The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 56

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076

USA > Ohio > Hardin County > The history of Hardin county, Ohio > Part 56

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The Second Baptist Church (Colored). - Was organized in August, 1875, at Robinson's Schoolhouse, in Bucky Township, by Rev. George Collins, of Lima, Ohio, with a membership of sixteen. The first Deacons were As- bury Tony, Frank Bass and James Arthur. In 1878, the place of worship was removed to Kenton, and services held in the hall on the northwest cor- ner of Detroit and Franklin streets, which was occupied until the spring of 1881, when the present frame building was purchased and removed to a lot previously bought for a church site in Carey's Eastern Addition. The property is located in the northeast part of Kenton, and its entire cost was about $350. The first regular pastor was Rev. Richard Day, who, after one year, was succeeded by Rev. Anderson Gulliver, he remaining two years. The church was then without any regular minister until the fall f 1882, when Rev. Thomas Evans, the present pastor, assumed charge. Con -

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nected with the church is a small Sunday school class. The officers of the church are William M. Garnes, John Harris and James Arthur, Deacons; Asbury Tony and Charles Evans, Trustees.

The United Brethren Church was organized, about 1878, in Goodin's Hall, by Rev. T. M. Harvey, and there worshiped, until early in 1882, when trouble arose in the church which caused a split. A part of the con- gregation, who were not in favor of paying for hearing the gospel preached, remained in the hall, were subsequently re-organized as a class of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and still hold services in the Goodin build- ing. The other portion of the congregation, under the charge of Rev. T. M. Harvey, met at the house of Mrs. Susan Daniels, in South Kenton, in February, 1882, and organized a church with a membership of thirty. Alonzo Harvey was Class Leader, and Harriet Stuber, Steward. Rev. Har- vey remained in charge until September, 1882, and was then succeeded by Rev. Jacob Cost, who, after a three months' pastorate, was succeeded by the present minister, Rev. William Parks. It has grown to a membership of seventy-six, who still meet at the house of Mrs. Daniels, but contemplate the erection of a church in the near future. This organization is composed of members from both town and country, and its present officers are Alonzo Harvey, Class Leader; Harriet Stuber, Steward; Alonzo Harvey, Charles . Stevenson, John Stuber, John Spitzer and Henry Fisher, Trustees. The church has a Sunday school of about twenty-five scholars, with George M. Pickle as Superintendent.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Recognizing the importance of education, Kenton has ever sought the advancement of her schools, until they have attained the highest standard of excellence. The beginning was similar to other early settlements, and within the log cabin, among slab desks, the pioneer "master " often found force of more practical utility than culture or scholarly dignity. It was the physical age, as decidedly as the present is the intellectual; but not- withstanding the rudeness of that period, its efforts resulted in laying the corner-stone of the higher culture of to-day. It is impossible, at this late date, to give any definite facts about the first school taught in Kenton. No records exist to throw light upon the subject, while the few pioneers yet living tell so many contradictory stories about the early schools at this point, though all claiming to be correct, that we cannot hazard an opinion as to which is the true version. All agree, however, that Dr. Clark and wife and Eri Strong were the first school teachers in the town, soon fol- lowed by Stewart Conner, James Drumm, John Lawrence and Harper Ross. In the latter part of 1834, or early in the following year, a small log school- house was erected on the south half of Lot 140, near the southeast corner of Wayne and Ohio streets, but facing the former. This was the first school building in the new county seat, and here Dr. Clark and wife and Eri Strong taught the youth of the town prior to 1836. Stewart Conner had a school at his residence, which stood on the site of Dickson's Opera House, while James Drumm and John Lawrence taught in a cabin near the corner of Main and Carroll streets; Harper Ross occupied the log schoolhouse on Main street previously mentioned. Some of these taught but a short time, while others continued for several years, during the winter season.

Apropos to these pioneer schools, J. W. F. Williams, of Washington, D. C., sends us the following anecdote, which we think too good to be lost. He says: "My father, John W. Williams, was one of the first school ex- aminers in Hardin County, and they only examined applicants in the three

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

branches of reading, writing and arithmetic. I have often heard him relate an anecdote that, when examining one Samuel Smith, he asked him the fol- lowing question: 'Now, Sam, what would twelve and one-half pounds of butter cost at 12} cents per pound?' Sam puzzled awhile, scratched his head and answered, 'Ah, John, that's one of your hard ones.' He was, how- ever, granted a certificate, and paid the expense attached by grubbing stumps on a lot facing the court house square."

