USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory etc > Part 71
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Goshen honored the first call upon her patriotism, and from that time on- ward, to the end, she met every demand, and no draft was ever seen in her limits. How many soldiers she furnished to the army, will likely never be known. The long list of her soldier dead attests to the large number that must have gone, to have furnished so many victims. We remember the red-shirted home guards that drilled in Orin Taylor's pasture, back of his house, and up in the woods of John Baker, northeast of the schoolhouse, now built up, then not a house there.
That company, called together by the thrilling notes of the fife and drum (the fife so faithfully played by Samuel Cheney Davis, now grown too old to be a boy again), never was called upon for duty ; but its preliminary work was well done, in inspiring the young and old to range themselves on the side of right. That company furnished many a man to the army after that, many of whom gave their lives as the price of a nation undivided, traitors defeated.
Of the scenes which followed, those who have had experience, know; those who have not, can never be told. The post office was daily thronged at the opening of the mails, all anxious to hear something from those who were away in the South. Hope lightened the heart ; fear made it sink as lead. The war went on, man after man enlisted; call after call was made by the President, and met by this people ; battle after battle was fought and lost or won; soldier after soldier died, until it seemed the end would never come. But finally the waiting,
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suffering, anxiety, fear, hope and determination of the people were gloriously rewarded by complete triumph.
The people were very liberal, during the war, to the families of those who were away in the army. There was probably not a single case in which such had not a comfortable living ; if any such there was, it was only because it was not known. Those who would not make their needs known, were sought out, and help given them. Wood, clothing, meat, fruit, money and all necessary articles were distributed with no mean hand. Persons were not kept in luxury and idleness, but it was the care of the committee that every family should be comfortable.
Soon after the war broke out, and men left their families to go into the army, and when the necessity of some organization was seen, a war committee was ap- pointed by the citizens, to look after families needing help. This committee was rather the head of the work, to whom many subscriptions of supplies and money were reported, and by it distributed as needed, although much was taken direct to the families, without oversight by the committee. There were days appointed to bring in wood and provisions. The like was never seen here be- fore or since. Van Davis was a genius then, as now, in his way, and deter- mined to excel all others, on one occasion, by bringing in at one load, four cords of wood.
The committee were John W. Runyan, David Rutan and James L. Magru- der, the two first now dead. This committee was a first-rate one, composed of thorough Union men, whose sympathies were with the soldiers and their fam- ilies.
We would be glad if we could include all of our citizens among the patriots whom we have been speaking of; but there were a few who were glad when the rebel arms were successful. For a particular account of those times, we refer our readers to a full history of them; suffice it to say, that in 1863, in the contest between John Brough and C. L. Vallandigham for Governor, Goshen gave the latter fifty-two votes.
Goshen Township assisted the Government by her sympathy, by meeting every call without a draft, by encouraging volunteering, by making comfortable the families of those who did volunteer. The money value of all she did cannot be learned. Her citizens raised over $10,000 as a donation to the citizens who volunteered, and to those who might be credited to her. This does not include about $2,800 which was raised and refunded by taxation. In addition to the above, seventeen or more citizens procured, at their own expense, substitutes.
When, in the fall of 1863, men who were already in the service and had served two years or more were invited to re-enlist for another term of three years, thirty- six of Goshen's soldiers, at various times after the call, responded. Those thus re-enlisted were called " Veteran Volunteers," or "Veterans." These thirty- six were in the regiments as follows : The Thirty-second O. V. I. had 15; the Thirteenth, 3; the Sixty-sixth, 17 ; the Eleventh, 1.
Could all else be accurately counted, weighed or measured, there is a part of her story that can never be told. The days and nights of anxiety for absent ones-some sick, some in prison, some in the front, all in danger, some wounded, some dying, some dead-this part of the story can never be told. Many carry in their hearts to-day a secret load on account of those things. The world cannot long bother itself with the cares of others, and so those things have long been buried out of sight ; yet there are people who go about our land to-day, on whom the scenes of those years rest with a heavy weight. That part
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of her story must remain untouched. Her long list of dead speaks for itself. We gladly and sadly insert that list, that, in a compact form, their names may be preserved to the knowledge of people in years to come.
SOLDIER DEAD, 1861-1865.
