The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 62

Author: Warner, Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

USA > Ohio > Tuscarawas County > The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio > Part 62

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The Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest religious society in Uhrichs- ville. Its first house of worship was built in 1839 'or 1840 on Main street, and is the building now known as Central Hall. Prior to the erection of this building, services were held at the dwellings of the members of the society, and in the old schoolhouse. The earliest membership included William Ross, John Myers, Barleen Myers and Henry Romig A little later, John Myers, Thomas H. Mozena, Dr. D. B. Myers, Eli Flickinger, George Sterling, Uriah Green, Robert Leggett, Samuel G. Carter, George Laport and a few others were identified with the class. In 1870, a large brick church edifice was built on the southeast corner of Third and Dawson streets. It was dedi- cated the same year by Rev. C. A. Holmes. Its dimensions are 84x55 feet, and its seating capacity is 900. The spire rises 145 feet. Including the parsonage, the cost of the structure was $30,000. The membership of the church is now about 470. It is the largest congregation in the township, and is prosperous and active in church work. Rev. G. B. Smith is the present pastor.

The Presbyterian Church dates its origin forty-five years ago. A meeting of the citizens of Waterford who were favorably disposed to the Presbyterian interests, was held September 15, 1838, and it was resolved to apply to the Presbytery of Wooster for a church organization. John Sterling was ap- pointed a Commissioner to attend the presbytery for this purpose. The peti- tion was granted and Rev. James B. Morrow organized the Waterford Presby- terian Church, November 10, 1838, with the following sixteen members: John Sterling and Sarah, his wife, Robert Johnson and Nancy, his wife, Mary Sterling (widow), Ann Worstell, Rebecca Bartley, John Johnson and his wife Catherine, Abraham Fredenburr and his wife Mary, Catherine Irvin, Andrew McNeill and Mary, his wife, Miriam Criswell and Alexander Carpenter. The schoolhouse was occupied as a place of worship until the church was erected

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on Lot 78, corner of Main and Third streets. The lot was purchased in 1841, but the building. which was a commodious brick structure, was not completed until two years later. It was once or twice repaired, and in 1875 remodeled, and a tower added at a cost of about $6,000. A parsonage was built in 1871, which cost $1, 200. It was located in Parrish's Addition, and used by the church for six or seven years, then sold. In 1839, the name of the congrega- tion was changed from Waterford to Uhrichsville, and February 11, 1840, it was incorporated with John Sheets, John Johnson, Alexander C. Carpenter and their associates as members. John Sterling was the first Elder; Benjamin Warfel and Jobn Johnson were elected to this position in April, 1841. Other members who have since served in this position are George Tennant, John Merril, Richard McClelland, Andrew Bartley, Hugh Mccrary, William Ray, Mr. McElravy, James Crossan, John W. Adams, Alfred Lister, Samuel Welch, Joshua Leggett and W. H. Ray. The last-named six constitute the present session. Rev. James B. Morrow was the first minister. He was elected stated supply April 1, 1839, for one year, and was then called to the pastorate for one-half his time at $225 per year. The other half of his service was devoted to the New Philadelphia charge. Rev. Morrow continued as pastor until his death, which occurred July 30, 1842. Rev. Thomas M. Finney was called to take charge in September, 1843. In 1844, Rev. Joseph Gorden became a supply for one year, when Rev. Finney, then laboring at New Philadelphia. became stated supply, and continued in that relation for several years. Rev. Israel Price was a supply in 1853. In September, 1856, Rev. Samuel Patter. son was called and assumed charge, receiving $250 for one-half his time He remained about two years, and presbyterial supplies occasionally served the congregation for a year or two, when Rev. D. S. Logan became regular pastor. Rev. W. C. Nealy was called in 1863, and remained about four years. Occa- sional services were then held until July, 1869, when a call was extended to Rev. W. M. Grimes, who terminated his pastorate in 1871. Rev. C. J. Hun- ter, who was pastor of the Dennison Church, then supplied the church two years, after which services were held at irregular periods, until Rev. J. K. McKallip was installed pastor in 1874. He served nearly eight years. An interim of a year or two occurred; then in March, 1883, Rev. R. R. Moore, the present pastor, was called. The present membership of the church ex. ceeds 200.

