History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, school, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of the Northwest territory; history of Ohio; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 53

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1088


USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, school, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of the Northwest territory; history of Ohio; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 53


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Those pioneers of Fort Ball and Tiffin built well indeed. Almost all their day-dreams have been realized, and a city has sprung up out of the ancient groves, extending from plateau to plateau on each side of the old, ever running, boisterous river. Here we find the inventive, enterprising, fearless Yankee, the Pennsylvanian, a man of iron nerves; the children of Vermont and New Hampshire, delving low for some new rock; the Marylander, a son of that land, "the only place in the wide, wide world where religious toleration found a home;" the shrewd Irishman, whose faults almost counter-balance his virtues; the ruddy, fair-haired German, always singing of his "faderland," yet working onward steadily to attain a competence and hold it; the Englishman, ever English and transatlantic; the " cannie " Scot, jealously watchful of his inter- ests; the chivalrous Pole, the polite Frenchman, the money making Jew, and even the Chinaman, all find a home here.


Fort Ball or the Second Ward .- The settlers in that part of Tiffin west and


David Holmes


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CLINTON TOWNSHIP.


north of the river, in 1817, were Erastus Bowe and Paul D. Butler, both of whom came to Fort Ball that year from Delaware Township, Delaware Co., Ohio, where the former, a Vermonter, settled in 1809, and the latter, from Massachusetts, in 1808. The following facts relating to the settlement of Fort Ball are taken from a bill filed, in 1824, in the court of chancery by Lawyers Pettibone and Parish in the interest of Thomas Butler vs. Josiah Hedges and Jesse Spencer. September 29, 1817, the treaty of the foot of the Rapids was made with the Wyandots and other tribes. Among its provisions was one reserving to Robert Armstrong 640 acres fronting on the river north and south of Camp Ball 160 poles and 164 poles respectively. September 30 of that year Armstrong agreed to sell Paul D. Butler one-half of his section on condi- tion that the latter would lay a part off in town lots, build a saw-mill the fol- lowing summer, and a year later build a small grist-mill. Armstrong was to receive half the profits of Butler's enterprise. In November, 1818, this agree- ment was amended in the presence of Erastus Bowe and Ira Carpenter. August 30, 1820, Armstrong deeded to Butler 320 acres in consideration of improvements and of $1 in cash. September 8, 1820, Armstrong deeded to him the river front for some distance above and below the present Soldiers' Monument, Joseph Tiernan and Leonard H. Cowles witnessing the document, and Solomon Smith, a justice, acknowledging the same. August 24, 1821, Armstrong and Butler entered into an agreement for the division of profits arising from sales of lots in the town of Oakley, the northern part to belong to Armstrong and the southern to Butler, and the division to be governed by the plan of the town as laid out by Joseph Vance. May 29, 1822, Butler con- veyed to Armstrong almost all his interests in Fort Ball or Oakley in the pres- ence of Solomon Smith, Joseph S. Hughes and Leonard H. Cowles; but on this day also Armstrong deeded back a large part of Oakley to Butler, in the presence of Horton Howard and the three witnesses just named, in considera- October 24, 1822, Paul D. Butler and his tion of a payment of $1,000.


wife, Sally, conveyed to Thomas Butler a large part of this estate. In Decem- ber, 1822, Paul D. Butler died. From 1818 to the period of his death he, with Armstrong, was in possession of the reservation; he cleared 100 acres at his own expense, had the town of Oakley surveyed and platted, and built mills and houses. Jesse Spencer was a nephew of Robert Armstrong, and resided with his uncle for some time; he was Armstrong's agent, and with his uncle willingly aided Butler in his efforts to have the Presidential sanction for the conveyance of part of the reservation to Butler until the deed of conveyance was actually before the President, when Spencer went to Washington and remonstrated against its approval. This was followed by the deed from Arm- strong to Spencer, dated October 9, 1823, and Armstrong, ignorant as he was, visited Washington and urged its approval. At this time also the patent of July, 1820, was found to be erroneous, having been based on the treaty of St. Mary's instead of that made at the foot of the Rapids. Subsequently, Arm- strong, his wife and Spencer came to Fort Ball for the purpose of dealing fairly with Thomas Butler; but on the advice of Spencer the original owner broke off all negotiations. In 1825, however, Spencer and Armstrong sold to Josiah Hedges a short time before the death of Armstrong in that year. The bill was dismissed, and the bona fide intentions and acts of Paul D. Butler and his son set at naught by this court on a legal technicality, notwithstanding the apparent fact that Butler made the first improvement, and was faithful to his contract with Armstrong.


