History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 12

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923

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At a meeting held at the Court House, at- tended by 32 citizens of Circleville, on July 30, 1857, Adam McCrea was elected chairman and George H. Fickardt, clerk. Articles of association were adopted this day and the fol- lowing seven gentlemen were elected trustees: William Renick, William Doane, Wayne Gris- wold, John Groce, W. W. Bierce, Jonathan Renick and E. C. Clarke. The name chosen for this association was "The Forest Cemetery of Circleville." The first officers were as fol- lows :. William Renick, president; Jonathan Renick, vice-president; George H. Fickardt, secretary, and Samuel A. Moore, treasurer.

The cemetery corporation in 1857 pur- chased about 51 acres of land for $100 per acre, most of it being secured from Mrs. Agnes McCrea, although some was bought of Jacob Mader. The grounds, which were laid, out the same year under the direction of William Renick, exhibit taste and skill in the art of landscape gardening. The cemetery was dedi- cated on July 28, 1858, by an oration by Rev. Joel Swartz, pastor of the Evangelical Luth-

eran Church of Circleville, and by appropriate exercises. The first body laid at rest in the cemetery was that of Mrs. William P. Darst, on October 12, 1858. There are many fine and costly monuments erected here. The most noticeable is that of Col. John Cradlebaugh, of a grayish marble, which is distinguished from all the rest by its life-size statute of Christ, the work of an Italian sculptor. A view of this monument and other scenes in Forest Cemetery are shown elsewhere in this work.

The most striking object in this beautiful city of the dead is the imposing Soldiers' Mon- ument, situated near the entrance, which has an interesting history. At the time the second Court House was being replaced by the present structure, the contractor for the work offered to erect in Forest Cemetery at a very moderate cost one of the pillars from the old Court House, if a suitable base and surmounting fig- ure were furnished. The offer was accepted and the work done, the column being adorned with a medallion, said to represent Capt. John H. Groce, after whom Groce Post, G. A. R., was named, who fell at the storming of Fort Mc- Allister. The column was provided with a suitable base and with a surmounting figure of bronze, representing an Ohio infantryman of the War of the Rebellion. The column is of noble proportions, made in segments, of a very fine quality of Columbus limestone, presenting an appearance very similar to granite.

Forest Cemetery has been a popular place of burial. The last report of the cemetery as- sociation, dated January, 1906, shows that at that time 4,612 interments had been made. Since the cemetery was originally laid out, it has been enlarged and now covers an approxi- mate area of 60 acres. From 4 to 18 men are employed; a foreman and his assistant are al- ways in attendance.

The present board of directors is made up as follows: William J. Weaver, George W. Bauder, Judge Festus Walters, James Reichel- derfer, William C. Row, Solomon D. Reigel, and Israel U. Finkel. The officers are : Will- iam J. Weaver, president; George W. Bauder, vice-president; Charles F. Weaver, treasurer ; and Jonathan R. Florence, secretary and super- intendent.

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CEMETERY.

The first cemetery of this name was located on the Columbus pike, nearly opposite Forest Cemetery, but a little nearer the city. Six acres of land were purchased August 20. 1878, of Casper McCabe for $1,000, by Rt. Rev. S. H. Rosecrans, D. D., who on October 4. 1880, deeded the tract to Rt. Rev. John A. Watter- son, his successor as Bishop of Columbus. The cemetery was consecrated July 4, 1878, and the first interment occurred on that day, that of Miss Mary Roach, a young lady about 18 years

of age. The last person to be interred here was the mother of Matt. C. Smith.

On account of the wet condition of the first cemetery, a tract of land, 19 acres in ex- tent, adjoining Forest Cemetery on the north, was purchased on December 12, 1892, and all bodies that had been interred in the first ceme- tery were soon after reinterred in the new one. Many interments have since been made here. The cemetery is very well improved and pre- sents a very pleasing appearance. Josiah Wil- son is in charge as sexton.

