and that they have an assortment of rolled iron and nails, which they will sell as low and on as good terms as they can be purchased in the Western country."
Richard Reeve and George Reeve, Sr., con- structed a rude machine for the manufacture of cut nails, which was operated by horse power. This establishment was located on the south side of Main, near Sixth street, until 1819, when the machinery was removed to the corner of Main and River streets, where water power was used. This machine was similar to those now in use, but was not adapted to heading, which was done by hand. The iron used proved too brittle to work to advantage, and the business was aban- doned in 1825-6. E. H. C.
PAPER MANUFACTURE IN 1828 .- Ezekiel T. Cox and Simeon Wright began the manufacture of paper in Zanesville in the fall of this year. Their mill was at the north end of seventh street. For many years this mill was the leading indus- try in Zanesville, and its products found a ready sale throughout the State.
In 1830, Simeon Wright sold his interest in the mill above mentioned to James L. Cox, when the firm name became "E. T. & J. L. Cox," and they continued the business until May 1, 1836, when the mill was destroyed by fire. A brick building was immediately erected, however, on the old site, and the business con- tinued under the following management, viz : Horatio J. Cox and Jonas L. Cox, the firm name being H. J. Cox & Co., who continued the busi- ness for twenty-one years, and then made an assignment to David Hull. The property passed into the hands of George Richtine & Co. : the company being George Richtine, Charles R.
Paper Mill of GLESSNER & GILBERT, Zanesville, Ohio.'
IN 1828, Ezekiel T. Cox and Simeon Wright, who were at that period operating a saw mill at the north end of Seventh street, in Zanesville, conceived the idea of establishing a paper mill in connection with their lumber mill, and proceeded at once to put their plans into execution by the erection of a wooden structure for this purpose, which was operated by the same power that pro- pelled their saw mill. This was the initial or pioneer manufacturing industry of any note in the town of Zanesville, and was the second paper mill established in Ohio. Its machinery was sim- ple, and the process crude, of converting rags into printing and writing papers, the sheets being formed by hand in a slow and tedious manner, in accordance with the primitive processes in use in those early times. This rude paper mill became a power in this Western country, its product finding a ready market throughout Central Ohio and in the Northwest, and in the Western Territories, until these had outgrown its power to supply the demand for paper, and for years, even to dates run- ning not very far back into the past, this paper mill was identified with Zanesville as its leading landmark, in the minds of Western people scat- tered over a vast extent of territory.
The changes that this mill has since undergone in proprietorship are accurately noted on pages 88 and 89, to which the reader is referred.
In the early period of telegraphy the process of taking off messages was by passing narrow strips of soft white paper through an instrument that registered the words communicated by perforations on this paper. It was evident that the consump- tion of this paper must be large, but the process
of supplying it was a slow, simple and tedious operation, performed by hand. A mechanic, who commenced employment in the Zanesville Paper Mill in 1838, and is still with it as its Superin- tendent, conceived the idea that this telegraph paper could be made and cut by machinery, and he soon successfully worked out a method of accom- plishing this with perfect accuracy, and rapidly enough to supply the entire demand. His inven- tion immediately met a great want in telegraphy, and there soon grew up a large demand, not only in this country but in Europe, and wherever the teregraph had strung its wires. It was made in rolls of six to seven inches diameter, and cut in strips of one inch in width, and formed a large, im- portant and profitable element in the business of this mill for many years, as it was the only place where it was manufactured. The inventor, C. R. Hubbell, never patented his process, and numberless mills in the country experimented to copy or improve his method, but never succeeded. It has had its day, however, and has gradually ยท gone into disuse.
For more than half a century the busy wheels of this paper mill have responded day and night continuously to the demands upon it. It fur- nishes employment, directly and indirectly, to many persons and families, and its work seems to be but fairly begun. It was identified with the first dawn of the prosperity of Zanesville, and its usefulness and prosperity will continue to be iden- tical with the solid growth of its favored locality, and years will yet pass before its mission is fulfilled.
