History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 111

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559

USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches > Part 111

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Turn where we may, wherever the foot of civilization has trod, there will we find this wheat plant, which, like a monument, has perpetuated the memory of the event; but nowhere do we find the plant wild. It is the result of cultivation in bygone ages, and has been produced by "progressive development."

It is beyond the limit and province of these pages to discuss the composition of this important cereal; only its historic properties can be noticed. With the advent of the white men in America, wheat, like corn, came to be one of the staple products of life. It followed the pioneers over the mountains westward, where, in the rich Mississippi and Illinois bottoms, it has been culti- vated by the French since 1690. When the hardy New Englanders came to the alluvial lands adjoining the Ohio, Muskingum, or Miami rivers, they brought with them this "staff of life," and forthwith began its cultiva- tion. Who sowed the first wheat in Ohio is a question Mr. A. S. Guthrie answers in a letter published in the Agricultural Report of 1857, as follows:

" My father, Thomas Guthrie, emigrated to the Northwest Territory in the year 1788, and arrived at the mouth of the Muskingum in July, about three months after General Putnam had arrived with the first pio- neers of Ohio. My father brought a bushel of wheat with him from one of the frontier counties of Pennsylvania, which he sowed on a lot of land in Marietta, which he cleared for that purpose, on the second bottom or plain, in the neighborhood of where the court house now stands."

Mr. Guthrie's opinion is corroborated by Dr. Samuel P. Hildreth, in his "Pioneer Settlers of Ohio," and is, no doubt, correct.

From that date on down through the years of Chio's

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growth, the crops of wheat have kept pace with the ad- vance and growth of civilization. The soil is admirably adapted to the growth of this cereal, a large number of varieties being grown, and an excellent quality produced. It is firm in body, and, in many cases, is a successful rival of wheat produced in the great wheat-producing regions of the United States-Minnesota, and the farther northwest.

Oats, rye, barley, and other grains were also brought to Ohio from the Atlantic coast, though some of them had been cultivated by the French in Illinois and about Detroit. They were at first used only as food for home consumption, and, until the successful attempts at river and canal navigation were brought about, but little was ever sent to market.

Of all the root crops known to man, the potato is prob- ably the most valuable. Next to wheat it is claimed by many as the staff of life. In some localities, this assump- tion is undoubtedly true. What would Ireland have done in her famines but for this simple vegetable? The potato is a native of the mountainous districts of tropical and sub-tropical America, probably from Chili to Mexico; but there is considerable difficulty in deciding where it is really indigenous, and where it has spread after being in- troduced by man. Humboldt, the learned savant, doubted if it had ever been found wild, but scholars no less famous, and of late date, have expressed an oppo- site opinion. In the wild plant, as in all others, the tubers are smaller than in the cultivated. The potato had been cultivated in America, and its tubers used for food, long before the advent of the Europeans. It seems to have been first brought to Europe by the Spaniards, from the neighborhood of Quito, in the beginning of the sixteenth century, and spread through Spain, the Nether- lands, Burgundy and Italy, cultivated in gardens as an ornament only and not for an article of food. It long received through European countries the same name with the batatas-sweet potato, which is the plant meant by all English writers down to the seventeenth century.

It appers that the potato was brought from Virginia to Ireland by Hawkins, a slave-trader, in 1565, and to Eng- land by Sir Francis Drake, twenty years later. It did not at first attract much notice, and not until it was a third time imported from America, in 1623, by Sir Wal- ter Raleigh, did the Europeans make a practical use of it. Even then it was a long time before it was extensively cultivated. It is noticed in agricultural journals as food for cattle only as late as 1619. Poor people began using it, however, and finding it highly nutritious, the Royal Geographical society, in 1663, adopted measures for its propagation. About this time it began to be used in Ire- land as food, and from the beginning of the eighteenth century, its use has never declined. It is now known in every quarter of the world, and has by cultivation, been greatly improved.

The inhabitants of America learned its use from the Indians, who cultivated it and other root crops-rutaba- gas, radishes, etc., and taught the whites their value. When the pioneers of Ohio came to its fertile valleys, they brought improved species with them, which by cul-

tivation and soil, are now greatly increased, and are among the standard crops of the State.

