USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, Vol. II > Part 34
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
Avery occurring while he was being taken home on a boat down the James. Out of about one hundred men in the company there were only about fifteen left on duty and they were the youngest members. This number included Mr. McCrory, who was honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio, on the 10th of September, 1864. After being mustered out of service Mr. McCrory was in the employ of the Atlantic & Great Western Railway Company as brake- man and fireman for some months, and then went with his parents and family to a farm in Weller township, Richland county, where he remained three years. Leaving the farm in 1868, he took up the study of law in the office of Burns & Dickey at Mansfield, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar at Mansfield by the district court June 21, 1870. Forming a partnership with A. R. Scheble, a fellow-student, he opened an office at Mansfield, Ohio, and when Mr. Scheble removed to Bryan, Ohio, about a year later Mr. McCrory formed a partnership with I. S. Donnell. In 1871 he was elected prosecuting attorney and was re- elected in 1873, serving four years in that office. While the incumbent his rigorous prosecution led to the conviction of criminals, many of whom were sent to the penitentiary, while Judge Moses R. Dickey, who was then on the bench and had no sympathy with crime or criminals, generally gave all offenders the limit of the law, making Richland county in a large measure a law-abiding district. At that time the prosecuting attorney received the munificent salary of five hundred and thirty-five dollars per year and had from two to four weeks' criminal court every term in common pleas and from one to two weeks every three months in the probate court, so that it may readily be seen that the salary the prosecuting attorney received was very low.
Throughout his official career Mr. McCrory has made a most excellent record, characterized not only by the utmost fidelity to duty but also marked capability in discharging the tasks that have devolved upon him. In 1879 he was elected to represent his district in the Ohio legislature and was re- elected in 1881. While a member of the house he introduced an act for the building of a Reformatory by the state, and the institution at Mansfield, one of the best of that character in the entire country, is the outgrowth of that act. Mr. McCrory also presented for adoption an amendment to the constitution of the state for the purpose of propagating and protecting woodland by exemp- tion from taxation of a certain portion of the same, but this was defeated by the farmer members of the house. In 1887 and again in 1889 Mr. McCrory was elected mayor of Mansfield, serving for four years at that time, and in 1895 was again elected for a two years' term. For some years the water supply of Mansfield had been so foul and scant that the whole city was suffering therefrom, but the trustees of the water works would not do anything in the matter but theorize. Owing to this condition the water works committee of the city council, associated with Mr. McCrory, thoroughly investigated the matter by visiting the different springs and sources of water supply, and at length, through Mr. McCrory's insistence, a large well was sunk at the Stocking reser- voir and a flow of water was struck at a depth of about one hundred and eighty feet, the flow being so strong that it could not be measured. The wise trustees of the water works sat looking on in wonder and one of their number said that the water flowed in the reservoir, went down and came up through the
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
well. However, all Mansfield must now acknowledge that this well has fur- nished the city with ninety-eight per cent pure water in an inexhaustible supply since that time. The money to drill this well was taken from the city's general fund by a unanimous vote of the council under a resolution by Mr. Forney, the trustees of the water works refusing to appropriate money for the work. The well was drilled by William Harmon, of Tiffin, Ohio, and by resolution of the city council Mr. McCrory was appointed to superintend the work. Mansfield was thus saved a water famine. Mr. McCrory considers this his monument to the city-the first monument of water ever erected to the memory of man since Moses smote the rock in the Wilderness. While acting as chief executive of the city the cornerstone of the Reformatory was laid and he took part in the exercises on that occasion. He was also on the program when Hineman park was dedicated and had the honor and pleasure of deliver- ing the opening address and introducing Senator Sherman and General Brinkerhoff, as orators of the occasion, to the immense audience. As mayor, Mr. McCrory had appointed General Brinkerhoff, Martin B. Bushnell and Henry M. Weaver as park commissioners, and the wisdom of his choice and their fitness for the position have been demonstrated in the fact that they have been reappointed by every mayor since that time and are yet serving faithfully and efficiently, while year by year they have added beauty to nature's gifts and the park has become second to none in Ohio ..
