USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 85
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To the young men of the Dayton bar permit me to say that as Daniel Webster took for his model in English classics and oratory Edmond Burke, you can safely take for your model for professional integrity, untiring industry, high moral character and everything else that goes to make the great lawyer, the honored guest of this occasion, Hon. John A. McMahon. In conclusion, let us hope that the life of professional usefulness of our distinguished guest of fifty years shall
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be extended for many years yet to come .- The foregoing address was made several years ago, and Mr. McMahon is as active today in the practice of his profession as he was then, and it is the hope of his friends that his health and faculties will be preserved for still many years more. It is proper to say that Mr. McMahon's son and law partner, J. Sprigg McMahon, is possessed of the characteristics of his venerable father and now stands in the front rank of the legal profession.
CHAPTER VII.
COUNTY INSTITUTIONS.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHILDREN'S IIOME-MONTGOMERY COUNTY INFIRMARY- WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION-MONTGOMERY COUNTY BIBLE SO- CIETY-MONTGOMERY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY-SOUTHERN - OHIO FAIR ASSOCIATION-MONTGOMERY COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY-MONTGOMERY COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION-POSTOFFICES AND POSTMASTERS IN MONTGOM- ERY COUNTY-MISCELLANEOUS.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY CHILDREN'S HOME.
The Dayton Female Association, for the benefit of orphans, was incorporated in February, 1844. The association, by its charter, was empowered as a body corporate with perpetual succession to provide for the comfort, maintenance and proper education of destitute orphans or other destitute children. The associa- tion was authorized to purchase, receive, hold and convey such personal and real estate and property as was necessary to carry on the institution to any amount not exceeding twenty thousand dollars.
Through contributions by citizens of the county, land was bought and a small brick building erected for an asylum on Magnolia street. This was used as an orphans' home until the erection of the present home on South Summit street.
For several years the Dayton Orphan Asylum directed its efforts toward securing a sufficient sum of money to procure a home adapted to its needs.
This being accomplished, efforts were put forth to aid orphans as much as possible. Sixty orphans were received up to May, 1863, ranging from fourteen down to four children at any one time. The small number was due to the diffi- culty in securing individual subscriptions. An effort was therefore made to se- cure the united efforts of the churches of the city. Representation from thir- teen churches was secured.
Under an act passed by the legislature March 20, 1866, authorizing the estab- lishment of children's homes, the Montgomery county commissioners assumed charge of the children in the Dayton Orphan Asylum. On February 23, 1867, C. Herchelrode, Robert W. Steele and Dr. C. McDermont were invited to take the supervision of the institution pending the amendment of the law under which the asylum was being conducted. The amendatory act being passed April 10, 1867, on the sixteenth of the same month the commissioners appointed the same gentlemen trustees. Mr. Steele was elected president and Mr. Herchelrode sec-
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retary. In June, 1867, Mrs. Laura A. Hersey was appointed matron, and Dr. H. K. Steele, the attending physician.
On April 13, 1867, five acres of land were purchased on Summit street in Harrison township, upon which to erect a children's home and on June 15th the contract for the erection of the building was awarded for thirty-two thousand, eight hundred dollars. In July, 1867, four lots adjoining the home were pur- chased for five hundred dollars. The Children's Home was finished and opened the same year.
The Children's Home continues as a county institution and is under the con- trol of a board of trustees appointed by the county commissioners.
This was the first non-sectarian children's home in the state of Ohio.
Not only orphans are taken, but all children whose parents cannot take care of them, or who do not have the proper homes, between the ages of one and sixteen years. These are taken and cared for until suitable homes are found. At the present time one hundred and forty-one children are members of the home, of whom ninety-six are boys and forty-five are girls. The appropriation of money by the county varies according to needs, the expense for the year closing in 1909 being nineteen thousand, two hundred and seventy-one dollars and eleven cents. Of this amount, two thousand, three hundred and seventy-six dollars was for permanent equipment and repairs. The cost per capita the past year was one hundred and thirty-five dollars and fifteen cents. The present superintend- ent, Mr. F. O. Hartrum, has been in charge of the institution for six years. When he assumed control the attendance was between seventy-five and eighty children. Since that time the growth each year has been gradual up to the pres- ent average of from one hundred and forty to one hundred and fifty. Special care is taken to keep the institution abreast the most progressive movements in the management of such institutions. .
MONTGOMERY COUNTY INFIRMARY.
