The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 59

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081

USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 59

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Franklin Baptist Church. -- As has been stated, in 1836, a split occurred in the membership of Tapscott Church, on the subject of missions and some doctrinal points. Those leaving that congregation were without an organiza- tion until June 29, 1843, when they organized with forty-two members. Rev. William T. Boynton was pastor; Peter Dubois and H. W. Meeker, Deacons, and Absalom Death, Clerk. They had no regular place of worship, but finally took possession of the old church building, corner Fourth and Center streets. and. fitting it up, they fenced it in and occupied it for worship. Gen. Schenck had set apart this lot for church purposes, and his heirs afterward quit-claimed the property. In 1851, the vestry on the west side was built; in 1854, the

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main room was rebuilt, the walls raised, the roof renewed, a cupola put on and new windows put in. Within the past two years, the main room has been hand- somely frescoed, a furnace put beneath and vestibules built. The room is a very commodious and tasteful one, and, being on the ground floor, is easy of access.

Elder Boynton dying in 1846, was succeeded by Rev. L. Osborn, who re mained until 1851. Rev. J. C. Armstrong became pastor January 13, 1852. and remained until March, 1854. Rev. M. W. Homes was pastor from Janu- ary, 1855, to June, 1856. Elder John Blodgett took charge in April, 1857. but resigned August, 1858, on account of ill health. Rev. J. L. Moore sup- plied from October, 1858, to October, 1859. Rev. J. R. Powell was ordained November, 1859, and remained until January, 1864. Elder Blodgett returned in February, 1864, and preached until June, 1871. Rev. Jonathan E. Morris succeeded him and remained until April, 1873. Rev. A. L. Lockert was or- dained in October. 1873, and is still working with this congregation.

This church is praiseworthy for the punctuality and prompt attendance of all its members upon all services. The Working Band, which meets on Friday night of each week, has for its object all work that can be done, both in and out of the church, by good earnest Christian people. Missions, home and for- eign, the poor, the intemperate. the hungry and the naked, the sinner and the so-called professor, all are subjects of thought, of prayer and of work The amount of good done to both body and soul by this people cannot be estimated here, but will be repaid hereafter. The Sunday school is under the efficient leadership of W. A. Boynton.

The Methodist Episcopal Church .- This society was formed about 1825. Among its early members were James E. Thirkield and wife, John Rossman and wife, Fletcher Emley and wife, Stephen Wood and wife, Thomas Emerson and wife, and, after a few years, Uriah Clutch and wife and Daniel Hawkins and wife came from New Jersey and were added to the membership. Of these. Mrs. Clutch is the only survivor. Meetings were held at the homes of the members for about seven years, when a church was built, in 1832, on the alley and fronting on the south side of Third, between Front and Center streets. This building, now the property of E. B. Thirkield, still stands, and is occupied as a double residence. In 1836, a brick church of larger dimensions was erected just east of the former and fronting on Center street. This was a more pre- tentious building, having class-rooms and Sunday-school room in the basement and the audience room above, reached by steps in front and at the sides. A good bell was in the steeple; but this building, too, became too small, and, in 1859, it was torn away to make room for the present building. The services of the church were held at the town hall during the demolition of the old and the building of the new church, and the Baptist Church was frequently placed at the disposal of the Methodist Episcopal Congregation. The class and prayer-meetings were held at the residences of members. The new building is of the Gothic style, having buttresses exteriorly and having a steeple which rises 120 feet from the ground, in the lower part of which hangs a magnificent bell, the donation of R. S. Lockwood. This house cost about $10,000 and was a marvel of cheapness. J. L. Thirkield, D. Deardoff and J. W. Thomas were the building committee. The audience room is a very large one, and is now handsomely frescoed, has stained glass Gothic windows and is neatly seated and carpeted. Below are the vestry, Sunday-school room and five class rooms. The building is heated by means of furnaces and lighted with gas.

