USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 52
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MASONS' AND PLASTERERS' BILL OF PRICES, 1815.
The following old document, giving the Lebanon bill of prices for stone work, brick work and plastering, agreed upon in 1815, is published so far as it is legible:
We the subscribers have thought proper to regulate and form a bill of prices on stone. work, brick work and plastering, of which we take the liberty to inform our friends and the public in general.
$ Cts.
For stone work under ground, and found per perch.
.43 3-4
And if not found.
.81 1-4
For rough stone work above ground and found per perch. .75
And if not found.
1.00
For single range work and found per perch. 1.87 1-2
And if not found .
.2.00
For brick walls of one brick and half thick if found per thousand.
.2.12 1-2
And if not found ..
2.62 1-2
For one brick or nine inch wall if found per thousand. 2.75
And if not found.
3.25
For brick chimney building and brick counted on the ground and found per thousand.
.4.00
And if not found .. 4.62 1-2
For stone chimney and measured girth and 1-2 girth and found per perch. . 43
And if not found. .81
For brick cornice and found per foot extra on the thousand. .25
And if not found .... .81 1-4
For painting and penciling per yard and found. .12
And if not found ... . 16
For flemish-bond or front work extra on the thousand and found. .25
And if not found. . .31 1-4
For laying hearths and found from 50 to. 1.25
And if not found ... .from 62 1-2 to 1.50
For a trimmer arch and found .. 1.00
And if not found .. .
1.25
For separate ovens and found from .3.50 to 4.50
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
And if not found from. 4.00 to 5.00
For setting a single still and found.
.5.00
And a double still, or two stills joining. 9.50
For a scratch coat on a brick wall and found.
.10
And if not found .. 12 1-8
For finishing the same and found .. 16
And if not found. . 20
For lathing and scratch coat and found ..
14
And if not found ...
.16
For finishing the same and found ...
20
And if not found ..
25
Observe that all vacancies in walling and plastering we measure as solid work. N. B .- We, the undersigned, do hereby agree not to warrant or run any risk in the draft of a chimney of any description whatever.
ELIHU CRANE, WM. LEVINGSTON,
SMITH CRANE, JOHN SMITH,
BENJ. ASHLEY, JONATHAN CRANE,
DAVID SMITH, JOSEPH ROLL,
BENJ. TAPPIN, ELI W. MINOR,
ISAAC TAPPIN, JAMES READEN,
BENJ. BUNDY,
THOMAS FAUQUIRE.
!
Jan. 13, 1815.
INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF LEBANON IN 1839.
BUSINESS.
Shops.
Hands.
Woolen factories.
2
30
Tailoring.
5
17
Stove, copper and tin manufactories
2
5
Tanning
1
5
Wheelwright and turning.
2
5
Chair making.
4
10
Saddling ..
6
17
Cabinet making.
3
15
Hatting ...
8
Shoemaking.
3
27
Gunsmithing.
1
3
Brickmasons, brickmaking, etc.
60
Blacksmithing
6
23
Carpenters and joiners.
10
38
Milliners and mantua-makers.
6
15
Tailoresses or seamstresses.
20
20
Silversmiths ...
2
4
Wagonmaking.
4
37
Barbers
1
8
Sign-painters
3
3
House-painters
3
7
Butchers
2
6
Bakery
2
4
Weavers.
1
6
Printing.
1
4
.
Pump-makers-
1
4
Coopers.
2
Q
Tallow-chandler.
1
2
Plow-making
3
5
Iron foundry
1
4
Oil mill, carding and fulling .. .
1
3
AN ECCENTRIC CHARACTER.
Among the most eccentric characters of the early history of Lebanon was William M. Wiles, merchant, hotel-keeper and local politician, who died in 1837, aged about fifty years. His strange and ofttimes unintelligible adver- tisements frequently attracted the attention of readers of the Lebanon newspa- pers two generations ago. The following incidents are related by A. H: Dun- levy " During the warm canvass of 1832, Gen. Eaton, Secretary of War under Gen. Jackson, called at Wiles' Hotel on his way to Cincinnati and the South, and remained overnight. Anxious to know how Ohio was going to vote, Gen.
