History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 32

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 870

USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 32

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).

Almost at the beginning of the district schools, Sunday-schools were instituted, the teachers being generally those who taught the common schools and the minister, who taught the Bible class as a rule. Probably the most earnest Sabbath-school worker came to Van Wert in the early '40's in the person of Abel R. Strother, a wagon-maker, and a devout Methodist exhorter and worker, of whose fam- ily of two sons and two daughters, Mrs. P. Buckingham is the only survivor. There is lit- tle question I think that the "power 'for good" exerted in those days by Abel R. Strother, and his co-workers in church and Sunday-school

has yielded a rich return in placing our city on a higher moral plane than the average.

To the Sunday-school as well as church, came then as now many from the country as far as five or six miles, for country churches and Sunday-schools were few and far between, and only the most unfavorable weather or con- dition of roads prevented the country contin- gent from being in their places as regularly as the Sabbath came, summer or winter.

Nearly every summer for several years camp-meetings were held about six miles east of town, which were attended by the majority of the settlers from the whole county around. Many erected pole shanties more or less elabor- ate, some with floors and some without, of sufficient size to accommodate a whole family and guests if need be, and at camp-meeting time, which was usually after harvest, whole households would resort there for rest, recre- ation and religious observances, remaining the entire period devoted to the meeting. Usually some great light of the church, a bishop or a presiding elder, would lend his aid at least a part of the time, while other preachers and exhorters from far and near came to the assis- tance of local workers so that lively sessions were enjoyed and no doubt more good than evil accomplished, although there were always more or less rumors of strange doings circu- lated, not at all consistent with religion. It was the day when to attain the object sought after the utmost liberty was allowed, when preachers and exhorters would vie with each other in getting the people so wrought up that all conventionality was disregarded utterly and pandemonium reigned. Shouts and im- precations filled the air, while clapping of hands and stamping of feet helped to increase the din. Occasionally the "power" would throw the subject into a fit or trance from which it was

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next to impossible to arouse him for hours, and in a few cases the victims became raving maniacs. My parents did not approve of or believe in such manifestations of religion, and rather held aloof, but occasionally visited the camp grounds from curiosity and for diver- sion. On one of these visits, hearing shouting in one of the shanties, my father approached as near the crowded doorway as he could, and looking in beheld a young woman with the "power" dancing and shouting, presently grabbing her tall brother about the neck and yanking him so heavily that at last he tripped and fell, to the great amusement of the specta- tors. My oldest sister, a girl of perhaps 9 or 10 years, enjoyed it greatly, thinking it was a fine show, and laughed until she cried. A few years later a new site was chosen near Straughn and meetings were held one or two summers and then discontinued.

The early singing schools used the "buck- wheat" note system for several years until about 1845, when James L. McLeod came one winter and organized a class in rudimental music, using the "round" note system and af- terward few winters passed without a singing school being conducted by some one.

The first writing school taught in Van Wert was by a Mr. Bowling about 1848. Be- ing an excellent penman, he made quite a suc- cess of it. Unfortunately he fell ill with fever and ague and had to abandon the field finally, much to his disgust.

Few families were fortunate enough to es- cape this scourge, which was the product of malaria caused by stagnated water in swamp and stream, rendering life in the backwoods far from desirable. Quinine was the almost universal remedy prescribed but many other nostrums were experimented with more or less successfully. One of the remedies recom- mended "Col." George Marsh may recall, as I

remember his testing it when he was an inmate of my father's hostelry (about 1848), where his father made his home with his family for some months. The ague had invaded the Marsh household and even quinine had failed to cure George of the "shakes," which I re- member came on at a certain hour every other day. After trying one remedy after another in vain, some one told him if he would start and run a mile just before the chill was due he would escape it at least for that time. Grasp- ing the idea as a drowning man would a straw, he lost no time in planning its execution and having chosen a course west along the Fort Wayne road to a "mile tree" he next hired two younger boys (I being one) to accompany him, and see that the test was a fair one. I think each was to have a stick of candy if he held out for the entire distance. All being arranged satisfac- torily, an even start was made 15 or 20 minutes prior to the schedule time of the ague, and all three did their level best, Marsh running to beat the ague, and his companions to earn their candy. George, having the longest legs and the best wind, easily distanced his competitors and reached the goal ahead by many lengths and was shaking "to beat the band" when we arrived, but had the candy ready for us. After the chill and fever had subsided, we all took the back trail to town, he at least a sadder and wiser boy for the experiment.

