USA > Ohio > Portage County > Portage heritage; a history of Portage County, Ohio; its towns and townships and the men and women who have developed them; its life, institutions and biographies, facts and lore > Part 12
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Those were the days when Hood's Sarsparilla and Ayers Sarsparilla were popular and well advertised remedies, for coughs and colds and buliding up strength. Warners Safe Cure And Radways Ready Relief were also good sellers that were found on the shelves on the drug stores. In fact, all kinds
of patent medicines sold readily.
About this time, too, ice cream and soda were finding their way as articl- es of merchandise, first in the drug store, then in confectioneries.
The ordinary man still took his Saturday bath in the kitchen out of a wash tub, filled with hot water from the stove reservoir, but a few tin lined tubs were appearing, and occasional- ly an enameled one. "Base burners" using hard coal were still considered elite, but soon furnaces were being in- stalled in homes, particularly the new ones.
At this time many prosperous farm- ers liked to have their names painted on the roofs of their barns. Some of these can be seen today. Another sign of affluence was a gilded weather vane in the form of a rooster or spread eagle, on top of the barn.
By this time kerosene oil was be- coming an important commodity, not only for use in lamps, but for cooking and heating stoves and even furnaces. Sales were sufficient to warrant the erection of an oil storage tank in Kent in 1897 to supply the retail direct by "means of a wagon built especially for that purpose." At that time, too, the Standard Oil Co. was being rough on all competitors by meeting and cutting prices of competitors.
HEALTH CONDITIONS
There was still a great deal of other contagious disease. Diptheria struck
On July 4, 8 and 9, 1881, the Palmyra Dramatic Club put on the play, "Saratoga", under a tent pitched at Palmyra Center. The railroad ran excursion trains for the event and large crowds came from nearby areas.
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Locomotive of the type first used on the A. & G. W. (Erie) at Kent.
often, as did typhoid fever, the cause of which was not understood. At Hi- ram, several bright students died of typhoid epidemic, the cause of which was traced to water drunk at a ban- quet. When anti-toxin was put into use, people were at first slow to make use of its help. They were suspicious and often unbelieving. Sanitation in homes and schools left much to be desired by present standards. Health agencies were still unknown.
During the '90's the entire country was swept with a new disease. Since it was imported from Europe where a French physician named it "La Grippe", people here simply called it "grip." The malady was much the same as the one later called "influen- za", but at first assumed serious pro- portions and was wide spread. This region had its share.
Water supplies for the home came from dug or drilled wells, and for
washing, "soft" rainwater was kept in a barrel or cistern.
In the '80's, vagrants (tramps) were fined and put to work on Ravenna streets, wearing ball and chain. They did little work, but were allowed 75 cents per day on fines.
They advertised marriages like bus- iness cards.
In 1886, the Ravenna Republican reported that Recilus Hartle was ar- rested in Ravenna for speeding with horse and buggy. He hit a cow and the shafts disemboweled it on West Main Street.
Milk for home consumption was carried around town in a large can and a dipper was used to dole it out. When the horn tooted or bell rang, the housewife came out with her bowl or pail and got her milk. It was five or six cents a quart.
TROLLEY CARS COME IN In this period something new came
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to the county by way of quick and cheaper transportation. It was the electric trolley line, which reached Kent from Akron in 1895, then went on to Ravenna in 1901 as the N.O.T. For nearly 40 years the hum of the trolley was heard. The line was ex- tended to Warren, over the old B. & O. right of way, in 1912 and also to Alliance about the same time. The electric lines did a steady business until the automobile began to be so numerous, and freight carrying motor trucks were developed. The last elec- tric car went over the line in 1932, and the tracks were abandoned. They were owned by the Northern Ohio Traction Light Co., centering in Ak- ron. The electric cars were succeeded by bus lines-first the P. & O. Coach Line, later the Greyhound.
In all the larger towns of the coun- ty, there still stands today, many of the large dwelling houses considered
so magnificent in former days. Ra- venna, Kent, and Garrettsville have many beautiful homes of this type and even on the farms, homes of great size and magnificence could be seen. It was an era of important families and many of these like to show their importance and prosperity by build- ing fine homes. The modern homes, of the "efficiency" type, look small compared with them, though the lat- ter lacked comforts and conveniences of a later day.
