History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 61

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060

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MY POLITICAL LIFE IS ENDED, and I proclaim my son under the title of Napoleon Il, Emperor of Prussia he said: " As I cannot the French.

Done at the palace of Elysium, the 22d of June, 1815.

Signed ], NAPOLEON. Boston, Angnst 5, 1815.

Brussels, September 3 .- The Prince Imperial of France his

It Appears by Wellington's arrived at Chemay, thirty-two official account of the battle miles southeast of Mons, and has fought at Waterloo, in Belginm, been at the palace of the Prince that Bonaparte was defeated with of Chemay.

& loss of 20,000 killed and wound- ed, 200 cannon and two eagles. The loss on the part of the allies ie also severe.

Seldom is the active, business life of a man pro- longed to such a period as has this one, the termini of which are marked by such startling events. As will be seen elsewhere, Mr. John Saxton, who en- joved this rare good fortune, died on Sunday last. the 16th instant.

A man universally beloved by old and young, Mr. Saxton, made a very narrow escape with his life in the fall of 1868. A young man with a great show of outward piety, and one who made long and eloquent prayers at the prayer- meetings of the Presbyterian Church and was greatly beloved by the sisters of the congrega- tion, rented the cellar of the house in which Mr. Saxton had resided for many years (the

PRUSSIAN ARMY "STARTS ON TO PARIS "

London, September 3 .- A spe- cial correspondence of the Tribune telegraphs from the King's head- quarters at Vendrest, near Sedan, Friday : The battle of Sedao be-

the Emperor capitulated at five o'clock and fifty minutes P. M.

In his letter to the King of die at the head of my army, I lay my eword at the feet of your Majesty." NAPOLEON.

house within a few weeks torn down to make room for the extension of the new and beautiful post office building of Mr. James A. Saxton) for storing apples purchased for shipment to the Eastern market. He had bought and stored therein about 1,200 bushels, when he took out an insurance on them of $2,500. The name of the young man was J. W. Moyer, and he came from Pittsburgh. It is strongly suspected, and in the light of after events, reasonably certain, that, aft- er taking out his insurance. he had procured ear- bon oil, and sprinkled barrels and boards with it, and then in the later part of the evening set fire to it. He was positively known to have gone into the cellar about 9 o'clock on that evening. It was soon after the close of the prayer meeting at the Presbyterian Church, and Father Saxton had already retired for the night. Providentially the prayer-meeting at the Baptist Church on South Market closed somewhat later than usual, and parties on their way home from the church discovered the fire and gave the alarm, and it was put out before getting into full headway. Moyer was arrested and tried by the court, but by the superior efforts of able counsel was acquitted by the jury. It was currently reported at the time that hav- ing no money to hire counsel, he had secured the services of the gentleman who defended him, by executing a chattel mortgage to him on the apples which had not been materially in- jured by the fire, and that after being saved from the penitentiary by his attorney, he had en- deavored to cheat him out of his fee in the sale of the apples. Moyer soon found public opinion too strong against him in Canton and went to other parts. Ile came finally, it is said, to an untimely end, a proof that " the way of the transgressor is hard." Mr. Saxton was a soldier in the war of 1812, between the United States and England. While in the service, upon gar- rison duty at Black Rock, near Buffalo. he par- tially lost his hearing by an accident. In the discharge of some duty he was under a large canon, when a soldier fired it off, paralyzing the organs of hearing. This was the greatest physical misfortune of his life.

Mr. Saxton commenced the publication of the Repository during the administration of James Madison. He belonged to the Repub- lican party of that day. He was subsequently a Whig, but espoused the present Republican par- ty upon its first organization. He voted for the

CANTON TOWNSHIP.

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following Presidential candidates : James Mad- ison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, also for Henry Clay, in 1832 ; for Harrison in 1836 and 1840, for Clay again in 1844. Taylor in ISIS, Scott in 1852, Fremont in 1856, Lineohi in 1860 and 1864, and Grant in 186S.

