History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions, Part 26

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 26

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TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

About the year 1851 the Dayton & Western railroad was built and New Paris found itself on this new line of transportation. This was hailed with joy by the business men of the town at the time, but Richmond. only six miles further west, became a center of converging lines and forged ahead of its Ohio rival. Shortly prior to 1860, another line of railroad, connecting Indianapolis and Columbus, was built through the town, thus giving it passenger and freight transportation facilities excelled, or even equalled, by very few small towns in the country. This favorable situation

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was still further augmented in 1903 by the building into the town of a branch of the Dayton & Western division of the Ohio Electric Railway.

PLATS.

The small original plat of the town was soon filled and many additions have since been made from time to time. On March 26, 1829, James Flem- ing and L. Ginger added sixteen lots to the north part of the town. In the same year S. J. H. Ireland added fourteen lots, as he had previously added sixteen, in the southeast part of the town in 1822. The fourth addi- tion to the rapidly-growing town was made by Samuel Mitchell in 1832, when he added twenty-six lots in the northeast part. John F. Ireland added fourteen lots on south Washington street in 1835, and in 1870-72 three addi- tions were made, two by the assignees of Beam & Jay and one by the executors of John F. Ireland. On June 21, 1879, Henry O. Hutton made an addition of inlots Nos. 184 to 203. In 1884 Joseph Hahn added eighteen lots to the southeastern quarter of the town, on each side of what is now Pearl street, and this is now one of the prettiest residence sections.

INCORPORATION AND IMPROVEMENT.

The early growth of New Paris was quite rapid and in 1832, fifteen years after its founding, it was deemed wise to incorporate it. Accordingly a petition was presented to the Legislature and by a special act it was regu- larly incorporated. Lewis Davis was chosen as the mayor and R. S. Tillman, marshal. Many of the early records have been lost, but, as nearly as can be ascertained, the following named have officiated as mayor since Lewis Davis : John G. Jameson, David Cottom, John Cowgill. David J. Mauzy, Peter Fleming, R. S. Tillman, Levi Johnson, A. P. Johnson, John F. Ireland, R. F. Thompson, L. W. Richey (eleven years), Alfred Calkins, Jacob Mid- daugh, James M. Barnet, E. L. Thomas, John A. Moore, Timothy Glenn, Logan L. Brown, B. L. McKee, Geo. W. Hildebrand, Arch R. Raney, W. P. Mills. Several of these served a number of terms, sometimes in succession and again at intervals of several years. W. H. McClure is the present mayor.

In 1898 a movement for the improvement of streets and sidewalks had its conception in New Paris and gradually developed. As usual in such matters, considerable opposition was met for a time, but this gradually sub- sided and within the following four or five years practically all the five or

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six miles of sidewalk were paved, either with vitrified brick or cement, and provided with good curbs and gutters.

Previous to 1909 the streets were lighted with the old-fashioned and inefficient oil lamps, set on posts, but in that year electric lights were in- stalled, fed by current from a central station at Richmond, and the streets are now well lighted at all times. This system is also much used in lighting business places and private residences.

In 1914 natural gas from the West Virginia fields having been piped through this section of Ohio, a branch line was run to New Paris, as to many of the towns along the line, and this convenient fuel is now very generally used in the town for cooking, and in many cases for heating and lighting.

New Paris has a population of about nine hundred. Its location in the beautiful valley which it occupies is one of the most charming to be found, is very healthful, and this, with the modern improvements noted, makes it one of the most desirable places of residence.

THE QUARRIES.

Mention has already been made of the enormous layer of limestone which outcrops in the valley at New Paris. In drilling a well more than a thousand feet deep in an unsuccessful search for natural gas, in 1889, it was found that this stratum of stone is about one hundred feet in thickness. No records remain by which to determine just when the quarrying of this stone was first begun, but it was at a very early day. Crude kilns were erected to supply the local demand for lime, and when the log cabin era had passed the quarries were still further opened to supply building stone for founda- tions, bridge abutments and the like. Later on, and after the railroad came, a number of improved lime kilns were built, and enormous quantities of lime were shipped to all parts of the country. During the many years while this was the leading industry of New Paris, hundreds of thousands of cords of wood were consumed in burning lime. This afforded the farms of the township a good market for their surplus rough timber while they were clearing their lands for cultivation. In the earlier days of this industry it was operated by the Irelands, who operated the south quarries and kilns, and Boyd, who quarried in the north end. Later, Samuel Smith, and after him his sons, operated in the north, and Jacob Middaugh also conducted the industry there for a few years. Finally, the industry passed into the

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STONE CRUSHER AT NEW PARIS.