On the 8th of April, 1842, the Director of School District No. 7 pur- chased Lot No. 39, near the northeast corner of Carroll and Market streets, and October 8, following, Samuel Watt, David Goodin and David Ross, Directors of District No. 1, bought the south half of Lot 140, whereon the old log school then stood. The consideration for each of those lots was $1, and both were sold by Charles W. Stevenson, Director of the town. Ere winter set in, two frame schoolhouses were erected, and Chauncey Drumm and James Holmes taught school during the winter of 1842-43. In the winters of 1843-44 and 1844-45, Anthony Banning taught, nine months, besides a three months' subscription school in the spring of 1844. Judge Banning says that Drumm and Holmes preceded him in the Wayne street schoolhouse. In 1843-44, St. John Powers taught the upper district school on Carroll street, where the Union School building now stands, and was succeeded, in the winter of 1844-45 by a Mr Mitchell, who also succeeded Mr. Banning, in the lower district, the following winter. Judge Banning tells us that Mitchell was not a sociable man and did not get along well with his scholars. Finally, the feeling culminated in a fight with some of the "big boys," and Mitchell, getting badly whipped, gave up the school in disgust and left the town.

For more than ten years, these schools sufficed to educate the youth of Kenton, but the new period was formally ushered in by the organization of the Union School system. There is nothing on record to indicate the exact date of this change, but we believe it to have taken place some time be- tween 1853 and 1855. Considerable feeling was manifested in opposition to the schools, the Auditor going so far as to release tax-payers from pay- ing what he was pleased to term "the illegal school tax" levied by the Board of Education, thus crippling the board in its efforts. Notwithstand- ing the bitter opposition, which ended in a two years' litigation, the School Board was victorious, and the system grew in favor and popularity. The third story of the Kinnear Block was rented for the schools, and when the Board was ready to fit it up the Auditor refused to issue an order for the money, claiming that the law only allowed money to be used to pay teach- ers. Under the advice of their attorneys, the School Board found they could draw money to pay teachers without limit, and they gave the Super- intendent an order to draw the amount required to fit up the school rooms. The Union School increased in popularity year after year; to oppose it farther was decidedly unpopular, and many of its enemies soon became its warmest advocates.

About 1854, the old frame schoolhouse on Wayne street was sold to William Campbell, who subsequently removed it across the street to the southwest corner of Wayne and Ohio streets, where it now stands. The Carroll street school building was removed,in 1857, to Columbus street, op- posite the Presbyterian Church, and is yet used as a residence.

It becoming evident that the schools must have a suitable build- ing, plans were prepared and submitted to the people. Again opposition was raised, and large hand-bills were posted through the town,

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

charging Mr. Brunson (the leading spirit in said improvement) with "thrusting his hand low down in the pocket of the tax-payer-the house is too large for the town-the houses are a useless expense-there will never be scholars enough in Kenton to fill such a building," etc. On the 7th of May, 1856, the vote was taken and carried, authorizing the School Board to levy a tax of $10,000 for the purpose of erecting a union school build- The ing, and to issue bonds for the payment of principal and interest. contract was let March 10, 1857, and the building subsequently completed at a cost of about $15,000. Lot No. 38, on the northeast corner of Carroll and Market streets, adjoining the old lot on the west, was purchased of Hezekiah Roby, for $400, September 9, 1856, and both lots used as a site for the new school building. Mr. Brunson superintended the work free of charge, at the same time paying a heavier tax than any one in Kenton, but received no personal benefit, as his children never occupied a seat in the school. He, however, must have experienced a grim pleasure over the trouble and abuse received in the satisfaction of knowing that the Union · School system was a success, the building an ornament to the town, and that the rising generations were being trained to usefulness. This building, as it stands to-day, is a large, square, three-storied brick structure, with basement, wherein the steam-heating apparatus is located A ventilating tower at each corner of the building and the large tower or belfry at the main en- trace, together with a similar tower at the rear, give the whole an appear ance of magnitude that would otherwise be missing, and we believe that the " horns " have been found useful as well as ornamental. The building contains twelve school rooms, and a room for the Superintendent, while its architecture will remain in harmony with the progress of the age for twenty years to come.

In the fall of 1872, the Board of Education purchased a site for a new school building on East Columbus street, at the point where that street takes a northeast direction. The ground cost $1,590, and the Directors exhibited excellent judgment in the selection, as the building faces Co- lumbus street, looking west, and affords a handsome background to the view from the public square. It was erected in 1877, at an expense of about $10,000, is a two-storied brick, with basement and central tower, and contains four school rooms and four recitation rooms.

