USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > The first century of Piqua, Ohio > Part 19
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These dates are approximately when these stores were started, but t is impossible to say how long they continued. There were no doubt thers during this period, but of them we have no authentic record. In 838 the first dry-goods store was started, and this date marks the be- inning of the time when it became possible for a store to specialize in ne branch of merchandise.
DRY-GOODS STORES
In 1838 R. Gordon started the New York Dry Goods Store, and ohn Crawford was in the same business at that date. Later came J. forrow, W. H. Harbaugh, Bertling & Conover, Fred. Reiter, J. Scott,
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Parker & Co., S. Gross, D. Spencer, Geo. Benkert, J. W. Brown, New York Store, Boyer's, and C. W. Orr & Co.
EARLY TAILOR SHOPS
There was no ready-made clothing in early times, and that com- modity was either made at home or by a tailor. Some of these tailors were: Jas. M. Garrison in 1826; Daniel Norris, 1829; Howe & Mckinney, 1829; Wm. C. Deputy, 1832; James Druitt, 1833; M. G. Mitchell, 1833; Geo. Fuller, 1834; W. B. Newman, 1835; Robert Chappell, 1836; and N. Zeigler, 1838. Later tailors were Henry Flesh, Killian Kussman, Chas. Hirt, and others.
HAT MAKERS
Hat making was another industry that long ago ceased to be a local occupation. Our pioneers in that trade were Jas. Defrees and Louis Webb in 1830; J. Brown, 1832; C. S. Griggs, 1836, and later, Thomas Morton and J. R. George.
JEWELERS
Early jewelers in Piqua were: Henry Barrington, 1829; Wm. Lewis, 1833; J. Jameson, 1834; Wm. Michner, 1835; J. R. Johnston, 1836; K. William, 1836; T. J. Garvey, 1838; Thoma & Hummel, 1838; and J. Julian, 1856. Later ones were: J. G. Haag, M. F. Richey, M. L. Ryan, Wattles & Rupp, A. Wendel, and C. G. Schenck.
In 1907 were: H. L. Greenbank, J. H. Max, M. F. Richey, A. Thoma, Jacob Wendel, and P. M. Wolford.
BOOK STORES
Early book stores were : J. & D. Alexander, 1836; B. F. & J. Ells, 1839; W. M. Garvey, 1849; G. B. Frye, 1850; H. Limbocker, 1850; J. A. Smith, 1856; Rea Bros., 1858; and Hoskins & Merring, 1864. Later came H. Larink, John Schoen, and S. N. Todd.
In 1907 were: Geo. Worley and G. W. Nash.
DRUG STORES
Though nearly all the early doctors kept a supply of drugs, there were also several drug stores. The first of which we have record were: M. G. Mitchell, 1832; John P. Finley, 1834 ; Daniel Ashton, 1835; Ashton & Coburn, 1836; O'Ferrall & Dorsey, 1837; Ashton & Ewing, 1839; Daniel Phistner, Geo. E. Lee, Gordon & Allen, J. A. Leavell, C. Racine, and John P. Conrad, 1839, and Richard Brandriff, about 1850. Later came Brand. riff & Durant, John Cass, May Bros., Conrad May, Ed. Huntzinger, and A. C. Wilson.
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In 1907 were: Ashton Bros., Greenamyer & Co., P. I. Hedges, W. W. Ratcliff, C. L. Reck, Red Cross Pharmacy, and A. C. Wilson.
HARDWARE AND TIN STORES
Hardware had always been kept in the stock of the general stores until in 1836 when W. R. & L. T. Kirk made it a specialty. They were followed at various dates by Fred. Geyer, C. Foreman, W. H. Hughs, Davis & Roe, Shannon & Davis, Garvey & Wilbur, Jas. Scott, Croy & Hatfield, R. E. Reynolds, C. Schrader, Snyder & Co., Wertz & Ralston, Lucas & Barnett, W. H. Angle, and I. N. Woodcox.
Sheet-iron and tinners were: Geo. Manchester & Bro., Gearhard & Wade.