The following is a complete list, as we believe, of the soldier dead of Goshen Township. The list embraces only those who properly belong to Goshen, as being residents and citizens at the time of enlistment and would be entitled to credit nowhere else. There are others who were born and raised in the town- ship, and when we speak of them we mention them as our citizens, but who, having removed to other States or places within this State (some but a few months be- fore enlistment), lost their residence here, and are not included in the following list. Also, none are included who, at date of death, were not yet in the United States service, although there are a number of men who died a short time after discharge from disease incurred in the service. These are not in- cluded :
Dwight Horr, Co. I, 66th O. V. I .; wounded at Port Republic, Va., June 9, 1862 ; died from his wound at Washington, D. C., July 7, 1862 ; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
Henry Milton Snodgrass, Co. I, 66th O. V. I .; died at Philadelphia, Penn., November 28, 1862, of disease ; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
Stephen Baxter, 1st Sergeant Co. I, 66th O. V. I. ; wounded at Port Re- public, Va., June 9, 1862; died June 13, 1862. The wounded falling into rebel hands, he was taken to the little log stable a few yards in front of the "coal bank." On Thursday, 12th, he was taken to Col. Samuel Lewis' brick house, near the battle line, where his leg was amputated the same day. Next day, he died. All Port Republic dead that are buried anywhere are in the National Cemetery at Staunton, Va.
Clifton Sewell, Co. D, 66th O. V. I .; killed at Port Republic, Va., June 9, 1862.
Wilson S. Brittin, Co. I, 66th O. V. I. ; died of disease at Harper's Ferry, October 22, 1862; buried at Winchester as unknown.
Francis M. Brittin, Co. I, 66th O. V. I. ; died at Nashville, Tenn., No- vember 20, 1864, of wounds received at Peach Tree Creek, near Atlanta, Ga., July 20, 1864 ; buried at Nashville National Cemetery.
Jas. Edward Taylor, Co. I, 66th O. V. I .; killed at New Hope Church, Ga., May 25, 1864; buried at Marietta National Cemetery, Ga., as unknown.
Joseph Canady, Co. I, 66th O. V. I. ; died of disease at Strasburg, Va., May 14, 1862 ; buried at Winchester National Cemetery, Va., as unknown.
Samuel C. Brinnon, Co. 1, 66th O. V. I. ; killed July 20, 1864, at Peach Tree Creek, near Atlanta, Ga. ; buried at Marietta National Cemetery.
John Kohler, Co. I, 66th O. V. I .; died October 14, 1862, of wounds received at Antietam, Md., September 17, 1862 ; buried at Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Md.
Granville Lawler Chidester, Co. A, 66th O. V. I .; killed at Port Repub- lic, Va., June 9, 1862.
James Boulton, Co. I, 66th O. V. I. ; died of disease at Alexandria, Va., August 9, 1862.
Joseph H. Newcomb, Co. K, 113th O. V. I .; wounded at Kenesaw Mountain June 27, 1864; died of his wound July 24, 1864, at Nashville, Tenn. ; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
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Henry C. Brittin, Co. K, 113th O. V. I .; died of disease at Chattanooga, Tenn., July 6, 1864; buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Azro Mann, Co. K, 113th O. V. I .; died of disease at Nashville, Tenn., October 31, 1864; buried at Nashville National Cemetery.
Robert Osborn, Co. K, 113th O. V. I .; wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., June 9, 1864 ; died of his wounds at Chattanooga, Tenn., August 22 1864 ; buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Ezra Allen, Co. K, 113th O. V. I .; killed at Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., June 27, 1864 ; buried at Marietta National Cemetery, Ga., as unknown.
Alexander Henry, Co. B, 113th O. V. I .; killed June 12, 1865, in Mary- land by falling from the cars.
Harrison Walburn, Co. E, 113th O. V. I .; died at Nashville, Tenn., March 5, 1863; buried at Treacles Creek, Goshen Township, Ohio.
E. Channing Horr, Co. B, 32d O. V. I .; died of disease at Beverly, W. Va., December 29, 1861; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
Orlando D. Lawler, Co. B, 32d O. V. I .; died of disease at Marietta, Ga., September 25, 1864; buried at Marietta National Cemetery, Ga.
John M. Lane, Co. B, 32d O. V. I .; died of disease at Marietta, Ga., October 19, 1864; buried at Marietta National Cemetery, Ga.
Joseph H. Shepherd, Co. B, 32d O. V. I .; died of disease at Clifton, Tenn., May 6, 1864.
