USA > Ohio > Licking County > Granville > The history of Granville, Licking County, Ohio > Part 10
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After certain preliminary meetings, on May 9th an organiza- tion was effected for an Episcopal Church with the following officers: Dr. Wm. S. Richards and Sylvester Hayes, wardens ; Chauncy Humphrey, Lucius D. Mower, A. P. Prichard, Sylvester Spelman, Joseph Fasset, Wm. Wing, Linus G. Thrall, vestrymen. They were legally qualified by Rev. A. Jinks, who was now filling the office of justice of the peace.
132
ST. LUKE'S CHURCH.
The corporation took the name of "St. Luke's Church in Granville, Licking Co., Ohio." Rev. Mr. Baldwin continued to preach for them for two years.
Mr. Slocomb, on the occasion of his visit of the preceding year, had suggested to the people the name of Rev. Jacob Little as a suitable man to become their pastor. The different parties united in inviting him to come and see them. Rev. Jacob Lindley, of Athens, being on the ground, seconded their request in an autograph letter. Mr. Little came and spent two Sabbaths with them in February. From that time definite efforts were made to harmonize the discordant elements. Again Mr. Little came, June 1, upon an agreement to preach six months. Reconciliations were effected, mutual confessions were made. They met together on Sabbaths and other occasions of religious meetings. They treated each other with tenderness. A day of fasting was appointed and observed. It was the occasion of open confessions and tears. Instead of looking at others' faults, each looked at his own. There was an "ambition to have the privilege of giving way to others." In the fall a communion season was held, in which they all united, and soon after they united on common ground as a " Plan of Union" church ; the union being that of the Congregational and Presbyterian polity.
We have now seen the origin of the five churches which have held a leading place in the community for generations. Hitherto the history of the Congregational Church has been so blended with the history of the place, even to the use of their meeting house for all public occasions, that it has of necessity been woven into the annals. From this point, the history of each will be given in a separate chapter, and the annals will take less note of ecclesiastical matters.
Mr. Martin Root returned from the East in the spring of 1827, with his second wife. She brought with her the con- stitution of a Ladies' Missionary Society, which existed at the place of her eastern home. The constitution was adopted in the formation of a similar Society here.
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133
SELECT SCHOOL.
Mr. Little had a class of young ladies to whom he was giving special instruction in the higher branches; among whom were Misses Olivia Wright, Mary Ann Howe, and Deborah Sheldon. Miss M. A. Howe also taught a select school of thirty young ladies in Dr. Cooley's office, which stood just east of Mr. Harris' former residence. It was a small frame building, standing high, having a double flight of steps leading from the sidewalk on either side and parallel to it. This school has been spoken of as the historical beginning of Granville Female College. The building is said to be still standing, and is the cabinet shop of Mr. Harris' grandson, Wm. Mitchell, on Equality Street, near Deacon G. P. Bancroft's residence.
The construction of the canal was this year in active pros- ecution. Several citizens of Granville took large contracts in the work, aggregating $300,000, which gave remunerative employment to many others. Among the contractors or sub- contractors were Augustine Munson, Wm. Wing, Lucius D. Mower, P. W. Taylor, Sylvester Hayes, Levi Rose, Alfred Avery, Elias Fasset, Joseph Fasset, Simeon Reed, Byron Hayes, Justin Hillyer, Jr., Curtis Howe, Ashley A. Bancroft, H. and D. Kelley.
The canal was soon in operation from Newark north to Cleveland, but further progress southward was hindered, for a time, by the deep cut below the reservoir. This made a thoroughfare of public travel through Granville. Passengers came from the north and east by the N. Y. & E. and the O. & E. canals to Newark, where the four-horse coaches of Neil, More & Co. met them and bore them onward through Gran- ville to Columbus, Cincinnati, and other points westward. This continued to be their route until the National Road was completed in 1832-3. It was a stirring sight to the novices to see the well trimmed coaches come rolling into town and up Broad Street to the music of the stage horn, and draw up in approved style at the hotel of Charles French on the north side of Broad, exchange mail at the postoffice and depart again.
134
DEATHS.
Our fellow citizen Mr. Sereno Wright, became the County Treasurer, which office he filled acceptably for ten years.
