History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions, Part 50

Author: Curry, W. L. (William Leontes), b. 1839
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1322

USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 50

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Other pioneer settlers of Marysville were Reuben L. Patridge, 1836; Rodney Picket, from North Carolina, 1837: Thomas Turner, of Maryland, 1838: Samuel A. Cherry, a tailor, 1839, later operated a hard wood shop and built machinery. William Steele, a young man reared in the family of Silas G. Strong, became postmaster after Mr. Strong. Dr. S. F. Kinney came in 1839 and died in 1872. William C. Malin, a harnessmaker came from Urbana, Ohio, in 1840, and operated a harness business and was sheriff of Union county from 1850 to 1854. Jacob Slicer, a Pennsylvanian, came in 1840 and lived in a log house where the Congregational church now stands.

Others whose names are familiar to the older citizens of Marysville were Samuel Johnson, 1840: Jacob Catro, a single man full of oddities; W. T. Brophy, a tailor, who came from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, in 1841; John G. Zwerner, a resident of Marysville for forty years from about 1842. John Cassil, April, 1842, owned the printing establishment and conducted the early newspaper ; he was associate judge of the common pleas court from 1839 to 1842: was a steadfast temperance worker; lost much property when the railroad was being constructed through this county: died in Jasper county. Missouri. in 1869. James Kinkaid, a native of what is now West Virginia, settled here in 1841 and married Hannah Cassil: was many years a leading merchant here; died in 1877. William M. Robinson, known as "Uncle Billy," was one of the first to be born in Union county. His father settled on Darby Plains in 1808. He married Hannah F. Crawford and engaged in the dairy business, keeping five cows and produced butter and cheese, selling it from five to seven cents per pound. Fat hogs sold then in Marysville at from one to one cent and a half per pound ; calves sold at seventy-five cents each when old enough to wean. Mr. Robinson held sev- eral county and township offices and wrote much fire insurance. He also was a railroad promoter in the pioneer days of railways, was mayor many terms in succession, and president of the Pioneer Association.

James and Samuel Robinson, from York county, Pennsylvania, visited Tennessee in the winter of 1799-1800, looking for desirable lands. They chanced to meet Lucas Sullivant, who told them of the Darby Plains coun- try in Ohio (this county) and came on here and bought six hundred acres of land. The purchase was made in the name of Samuel Robinson. the elder

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brother, who stopped later at Columbus and was married and settled on his lands in this county in 1808. He reared a large family, and finally died on his farm. The party, who came through in 1805, made the journey with a four-horse team, having to cut their road through the heavy timber in many places. Mrs. James Robinson was the only woman in the immi- grant party. Samuel and James had made their first trip on horseback. In the spring of 1806, a daughter was born to James Robinson and wife, and she became the wife of Stephenson Curry, and the mother of Col. W. L. Curry.

EARLY TAVERNS.

The first tavern in Marysville was kept by Matthias Collins. It was in a log house on the north side of the public square, on the west side of Main street. His brother-in-law kept this house after he left it. Among the proprietors of the old American House were Charles Farnum. Norman Chipman and Bill Welsh. The old hotel sign stood near the center of the public square.

At the time Henry Kezartee was keeping the hotel known as the Con- tinental, a blind man named James War, known as "Blind Jimmie," kept a tavern on the north side of the street, and it was running at least as early as 1837. It was a log house, weatherboarded, but more a liquor shop than a hotel. Ward was never known to be cheated in handling silver coin; he would feel of and sometimes bite the coin to determine whether it was good or counterfeit.

In 1832, three years after the American House was erected, a man known as Robson L. Broome came to Marysville and engaged board at this hotel. He continued a guest of the hotel until his death in 1875. He had amassed property amounting to fifty thousand dollars, and after his death there was much litigation concerning it. Broome was a mysterious character and was thought to have lived under several assumed names be- fore coming to Marysville. He was over eighty years of age at his death. The true story of his life was never fully established and there were many claiming heirship to his fortune.

In 1882 there died at Marysville. Col. Noah Orr, the "Union County Giant," and his funeral was looked after by the Knights of Pythias to which fraternity he belonged. He had a wide acquaintance and was highly respected. When in fair flesh. he weighed 550 pounds, was perfectly formed and very handsome. He was as active as men weighing two hun- dred pounds. For a time he was exhibited in P. T. Barnum's New York

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museum, but later with the Lilliputian Company, in which he was employed as a contrast to the midgets. As active labor was impossible for him, he thus earned a good living in this way. He was also a member of the Masonic and Red Men. His final illness was about three months' duration.

