USA > Ohio > Licking County > Granville > The history of Granville, Licking County, Ohio > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26
In 1839, the Episcopalians purchased the Female Seminary of the Baptists. [See School Histories.]
The deaths of the year were twenty-three, of whom were, Mrs. Roswell Graves, Mar. 13th, aged seventy-six ; Mrs. Wm. Gavitt, Apr. 18th, aged seventy-four; Stephen Carmichael, July 21st, aged sixty-five; Jno. Phelps, Sept. 24th, aged sixty.
160
ANNALS, 1840-50.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The year 1840 was probably never equalled as a year of political excitement. Granville was almost exclusively Whig in its predilections. Such processions, mass meetings and illuminations were never had in this place before or since. Harrison, the Whig candidate for President, being an Ohio man, the buckeye flourished as a badge of his party. A long procession went over to Etna to meet "Tom Corwin, the Wagoner Boy," the candidate for Governor, and escort him hither. Frequent mass meetings called for long processions and impressive displays. Each section vied with another. Canoes, whole trunks of trees fifty feet long, artisans' shops, log cabins, were borne along on wheels with banners and flags without number. Songs were sung endlessly. Bands of music were in constant requisition, from the brass band to the marrow bones. Infants in their cribs would " 'Rah for Tip !" A liberty pole, jointed like a ship mast, and again with bands of iron, and again and again, and topping out with a fishing rod and a long streamer, towered 270 feet on the village square. On the 4th of July a procession of carriages and wagons went to the county seat to meet other similar processions from all parts of the county, so long that when the van reached Newark the rear was only just passed from Granville. Justin Hillyer, Jr., John Huggins, and Chas. W. Gunn were the marshals of the day for the Granville section of the procession. As insignia they wore buck- eye hats with a string of buckeye balls for hat bands. Buckeye canes were without number. One banner bore the device of a flourishing Buckeye tree growing from a bank. VanBuren stood below on tip-toe vainly endeavoring to reach the fruit. Harrison stood on the bank above within easy reach of them, with his arms folded, cautioning him not to touch them - they would give him the staggers. A log
161
LOG CABIN PARADE.
cabin about 8x 15 feet, built on two sets of great milling wheels with improvised axles, with a live coon chained on the roof, gourds and other belongings of the primitive cabin hanging or lying around, headed the procession, drawn by thirteen yoke of oxen, each ox bearing a flag with the name of a State thereon; the oldest man in the township, Mr. Roswell Graves, driving the leading teams, and Mr. David Partridge having charge. When the election was over an evening of rejoicing was appointed. All the preceding day preparations went forward. Teams were dragging loads of dry wood to the top of Sugar Loaf for a bonfire. Another was made ready on the town square. Candles in great profusion were prepared,and when darkness camne all were lighted up. Almost every window on Broad Street was ablaze, some with a light glowing at every pane of glass. This was the last demon- stration of the campaign.
It had a sad extreme of contrast in the following year. Harrison only lived to perform the duties of his office a month when the Nation was clad in the habiliments of mourning. Granville came together again in mass meeting, in the Congregational Church, which was shrouded in black, to listen to a funeral oration pronounced by Dr. Going of the Theological Institute. The following hymn was sung on the occasion :
"O, weep for the day when our hero departed! When he whom we loved, left this earthly abode; He came at our call, but the patriot kind hearted, Has left us and flown to the presence of God!
" Fame pointed her finger, the nation enraptured Called loudly upon him, he heard to obey; He fought for his country, our enemy captured, Death heard our exulting, and called him away!
" He sleeps now in silence; a nation is weeping; He hears not the sound of the slow muffled bell; In death's cold embrace he is silently sleeping, The people in sorrow are tolling his knell."
To whom they are to be accredited is not now known.
162
MARDI GRAS.
Maj. Elisha Warren became State Representative, and Daniel Humphrey, Esq., Prosecuting Attorney, both being citizens of this place.
The deaths were twenty-one ; of them, Rev. Solon Putnam, May 19th, aged thirty-three, a relative of Rev. S. A. Bronson.
In 1841, occurred a pleasant little episode in our humdrum life. The two academies, male and female, teachers and scholars, went in procession of carriages to visit the aborig- inal works five miles distant, having tables prepared for a pic-nic dinner. Half a dozen orations were delivered by the boys, and the works were thoroughly explored.