On the 23d of September, 1907, Mr. McCrory was happily married to Jennie Wigle. He is well known socially as well as in his professional and official relations in Mansfield and has a very extensive circle of friends in the city and throughout the state. His time is now devoted to the practice of law and to active cooperation, as a private citizen, in many movements for the public good. The more progressive element in Mansfield's citizenship have always recognized the efficiency of his labors in behalf of public progress, while the more conservative have been compelled to see, understand and appre- ciate what he has done for the city. His name is now inseparably linked with its history. He is a product of its public schools, an exponent of its business interests, an upholder of its legal and political status and a champion of all that tends to promote its welfare.
WILLIAM C. LOCKHART.
No history of Bellville would be complete without extended and specific mention of William C. Lockhart, one of the native sons of the town, whose entire career reflects credit and honor upon the community in which he was reared and now makes his home. He was born June 19, 1844, of the marriage of Benjamin and Suretta (Zimmerman) Lockhart.
The father went to California in 1849, spending several years on the Pacific coast, after which he rejoined his family in Bellville, Ohio. Later he went to New York city, where he was engaged in merchandising, but because of family ties he returned to Bellville, where he read law. His life was ever
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
characterized by high ideals and honorable motives. In early manhood he united with the Christian church and became a member of its ministry about 1855. He devoted much of his time and attention to the work of the church from that time until his death in 1894, laboring largely in the evangelistic field in Ohio and in Missouri. During his ministry in Ohio he baptized more people by immersion than any other minister ever did in the same number of years. There are members of the Christian church in Mansfield today who were baptized by the Rev. Mr. Lockhart and who hold his memory in high regard. He was a fine singer, a fluent speaker and wherever he went drew large audiences. His political views were pronounced and he was a warm friend of the late Senator Sherman and frequently accompanied him on cam- paign tours, addressing the people from the party platforms upon the issues and questions of the day, which he presented with a clearness and force that won many adherents to the cause. In 1863 he removed to Missouri, where his remaining days were passed. He served for two terms in the state legislature.
William C. Lockhart spent his boyhood and youth in the town of his nativity, where various duties and pleasures engrossed his time and attention. The public schools afforded him his educational privileges and at the age of eighteen years he enlisted in defense of the old flag, joining the Union army for three years on the 9th of August, 1862, under command of Captain A. W. Loback in Company E of the One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer In- fantry. He served his country faithfully throughout the period of hostilities, standing side by side with his comrades, many of whom he had known from boyhood, for the company was raised at Bellville and the regiment was organ- ized at Mansfield. From the latter point they proceeded by rail to Covington, where they arrived September 4, 1862, and there engaged in defending the city against the forces under General Kirby Smith. After two weeks the regiment proceeded to Louisville, Kentucky, and participated in the defense of that city against General Bragg, after which they joined in the pursuit of Bragg's army. On the 21st of September, 1863, they arrived at Nashville, where they remained for about six months. On the 26th of April, 1864, the One Hundred and Second Ohio was transferred to Tullahoma, Tennessee, where it guarded the railroad from Normandy to Decherd until the 6th of June. The regiment then moved across the Cumberland mountains to Belle- fonte, Alabama, and continued its march to Dodsonville, where it was employed on the defense of the line of the Tennessee river for a distance of fifty miles. During the summer of 1864 the regiment had frequent engage- ments with the enemy. On the 23d of September about four hundred men of the regiment were sent to reinforce the fort at Athens and on the 24th lost a large number of men, killed and wounded, while the remainder were captured and sent to Cahaba prison. After being paroled the prisoners were placed on board the ill-fated steamer Sultana and, as near as can be ascertained, seventy of that number perished in that disaster, Mr. Lockhart being one of the few survivors.
He was one of the soldiers imprisoned at Cahaba, Alabama, where he was confined from September, 1864, until April, 1865, meeting all of the hard-
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
ships of southern prison life. The rations at Cahaba consisted of a pint of cornmeal and five ounces of beef daily, and sometimes two spoonfuls of beans were added to the fare. The cornmeal was made by grinding cob as well as grain.