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TURTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Eaton asked Wiles how the friends of Jackson and Clay stood in this part of the State, and expressed the hope that he was in favor of Old Hickory. Wiles, who was too polite to his guests to raise any dispute, did not give any defin- ite answer, but replied: 'Gen. Eaton, our watchword is ever The Sword of the Lord and Gideon,' and, when pressed still further, he added, with vehe- mence: 'As soon as we hear the sound of a gong in the mulberry tops, we will arise, and, with the cry, 'To your tents, oh, Israel! will gather the hosts from Dan to Beersheba, and then will be seen such a slaughter of the Amal- ekites as has never been witnessed since the days of Joshua.'
"About this time, Thomas Corwin, then a Member of Congress, and ac- quainted with Gen. Eaton, called on him, and Wiles left the room. Soon Gen. Eaton gave Corwin an account of Wiles' strange conduct, and said to him: 'Your landlord is certainly crazy.' 'No,' said Corwin, 'he was only too polite to tell you, so distinguished a guest of his, that he was the supporter of Clay against Jackson. That is all.' Eaton laughed heartily at the explanation, and did not again press Wiles for his opinions about the approaching election.
" When Gov. Morrow was first elected Governor of Ohio, in the fall of 1822, a number of the citizens of Lebanon determined to visit him immediately, announce to him the fact of his election, and give him a proper ovation on the occasion. To that end, some dozen of our most respected citizens speedily pre- pared to go together as a company of cavalry, on horseback, to the Governor's residence, some ten miles from town. Among these was William M. Wiles, an eccentric man, but a man of ready talent at an off-hand speech. Wiles was anxious to make the address, and took the night previous to the visit to prepare it. Early next morning, the cavalcade set off, and, reaching Gov. Morrow's res- idence, they found he was at his mill, a mile distant. Thither they went, de- termined that Wiles should not miss the chance of making his prepared speech. But when they reached the mill, they found the Governor elect in the forebay of his mill, up to his middle in water, engaged in getting a piece of timber out of the water-gate, which prevented the gate from shutting off the water from the wheel. This, however, was soon effected, and up came the Governor, all wet, without coat or hat; and in that condition the cavalcade announced to him his election. Thanking them for their interest in his success, he urged them to go back to his residence and take dinner with him. But Wiles, disgusted at finding the Governor in this condition, persuaded the party from going to din- ner, and started home, declaring that he could not make his speech to a man who looked so much like a drowned rat. When he saw that, he said, all his eloquent speech vanished from his mind and left it a naked blank. This speech would have been a curiosity, but no one could ever induce Wiles to show it."
CEMETERIES.
The first burials of the early settlers of Turtle Creek Township were made in the graveyards connected with the two earliest churches. There was a graveyard connected with the Turtle Creek Presbyterian Church at Bedle's Station, and one connected with the Turtle Creek Baptist Church east of Leb- anon. Other old burying-grounds were established, generally in connection with a church, but occasionally a lonely grave was to be seen in the forest, or a family place of burial on some neglected hillside.
On the 7th of September, 1806, Jonathan Tichenor and Abner Smith, as Trustees of the Presbyterian Church at Lebanon, in consideration of $40, pur- chased of John Shaw a lot, which is now in the western part of Lebanon, for a graveyard, and is known as the Old Presbyterian Graveyard. This is the old- est graveyard at Lebanon. It is much older than the date of the deed to the Presbyterian society would indicate, as it is known that it was used as a place
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
of burial as early as 1799. There are no inscriptions upon the tombstones marking the earliest graves. Capt. Robert Benham was buried here, but there is no inscription upon his tombstone. The grounds have long been neglected, and are grown up with weeds and briers. Many remains interred here have been removed to the Lebanon Cemetery. Among the names of well-known families of Warren County, the following are found on the tombstones in this yard: Beller, Ferguson, James, Randolph, Dill, Perlee, Dunlap, Halsey, Mon- fort, Miller, Blackburn, Beedle, Braden, Bone, Brown, Liddell, Krewson. Cowan, Perrine, Tharp, Goodwin, Mccrary, Dunham, Crane and Benham.
