USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 16
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Regular stage service between Dayton and Columbus was followed in May, 1827, with the Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Portland, or Lake Erie, line of mail coaches, which completed the trip in four days. Beginning June 25th. the coaches were started daily, before that the service having been tri-weekly. The fare was: from Cincinnati to Dayton, three dollars ; to Columbus six dollars ; to the lake twelve dollars. H. G. Phillips and Timothy Squier of Dayton, were
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two of the seven proprietors. In 1828 twenty regular coaches arrived in Dayton each week, coming from all directions. The place of arrival and departure for a number of these coaches was the National hotel, opened in 1828 by Timothy Squier, the name being changed to the Voorhees house twenty years later. The original entrance was where the Third street entrance to the Beckel house now is. The corner to the east was occupied by a residence.
MAD RIVER BRIDGE.
As a ferry could not be established on Mad river, on account of the swift- ness of the current, the first bridge erected in the vicinity of Dayton was erected over that stream. In 1814 Mr. Cooper obtained a charter for building a bridge over Mad river, but no further steps were taken. January 27, 1816, a meeting was held at Colonel Grimes' tavern to take measures for building a bridge across Mad river at the Staunton road ford. The plan fell through and the next year the bridge was built by the county. It was built where Taylor street now is, over the channel that was then just south of where Monument avenue now is. It was not a covered bridge and was painted red. It consisted of a single span of one hundred and sixty feet, several feet higher at the center than at the abut- ments. Though not entirely finished, it was opened for use in 1817. In 1828 the bridge fell into the river, but was at once rebuilt.
BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE.
The company for building the Bridge street bridge was incorporated Jan- uary 20, 1817, the incorporators being Robert Patterson, Joseph Peirce, Daniel Reid, H. G. Phillips, James Steele, George S. Houston, William George and William King. Nathan Hunt, of Hamilton, was the contractor. The bridge, which was a toll bridge, was opened for use in January 1819. It consisted of two spans, was a covered bridge and was painted red. It was regarded by the people with great satisfaction. In 1852 it was washed away by high water and in 1856 another wooden bridge took its place. The toll was a marked reduction from ferry rates-loaded wagon and team, twelve and one-half cents; empty wagon and team, six and one-fourth cents; two-wheeled carriage, six and one- fourth cents ; man and horse three cents ; persons on foot, two cents. Soon after the completion of the bridge a road was laid out to the west from the north end of the bridge, then south across Wolf creek and continuing to the old Eaton road in the neighborhood of Germantown street. Thus the bridge was to be an outlet for travel west and south as well as north.
CANAL BRIDGES.
At the first, there were bridges across the canal at east Third street, Jefferson street, and at Fifth street, but as late as 1836, the question was just being raised as to permanent bridges across the basin at Third street and across the canal at Main and other streets. Later, stone arch bridges were built at Second, Third, Fifth, Jefferson, and Main streets.
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STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
In 1827, a great benefit came to Dayton through the town's obtaining the gravel removed in the excavating of the basin for paving streets and filling de- pressions and strengthening levees. August 27th, an agreement was entered into on the part of the town with the contractors in charge of the excavating of the basin, whereby two-thirds of all the gravel removed was to be placed on the streets east of Wilkinson street and between First and Fifth streets, and in rais- ing and strengthening the embankment at the head of Mill street, the cost to be eight and one-half cents per cubic yard. The residue of the gravel was to be used at the same price in filling the deep depression extending from the head of Mill street to near the corner of St. Clair and Second streets, and thence toward the canal at Fifth street, or at ten cents per yard in continuing the paving .of streets.
FLOODS AND LEVEES.
The rivers on the banks of which Dayton has been built, while the original in- ducement leading to the fixing of the town site, and while in the past and for the future a source of great advantage, have menaced even the existence of the town, and made necessary the building of extensive levees. The first levees built were built by Mr. Cooper at the head of Mill street, from which point on the Mad river a flood channel ten or fifteen feet deep led by a winding course to the Miami at the foot of the fair-ground hill. Some of the earliest expenditures of the town were for building dams and building and strengthening levees at this point. Agreements were entered into between the select council and D. Z. Cooper by which they worked together in protecting this weak point on the water front.