On the farms, also, rail fences no longer were constructed. If not of boards, then the new wire and barbed wire fences were put in. Electric fences came later.
STREET PAVING BEGINS
Politically, it was a time for great mass meeting in presidential years, with noted orators as a special at- traction. It probably was the heyday of
Hilarious Muster Day
Under old Ohio law all able bodied men were considered members of the state militia and were required to report for drill on "muster days" held once a year. Most men refused to take these affairs seriously. Often the officers did not. Marvin Kent related that in reporting for duty at Ravenna, he had a captain named Festus Hill who was a sort of buffoon who made a mockery of his job. Captain Festus insisted on calling his men "cattle" and when drilling them yelled "whoa", "haw", "gee", and "get up", instead of formal commands. Some of the boys had no uniforms and some were barefoot, with a stick instead of a gun. Many wore ridiculous costumes. As Festus had a heavy beard, some of his men wore fake beards of hair to imitate and ridicule the captain.
Another captain, Elhannan Cutler, was usually well liquored up. On one occasion, after drill, he took a short cut to the Square and thereby fell into a tannery vat. He was completely immersed and his blue uniform turned to black.
During the horseplay, the boys threw things about, including eggs and fruit. Kent had been "arrested" as a joke. He stood before Gen. Lucius Bierce, a dignified man, who was on hand in full formal uniform. At that moment a thrown tomato hit the general on the chest. He took one look at his coat, then roared "Damn them. Take them dead or alive and bring them in."
Militia training and muster day were discontinued about 1843,
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the political orators, and there were some good ones. Crowds loved the rounded appeals to patriotism and the flag waving that was displayed.
An important change in street ap- pearance started in this period. Gar- rettsville boasts the first piece of street paving in the county, it being installed about 1885. Ravenna got its Main Street partly paved in 1898, and Kent's Water Street was paved in 1900. Other streets in the towns then followed and the looks of towns
changed.
But sleigh riding was the most pop- ular winter diversion and mass sled- ding parties were often organized.
In the latter part of the 20th cen- tury, a man came to Portage County from England by way of Warren, and developed a science and a business that has become nation wide in scope and fame. He was John Davey, some- times known as the "Father of Tree Surgery." This man, who had been a trained horticulturist and landscape
Reading, 'Righting and 'Rithmetic
Miss Lydia Ernest taught an early school in a log building in Palmyra. This had a mud-and-stick chimney over the fireplace. When school was in session one day, a large milk snake which had been basking in the night warmth of the chimney, came thumping down to the floor to escape the increasing heat. The teacher grabbed a stick and killed the reptile while the pupils looked on.
When the old Nelson Academy was in operation, the school board had a rule that if buildings were damaged, then teachers had to pay for it, unless they could repair the damage themselves. Teachers in district schools were always their own janitors.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall operated a select school in Ravenna in 1847-48. They an- nounced that "the course of instruction will be thorough, and the government of the school parental in character-, mild, yet firm."
Miss Amy Heriff, long a Kent teacher, wrote in 1939; "It surely is a fact that most high school students spend more in a month (for pleasure), than college students of the '90s spent in an entire year. They walked more in those days."
In Mrs. E. C. Root's History of Streetsboro, she writes: "Mrs. Elisa (Hannum) Killie relates that a "Select School" was held for a time in the Congregational church. A wide board was hung by hinges to the back of each pew; these when propped up, served as desks for pupils during the school week, after which they were dropped to be ready for Sunday services."
Mrs. Mary Wyatt taught school in a log cabin in Streetsboro in 1835. She received $1.00 per week salary and boarded around. When the term closed her patrons were so well pleased that they gave her an extra 12-1/2 cents per week to show their appreciation.
Up until fifty years ago the pay of district school teachers was rarely over $25.00 per month.
First celery grown on a commercial scale in Portage County, is said to have been raised by Henry Kreinberg of Randolph, who made his first sales in Ravenna in 1873.