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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
Hubbell, Thomas Hubbell and William Nutt, This firm conducted the business about one year. when Thomas Hubbell and William Nutt with- drew, and the business was continued by the re- maining partners until April 1, 1859, when C. R. Hubbell sold his interest to James M. Leonard, and soon .after this property was conveyed to Mrs. E. M. Cox, and the firm name became Elizabeth M. Cox & Co., and was managed by James L. Cox, her husband.
In 1869, Mrs. Cox sold a half interest to John Gilbert, and the firm name became Cox & Gil- bert, and so continued until November 1, 1868, when Jacob Glessner, John Gilbert and Terry became the owners of the mill, and shortly after this Glessner & Gilbert purchased the in- terest of Mr. Terry, and made valuable improve- ments. They continue to own and manage the establishment, and have won an enviable reputa- tion for their products, far and near.
MATHEWS' PAPER MILL .-- The original pur- pose of the present building was- a cotton fac- tory ; it did not succeed, and after standing idle for a number of years was sold by the Sheriff, about 1865, to Edward Mathews, who associated with him George Rishtine, for the purpose of paper making. Mathews & Co. removed the old machinery and placed apparatus and mach- inery for the manufacture of paper, and made sundry improvements and additions to the prem- ises, at a cost of about twenty-five thousand dol- lars. Other additions, amounting to about fif- teen thousand dollars, have been made since that time.
The firm of Mathews & Co. dissolved in 1876, since which time the business has been con- ducted by E. Mathews, proprietor, Mr. George Rishtine, who has managed the business from the beginning, being retained in that capacity.
The mill began by making coarse wrapping paper and tea paper. Printing paper and man- illa paper are the kinds now made, amounting in all to four thousand pounds daily. The amount of business done annually is about sixty thousand dollars. The monthly pay-roll is about one thousand dollars.
The mill is on the southwest corner of Zane and Underwood streets.
EARLY PAINTERS .-- E. H. Church was of the opinion that Wesley Alwine, who came in 1828, was the first to engage in painting for a busi- ness. He was " a genius in his way," and con- sidered a fine workman. Merrick Barr came soon after and opened his shop in Putnam. Dan- iel McCarty (who prided himself in being one of the F. F. V's., in spite of his name), worked for Barr, and they were fond of saying that their customers were "the old Yankees," meaning the Buckinghams, Sturges, Whipple, Putnam, Dr. Robert Safford and Major Horace Nye. .
McCarty opened a shop in Zanesville proper in 1853, and subsequently engaged in merchan- dising.
POTTERY,-Samuel Sullivan, of Philadelphia,
Pa., came to Zanestown in the spring of 1808, and lived in a cabin adjoining Gen. Van Horne's farm house, on the northeast corner of Main and Third streets, and began the manufacture of red- ware ; he built a moderate sized kiln and made X plates, cups and saucers, besides other house- hold articles. He was a sober, industrious man, born in the State of Delaware, April 10, 1772 ; he died on his farm in Falls township, October 15, 1853. In 1840, Bernard Howson, John Hal- lam, George Wheaton and two other experienced potters, originally from Staffordshire, England, came to Zanesville and engaged in the manu- facture of potter's wares. In the spring of 1846, John Howson (brother of Bernard) joined the company, and this firm continued until 1852, when John Howson and his son Bernard became sole owners. . This pottery, from the last date up to 1863, did an annual business of $8,000. In 1863, John Howson died, and the business was continued by his son Bernard. About this time, the general business was making ink bottles. In 1874 the establishment was leased by Fisher and Lansing, of New York City, for the maufacture of floor tiling.