Fort Ball, as platted originally, comprised Adams, Miami and Clay Streets, running east and west, and Madison, Sandusky, and Monroe Streets running


476


HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.


north and south on lands patented to Robert Armstrong, October 13, 1823, by President James Monroe, west of the Sandusky River. October 23, 1823, Armstrong transferred to Jesse Spencer (with the approval of the President), for $3,000, 404 acres of the Armstrong Reservation-an act sustained by the law in the case, but one which merited, for Armstrong and Spencer, the retribution which waited on them. The first plat or survey in the county was undoubt- edly made by Paul D. Butler, for himself and Armstrong, in 1817 or 1818, so that Spencer, or Vance, or Hedges, cannot claim the honors of the first town survey in the county. This was followed, in 1819, by the survey of West Oak- ley or Vance's Town by Joseph Vance, then Tiffin was surveyed by Gen. James Hedges, for his brother Josiah, and Oakley replatted under the name of Fort Ball.


The first postoffice in Seneca County was established at Oakley or Vance's Town, in February, 1820, with David Risdon, postmaster. The mail was car- ried at that time between Columbus and Lower Sandusky, through Oakley.


The McCulloch or McCullok section was another grant, the history of which is given in Chapter II. Among the heirs of William McCulloch were: Noah Z., Tabitha, Elliott, Samuel, Sidney, and Zane McCulloch, Joseph L. Tracey and Zilla Tracy. In August, 1824, Josiah Hedges filed a petition for partition of their lands at Fort Ball, and in September of that year, the court granted the petition and appointed James Gordon, Franklin Baker and Thomas Boyd, to make such partition. These men laid out the tract in seven parts. Noah McCulloch and wife sold Lots Nos. 2 and 3, to Levi Davis of Frederick County, Md .; Zane McCulloch sold Lot 5, to Andrew Luzenbeel; Lot No. 7, was sold by Sidney McCulloch to Josiah Hedges and Rollin Moller. In 1832 Samuel and Elliott McCulloch were infants, and their lots still intact. The marking of the lots, by Gordon, Baker and Boyd, was car- ried out so indifferently from the field book, that Hedges made an effort, in 1832, to have the marks changed; but the court did not comply with his demand at that time, nor until 1837 were measures taken to make the marks corre- spond with the field book.


New Fort Ball extending from the river to the alley in rear of Madison Street, included all the in-lots in the northern addition to Tiffin, and all on what was known as Fort Ball was surveyed by James Durbin, in November, 1837, on the east part of the tract of land reserved to Robert Armstrong, for Josiah Hedges.


Original Survey of Tiffin, and Additions. - Town of Tiffin, fractional Section 19, Town 2 north, Range 15 east, containing 118 lots 60x180 feet each, streets sixty-six feet wide and alleys sixteen and a half feet wide, with public grounds equal to three lots at the corner of Market and Washington Streets, extending to Rose Alley (later Virgin Alley), now Court Alley or Court Street, was platted November 28, 1821, for Josiah Hedges by his brother, Gen. James Hedges. The northern addition was made May 27, 1831, and the southern addition May 27, 1831, by Josiah Hedges. At this time the Catholic Church lot was on East Market Street, adjoining the old cemetery. Norris & Gist's addition, lots one to twelve, fronting on Jefferson Street, was recorded June 15, 1832, by Eli Norris and George W. Gist. Keller & Gist's was made January 29, 1834, for Levi Keller and George W. Gist, on out-lots No. 2 and No. 5, known as Lots 3 to 12 Jefferson Street, in southern addition.


