USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions > Part 30
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An effort was made. half-hearted perhaps, to indict some of the mem- bers of the mob, but without success. This is the only time that mob law has been allowed to predominate in our county. The better citizens waked up. and, a time or two since, when excited men have tried to start another riot, the alarm went out and the rioters found there were plenty of deter- mined men behind the walls, armed with Winchesters, and on each occasion the mob melted as silently as a snow bank before May sunshine.
EATON'S PHYSICIANS.
The first physician to locate in Eaton was Dr. Walter Buel, who ar- rived in 1808 and who continued to practice there until about 1828, in which year he moved to Indiana. his death occurring there a few years later. Dur- ing the first three or four years of his residence in Eaton he was the only
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doctor in the village and his professional travel, away from town, was along forest trails. For his gentle kindness he was loved by all and his services were in much demand.
In 1811 Doctor Henderson arrived from Kentucky and was regarded as an able doctor, but being of a domineering disposition and sometimes given to swearing at his patients, he accumulated few real friends, although people were willing to admit his skill as a doctor. He died in 1824.
About 1820 Jesse Paramore, who also came from Kentucky, moved to town, and soon became the foremost doctor of the community, having pro- nounced success in his treatment of fevers, which were then common. He was elected the first mayor of Eaton, in 1836, and served in such official capacity in addition to maintaining his large practice. He is said to have been very reasonable in his charges. He died in Eaton in 1857.
Dr. Pliny M. Crume moved from Butler county, Ohio, to Eaton in 1833 and practiced there for thirty years. He was regarded as one of the best-read and ablest physicians of the county, having been for a while a professor in a Cincinnati medical school. He moved to Wabash county. Indiana, where he had a son living, and died there some years ago.
Dr. William H. H. B. Minor arrived in Eaton in 1835 and practiced medicine successfully there until 1851, in which year he entered the dry goods business, but soon sold out and started a drug store, which, being more to his liking, he continued to operate until his death. He was a suc- cessful business man and built what has ever since been known as the Minor block.
Dr. James B. Welsh arrived in Eaton in 1858 and soon secured an ex- tensive practice, being for many years regarded as one of the ablest physi- cians of the county in his treatment of certain ailments, especially old chronic cases and diseases of children. He held the confidence and esteem of our citizens until his death, some dozen years ago.
Dr. P. M. Small. born in 1834, began the practice of medicine in Eaton in 1859, and secured a wide practice. He was a light. active man, and for a number of years covered a wider territory with his practice than any doctor in the town. He was graduated from both the old school and the eclectic school of medicine and freely counselled with the local physicians of both schools. He died some fifteen years ago in Eaton.
Dr. A. H. Stephens, born in Eaton in 1818, began practice in Camden in 1848, with Doctor Dunham. When the Civil war began he enlisted as regimental surgeon in the Sixth Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry. and (21)
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. served three years, then began practice in Eaton and there continued until his death, about twenty-five years ago. His practice in the army gave him a reputation as a surgeon which he well sustained. He was a large man with a genial wit, and seldom allowed himself to be ruffled.
Dr. James L. Quinn, born in this county in 1841, was graduated from Miami Medical College in 1869 and was for a year resident physician of the Cincinnati hospital. In 1872 he began practice in Eaton and was regarded as one of the best-read physicians in the town. He held the office of coroner several terms and died while in office, in 1913, universally respected by all for his fine scholarship and gentlemanly qualities.
There have been quite a number of other doctors who have for longer or shorter terms practiced medicine in the village and then moved to other territory, but who did not leave the impression upon the people that those named did.
Following is a list of Eaton's present doctors: Dr. A. A. Lovett, born in 1849, began practice in Eaton in 1878, and later married Nettie, daughter of Doctor Minor. Dr. F. M. Michael, born in 1849, began practice in 1879, and later married Minnie, daughter of J. H. Foos, attorney. These two are the oldest practitioners in the village. Then come L. R. Pryor, C. W. Con- ley, J. C. Ryder, George W. Flory, H. Z. Silver and E. E. Welsh. They are graduates of the various schools of medicine, some of them of two dif- ferent schools. I can truthfully say of each and all that they are good doctors, and if occasion should require I should not hesitate to employ any one of them. All have good practices and it would be a useless task to try to single out any one as the superior. All are useful citizens.
