USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 10
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II2
UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
into rail pens built tapering toward the top, only leaving a small opening for the bird to enter to gain the shelled corn which was placed to entice him. When once in the pen, it was hard for him to fly straight up and out, and the hunter had easy work in securing him. That was long before any game laws were enacted and so the shooting season lasted all the year, and not a few days or weeks as it is today. When the county was first settled bear. wolves and other animals were very numerous, and wolf scalps brought four dollars each after the county had been organized a short time. Col. James Curry was a member of the Legislature, representing the counties of Madison and Delaware in 1820, when the bill was passed for the erection of Union county, so called because it was made from the territory of Franklin, Madi- son and Delaware, therefore a union of counties. Hon. Job Rennick, a prominent citizen of Chillicothe, represented Ross county, and after the bill passed he remarked to Col. Curry, facetiously, that "he now had a county and all it was fit for was wolf traps." Could those grand old men who first settled this county, and by the labor and hardship they endured. blazed the way for civilization, visit the county today (1914) with its macadamized roads, telephones and automobiles, what a revelation it would be to them!
KILLING OF THE LAST BEAR IN JEROME TOWNSHIP.
The last bear known to have been killed in Jerome township was on the farm of James Buck, later owned by Perry Buck, and near the banks of Sugar run. A wounded bear had been chased into the neighborhood by dogs and finally came to bay. A number of dogs were gathered up among the settlers and a great fight was soon in progress. Among the dogs were two or three bear dogs and they knew how to tackle the game by running in behind the bear and snapping at his heels and would then be out of reach before the bear could turn, keeping up this method of attack until the bear was com- pletely tired out, and then the dogs could close in on him. In this pack of dogs two or three were not accustomed to bear-fighting and would rush in front of the animal and one stroke of his great paw would put them out of commission. In this scrimmage one or two dogs were killed.
James Buck, who was working in a corn field near, had his hoe in hand during the battle. He became very much incensed at the rough usage of the dogs by the bear and signified his intention of attacking the bear in front with his hoe, but he was warned by James Curry. an old bear hunter, that he had better keep away, as the wounded bear had good use of his fore paws and one stroke would be sufficient to put him out of the fight. After the
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
dogs had fought for some time to the satisfaction of the onlookers, if not to the bear. it was dispatched by a rifle shot. This was soon after the War of 1812 and the spot on a little hillside on the east bank of Sugar run where this fight ensued was always a point of interest to those who witnessed the passing of the last bear in the township.
FOX HUNTING.
Fox hunting was great sport and very exciting when the hunters were mounted. On the day set the hunters would assemble at a time and place agreed upon, with all the hounds and hunting dogs that could be brought together in the neighborhood. Some of the older hunters would take the advance with the best dog and beat the brush in some locality where the game was likely to be roused. If there was snow on the ground and it was soft and melting a track was soon struck and would be followed by sight some distance until the scent would become warm before the dogs were allowed to take the trail. When they did start and were baying on the track it was sweet music to the hunter's ears and they were all off on the gallop, follow- ing the hounds through the brush, over logs, streams, fences. in a wild race which frequently continued for hours. In some instances the fox would double on the track, dodge the pack, and run through the fields or pastures where there were sheep or cattle and by the time the trail was again found would be a mile or more away, heading for the Scioto river or Darby creek, and often reaching a place of safety in a hole among the rocks. It was great sport and dangerous as well, leaping fences or ditches, but a few bruises were just a part of the game and were not taken into account by the hunter, if he could only by a wild and reckless ride be in at the death. Some of the men who have passed their seventieth mile-stone, can feel the flush of youth yet come to their cheek as they go back in memory to the days when they followed the hounds in Union county more than half a century ago.
CLEAN HORSE RACING.
In those early days there were horse races. to be sure, but they were running matches and seldom any trotting horses exhibited their speed and there was seldom, if ever. any betting : all was for clean sport. At Plain City there was one track and another track was down on the bottom land near
(8)
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
the creek, just opposite and below the farms of Uncle Zack Noteman and Uncle Levi Taylor.
