USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches > Part 28
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In 1826 or the following year, Daniel Brown came with a very good stock of goods from Cincinnati. He had considerable ability as a business man, and became popular and prominent. He finally engaged in the pork purchasing business and carried that on as well as his general merchandise until 1836 when he removed to Texas. Hubbell (S. H.) & Sweeney were the successors of Brown. They sold in 1839 to Vandoren & Banta, and they in 1843 to John M. Gray & Hubbell. The latter soon after moved the goods to Indiana.
Jacob Spacht went into business in 1826, and was bought out in 1832 by Levin T. McCabe.
John Alexander was the keeper of a general store as early as 1833. After conducting the business for a short time alone, he went in with Brower, and the firm re- mained in activity until 1842, when Mr. Alexander removed to Huntington, Indiana. He was auditor of Huntington county for eight years prior to his death in 1861.
John Harrington started in 1843, and Hazeltine & Young in 1848. Neither of these stores were carried on for more than three or four years.
John G. Harlan went into business as a partner with Van Ausdal in 1825 or 1826, and several years later he established a store of his own where S. H. Hubbell now is and there carried on business for several years.
Hettle & Dix started in business in 1826 or the follow- ing year, where Marsh & Lockwood's building now is, and remained in activity for five or six years, being quite successful.
Nearly all of the merchants of whom mention has been made kept general stores and all dealt in dry goods. This branch of business during more recent years has been conducted by the following firms and individuals
in the order in which their names are given : Davis & Hawk, David Hawk, Thomas H. Russell, Benjamin Neal, Marsh & Lockwood, W. H. H. B. Minor & O. Minor, O. Minor alone, W. H. H. B. Minor alone, Em- manuel & Marqvis, A. Epply, J. B. Epply, Hubbell, Epply & Wilson, Wilson, & Hubbell, Elijah Taylor, Brazier & Campbell, Daniel Lesh, Brownell & Brother, J. Oglesby, Stephens & Company, Stephens & Brother, Stephens & Huston, Huston & Swihart, M. F. Stephens, Stephens & Scoven, Thomas Dryden, Deem & Welch, J. T. Deem, Deem & Brother, Deem & Hawkins, A. Coff- man, A. Leedy, Coffman & Brother, J. R. Mc Leath, Deem & Lake, J. W. Cooper, Simeon Goldman, Lou Jackson, and N. B. Stephens.
The first grocery store which amounted to anything was started by a Mr. Slayback in 1827. After 1840 the business of selling groceries became generally a separate business. Prior to that time it was carried on in connec- tion with the sale of dry goods. Following Mr. Slay- back the principal grocerymen have been the following: John DeGroot, Hubbell & Acton, - Stannah, John Stephens, Hubbell & Acton, John P. Acton, R. S. Cun- ningham, Nathaniel Lockwood, Levin T. McCabe, George Lockwood, Charles & James Harbaugh, Campbell & Brazier, J. Longnecker & Sons, J. Bender.
John Alexander opened the first drug store in 1832. The business has since then been carried on by the fol- lowing persons, down to and including those at present engaged in it: Stephens & Dugans, Minor & Dugans, Minor & Denney, Crume & Brookins, Brookins & Son, Farr & Brother, J. R. Beaty, Minor & Farr, Samson H. Hubbell, W. H. H. B. Minor, V. W. Lake & Hubbell, Michael & Son.
EATON BUSINESS HOUSES 1880.
The following is a list of the business houses of Eaton, properly classified and rendered of additional value by the fact that the year when each entered business is des- ignated.
DRY GOODS.
W. M. Wilson & Son (J. F.), 1874.
Van Ausdal (H. B.) & Co. (James Nelson), 1808.
J. W. Cooper, 1877.
Andrew Coffman, 1864.
S. Goldman, 1877.
CLOTHING.
C. P. Thum, 1857.
E. Koons, 1879.
J. T. Woerner, 1867.
M. Sturm, 1871.
M. Filbert, 1839.
DRUGS.
Michael (F.) & Son (F. M.), 1872.
J. P. Brookins & Son (W. C. M.), 1847. V. W. Lake, 1871.
GROCERIES.