Some two or three years after our family came to Van Wert, Samuel Engleright, a blacksmith, took up his residence in the village and became one of its most useful citizens, working at his trade in a shop on West Main street, between Washington and Jefferson (south side). He filled the sheriff's office creditably for some years and with his family. was well regarded in the community. He was. I belive of French extraction, which cropped

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out occasionally in his speech. While at work at his anvil in his shop across the street, his merry whistle was heard from early morn till night, occasionally interrupted by the entrance of some customer who had to wait until the tune was finished, when the smith would sig- nify his readiness by saying "Which" or "Whaitch !" so heartily that the apparent slight was at once forgotten and forgiven. He taught two of the Clark boys not only his trade but the art of whistling, and Henry Weible, late a prominent citizen of Delphos, was one of En- gleright's apprentices. Engleright was al- ways fond of hunting and generally success- ful as a deer stalker by day, or a coon hunter by night, lighting his way with a torch made of hickory bark. He usually kept two or three "coon dogs" as did many of the settlers, the favorite kind being the long-eared black and tan hound, which by its deep resonant bay when on the trail kept the hunter advised what direc- tion to pursue to head off or keep pace with the quarry. These dogs being fleet of foot also were useful in hunting larger game, such as deer, bears and wolves, so that when sold they frequently brought a good price for their good points.

With a little shame I confess to having had a part in a piece of bare-faced deception, which gave our good blacksmith not a little trouble. One Saturday morning bright and early in blackberry time, another boy and I sallied forth in quest of berries . down the Jennings road where there was a deadening of several acres, thickly grown over with briars and other undergrowth, making an ideal black- berry patch. Two other boys, John Engleright and another, had the same scheme in view, but we arrived first and believing that we had a prior right to the spoils concealed ourselves in the thick brush and upon the approach of our rivals set up a series of howls such as would

not discredit real wolves, our object being to stampede the other boys. It "worked" to per- fection, and the boys ran as boys "ne'er ran before," until they reached town and the blacksmith shop, where their startling report created no little excitement. All work was suspended and the sturdy blacksmith and a neighbor or two with the dogs and guns were soon on the way to the deadening. Their arrival was made known to us in time to get under cover where we lay undetected, the dogs taking no notice of our presence and the hunt- ers failing to find the "two-legged wolves" after the most energetic beating up of the whole deadening, finally leaving us to finish our pick- ing in peace and content. For obvious reasons we took a different route than usual on our way home, and kept "mum" about the fraud, which so far as I know was never suspected by the victims.

With John F. Dodds in 1837 came William Parent, then single, who afterwards married Barbara Shingledecker and with his aged father, Samuel Parent, who had served in the War of 1812, built their cabin on lot 73 near where is now the Hines drug store, but on the east side of Walnut street. Later William Par- ent purchased 20 acres of land where Dr. Ains- worth and his mother now reside and made that his home for a number of years, working at anything to which he could turn his hand, burning charcoal for blacksmiths, wood cutting and clearing being some of his avocations.

Possessing a strong tenor voice, he soon became much in demand as a vocalist for Fourth of July and political occasions. When it was known that Bill Parent would sing, there was sure to be a crowd there to hear him. One of his favorite songs was called "The Liberty Tree" and never failed to call forth cheer upon cheer at the end of each stanza, I recall the first verse only :

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Columbus, that man of bright genius Sailed from European shore With a mind full as clear as bright Venus, This Western world to explore. He was the first man to venture the ocean, This Western land for to see, To hunt out a place for a nation, And plant out a Liberty Tree.

In these cultured times such verses are called mere doggerel, but the standard was not very high in the backwoods, while patriotic force burned as bright among the rough woods- men as anywhere in the land.

Parent had quite a repertoire of similar songs and being of a jovial disposition was al-

ways ready when called upon to sing a song or tell a story. After a few years residence in the village, having a family of boys growing up he purchased a tract of land on the Jennings road and cleared up the farm now known as the Joseph Johnson homestead, where he died.

Another popular singer that I remember was DeLong, who made occasional visits to the village and stopped at my father's tavern, where he was always invited to sing for the crowd that usually gathered there evenings. As I remember, his songs were more of a re- ligious character than Parent's. but always gave delight to his hearers.