About 1811, the Baptists removed their church from the site east of Leb- anon to a lot in the western part of the town, as since enlarged. The church- yard from that time was used as a burying-ground, and is still known as the Old Baptist Graveyard. Here are the graves of Judge Francis Dunlevy, Elder Daniel Clark, Judge Joshua Collett, Judge Matthias Corwin (the father of Gov. Corwin), and Keziah Corwin (grandmother of the Governor). In this yard was buried a daughter of Henry Clay, the inscription upon whose tombstone is as follows: "In memory of Eliza H. Clay, daughter of Henry and Lucretia Clay, who died on the 11th day of August, 1825, aged twelve years, during a journey from their residence at Lexington, in Kentucky, to Washington City. Cut off in the bloom of a promising life, her parents have erected this monument, con- soling themselves with the belief that she now abides in heaven."
What is known as the Methodist Graveyard, which adjoins the Baptist burying-ground on the south, does not seem to have been used as such until about the year 1820. There is now no line marking the boundary between the two yards, both being within the same inclosure, and the whole comprises a square within the corporate limits of Lebanon. Although some of the remains have been removed to the new cemetery, the grounds are still kept in good pres. ervation, and no steps have as yet been taken for their abandonment as grave- yards.
The Lebanon Cemetery Association was organized at a meeting in the town hall of Lebanon, June 20, 1850. The capital stock of the association was divided into twenty-five shares of $50 each, and one share was taken by each of twenty-five stockholders. The first officers were: A. H. Dunlevy, President; John E. Dey, Jacob Egbert, Robert Boake and William M. Charters, Trustees; Horace M. Stokes, Clerk; and William F. Parshall, Treasurer. The grounds of the association at first consisted of eight and one-half acres, which were tastefully laid out according to a plat, drawn at the request of the President, by John Van Cleve, Esq., of Dayton. Additions have since been made to the grounds, until they comprise nearly fifty acres. The first interment was that of Hannah Seely, who was buried August 29, 1850. In 1881, there were 450 lot-holders, and the total number of burials in the cemetery was 1,913, of which 208 were remains removed from the older graveyards. The grounds contain many beautiful and costly monuments, among which is the family monument, simple and chaste in design, of one of Ohio's most distinguished men-Thomas Corwin.
The following list of the names of persons buried in the three old graveyards at Lebanon was obtained by the writer with the assistance of Mr. S. C. Drake. Most of those named were born prior to 1800. Some of the tombstones mark- ing the graves of the pioneers have fallen down, and on others the inscr ptions are almost illegible. Many graves are marked by rough stones, without any inscription. In a few instances, the date of death and age have been ascer- tained from other sources than the tombstones, and are given in the list:
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TURTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP.
BAPTIST GRAVEYARD.
NAME.
DIED.
LAGE
NAME.
DIED.
AGK
Elizabeth Van Pelt. .
1814 31
Thomas L. Phillips.
1822
50
Nathaniel Tichenor
1825
44
Mrs. Mary Billmire.
1860
70
Thomas Tindall.
1825
: 62
Ephraim Culy.
1865
65
Martha Tindall ..
1853
82
Elizabeth Culy ..
1853
52
John Merrett.
1828
75
Margaret Gibson.
1855
77
Sophia Merrett ..
1839
83
Hannah Thomas.
1856
90
Thomas Humphreys.
1843
69
Mrs. Rhoda Bowers.
1849
49
Sarah Humphreys ..
1853
76
Mrs. Lydia Bowers.
1856
58
Mary (Corwin) Hart.
1836
42
Ichabod Corwin.