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man, found new methods of caring for trees, in trimming and nourishing them. The result was a new and prac- tical science. He wrote for periodicals and compiled a book, "The Tree Doc- tor" which taught methods of caring for trees as individuals comparable to those for human beings. He thought trees needed attention as individuals and sought the answers. Tree lovers were interested. Eventually, the Davey Tree Expert Co. was formed and serv- ices given to the public. Its workers became known as "tree doctors." Mr. Davey's sons were taken into the or- ganization and after his death a great period of expansion took place. The young "tree doctors" were given both theoretical and practical training. Workers were brought in for periods of instruction in such things as bot- any, entomology, plant diseases, and other subjects dealing with trees. Trained instructors guided them. A new science and profession was de- veloped. As a business, Kent became the center of a nation-wide system. The Davey tree doctors operate all over America and the success of the work here stimulated others elsewhere to teach and work scientifically.
HOSPITAL A LUXURY
This was the time when the "hired girl" was in demand. It was about the only calling in which a girl could find a job, outside of teaching and stenography. Many girls "worked out" for $2.00 or more a week and
found, with long hours and little di- version. Child birth at a hospital was then a luxury which only the rich could afford. The stork was welcomed at homes, with or without a doctor in attendance. The calling of midwife was recognized and many of these workers still practiced their profes- sion. Quite frequently, too, births oc- curred without benefit of trained help.
When the typewritting machines were perfected, along with shorthand, there was a demand for stenographers, but these did not become "secretaries" until a much later date.
By the end of the century Portage County was a far different place than it was when Abraham Honey came to Mantua, both from local and na- tional standpoint. It was not only "civilized", but it was modernized in relation to other places. No longer was it a purely agricultural county. Its natural advantages in a world of developing world of commerce and manufacturing were becoming appa- rent, since transportation was playing a greater and greater role. Cities were growing all around. Portage was in- deed in the midst of things. Hiram College had become an institution of importance.
Organizations of all kinds were coming into existence - seeking to benefit members, but often for the benefit of others, for social, business or humanitarian reasons.
Owen Brown, father of John Brown the abolitionist, was a Portage County Com- missioner in 1816 and after.
CHAPTER VIII Horseless Carriage Appears
When the world entered the present century, the people of the United States had gotten a new and different view-point. A successful war with an European nation had been quickly won and American power was being felt in distant parts of the world, such as China and the Philippines. The world looked at America with a new interest, though few yet realized the latent powers of the nation.
Here in America the nation began to feel its oats, though it meant to mind its own business. Theodore Roosevelt succeeded Mckinley as pres- ident and his policy was to "walk soft- ly but carry a big stick."
Portage County began the new cen- tury with a population of 29,426. The nation was prosperous. New machines were being perfected, among which was the horseless carriage. It leaped into popularity and the time soon ar- rived when everyone wanted one of his own. This meant work and em- ployment. The use of electric power increased and telephone lines were be- ing installed everywhere.
TROLLEY CAR COMES
Into Portage County then, came an extension of the electric trolley lines, too, the transportation system that came and went within a period of forty years, but far exceeded the canal in amount of traffic. That new toy, the automobile, was to put them out of business, just as the steam railroad had put the canal out of business. The
railroads themselves, at this time, were improving tracks and rolling stock because heavier and heavier loads were being carried.
In the rural schools something was going on that meant a great deal. Lo- cal districts were being combined and consolidated so that each township had its own high school. This meant that pupils must be transported from home to school and the horse drawn bus came into use-later the motor bus. Portage County was among the first in Ohio to use the school bus and fifty years later the first to make use of the multi-township district where a single high school takes care of the entire district.
SCHOOLS CONSOLIDATED
Coming about the same time as school consolidations, was the advent of the county school superintendent and the county board of education, with responsibility for general direc- tion of county schools outside city districts. The first county superinten- dent was H. B. Turner, later super- intendent of Warren city schools, who took office in 1914. In no other activ- ity were there more important changes.
In Portage County, school consoli- dations and the use of buses were made possible by a special enabling law passed by the legislature in 1896, after which changes came slowly. Portage was one of the three counties affected by the law, the others being
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Lake and Stark. But the measure was considered a novelty in the education- al world, though it actually was an important step in rural school man- agement everywhere.
The county's first improved modern road was one and three quarters miles on the Dawley, or Infirmary road, leading northwest of Ravenna. This was in 1907.
