History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions, Part 16

Author: R. E. Lowry
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 985

USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions > Part 16

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The surveyors of the county generally have been a good class of men. Some of them later entered upon business careers and achieved a fair measure of success. The one who, simply as a surveyor and civil engineer, became the most widely known, and who was connected with the greatest constructive works, was James V. Acton, who was born in Virginia about 1816 and came, a youth, to Preble county with his father about the year 1834. He taught school for two or three years in the early forties, two years in South Eaton, in the little brick school still standing on Cherry street, now a dwelling. He had a natural bent for mathematics, and when T. J. Larsh was elected to the constitutional convention of 1851, he became surveyor and, as surveyor or dep- uty, continued until the building of the Erie railroad, at which time he was employed as construction engineer of a division of one hundred miles, from

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Salamanca, New York, west, and subsequently another one hundred miles was added, bringing him nearly to North Lewisburg. After the completion of that road he was employed by what is now the Baltimore & Ohio South- western railroad in constructing a line across a part of Indiana; then later, shortly after the Civil War, he worked a year on the building of a railroad in Louisiana; then for a short line through the hilly country of the southwest corner of New York, and later in Canada. He surveyed a line through the Adirondacks, but the projected road never was built. He also surveyed sev- eral lines in Ohio.

James V. Acton was a tall, spare man, possessing great endurance, reti- cent, and positive in his convictions, and clean and honorable in his dealings. His mind worked on mathematical lines and dealt with facts, and no man was ever possessed of the power to make him yield and certify to any statement that was not backed by figures that spoke truth, not merely juggled to suit. While his work dealt with great sums of money, no one ever whispered wrong against him. Simply as a surveyor he was the peer of any, but in tracing and searching for old lines he was not the equal of T. J. Larsh, be- cause he reasoned that the surveyor ought to have done so and so, instead of inquiring what the surveyor actually did. He was a kind-hearted and true friend, speaking frankly what he had to say, but never backbiting. This upright course made him unpopular with a certain class, but they had respect for his opinions nevertheless. He is buried in the cemetery at Eaton. I write the above because I think I really knew him better than most men, hav- ing worked as a co-laborer with him for six years in county work.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

Under the law passed in 1804, commissioners' terms were three years each, and the year of first term is given; most of them being re-elected, thus serving six years :

George Shidler, William R. Irvin, Samuel Hawkins, special election, 1808; at regular election, 1808, Alexander Pugh, John Halderman, William R. Irvin; Eli Dixon, 1809: James Ireland, 1811; John Spacht, 1813; James Crawford, Andrew McQuiston, 1814; Frederick Miller, 1816; Henry Mont- fort, 1817; Jesse Swisher, 1818; Isaac Stephens, 1819; Walter Buel, 1820; William Campbell, Peter Banta, 1821 ; James Crawford, 1822; John Acton, 1824; Stephen Long and Richard B. Paine, 1828; William Kendrick, 1829; Peter Banta, 1830; Thomas Morgan, 1832; William Hall and Thomas Mil- ler, 1833; Matthew McWhinney, 1834; J. F. Ireland, 1835: James Wilson

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and D. Barnett, 1836; Peter Shidler, 1837; Jacob F. Miller, 1840; John Patterson, 1846; Ebenezer Pinkerton, 1847; John Mumma, 1848; Isaac E. Railsback and James Elliott, 1849; Henry Harter, 1851; Moses D. Harris, 1853; Absalom Stiver, 1854; Jonathan Davisson, 1855; William Berry, 1856; Nathaniel Benjamin, 1857; Patrick McGrew, 1859; William H. Smith, 1860; William Risinger, 1861; Philip Lybrook, 1862; Benjamin Deardorff, 1863; William C. Mills, 1865; George Brower, 1866; Daniel G. Prugh, 1869; Sam- uel Coovert, 1870; Eli Conger, 1871; Jehu B. Campbell, 1873; Joseph Mills, 1875; D. W. Harshman, 1877; Howard Young, 1879; James McDill, 1880; Henry Furrey, 1882; Samuel Coovert, 1883; Harvey Paddack, 1884; John C. Riner, 1885; William Mills, 1887; W. D. Pugh, 1889; James Carroll, 1891; Jacob S. Benner, 1893; George W. Hanger, 1894; Samuel E. Morton, 1895; S. C. Ritchie, 1899; Isaac Ulrich, 1900; J. E. Flora, 1901 ; J. O. Willson, 1905; James Carroll, 1906; J. E. Flora, 1907, appointed; M. L. Coovert, 1908; D. S. Ulrich, 1909.