1834
67
George Kesling.
1860
77
Sarah Corwin ..
1853
81
Zephania Hart.
1865
89
William G. Corwin
1850
58
Mary Hart.
1851
64
Eliza Corwin ..
1822
26
Mary (Russell) Benham
1825
30
Kezia Corwin.
1816
79
Adam Horn ..
1848
81
John Osborn.
1859
90
Rebecca (Penton) Horn.
1843
76
Mary Osborn.
1814
41
Sarah Corwin ..
1852
85
Rev. Daniel Clark.
1834
90
Maria Probasco.
1848
53 Sarah Clark.
1842
86
Samuel Gallaher.
1833
64
Eli Foster.
1820
51
Sarah Gallaher.
1862 88
Esther Foster
1858
80
Francis Dunlevy.
1839 78
Silas Hutchinson.
1858
86
Mary (Craig) Dunlevy ..
1828
64
Margery Hutchinson.
1838
64
John C. Dunlevy, M. D.
1834
38
Mrs. Elizabeth Tingle
1844
69
Mrs. Rebecca Jameson.
1842 79
Mrs. Mary McCarty
1842
57
John Eddy:
1829
36
James McCreary.
1814
46
Christopher M. Jones
1823
43 Mary McCreary
1858
77
Mitchel Hart.
1836
63 Benjamin Collett.
1831
38
Elizabeth (Corbley) Corwin.
1855
81
Joshua Collett.
1855
73
David Corwin ..
1872
96
Eliza (Van Horne) Collett.
1846
69
Hannah Corwin.
1851 68
Stephen Gard. .
1845
66
John B. Drake.
1837 39
Lavinia (Budd) Van Horne.
1837
89
Thompson Lamb.
1843
53
Isaac Evans.
1850
49
Caroline W. Lamb.
1826 28
Susanna Jones.
1865
80
Ann (Benham) Lamb.
1861
67 Abraham Keever, Sr.
1839
66
Joseph Lamb.
1828 78
Margaret Keever.
1860
80
Ruth Lamb.
1842 78
Margaret G. Boyd ..
1863
75
James Hill ..
1855 65
Abraham Probasco.
1861
89
Maria Hill.
1846
51
Jane Probasco.
1844
66
Benjamin H. Corwin.
1829
43
Edward Dunham.
1842
57
Rebecca Corwin .. John Halsey.
1845
67
Elizabeth Dunham
1839
51
Margaret Halsey
1860
85
John Lincoln ..
1833
72
Patience Corwin.
1818
57
Mrs. Rachel Kell.
1835
53
Lewis Drake ..
1849
82
Mrs. Mary Hathaway
1847
53
Mary (Russell) Drake.
1821
50
Mrs. Mary Watters ..
1831
79
Samuel Drake ..
1865
72
James 8. Duval
1833
31
Mary (Corwin) Drake.
1860
68
George Duckworth
1849
65
Joseph Corwin.
1835
64
Sarah Duckworth.
1850
70 63
John Wickerham.
1837 48
Joseph Bundy
1868
76
Joseph Eddy, Sr.
1824 61
Hannah (Bracher) Bundy.
1849
55
Jabish Phillips.
1837
68
Abiel Gustin.
1839
60
Rhoda Phillips.
1854
87
Mary Gustin.
1849
67
John Phillips.
1837
47
METHODIST GRAVEYARD.
Aaron Brandenburg.
1825
64
Elizabeth Van Note.
1825
40
Jedediah Tingle ..
1827
61
Samuel Chamberlin ..
1863
89
Mrs. Ann French.
1827
30
Hannah J. Chamberlin
1850
63
Rev. Joseph Borden
1851
61
Lewis Chamberlin ..
1854
48
Mary (Steele) Borden.
1820
27
James Frazier.
1847
80
Jacob Sellers.
1858
87 Sarah Frazier.
1820
49
Christena Sellers
1841
63
John Martin. .
18221
62
William Van Note.
