USA > Ohio > Logan County > The historical review of Logan County, Ohio > Part 8
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1. Wheeler's store in 1835. came as a William G. Kennedy.
He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. @: The mid cone with his father when a Je to Union county: he went to live with Wwwben Coding. a merchant of Milford. remained with him until he grew to o Mend. Mout 1832 he came to West [ Miggy at] with the late Abner Jennings, cat Lin a store for Ralph E. Runkle. In I've at the solicitation of John Wheeler he G. :. Bellefentame, and assumed charge "! I' store, while Wheeler himself Kabul :Per the tavern.
1: 1838 he entered into a partnership uh R. Lert Patterson, under the firm name Patterson and Kennedy, and in 1839 migrried the daughter of Robert Patterson.
Their store was just south of the court Lees where the postoffice is now located: they did a large business as general mer- Mes, and also handled agricultural imple-
Harg an earnest loyalist during the war i 1861 he went with the late J. B. Me- I plin to distribute clothing during the Site einter of 1861-2 to the troops in the 't and being unusually exposed took a Best cold and died from pneumonia cet's after his return home. incident to . Exposure in camp.
JOIN MAROLIS.
One of the carly and prominent mel- chants of that day was John Marquis. He was Im in Pennsylvania but removed to Knox county, and from there to Logan county in 1832.
He first moved into the two-story log bitte on the lot where N. Leonard now lives, and kept store in the front room and lived back and up-stairs: one year after- wards he Inilt a brick on the southeast corper of Main and Sandusky street. where the M. E. church formerly stood; this was the second brick house in the town. In this house Marquis kept store until 1835. when he bought the property where the Niven block now stands, and in company with Thomas M. Robb kept store until 1810. when they failed. The debts due the firm. were collected by Mraquis by trading for cattle, sheep. lgs, or anything he could get : he kept them on the land below town until he clevel the best of them out in the fall; the reminder was turned into sausage by one Boston Twichler. a German butcher. and sent in wagons to Cincinnati and sold. This whole transaction re-established Mr. Marquis and he opened a store at the old stand.
Ile operated the mill just below town which is still standing and having disposed of it he began the erection of the Kayler Mill. 1 ut died before its completion.
He was appointed postmaster by Pres ident Polk, and held that office at the time of his death in 1848.
OTIIER STORES.
Dr. Aaron Hartley had a drug store in a small frame building where the Niven block now stands; and before the great fire
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGIN COUNTY.
. F. O. Mange. Warum Helmick. Whitehead and Brother and Hyper & Mye - Left Stove and tin steres. while I. N. Vilen spel hard- ware. Richard H. Gardner, groupes. Ku- tan & Ridd'e, soldles; John Now, furni- ture: Fuller & Retter. James C. Scarff and William Handley, drugs.
Hartley was sereveled by the Jovithan MeConnick in the drug store. A frightful accident cererred m Mccormick's drug store some time about 1856: Joseph Kerr. a farmer living north of town. went into. McCormick's drug store to mathe some per- chasse: McCormick happened at the time to le mixing se me horse medicine, composed of oil, and some acid preparation: in shak- ing the bottle it exploded and threw the contents over Ken: it immediately took fire and Kerr was frighttull, burned: ai- ter a long sidant -- he recovered, but was terribly disfigured during all the balance of his life.
OTHER MERCHANTS IN THE COUNTY.
There were a number of other merch: ats in different parts of the county.
Lansen Curtis was an active and pros- ferous merchant of Zanesfield.
A man named Emanuel Rost kept a store at Belleville as early as 18 5.
Gener: 1 McPherson had a store and trading j" st at the bl ck-hout-e near the in- firmary as early as 1805.
Hiram M. White, Thomas Miller. R. E. Runkle. A. T. Cundiff, Ira Reynolds. J. M. Glover and others were merchants in West Liberty.
In the western part of the county. the village of 'Quincy was a central trading point for all that section of the country, and one of its leading spirits was Doctor Jo- seph Canby, who came from Waynesville. portionately high.
Warren county. about 1830? for a) of years he was the most prominent n ber tive lasiness man in this section: he He he mill. and was active in all matters : i ymbbs
After Canby came the Joseph bre tl who engaged in all kinds of business, mille, store and a general dedling, and fin ty moderneof the most disastrous failures
In the eastern part of the county ii waard T. Allen was for many years a most prominent and successful merchant.