During the early history of this church, its people were favored by having some of the most renowned ministers of that day, and, as it was only one of the many charges in the old Union Circuit, afterward of Lebanon, and finally

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. Franklin Circuit, preaching occurred but once in four weeks, and later, but once in two weeks. Among the early ministers were James B. Findley, John Brook, Thomas A. Morris, John F. Wright, A. W. Elliott, W. B. Christie, William H. Raper, Joseph Hill, Granville Moody and many others of like fame. In the fall of 1854, it was made a station, with G. C. Townley as minister. Mr. Townley died with consumption before his year closed and was succeeded by S. L. Yourtee, J. F. Marley, J. Morrow, Alexander Meharry, L. F. Van Cleve, William Fitzgerald, Dr. J. W. Weakley, S. F. Conrey, William B. Moler, S. B. Smith, S A. Brewster. G. W. Kelley, Charles Ferguson, Sylvester Weeks and Davis W. Clark, who is still in charge. The present church was built through the efforts of Rev. A. Meharry, who, when he came, found a debt on the parsonage, an old church building and a congrega- tion of old people, and who left this charge clear of debt, with the new church almost completed and a large number of young men and women members of the church. His zeal was so great that he was called a fanatic, but he infused some of the fire into others and built more temples than the one visible to mor- tal eyes.

The Sunday school was organized in 1833, with Daniel Harper as superin- tendent. It has an attendance of over 200, and is attended by more persons than any other school. Mr. E. B. Thirkield has been its superintendent for about fifteen years. The church numbers more than 200 members.

The Christian Church. - The date of organization of the Christian Church, I have been unable to find, but it was probably organized at a very early date. In the Ohio Argus and Franklin Gazette, of September 9, 1837, we find the following notice:

The members of the Christian Church of Franklin Township, are requested to meet in the Union Meeting House, in said township, on the Saturday previous to the second Sunday in October next, to take into consideration the propriety of relinquishing the further use and occupancy of the Lots No. 39 and 41, in the town of Franklin, and the meeting house thereon.

(Signed), A. RABB.

The Union Meeting House above mentioned, was situated on the farms of A. Rabb and Daniel Storms, and was used as a schoolhouse during the week. For this purpose it was large, so a swinging partition was made which was re- moved on Sundays. This building was about two miles southeast of town, and here the country people gathered to listen to the words of Rev. N. Worley and his son Caleb, and, after a number of years, to Elder James Maple. This build- ing proved too small, and, some time about 1850, a spacious brick was erected in Franklin, just south of the present railroad depot. The congregation was always a large one, being composed largely of farmers, who came for several miles to attend services and by many townsmen who loved to listen to the ser- mons of Elder Maple, and also to meet their country friends and relatives. Rev. Maple left this charge to go to Indiana, and, for several years, no regular minister was assigned them. Finally, Rev. T. M. Mc Whinney came and took charge of this congregation. He soon saw the need of a larger and more com- modious building, and, by strenuous efforts, raised the funds to erect the present fine church edifice, and, on June 15, 1872, the corner-stone was laid, Rev. A. L. Mckinney, of Troy, Ohio, delivering the address. The corner-stone bears the following inscription: "Unity in the Christian spirit, liberty in Bible in interpretation. T. M. McWhinney, Pastor." The vestry was dedi- cated November 24, 1872, by Rev. T. M. McWhinney. The building is a pleasant and commodious one, the lower room, or vestry, being seated with chairs, and having in the rear an additional room shut off by folding doors. The audience room is neatly frescoed, has a large gallery and contains a fine pipe organ. The whole building is lighted with gas. Its cupola is intended

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to hold a town-clock, but is vacant as yet, while on the summit a vane in the shape of an angel blowing a trumpet, calls the attention of all passers. Mr. McWhinney believing in the doctrine that "the merciful man is merciful to his beast," had ample shed room in which to hitch the horses, so that they might be comfortable while their owners worshiped. The building stands on the east side of Center street, nearly facing Seventh street. Rev. T. M. Mc- Whinney, some two years ago, resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. H. Y. Rush, who still has charge of this congregation.

St. Mary's Catholic Church .- About twenty years ago, the Catholics of the town and vicinity were ministered to by Rev. Father Bulger, who was in charge of Middletown Catholic Church. They met for some years at the houses of the members, but finally rented a room in the property of J. C. Schenck, on Sixth street, east of the canal. After some years, they rented the town hall for their services. which were held once in four weeks. About the year 1866 or 1867, they contracted for a building which was erected on a lot in Van Horne's addition to Franklin. The building is a frame one, and contains two rooms and a gallery. It is, unfortunately, situated in a low place, but the members have lately surrounded the yard with a neat paling and ornamented the grounds with flowers and shrubbery. Rev. Father Kalenburg has been pastor for several years, and during his pastorate the church have held two fairs, by means of which they have become free from debt. When the building was first erected, there were no seats, but the members stood or sat on the floor un- til they were able to buy seats. The membership is large and services are held every Sunday.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church has been organized but two or three years, and holds its meetings in Woodward's Block.