This was the year of the winding up of the military parades of Granville. Perhaps the excited processions, and parades, and campaigning of the year before had sated the minds of the people; or perhaps the freedom and hilarity of the proceedings of 1840 had unfitted them for the discipline of military life. At any rate military drill was out of the question. . Homer Werden was captain of a militia com- pany, and had prepared a becoming uniform for his position. On the day appointed for drill he was on hand and mustered his company, but they were too much for him. His lieu- tenant bore a butcher's cleaver for a sword, and a length of stove pipe for its scabbard ; his color-bearer, some nameless article on a bean pole for a flag; his men of the line were armed with bean poles and laths for muskets, and every con- ceivable paraphernalia was brought out to make a ridiculous appearance. The captain humored the joke, led his tatter- demalions around the streets to the amusement of the villagers, and then disbanded them.
August 8th, an ordinance was passed by the Town Council forbidding the selling of intoxicating liquors of any kind in less quantities than one quart.
There were twenty-three deaths; of them, William Smed- ley, February 12th, aged fifty-two; Mrs. Andrew Merriman, March 11th, aged thirty-six; George Case, May 23d, aged fifty; Hezekiah Kilbourn, November 22d, aged fifty-one;
163
TAKING IN PART OF THE STREETS.
Electa Pond, September 19th, aged twenty-eight; Jonathan Benjamin, August 26th, aged one hundred and three.
September 19th, 1842, Rev. Edmund Turney became the pastor of the Baptist Church.
March 25th, an ordinance was passed by the Town Council, permitting the taking in of twenty-two feet on Broad Street, ten feet on Main Street, and six feet on other streets, in front of each lot, to be used only as a grass plat, or for setting out plants, or shrubbery of low growth, the owners being re- quired to make a gravel, brick or stone walk, twelve feet wide on Broad Street, eight on Main Street and six on the other streets, and to set out a row of trees in line, twelve inches inside the outer line of the walk, with suitable pro- tection, and to fence the ground taken in according to pre- scribed pattern or in a manner acceptable to the Council.
Corn sold for 25 cents, eggs at 614 cents, hay $5, wool 45 cents, oats 25 cents, apples 25 cents.
The deaths were twenty-seven, of whom were Mrs. Azariah Bancroft, January 29th, aged seventy-two; Benjamin Mower, May 21st, aged thirty; Wm. S. Martin, August 16th, aged thirty; Mrs. Dr. Sylvester Spelman, September 13th, aged forty-six; David Pittsford, September 30th, aged eighty.
In 1843, Mr. Thomas Blanchard was a County Commis- sioner, and Hon. Samuel White our State Senator.
About this time occurred an incident that might at first sight seem more appropriately chronicled under the chapter, " Fatal Accidents." It seems there had sprung up a little rivalry that was rather jealous than generous, between the college boys, the college being then on the farm, and those of the village, as they competed for the favors of the fair. One day the village young men had arranged a pleasure ride, and perhaps with a spice of triumph in their plan, their drive was past the college. The collegians saw them pass and understood the little chuckle that nestled under their vests, and quietly arranged a salute for them when they should return. All the hats, handkerchiefs and flags that
164
A COLLEGE PRANK.
could be manned were made ready for service. All the windows of the upper building that stood on top of the hill fifty rods from the road were thrown open. Heads and some- times feet protruded. Long and vigorous was the waving of signals as the carriages drew near. The compliment was duly acknowledged from the road. But in the midst of the hilarity, one who sat in an upper window with head and feet outside, and who seemed more anxious to attract notice than the rest, was seen to lose his balance and fall to the ground. In an instant every signal was lowered, every voice was hushed, and the students pouring from their rooms, gathered around and tenderly bore the crushed form of their companion within the building. The young men in the carriages giving the lines to their fair companions, hastened up the hill to proffer their sympathy and aid. Breatlıless with the haste of climbing they neared the building; all was as still as the grave. As they entered the hall there sat upon the lower steps of the stairway a stuffed paddy of very comical appearance, his left thumb pinned to his nose and his fingers wide-spread and his right hand likewise in posi- tion, but all stone still. Instantly perceiving that they were hoaxed, they seized the image and tore it to bits; and as little dogs feeling the first movings of the instinct for hunt- ing, when out looking for a rabbit, come upon a little black cat with a white tail, and suddenly leave the scene of their exploits, dropping their tails between their legs; so the boys suddenly bethought them how pleasant it would be to be at home. They started briskly down the hill for their carriages, while behind them rose an uproarous peal of laughter from the other paddies, every window becoming vocal again with renewed mirth.
During the year twenty-eight died; of whom were, Captain Simeon Chester, February 25th, aged seventy-six; Mrs. Curtis Howe, July 8th, aged seventy-one; Julius Coleman, November 24th, aged sixty-one.
In 1844, there was a band of music called " The Buckeye
165
THE BUCKEYE MINSTRELS.