The Foos family were reared in and alout West Middleburg, and successfully engaged in merchandising, while at a later day Colonel Joel Haines was an active mer- chant.
The Foos family. John. William and Gustavus, all moved to Springfield, where they all became very prominent and active business men and amassed considerable for- tunes : Lewis Foos removed to Bellefontaine.
At East Liberty Doctor J. W. Hamilton. not only practiced medicine, but also kept store for many years, while William Gifford. Jenes and MeCally, were long interested in try and business.
PRICES OF GOODS.
All goods brought from the east by the slow and expensive transportation of the early days. necessarily demanded gol prices when received: calicos sold for thirty-seven and one-half cents per yard. tea at one dollar and one dollar and fifty cents per pound : Orleans sugar at eighteen and three-quarter cents per pound: white sugar, which came in sugar loaf packages in one solid lump, was twenty-five cents per pound: - alt was from eight to ten dollars per barrel, and all other articles were pro-
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
. Silks and soins were for many years part in up-brilling and elevating the boss almost unknown
I have heard Colonel John Enoch si that Betty MePherson, the daughter of Gol- eral James McPherson, was the first young woman to wear a silk dress in Logan com ty; of course she was the belle of the bat.
But these things have changed. and the advancing strides of civilization, brought the culture and refinement of the east in dwell in the cabins and the homes of the western pioneers, and with the years come progress and improvement in all depart- mients of trade and in lustry
The corduroy inl ind poruls gave way to a splendid system of public improvements and you can now travel in any direction in Logan county, on one of its four hundred and fifty miles of stone of gravel road.
The "Cogostoga" with its great team and tingling bells, and bearskin housings has become a thing of the past, and the mighty rush of the locomotive with its trail- ing train of commerce has found its way into every hamet, vlillage and city, and has brought the traffic of the east to place it at the feet of this modern and all-conquer- ing west.
CHAPTER VI.
With all of these advantages came the growth in population. and opportunity. The log cabin has been supplanted by the more commanding structures which were demanded for the wider and more extended business of the people: the church spire and the schoot-house have done no small
until it stands first and foremost in the four- ward match of the people towards the front gepl of universal liberty and exact ju-tive
MEDICAL MEN.
The absolute necessity for medical as --- timee is never felt so keenly as it is by the who are entirely shut off irem every oppe1 tunity to command it.
The carly settlers were almost entireis deprived of medical attention; there were 10 doctors to le called in, no matter how desperate the necessity.
Fortunately the old household rem- cdlies thet prevailed in all well regulated communities, were at the command of al- most every good housewife, especially in such cases as were common among children : other cases only received good nursing and such simple remedies as the household could command.
Mrs. Job Sharpe, the first woman in the eastern part of the county was an adept in the care of all ordinary diseases, and hier skill and experience were frequenty called into service among the people of that neigh- borhood.
DOCTOR JOHN ALBERT."
It was not, however, until 1809, that Doctor John Elbert came from Kentucky and settled in the eastern part of the county. in Zane township; he was a man of fine accomplishments for that early day and was recognized as a most skillial and competent physician: his practice extended for many miles in all directions, and he was called into almost every family in all that part of the country : he was active also in religious mat- ters, and was one of the founders of the first M. E. church in the county.
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
He continued his practice of medime up a mos of great accomplishments and was for to the time of his death in 1836, living in forty seven years a most patient and pains- taking servant of the people. West Middleburg. Being called to see a patient at some distance from home, he was taken suddenly sick and died on the way be fore reaching the house of the patient
Doctor John D. Ellert. the son of Doc- tor John Ellert, for a time practiced in this -cetion, but later removed to the west.
DOCTOR BENJAMIN S. BROWN.
ยท
Must have come to Bellefontame as early as 1836 or 1817. for ja 1818 we find him to have been appointed as a surveyor: if he at once entered upon the practice of medicine we can find no record of it.
He was, however, engaged in many oth- er duties: was mpon the resignation of Sol- omon McColloch. appointed director of the town, and also engaged in the mercantile business, and was recorder; he afterwards entered into the active practice of medicine. accumulated a competeney, and retired many years before his death; he was a must even-tempered and quiet man, holding opin- ions of his own, but not thrusting them with objectionable force upon others.
