History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 73

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 73

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March 13, 1844, under the administra- tion of the same mayor and recorder, an ordinance was passed "To organize the fire department ;" that is, a hook and lad- der company.

On the 26th of the same month, the same mayor, recorder, and trustees ap-

* Written by Hon. Homer Everett.

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

pointed Stephen C. Smith chief engineer, Robert Caldwell first assistant, Michael Huffman second assistant.

Under this ordinance a hook and ladder company was organized, which did service until 1853, a period of about ten years.

An engine to be worked by hand was contracted for in January, 1851, and on the 3d of March, 1853, an ordinance was passed to organize engine company num- ber one, and hook and ladder company number one.

The old organization gave place to the new.

During the time of this purchase and the organization of these companies, Brice J. Bartlett was mayor, and T. P. Finefrock was recorder of the village, and Mayor Bartlett was zealous and efficient in bringing about the organization.

After the great fire of 1835 in New York, premiums were offered by insurance com- panies for plans of steam fire engines. In 1841 one was built from plans by Mr. Hodges, but it was too heavy and was final- ly abandoned. The honor of a successful invention was reserved (as many other great affairs are) for an Ohio man.

Early in 1853, and probably about the time we purchased our hand engine, A. B. Latta, of Cincinnati, introduced his steam fire engine into successful operation in the Queen City.

July 5, 1865, the city council, namely, A. J. Harris, George Williams, Oscar Ball, Charles Thompson, and Frederick Fabing; D. W. Krebs, recorder; H. Everett, mayor, passed an ordinance authorizing F. I. Norton to buy a steam fire engine, subject to the approval of the council.

This movement resulted in the purchase of the steamer which was named McPher- son, and a quantity of hose which was de- livered, tested, and accepted about the Ist of October following. The cost of engine and hose amounted to about six thousand ,

dollars. This engine was almost destroyed when the engine house burned, but was repaired or made over and is now in ser- vice.

January 6, 1874, the city council bought what is now known as steam fire engine number one, manufactured by Clapp & Jones, for four thousand dollars.

The council, at this time, consisted of Jacob Bauman, Fred Fabing, George Greiner, James Kridler, Joseph Stuber, and F. J. Geibel; E. F. Dickinson, mayor.

The hand engine has for several years been on the east side of the river. Until 1870 each engine was managed by a separate company, and all were volunteers.

In the year 1870 the department was reorganized and all the engines and com- panies were placed in the charge of a chief engineer, E. H. Underhill, who has since remained in charge, except a short time when Peter Stine was chief, and an- other when Captain M. E. Tyler was chief engineer.

In 1872 the east side company was merged. It consisted of about thirty men who had been paid one dollar and a-half each, for every fire they attended.

The present organization consists of twenty men, including officers-one chief, and one first, and one second assistant chief. The men are paid five dollars per month, and the chief one hundred dollars a year.

The total cost to the city for maintain- ing the fire department now, after deduct- ting earnings of the horses at outside ser- vice, is about one thousand five hundred dollars a year.

The steam engines are kept together, well stored and cared for in the basement of the City Hall building.

Insurance agents and firemen from abroad say this is the cheapest and most efficient organization in the State. These excellencies are largely to be accredited to

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

the tact, steadiness, and energy of the present worthy chief, E. H. Underhill.

This brief outline enables us at once to see the progress made in means to resist the destroying element, and pre- vent the destruction of life and property. We have progressed from the leather bucket to the steam fire engine in thirty- five years. Though we may be so for- tunate as to have no fires, still it will be wise to maintain the organization, for no one can tell how soon it may be needed. Again, the expense is fully compensated in easier and cheaper insurance on our property, resulting from our ability to cope with fire if it does occur.

The duties of a fireman are akin to those of the soldier. He encounters privation, hard labor, and danger, for the benefit of others for little pay. His service is in a degree patriotic, and he seeks his reward in the sense of doing good and hoping to be honored by those he serves.

The foregoing is a brief history of the fire department as it stood in 1879. On the 25th day of October, 1881, we find many improvements and additions which greatly facilitate the working of the de- partment, and improve its promptness on call. There are now two steam fire en- gines in the town, one inanufactured by Clapp & Jones, and the other made by Button & Son. Two thousand feet of hose are constantly kept dry and in good order. Four hose carts are always ready, as is also a fine hook and ladder truck, well furnished with excellent extension ladders. There are four sets of swinging harness, so arranged and hung on each side of the tongue of the carriages and engines to be moved, that when the horse takes his place the harness drops upon him, and he is buckled in and hitched in a moment.