Later ones were: Geo. Heidle, H. Keinle, W. F. Lentz, Ed. Racine, and T. H. Norr.
GROCERY STORES
All the early general stores kept groceries, and it was not until 1834 that a store for that special purpose was started. This was owned by David Hunter. Then came J. Schmidlapp, 1835; Marshal & Knowles, 1838; John Lytle, 1838; L. Hecker, 1839; Sawyer & Jackson, 1840; Zoll- nger & Clark, 1850; Zollinger & Shannon, 1861; Dubois & Knox, 1861; P. A. Williamson, 1861; C. F. Zeigenfelder, 1861, and C. Belt, 1865.
Later grocers have been so numerous that we must necessarily omit hem.
SHOE-MAKERS
Our earliest shoe-maker was Nathaniel Whitcomb, who was here when the town was laid out in 1807. Then came Byram Dayton, previous 0 1820; Merrick Martin, 1831; Sam. Gibson, 1832; Reeder & Pierce, 1833; . W. Horton, 1835; Jas. Clark, 1836; Lines & Pelton, 1838, and Sam. acobs, 1839.
Among the later ones were: Amos Abley, John White, Wm. Lines, os. Usserman, Frank Adams, A. Bartel, Craig Strohminger, Ed. Ran- all, A. Fisher, J. Caldwell, and Henry Maag.
GUN-SMITHS
Wm. Stewart came to Piqua soon after the war of 1812. He had blacksmith shop on his farm just south-east of town, and did quite a isiness in gun-making and repairs. His son John, who was born in 316, learned the trade from his father and later made a specialty of gun ork, continuing in that occupation for many years, and several speci- ens of his handiwork are now in the local collection of G. W. Lorimer.
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Jacob Snevely was probably our next earliest gun-smith. He was here prior to 1835, and had his shop opposite Simpson's tannery, on south Main street.
L. & T. J. Hawkins came in 1838, and their shop was just below Sycamore on Main street. In 1848 Joshua Cook had a gun-shop just east of the public square. Jos. Legg was another early gun-smith on north Main street. He later sold out to D. Oblinger, who still runs the busi- ness on Market street.
Christ. Vogt was also lately in the gun business.
SADDLERY AND HARNESS
Benjamin and Jacob Cox had a saddlery just north of McCorkle's store in 1821. Landis & Johnston were here in 1834, and John S. John- ston in 1837.
Later harness shops were the two Benkerts, Martin McNealy, and Fisher & Phillippi.
CIGAR MAKERS
Very little tobacco was raised in this part of Miami county previous to the civil war. Our early merchants kept imported "segars" and a brand of "twist" chewing tobacco, but no regular cigar maker was located in Piqua until in 1856 when William Schroerluke opened a shop, and not only taught the business to a number of apprentices, but also to his four sons, who have continued it to the present time. Soon after the war several other factories started, among whom were John Laug and Jos. Defrees.
In 1870 Leopold Kiefer bought out Defrees and began the manufac- turing of cigars on a larger scale. At one time his force consisted of 40 men and 10 helpers, and his finished goods were sold all over this part of the state.
But those days are past and at the present time the busines in Piqua is confined to only a few of the survivors, and in connection with their retail trade. Others who have been conspicuous in this line were Wil theiss, Chryst, Nageleisen, Koester, Emmert, Russell, Stelzer, Dettman. Beckert, Grunert, Sommers, Jacomet, and Alsmeyer.
ARTIFICIAL GAS COMPANY
That part of River street between the canal and Spring street was given to the newly organized Gas Company by the city as a location for their gas plant in 1855. Jos. G. Young and A. G. Conover were the lead ing spirits in this company, and by August of that year had a contrac
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for twelve lights at prominent street corners, besides lighting many resi- dences and stores.
Early in 1856, the city gave them a contract to place a lamp-post at every remaining street intersection in town. Some of these old lamp- posts are still standing, though the streets have not been lighted by gas since the contract was given the Electric Light Company in 1889.