The cucurbitaceous plants, squashes, etc., were, like the potato and similar root crops, indigineous to America -others, like the melons, to Asia-and were among the staple foods of the original inhabitants. The early French missionaries of the west speak of both root crops and cucurbitaceous plants as in use among the aboriginal inhabitants. "They are very sweet and wholesome," wrote Marquette. Others speak in the same terms, though some of the plants in this order had found their way to these valleys through the Spaniards and others through early Atlantic coast and Mexican inhabitants. Their use by the settlers of the west, especially Ohio, is traced to New England, as the first settlers came from that por- tion of the Union. They grow well in all parts of the State, and by cultivation have been greatly improved in quality and variety. All cucurbitaceous plants require a rich porous soil, and by proper attention to their culti- vation, excellent results can be attained.

Probably the earliest and most important implement of husbandry known is the plow. Grain, plants and roots will not grow well unless the soil in which they are planted be properly stirred, hence the first requirement was an in- strument that would fulfil such conditions.

The first implements were rude, indeed; generally, stout wooden sticks, drawn through the earth by thongs attached to rude ox-yokes, or fastened to the animal's horns. Such plows were in use among the ancient Egyptians, and may yet be found among uncivilized na- tions. The Old Testament furnishes numerous instances of the use of the plow, while, on the ruins of ancient cities, and among the pyramids of Egypt, and on the buried walls of Babylon, and other extinct cities, are rude drawings of this useful implement. As the use of iron became apparent and general, it was utilized for plowpoints, where the wood alone would not penetrate the earth. They got their plowshares sharpened in Old Testament days, also coulters, which shows, beyond a doubt, that iron pointed plows were then in use. From times mentioned in the Bible, on heathen tombs, and ancient catacombs, the improvement of the plow, like other farming tools, went on, as the race of man grew in intelligence. Extensive manors in the old country re- quired increased means of turning the ground, and, to meet these demands, ingenious mechanics, from time to time, invented improved plows. Strange to say, how- ever, no improvement was ever made by the farmer himself. This is accounted for in his habits of life, and, too often, the disposition to "take things as they are." When America was settled, the plow had become an implement capable of turning two or three acres per day. Still, and for many years, and even until lately, the mould-board was entirely wooden, the point only iron. Later developments changed the wood for steel, which now alone is used. Still later, especially in prairie States, riding plows are used. Like all other improve- ments, they were obliged to combat an obtuse public mind among the ruralists, who slowly combat almost every move made to better their condition. In many

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places in America, wooden plows, straight axe handles, and a stone in one end of the bag, to balance the grist in the other, are the rule, and for no other reason in the world are they maintained than the laconic answer:

"My father did so, and why should not I? Am I bet- ter than he?"

After the plow comes the harrow, but little changed, save in lightness and beauty. Formerly, a log of wood, or a brush harrow, supplied its place, but in the State of Ohio, the toothed instrument has nearly always been used.

The hoe is lighter made than formerly, and is now made of steel. At first, the common iron hoe, sharpened by the blacksmith, was in constant use. Now, it is rarely seen outside of the southern States, where it has long been the chief implement in agriculture.

The various small plows for the cultivation of corn and such other crops as necessitated their use, are all the result of modern civilization. Now, their number is large, and, in many places, there are two or more at- tached to one carriage, whose operator rides. These kinds are much used in the western States, whose root- less and stoneless soil is admirably adapted to such machinery.

When the grain became ripe, implements to cut it were in demand. In ancient times, the sickle was the only instrument used. It was a short, curved iron, whose inner edge was sharpened and serrated. In its most ancient form, it is doubtful if the edge was but lit- tle, if any, serrated. It is mentioned in all ancient works, and in the Bible is frequently referred to.

"Thrust in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe," says the sacred New Testament, while the old chronicles as early as the time of Moses, say: "As thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn."

In more modern times, the handle of the sickle was lengthened, then the blade, which in time led to the scythe. Both are yet in use in many parts of the world. The use of the scythe led some thinking person to add a "finger" or two, and to change the shape of the han- dle. The old cradle was the result. At first it met considerable opposition from the laborers, who brought forward the old-time argument of ignorance, that it would cheapen labor.

Whether the cradle is an American or an European invention, is not accurately decided; probably of the mother country. It came into common use about 1818, and in a few years had found its way into the wheat- producing regions of the west. Where small crops are raised, the cradle is yet much used. A man can cut from two to four acres per day, hence, it is much cheaper than a reaper, where the crop is small.

