USA > Ohio > Darke County > The history of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; > Part 42
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The temperance movement again assumed new interest in 1877. Among early converts was George Calderwood, who has acquired reputation as an earnest worker in the cause. Many of the oldest professional and other citizens are either lifelong teetotallers or are from principle strictly abstinent. Temperance was the issue in the spring election of 1880. Papers were published, the Gazette and the American Prohibitionist, in the interest of the cause and candidates, with general success.
The Young Men's Christian Association of Greenville, auxiliary to the State Association, was organized February, 1878. The first meeting was held in Allen's Hall, corner of Broadway and Fourth street, the use of which has been ever since generously donated by William Allen its proprietor. The officers during the first year were : R .T. Johnson, President ; George A. Harter, Vice President ; J. Arnold, Secretary ; Albert Miller, Treasurer. Second year: George Harter. President ; A. N. Brewer, Vice President ; C. M. Ensmiger, Secretary ; the latter remained in office a brief time, resigned and Alpha Miller was chosen to fill the vacancy. The first year, thirteen meetings were held in the hall. twelve in the infirmary and eight in the band park ; total, thirty-three. Meetings have also been held in vari- ous schoolhouses and churches in various parts of the county.
The Darke County Bible Society .- At a union meeting of the various churches, held in the M. E. Church. at Greenville, December 22. 1861, for the purpose of reviving this society, which was first organized in July, 1835, following the deliv- ering of a sermon by Rev. W. Herr, General Agent of the American Bible Society, Judge Wilson was called to the chair and George H. Martz appointed Secretary, whereupon a constitution was adopted and officers chosen, viz .: W. Wilson, Pres- ident ; John Wharry, Vice President ; G. H. Martz, Secretary ; H. C. Angel, Depositary ; Executive Committee-John H. Martin, Thomas Adams, T. H. Mc- Cune, J. A. Schmermand, J. N. Biddle, C. Kline and H. H. Rush. On January 7, 1862, eight ladies were appointed to canvass the town for subscriptions. May 11, Rev. Herr preached an anniversary sermon. Contributions by the churches were $23.79 ; 1,920 families had been visited by the county agent, Rev. J. Scott ; 191 families had no Bible, 64 were partially supplied. and 297 children had no Testa- ments, and 64 meetings had been held. May 17, 1863, the Sabbath schools had contributed $55.22. The Bible Depository was then located at the depot of the Dayton & Union Railway. The progress of the society financially and in exten- sion of interest was satisfactory, and thanks were tendered pastors, churches and Sabbath schools for aid given. The depository was placed at Adams & Snyder's store. On January 28, 1866, a jubilee meeting was held, addresses were made and collection taken. Rev. A. Miller was chosen to canvass the county in 1867, to organize township branch societies. but no work was done. Rev. S. B. Sheeks, in 1868, can- vassed the county, visited 1,943 families, sold many Bibles and Testaments, appointed 8 township societies, 30 social agents. There were forty Protestant churches in the field, of which twenty-four were co-operative ; traveled 1,050 miles, held 9 Bible meetings and delivered 30 addresses. On August 8, 1870, there were $311.23 worth of books on hand. In July. 1871, $330.50. Rev. C. L. Carter was canvasser of Greenville and vicinity. June, 1873, there were 740 volumes on hand, 430 sold during the year and 83 donated. At the thirty-ninth anniversary, Rev. W. Herr read as follows: "Darke County Bible Society was recognized as an auxiliary of the American Bible Society, July, 1835, since which time it donated
I
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HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
the parent society $78.69 ; expended for books, $1,818.13, and circulated about 3,794 volumes. On December 22, 1875, Rev. Samuel Scott reported visits to 3.306 families ; traveled 1,529 miles in 76 days, in the work, and preached 52 sermons, besides other work, receiving from the society a hearty vote of thanks. On March 16, 1879, officers elected were William M. Matchett, President ; J. W. Ault. Vice President : E. A. Ullery, Depositary, and A. J. Arnold, Treasurer. The following June, at a called meeting, the Depositary reported the books belonging to the soci- ety nearly all destroyed by fire, and such as were of value sufficient were sent to New York for re-binding. On motion, the Gettysburg Society was permitted to organize independently. Aside from the calamity of fire, the history of the soci- ety is a record of successful religious home missionary work.