There were twenty-four deaths in the township in 1827 ; of whom were Win. Stedman, Mar. 14th, aged forty-four; Mrs. Elizabeth Case, Mar. 16th, aged sixty-one; Mrs. Julius Cole- man, Aug. 9th, aged thirty-nine; Dea. Peter Thurston, Aug. 29th, aged sixty-seven ; Mrs. Amos Carpenter, Dec. 2d, aged thirty-seven.
135
ANNALS, 1828-30.
CHAPTER XXIV.
The winter of 1827-8 was a peculiar one. The sun was seen to shine but a few times in eight weeks. No ice was formed all winter, and fog was the chief characteristic of the weather.
The first Sabbath of 1828, was preached by Mr. Little the first of that notable series of sermons called New Year's Sermons. No sermon in the year called for half its labor in preparation, and none called together such a crowded con- gregation to listen to it. When he sat down to write he had before him a pretty correct statement as to how many pro- fane swearers, Sabbath-breakers and drunkards there were in the township, how many did not attend church, how many adults were not professors of religion, the statistics of the Sabbathı School, and a long list of similar facts; then seizing upon some prominent feature of the facts, he chose for his sermon a subject they would illustrate, gave the facts and preached the sermon. Every seat would be occupied, and the aisles would sometimes be crowded with extra seats. It was also an inseparable comcomitant of the sermon that Benevento should be sung with the hymn, "While with ceaseless course the sun."
Elder Berry was preaching to the Baptist Church, and during the year the congregation took measures to erect the meeting house on the northeast corner of Cherry and Broad Streets, which was their home until 1849.
One of Mr. Little's stated Bible classes was held on het Columbus road, a couple of miles from town in a school- house. The neighborhood had rather an unusual number of lawless spirits among its citizens. Nevertheless, it had sent in a written request with more than fifty signatures that a series of twelve lessons should be given there, each signer promising to attend the course. Others had made threats of
136
A PLOT UNCOVERED.
disturbing the meetings, and Mr. Little invited Judge Ban- croft to go out with him one evening. The night was dark and the roads muddy. There were some unruly demonstra- tions, but nothing to interrupt the meeting. But when he went out to mount his horse he discovered something wrong about his saddle. Calling for a light he found that a couple of sticks had been tied to his horse's tail, a stirrup had been loosened, and a pebble put under the saddle. His horse was young, and the design was to have the colt start up suddenly, throw the preacher and run away. But a good Providence uncovered the plot. "Revival after revival swept over that place," until it became a religious neighborhood, and was soon after chosen as the location of Granville College.
The first temperance society of Granville was formed this year (1828), and so far as is known it was the first west of the Alleghanies. Mr. Little says: "On the 15th of July seventeen men remained at the close of a religious meeting, and organized themselves into a society of total abstinence from ardent spirits. [i. e., distilled liquors. ] The signers were almost frightened at themselves when they saw what they had done." At the end of the year there were eighty- six members of the society. Two merchants threw intox- icating liquors out of their list of goods, and buildings began to be raised without ardent spirits.
" The falling off in the consumption of liquors was sufficient to alarm the interested, and such was the irritation at the close of 1828, among those who were suffering from the declension of drinking, and dancing too, that I did not attempt to collect for the New Year's Sermon the usual statistics of intemperance."
The clock factory which had been established in St. Albans was removed to Granville.
In the spring of this year Timothy Spelman, Esq., died. Being with his daughter, Mrs. William Wing, her husband having a contract on the canal, he was taken in an epileptic fit and fell in the fire, receiving such injuries, before he could be rescued, as resulted in his death.
137
SEVENTEEN YEAR LOCUSTS.
Mr. Thomas H. Bushnell became County Surveyor and not long after removed to Newark.
There were twenty-six deaths during the year; of which were, Timothy Spelman, Esq., April 21st, aged seventy-two; Deacon Amos Partridge, August 20th, aged fifty-two : Azariah Bancroft, October 25th, aged sixty.
In 1829, the seventeen year locusts punctually renewed their song, enjoyed their brief existence and departed for their mysterious haunt for another long term of silence.
The school for young ladies, begun by Miss M. A. Howe, was continued by Miss Emma Little, who taught at one time in an unfinished chamber, and at another in the office of Dr. Cooley.