Coming down to a later date. it is found that a census was taken of Marysville in 1859 by Thomas Snodgrass and Smith Alexander. The enu- meration showed a population of nine hundred and eighty-one, forty less than in the previous December.

In August, 1865, the town had six dry goods stores, one hardware, nine groceries, a mill, a woolen factory, and most of the trades and professions were well represented.

In August, 1877, while an excavation was being made for the founda- tion of the city hall, the workmen unearthed an old tan vat. Its existence there was a mystery until finally George Snodgrass, Sr., remembered that about fifty or fifty-one years before, a man named Kirkwood came to the place and made two or three vats with the view of entering into the tanning business here. The overseers of the poor thought the man would become a charge on their hands, and warned him to leave the town. This so in- censed him that he soon afterward became insane and his deathi soon oc- curred. When the old vats were brought to light after the lapse of half a century, the planks in them were as sound as on the day they were sunk. An old well was also discovered at the same time the vats were found. and it became necessary to turn an arch over it in the wall of the city hall foundation. There was also found an old cellar filled up with bricks and earth.

MUNICIPAL HISTORY.

The early records are not now in existence, but from certain memor- anda extant it is learned that Otway Curry was elected mayor of the in- corporated village of Marysville, May 4, 1840, and it is believed that he was the first mayor of the place. The limits of the corporation have from time to time been extended and enlarged. The earliest records obtainable at this date show the following entry : "The council of the town of Marys- ville met in the mayor's office. In the absence of William W. Steele, record- er, on motion, W. H. Frank was appointed secretary, pro tem. Members present. O. Curry, B. Welsh, Thomas Turner, James W. Evans, Jacob Bou- ser and William H. Frank. On motion, meeting was adjourned until Mon- day evening, October 5, 1846."

At the adjourned session of the council, among other matters up for

GROUP OF MARYSVILLE CHURCHES.

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consideration, was that of purchasing a new burying ground, and removing the old one from the corporation; also the matter of appointing, December 6, 1846, R. L. Broome and Samuel Ressler fire wardens for one year.

Since 1847 the following have served as mayors of Marysville: Will- iam H. Robinson, 1847; George W. Witter, 1848; William H. Frank, 1849; Cyprian Lee, 1853; W. M. Robinson, 1854; John L. Porter, 1855: Samuel McBatney, 1856; M. C. Lawrence, 1857: John Barber, 1858; J. D. Smith, 1859; E. G. Bartram, 1860; R. C. Clark, 1861; Thomas Brown, 1862; Thomas Brown, 1863; A. F. Wilkins, 1864; A. F. Wilkins, 1865; A. F. Wilkins, 1866; John Cassil, 1867; A. F. Wilkins, 1868; A. D. Doolittle, 1869; A. F. Wilkins, 1870; I. N. Hamilton, 1871; J. M. Kennedy, 1872; O. B. Williams, 1873: Wesley Garrard, 1874; S. M. McCloud. 1875: Wes- ley Garrard, 1876; Aaron B. Robinson, 1877: John D. Radebaugh, 1878; A. B. Robinson, 1879: Wesley Garrad, 1880; Robert M. Henderson, 1881 ; J. H. Kinkade, 1882; W. M. Wright, 1886; James W. Tilton, 1888-90: Marion Hopkind, 1890-94: A. H. Kollefrath, 1894-96: F. A. Thompson, 1896-1900: C. H. Hamilton, 1900-07: John T. Cartmell, 1907 (he died of heart failure on the county fair grounds at Marysville, at 1:30 p. m. Sep- tember 15, 1910) ; S. E. McIntire was appointed to fill the vacancy made by the death of Mr. Cartmell, and was elected at the next November an- nual election, serving until the election and qualification of the present mayor. A. H. Kollefrath, who took his seat January, 1914. The term is now two years.

The present city officials are as follows: Mayor, A. H. Kollefrath ; president, pro tem, J. H. Shoneberger ; police judge, A. H. Kollefrath; at- torney, J. H. Kinkade ; clerk. L. J. Zwerner; treasurer, L. W. Hazen ; mar- shal, Fred Omerod: night police, Charles Liggett ; cemetery trustees, W. J. Conrad. J. C. Weidman, Charles Braun ; city engineer, Elvi Graham; street commissioner, Charles Melching: fire chief, George Singer: city hall janitor and assistant fire chief, Charles Schlegel; second fire chief, William Orr: health officer, Dr. P. D. Longbrake : sanitary police, Fred Omerod ; council- men, J. H. Shoneberger, F. A. Thompson, William M. Wolgamot, Frank De- vine, Joe Bainer, John Auer and Frank Mader.