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hands of Thomas J. Smith and he transferred his activities to the south quarries and those in the north were abandoned. Leander Marshall also opened a quarry a little to the west of Smith's and did some business in building stone. About 1871 or 1872, James Dwyer opened a quarry just east of South Washington street, near the Rocky Ford branch, and built a lime kiln. In all, four quarries have been opened and the large excavations made attest to the magnitude of the business which has been done.

After the death of Thomas J. Smith, in 1893, there was a lull in the business for a time, but in 1900 the main quarrying passed into the hands of the Reinheimer Stone Company, a local concern. By this time cement began to supplant stone as a building material and the new company pre- pared to meet the increasing demand for crushed stone for concrete and road building purposes. A modern crushing plant was installed in 1904 and improvements, such as compressed air drills, and a steam shovel for handling the blasted rock to the crusher, have been added from time to time. The plant has a capacity of fifteen or twenty cars of crushed rock per day.

Richard Danily succeeded to the Dwyer quarry in 1888 and operated it in the production of lime for several years, but it was finally absorbed by the lime trust and was abandoned in 1911.

At the present time the north quarries have been leased by a company which is preparing to install machinery for grinding the stone for agricul- tural purposes.

CEDAR SPRINGS.

A little more than a half mile south of New Paris, in a somewhat se- cluded and beautiful glen opening into the valley of the Whitewater, are the fountains known as Cedar springs. Prior to 1875 these springs were known only locally, but the water was recognized as of unusual purity and excellence and was believed to possess medicinal virtues. There were tradi- tions that the Indians made long journeys to encamp here and drink of the water. In the year just mentioned Marshall & Wetherall built a hotel and opened it as a health resort. In 1877 it was purchased by Eli and A. F. Haldeman and in 1878 A. F. Haldeman and Oscar Gale became the pro- prietors. Within a few years it was purchased by a company of capitalists, principally from Dayton, who still own and operate it. It has been operated most of the time since it was opened, with varying fortune, and during several years the water was bottled and shipped in large quantities.

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THE PRESS.

The first newspaper printed in New Paris was established by Daniel Winder in 1844. It was called the News, New Paris Post and State Line Sentinel. It consisted of four pages and was devoted to miscellany rather than to news. Lack of patronage soon terminated its career. Mr. Winder then started another paper, which he called The Reformer, but it, too, was short lived.

No further attempt was made to publish a newspaper in the township until 1877, when C. W. Bloom, who owned and operated a farm in section 33, in June of that year started a little sheet of four six-by-nine pages, which he called The Amateur. It was published semi-monthly and, as the name indicated, was designed as a sort of toy newspaper. It was pub- lished six months and was followed by The Business Mirror of the same general form, but comprising a larger number of pages, varying from six to twenty. It was published monthly and one thousand copies were dis- tributed gratuitously, its principal purpose being advertising. In 1879 The Keynote, a little campaign paper in the interest of the Prohibition party, was published at the same time with The Business Mirror. These papers constitute the only instance known to the writer of newspapers issued from a farm.

