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 28
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One of the prime factors in the location of the installation was the
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Ravenna Arsenal
advantage of two railroad lines, the Erie on the north, the Baltimore & Ohio on the south, with the added advantage that the Pennsylvania Rail- road had track rights over the Balti- more & Ohio right-of-way.
On August 26, 1940 contracts were approved for the planning, designing of buildings and equipment, and or- ganizing what was then called the Ravenna Ordnance Plant. In October, 1941, the installation was divided in- to two separate units-one designated as the Ravenna Ordnance Depot, with the primary mission of ammunition storage activities, and the other the Ravenna Ordnance Plant, with the primary mission of ammunition load- ing activities. In August, 1943 the installation was designated Ravenna Ordnance, and in November, 1945, was redesignated Ravenna Arsenal.
During World War II the arsenal was operated by the Atlas Powder Company, with their home office in Wilmington, Delaware. After cessa- tion of hostilities, the installation was maintained in a standby status under Government control until the out- break of the Korean conflict in June,
1950. Subsequent to that time and un- til the present, the installation had been operated by Ravenna Arsenal, Incorporated, a subsidiary of the Fire- stone Tire and Rubber Company, Ak- ron, Ohio. Contract administration is performed by the Commanding Of- ficer's Organization, comprising a staff of approximately 150 inspectors, auditors and production technicians.
In July, 1954, Plumbrook Ordnance Works, Sandusky, Ohio, and Keystone Ordnance Works, Meadville, Pennsyl- vania, were satellites of this Arsenal. These installations, which were used to manufacture explosives during World War II, are administered by the Operating Contractor under sup- plement to contract for Arsenal Oper- ations.
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery of the 53rd. Anti-Aircraft Brigade are also stationed at Raven- na Arsenal. Under the command of Brigadier General Louis T. Heath the Brigade moved to the Arsenal in Sep- tember, 1954, from Swarthmore, Pen- nsylvania, to provide a more logical location with respect to administra- tion of the anti-aircraft defenses un-
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der the 53rd command. Arsenal fa- cilities utilized by the Brigade include offices located to dispensary facilities and two single story buildings used for quarters.
MISSION. The mission of this ar- senal is the operation and mainten- ance of facilities required for the pro- duction of ammunition and related ammunition items; i.e. receipt, stor- age, surveillance, preservation and salvage; preservation maintenance and handling of Ordnance Corps Re- serve Equipment; and providing necessary administrative, maintenance and service facilities in connection with operations. Activities at the satellited installations of Plumbrook and Keystone Ordnance Works are restricted to stand-by maintenance of the facilities, which are a part of the National Industrial Reserve Program.
EMPLOYEES. The number of em- ployees in peace time is about 1800, but in war time it has reached 10,000, and there is capacity for using 15,000 men. Most of these are screened for loyalty. Peace time monthly payroll averages one and a quarter million dollars; during wartime activities this amount is correspondingly increased.
AREA AND FACILITIES. Repre- senting an investment of approximate- ly $83,500,000 in construction and real estate, the Arsenal covers 22,013 acres and has 1553 buildings, with a combined floor space in excess of 6,- 000,000 square feet. Within the ex- terior fence there are 20 restricted areas enclosed by secondary protec- tive fencing. The satellited installa- tions represent additions of 7,000 acres at Plumbrook, and 4,000 acres at Key- stone, consisting of various powder and acid lines, storage facilities, and administrative buildings which are also enclosed by protective fencing.
Total area, including Keystone and Plumbrook is 56.6 sq. miles.
WOODED AREA. In the Ravenna Arsenal reservation there are more than 6600 acres of woodland. These form a natural protected habitat for thousands of game animals, such as deer, raccoon, foxes, also pheasants and other game birds. Since the ar- senal property is owned by the United States Government, local game laws do not apply, and no hunting is per- mitted at any time except by special permission granted by the arsenal commandant.
SHOPS. There are numerous large shops located throughout the area, such as carpenter shop, plumbing shop, sheet metal shop, blacksmith shop, paint shop, and machine shop. There is also an ammunition work- shop engaged in the renovation, re- pair and modification of ammunition.