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CHAPTER XX

INSURANCE COMPANIES

The Central Manufacturers' Mutual Insurance Company-The Farmers' Mutual Aid Asso- ciation of Van Wert County.

THE CENTRAL MANUFACTURERS' MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY.

This company was incorporated on April 7, 1876, under the name of The Van Wert County Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

The company commenced doing business on October 2, 1876, the first officers being as follows : President, J. M. C. Marble; secre- tary, G. A. Sahlquist; treasurer, John A. Conn; executive committee-J. S. Brumback, J. M. C. Marble and S. Swineford; directors- S. Swineford, A. Conant, J. S. Brumback, A. W. Baker, W. H. Pennell, J. M. C. Marble, A. B. McCurdy, John A. Conn, A. L. Teub- ner, J. L. Price, Jacob Fox, T. S. McKim, Levi F. Zimmerman and G. A. Sahlquist.

On February 1, 1877, M. L. Purmort was elected secretary of the company and W. H. Hahn, State agent.

On January 9, 1883, J. S. Brumback was elected president of the company and filled the office until the day of his death, December II, 1897.

On January 9, 1883, Frank W. Purmort was elected assistant secretary of the company.

On February 13, 1885, the name of the company was changed to The Central Manu-

facturers' Mutual Insurance Company, since which time the business has been conducted under this name.

On the 6th of February, 1885, P. A. Mont- gomery was elected manager of the company.

On January 12, 1887, Frank W. Purmort was elected secretary of the company.

The company does a general business throughout the United States. It makes a specialty of first-class manufacturing plants. It charges a premium for one year in advance and at the end of each year pays to its policy holders such a dividend as it has been able to earn and which is deemed advisable by the board of directors.

The officers of the company on the Ist day of January, 1906, were as follows: President, H. V. Olney; vice-president, J. P. Reed; sec- retary and treasurer, Frank W. Purmort; di- rectors-O. S. Brumback, Toledo, Ohio; C. A. L. Purmort, Van Wert, Ohio; George R. Mc- Connell, Troy, Ohio; C. M. Purmort, Van Wert, Ohio; and the president, vice-president and secretary of the company who are named above.

The condition of the company on the Ist day of January, 1906, is shown by the follow- ing statement :

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ASSETS.

(MARKET VALUE)

U. S. Government 2 per cent. registered bonds

.$ 51,867.00

price) $ 51,867.00

U. S. Government 3 per cent. (market value) 829.00

First mortgage bonds on real estate (worth more than twice the amount loaned thereon)

128,280.00

Ohio City, Ohio, drainage bonds 1,200.00

Van Wert, Ohio, street im- provement bonds 3,460.00

Pleasant Township, Van Wert .. County, Ohio, bonds 2,800.00

Interest accrued thereon

2,579.50

Real estate, office building. 18,048.12

$208,884.12

Total Invested Assets $208,884.12 Cash in Van Wert National Bank

7,580.18

Cash in office of company. 1,155.22

Premiums in course of collec-

tion, not more than three months due

33,349.83

Cash Items

42,085.23

Total Cash and Bonds.

250,969.35

Liability of members to assess-

ment

1,022,115.77

Total Assets ....

$1,273,085.12

LIABILITIES

Losses adjusted (estimated) . .. .

4,741.96

Losses registered

3,282.00

Total Unpaid Losses 8,023.96

Re-insurance reserve (50 per

cent. of gross premiums on

risk in force) 139,685.52

Total Liabilities

147,709.48

Surplus, including members'

liabilities

1, 125,375,64

Amount of members' liability. .

1,022,115.77

$ 103,259.87 Net Cash Surplus

The total amount the company has at risk is $15,143,228. The losses paid by the com-

pany since its organization have aggregated $1,049,576.47; in the same period the cash dividends paid to policy holders amounted to $229,055.18. The present rate of dividends to policy holders is 25 per cent.

THE FARMERS' MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION OF VAN WERT COUNTY

Is a corporation organized under the act of March 30, 1877, adopted January 16, 1879, as amended May 6, 1882, May 5. 1883, May 3, 1884, May 1, 1886, May 7, 1887, November 28, 1891, November 23, 1893, January 4, 1896, January 4, 1902, and January, 1904.