1833
57
John W. Colbert
1831
46
1838
Elizabeth Dunham.
1857
76
1835 79
Matthias Corwin.
1829
69
Mary Lincoln
1831
38
Rachel (Lincoln) Drake.
1845
55
Mrs. Sarah Evans.
Susannah Corwin
1822
52
Nathan Sharp.
1849
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
METHODIST GRAVEYARD .- Continued.
.
NAME.
DIED.
AGE
NAME.
DIED. 'AGE
Elenora P. Colbert.
1862
76
Eliza Jane Harnsberger
1852
75
Christopher Earenfight
1850
71
William Sellers ..
1844
47
Mary Earenfight.
1845
63
Parthena Sellers.
1828
26
Mrs. Prudence Bone.
1824
31
Henry Share. .
1830 1 67
Henry Harner.
1851
75 1
Elizabeth Bratton.
1825 ; 66
Sarah Harner*
1844
40
Robert Wood ..
1822
41
Mary Harner*
1844
38
Mary Ann Nixon.
1824
68
Elizabeth Harner"
1844
35
Eliza Nixon ..
1824
33
Ann Harner".
1844
27
Sarah H. Nixon.
1828 / 32 37
Jeremiah Pinneo
1823
Priscilla Punneo.
1826
John Adams.
1824
57
George Foglesong ..
1831
47
Christian Adams.
1834
47
Catherine Foglesong.
1831
43
Rebecca Lowry.
1820
71
Zaccheus Ray.
1836
55
Hannah Hackney.
1829
39
Josiah H. Barton.
1848
47
John Lackey .. .
1827
27
John Shurts. 28 Sarah Shurts.
1827
35
Edmund Geoghegan.
1833
34 James Brown.
1820
27
John Pauly
1823
54
1 Betsey Edwards.
1825 62
Margaret Pauly
1832
55
1 James Edwards
1825
60
Daniel Birdsal.
1839
58
Daniel Ulm
1858
82
Joshua Hollingsworth
1841
66
Jane Ulm.
1833 : 57
Richard Parcell, Sr ...
1839
72 Rhoda Mulford.
1843
56
Ann (Voorhis) Parcell
1834 64 Joseph Mulford.
1833
57
Daniel Skinner.
1839
73
William Spining.
1819
37
Isabella Skinner.
1855 85
John R. Klingling.
1841
36
Ruth Roe.
1840 74 Esther Paxton
1848 1
76
William M. Wiles.
1837
50
Jane Shinn ..
1834
47
George Mix. .
1830
37 Mrs. Catherine Crawford.
1828
57
Diantha Mix.
1824
33 Adam Koogle
1833
53
James D. Camp.
1824
47 49
George Bundy
1848
67
William Worley
1828
68
Elizabeth Bundy.
1850 ,71
Nancy Worley.
1837
82
Benjamin Bundy
1859 : 84
Samuel Z. Price.
1856
60
Ruth Bundy.
1846 1-
Elias Spinning.
1851
66
Robert Hamilton.
1841 | 81
Phebe Spinning.
1836
89
Wyllys Pierson.
1833
61
Matthias Spinning
1830
80
Mary Pierson.
1827
50
Hannah Spinning.
1837
84
Capt. Jonathan Cushing
1818 30
Mrs. Mary Morris
1837
64
Nancy Stewart ...
1866 i 72
Joseph Foote.
1833
42
John Henderson, Sr.
1840
87
Sarah Compton.
1859
61
Catherine Henderson.
1843
John Conrey.
1864
72
John Henderson.
1838
39
Margaret Conrey
1847
52 Mrs. Jane Hall.
1862 '
69
James Harrison.
1832
62 Thomas Anderson.
1839
71
Anna Harrison.
1839
64 Hesther Anderson.
1840
68
George Harnsberger.
1825
41 Thomas Rockhill.
1825
65
* Four sisters killed by lightning near Lebanon, May 30, 1844.
PRESBYTERIAN GRAVEYARD.