Minstrels," that is eminently worthy of mention. The members were all young men. The instruments were violins, violoncellos, double bass viol, flutes, piccolo, guitar and tri- angle. The music was rapid, well executed, and "just delicious." The members were Shephard Hamlin, who played the guitar or bass viol; Joseph Little, flute ; Horatio Avery, flute ; Frank Avery, flute; Douglas Hovey, piccolo ; Munson Hillyer, violin ; Curtis Hillyer, violin ; Levi Stone, violin ; Wm. Grow, triangle ; and a Mr. Baker, a student, bass viol or flute; all expert performers, true amateurs ; and they practiced together until their music seemed perfect.
There were twenty-five deaths this year; among them, P. W. Taylor, Jan. 27th, aged forty-one; Rev. G. W. Griffith, Feb. 8th, aged thirty; (Little) David Thomas, Aug. 24th, aged eighty-three ; John Bynner, Nov. 2d, aged fifty-nine ; Rev. Jonathan Going, D. D., President of Granville College, Nov. 9th, aged fifty-eight.
In 1845, the name of the Literary and Theological Institu- tion was changed to Granville College.
The bell of the Congregational Church being cracked was replaced by one weighing 1064 lbs., at a cost of $190.
The road toward Columbus was changed as it leaves town, going less abruptly down the hill from the foot of Case Street.
The deaths were twenty-three.
In 1846, the seventeen-year locusts returned.
The deaths were thirty ; of them, Jerusha, wife of D. Baker, Oct. 9th, aged seventy-four.
In December of 1847, the Baptist Church decided upon building a new house of worship, taking the southwest cor- ner of the public square, the only one not already occupied by a church. Within two years a handsome edifice was built and dedicated. It is a white frame house 53 ×72 feet, an audience room seating 550, with convenient walnut slips; a porch at the entrance, above which is a choir gallery. In the basement are church parlors and kitchen, and a comfortable
Y
166
A NEST - EGG.
room for prayer meetings. A tower rises above the front door in which the citizens have placed a town clock at a cost of $800. The bell of the old church was removed to the new, but it had to be replaced in a few years, the last being one of the clearest and best sounding of bells.
During the year, Granville contributed the following vol- unteers to the Mexican War: J. A. Carter, Thomas Efland, Dick Ward, Levi Hill, Richard George and James Matthews.
The Granville Intelligencer was started during the year, a very respectable sheet in size, general appearance and con- tents. It was edited and published by D. Hunt, and continued until 1851.
In this or the succeeding year Messrs. Horace Hamlen, Charles Sneider, teacher of vocal music in the Female Academy, and Shephard Hamlen, with others whom they enlisted in the service, gave a concert of music in the brick Baptist Church ; raising by the means, forty dollars as a contribution toward a town clock. This was the nest egg, which, after the new Baptist Church was erected, led to the purchase of the clock which still strikes the hours of day and night in the tower.
This year there were twenty-nine deaths ; Levi Hayes, Oct. 8th, aged eighty-four, and others.
In 1848, there were forty deaths; among them, Mrs. Anna Houghton, July 19th, aged sixty-nine ; Ezekiel Wells, Sept. 27th, aged sixty-two; Nicodemus Griffith, Nov. 21st, aged seventy-seven ; Dea. Walter Griffith, Nov. 16th, aged seventy- nine.
In 1849, the town was divided into four wards, by Main and Broad Streets. The First was the northwest quarter, the Second the northeast quarter, the Third the southwest quarter, and the Fourth the southeast quarter.
In the spring, thirty-two persons left for California, under the excitement of the discovery of gold ; somne to meet with success and return to their homes with a handsome remuner- ation for their toils ; others to be disappointed, and after long
167
TEETOTAL PLEDGE.
search for wealth to return more destitute than they went; and others still to become permanent citizens of the new country. Among them were Capt. H. Hillyer, C. R. Stark, B. R. Bancroft, Jno. Roberts, Alonzo Carter, Roderick Jones, Evan Jones, C. Carmicael, Jno. Williams, Jno. Sinnet, Israel Wells, H. C. Mead, Holmes Mead, Lyman Bancroft,
Dodge, Jno. Owens, - Briggs, - - Griffith. This company crossed the plains. Before reaching their destina- tion they were obliged to separate. Some of them were short of provisions ; teams gave out, and abandoning their outfits, they struggled on in squads, on foot, suffering great privations. Some of them would probably have succumbed to the hard- ships, had not those who first got through, sent back relief, which met them several days out. All finally got through.
A four-horse omnibus began to run between Granville and Newark.