The term then was changed to two years, all expiring at the same time: D. S. Ulrich, James Carroll and M. L. Coovert, 1911; Chris Wair, 1912, ap- pointed; James Carroll died, Perry Woolf, 1912, to fill vacancy to Septem- ber, 1913; William Johnson, Joseph A. Day and Silas Q. Burriff, 1913, pres- ent incumbents, until 1917, being re-elected in 1914.

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CHAPTER VIII.

RAILROADS AND TRANSPORTATION.

The Eaton & Hamilton Railroad Company was organized in 1849, under a charter granted by the Legislature to build a railroad from Eaton to Hamilton by the most feasible route. Abner Haines and Joseph Haw- kins were the attorneys for the company, composed of Lurton Dunham, of Camden, and Cornelius Vanausdal, Ellis Minshall, Alfred Denny, of Eaton, and some Hamilton men. Vanausdal was the first president, Jesse B. Stephens, secretary, and Josiah Campbell, treasurer. Abner Haines was president the second year, and John Woods, of Hamilton, president the third year. Then David Barnett, of Barnett's station, two miles north of Camden, became president, and continued until near the close of the Civil War. He owned a farm and large mill at Barnett's station, and to his energy and push and belief in the future good of the road the people are indebted, perhaps more to him than any other one man, for the building and completion of the road. The rails were iron, imported from England and cost, delivered at Hamilton, about sixty-five dollars per ton for rails of forty-five pounds per yard. The original subscription was sixty-five thou- sand dollars, of which forty thousand was from Preble county, but they subsequently rased one hundred and fifty thousand dollars more in Cin- cinnati, and the road was built to Richmond, Indiana, and put in operation in the spring of 1852.

AN INNOVATION THAT CAME TO STAY.

When the first passenger train reached Eaton it brought the officers of the road and many of those who helped in its building. It is said that the whole countryside turned out; the village was crowded and it was made a gala day, with bands and speech-making. In 1869 the road was leased to and became a part of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton system, after several years of litigation, under a reorganization scheme, and so continued until about 1890, when it was again leased, in perpetuity, to the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, and now forms the main line of that company

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from Chicago to Cincinnati, and is a part of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway Company.

There has been much talk and two or three surveys for changing the location of the line from Eaton to Seven Mile, but all came to naught. The reasons given for the change are that the road follows too closely the course of Seven Mile creek, there being no less than nine bridges, from one hun- dred feet to two hundred feet long, across that stream, in a distance of about eighteen miles, some of which are damaged by every big flood. Then some of the grades are very heavy, necessitating what is called double- headers on heavy freights. The line is now laid with eighty-five pound steel rails, costing less than half the price per ton of the original iron ones, which were imported, while the steel ones were all made in the United States.

The Dayton & Western Railroad Company was chartered in February, 1846, from Dayton to the state line between Ohio and Indiana, and was completed for business in October, 1853, and finally built the junction with the Eaton & Hamilton line two miles east of the Richmond depot. Both roads used the same line to the depot, and in 1865 it leased from the Rich- mond & Miami company, that controlled that short stretch, the right to its use in perpetuity. Finally, by various transfers, the entire road in Decem- ber, 1869, passed into the possession of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company, and forms a part of the line from St. Louis to Columbus. In 1863 the company leased the right to the Dayton & Union Railroad Company to use its line from Dayton to Dodson, some fifteen miles, and it is yet so used. This road was originally planned to Eaton and Richmond, but was diverted north by certain financial interests, which feared that such a line would be detrimental to their interests. The road strikes the east line of Harrison township, near the middle line of section 34, thence a straight line through Sonora to the south line of section 5, then following the line one mile south of the north county line through West Manchester and Eldorado to nearly the west line of Monroe township. Then it bends and follows the course of Little creek to New Paris, where it unites with the Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central railroad, owned by the same com- pany, and from there to Richmond the line is double track.