Before this time nobody had paid much attention to better highways. Only occasionally a small voice was raised. Teams plodded along through mud in winter and dust in the sum- mer. Now the horseless carriage made folks think of better means of travel. In 1904 a "good roads convention" was held in Ravenna and by 1907 the county was planning its first strip of "pavement."
ROAD BUILDING STARTS
This "good roads convention" was one of the first signs of stirring in- terest in better travel-not only in the county but in the state. Here in Portage County there was action-of a halting and uncertain kind. There was the question of how to pay for roads and there were few "experts" among either planners of contractors. A beginning was made when it was decided to go ahead with 1-3/4 miles
on the "Infirmary Road" out of Ra- venna. Under supervision of state road commissioner "Sam" Houston, bids were asked for a macadam road. Bids ranged from $15,000 to $18,000. "All too high" said the commissioner. They tried again. This time they got a bid of $12,781 from E. E. Morgan, a Ravenna man. This was in 1907 and the start was made.
The plans for the first construction of the "Infirmary Road" called for an improved eight foot lane, but this lane was to be in the middle of the road. Before the contractor had done much work, patrons of the route peti- tioned for placing of the travel lane along one side, with dirt or gravel strip alongside for passing. The con- tractor agreed to make the change at no cost. This set the pattern for not only later roads of the county but of the entire state as well.
The Ravenna Republican writer in 1907 says that the Infirmary Road construction was "to be a sample sec- tion of good roads" as formulated by Commissioner Houston.
GET STATE AID
This start at the present time seems like a comparatively recent thing to the older residents, but it was then progress by trial and error. There was
Boone Leaped, Too
Apparently, Capt. Samuel Brady had a rival in his river-jumping activity, in the person of Daniel Boone. According to some of the old Ohio county histories Boone leaped across the Little Miami river at Clifton Falls to escape his In- dian captors. It was said to have been a 22-foot leap.
Kent was named in honor of the Kent family, Zenas and Marvin. But it is said that Marvin Kent wanted to have the town named Rockton. Others felt that Kent would be more appropriate. Rock- ton Masonic lodge at Kent, does carry the name proposed by Mr. Kent. The name "Rockton" arises from the presence of Standing Rock.
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a new attitude. Back in 1892, Gover- nor William Mckinley had appointed a commission to study the need for better roads. This commission report- ed that public highways could never be more than a matter of local con-
cern, and it maintained an attitude of masterly inactivity. Now the need of state and local co-operation was easily understood, but so far the state com- missioner's work was thought to be mainly in showing local authorities
Hanging of McKisson
The occasion that always drew the largest crowds one hundred and twenty-five years ago, was that of a public hanging. Portage County had several of these events and they never failed to attract the morbidly curious by the thousands. Hangings were regarded as a necessity and execution in public was considered proper.
An old letter by a county man gives interesting light on the public sentiment of the times. Francis Strong of Hiram wrote the letter in 1883, describing the hanging of David McKisson at Ravenna in 1838. He related that the sheriff, George Wallace, had heard rumors that an attempt to rescue McKisson was planned.
"The sheriff, to make things sure, requested Gen. Bierce, who commanded the First Brigade, Ohio Division, militia, to call out troops. Gen. Bierce had just returned from the Patriot War in Canada, where he came near losing his head. He ordered out all field and staff officers to appear at Ravenna at 9 a.m., equipped for guard duty and to be mounted on horse back.
"Feb. 9 was a cold day. Arriving at Ravenna we found the court house well warmed, a rendezvous for the militia. About 9 the general's aid rode through town with fife and drum, called the militia together and paraded them on vacant land near where the Phoe- nix Block stands. Soon the general appeared. He formed the militia into a hollow square and promptly at 1 o'clock, all started on parade. Officers and staff were in brilliant uniform. They rode onto the grounds, forming on right field. Staff officers, mounted with drawn swords, placed two wagons within the hollow square, one for sheriff and the prisoner, and the other for the Garrettsville band which was to play for us to march later.
"We marched west to where the Etna Block now stands, then turned south and marched to the old jail. We found the road blocked with men. The road was cleared by Col. Drake of Freedom. Drake rode up to the crowd and, changing ends with his horse, drove the spurs into its sides. The horse began to show signs of fight with his hind legs and the crowd soon cleared the track.