The county commissioners, December 6, 1825, advertised for a "site for a poor house." In April, 1826, they bought the farm of James B. Oliver, which embraced the southwest quarter of section 2, township 3, range 5 east, at ten dollars and fifty cents per acre. The directors appointed were Gen. Edmund Munger, Abraham Darst, John Folkerth, John C. Negley, Abraham Troxell, Henry Oldfather, and John Ehrstine. Gen. Munger was chosen president of the board at an organization meeting held the third Monday in June. The insti- tution was ready for inmates in July. The farm buildings already on the grounds were used for infirmary purposes, Mr. Oliver being the first superin- tendent. The expenses for the first year were three hundred and twenty-nine dollars, eighty-one and one-quarter cents.
The constantly increasing population of the county increased the number of paupers from year to year, until the first building was found inadequate to the demands. As early as 1831 the directors, with the consent of the county com- missioners, ordered the superintendent to erect a building of hewn logs forty by sixteen feet, which was done. The buildings thus erected from time to time for the growing needs were mostly of a temporary character and put up at a com-
OLD AND NEW COURTHOUSES
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paratively small expense until 1852, when it was decided to erect a substantial brick building. The contract for the building was given July 17th, the same to cost eight thousand, two hundred and forty dollars. The final cost, however, was stated to be nearly twelve thousand dollars. A number of additions were made later, including a home for the insane.
State law has made it compulsory for the county to move insane people to the state hospital. At one time as many as one hundred insane were cared for at the infirmary. The insane ward at the infirmary has been converted into a beau- tiful chapel.
Splendid improvements have been made in buildings and grounds during the past year ( 1909). The administration building condemned by the state board of health and also by the superintendent of workshops and factories has been torn down. Of the ninety thousand dollars appropriated for improvements, seventy-seven thousand dollars have been used on the buildings. All the build- ings have been overhauled and a new heating plant built. The acetylene plant has been replaced by electric equipment. The splendid new main building just completed is one of the finest of its kind in the state. The building is not only commodious and well adapted to its purpose, but is stately and impressive in its architectural effects.
The thirteen thousand dollars of appropriation money not used on buildings have been used for sewer, grading, macadamized roads, an artificial lake and beautifying the lawns. According to the report of Clerk V. A. Henkel, the infirmary fund now contains twenty-nine thousand, eight hundred and sixty- three dollars and nineteen cents. The property valuation is set at two hundred thousand, five hundred and thirty-three dollars, of which thirty-three thousand, six hundred and ninety dollars and fifty-two cents is in chattels.
Caring for each pauper the past year has cost the county one hundred and forty-six dollars and ninety-seven cents, and the total medical attention amounts to nine thousand, eight hundred and five dollars and eighty-nine cents. The total cost of keeping the place amounts to forty-two thousand, nine hundred and forty-seven dollars and seventy-two cents.
On the farm, comprising two hundred and forty acres, the pauper labor per- formed was valued at eight hundred and fifty dollars for the year.
The receipts of the farm have amounted to one thousand, nine hundred and twenty-seven dollars and twenty-nine cents. Tobacco and liquor, much of it for medicinal purposes, cost the county nearly one thousand, five hundred dollars. Nearly every walk and profession of life is represented.
The infirmary now has a capacity for five hundred inmates. There are now about three hundred and seventy-five. In hard times there is an increase, there being at one time four hundred and thirty.
The present trustees of the infirmary are: D. E. Heeter, C. Nieffer and V. A. Henkel.
WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.
The Central union, the oldest branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Montgomery county, was established about twenty-five years ago, fol- lowing a preceding organization which was in existence but a short time. The
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organization of this union, which now numbers over three hundred members, was followed by that of the West Side union and later by others, until at the present time the county has sixteen branch unions, of which ten are located in Dayton, and six children's societies, the Loyal Temperance Legion.
The Dayton unions are known under the following names: Central, East End, Edgemont, Francis Willard, Mother Stewart, North Dayton, Riverdale, West Side, Minnie Jamison, (colored) and Belmont.
All of the unions of the county are formed into the county organization of which the officers are: President, Mrs. Emily K. Bishop; Corresponding Sec- retary, Mrs. Sarah E. Wolf ; Treasurer, Mrs. A. Jennie Groby. Sixteen superin- tendents look after the various departments of work of the county organization, which has a membership of over six hundred and fifty.