The biography of John Saxton, calls to mind the fact that Hon. Joseph Medill, now one of the editors of the Chicago Tribune, began his newspaper life with Mr. Saxton. In 1831. when Mr. Medill was abont seven or eight years old -his parents then residing at Massillon, Ohio, -his father took him to Canton to attend a Revolutionary Sokliers' celebration, and sub- seribed for the Repository, which he continued to take until his death, in 1868 In the winter of 1838-39, the younger Medill began writing for Mr. Saxton's paper, upon education and kindred topies. During the campaign of 1840, he contributed almost weekly to the paper, many of his articles being used as editorials. Mr. Medill generally called at the office on pub- lieation day, when Mr. Saxton would press him into the service in "writing the mail," after which, the young man would be loaded down with papers for the subscribers on his route homeward. About 1840, Mr. Medill - learued the case." and frequently helped in getting out the paper. He continued to write for it until about 1845, contributing many artieles during the campaign of 1844, when he was editing the Cleveland Leader. He relates that Mr. Saxton usually composed his editorials at the case. fre- quently doing this while engaged in conversa- tion with his friends in the office. About the year 1858 or 1859, Mr. Medill's brother, the late Maj. William HI. Medill, established the Repub- lieux at Canton, which, a few years afterward, was consolidated with the Repository. The Messrs. Medill's father was a warm friend of Mr. Saxton, and, during thirty years of his life, frequently contributed to the columns of his paper.

In leaving the record of Father Saxton. it is but appropriate to refer to the somewhat won- derful career of John MeGregor. one of the original proprietors of the Stark County Demo- erat under its present management, which, from 1848 to this date, has been with but little inter- mission under the editorial control of his son, A. MeGregor, a period of nearly thirty-three years John McGregor made his advent in this city for the purpose of assisting his son, A.

MeGregor, in a private school of the latter. in the early part of the year 1848. Soon after, the Democrat was purchased by the two, and has remained in the family from that time to the present. In taking control of the paper on the 24th of May. 1848, the new editors pre- sented their position as follows: " The paper will be conducted as heretofore upon Demo- cratic principles. We are, and always have been, opposed to a Bank of the United States, and to a paper curreney in any shape, believing with Mr. Webster, that banking enriches the · rich man's fiekl with the sweat of the poor man's brow." We are opposed to a protective taritl; and fishing bounties, believing that they will eripple commerce and tax communities, to benefit the manufacturer, the iron master, the sugar grower, and the fisherman. We are op- posed to all monopolies, believing that all that is necessary to raise our country to the highest pitch of greatness and glory is .a clear course and no favor.' We are in favor of an inde- pendent treasury, believing that the people are better qualified to take care of the public money thau is any soulless corporation. We are in favor of electing all public officers. believing that the people are better qualified to choose their own servants, than any President. Gov- ernor. Legislature, or Court is of choosing for them. These are our opinions on the subjects mentioned, and these subjects we will discuss calmly and reasonably in the Democrat. We will not, knowingly, injure any man in reputa- tion or feeling, and if, by inadvertenee, anything should be inserted that is wrong or unjust to any individual, we shall always be ready, whou convinced of the wrong done, to make the amende honorable. Having no personal feelings to gratify, with respect to any one-being un- der the control of no man or set of men. we shall avoid all personal altercations, and shall not allow others (through the Democrat) to malign, traduce, or abuse any man in the com- munity, nor shall we be guilty of such conduct ourselves. Principles, not men, is our motto. While we wish . to do unto others as we wish them to do unto us,' we shall, also, act upon the converse of the proposition, and exact from others such usage as we are willing to accord them. Guided by these principles and senti- ments, the Democracy of Stark County will, at all times, find us at our post, ready to do our best in the cause of freedom, equal rights, equal

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

burdens, constitutional reform, and the defense of our common country against internal and external foes."