Reuben M. Alden, Co. C, 134th O. N. G .; wounded near Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864; died of his wound June 24, 1864 ; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
William E. Tullis, Co. C, 134th O. N. G .; died of disease July 9, 1864, at Claysville Hospital, Md .; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
Mason Tucker, Co. E, 95th O. V. I .; died of disease at Milliken's Bend, La., July 2, 1863.
Peter Miller, Co. E, 95th O. V. I .; killed by an explosion of the steamboat Sultana on the Mississippi River, April 27, 1865.
John W. Cawood, Sergeant, Co. E, 95th O. V. I .; killed at Guntown, Miss., June 10, 1864 ; buried as unknown in Vicksburg National Cemetery.
Samuel A. Jones, Co. E, 95th O. V. I .; died at Memphis, Tenn., March 15, 1863; buried in Memphis National Cemetery.
Ira A. Sergent, Co. E, 95th O. V. I .; killed at Vicksburg, June 19, 1863.
George A. Sergent, Co. E, 95th O. V. I .; died at Chickasaw Springs, Miss., June 27, 1865; buried as unknown in Shiloh National Cemetery, Pittsburg Landing, Tenn.
Thomas Hudson, Co. G, 95th O. V. I .; died at Vicksburg, Miss., October 22, 1863 ; buried at Vicksburg National Cemetery.
Melvin Kenfield, Co. A, 2d O. V. I .; captured at battle of Chickamauga, Ga., September 20, 1863, and died in Libby Prison, Richmond, Va., date un- known.
Zane Stephenson, Co. C, 13th O. V. I .; killed at Pumpkin Vine Creek, Ga., May 27, 1864.
George Huffman, Co. H, 26th O. V. I .; died of disease at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in the spring of 1862.
William H. Miller, Co. H, 26th O. V. I .; died at Columbus, Ohio, March 6, 1865.
Taylor Darrow, Co. A, 60th O. V. I .; killed near Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 9, 1864.
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Samuel Johnson, gunboat service ; died at Cincinnati, Ohio, February 20, 1865; buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
Isaac Groves, Co. F, 100th Ind. V. I .; died of disease at Chattanooga, November 7, 1864, and is buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery. This soldier is properly placed in this township, having enlisted in Indiana while there only on a short visit.
Wilson S. Brittin, Francis M. Brittin and Henry C. Brittin were brothers, being sons of Abner Brittin.
Ira A. Sergent and George A. Sergent were brothers.
Summary of above .- Died of disease, 20; mortally wounded, 8; killed, 11; total deaths, 39.
SCHOOLS.
In 1856, quite a step in improvement was taken in the school affairs of the town. In that year, a new school building was erected on about two acres of land, bought of John C. Baker, on the north edge of the village. The schools, which had been held in several rooms in different places in the village, were, on completion of the new building, brought together under one roof, and placed under the more immediate supervision of one Superintendent.
In 1871, the house was repaired by building an addition in the rear, and a school hall on top of the original structure, and other improvements, at a cost of about $8,000.
At present, there are seven rooms in use, and nine teachers employed, one being a music teacher. The youths of a schooling age, in the corporation, between six and twenty-one years of age, number 460, of whom 392 are white and 68 colored. The colored pupils attend the same schools as the white. Between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, there are 112. This is the enumeration of 1880. The average attendance, for the year ending June, 1880, was 276, on an enumeration of 449, between six and twenty-one years, taken in 1879. School property is valued at $15,000.
In the township, outside the limits of the town, there are now eight school districts. These have good, commodious and nice brick buildings ; a ninth dis- trict has already been laid off, and a site for a house selected, which house will be brick. These houses, scattered as they are in every part of the territory, afford an opportunity to every youth to have schooling convenient and without price. The eight houses already built, with their furniture and sites, are valued at $13,600. The number of youths between six and twenty-one years, are 323, of whom 290 are white, and 33 are colored. There are seventy-eight youths, sixteen to twenty-one years of age. Seven months' teaching is had in the year.
Taking all the township, the spirit of intelligence generally prevails.
The general spirit of the people of the township is for improvement, which is evidenced by the many good roads, drainage of lands, new fences, old houses replaced by new and in many other ways.
CENTRAL OHIO FAIR ASSOCIATION.