The unions seek to educate the public to an appreciation of temperance prin- ciples by addresses in the churches, mothers' meetings and the distribution of literature. An effort is made also to secure the introduction of temperance text- books into the public schools. Efforts are made to secure favorable legislation in matters affecting the temperance interests of the city. In addition, the mem- bers visit the poor and sick, hold gospel services at the jail and work-house and in other ways relieve suffering and bring help and cheer wherever possible. All unions hold meetings twice a month to which the public are invited.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.
This society was regularly organized September 14, 1822, following a prelim- inary meeting on August 20th. The following were the first officers: President, Dr. Job Haines; First Vice-President, William King; Second Vice-President, Aaron Baker ; Third Vice-President, Nathan Worley; Treasurer, Luther Bruen ; Corresponding Secretary, James Steele ; Recording Secretary, George S. Houston.
For a number of years the society was very active, and was instrumental in doing a large amount of good. Later the need for its services came to be re- garded as less urgent. The last meeting of the society was held November 20. 1888, at which it was decided that the work could probably better be carried on by the Woman's Christian Association. At the time of discontinuation E. A. Par- rott was president and C. W. Dustin, secretary. The last act was to grant a pulpit bible to Rev. J. A. Payne, pastor of the newly-formed African Methodist church.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
In 1846 the legislature of Ohio created the "Ohio State Board of Agriculture" consisting of fifty-four members representing the several counties of the state, Henry Protzman being the representative of Montgomery county.
Years before this, however, the first attempt at the formation of an agricul- tural society in Montgomery county was made. The Montgomery County Agri- cultural Society was organized September 11, 1838, Col. Henry Protzman being elected the first president and Charles Anderson, secretary. The first Montgom- ery county agricultural fair was held in Dayton at Swaynie's hotel on East First street at the head of the basin, October 17 and 18, 1839. At 11:00 in the
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morning on the 17th about three hundred persons interested in the society marched in a procession headed by a band of music, through the principal streets to the hotel, where the anniversary address was delivered by D. A. Haynes. There was a fine display of horses, cattle and farm products. The wagon yard in the rear of the hotel furnished ample accommodations for the stock. The com- mittee on silk, Daniel Roe, C. S. Bryant, John Edgar, Peter Aughinbaugh, Charles G. Swain, W. B. Stone and R. M. Comly, awarded a premium, a silver cup worth ten dollars, for the greatest amount of silk produced from the smallest number of multicaulis leaves. This cup was offered by members of the silk company. Other valuable premiums were awarded by the society.
For several years fairs were held at Swaynie's hotel. The receipts were not large, sometimes not balancing the expenditures. When such was the case en- terprising and public spirited citizens usually made up the difference by dona- tions. The managers had as the principal purpose in view the development of an appreciation on the part of the people of the benefits of these associations and exhibitions.
In 1846 the officers of the association were: President, Col. H. Protzman; Vice-President, D. Kiser; Secretary, Robert W. Steele. At this time the place of holding the fair was changed. Three acres of ground were leased of Daniel Kiser, in North Dayton. For three or four years the fair was held here, after which it was discontinued, owing to lack of public patronage. In August, 1852, a meeting was held at the city hall for the purpose of reviving the association. At this, the first organization of the Montgomery County Agricultural Associa- tion under the laws and rules of the Ohio state board, the following officers were elected: President, William Brown; Vice-President, Daniel Thatcher ; Treas- urer, Robert W. Steele; Secretary, Oliver Kitteridge.
On October 21, 1852, a fair was held on the original fair grounds, Swanie's wagon yard. The treasurer's report for this fair was as follows :
Receipts.
Expenditures.
Membership fees
$271.00 Paid premiums $232.50
Entrance fees
80.00
Expenses 89.04
Donations 5.II
Total $321.54
Total $356.1I Balance in treasury 34-57
In 1853 the state fair was held in the bottoms south of Washington street, a county fair being held at the same place in October.
In 1855 ten acres of the present fair grounds were purchased, the fair being held for the first time on the present site in 1856. In 1859 additional grounds were purchased.
In 1860 and 1861, and later, in 1867, the state fair was again held in Dayton.
For a number of years a debt had been growing which finally reached such proportions that the county came to the rescue, purchasing of the association in 1862, twenty-two and eighteen one-hundredths acres of ground for five thousand dollars, and in 1866 the remaining tract of seven and seventy-two one-hundredths acres for six thousand, five hundred dollars.
The fairs continued to be a financial failure until 1873, when the last annual fair was held by the Montgomery county association.