UTILITIES. Excellent communica- tions are provided by the post tele- phone system, teletype center and post radio system. Two-way radios are in- stalled in many vehicles, which in- clude those despatched to Fire, Guard, Signal, Surveillance, Safety and Of- ficer of the Day. Two-way radiosets are installed in the Arsenal diesel locomotives for communication be- tween the yardmaster and locomotives in service throughout the area. Water is furnished by four water plants drawing water from deep wells on the reservation. The Arsenal has six ele- vated storage tanks, with a capacity of over 1,000,000 gallons, and an open reservoir furnishing a large reserve capacity. Steam for operations and heating is furnished by eight power plants. Supplementing the power plants are 29 low pressure boilers. There are three sewage disposal plants, with 128,138 linear feet of
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sanitary sewer. Except for one gener- ator utilized for emergency standby lighting purposes, all electrical power is purchased from the Ohio Edison Company.
STORAGE. The finished ammuni- tion is stored in some 900 igloos of monolithic concrete construction of varying capacities. These igloos are constructed on both sides of 10 foot roadways, and are sodded over not so much to protect them from observa- tion by enemy airplanes as to pro- duce the uniform temperature neces- sary for the best preservation of the contents. Some of the roads are furn- ished with railroad tracks. The igloos are filled and emptied by trucks and railroad trains. Many sizes and varie- ties of shells are manufactured, the chief being 90, 105 and 155 milli- meter shells and 8 inch shells for the navy. The average life of the am- munition is nine years. The ammuni- tion is constantly subject to test by a crew of surveillance men, and that which has deteriorated is removed. A large explosion crater is maintained for the destruction of ammunition which is no longer servicable. As might be expected, transportation ex- penses are enormous, sometimes amounting to $100,000 per month in peace times and rising to $1,500,000, in time of war.
HOUSING FACILITIES. There are located on the installation 17 staff quarters, 7 duplex residences, 68 single residences, 3 dormitories, one nurses' quarters and one bachelor of- ficer quarters. These housing facilities are normally utilized by key operating personnel.
COMMANDING OFFICERS. Dur- ing the period of this installation's existence there have been thirteen Commanding Officers who have di-
rected the Arsenal affairs and have set its administrative policies. These have been Colonels of the Regular Army, and the average term of com- mand is one and a half years. The present commander is Lieut-Col. Thomas M. Scott, Jr., since April, 1955.
SAFETY RECORD. There is na- turally considerable apprehension felt by the public as to the dangers of working in or living near an am- munition plant. However the safety record of the Ravenna Arsenal is most reassuring and is highly complimen- tary to those directing operations. Ar- senal employees worked more than four and a half million man hours in 1954, with only six injuries causing lost time. This resulted in a 1.3 acci- dent frequency rate per million man hours worked, which is 78% better than the par established by The Na- tional Safety Council for similar in- dustries. To date a select group of only 158 industries have received the Award of Merit from the National Safety Council. This award was made to the Ravenna Arsenal for "Note- worthy Safety Performance," during 1954.
Much of the above information was supplied through the generous co- operation of Mr. C. R. Kennington, Arsenal Contract Administrator and Mr. Karl Slusser, Paymaster, to whom due acknowledgements are given.
In the first few decades in Portage County history the observance of Christ- mas, Easter and Memorial Day was un- known. But the Fourth of July was cele- brated with great fervor everywhere. Every township had its big Fourth.
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Yale, Ohio - A Type By MABEL PARHAM RICHMOND
In reading over a diary for the year 1878 one realizes what an unimportant place money held in the lives of the people of this little village, which was at that time called "Four Corners" deriving the name from the corners of Edinburg, Palmyra, Deerfield, and Atwater Townships.
The industries were not many, but very essential to the needs of the community. The sawmill and wood-working shop operated by Samuel Kimmel supplied the material needed for the erection of homes and farm buildings-the logs coming from the trees felled by the owner with the neighbors' assistance. There were several wood-working shops which supplied the homes with necessary articles of furniture, which are in use today and highly- prized possessions of the owners.
The work on the farm was done by one farmer assisting another or by hired help whose wages were paid by produce. The Henry Kibler Grinding Mill was another busy place where grain was exchanged for work.
The Heiser Blacksmith Shop served also as a temporary post office where mail could be called for twice a week. The George-Lee Heiser Carriage Factory and the Bending Works operated by John B. Heiser were busy industrial places.
John Grate, later a noted veteran of the Civil War, and his brothers Eli and Emory assisted their father, Benjamin Grate, in his carpenter shop and helped build a number of surrounding houses.