Rawson's addition was made by David Risdon for Abel Rawson, May 30, 1833. Sneath & Graff's out-lot No. 3 and part of out-lot No. 4; known as Lots 1 to 10 on Jefferson Street, in southern addition, was made January 29, 1834. Jennings', a fractional part of out-lot No. 3, and a fraction south of that lot


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CLINTON TOWNSHIP.


extending to the Mansfield road, was surveyed by D. Risdon, November 13, 1834, for Milton Jennings. George W. Gist's plat of lots on the east half of southeast quarter of Section 20, Township 2 north, Range 15 east. Nos. 1 to 10, was made in 1835.


Reuben Williams' addition, in-lots Nos. 1 to 12 and fractional in-lots 13 to 18, on Monroe Street, was platted in April, 1835. Samuel Waggoner's southwest additon on Monroe, south of Charlotte Street, was recorded in January, 1836. Sheldon's was surveyed September 11, 1838, by James Durbin for H. O. Shel- don. Jacob Ronk's addition to New Fort Ball was surveyed by G. H. Heming in November. 1849. Josiah Hedges' second addition was surveyed June 4, 1851. by G. H. Heming, extending south of Sandusky River and east of Rock Run to the college grounds. A part of this addition, situate in the Second Ward, comprised twenty-one in-lots No. 620 to 640, with the extension of certain streets. Hedges' addition of out-lots 1 to 6, Second Ward, was surveyed April 2, 1849, by G. H. Heming. Davis' addition including parts of Lots 2 and 3 of McCulloch's section in Township 2, Range 15 east, was surveyed in May, 1854, by Hiram McClelland. Springdale was surveyed by G. H. Hem- ing in May, 1854, for William H. Gibson. This well-located addition is on the west half of the southeast quarter and north part of southwest quarter of fractional Section 30. Township 2, Range 15. Hedges' quarry lots, embracing five and one-half acres of the east part of Lot No. 7, McCulloch's section, were surveyed by Hiram McClelland, May 6, 1854, for Josiah Hedges. Denzler's was platted in October, 1855, by N. R. Kuntz, between Portland and Scipio Streets.


Josiah Hedges' second southern addition to the First Ward was surveyed in June, 1855. This addition was located south of the Catholic Church, east and west of Washington Street. Albrecht's was surveyed by Lewis E. Holtz, deputy-surveyor, in March, 1856. The town of New Oakley, south of Tiffin, in Sections 29, 30, 31, and 32, was surveyed in June, 1856, by G. H. Heming, for D. Cunningham, guardian of John Zimmerman. George E. Seney's ad- dition, north of Portland Street, was surveyed by Lewis E. Holtz, November 28, 1856. The western addition was surveyed by G. H. Heming, for H. M. Avery, T. R. Butler, J. R. Cecil and Josiah Hedges, July 13, 1857.


The boundaries of Sheldon's were agreed to April 7, 1858, by the propri- etors, R. and F. M. Crum, Patrick H. and Mary M. Ryan, John and Eliza Walker and John Bougher. Jacob Heilman's subdivision of south part of Lot 4, together with thirty-two and three-fourth links wide south of said lot, was surveyed January 14, 1858. Hedges' Lots Nos. 1 and 2, in B. D., were subdivided in July, 1862, for Josiah Hedges. Noble's addition was surveyed in March, 1863, by G. H. Heming, for Harrison and Minerva Noble. This is situate in the northeast part of the Armstrong Reservation.


M. P. Skinner's lands, known as in-lots 443, 444, 445, 446 and 447, front- ing on High Street, were added to the town March 5, 1864. Graham & Emich's subdivision of Levi Davis' addition, in McCulloch's township, angle of Plumb Road and Davis Street, Tiffin, was platted in March, 1864. Franklin's subdivision to Oakley was surveyed June 14, 1864, for Caro- line M. Franklin and Freeman E. Franklin. Franklin's addition to Oakley was surveyed by Hiram McClelland, January 16, 1866, for Caroline M. and Freeman E. Franklin. Frost's addition was surveyed February 15, 1870, by Denis Maloy, for Josiah B. and Meshach Frost. Noble's second addition to the Second Ward was surveyed by Heming, in November, 1866, for Harrison and Minerva Noble.