Doctor Brown's widow. Mrs. Rebecca Brown, gave the beautiful park in the north- cast part of the city to Bellefontaine, and it is today one of the most delightful spots in the city: near the center of it stands a handsome statue of Doctor Brown himself. Dr. Brown was a cousin of Benjamin Stan- ton and came from Belmont county, Ohio. Ile was a Quaker and adhered to the faith.
DOCTOR JAMES CREW.
In 1837 he was elected a member of the Legislature, serving one term: perhaps no nrin ever lived in the community who had and held the good opinions and personal friendships of so many of his associates as Doctor Grew : he served in a number of public capacities and always with such exact- ness and pains-taking care, as to be held by all parties in the highest regard.
His practice in early days was very ex- tensive, but he was a poor collector and his charges so moderate that he left little of this world's go ds as an evidence of it.
DOCTOR A. H. LORD.
In another place I have given an extend- ed notice of Doctor Lord whose residence in Bellefontaine called for special mention. Ile was engaged in practice for nearly sixty years, and was one of the most active and useful men that ever lived in this county.
DOCTOR JOSEPH CANBY.
Was a native of London county, Vir- ginia, and graduated at Rush Medical Col- lege in Philadelphia. He came to Logan county in 1825. and settled in the western part of the county near where DeGraff is now located. He was a man of great force of character and a most active and energetic business man. Hle built one of the first mills in the county, and for many years ex- ercised great influence in the community. He died in 1843. his death being hastened as it was thought by a stroke of lightning : he left a large family, among them being Richard S. Canby who became one of the most distinguished lawyers at our bar, and
The next physician in Logan county was Doctor James Crew. He came from Cohim- liana county to Zanesfield in 1821. He was a member of Congress: he afterwards re-
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
moved to Imis, where he served as judge ni the counts for many years.
Doctor Samuel A. Morton commenced the practice of medicine in Cherokee in 1831 and remained there for some years.
Upon the opening of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, and the location of Bellecenter in 1847. Doctor Solomon Jen- Lins, logan the practice of medicine at that place.
DOCTOR SETHI W. FULLER.
One among the most distinguished of the physicians of Logan county and one who) still lives at the advanced age of nearly ninety years to enjoy the gathered fruits of long and valued experience is Doctor Seth W. Fuller.
Doctor Fuller came to West Liberty in 1838, and at once entered upon a large and Iverative practice. During his sojourn in West Liberty the small-pox raged with al- mest unexampled violence : out of the pop- tilation of some five hundred, one out of every three of the entire population had the small-pox in some of its niny varied forms ; it was brought in by a person who came from the east. and was disseminated through the village schools, and before it was fully determined as to its character, almost the whole town was inoculated with it.
Dr. Fuller, in 1855. removed to Belle- fontaine, where he has since practiced his por fession until within the past year or so ; thus for more than sixty years he has with unquestioned skill and ability, been reeog- nized as one of the leading practitioners of Logan county; a man of great informa- tion. a close student, a wise counselor, a most useful and valued physician he has had the confidence and esteem of his fellow cit- izens.
It is not the purpose of this notice to re call all the names of the medical fraternity of Logan county, but simply to show how this most important and indispensibie pro- fession has been interwoven into the warp and woof of its development, and how great- ly it has contributed to health and safety.
DOCTOR THOMAS L. WRIGHT.
Doctor Wright was the son of Doctor Thomas Wright, a physician of prominence in the north of Ireland, who came to the United States in 1817: his son, Doctor Thomas L. Wright, the subject of this sketch, was born in Portage county, in 1825. and educated at the Miami University and Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati; he first went to Kansas and was government physician for the Wyandot Indians in 1854. In 1855 he was appointed to the chair of theory and practice at Wesleyan University, at Keokuk. Towa.
In 1856 he married Lucinda. daughter of Doctor Lord, and located in Bellefon- taine.
He was a close student and a medical writer of note: his most important work was a volume upon Inebriety ; he practiced for many years in Logan county, and was recognized as a man of marked ability. He died in 1893.
DOCTOR WILLIAM H. CRETCHER.
Among the younger members of the pro- fession in Logan county, none made a great- er mark than Doctor William H. Cretcher. who was born and raised near Springhills. just on the borders of Logan, in Champaign county.