The mower and reaper are comparatively modern in- ventions. A rude reaping machine is mentioned by Pliny in the first century. It was pushed by an ox through the standing grain. On its front was a sharp edge, which cut the grain. It was, however, impractica- ble, as it cut only a portion of the grain, and the peas- antry preferred the sickle. Other and later attempts to make reapers do not seem to have been successful, and

not until the present century was a machine made that would do the work required. In 1826, Mr. Bell, of Scot- land, constructed a machine which is yet used in many parts of the country. In America, Mr. Hussey and Mr. McCormick took out patents for reaping machines of superior character, in 1833 and 1834. At first, the cut- ters of these machines were various contrivances, but both manufacturers soon adopted a serrated knife, trian- gular shaped, attached to a bar, and driven through "finger guards" attached to it, by a forward and back- ward motion. These are the common ones now in use, save that all do not use serrated knives. Since these pioneer machines were introduced into the harvest fields they have been greatly improved and changed. Of late years they have been constructed so as to bind the sheaves, and now a good stout boy, and a team with a "harvester," will do as much as many men could do a few years ago, and with much greater ease.

As was expected by the inventors of reapers, they met with a determined resistance from those who in former times made their living by harvesting. It was again ab- surdly argued that they would cheapen labor, and hence were an injury to the laboring man. Indeed, when the first machines were brought into Ohio, many of them were torn to pieces by the ignorant hands. Others left fields in a body when the proprietor brought a reaper to his farm. Like all such fallacies, these, in time, passed away, leaving only their stain.

Following the reaper came the thresher. As the country filled with inhabitants, and men increased their possessions, more rapid means than the old flail or roller method were demanded. At first the grain was trodden out by horses driven over the bundles, which were laid in a circular inclosure. The old flail, the tramping-out by horses, and the cleaning by the sheet, or throwing the grain up against a current of air, were too slow, and machines were the result of the demand. In Ohio the manufacture of threshers began in 1846, in the south- western part. Isaac Tobias, who came to Hamilton from Miamisburgh that year, commenced building the threshers then in use. They were without the cleaning attachment, and simply hulled the grain. Two years later he began manufacturing the combined thresher and cleaner, which were then coming into use. He contin- ued in business until 1851. Four years after, the in- creased demand for such machines, consequent upon the increased agricultural products, induced the firm of Owens, Lane & Dyer to fit their establishment for the manufacture of threshers. They afterward added the manufacture of steam engines to be used in the place of horse-power. Since then the manufacture of these machines, as well as that of all other agricultural machinery, has greatly multiplied and improved, until now it seems as though but little room for improvement remains. One of the largest firms engaged in the manufacture of threshers and their component machin- ery is located at Mansfield - the Aultman & Taylor Co. Others are at Massillon and at other cities in the west.

Modern times and modern enterprise have developed a marvelous variety of agricultural implements-too

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many to be mentioned in a volume like this. Under special subjects they will occasionally be found. The farmer's life, so cheerless in pioneer times, and so full of weary labor, is daily becoming less laborious, until, if they as a class profit by the advances, they can find a life of ease in farm pursuits, not attainable in any other profession. Now machines do almost all the work. They sow, cultivate, cut, bind, thresh, winnow and carry the grain. They cut, rake, load, mow and dry the hay. They husk, shell and clean the corn. They cut and split the wood. They do almost all; until it seems as though the day may come when the farmer can sit in his house and simply guide the affairs of his farm.

Any occupation prospers in proportion to the inter- est taken in it by its members. This interest is always heightened by an exchange of views, hence societies and periodicals exercise an influence at first hardly realized. This feeling among prominent agriculturists led to the formation of agricultural societies, at first by counties, then districts, then by States, and lastly by associations of States. The day may come when a national agricul- tural fair may be one of the annual attractions of Amer- ica.

Without noticing the early attempts to found such so- cieties in Europe or America, the narrative will begin with those of Ohio. The first agricultural society organ- ized in the Buckeye State was the Hamilton County Agricultural society. Its exact date of organization is not now preserved, but to a certainty it is known that the society held public exhibitions as a county society prior to 1823. Previous to that date there were, doubt- less, small, private exhibitions held in older localities, probably at Marietta, but no regular organization seems to have been maintained. The Hamilton County society held its fairs annually, with marked success. Its succes- sor, the present society, is now one of the largest county societies in the Union.

During the legislative session of 1832-33, the subject of agriculture seems to have agitated the minds of the people through their representatives, for the records of that session show the first laws passed for their benefit. The acts of that body seems to have been productive of some good, for, though no records of the number of so- cieties organized at that date exist, yet the record shows that "many societies have been organized in conformity to this act," etc. No doubt many societies held fairs from this time, for a greater or less number of years. Agricul- tural journals* were, at this period, rare in the State, and the subject of agricultural improvement did not re- ceive that attention from the press it does at this time; and, for want of public spirit and attention to sustain

these fairs, they were gradually discontinued until the new act respecting their organization was passed in 1846. However, records of several county societies of the years between 1832 and 1846 yet exist, showing that in some parts of the State the interest in these fairs was by no means diminished. The Delaware county society re- ports for the year 1833-it was organized in June of that year -- good progress for a beginning, and that much interest was manifested by the citizens of the county.