Between the time of the great flood of 1805 and the year 1830, the most dam- aging floods were in August, 1814, and January, 1828. Before Mr. Cooper's death in 1818, he had given Silas Broadwell, the proprietor of Broadwell's ware- house at the head of Wilkinson street, land as pay for building a levee west and south from Wilkinson street. The flood of 1828 broke through or passed around all levees, swept away Broadwell's warehouse and carried away or injured manv bridges.
FIRES AND FIRE-FIGHTING.
Colonel Patterson's gristmill, fulling mill and two carding machines were de- stroyed by fire in 1815. The mills were rebuilt the next year, the new stone grist- mill standing till it became a venerable landmark. Cooper's mills were destroyed in 1820, and four thousand bushels of wheat and two thousand pounds of wool de- stroyed. The mills were soon afterward rebuilt by the executors of Cooper's estate. Prompted by this great calamity, the town council provided ladders which were hung on the outside of the market house, and passed an ordinance requiring each householder to provide himself with two leather buckets, with his name painted thereon in white letters, and to keep them in some place easily accessable in case of fire. In November, 1824, another costly fire occurred. In the spring of the following year, council placed a sufficient amount of money in the hands of H. G. Phillips to enable him to purchase a fire engine in Philadelphia. It was
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hauled overland to Pittsburg, and thence shipped down the Ohio in a steamboat, and was brought from Cincinnati to Dayton in a wagon, reaching its destination in the spring of 1826. It had to be filled with buckets and the water was thrown on the fire through a short piece of hose, the force being applied by the turning of a crank.
JAILS.
The log jail of 1804 proving no longer suitable or adequate, the contract for building a new jail at the same place on the rear of the court house lot facing Third street was let at public auction July 27, 1811, to James Thompson for the sum of two thousand one hundred and forty-seven dollars and ninety-one cents. The jail was completed in December 1813. It was eighteen by thirty-two feet and built of rubble-stone. It was two stories high with shingle roof. A hall ran through the center of the building, the sheriffs residence being on the west side and the prison being on the east side. There were three cells in each story, those above being more comfortable than those below and designed for debtors, women and minor offenders. As the cells came entirely to the front of the building, they were liable to interference from without. At one time, four prisoners escaped by breaking up the floor and tunneling out through the sidewalk.
In 1818, the contract for a new stone jail was given to Aaron Baker, the contract price being three thousand six hundred dollars. After the contract was let, the commissioners agreed with Mr. Baker on the adding of a brick kitchen to the rear of the jail. The jail was finished in 1819. All of the front of the building was for a residence for the sheriff and back of the residence part were the cells.
COUNTY OFFICES.
The old court house proving inadequate to the growing demands of the county, the contract for a building known as the county offices was let in 1816, the build- ing being completed the following year. The building stood between the original court house and the Main street alley. As at first contracted for, it was to be of brick, forty-six feet front and twenty feet deep and one story high, the cost being one thousand two hundred and forty-nine dollars. It was provided, however, that the county commissioners could have a second story added at simply the ex- pense of the additional walls required. In harmony with this provision, the building as at first erected was a two-story building. The first idea was that the second story might be rented as a hall. It was later, a part of the time, rented for other purposes. After the tearing down of the original court house in 1846, and before the completion in 1850 of what we now call the "old court house" the county offices building was used for most county purposes.
DIVERSIONS.
Shows were few, and sometimes consisted in the exhibition of a single animal, for example, a lion or an elephant, in Colonel Reid's barnyard. A theatrical per- formance was given in the house of William Huffman on St. Clair street in 1816.
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Circuses came later and few in number. Horse racing on different tracks about the town was more common. In 1830 a "locomotive engine" drawing cars in which persons on paying a fee were to ride was exhibited in the Methodist church. Hunting and fishing both for pleasure and profit had yet a tempting field. Deer, wild turkeys, pheasants and wild ducks were within easy reach. In a squirrel hunt in Montgomery county in 1822, one thousand squirrels were killed.
SOCIAL AND MORAL FEATURES.