John Lander, 1867. W. W. Jefferson, 1876. W. C. & C. W. Bruce, 1877. G. R. Lockwood, 1880.
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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
J. T. Deem & Son (A.), 1879.
W. A. Cleveland & Co. (H. A. Schurtz), 1876.
J. Rhea & Son (F. F.), 1867.
Eidson (W. A.) & Young (I. B), 1880. Longnecker (J. N.) & Sons (S. W. and J. A.), 1871.
J. P. Filbert, 1876.
E. H. Cook & Co. (J. A. Hubbell), 1879.
S. H. Hubbell, 1876.
HARDWARE.
J. C. Bonner & Brother (W. A.), 1868. Eidson (G. H.) & DeGroot (A. B.), 1862.
Unger (J. H.) & McCabe (J. A.), 1879. JEWELERS.
C. G. Schlenker, 1864.
J. Chambers, 1835.
BOOTS AND SHOES.
F. Michael, 1874.
J. L. Lockwood, 1845.
E. P. Lockwood, 1854.
J. W. Filbert, 1877.
WHOLESALE TOBACCO DEALERS.
John Glick, 1878.
O. G. Kingbush & Son (G. C.), 1880.
LIVERY STABLES.
D. C. Oxer, 1874.
John Benning, 1880.
P. Miller, 1879.
Henry Ressler, 1880.
J. S. Cox & Son (W. N.), 1875. MILLINERY STORES.
Mrs. R. Crouse, 1876. Mrs. E. J. Atwood, 1874.
Miss Kate Wolf, 1878.
FURNITURE.
G. W. Churchill & Son (C. F.), 1874. John Harshman, 1844.
DEALERS IN AGRICULTURAL TOOLS.
Cook (P.) & Conger (J. H.), 1879.
J. L. Quinn.
LUMBER AND COAL.
G. W. Deem, 1877.
UNDERTAKERS.
Darragh (E. E.) & Alexander (J.), 1878.
G. W. Churchill & Son (C. F.), 1874.
GRAIN. J. H. Musselman & Sons (C. and J. H.), 1877. HARNESS.
J. T. Deem & Son (J.), 1877.
Phinehart (H.) & Whitmore (M. F.), 1876.
A. A. Seibert, 1838. TAVERNS.
The first tavern was kept by David E. Hendricks in the house which he built, the oldest one in Eaton, and now occupied by S. H. Hubbell. He opened it very soon after his arrival in 1806, and continued to carry it on for several years.
George Worthington built the house which, as mod- ernized, is kept by Mr. Mclaughlin, and known as the Union house. This tavern which was known as "the White Hall," was also kept by John C. Hawkins, and a man by the name of Ross.
Paul Larsh was landlord at a tavern which stood, where Bonner's hardware store now is. His term of occupancy was during the three years he was sheriff, dating from 1819.
Dr. Buell kept a tavern on the corner of the lot where J. H. Foos resides, and one McMahon and George Worthington were afterwards in the same house.
Henry Monfort, at an early day, kept tavern where Ja- cob Chambers' store is, and Samuel Larsh succeeded him.
During the early twenties John Worland and Staples Thompson were landlords of the house which Paul Larsh had formerly occupied.
In 1823 Alexander Mitchell had a tavern stand where Bender's saloon now is.
Thomas Morgan, in 1829 or 1830, opened a tavern where the Eagle house now stands, and continued to carry it on for a number of years. About the same time the Brower Brothers became the entertainers at Mitchell's old stand.
Staples Thompson kept a tavern for a number of years at the east side of the court house lot, and was suc- ceeded by James Maxwell.
In 1832 a tavern was built where William Bloomfield's store now is, and used for a number of years.
The first regular stage house was the National, which stood on the ground now occupied by Commercial Row. John De Groot was its first landlord in 1833, and was followed by others.
A little later than the above, Gasper Potterf built a small house for public entertainment which was kept by George Lease and his son, Frank, and afterwards by Goode who called it the National house.