John Tharp.
1819 69
Ann Maria Russell.
1846 : 39
Hannah Tharp.
1841
88
Benjamin Blackburn.
1852 62
Ann Perrine ...
1823
34 Peter Perlee.
1844
M. S.
.January 8,
1821
Rachel Perlee.
1853
84
Cornelius Voorhis,
1814
46
David Randolph.
1856
82
Samuel Braden ...
1855
75
Rebecca Randolph
1828
50
Mary Braden.
1828
43
Sophia Maskal
1853
58
Ezekiel Ervin.
1843
84
John Grigg.
1846
76
William Braden ...
1844
59
William Ferguson
1831
61
Elias Beedle. .
1846
63
Catherine Ferguson
1813
30
Martha Beedle
1846
62
Thomas Krewson
1833
47
Joseph Halsey.
1868
83
James Cowan
1828
Mary Halsey.
1854
70 Mary Cowan
1820
Dr. David Morris.
1850
81
James Cowan
1873
85
William Russell.
1829
73
Mary Cowan
1826
35
Jane Russell.
1814 : 46 Charles Cowan.
1850
66
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1870
89
Michael Shurts.
1843
Mary Koogle
1833
46
William B. Geoghegan
1821
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TURTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP.
PRESBYTERIAN GRAVEYARD .- Continued.
NAME.
DIED.
AGE
NAME.
DIED.
AGE
Jane W. McPherson.
1816
56
Samuel Manning.
1837
75
Jacob Monfort
1817
23 Thomas Bowes.
1838
43
Elizabeth Monfort.
1817
58
William Jackson.
1868
68
Lawrence Monfort.
1830
77
Charlotte Jackson.
1866
70
Maria Aten
1828
36
Thomas Freeman
1818
33
Cyrus Bone.
1837
51
John Kesler.
1843
73
Sarah T. Bone
1856
66
Jacob Beller.
1842 56
James Bone
1838
60
Elizabeth Beller.
1846
49
Agnes Bone.
1858
76
William Roof.
1842
43
Mrs. Jane Reeder.
1842
64
Mrs. Christena Sellers.
1807
36
Mrs. Jane Krewson.
1847
64
Mrs. Ann McCain.
1848
70
Mrs. Eunice Goodwin
1814
18
Francis Dill.
1834
87
William Porter
1833
81
Ann Dill.
1814
66
Mrs. Elizabeth (Ross) Winans.
1815
26
William Dill.
1852
63
John McCray
1836
66
Aletty Dill.
1843
63
Abner Smith.
1818
64
Francis Dill ..
1830
34
William Whitaker.
1847
62
Mrs. Mary Dill.
1827
54
David Dunham
1835
66
Alexander Dunlap.
1813
26
Mrs. Rachel Brown.
1852
58
SCHOOLS OF LEBANON.
Enos Williams taught the first school in the town of Lebanon after it be- came a town. In the winter of 1804-5, Elder Jacob Grigg moved from Rich- mond, Va., to Lebanon. Elder Grigg was a Baptist preacher and a man of good education; his object in coming to Lebanon was to establish a school of a high order. Thomas Corwin was one of his pupils. His school was continued for three years; he gave instruction in ancient languages and higher mathematics, as well as the common branches.
Ezra Ferris taught, in 1808-9, a school of the same grade as that of his predecessor.
In 1809, a Mr. Wheelock taught a common school, and also trained a class of young men, especially in elocution.
In 1810, or the beginning of 1811, the Rev. William Robinson, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, opened a school in which he gave instruction to a class of young men of advanced grade. He taught for a considerable length of time.
Other teachers of Lebanon, before the public schools were organized, may be mentioned: Daniel Mitchell, 1815-17, in whose school Gen. O. M. Mitchell was a pupil; John M. Houston and James L. Torbert, 1820-22. But for sev- eral years before and after this time, Josephus Dunham taught a school regu- larly, but mostly for small children. All the schools mentioned thus far were subscription or pay schools, no public money being employed to defray the ex- penses. Schoolhouses were provided either by the teacher, or by the house- holders of the community coming together and building them with their own hands. The youth were generally well educated, although many neglected to avail themselves of the advantages of the schools. either from the want of means or the inclination.