The maple syrup and sugar season was a time of great joy. It heralded the coming of spring. During the cold winter, the wood had been cut for the fires, the spiles were shaped from alder with a jack knife, ready for the tapping of the trees; and while many hours of labor went into the making of a gallon of syrup, it was usually sold for ninety cents per gallon, but once went as low as fifty cents a gallon.
Farming was the chief occupation, especially the raising of food for their immediate needs, and each home a little factory where clothing, home-spun linens, and beautiful coverlets were made by the busy housewife for her family.
A building in the center of the village served as a school on week days, and as a church on Sundays. Also a small church situated one mile north of the village was founded in 1859 by the Christian Church of Palmyra. It was known by various names, as Mack's Church, North Church, and later as the United Brethren Church. Alexander Kibler, John Kibler, John Heiser, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Heiser, and Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Wilson were among its staunch supporters.
Ten years later, or about 1890, this little village boasted of fifty home owners. Births, deaths, marriages, and all legal business was recorded in the township in which the home was located, or at the Court House in Ravenna.
Being situated some distance from a railroad, it was difficult to receive mail. For several years it was brought twice a week from Deerfield and Atwater by carriers in wagon, on horseback, or on foot when roads were impassable. In 1883 Hiram K. Parham, a dealer in Farming Implements, Fertilizers, Etc., applied for the position of postmaster, and sent to the Government three names proposed for the postoffice for their selection. The name, "Yale" was chosen, and he became the first postmaster, June 19, 1883.
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Yale M. E. Church
Ministers of various denominations were serving the Yale Church. This was rather unsatisfactory; so the people of the commun- ity, with Mr. Charles Parham as the leading promoter, decided to build a Methodist church. Rev. W. N. Webster of the Deerfield Circuit was pastor and an able leader of this building project. The village sawmill did not have the equipment to cut the heavy beams for the basement; so these were hewn by a loyal member, James Barnes. The Ladies Aid Society was organized in 1891 with 26 charter members:
Mrs. Benjamin Grate, Mrs. Charles Parham, Mrs. Liona Parham, Miss Sabina Parham, Mrs. Ann Garrison, Mrs. Samuel Kimmel, Mrs. Maggie Hoon, Mrs. Noah Stockberger, Mrs. Ed. Stockberger, Mrs. Eliza Parham, Mrs. Phoebe Neill, Miss Maude Stockberger, Miss Rose Stockberger, Mrs. Mary Martin, Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, Mrs. Thomas Folk, Mrs. Emaline Haines, Mrs. Libbie Monroe, Miss Amy Gilbert, Miss Mary Davis, Mrs. Rose Hoskins, Mrs. Maggie Parshall, Mrs. Joe Garrison, Mrs. Nellie Kimmel, Mrs. Deane Heiser, Mrs. Jennie Heiser.
In this list will be noted the names of many families prominent throughout the county. At this writing only two survive-Amy Gilbert Ewing of Long Beach, Calif., and Maude Stockberger Byers of Lakeland, Florida.
In 1892 real progress had been made and the village of Yale had a new Methodist Church, a nice school building, a grocery store and post office. The post office was now located in the grocery store which was operated by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kimmel. Those who attended the new school will recall the names of the following teachers:
Hattie Calvin, Lucy Byers, Plimon E. Norton, Frank Kibler, Alma Ely (Hoskins), Harry Whitbeck, Leeta Ruggles, Clyde Burkey, and Loma Bean.
Dark days were approaching for this little village of Yale. When Rural Free Delivery was established the post office became a memory. Then came centralization of schools, and the village school doors were locked, the new building having served the youth of the com- munity from 1892 to 1917. People sold their property and moved, for five or more miles was a long distance for small children to travel in horse-drawn school buses. Then the church which had been a great spiritual uplift and served the community so well for less than a half century was forced to close in 1937. The Rev. Wilber C. Knipe was the last pastor, and Plimon E. Norton the last church school superintendent.
This little village that once echoed to the voices of growing boys and girls now vibrates with the rumble of automobile and truck on one of the most traveled highways in the state of Ohio.
Villages and hamlets rise and fall. What happens in the lives of the little places whose history is long? Perhaps the history of "Yale" will provide an answer.