The steam fire engines are constantly, day and night, kept heated with steam up

to a pressure of from five to ten pounds to the square inch. There is no hose-tower in which to dry the hose of this depart- ment, and for a long time, especially in winter and rainy weather, much difficulty was encountered in keeping the hose in order and preserving the sections ready at all times for use.

Dr. Charles F. Reiff, the present effi- cient chief of the department, has obviated the difficulty in drying and preserving the hose by an ingenious invention of his own. The apparatus consists of a small boiler, which generates steam, heats an air cham- ber, and forces the hot air through the hose when it is screwed on to an attach- ment tube the size of the hose. With this contrivance, the hose are kept in good order, and are well preserved, ready for use at all times. The same chief has in- vented an ingenious method of kindling fire under the boiler the moment it moves, without the aid of a hand to look after it. This is done by two small vials of chem- icals inserted in an auger-hole in a block of wood and placed under the kindling and coal. The vials are surrounded by a cord, which is attached to a chain fastened to the floor by a staple or rivet in the rear of the steamer. The moment the steamer is moved forward the cord breaks the vials, and a powerful combustion is caused by the mingling of the chemicals within them, and the fire is strongly burning in an instant. These inventions, with many conveniences introduced by Chief Reiff, have greatly improved the fire department of Fremont.

The department now keeps and uses four black horses, which are well kept in a room adjoining that in which the engines are stored, and always ready.

At the present time the force of men engaged in the fire department of the city, and their pay, is as follows: Charles F. Rieff, chief of department, salary one hun-

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dred dollars per year; A. M. June, en- gineer, salary one hundred dollars per year; John Fend (who is also assistant chief), William Lang (stoker), George Fend, Robert F. Hidber, Frank Myers, George Grable, Stephen Cook, Ed Schwartz, Charles Miller, John Donaho, William Burgess, Charles Bump, and Philip Dutt, the whole force consisting of seventeen men. These minute-men are paid one dollar and fifty cents for each fire they attend, and thus far have proved

prompt and efficient under the present or- ganization.

The alarm bell over the city hall is so arranged that it can be rung by cords on both the inside and outside of the engine- room. The engine-room has also connec- tion by telephone with every part of the city. These, with a published and posted signal for alarms, enables the people and the department to act with great prompt- ness and efficiency whenever the devour- ing element makes its appearance.

CHAPTER XXIX. FREMONT-PUBLIC SCHOOLS."

Village Schools and Teachers-G: ded Schools and School Officers.

THE first school-house in Fremont was T erected about the year 1816, on the site of the present High School building, a few rods west of Fort Stephenson (then standing) and within three years after the heroic defence of that fort by Colonel Croghan.

It was constructed of rough, unhewn logs, cut from the surrounding trees and hastily put together by the joint efforts of the early settlers. Oiled paper took the place of glass in the windows, and the seats were of the most primitive construc- tion. It was replaced in 1817 by a more substantial structure, erected on the same site, fronting east, and built of hewn logs, with some such improvements as glass windows, a row of desks around the walls, and a blazing fire-place at the eastern ex- tremity.

TEACHERS. *

In recording the names of such of the early teachers of our common schools as we have been able to find, we may men- tion Mr. Jocelyn, Dr. Gooding, Miss Bee- be, Mr. Bradley, Dr. Brainard, and Ezra and Justus Williams; but we cannot name them in regular order from 1819 to 1828, except E. B. Johnson and Mr. Simms, who taught in 1824 and 1825.

During the winter of 1818-19 a select school was taught by Mrs. Lysander C. Ball, in one of the rooms of old Fort Stephenson, and she says that one of her pupils was an Indian boy, whose capacity for learning was quite equal to that of her brightest scholars, and he was so con- sidered by the rest, and respected accord- ingly. Mrs. Ball was born February 15, 1800, and is still living (1881) in her

* Contributed to the Centennial Educational Vol- ume published by the State authorities,

* What is said under this head is the contribution of Dr. Thomas McCune.

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old home near Fremont; a well-preserved old lady, cheerful, kind-hearted, and highly respected by the whole community.

Samuel Crowell, from Virginia, was en- gaged in the common schools in 1828 and 1829; he was a fine teacher and a very worthy man. He was afterwards twice elected sheriff of Sandusky county.