The African Baptist Church, which formerly worshiped with the Method- ist Episcopal Congregation, now holds its meetings in the building near the northeast corner of Second and Front streets. Both congregations are in their infancy, but they are faithfully discharging all church duties, and seem to be fixed institutions.

PROMINENT BUILDINGS.

Up to the year 1837, the business of the town was carried on in various parts of town, but, in 1837, James T. Schenck, Otho Evans, W. V. Barkalow. Anthony Fay and Isaac Van Tuyl advertised for bids for the construction of a building, to be two stories high, and to contain five business rooms, each to be eighteen feet wide and forty feet deep, with cellar under the whole building, and each room to have two doors and six windows. This was built in 1838. contained six rooms instead of five, and bears the name of Merchants' Row. Here the largest establishments of town were soon settled, and to-day, being as it is, in the center of town, it is a good business locality. A seventh room was erected by Philip Weber in or about 1858.

The buildings of W. R. Dial. Thirkield & Sons, D. Adams, Rossman & Co., A. Walling and W. Coleman are the more prominent business houses.

The house of Thirkield & Sons is the oldest house doing business in town, the house having been established in 1832. Mr. J. L. Thirkield entered the store of Jonathan Mooney when but a lad, and, by his integrity and industry. soon accumulated enough to start in business for himself. In 1837, he and Mr. Mooney formed a partnership and continued for several years, when Mr. Thirkield bought out Mr. Mooney's interests. In 1842, Mr. George Balentine became his partner. They kept their stock of goods in an old building just north of the Presbtyerian Church, until 1850, when they found their business too large for the small building, and they erected, in conjunction with G. Scharf, the block where the store now is. Mr. Balentine dying in 1852, his

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Jonathan Sherwod

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interest was purchased by Alfred Thirkield. A. Thirkield afterward sold his interest to E. B. Thirkield, and removed to Xenia. In 1871, Mr. J. L. Thir- kield sold his interest to W. D. Schenck, and the firm name became Thirkield, Schenck & Co. Mr. Schenck has since sold his interest and the firm is now E. B. Thirkield, George B. Thirkield, C. F. Thirkield and E. M. Thirkield. This house has done probably the largest dry goods business outside of the cities. For many years, they were the bankers of many of the farmers of the neigh- borhood. Their immense building contains four departments-dry goods, boots and shoes, ready-made clothing, furnishing goods and tailoring department. The business is carried on with great system, all the money being handled by the cashier.

Mr. W. R. Dial is perhaps the next oldest business man of the town having carried on the baking and confectionery business for over thirty years.

CANAL AND RAIL ROAD.

In 1825, the Miami & Erie Canal was built from Cincinnati to Dayton, and this gave an impetus to trade. Several lines of canal boats were in opera- tion at once, vast quantities of produce of all kinds were brought to the Frank- lin markets. In the years 1836 and 1837, we find that Earhart & Kinder, Mooney & Rogers, Britton, Schenck & Co. and M. W. & A .R. Earhart were en- gaged in shipping grain, etc., by canal. The article of pork became prominent, and S. R. & J. H. Burrowes, Caldwell, McTaggert & Campbell, Britton, Schenck & Co. and L. Pugh were all engaged in buying pork. In those days, the hogs were slaughtered and the pork packed in barrels, and then shipped by canal. The cooper business, supported by the whisky and pork dealers, was brisk. In order to facilitate shipping, two basins were excavated, one on the east side of the canal, on the south side of Sixth street. the other, just across the canal from it, and on each of them was a pork and commission house. The canal business continued good until after the building of the C., H. & D. R. R., when it decreased, and has now almost ceased. The canal, however, furnishes water to some of our factories.