In 1849, George Pyatt, from Staffordshire, England, came to Zanesville and began the manufacture of Rockingham and yellow stone- ware. In 1851, Mr. Pyatt and Christopher Goetz formed a partnership, which continued two years. when Pyatt removed to Cincinnati, where he started, one after another, about all of the early potteries of that city. In 1859, Mr. Pyatt and three other Englishmen removed to Kaolin, Mo., and there operated in the manufacture of white ware until the breaking out of the war, when Pyatt returned to Cincinnati, and in 1863 he re- turned to Zanesville and engaged with Mr. How- son until 1866, when he began business for him- self. In 1878, he had enlarged his capacities for business by a ten horse power engine, boiler and suitable machinery, but died March 15. 1879. The business has been conducted by his son. J. G. Pyatt, since that time. They are known as the Tremont Pottery, and turn out about $2,000 worth of pottery annually.
In 1868, N. K. Smith began the manufacture of pottery, and, with the aid of seven men, turns out about seventy-five gallons of ware.
In 1874, Duncan Hamelback built a pottery in the Ninth Ward ; his establishment manufactures jugs, jars, churns, etc.
In 1878, Calvin Bumbangh bought a pottery in the Ninth Ward, known as the . Star Pottery." built in 1873 by Alfred Wilber ; seven men are employed there, and they turn out about eighty- five thousand gallons of ware annually.
REVENUE, INTERNAL .- Mr. John Reynolds, principal Assessor for the Fifth District of Ohio, appointed his Deputies May 2d. 1815, for that year. For Washington county, Colern C. Bar- ton ; Muskingum county, James Victors, then living in West Zanesville ; Guernsey county, Dr. E. Lee : Coshocton county, Lewis Vail : Tusca- rawas county, Robert F. Capis. This Internal
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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
Revenue tax, was for tax on distilleries, licenses for merchants in retailing dry goods and liquors, and hotel-keepers, and for stamps for various purposes. Congress, at every session, would add to or modify the duty. The assessment for direct tax was on houses and lots, farms, car- riages and harness, mills, furnaces, gold and silver watches, the value of slaves held, etc. There were several slaves held in Ohio at that time, that were taxed as other property.
I will give a list of some of the principal citi- zens living in this district that were assessed for internal revenue, for the year 1815: Alexander Dair, merchant, $11.43; David Anson, shoe- maker, $6.23 ; William Burham, hotel keeper, $36.46 ; E. Buckingham, Jr., merchant, $25.87} : A. Buckingham & Co., merchants, $21.872; Valentine Best, distillery, $566.79 ; Gilbert Blue, merchant, $36.40 ; Daniel Converse, merchant, $53.00 ; William Conwell, $4.00 ; Joseph Church, shoemaker, $18.75 ; James Culbertson, tanner, $23.71 ; Alexander Culbertson, $10.19; Daniel Crist, tobacconist, $12.40; D. & J. Chambers, merchants, $37.50 ; Conwell & Reed, merchants, $22.50 ; Solomon Deffenbaugh, shoemaker, $3.43 ; John Dillon, iron manufac- turer, $50.30; Moses Dillon, $29.12; Nathan C. Findley, merchant, $51.46 ; Thomas Flood, hotel keeper, $21.87 : Robert Fulton, merchant, $44.37 ; Samuel Frazey, merchant, $22.97 ; Timothy Gaylord, shoemaker, $2.36 ; Oliver & Ebenezer Granger, merchants, $22.50: George Gurty, $5.50 ; Richard Galigher, hatter, $12.87 : Paul Hahn, hotel keeper, $21.87 ; Isaac Hazlett, merchant, $31.99; Frederick Houck, $2.61 ; Samuel Herrick, $1.00 ; John Hall, saddler, $10.66; Joseph Hull, saddler, $4.32 ; George Jackson, $6. 