Jacob Scheiber's, in-lot 8, Block 2 (Hedges' lands), was surveyed in May,


1


478


HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.


1867. Rebecca A. Walker's, on part of Blocks Q, R and S (Hedges' lands), was surveyed August 15, 1867, by Heming. Her addition to the Second Ward in Block Y (Hedges' lands), was surveyed September 7, 1867. Gross' addi- tion, between Coe and Melmore Streets, in Block O (Hedges' lands), was sur- veyed by Heming in August, 1867, for John G. and Eliza H. Gross. Tomb's addition, on the east part of Lots 5, 6 and 7, McCulloch Reservation, was surveyed in August, 1867. A second addition from Sandusky east to river and south from Dallas to Douglass Street, was made on P. H. Ryan's survey in April, 1871. Schonhart's, fronting on the Mansfield road, was surveyed in March, 1867. Hunter's was surveyed in April, 1867, for William and Clarinda Hunter. Toll's subdivision, extending from Franklin Street to the Sandusky River, was surveyed May 18, 1868, for W. and Sarah A. Toll. John Heilman's, on Main and Walker Streets, was surveyed October 30, 1868. D. J. Goodsell's was surveyed in March, 1868. G. F. Hertzer's subdivision, between Schonhart's and Heilman's additions, was surveyed March 15, 1871. Francois C. Noirot's, out-lot northwest of east half of northwest quarter of Section 28, was surveyed by D. Maloy in January, 1869. Jacob F. Bunn's subdivision of the west part of out-lot No. 2 B. S., on the Greenfield road, was surveyed in September, 1870, by Dennis Maloy. G. D. Loomis made an addition to the city in April, 1870. Clarinda Hunter's allotment, east of Sandusky Street and south of the old corporation line, was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in February, 1871. The addition of the Levi Davis estate to Tiffin was made by W. P. Noble, adminis- trator, in May, 1871. Stoner's, east of Fremont to Henry and south of Doug- lass to Davis was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in 1871. Lucinda Allen's, north of Ella Street, east of the river, was surveyed in March, 1872. Mechanics- burg. extending from Front Street to Washington, Sycamore and Union Streets, was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in November, 1872, for R. W. Shawhan, A. G. Sneath and Meshach Frost. C. K. Gilmore's subdivision of out-lot No. 10, Block X (Josiah Hedges' lands), was surveyed by J. L. Fisher in July, 1872. John T. and Eliza Bacher's subdivision of Lot 1, Block Z (Josiah Hedges' lands), was surveyed by E. C. Cook in September, 1873. J. T. Huss', extend- ing from the river to Henry Street, between Tomb and Douglass Streets, was surveyed in 1873. Souder's subdivision of out-lots 9, 10, 11, in Davis' addi- tion to Tiffin, was surveyed by J. L. Fisher in April, 1873. J. F. Bunn's second addition was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in May, 1873. This is bounded by Douglass, Bunn, Davis and Henry Streets. Gray's was surveyed in April, 1873, by E. C. Cook, Jr., for R. Gray, P. J. Wilson and E. W. Stephenson. Lewis McCollum & Snyders' subdivision, opposite the County Fair grounds, was surveyed in April, 1873, by John L. Fisher. Luther A. Hall's addition was made in December, 1873.


The additions made to the city since the close of 1873 are named as follows, with the date of survey:


W. O. and H. A. Spayth's, June, 1874; N. G. Hayward's, July, 1874; H. W. Huber's, June, 1874; Levi Weirick's, November, 1874; J. K. Huddle's, July, 1874; John A. Remele's, July, 1874; L. L. Chandler's, August, 1874; W. H. Gibson's, March, 1874; J. Gwynn's, May, 1874; R. W. Shawhan's, April, 1875; George Fishbangh & Co's., January, 1875; John G. Gross', May, 1875; Nicholas Bartell's, April, 1875; Lewis Schubert's, November, 1875; Kaull & Glenn's, April, 1875; John Houck's, September, 1875; John Myers', October, 1875; John Bour's, December, 1875; Philip Wentz's, September, 1875; John Fishbaugh's, May, 1876; W. C. Hedges', June, 1876; John Zeigler's, October, 1876; Jacob Heilman's, July, 1876; Susan Smith's, December, 1876; Harter & Slowman's, March, 1876; Maria P. Kuhn's, March, 1877; Charles J. M.


