USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 42
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OAK HILL CEMETERY.
The care which the living exercise over the "silent cities"-the church- yards and cemeteries-is always an index of the refinement and Christian grace and sentiment of any given community. Prior to 1852 the dead of Wooster were buried in churchyards of the various denominations ; also many from the near-by communities, and there today many of the first fathers and mothers of Wooster "sleep and heed it not."
July 12, 1852, a number of Wooster's citizens, prominent among whom were Levi Cox, John Larwill, Cyrus Spink, E. Quinby, Jr., Constant Lake. R. B. Stibbs, K. Porter, James Johnson, Harvey Howard and others, agreed to form themselves into a cemetery association, to be known by the name of
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the Wooster Cemetery Association, and for that purpose signed and published a notice. In pursuance to the publication of the notice, and at the time named therein, a majority of the association met at the court house and there resolved to elect, by ballot from their number five persons to serve as trustees and one as clerk of the association. The trustees chosen were Henry Lehman, James Johnson, Constant Lake, R. B. Stibbs and E. Quinby, Jr.
The original grounds consisted of thirty-two acres and a fractional part of an acre, purchased of Joseph H. Larwill, the price to be paid being one hundred dollars per acre. Five promissory notes were executed and the fol- lowing persons agreed to assume their respective proportions of the notes the same as if they had been the original signers to them : Samuel Woods, John H. Harris, J. M. Robison, E. Avery, J. A. Anderson, E. Quinby, Jr., John McSweeney, Samuel L. Lorah, Thomas Stibbs, William Spear, William Henry, John P. Jeffries, J. N. Jones, J. S. Spink, J. H. Kaube, William Belnap, Benjamin Eason, Enos Foreman, E. Dean.
Superintendents were then appointed and the grounds surveyed and graded. November 13, 1853, it was ordered that a public sale of lots be had in the cemetery on the 25th of said month.
From 1852, when the original by-laws were adopted, there was but little change in the instrument with the passing years, but in 1904 there was a revision, but only on minor points.
The office of superintendent being in many ways of most importance of any of the officials, the list is given for the years since organization: Henry Lehman, 1853-54; Lucas Flattery, for same term; James Jacobs, 1854-63; Lucas Flattery, 1863-77; Isaac Bechtel, 1877-93; John F. Barrett, 1893 to April. 1909. The first president of the association was Reasin B. Stibbs, who served from 1858 to 1875.
When the "old part of the ground" was purchased it was in its primeval woodland state and glory. Since that time additional purchases have been made, materially increasing the holdings; many avenues, drives and allot- ments have been laid out with artistic skill; buildings have been erected in conformity to the requirements of the association; public vaults have been constructed ; a complete water system established to provide all parts of the grounds with a good supply of water; much grading to bring in closer harmony the various sections of the cemetery, without the least sacrifice of natural beauty and effect. In all there have been purchased ten different lots of land, making in all at this date eighty acres, which land has cost on an average of one hundred and ten dollars and thirty-seven cents per acre.
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In the summer of 1874 a residence for the sexton was built, the original cost of which was two thousand eight hundred dollars. Later five hundred dollars was expended on the place. Stables, tool houses and other buildings have been added. In 1884 a public receiving vault was made at a cost of three thousand eight hundred and forty-five dollars. In 1895, after mature consideration, a complete water-works system was planned. A two-thousand- barrel reservoir was constructed on the eastern side of the premises, and water pipes radiate therefrom throughout the cemetery. This cost one thousand five hundred dollars. In 1904 improvements were made, including the better heating facilities for the main house, near the entrance to the grounds and the erection of tool houses, etc., at a cost of one thousand dollars.
Among the many rules and regulations of the association, are these provisions : This organization is for mutual benefit ; the purchaser of a lot becomes and is a member of the association; the trustees are elected by the lot owners and receive no compensation; all monies received are expended on or for the grounds.
From 1853 to 1880 there were two thousand and thirty-one burials within this cemetery. Since 1880 the average number of burials here has been one hundred and sixteen, making (up to 1904) a total of five thousand two hundred and fifteen interments.
This beautiful cemetery is near the city to the southeast, and is one of the charming spots of this section. The landscape work of nature, together with the embellishments made by the various superintendents, makes this one of the most beautiful cemeteries in all this portion of northern Ohio.