On Thursday, November 5, 1868, a meeting at Jones' Hall, Mechanicsburg, was held of those interested for the purpose of forming a Union Agricultural Society, comprising counties of Champaign, Clark, Madison and Union. A committee, consisting of R. G. Dunn, Charles Phellis and Thomas Davis, was appointed for the purpose of examining grounds with a view of purchasing. Subscriptions were reported, amounting to $7,000.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
At a meeting, December 12, 1868, a constitution was adopted, and the following officers elected : President, James Fullington, of Union ; Vice Presi- dent, W. A. Dunn, of Madison ; Secretary, Thomas Davis, and Treasurer, R. D. Williams, both of Mechanicsburg.
On January 16, 1869, a revised constitution was adopted.' John C. Baker's grove, a tract of about fifty acres of land on the northwest edge of the corpora- tion, was contracted for, on which to hold fairs. The compensation allowed Mr. Baker was ten per cent on the gross proceeds of the fair, himself retaining use of the grounds when the fair should not be in session. This contract remains until the present time. Stock was also fixed at $10,000, with privilege of increase to $20,000.
The first fair was held September 21, 22, 23 and 24, of 1869.
January 10, 1871, the articles of the association were amended, and terri- tory extended so as to include the counties of Champaign, Clark, Madison, Union, Logan, Delaware, Greene and Franklin, under the name of " The Cen- tral Ohio Fair Association."
Fairs have been held yearly since the first one. The grounds are somewhat remarkable for the natural adaptability of location for fair purposes. A fine grove of large oaks gives abundance of shade for man and horse, while there is level ground without timber, for a race-track. On one side of the track, the ground rises as a natural ampitheater in the edge of the grove, and affords a very fine view of the whole ring to the thousands present, while they can sit or stand, as they choose, in the shade. A very large spring near the timber furnishes water enough for a city, and, being forced to a high point within the timber, is thence distributed all over the grounds, furnishing abundance of good cool water for visitors and stock.
TOWN HALL.
March 11, 1878, the Council of Mechanicsburg resolved that they would submit to the voters of the town the question, whether they would authorize the Council to build a town hall. A hall had been greatly needed for several years. There was no place of sufficient size in which to have a public meeting, and there was felt to be a need of such a hall, for the convenience of the people and their education in several ways. Accordingly, on April 2, 1878, a vote was had, and by a large majority the hall question carried. A lot had already been purchased at a cost of $975. By a special act of the Legislature, the town was authorized to issue $8,000 of bonds for paying for building. Afterward the Legislature authorized $2,500 more for furnishing, etc. The whole cost of the building as it stands to-day, including furniture, heating apparatus and all, is about $12,000, to which add value of lot, and we have a total of about $13,000. The building includes a hall, jail, large council-room, and a good drill-room and armory for Company H, Seventh Ohio Militia.
To pay for the hall, $10,500 of bonds were issued, $8,000 at 8 per cent, and $2,500 at 7 per cent; the balance of cost has already been paid by taxation. The bonds were in amounts of $500 each, a bond coming due each six months, while interest on all is paid semi-annually. The first bond came due March 1, 1879, the last will fall due March 1, 1889. The formal opening of the hall was April 22, 1879, date of first public use of it.
GAS WORKS.
On September 18, 1878, a vote of the electors of the corporation was had on the question of permitting a gas light company to lay down pipes in the
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
streets. This vote was taken in accordance with a resolution of the Council September 2, 1878, to submit such question. Such use of the streets was per- mitted. Street lamps and private and public houses are now supplied with gas by the Mechanicsburg Gas Light Company, with a chartered stock of $16,000. The first lighting up of the town by gas was about the middle of February, 1879. For several years previous, the streets had been lighted with coal oil.
MANUFACTURES.
In the way of manufactures, the most important enterprise in the township is the Mechanicsburg Machine Company, located at Mechanicsburg. This com- pany was organized and incorporated in February, 1875. During the same season, shops were built and preparations made for making the " Baker Grain Drill." In 1876, the company began work, and have continued to the present time. They have a successful and growing business. The season just closed, the company made and sold 1,600 drills.
CEMETERY.
On September 5, 1856, the Trustees of the township resolved to submit to the voters at the election to be held October 14, the question whether $1,000 should be levied, in three annual installments, for the purpose of buying ground for town- ship cemetery. The report of the election is silent as to this matter, hence, the proposition must have been defeated.
About eight years after the above failure, a public meeting was held in Jones' Hall, Mechanicsburg, for the purpose of taking measures to provide a cem- etery. About $4,000 of stock was subscribed for such purpose, but, owing to some disagreement, the project was never carried out.