On Saturday afternoons and always on the Fourth of July, the clans gathered for sport and some swift runners were usually on the ground. The distance was usually a quarter of a mile. On the Post road toward Dublin, the horsemen of Pleasant Valley and West Jefferson had inany races for after- noon outings. These races would be fast and furious until toward evening, and usually the day's amusement wound up with an exhibition not on the program, participated in by such actors as Hen Davis, of Dublin, Abe Garabrant and Tom Gregg, of Jefferson, and sometimes the Kilburys would take a hand just as peace-makers. When the racing was over and the arguments com- menced, the boys would climb on the top of the stake-and-rider fences to see the fun, as they could get a better view of the performance, and for another reason it was safer. In those days the actors were not governed by Queens- bury rules; neither did they wear three-ounce gloves, and the rounds were not limited, although there was usually but one. This was in antebellum days, and after the Civil War Thompson Kilbury fitted up a fine half-mile track on his farm where the horsemen had some very interesting meets. There were some fine bred running horses in this community, among which the Printer and Lexington stock were the favorites. Running races were the great sport of that day and indeed it was very fascinating. Compared to the baseball and football of the present day, there are nine points out of ten in favor of horse racing.
Be it understood that a boy must indulge in some kind of exciting exer- cise, and breaking colts or riding wild horses was the favorite sport of the country lad of fifty years ago. When a farmer boy arrived at the age of sixteen or seventeen years, he was given a colt, a new saddle and bridle by his father. He was as proud of these possessions as the boy today is of his rubber-tired buggy or an automobile.
There were many races along the soft, smooth dirt roads by these boys going and returning from town in the evenings, just for fun and excitement and with no thought of betting. Among them were riders who would make a cowboy riding a bucking broncho green with envy. The racing on the Kilbury track after the Civil War closed was conducted in a very quiet man- ner. No rowdying was allowed and it was interesting, clean sport. At that time, the Cone boys, the Careys, Taylors, Millikans, McCanns and Converses were great horse fanciers, as were their fathers before them.
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"NION COUNTY, OIIIO.
UNION COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION.
Pursuant to a published call, signed by W. M. Robinson, H. Sabine and others, a number of the pioneers of Union county met at the court house in Marysville on the 4th of December, 1875, and organized an association. William M. Robinson was chosen chairman and H. Sabine, secretary. A constitution was adopted, and the following persons were enrolled as mem- bers of the society :
Name.
Age.
Nativity.
Years in County.
Eliphas Burnham -76
Connecticut
57
George Snodgrass
-70
Union county, Ohio
Jolın F. Sabine 73
Vermont
-63
William Porter
73-
Pennsylvania
I -58
Tobias Beightler 70
Pennsylvania 49
Abraham Armine 57
Belmont county, Ohio. 54
Samuel Reed 78 I 1
Pennsylvania
75
Ray G. Morse
67
Rhode Island
57
Josiah Westlake 76 1
Belmont county, Ohio
1 40
Josiah Reed 69
Union county, Ohio
William M. Robinson
67
Union county, Ohio
Hiram Kent 68
Franklin county, Ohio
Edward Powers -54
Madison county, Ohio
George Reed 66 1 1
Union county, Ohio
Robert Graham 67
New York
1 57
1 Samuel Gamble 46
Clark county, Ohio
A. A. Woodworth 1
70
Connecticut
1 10
George Mitchell 1
52
Union county, Ohio
Taber Randall
69.
Vermont
1 -50
Joseph Dodds
Pennsylvania
1 -52
William Phillips 1 67
Pennsylvania
1 42
Thomas Snodgrass 1 1
68 Union county, Ohio
Robert Snodgrass
75
Union county, Ohio.
A. P. Robinson
63
Union county, Ohio
R. L. Partridge
55-
1 10
1
I
Hylas Sabine 46 Union county, Ohio
I
1
I
I
I
I
t
1
I
1
1
1
1
I
1 84
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
t
1
1 1 I
I
The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: William M. Robinson, president : H. Sabine, secretary; J. F. Sabine, treasurer; vice-
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
presidents as follows, one from each township: William Porter, Union; Hiram Kent, Darby; Jesse Mitchell, Jerome; Silas Bell, Mill Creek; Samuel Gamble, Dover; Joseph Dodds, Paris; Abraham Holycross, Allen: Stephen Shirk, Liberty; George W. Carey, Leesburg; Samuel Scott, Taylor; Will- iam Phillips, Claibourne; John Chapman, Jackson; Gorham Bird, Washing- ton : Jonathan G. Miller, York. After some other business the society ad- journed to hold its first regular meeting on the first Saturday in the follow- ing June. As the years have come and gone, these meetings have been the source of much enjoyment among the pioneers and their children.
