USA > Ohio > Licking County > Granville > The history of Granville, Licking County, Ohio > Part 20
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
269
PHYSICIANS.
in the University of the City of New York, where he stood prominent in a class of two hundred and five, and at once commenced practice in his native place; being also in de- mand as a lecturer in the Columbus Medical College.
With these physicians there have during the same time been many students of medicine, some from the Granville boys, whose names do not appear above. Others of them have studied elsewhere.
Milton Bigelow, (1820) Lancaster, Ohio; Ephraim Howe, Franklin Howe, H. N. Ells, (1825) Samuel Bushnell, (1842) Monticello, Indiana; Hiram Howe, died while attending lectures at Cleveland, Ohio ; Franklin Paige, recently deceased in Johnstown, Ohio; Benjamin Pratt, also recently deceased in Johnstown, Ohio; Ed. and Moses Pratt, practicing in the western part of the State ; Julius H. Bancroft, dentist, died at New Madrid, Missouri; Marshall Hill, recently de- ceased ; Franklin Thrall, (1836) Kirkersville ; Charles Falley, Breckenridge, Minnesota; William and Nathan Dodge, (1845) ; Dillon Witherell, Thomas D. Williams, homœopa- thist, London, Ohio; Lyman Ingham, (1846); Edwin Fuller, (1855) ; Robert M. Stone, homœopathist; Cyrus and Isaac Evans, Welsh Hills; George Follett, Starling Medical Col- lege, pharmacist at Ohio Lunatic Asylum ; James D. Thompson, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Johns- town, Olio; Lucius Robinson, dentist, Cincinnati, Ohio; John Owens, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia; Oliver Wolcott, 1875, Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio; Kane Follett, student, Starling Medical College; George G. Kyle, Corning, Ohio.
The practical dentists of Granville have been five; Drs. Thomas Bancroft, Shepard Hamlen, Hiram Todd, William H. Sedgwick, and Ed. O. Arrison.
The following are deserving of special mention who can not be classified :
Major General Charles Griffin, son of Apollos Griffin ; graduated at West Point in 1847, married Miss - Carroll,
270
SPECIAL MENTION.
won his way by meritorious conduct on the battle-field to pre-eminence; served throughout the war of the rebellion ; died at Galveston, Texas, of yellow fever, because he would not forsake the post where duty seemed to have placed him.
Mr. Appleton B. Clark, son of Anson Clark, grandson of Araunah Clark, has been for twelve years the editor of the Newark American, sustaining it as a worthy chronicler of the times. He has taken particular interest in publishing histor- ical papers.
Mr. Hubert Howe Bancroft, son of Ashley A. Bancroft, has retired from a successful business career and given him- self to literary pursuits, in which he has achieved a remark- able success, having published about forty volumes under the following titles :
Native Races of the Pacific States; five volumes.
History of Central America; three volumes.
History of Mexico; six volumes.
History of Texas and the North Mexican States ; two volumes.
History of Arizona and New Mexico; one volume.
History of California; seven volumes.
History of Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming; one volume.
History of Utah; one volume.
History of the Northwest Coast; two volumes.
History of Oregon; two volumes.
History of Washington, Idaho and Montana; one volume.
History of British Columbia; one volume.
History ol Alaska; one volume.
California Pastoral; one volume.
California Inter Pocula; one volume.
Popular Tribunals; two volumes.
Essays and Miscellany; one volume.
Literary Industries; one volume.
Chronicles of the Kings; several volumes.
These works received very flattering attention from the literary world.
"The Macaulay of the West."-Wendell Phillips.
"The Herbert Spencer of Historians."-Boston Journal.
"Now recognized as an authority of the first rank."-New York Tribune.
271
PROFICIENTS IN PAINTING.
" A marvel."-London Post.
" A narrative clear, logical, and attractive."-London Times.
"Full of living interest."-British Quarterly.
" A literary enterprise more deserving of generous sympathy and support has never been undertaken on this side of the At- lantic."- North American Reviewe.
John H. Sample; Denison University, 1872, is Civil Engi- neer of the O. C. R. R., Granville, Ohio.
Dudley Rhoads; Denison University, 1876, is Civil Engi- neer on A. T. & S. F. R. R.
Isaac J. Osbun; Denison University, 1872, Professor of Physics in State Normal School, Salein, Massachusetts.
Franklin A. Slater; Denison University, 1871 ; Principal of Judson University, Judsonia, Arkansas.