THE GROWTH OF THE IRON ROAD.

The Dayton & Greenville railroad was chartered and built about the same time as the Dayton & Western, and strikes the east county line about

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the middle line of section 12 of Monroe township, and runs a straight line through Verona, to about the center of the north line of the northwest quarter of section I, of said township, Verona being the only stop in the county.

The Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw railroad was started about 1883, and was projected to pass through the county seats of all the western counties of the state. The promoters called for subscriptions and right of way along the line of the proposed road, but did not meet with any great ·response in Eaton or vicinity. As Lewisburg, West Alexandria, Farmers- ville and Germantown had no railroad and earnestly desired one, they got on a tremendous hustle and raised many thousand dollars to bring the road through these towns. They procured a great part of the right of way, and so earnest were they and so substantial their donations, that the promoters agreed to bend the line at West Manchester, and come that way. Then the people of Eaton woke up and secured the needed help, but it must be re- corded to the honor of the promoters, that they kept faith with the hustlers and the road was built through the towns named. It was commenced in this county in 1885 and finished in 1886. About 1908, after being in litiga- tion for some time, it was purchased by the New York Central system and added to and became a part of the Big Four division. It passes through Monroe, Harrison, Twin and Lanier townships.

About 1861, the Richmond & Covington railroad was chartered to build a railroad from Covington through Greenville to Richmond, Indiana, and was completed during the Civil War. It comes into this county in section 4 of Jefferson township, and runs southwesterly in the Whitewater valley to New Paris, from which point to Richmond it used the tracks of the Dayton & Western Railroad. Some three or four years after the war it was leased to and became a part of the Columbus, Chicago & Cen- tral Indiana railroad, and in 1883 it was leased in perpetuity to and became a. part of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis system of the Pennsylvania company, joining the main line from Columbus to Chicago at Bradford junction. Some of their fastest trains are run over this line, notable among them being the limited mail. From New Paris to Richmond it is double track, and at New Paris is a switch tower and watchman on duty. It was a hair-raising experience to the writer, a year or more ago, to stand in the tower and look up and down the valley over a mile in each direction and. see two great trains loaded with human freight rushing towards each other at fifty miles per hour, as if each tried to reach the junction first, but the levers worked and there was a rush and roar, followed

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by a second rush and roar, and each sped on its way in safety. But the pos- sibilities seemed to make me stop breathing for a minute or two.

The Dayton & Western Traction Company in 1897 projected a line of electric interurban railroad from Dayton to Eaton, along the north side of the right of way of the Dayton and Western turnpike, which for years had been unremunerative. Dr. J. E. Lowes, of Dayton, the promoter, con- ceived the idea of buying the turnpike stock, which he did for a nominal sum; then he granted to the traction company the right of way, then asked for the county commissioners to appraise the bridges and road, which was done, and he sold the bridges to the county, and the turnpike became a free road. In 1897-98 the road was constructed, and the first passenger car reached Eaton on July 3, 1898. Oscar Sheppard was the attorney in this county who assisted in the building of the road. Doctor Lowes sold the controlling interest in the road about 1900 to Valentine Winters, of Day- ton, who, in 1903, built the line along the north side of the turnpike to Richmond, laying a spur track from New Westville to New Paris, a dis- tance of two and one-half miles. The line was surveyed and constructed under R. K. DeMotte and A. L. Reid as the engineers. In 1906, it was leased in perpetuity, or ninety-nine years, renewable, to the Indiana, Colum- bus & Eastern Traction Company, and is doing a fair business, operating cars each way every hour from 6:00 A. M. to 11:00 P. M. every day, its passenger traffic being far in excess of the steam railroad, together with a considerable freight traffic.

COMPETITION AND EXPEDITION.

In 1896, an interurban electric railroad was projected from Dayton through Greenville to Union city, which practically parallels the Dayton & Union railroad (steam), heretofore described. A company was formed and the road built, passing through this county, across section I of Harrison township, through Verona, there being not to exceed about one mile of road within the county, and lying just northeast of and parallel to said steam railroad. It changed hands a time or two and finally about the same time as the Dayton & Western Traction line through Eaton, it passed into the hands of the Ohio Electric Railroad Company, the present owners. It was completed in this county in 1897.