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
Counties, like states and nations, have their own special governments and local departments. The county seat of Union county at first was fixed tem- porarily at Milford Center, and there the first courthouse was erected, a frame building having attached thereto a jail.
The legislative act creating Union county, passed February 25, 1820, had as one of its provisions that: "Stephen Bell, of the county of Greene, Reuben Wallace, of the county of Clark, and John Huston, of Newark, in the county of Licking, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to fix the seat of justice in the county of Union." This commission was to make its report to the next court of common pleas, which was no doubt car- ried out, though we find no such record. The first place in the records where Marysville is mentioned as being the county seat is under date of May 15. 1821, when it was "ordered that David Comer be paid one dollar and fifty cents per day as director of the town of Marysville. the seat of justice of this county." It appears elsewhere that Mr. Comer had been appointed director of Marysville, July 10, 1820. An account of the lot sale is found elsewhere so need not here be further mentioned. Marysville was laid out August 10. 1819.
THE SEVERAL COURTHOUSES.
Union county has had four courthouses during its history. The first was the small frame building erected at Milford Center, above mentioned. This old building was moved in 1907 to the county fair grounds at Marys- ville, more as a time-honored relic than for any use it might be put to.
The second courthouse was the first one erected at Marysville. It was a rude frame building standing on the south side of East Center street, on the east side of the alley, between Center and East streets. This was in use for court purposes about ten years. It was two stories high, with a log jail in its rear.
The third courthouse was a brick structure which served until steps were taken in 1834, at the March session of the board of county commissioners, which body, composed of James Herd, William B. Irwin and David Galland,
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
ordered "that notice be put up by the auditor, that a proposal will be received at their session in June next, for making and laying into the walls of a court- house, from one hundred to one hundred and fifty thousand bricks, to be completed by the first day of August, 1835; the bricks to be nine inches long, four and one-fourth inches wide, and two and one-fourth inches thick after being burnt; the bricks are to be of the first quality, and computed in the walls, the doors and windows to be reckoned in the count; the walls to be two lengths of a brick thick, all but the gable end and partition." June 6, 1834, the commissioners agreed to levy two and one-half mills tax per dollar on the grand levy, for the purpose of building a court house, three and one- half mills for county expenses, and two mills for road purposes. On the 30th of the same month, they examined bids for brick, and awarded the con- tract for building the walls of the court house to Harvey Ward, his proposals being the lowest and best. December 12, 1834, the commissioners met to form a definite plan for a court house, and Levi Phelps was ordered to pro- cure a draft, also the advice of competent judges, as to the best manner of laying of the court house-"whether the court room shall be formed on the first or second floor, and also for placing the jury rooms; also the height of each story."
December 27, 1834, the commissioners met to make arrangements for covering and inclosing the "contemplated court house in the town of Marys- ville"; employed Nathan Adamson to furnish a draft, description and sched- ule of necessary timbers to be used, and ordered the posting of notices for proposals for furnishing said timbers and materials, and "doing the carpenter work for inclosing said court house." Proposals were to be opened January 22, 1835. Another meeting was held on the appointed day, but the record does not show who was the successful bidder. Harvey Ward was on that day allowed one hundred dollars in part pay for stone work for the founda- tion of the building to enable him to pay for hauling said stone. A very lengthy description of the building, from the plans drawn, is given in the commissioners record for March 3, 1835, and it must have required nearly as long a time to compile it as it did to erect the court house. June 6, 1835, the commissioners appointed William Page "superintendent over the per- formance of labor in building the walls of the court (house) in the town of Marysville." On the same date, they agreed that the auditor might "enter into an agreement with Henry Kezartee for his purchase of twenty feet in front and five poles hack of lot No. 50, the lot on which the present court house stands."
October 8, 1835, the commissioners settled with Harvey Ward for brick
UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
work in the court house, and found that one hundred and ninety-four thou- sand three hundred and forty-eight bricks had been used in the construction of the walls. The total amount paid Ward was one thousand eighty-five dollars and forty-one cents. March 8, 1836, it was agreed that the stairs, doors, floors, window casings and painting should be completed, and pro- posals for the same were advertised for, to be opened on the 28th day of the same month. On the day appointed, Silas G. Strong was awarded the contract for laying the floor and filling in ashes on the same as high as the second tier of joists. Adam Wolford received the contract for building the stairs, casing the windows, making the doors, etc .. and Benjamin Hopkins was awarded the painting contract. The job of painting was accepted as satisfactory on the 9th of July following.