The previous talk about and efforts to secure a public cemetery, finally took a more tangible shape in spring of 1869. Urged by a petition numerously signed, on Tuesday evening, April 20, 1869, a joint session of the Town Council and Township Trustees was had, for the purpose of taking steps for the purchase of cemetery grounds for joint use of town and township. At this meeting were present T. S. Cheney, Mayor; P. W. Alden, V. Hunter, Will- iam Martin and John W. Legge, of the Council, and John W. Runyan, E. A. Guy and Lewis Brittin, Trustees. John W. Runyan was made Chairman of the joint body. This body resolved to purchase grounds for joint use, and appointed T. S. Cheney, P. W. Alden and Lewis Brittin as a committee to view different locations, prices, etc., to report April 22, 1869.
At the joint meeting, April 22, report of several locations was made by the committee. One of eleven acres, belonging to Thomas Morgan, adjoining cor- poration on southeast, at $2,500 for the tract; another, possessed by J. C. Baker, west of the corporation, being the west end of the present fair grounds, at $300 per acre; another, belonging to N. Sceva, northeast of town, fifteen acres at $200 per acre ; another, belonging to W. C. Pangborn, the present cem- etery, thirty acres at $106} per acre, and right of way fifty feet wide to the Mechanicsburg and Springfield pike without cost.
The joint body unanimously accepted the last proposition, and a commiteet was appointed to close the contract with Pangborn.
On May 13, 1869, the committee reported the land purchased, and deed got. A motion was adopted to levy a tax of $4,500 on the township and wn. The Trustees afterward becoming dissatisfied with the joint levy, the Council at a subsequent time agreed, as a compromise, to levy $900, independ-
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ent of the township, and let the remaining $3,600 be levied on the township and town jointly. Even this compromise was not carried out by the Trustees. Afterward $2,552 of bonds were issued by the Trustees to be paid jointly by the township and town, and in addition, the town issued $846.50 of bonds to be paid by the town alone.
The location of the cemetery is south of the town, and about a mile from center of town. The location is a beautiful one naturally, and, with attention and reasonable expenditure of money, can be made very pleasing to the eye. Much has already been done in that direction, and much credit is due the Superintendent, T. S. Cheney, for his faithful and steady attention to improv- ing the grounds. Though stinted in means, the grounds are gradually becom- ing attractive and interesting. Parsimony and withholding help in such mat- ters, will never beautify the grounds. A small tax should be levied by the whole township each year and expended in improving them.
About nine acres of the grounds have been surveyed, platted, and lots offered for sale, roads made, grounds improved, etc. One acre has been fenced in, in a good location, and is open for free burial of those too poor to buy a lot.
About $900 have been expended this season, 1880, upon the grounds open for use. This money was the accumulations of several years from lots sold. Next season there will be very little money for improvements.
The total number of interments to October 1, 1880, is 518, of which 267 are removals from other graveyards. There are buried in the free grounds 33 colored and 7 white; there are buried on lots sold, 466 white and 12 colored. William and Elizabeth Tway, husband and wife, died the same day, and were buried April 22, 1871, being the first interments in the new cemetery.
Total number of lots sold to date, about 212, there being 485 laid out.
There have been received about $4,700 from sale of lots. This money has been spent in fencing, surveying and general improvements.
WAR RELICS.
There are now on a pedestal of stone in front of the town hall, some inter- esting relics of the war. These relics are two large bombshells, a case of grape-shot, and a large shell ; these all are relics of the contest for Vicksburg, and were picked up by the boys of Company B, Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and sent home. The Town Council and citizens paid for their trans- portation and cost of pedestal. By resolution of March 16, 1864, the Council met their part of the expense. These serve to set our young boys to inquiring about them, and cause them to grow up with some knowledge of the great con- test, and the inquiry incites to patriotism.
ANCIENT REMAINS.
On the southeast portion of Mechanicsburg corporation, partly within and partly without, in A. M. Cheney's lot, a few feet to the right of the road lead- ing from Mechanicsburg to West Jefferson, there are the evidences of some ancient workers. These remains are two circles, one about two hundred and fifty feet in diameter, the other about one hundred and twenty-five feet in diameter. The small one is not within the large one, but the circles are joined so that they lap a little, and a small segment of each is cut off where they lap. These circles have almost been obliterated by leveling. Years ago, they were four or five feet high. They were simply, as seen then, elevations of earth inclosing the quantity of ground indicated. The earth had been thrown up
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