19 : John Levins. merchant, $21.87 ; Spencer Lahew, distiller, $159.20; Alexander Mclaughlin, merchant, $15.00 : Increase Mathews, merchant, $14.58; Robert Mitchell, $21.87 ; J. R. Munson, $10.75 ; Moses Moore- head, tanner, $21.63 ; Joseph F. Munroe, $15.00 ; Walter Mckinney, hatter, $22.27 ; I & A. Nye, $6.87 ; Harris, Nye & Co., $6.87 : Thomas L. Pierce, merchant, $33.32 : Jeffrey Price, merchant, $42.94 ; Manning Putnam, $12.26 : General Rufus Putnam, $2.00 ; William Pelham, $22.50 : Harris Reed, $7.00; R. & G. Reeves, merchants, $37.50 ; Nathan Roberts, hotel keeper, $22.00 ; Christian Spangler, mer- chant, $36.45 ; Wyllys Silliman, $8.00; Jonas Stansberry, $4.00 ; Joseph Robertson, $10.24 ; Skinner & Chambers, book binders, $95.42; Joseph Sheets, distiller, $550.40 ; John C. Stock- ton, merchant, $22.50; Stewart Speer, $4.58; John Sidell, distiller, $332.72; Robert Spear, $15.00 ; Samuel Thompson, merchant, $36.46 ; James Taylor, $40.46 ; David Vandarbarrick, $15.00 ; Luke Walpole, merchant, $21.87; Thomas Wickham, hotel keeper, $44.37 ; Dudley Woodbridge, merchant, $75.96; Jesse Young, hotel keeper, $17.50 : William Young, 83 cents.
The number of persons assessed and collected from for the internal revenue of this (Fifth) dis- trict, in 1815, was 308.
ROPE WALKS .- October 9th, 1811, James Keller engaged in the manufacture of cordage, twines and rope. On the 18th of December, 1818, A. P. Westbrook entered into the same business, but on a much larger scale. We find the following in the Zanesville "Express," of January 13, 1819:
"Rope Factory .- The subscriber has com- menced the manufacture of cordage of all kinds, and will keep constantly on hand, cables, well ropes, bed cords, plough lines, clothes lines, sacking lacings, twines, carpet chain, fishing, chalk and trout lines. N. B .- Highest price paid for hemp delivered at my place, next door to J. S. Dungan's hotel, Main street.
A. P. WESTBROOK."
In 1832; Abbott & Crain had a small rope walk, about where the canal now runs, between First and Second streets.
In 1833, Abraham Arter, from Hagerstown, Md., began the manufacture of rope on the site No. 61 Main street. Hemp was then the only material used, and was brought chiefly from Maysville, Ky., at a cost of about sixty dollars per ton. The price ranged as high as two hun- dred dollars per ton during the Southern rebel- lion. Mr. Arter continued the business until 1876.
In 1835, George L. Shinnick and John R. Howard began the business of rope making, on the site now the northwest corner of Main and Second streets, and continued until 1838, when they dissolved partnership, and Mr. Shinnick started his business on Howard, between Fifth and Sixth streets, and did a heavy business, often shipping twenty-five tons of manufactured goods per month.
SALT WORKS .- 1817-Capt. James Hampson had a salt well and furnace at the mouth of Mill run. The well was bored during that year ; Samuel Clark (now living on North 5th street), an energetic boy, helped to bore the well. Capt. Hampson operated the furnace in 1820, and for five or six years later. E. II. C.
December 25, 1817, Thomas L. Pierce adver- tised as follows :
"SALT. The subscriber will sell Monopoly salt, of the very best quality, at a less price than E. Buckingham & Co., the apple and goose quill merchants of Putnam." [Salt was selling at $2 per bushel. ]
In 1818, Thomas L. Pierce and G. A. Hall dug a salt well on the edge of the McIntire saw mill race, near the south end of Second street, but the water proved too weak to make salt to profit. Several years afterward, Messrs. Lattimore & Worthington built a bath house over the well, and also kept a saloon in the building, but that business was abandoned.