Wood was fuel for the first Atlantic & Great Western railroad engines. At many of the larger stations there were immense wood sheds filled with "chunks". Train crews often spent con- siderable time loading wood into the engines.
In 1916, the Ravenna clergy asked that Sunday funerals be discontinued.
In 1921, Randolph, Suffield and Rootstown got electric service via the N.O.T. & L. Co.
CHAPTER XVIII Judiciary and Bar By LESTER L. CAMPBELL
Ever since mankind has attempted to live together in groups it has been necessary for them to adopt some forms of controls to protect the per- sonal and property rights of the in- dividuals. This also includes the au- thority to establish regulations. The interpretation and enforcement of these regulations, known as laws in this country, becomes the duty of the judiciary, assisted by members of the bar.
Portage County, being located in the original Northwest Territory, be- came a part of the state of Ohio in 1803. With the admission of Ohio to the Union as a state, the General As- sembly proceeded to establish courts to administer the laws.
The state was divided into districts called circuits. A lawyer in good standing was elected by the general assembly as president judge. Three or more associate judges were chosen by the assembly to act with and for the president judge. The associate judges were usually farmers or business men living in the county.
From 1803 until 1808, what is now Portage County was a part of Trum- bull County and the laws were ad- ministered by that county's court. Previously, federal and territorial laws were in effect but actually there had been little law enforcement.
PEASE FIRST JUDGE
In 1808 the county of Portage was established. The General Assembly elected Calvin Pease president judge
of the Common Pleas court of the county. Wm. Wetmore, Aaron Nor- ton and Amzi Atwater were associate judges.
This court held its first session, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 1808. According to tradition the morning session was to have been held on the premises of Benjamin Tappan, under a tree as the house had burned the previous night. But this is disputed by contemporar- ies.
After appointing commissioners to fix the seat of justice for the county the court adjourned to meet in the afternoon at the home of Robert Eat- on, southeast of Ravenna.
The first criminal case to appear on the records in the clerk's office in Docket No. 1, Page 1, was that of the State of Ohio vs. Wm. Simcock. Aug- ust term, 1808.
Simcock was charged, "To present that Wm. Simcock of Franklin Town- ship of said county of Portage on or about June 15, last past, not having the fear of God before his eyes, and disregarding the good laws of this state, did, on or about the said day which was the Sabbath, or Lord's Day, wickedly and maliciously, molest and disturb the religious society of said Franklin Township while in meeting assembled, and returning from Divine worship, by sporting and hunting game with guns and hounds.
"William Simcock was taken into custody. Pleaded guilty. Fine, $1.50, to stand committed until fine and
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costs are paid." Costs assessed amount- ed to $5.00.
The first civil case to appear on the clerk's records was that of Samuel Wilkinson vs. Wm. Chard and John McManus. There was an amicable set- tlement. The amount of the debt was stated and settled at $30.00. The court entry shows that the defendants should be extended mercy and by con- sent of the parties it was ordered by the court that execution be stayed un- til July 15, 1809.
HANGED FOR MURDER
The first murder case tried in Port- age County in which the defendant was found guilty was that of Henry Aunghst. He was charged with the murder of Epaphras Mathews on Aug. 20, 1814. The killing occurred east of Ravenna at the corner of Charlestown and Edinburg roads. Aunghst was tried in June, 1816, by Judges Ethan Allen Brain of Cincinnati, and Jessup N. Couch of Chillicothe. The jury found Aunghst guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to be hanged.
The scaffold was erected in the center of Sycamore St. at Spruce St., Ravenna, and the execution was car- ried out Nov. 30, 1816, before a crowd of 1800 people.
The Common Pleas Court con- tinued to operate under the circuit court plan jointly with Trumbull and Mahoning counties until 1852.
In 1851 the Ohio constitution was substantially changed. The major change in the courts provided that the judges be elected by the people. At least one judge was elected in each county. The judges elected in the dis- trict held court in any of the counties of the district. Portage county judges spent considerable time in Trumbull and Mahoning.
Luther Day was the first elected judge from Portage County. His first term began Jan. 1, 1852.
In 1912 the constitution was again changed. As before, this brought changes in Common Pleas court. These courts no longer served a dis- trict of more than one county. Each county established its own court and elected its own judge or judges. Port- age county judges then served in other counties only on assignment by the state's Supreme Court chief justice.