Early in 1882 C. W. Hane came to New Paris from Utica, Ohio, and established a small job printing office. In a short time he bought Mr. Bloom's miniature paper and plant, and continued the publication in the same manner and form until March 1, 1883, when he changed the form to a five-column quarto, "patent inside," and commenced publishing it weekly at one dollar and fifty cents per year. This he continued for a year, when Mr. Bloom bought the entire outfit, removed to town and resumed the publi- cation of the New Paris Mirror, as it was now called. The paper pros- pered and grew, and about 1886 was enlarged to a six-column quarto and a little later the "patent inside" was discarded and it became an "all home print" paper. In 1898 the proprietor erected a new building on north Washington street, exactly on the site of the old tannery, for the accommo- dation of his plant, and a second story for the use of the local lodge of Odd Fellows, they joining him and taking a perpetual lease on the same. In 1902 Arch R. Raney came to New Paris from Portland, Indiana, and bought a half interest in the paper. and four years later he acquired the other half interest and has since published it as sole proprietor.

It must be said for the Mirror, that it is an excellent example of a

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steady growth in improvement. The equipment at its conception was about as crude as any that Ben Franklin ever worked with, while now it is "set" on a linotype machine and printed on a modern drum cylinder press, and while its regular size is eight pages, editions of double that number are not infrequent.

OTHER ENTERPRISES.

During all the earlier part of its history, New Paris depended upon neighboring towns, principally Richmond, for its banking facilities, but in 1889 Horace G. Bloom established the first bank. After a few years, in 1892, he removed this to New Madison, Darke county, but maintained a branch in New Paris. Meantime, Albert Peele started one, known as the Peoples' Bank, in 1900. After the death of Mr. Peele, in 1908, this was reorganized as the First National Bank. Mr. Bloom died in 1906, and the institution founded by him is still in existence, in connection with the bank at New Madison, as the Farmers Banking Company.

In 1899 Mr. Bloom laid the foundation for the present telephone sys- tem by building a private line to connect his bank at New Paris with the one at New Madison. It was but a short time until he established an ex- change and the growth of the system was so rapid that it was not long until practically every farm house in the township, as well as the business places of the town, were connected in the New Paris Home Telephone system.

. PHYSICIANS.

The first regular medical practitioner was Dr. Clement Ferguson, who came into the township as early as 1814. Doctor Ferguson was one of the first school teachers of the township, and afterward became a physician. He died in 1833.

Dr. James Knox came in 1817 and Dr. David Cox in 1820.

Prominent among the early physicians were Drs. John and Peleg Whit- ridge, who practiced separately and in partnership for many years.

Dr. Samuel Ferris practiced at New Paris and New Westville for a short time about 1850, and then removed to Newcastle, Indiana. His brother, A. B. Ferris, began practicing in New Paris in 1852 and continued until his death, about 1889.

Other physicians of the earlier times were Doctors Kepler, Terry, George Wilkinson, Moses Swank, Eaton, George Bruce, U. G. Miller and Lesh.

Among those of later times were Drs. J. L. Braffett, Hampton, J. D.

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Haynie, Williamson, Williams, Jones, E. L. Carleton, Louis Dunn, Adams, Lyne, Finley, Guthrie, White, B. F. Beane, C. A. Hawley, E. E. Bevington and C. H. Garris. The three last named are the present resident physicians.

CEMETERIES.

In a very early day a tract of ground just north of the corporation line of the future New Paris was chosen as a cemetery, and the first burial therein was that of Levi Moore, who died about 1810. Herein are buried the pioneers of the township, the men and women who did so much to mold the character of the community. Here sleep such men as Elder David Purviance, John Adams, John H. Cottom, Drs. John and Peleg Whitridge, Drs. Ferguson and Knox, Andrew, David, William and John F. Ireland, Robert McGill, Samuel R. Chadwick, the Flemings, Mitchells, Morrisons and very many others.

About 1870 a new cemetery, embracing ten acres on the beautiful grounds adjoining the south corporation line, was laid out. David Cultom, who was a member of the committee that selected the site, was the first per- son buried in this cemetery. The Catholic cemetery is located adjoining and west of the old cemetery.

Just south of Gettysburg, in the eastern part of the township, another cemetery was located at an early day, and Robert Curry, who died in 1816, was the first person buried there.

GETTYSBURG.