V. R. Shepard ; Denison University, 1876; Daily Commer- cial, Cincinnati, Ohio.
L. M. Shepard; Denison University, 1877; Local Editor of Daily Star, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Miss Ella Hayes, a descendant of Deacon Silas Winchel, Professor in Wellesley College, Massachusetts.
Miss Hattie Partridge, now Mrs. Dr. Davies, stands very high as a teacher of painting, and whose name does not ap- pear above. Other proficients with the pencil are Misses Lenora Carpenter, Saralı F. Follett, Samantha Wright, Mary Parker, Amelia Tight, Luella Gurney, Lou. Goodrich, Louise Johnson, Minnie Buxton, Angie Walker.
T. D. Jones has attained considerable eminence as a sculptor, having been employed by the State on a highly es- teemed group that embellishes the rotunda of the State House, Columbus, representing "The Surrender of Vicks- burg, July, 1864."
Albert Little Bancroft, son of Ashley A. Bancroft, is a suc- cessful business man of San Francisco; the senior partner of one of the largest law book publishing firms of the United States. They sell in a single month as high as $40,000 worth of their own publications. He remains in active business,
272
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MEN.
though keeping a summer residence on a farm, where he has 25,000 fruit trees.
Lyman Cook, son of Jacob Cook, Esq., went in early life to Burlington, Iowa, where he still resides, having accumu- lated a large fortune, chiefly in the banking business
Leonard Bushnell, son of Dea. Leonard Bushnell, died at New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1881, one of two equal partners in a manufacturing business, employing three or four hundred hands, sending goods all over the United States, to England, and to South America.
In addition to those already mentioned, the following have established themselves in business in New York: Gilman W. Prichard, T. B. Bynner, H. L. Case, the brothers Horatio and Franklin Avery, Adelman C. Rose, and the Follett brothers.
But it is impossible to make special mention of all. They are found in the professions or in business, in Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco ; in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Washington, " and all intermedi- ate points."
273
OUR INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES.
CHAPTER XLIV.
One of the first enterprises within the colony deserving mention was the manufacture of wooden dishes, first by Eleazer Clemons, 1807, at the place where afterward stood Munson's forge, which were carried as far as Chillicothe for sale. Daniel Baker, Esq., about 1811, engaged in the same business, his shop being on Clear Run, about a hun- dred rods from Centerville. Pewter and wooden dishes sup- plied the place of queensware. Wooden plates, nests of dishes, trenchers, porringers, bowls, spoons and salt mortars were in common use, and answered a very good purpose. Wooden scoop shovels were also made. Perhaps this indus- try did not bring a large amount of money into the colony, but it supplied a necessity, and thus kept money from going abroad. The dishes were turned upon a lathe, the motive power being water. Afterward Phineas Pratt continued the manufacture on Burgh Street, and still others pursued the work, using a lathe sometimes which was run by the foot and a spring pole.
Mr. Baker also made ox yokes, plows, chairs, coffins, and other necessities.
Simultaneously with Mr. Baker's work, and run by the same power, was a carding machine, put up by Sylvester Phelps.
In 1809, William Stedman began the manufacture of bricks. J. D. and C. Messenger followed in the same work, and in 1817, George Case and Joshua Stark engaged more extensively in the business.
In 1812, a carding mill was attached to General A. Mun- son's saw mill, and run by the same power.
A Mr. Bursley (?), a shoemaker in the employ of Spencer Wright, living a quarter of a mile east of town, made shoe pegs, and pegged shoes. They were the first ever seen here,
274
CHAIRS - WHISKY.
and were brought up to town and put on exhibition. There was considerable excitement over the novelty at first, but it was pronounced a humbug; the inistaken verdict of the people being, as in many another similar case, against a real improvement.
At a very early day, Harry Riggor made a very creditable Windsor chair. It was light, strong, easy and durable. The colony was early supplied with them as far as they were able to buy them. He worked on the south side of Broad Street, midway between Mulberry and Case.
Whisky was made from a very early day. There were about as many distilleries as school districts, most of the time. The first to be established was just over the hill west of town, where a cool spring issues from the ridge on the north. The proprietors were Judge Rose, Deacon Winchel and Major Case. The stone walls of the building were after- ward utilized for the foundry of Sheldon Swan. This was started in 18II. The same year, or early in 1812, Jacob Goodrich built the one where the explosion took place, half a mile north of town. Another was also located about as far east of town and run by Major Case. There was another half a mile further east, run by Captain Joseph Fassett. Near the eastern limits of the township, on the farm of Deacon Hayes, was a distillery where his son Lorin made peach brandy. On lower Loudon Street, a mile and a half from town, was another distillery, run by Jasper Munson at one time ; another on the Columnbus road, on the Simeon Allyn farm; another further west on the Bean farm; another southeast of town, owned by Samuel Chadwick. About 1830 the temperance reformation cut the demand below the supply, and the price fell from one dollar a gallon to twelve and a half cents. Large quantities were shipped by the canal at that price as soon as it opened.