There are members of the various benevolent societies in the county, some of which have local organizations, others none. There are forty-five members of the order of Knights Templar in Darke County, who belong to Coleman Commandery, No. 17, of Troy, and Reed Commandery, No. 6, of Dayton. Of these, twenty-seven reside in Greenville.
A lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men was organized in Octoher, 1870, under a dispensation of the Great Council of State of Ohio, and at one time there was a membership of over eighty. It flourished for a period, and finally the char- ter was surrendered in May, 1875.
The Patrons of Husbandry spread like a wave all over the country, and in Darke County the societies flourished for a time extensively, and there are still several well-sustained granges. The Greenville Grange was organized April, 1874 ; Arthur Beard, Master ; Everly Otwell, Secretary. Meetings were held in McCon- nell's Hall, on Broadway. Shortly afterward, a grange store was established on Broadway, but did not prove a success. In various localities, organizations are preserved and are successfully managed with manifest advantages to the members.
We close the chapter by brief allusion to an organization known as the "Darke County Self-Protection Association," designed to secure the arrest, conviction and punishment of horse-thieves and other depredators. It was formed in March, 1845, with a score of members, which number was soon increased to forty. James Devor was the first President ; John Wharry, Secretary, and David Stamm, Treasurer. Over a quarter of a century elapsed when a like society was formed and held quar- terly meetings. The first President under the late organization was Thomas Leck- lider ; Arthur Baird, Secretary.
DARKE COUNTY DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Telegrams from Charleston, S. C., read as follows : "April 13. The cannon- ading is going on fiercely from all points, from the vessels outside and all along the coast. It is reported that Fort Sumter is on fire. The batteries on Sullivan's Island, Cummings' Point and Steven's Battery, are pouring shot and shell into Sumter, and Maj. Anderson does not return the fire. Fort Sumter is still on fire." Then came another dispatch : "Fort Sumter has unconditionally surrendered. The people are wild with joy. Two thousand shots were fired altogether. Anderson and men were conveyed to Morris Island under guard." Finally, the people read : " Maj. Anderson with command will evacuate in the morning and embark on the war vessels now off the harbor."
President Lincoln issued the following proclamation on April 16:
WHEREAS, the laws of the United States have been and are now opposed in several of the States by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary way, I, therefore, call forth the militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000, to sup- press said combinations and execute the laws. I appeal to all loyal citizens to facilitate and aid this effort to maintain the laws, the integrity of the National Union, and the perpetuity of popu- lar government, and redress wrongs that have long been endured. The first service assigned to the forces will be to repossess the forts, places and property that have been seized from the Union. The utmost care will be taken, consistent with the object, to avoid devastation and
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HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
destruction, or interference with property of peaceful citizens, in any part of the country, and I bereby command persons composing the aforesaid combinations to disperse within twenty days from date. I hereby convene both houses of Congress for the Fourth of July next, to determine upon measures which the public safety and interest demand.
The response from Darke County was prompt, determined and practical. Union meetings were held at Greenville, Union, Hill Grove. Speeches, fervent and patriotic, were delivered, and within a few days, three full companies of volun- teers had been raised. On Wednesday afternoon of April 24, three companies had left the county-two from Greenville, led by Capts. Frizell and Newkirk, and one from Union, under Capt. Cranor, aggregating full three hundred men. These troops were mustered into the United States service as Companies C, I and K, of the Eleventh Ohio, and on April 29 went into Camp Dennison, where they rapidly learned the discomforts and expedients of military life, shouting and cheering as they marked the arrival of fresh bodies of improvised troops. At home, the peo- ple manifested their zeal by generous contributions for the support of soldiers' families. One hundred and sixty citizens of Darke are named in the Greenville Journal of May S, for a sum subscribed to that end of $2,500. The mothers, daughters and sisters sent to camp boxes of provisions ; the men freely contrib- uted of their means to aid the loyal cause. Bull Run was fought, and soon three months had gone by and the volunteers returning to Greenville were discharged only to re-enter the service for a longer term. Two companies were soon ready for the field. As the magnitude of the struggle developed, the people of Darke County became yet more resolute in their desire to assist in restoring the union of the States. Meetings continued to be held ; addresses full of fervid appeals were uttered, and a continuous stream of men gathered into camps, were organized and moved southward. The enlistments in the fall of 1861 were for three years. The Fortieth Regiment contained about two hundred men from Darke. In the Thirty- fourth was a company of eighty-four men who were sent with their regiment to West- ern Virginia. In the Forty-fourth, a company went out under Capt. J. M. Newkirk. On October 28, the ladies of Greenville met at the court house and organized as "The Ladies' Association of Greenville for the relief of the Darke County Volunteers." They appointed as officers, President, Mrs. A. G. Putnam ; Secretary, Mrs. J. N. Beedle, and Treasurer, Mrs. J. L. Winner, and formed a committee to solicit donations of money and clothing. Public meetings continued to be held at various points ; recruiting was stimulated, and on November 6, it was reported that the county had turned out 200 volunteers within twenty days. Letters came from men in the field. descriptive of arms, tents, rations, incidents and marches. Novelty excited close observation, and there were reports of duties, health, and all too soon came back the news of death. Heavy tidings is always that of death, and a sad duty to the comrade to tell it to the one watching and waiting at home. This was often done with a tact, a kindness, a language that honored the soldier writer, and tended to assuage the grief of the recipient. Such was the letter penned by Thomas R. Smiley, of the Thirty-fourth, from Camp Red House, West Virginia, to Mrs. Swartz, telling of her son's death, by fever, and closing with these words : "Hoping and praying that God will sustain you in your grief, I most respectfully subscribe myself your friend in sorrow." No wonder the right triumphed, upheld by men of such Christian and manly principles.