September 21st, Elder G. C. Sedgwick, of Zanesville, laid the corner stone of the brick Baptist Church. It was 45 x 35
0
feet, with a belfry ; a gallery on three sides so deep as to leave rather small space open in the center; and a porch in front 10 x 20 feet. The bricks were laid by Thomas Evans. The windows were in two ranges, and the pulpit stood high like the other church, and like the other church it began to be used before it was finished. But it sufficed for very good meetings, revivals and a growing church.
We reproduce a view of this house to the best of our abil- 18
138
NEW BELL-TEMPERANCE.
ity, having been assisted in it by Mr. Lucius Boardman, for- merly a Granville boy, and now residing in Springfield, Illinois.
There were twenty-two deaths; of whom was Mrs. Abigail Sturges, wife of Isaac Sturges, August 14th, aged thirty- seven.
In 1830 a new bell, made in Pittsburgh, weight 794 pounds, cost, $358, was placed in the belfry of the Congregational Church. It was the first bell ever hung in the place, and made a marked impression on the punctuality of the audiences at public worship ; and as an arrangement was made to have it rung at certain hours every day it helped the entire com- munity to regularity. It was wont to be rung at five or six o'clock in the morning for a rising bell, at nine o'clock for school, at twelve o'clock for noon, and at nine o'clock in the evening for curfew. Sometimes a general subscription would provide for this expense and sometimes the citizens volunteered to ring by turns, a fortnight each. At first it was hung with a straight yoke, requiring the utmost exertion of a man's strength to ring it, and then it shook the tall steeple fearfully.
Besides the Total Abstinence Society, now numbering 400 members, there was a paper circulated among those who were willing to pledge themselves to abstinence only one year. In 1829 it received ninety signatures, in 1830 only fifty-five. Whisky rations were stopped at the furnace and the consumption of spirits declined from six gallons to each inhabitant, to seven quarts. About half a dozen broke their pledge, but renewed their promise again. At the close of the year 700 were pledged to abstinence.
Two cabins remained in the village until about this time; one at the west end of town, at the foot of Sugar Loaf, and on Broad Street ; the other in the southeast part of town on the east side of Liberty Street, the home of Mr. Talada.
At this time there lived at Deacon Winchel's, old Mrs. Santee, widow of a pensioner of the Revolutionary War.
139
FEMALE SEMINARY.
She had five fingers and a thumb on each hand and six toes on each foot. She had a son, William Gibbons, by a former marriage, who was marked in like manner.
Mr. Charles Sawyer undertook the erection of buildings for the use of the Baptist Female Seminary. Several lots were secured, fronting both on Broad and Water Streets, (see chapter, Baptist Female Seminary).
The deaths were twenty-two; among them Samuel Thrall, February 10th, aged forty-two, Mrs. Miriam Munson, widow of Jesse Munson, March 5th, aged eighty-four. Mrs. Munson was one of the oldest females that came with the original colony. Mr. and Mrs. Munson, with their children and grand- children, probably constituted the largest family of residents ever represented in Granville.
140
ANNALS, 1831-33.
CHAPTER XXV.
The next year witnessed the beginning of what is now Denison University, under Prof. John Pratt, (see chapter, Denison University.)
About this time there came to visit the place a man greatly interested in infant schools, Rev. Eli Meeker. He brought with him a little child who sang sweetly and repeated much she had learned by rote. He lectured on the subject and gave exhibitions of the child's precocious attainments ; and notwithstanding the severity of his discipline, manifested even in public, he made a strong impression in favor of these child schools. It was not long before one was begun by one of the most successful and promising young lady teachers, Miss Samantha Stedman. It was afterward continued by Miss Chloe Harris, and still later was engrafted upon our Female Academy as its primary department, and in some of its distinctive features remains to this day. But the singing of lessons, and marching and clapping hands and much else of the kind have passed away.
Mr. Bunker commenced the manufacture of an improved plow, (as related in chapter, Industrial Enterprises).
Mr. Cornelius Devenney, a gentleman from Virginia, located just beyond the township line in Mckean, though his social, religious and business relations were chiefly with Granville.
Miss Mary Eells arrived from the East and took charge of the Ladies' School begun by Mr. Little's efforts.
