USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Memoirs of the Miami valley > Part 73
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82
Job Gard, a storekeeper with General Anthony Wayne's army, was the first white settler in this section, building his cabin and clearing ground in the fall of 1806 at "Upper Piqua" about two and one-half miles northwest of the present city of Piqua. It was at Upper Piqua that Fort Piqua was established by the British. In the spring of 1807 he migrated down the Miami river, and built a cabin at what is now the corner of Harrison and Water street. Other settlers arrived this same year including one by the name of Hunter who settled in what was first Huntersville. The land west of the river was included in the famous Symmes land grant and was barred from settlers at that time.
The first hamlet of Piqua consisted of seven log cabins occu- pied by Benjamin Leavell, John and Edward Manning, Alexander Ewing, Nathaniel Whitcomb, Armstrong Branden, Casper Hen- derschott and Joseph Porquette; and the first white child Elias, son of John Manning, was born in 1800.
In the summer of 1807 the first survey was made and John Manning was granted a patent deed by President Madison to 101 acres covering the land from what is now Wayne street on the east to the river as a boundary line west and north, and extending to what is now South street. Mathew Caldwell secured land to the west of the Manning section. It was also in 1807 the first wedding was celebrated when Benjamin Seawell married Martha McCorkle.
560
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
Washington was the first name given this settlement in 1808. The records show that Washington extended as far south as Syc- amore street, east to Harrison street, north to Green street, and west to Downing street. Piqua bore the name of Washington until 1816 when by the wishes of the people and an act of the legislature it was restored to the old Indian name of Piqua.
In the war of 1812, Gen. William Henry Harrison had quarters at Upper Piqua on the Swift Run creek, called Camp Washington. Blockhouses for protection from the Indians had been established ; previously one stockade house of logs had been built in 1811 about where Harrison street intersects Water street; one in Huntersville and one on what was afterward the old Turk farm west of town. At this time Col. John Johnston was the Indian agent here and by his tact and courage, kept the Indians well in hand, holding a num- ber of them on his land. There were about six thousand Redmen at one time under his surveillance and his success in keeping them neutral was the saving of much bloodshed in this territory.
The signing of the treaty of Peace between the United States and Great Britain gave the settlers a chance to return to the devel- opment of their little communities. With the organization of Miami county into townships in 1814 Piqua (Washington) was located in Washington Township, the smallest but now the most populous and wealthiest in the county.
In 1822, a petition to the State legislature bearing the date of November 7th was signed by 57 of the householders that Piqua be incorporated as a town. The list of the signers included Robert Young, John O'Ferrall, William McLean, Benjamin S. Cox, Alexander McClintock, Robert Bigger, James Jugrum, Jacob Lauder, William R. Barrington, Barnard Arstingstate, Joseph Ben- nett, Joseph Caldwell, John Orbinson, W. Johnston, John McCorkle, Phebe Shaw, John P. Finley, David Morris, Jacob J. Cox, John Heller, Joseph Sage, James DeWeese, Boyd Edinger, John Blange, Mary Donally, John Chatham, Charles Royal, Joseph Porquette, John Brown, William Perrue, Asa Dunham, William Royal, John Lorton, James Tamplin, William Julian, Nicholas Greenham and Nicholas Smith. These early settlers came mostly from Pennsyl- vania and Kentucky. In 1825 the population of Piqua had increased to 348 souls. 1
Additional territory was added to Piqua by a special act of the general assembly of Ohio, March 9, 1835, and John L. Johnston was elected the first mayor of Piqua. Robert Young was the first treas- urer and filled this office for four successive terms, the terms being for one year. Joseph G. Young was also town treasurer for several terms. An act incorporating Piqua as a city of the second class was passed March 19, 1850, and the first city officials were: Stephen Johnston, mayor ; M. H. Jones, recorder, and John Morrow, treasurer. By the census of 1860 the population was shown to be 4,616. When the Civil war broke out, in 1861, Piqua furnished seven companies of infantry of 104 men each, fifty of her men were in- cluded in the 8th Ohio battery, and the cavalry company mustered in Piqua became part of Co. 12, O. V. C. The Piqua lodge of the Grand
561
THE STORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Army of the Republic numbers today many of the veterans of the Civil war.
Huntersville became part of Piqua in April, 1892. This village, named after David Hunter, and also called "Shawnee," was on the east side of the Miami river to the south and east of Piqua. Nearly all of the original land had belonged to the Hilliards, who settled there in 1879. Their first mayor was L. C. Cron, elected in 1875; John W. Eley was the mayor at the time of the annexa- tion of Huntersville. This part of Piqua is now known as East Piqua.