In 1872, the Dayton Short Line, a branch of the C., C., C. & I. R. R., was completed. As early as 1850, the originators of the C., H. & D. had requested the right of way through the corporation. Several surveys had been made, and one of them was almost precisely the line followed when this road was con- structed, the only deviations being at the entrance to Dayton and Cincinnati. Trains commenced running regularly on July 1, 1872, and the road has been of an incalculable value to the town, bringing coal and materials for the fac- tories and mills and carrying away their products. A depot building was erected during the summer, and the company have since placed here the water- tank, coal-bins and supply shops, this being the point midway between Delaware and Cincinnati. The facilities for loading and unloading freight are not ex- celled anywhere on the line; there is more track room, and, besides this, three spurs have been constructed for the convenience of business men. The com- pany employ about fifty men from this place in various capacities. The station does a large freight business.

THE FRANKLIN HYDRAULIC AND MILLS.

Mr. William.A. Van Horne, the eldest child of Maj. Thomas B. Van Horne, was born in Warren County, Ohio, December 23, 1808. Until fifteen years of age, he worked on his father's farm. In 1824, he went to Piqua, his father being in Government employ there. From 1826 to 1830, he had entire charge of the land office, his father being on his farm near Lebanon, and making a visit of supervision once in three months to the office. He studied medicine,

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but being hindered in his plans for the future, never entered the practice. He married, in 1834, Sarah T. Schenck.

Mr. Van Horne had for many years contemplated the building of a hy- draulic at Franklin. With this in view he purchased land, until he owned on both sides of the river, and could thus be enabled to build a dam without hin- drance. In 1850, he succeeded in organizing a hydraulic company, but was unable to get anything done for nearly twenty years. In 1869, the company failed, and then Mr. Van Horne, by his own efforts, and against the secret workings of many who are now benefited, built the hydraulic, put in a pole dam and secured to Franklin a water-power, with a head of seventeen feet. His dam was built about two miles north of town, just south of the old Vanderveer dam. Having watched the greatest height of the water in the two great fresh- ets of 1847 and 1866, he built his embankments so that the river could by no possibility cover them, and. although they are near the river, they are yet intact.

The hydraulic was built in 1870, and soon after its completion, Mr. Van Horne and John H. Schenck put up a large frame building on the tail race, just below the tail gates. This building was used as a planing-mill, the power being obtained from the waste water. After some years, Mr. Samuel Thompson entered the firm, which was known as Schenck & Thompson. A few years later, Mr. Thompson moved away and Mrs. Van Horne purchased the mill from Schenck. and put her son, John S. Van Horne, to manage the business. Since his management commenced, the business has been very prosperous. The firm is now John S. Van Horne and Charles H. Weaver.

After the sale of power to Perrine, Forgy & Co. and the Harding Company, Mr. Van Horne found it necessary to construct a tail race. There was a natural depression which gave evidence of being an old bed of the river. Mr. Van Horne scooped off a little of the surface soil, and, having constructed gates by which to control it, turned the water of the hydraulic into this hollow, let- ting it follow the hollow to the river. In about a week, washing by day only, he had a tail race extending from the river almost to the mills. Here an ob- stacle was met with in the shape of a stone dam or dyke. It was noticed by the workmen who were taking out the stone, that they were disposed in regular layers, and that about every ten feet a new layer was discovered. Mr. Van Horne finding this out, drove a stake where he thought the stone would cease, and, at the very spot they disappeared. Prof. Orton visited this and thought it the work of water, but the fact that in several places bowlders were found standing in a position which could not have been regularly taken in nature and imbedded in a very fine clay, seemed to point it out as a work of man. The dam, if a section could have been made, would have shown that it was the shape of a pyramid. Above this, and also at the river, were found what ap- peared to be ovens, having at the bottom a layer of charcoal and above this calcined muscle shells.

In 1872, Perrine, Forgy & Co. leased power of the company and erected a mill for the manufacture of manila paper, and soon after, January 1, 1873. commenced its manufacture. They have since enlarged the mill, and have now six tubs, a double set of boilers and a sack factory. The firm name has been changed by death and purchase to Friend & Forgy Paper Company.