The Eagle house was built in 1836-'37, by Henry Monfort and I. T. McCabe. Thomas Morgan was its first landlord. This house which was a wooden structure, was burned, and the present brick was built on its site. Monfort became the sole owner in 1842, and when he died in 1849, the house went into the hands of Thomas Auter. Jacob Winters followed him as landlord, and then it was carried on by Winters & Shaffner, in partner- ship. Martin M. Stephens next had possession, and then it was owned by Stephens, and John Fleming who is now the sole owner.
The Reichel house in which is included the old Meth- odist church, was put into shape as a hotel in 1867, by Maurice Doty, a fine three-story front being erected to fill in the space between the front of the old church and the street. After passing through the hands of several owners, the hotel was bought in 1876, by John Reichel. He leased it to George P. Lockwood who carried it on until the spring of 1880, when Mr. Reichel himself be- came the landlord.
BANKING. THE OLD STATE BANK.
A company consisting of about one hundred and twenty-five stockholders, took the initial steps toward or-
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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
ganizing the Preble county branch of the State bank, April 20, 1847. The branch bank was to be located in Eaton, which town was then in the second banking dis- trict of Ohio, and it was decided that it should have a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, divided into one thousand shares of one hundred dollars each. This bank was organized under the law of 1845. On July 19, 1847, seventy-eight stockholders assembled and elected nine directors, viz : . John Stump, John Gallaher, John Hunt, Nathaniel Benjamin, Emmanuel L. Hoffman, Pling M. Crume, Eli Campbell, Edward P. Wait, and John M. Gray. The last named resigned soon after his election, and Ellis Minshall was chosen to fill his place. The directors elected Mr. Minshall, president, and John M. Gray, cashier. It was decided to advertise to receive proposals for a building to be used as a banking office, and that course being taken, Judge William Curry came forward with a proposition to rent his building on Baron street for the sum of fifty dollars per year. The bank di- rectors voted to accept this offer, and soon afterward moved into the house, which is still standing, just south of the court house, at present the residence of Josiah Campbell. John M. Gray's office was used for a short time prior in the Curry house. Business was commenced September 9, 1847, and was continued at the original stand until 1851, when the bank was located in the building which stood upon the ground now occupied by that on which the National bank is located, and which was afterwards burned. J. S. Hawkins succeeded Mr. Marshall as president, and was in turn succeeded by John Hunt, who gave place in later years to Valentine Winter. John M. Gray was for many years cashier of the State bank, but was succeeded, in 1853, by H. C. Hiestand, now president of the Preble County bank. He remained in connection with the bank until the close of its exist- ence and was in the National bank, its successor, until 1867.
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF EATON.
Upon July 4, 1864, a meeting was held at the office of the State bank, for the purpose of organizing a bank- ing association to carry on business under the act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide a national currency secured by a pledge of United States bonds, and to pro- vide for the circulation and redemption thereof," ap- proved June 3, 1864. The association was the direct successor of the State bank, and consisted of the follow- ing gentlemen: Valentine Winters and Jonathan H. Win- ters, of Dayton; H. C. Hiestand and Joseph A. Du Sang, of Eaton, and David Barnet, of Camden. Valentine Winters was elected president, H. C. Hiestand, cashier, and David Barnet, Joseph DuSang and Jonathan Win- ters, directors. The bank began business with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. There are now over two thousand national banks in the country, but this one is number thirty. The directory of the bank remained for a number of years essentially unchanged, except that Jonathan Harshman became associated with the manage- ment. In 1867, however, Charles F. Brooke, William Brooke and John Brooke bought out the interests of Winters, Hiestand, and Harshman, and they have since
held the controlling interest. Under the new manage- ment there was a re-organization which made Charles F. Brooke, president, John C. Brooke, cashier, and Joseph A. Du Sang, assistant cashier. Since then the office of the presidency has been alternately held by Charles F. and William Brooke. Mr. DuSang was made cashier soon after the re-organization. He has been connected with the bank-State and National-since 1854, a period of twenty-six years. The present officers of the institu- tion are: President, Charles F. Brooke; vice-president, G. H. Eidson; cashier, Joseph A. DuSang; directors, C. F. Brooke, sr., C. F. Brooke, jr., John Coistman, and H. B. Van Ausdal.