AN INTERESTING COMPARISON.
In order that the reader may compare Eaton of today with Eaton in 1839, I submit an excerpt taken from the Ohio Gasetteer of that date, cover- ing industrial and commercial conditions at that time: "There is one grist- mill, one saw-mill, one fulling-mill, one carding machine and one machine for manufacturing gun barrels, all operated by the water of Seven-Mile creek. The town contains about one hundred and forty-five houses, thirty shops, three taverns, fifteen stores and groceries, two school houses, three churches, two tanneries, four pork houses. one printing office, three lawyers and three doctors, and about one thousand people, supplied by mail daily by stage from Dayton, Richmond and Hamilton, and one weekly mail by horse- back from Lebanon." Those good old times would not satisfy us now.
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In 1902 the United States postal authorities started rural free delivery from the Eaton postoffice, and there are now ten rural routes out of the town. In December, 1913, the postoffice started delivering mail twice daily in Eaton, free delivery.
CHURCHES.
The first church organized in Eaton was the church known there as the Christian church, which was organized at the house of Nathan Sellers, about a mile south of Eaton in 1807, in which organization Reuben Dooley, Barton W. Stone and David Purviance were the chief movers. Within a year or so a public church was built in the southwest part of the town and the church continued until about 1830, when, on account of much discussion by the church members of the proper method and necessity of baptism, it is said, the church suspended. In 1841 Nathan Sellers again got the members to- gether, the church was reorganized, and has continued as a vital organiza- tion, until today it is one of the strongest churches in the county. In 1860 a movement was started to build a new church building and a subscription was started for the purpose, but after earnest canvassing the committees reported that they could not raise sufficient funds and it seemed they must abandon the project. Cornelius Vanausdal, hearing of the probable failure, subscribed about one thousand four hundred dollars, the balance needed. A brick church was built, at a cost of about four thousand five hundred dollars, being completed in 1861.
As time went on the church again became inadequate, and in 1892 a movement was started for a larger and better building, which was built and completed in 1894, at a cost of about thirteen thousand dollars. In addition, the church has a comfortable brick parsonage hardby the church. The church now has a membership of six hundred and twenty, many of whom are from the country for several miles around the town, and I presume it is true that on Sunday more automobiles are seen about this church than any other in Eaton, or probably about all the other churches in town combined. I am glad to call attention to the automobile as bringing people to church, for it too often is blamed with keeping them away from church. In 1909 the con- gregation of the Christian church added a very fine pipe-organ.
The pastors of this church have been : Peter Banta, J. F. Sloan, E. W. Humphreys, J. T. Linn, T. M. McWhinney, J. D. Lauer, Levi Purviance, James Maple, Z. T. Sullivan, C. W. Garoute, 1877: W. H. Orr. 1881 ; C. J. Jones, 1885 ; J. G. Bishop, 1887: James Maple, 1888: H. C. Crampton. 1890:
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J. F. Burnett, 1893; W. D. Samuels, 1900; H. A. Smith, 1904; McD. Howsare, 1911.
EATON METHODISM.
The Methodist Episcopal church first held services in the cabin ot William Castor, in Eaton, about 1811. Occasional services were held else- where in the town, and it is said services were held in the jail and court house for awhile. About the year 1828 a movement was started to build a church. The members donated labor, timber, hauling and some money, and in 1829 a small church was built, the first quarterly meeting being held in 1830. The preacher at that time "rode the circuit," the circuit preacher then being John A. Baughman. The church committee reported sixty dollars as the share of Eaton towards his salary, but the church only really paid him nine dollars twelve and a half cents. The church then numbered sixty. In 1831 the Methodists started a subscription to build a parsonage, as the town was centrally located in the circuit, and they collected about four hundred dollars, with which they bought a lot and built a parsonage, which served for many years.
In 1838 a movement was started for a new church and a building was erected at the point where the Central hotel now stands; in fact, the rear half of that hotel is the old church, having been incorporated into the addition that was made to remodel the building into a hotel. It is said that the dining hall is a part of the old church. This church was finished in 1842 and was dedicated by that pioneer of Methodism, James B. Finley.