In the northeast corner of this cemetery is to be seen a bronze fluted shaft, or column, about twenty-five feet high, surmounted by a life-sized bronze volunteer infantryman, with knapsack and musket. The monument is situated on a very conspicuous part of the grounds. Its west face has the following inscription: "Presented by James Mullins to Given Post, No. 133, Grand Army of the Republic, of Department of Ohio." On the eastern face of the base is this : "To the Heroes of Wayne County-1895." On the south is the badge of the Grand Army of the Republic, while on the north side is a Union shield. The column is planted as a pedestal on four huge base stones. By its side is an old cannon, mounted on caisson which saw service in one of the early wars, and the woodwork at present is rapidly going to decay.
Within this sacred enclosure-the city cemetery-lie buried more than
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three hundred and forty soldiers of the various American wars, the larger part of whom are from out the ranks of the Union soldiers of the great Civil war.
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
On the southwest corner of the public square stands a beautiful granite monument, with a drinking fountain attached. The whole is within a tasty iron enclosure, in which are placed two large sized Parrott guns (small cannon) with a pyramid of cannon-balls. In the center of the ground fenced in is a sixty-foot metal flag staff, made of tubing and painted white, from which on appropriate occasions is seen streaming to the breeze, "Old Glory."
On the north side of the base of the monument is this inscription : "Erected by Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Frick in honor of the Union soldiers of Wayne county and presented to the City of Wooster, May 5, 1892." Sur- mounting the monument is a life-sized statue of a United States volunteer soldier in the uniform of an infantryman.
THE METAL BAND-STAND.
On the west side of the southern portion of the public square is a metal band-stand of rare beauty and it is surmounted with a flag-staff. The whole structure is made of iron and steel, even the canopied roof and the posts which support the main stand. It is octagonal in form and here of evenings, during the summer months, the Wooster Band discourses music to the edi- fication of the throngs who there assemble.
THE WOOSTER BRUSH WORKS.
Perhaps the most important factory in the city of Wooster is the brush factory, established in 1851 by Adam Foss in a small room on the third floor of the building now occupied by Brandt's book store on the east side of the public square. The founder was succeeded by Walter D. Foss, a son of Adam Foss, and George J. Swartz, in 1876, who carried on the business of brush-making in the two-story frame building at No. 35 South Market street. On the night of January 20. 1880, the plant was almost totally destroyed by the torch of an incendiary, but within a week the business had been re-opened in a frame building adjoining Wilhelm's carriage factory, now Clapper's block and bag factory. In the summer of 1880 it was removed to the three-
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story brick building on South Market street, and later an addition was found necessary. In July, 1904, the partnership of W. D. Foss and G. J. Swartz, after twenty-eight years' duration, was mutually dissolved, Mr. Swartz re- tiring and Walter D. Foss & Sons' Company continuing as the Wooster Brush Works. In February, 1907, WV. D. Foss purchased the south half of the three-story building known as the Foss & Lee block, at No. 56 South Market street, and a portion of their plant was then moved there. In 1909 it was decided to have a whole new and complete factory and accordingly they now occupy the immense factory at the intersection of Madison avenue and the Pennsylvania railroad property. The building is seventy by two hundred feet, with a heating and power plant attached. This building has three times more floor space than both the old factories had. It is surmounted by a huge wooden tank holding twenty-five thousand gallons of water, for use in the factory and as a fire protection. Goods are received and shipped on a special spur of the railroad. The building was first occupied in August. 1909.
Almost every variety of brushes extant are here made. Their trade is almost world-wide and the quality of goods made is very superior. Scores of men and women find constant and profitable employment at these works. This in brief is the history of a business that has been in the hands of one family for over a half century.
WOOSTER NURSERY COMPANY.
Among the industries of modern days in Wooster is the nursery of the Wooster Nursery Company, which was incorporated in June, 1906, with a capital of ten thousand dollars, with the following officers and directors: T. E. Ewing, president and manager; Calvin Fry, vice-president ; Stephen N. Green, secretary and treasurer. The directors are T. E. Ewing, Carey Eelty, W. J. Griffin and William King.