In the early fifties the Louisville & Sandusky railroad was projected through this county. Starting from Eaton, northeast through Euphemia and Lewisburg, much work was done, miles of grading and at Banta creek

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abutments some forty feet high were built, and at Euphemia great stone arches to carry the road over the streets, and a very high grade built through a part of the village. Some one hundred and fifty thousand dollars or more was spent in this and adjoining counties, but the company became embarrassed and in 1855 the panic finished the company. Since then nothing has been done, except the people along the line have removed much of the stone and again smoothed out the ground for farming.

Then another road, called the Evansville, Bellefontaine & Lake Erie, was projected and surveyed across the county from the northeast part, through Eaton to the southwest part of the county, and some work done in other counties, but none in this. It died young.

There have been other surveys for proposed lines across the county, and some of them may yet be built, but all seem to be under a total eclipse at present. No railroads of any kind touch Gratis, Israel or Dixon town- ships at this time.

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CHAPTER IX.

AGRICULTURE AND STOCK RAISING.

Preble county is essentially an agricultural county, and one of the best in the state for the raising of all the crops grown generally by the farmers of our state. But some crops produce better results in certain parts of the . county than in other parts, because there seems something in the soil that these crops demand. It is being admitted that the lands drained by Big Twin creek produce the best yields of wheat and tobacco, while the western part of the county is admitted to be the great corn-producing section of the county. Of course, there are farmers scattered over the county who may challenge those statements, but when the areas mentioned are considered as a whole, I think the statements will be admitted to be correct.

Corn does exceedingly well everywhere, and this fact has led our farmers to be great and successful raisers of hogs for market. A number of our citizens in the past, and some yet living, have devoted themselves to the improvement of the various breeds, notably Poland China, Duroc Jersey and Chester White, and are known in many states as successful breeders, bringing home many red and blue ribbons from various state fairs. In the year 1914. it is claimed that more than five hundred carloads of hogs were shipped to market, so that it may be said that the dying out of the distilleries increased the pork business.

THE FRAGRANT WEED.

The first tobacco raised in the county was in the Twin creek valley some twenty years previous to the Civil War. The raiser had trouble find- ing a buyer, but when he finally did sell, the crop was so remunerative that it induced him and some of his neighbors to continue the experiment, which they did with success. Its culture had secured a good start when the Civil War came, and the demand for cigar tobacco increased largely by reason of the lack of southern tobacco that had been largely used for smoking. This demand made the tobacco crop a much more paying crop than any other. It spread rapidly and has become a permanent feature, until today

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it is perhaps true that Preble, Darke and Montgomery counties raise one- half of the tobacco raised in the state.

There are also many cattle and horses raised in the county, but sheep seem to find less favor, there being less sheep in the county now than forty years ago. The reason may be that while the assessor's returns show less sheep, they also show more dogs. The assessor's returns show that there are one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three dogs and only five thou- sand two hundred and ninety-six sheep in the county in 1914, being a de- crease of nearly three thousand sheep in four or five years.

THE COUNTY FAIR.

The Preble County Agriculture Society, now called the Preble County Fair Board, was first organized in 1850, the charter members being, Levin T. McCabe, Jesse Stubbs, Newton Larsh, Peter Shidler, Jacob Smith, Henry Montfort, and Enoch Taylor, who have all been gathered to their fathers.

FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS.

The first fair was held in 1851, using the court house for the household display, while the stock show was held on the land south of Israel street, between Barron and Maple streets, which was then a field of the Hardin Bruce farm. The premium list called for three hundred and eleven dollars for the displays, which included all farm crops raised, and cattle, horses, sheep, and hogs. In 1852, the house display was made in a building on the east side of Barron street, just south of the first alley north of Main street, while the stock show was held on the land east of Barron street, and north of High street, which was then an open field. The admission was fifteen cents. In 1855, the society purchased ten acres of land east of the railroad and north of the present fair grounds, and it continued to be held at that place with varying success. It becoming apparent each year that the grounds were inadequate, and after much discussion, the present fair grounds of about forty-five acres were purchased by the county commissioners in the name of the county in 1866. The society sold the old grounds and used the money in the erection of buildings on the new fair grounds, since which time it has been and is in reality a county fair, the board consisting of one member from each township and a president, or thirteen members in all.