THE TOWNSHIP OF CIRCLEVILLE

Until the year 1833, Washington township included what is now the township of Circle- ville. There seems to have been no little trouble in bringing about the separation, but it was finally accomplished and the first elec- tion of officers was held about the Ist of April, 1833, and on the 2nd of April the following officers were inducted into office: Trustees, Ferguson Flemming. John Groce; clerk, Jacob Leiby; constables, Henry B. Joy, William L. Pembroke and Edwin R. Reigen; fence viewer, George C. Gephart. If there were other offi- cers elected or inducted into office at this time the record does not show it. The following is a complete record of the officers elected on March 4, 1836: Trustees, Matthias Robbins, Thomas Pedrick and Jacob Try; clerk. Valen- tine Keffer; constables, Jerome Wolfley and James Gill; supervisors, Andrew Briner, Fran- cis Dana and Thomas Moore; overseers of the poor, William R. Rinehart and Henry Fores- man; fence viewers, John L. Green, James Gill and William McArthur. The present officials of Circleville township are the following : Trustees, F. R. Washburn, George M. Pontius and Lawrence Sullivan; clerk, Joseph P. Duffy ; treasurer, C. E. Stocklen ; assessor, Wil- son Stout; justices of the peace, J. Wheeler Lowe and Edson E. Stout : constable. George W. Darling. The total number of inhabitants in Circleville township, outside of the city of Circleville, according to the census enumeration of 1900, was 452.

LAND ENTRIES.

The original entries of land in what is now the township of Circleville were made in the first years of the last century, practically all the land being entered before 1806. Nearly all the persons making these entries settled on the land thus entered. The township contains sections 5 to 8 (inclusive), 17 to 20, 29 to 32, and fractional sections I to 7. The original entries of these sections and fractional sections are as follows :

Section 5, by John and James Reed, George Moots, John Justice and Peter Bunn, in 1804, 1805 and 1806; section 6, by George and Philip Moots; Joseph Yates, West Miller and Thomas McNeal, in 1804 and 1805; section 7, by Con- rad Moots, West Miller, John and William McNeal and Thomas McNeal, in 1804, 1805 and 1806; section 8, by John Dunkel, Benja- min Yates and John Stine, in 1805; section 17, by Jacob Hosselton, Mitten & Clark, Willian Walker and Henry Zimmer, in 1804 and 1805; section 18, by Weaver & Roush, Thomas Mc- Neal, Jesse Kent and John Gehres, in 1804 and 1805; sections 19 and 20, by Jacob Zeiger, Sr., May 7, 1801 ; section 29, by Samuel Hill, May 7, 1801 : section 30, by John Wright, Jo- seph Lane and Adam Weaver, in 1804; section 31, by Joseph McCune, June 8, 1803; section 32, by Robert F. Slaughter, June 9, 1801 ; frac- tional sections 1 and 2. by Anthony Boucher, who procured his government patent, April 30, 1813; fractional section 3 and 4, by John Mc-

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Neal, July 10, 1804; fractional section 5, by Jacob Zeiger, Sr., May 7, 1801 : fractional sec- tion 6, by William Stump and George Brey- fogle, November 12, 1805; fractional section 7, by Joseph McCune, January 8, 1803.

It is said that the first settlers on section 32 were Samuel and John Thomas, brothers, who came from Pennsylvania. Samuel Hill, who settled on section 29, came here from Ken- tucky. John Wright who purchased one-quar- ter of section 30, was an uncle of Mrs. George Try. In early life he had been captured by the Indians and spoke their language readily. About 1805, Daniel Ludwig came to this coun- ty from Berks County, Pennsylvania, and pur- chased section 32, situated in what is now the southeast corner of Circleville township, which had been entered by Robert F. Slaughter. Here he built a fine brick mansion, which was the first residence in the county to be constructed of this material. David S. Ludwig now lives upon the property. John Rowe about 1808 purchased the farm west of John Wright's, in section 30. Henry Triece (Trees) came here about 1806 from Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, and purchased land where For- est Cemetery is now located.

CEMETERIES.

In various parts of Circleville township, family and neighborhood burial-grounds were started at an early period, but most of these have gone into disuse. At an early date there was such a grave-yard, near the river, north- west of the city, which was used as early as 1813. This burial-ground has been gone for a number of years, the bodies having been re- interred in other cemeteries.

THE HITLER-LUDWIG CEMETERY,

Which is located in the southeast corner of Circleville township, is one of the best known, as well as one of the oldest. burying-grounds in the county. It was started as a family bury- ing-ground and it is thought was first used as early as 1807. In 1810 Thomas Ludwig, a young man 21 years of age, was buried here.

The cemetery now comprises a lot three acres in extent, and is controlled by an incorporated association, which was organized on December 7, 1889, there being 11 incorporators. The first officers were: Nelson Hitler, president; B. F. Dreisbach, secretary; and George H. Lutz, treasurer. These officers have continued to the present time, with the exception of Mr. Lutz, upon whose death, in 1898, David S. Lud- wig was chosen treasurer, which position he has since held. The trustees, five in number, are as follows: Nelson Hitler, Thomas L. Hitler, George W. Hitler, Cyrus Bartley and Amos Hoffman. The cemetery is very well kept up and contains quite a number of very fine family monuments. The erection of a sexton's house and a church is contemplated and it is thought they will be built within a few years.