The Uhrichsville Moravian Church was organized in 1874. On the 17th of May of that year, a meeting of the Moravian members in this locality was called and held, at which Isaac E. Romig and wife, Edmund G. Helwig and wife, Christian D. Helwig and wife, Daniel J. Holliger, Gottlieb R. Holliger, Rufus W. Walton, William Walton, Friedhold Oehler, John Brunner, Mrs. Mary D. Myers, Mrs. Harriet McGonigle, and Mrs. E. J. Ferguson were present. Rev. E. A. Oerter presided. A permanent organization was effected on the following October 24, with a membership of fifteen, who had previ- ously been connected with other Moravian societies of the Tuscarawas Valley. The first meeting was held at the residence of Edmund G. Helwig. Different halls were then rented and occupied until the completion of the church edifice in the autumn of 1878. The building is a handsome and imposing stone structure, 40x80 feet in size, and located on Lot 60, Water street. It is well furnished, and cost in the aggregate over $12,000. The first pastor of this congregation was Rev. J. M. Levering, who entered upon his labors January 1, 1875. His connection with the society was severed April 13, 1879, and May 25 of the same year Rev. J. H. Clewell, the present pastor, succeeded him in the pastorate of this church. The total membership is now about 130, of whom 76 are communicants.

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The Disciple, or Christian, congregation was organized in 1878, by Rev. James Dodd, who was then Superintendent of the Port Washington Schools. The old school building on Lots 153 and 154, Uhrich street, had been purchased by Daniel Kennedy, and he donated the second story to the use of the congre- gation. They still occupy this hall. The original members included proba- bly sixteen or eighteen, among whom were Daniel Kennedy and wife, Elias Johnson and wife, William Mckeever and wife, Z. Bliss and wife, Mrs. Emily Wherry, Mrs. Matilda Hayes, Mrs. Kate Uhrich and Mrs Allen. Rev. James Dodd continued to minister to the church two years, until he removed to the West. The congregation was then without a regular minister for about one year, but was occasionally supplied with preaching. In 1881, Rev. B. L. Smith became pastor, and remained in that relation for almost a year. An interim again occurred when the little flock was without a minister, but in the summer of 1883, Dr. S. T. Dodd took charge, and is now supplying the con- gregation, which numbers about seventy- five members.

The Uhrichsville Cemetery lies northwest of the village, near Stillwater, and embraces a tract of about four acres. Of this, one acre was donated as a public place of burial by Michael Uhrich. The remaining three acres have since been purchased and added by the town. The first burial in this cemetery occurred in February, 1837, when John Cahill was laid to rest in the midst of a grove of beech wood. Two months later Jonas Haskins died and his remains were consigned to the second grave that was excavated in this silent city of the dead.

Mystic Tie Lodge, No. 194, F. & A. M., was chartered October 16, 1850. John D. Rich was first W. M., and besides him the charter members were Samuel Adams, David Chalfant. Robert Seamen, Thomas H. Mozena, E. A. Parrish, Mathias Collier, Elias Wolf and Philip Baker. The lodge was or- ganized, and held its first meetings on the second floor of a building which stood on Lot 85, east side of Water street, between First and Second. This and several other halls were occupied successively. until ten or more years ago, when the lodge obtained the lease of its present hall, in Wilkins' Block, Third street, for ninety-nine years, by erecting the third story in which the hall is located, at a cost of about $4,000. The lodge now numbers over 200 members, and is officered as follows: R. A. Allen, W. M .; William Johnson, S. W .; John Smith, J. W .; J. E. Groves, Secretary; E. S. Collier, Treasurer; James Crossan, S. D .; Z. Bliss, J. D .; Thomas Thompson, Tiler. The lodge meets the first and third Monday evenings of each month.

Cyrus Chapter, No. 114, R. A. M., was granted a dispensation October 22, 1868, and chartered October 16, 1869. Its charter members were J. B. Mc- Gonigle, H. P .; David Chalfant, King; Thomas H. Mozena, Scribe; Gabriel Goodman, W. T. Fry, William A. Bovey, J. W. Fularton, James Wilcoxen, Ross Kells, William W. Alexander, William McCollam and Charles Ganzman. The membership is now about sixty-five, and regular meetings are held on the first and third Friday evenings of each month. The present officers are: W. A. Bovey, H. P .; James Crossan, King; John L. Davis, Scribe; R. A. Allen, C. of H .; John Smith, P. S .; David Dunlavey, R. A. C .; L. H. Ferguson, 3d V .; Thomas J. Evans, 2d V .; John Rusk, 1st V .; C. Ganzman, Secretary; E. S. Collier, Treasurer; D. J. Thompson, Guard.

Gebal Council, No. 56, R. & S. M., received its dispensation January 3, 1870, its charter September 15, 1870. Its charter members were J. B. Mc- Gonigle, David Chalfant, William A. Bovey, E. S. Ferguson, John H. Manner, W. W. Alexander, Gabriel Goodman, James Wilcoxen, Henry Keffer and Will- iam McCollam. The Council meets on the second Friday of each month, and has a membership of about thirty. The number has been greater, but re- movals from this vicinity have reduced it.