The dead of 1831 were twenty-two; of whom were Andrew Goldsbury, a young man, partner in the Clock Factory, Jan- uary 2d; Mary, wife of Lewis Sturges, February 28th, aged sixty-nine ; Noble Root, May 5th, aged fifty-one ; Israel Wells, April 3d, aged seventy-three; Benjamin Cook, April 23d, aged sixty-eight; Mrs. Charles Sawyer, August 10th, aged
141
FIRST STOVES IN CHURCH.
thirty-two; Mrs. William H. Brace, September 29th, aged thirty-eight; Mrs. Eunice Richards, the mother of Dr. Rich- · ards, November 19th, aged seventy-seven.
A noticeable fact of 1832 is the first warming of the large church by stoves on the first Sabbath of the year, which was a communion day and the occasion when sixty-seven united with the church. From time immemorial the congregation had attended two services a day, morning and afternoon, sit- ing in the cold. In the minds of some it was a desecration of God's house to put stoves in it. After decent resistance, however, the experiment was tried with two common-place box stoves. They stood in the center aisle ; one of thein near the front door, with the pipe passing around under the edge of the gallery to the east and then the north the whole length of the church, being supported by the gallery pillars, and there it passed directly through the window on the north side of the house. Except the first few joints near the stove, the pipe was made of tin soldered in long strips. The other stove stood near the pulpit, the pipe passing westward to the gallery pillars, and thence the whole length of the church on the west side, making its exit through a south window. By and by the condensed smoke incommoded those who sat under the pipe by dropping down upon them. This was remedied by small tin troughs underneath the pipe with tiny conductors passing every few feet down the pillars and through the floor. It was a great improvement upon the cold church, but it did not banish the little foot stoves from the pews. One old gentleman who had opposed it strenuously as an unwarrantable innovation and refused to help defray the ex- penses, realized one cold day how sensible it was, and came to town early next morning with his money ready to help pay for it. Soon they improved the plan by carrying the two pipes to a drum in the center, a large pipe going thence directly up through the ceiling and the roof. This saved much inconvenience from the smoke.
At this time the old military organization was at the height
142
GENERAL MUSTER.
of its glory, and the General Training Day was quite an in- stitution. Those whose tastes led them to do so, became members of a uniformed independent company, and met their officers for drill with some frequency. The general muster brought out all these companies, and with them the militia, who drilled in citizens' dress ; some of the officers being in uniform or wearing some insignia of their rank. The morn- ing of such a day was one of considerable excitement. Wagons came pouring into town loaded with men, women and children. Here and there was an officer or private in uniform, or a musician with his instrument. The square in the southeast part of town, south of Equality Street and east of Pearl, near the new cemetery, was an open common, and served as a parade ground. There stalls were erected for the sale of ginger bread and home-made beer ; and they drove a thriving business. The forenoon was consumed in private drills, and attending to the business details of the several organizations. These drills would consist of the manual of arms, marching, counter-inarching, forming hollow squares, etc .; one peculiar exercise being the forming, while rapidly marching in single file, of a circle around their officers for protection against a sudden charge of cavalry. The head of the column, on a double quick, would wind about a spiral curve inward to the center, the file following ; then suddenly turning would pass outward between the inward winding lines, until the Captain would emerge again, all danger sup- posed to be past, and lead his company onward, the serpent coil unwinding until straight again.
Early in the afternoon all were astir. The various com- panies, each from its rendezvous, came marching to the parade ground. There they were formed in regiments by their Adjutants, and again the regiments into a brigade by the senior Colonel. The Colonel then waited upon the Brigadier General, escorting him to the field, and salutes were inter- changed. A speech would follow from some mounted officer, exhorting every man to do his duty. The line would then
143
AN ADVENTURE.
form in solid column, marching by platoons, to the music of the regimental band (or the Granville brass band), up Pearl Street, wheeling into Broad, and up Broad until halted in front of the stores. The commanding officer, with nodding plume and gay attire, riding a spirited steed, was at the head of the column, and scouting companies in full uniform flanked the column in single file, and brought up the rear in platoons. After brigade drill they were dismissed in companies, having made a strong impression on the beholders that the liberties of the country were safe in their keeping. Each Captain led his company away for further drill or business until dismissed for the day.
The Baptists obtained their charter for the "Granville Literary and Theological Institution." [See special history.]