SCHOOLS.

Outside the city of Circleville, there are three school districts, in each of which there is a one-room schoolhouse built of brick. The township Board of Education, elected in No- vember, 1904, was constituted as follows : John B. Majors, Jacob Gehres and Edward Valen- tine -- four years; George M. Pontius and John Walters-two years. Since then, there have been two changes on the board, Charles Kline and Floyd Shisler taking the places of Jacob Gehres and John Walters. Joseph P. Duffy is clerk of the board.

LOGAN GRANGE,

The third organization of the sort in Pickaway County, was established in Circleville at the time the Grange movement was popular. This organization went out of existence after a few years.

RITT'S CROSSING.

At the small settlement in the northern part of the township known as Bell's Siding or Ritt's Crossing, is the elevator of C. E. Groce and blacksmith shop of Edward Hoffman.

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

LIVINGSTON.

Was laid out about 1806 by Daniel Dreisbach, being situated on the eastern border of the plains in Circleville township. It competed with Circleville and Jefferson for the location of the county seat. During the short period of its life, it was the resort of rough charac-

ters, whose actions were a constant menace to the neighboring farmers. At its period of greatest prosperity it contained some 30 or 40 families and had three or four stores, the first store established being that of William Carlisle. The town ceased to exist about the year 1830 and every trace of it has disappeared.

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CHAPTER IV

REMINISCENCES OF OLD CIRCLEVILLE

In our search for descriptions of early Cir- cleville, we have found nothing more suited to the purpose than the following articles, which have been supplied by G. F. Wittich, who has made it a practice to collect all items of interest relating to the early town. Some of these have appeared in the columns of the local press.

CIRCLEVILLE IN 1825.

The following article, signed by "* * ," ap- peared in the Circleville Daily Press, issue of October 16, 1885, being entitled "Sixty Years Ago:"

"Sixty years ago (1825) the east corpora- tion line was the alley between the dwellings of Mack Parrett and Henry Pfennig, then called a lane. Then the quarter-mile race track was from this line east through the farm of Samuel Watt, the farm house being the house in which George H. Fickardt now lives, and the termination of the quarter-mile track was opposite the McCrea property. At the termi- nation of every race the regular fist fights took place, as then about every other man wanted to be counted a bully.

"There were at that time regular training days for the militia, which comprised all men between the ages of 18 and 45. The training day for companies was the first Friday in Sep- tember of each year and the general musters were on the Monday following, when all the companies of the county came to town to mus- ter, the arms being generally cornstalks. It was a great time for us boys as there were

plenty of fist fights, keeping the boys running from one side of the circle to the other to wit- ness the fights.

"In those days every family raised their own hogs for their meat, the hogs being slaugh- tered in their own yards, in winter, neighbors. helping neighbors. The hogs were cut and sausages made in the evening, and generally all cleaned up in one day. Numbers of fami- lies also kept a flock of sheep running at large over the then open country. The sheep were sheared in the spring, the wool washed, picked and carded by hand and spun on the big spin- ning wheel and woven into cloth on hand looms, for winter clothing for both men and women. Wool picking was done by inviting the women to spend the evening, which took the place of the party of to-day. Refreshments or a regular supper of flannel cakes, stewed chicken, store coffee, store tea, warm ginger- cakes, etc., were served. No angel-food or pound cakes were to be found in those times. Flax was also raised by numbers of citizens of the town, who had their flax pullings. When ripe, the flax was hauled in and, when the husks were sufficiently rotted, broken on a regular flax brake. It was then hackled on long iron prongs, set in a piece of wood, put up in bunches and spun on the small wheel, and after- wards woven into cloth, for summer wear for men and women.

"There were at that time two spinning wheels in town, one owned by Isaac Warren and the other by Mathias Myers, grandfather of Allen O. Myers, the statesman.

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

"For hats for men and boys, we depended on the hat manufacturers here in town. We had fur hats for the men and wool hats for the boys. The measure of the head was taken and we waited for the hat to be made. For shoes (no boots in those times), the leather owned by the head of the family was taken to the shoe shop, where each member of the family, boys and girls alike, went to have their feet meas- ured to have shoes made for the winter. No shoes were worn by boys in summer, particu- larly ; usually only the girls had shoes in summer.