The cause of temperance was losing ground. Of intoxi- cating drinks there were sold 4153 gallons, being 2960 gallons more than in 1846.
The deaths were fifty ; among them, Mrs. Dorothy S. Mead, June 23d, aged eighty eight ; Mrs. Persis Follett, Aug. 29th, aged eighty-two; Joanna, wife of Amos Carpenter, July, aged fifty-six.
In 1850, Hon. Elizur Abbott became Associate Judge in the Common Pleas Court, which position he filled until the new constitution abolished the office.
The Granville Temperance Society was re-organized and adopted the following pledge : "We solemnly pledge our- selves that we will neither make, buy, sell, nor use, as a beverage, intoxicating drinks." To this time the pledge only forbade distilled liquors ; from this time it includes fermented drinks.
There was an unpremeditated battle with snow balls of some moment, between the students of the Academy and the boys of the public school. The latter, in their pastimes, had erected a snow fort of large dimensions on the crest of Pros-
168
AN EXTEMPORANEOUS SNOW - BALLING.
pect Hill. It was very conspicuous and the sports of the boys drew attention from the streets below. The Academy boys formned the warlike project of taking the fort. They formed a company at mid-day and filing up the east side of the hill they surprised the garrison on their left flank. After a sharp conflict the garrison retreated. But gathering strength again they made a counter-charge and drove their assailants from the ground, pursuing them down the hill and almost to the public square. There the assailants made a stand; and what had been a mere skirmish now became a pitched battle. The noise gathered crowds who eagerly watched the contest. The hour for afternoon school passed unnoticed. It was 3 o'clock before the lines of battle were broken. A little furor began to be displayed, some of the snow balls having ice inclosed. Several were severely wounded. The garrison of the fort seemed to have held the field.
A second exodus to California followed in 1850. Most of these went by water. Of them were Rev. W. E. Ellis, A. A. Bancroft, E. Howell, R. Fosdick, E. Crawford, E. A. Bush, H. O. Carter, Frank Spelman, Thomas Walker, S. Buckland, Thomas Owens, -- Morrison, John Owens, Ph. Heifner, Thomas Rhodeback, S. Thomas, Ellis Thomas, William Morgan. These incurred the dangers of detention on the isthmus; some dying by the way, others contracting linger- ing illness, yet some going forward to fair success.
The deaths were nineteen ; among them, Joel Lamson, June 4th, aged eighty; Mrs Achsah Rose, June 15th, aged eighty-six; Mrs. Elizabeth Ingham, July 6th, aged eighty- one; Roswell Graves, December 29th, aged ninety-three; Mrs. Mary Shepardson, June 5th, aged fifty-five.
169
ANNALS, 1851-55.
CHAPTER XXIX.
The year 1851 witnessed a returning temperance wave. Only one thousand four hundred and six gallons of spirits were consumed.
President S. Bailey was preaching for the Baptist Church, and under his labors a revival visited the church, resulting in fifty conversions. The revival also extended to the other churches, affecting the entire region. Succeeding this work almost all the prominent men of the place were members of the churches. "With one exception, the owners of our six stores, the keepers of the post and telegraph offices, the magistrates and town council, were supposed to be Christians."
In March the Granville School Clarion was begun by S. N. Sanford, principal of Episcopal Female Seminary.
The Granville Intelligencer became the Licking Bee, and was sustained for two years as a temperance paper.
The deaths were twenty-eight ; of whom were Allen Sinnet, January 6th, aged fifty-three ; Mrs. Chloe Mower, February 13th, aged sixty-eight; Mrs. Nancy Blanchard, June 25th, aged seventy-nine; Rev. Thomas Hughes, pastor of the Welsh Hills Baptist Church, September 12th, aged sixty-six ; Jacob Reily, October 3d, aged seventy-three ; Benj. Cook, April 25th, aged sixty-nine.
In 1852, the Granville Water Cure was established by Dr. William W. Bancroft. He erected buildings adjoining his residence, brought water in pipes from one of the springs under Prospect Hill, embellished the premises and made them commodious. He benefited many chronic cases, and the reputation of the institution brought patients from far and near. With the use of various forms of the water bath, the Doctor associated hygienic treatment and systematic muscular exercise, often encouraging a bed-ridden patient to summon courage, get up and walk.
21
170
THE DOCTORS DIFFERING.
An ordinance was passed protecting the purity of the town spring.
"Early in 1852 there appeared among us those who pre- tended to converse with the dead, & in the summer one of them drew Sabbath audiences on the hills. As their responses were not uniformly true, few at this time believe that they have done good enough to balance the evil." [N. Y. sermon. ]
At this time occurred a little joust between Mr. Little and Dr. Bailey, President of the College and acting pastor of the Baptist Church, the memory of which does not need to be perpetuated in its details.
