USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > Pioneer period and pioneer people of Fairfield County, Ohio > Part 4
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In the year 1815 there came to Lancaster a bril- liant and ambitious young man. He had obtained an education under circumstances of hardship and priva- tions, that would have deterred a less ambitious man or one lacking his thirst for learning. Thomas Ewing entered the law office of General Beecher in the spring of 1815. He had previously read Blackstone. For fourteen months he applied himself to study, sixteen hours each day, and at the end of that time was ad- mitted to the Bar.
Mr. Ewing was for eight years prosecuting attor- ney for the county of Athens, and was for twelve years prosecuting attorney of Fairfield County, filling both offices at the same time. In 1831 he was elected a senator of the United States for Ohio. In 1840 he was Secretary of the Treasury and in 1849 Secretary of the Interior. Again in 1851 he was appointed United States senator by Governor Ford. This was the last public office held by Mr. Ewing. He then gave his at- tention to the law.
Mr. Ewing was one of the great lawyers of his time, or of any time, and in a purely legal argument before a court he was without a rival.
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
It is said of him, that he once addressed the Supreme Court at great length, criticising one of their decisions and prevailed upon the judges to reverse it.
The late Judge Biddle, of Indiana, said or wrote: -Mr. Ewing was one of the great men and great lawyers of this nation, second only to Daniel Webster.
Mr. Ewing was great mentally and physically. He was a man of splendid form, strong and very active. He died October 20, 1871. No man could look upon Thomas Ewing without admiring him, or fail to be impressed with his wonderful presence. He once entered the Supreme Court room at Washington, in the midst of an important argument. The attorney ceased to speak, and offered Mr. Ewing his hand, and one by one, each judge upon the bench shook hands with him before the attorney proceeded with his argu- ment. We are indebted for this incident to the late Major Johnson, of Piqua, Ohio, who was present in the court room at the time.
In the year 1825 Henry Stanbery came to Lan- caster and formed a partnership with Thomas Ewing, which continued until 1830.
Henry Stanbery was an able and popular lawyer, and he was generally opposed to Mr. Ewing on all the great cases of the time. He was attorney general of Ohio and of the United States. Mr. Stanbery was a polite and courtly gentleman ; he was tall and stately and a man of fine appearance.
H. H. Hunter, one of Lancaster's very distin- guished lawyers, was born here in 1801. He came to the bar about the time Stanbery settled here. He was a hard working patient lawyer and his reputation as an honest capable attorney grew with the years. Dur- ing the Civil War he was elected judge of the Supreme
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Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
Court of Ohio. He qualified, but for business reasons did not serve. The office had come to him without solicitation but he could not afford to accept it.
In the year 1855 the writer came to Lancaster from the farm to act as deputy sheriff of the county. Mr. Hunter was then 54 years of age and in the full- tide of prosperity as a lawyer. He was the leading lawyer at the Lancaster bar, and he was generally classed as one of the ablest lawyers of the state of Ohio. His business then, and for many years, called him from his home for weeks at a time. His children were left to the care of his wife at a period when they had most need of his attention and faithful care.
He met the writer soon after his advent in the town and said to him, "Why did you leave the farm and come to town? You have made a great mistake, the mistake that hundreds of young men make. I re- gret that I did not begin life upon a farm and pursue that calling for a living, like my friend Jacob Beck; I would then have been with my family and have lived a quiet unobtrusive life and would have been a happier man."
This expression of so distinguished a man as Mr. Hunter on the subject of the choice of a profession, made at a time when he was most capable of giving a calm and dispassionate opinion, is worthy of the thoughtful consideration of every intelligent young man. In the home and the pursuit of business, if that business is congenial, true happiness is found.
John T. Brasee, one of the four great lawyers of Lancaster, came to the bar here about the year 1833, moving from Gallipolis. He spent some years at Athens educating himself, and in the study of the law.
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
Mr. Brasee was an able, pains-taking lawyer, and was always thoroughly prepared when his cases were called. His recreation was farming and raising stock. He owned 1,200 acres of good land, and farmed it successfully. Mr. Brasee was an elegant gentleman, and generally, if not always, appeared upon our streets wearing a silk hat and black swallow-tailed coat. No better man or fairer man ever lived in Lancaster. No man was more thoroughly self-made. The only pub- lic office he ever held was that of state senator.
Wm. Medill came to Lancaster in the year 1833. He was a young lawyer of good education, and soon became prominent in the town. He soon drifted into politics. Became a member of the legislature, then a member of congress. He filled positions under Polk and Buchanan in Washington.