"The object of the association is to enable the members of the association to insure each other against loss by fire, lightning and other casualities and to enforce any contract or con- tracts which may by the members be entered into and by which those entering therein agree to be specifically assessed for incidental pur- poses and for the payment of losses which may occur to any member of such association.

The first meeting called by the farmers of Harrison township for the purpose of organ- izing a Farmers' Mutual Aid Association, was held at the German schoolhouse in April, 1878, and a committee was appointed to draft a con- stitution and by-laws, as follows: Abraham Balyeat, J. F. Akom and H. Germann, Jr.

The second meeting was held in May, 1878. A constitution and by-lays were adopted and the following officers elected : President, Abraham Balyeat : secretary, C. F. Germann; treasurer, H. Germann, Jr .; direc- tors-Aaron Hoover, Frederick Geisler and Joseph Larue.

Abraham Balyeat, H. Germann, Jr., J. F. Akom and Peter Kreischer commenced to write insurance and succeeded well near home, but away from Harrison township it was slow

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work. Abraham Balyeat and H. Germann, Jr., went to Mercer County, but found only a few farmers that could be convinced that farmers could manage an insurance compaany at a sav- ing over the rates charged by old line com- panies.

The first year, after hard work, 157 pol- icies were written, covering risks of $201,346. It was only after it was demonstrated by exper- ience that the mutual plan of insuring farm property was not only safe but cheaper and that all losses were promptly paid that the pub- lic took hold with confidence.

The Farmers' Mutual Aid Association of

Van Wert County is now one among the largest mutual companies in the State of Ohio.

On December 31, 1905, the amount of in- surance in force was $5,437,078; the amount written during the year, $1,120,369; a gain for the year of $133,222. The total losses for the year 1905 were $10,570.26. There are 2,780 members of the association who hold 2,971 pol- icies.

At the annual election on January 6, 1906, the following officers were elected : President, Hon. J. S. Stuckey ; secretary, E. V. Walborn; treasurer, H. Germann, Jr .; directors-George Lewis, J. D. Lare and P. M. Wiseman.

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CHAPTER XXI

THE BENCH AND BAR OF VAN WERT

The Common Pleas Bench-The Van Wert Bar, Past and Present-The First and Second Murder Trials-Two Anecdotes of the Early Courts.

THE COMMON PLEAS BENCH.

Hon. William L. Helfenstein held the first term of the Court of Common Pleas for Van Wert County at Willshire in 1838, with George B. Holt, of Dayton, as prosecuting attorney. In 1840 Hon. Emory D. Porter was elected; he served until 1844. In 1844 Hon. Myron H. Tilden was elected and on account of some change in the district only served one year on the bench in this county. In 1845 Hon. Pat- rick G. Goode was elected and served until 1849 when Hon. George B. Way was elected and served until the adoption of the new constitu- tion, by which it was provided that there should be one common pleas judge instead of a pres- ident judge and three associate judges of the Court of Common Pleas.

The associate judges that were elected are as follows: 1837, Joshua Watkins, Benjamin Griffin and Oliver Stacy; 1839, Henry Reich- ard; 1840, John Hill and Joseph Gleason; 1841, Charles Mount; 1843, P. Jacob Hines; 1844, John Tumbleson and John W. Conn; 1845, Jacob M. Harper.

From the adoption of the new constitution in 1851 to the present time, the following have served as judges of the Court of Common

Pleas : 1851, John M. Palmer; 1856, Alexan- der S. Latty; 1858, Benjamin F. Metcalf; 1865, O. W. Rose; 1865, James Mackenzie, who served until February, 1879. Edwin M. Phelps, in 1869, was elected an additional judge for the sub-division.

There was a reorganization of the district in 1879. Charles M. Hughes served one year, be- ing followed in 1880 by James H. Day. Twelve years later, in 1892, Hiram C. Glenn went upon the bench to fill out Judge Day's unexpired term, and served until W. T. Mooney, who was elected judge in 1892, took his place. Nine years later Judge Mooney was elected to the district bench, and was succeeded as common pleas judge by S. A. Armstrong, who served until Edward S. Mathias entered upon the du- ties of the office, to which he had been elected in 1904. In times of vacancy, William D. Davis and Hugh T. Mather also held court in Van Wert County, but neither was regularly assigned.

THE VAN WERT BAR, PAST AND PRESENT.

