USA > Ohio > Clinton County > The history of Clinton County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory, Volume 2 > Part 25
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Forty-two shares, or $2,100, were reported subscribed at this meeting. These meetings were held weekly, and, as I remember them, were always well attended, and many times very enthusiastic. Speeches were made at every meeting, and, when they seemed to drag, some one present would increase his subscription. This spirit sometimes ran so high that subscribers would double their stock. I copy the minutes of December 5, 1871:
"Meeting called to order by Secretary-the Chairman not present. On motion of John Grant, Allen Bingamon was asked to preside. Members pres- ent: John Grant, Jesse Spray, Jr., Henry Hurley and George Mann. There not being a quorum present of the committee, the evening was spent in speeches. On motion of John Grant, duly seconded, George Mann and Henry Hurley were asked to address the committee, which the parties agreed to, pro- vided Mr. Grant would make the first one. The latter gentleman, being then called, arose and delivered a very neat little speech, setting forth the many in- ducements that were calling out the support of the people in this railroad en- terprise. He was followed by Goorge Mann, who arose only to excuse him- self, and to insist upon Mr. Hurley addressing the committee. Mr. Hurley then, addressed the meeting at considerable length, showing plainly the benefits to be derived from public improvements."
To conclude these minutes, I copy but one other, and that the last held by the committee, on the evening of the 26th of December, 1871:
"Committee met at store of John Grant, Samuel Lemar in the chair. The meeting was called to order, and the minutes of the previous meeting read and adopted. The meeting was largely attended, owing to an appointment made at a former meeting by James Swindler, Esq., to be present and address the committee on the railroad question. The speaker failed to come to time. Not much was done at this meeting, but, by hard work and perseverance, it was not altogether a failure, and the receipts of the evening were one share."
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Among the largest subscribers of stock to that enterprise I have only room for the following: Samuel Lemar, twenty-two shares; G. E. & N. B. Stingley, ton shares; G. E. Stingley. ten shares; N. B. Stingley, ten shares; John Grant, twelve shares; Jesse Spray, Jr .. twelve shares; Henry Spray, ten shares; Solomon Huffman, Sr., ten shares; George Mills, ten shares; Levi D. Sham- baugh, nine shares; William Hurley, nine shares; Jacob S. Peterson, six shares; Jesse W. Jessup, six shares; Abram Peterson, six shares; Jonathan Mckay. six shares; Archibald Peterson, six shares; John S. Lemar, five shares; Ebenezer Lucas, five shares; George W. Mckay, five shares; Robert F. Mc- Kay, five shares; Daniel H. Mckay, five shares; M. C. Mckay, five shares; John Lemar, five shares.
The whole amount subscribed by the people of this township was over $20,000. The road was located, 10 per cent of the stock paid in, but the en- terprise failed and the money was returned.
The next railroad to strike our township was the Waynesville, Port Will- iam & Jeffersonville Narrow-Gauge Railway. This road filed its certificate of incorporation December 9, 1875, with a capital stock of $200,000, to build a narrow-gauge railroad from Waynesville, in Warren County, to Jeffersonville, in Fayette County, Ohio. This road, as first surveyed, passed through our township, along the waters of Buck Run. It was never located on that line, but was afterward surveyed higher up in the township, and run just south of the village of New Burlington. It was located here and work begun in the spring of 1877. The people, while they did not subscribe so liberally as in the former enterprise, did their share, and some $10,000 and the right of way were given in the road's interest. Before the road had progressed very far, its name was changed to Columbus, Washington & Cincinnati Railway. It was opened for travel and traffic from the Little Miami Railway to Allentown Junction, on the Dayton & South-Eastern Railway, nine miles west of Washington Court House, in Fayette County, in the fall of 1878. It remained in this form until' the winter of 1881-82, when it was purchased by Cincinnati capitalists and changed to a standard gauge.