He was both Lieutenant-Governor and Governor of Ohio.
John Brough came to Lancaster in 1834. He was a lawyer, but preferred to edit a newspaper, the " Ohio Eagle," which he did with great ability. Brough re- sided in Lancaster about six years. His caustic edi- torials made him both friends and enemies. He also developed a fine talent for public speaking. His first fine speech to attract attention was made in Somerset, Ohio. In the heat of one of his great campaigns his first wife died. He had been posted for several days to speak at the court house. He buried his wife, shook hands with the pall bearers, and remarked: "I have discharged my duty to the dead, I will now discharge - it to the living." He walked to the court house and made an able political speech. One must read his paper of that period and understand the extraordinary personal campaign, of both parties in 1836 and 1840,
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otherwise the story of that speech would seem incred- ible.
Brough was not seen in Lancaster after 1840 for more than twenty years. He then as a candidate and as Governor delivered masterly and brilliant speeches.
John M. Creed, a son of the pioneer merchant, was a fair lawyer and a very brilliant orator. He repre- sented Fairfield County in the Ohio Legislature, and was chosen speaker of the House.
He was a delegate to the Harrisburg convention in 1839, and delivered a brilliant speech, nominating Gen. Harrison, of Ohio, for the presidency.
He carried the convention with him, and there was a scene much like that which greeted Ingersoll when he nominated. James G. Blaine, at Cincinnati. Creed was an apostle of temperance, and was the leading speaker in the great reform of 1841 and 1842. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and the super- intendent of the Sunday school. He died about the year 1848.
Darius Tallmadge was identified with Lancaster as early as 1833. He was manager and part owner of the great stage lines of Neil, Moore & Co. which were operated between Wheeling, Va., and St. Louis, Mo., with numerous branches. Mr. Tallmadge was one of the most brainy men in the business circles of Lancaster. A man of wonderful energy and industry, endowed with rare common sense and executive talent. It is hard to name a man to whom the early period of Lancaster is so much indebted as to Darius Tallmadge.
In 1833 the Union Hotel owned by Col. John Noble, and run by Gottlieb Steinman, was destroyed by fire. A company of citizens was soon formed and a new brick hotel arose from its ashes, and it was
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
called the Phoenix. In a few years Tallmadge pur- chased this building, enlarged and improved it and named it the Tallmadge. Mr. Tallmadge was presi- dent of the Hocking Valley Bank, the second bank established in Lancaster, and so continued until it was changed to the Hocking Valley National Bank. At one time Mr. Tallmadge owned a splendid farm of sev- eral hundred acres adjoining town. This he greatly improved and stocked with thoroughbred horses and cattle. During his active business career he was a very liberal man, contributing to every useful project for the good of the town, and liberally to the unfor- tunate. The career of but few men will be longer re- membered in Lancaster than that of Darius Tallmadge.
PHYSICIANS
Of the early physicians of Lancaster, Dr. Amasa Delano was one of the first to settle here. He came here late in the year 1800. Where he came from or what became of him we cannot state. He was a brother-in-law of Robert Russell, who was a merchant many years in Franklinton and Columbus, and who late in life moved to Tiffin, Ohio.
Dr. Wm. Kerr came here and began the practice of medicine in 1801.
Dr. John M. Shaug came here from Kentucky in 1801, but did not bring his family until 1806. He lived where the Columbian block now stands.
Dr. Ezra Torrence came here from Vermont in 1804. He lived here in 1815 and kept a tavern.
Dr. Robert Wilcox came here, an old man, in 1806. He had been an army surgeon in the Revolutionary War. He died in 1812.
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Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
Dr. Daniel Smith came here from Virginia in the year 1810. He was a member of the Ohio Legislature in 1817 and 1818. He returned to. Virginia and died there.
Dr. James Wilson came here from Virginia in 1804. He married the daughter of Thomas Sturgeon. He died in 1823, and a few years later his widow mar- ried John Latta, a prominent merchant.
Dr. William Irwin was. an early resident of Lan- caster.
Dr. Robert McNeill, the most prominent of our early physicians, came here at an early day from Del- aware. He married a daughter of Henry Arnold.
Dr. James White came here from Philadelphia about the year 1820. He became one of the prominent men of Lancaster and an able physician. He married a niece of Gen. Beecher.