In addition to the distillery, Mr. Chadwick had a grain mill, run by horse-power, for grinding corn and rye for the distillery. He also accommodated the neighbors by grind-
275
POTASH - TANNERIES.
ing their corn, rye and buckwheat. He had also a tanyard, cooper shop and grocery. He used to buy hogs, fatten them from the distillery refuse, and drive them to Cleveland to be shipped to Montreal ; driving two teams to help along any lagging hogs. Exchanging his pork for groceries, he re- loaded his wagons, making a double profit by his trip. He died in 1817, and the distillery was burned soon after and never rebuilt. The cooper shop was converted to a school house, having windows of oiled paper.
One of the next important industries was the making of potash by Mr. Edward Nichol. His factory was just west of town, where the water of the cold spring crosses the road. This water was carried over the heads of travelers in troughs and fed his leaches. He boiled the lye to black salts, melted the salts to potash in a great iron caldron, or pearled them in a reverberatory furnace. These products were shipped to Zanesville and exchanged for glass which supplied the build- ing necessities of the colony.
In 1817, two tanneries were in operation. Previous to this an attempt had been made by Mr. Enoch Graves to make leather by using beach bark and other common-place mate- rials. It made a crude sort of hard, unpliable leather, used to some extent for moccasins. This tannery was at the northeast corner of Rose and Broad Streets. About the time spoken of, George Dunnavan established a tannery near the town spring, which was run for several years successfully. The other was established by Spencer Wright, Esq., near Clear Run, on Centerville Street, and it has continued in operation ever since. About 1845-50, Mr. E. C. Wright, who then owned the tannery, took yearly, large quantities of choice leather to the Boston market, where it brought a good price in competition with the rapidly-tanned leather of the East.
One of the earliest undertakings, and at the same time one that contributed as much as any one thing toward giving the people profitable employment, meeting their every day
276
FURNACE.
wants, and bringing money and trade into the place from abroad, was the Granville Furnace. The enterprise was first conceived by Hon. Jeremiah R. Munson. His attention was called to signs of iron in the beds of the streams. He took samples of the material he found to Dillon's Furnace, near Zanesville, where it was pronounced good ore. He also found large quantities of limestones in the creek beds, lime being needed in the smelting process, and thus encouraged, he planned the furnace. He was aided financially by his brother, General Augustine Munson. The furnace was built in 1816. The first experiments were rather costly. The ore
in the vicinity gave out, and it was not a financial success. General Munson took charge of it, and managed out of it to pay the interest on the indebtedness, but the debt itself had eventually to be paid out of other resources. It passed for a short time into the management of a Mr. Pardon Sprague, who also failed to make it remunerative.
From 1822-24, Messrs. Anthony P. Prichard and William Wing had control of it, but a particularly unpropitious season of drouth made them unsuccessful. In 1824, Col. Lucius D. Mower became its moving spirit. Soon, also, Elias Fas-
277
FORGE - NAILS.
sett had an interest in it, .a store and the furnace being run by the same parties. In 1828, Periander W. Taylor was connected with it; and, in 1830, Simeon Reed. By this time, Col. Mower was with A. P. Prichard, and the furnace company was Taylor, Cook & Co. [J. Riley Cook], while Avery & Fassett were in the store. In 1834, Taylor, Cook & Co. were in the furnace, and Reed, Jewett & Co. [David D. Jewett] in the store. In 1837, Avery & Fassett again took the furnace. Avery sold to Fassett, and in 1838, it ceased to be operated. Stoves, hollow ware, and many utensils for household convenience were cast, and sold from the lakes to the Ohio River. To this day the old-fashioned ten plate stoves are seen here and there in school-houses and country churches, with the name GRANVILLE FURNACE proclaiming their origin. The old building was afterward utilized as a foundry, and was run successfully by Messrs. Knowles Linnel and William Clemons.
In 1817, General A. Munson continued his experiments in making iron by erecting a forge near his saw mill, using the same power to work his trip hammer. This also did a very good thing for the new country. He made a passable quality of bar iron, and many articles of convenience.
A grist mill was erected at the same time with the forge. This was sold by Mr. Munson to Sylvester Spelman and Col. L. D. Mower. The forge was in operation as late as the canal contracts, but soon after ceased. The dam was washed out, and the flouring mill was run by water from the feeder. Steam was put in, in 1838, and the whole was burned in 1840.