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Uhrichsville Lodge, No. 519, I. O. O. F., was instituted July 19, 1872, with the following thirty-one charter members: F. W. McCauley, J. J. Rock. well, W. B. Thompson, C. Ganzman, W. H. Gibboney, F. F. Koeblitz, W. Johnson, J. Hoover, J. Knox, W. A. Bovey, M. Stahly, J. C. Wilkins, R. P. Loller, J. Harvey, H. H. Foster, J. H. Campbell, T. H. Mozena, C. S. Getz. D. J. Holliger, P. S. Hooper, G. Braden, G. Goodman, W. Griffin, P. Rosel, D. C. Foster, W. C. Leffingwell. L. P. Hilton, J. Brunner, F. B. Holliday, L. Bigger and J. F. Ralston. The lodge owns a vacant lot on Third street. Its hall is in the Thompson Building, Third street, where it meets every Tues- day evening. The present membership is forty-seven. The officers are F. F. Koeblitz, N. G .; James Stanard, V. G .; H. N. Parks, Secretary; O. W. Grif- fin, Treasurer.

Jewett Encampment, No. 128, I. O. O. F., was instituted July 4, 1870. Its charter members were L. Hardman, W. H. Gibboney, J. H. Campbell, W. H. Smith, J. H. Teaff, G. Mizer, J. C. Manner, W. Griffin and G. G. Picker- ell. The present officers are: J. H. Benson, C. P .; T. J. Moore, S. W .; W. H. Gibben, H. P .; Peter Rosel, J. W .; F. F. Koeblitz, Scribe; Erwin Shamel, Treasurer. The Encampment meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and has a membership of twenty-three.

Tuscarawas Lodge, No. 15, K. of P., was instituted October 25, 1869. The charter members were Thomas H. Mozena, J. A. Teaff, William A. Stone. William A. Bovey, George M. Wyne, J. B. McGonigle, William M. Teaff, David Chalfant, George Goodman, E. A. Parrish, John W. Rusk, George N. McGonigle, Willis H. Gibboney and twenty-nine others. The lodge is in a most flourishing condition, and is now officered by John F. Wolf, P. C .; John M. Laizure, C. C., John Hendricks. V. C .; Alvin S. Work, Prelate; C. E. Sauers, K. of R. and S .; J. M. Mccullough, M. of E .; Lewis McCollum, M. of F. ; J. M. Anderson, M. at A .; John Goens, I. G .; Thomas Reed, O. G.

Probably the first physician who located at Uhrichsville and there engaged in the practice of his profession, was Dr. H. H. Worstler, an Englishman, who came soon after the village was founded. He is now residing on a farm in Harri- son County. Dr. David Chalfant came about the same time and remained in practice a long time. Dr. Albert Osbun, who was reared on a farm in this township, opened an office in Uhrichsville very early, continued in practice a few years, and about 1840 took up his residence in Cadiz. Dr. S. R. Magee came about that time, and was for a time associated with Dr. Chalfant. Magee removed to Deereville about 1845, and is now a resident of California. In 1844, Dr. F. W. McCauley entered upon a practice which he has continued successfully ever since, except for a period of three years when he was in the service of his country. Stephen B. Permar came a few years later, but in 1861 entered the Fifty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as Hospital Steward. and is now practicing in the western part of the State. Dr. Tucker settled in Uhrichsville about 1860, but in a few years removed to Gnadenhutten, and sub- sequently to Kansas. Dr. Crawford came about the same time, but remained only a short time; then removed elsewhere and died. A number of other phy- sicians have been identified with the village, but usually the duration of their residence has been brief. The present practitioners are F. W. McCauley, S. R. Thompson, D. B. Myers, J. E. Groves, G. C. Welch, J. W. Haverfield and W. B. Loller, allopaths, and Nathan Cash, homoeopathist.

Robert E. Knight was the first. attorney to seek a practice at Uhrichsville. He came from Leesburg, Carroll County, about 1848, remained several years, then removed to Youngstown, where he is now a lawyer of some note. J. H. Barnhill was the next legal practitioner. He remained until his election as Probate Judge of Tuscarawas County, and since that event has resided at

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New Philadelphia. W. B. Thompson, in 1862, began a practice which con- tinned for fifteen years. He then retired, and is now engaged in banking. Joseph Mccullough, after a practice of four years, removed, in 1883, from Uhrichsville to New Philadelphia. At present the bar is represented here by five members-L. C. Ball, William Johnson, L. N. Gibson. E. A. Parrish and T. D. Healea.