NATURAL GAS AND GAS WELLS
So many fine gas and oil wells had been opened up at Findlay, Lima, and in Mercer county that in 1886 a company was formed in Piqua for the purpose of testing this territory for a supply. Drilling on the first well, near the south end of Wayne street, was commenced March 9, 1886, and went to the depth of 1,350 feet. It was pronounced a "dry hole," and the rig was moved to the Thomas farm, in Huntersville, where a small flow of very fine oil was reached at a depth of 1,167 feet. For some cause this well was not properly developed, so we do not know its real merits, though gas from it was used by several families for some years, and oil was also pumped at intervals.
More wells were drilled in that vicinity, and though showing signs of both oil and gas, were not permanently utilized.
In 1887, several wells were put down near town. One or two were Irilled on the Cathcart farm, and one on the Frost farm, north-east of Piqua. None of these wells produced more than shale gas.
In 1895, wells were drilled on the Hildebrand, Gear and McWilliams arms west of town, and though indications of both oil and gas were lentiful, they were each "silently" abandoned.
A well was also put down on the canal bank, between Ash and High treets, this same year, but proved unprofitable.
Other test wells have been drilled in and near Piqua at intervals, ut were either dry holes or furnished only a limited supply of gas, so at it has become the general opinion that Piqua is not in the vicinity f a productive field.
On Aug. 8, 1887, council granted the McGuffy syndicate a franchise lay natural gas pipes in the streets of Piqua. This company did not ve up to their agreement, so a franchise was granted the Mercer Gas Fuel Company on Nov. 15, 1887. This company took over the property the syndicate and at once commenced work on their line to the Mercer unty fields.
This line was completed to Piqua early in 1888, and opening celebra- ons were given on May 28th and June 19, 1888.
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This company with its successors have been furnishing the citizens with gas at an increasing rate up to the present time, and it is probable that in a few years our natural gas will be a luxury of the past.
STONE QUARRIES
Piqua is underlaid with a portion of the Niagara group of limestone, and also the Clinton series. In and below town the stone crops out along the river bank, and in the quarries very little stripping is necessary.
Almost since the first settlement of the country, kilns for burning lime have been in use in Piqua, and during the latter half of the century many quarries have been opened for taking out the fine building stone.
Among the older quarrymen were Henry Kitchen, David Statler. Jas. Hamilton, Harvey Clark, Dr. Dorsey, Mr. Mitchell, and Mr. Hetherington.
Most of these men had lime-kilns in connection with their quarries, but of late years W. O. Cofield, who bought the Hetherington quarry, was the only one burning lime.
The Clinton limestone, which lies just below the Niagara, is of a light color, though nearly as hard as marble, and is now used extensively as crushed stone for concrete work and road ballast. It is also ground into a flour called marble dust, which is used for many purposes.
Levi Cofield and his son, W. O. Cofield, were the pioneers in this crushing and grinding business, and the latter is still interested in ond of the three large plants that now make this feature of the business & specialty.
TELEGRAPH LINES
The first telegraph line to connect Piqua with the outer world wa the old National line, which came up the Troy road from Dayton. Thi line was put into service in 1850, and the Piqua office was in the Cit hotel.
When the C., P. & I. R. R. was completed, a wire was placed alon its right of way for train order service.
In 1860 the Western Union Company came into Piqua, using th railroad poles for their wires, and a man named McMikels was our firs local operator.
He was followed in 1861 by Julius Ruby, and in 1862 Ed. Mach was appointed, and is still holding the position.
Sept. 24, 1879, the American Union Telegraph Co. was given pe mission to enter town, but never did so.
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In 1893 the Ohio Telegraph & Telephone Co. ran their line through Piqua on the tow-path of the canal.
In 1894 the Postal Telegraph & Cable Co. installed an office in the city, and their present office is a room in the Plaza building.
TELEPHONES
In 1880, the Dayton Telephone Company was given permission to use the streets for putting in a telephone system. This company turned their proposition over to the Bell people, and in 1882 an exchange was located n the Scott building, at the corner of Ash and Main streets. This com- any is known as the Central Union, and now occupies a room over the postoffice.