His experience in the Sultana disaster was a most frightful one and has been told in the following words: "The Sultana was a regular passenger packet, plying between New Orleans and St. Louis, and upon the trip when this disaster occurred was overloaded, having on board a hundred cabin passen- gers, two companies of infantry under arms and a crew of eighty men, in addition to the twenty-two hundred paroled prisoners, making about twenty- six hundred persons in all. This was the greatest number a Mississippi boat had ever attempted to carry. The steamer was also heavily freighted with merchandise. The paroled prisoners were en route to Camp Chase at Colum- bus, Ohio, for final discharge. They had been confined in Cahaba and other prison pens for many months and were out of health from long confinement, exposure and want of proper food. The war was over and they were on their homeward journey and expected to soon be in their beloved Northland and in the home circle of their friends. After repairing a boiler and taking on the paroled prisoners at Vicksburg, the Sultana resumed its trip up the river and arrived safely at Memphis, where a stop of several hours was made to unload some freight and take on some coal. Soon after midnight the boat again pro -. ceeded up the river and about two hours later-on the morning of the 27th- when about eight miles above Memphis, one of the boilers exploded and the vessel was soon aflame and in a short time was burned to the water's edge. Hundreds of men were thrown into the river by the explosion and others jumped into the water to escape the steam and fire. The majority of those who remained on board perished in the flames. The cries of the injured and the groans of the dying could be heard above the roar of the conflagration. At the time of the catastrophe Mr. Lockhart was lying asleep with some of his Bellville comrades upon the upper deck.
"In narrating his experience he says the first he knew that anything had happened he was thrown by the explosion to the stern end of the boat and was trying to get his breath and didn't know what had occurred. Soon realizing that a terrible accident had befallen the steamer, he started forward to find his Bellville comrades. The first one he met was Lash Holtom and he saw by the light of the burning boat that Holtom had been injured in the face, one side of which was covered with blood. Holtom remarked that he could not swim and did not know what to do to save himself. They were joined by Jacob Irons and Jacob Byerly, other Bellville men, and they arranged to keep together. Lockhart suggested that they try to get a gang-plank, push it off and all get on and try to help each other. They started forward for the front end of the boat to get down to the lower deck and when they got just beyond the wheelhouse the deck gave way and all dropped with it. Lockhart, who was near the side of the boat, caught hold of the steps and pulled himself up, after being considerably burned about the face and hands and his hair singed off. Holtom, Irons and Byerly went down into the burning pit and Lockhart, clinging to the stairs, saw his three Bellville comrades perish in the flames.
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
His clothing being on fire, he drew up water in a deck bucket and threw it over himself. The reason he did not jump overboard was because hundreds of people were in the river, in bunches of ten, twenty or thirty, holding to each other and then sinking in a bunch. Lockhart finally climbed to the top of the wheelhouse, where he stood and gazed at the awful spectacle about him. He saw
" 'Out on the river's rolling tide, Out from the steamer's burning side, Out where the circle was growing wide Men battling with the waves; And drowning, they each other clasped, And wreathing in death's closing grasp They struggle bravely, but at last Sink to watery graves.'
"Mr. Lockhart knew not what to do. The fire was raging and his position could be held but a few moments longer. To remain he would soon be con- sumed by the flames, as his comrades had been. To jump into the river, he would be seized by the struggling, agonizing mass of drowning men and would be carried under the water with them. Fate soon decided the matter for him. The wheelhouse burned off and in falling into the river threw Lockhart out beyond the reach of those who were struggling in the water. Being an expert swimmer, he struck out, not knowing which way to reach the shore. After drifting some distance he saw a man floating who had two shutters. Upon reaching him Lockhart found that the man's head was under the water and that he was dead. Lockhart secured the shutters and was thus enabled to swim and float until he reached a cottonwood tree, about six miles below where the disaster had occurred. There was a freshet and the Mississippi had overflown its banks and was from ten to twenty miles wide at that time. Lockhart had drifted toward the Arkansas shore and the cottonwood tree was upon the over- flowed land. He was enabled to regain his hold in the branches of the tree until rescued the next morning, after having been in the water seven hours. Of the twenty-five men in Mr. Lockhart's squad, twenty-two perished and today he is the only one left of the three survivors. The total loss of those on board the Sultana was between eighteen hundred and two thousand persons."