The Tuscarawas Chronicle was started in New Philadelphia by V. P. Wil- son in 1865. A few months later, James E. Graham became associated with the paper and remained a partner for about one year. when he disposed of his interest to Mr. Wilson. In its earliest days the Chronicle championed the cause of negro suffrage and was very pronounced in its opposition of President Johnson's reconstruction policy. In January, 1869, Mr. Wilson sold the pa- per to P. S. Hooper and J. T. Warner, who soon after transferred it to Pit- tenger & Co., who removed the paper to Dennison. The first number issued from that village bears date March 18, 1869. Thence it was removed to Uh- richsville in the autumn of the same year by Pittenger & Campbell. The paper was conducted in the old Union Hall which was destroyed by fire in February, 1870. Notwithstanding the loss which this fire occasioned, the pub- lication was immediately resumed under the management of W. A. Pittenger and J. H. Campbell, the firm name changing once or twice, until December, 1876, when James E. Graham, the present proprietor, purchased, and has since been sole publisher except during a few months, when M. Moody was joint owner. The Chronicle is Republican in politics, and has the support of an excellent subscription list, which is constantly increasing.

The Tuscarawas County Democrat issued its initial number at Uhrichsville, September 10, 1879, and has since been regularly 'published every Thursday. It is Democratic in politics and has an active circulation. Though yet in its infancy, the Democrat bids fair to take an honored place among the old estab- lished newspapers of the county. Its founder and present publisher is J. E. Fisher. When this paper was started, many of the people of Uhrichsville and Dennison thought it was only a campaign sheet, and others predicted that it would not live over ninety days. It is still in full blast and " flourishes like a green bay tree."

The Tuscarawas County Democrat, a twenty-eight column weekly Demo. cratic newspaper, was established in the summer of 1879, by J. E. Fisher, the present editor and proprietor. Terms: $2 per year; $1 for six months. The editor of the Democrat is a good deal of a politician; has been a delegate to every State, Congressional, Senatorial and County Convention for the past four years, from his county, and has enjoyed the confidence of Senator Pen- dleton, the Hon. George Hoadly, Congressman Wilkins and others, and as his paper is constantly increasing in circulation he says that he hopes to live long that he may be of benefit to his family and party.

The Uhrichsville and Dennison Agricultural Society was incorporated in 1878, with a capital stock of $2,500 divided into $25 shares. Its first officers were William Hill, President; E. W. Uhrich, Secretary; J. Morehead, Treas- urer. Twenty-five acres off the Gorley tract, north of Sixth street, were leased for ten years at an annual rental of about $200. The first fair was held in the autumn of 1878, and they have been continued regularly each year to the present time. The first four fairs were pecuniarily successful but that of 1882, owing to the constant wet weather during the fair week, did not quite pay expenses. The interest in this society has been steadily growing. Its present officers are D. C. Foster, President; J. C. Wilkins, Secretary; E. S. Collier, Treasurer. George Welch, A. B. Johnson, David Dunlavey, J. More- head and William McCauley, constitute the Board of Directors, for the year 1882-83. U

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The grist mill at Uhrichsville is one of the oldest in the county. It was erected by Michael Uhrich in 1806, at which time the only opportunities af- forded for grinding in what is now the county were at a horse mill at Gnad- enhutten and Deardorff's mill in Dover Township, constructed in 1805 or 1806. The mill remained in the possession of the Uhrichs until 1850 or later. Its subsequent owners have been John Hitchcock, Andrew Stewart, V. B. Haskins, Joseph Firebaugh, Squire Carrol and Aiken & Lucas. The mill has been rebuilt, and the present owners have introduced rollers.

The banks of Uhrichsville are two in number. The first banking house was opened for business in 1869, with a capital of $25,000 by A. James Ster- ling, W. B. Thompson and Beriah Wilkins. It continued successfully until December, 1881, and was then merged into the Farmers' and Merchants' Na- tional Bank, capital, $50,000. Its officers are W B. Thompson, President: E. W. Uhrich, Cashier; C. B. Thompson, Assistant Cashier. The Union Bank. a private institution, was started by George Johnson January 1, 1874. He is still sole owner and operator.