When John Grant located here, in 1833, there was not a railroad in the State. The Mad River & Lake Erie had been incorporated in January, 1832, but no work done on it. The Little Miami was incorporated March 11, 1836, to run from Springfield, in Clark County, to Cincinnati, via Xenia, Ohio. The construction began in 1837, but the progress was slow. It was opened for travel and traffic to Milford in December, 1842; to Xenia, in August, 1845; and to Springfield a year later. Railroads, like free turnpikes. were only to come with the next generation. Buying large stocks of goods in Philadelphia, they were shipped by water to Cincinnati; again, with those purchased in the latter place, they were either hauled direct by wagons to the store, or shipped by canal to Franklin, Ohio, and then hauled out by wagon. The following will, no doubt, prove of interest to the people of this day:
"Shipped by Samuel Findley on board the good canal-boat Pennsylvania (whereof is Master for this voyage George Kinder), now lying at the port of Cincinnati, and bound for Franklin, Ohio, the following articles, marked and numbered as below, which are to be delivered without delay, in like good or- der, at the port of Franklin, unto M. W. Earhart, or his assignees, to wit: Seven boxes dry goods, two boxes of shoes, nine trunks, eight boxes dry goods, six bales of dry goods, one case of hats, one case of saws, one box axes, one- half-barrel madder. Dated at Cincinnati, Ohio, October 4, 1838." On the reverse side of this bill of lading is the following: "Franklin, Ohio, October 10, 1838. Received freight on the within 8,206 pounds merchandise, at 21 cents per hundred, $17.23. Signed, M. W. Earhart.". These goods were yet
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eighteen miles from their destination, and had to be hauled that distance by wagon. The distance they had been hauled by water was probably two-thirds of the whole, which would make it about 33 cents per hundred from Cincin- nati. What a change has taken place in that timo-forty-four years. Now, .. to say nothing of the difference of time, the rate from Cincinnati to this vil- lage, by rail direct, per hundred in car-load lots, is but a fraction over 13 cents.
Grant did not live to see a railroad running to this village. Had he lived it would have been a happy event to him, for he was a man who desired to soe public improvements, and gave his money in their aid when it was against his interests financially. And now, while speaking of Mr. Grant in this charac- ter, we cannot refrain from rolating an episode in that busy life of his. From a vory early day, ho was one of the strong advocates of anti-slavery, and was prompt to identify himself with that great Abolition party when it was organ- izod in this section of the country. His sympathies with the colored people wore very great, and his voice constantly raised in their behalf, and not only that, but his purse was evor ready to render thom financial help, as well as his home, which was always open to sheltor thoso seeking freedom in flight. On a pleas- ant day in the summer of 1844, Mr. Grant, in company with Allen Linton and Amos Compton, Sr., was seated in front of his store in this village, enjoying the cool shadows of the early morning, when they were approached by a black man-a stranger to each of them. He handed to Mr. Grant a letter, which, upon examination, proved to be his credentials, duly signed by "Friend" Levi Coffin, of Cincinnati. The substance of the letter was this: The colored man had but recently been released from slavery in Kentucky by his master. His wife. the property(?) of another master, was yet in slavery. He had offered her to her husband at a specified price, and had given him a chance to raise the money. This was his mission. He had come to redeem his wife from human bondage. Mr. Grant read the letter carefully, and satisfied himself that the case was not only truo, but that it was one calling for his sympathy in dol- lars and conts-a duty he was not disposed to evade, nor allow his friends to do so, as the sequel will show.
He then explained the contents fully to Mr. Linton and Mr. Compton, and remarked that he intended to give $5, and that they must each of them do the same. They very promptly agreed to do it, and the money was promptly handed over to Mr. Grant, who sat looking at the paper for some moments, thon said: "I am going to give $5 more; you are oach able to do likewise." They hesitated, and finally consented. Mr. Grant was not yet done. These men, like him, wore strong anti-slavery mon, and were amply able to uso their money generously to that end. The present was one worthy of their fullest support. Mr. Grant again spoke, and said: "I am going to give another $5; you must each do tho same." Mr. Compton expostulated, saying he had not so much money with him; but Mr. G. quietly informed him that he would loan him all the money he chose to give. Mr. Linton, too, begged to be ex- cused, but Grant would not consent to anything but the money, and they gracefully gave in. When they had talked a few minutes longer, Grant took from his pocket a sum of money, saying: "Gentleman, I am going to give this man $20; you are each able to do likewise, and must do it." Ofttimes has the / writer of this heard Mr. Grant relate this little circumstance, and laugh heartily as he told how these men were fairly caught. Had he proposed the full amount in the start, they would never have given their consent to any such proposition, but, .by bringing them up gradually, they arrived at the point he had agreed upon to himself at the beginning. The conversation was long and earnest. The colored man all the while standing by, the very picture of anxious expectancy,
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the whole making a picture well worthy of the painter's brush; but in the end they each agreed, and Mr. Grant paid over to the worthy black the sum of $60, and he fairly danced with great joy, while tears of gratitude streamed down his swarthy cheeks. Long years have come and gone since then; the last soul has long been free; one by one these men passed to the presence of their Maker, until all are gone, but the great deed will live on and on forever, and should surround the memory of these noble men with a halo of light for gen- erations yet to come.