THE PREBLE COUNTY BANK
is a comparatively new concern. It came into existence October 8, 1873, with a capital of one hundred thou- sand dollars, and being the enterprise of men well known in the community and throughout the county, immediately secured a large share of patronage. Its directory was as follows: H. C. Hiestand, president; Andrew Hiestand, John T. Acton, William B. Tizzard, Josiah Campbell, and Jacob H. Foos, directors. This management has remained unchanged since the estab- lishment of the bank. A building was erected on West Main street for the use of the institution, by Mr. Jacob H. Foos. Mr. Hiestand, president of the Preble county bank, came to Eaton in 1853 from Dayton to take the cashiership of the Old State bank, and has been identi- fied with the banking business in the place ever since, with the exception of three years, a period after his with- drawal from the National bank when he was in Dayton. The Preble County bank has no cashier, known as such. The bookkeeper is W. H. Ortt.
POST OFFICE.
Before a post office was established at Eaton the nearest offices were at Dayton and Hamilton. In after years the mail was brought weekly on horseback from these places, the first being carried by the way of Day- ton. Nearly all the mail from the eastern States came by way of Chillicothe and Dayton, while mail from Ken- tucky was carried through Cincinnati and Hamilton.
The Eaton post office was established February 7, 1809, and John Ferguson was commissioned as the first postmaster. He served a short time and was suc- ceeded by Isaac Stephens, who remained in charge of the office for many years, in fact, until 1840. After that time the following persons served as postmasters, in the order named. Lazarus Miller, John J. Campbell, George D. Hendricks, Jacob P. Snyder, Daniel Reed, Phineas R. Minor, John Minor, and Benjamin J. Neal, the present incumbent of the office.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT-EARLY ORGANIZATION-THE DISASTROUS FIRES OF 1859.
The first fire company formed in Eaton was organized as early as February 20, 1835, to take charge of the old fashioned hand-engine purchased by the council a short time previous. The company, which was known as "The Eaton Independent Fire Engine and Hose company No. I," consisted originally of the following members: A,
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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
C. Vandoren, A. Rossman, Elias Herdman, Gustavus H. Way, Josiah Campbell, James H. Curry, E. V. Banta, John Farlow, James Denney, Cyrus Dooley, Joseph S. Hawkins, James Gardner, C. V. Duggins, John M. Gray, Thomas Holmes, Levi Bonebrake, Jacob Sweeney, Smith Bennett, Isaac Colby, and O. Cleveland-twenty- one in all. At the second meeting, held a few days later, at the office of McNutt & Hawkins, quite an elaborate constitution was adopted and the first officers of the company elected as follows: John M. Gray, president; Joseph S. Hawkins, vice-president; James H. Curry, secretary; Josiah Campbell, treasurer; Jacob Sweeney, A. C. Vandoren, Smith Bennett, directors. The company was then regularly given municipal author- ity by the passage of an ordinance by the town council. During the first few months after it came into existence many accessions were made to the membership of the company, among them S. H. Hubbell, J. G. Bowman, John S. Trousdail, John Neff, R. S. Cunningham, Samuel Stout, Alfred Stephens, James O. Leas, David Shaw, Francis Lease, George Waggoner, W. S. Hubbell, W. H. H. B. Minor, and Walter McCabe. The com- pany held meetings regularly at the "Eaton Thespian society's" rooms, and had frequent turnouts for the pur- pose of practicing with the engine. The first fire which the company was called upon to extinguish, was that which occurred at the Browers tavern stand, in the sum- mer of 1836. This episode was thought to be worthy of the following entry in the secretary's book in truly lurid repertorial style :
"EATON, OHIO, May 21, 1836.
"The Eaton Independent Fire Engine company was this day called together about three o'clock this afternoon by the alarm of fire. The company forthwith repaired to the engine house and with all possible dispatch conveyed the engine to the property now occupied by the Messrs. Browers, as a tavern stand on Barron street, when the fire was found to be in the kitchen of said tavern stand, whereupon the com- pany under the direction of the captain proceeded with all possible exertion and dispatch to quell the ravages of the devouring element. When, after a few minutes of the most severe and incessant labor, the company were enabled to shout "victory, " having completely exhausted all vestiges of fire."