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SOUTHERN OHIO FAIR ASSOCIATION.
The Southern Ohio Fair Association was organized in May, 1874, and gave its first annual exhibition in the autumn of that year. The association leased the Mont- gomery county fair grounds for a period of fifteen years. A large exhibition hall was built, also a machinery hall and other buildings. The race track was en- larged and other improvements were made at large expense. The first fair was a great success so far as attendance and exhibits were concerned, though the re- ceipts were not sufficient to meet the large expense incurred in making improve- ments. The attendance October 2d, when Goldsmith Maid trotted a mile in two minutes and eighteen seconds, was forty-three thousand.
The first officers of the association were: President, Charles Harries; Vice- President, N. Ohmer ; Treasurer, G. B. Harman.
Fairs were regularly held until 1880. In 1881 and 1882 no fairs were held. The organization was, however, maintained down to about 1889. The regular receipts failed to meet the large expense of the annual fairs. Racing, which in- volved large prizes, became the controlling feature. In 1890 the present Mont- gomery County Agricultural Society was formed under an act of the legislature passed 1889-90. McLain Smith was the first president ; the succeeding presidents were: E. L. Roe, John H. Patterson, again McLain Smith and S. D. Bear. The last named is the present president, having served for the past eight years. Wil- liam Ferguson served for a long period as secretary down to his death in 1908. He was succeeded by George K. Cetone, the present secretary. Following the organization in 1890 fairs were held for several years, though at a loss. Then for three years no fairs were held. Beginning with 1898 fairs have regularly been held with growing interest and success.
The aim of the present society has been to build up actual agricultural fairs. In response to their efforts the interest of the people of the county has contin- ually increased. The recent fairs have been successful in every way and have tended to promote the results for which the society was formed. Side shows and mere money-making devices are more and more excluded. The society has no debt. No county in Ohio has more convenient or eligible fair grounds than has Montgomery county. The directorate consists of fourteen members elected by the various townships and eight members elected by the Dayton city council.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
Three societies have had an existence under this name, or similar names, with longer or shorter gaps between them.
THE FIRST SOCIETY was organized August 3, 1846, under the name of the Day- ton Horticultural Society, with the following officers : President, Dr. Job Haines ; Vice-Presidents, Robert W. Steele, Milo G. Williams and R. P. Brown ; Secretary, John W. Van Cleve and Treasurer, H. L. Brown. There were also committees on library, fruits, flowers and vegetables. The society started out with high purposes and great enthusiasm. The first year the flowers and fruits exhibited were of marked excellence and in great profusion. The last entry in the records of the so-
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ciety is, "after the spring exhibition of 1848 no further proceedings were held and the meetings were discontinued."
THE SECOND SOCIETY was organized March 28, 1857, with J. H. Peirce, presi- dent ; J. W. Van Cleve, secretary ; Oliver Kittredge, treasurer and R. W. Steele, R. P. Brown and J. C. Fisher, executive committee. The membership numbered forty-four. Thus was launched the new Dayton Horticultural Society. No meet- ing of the society took place until June 20th, when "an exhibition was held in Beckel's new hotel building, corner of Jefferson and Third streets." The hotel building was not then completed. The only other regular meeting of the society was held July IIth of the same year.
THE THIRD SOCIETY was formed as the result of a preliminary meeting held at the Phillips House, December 7, 1867, Nicholas Ohmer acting as chairman and Dr. R. Gundry as secretary. At an adjourned meeting held in the council cham- ber, December 14th, the present Montgomery County Horticultural Society was organized. The officers were: President, Nicholas Ohmer ; Vice-President, Wil- liam M. Gunckel; Secretary, Dr. R. Gundry ; Treasurer, Robert W. Steele. Mr. Ohmer continued to serve as president till his death a few years ago. Then N. H. Albaugh was president for about three years when he was succeeded by F. W. Ritter, who was succeeded by J. J. Fromm, the present incumbent. Since 1904, Rev. D. Berger has served as secretary. A. D. Wilt, William Ramsey and F. W. Ritter each served a term of years as secretary. R. W. Steele, the first treasurer, continued to serve for about eighteen years. From 1885 the venerable John Ew- ing has been treasurer. From the beginning to the present time the society has never passed its regular monthly meeting. At the first, men only were members. Later ladies were admitted and social features were added. The regular meetings are at the homes of members or at some other place agreed upon. At the meet- ings a generous dinner is served provided in part from the baskets of members and in part by the generosity of the host.