Dr. M. Z. Kreider came from Pennsylvania, and settled first in Royalton, Ohio. He came to Lancaster about the year 1830. He was a fine surgeon and a man of rare intellect. He soon became one of the leading citizens, and a man of many accomplishments. He represented Fairfield County in the Ohio Legislature, was for several years clerk of the Court of Common Pleas; was very prominent in the great temperance reformation. He was a splendid conversationalist and a fine speaker. He was an enthusiastic Free Mason, and filled all the prominent or chief offices of that order. He was the first Grand Eminent Commander of Knights Templar of Ohio, and Grand Master of the order in Ohio at the time of his death in 1852.
Dr. H. H. Wait, a Virginian, was a physician of some note in Lancaster prior to 1830, and resided here for several years.
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
RELIGIOUS
The first minister to establish himself in Lancaster and gather about him a congregation, was Rev. John Wright, a native of Pennsylvania. He came first in 1801 as a missionary; later, he in a year or two re- turned and commenced the work of a pastor, and con- tinued in that relation until the year 1835.
. The first Presbyterian Church was built in 1823, a modest, unpretentious brick building.
The first Methodist to preach in Lancaster was Bishop Asbury, about 1805, in a school house, and in 1809 in the new court house.
It is probable that Rev. James B. Findlay preached in Lancaster as early as 1811, as he was on the Fair- field circuit that year. This was about the time the first society was formed.
Four sisters, daughters of Frederick Arnold, and their husbands, Peter Reber, Thomas Orr, Geo. Can- ode and Christopher Weaver, with Jacob D. Deitrich and wife, formed the first society of which we have any account.
The first church building, a frame structure, was built in 1816. James Quinn and John McMahon were the preachers then on the Fairfield circuit.
Rev. Michael Steck, of the Lutheran Church, came here in 1816, and took charge of a society that had been preached to occasionally by missionaries. He at first preached in the Court House, but in 1819 a church building was erected at the foot of Wheeling street.
An old Lutheran said to the writer a year or two since : " Rev. Steck and Rev. Wright worked to- gether like brothers."
In 1829 Rev. Steck resigned and returned to his old home in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He was suc-
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ceeded by Rev. John Wagenhals, who had a long and useful career in Lancaster.
The Baptist Church was organized in Lancaster by the Rev. George Debolt, who resided in Walnut town- ship. This was in the year 1817. Isaac Church and wife were among the first members. Rev. William White, the father of Dr. J. White, succeeded Debolt and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Car- penter.
There were Catholic families among the early pio- neers, and they were visited by missionary priests. The first church building was built and completed in 1822, at the foot of Chestnut Street.
The Dominican Fathers, of St. Joseph's, Perry County, Ohio, supplied the pastors of this congregation until 1839.
SCHOOLS
The schools of Lancaster during the early period of its history were taught by some very good teachers, and paid for by subscription.
James Hunter, brother of Amos, and grandfather of Frank and Elmer Hunter, of Lancaster, was in all probability the first teacher of Lancaster.
Miss Butler came here from New York State in 1812 and taught school. In 1813 she became the wife of Christian King, the merchant. Her school house (log) stood where Dr. Samson's office is now located.
Wesley Newman came here from Oswego, New York, in the early days prior to 1820, and taught school for years in Lancaster. A daughter of his is a resi- dent of Lancaster. Joel A. Parsons came to Lancaster from Maine in 1829. He taught school in Lancaster,
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
and was one of the first teachers to be employed by the new school board in 1830.
In 1830 the public school system of Ohio was in- augurated. Lancaster organized by electing Gen. Sanderson, Rev. Samuel Carpenter and Henry Dubble, three prominent and representative men, to the school board. Small houses were builit on Walnut and Chestnut Streets, and perhaps elsewhere. L. A. Blair was an early teacher in the public schools. Early in the history of Lancaster an academy was projected, a building erected, and the new school was soon put in operation. This was in the year 1820.
A Mr. Whittlesey was the first principal. John T. Brasee had charge of it in 1826. Salmon Shaw was its principal for some time. Judge Irvin, Judge Sher- man, Thomas Ewing, Gen. Beecher, Judge Scofield, Judge Slaughter, Col. John Noble and Gottlieb Stein- man were the principal promoters. Samuel L. and Mark Howe took charge as early as 1830, and managed it a year or two when the owners decided to close the academy. The Howes then built a frame structure on Mulberry Street, and for many years conducted a first- class school. The prominent men of Lancaster of later years received the ground work of their education in these two schools. John Sherman never attended any other place of learning, except when quite a boy, in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. In this connection, though not within the scope of this sketch, we mention Dr. Wil- liams, the greatest scholar and teacher of Lancaster. He taught the Greenfield academy at the time Howe's academy flourished in Lancaster. Dr. Williams was a great educator, and after closing his academy came to Lancaster and was superintendent of the union schools.