I would like to continue these pages. There are many, very many, mat- ters I would like to put on record-matters of interest and of value to the reader of coming generations, but I must forbear, for I am already far in ad- vance of the space allotted to me, and must rapidly draw them to a close.
Just, how these hastily-gathered and hastily-written pages will be received by the reader I cannot of course tell, but desire now, while yet the opportunity is mine, to bospeak for them all the charity you can bestow, for I am frank enough to acknowledge that they are not what I most desire. In other words, they are not up to that standard of excellence so neccessary in a work of this . kind, and can only regret now, as I shall ever after, that the work was not given to some ne sar more competent than myself. And now, before closing, I desire to take up one other subject and I am done. Our history at the period I shall now mention is to a great extent identical with that of every other township in the eighty-eight counties comprising our commonwealth-the State of Ohio. I refer, of course, to the opening of the great struggle between the North and South in the early days of 1861.
It is not my intention here to discuss the causes that brought about those years of carnage and suffering; the reader of to-day who was old enough to understand them then needs no explanation here; the reader who was not, or has since come upon the stage of life, I can but refer to the many reliable histories of "the war," and the causes that precipitated it upon the people in that year, and from which a far better knowledge can be gathered than I could possibly give. Entering then at once upon the subject matter intended for this volume: It found the patriotic sons of Chester ready ere the smoke of the opening conflict had cleared from around the walls of grim " Old Sum- ter." Our young men, and not only they, but the middle-aged also, ' were offering their services to their endangered country and insulted flag. From the workshops, counters of trade, the plows, mills, and indeed from every oc- cupation in our corporate limits they came and pronounced themselves ready. The regiments of Ohio in which our township was represented were the First, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirty-first, Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, Forty-fourth, Sixty- first, Seventy-fourth, Seventy-ninth, Eightieth, Eighty-fourth, Eighty-eighth, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth, One Hundred and Forty-ninth and One Hundred and Eightieth Infantry; Eighth Cavalry, Fourth United States Cav- alry; Second Heavy Artillery, and the Ohio and Mississippi Gunboat Service, in all, twenty different organizations of the service. If we follow them to the " front," we find them participating in by far the largest number of the most hotly contested engagements of the war.
John Blair entered the service of his country April 17, 1861, in Company D, First Regiment Infantry. He was the first to enlist from the township, and in less than sixty hours from date of enlistment was en route with his reg- iment to the defense of the National Capital. He took part in the first battle. of Bull Run; returned to this State and was mustered out with regiment at ex- piration of service, i. e., three months; re-enlisted in same regiment for three years; left the State November 5, 1861, for Louisville, Ky .; was with the reg- iment up to and including the first day's fight at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., in
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1862, where he received a severo wound in the leg; discharged by reason thereof soon after, and returned home. Enlisted in August, 1863, in Company H, Second Regimont Heavy Artillery; promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant March 1, 1864; mustered out and discharged with his regiment at the close of the war; draws a pension.
Hiram Mckay, a son of Duffy and Mary A. Gaddis Mckay, entered Com- pany B, Twelfth Infantry, as a private, in the throo-months' service under Capt. Robert B. Harlan, in April, 1861. At the ro-organization of the regiment for three years' service, he re-enlisted in the same capacity. The regiment left the State under the command of Col. John B. Lowo, July 6, 1861, for Western Vir- ginia, 037 strong. He took part with it in all marches and engagements, among the latter, Carnifex Ferry, Scary Creek, in 1861; Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam, in 1862; Fayette Court House, in 1863; and Cloyd Mountain and Lynchburg, in 1864. Was promoted to Second Lieutenant November 9, 1861; to First Lioutenant Juno 18, 1862, and to Captain November 21, same year; was mustored out with regiment at the end of its service, at Camp Chase, Ohio, July 11, 1864. On 7th day of October, same year, be received a com - mission as Liontenant Colonel, and was assigned to the One Hundred and Eightieth Infantry. "It loft tho Stato for Nashville, Tonn .. on 15th same * month, under command of Lieut. Col. Mckay. * The reg- * iment was then taken to Newbern, N. C., where it joined a force under Gen. J. D. Cox, to opon railway communication with Goldsboro and Gen. Sherman's army. At Kinston, N. C., the division to which the regiment was attached was engaged on the 8th, 9th and 10th of March with the rebel forces under Gens. Bragg and Hoke, resulting in the discomfiture of the enemy and capture of Kinston. Lieut. Col. Mckay was mortally wounded on the 10th, and died on the 13th inst." (Reid's Ohio in the War). His body was brought home, and interred at Jonah's Run Burying-Ground, in this township.