He studied medicine and removed first to West Liberty, thence to Dayton, and final- ly to Bellefontaine, after having practiced
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MISTONIGAR KEINETA CHEIAOG EN CONTRETY
his professor for a time in Spaughi". He
They were not fatal in many cases, but a lecame very distingui-bol . a surgeon on je afflicted with them it's like Mark was a man of great nating fflity, mind 2 close student. formar and he felt when crossing the noen. the the three days he was afraid be woald He died in INgo, in the verge midst of los professional career. the, and the next three dus he was afeel he wouldn't. The chills and fever simply The medical fraterais ci bo gincomune has been second to none ta de state. comjen still retains its reputation for inteligom. skill and efficiency. took all the life out of the people, and the ently remedy which seeand to reich it was doing, which at that early day was very expensive, costing as high as four. five and six dellars an ounce.
The settlers were heredy compelled to depend upon home remedies, and such ters and admitires as could be manufactured from the halls which the country affi red. As the country was el fred and the books
CHOLERA. In the year 1851. the chiudere to- brought to Bellefontaine ly a man iqbal Knox: he had been working in Sole-list City when the cholera prevailed there mel coming home was immediately token woh drains, and the sun was permitted to, strile the cholera and died. His brother wy the the - il, these malaring diseases disappear- of, and the country lecime freed from this inget distressing of all the complaint- which djece the health and comfort of the early settlers.
ken next day and died. The Lathers :500 ister, the Reverend Mr. Brickley, was also taken with the cholera and died. Mr. Ab les Riddle, who assisted in nursing the Re. Brickley was also taken with the cholera. luit finally recovered after a very serious illness.
There were some ten or twelve death -. and the alarm of the inhabitants was very great ; all that could fled from the town. The cholera, however, soon after disappear- el.
CHILLS AND FFVER.
During the early period of the settle- ment of Logan county the most distress- ing and inconvenient trials of the early set- tlers, in the way of sickness, were chills and fever.
The country being new and uncleared. the waters remained in the woods and let places during almost the entire year, by reason of which the chills and fever pre- vailed in almost every section of the county, did not prevail in their neighborhood. but
MILK SICKNESS.
Another of the most peculiar and at the same time one of the most serious of the diseres of the early settlements was one called milk silkness: it was in a great many cases fatal, and if the patient recon- ered very frequently left them debilitated and broken in health for many years; the cause of it no one has yet been able to dis- cover.
It came from the the of the milk from cow's which ran at large in the woods, or were permitted to graze in certain pastures.
It was, however, difficult, if not impes- sil:le, to trace it to its actual source and com- munities were especially sensitive with re- gard to it, each community desiring it to be distinctly understood that the milk sickness
1
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
was in some other part far beyond.
The persons taken with it. word conel with tremlling, cramping. wmiting. vol in a great majority of the case- dial.
Cattle seized with it were also affecte.1 very much as the people, and in many see- tions the greater murler of the cattle them- selves died.
Every effort possible was made for many years to discover the cause of the dissi. but without any substantial results. It was generally supposed to have been brought about by se me poisoned grass of herby etta by the cattle, which communicated itself through the bloed to the milk, and through the milk to the individuals. It was curieet. that the cow giving large flows of nalk suf fered the least with it, thus indicating that i: passed off through the milk.
From whatever source it came. However, i was a most distressing and dangerous dis- case.
With the clearing up of the country, the draining of the land, and the growth of tame grasses, and the clearing away of all wild and noxious weeds, the milk sickness disappeared, and has not been heard of in Logan county for many years.
CHAPTER VIL.
THE LEGAL PROFESSION.
When the county of Logan was organ- ized there was not a single lawyer within its midst and at the first term of the court. held in Belleville, one James Cooly, a law-
ver of Urbana, was appointed prosecuting attorney by the court.
It was customary in those early days for the attorneys of Springfield, Dayton, Ur- lany and other places to travel with the court from county to county and to attend to the business of the people.
Among those who were nearly always present at the terms of court in Logan coun- ty. were Sampson Mason. William .A. Rog- ers and Charles Anthony, of Springfiekl. Meses B. Corwin and John H. James, of Url ana : Peter P. Lowe, of Dayten: Joseph R. Swain and Gustavus Swan, of Columbus.
Of these the records would indicate that Corvin was perhaps the most frequently employed in litigation of all kinds, being re- tained upon the one side or the other in al- most every case.