When Mr. Lockhart was at the front his family had removed to Missouri and there he resided for a number of years after the war, prospering in his business undertakings there. He was married September 26, 1865, to Miss Mary Katharine Moody, a daughter of Captain Miller and Eliza (Kenton) Moody, of Bellville, Ohio. Her paternal grandfather was the Rev. John Moody, a minister of the Christian church, who advocated the doctrine of Alexander Campbell that "the Bible should be the whole creed of the church." The Rev. Moody was a man of philanthropic spirit, whose life was filled with many good deeds. Liberally educated, Captain Miller Moody was graduated from Kenyon College, possessed the aristocracy of worth and stood as a man among men. His fellow townsmen, appreciating his ability and his loyalty to the public good, elected him as their representative in the state legislature and at the outbreak of the Civil war he raised a company at Bellville in response
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
to President Lincoln's first call for troops. He did duty under General Mc- Clellan in West Virginia and at the close of his first term of enlistment he joined the Fifty-ninth New York Infantry for three years' service and was chosen the captain of his company. He was wounded at the battle of Antie- tam, his death resulting two weeks later, after which his remains were brought back for interment in the Bellville cemetery. He had married Eliza Kenton, the daughter of a soldier of two wars, who now rests beside her husband.
Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart resided in Missouri for many years and in the conduct of his business affairs he won gratifying suc- cess. A few years ago, however, he returned to Bellville to reside with his uncle, Aaron Lockhart, who was then in declining health and advanced years. Mr. Lockhart is now spending his days amid the associations and friends of his childhood in well earned ease. In all life's relations he has been faithful to the duties that have come to him day after day and he receives and enjoys the respect and honor of his fellow citizens.
CALEB BEVIER.
It is with pleasure that we present to our readers the life record of Caleb Bevier, who for almost seventy years was a resident of this county. It seems scarcely possible as one visits the enterprising towns and cities and drives abroad among the well cultivated farms with their handsome and substantial residences and modern improvements, that at the time of Mr. Bevier's arrival here only a few settlements had been made in the forests to indicate that the seeds of civilization had been planted. An occasional log cabin gave evidence that some courageous pioneer was braving the hardships and trials of frontier life in his efforts to secure a home. Many wild animals roamed in the forests and wild game of all kinds was to be had in abundance. It was into such an environment that Caleb Bevier was brought when four years of age by his parents, Andrus and Elizabeth (Elston) Bevier, who were natives of Cayuga county, New York, the former born August 22, 1797, and the latter August 5, 1801. They remained residents of this county from the time of their arrival in 1824 until they were called to their final rest. The father died on the original home farm in Cass township, February 27, 1846, while his wife passed away in Plymouth township, January 24, 1880, at the advanced age of seventy- eight years. They were the parents of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters.
Caleb Bevier, the oldest of the family, was born in Owasco, Cayuga county, New York, June 12, 1820, and reared on the old home farm in Cass township, near Shiloh, his father having there entered one hundred and sixty acres of timber land on which a small cabin had previously been built. He built a stick chimney to the cabin and made the little place as comfortable as he could for his family. As Caleb Bevier grew to manhood he assisted more and more largely in the work of the farm, bearing his full share in the arduous task of clearing away the forest, grubbing up the stumps and preparing the fields for
CALEB BEVIER.
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
the plow. After his marriage he came to his present farm, purchased eighty acres of timber land in Plymouth township. His original home was a little one-room cabin. When the eighty acres had been cleared and brought under cultivation he afterward purchased eighty acres adjoining, which had been partially cleared. It is upon the latter tract that his home now stands, the residence having been erected in 1863. He extended the boundaries of his farm by additional purchases and is now the owner of two hundred acres of land, on which are two sets of good farm buildings. Throughout his entire life Mr. Bevier carried on general agricultural pursuits and was one of the representative farmers of the community.