Wrought nails were an article of commerce in those days, and were made by the blacksmiths at leisure moments, and sold for one dollar a hundred by count.
Another flouring mill was started about 1816, just east of town (where one still stands), run by water from Clear Run, and built by Major Grove Case and Deacon Silas Winchel.
In 1821, Col. Chauncey Humphrey bored for salt in the valley, which ran through his farm, about half a mile south
278
SALT - DAIRY - LINSEED OIL.
of the Columbus bridge. He found salt water, built an arch, where he set thirty caldrons for boiling. His reservoirs were large ash logs, thirty feet long, dug into troughs, and holding each thirty to fifty barrels. He turned out salt at the rate of two bushels a day, but at such a cost of production that he had to abandon it, even at the high price of salt at that day.
About the same time was formed "The Licking Saline Company," the members of which, Samuel Mower, Sylvester Lyman, Charles Sawyer, Leicester Case, Matthew Adams, Jr., and Gaylord Adams, were of this township, though the scene of their operations was in St. Albans. Their enter- prise was not a success.
Mr. Humphrey next turned his attention to dairy business, keeping twenty to thirty cows, and having probably the first systematic dairy in Granville. In this he had good success.
From 1827 to 1830, he gave his attention to raising the castor bean and manufacturing the oil. He erected a cabin mill and put up machinery. Others joined to help the enter- prise by raising the beans. One year he made seventeen barrels of oil. The oil was bottled and stored in the little brick shop built by David Messenger.
A little previous to this (1820) an experiment was inade where the Welsh Hills road crosses Clear Run, by Captain Joseph Fassett, to make linseed oil. It was a success as to the manufacturing, but the demand for the oil was not such as to make a profitable business. The power for pressing was that of a vertical wedge, driven by a falling beam, the beain being lifted four or five feet by horse power.
While this factory was being built, Deacon Amasa Howe was laying out the framing work, while his son, Ephraim, was scoring a log near by. Reaching out to pick up a tool the deacon received the descending axe, which his son was using, upon his head. It struck almost through the bone of the skull, and thus the son unwittingly came near taking the life of his father.
Following this enterprise, the same mill was used in an
279
WOOLEN FACTORIES.
experiment for making hickorynut oil; to be used in place of the imported olive oil. But it stopped short of financial success.
The water power was afterwards used for the manufacture of rakes, cradles, axe handles and similar work.
Wool carding, weaving, fulling and cloth-dressing early became a prominent industry, inasmuch as the people were dependent upon home made materials for their clothing. The weaving was at first by hand looms, and afterward by machinery carried by water. John Jones built a woolen fac- tory near the stone school house on the Welsh Hills, about 1823. He died in June, 1824. His son Richard run the machinery for a time after the father's death. By this time also William Paige's factory was in operation, Mr. L. G. Thrall being associated with him. Grove Case had a carding machine in connection with his flouring mill, and was suc- ceeded by his son, Norton. About 1825, Linus G. Thrall and G. P. Bancroft were associated in carding business on the Welsh Hills. Mr. James Mead succeeded Mr. Thrall.
Messrs Nathaniel Paige, Elias Gilman and Silas Winchel had a fulling and cloth-dressing factory, about 1817, on Salt Run, the little brook that courses through the valley where C. Humphrey made salt. These mills drew custom from the country for twenty-five miles around.
About 1825, Horace Wolcott, Sen., had a spinning jenny in the chamber of the brick house now occupied by Rev. D. B. Hervey, half a mile east of town.
From 1820 to 1825, Mr. Josiah Taylor and his son, Peri- ander W. Taylor, did considerable business in dressed stone, the blocks being taken from the quarries north of town. Previous to this they had done a small business in the saine line on Centerville Street, living near the township line. Their chief work was in tombstones, with which they sup- plied the country for miles around. The stones were shaped and dressed at the shop, the lettering being done when a sale was effected as they went from place to place. The material
280
TOMBSTONES.
was not as durable as marble, but some beautiful monuments were made from it. It admitted of ornamental work, with which black and gilt letters were sometimes combined. Subsequently Rev. Thomas Hughes continued the business with improved workmanship. He also first introduced the use of marble about 1838.