,
For the most part, in those days, the work of the company seems to have been in "exercising the engine," or exercising the apparatus and finding the same to be in good order. There was occasional need, however, of the services of the company at a fire. The first in which the destruction was of considerable extent, was the fire which occurred March 13, 1838, on the site of the Eagle house, and which burned out the hotel of Thomas Mor- gan, and the house north of it, owned and occupied by Dr. Palmer, and a number of stables on " Black Horse alley." This fire was of incendiary origin. The next fire, of which there is any mention made in the records, and of which old citizens have recollection, did not occur until 1843. On the night of August 8th, of that year, the stables of John De Groot, tavern keeper, and another owned by Francis Lease, were burned, "together with the property therein contained, including four horses and a cow."
In the fall of 1844 the council provided a new engine, "The Fannie," and placed it in the possession of the
company on condition that they should increase their membership to forty persons, and confine their by-laws to certain requirements of the council. The conditions were complied with and a number of new members voted in, some of whom had been previously connected with the company and withdrawn. Among them were Isaac Albright, Ellis Minshall, Abram C. Vandoren, Sampson H. Hubbell, William Rossman, R. G. D. McKemy, James Segraves, Horatio N. Gardner, John Ware, Will- iam Steele, and John Eichelberger.
On Sunday morning, June 5, 1859, occurred the largest and most disastrous fire known up to that time in Eaton. Twelve business houses were destroyed, and the loss reached the sum of at least forty thousand dol- lars. The fire originated in the back part of Whitridge & Quinn's drug and book store, where the store of W. A. Eidson is now, and when discovered had made such headway as to be beyond control. It swept westward to the corner of Main and Baron streets, and northward on Baron to the dwelling and clothing store of John Crouse, where its ravages were stayed. On the east the fire de- stroyed all before it, as far as the present store of Long- necker. The Marsh and Lockwood building, now known as the Stevens block, was on fire at least a dozen times, but was saved by the exertions of a few brave, active men, "who kept the fire at bay," says a newspa- per of the time, "at the peril of their lives." At the northern termination was another hard fought battle. The Eagle hotel was in imminent danger, and was sev- eral times given up as lost, but bravery and self-posses- sion saved it. The little hand engine "Water Witch," the first ever owned by the town of Eaton, was used with good effect here in checking the flames.
The spread of the flames was so rapid that in less than an hour from the time the alarm was given, the whole mass was on fire, and the scene presented was ap- palling in the extreme. The streets were filled with crowds of excited people, and the wildest terror pre- vailed, for no one knew when the destruction would end. It was generally thought that the whole of the business portion of town would be laid in ruins. The business houses destroyed were those" occupied by W. H. H. B. Minor, J. M. Hinman, E. Mikesell, Brookins & Son, C. P. Thum, August A. Seibert, J. L. and C. W. Lockwood, Day & Brother, Stephens & Co., L. G. Gould, and James Chambers. On opening the safe in the store of Whitridge & Quinn, after the fire, it was discovered that the door had been unlocked, and the money, including one thousand dollars belonging to the American Express company, which had arrived the night before, taken out. It was generally believed that the safe robbers had fired the building to cover up the evidence of their villainy.
Whitridge & Quinn's loss was five thousand five hun- dred dollars, and the other important losses in round numbers as follows: Dr. Minor, grocer, three thousand dollars; L. G. Gould, grocer, eight hundred dollars; J. L. and C. W. Lockwood, boot and shoe dealers, two thousand dollars; W. C. Cleveland, two thousand dol- lars; Stephens & Co., merchants, loss on building two
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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
thousand dollars, loss on goods two thousand five hun- dred dollars, other loss five hundred dollars; J. Cham- bers, jeweler, four thousand dollars; C. A. Seibert, har ness maker, two thousand five hundred dollars; J. M. Hinman, jeweler, one hundred dollars; J. Sampson, one thousand dollars; Brookins, three thousand five hundred dollars; A. V. Auter, one thousand dollars. Some of the above amounts stand only for the loss on buildings, and some only on stock. There were sev- eral other losses, among those sustaining them being C. P. Thum, E. Mikesell, Day & Brother, and Mrs. Ho- garth.