The families of soldiers began in midwinter to suffer, and the following extract from the letter of a wife to her husband, a volunteer from Darke County, will show a trial among others borne by the soldier in the sense of helplessness to aid his loved ones. It is commended to the perusal of any who think war a pastime. She wrote : "I have so far been able to support myself and our dear children, with the help that the relief committee gave me ; but I am now unable to work, and the committee has ceased to relieve me. I am warned that I will have to leave the comfortable home which you left us in, and I will have to scatter the children. Where will I go and what will become of me ? Don't leave
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HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
without permission. as it would only be giving your life for mine. I will trust in God and live in hope, although things look very discouraging. Do the best you can, and send some money as soon as possible." During the earlier part of the war, letters told of minor matters, but later accounts were brief and freighted heavily with tidings of battles, wounds and deaths.
In July, 1862. the clouds of war hung heavy with disaster. East and West, terrible battles were fought, and the Southerners. with a desperate, honorable courage, forced their way into Maryland and Kentucky. New troops volunteered by thousands, and joined the veterans to roll back the tide of invasion. At this time, John L. Winner was Chairman of the Military Committee of Darke, whose proportion of the call for 40,000 men from the State was 350 men for three years. The following shows by townships the number of electors, volunteers and those to raise :
Electors.
Volunteers. To Raise
Electora.
Volunteers. To Raise
Greenville
925
175
10
Jackson
260
31
21
German.
265
27
27
Monroe.
175
24
11
Washington.
255
38
13
York
120
9
15
Harrison.
370
40
34
Van Buren
200
32
8
Butler.
310
21
43
Allen.
95
10
Neave ..
200
17
23
Mississinewa
130
15
11
Richland.
193
12
27
Franklin.
170
29
ン
Wayne
325
65
(0)
Patterson.
125
32
0
Twin.
350
32
Wabash.
110
12
10
Adams
320
37
27
Brown
215
27
16
Total
5105
685
848
This table, while creditable to all, is especially so to Wayne and Patterson. Mass meetings were called, volunteers urged to come forward, bounties were offered, and, responding to call by Gov. Tod, the militia was ordered enrolled. Along in August, recruiting proceeded rapidly ; young and middle-aged flocked to the camps, and soon four companies were off to the camp at Piqua. On Sep- tember 3, 1862, eight townships had exceeded their quota. There were 4,903 men enrolled, and 201 to be raised by draft. Successive calls found hearty responses. In May, 1864, three townships had filled their quotas, and the draft called for 186 men.
The services of the military committee of Darke deserving of honorable record is hereby acknowledged by a list as it was at the close of 1863: Daniel R. Davis, Capt. Charles Calkins, Capt. B. B. Allen and W. M. Wilson, Secretary.
How well Darke County stood at the close of the war may be learned from the following statistics : The quota of the county in December, 1864, was 455. Of these, 384 volunteered, 24 were drafted. and 408 furnished. Over 1.500 vol- unteers were out from the county. It is a pleasing duty to briefly place upon the pages of home history a record of those regiments wherein Darke County men rendered service to their country. Brief though it be. it is a worthy meed of honor.
The Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Dennison in May, 1861. and mustered into the service for three months. The company from Darke was lettered C. and commanded by Capt. R. A. Knox, with C. Calkins and Thomas McDowell, Lieutenants. The regiment was ordered east, and camped in Virginia. It was re-organized June 20, and mustered in for three years, and sent. in July, on a scout up the Kanawha. The Colonel. incautiously exposing himself, was captured, and the command devolved upon Lient. Col. Frizell. who, July 20. set out with the regiment on a march to Charleston. Moving at mid- night some miles, they halted for other troops. and. during the ensuing day, came upon works of the enemy at Tyler Mound. The rebels fled at their approach. but a steamboat on the river, unable to get away. was fired into and blown up. The
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HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
night was passed in the works of the enemy, and the next day advance was resumed. Wise, on his retreat, had burned the floor of the suspension bridge over the river, and had tried, with partial success, to sever the cable. The bridge was at once repaired, to permit the passage of wagons, and pursuit was made to Gau- ley Bridge and there ceased. In August, the command was twice engaged near New River. In the first skirmish, several men were wounded, and in the second, one man was killed. Early in October, the regiment was encamped on one of the peaks of Sewell Mountain, from which commanding position they could look down upon the camps of the enemy, whose works were one and one-half miles distant, and see them at work or lounging about. It was claimed, at this time, that the Eleventh had done as good service as any other in Western Virginia. They had lain out in the weather sixteen nights, without blankets or shelter, and had not lain in camp four weeks altogether during their stay in the State. October 20, the regiment was ordered to prepare to march at midnight. The vexations and tire- some delays so well understood by old soldiers were experienced, and as the neces- sity for celerity increased. so did the confusion, and by 7 A. M. they had proceeded but three and a half miles from camp, and were moving at a snail's pace, in the rear of an immense wagon train, drawn by poor, half-starved beasts. Gen. Rose- crans, in command, ordered Gen. Cox, in command of the division, to burn the baggage of the Eleventh, to lighten the wagons. The regiment desired to form the rear guard and save their baggage, but were refused, and a part of this hin- (rance was destroyed ; thereafter, a comparatively easy march succeeded. They went into winter quarters at Point Pleasant early in December, and nothing occurred to vary the routine of camp life until April 16, 1862, when an advance was made, via Winfield, to Gauley Bridge. Having proceeded with the division as far as Raleigh, in the campaign of the Kanawha, they were then detached and ordered on post duty-always irksome and subject of reproach. Retreating from Cotton Mountain along the road from Shady Springs to Pack's Ferry, on New River, Floyd thoroughly blockaded the route for sixteen miles. Companies G and K. of the Eleventh, were sent to remove obstructions and guard the road. While one part of the detail was busy with spade and ax, another stood to arms ; and so they labored for five days, when the road was clear to the ferry. They then demolished a barn near by, and from the timbers constructed two boats. There they joined, and so formed a ferry-boat 140 feet in length, whereby the wings of the Kanawha army were brought into communication. The regiment returned to Gauley Bridge late in July, when Company C was sent to Summerville, where it remained some time. About the middle of August, the Eleventh was moved to Parkersburg, and transported thence by rail to Washington, D. C., and camped near Alexandria. It was sent, August 27, to Manassas Junction, but, arriving at Fairfax Station, it was ascertained that the enemy were in force at Manassas, and troops posted there were retreating. The enemy, advancing upon the flank, were checked by the regiment, which forded Bull Run and formed line of battle near the railroad. Companies E and F were detailed to guard the ford and the railroad, while the rest of the Eleventh assisted in the futile effort to stay the rebel advance. Orders came at 3 P. M. to fall back to Fairfax, and the Eleventh per- formed their duty as rear guard and insured the safe retreat of the column. At the station the wounded were placed, while the command, about three thousand strong, formed in line outside. Late at night, orders came to fall in, and by noon the next day the column was safe within the defenses at Washington. The Kanawha division moved next day, and the Eleventh was posted within works on Munson's Hill.