The life of the pioneers was such as to bring them into constant contact, apart from all specially planned occasions, and special organizations. Their associa- tions were largely in connection with serious employments.
In July, 1815, two societies of men were formed-the Moral society and the so- ciety of Associated Bachelors. The object of the first named organization was "the suppression of vice and immorality, Sabbath-breaking and swearing, to assist, magistrates in the faithful discharge of their duties, but not to exercise a censori- ous authority over individuals."
James Hanna was elected president and George S. Houston, secretary. The society kept up its organization for a number of years. It held its meetings four times a year.
George S. Houston was president of the society of Associated Bach- elors and Joseph John was secretary. The fact that the society's meetings were usually in Strain's tavern does not show that its members were given up to conviviality. It was a source of some merriment when, three months after the organization of the society, Mr. Houston, the president, was married to "the amiable Miss Mary Foreman," and a little later Joseph John, the secretary, was married to Miss Jane Waugh. Their immediate successors were Dr. John Steele, president and Alexander Grimes, secretary, both of whom soon deserted the ranks of bachelors.
BENEVOLENT AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Dayton Female Charitable and Bible society was formed at the house of Mrs. Henry Brown April 12, 1815. Members were to contribute one dollar per annum to a fund for the purchasing of Bibles to be gratuitously distributed, and twenty-five cents every three months to a charitable fund for relieving the sick and the needy. The officers of the society were the following: President, Mrs. Rob- ert Patterson; vice president, Mrs. Thomas Cottom; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Dr. James Welsh; recording secretary, Mrs. Joseph H. Crane; treasurer, Mrs. Joseph Peirce; managers, Mrs. William King, Mrs. David Reid, Mrs. James Hanna, Mrs. James Steele and Mrs. Isaac Spinning. While the society ex- isted a charity sermon was arranged for annually.
The Montgomery County Bible society was organized August 21, 1822, at a meeting of which Joseph H. Crane was chairman and George S. Houston was secretary. Dr. Job Haines was elected president ; William King. Aaron Baker and Rev. N. Worley. vice-presidents ; Luther Bruen, treasurer ; James Steele, cor- responding secretary ; and George S. Houston, recording secretary.
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The Dayton Foreign Missionary society was organized in 1822. James Steele was elected treasurer and Dr. Job Haines secretary. The membership fee was fifty cents which could be paid in money, kitchen utensils, or groceries to be sent to the Indians. It would seem that the term "foreign" did not look beyond our own country.
A colonization society was formed November 24, 1826. The following com- mittee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purposes of the society : Aaron Baker, Henry Stoddard, Luther Bruen, O. B. Conover, and S. S. Cleveland. Two years before, twenty-four colored people had left Dayton for Hayti, their expenses being paid by the Haytian government. Their parting with their friends caused the greatest excitement. Most of them, however, soon found their way back to Dayton.
The Dayton temperance society was formed in February, 1829. William King was chairman and Dr. Job Haines, secretary of the meeting to arrange for organi- zation. The following persons were appointed to prepare a constitution and an address to the public : Aaron Baker, Daniel Ashton, Rev. D. Winters, D. L. Burnet, John Steele, Dr. Job Haines, H. Jewett, William M. Smith and Henry Bacon. At this time, there was a distinct awakening on the temperance question.
At first, the society had the general sympathy of the public, but when the purpose of the society began to appear in practical results, bitter opposition was excited. One of its effects was the clearer and more decided stand for sobriety by those who all along had been recognized as the leading citizens in the com- munity. Drinks were sold especially at taverns, but in the early period they could be sold anywhere, consequently there were no saloons. In the amended charter of 1820 power was given the town "to license all grocers and retailers of spirituous liquors, all beer, porter and ale houses and the same to regulate." The annual license fees ranged from five to fifty dollars. Licenses were granted by the council. The evils of drink were here and there present in their most distressing features, though in general they were lessened by the hardy employ- ments and virtues of the pioneers.
MUSIC, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES.
A musical society called the Pleyel society was organized in 1823 with John Van Cleve an accomplished musician, as president. In January, 1820, a call was made for a meeting for the purpose of organizing a musical society but it is not known that a society was organized at that time.