George F. Robinson, who had served the district as judge since 1888, was Portage County's first elect- ed judge. In addition to his local du- ties he was regularly assigned to the Mahoning county as long as he re- mained judge.
POWERS OF COURTS
The probate courts of Ohio were established by the 1851 revision of the state constitution. Luther L. Brown became the first Probate Judge of Portage County, beginning Jan. 1, 1852. The probate court now has taken over many duties previous- ly handled by the Common Pleas courts, some through various consti- tutional changes and some by action of the General Assembly. Today the probate court administers probation of estates, appoints administrators, guardians of minors and incompetent persons, and trustees of estates. It also has power to construe wills, issue mar- riage licenses and record births and deaths, as well as to determine in- sanity and commit persons to mental institutions. In Portage county the probate judge presides over both pro- bate and juvenile matters.
The office of justice of the peace, which came to this country from England in colonial times, was estab- lished in Ohio by the Ordinance of
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1787, and continued by the first state constitution. It continued as a consti- tutional office until the 1913 con- stitutional revision. However, the of- fice was established by statute by the General Assembly the same year, and so continues throughout Ohio, with exceptions.
Justices had power to hear com- plaints of misdemeanors, and conduct preliminary hearings in felony cases. In civil cases he had final jurisdiction in cases of claims up to $100.00, or concurrent with Common Pleas court, up to $300.00.
By legislative action, a municipal court was set up for Portage County in 1953, with county wide jurisdic- tion, now known as the Ravenna Municipal court. This court has as- sumed most of the duties of the jus- tices of the peace, so that the latter office is extinct in the county. The new court has jurisdiction in claims up to $2,000 and its first and present judge was James G. France.
During the years many good and capable judges and lawyers have con- tributed to the progress of Portage citizens. To tell of all would be im- possible here.
The first resident attorney in the county was Benjamin Tappan, Jr., founder of Ravenna. Born in Mas- sachussetts in 1773, he was educated and admitted to the bar there in 1799. In the same year he came to the West- ern Reserve and settled in the South- east part of Ravenna township, near Campbellsport. His father, Benjamin Tappan, Sr., had purchased all of the South Division of Lots and the young lawyer was here to take care of the property. In 1800 he married Nancy Wright of Connecticut and returned at once to Portage County with his bride. In 1803 he represented the
Trumbull District in the Ohio Senate. He was responsible for the laying out of Ravenna and in 1808 built a second home about one mile east of Raven- na. This was the site selected by the state commissioners for the first seat of justice for the county. But in 1809 Tappan moved to Steubenville, though as prosecuting attorney, he occasionally returned until 1810. He later was a U. S. District court judge and in 1838, was elected to the U. S. Senate. He died in 1857 at the age of 84.
The second resident attorney was Asa Keys, a native of Connecticut. He came here in 1807, settling in Shalers- ville township. He was appointed prosecuting attorney for the county in 1808.
THREE LAWYERS HERE
By 1825, there were three resident attorneys in the county-Darius Ly- man, Jonathan Sloane and Lucius V. Bierce, though lawyers from adjacent counties also practiced here. Both Ly- man and Bierce came from Connecti- cut, while Sloane was a Massachus- setts man. Lyman had quite a political record, serving in the state legislature, the state senate and as probate judge for nine years. He also ran for gover- nor as a Whig in 1832. Sloane also served in the state legislature and later in U. S. Congress. He worked hard in setting up the legal work for the P. & O. canal. Bierce was a state senator from 1862 to 1864.
The activities of many members of the bar have extended over several decades. At present two members have seen over fifty years of service. H. R. Loomis, a native of Randolph, was admitted to the bar in 1903, com- menced practice in Ravenna and has been successful in law, politics, busi- ness and banking. From 1912 to 1916
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Judge George F. Robinson, long Common Pleas judge. The County Hos- pital bears the Robinson name.
he served as county prosecutor and was senior member of the well known firm of Loomis & Caris. Britton S. Johnson commenced the practice of law in 1905 in Kent, his home town. He was active in politics and was as- sistant state attorney general in 1911- 1915, and county prosecutor in 1925- 26. Outside of his office holding, he has always practiced in Kent.
The late C. A. Reed, who served both as county prosecutor and probate judge, also practiced law in the coun- ty over fifty years. He was a man of considerable property and left money for the library in Ravenna.
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