He was a lawyer of unquestioned ability and an especially skillful advocate; he was regarded as one of the most eloquent and convincing attorneys before a jury, and his pleas were always listened to by immense throngs of citizens, for the court house, dur- ing court days, was the center of attraction for all persons not otherwise engaged.
Many stories are toll of his wit and elo- quence. Upon one occasion in Bellefontaine the dog of a neighbor that had been annoy- ing another neighbor was killed by him: the owner of the dog sued for dam- ages by reason of his loss, and the defendant employed Mr. Corwin as his attorney. In summing up for the de- fendant in his speech, Corwin became eloquent, and while addressing the jury in his most persuasive manner, said : "There is one thing in which the court, the jury and al: agree, and that is that the dog is lead. Lut while his bones lie mouldering in the valley, we are left upon the stage of action
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
to howl a requiem to his everlasting nem- ory."
What became of the case I do not know. Lut at last accounts "the dog was still deal."
SAMPSON MASON.
Was a tall stately and finished lawyer. whose addresses to the court were as pol- ished and ornate as the mast exacting could desire: he was, however, a most able and distinguished attorney, and for many years occupied an envied reputation at the bar.
GENERAL JOHN H. JAMES.
Was one of the ablest and most learned of the legal profession, and was a walking encyclopedia of law : he had unfortunately leen engaged in some matters connected with outside speculation, which in some measure injured his reputation.
JUDGE WILLIAM A. ROGERS,
Among the legal lights of that early day. Judge Wiliam A. Rogers was regarded as among the most learned: he was an ex- ceedingly quiet and anassuming man, and yet was a most formidable opponent at the bar.
Peter P. Lowe and Charles Anthony were lawyers of marked ability and force. and stood high in the profession.
THE SWANS.
Joseph R Swan and Gustavus Swan, two lawyers of Columbus, were regarded among the very strongest of the members of the legal profession : they were principally em- ployed in large suits involving considerable amounts. Joseph R. Swan was the first judge elected in this district after the for- mation of the county, and presided over our court for a number of years; he afterwards
became a very distinguished jurist and was recognized as one of the great legal lights of the country.
Gustavas Swan, whose home was in Co- lumbus, was also a lawyer of ability, and for a number of years practiced on this circuit. leing called in important cases.
WILLIAM BAYLES.
In 1820, there came from Urbana to Bellefontaine and located as a lawyer Wil- liam Bayles : he had been a mason by trade, but had married a sister of Moses B. Cor- win, and studied law. Very shortly after bis location in Bellefontaine, in 1821, he was elected prosecuting attorney, and served for four years in that capacity: he was the first lawyer to locate in Bellefontaine. . lut was unfortunately a very intemperate min, and while on one of his sprees was drowned in Possiun Run.
ANTHONY CASAD.
It was to such a bar that Anthony Casad came as a young man in 1820: he was a man of the strictest integrity and soon ac- quired a fair practice, but was never regard- ed as in the same class as Mason. Rogers. Corwin and others; he was elected pros- eenting attorney to succeed Bayles, and Con- tinued in this office until 1831: he was elected to the legislature in 1840, and again in 1852: he was elected probate judge in 1858 and died in 1861. while still holling that office. He was intensely patriotic, and took cold while driving from Bellefontaine to Camp Chase near Columbus, in 1801. for the purpose of visiting the troops in camp. and died soon after returning home.
HIRAM MC CARTNEY.
Hiram McCartney came to Logan coun- ty about 1830; he studied law with Judge
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
B. M. Piatt who then resided in Logan county: he was elected prosecuting attor- ney to succeed Casad in 1832, and again re- elected in 1834: he was a man of great nat- ural talent and was quite a student for that early day: with impaired health he still became the foremost attorney in the county.
He married a daughter of Matthew Simpson, and was a brother-in-law of Rich- ard S. Canby: he was a free thinker and was bold in asserting his belief.
He was also an abolitionist, which at that early day was a most unpopular movement. but McCartney did not hesitate to assert himself: he was present at a meeting in Huntsville in the winter of 1830. and there made a most impassioned speech against the continuance of human slavery in America. He had become the head of the Logan coun- ty bar, and had he been granted life and health would unquestionably have become one of the great leaders in the movements that were to follow. He died in the year 1842.
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