On the 8th of March, 1845, Mr. Bevier was married to Miss Cornelia Brinkerhoff, who was born in Owasco, Cayuga county, New York, October 17, 1820. She died June 22, 1880, upon the old home farm in Plymouth town- ship. When sixteen years of age she had become a resident of Huron county, Ohio, in company with her parents, Henry R. and Sarah (Swartwaut) Brinker- hoff, who were natives of New York and New Jersey, respectively. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bevier were born nine children: Martha, Mary, Henry A. and Sarah, all of whom are yet living on the old home farm; Jackson, a resident of Plymouth township; Roeliff C., who is living near Tyrol in Crawford county ; Abraham, who died at the age of five years; Helen, who died at the age of three years; and Isabelle, who is professor of domestic science in the State University at Urbana, Illinois.
The death of the husband and father occurred January 20, 1893, after a residence of almost seventy years in this county. He was active in the political and religious work of the community, was a stalwart advocate of the republican party, voting for Fremont in 1856 and for each presidential candidate until called to his final rest. He served as township treasurer and was also justice of the peace for many years, giving loyal support to the cause of law and order in the fair and impartial decisions which he rendered. In early life he held membership in the Presbyterian church, in which he was an elder, and later became a member of the Lutheran church, and at all times was an earnest and consistent Christian man.
AMOS KIRKWOOD.
Amos Kirkwood, who is practically living retired in Olivesburg, was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, June 15, 1838, his parents being Charles and Elizabeth (Eckman) Kirkwood, both natives of Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, the former born in 1809, and the latter on April 20, 1813. They were married in the Keystone state, and there the father carried on agri- cultural pursuits until 1834, when he removed to Columbiana county, Ohio, where he purchased a farm.
In 1841 the father came to Richland county, purchasing the farm west of Olivesburg, on which his widow now resides. The place originally com- prised one hundred and sixty acres, but Mr. Kirkwood kept adding to his
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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
property until at the time of his death, in 1892, he owned three hundred acres in the home farm and six hundred acres in Guthrie county, Iowa. In his political views he was a democrat, but never held office, as this would have been contrary to the teachings of the New Mennonite church, of which he was a faithful member. He had a family of twelve children, namely: Amos, of this review; Susan, the wife of P. J. Long, of Nebraska; Mary, who is the widow of Thomas Henry and now resides with her mother; Joshua M. and Ross, both living in Guthrie county, Iowa; Abner, who also makes his home with his mother; Wesley, of Olivesburg; and five who are deceased. Although now more than ninety-five years of age, the mother of these children still retains all her faculties, and is a remarkably well preserved woman.
Amos Kirkwood was but three years old when brought by his parents to Richland county, and here he obtained his education during the winter seasons. On the 7th of June, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of Company G, Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and during his three years' term participated in a number of battles and skirmishes, but was fortunate in that he was never wounded. Returning home with a credit- able military record, he subsequently became connected with the wagon- maker's trade, which he had learned when nineteen years of age and which he successfully followed for fifteen years. In June, 1865, he went to Salem Center, Indiana, and there resided until the fall of 1871, when he returned to Olivesburg, Ohio. Here he took up the carpenter's trade, as the introduction of machinery had made his former vocation unremunerative. For the past twelve years, however, he has lived practically retired, though he still retains his shop and does odd jobs, for idleness is entirely foreign to his nature. In addition to his shop he owns a nice property, and is well known and highly esteemed as one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of the community.
In his political views Mr. Kirkwood is a stalwart republican and while residing in Indiana served as township trustee. He also acted in the same capacity here, and for twelve years was justice of the peace, his decisions ever being strictly fair and impartial. He is a well read man, keeping thoroughly informed on all topics of general interest and giving his active cooperation to every movement and measure instituted for the public weal.
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