Of resident lawyers, James Madison Barr was the first, coming to Van Wert in 1842. He served as prosecuting attorney from 1842 until

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1845, and practiced in all the courts in the sur- rounding counties, traveling on horseback on a bay Indian pony that he purchased from James G. Gilliland. The pony was as hand- some and as full of life as could be found any- where, and never seemed to tire. He was ad- mired by everybody, and many high prices were refused for "Selim."

William E. Rose was perhaps the second resident attorney, living and practicing here in 1845. He afterward movel away for several years and then returne.l.

and 1848 he was elected prosecuting at- torney.

In April, 1846, Charles P. Edson and Perin DePuy, partners, came to Van Wert and com- menced the practice of the law as a firm. It was not long after putting out their sign that a man called at their office and employed DePuy to take his side of a lawsuit pending before a country justice. The other party happening to meet Mr. Edson on the street employed Edson to take his side of the case. Nothing was said until the next morning. When it came time for

THE FIRST COURT HOUSE, VAN WERT. (From a drawing by F. P. Edson.)

In May, 1846, S. E. Brown, a resident of Washington township west of Delphos, was prosecuting attorney: a few years later he moved West.

The next in order was R. C. Spears, who came to Van Wert in 1844 a single man and boarded with Joseph Gleason. He owned the lot where the Brumback corner, the First Na- tional Bank and the cigar store are; later he sold the lot and bought the Will Young prop- erty on South Shannon street. On May 13, 1845. he married Louisa Spear. the marriage changing only one letter in her name. In 1846

them to start. they found that as .partners they had taken both sides of the same case. They concluded to make the best of it. It is said they fought the case as cases were often then fought -by harsh words-and finally one threw an ink bottle at the other. Edson was chosen pros- ecuting attorney in 1847. DePuy practiced for a few years and then went to California with the "'49ers", but returned in a few years. He amassed quite a fortune which he left by will to the School Board for the education of the poor, but with such restrictions that it is only being used to furnish books to those that

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are not able to buy them and in some cases clothing.

O. W. Rose, who came about 1847 or 1848 was married to Nancy Slater on January 8, 1849. He practiced for many years and was once mayor of Van Wert. He was elected county recorder in 1848 and was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1864.

Robert Bruce Encill was another of Van Wert's young attorneys. He came here a young man and built up quite a practice. He married Judith Slater, a sister of Mrs. O. W. Rose, and later moved to Warsaw, Indiana, where he attained considerable distinction. He died there a number of years ago.

James W. Steel was another young man of fine ability that selected Van Wert as a start- ing place in which to practice his profession. He was well educated, a fine orator and was never at a loss for language. But he was his own worst enemy. He served in the army and after the war moved to Red Wing, Minnesota.

Isaac N. Alexander, a native of the county, entered the practice about 1857 and practiced law with his partner, J. C. Johnston, until the breaking out of the war in 1861, when he en- listed as a private in Company E, 15th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., for three months ; at the expira- tion of his term of service, he raised a company for the 46th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf. At the close of the war he ranked as lieutenant-colonel. He again commenced the practice of the law and stood at the head of the profession. He was a member of the constitutional convention in 1872, was mayor of Van Wert in 1876, and was a member of the electoral college that elect- ed Rutherford B. Hayes.

J. C. Johnston, who came to Van Wert in 1857, practiced a few years and then moved to Marion, Ohio.

Israel D. Clark came to Van Wert about 1852 or 1853 as a carpenter. In 1853 he built

the Presbyterian Church at the corner of Main and Harrison streets and the building, a view of which appears on another page, still shows the master work of the builder. After 53 years it is as stanch as when first erected. Mr. Clark afterward studied law. In 1855 he was elected probate judge and in 1864 prosecuting attorney. At the breaking out of the war in 1861, he raised a company (Company E, 15th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf.) for the first three months call. After the expiration of the term of service, he raised a company for the 52nd Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and was promoted to major.

Caleb Roberts was another attorney that came to Van Wert. He taught school and in 1857 was elected prosecuting attorney. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 he volunteered in Company K, 46th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and was promoted to Ist lieutenant. He was killed September 2, 1864, at Lovejoy Station, Georgia.

Sidenham Shaffer, James W. Steel and a Mr. Trouty formed a law partnership under the name of Shaffer, Steel & Trouty. As to the amount of their practice or what became of Shaffer and Trouty, I cannot say.

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History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 32

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 870

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 870