It should be stated, however, that this nursery had been established as a private concern by T. E. Ewing in 1902 and that it had developed into a good paying business by the date it was incorporated. The land now cultivated and owned by this company is near the Experimental Station, near Wooster, and consists of thirty-one acres. Besides this fertile tract, the company also leases land near the high school building. They carry on a general nursery business and sell their trees and numerous plants, both locally and through- out the entire country, employing agents, and do an extensive mail order
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business. They reach out to many sections of the United States by catalogs. In the busy season of the year many men find steady employment, besides many more agents.
In connection with their general nursery business, this company also operates a large line of greenhouses and a seed and plant house in Wooster occupying two floors and a basement of a business house near the public square, one hundred and eighty feet in depth, in which they carry a full line of bulbs, plants and farm and garden seeds, sold in both wholesale and retail. This trade is carried to all parts of the globe, including Asia and far-away countries.
In the spring of 1908 this company purchased the J. B. Notestein nur- series at Jackson, a concern of more than a quarter of a century growth; also the following season bought the stock of the E. C. Green & Son nursery of Medina county, which added greatly to their business.
The benefits of the nearness to the Ohio Experimental Station can hardly be calculated, as their exhaustive and practical investigations and ex- periments enable the nursery to arrive at positive conclusions in regard to varieties best suited to customers.
THE PIONEER MILL OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Around the first and all early mills of almost any county there ever rests a wonderful amount of true history, tragedy and interesting legend. This is true indeed with the old Stibbs mills, near the present site of Wooster. This flouring-mill is now known, as it has been many years, as the Naftzger or Empire mills. It dates its building from an even century ago, built as it was in 1809 by Joseph Stibbs, who emigrated from Pennsylvania in 1803 and from Columbiana county, Ohio, in the spring of 1813, having been here four years before and erected a small flouring-mill and a log cabin. After his return he took personal charge of the mill and soon it drew custom from far and near, as it was the only mill within Wayne county and a large radius around depended upon its mill-stones to grind out breadstuffs for many a family. It derives its power from a race, drawing water from Apple- creek, the length of this mill-race being about a mile. In the history of the mill there have been three different races dug. The first two were just to the east of the present race and were not so deep. The present iace is sufficient to give speed to an eighteen-foot overshot waterwheel. The stage of water is fairly good most of the year, but at times it is too low, hence steam power
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was applied in connection with the water power a few years ago and now it is contemplated putting in a gas engine (possibly electric) and using the flow of natural gas that is now piped to a point a few rods from the mill. The capacity of this pioneer mill ( that long years ago was converted into a roller- process mill) is forty-eight barrels per day. It is now' the property of the Empire Milling Company, made up of local men, and is managed by Otto Riffle. It was purchased by J. R. Naftzger in 1866 from D. D. Miller and he bought the property from Jacob Kramer.
Could this old mill but talk, a wonderful history it might reveal of the early day toils and journeys made by pioneers from a long distance. It was here that occurred the powder explosion mentioned elsewhere in this volume, and in which accident one man was killed, including Indians. A carding-mill was added to the mill soon after its erection by Stibbs. James Miles, the first carder, paid six and a quarter cents for packages of wild thorns with which to pin up the rolls of wool when carded. Still later a woolen factory was built on the site of the carding mills, by the son, Thomas Stibbs. Still later a linseed oil mill was put in. This was, indeed, the busiest place for the whirl of spindle and hum of machinery in all this section.
Mr. Stibbs, the founder, died August 9, 1841, owner of one thousand two hundred acres of land on Apple creek, mostly in Wayne township. After his death and with the passing of several years, a distillery was built and operated at the same site, along the mill-race. The natural successor to this was the present brewery and artificial ice plant located near the mill property and which is among the paying plants of this section. At the old mill used to be carried on an extensive natural ice business. A large pond was made and the water run from the race was allowed to freeze, thus producing a fine grade of ice, which was packed in two large ice houses near the pond.
Thus has been kept intact one of Wayne county's oldest landmarks. The waters of Apple creek have thus found their way to the far-away ocean and back through cloud and rivulet to again turn the "old water mill" for more than a hundred years. Four generations have been supplied with bread from the bolting chest of this mill, which has kept pace with modern flour-making improvements and today sends forth an excellent brand of family flour that finds a ready sale within Wayne county, where it is nearly all consumed.