"Clothing, such as it was, was also made at home. There were no clothing stores, no hat stores, no shoe stores, no stores to sell groceries exclusively, no queensware stores, no furniture stores, no stores for hardware exclu- sively. The so-called stores then kept grocer- ies, queensware and a general assortment of goods, with usually a bottle of whiskey on the counter for such customers that wished to help themselves.

"There was more manufacturing in Circle- ville then, than now. Shoes, hats, clothing and furniture were all manufactured here and we had a nail factory here then.

"Wagons were sent to Zanesville for loads of salt, to be distributed through town and country. All dry goods and articles brought from the East were hauled over the mountains in large wagons, drawn by six large horses, which were generally provided with bells. There were no railroads anywhere in this coun- try at that day. No cooking stoves in those days. In their place were the large fire-places in the kitchen with cranes for pots and the tin reflector to set before the fire .to bake bread.

"Wood only was used for heating purposes and cooking, the fire being covered at night, to be rekindled in the morning, and if the fire went out, some one was sent to the neighbors for a coal. Failing in this the steel and flint to strike a fire were resorted to. We had no matches in those days.

"The culinery department of a household was not then as now. "No fruit was put up in cans in their season, but fruits of all kinds were dried and preserved. Tomatoes were not

known as an article of food. but were known as 'Jerusalem apples' and were set on mantel- pieces as ornaments only.

"The schools of those times would not at all compare with those of the present day. For school books we had Webster's Spelling Book. Murray's Grammar, Smiley and Pike's Arith- metic. Olney's Geography, and the Bible and New Testament were used as readers. For books to read at home by the fireside in winter we had Scottish Chiefs. Thaddeus of Warsaw, Children of the Abbey, Alonzo and Molise, Charlotte Temple, Robinson Crusoe, lives of Washington and Marion, etc. We had no newspapers, except the one printed in Circle- ville, a small weekly sheet by the name of the Olive Branch, the grandfather of the Union- Herald and Daily Press.

"We had no gas or coal oil for lights in those days, but instead we used the candle dips, which each family made for itself, just as they made their own soap for washing.

"Laborers received 50 cents per day in those times and worked from sunrise to sun- down; no talk about eight hours for a day's work. By the month they got $7 or $8 per month and board. Female help was then 75 cents per week.

"As store coffee was then high and but little money was to be had, rye coffee was used through the week, and store coffee Sunday morning.

"The boys had no glass or stone marbles to play with, but instead we would go to the brick-yard, make mud marbles and have them burned like bricks.

"For currency there were 61/4 cent pieces, called 'fips,' ' 121/2 cent pieces, called 'nine pence,' and quarter, half and whole dollars. We had no 5 or 10 cent pieces; money of all kinds was so scarce, that a half dollar looked to almost any one as large as a cart wheel.

"In those days a large part of the mechanics of the town would go in the country at harvest time to help the farmers reap their wheat, as nothing but sickles were used for cutting. We had no wheat cradles and no reapers and binders in those days. Fifty cents per day was paid for a day's work, for a full hand; 25 for

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a half hand. The writer then made a half hand, coming home from a full week's work, Saturday evening with six bright quarter dol- lars jingling in his pocket.

"We had no buggies or carriages, no livery stables; we all went horseback or in common road wagons. On Christmas our stocking was hung up with the prongs of a fork and filled with gingerbread, mint candy and nuts. An occasional concert was given with such songs as 'Pretty Polly Hopkins,' 'How Do You Do,' 'My Long-Tailed Blue,' 'Jim Crow,' 'Coal Black Rose,' 'Barbara Allen,' etc.

"Men worth from $5,000 to $10,000 were considered very wealthy, and a family with an income of $200 to $300 per year, well-to-do. "There were no high-priced undertakers in those days. Coffins for an adult person cost from $5 to $8. There were no hearses; the coffin was carried on a bier borne by the pall- bearers to the village grave-yard. There were no envelopes for letters. The paper was folded and sealed with wax. We had no steel or gold pens ; we used the goose-quill for pens. We had no blotting paper, but black sand for blotting. "We had what we then regarded as com- fortable houses, but not elegant or costly ones. Plumbing was an unknown art. We had no water or gas pipes in our walls, no water closets in our houses, no fixed bath tubs and no door bells.

"Boys were modest, girls virtuous and old age respected in those days. Finally, things in general were not then as now."