One month after this fire, on the night of July 4, 1854, another occurred which caused considerable damage. It was discovered about ten o'clock in the evening in the rear of a two-story building owned by Daniel Stetler, and in the back part of one of the rooms occupied by John Spatz as a bakery. The fire rapidly extended east, de- stroying the whole of the Stetler property, and soon igniting the west portion of the National hotel. This building was soon almost completely destroyed. The town hall was soon fired and that too was a total loss. It was a three-story building, the lower floor of which was used for township and corporation purposes, the second occupied by a public hall, and the third, erected by the Masonic fraternity, used by them as a lodge room. The Stetler property consisted of a row of two-story frames and was occupied by five business houses, viz: John A. Herlich, Comford & King, Samuel H. Smith, Samuel Mc- Clain, and John F. Spatz. The owner of the National ho- tel, J. H. McWhinney, and the occupant, Warren W. Jef- ferson, were also material sufferers. The total loss by this fire was about ten thousand dollars. The buildings destroyed were situated along the south side of Main street, east of the court house.
The first hand engine owned in Eaton was the "Water Witch," a quaint looking little machine which is still retained by the corporation, though of course not used. It was superceded by "The Fame," afterwards known as "The Torrent " and now called the " Red Rover." With these two engines much valuable property was saved, prior to the purchase of a steamer.
In 1872, the council bought of C. Ahrens, of Cin- cinnati, one of the finest steam engines to be found in the country, and since then no town of its size has been better prepared than Eaton, to combat and quell a con- flagration. The new fire company, organized to take charge of the steamer, was originally officered as follows : captain, R. Y. Laniers; captain of hose, R. Reynolds; captain of hook and ladder, D. Clear ; fireman of steamer, M. Hambridge ; pipemen, J. Hubbell, James Ortt, G. Longnecker, F. Rork ; secretary, J. Butler ; treasurer, M. J. Kelly. The present officers are : chief, William McCabe ; assistant chief, James Ortt ; captain of hose, William Stephens ; captain of hook and ladder, James McCabe ; foreman of salvage company, J. R. Cook ; engineer, L. H. Zeek ; pipemen, A. Black, D. Koontz, George Boner, M. Clear ; secretary, Frank Homan ; treasurer, Isaac Young.
The following are some of the
16
INCIDENTS OF THE HARRISON CAMPAIGN IN EATON.
"There never has been, and never will be, another campaign like that-never!" Such were the words of one of Eaton's "old stagers," who, in 1840, shouted for "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too." All who can recall to mem- ory the exciting time of Harrison's canvass for the Presi- dency, dwell upon it with a peculiar fondness, and there sounds in the voices of old men (who were Whigs), re- counting its scenes, some reverberation of their forty years old enthusiasm. It was a campaign worthy of re- membrance by the victorious Whigs, and had the distin- guishing elements of a wild western flavor, and a fervor that was wonderful in its intensity and earnestness. It was the first Presidential struggle in which the western people had taken a vital and absorbing interest, and there was a warm sympathy of feeling and a spontaneity of ac- tion which was surprising in its results even to the san- guine Whigs, and crushing to their opponents. The whole country was alive with enthusiasm and wild with excitement. Thomas Corwin's name appeared at the head of the State ticket and added much to the strength of the Whigs' canvass in Ohio. Immense mass meetings were held in all of the towns and villages of any impor. tance in the State, and hundreds of speakers "took the stump" literally, as they could in those days, and cham- pioned their leaders. Many peculiar expedients were re. sorted to for the purpose of expressing and arousing feel- ing, and some of the most conspicuous and unique were the methods used to keep before the minds of the people their candidate's success as a soldier and his services as a pioneer. Hence the canoes and log cabins which figured in all public demonstrations and which everywhere ap- peared as emblems of the ideas which formed the foun- dation of Harrison's popularity.
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