Gettysburg is the only village in the township besides New Paris. It is located in the northwest corner of section 36, on the old National road. It was laid out in 1832, about the time the National road was projected, by John Curry, a native of Pennsylvania. It was first called Harrisburg. but this was later changed to Gettysburg, after Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was one of the many towns projected along the line of the National road, for the railroad was then undreamed of, and it was supposed by these early pro- moters that the National road would be a great national artery of communi- cation which would eventually be thronged with travel. Accordingly, pros- pective towns were located every few miles, and a "tavern" was built in each among the first buildings. Only a little more than a mile west of Gettysburg, Orangeburg was projected, and a number of houses were erected, but Get- tysburg outstripped it. Doubtless, if the early expectations had been realized, many of these towns would have become places of note, but within a few

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years the railroad was developed, it was seen that it would revolutionize transportation, the government dropped the further construction of the Na- tional road and the hopes of all these rudimentary towns were blasted. The half dozen or so buildings which once constituted Orangeburg have all dis- appeared but one. The town plat was long since cancelled, and it is now sim- ply a crossroads and a farm house, though the name still clings to the locality. Gettysburg still survives as a pleasant little hamlet, with a store and two pretty churches, one Methodist and one Presbyterian. It will never, how- ever, realize the dreams of its founder.

CHURCHES.

Many of the pioneers of Jefferson township were men and women of strong religious convictions, and very early in the history of the township their activities along this line resulted in the establishment of churches. One such man was Alexander Porter, who, as early, perhaps, as 1820, founded a United Presbyterian church near where Gettysburg now stands. It was lo- cated in what is now the cemetery. The building was of logs and has long since disappeared. It is said that for some time after the house was built it was without a floor and that the congregation sat on the sleepers to listen to the sermons. Later, about 1847, a frame church was built in Gettysburg, and in the sixties Rev. James McNeal was its pastor for several years. Still later, under the pastorate of Rev. John Wiseman, the congregation came over to the Presbyterian faith. Rev. David Tawney, Caleb Jones and David Green were pastors.

About the time of the founding of the United Presbyterian church, the Methodist church also was organized. The first meetings were held in the log barn of Jonathan Porterfield, a little north of the present site of Gettys- burg. Both these organizations are still in existence and within the past few years the Presbyterians have completely remodeled and rebuilt their edifice and the Methodists have erected an entirely new artificial stone church, and both are now modern and up to date, a great credit to this enterprising com- munity.

The other church center in the township is at New Paris. Elder David Purviance, who had been reared in the strictest tenets of the Presbyterian faith, during his sojourn in Kentucky embraced the doctrines of the New Light, or Christian, faith. He came here with others in 1807, fresh from a remarkable revival at Cane Ridge meeting house in Kentucky, and immediate- ly proceeded to organize a church. The first meetings were held in a grove

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just north of where New Paris now is, and this was the first church in the township, and one of the first in the county. Meetings continued to be held here until about 1820, when a house was erected near where the grove meet- ings had been held. Among the first members were the Irelands, Purviances, Flemings and Mitchells. Before this time the southern wing of the congre- gation became so numerous that it was thought advisable to organize the Shiloh church, which was located near the state line in Jackson township. The New Paris church continued to prosper, and in 1839 James McVey, a disciple of Alexander Campbell, came to New Paris, and ere long there was a division in the church, and henceforth the two organizations were known as the New Lights and Campbellites. Neither party, however, was willing to acknowledge any sectarian name, but desired to be called Christian. In later years these two elements seemed to merge again, and for fifty years or more have been represented in one organization known as the Christian church.

About 1837 James and Eliza Cochran donated to the public a lot on East Cherry street in New Paris, on which to erect a "public meeting house," on condition that it be free for the use of all denominations and creeds. It was built by public subscription and cost one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. Of the one hundred and fourteen subscribers, eighty-three belonged to no church and thirty-one were members of various denominations. It was used for many years by the Christian congregation, but about 1872 this body erected a substantial and commodious structure of their own on the opposite side of Cherry street, and a little farther west, which they have since main- tained,

During all its later history the Public church was much used for gather- ings of all sorts, including political meetings. All the meetings for the re- cruiting of soldiers from this township during the Civil War were held here. Practically all of the remarkable series of meetings held in the township during the several years of the historic "Murphy temperance movement" were held in the Public church. It is still maintained. but it is no longer used for religious purposes. For several years it has been utilized chiefly as a moving picture theater.