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CLINTON TOWNSHIP.


and Honora Sullivan's, May, 1877; H. & M. Noble's, May, 1877; A. C. Bald- win's, May, 1878.


The annexation of a large tract west and north of the old corporation line of Tiffin was effected by order of the county commissioners, made March 6, 1877, in response to a petition from the residents. B. F. Myers', May, 1880; A. Bihm's, May, 1880; George W. Fiege's, June, 1880; Florence Cronise's, 1880; William Negele's, June, 1880; tracts between Scipio Street and Block 30, school lot in First Ward, Rock Creek Mill property, Fleming tannery lot, April, 1880; tract on River Street, Lot 247, east half of the northeast fractional quarter of Section 19, lots on Market at mill race, in May, 1880 ;. Christian Mueller's and Mrs. Hunter's, in July, 1880; Fair grounds and ad- jacent property in May. 1880.


In April, May and June, 1880, a large area, scattered throughout the city, was platted for the purposes of taxation. The petition to annex several parcels of land west and north of Tiffin to the city, was granted by the commissioners February 27, 1882.


In July, 1883, J. W. Sheely's subdivision of Lot 10, K. & G. addition, was surveyed; in June of that year, Myers, Stalter and Bunn's addition was laid out, and in October, Sarah V. Armstrong's addition. In February, 1884, Quinn's replat of Riordon's subdivision was made, and H. Brohl's subdivision of the Davis addition was made in June of that year. The work of extension .is still carried on, with greater prospects in the distance.


Incidents of First Settlement .- The first tavern in the county was opened in 1817, by the first settler, Erastus Bowe, immediately below Fort Ball, at the north end of Washington Street bridge. In 1819 his was the nearest house to the Welch Brothers' settlement at the Mohawk Village, in Eden, and to the white settlements at old Fort Seneca, made in the fall of that year; if we except Spicer's cabin and other homes of the white captives, who, in the general his- tory are classed with, and treated as Indians. In 1818 the members of Eras- tus Bowe's family and Hannah Jackson arrived, also Paul D. Butler's family. Almon Rollins, who was convicted of the robbery of Spicer, and served some years in the penetentiary, was an employe of Butler. William Rollins came in 1818. Abner Pike came in 1819. Eli Downing also lived here, prior to his settlement near the Baker Mill; the constable Papineau, Henry Creesy, Levi Creesy, the blacksmith John Searles and family, and a few transients, on whom Butler conferred the name of "lazy duffers," resided within Fort Ball, even in 1820, and Josiah Hedges visited the post that year. Then came David Risdon, the old surveyor, to Fort Ball; Simon B. Howard, from Delaware County; John Mimm. Armstrong Drennon, Charles Wetz or Wertz, from Richland County; Henry Welch, a brother of Hugh Welch, from Eden Township, Seneca County; James Spink. from Wooster; Gen. James Hedges, from Mansfield; Josiah Hedges, Charles Kelly, Henry Miller, David Fowler and others, a few of whom made only temporary settlements. When the commissioners selected the "town in the bush" on the east side of the river, as the seat of justice; there were only six cabins, in one of which the whole Drennon family died, almost together. The first tree was cut on the site of the town in March, 1821. James Spink, of Wooster, opened a store at Tiffin in March, 1822, the same which was plundered the following winter. Herford, Miner and Spink located the seat of justice at Tiffin, March 25, 1822, when there were only six cabins there. Dr. Eli Dresbach and Dr. R. C. J. Carey, who settled at Fort Ball in 1823, were among the first resident phy- sicians of the county, but not the first who practiced here. Rudolphus Dick- enson, who located at Fort Ball in 1824, was the first attorney. Abel Rawson


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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.


came in February. 1826, although John J. Spink, of Wooster, Ohio, was here in 1821. The first jail was completed March 4, 1826. In April, 1828, the United States land office of the Delaware District was located at Tiffin. Jacob Plane was appointed first postmaster at Tiffin in the spring of 1829. The first newspaper, the Seneca .Patriot, was issued from the press by E. & J. H. Brown, August 4, 1832. The press used was brought to Pennsylvania in the last decade of the last century, and is said to have been the first west of the Alleghenies.