John McGregor, the senior editor, died on the following 6th of September, at Wadsworth, Medina County. his place of residence in this State. He was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the 28th day of June, 1796. At fourteen years of age, he removed to London, and was placed under the care of the Rev. Alexander Fletcher, preparatory to his entering college. After graduating. a few years later, at the University of Glasgow. he adopted the vocation of a teacher in his native town, Ilam- ilton. By nature an ardent Republican, he en- gaged with ardor in the cause of freedom, and was a distinguished member of the Radical party of 1819. in Scotland. His talents and energy made him a conspicuous leader of the Rebels-they were called rebels in those days- and he was appointed to head the revolt in Hamilton. In the spring of this year, 1819, all parts of Great Britain were rife for insurrection, but whilst millions of men, in England, Ireland and Scotland, had "pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor." to stand firm in the hour of trial, there was treachery some- where, and the Government being made aware of the plans of the leaders, used its huge and mighty power to crush out the rebellion, and this was quickly accomplished. Of course, the leaders being known were marked as victims to satiate the demands of the offended and in- eensed rulers. John McGregor, as one of these, preferring liberty, at any price, to a sojourn in prison, fled to the mountains, and managed to elude those employed by the British Govern- ment to arrest the rebels, until the storm of governmental wrath had blown over, and par- don had been granted to all the leaders of the revolt who remained alive. Seeing that all hopes of establishing a British Republic were abortive, Mr. MeGregor with his family, then consisting of his wife, his son, A. McGregor, and his three daughters born in Scotland, deter- mined to emigrate to America. In 1827, he settled in Addison County, in the State of Ver- mont, where he resided until 1833, when he re- moved to Medina County in this State. At the time of his decease, besides the four children brought along from the old country as men- tioned above, five other children had been added to Mr. McGregor's family. Mr. Mettregor

was somewhat known in Canton as a teacher of youth, before he assumed the more complex and arduous duties of an editor. In the strictest acceptation of the word, he was a gentleman. In politics, he was rigidty firin but courteous. As a scientific man. he, then, had but few equals. lle died honored and respected by all, and with- out an enemy. His mantle has fallen on worthy shoulders, in the person of his son, A. McGregor, Esq., the present editor of the Democrat.

Besides the papers mentioned above, Canton has two papers of more recent origin, one the Canton Republican, yet in its first volume, ed- ited and published by Robert C. Cassidy, advo- cating Republican principles from a proposed higher moral and social standpoint than is often taken by the political press of our country. The other, the Canton Courier, a paper devoted to the advocacy of the most radical and ad- vanced views of the modern temperance re form, which is controlled and edited by R. C. Mosgrove. Both these papers are conducted with marked ability. Of those who have con- tributed freely and largely to the press of Can- ton, and who have had much to do in former years in shaping public opinion, and are yet of great influence in the community, the names of Dr. L. Slusser and Louis Schaefer. Esq., stand out prominently ; indeed a large part of this history of Canton city and township is compiled from their contributions. That " the pen is mightier than the sword " has been instanced on very many occasions, and the history of Canton is no exception. Ignoring the fact that at times the political press has been severe, possibly unjust and abusive, it may still be said that the press of this eity, without ex- ception, has, as a rule, favored every movement looking to the material and intellectual im- provement of the people, and the cause of true morality and religion has had but little, if any, cause to lament the power of a free and untram- meled press. And this is as it should always be in a free country.

Along back so far ago as the year 1837, the temperance movement commenced in Canton, as in other parts of the country. The Baptist Church seems to have taken the initiative sev- eral years before this time as the following ac- tion will show : " Regarding the evils of intem- perance and its desolating effects upon the hap- piness of individuals. public and private virtue, and the welfare of the community, it was de-

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clared May 22, 1834, to be the strong and de- liberate conviction of the church, that the time had arrived when no professed disciple of Christ could manufacture, buy, sell, or use ardent spirit as a drink without being guilty of im- morality, and violating his profession as a Christian, and it was resolved that entire ah- stinence from the manufacture, use and sale of this article should be an invariable condition for membership and good standing." The historian's position will not allow him here to sit in judg- ment upon the wisdom and propriety of the positions taken in this action, and the same will hold true in regard to other temperance move- ments and organizations for other purposes. It is his province to state the facts, but he cannot help saying here, that in the absence of almost everything of a tangible nature, after his most diligent researches in regard to the rise and progress of the temperance movement in Can- ton. he is extremely gratified to be able to start his brief discussion of this part of the subject from this earliest action in that direction. Without being able to fix dates or furnish par- ticular reminiseences, Mr. John Danner, an old resident. and a lifelong active and consistent temperance man, informs ns that this movement in Canton has gone through about the same stages and the same experiences as in the other older settled parts of the country. The original temperance agitation, as appears in the above cited action, was directed solely against spirit- uous liquors, and no effort was made to prevent the use of malt liquors, wine and eider as a beverage. This made but little headway against the evils of intemperance, and it was not long until pledges were urged and taken also against the use of the latter. One of the more prom- inent movements against the use of all alcoholic beverages is known as the Washingtonian movement. The organization was specifically distinguished from all previous movements in this direction as the reformed drunkards' or- ganization. and was carried forward mainly by the recital of experiences on the part of men who had been victims of the inordinate desire for strong drink, and had taken the pledge. These experiences, laughable at times and piti- able by turns. addressed as they were to men's emotions, ran like wild-tire throughout the length and breadth of the land. cording to our friend Danner, the Washing- tonian movement struck Canton before the year