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Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
FINANCIAL
The first financial institution of Lancaster was the Lancaster Bank. It was organized and commenced business Aug. 30, 1816. Philemon Beecher was president for one year, when he was succeeded by John Creed, who held the office until the bank closed its doors in 1842. Michael Garaghty was the cashier during its existence. The directors who organized and managed the bank during its early years were Philemon Beecher, Elnathan Scofield, Jacob Claypool, Peter Reber, Charles R. Sherman, John Wliliamson, Jacob Green, Daniel Van Meter, William King, Richard Hooker, Benjamin Smith and S. F. Mac- cracken, all able, reputable men. Hooker, Claypool and Van Meter were large farmers and the leading men of that calling in the county. Van Meter was associate judge of the court, and Claypool and Hooker were prominent members of the Ohio Legislature. In 1827 this bank became the financial agent for the State of Ohio. It handled all of the money provided for the construction of the Ohio canals and paid the contractors. In 1836 but three other banks in Ohio made a better financial exhibit. For seventeen years this bank declared a dividend of 19 per cent. But reverses came in 1842 and H. H. Hunter, Judge Stukey and Jacob Green were apointed receivers.
THE GROWTH OF LANCASTER.
HE progress of Lancaster from a few cabins in 1800 and 1801 to a good town and in one hun- dred years to a fine city of 9,000 people was very gradual. The only communication with the outside world for thirty-four years was over the rough and un- improved road to the east - with deep streams to ford, often impassable, and rivers to ferry. The only outlet for produce was in wagons over this road to Baltimore, Md., and by flatboats down the Hockhocking and Ohio rivers to New Orleans. On this latter route several Lancaster citizens lost their lives. Before steam navigation these adventurous. men, after dis- posing of their produce, returned on foot or on horse- back through a wilderness infested by robbers. With such facilities it is a wonder that the town grew at all. The inhabitants were bold, enterprising men from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and New England, and they were equal to the dangers and hardships of the wilderness. Their clothing, their furniture, their food was produced at home, and their courage, their sacrifices and economy laid the foundation of a great and intelligent com- munity.
Josiah Espy, long a cashier of a Columbus bank, found Lancaster in 1805 growing very rapidly. There were then ninety dwelling houses, some of them very commodious. Property was high and the people con-
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Pioncer Period and Pioneer People
fidently expected Lancaster to become the state capitol.
In the year 1815 Dr. John Cotton of Marietta found Lancaster a flourishing town of eight hundred to one thousand inhabitants, surrounded by a beautiful and well cultivated country.
Kilbourne in his Gazette for the year 1818, says of Lancaster. "It contains between one and two hundred houses and a population of 600 to 700, twelve merchants, court house and jail, a Methodist church, one bank, one English and German news- paper, and numerous mechanics.
In his edition of 1829 he found ten large stores and seven taverns, first class for their time, two hundred and fifty homes and fifteen hundred inhabitants. A large number of the dwellings were built of brick. A new market house, with town hall and Masonic lodge above, four churches and good schools. An academy then in high repute.
In 1820 Lancaster and Hocking township cast 338 votes, of which Brown, the Jefferson candidate, re- ceived 328, Jeremiah Morrow 8, and General W. H. Harrison 2. This vote was for governor.
The monotony of life in the town was broken in 1825 when the citizens united in giving a compli- mentary dinner to Henry Clay. The last survivor of this banquet was the late Noah S. Gregg of Circle- ville, Ohio.
The Duke of Saxe Weimar, Germany, visited Lan- caster in 1825 and found it a flourishing town with a large woolen mill owned by Ring and Rice. He met Judge Sherman, one of the most respectable inhabi- tants of the place. He was invited to tea and met with very agreeable society.
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
As early as 1834 there was a public library in Lancaster. Messrs. Ewing, Wm. J. Reese, Dr. Rob- ert McNeill, John T. Brasee, Hocking H. Hunter, Dr. M. Z. Kreider, George Reber, P. Van Trump, Henry Stanbery, William Medill and Samuel F. Maccracken were the directors. In 1833 the people of Lancaster petitioned the Legislature for a charter for a railroad down the Hocking valley to Parkersburg, Va. This road was to connect with the Lateral Canal at Lancaster. This was thirty years prior to the char- ter of the present H. V. railroad.