An active organization of the Universalist church was effected in New Paris about 1860, although its real inception was prior to that date, possibly fifteen or twenty years, when Rev. J. C. McClure held meetings to that end. Its real working organization, however. was consummated at the time stated through the efforts of Rev. S. P. Carlton and T. J. Guthrie. The latter was its first pastor and the congregation worshipped in the Public church. using it alternately with the Christian congregation. Some differences arose over

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the control of the building and its furnishings, with the result that both with- drew and erected houses of their own, the Christians, as stated, on Cherry street, while the Universalists erected a large frame church on South Wash- ington street, in 1870. This congregation flourished for many years, but the multiplicity of churches in the town so divided support that the Universalist finally languished, its services were discontinued in 1912, and in 1914 the building was sold to Whitewater Valley Grange, which now uses it as a hall for its meetings. Among the ministers who served the Universalist church during the years of its existence may be named: Revs. T. J. Guthrie, S. P. Carlton, Doctor Tucker, J. H. Blackford, Lottie D. Crosley, O. P. Moorman, Harvey Blackford, Sarah L. Stoner, J. A. Stoner, O. G. Colegrove, Leon P. Jones and Martha Jones.

In 1830 there were about a dozen Presbyterians in the New Paris com- munity, who organized as a church. Rev. John Ross ministered to them ' for a number of years. Among the first members were Adam Reid, Peyton Ervin, James Brown and others. The organization was first called Beulah . church, and the first primitive building was located southwest of the town near the state line. In 1841, Rev. Franklin Berryhill became the pastor. He stirred his flock to the necessity of building a new house of worship, and very soon this was done, locating it on High street in New Paris. Rev. Ber- ryhill continued to preach there until 1851, when failing health compelled him to resign. Among the ministers following him were Rev. David Greene, Rev. John Wiseman, Rev. Tawney and Rev. T. J. McClelland. About 1892 Rev. A. Orudorff assumed the pastorate and, following a very successful re- vival and a large accession to the membership, the proposition to build a new and modern church edifice was broached. It met with enthusiastic acceptance and a lot off the northwest corner of the school grounds was purchased, and the present elegant frame structure was erected in 1894.

There were a number of Methodists among the early citizens, and oc- casional services were held by the "circuit riders" who came that way, but it was not until 1840 that they felt able to build a church. John Cottom. James Fleming, Jr., and Robert McCord and others were instrumental in organizing the church and building a house of worship on the south side of East Main street about the year 1840. The first preacher was Rev. James Smith. In 1908, during the pastorate of Rev. C. E. Grauser, the old building was razed and a commodious modern building of artificial stone was erected. Rev. F. Kneisley is the present pastor.

Within and around New Paris are a considerable number of citizens who are adherents of the Catholic faith. About 1870 they built a very credit-

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able brick church on the corner of Walnut and High streets, in the north part of town. While it is not a large building, it is substantial and well appointed. While the congregation is not strong enough to support a settled priest, it is supplied at intervals by priests from Eaton and other points.

There are a number of colored people in and around New Paris, who have a church organization and a small building across the railroad from the main part of the town, and here they hold services from time to time at ir- regular intervals. They have no settled pastor.

FRATERNITIES.

Oldest among the fraternal bodies of Jefferson township is Fellowship Lodge No. 106, Free and Accepted Masons. The charter was granted Octo- ber 21, 1841. This lodge held its first meetings in the second story of a frame house on East Cherry street, but in a short time leased the second story of the frame building belonging to Richey & Haseltine. In April, 1856, they purchased the three-story frame building on the west side of North Washington street, which they still own and occupy. The present officers are as follows: Worshipful master, Ed B. Reid; secretary, E. H. Young.

The ladies' branch of this order, the Order of the Eastern Star, was instituted here in May, 1909. The first worthy matron was Mrs. Laura Hawley. The present officers are: Worthy matron, Mrs. Anna Berington; secretary, Mrs. Fannie Ashman.

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History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions, Part 26

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

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