Schools were not neglected but, as being altogether voluntary, they were very irregular and unsatisfactory both as to facilities offered and attendance. They will be be described under the head of education.
Churches will likewise be given a special chapter though some beginnings may be noted here. The Presbyterians after the sale of their log church in 1805, held their meetings at Newcom's tavern, the academy building, the court house and other places, till 1817, when they occupied their new brick church where the First Presbyterian church now stands. In 1805, the Presbyterians loaned four hundred and twenty-three dollars and twenty-threc cents, which they had col- lected as a building fund, to the county commissioners who paid back the same
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in 1815. As a consideration for the loan they were allowed the use of the court house for their meetings.
The first Methodist meeting house was built in 1814 on a donation lot at the southeast corner of Main and Third streets, the building being on the rear of the lot, facing Third street. Before this time they had held meetings for the most part in the same places used by the Presbyterians.
The Baptist society, organized in 1824, built in 1827 a church on the west side of Main street between Water and First streets, immediately south of the alley.
The Disciples or New Lights occupied a union church on the west side of Main street between Fourth and Fifth streets just north of the alley. The church set in from the street a considerable distance. The Episcopal church had an organization, St. Thomas church, permanently formed in 1819, but no church building till 1833.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
The founding of the first Sunday schools is a matter of special interest. In the Watchman of March 6, 1817, there was at the close of a communication a query -- "Do we not need a Sunday school in this place?" The need of a Sun- day school for the poor and illiterate was especially urged. In July, the next year, the Dayton Sabbath School Association was formed. Rev. Backus Wilbur, who came to Dayton as pastor of the Presbyterian church in June, 1818, greatly encouraged the formation of the association, and till his death the following year was its chief inspiration. The first session of the Sunday school was held August 2d following the Sunday school meeting in the new Presbyterian church. Both the Sabbath School Association and the school were union in all of their features, and thus continued for at least eleven years, probably till March, 1830. But due to the place of meeting and to the fact that the managers and the mem- bers of the school belonged for the most part to Presbyterian families, the school passed into the character of a Presbyterian school. Any one could become a member of the Sabbath School Association by contributing twenty-five cents an- nually. Donors of five dollars became life members. The society was man- aged by ladies. The first board of managers consisted of the following ladies : Mrs. Joseph H. Crane, Mrs. Dr. Ayers, Mrs. Dr. Haines, Mrs. Hannah George and Mrs. Joseph Peirce. Mrs. Sarah Bomberger was the first superintendent and held the place for nearly twelve years. Mrs. George served for some years as secretary. From a report given in May, 1819, the character of the Sunday school may be gathered. The school was opened August 2, 1818, with seventy- eight children present. The average number of scholars for the first quarter was ninety-seven, for the second quarter one hundred and one. A majority of the scholars at first could not read. Those who could spell only in monosyllables at the close of the two quarters could read easy passages. Others who began with the alphabet could spell in two, some in three syllables. Scholars recited from memory hymns, catechisms, and portions of scripture.
Because of the connection of the above described school with the original proposition to organize a Sunday school, the above account was made to follow
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at once the first reference to the opening of a Sunday school. That school, however, was not the first Sunday school actually to be opened, as indicated by the following notice in the Watchman of July 30, 1818. "The Methodist Sun- day school in this place, which was organized but a few weeks ago, is at present attended by about one hundred persons, principally children, who are divided into classes. To each class a person is appointed who hears the pupils recite parts of scripture, catechisms and hymns, and gives them instructions. The har- mony and good order which is observed in this society and the flourishing state which it is in must be highly gratifying to its patrons and friends." As the other school had its first session on August 2d, this school must be credited with a priority of three or four weeks. The Methodist Sunday school was without doubt held in the Methodist church erected in 1814. The many Sunday schools now existing in Dayton may justly claim these two schools as the beginning and prophecy of the array of Sunday schools that we today behold.
NEW FACTORIES.
A historical statement as to some of the factories, taken in part from news- paper advertisements, will be of interest.