SNOWFLAKE FLOURING-MILLS.
These flouring-mills, on the corner of Bever and East Liberty streets. were established as the old-fashioned buhr-stone mills in the fifties. With the passing of the decades, and the improvement in the manufacture of flour.
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the machinery was gradually changed to meet the requirements of the times and in 1879 they were the property of Plank Brothers, who continued until it became known as Plank & Gray's mills. In April, 1909, it changed to Gray & Smith, the present owners, Charles M. Gray and A. G. Smith. These modern process-roller mills have a daily capacity of one hundred and thirty- five barrels, which is all sold within one hundred miles of Wooster. The sales of "Snowflake" run about six thousand fifty-pound sacks per week. The steam power was superseded in 1907 by natural gas engines as a propelling power. These mills have the best local trade of any mills in northern Ohio.
OTHER INDUSTRIES.
The printing art and industry is well represented at Wooster. The two daily newspapers both do an excellent job printing business, besides the Col- lier Printing Company, on Bever and North streets, and the George A. Clapper printing establishment, on East Liberty street. The latter was founded in 1879 as a straight printery, but in about 1898 added another department, that of manufacturing and printing salt pockets or bags, the whole of which monthly output is sold in advance to the Wadsworth Salt Company, of Wads- worth, Ohio. This has come to be a very extensive business.
Wooster Artificial Ice and Brewing Company; Wooster Brick and Shale Works; the Gerstenslager Carriage and Wagon Company ; Dishwasher fac- tory; Wooster Preserving Company; overall factory and numerous other lesser industries are all found doing an extensive business in their special lines at this date.
From the first settlement of Wooster, the chief industries up to about 1840 were the numerous tanneries and distilleries located in and near to the town. Liquor then had no internal revenue upon it and was sold at low fig- ures-as low as seventeen cents per gallon. Tanning skins and hides was almost indispensable, for leather had to be made, as transportation was high and markets far away. These tanneries have long since gone out of business and leather is made under the "trust" system largely, in the great leather centers of the country, as well as the shoes and harness made from it.
'WIDOW BLOCKHOUSE" GETS MARRIED.
Among the stories handed down from "ancient days" in Wooster is this: At the north end of town stood the old block house, in which at the time narrated about there lived an old lady the men had nicknamed "Widoiv
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Blockhouse." Suddenly she surprised the community by announcing that she had concluded to doff her mourning and take to herself another hus- band in the person of an old fellow who had neither money nor home. This was "fun for the boys" of that period, and they made Widow Blockhouse's marriage an extra occasion, which event must here pass into the history of Wooster and Wayne county. All the jovial spirits of the settlement were present on the evening of the wedding. It was a lively occasion. Squire McClarran, an inveterate joker, performed the ceremony with the greatest solemnity. In the beginning, after a few remarks on matrimony in general and this case in particular, he asked if there was any one present who had objections to this lovely couple "renewing their hearts" in mar- riage, whereupon a gentleman impressively arose and in a most compli- mentary manner withdrew all of his claims upon the affections of the bride. Then another arose, and another, until all had made remarks and given his consent to the marriage, it being very evident from their words that they all felt they had a sort of personal claim upon the affianced charming ( ?) widow, but felt forced to give way to a more favored suitor. The ceremony concluded, the Squire ordered every man in the room to kiss the bride. This was complied with by all until it came to the last man, who resided in Wooster many long years after that laughable event, and who emphatically refused, saying, "I will be d-d if that is not asking too much !"
BIOGRAPHIES OF WOOSTER'S FOUNDERS.
The attention of the reader of this volume is respectfully called to the two biographical sketches of the founders of Wooster, John Bever and William Henry, which occur in the biographical part of this work. That of Mr. Larwill is not in the possession of the historian, as he failed to supply the proper material in his lifetime.
BANKS OF WOOSTER.
With the settlement of every new country, the matter of banks has always been of much importance to the citizens. While they at first had but little money to deposit, if indeed any, yet at times the bank was a neces- sary adjunct to the settlement and development of the country. Here in Wayne county at first all kinds of commodities went current for money. Barter was the currency of the times-pelts, skins, furs, grain, produce, and even whisky was as good to the settler who chanced to possess it as money is today.