1810. The Presidential campaign of this year was known as the " Hard Cider Campaign," and the effect of it upon " Washingtonians " was sadly demoralizing. Many went back to their cups and never rallied again. Following the days of Washingtonianism came the Sons. the Daughters and the Cadets of Temperance, organizations to some extent secret in charac- ter. While .these still live in some places, they have long since been buried in Canton. Up to the time of these organizations, everything was ostensibly carried forward under the influence of " moral suasion," but while the Constitutional Convention of Ohio, which framed the present State Constitution, was in session, a strong pressure was brought to bear upon the mem- bers by the more radical temperance people of the State, to take away the prestige of selling liquor, by refusing license for its sale in the Constitution of the State. The convention yielded so far as to present an article on license to a separate vote of the people. A vigorous campaign followed ; the constitution was adopted, but the article providing for license was rejected. The views presented against this article were that the sanction of the law made the business of selling liquor respectable, and that if this sanction were removed, it would soon cease to be so ; that men would by the force of public opinion he compelled to desist from it entirely. But not so; instead of the licensed houses under penalties for violating the laws, there was free trade in liquor. and the traffic, at first open and public as before, multi- plied tenfold, and finally took refuge in base- ments and behind green sereens and painted windows. This was the beginning of the mod- ern saloon business, and it may be styled aiso very appropriately the " transition stage" of the temperance movement, not only in Canton, but all over the State of Ohio. After this be- gan the period of legal prohibition, which com- bined with various special movements to com- bine features of all the previous stages, have been going on for a period of nearly thirty years, but which are of recent origin and have hitherto been so unproductive of marked and permanent results that they can hardly as yet be considered historical. Among the present active, energetic temperance men of Canton, we give the names of Samuel J. Rockbill, for some years a teacher in the public schools, and Maj. Frank Baird.

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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY.

There are two lodges of the Masonic frater- nity in Canton. One of these, Canton Lodge, No. 60, held its first meeting on the 1stof Mareh, 1821. under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Ohio. The officers were Moses An- derson, Master ; James Dunnan, S. Warden ; B. C. Goodwill, J. Warden, and J. W. Lathrop. Secretary. William Coolman was the first del- egate to the Grand Lodge for Canton in Decem- ber, 1821. The lodge was dedicated Jannary 15, 1822. by Rial MeArthur, Deputy Grand Master, and at this time received its charter. This lodge is now in a prosperous condition and is composed of 125 members. The present officers are Henry A. Wise, Master ; Joseph Weaver, S. Warden ; R. Bauhof, J. Warden ; W. H. Wyant, Secretary ; II. Bowen, Treasurer ; and M. Frederick, now one of the oldest mem- bers, Tiler. Eagle Lodge, No. 131, was organ- ized by members drawn from Canton Lodge. The first officers were llerman Meyer, W. Mas- ter ; J. F. Bauhof. S. W. ; G. W. Lawrence, J. W. ; M. Ruhman, Treas. ; A. M. Shane, Sec'y. This lodge had an auspicious beginning, and has prospered from the start. It has a mem- bership at this time of seventy-two members. The present officers are C. F. Laiblin, W. M. ; J. F. Bauhof, S. W. ; A. J. Underhill, J. W. ; M. Ruhman, Treas. ; T. C. McDowell, See'v .; M. Fulmer, Sr. Deacon ; William Ball, Jr. Dea- con, and M. Frederick, Tiler. Whether all its elaims upon antiquity are well founded or not. Freemasonry is the oldest, most wide-spread. and in our judgment the most perfectly organ- ized of all the fraternities. We are sorry, there- fore, at not being able to present any interest- ing reminiscences of Masons in the early set- tlement of Canton.