The city had a funded indebtedness, January. 1915, of $211,150. Be- sides this the city was surety for individual assessments against lot owners to the amount of $176,190. The city advances the money and the property owners, who have paving and other improvements, pay out at stated times

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the amount of their individual assessments. The city owns a small park, but so far little improvement has been made on it.

FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EARLY FIRES.

The first record of any fire protection apparatus in Marysville was in 1845, when a hook and ladder company was organized, but did not last long. On July 22, 1859, the town sustained the worst loss by fire in its history to that date. The fine Cassil block was burned at a loss of $1,500. August 10, 1861, E. Weller's pottery was burned a half mile south of town. July, 1865, a hand engine was purchased at Dayton for $1,200. A Mr. Hubbel was the first engineer. June 7, 1865, the county commissioners donated fifty dollars toward building an engine house and gave the use of the corner portion of the public square on which to erect the same. This building was not finished until the summer of 1866. It was a two-story brick structure. July 12, 1866, the Marysville flouring mills were burned together with the saw mill-total loss $10,000.

May 3, 1879, a steam fire engine was purchased and placed in the city building. It was tested and could easily throw a stream of water one hundred and thirty feet through two sets of hose, and do it within four minutes from the time the fire was started in the engine. In July, 1881, horses were purchased for the department.

It may be of interest to know how the first fire company in the village of Marysville came to be formed. It was after a small fire January 22, 1845, causing a thousand-dollar loss. A meeting of the citizens was held at the courthouse the succeeding day and a company organized with Samuel Resler as captain ; Mains Wasson, first lientenant ; Abner Power, second lientenant : J. S. Alexander, treasurer ; William C. Lawrence, secretary. A contribution was raised for the use of the company, and a petition was forwarded to the Legislature, praying for an act of incorporation.

The present fire department has direct water pressure, a hook and lad- der and chemical engine, one team for the hook and ladder wagon and one horse for the hose cart. The company is made up of the chief. George Singer; first assistant, Charles Schlegel; second assistants, William Orr, John Landsdown, George Brown, William Ferris, Harry Johnson, James Parr, Dick Mahon, Lee Orr, George Schlegel, Art Werst, William Brown, James Smith, William Christ, Nort Jordon. Gordon Beighler and Fred Lachenmaier. Each member receives one dollar and fifty cents for each fire attended.

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MARYSVILLE CEMETERY.

The first burying place at Marysville was situated on North Walnut street, on grounds partly occupied by the furniture factory of today. In March, 1848, six and one-eighth acres of land were purchased of the heirs of W. C. Malin, lying on the Marion road north of town. This tract was traded to Mr. Zwerner in the spring of 1863 for his lots adjoining the old cemetery. June 5, 1877, it was voted by the citizens of Marysville to raise a tax sufficient to procure grounds for a new cemetery. July 22, 1878, the city council voted to appropriate a tract of land, known as the Dynes land, a half mile west of the corporation, between the Newton and Belle- fontaine roads, and to this was given the name of Oakdale Cemetery. Thirty-nine acres were platted into lots and streets, with appropriate drive- ways. It was first improved in 1880, and dedicated June 17 that year. In 1907 it was carefully estimated that Oakdale Cemetery contained marble to the value of three-quarters of a million dollars. There were at that date two thousand two hundred and fifty-six graves and sixteen hundred monu- ments. V. J. Payne had then been the faithful sexton for almost a quar- ter of a century, with only one week's vacation during all these long years.

MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES.

In the pioneer days there were several small factories in the village for hand-made articles, such as spinning wheels, tanning leather, tailoring and other common domestic shops. Among the largest factories of an early day was the Marysville Pearlash Factory, established in 1848-49 by Judge W. W. Woods, who for years had as his partner Darius Buxton. This ashery was one of the most extensive in the United States-was actually so reported by the government in 1874. After the death of Judge Woods it was abandoned.