A Mr. Sutherland, in 1815, put some carding machines up. He was very in- dustrious, moral, intelligent and prosperous. He ran his machines day and night. He was universally respected. He would run his machine till I p. m., then a young man would come on, who slept in the same room, Mr. Sutherland awak- ing him. One night he awoke without being called and at once noticed that the machines were not running, and Mr. Sutherland was missing. No trace could ever be had of him and the mystery has never been explained.
In 1821, Emory, Houghton and Co., erected a nail factory near the Dayton Mills, which produced nails of the best quality.
As early as 1823, Samuel Shoup was engaged in making hats in Dayton, cor- ner of Second and Jefferson streets.
Another early hat manufacturer was Elias Favorite, in 1831, who continued to inanufacture hats 'till the style changed from stiff to soft hats.
William W. Brown was the first gunsmith in Dayton and carried on the busi- ness from 1823 to 1849.
Thomas Clegg came to Dayton in 1824 and erected a cotton factory, known as the Washington Cotton factory.
In 1828, Thomas Clegg and a Mr. McElwee started an iron foundry near Cooper's mill. Nearly all kinds of castings could be obtained at this establish- ment. This foundry finally became the Globe Iron Works, owned by Stout, Mills and Temple.
In 1827, Henry Diehl put in operation a chair factory, located near the court- house. Near the same place, P. L. Walker was manufacturing saddles, harness and trunks, as well as military accouterments.
At about the same time, Samuel Dolly was making coaches, carriages, gigs and dearborns, "according to the newest fashion or to order."
In 1828, Solomon Eversale built the first canal boat in Dayton.
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In 1829, J. Ridgway commenced the manufacture of Jethro Woods' pat- ent plow, who so informed the Montgomery farmers of the location of his factory, which was "just north of the Lancasterian Seminary, and in front of the State Basin." The farmers were allowed to take a plow on one month's trial.
In 1829, P. C. Hathaway commenced the manufacture of planes. The same year the trustees of the Cooper estate established the Cooper Cotton mill near the head of the basin.
In 1830, Brown and Darst commenced the manufacture of saddles, harness and trunks.
In 1830 the Dayton Basin company was incorporated, its purpose being to manufacture "cotton and woolen goods and machinery." .
SUMMARIES.
The present chapter will be closed by giving some contemporaneous descrip- tions of Dayton immediately before 1830. The following extract descriptive of Dayton from a letter written December II, 1827, by a person living in Dayton to a friend in New Jersey is of much interest: "There are six schools,-three with male, three with female teachers, one tallow-chandler, and two tobacco- nists. We have a market house one hundred feet long, and it is well supplied. There have been brought to it during the last summer and fall twelve to sixteen beeves a week, and other meat, poultry, and vegetables accordingly. The pro- ductions of the country are much greater than can be consumed. The article of butter is very great. One merchant has taken in and sent to foreign markets thirty-two thousand six hundred pounds within one year. We have pork in the greatest of plenty. I was employed last year in taking in pork for Phillips and Perrine. We took in upwards of eighty thousand pounds at one dollar and fifty cents per hundred. I started with it about the middle of February, and took it to New Orleans. This is the second trip I have made down the long and crooked streams of the Ohio and Mississippi. I shall commence taking in pork for Phillips and Perrine on Monday next, but I rather think I shall not take it to New Orleans for them this time, unless they give me higher wages. I went for them the other trips for fifty dollars the trip, the distance by water being over one thousand five hundred miles. I was gone each trip nearly ten weeks."
In a letter written by John W. Van Cleve in June, 1829, he gives a vivid statement as to the awakened life of Dayton. He says: "If you were to be drop- ped down in Dayton, you would hardly know it. The streets are all busy, drays running, hammer and trowel sounding, canal boat-horns blowing, stages flying -everybody doing something."
The description of Dayton given in the Dayton Journal of January 6, 1829, is so complete and yet so condensed that it may well be given in full. It was probably written by John W. Van Cleve, one of the editors, and is as follows :
"During the year 1828, thirty-six brick buildings and thirty-four of wood have been put up. The whole number of brick buildings in Dayton on the Ist of January, 1829, is one hundred and twenty-five-of stone, six-of wooden buildings, two hundred and thirty-nine. The dwelling houses alone amount to two hundred and thirty-five. The public buildings are a court house, jail, public
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