September 6, the Eleventh moved toward Maryland, and by the 12th had encountered the rebel pickets near Frederick City. The enemy held the bridge over the Monocacy, and were strongly posted along its banks. The Union forces were formed in three columns, the central column being opposite the bridge and the Eleventh at its head. The advance began and the enemy were driven from
356
HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
the bridge. Following a charge, the Union line became disorganized and the enemy rallying captured the section of a battery. Gen. Cox called upon Col. Coleman to retake the guns. He led the Eleventh in a charge which not only recovered the artillery, but drove the enemy through the city in a complete rout. By evening of the next day, the Kanawha Division was posted near Middletown, and the Eleventh was near the bridge over Catoctin Creek. Early on the following morning, the creek was crossed, and the division marched toward Turner's Gap, in South Mountain. They were now near the enemy, and turning to the left entered the old Sharpsburg road, and in a narrow ravine covered by forest trees and underwood, the Eleventh prepared for battle. As the order came to advance, the men moved along the skirts of a strip of woods and frustrated an effort of the enemy to flank our lines. Sharpshooters kept up their deadly practice, but there was no recreancy. About mid-day there was one of those ominous lulls, which are forerunners of the crash of battle, and about 3 P. M .. amid hard fighting. the Union lines were seen advancing. The Eleventh advanced over an open field upon the enemy sheltered by a stone wall. Reaching the wall, the soldiers fought with clubbed guns and bayonets. in an almost hand-to-hand fight. The rebels finally fell back toward Sharpsburg, and again. as morning came. the Union columns were in pursuit. The army now gathered for the struggle at Antietam, and the Kanawha Division, under Gen. Cook, was posted near the lower bridge over Antietam Creek, the Eleventh being in line upon a slope of ground above the bridge. The battle of September 17 had raged furiously with varying fortune, until 10 A. M., when an attempt was made to carry the bridge, but so heavy a fire was encountered from the heights opposite that the column was driven back. Just at this moment came orders from the Commander-in-Chief to "carry the bridge at all hazards." The Eleventh was placed at the head of the charging column, and began a steady, determined advance. Col. Coleman fell mortally wounded. There was momentary irresolution ; then the men closed up firmly, moved over the bridge, up the heights and dislodged the enemy. Col. Coleman was succeeded in command by P. P. Lane.
A severe march was endured by the division in a march begun on the morn- ing of Oct. 8, to Hagerstown, Md. They reached the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and were transported to Clarksburg, and as the November storms came on, the Eleventh, without tents, blankets or adequate clothing, suffered from exposure. but in the distribution of the troops they were sent to Summerville, an outpost of the troops in the Kanawha Valley, and there, erecting good winter quarters, soon sur- rounded themselves with the protection needed to recover health and spirits. While a part of the regiment held the post, another part was mounted and guarded the Gauley fords. A foray was made into the county during the winter, and the men suffered materially from the severity of the weather.
In January, 1863, the command under Gen. Cook was embarked at Gallipolis, and proceeded via Ohio and Cumberland to Nashville, Tenn., whence they moved to Carthage on the Tennessee, and fortified their position. March 24, the Eleventh went on a scout to Rome and captured a captain, a number of soldiers, a wagon train and a number of teams belonging to the command of Gen. Forrest.
April 13, the Eleventh took part in a reconnaissance toward MeMinnville, and found the enemy with artillery and cavalry prepared to dispute advance. Col. Lane, in command, sent for cannon and his troops repelled attacks made upon them. The command was ordered to return to Carthage. Another march was made ten days later with no results, and May 27, the Eleventh marched to Mur- freesboro, and was placed in Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. under Gen. George H. Thomas. June 24, the division under Gen. Reynolds, moving along the Manchester pike, engaged the enemy at Hoover's Gap. The Eleventh stood to arms during the night, and, following up the repulse of the enemy, led the advance into Manchester, and captured a number of rebels. The Eleventh in advance of the brigade moved, on the 29th, upon the Tullahoma road. The enemy was encountered
357
HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
at noon and driven. On July 1. Cook's brigade entered Tullahoma. The Eleventh followed the enemy to the immediate vicinity of Decherd Station, on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, and August 2, moved to University, Jasper, and, Septem- ber 1, crossed the Tennessee at Shell Mound ; moved to Trenton, thence through Cooper's Gap, and on the 17th repulsed a rebel attack at Catlett's Gap. The Eleventh changed position during the next day several times, marched by night, and by daylight of the 19th, was in line of battle near Gordon's Mill, on a wooded rise of ground east of the Rowville road. At this point, Chaplain Lyle rode to the center of the line and, briefly exhorting the men, asked them to join him in prayer. At once, every hat was removed, the colors were dropped, and amid the crashes of musketry the voice of the minister was heard. Gen. Reynolds passing, halted, and as the prayer ceased, expressed satisfaction at being present, as he shook the chaplain's hand.
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