Addison Fay, William Markwell, Benjamin Seavers were also members of Company B, Twelfth Infantry, and served with the regiment three years in the Eastern army, participating with it in its campaigns and engagements against the would bo dostroyers of our country and flag. They were honorably discharged with it at the close of its service, July, 1864.
Charles Thompson (familiarly known as "Old Jersey") responded to the call for "seventy-five thousand," and entered, in April, 1861, Company B, Twelfth Infantry. Was severely wounded in the leg at Antietam Creek, Md., in September, 1862; discharged by roason thereof in same year; enlisted in Company E, Eighty-eighth Infantry, under Capt. Parkor, in July, 1863; sorved with his rogiment guarding prisoners at Camp Chase until mustered out in July, 1865. Ho is now woll advanced in years, a bachelor, and is and has boon a ponsioner and an inmato of the home for disabled volunteor soldiers at Dayton, Ohio.
John Northup entered Company B, Twelfth Infantry, in 1861; served to and was killed at the battle of -, Va., in - ., 1862.
Cornelius Cotterall entered Company B, Twelfth Infantry, at its organiza- tion, in April, 1861, and its re-organization in July of same year. Took part with his regiment in all its fortunes and misfortunes until taken prisoner at the battle of --- , Va., and lodged in Libby and Belle Isle until 1865, when he was ex- changed, honorably discharged and sent home. Has since died from exposure and disease contracted in the service.
Morgan Wood enlisted in Company B, Twelfth Infantry, in the three months' service in April, 1861; re-enlisted at its re-organization for three years. He was a faithful soldier, and served his country honorably; was taken prisoner at Gauley Bridge, Va., in 1861; since thon has not been heard from.
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John N. Wood was a private in Company I, Thirty-first Infantry.
Ira Van Tross and Christian Smith entered the service as privates in Com- pany C, Thirty-fourth Infantry. The history of that gallant regiment is but theirs, and neod not hero be told.
James Hartman, James Whetsell and Bazil Loech enlisted at Harveys- 'burg, Warren Co., in August, 1861, under Thomas M. Harlan, who became their Second Lieutenant at the organization of Company F, Thirty-fifth In- fantry, at Hamilton, Ohio. The regiment left the State September 26, 1861, for Kentucky, 812 strong, and took part in the various marches and skirmishos with the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. Buell, barely missing the battle of Shiloh in April, 1862. At the battle of Chickamauga, on the 19th of Sep- tember, 1863, the regiment was on the extreme left, where they fought for , several hours almost hand to hand with the rebels under Longstreet. On the · 20th, the fighting was the same, and night found thom still holding the rebels at bay, while the main army fell back on Chattanooga. Following this, came Mission Ridge, Ringgold, Dalton, Resaca, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw and Peach Tree Creek. They were mustered out at Chattanooga, Tonn., in August, 1864.
Edward Disbro, William Hurley, Robert D. Wall, Henry S. Reese, Solon Carroll, George H. La Fetra, Edward Shepherd and Alfred Van Tress entered their country's service in July, 1861, as privates in Company H, Thirty-ninth Infantry, under Capt. Adam Koogle. The regiment left the State Sunday, August 18, 1861, for St. Louis, Mo., via Ohio & Mississippi Railroad. · It re- mained in Missouri until after the fall of New Madrid in 1862, when it passed into Tennessee, taking part in many engagements and marches, among the former being the battles of Corinth, Iuka, Parker's Cross Roads. On the 26th of December, 1862, it reached Prospect, Tenn., where 534 of its members re enlisted as veterans and came home on thirty days' furlough. Returning to the front, it marched and skirmished in the Southwest until May, 1864, when it moved to and took part in the battles around Atlanta, Ga., going there by the way of Ship and Snake Creek Gaps, to Resaca; from thence on its history is the same as that of every other regiment that belonged to Sherman's army. It took part in the march to the sea and the grand review at Washington, and returned home in July, 1865.
Hiram Hurley enlisted in Company H, Thirty-ninth Infantry, for three years, in August, 1861; left the State with his regiment in the same month; promoted to Corporal April 29, 1863; came home on sick furlough and died .in 1864; buried at Sharon Burial-Grounds.