Edson Goit came next, who taught in 1830 and 1831; he then studied law, was admitted to the Bar in 1833, and died at Bowling Green in 1879. He was a man of superior ability and leaves an honorable record.

Wilson M. Stark was engaged in teach- ing from 1836 to 1839 inclusive; he was then appointed postmaster, and after- wards elected county treasurer for four years, and then county superintendent of schools ; he was highly respected as a fine scholar and teacher, a thorough business man, a gentleman of strict integrity, and thoroughly qualified for every position he was called to fill; he died, in 1864, honored and loved by all.

Horace E. Clark, after teaching a number of years, was elected county sur- veyor seven years, and county auditor four years ; he died at Lower Sandusky, and is remembered as a very worthy citizen.

One of the most prominent and effi- cient pioneer teachers of Sandusky county was John W. Case, who came to Lower Sandusky about the year 1834, and served the people as teacher for about ten years with eminent success, and he has always stood so high in the estimation of this community, as a scholar, teacher, and Christian gentleman, that we feel assured our readers will justify us in present- ing to them an epitome of his history, which we we clip from a report of the proceedings of the Muskingum Methodist Protestant conference in 1877.

The committee on obituaries reported |

touching the life and death of Rev. John W. Case as follows:

WHEREAS, Death has visited our conference during the past year and removed from our midst one of our pioneers, as well as a revered father of the church; and

WHEREAS, We believe that the name and services of such a minister of Christ should not be forgotten, therefore,

Resolved, That we, as a conference, join in record- ing the following facts in regard to the deceased : Rev. John W. Case was born in October, 1808, in Orange county, New York. He was converted and united with the Baptist church in his sixteenth year. He was married in August, 1829, to Miss Rachel M. . Bylia of New York city. He taught school in Georgia, New York city, Rochester, Adams' Basin, and Lower Sandusky. When he moved to Ohio, he united with the Methodist Protestant church. In 1839 he was licensed to preach; and in 1841 he was admitted into the itineracy. He preached and labored on the following circuits and stations: Bellevue, Bucyrus, Coshocton, Pleasant Hill, Steubenville, Vienna, Mount Pleasant, Belmont, Zanesville, Penns- ville, Wellsville, Cambridge, Pisgah, Otsego, Hunt- ingdon, Richwood, and Lewistown. On all these fields of labor Brother Case was highly esteemed, and he still lives in the memories and hearts of these people. His dear companion was a true wife, a lov- ing mother, and a sympathizing co-laborer; she died August 24, 1874, in great peace. He was again married to Mrs. Mary Conning, of York, Medina county, Ohio, June, 1876, with whom he lived in harmony until March, 1877, the day of his death. He was buried at Hartwood, Tuscarawas county, by the side of his first wife. Thus rests a veteran of the cross.

To which we append the following poetic address delivered by Dr. Thomas McCune, of Fremont, Ohio, at the re- union of the John W. Case association held at the court-house during the annual pioneer meeting, September 6, 1881.

REMINISCENCES OF LOWER SANDUSKY.

Dear schoolmates, do I dream once more, Or am I as in the days of yore,

Again in Lower Sandusky?

It's now past forty years, you know, Since 'round these streets we used to go With youthful feelings all aglow, In that old Lower Sandusky.

Those times were grand, those girls and boys Were happy in their youthful joys,

In good old Lower Sandusky.

Our minds were free from anxious care,

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Our sports and pastimes all might share, And roguish mischief was not rare,

In that old Lower Sandusky.

That old brick school-house where we met Is sacred in our memories yet,

In good old Lower Sandusky.

The log, and stone-house on the hill,

Come back in memory sacred still To all our hearts with vivid thrill, From that old Lower Sandusky.

. There we were wont from day to day To con our lessons, laugh and play, In that old Lower Sandusky; And when at last our school was out We bounded homeward with a shout,

And people knew we were about That good old Lower Sandusky.

John W. Case, upon the hill, Our youthful memories tried to fill In that old Lower Sandusky, With Webster, Daboll, Kirkham's rules, To wisely shun the fate of fools, And learn the truths then taught in schools, In good old Lower Sandusky.

A generation's passed away, Since we were happy in our play In that old Lower Sandusky;

But we are spared to meet once more, And greet each other as before, E're we go hence forever more, From dear old Lower Sandusky.

Then let us now recall once more, The names and friends we knew of yore In that old Lower Sandusky,

Miranda, Orrin, Joe and Sam, Miss Emily Hunt and Sally Ann, And Casper Smith, the furniture man, All lived in Lower Sandusky.