Ross county held its first exhibition in the autumn of that year, and the report of the managers is quite cheer- ful. Nearly all of the exhibited articles were sold at auction, at greatly advanced prices from the current ones of the day. The entry seems to have been free, in an open inclosure, and but little revenue was derived. Little was expected, hence no one was disappointed.

Washington county reports an excellent cattle show for that year, and a number of premiums awarded to the successful exhibitors. This same year the Ohio Importa- tion company was organized at the Ross county fair. The company began the next season the importation of fine cattle from England, and, in a few years, did incal- culable good in this respect, as well as make consider- able money in the enterprise.

These societies were re-organized when the law of 1846 went into effect, and, with those that had gone down and the new ones started, gave an impetus to agriculture that to this day is felt. Now every county has a society, while district, State and inter-State societies are annually held; all promotive in their tendency, and all a benefit to every one.

The Ohio State board of agriculture was organized by an act of the legislature, passed February 27, 1846. Since then, various amendments to the organic law have been passed from time to time as the necessities of the board and of agriculture in the State demanded. The same day that the act was passed creating the State board, an act was also passed providing for the erection of county and district societies, under which law, with sub- sequent amendments, the present county and district agricultural societies are managed. During the years from 1846 down to the present time, great improvements have been made in the manner of conducting these societies, resulting in exhibitions unsurpassed in any other State.

Pomology and horticulture are branches of industry so closely allied with agriculture that a brief resume of their operations in Ohio will be eminently adapted to these pages. The early planting and care of fruit in Ohio has already been noticed. Among the earliest pioneers were men of fine tastes, who not only desired to benefit themselves and their country, but who were pos- sessed with a laudable ambition to produce the best fruits and vegetables the State could raise. For this end they studied carefully the topography of the country, its soil, climate, and various influences upon such culture, and by careful experiments with fruit and vegetables, pro- duced the excellent varieties now in use. Mention has been made of Mr. Longworth and Mr. Ernst, of Cincin- nati; and Israel and Aaron W. Putnam, on the Musk-

* The Western Tiller was published in Cincinnati, in 1826. It was "miscellaneous," but contained many excellent articles on agriculture. The Farmers' Record was published in Cincinnati, in 1831, and con- tinued for several years.

The Ohio Farmer was published at Batavia, Clermont county, in 1833, by Hon. Samuel Medary.

These were the early agricultural journals, some of which yet survive, though in new names, and under new management. Others have, also, since been added some of which have an exceedingly large circu- lation, and are an influence for much good in the State.

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ingum river. Mr. Dill, Judges Fuller and Whittlesey, Dr. Jared Kirtland and his sons, and others-all practical enthusiasts in these departments. At first, individual ef- forts alone, owing to the condition of the country, could be made. As the State filled with settlers, and means of communication became better, a desire for an inter- change of views became apparent, resulting in the es- tablishment of periodicals devoted to these subjects, and societies where different ones could meet and discuss these things.

A horticultural and pomological society was organized in Ohio in 1866. Before the organization of State societies, however, several distinct or independent societies existed; in fact, out of these grew the State society, which in turn produced good by stimulating the creation of county societies. All these societies, aids to agriculture, have progressed as the State developed, and have done much in advancing fine fruit, and a taste for aesthetic culture. In all parts of the west, their influence is seen in better and improved fruit; its culture and its demand.

To-day, Ohio stands in the van of the western States in agriculture and all its kindred associations. It only needs the active energy of her citizens to keep her in this place, advancing as time advances, until the goal of her ambition is reached.

CHAPTER XVI. CLIMATOLOGY-OUTLINE-RAINFALL-VARIABILITY.

THE climate of Ohio varies about four degrees. Though originally liable to malaria in many districts when first settled, in consequence of a dense vegetation induced by summer heats and rains, it has become very healthful, owing to clearing away this vegetation, and proper drainage. . The State has become as favorable in its sanitary characteristics as any other in its locality. Ohio is remarkable for its high productive capacity, al- most everything grown in the temperate climates being within its range. Its extremes of heat and cold are less than almost any other State in or near the same latitude, hence Ohio suffers less from the extreme dry or wet seasons which affect all adjoining States. These modi- fications are mainly due to the influence of the Lake Erie waters. These not only modify the heat of sum- mer and the cold of winter, but apparently reduce the profusion of rainfall in summer, and favor moisture in dry periods. No finer climate exists, all conditions con- sidered, for delicate vegetable growths, than that portion of Ohio bordering on Lake Erie. This is abundantly attested by the recent extensive development there of grape culture.