Again the church became too small, and in 1868 another movement was started to erect a larger and more modern edifice. Subscriptions were taken, the present grounds at the southeast corner of Maple and Somers streets were purchased. and the present two-story brick church, the largest in the county, was erected and dedicated in 1871, the same costing about forty-four thousand five hundred dollars, as finally completed and furnished. The membership of this church now numbers four hundred and forty.
The pastors of this church and the year they began service, so far as known are: J. Murray and S. Colvin, 1824; James Huffman and S. Shaw. 1828; Joseph Reider, 1829: John A. Baughman, 1830: William Sutton, 1833: C. W. Swain, 1834: J. A. Reeder. 1836: A. B. Stroud, 1838; Joseph McDowell, 1841 : Asbury Lowrey. 1842: P. A. Muchner. 1843: George W. Maley, 1844: William Rutledge, 1845 : William Langard. 1846; W. R. Davis. 1847; P. A. Muchner, 1849: Levi White, 1850: Isaac Neff. 1852: C. W. Swain, 1853. and I. F. VanCleve, 1854. The Eaton church in the latter
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EATON.
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year became a regular charge and then followed: William Smith, 1856; M. Kauffman, 1858: W. J. Ellsworth, 1859; J. W. Weakley, 1860; L. D. Clay- ton, 1862; William S. Hartley, 1864; Thomas J. Harris, 1865; Alexander Meharry, 1867; J. W. Cassatt, 1871 ; John F. Morley, 1874; Thomas Collett, 1875; T. S. Cowden, 1877; A. N. Spahr, 1880; S. A. Brewster, 1883; James Murray, 1886; J. P. Shultz, 1889; J. L. Glasscock, 1891; J. W. Cassatt, 1892; J. L. Shively, 1893; Creighton Wones, 1897; L. E. Prentiss, 1899; C. H. Haines, 1901 ; W. A. Wiant, 1903; E. M. Elsworth, 1906; O. L. Utter, 1910, and George H. Smith, 1912.
Early in the forties the Methodists started a Sunday school and have ever since maintained it, now enrolling about three hundred members.
FATHER OF PREBLE COUNTY METHODISM.
It would seem proper here to give the reader some idea of the man who perhaps more than any other was the instrument under God to spread Methodism, not only in this county, but in the state of Ohio-James B. Finley, whose mortal remains await the Resurrection in Mound Hill ceme- tery. His father was a Presbyterian preacher in Pennsylvania, where James was born in 1781, a few years after which date the family moved to Ken- tucky. In 1796 the father freed his slaves and moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, where James studied medicine and began practice, but not liking the pro- fession of medicine, abandoned it. Being a good rifle shot and a hunter, he decided that the life of a backwoodsman was the life for him. In 1801 he married Hannah Strane and settled in the woods in Highland county, this state, where he resided until the year 1809, occasionally speaking and ex- horting at meetings.
In 1809 James B. Finley was licensed as a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church and began a career that left its impress upon the lives of many people. His first circuit was Wills Creek circuit, four hundred and seventy-five miles long, beginning at Zanesville and comprising the settle- ments along the Muskingum and tributaries thereto and east of Zanesville. In 1818 he had charge of the Ohio district, including the whole state and east to the mountains. He was the missionary who succeeded in Christianiz- ing the Wyandot Indians at Upper Sandusky. In 1827 he again went on the circuit, and so continued until 1844, in which year he was appointed the chaplain of the Ohio penitentiary, holding that place until 1848. when he again began service. In 1853 he was in charge of Clinton Street church in
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Cincinnati. In 1854 he moved to Eaton to live with his daughter, Eliza H., the wife of Rev. John C. Brooke, and died there on September 6, 1856.