The Lateral Canal was completed in 1834 connect- ing Lancaster with the Ohio Canal at Carroll, giving Lancaster unbroken water communication with New York. From this date Lancaster grew and prospered. She emerged from the pioneer period a good solid town, her lawyers and great merchants gave her fame and position and her prosperity was then on- ward and upward. In a few years the Hocking Canal was completed to Athens; the Zanesville and Mays- ville turnpike was completed in 1840 or 1842 Later on came the Cincinnati, Wilmington and Zanesville railroad and the Hocking Valley railroad.
Fine school houses were built and fine churches pointed their spires heavenward in various parts of the town.
A few factories sprang up and some of them prospered. Finally, natural gas was discovered, the greatest boon in the history of Lancaster. This brought other factories and many new and enterpris- ing people, and Lancaster reached the century mark with nine thousand inhabitants. A handsome little city, with brick-paved streets, fine water works, and a paid and well equipped fire department.
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PIONEER FAMILIES.
SOME BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH RECORDS OF THE STURGEON, WILSON AND LATTA FAMILIES, ONCE VERY PROMINENT IN LANCASTER.
STURGEON
MARRIAGES.
T
HOMAS STURGEON and Jane McEwen were married November 1, 1796.
Effia Sturgeon and Dr. James Wilson were married July 5, 1814.
BIRTHS.
Thomas Sturgeon, born February 2, 1772.
Jane McEwen, born April 11, 1774.
[Both came from Dauphin County, Penn., in 1800.] Effia Sturgeon, born January 3, 1798.
Richland McEwen Sturgeon, born January 1, 1800. Jane Maria Sturgeon, born April 17, 1802.
Robert Sturgeon, born March 29, 1805. Brice J. Sterret Sturgeon, born December 5, 1810. Timothy Sturgeon, born October 29, 1812.
DEATHS.
Jane Maria Sturgeon, died January 25, 1822. Timothy Sturgeon, died June 10, 1823. Robert Sturgeon, died October 8, 1824. Richland McEwen Sturgeon, died March 11, 1827. Thomas Sturgeon, died January 19, 1828.
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Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
Jane McEwen Sturgeon, died November 9, 1843. Brice J. Sterret Sturgeon, died November 10, 1843. Thomas Sturgeon, whose family makes this record, was an uncle of the present Thomas Sturgeon. He kept tavern until 1824 in the old brick house, now occupied in part by Dr. Silbaugh. Brice J. Sterret, whose name appears, must have been a relative. He owned the section of land east of Maple street. He returned to Pennsylvania in 1820 and died there.
WILSON
[RECORDS FROM DR. JAMES WILSON'S BIBLE.]
BIRTHS.
James Wilson, born September 25, 1780, in Loudon County, Virginia.
Effia Wilson, born January 3, 1798, Pennsylania, Dauphin County.
Maria Elizabeth Wilson, born September 2, 1815, 3 p. m.
John Alexander Wilson, born January 8, 1819, 4 a. m.
Jane Amanda Wilson, born January 22, 1821, at 10 p. m.
James S. Wilson, born March 14, 1823, 6 p. m.
DEATHS.
John Alexander Wilson departed this life August 25, A. D. 1820, aged I year, 7 months, 18 days.
Jane Amanda Wilson departed this life May 31, 1822, aged 1 year, 4 months and 9 days.
Dr. James Wilson departed this life September 28, 1823, aged 43 years and 2. days.
Maria E. Bull departed this life June 11, 1837.
James Wilson departed this life October 26, 1849.
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Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
MARRIAGES.
Dr. James Wilson was married to Effia Sturgeon, July 5, 1814.
Maria E. Wilson was married to George F. Bull, January 3, 1836.
Dr. James Wilson died in the prime of life. But he had achieved a reputation and was one of the lead- ing citizens of Lancaster long before the date of his death. His daughter Maria was an accomplished woman, and died about one year after her marriage to George F. Bull.
John Latta was born September 9, 1783, in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania.
William Latta, son of John and Effia Latta, was born September 16, 1825, at 9 A. M., in Lancaster, Fair- field county, Ohio.
Jane Latta was born January 17, 1828, at 9 P. M., Lancaster, Ohio.
Elizabeth T. Smith was born August 3, 1829.
John Latta was a descendant of William Latta, of Revolutionary fame, who took his Bible and gun and went into the Revolutionary war and fought and preached. This bit of history was given me by a member of his family.
John Latta was one of the distinguished old-time merchants of Lancaster, a man of character and ability.
LATTA
BIRTHS.
Born on Saturday morning at 6} o'clock, January 31, 1852, John Latta, son of Wm. and Elizabeth T. Latta.
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