Mr. Lorin Blodget, author of "American Clima- tology," in the agricultural report of 1853, says: "A district bordering on the southern and western portions

of Lake Erie is more favorable in this respect (for grape cultivation) than any other on the Atlantic side of the Rocky mountains, and it will ultimately prove capable of a very liberal extention of vine culture."

Experience has proven Mr. Blodget correct in his theory. Now extensive fields of grapes are everywhere found on the Lake Erie slope, while other small fruits find a sure footing on its soil.

"Considering the climate of Ohio by isothermal lines and rain shadings, it must be borne in mind," says Mr. Blodget, in his description of Ohio's climate, from which these facts are drawn, "that local influences often require to be considered. At the south, from Cincin- nati to Steubenville, the deep river valleys are two de- grees warmer than the hilly districts of the same vicinity. The lines are drawn intermediate between the two ex- tremes. Thus, Cincinnati, on the plain, is 2° warmer than at the observatory, and 4° warmer for each year than Hillsborough, Highland county-the one being five hundred, the other one thousand, feet above sea-level. The immediate valley of the Ohio, from Cincinnati to Gallipolis, is about 75° for the summer, and 54° for the `year; while the adjacent hilly districts, three hundred to five hundred feet higher, are not above 73° and 52° re- spectively. For the summer, generally, the river valleys are 73° to 75'; the level and central portions 72° to 73°, and the lake border 70° to 72'. A peculiar mildness of climate belongs to the vicinity of Kelley's Island, San- dusky and Toledo. Here, both winter and summer, the climate is 2° warmer than on the highland ridge extend- ing from Norwalk and Oberlin to Hudson and the northeastern border. This ridge varies from five hun- dred to seven hundred and fifty feet above the lake, or eight hundred and fifty to one thousand two hundred feet above sea-level. This high belt has a summer tem- perature of 70°, 27° for the winter, and 49° for the year; while at Sandusky and Kelley's Island the summer is 72°, the winter 29°, and the year 50°. In the central and eastern parts of the State, the winters are compara- tively cold, the average falling to 32° over the more level districts, and to 29° on the highlands. The Ohio river valley is about 35°, but the highlands near it fall to 31° and 32° for the winter."

As early as 1824, several persons in the State began taking the temperature in their respective localities, for the spring, summer, autumn, and winter, averaging them for the entire year. From time to time, these were gath- ered and published, inducing others to take a step in the same direction. Not long since, a general table, from about forty localities, was gathered and compiled, cover- ing a period of more than a quarter of a century. This table, when averaged, showed an average temperature of 52.4°. an evenness of temperature not equalled in many bordering States.

Very imperfect observations have been made of the amount of rainfall in the State. Until lately, only an individual here and there throughout the State took enough interest in this matter to faithfully observe and record the averages of several years in succession. In consequence of this fact, the illustration of that feature

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of Ohio's climate is less satisfactory than that of the temperature. "The actual rainfall of different months and years varies greatly," says Mr. Blodget. "There may be more in a month, and, again, the quantity may rise to twelve or fifteen inches in a single month. For a year the variation may be from a minimum of twenty- two or twenty-five inches, to a maximum of fifty or even sixty inches in the southern part of the State, and forty- five to forty-eight inches along the lake border. The average is a fixed quantity, and, although requiring a period of twenty or twenty-five years to fix it absolutely, it is entirely certain and unchangeable when known. On charts, these average quantities are represented by depths of shading. At Cincinnati, the last fifteen years of ob- servation somewhat reduce the average of forty-eight inches, of former years, to forty-six or forty-seven inches.

Spring and summer generally give the most rain, there

being, in general, ten to twelve inches in the spring, ten to fourteen inches in the summer, and eight to ten inches in the autumn. The winter is the most variable of all the seasons, the southern part of the State having ten inches, and the northern part seven inches or less- an average of eight or nine inches.

The charts of rainfall, compiled for the State, show a fall of thirty inches on the lake, and forty-six inches at the Ohio river. Between these two points, the fall is marked, beginning at the north, thirty-two, thirty-four, thirty-six, and thirty-eight inches, all near the lake. Far- ther down, in the latitude of Tuscarawas, Monroe and Mercer counties, the fall is forty inches, while the south- western part is forty-two and forty-four inches.

The clearing away of forests, the drainage of the land, and other causes have lessened the rainfall, making considerable difference since the days of the aborignes.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 111

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 559

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559