James B. Finley was eight times presiding elder of this circuit and eight times a delegate to the general conference. During all those years of his active life his traveling was mostly done on horseback. He held many camp-meetings and revivals. He was a strong and effective preacher, of tire- less energy, of infinite tact, possessed of a wide knowledge of human nature. naturally eloquent and forceful, with a wide and deep knowledge of the Bible and its history, of undoubted piety and manly character and perfectly fearless. I presume it may safely be stated that for a third of a century he exerted a wider influence for good in this state than was exerted by any man of his day and generation. At least, the Methodists so recognize his work and at every conference held in the town delegations of preachers visit his grave, regarding it as a veritable shrine of Methodism.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
The Church of Christ, or Disciples church, was organized in Eaton about the year 1823, in the old public church on Water street. In 1846 the congregation decided to erect their own church, which they built at the southeast corner of Barron and Somers streets, completing it in 1849; but on account of an agreement to allow a neighbor to join with them in the building of a party wall (generally a bad agreement) the church became involved in a law suit in regard thereto, which lasted some years. Although the congregation finally won the suit, dissension had arisen, and the church dwindled. In 1873, after obtaining consent of the common pleas court, the building was sold and the money received was allowed to accumulate until 1879, in which year the church was reorganized, a lot was purchased on the west side of Barron street and a fine brick church was erected; the same containing a baptistry, the only one in town, since which time the church has done good work, and is now attracting many members. The total cost of the church was about six thousand dollars. There are now about three hun- dred members of the church.
Henry Montfort was the pastor for many years prior to the cholera year, during which he and his wife died. Then came John R. Frame, Z. Brown, Enos Adamson, T. D. Garver, 1879; then came L. E. Brown, S. V. Simmons. John E. Stotler, J. W. Moore, J. M. Brown, Wooster Williams, Clarence Baker, W. A. Guy and Harry C. Bream, 1911.
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THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The greater part of this short history of the Presbyterian church in Eaton was furnished by G. H. Kelly, a deacon in the church for more than twenty years.
The first meeting of Eaton Presbyterians was held about 1819 in the cabinet shop of Thomas Morgan, on the west side of Barron street, and later in the shop of Alexander Mitchell, and finally in the public church, erected at the west end of Wadsworth street, the preachers being Peter Montfort, Alexander Porter and a Mr. Bertch or Burch, who later, in travel- ing the circuit, was frozen to death on the prairies of Illinois.
The Presbyterians were the first to select a site for their church under the provisions made by Bruce in laying out the town. They selected the lot they ever since have occupied, at the southeast corner of Beech and Decatur streets, on which lot then was located a sheep house. In 1824 they re- modeled this structure for a church, putting in puncheon benches, no backs, and for years some of the older members carried chairs to church and home each Sunday for their own use. The pulpit was a box pulpit, four feet above the floor, and was reached by a stairway. There were two front doors, one used by the women and one by the men.
The congregation continued to grow and in a few years the house was remodeled. In 1866 Mary Hawkins, in her will, left the church a legacy of one thousand dollars, to which more money was added and the church was again remodeled and refurnished. A little later a small pipe-organ was in- stalled, making a very comfortable and pleasant church. The congregation continuing to grow, about the year 1890 an agitation was started for a better and more modern brick edifice. Like all agitations with justice back of it, this one continued to gain headway until about the close of 1892, when it was decided to build, and in 1893 the building was begun, being finished the next year, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. To the church since has been added a fine pipe-organ. One of the members of this church was Mrs. Allison Fulton, a good, old Scottish woman, who in her young days, had been used to the ringing of church bells, and she worried much because the church had no bell. She died some three years since and her will provided the sum of five hundred dollars, with which to purchase a church bell. A bell was purchased, her name being cast in the same. It was hung in the church tower and every Sunday its tones ring out as sweet and clear as her Scottish heart could wish.
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There are now two hundred and fifty-one members of the Eaton Pres- byterian church. The records of the church do not tell all that might be desired, but so far as known the following ministers have been pastors of the church or stated supplies thereof : John M. Crabb, T. E. Hughes, Peter Golliday, J. C. Mitchell, about 1840: John Marquis, about 1852: H. W. Taylor, 1856; G. H. Webster, 1860: G. M. Haid, 1866; F. L. Lenour, 1867; J. W. Scott, 1871 : John Haight. 1872; W. W. Colmier, 1874: Andrew J. Reynolds, 1.875; James H. Bratton. 1881 ; J. H. Reed, 1897; G. E. Gowdy, 1892; H. A. McDonald. 1897: W. H. Sands. 1899; George G. Copeland, 1902; W. B. Shirey. 1905, and C. A. Hunter, 1909.
The Sunday school of the church was organized about the year 1844 and has been successfully continued ever since, having proved a strong and efficient aid to the church. It now enrolls one hundred and fifty-seven members.
THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
Samuel Tizzard, who arrived in 1820, as editor and manager of the Eaton Register, was the first pronounced Universalist in town. About 1825 there were occasional preachers of that faith who held meetings, and finally an organization was effected, but probably lasted as such no more than four or five years. Again occasional preaching was had, and, about 1856, those of that faith then in Eaton united with those of the same faith on Paint creek. W. S. Bacon was the first pastor and they built Friendship church, where they continued to worship as a congregation until 1872, when those who resided in Eaton determined to have a church in town in order to spare themselves a drive of five miles into the country. With this end in view. they withdrew from Friendship church, the best of feeling prevailing. or- ganized a society and bought the lot at the northwest corner of Cherry and Somers streets, but held services for a year in the Disciples church. In 1874 they began the erection of the present brick church and completed it for meetings in 1876. the same being dedicated in 1877. at a cost of about six thousand dollars. There are now sixty members of the church, and about the same number in Sunday school. The pastors have been: C. A. Lauder, 1877: Frank Evans. 1879: J. M. Getchell. 1880: J. A. Stoner: Sarah Stoner, pastor.
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The first services of the Catholic church were held in Eaton, probably about the year 1853. in a building rented for the purpose, by Father Carney,
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who soon after was followed by Father O'Connor, and were continued in that building for some years. The building then was given up and services were held at the house of Michael Ryan, who later, for a number of years, was marshal of the village.
About 1865 services began and were regularly held at the pastor's resi- dence until in 1879, when the present brick church was erected and dedicated, the edifice costing about five thousand five hundred dollars. Until a few years previous to the building of the church, Eaton was only a station and was supplied by Father D'Arco and Father William Daly, from Oxford and Hamilton, respectively. Since that time the charge has been a parish, with a priest regularly stationed. In 1903 the Catholics erected a fine brick resi- dence for their pastor, adjoining the church, at a cost of six thousand five hundred dollars. The membership of the church is about six hundred and ten, a large part being from the country around the town.
The priests in charge have been the Reverend Fathers John Bowe, 1875; F. M. Varelman, 1876; G. C. Grace, 1880: John S. Singleton, 1885; John Cusack, 1889; Charles Doherty, 1892: A. Adelman, 1894: George Hickey, 1895; Abraham McNamara, 1897; D. N. Halpin, 1906; James E. Quinn, 1910; Joseph M. Hyland, 1911, present incumbent.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
The United Brethren church was first organized in 1889 and for about a year held services in a building owned by J. T. Deem. In 1890 the local adherents of this faith purchased the lot at the northeast corner of Bruce and Cherry streets, whereon they built a church, which some years later was remodeled and veneered with cement blocks, at a total cost of over ten thou- sand dollars. In 1904 the United Brethren built a parsonage adjoining the church at a cost of about three thousand dollars. They now have over three hundred members, with a Sunday school of about two hundred enrolled. The pastors have been : G. W. Arnold, 1889: A. Dunkelbarger, 1891 : C. W. Kurtz, 1893: H. Secrist, 1895: T. F. Bushong, 1897: G. R. and Ruth Hemp- hill. 1900; C. W. Stephens, 1902; R. A. Smith. 1906; M. I. Corfort, 1909; D. R. Wilson, 1913.
GRACE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
This church was organized in Eaton about the year 1886, the members holding their meetings in the Baptist church, the congregation of which
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had become much weakened by the removal or death of its members, and in 1889 the Baptist church property on Decatur street was purchased by the Lutherans and remodeled. In 1896 a parsonage was added. The member- ship now is about seventy, with about fifty in the Sunday school. This church and Zion church, some four miles north, are served by the same pastor. George Baughman was the pastor to about 1892, then George Smidt, 1892; George Weber, 1896, and George Sixth, 1915.
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Early in the seventies of the last century there was a class formed in Eaton of the African Methodist Episcopal church, which held meetings, sometimes at the homes of members and sometimes in a room rented for the purpose.
About 1879 Rev. Silas French became the pastor, and he started a movement for a church. In 1880 the colored brethren bought the lot at the southwest corner of Franklin and Wadsworth streets and erected a brick church and parsonage thereon. For a number of years the church grew, but for the past fifteen years it has decreased by reason of death and re- moval of the members, until it now numbers only about twelve, with a Sunday school of about the same number. The church belongs to the Palestine circuit and Alfred Taylor is the pastor.
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