The act of incorporation for the village of Granville passed both houses of the General Assembly, the Senate Jan. 16th and the House Jan. 26th. The act provided that upon the first Monday of May, annually, the electors (white male in- habitants) shall meet and elect by ballot, one Mayor, one Recorder, and five Trustees, freeholders, who shall constitute a Town Council. Col. Chauncy Humphrey was the first Mayor; Hon. Samuel Bancroft, Recorder ; Anthony P. Prich- ard, Dr. Win. S. Richards, Dea. Gerard P. Bancroft, Maj. Grove Case, and -, Trustees. May 8th, A. P. Prichard and Sam. Bancroft were appointed a committee to draft a code of laws. May 14th, ladders and hooks to use in case of fire were ordered. May 16th, a committee of safety was appointed with power to examine chimneys, etc. Ordin- ances were passed to regulate public shows, remove nuisances, prevent the firing of guns, fast driving, intoxication, etc. June 11th, an ordinance to restrain mischievous animals, etc.
The " Deep Cut " on the canal was finished, and Granville was no longer the thoroughfare for travel it had been, though the stages passed through the village until the completion of the National Road to Columbus in the following year.
A number of young ters found their way one evening into
144
ACCESSIONS.
the meeting house for some diversion or other & climbed to the belfry. On their way up they locked behind them the upper passage door; & by some accident, in the thick darkness they dropped the key & could not recover it. There they were, helplessly locked in, not liking to call for aid-perhaps if they should call they would call in vain. After considering the sit- uation they concluded they must either stay there all night or descend the lightning rod. One of the most daring concluded to try the latter alternative. He grasped the rod & looked over. What if his strength should fail? What if his nerves should tremble? What if his head should swim? But over he went, clinging as closely to the rod as the lightning does, but descend- ing much more slowly. Down he went until he could see noth- ing above, nothing below, over the edge of the roof, and still downward. But presently he came to a break in the rod which the boys had not before noticed. Filled with consternation he tried to get back again. Hand over hand he clambered upward, but it was too much for him. What should he do? Darkness yawned beneath him & he was rapidly making up his mind to be a better boy. There was no help for it-he must let go, what- ever happened. Expecting to break every bone in his body he descended to the end of the rod & measured his length below, & in despair let go & fell-two inches, breaking his good reso- lutions all to pieces.
The Asiatic cholera was making progress westward, and menacing all the country along the canals. There were never any cases of it in the village of Granville, and but one or two in the township.
Dr. Lyman Beecher, on his way from Boston to take the Chair of Theology in Lane Seminary, tarried here a few days and preached daily to an overflowing house.
Efforts were made to change the county seat from Newark to Granville, but they were unsuccessful.
Prof. Paschal Carter, a young man of twenty-five years of age, arrived and became a worthy co-adjutor of Prof. Pratt in the College, and a valuable citizen. [See chapter on Gran- ville College.]
Another notable accession to the community was Horace Hamlin. [See chapter, Music Teachers.]
145
A STAMPEDE.
Mr. Andrew Merriman arrived and set up a shoe factory. [See Industrial Enterprises.]
About this time two prominent features in our commercial life passed entirely away. Our merchants had for some years been buying up the cattle, hogs and horses of their custo- mers, sending the cattle, particularly, in droves over the mountains. It gave the farmers fresh incentives in one of their chief industries. The same energy brought back a greater reward; and the merchants also in the greater de- mand felt the incentive to enlarge and improve their stock of goods. Cattle from the plains beyond also passed through the village, creating demand for feed. These droves knew no Sabbath. Sometimes it happened they would be passing through town on Sunday morning when the bells were ring- ing for church, and occasionally it would cause a stampede. The unaccustomed sound would seem to bewilder the whole drove. They would hesitate, look every way, grow excited and fearful; some would turn in their tracks and rush back; the drivers would ride among them, and with shouting and blows seek to turn them forward again. If they did not soon succeed, the whole herd would be galloping back in an irre- sistible tide. The peculiar, tremulous motion of the great, dense herd, like miniature billows of the sea, the rising clouds of dust, the peril of their drivers and of all who might be caught before their blind, impetuous rush, made it a spectacle of true sublimity.
The demand for merchandise had made demand for trans- portation. This brought to our village the visits of the great Pennsylvania land schooners. They were immense covered wagons, built for carrying great loads, and were drawn by four or six horses. The teamsters prided themselves on making a grand display. . Each horse was richly caparisoned and bore over his shoulders an arch of little bells. The driver always drove the "nigh wheel horse," (nearest the wagon on the left hand). Sitting in state, swaying to and fro with every step of the gigantic animal, guiding his . 19
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