During the summer of 1872, the Harding Paper Company of Middletown leased power, purchased ground and put in foundations for a mammoth writing. paper mill and foundations for the stack. Early in the summer of 1873, brick work was begun and completed in the fall. The building had a length of 300 feet. a breadth of fifty feet and an addition in the northwest part of fifty feet; was three stories high besides the cellar; had a stack 130 feet high, and con- tained several million bricks .. Millwrights worked during the winter of 1873

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-74, and, on March 1, of the latter year, the manufacture of paper was begun. The company had bought the twenty-nine-year lease held by Mr. W. A. Van Horne, and this brought them an expense in the dam, which was injured by ice and water so as to stop the mills. However, this was repaired and all seemed prosper- ous until March 1, 1876, when the mill caught fire, and, in spite of every effort by the limited means at hand, was burned to the ground. After lying for more than a year, the mill was rebuilt on the same foundations, but one story less in height, and, in addition, a rag-house was built just northwest of the mill, and a neat office of three rooms east of the mill and on Front street. The mill employs about 150 to 200 hands, male and female, and has a pay-roll of about $1.500 per week. The paper manufactured is of the best quality and is dis- posed of as soon as made. Mr. A. E. Harding is President of the company ; Mr. Charles Harding, Foreman.

In the year 1837, the Franklin papers contained an advertisement for wheat to be delivered at Balentine's mill at the lock south of Franklin. How long before this date Mr. Balentine did business there, we are not informed; the old mill of that date was abandoned for a new one, about 1848 or 1849. and Mr. Balentine having plenty of this world's goods, took as partners H. J. Death and Levi Croll, who, by their industry and integrity, had shown their worthiness. At the time of his death, in 1852, the share of Mr. Balentine was bought by Messrs. Death & Croll, who continued the flour and saw mill busi- ness for several years. Mr. Croll finally withdrew and was succeeded by Ben Morgan, and he in turn by D. H. Clutch. In 1873, the Franklin Paper Company, consisting of H. J. Death, D. H. Clutch, J. F. Gallaher, D. Adams, E. B. Thir- kield and C. Thonsen, was organized. Into this firm Henry Lane was after- ward taken. A mill was erected for the manufacture of book and news paper. The mill was 250x100 feet, with a machine room on the south. The mill ran successfully for some time, and was then almost destroyed by the explosion of the rotary boiler, by which one man met his death. Rebuilt again with a brick stack, replacing the iron formerly used; the machine room was lifted sev- eral inches by a severe wind; again repaired. The company have succeeded in making so good an article of paper that the demand is greatly in excess of the supply. Mr. L. E. Fales was at first foreman, but leaving, to accept a position in the East, he was succeeded by Mr. Charles Mickle, who still has charge. Their success being so great, the company concluded to enlarge their facilities, and did so by purchasing of Death & Clutch the old flour-mill, and, by building additions, made of it a large mill for the manufacture of paper from wood-pulp. This was done in 1880, and the two mills being connected by means of a tunnel, they are enabled to make either rag or wood-pulp paper in either mill. In order to prepare the wood, chemicals must be used, and so great is the amount of soda-ash required that an evaporator was built for the purpose of reclaiming the ash. By means of this about $75 per day is saved. This involves the laying of a great many pipes, and it is stated by one of the firm that over a mile of piping has been used.

Death & Clutch also started, in 1872, a hominy-mill in the old saw-mill building, just northwest of their flour-mill; this was afterward sold to Hunt Bros., who carried on the business for several years, but have now discontinued it.

Among the most enterprising business men Franklin has known, was W. S. Burrowes. Mr. Burrowes, who was a son of Eden Burrowes, one of our ear- liest business men, studied law, and held as lucrative a practice as was pos- sessed by any other lawyer in Cincinnati. In 1858, he commenced in the old Burrowes pork-house on Sixth street, the manufacture of malt, and, in 1868, enlarged the building. It contained, after its enlargement, two malt-kilns, had a frontage on Sixth street of 212 feet, a depth of thirty eight feet, the

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east wing 108x38 feet; the west wing 146x32 feet, an engine-room, 44x26 feet, and a stable of brick 42x26 feet. The yearly capacity of this establishment was 100,000 bushels, and this amount was exceeded by continuing the season of malting. Mr. W. S. Burrowes died in 1872, and his widow, Mrs. K. S. Bur- rowes, and his son Mr. E. M. Burrowes, carried on the business until 1878, when the firm failed. The building stood idle until the spring of 1880, when it was bought by the Franklin Paper Company.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 59

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1081

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081