Piqua today covers an area of three and a half square miles. Manier street is the last street at the south end of town, Drexel avenue is the last street north, Riverside drive (the old St. Mary's pike) skirting the canal and river, the last street east, and the Wash- ington pike is the western boundry. Statler's pike is the south boundary of East Piqua. Directly to the north and east of Piqua across the great Miami river is the village of Rossville, platted in 1840, and named after a man by the name of Ross who established a carding mill on that side of the river. In 1846 John Randolph had freed his slaves in Virginia and these came north and quite a little colony of them settled in Rossville, where their descendants are liv- ing today.
Piqua with her population of over 15,000 and extensive manu- facturing interests is easily the most important city in Miami county. Thirteen of the sixty miles of streets are paved, and a boulevard electric lighting system is installed. It is an attractive city with its many handsome homes, and the maple and elm trees that still beau- tify and shade the streets in summer. The residences are landmarks that have special interest. The old Ashton and the old Joseph G. Young homes on North Main and Greene streets are typical of the 1820 style of buildings, the Davies and O'Ferrall homes on Wayne street are types of 1830 to 1840 structures with their pillar con- struction of walls and boxing under the eaves. The seventies brought the Mansard roof as witness the Orr home and barn on Greene and Downing streets. After 1900 came the homes of L. M. Flesh, George H. Rundle and John P. Spiker. An elbow of the Great Miami river flows through the east side of the city and River- side drive glimpses some very picturesque spots on this river. Echo Lake, a part of the hydraulic system, is overlooked by some attrac- tive homes and Sugar Loaf island antedates Piqua history by thou- sands of years, being a conglomeral of the glacial Morain.
Fountain Park and the Chautauqua. Beautiful Fountain park, Piqua's playground for old and young, was made possible by the women's clubs. About twelve years ago Miss Martha Wood, daugh- ter of Mr. C. L. Wood, was on the program of the Fortnightly club for a paper on Parks and Playgrounds. And in looking into the situation in regard to Piqua, she found that the beautiful tract of woods on the hydraulic canal, in the extreme western part of the city, was to be divided, the timber cut down and sold, and the ground cut up into city lots. She made such a strong plea for the saving of the tract and making it into a park that the members of the club at once decided to take the matter up with the other women's clubs.
562
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
An offer, in the name of the women's clubs, was made to raise the money to purchase the grounds for a city park. They found the city council in sympathy with the project, and the city decided finally to purchase the tract of land, and the members of the women's clubs, by a "tag day," and in other ways, raised the funds to improve it. This was done so completely that Fountain park, as it was named, is now a delightful place, enjoyed not only by Piquans, but by people of this and adjoining counties. A wading pond, swings, and playground apparatus, dancing pavilion with bandstand, add to its natural beauties, make it an ideal picnic ground, and as such it is widely taken advantage of and here the Piqua Community Chau- tauqua meets each year.
Federal Building. The Federal building is one of which the citizens of Piqua may well feel proud. Built of Bedford stone with granite entrance steps, it is an unusually handsome structure of the Grecian style of architecture with Doric columns supporting the entablature. An original appropriation of $100,000 was made for this building in 1910, and an additional appropriation of $75,000 asked for in 1912 when this became a postoffice of the first class. A site was acquired on the corner of Wayne and High streets, with a frontage of 179 feet on Wayne and 147 feet on High street and ground was broken for the erection of a building March 29, 1914. The building was finished August 26, 1915, and the postoffice moved from its former location at the southeast corner of Maine street and the Public square under the direction of Dr. W. J. Prince, post- master from August 27, 1913, until his death, March 28, 1919. Wil- liam H. Flach, recently appointed, is his successor. The first post- office was established April 1, 1811, and officially bore the name of Piquatown. This name was retained until 1823 and was then changed to Piqua.