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The first banking house of the county was established in 1816 and known as the German Bank of Wooster. T. J. Jones was its president and IV. Larwill cashier. For a time it operated without a charter and its ex- istence was of short duration.
In 1834 the Bank of Wooster was established, with J. S. Lake as presi- dent and Benjamin Bentley as cashier. This bank suspended in the month of March, 1848.
The Wayne County Branch of the State Bank of Ohio was organized in February, 1848. D. Robison, Sr., was president until January, 1858, and Isaac Steese from 1858 until the expiration of its charter in 1865. E. Quinby. Jr., being cashier from its organization until its close in 1865.
The Wayne County National Bank was organized in January, 1865, with R. R. Donnelly, president, and E. Quinby, Jr., cashier. In January, 1874, Harrison Armstrong was made president and held the position until his death, in 1876; E. Quinby, Jr., serving as cashier. The original cap- ital was seventy-five thousand dollars, with the option of enlarging to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. At present this banking house is among the solid institutions of Wayne county and operates under a capital of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It occupies a massive brick bank build- ing on the west side of the public square, the same having been erected in 1905. The present officers of this bank are: J. S. R. Overholt, president ; Frank Taggart, vice-president ; John M. Criley, cashier. Its deposits are four hundred thousand dollars. The new bank building stands on the old site of the bank as originally organized in 1848, and includes twenty feet front, purchased when the new structure was built, making the banking rooms spacious and up-to-date in every particular.
The Exchange Bank began business in April, 1854, under the style of Sturges, Stibbs & Company, as a private banking house, and in 1863 it was changed to Stibbs, Hanna & Company. Later it was changed to J. H. Kauke & C. S. Frost. This bank is not now in business.
The National Bank of Wooster was brought into existence as follows : The private banking company of Bonewitz, Emrich & Company was organ- ized in the spring of 1865, by S. R. Bonewitz, T. S. Johnson, M. W. Pink- erton, G. P. Emrich, John Bechtel and C. H. Brown, with a cash capital of twenty-five thousand dollars. In April, 1865, it opened its doors for banking business and operated successfully until 1868, when it was reorganized as the Commercial Bank of Wooster, with a capital of seventy-five thousand dollars. Its officers then were: President. T. S. Johnson; cashier, S. R. Bonewitz ; teller, C. V. Hard; directors, T. S. Johnson, S. R. Bonewitz, G. P. Emrich,
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D. Robison, Jr., M. W. Pinkerton. Mr. Johnson resigned April 10, 1868, and Mr. Emrich was chosen, and continued president until the bank ceased to exist. July 22, 1869, Mr. Bonewitz, cashier, resigned and C. V. Hard was appointed assistant cashier, retaining such position during the life of the institution. In November, 1871, the shareholders of the Commercial Bank were granted a charter for the National Bank of Wooster with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. November 29th the books were opened for subscriptions, and the same day the amount of capital stock was taken. G. P. Emrich, D. Robison, Jr., M. Welker, J. Zimmerman, G. B. Smith, J. S. Hollowell and W. Barton were chosen directors, to serve until January 2, 1872, the day the bank began business. The officers were: Presi- dent, David Robison, Jr .; vice-president, G. P. Emrich ; cashier, C. V. Hard; teller, Will Emrich, a position vacated in 1876 by T. E. Peckinpaugh, to become one of the proprietors of the Wayne County Democrat.
In the panicky days of finance in 1904, and because of suspicious actions on the part of some of the bank's officials, the government sent an inspector on from Washington, examined the accounts, appointed a receiver and finally closed up this banking house permanently. The president and cashier, who were also interested in a large drug store in Wooster, and which had much to do with the closing of the bank, were finally tried and sentenced to sev- eral years in the penitentiary of Ohio. One is still in that institution. The stockholders made good the loss of money to the depositors, which act ruined some of the stockholders financially. Had the bank inspector waited a reasonable length of time, it is believed that the matter might have been adjusted and the bank's doors not closed for all time. But the majesty of the law must be upheld, and some one had to be the loser. The bank was closed for business November 23, 1904.
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