Preparatory to leaving for the West, the Senecas assembled at Fort Ball in the summer of 1830, and camped there for twenty days while settling their chattels and debts. The first brick yards were established in 1830-31. St. Mary's brick church building was begun in 1831. John Goodin's hotel, a brick house which stood on the site of the National Hall block, was begun late that fall, or early in the spring of 1832. Dr. Kuhn's residence and Abel Rawson's dimin- utive law office were built. There were in fact only three brick buildings com- pleted in the city up to the close of 1833, and perhaps ten times that number of frame buildings, most of them very small, and a large number of log-houses.


The first bridge constructed in Seneca County was that over the Sandusky, at the foot of Washington Street, in 1833-34, built by Reuben Williams for Josiah Hedges. In 1834 a second bridge was built lower down, and also one across Rock Creek, which were all carried away during the high water of that year. The Hedges' toll bridge was erected in 1834. The first railroad, the Mad River & Lake Erie, was surveyed in 1832 by Stansbury, Morris and Van Antwerp; work begun September 7, 1835, was finished as far as Repub- lic, in 1839, and as far as Tiffin in 1841. It was completed in 1847-48 (ride Chapter XI).


The 4th of July was celebrated with eclat at Tiffin, with Henry C. Brish, marshal, in 1832. The cholera made its first appearance in Seneca County August 19, 1834, when Mrs. John Hubble, of Monroe Street, died. A son of Mrs. Dalrymple was the last to die from this visitation in 1834. The disease attacked both native and foreign residents. Fifteen years later, in 1849, this plague again visited the county: again in 1852, and afterward in 1854. The first court house was completed in 1836; twelve years prior to this date court was held in the Hedges' building.


The first bank in the county was on West Perry Street, where George Adams' house now is. It was opened November 13, 1847, with Benjamin Tomb, president, and R. G. Pennington, cashier. William E. Chittenden was elected cashier the same year, and in February, 1848, Abel Rawson was elected president.


James W. Hill rented the Tiffin Bridge from Josiah Hedges March 30, 1836. The Tiffin Free Bridge was opened in February, 1837. It cost $2, 200. When Van Nest's carriage factory was burned in 1854, this bridge was also destroyed by fire. The cars of the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad crossed the new bridge to the grain warehouses of Reid, Greene & Co. and R. W. Shawhan, of Tiffin, and W. N. Montgomery, of Fort Ball, in October, 1841. A military company, known as the "Osceolas," was organized at Tiffin in 1844, with William Lang, captain. This company had a neat green uniform, It is said that John Forman was afterward captain of this company.


A large meeting, held February 18, 1847, nominated Josiah Hedges, F. Singer, U. P. Coonrad, O. Cowdery, F. Bernard, F. W. Green, A. Rawson, Dr. H. Kuhn, R. W. Shawhan, R. G. Pennington, Henry Cronise, Eden Lease, J. G. Breslin, A. C. Baldwin and Dr. McFarland, a committee to pre- sent a memorial to the county commissioners for the erection of a substantial bridge at the foot of Washington Street.


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CLINTON TOWNSHIP.


June 18, 1847, a hurricane swept over Tiffin. Commercial Row suffered much damage; Baldwin's Building had a chimney blown down and a portion of the roof crushed in. The business men in the row were A. C. Baldwin & Pride, dry goods; Robert Crum's general store, and others.


A fire at Tiffin in September, 1850. destroyed property valued at $2,600, including six horses. Sands & Co. (circus men) lost horses and harness; C. Y. Pearson lost his stable; Josiah Hedges lost stable and small buildings and had his dwelling damaged, and Joshua Seney had his house damaged. Sands & Co.'s circus men and the audience abandoned the performance to aid the fire- men under Chief Engineer W. H. Gibson and R. R. Scott, secretary of Engine Company No. 1. After the fire was put out, the performance continued on until Sunday morning.


The fire of 1854 swept away Van Nest's carriage factory and the Market Street Bridge.




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