The Piqua Chamber of Commerce was organized in January, 1916, and James L. Black elected as the first president. Its quar- ters are in the three-story Boal building on Wayne street and occupy the whole second floor. In the building is an auditorium 70 by 30 feet which seats about three hundred and fifty and is used for meet- ings of the Chamber of Commerce and various office rooms stand for industrial, commercial and social betterment, supporting and developing its manufacturing interests, promoting good city government, and assisting every movement for the general good. The various departments of the organization and the chairman elected January, 1919, include civic bureau, J. L. Black; industrial bureau, M. H. Lytle ; membership council, Meyer Louis ; convention and publicity bureau, J. E. Bryan ; mercantile bureau, C. E. Lynch ; rural affairs bureau, E. H. Allen ; transportation bureau, J. F. Hub- bard. The transportation bureau retains the specialized services of S. D. Hutchins for routing shipments, etc. One of the feats of the Civic Bureau has been the removing of unsightly bridges across the old canal at North, Greene, High and Water streets and the con- structing of concrete culverts. The rural affairs bureau helps pro- mote good roads and assisted in establishing the Dixie Highway, War gardens, of which 126 were assigned to individuals and approx- imately $20,000 of produce raised.
563
THE STORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Co-operating with the Troy Chamber of Commerce the elim- ination of the dangerous road curve at Farrington between Piqua and Troy may be accomplished.
The mercantile bureau formed a retail board of directors, num- bering in its personnel the following representative retail merchants : F. E. Campbell, furniture; C. G. Fisher, leather goods; George Benkert, dry goods; Ray Woodcox, plumbing and hardware; George Higgins, druggist and C. E. Barker, men's clothing. This retail board of directors meets every two weeks and passes upon matters of importance to merchants.
The Piqua Chamber of Commerce was the center of war work activities. It took the lead in conducting all manner of such work. It was headquarters for the Miami County Liberty Loan commit- tees and was largely responsible for the success of the Liberty Loans in Piqua. The Red Cross headquarters was at the Chamber of Commerce.
The Piqua Fuel Administration, with Mr. Hutchins as secretary, procured for Piqua a sufficient supply of coal to prevent the closing of schools, churches and factories during the war-time shortage of fuel. The officers elected January, 1919, are as follows: A. Acton Hall, president; Ralph B. Sullivan, executive secretary ; August S. Clouse, treasurer ; J. L. Black, national councilor ; S. D. Hutchins, traffic manager. The board of directors are E. H. Allen, M. B. Orr, Leo Louis, J. E. Bryan, Meyer Louis, Ferd A. Beckert, W. O. Taylor, F. L. Marshall, Eugene Johnson, C. E. Lynch, M. H. Lytle, George Washing, J. F. Hubbard, J. L. Black, and the membership at this date is four hundred.
The original Piqua Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade was organized in 1887 and had its headquarters in the Wilson block, over the present location of the Miller-Baldwin company. Of this organization, Homer C. Nellis was president; C. L. Wood, vice- president, and Walter D. Jones, secretary. Among the directors were L. C. Cron, W. P. Orr, H. K. Wood, William C. Johnston and Lewis Leonard. This was a very active organization.in its day and the one which directly secured for the city the location of the Favorite stove works, the Cincinnati Corrugating company, the Piqua rolling mills and several smaller industries. The organiza- tion was also very active in securing aid for road and bridge im- provements, and, in fact, was a powerful factor in the affairs of the community. It missed "by an ace" the securing of the State Sol- diers' home for Piqua. When it came to determining the selection of a site, two members of the board voted for Piqua, two for San- dusky and finally, after some hesitation the latter city secured the casting vote. The organization also, on one occasion when the city council failed to act, took up the matter and went into court and secured an important victory in defeating an attempt to interfere with the city's gas supply.
Public Utilities. Railroads as a means for transportation were preceded first by the flatboats plying the great Miami to the Ohio rivers; a large Keelboat for this primitive method for carrying on commerce being built on what is now the public square. The second method of transportation was the opening of the Miami and
564
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
Erie canal for traffic between Piqua and Dayton July 6, 1837. With the active operation of the canal Piqua became a point of distribu- tion for the products brought in by wagons from the counties north and west of Miami county.
The Columbus, Piqua & Indiana railroad was the first brought through Piqua. Authority to use Sycamore street for this railroad being given May 17, 1851. This was the terminal point of the road until 1864 when the Richmond branch was completed to Bradford. Before that time the round house and shops were located at Piqua. It was the custom to detach the wood burning locomotive in com- mon use and attach the new-fashioned "coal burner."
This line is now a part of the Pennsylvania system, and Piqua is a station on the main line between Columbus and Indianapolis, just seventy-eight miles from Columbus and having a passenger service of thirteen trains a day. Extensive improvements were begun in 1912 and finished in 1914. The twenty-two feet of elevation of the track through the city, replacing the six miles of single track road with double tracks and the building of a handsome new station on Wayne street.