Warren Shidaker enlisted in Company H, Thirty-ninth Infantry, in Jan- uary, 1863, while the regiment was at home on veteran furlough: returned with it to its duties in February of that year, and took an active and honor- able part in the defense of his country. He met his death as a soldier at Decatur, Ala., July 22, 1864, while charging the rebels.
Francis F. Rockhill enlisted in Company H, Thirty-ninth Infantry, in August, 1861; discharged for disability March 20, 1862; returned home and died in the same year; buried at Jonah's Run Meeting-House, in Chester Town- ship. .
Absalom Wall enlisted in Company B, Fortieth Infantry, as a private, on the 18th day of September, 1861, at Camp Chase, Ohio; died in October fol- . lowing, at the same place, never having left the State. His body was sent home and buried at Sharon.
Richard B. Carr enlisted in Company B, Fortieth Infantry, September 18, 1861; left the State with the regiment on the 11th of December, 1861, for Kentucky, where it was brigaded under Col. Garfield, then moving up Sandy
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River. On the 10th of January, 1862, it experienced its first engagement, at Middle Creek, Ky. Carr remained with his regiment until 1863, when he died and was buried at Tullahoma, Tenn.
Quincy Austin enlisted in August, 1861, in Company B, Fortieth Infantry, under Capt. James M. Haworth; was killed in front of Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., July 24, 1864; buried at National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Elias D. Harlan, born in April, 1837; entered the service as a private in Company B, Fortieth Infantry, September 18, 1861; took part in every march, skirmish and general engagement in which that gallant regiment participated from the first at Middle Creek, Ky. (against Humphrey Marshall), under the leadership of our now lamented President, Garfield, to be followed by Frank- lin, Triune, Shelbyville, Wartrace, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, Moccasin Point, Lookout Mountain and Dalton; was mustered out with his company at Pilot Knob, Ga., October 7, 1864, by reason of expiration of service.
Joshua' Wood enlisted in Company B, Fortieth Infantry, in September, 1861; served three years and was discharged with the company at Pilot Knob, Ga., October 7, 1864.
Joseph Daniels and George W. Daniels entered Company B, Fortieth Infantry, as privates, in September, 1861; served three years each, and were discharged with the company at the expiration of its torm of service, at Pilot Knob, Ga., October 7, 1864.
Porter and Turner Van Tress entered Company B, Fortieth Regiment of Infantry, as privates, September 1, 1861; took part with it in the battles of Middle Creek, Franklin, Wartrace, Triune, Shelbyville, Tullahoma, Chicka- mauga, Moccasin Point, Lookout Mountain and Dalton; were mustered ont with the company at Pilot Knob, Gu., October 7, 1864.
James Nickerson entered Company B, Fortieth Infantry, in September, 1861; promoted to Orderly Sergeant, and then Lieutenant in the United States Army; mustered out at the close of the war.
James R. Littler enlisted as a private in Company -, Forty-fourth In- fantry, in the fall of 1861, at Springfield, Ohio; left the State. with his regiment October 14, 1861, for Western Virginia, under Col. S. A. Gilbert. Two weeks later, he took part with his regiment in the fight at Gauley Bridge. He also took part in all the marches and engagements of his regiment in that State and Kentucky, until, on the 5th of January, 1864, when the regiment re- enlisted and became the Eighth Cavalry. On the 26th of April, 1864, he left Ohio for Western Virginia, where, on January 11, 1865, Little, with 575 others belonging to the Eighth Cavalry and Thirty-fourth Ohio Infantry, were capt- ured at Philippi, Va., taken to Richmond, and lodged in Libby Prison. His daily experience there was but that of the thousands of other brave men who were then and had been confined therein. All the misery and suffering of prison life were endured until the 15th of February following, when they left for Annapolis, Md., and from there to Columbus, Ohio, where they were pa- roled and mustered out the same year.
Charles E. Harrison was born in 1844; enlisted in Company B, Seventy- fourth Infantry, for a full term of three years, February 24, 1862; left the State with his regiment April 20, 1862. He remained with his company until December 3, 1862, when he was mustered out with one other from his com- " pany, by order of Maj. Gen. Rosecrans, under a general order from the War Department, allowing two men from each company of infantry to enlist in the United States Cavalry service; was enlisted and mustered into Company M, Fourth Cavalry, on the 11th day of December following, for a full term of three years. As a member of this branch of the service, he took a part in many severe and hotly contested engagements, his discharge being indorsed
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