The Piqua Home Telephone Co. were given a franchise on Feb. 6, 899. The incorporators were: Stanhope Boal, W. A. Snyder, Henry Flesh, Wm. Sniff, S. K. Statler, M. G. Smith, and Leo Flesh. Their ex- hange is over the Piqua National bank.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
On Nov. 1, 1883, the Piqua Electric Light Co. was organized, and in he spring of 1884 their plant at the corner of Water street and the canal as erected.
The first lights were turned on April 30, 1884, and the first private welling to use this new light was that of Harvey Clark. The first arc ght was at the Leowi Clothing Store, Feb. 11, 1889. The company al- ady had a contract for lighting a portion of the town, but early in 389, they signed an agreement to light the whole city.
The small 20-candle power lights of that date have gradually given ay to the much stronger arc lights of the present. Their large new ant is located just south of the railroad, between Wayne and Main reets.
It was completed in 1900, and in the winter of 1903-04 they installed hot-water heating system.
POTTERIES
David J. Jordan was our earliest potter. His kilns were on Main eet, just below Miami. Then came a Mr. Benjamin Riffle. The next s a Mr. Ewell, and the last was X. Oweger, whose pottery was on the ith side of Young street, between Main and Wayne. The mud for this siness came from the swamp south of the Favorite Stove Works.
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MONUMENTS AND MARBLE WORKS
No doubt there were earlier ones, who used our native limestone for tomb-stones, but the first record we have of this business is that of Lud- low & Underhill, who had their shop on the corner of Ash and Spring streets in 1837.
They sawed their stone into slabs by hand, and also dealt in Italian marble, which was shipped in on the canal. E. Benson was the next in this line, and had his shop on the south side of Water street, near the foot of Harrison.
He moved to the north-east corner of Ash and Wayne streets in 1875 and sold out to Geo. McKee in 1879. Prior to 1875, J. T. Hathaway had a shop on this same corner, and Daniel Young had a shop on Greene street, between Spring and the canal. About 1875 Hummel & Cardon occupied the yard at the corner of Ash and Spring, Hummel continuing the business until he moved south in 1885.
Then came J. A. Flatz who occupied the old yard of Benson on Eas Water street. He introduced the first compressed air cutting tools, and later sold out to Eby & Hauk.
In 1907 this firm, with Jacob Hirt, D. L. McKee & Son, comprise th different shops of the city.
BLACKSMITHS
It will be impossible to name all the men who have followed thi trade in Piqua, but we will give those of which we have record. Jo Defrees had a shop just south of Sycamore street on Main in 1820. H also had a "tilt hammer" run by water power from Manning's race. Th was on East Water street, and in it he hammered out reaping sickle horse-shoe bars, and other articles of that class. Wm. Stewart had shop prior to that date. Joshua Wells was at the north-west corner Main and Sycamore streets in 1829. Elijah Carr made edge-tools 1830. Chas. Cook was blacksmith in 1831. David Johnston, 1834; W1 Rodgers near Cold Springs hotel, 1837. Rodger's shop at this time w near the bank of the canal, and he made a specialty of shoeing the ox used in the construction work. In a large sycamore tree near his she was rigged a sling manipulated by block and tackle for turning the ox over, thus making this part of the job much easier than doing it by han He also run a trip-hammer from water power in the creek and sprin at that point.
John Mahon was blacksmith in 1837; John Graham, 1837; C. 1. Bowdle, 1838; Rodgers & Butsch, 1839; Henry Gossin and Jos. C. Horto, east side public square, 1839.
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Some of the later blacksmiths were Chas. Beston, Jos. Clouse, M. Peterson, John A. Gray, Geo. Davis, M. V. Foster, O. Foster, Sam. Heit- man, John Dabus, John Reedy, John Reisenbeck, John Bushnell, O. Birely and G. F. Freyling.