There were twenty-nine deaths; of whom were (Big) David Thomas, April 17th, aged eighty-six; Dr. William S. Richards, May 8th, aged sixty-five.
Dr. Richards' public life had all been spent in this com- munity. Dr. Bronson preached his funeral sermon & gives this estimate of the man. 'His position in life was one that com- manded respect from all. His influence did not come from con· nexions or wealth or any remarkable brilliancy; but he was a good man, of sterling integrity, of sound judgment, a man of firmness, yet ready to listen to others. He labored to establish the Episcopal church that there might be means of grace for many of his associates who would not attend any of the exist- ing churches. He was a man of strong faith & enlarged benev- olence, & adhered to the last to the true faith of the gospel. Then, too, I consider to be the foundation of his influence on others his unquestionable integrity, the soundness of his judg- ment, the goodness of his heart, the strength of his faith & the depth of his piety.'
Hon. Daniel Humphrey became the first Judge of Probate under the new Constitution, residing in Newark.
November 15, 1853, there was a ball which excited "more interest than any one since the 4th of July ball of 1828."
The deaths were 22 ; Mrs. Aaron Pratt, February 9th, aged eighty-six ; Harrington Howe, September 5th, aged thirty- three; Mrs. Eliza Bynner, September 21st, aged fifty- nine; Noah Hobart, April 18th, aged seventy-three ; Jan-
171
THE HYDRAULIC COMPANY.
uary 18th, Deacon Amasa Howe. He came to Gran- ville in 1814.
He long and faithfully served the Granville Church as deacon. Three of his sons have spent long lives in the ministry. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and was tall and strongly built. In early days he lent a neighbor a cross-cut saw, who left it out where he used it until it was wet and rusty. The deacon having occasion to use it, had to go for it. Seeing its condition he told the man's wife he should charge her husband fifty cents for the abuse of the saw. He was scarcely at home when the man came chasing after him very much excited. "I thought," said he, "that you professed to be a Christian man !" "So I do," said the deacon, " and one-half my religion consists in bring- ing such fellows as you are to justice."
1854. The new and commodious public school building was erected, and the old brick "Academy " at the head of Main Street was taken down.
August 10th, a meeting of citizens was held to consider the feasibility of water works for the supply of the village. At a subsequent meeting an association was formed, called " The Granville Hydraulic Company." A constitution was adopted, the proposed capital was divided into thirty shares of $100 each ; a Board of Directors was appointed, also a Superin- tendent. They drew the water from a copious spring two miles west and north of town. It was enclosed with bricks and covered with boards Pipes were laid in water lime cement along the Lower Loudon and Worthington roads, to Sugar Loaf, where a reservoir received the supply, and thence it was conducted through the village.
The deaths of this year were thirty-three ; among them, Mrs. Hiram Rose, August 16th, aged eighty-three; Samuel Thrall, November 19th, aged sixty-one; Jemima, wife of Joseph White, once a slave, August 31st, aged fifty-eight ; Captain William Mead, November 24th, aged eighty-four; Dr. Paul Eager, July 27th, aged eighty-one ; Mrs. Harriet Aylsworth, March 2d, aged fifty-seven.
172
GRANVILLE JUBILEE.
In 1855, occurred the "Granville Jubilee." The story of this celebration cannot be better told than by extracts from Mr. Little's account of it, published at the time in the C. C. Herald, of date November 22, 1855. It was held in October.
"The 17th ult. was a great day for Granville. Arrangements had been made to secure the attendance of Timothy M. Cooley, D. D., of Granville, Mass., in whose house of worship was organized, fifty years ago, the Church of Granville, Ohio, By 101/2 a. m. a great audience was collected from Homer, Hart- ford. Columbus, Circleville, & wherever the sons & daughters of Granville had scattered.
" After invocation, the 90th Psalm was read, "Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations." The choir then sang in their best style, the 575th hymn,
" Wake the song of jubilee,"
"Prayer was then offered by Rev. S. W. Rose, whom Dr. Cooley baptized fifty-five years ago. * * * * * No sooner had the doctor ended a brief reply to his introduction to the audience, then the choir struck up
The Welcome
Of the people of Granville, Ohio, to their Venerable Friend,
DR. COOLEY. Composed for the occasion, by Jerusha M. Pond, of Wrentham, Mass.
" With joy as to a cherished home, In houshold bands the people come, To bid thee welcome here; Blessings to thee and thine be given, And may the gracious smiles of Heaven Our happy meeting cheer!
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.