The village contains two good hotels. The United States Hotel, located on the northeast corner of Third and Main, was built as a private residence by William Uhrich about 1850. A few years later, he sold it to William H. Demp- ster, who converted the building into a hotel, and has ever since been its owner and proprietor. The Central Hotel, on the southeast corner of Water and Second streets, was built about 1873 by E. G. Helwig. He sold it in 1874, while yet unfinished, to J. F. Birney, who completed and furnished it. The subsequent proprietors and owners have been William Hart, Brewster & Son, Frederick Gentz and J. S. Scarborough; the latter gentleman is the present proprietor. The West Side Hotel, built by D. L. Smith in the autumn of 1882, at the junction of the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling and the Pitts- burgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroads, was destroyed by fire in July, 1883.

Dawson & Whittemore started a planing mill at Uhrichsville about ten years ago. In 1882, it was purchased by Everett & Thompson, the present owners. Elias Uhrich, during the summer of 1883, built and put in operation a second planing mill which he still owns. Just without the corporation limits, on the west side, the Mazurie Bros., in the summer of 1883, erected large tile works, which they are now operating at their full capacity. James A. Harper is engaged in the manufacture of carriages.

Of the mercantile interests of Uhrichsville, it may be said that an extensive business is transacted. Within the village are eleven establishments where dry goods are retailed. Many of these, however, deal in groceries and other merchandise. There are also three groceries, five drug stores, three hardware stores, two clothing stores, three merchant tailors, two jewelry stores, two boot and shoe stores, two bakeries, two furniture stores, three millinery establish- ments, two restaurants and six saloons.

DENNISON.

The town of Dennison is located on the east side of Little Stillwater Creek from Uhrichsville, the creek forming the dividing line between the two towns. It was named after Hon. William Dennison, Ohio's famous war Governor, now deceased, and, bearing the name of one so widely known, together with the fact that the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Company had an- nounced their intention of making it the principal point on their line between Pittsburgh and Columbus, the town became familiar to the public from the start. Dennison is sometimes called, and very appropriately, too, the " Al- toona of the Pan-Handle road," for the reason that it bears the same relation

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to the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway that Altoona, Penn., does to the Pennsylvania Railroad-the creature of its creative power and progressive industry, and the location of its principal shops and division offices. The ori- gin of the town was conceived in the councils of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Company, about the time the road was completed across the Pan- Handle from Steubenville to Pittsburgh. The location was selected because of its being about the middle of the completed line from Pittsburgh to Columbus. The distance to Pittsburgh is ninety-three miles, and to Columbus one hundred, but the grades of the track being considerably greater on the east end rendered the distance equal from an operative standpoint in the minds of the railway officials. Thus Dennison became a place of necessity and impor- tance, and it is not to be wondered that it has grown to be quite a little railroad city.

When the location of the railroad shops and offices here had been decided upon, a company known as the " Dennison Land Company " was formed, which purchased from John Welch, Sr., Isaac Osbun and Alex Huston, be- tween four and five hundred acres of land, lying partly in Mill and partly in Union Townships. The principal portion of Dennison is built upon the ground purchased from Mr. Welch. That gentleman owned in one tract 159 acres, and he sold to the land company 1323 acres, retaining as a homestead and residence the remaining 26} acres, the large brick dwelling-house, orchard, and a pasture field or two comprising the reservation. The following-named gentlemen composed the Dennison Land Company: Thomas A. Scott, J. Edgar Thomson, William Dennison, H. M. Alexander, W. H. Clement, Ashbel Green, George W. McCook, H. J. Jewett, Thomas L. Jewett and George W. McIlvaine. Of these ten persons it may be noted as a remarkable fact that five of their number- just one-half-are now dead, but the heirs still retain their interest in the company, with the single exception of that of William Dennison, which was purchased some time since by Mr. M. Moody, of Uhrichsville. And still more remarkable is the fact that the one for whoin the town was named is the only member of the original company not now connected with it either by himself or family, a fitting illustration of time's eventful and changing scenes. The Land Company still owns, outside of the town, about 200 acres of land, be- sides a considerable number of building lots within the incorporated village. George W. McCook was the Trustee of the company, and had charge of the purchase and sale of all property until his death in 1868, when M. Moody was appointed, and still holds the position.

The above-mentioned purchase of land was made in 1864, but Dennison was not laid out as a town until 1865. The shops, however, were begun in 1864, and completed and occupied in 1865. From that time until the present the growth of the town has been steady and substantial. and, in many particu- lars, remarkable. In 1870, according to the Federal census, the population was 800; in 1880, it was 1,607, showing that the population had doubled in ten years. The lowest estimate, based upon the poll of the politicians and enumeration of school children, places the present population at 2,000, and at this ratio of increase the population of the town in 1890 will be at least double what it was in the census of 1880. Few, if any, towns in Ohio show a more rapid or substantial growth!

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The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 62

Author: Warner, Beers & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Warner, Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017