" For many years the stone quarried from Prospect Hill was used for grave stones. Among the citizens who used to cut this stone, besides Mr. Hughes & Mr. Taylor, were four or five of the Warden boys, Harvey Bragg, Simeon Reed, Guy and Giles Hobart, and Robert Nichol. Mr. Samuel Root, Mr. George Bragg, and J. D. White worked in marble after it was introduced for monuments. Many counties besides Licking were supplied with these stones to mark the resting place of their dead. Up to about 1845 this stone work continued profitable."
In 1822-27, the township was largely engaged in raising tobacco, and a small amount continued to be manufactured for many years.
Previous to 1826, Mr. Knowles Linnel had started a clock factory in St. Albans. He induced Mr. Charles French. to join him at the above date, and Mr. French brought with him from Vermont, Mr. William H. Brace. This factory was soon afterward removed to Granville, and carried on by Messrs. French, Brace & Goldsbury. They made the old fashioned open kitchen clock, with wooden wheels, thirty- nine inch pendulum, and dial plate a foot in diameter. They sold at first for $15. The factory stood on the west side of Prospect Street, a few doors from Broad. They had complete machinery for making all parts of the clock.
"Mr. Joseph Blanchard, his four sons & his son-in-law, Allen Sinnet, built wagons, ox-carts, spinning wheels, chairs & plows, & sold them in many adjoining counties. The old 'bull plow ' had a wooden mould board & an iron share. For that day it was a good plow."
As early as 1819, Messrs. James Langdon and David Doud established a wooden measure factory, selling their products
281
HATS - TINWARE.
over a large scope of country. They made drums, and did all common cooperage. After the death of Mr. Doud, Mr. Langdon continued the business alone, and after Mr. Langdon's death, a Mr. Lawrence continued it for some years.
As early as 1828, hats were made by Mr. Francis Elliott, who lived at the corner of Main and Water Streets, near the brick academy, his shop adjoining the house on the east. He had as many as half a dozen hands in his employ at one time, and made quite a variety of hats. Mr. Harvey Bragg also engaged in the same business for a time, having his shop near his residence by the town spring. Afterwards the business was continued at the old stand by Mr. J. Wood.
The tinning business was begun by Colonel Chauncey Humphrey, about 1822-24. He worked up the tin which he brought from Canada in exchange for the pork of the Licking Exporting Company [see Commercial Enterprises]. He had a bench for a time in the little brick shop put up by David Messenger ; also in the back part of the building afterward finished off by Granger & Wing for a hotel, at the corner of Prospect and Broad Streets. In 1833, he erected a three story frame building just east of the hotel, the largest at that time in the township. He disposed of his wares from wagons through the country, his sons working in the shop. with him. In 1839, he removed to Columbus, continuing the business. He died December 18, 1852, aged seventy-five.
Mr. Lewis Jones, who had worked with him, purchased the business in 1844, and continued it until a year before his death, February 23d, 1864, at the age of forty-five. In 1853, Lewis received to partnership his brother, George T. Jones, and in 1855, a third brother, Evan W. Jones, joined the firm, opening a branch room for the business in Newark. In 1863, Lewis withdrew, and the other brothers continued the business at the two stands, purchasing the frame building in 1865. Hardware has been added to the business. In Gran- ville the three-story frame has given place to a similar brick structure, one of the finest business blocks in Licking County.
28
282
PLOWS - PLANES - FURNITURE - LARD OIL.
Previous to 1831, the plow in common use had a wooden inould board and a wrought-iron point. The latter were made by Colonel A. Jewett, Allen Sinnet, Hugh Kelley and others, and the wooden part by D. Baker and by the Blanch- ards on North Street, two miles from town. In that year a Mr. Bunker came from Delaware, originally from Troy, N. Y., and located on Centerville Street, and began making cast- iron plows, after Wood's patent, at the forge buildings. This style of plow, with various improvements, continued to be made at the foundries of Clemons and Linnel, and Shel- don Swan until a very recent date.
About 1836, Deacon G. P. Bancroft turned his attention to the manufacture of joiner's planes, in which he was very successful, having two or three journeymen in his employ. He also associated with him, Mr. Ebenezer Crawford in the manufacture of bedsteads, under a new patent, which were sold largely abroad. He also manufactured a variety of other house furniture, running a planing mill and other machinery. He was succeeded by Mr. Edwin C. Blanchard, who enlarged the business, adding other machinery and a lumber yard. He sold out to Messrs. J. M. Jones & Co., who are the present proprietors. Mr. George Pratt estab- lished a furniture factory at the east end of town about 1868, putting up a commodious shop and a good variety of solid machinery. Mr. Pratt died in 1879, and is succeeded by his three sons, who display extraordinary mechanical skill. Both these establishments are shipping furniture abroad.
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.