In 1819, Alexander Culbertson sunk a salt well at the place where the lower canal locks now are. This well was three hundred feet deep. He made use of a hollow tree, about three feet in diameter and ten feet long, for a reservoir, which gave rise to the name it went by, "the Salt
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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
Gum." The kettles used in boiling were made at the foundry of Thomas L. Pierce, who ob- tained the iron from Dillon's Falls. Mr. Cul- bertson did not make a very large quantity of salt any year, but kept the works in operation until his death. The price of salt at the works ranged from $1.32 to $1.35 per bushel.
In .1820-22, John Dillon sunk a well eleven hundred feet deep, a little below the Culbertson well, but this proved too weak to be profitable.
About this time, Mr. Nathan C. Finley dug a salt well on the bank of the river, below Blue's tanyard, and manufactured salt there for a few years. Finding that the business failed to pay expenses, operations were suspended. Nearly opposite to this well, at the hollow gum, on the south side of the run which empties into the Muskingum at this point, another well was dug by Daniel Prouty and Merriam, but never went into operation. It was afterward owned by Mr. John Dillon.
In those days, many persons endeavored to go into the manufacture of salt. The Pierce well, four miles above town, afterwards owned by Nathaniel Wilson ; the Herrick, Crom, Jackson and Chambers wells. Several of these manu- factured salt for a few years, and then abandoned the enterprise. E. H. C.
The "Express," of January 13, 1819, has the following :
"Salt .- At $1.50 per bushel, at Ayres Salt Works, eight miles below Zanesville, on the Muskingum river. We are now making thirty bushels a day, and when our new kettles are in operation (which we are now putting in), we shall make eighty bushels per day.
All persons that have to cross the river for salt at our works shall be ferried free of expense.
JACOB AYRES & Co."
No branch of manufacture on the Muskingum river has suffered more than the salt business. How many salt works there have been in the Muskingum Valley, between Zanesville and Marietta, can not now be stated, perhaps not less than fifteen. Of the eight that remain, al- though they have lost money, their owners have hung on, persisting in getting a little salt to the market. And while the salt trade seems the last to be affected by the improved condition of business generally, the time of pros- perity is evidently near at hand.
SHOEMAKERS .- 1800 .- The first son of Crispin who made his appearance in Zanesville, was a Mr .- Smith, in the fall of 1800. In 1802, John Cain, shoemaker, resolved to try his fortune in the new settlement. "In those days" shoe- makers went from house to house and repaired old shoes and made new ones, taking part of their pay in board. This was facetiously styled "whipping the cat."
In the fall of 1807, Joseph Church arrived from Bucks county, Pa. He was a boot and shoe- maker, boot making being the more scientific branch of the trade. He worked for Levi Chap- inan, who owned the first tanyard started in this
section. (This had been put in operation in 1802.) Mr. Church opened a boot and shoe shop-the first in the town-in the spring of 1808, and in September, of that year, married Miss Sarah Hart. The ceremony was performed at Robert Taylor's hotel, a log building that stood on the northwest corner of Main and Sixth streets, known also as Herron's corner. There being no minister stationed here at that time, the knot was tied by 'Squire Samuel Thompson. He died in 1863, in his 81st year, and his wife died in 1871, in her 83d year.
April 3d, 1808, a solitary horseman, from Fayette county, Pa., arrived in Zanestown, and sojourned at Paul Hahn's tavern, near the lower ferry. The stranger was Solomon Deffenbaugh. a son of Crispin. He opened shop, the second of the kind, and nothing more is told of him but that "during the war of '12, he made shoes for the soldiers, many of whom never returned, and he counted this labor lost." He died on his farm near Zanesville, December 11, 1869, in the 84th year of his age, and his wife followed to the same bourne, April 18, 1872, aged 81.
During this year, also, came Timothy Gay- lord and worked at his trade.
In 1801, David Anson joined the settlement. His cabin was built on the site now known as 68 Main street, and served as his residence and shop. He was a leader and fond of exhibiting his muscle. In 1814, he succeeded in getting the craft to adopt the following scale of prices :
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