July 16. 1880, the board of county commissioners, having contracted for certain lands for a court house site, executed bonds of the county in the sum of forty-five hundred dollars, payable in four and five years, to Mrs. Drusilla Cassil, who executed and delivered to the board a warranty deed for said lands, described as all of in-lot No. 67, and two-fifths of the south half, east side of out-lot No. 3. situated in the village of Marysville. At the same date. the commissioners issued bonds in the sum of three thousand dollars to, and received a warranty deed from, the trustees of the Methodist Epis- copal church of Marysville, for two-thirds of the south part of in-lot No. 66, in Marysville, being the ground on which the society's parsonage stood. The buildings on the land purchased were sold by the commissioners at public auction, for the sum of six hundred eighty-three dollars and ten cents. the parsonage alone bringing six hundred and twelve dollars. August 3. 1880, commissioner J. B. Whelpley was authorized by the board to contract for six hundred thousand bricks for the new court house. David W. Gibbs, a Toledo architect. had been authorized, on the 16th of July, to prepare plans for the proposed building, and they were unanimously approved August 14, 1880, upon the following resolution by Mr. Whelpley: "Resolved. That the plans, drawings. representations, bills of material, etc .. made and pre- sented by David W. Gibbs, architect, for the purpose of being used in the erection of and completion of a courthouse in the county of Union, and state of Ohio, be and the same are hereby approved." September 22, 1880, the commissioners awarded the contract for erecting and completing the court house to Karst & Woodruff, for the sum of eighty-four thousand three hun- dred and fifty dollars. A somewhat lower bid from a Toledo firm was re- jected on the ground of general incompetency. The Legislature, by an act passed April 1, 1880, authorized the board of commissioners for Union
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
county to issue bonds to build said court house, and they were subsequently issued to the amount of sixty-five thousand dollars; they were sold for sixty- six thousand two hundred and seventy-five dollars. A second act was passed in the winter following, authorizing the issue of additional bonds in the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, and the commissioners carried out its pro- visions. The work was begun and pushed rapidly forward, and a magnif- icent, imposing structure now stands in the center of the space (north and south) designed for it, fronting to the east, with entrances also at the north and south. It is of brick, with cut stone and galvanized iron trimmings, and is one of the finest edifices for county purposes in the state. Surmounting the well proportioned tower is a colossal figure of Justice, and in the tower is a fine clock and bell, the latter weighing twenty-five hundred pounds. The cost of the clock, which was set in place in November, 1882, was twenty- five hundred dollars. The building is heated entirely by steam, the apparatus having been purchased of Brooks & Kemper, of Dayton, Ohio, for forty- three hundred dollars. The dials of the clock are illuminated, and the in- terior of the building is very finely and tastefully frescoed. The entire cost of the structure, in round numbers, was about one hundred thirty-five thou- sand dollars. The county officers took up their quarters in it in December. 1882, but the court room was not quite ready for the sitting of the court in January, 1883, and the old building was necessarily used. The new court house is a model for beauty, elegance and convenience, and will be the pride of the citizens of the county for many years. The new court house was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies, January 27, 1883.
The commissioners who served during the erection of the building were J. B. Whelpley, J. T. Mahaffy and J. K. Dodge. David W. Gibbs was the architect. J. K. Dodge's term expiring December, 1880, N. Howard was elected as his successor : J. T. Mahaffy's term expiring December. 1881. Uriah Cahill was elected as his successor: J. B. Whelpley's term expiring December, 1882. Luther Liggett was elected as his successor. J. B. Whelp- ley had immediate superintendence of the building from the beginning of the work until the expiration of his term of office.
The first spade of earth was turned September 22, 1880, and the build- ing was completed and dedicated January 27. 1883.
JAILS.
The first jail at Marysville was a double log structure which stood on the lot on the south side of East Center street. in the rear of the court house.
Present Court House.
UNION COUNTY'S COURT HOUSES.
First.
Second.
Third.
UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
It was used not only for a jail, but occasionally for a residence. On March 5, 1856, the commissioners ordered that the old jail lot (No. 50) be sold, with the view of purchasing a lot in another location, on which to build a new jail. At the same time, it was ordered that an advertisement for pro- posals for erecting a new building be inserted in the Marysville Tribune. The part of lot No. 50 owned by Union county and occupied by the old jail was sold April 2, 1856, to E. J. Nugent, for one thousand dollars and fifty cents. A new lot was purchased by G. A. Cassill at the same time for six hundred dollars, and the new building was at once erected upon it. This was destroyed by fire on the night of December 22, 1870, having been for a number of years practically worthless as a place of detention for offenders against the law.
In the matter of purchasing a site for county buildings, and building a county jail thereon : "It appearing to the commissioners that due notice lias been given by publication in two newspapers published in the county of Union, and by circulation of handbills, of their intention to purchase a site for a county jail and court house for said county of Union, at Marysville, Ohio, and of their intention to build a county jail thereon as soon as prac- ticable ; thereupon, those matters came on for hearing upon the petitions for and the remonstrances against the proposed purchase of such site and build- ing of such jail, and said petitions and remonstrances were heard and ex- amined by the commissioners; upon consideration whereof. the said com- missioners are of the opinion that a site should be purchased and a jail built thereon as soon as practicable. They have, therefore, this day purchased lot 55 (or 65), and one-third of lot 66, in the town of Marysville, Ohio, of H. Campbell, for the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars for the purposes and uses named above." Bonds were issued to the above amount August 10, 1872. For the purpose of building the new jail, bonds were issued to the amount of twenty thousand dollars. The contract for constructing the jail was let by the commissioners, March 28, 1873, the successful bidders being H. Rice and I. Grummons, and the contract price eighteen thousand six hundred and forty-four dollars. This sum covered the necessary exca- vations, the stone, brick and carpenter work, and everything complete except heating apparatus. By the last of June. 1873. the stone foundation had been completed and the range work set, and the building was rapidly carried to completion. The entire cost of the structure was about the same as the amount of bonds issued, twenty thousand dollars. It was of a tasteful de- sign. the front portion being finely fitted for the residence of the sheriff.
This jail building and sheriff's residence served the county until 1901.
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
when a contract was awarded to the Champion Iron Works, of Kenton, Ohio, to erect a new building for like uses, at the price of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven dollars. This is the present jail on the court- house square.
COUNTY INFIRMARY.
June 7, 1849, the commissioners, after due consideration, agreed unani- mously to levy a tax for the purpose of purchasing land on which to erect a county poor-house, and a tax of one-half mill on the dollar of valuation, or a total of about eight hundred and fifty dollars, was ordered. In December, 1850, seventy-five acres of land were purchased by Josiah Kelsey, to be used as a poor-farm. January 5, 1850, the contract for erecting a building on the premises had been let to James McIlroy, for the sum of fourteen hun- dred dollars.
The building, as constructed, was forty by thirty-one feet in dimensions, two stories high, with a hall across the middle; also a wing, one story high, with a cellar under, and a porch in front of the wing eight feet wide; the whole building constructed of brick. McIlroy, to whom the contract was first awarded, was subsequently put under bonds for an offense against the state. and the board of commissioners re-awarded it March 4, 1850, to James W. Evans, for one thousand four hundred and nine dollars. Final settle- ment was made with him March 5, 1851, and at the same time John John- son, John W. Cherry and Joshua Marshall were appointed poor-house direc- tors. Mr. Cherry died early in 1857, and Thomas E. Brown was appointed to fill the vacancy. In the winter of 1866-67, an amount of land equal to the original purchase was bought of G. W. Kent, making a farm of one hun- dred and fifty acres. May 19, 1870, the commissioners advertised for pro- posals for five hundred thousand brick, and on the 6th of June following authorized the levy of a tax of two mills on the dollar for the purpose of building a new infirmary. January 30, 1871, commissioners Joseph K. Richey and James Fullington, and infirmary directors, John F. Sabine, Daniel G. Cross and John Guthrie, met and considered plans for the new building, and adopted the one presented by Jones and Gartner, architects, of Columbus, Ohio. March 31, 1871, the commissioners met to consider bids for erecting the building, and the contract therefor was awarded to R. N. Jones & Company, of Delaware, Ohio, for twenty-seven thousand six hundred dollars; their hid not including heating appliance. Several other firms competed for the work. Several changes were made in the plan, and the entire cost, exclusive of heating apparatus, was increased to twenty-nine
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