The first steam grist mill in Marysville was erected in 1856 by J. & B. Saxton and G. A. Cassil. For years this enterprise had been discussed in the weekly papers of the place, and its building was a source of great joy to the people. It commenced to grind flour on June 1, 1857, and was then under Saxton & McCreight. After operating successfully a number of years, it was burned. In the autumn of 1867, a new flouring mill was erect- ed by Miller & Snodgrass. It was thirty-two by thirty-six feet and two stories in height. In 1866 there was erected a steam mill owned by W. L. Miller, later by Moses Thompson. This had four burrs with a daily capac-

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ity of about thirty-five barrels. In 1882 a more nearly modern flouring mill was erected by Sprague & Perfect near the north end of Main street ; its capacity was one hundred barrels daily. In 1900 the large mill and elevator of the Shields-Wilber Company were first operated in this city.

In the winter of 1850-51, a steam saw mill was erected by Joseph Paxton in the northeastern part of town. In September, 1876, there was an iron bridge constructed over the waters of Mill creek, north of town.

"In 1824 there were only four families in the village, and from 1824 to 1828 there were only three families added. This was a strangely slow beginning of the nucleus from which has grown our lively little city. But this may be accounted for by the contention that was going on to make Mil- ford the permanent county seat. The village then, and for several years afterwards, did not cover over an acre or two of ground at farthest, and lots were offered as low as five dollars without finding a purchaser. The five dollars was as diffcult to obtain then as a hundred dollars are now. Very little that was produced on the few new farms that were being opened could be sold at ready cash at any price. But the pioneers, nevertheless, lived happily, for everything in the way of food and clothing was produced by the family and such a thing as idleness was unknown. The old citizens still living, who began life in their wilderness home fifty years ago in this section of country, can very vividly trace the outlines by which a wilder- ness is changed into a cultivated and populous country."-From Marysville Tribune in 1878.

The old, well-remembered Continental Hotel, on the corner of Fifth and Plum streets, was burned on the night of October 8, 1913, and a man who was the guest of the place lost his life-a Mr. Manuel. The walls were condemned and torn down, and so far nothing has taken its place. This hotel stood for over a half century.

In the spring of 1866. there was built a brewery in Marysville, but in September, 1878, the tubs and vats were removed to Indiana. On Sep- tember, 1881, the building was badly scorched by fire, but it was repaired, refitted and in 1882 was in use and conducted by P. Schlegel. With the agitation for temperance and the centralizing of the brewing business in the country. it went out of business.

For many years the manufacture of woolen goods was carried on in Marysville at different locations, and finally in 1864, Woodbury & Welsh built a brick factory in the northeast part of town. It was later purchased by Robinson & Robinson, and continued a, number of years with success.

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Twenty-five hands were employed. Jeans and satinets, as well as a line of flannels, were manufactured. The business output was about thirty thon- sand dollars annually. The firm also conducted a store opposite the fac- tory. Later, the proprietors were owners of the well-known "Factory Store" on South Main street. In the spring of 1880, the factory was sold to Tur- pie Brothers, of White county, Indiana, and it soon went out of business in Marysville.

The Marysville Cheese Manufacturing Company was organized in the early spring of 1871. Among the prominent stockholders were W. W. Woods, W. M. Randall, Col. Robb, R. T. McAllister, John Ryan, John Fleck and A. J. Sterling. The stock was four thousand dollars, divided into shares of a hundred dollars each. The company purchased an acre of ground south of the fair grounds, and in the spring of 1871 erected their factory. J. H. Ryan was chosen manager. It was not many weeks before the factory was turning out ten cheese daily, weighing thirty pounds each. In May, 1872, it was using three thousand three hundred pounds of milk each day, from which three hundred and sixty pounds of cheese were made daily. In 1873 the plant was sold by the sheriff. the highest bidder being J. W. Robinson who bid two thousand five hundred dollars. It was run until about 1876, when the building was sold to Judge Woods for seven hundred dollars. In 1878 a new factory was built in the east part of the town, but it only lasted a few years.

In the spring of 1872, a carriage factory was built on South Main street by Conrad & Schepper. It was a large frame structure, and in 1876 a large brick front addition was made to the works. In 1878 it was con- ducted by Conrad & Boerger. Fifteen men were then employed, and from twelve to fifteen thousand dollars worth of carriages were annually sold. They also made farm wagons, sleds, etc.

Another carriage factory was established by Bauer, Schepper & Devine in 1882. They employed twelve hands, and made about the same line of vehicles as was made by the old factory.

Still another vehicle factory was that of A. S. Turner, proprietor of the City Carriage Works, established in the autumn of 1871.

Another carriage factory was that of L. E. Bellus, who commenced in 1874. He employed seven hands.