From those small beginnings the fair has grown until today it is one of the best county fairs of the state. Each year may be seen all manner of

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stock and poultry, competing for the prizes, that have been successful competitors at the state fairs of this and neighboring states, and they did not always win a prize in this county either. So much has it come to be recognized as a county institution, that most of the schools of the county close on Thursday and Friday of the fair week, and it seems that every- body and their cousins and aunts are at the fair, the grounds being crowded almost to overflowing. Conservative judges have placed the number at twenty thousand present on Thursday, several times in recent years; while some enthusiasts place it much higher. The fair is generally held in Sep- tember, and, of course, the excellency of the races on Thursday and Friday bring many people. In 1914, it was claimed that over twenty-two hundred autos entered the grounds. Of course, each year our fair board advertises the fair far and wide. Those who attend once generally repeat, and on the two days mentioned the Pennsylvania railroad runs special trains, and the interurban railroad doubles its car service to carry and care for the crowds in attendance.

LINCOLN'S APHORISM RECALLED.

Every citizen of the county who holds a one dollar membership ticket has a vote for the fair board members, whose terms expire one half each year, which vote is generally cast on the last day of the fair. Our people are sensible enough to continue the members so long as they give us a good fair, but if they fail for a couple of years, the people swap horses. Hence for many years past no effort is spared to insure success, and at the fair, no matter what the provocation, each member of the board wears a smile that will not come off, while he is stern and unrelenting in his calling down fakirs, who are attempting a swindle. John Kaylor was prominent in or- ganizing the first fair, and his son, J. J. Kaylor, was president of the fair board for a dozen or more years, retiring but a year or so ago. The disease must have got into the family blood.

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CHAPTER X.

PROBATE COURT.

Under the 1802 Constitution of Ohio, in each county there were ap- pointed not less than two nor more than three associate judges, who were residents of the county, a quorum being two, and who had jurisdiction, generally speaking, of all probate matters within the county and certain contested election cases and the power to hear misdemeanor and criminal matters and to bind the accused to answer the grand jury. When the com- mon pleas court was held at least two of the associate judges sat with the presiding judge to hear the case. They were appointed to serve such term as law required, but not to exceed seven years.

Thomas Kirker, acting as governor of the state, on February 16, 1808, duly appointed James I. Nisbet, John Meroney and John C. Irwin associate judges of Preble county, and they met at the house of Samuel Hawkins in Eaton on March 15, 1808, and elected William Brown clerk pro tempore, and the first business done was to divide the county into four townships, as set out in the chapter on organization of the county. They then appointed Alexander C. Lanier county recorder, and ordered that six justices of the peace be elected in April, 1808, and adjourned.

On April 9, 1808, they met and abstracted the vote of the April elec- tion, and swore Lanier into office as recorder, and adjourned. On May 16, 1808, the former clerk, having resigned, they chose Alexander C. Lanier as clerk.

"NOT GUILTY."

On June 7, 1808, Samuel Parks was brought before them charged with stealing two horses, and pleaded not guilty. The case was heard by them and he was acquitted. They then settled with the county commissioners, and allowed each of them $5.75 for their services for the preceding two months.

On February 28, 1809, John Ladley was, on the oath of his wife, Nancy Ladley, brought before the judges, charged with having broken the "goal" of Newport, Kentucky, and also with threatening and abusing her (his wife) and plead guilty to breaking jail of Newport, but the court ad- judged that not to be an offense against the laws of this state, and tried

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and acquitted him on the other charge. Just as he was dismissed, a con- stable from Kentucky came into court with a warrant for Ladley's arrest for having stolen a mare in Kentucky and the coroner was ordered to take the prisoner to the Ohio river and turn him over to the Kentucky con- stable.

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History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions, Part 16

Author: R. E. Lowry Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 985

Author: R. E. Lowry
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 985