Essays and discussions have a prominent place at the meetings. Reports are made by the various committees. Regular accounts of all meetings are published in the local papers, many of the same being widely copied in agricultural and hor- ticultural papers throughout the country. The New York Tribune, under the editorship of Horace Greeley, was glad to obtain the reports of the society for its columns.
The circle of topics receiving attention is large. John H. Patterson acknowl- edged receiving his interest in ornamental gardening from reading the reports of the society.
As fruit growers prominently connected with the society may be mentioned Frederick G. Whithoft, J. W. Rockey of Miamisburg, Lewis Stover, near Brook- ville, John Siebenthaler and N. H. Albaugh, deceased. William Longstreth, prom- inent as an orchardist, and William Kramer, prominent as a vineyardist, both de- ceased, are deserving of special mention. John F. Beaver, still an active mem- ber of the society as the result of constant experiment was successful in develop- ing the best varieties of strawberries anywhere found. The society continues in a flourishing condition and is a source of public benefit as well as of profit and en- joyment to those who compose its membership.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION.
The Montgomery County Pioneer Association was formed November 30, 1867. Pursuant to notice a large number of pioneers of Montgomery county as- sembled in the council chamber in Dayton, for the purpose of forming said as- sociation. The following persons reported their ages as follows: Henry Way- mire, born in Butler township, Montgomery county, Ohio, July 16, 1816; Gorton Arnold came to Dayton in November, 1817; Simon J. Broadwell, born in Morris county, New Jersey, September, 1813, came to Dayton in 1816; George W. Kemp, born in what is now Mad River township, in 1811; Theodore L. Smith, born in Dayton in 1808; George Swartzell, born in Warren county, Ohio, October 6, 1806, came to Montgomery county the same year ; William Stansel, born in Kentucky, came to this county in 1802 ; Robert W. Steele, born in Dayton July 3, 1819; Elias Favorite, born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1808, came to this county October 30, 1818; Josiah S. Broadwell, born in Morristown, New Jersey, April 4, 1816, came to Dayton September 16, 1816; Abraham Weaver, born in Jefferson township, Montgomery county, Ohio, March 8, 1808: Dennis Ensey, born in Dayton, March 21, 1808; Michael Byerly, born in North Carolina, No- vember 10, 1806, came to this county in 1808; William Gunckel, born in German- town, Ohio, May 9, 1809; Eddy Fairchild, born in Morristown, New Jersey, Feb- . ruary 19, 1810, came to Dayton in 1815; Moses Simpson, born in Essex county, New Jersey, September 5, 1793, came to Ohio in 1813; David Osborn, born in Hamilton county, Ohio, May 22, 1797, settled in Dayton in 1805; Culbertson Patterson, born in Fayette county, Kentucky, August 27, 1797, came to this county in 1800; Solomon Butt, born in Rockingham county, Virginia, May 3, 1803, came to this county in October, 1809; Charles H. Spinning, born in Essex county, New Jersey, February 5, 1793, came to Montgomery county in 1801 ; Henry L. Brown, born in Dayton, December 3, 1814; R. P. Brown, born in Day- ton, December 6, 1811; Beriah Tharp, born in North Carolina, September 15, 1798, came to this county in 1802; Peter Lehman, born in Frederick county, Maryland, January 2, 1798, came to Dayton in 1805; Samuel D. Edgar, born in what is now Mad River township, March 25, 1806; Ephraim Lindsley, born in Morristown, New Jersey, January 28, 1803, came to Dayton in 1811; George Olinger, born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1793, came to this county in 1811 ; Daniel Wertz, born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, December, 1781, came to Montgomery county in 1818; Joseph B. H. Dodson, born in Day- ton, September 10, 1817; John Waymire, born in Butler township, August 30, 1808; John Clark, born in this county, February 12, 1813; William Neibel, born in Rockingham county, Virginia, May 17, 1805, settled in Miami township in Oc- tober, 1810; J. D. Phillips, born in Dayton, December 30, 1812; Alfred Hoover, New Jersey, September 5, 1793, came to Ohio in 1813; David Osborn, born in born in Randolph township, August 10, 1809; H. D. Stout, born in Somerset county, New Jersey, came to Ohio in June, 1811 ; John Wiggim, born in Ireland, October 30, 1810, came to Dayton in 1818; Hugh Wiggim, born in Ireland in 1814, settled in Dayton in 1818; Levi Wollaston, came to Dayton August 6, 1816.
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