CIRCLEVILLE IN 1837.

In an issue of the Circleville Union-Herald, in October, 1887, appeared the following letter from an old citizen of Circleville, W. H. Yerington, dated "Banning, California, Octo- ber 3, 1887," and addressed to the editor of the Union Herald :

"Fifty years ago this night (October 3, 1837), I landed from the canal-boat 'Circle- ville,' Capt. John H. Sunderman, at the foot of Main street, with my father's family, and was taken to the old National House then kept by Mr. Darst, the father of Mrs, Henry N. Hedges, Sr,

"The circle was then complete and nearly all the business was done in it. Jacob Lutz and Messrs. Gregg and Wolfley had moved on Main street the winter before. In going up Main street from the canal, we passed Samuel Briner's grocery and bakery on the corner of Canal and Main; then the McArthur Block which was just up to the second story; then came Lutz's store in the room now occupied by Lynch & Son, then Gregg & Wolfley, Will- iam and Hugh Bell, William J. Pyle. M. S. Butler and Israel Gregg and Lenant. all in the block then known as Commercial Row; the next was the Market House, where Messrs. Clark, Steele and Jones' block now stands. The next house I remember was Jacob Leiby's (saddler), a two story frame, where the Sec- ond National Bank now stands. The upstairs he occupied as a workshop and the lower room as a salesroom and justice of the peace office ; adjoining that was another two-story frame oc- cupied by Major Bright and Capt. S. Swindell as a tin-shop: from there on to the circle was a row of wooden buildings-two of them are still remaining. those occupied by T. J. Epps and Caddy Miller. On the corner of Main street and the circle was a one-story frame grocery, kept by William Hamilton : next to him on the circle going south was John Hedges' cabinet- shop; next to him on the corner of Bastile avenue was a two-story frame house, one half occupied by Isaac Darst as a store, the other half as a dwelling. The next house was Dick Jenkins' saloon (in 1842 and 1843 used by Mr. French as a young ladies' seminary and in 1844 as Wittich's confectionery ) ; the next was a little one-story frame occupied by Henry Sage as jeweler and watchmaker; then came Thomas Moore's grocery (the Masonic Temple now occupies the ground).

"After crossing South Main street (now called South Court street ), the only business houses I recollect between that and the avenue was Samuel Diffenderfer's grocery and Dr. Webb's office; then came the avenue leading to the old stone jail. On the east side of this avenue were the county offices and where the elections were held. On the corner of East Main street and the circle was a drug store kept by Dr. E. B. Olds (the Star saloon now oc-

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BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF CIRCLEVILLE IN 1836, LOOKING SOUTH (DRAWN BY G. F. WITTICH)

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cupies this site ). On the opposite corner was the old Circleville House, kept by Jacob Goss- ler; a part of the old tavern is now occupied by James Harsha as a marble shop. As the old man was a very clever and social Pennsyl- vania German and had two very nice girls and kept an excellent table, he was well patronized by the young men. The next building was Matthew McCrea's dwelling, a two-story frame on the corner of the avenue leading to the old Academy building and the old Methodist Church, which afterwards burned down. On the opposite corner was a frame building oc- cupied by the widow Jackson and the three Bell girls. One of them married William Entrekin and is still living; another married a Presbyterian minister by the name of Wells; the other I do not know whom she married, nor do I know whether they are living or not. The next was a two-story frame, one part oc- cupied by Francis Kinnear as a dwelling and the room on the corner of North Main street (now North Court street) as a store. North of it. fronting on North Main, was the resi- dence of Joseph Johnson; immediately north was a tavern, kept by Gen. John E. Morgan, the site now occupied by William Bauder's carriage shop. On the northwest corner of North Main and the circle stood an old yellow frame building, then occupied by Matt White- sel as a grocery. I cannot call to mind now, who occupied the premises from there to the avenue. On the west corner of the avenue was the two-story brick residence of Samuel Rogers and adjoining was the store of Rogers & Martin.

"In the rear of the store and fronting on the avenue was an old, red frame building occupied by Rock & Rutter as a tailor shop. Mr. Rutter is still living and occupies the same house on Scioto street that he did when we first came to Circleville. Next was the store room of Renick & Hurst; it fronted on the circle and in squar- ing that quarter of the town it was turned around to front on West Main street and is the same building now occupied by Joseph Richardson. On the corner was the store room of Joseph Johnson, a one-story frame, which was also turned around on Main street.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 12

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 923

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923