"The sheriff came out arm in arm with the prisoner and they took their places in the wagon assigned to them. Then all marched nearly half a mile to the gallows. On arriving there we found it guarded by Capt. Andrews' company from Garrettsville. They were soon relieved by a mounted guard. The sheriff and prisoner marched arm in arm up the stairs to the gallows. Placing the prisoner on the drop, the sheriff said,
"Have you anything to say?
"Yes, I have," said the prisoner and spoke for half an hour. At any rate, we poor fellows on horseback thought so.
"When he was through the sheriff turned around and, taking his deputy by the arm, walked down stairs. When they stepped on the last step the trap was sprung and the prisoner was hanging in the air."
Strong adds that on the previous day he had asked Smith Manley, an acquaintance, if he were going to the hanging. "Yes," replied Smith, "Sabrina, my wife, never saw but three men hung and we must see this man, sartin." Sabrina and Smith rode to Ravenna in a lumber wagon for the hanging.
It is said there were about 20,000 spectators in Ravenna for the occasion.
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Three generations of the Kent family -Zenas, Marvin and William.
how it was to be done. Yet, during the first half of the old century, peo- ple had held to the principle of state
aid for roads. Now it was being re- vived. In 1905, the state had allocated money to counties. Each county re- ceived $113.00 that year and the sum was increased annually until 1911, when each county received $5,000. This, of course, even then, was only a 'drop in the bucket."
USE CONCRETE MATERIALS
At first, macadam roads were in mind, but soon rural counties wanted hard-surfaced highways. Then brick surfaced roads were constructed, us- ually one-lane affairs, with gravel lanes alongside for passing purposes. When one driver met another, some one had to get off the brick. Concrete as a road material was not generally used until about 1916-17, and "black- top" or asphalt considerably later.
But about the same time the "In- firmary Road" was being improved, Dan R. Hanna offered to pay half the cost of improving the road from Ra- venna to his Cottage Hill home. After full consideration, his offer was ac- cepted.
Cost of the Hanna Road was to be met by Hanna, the county and Ra- venna Township trustees. The trustees had at first demurred, arguing that the county should pay half. The Ra- venna Board of Trade entered the ne- gotiations and got the backing of township taxpayers by way of peti- tions and finally the trustees accepted the plan on the basis of 50% payment by Hanna; 40% by the county; and 10% by the township. This, too, was to be a macadam road.
WORK AND PLAY
The first decade of the new cen- tury really deserved the designation
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of "gay" more than the preceding one. People were earning more and better wages, and though working hours were still long, more leisure time was spent in recreation. Baseball had already attained popularity but now it was still greater. Kent, in par- ticular, had some teams of near pro- fessional caliber. A new game called golf was appearing in the cities and attracting attention every where, though Portage County had no golf course until about 1922, when the first opened at Twin Lakes.
Football had been played by only one or two high school teams, now other teams and township high schools were also played by numerous amateur town teams.
Brady Lake, which had started as a Spiritualist camp ground, now grew into a sizeable amusement park. It became an amusement park in 1891. In its growth, it was aided by the new trolley car line, which brought in regular patrons from Ravenna, Kent, Cuyahoga Falls and other places. A good deal of money was spent in fix- ing up the park and "bathing and fishing" was of the best, so the public was assured. It was known as Electric Park in 1904. A large number of peo- ple from Ravenna and Kent owned summer cottages around the land, which they either occupied them- selves or rented out. In addition to entertaining people nearby, the park
also attracted many people further away who came by excursion trains. Long lines of passenger cars were of- ten seen parked along the tracks, waiting the return trip.
AMUSEMENT RESORTS
The attractions at Brady Lake in- cluded a theater where stock com- panies played every summer, usually to good crowds. Handsome, yellow haired Chester Bishop, was the "mat- inee idol" on his day. He later went into moving pictures. Al Lawrence, the Ravenna monologist, was a favo- rite.
It was much the same at Geauga Lake, with its large amusement park. This, too, had long been a pleasure resort, and new proprietors, with more money, proceeded to develop it. A little more remote, and without railroads, Nelson Ledges had long been a picnic and sight-seeing place, but since it was accessible only by horse and buggy, was not so well known. With the coming of better transportation it soon became more popular.
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