CARRIAGE AND WAGON SHOPS
Many of our early blacksmiths made wagons, but the first carriage maker was W. R. Crozier, who started a shop on Downing street, between North and Greene, May 5, 1835. He continued the business for over 45 years, and then sold to Crozier & Wilbee in Jan., 1881. They quit after a few years, and the old shops were moved away in 1892.
The next important carriage shop was that of R. P. Spiker. It was on the east side of Wayne street, between High and Ash, and was built about 1859. It was later used for the fire department. In 1880, Spiker organized the Spiker Wagon Co., and built a large shop on West High treet, but later this company broke up and the business ended.
Curtis & Reed opened a carriage shop in the old Reisenbeck shop, cor- ter of Wayne and Water streets, Jan. 1, 1878. Later a very large factory vas erected, but the business lapsed, and the building now belongs to ther parties.
The Enterprise Carriage Co., composed of B. F. Levering and Chas. 'urrow, occupied the old Cheevers building on North Main street in 890. This burned in 1894, and again in 1902, after which they moved cross the street to the Reedy building, where Levering still carries on e business.
A company for manufacturing farm wagons was organized in 1894, id occupied the Bowdle-Kitchen factory on South avenue. The shop as burned in 1900, and the business was not resumed.
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Blacksmiths who made a specialty of wagon work were Reisenbeck, umus, Clouse, Keves, Huffman, Emmert and Schlosser Bros.
COOPER SHOPS
For many years the making of barrels was the leading industry of e town. As early as 1810 Jos. Porquett had a cooper shop on the east le of Main street, below Sycamore. He sold out to Philip Ellis about 30, and the business continued for many years. There were no doubt her early cooper shops, but it was not until the canal was opened to qua in 1837 that the business assumed large proportions. After that te there were many shops along the canal bank, as most of the shipping is done by boat.
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Among these coopers were Samuel Wood, W. W. Wood, F. A. Hardy, Stein Bros., John Weis, P. Fogle, S. Shephard, R. Stelzer, Mathias Shoe- maker, and others.
The only ones in the business in 1907 were F. Elbert and the Shoe- maker boys.
GRIST MILLS
The first power mill of any kind in Piqua or Miami county was the grist mill of John Manning on east Water street. This was built in 1804, and about 1817 a race was dug from that point north to the river where a dam was constructed across the stream in a north-westerly direc tion from the head of the island and under the bridge to the opposite bank. A breast-wheel was used, and after the race was completed a saw mill was erected just east of the grist-mill.
Wm. Manning succeeded his father in the milling business, and il 1835, when repairing the old mill, fell from the roof and was killed.
This old mill burned in 1858, and soon afterward a new one calle the Eagle Mill was built, which, after passing through the hands of var ous owners, was destroyed by fire in 1899. The old mill-race was pul chased and filled up by the city in 1894.
In 1821, Enos Manning built a grist-mill on the east bank of the rive near the present lower bridge. John Graham purchased it in 1835. had several successive owners until in the latter eighties it was converte into an oat-meal mill. It burned in 1892, and has never been rebuil
The Johnston grist-mill at Upper Piqua was built in 1834. It stoo where the pike now passes the old school-house, and derived its powe from Swift Run creek. When the St. Marys pike was built in 1850 was moved to what is now the Chas. Kiser farm and used as a barn, it is today. Remains of the old tail-race can be traced at the preser time.
The Western grist-mill was on the north side of Covington avenu at the foot of the hill, but we are unable to give any dates concerning
A small steam power grist-mill, called Bogg's Mill, stood on t. corner of Wayne and Market streets. It was moved or torn down sor after the civil war.
In Oct., 1837, B. B. Beall started grinding in the "Merchant's Mil This was just below the lock in the canal and north of Sycamore stre This is now known as the Lock Mill, and like others has frequent changed ownership.
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It has burned down twice, each time being rebuilt on a larger scale, and of greater capacity. At present it is the only establishment in Piqua using water power.
On March 25, 1891, the Miami Flour Mill, on the south side of west High street, was started by Yager & Smith, and under other owners is still in operation.