Miss Nancy Justice, Minerva, too, With Chauncey Roberts, a jolly crew, Lived then in Lower Sandusky. Miss Sarah Bell and Williams Joe, With Mary Case and Catharine O., And Kridler Jim, now white as snow, Belonged to Lower Sandusky.

George Momenne and Tristam Hull, With Capper Tom, of mischief full, In that old Lower Sandusky

George Loveland, always on the wing, Ed. Hawkins, of the genuine ring, And Leppelman the jewelry king, All boys of Lower Sandusky

Pierre Beaugrand and Betsey Bidinard Nancy. too, and Washington Maynard. Were here in Lower Sandusky,

Miss Sylvia Roberts, Shannon Jim, The boys and girls respected him; And Mary Hafford, neat and trim, All there in Lower Sandusky.

Miss Hannah Bates and Delia Ann, Nett Shepardson and Hafford Sam, Were there in Lower Sandusky;

Orland Smith and Thomas Nyce, With Eveline and William Rice, With other girls and boys as nice, Were here in Lower Sandusky.

Almira Hafford, Frances Case Were often foremost in the race To spell in Lower Sandusky;

But Charles B. Tyler, Herbster Bill, Would manage with consummate skill To come out best and beat them still, In jolly old Sandusky.

Lodusky Everett, now on high, Maria Bell, above the sky,

Look back to Lower Sandusky.

Miss Nancy Tracy, Ami, too,

Who sealed their friendship firm and true, With love of deep indellible hue, Down there in Lower Sandusky.

Nor is this list complete at all Without Thad and Alvira Ball, In good old Lower Sandusky;

Dick Beaugrand and Orland C., Belle Nyce and Sweet Alvira P., With Betsey Maynard, full of glee, In that old Lower Sandusky.

Lucinda Cowden, Hawkins Jane, Beery and Moore, of Hessville fame, Not far from Lower Sandusky;

Clarissa Meeker, John McNath, Ann Olmsted, often full of laugh, Is now on Governor Foster's staff, Short distance from Sandusky.

Our much-respected Homer E. Still honors this society, That comes from Lower Sandusky.

Jim Hadley, seldom out of tune, Miss Harrington, and Tom McCune Who got the mitten one night in June In naughty old Sandusky.

Almira Brainard, Charley Bell, And more my memory could tell, Who lived in Lower Sandusky,

But time forbids; I must be brief, For fear I bring you all to grief, And sleep should come to your relief, To dream of Lower Sandusky.

How many things we think of yet, Those spelling schools we can't forget

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In good old Lower Sandusky;

For, after we'd spelled down, you know,

The girls were glad to take a beau,

And walk with only two in a row, Down there in Lower Sandusky.

And this suggests more winter sports,

According to our old reports,

In good old Lower Sandusky.

The sleigh ride with its jolly whoa!

The laugh and light fantastic toe,

Till near the morning home we'd go, To jolly old Sandusky.

And by the way, we'd sing our song, And never thought the road too long,

To jolly old Sandusky.

And as we went they'd hear us sing, Until we made the welkin ring,

For we were happy as a king, Sleighing to Lower Sandusky.

But joys of youth with us are pass'd, For youthful pleasures could not last In that old Lower Sandusky;

But we will not begrudge them to Our children, and their children who

Have lived and loved as we used to, In good old Lower Sandusky.

But Lower Sandusky's pass'd away, And with it, too, our joyous days, That good old Lower Sandusky.

And nearly all our school-mates, too, Have bid that good old town adieu,

And gone to realms of brighter hue We trust, than Lower Sandusky.

Our teacher, too, has gone to rest, Among the mansions of the blest,

Far from old Lower Sandusky.

At last may we, who linger here, In that bright realm of Heaven appear; But while we live, we'll still revere Our old home, Lower Sandusky.

Those who were pupils of the old log school-house remember very distinctly the deep ravine that used to run just south of the present High School building, in whose waters, swollen by recent rains, they used to play; also the graves of the Brit- ish officers near by, and a mound which marked the common burial place of the British soldiers that fell in the battle of Fort Stephenson, over and among which they were accustomed to ramble in their school-day sports. This school-house was

also the church and court-house. In it the teacher taught, the missionary preach- ed, and the judge expounded the law and administered justice.