The Dayton & Michigan railroad first ran cars through, in 1854, from Piqua to Dayton. The D. & M. railroad was absorbed by the C., H. & D. and this road became a part of the Baltimore & Ohio System in 1917. Before the war Piqua had ten passenger trains a day, but is now reduced to six a day. As a station on the B. & O. it is eighty-eight miles north of Cincinnati and 114 south of Toledo. August 5, 1889, a charter was granted to construct the first electric street railway, the line to extend from Favorite Hill to the cemetery. In 1896 extensions were made through River street and Broadway to Ash. The city line now runs from the city limits on Favorite Hill to the cemetery and has been extended to South street. It is now owned by the Dayton & Troy traction line, this also gives Piqua a passenger service of twenty trains a day between Piqua and Dayton. The Dayton, Covington & Piqua trac- tion lines ran their first cars through Piqua in October, 1902, and this line gives a service of twenty trains a day. The Western Ohio Traction line, running to Lima and Findlay, was established April 5, 1903, and has a schedule of twenty trains a day.
Water Supply. The Piqua Hydraulic Company was organ- ized May 1, 1866, to build a hydraulic canal from Lockington to Piqua and the following officers and directors were elected : Presi- dent, G. V. Dorsey ; secretary, A. G. Conover ; treasurer, J. D. Holt- zerman ; directors, G. V. Dorsey, Stephen Johnston, A. G. Conover, J. F. McKinney, John O'Ferrall, W. J. Jackson, and J. D. Holtzer- man. The state had previously agreed to grant a supply of water for Piqua from the Miami and Erie canal which has its big reservoir at Lewistown, forty miles from Piqua.
A hydraulic canal from Rocky Branch to Swift Run creek was built and completed by the fall of 1870. May 22, 1872, the city took over the task of completing the city waterworks system. William Scott, William Johnston and Stephen Johnston were appointed waterworks trustees and this board was responsible for getting the interrupted work under way again. The present system was
565
THE STORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
completed June 16, 1876, and consists of four miles of hydraulic canal which leads to the pumping station, located on the corner of North street and Washington avenue. The canal connects with a feeder at Sidney and comes through Lockington where a basin was built on an acre of ground given by the state. There are three reservoirs or reserve basins for the local supply of water, one at Swift run, Echo lake and the Franz pond. These three reservoirs in all occupy fifty-eight acres.
Central Union Telephone Company. This company is now occupying its fine, new building, constructed this last year on Wayne street between High and Ash. Every detail to make this an ex- change of the very highest type has been attended to, both in the building and in the equipment and is now considered one of the most complete plants in the state. Regardless of the size of the city thirty-five operators are employed. This office serves 2,200 subscribers as well as those of Lena and Fletcher. The cut-off of the old switchboard in the former offices was made and the new board put in commission without any interruption to service at midnight on June 29, 1919.
Originally the Central Union Telephone company had its ex- change in the old Scott building, on the corner of Ash and Main streets. From this building the company later moved their offices to the second floor of the old postoffice.
The Piqua Home Telephone company was incorporated Febru- ary 6, 1899, by Stanhope Boal, W. A. Snyder, Henry Flesh, William Sniff, S. K. Statler, M. G. Smith, and L. M. Flesh. This company was taken over in October, 1917, by the Central Union Telephone company. Both exchanges were kept in operation until the cut-off to the new building.
Artificial Gas. The first gas company was organized by Joseph G. Young and A. G. Conover in 1854, and the gas works were built on River street between the canal and Spring street. In 1856 the city gave this company a contract to light the streets and this was the method of street and home lighting until 1889.
Natural Gas. A franchise was granted November 15, 1887, to the Mercer Gas & Fuel company to lay natural gas pipes through Piqua to the Mercer county gas fields. This pipe line was com- pleted early in 1888. The company was financed by the Brice- Thomas syndicate, in which William P. Orr and S. K. Statler were interested. The Dayton Natural Gas company succeeded this com- pany, this being followed by the Miami Valley Gas & Fuel com- pany, who have been merged into the Ohio Fuel Supply company. Its offices are now located in the Third Savings & Loan company's handsome marble front building on Wayne street. Frank C. Davies has been local manager since 1896.
The Dayton Power & Light Company has its Piqua office in the Boal block on Wayne street, and the power plant and central station of the hot water heating plant is situated on Sycamore street between Main and Wayne streets. Mason H. Lytle is the local man- ager and fifty men are employed at the plant and office. The system of the city heating was installed in 1901, but the generating equip-
-
566
MEMOIRS OF THE MIAMI VALLEY
ment has all been practically rebuilt since then and materially im- proved.