WOOLEN MILLS
The first woolen mill in town was a small building at the south end of Spring street. This was built by Young & Yager in 1848. It was succeeded in 1869 by a larger building owned by O'Farrell, Daniels & Co. This soon became the property of the F. Gray Co., when the capacity was doubled, and after the Orr Felt & Blanket Co. obtained possession in 1901, they also used the old oil mill at the corner of Main and Syca- more streets.
OIL MILLS
The first linseed oil mill at Piqua was built by John McCorkle about 1815. This was on the west side of the river a few hundred feet north of the present Bridge street. This mill was leased or owned by various parties until it was washed away in June, 1835. Other early oil mills were those of Tho. Bellas, Tho. Hale, Asa Lampher, John O'Ferrall, and Dr. Dorsey.
In 1855, Delos C. Ball purchased the Sawyer & Son oil mill, several miles below town, and sold it to Orr & Leonard in 1870, who continued its operation until it was torn down about 1897.
In 1854, Geo. C. Defrees built an oil mill just below the railroad on College street. W. W. Wood bought it in 1865, and in 1874 took E. Far- rington into partnership. In 1880 a large addition was built, the busi- ness continuing until 1903, when the property was sold to Louis Brothers.
In 1879, Orr, Leonard & Daniels built a large mill on the north-east corner of Main and Sycamore. This mill was bought by the trust and dis- nantled in 1902.
Leonard, Daniels & Johnston built a mill on the south-west corner of Wayne and Sycamore in 1887. This was burned in 1897, and though 'ebuilt, was not again used for an oil mill.
Another mill was built by John Daniels on Young street in 1892. It vas sold to the trust and dismantled in 1902.
At one period Piqua was the largest linseed oil center in the world.
Cotemporaneous with these later oil mills were the two flax-straw hills of Shaffer and Williamson, who were forced to close down in the
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latter part of the century when the farmers in this vicinity quit raising flax.
DISTILLERIES AND BREWERIES
Chas. Manning built a small distillery at the foot of the hill in Huntersville in 1805. In 1807, he sold it to Henry Orbison, who joined Harrison's army in 1812, disposing of the property to others. This was near the river ford, and was destroyed when the railroad embankment was built.
J. Carneross had a distillery near the McCorkle mill in 1835, and Graham & Severns one across the river at about this date.
Beall & Weston had a distillery and brewery just west of the lock and north of the lock mill in 1837. Other early distillers and brewers were C. Ross, Tho. Bellas, Tuttle & Porter, Rothaas & Lorch, and John Suttle, who had a brewery on the island below the Rossville bridge in 1835.
Later men in this business were E. Farrington, Ploch, Schneider, Schneyer, Schmidlapp, Kiser and Lange.
The Malt House of Schmidlapp & Kiefer, on Sycamore street, was built in 1880. Additions were made in 1881 and later, until in 1907 they occupy two very large buildings.
SAW MILLS
One of the first necessities of our early settlers was saw-mills. As early as 1815 Sam. Wiley was operating one near the mouth of Rush creek.
Manning built one about 1817; John and Abner Keyt had one north- west of the Rossville bridge in the twenties; Simeon and Daniel French built one at the east end of Water street in 1832. This was afterward owned by J. Hilliard, and still later by Bowman & Reiter. There was also one just across the river where the railroad embankment now stands owned by Rowan. These two mills used the same dam to supply their water power. Another mill was that of Young & Yager, just east of the canal lock, in 1848. Bolander had a steam mill in the north part of town for many years, and L. Kershner also had a steam mill on North Main street, later moving it across the river to Huntersville.
In early times there was a saw-mill on nearly every creek near Piqua. but at this date (1907) there is not one in or near town except one or two portable mills.
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CARDING MILLS
This business was another early necessity, for the housewife must have the fleece combed and carded before it was in condition to be used for spinning. The machinery for doing this was usually run in connec- tion with the different grist or saw-mills, so it will not be necessary to give a list of the locations of these industries. The first record we have of a carding mill was at the McCorkle mill, just south of town in 1817. The last one was the Ross mill in Rossville, which, though having been used as a private dwelling for many years, still has the old sign above the door.
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