Nimisilla Lodge, No. 39, 1. 0. 0. F .- Was instituted .June 9. 1845, O. P. Stidger, James Armstrong, George Miller, Ralph A. Ingersoll, and G. T. Clark having been the Charter Mem- bers. This lodge has been for years in a pros- perous condition, and now numbers over 200 members. Stark Lodge, No. 513, was institut- ed May 15. 1872, by members from Nimisilla Lodge, and now numbers about one hundred members. Manheim Lodge, No. 408 (German), was also instituted by members of the old lodge, August 27. 1868. Canton Eneampment, No. 112, a higher branch of the order, was in- stituted August 3. 1868, and is prospering. All these lodges of the I. O. O. F. meet in the

third story of Whiting & Poyser's Building, corner of Seventh street and the publie square.

The Knights of Honor, Canton Lodge, No. 94- Was instituted March 15, 1875, with about fifty charter members, and Canton Council, No. 373, American Legion of Honor, was instituted De- cember 10, 1880. with 156 charter members. These orders are both for the purpose of pro- viding insurance for their members at a very low cost. Up to this time only one of the members has died in this city, and the amount of $2,000 was paid to the family of the deceased. We are indebted for the above facts relating to the fraternities mentioned, mainly to Mr. Will- iam II. Wyant, and express our regret at not being able to make them fuller and more explicit. There are undoubtedly other orders of a similar character, which deserve as honorable mention as those named, but our limited space prevents any further notice of them.

The early settlers in this township and city being mostly Pennsylvanians or native Gor- mans, had a high regard, as a rule, for intelli- gence from their standpoint, and for a sound morality. It must be acknowledged by the writer of this part of the history of Stark County, himself a Pennsylvanian, that their estimate of intelligence would not answer the gauge of the present time, nor was it up to the New England standard ; but, beneath it all lay the natural conservatism of the German ehar- acter to " make haste slowly." " Try all things, and hold fast that which is good," is sound doctrine in many more things than in questions of religious doetrine and practice. Schools and schoolmasters, in German and English, though both partaking largely of the primitive type, were a part and parcel of the original settlement of this township and eity. And one thing is to be said right here in favor of this old German conservatism, the schools here have never retrograded ; though slowly, still advancing, they stand equal to the best in the whole country to-day. Radicalism, in any sphere of progress, makes many mistakes and blunders, which require time for their correc- tion, while a progressive conservatism with fewer mistakes to correct, is likely to move forward more steadily and more successfully in accomplishing its object. Some of the earlier school efforts, reminiscenees of teachers, and school experiences have been given in former chapters. Among the first teachers of Canton,

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CANTON TOWNSHIP.

besides those already mentioned, Capt. Darins Lyman may be mentioned with honor ; he taught successfully in Canton, for three or four years about 1820-23, when he removed to Wadsworth. Medina Co., where he is still living, though over ninety years of age and quite fee- ble. Bradley C. Goodwill was also one of Can- ton's carly and honored teachers. About the year 1830. William Dunbar taught school in this city. Before 1830 was also a Mr. Lyman. In and after 1831 came Dr. Barrick Michener, and Messrs. Monks, Timothy Hopkins, James Allen and Beck. Dr. Michener was not only a successful teacher, but also a distinguished one. He studied medicine, practiced some years in Massillon, and afterward removed to Illinois, Andrew Monks. priding himself par- tieularly in teaching penmanship and figures. was a somewhat peenliar man. He was a very heavy man, with extremely large abdominal development, and withal, pretty fond of his toddy. One of the boys of the day, still living and honored in this eity, states that it was almost his daily habit when school had closed for the day to repair to Clark's Tavern in the Fourth Ward and indulge with any boon com- panions he might chance to meet there. As Monks in liquor was very fond of discussion, he. on many occasions, provoked quarrels between himself and his friends, when, in accordance with the custom. " in such cases made and pro- vided," all parties would adjourn to a neighbor- ing tan-yard and settle the dispute by "a knock-down argument," in which Monks, from his great " weight," usually came off victor. Mr. B. F. Leiter, when he first came to Canton from the State of Maryland, taught school for awhile, afterward studied law, was first elected to the State Legislature at Columbus, where he occupied the chair in a heated contest between the two parties to get control of the House of Representatives, under peculiar and somewhat embarrassing circumstances, and was afterward, in 1854, and again in 1856. elected to the Lower House in the Congress of the United States.

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History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 61

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1060

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1060