H. K. Wood secured the first Edison rights in Ohio, although Piqua was not the first city to have the electric lighting installed. However Piqua has the honor of being the seat of organization of the Ohio Electric Light Association of which Thomas A. Edison, Samuel Insull (president of the Commonwealth Edison company of Chicago) and H. K. Wood of Piqua were three of the five organ- izers in 1898, and Mr. Wood was its third president.
The Piqua Edison Illuminating company was the first electric light company in Piqua and the officers were: President, Harvey Clark ; secretary, H. K. Wood; treasurer, Henry Flesh. They built a plant at the corner of Water street and the canal and also furnished power to the first electric railway here. This company was suc- ceeded by The Piqua Electric Light company, whose officers were: H. K. Wood, president and general manager ; Henry Flesh, secretary and treasurer. In 1900, they built the original plant between Main and Wayne street just off the railroad. December 1, 1912, the Miami Light, Heat & Power company took over this company and oper- ated until complete transfer of the property was made in 1915 when it became part of the Dayton Power & Light company. The plant here also supplies St. Paris, Rossville and Fletcher.
The Piqua National Bank. In 1847 Joseph G. Young, one of the most prominent men of his time, active in promoting the suc- cess of every business enterprise of importance in Piqua during his day, was the prime mover in organizing the first bank in the city and was its cashier twenty-eight years until his death in 1875. It was incorporated as the Piqua Branch of the State Bank of Ohio, with a capital stock of $100,000 and Mr. Young personally made out the slate of officers as follows: President, William Scott; cashier, Joseph G. Young ; directors, William Scott, Joseph G. Young, H. W. Hughes, J. D. Holtzerman, Stephen Winans, Robert Young, L. R. Brownell and J. A. Schmidlapp. On March 13, 1865, it was nation- alized with William Scott and Joseph G. Young still president and cashier and Henry B. Greenham, assistant cashier; and its capital stock was doubled.
The first location was on the west side of Main street, at the present location of the Border City Building association. Later it moved several times before reaching its present location at the cor- ner of Main street and the Square. This present three-story stone- front building was erected in 1900 and was considered a model bank building of its time, but the business has so increased that much more extensive quarters are necessary, and a handsome new build- ing will be erected on the lots the bank has purchased at the corner of Market and Wayne streets, 90 feet on Wayne and 100 feet on Market street. The present officers and directors are: H. K. Wood, president; J. H. Clark, vice-president; John H. Young, vice-presi- dent ; George M. Peffer, cashier ; August S. Clouse, assistant cashier ; James R. Duncan, Wm. Cook Rogers, A. W. French, A. G. Rundle, L. A. Frazier, W. W. Wood, John W. Brown, directors. Its capital is $200,000; surplus, $200,000; undivided profits, $200,000, and its re- sources are over $3,000,000. This bank has been considered during
567
THE STORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
its entire career as one of the strong and stable financial institutions of the state.
Citizens' National Bank was organized in April, 1865, at the close of the Civil war, with a capitalization of $100,000. Its first offi- cers were: President, Mark N. Megrue; vice-president, William Megrue ; cashier, H. Clay Landes ; directors, M. N. Megrue, William Megrue, H. C. Landes, Stephen Johnston, Dr. C. S. Parker, Colonel Granville Moody, Samuel Wood. Dr. G. Volney Dorsey, one of the eminent men of his times served as president from 1867 until his death May, 1885. He was succeeded by General W. P. Orr, who held the office as president until his death, May 23, 1912. Henry Flesh then served as president, cashier and director until his death, May 29, 1919. The location of the bank building has always been on the northeast corner of Main and Greene streets. In 1882 a three- story stone-front building was erected that served until this spring. At present the bank is in temporary quarters two doors north of their old building, which has been torn down and a handsome new modern one story and a half building is in process of construction on the site of the old building and additional ground, the building next door north having been purchased from F. C. Davies. Their capitalization is now $150,000 and the officers are: L. M. Flesh, president ; W. A. Snyder, vice-president ; J. P. Spiker, vice-president, F. P. Irvin, cashier ; directors, L. M. Flesh, W. A. Snyder, O. J. Lick- lider, Val Decker, J. P. Spiker, Walker McCorkle Dorsey, George H. Statler, Alfred L. Flesh, F. P. Irvin.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.