In 1875 a planing mill was established and a lumber yard opened by Rice, Fleck & Co. During that year there were almost fifty buildings under course of erection in Marysville. The above firm made large additions to

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their plant in order to attend to these many building operations. The plant covered four lots and had a frontage of two hundred and sixty-four feet. Fifteen men were usually employed at this mill, and at times twenty-five. The first capital was limited, and the first year's sales amounted to only seven thousand dollars.

In 1878 the Marysville Gas Light Company was formed with a capital of twenty thousand dollars, but it was never operated and no plant ever materialized.

In the spring of 1869, about forty gasoline lamps were erected in the streets, and Ward's gas generating lamps were installed.

The Marysville Butter Tub and Spoke Factory Company was incor- porated in July, 1874, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars in hundred dollar shares. The incorporators were W. W. Woods, A. S. Chapman, A. B. Robinson, C. S. Chapman, D. D. Shearer, A. C. Pierson, Philip Sni- der, J. B. Whelply and W. H. Robinson. They made tubs, buckets, pails. and firkins for packing butter, etc. In the spring of 1880 the old company sold to W. F. Wilcox & Co. The death of Mr. Woods was the real cause of the original company dissolving.

One of the most extensive furniture factories in central Ohio was es- tablished at Marysville in 1892 by the John Rausch Manufacturing Com- pany. They made kitchen cabinets, churns and many other domestic articles. ticles.

Early in the nineties the Isaac Half Furniture Company operated here. but in 1893 moved to Circleville, where they had obtained a bonus. Mr. Half had been in the same business here in the seventies. At Circleville he failed in business.

The well-known factory enterprise of C. F. Lentz & Sons, makers of superior butter tubs and tool handles, burned April 24. 1901. Their loss of ten thousand dollars was partly covered by insurance amounting to four thousand five hundred dollars. It was the chief industry of the city, em- ploying fifty men with a pay roll of five hundred dollars weekly. At the time of the fire, the company was thirty thousand tubs behind their orders. Aided by the board of trade of Marysville, the plant was at once rebuilt and business resumed.

A spoke factory was among the additions to the city's industries in 1804.

In 1895 the brick business had taken on large proportions here. The central figure in this industry was Philip Burns, who had a large brick yard on the Weaver road, just to the south of the city. During that season he

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made two million brick, with which two villages were re-built, Milford Center and North Lewisburg, besides the brick for the Methodist Episcopal church in Marysville.

A chair factory was established in April, 1892, with a capital of fifteen thousand dollars, to manufacture a patent office chair, the invention of Charles Davis of this county. Office, typewriter, piano and other chairs are produced after this patent and find a ready sale all over the world. The departments at Washington and in various state houses use these of- fice chairs, which are of the easy spring-back type. It is the only place in the country where the Davis chair is made.

The Marysville Creamery took the first prize on butter at the Pan- American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901. The butter exhibited stood ninety-seven per cent. in its markings.

The city of Marysville voted bouds to the amount of fifty thousand dollars. September, 1900, to aid in securing manufacturing industries for the city. The vote on that question stood 641 for and 476 against. Among the first results of this was the securing of the Admiral Lamp Company and the iron foundry and machine shops which came here from Basil, Ohio.

The Marysville Wire Fence & Lumber Company was incorporated in 1906, being an outgrowth of the Plate & Fry mill. At first the firm was known as the Marysville Lumber Company, but in 1909 the wire fence department was added and the company took its present name. All kinds of lumber are handled, and mill work of every kind is turned out in their well equipped factory. The wire fence factory has a daily capacity of twelve hundred rods. The firm also manufactures cement blocks. More than thirty men are employed all the time. W. P. O'Brien is manager and Fred J. Aner is assistant manager.

The Marysville Cabinet Company was formed from the Rausch Man- ufacturing Company, and was incorporated under its present name in 1903. They manufacture bank, store and office fixtures, kitchen cabinets, cup- boards, tables and various other kinds of furniture. Their business now amounts to more than one hundred thousand dollars annually.

The Marysville Hay. Feed & Fuel Company started in business on April 4. 1910. by purchasing the business of J. A. Schott. At the present time the company ships nearly a thousand cars of baled hay and straw an- nually. The company have a baler in connection with their plant with a daily capacity of thirty tons. The company also has a thriving branch at Raymond.

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History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions, Part 50

Author: Curry, W. L. (William Leontes), b. 1839 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1322

Author: Curry, W. L. (William Leontes), b. 1839
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1322