The public schools of Lebanon were organized about 1830, but no public schoolhouse was built until several years later, and the Directors rented and furnished for the use of the schools the basements of the East Baptist and Cumber- land Presbyterian Churches, beginning in 1837. They also used a building owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church, which stood just back of the pres- ent church edifice of that society. In these buildings were organized from five to seven grades, employing, in 1848, seven teachers. By this time, the school had grown so large as to make it incumbent upon the people to provide for them better accominodations. Accordingly, at a public meeting held for the purpose,
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
September 8, 1847, it was resolved by the tax-payers of District No. 8, Turtle Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio (as it was then designated), to levy a tax of $7,000, for the purpose of erecting a building large enough to accommo- date all the youth of the district. After a vigorous effort upon the part of the friends of education, and many discouragements, a two-story brick building of five rooms was made ready for occupancy some time in 1851. Schools were kept in session, however, most of the time during the three years in which the building was in process of erection. August 19, 1848, the Directors, G. J. May- hew, John E. Dey and P. Stoddard, decided to open school October 2, and elected teachers and fixed their salaries as follows: W. F. Doggett, $80 per quarter; J. H. Layman, $75; Clarissa Barker, $55; Henrietta Sellers, $36; Aletha A. Ross, $36; Eliza Dill, $36; and Caroline Sellers, $30. Mr. Doggett declined, and J. M. Antram was employed at the same salary. The Principal at that time doubtless taught high school branches, but the high school is first mentioned in the records of June 21, 1853. Mr. Antram resigned March 13, 1849, and on the same day the board employed Ferdinand Van Harlingen as Principal at the same salary; but, for want of funds, the schools were closed March 23, 1849.
April 8, 1850, the Clerk made record that no free school had been main- tained during the preceding year.
May 25; 1850, eight teachers were employed, Dryden Ferguson as Princi- pal, at $70 per quarter, to teach for one quarter, beginning June 3, 1850.
September 16, 1850, John P. Smith was employed as Principal, at $80 per quarter, and, December 16; 1850, his salary was increased to $90 per quar- ter, on condition that he teach geography in night schools. That was the pe- riod of " singing " geography, and Mr. Smith sang geography two nights per week for the next quarter to the satisfaction of his patrons.
On the completion of the new building, the people decided to have a graded school. Although the schools had gradually assumed that form before, there was a lack of system and proper classification. September 27, 1851, the board employed Josiah Hurty as Superintendent of Lebanon Public Schools, at a salary of $650 per annum. He entered upon his duties in the new house in the autumn of 1851. His first work was to assemble the pupils in the largest room and assign them to their places, according to their several grades of advance- ment. The Superintendent taught the senior department, no high school as yet being organized. There were, however, classes in algebra and probably some other higher branches.
A high school was established by a vote of the Board of Education, June 21, 1853, while Mr. Hurty had charge of the schools, but as to the branches taught therein the record is silent. Several years later, a course of study was adopted, requiring four years for its completion, but in 1873 it was decided to adopt one requiring only three years, the object of the change being to avoid multiplying classes to such an extent as to prevent successful teaching.
April 4, 1863, the " school law of 1849" was adopted by a vote of the citi- zens. Mr. Henkle, who was then Superintendent of the School, was an earnest advocate of the change, one benefit of which was the election of six members of the Board of Education instead of three. The subsequent improved manage- ment of the high school alone confirmed the wisdom of the change. In 1862, the school building was burned at night, all the library and text-books and ap- paratus being destroyed. A new building was at once constructed on the same site, and is still in use. In 1880, an addition of two rooms was constructed. and for the past year ten teachers have taught in the building, and two in the school for colored children.
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