The studies pursued in the earlier schools were reading, writing, arithmetic, a little grammar, and very little or no geography. Among the text books were Pike's Arith- metic, Murray's Grammar, the introduc- tion to the English Reader, the English Reader, and the sequel to the same, to- gether with Webster's Spelling Book.

The schools were supported entirely by subscription.

The old log school-house stood until the fall of 1834, when it was burned down, as it was considered unsafe for school purposes, a cholera patient having died in it the previous August. In its stead a rough stone building was erected, containing at first one room, and eventually two. This remained until after the organization of the schools on the graded or union school plan, and the erec- tion of the new brick building in 1852-53. The same year a brick school-house was erected on the east side of the river, on Howland street, which continued to be used for school purposes for nearly thirty years, when it was sold to the city council for an engine house.

The stone school-house on the west side of the river and the brick on the east side supplied the school wants for many years, although before 1850 additional buildings were rented on both sides of the river.

During these years many select schools were taught in rented buildings.

Dr. Dio Lewis, who has since obtained a National notoriety, taught school in 1843-44, in the old Exchange building, north of the Kessler hotel. The school was incorporated as the Diocletian Insti- tute. Mr. Lewis not meeting with suffi cient encouragement, abandoned the pro- ject after about two years' trial.

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

Horace E. Clark taught for several years in the public schools.

GRADED SCHOOLS.

In January, 1850, a public meeting of the citizens of Fremont was held at the court-house, for the purpose of taking pre- liminary steps toward the organization of the schools on the graded or union-school · plan, under the State law of 1849. Akron had led the way in the establishment of graded schools, under a special law passed at the instance of that town. Fremont was not slow to improve the opportunity afforded by the general law of 1849, whose passage by the Legislature had been in- duced by the favorable reception of the Akron experiment. Among the active supporters of such reorganization of the schools were Dr. L. Q. Rawson, Rev. H. Lang, General Buckland, Hon. Homer Everett, Judge James Justice, Sardis Birchard, and Horace E. Clark. The question was submitted to a vote of the people February 2, 1850. The measure met with active opposition, and the elec- tion was, perhaps, the most exciting local election in the history of the city, elec- tioneering carriages being brought out to gather in voters as on great political occa- sions. The measure of reorganization on the graded school plan was carried by a majority of forty-four in a total poll of two hundred and eighteen votes.

The school record from this date, 1850, for a period of twelve years, is unfortu- nately lost, and we are therefore obliged to depend for information relative to the early organization of the schools very largely upon the memory of men, together with such documents as poll books and the occasional reports of treasurers and teachers found among the papers pre- served.

Olmsted, Rev. H. Lang, Homer Everett, J. B. G. Downs, D. Capper, and J. H. Hafford.

Mr. Olmsted had been an active and even violent opponent of the new depart- ure in the school organization, and had done what he could to defeat the measure. The friends of new organization, as a stroke of policy, determined to elect him a member of the board, of which he was chosen president. He gracefully accepted the situation, and became a warm sup- porter of the schools.

The first board of education proceeded to take measures for the erection of a new building for the better accommodation of the schools. There were, at this time, five schools-two in the stone school- house, one in the brick on the east side, one in the frame building, still standing just east of the bridge, known in the records as the Bridge school-house, and another in the basement of the old Meth- odist Episcopal church, the latter two be- ing rented for school purposes.

The new school building, containing four rooms, and costing between six and eight thousand dollars, was not completed so as to be ready for the schools until the fall of 1853. Three different appropria- tions were made for the erection of this building, the first being carried with scarcely any opposition, and the last by a small majority only.

It does not appear that any attempt was made to grade or classify the schools for two or three years subsequent to the or- ganization under the law of 1849, prob- ably from the want of suitable accommo- dations.

The following amounts were paid for tuition for the fall term of three months in 1851: Rev. F. S. White, one hundred and twenty dollars; Horace E. Clark, ninety dollars; Miss R. P. Mitchener,

On the 14th of February, 1850, the fol- lowing gentlemen were elected members of the first board of education: Jesse | Sarah G. Downs and Elizabeth Ryder,

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forty-five dollars each. F. S. White, be- fore his removal to Fremont, had been a teacher in Cleveland, and an active and warm supporter of Superintendent Frieze in the organization of the schools of that place, contributing articles to the Cleve- land Plain Dealer in furtherance of their interests and the interests of the public schools in general. His salary of forty dollars per month was considered by many as extravagant in its character. It was the largest amount that had ever been paid. He only taught one term.

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History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 73

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040