Four years passed by, and both schools became inadequate to supply room for the rapidly increasing school population of Kenton. Another building was found to be a necessity, and the Directors, again wise in their choice, purchased in April, 1880, a site in South Kenton, facing Main street, for $500. They erected thereon, during that year, a two-story brick building, with basement, at a cost of about $10,000. It is similar, in general archi- tecture, to the school on Columbus street, contains four school rooms and the basement is used for a Union Sunday School. . Thus does the history of these schools demonstrate the fact that the Board that erected the large school building on Carroll street were wise and far-seeing men, and the gratitude of the present generation is unquestionably due to Benjamin R. Brunson, who, in the face of a bitter opposition, vigorously prosecuted the good work to completion, thereby winning a grand victory for the cause of popular education in Kenton.

We have been unable to find any school records earlier than of 1861, but we have been informed that Benjamin R. Brunson, J. S. Robinson, William Schrader, George Fry and Samuel Smith were in the board prior to that year. The following list comprises the members of the School Board, with

I. V. Burnworth

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the date of election or appointment since April 5, 1861, at which time B. R. Brunson and David Thomson were elected; April, 1862, Alonzo Bogar- dus and Hugh Letson; April, 1863, A. S. Ramsey and Charles Kaufman; in September, 1863, David Goodin was appointed, vice David Thomson re- signed; April, 1864, C. H. Gatch and B. R. Brunson; April, 1865, Isaac G. Williams and J. H. Gary; in October, 1865, A. B. Ingersoll appointed, vice Isaac G. Williams resigned. In April, 1866, the number of members in the Board was increased from four to six, and J. H. 'Gary, Hugh Letson, David Thomson and Benedict Fink were chosen, while, at the same time, Alonzo Bogardus was appointed, vice C. H. Gatch, resigned; April, 1867, B. R. Brunson and Alonzo Bogardus; April, 1868, J. H. Gary and A. M. Davis; April, 1869, David Thomson and Benedict Fink; April, 1870, G. J. Saltzman and J. W. Binckley; April, 1871, Bartholomew Williamson and H. N. Wheeler; April, 1872, David Thomson and Benedict Fink; April, 1873, A. B. Johnson and John Stillings; April, 1874, J. W. Binckley and Henry Price; April, 1875, Benedict Fink and L. M. Strong; April, 1876, John Stillings and A. B. Johnson; April, 1877, J. W. Binckley and Henry Price; April, 1878, L. M. Strong and Benedict Fink; April, 1879, John Stillings and A. B. Johnson; April, 1880, Frank C. Dougherty and J. A. Rogers; April, 1881, L. M. Strong and Benedict Fink; April, 1882, A. B. Johnson and John Stillings; April, 1883, J. A. Rogers and Frank C. Dougherty.

Beginning with the records in existence, we find that the Superintend- ents of the Kenton Schools, since 1861, were as follows: C. H. Adams. July, 1861, to July, 1863; Henry Ingersoll, September, 1863, to September, 1864; S. G. Hair, September, 1864, to September, 1865; A. B. Johnson, September, 1865, to September, 1866; James B. Finch, September, 1866, to August, 1868; W. H. H. Avery, August, 1868, to August, 1869; J. H. Myers, September, 1869, to August, 1871; S. E. Young, August, 1871, to May, 1876; E. P. Dean, May, 1876, up to the present. Doubtless all of these men were competent educators, and the present Superintendent is rec- ognized as an able scholar, a first-class teacher and a man of high moral worth and integrity.

In April, 1882, the School Board purchased a plot of ground, north of the Carroll street building, for the sum of $1,792, whereon they intend to erect in the future another schoolhouse, as they believe such will be necessary before many years pass by. To show the growth of the school population since the time when one small log building sufficed to hold them all, and subsequently two little frame buildings supplied ample accommoda- tion, we here give the school statistics of Kenton, as taken from the Super- intendent's report for 1882 :- Enumeration of white males, 900; females, 855; total, 1,755. Enumeration of colored males, 20; females, 25; total, 45. Grand total of white and colored school youth, 1,800; full enrollment in the public schools, 976. The children of Catholic parents attend their own school, which is spoken of in the history of the Catholic Church of Kenton, their enrollment being nearly 200. It is, doubtless, the fact that some of the school youth are growing up without the advantages of an ed- ucation; but the great difference between the enumeration and enrollment is made up by the absence of the youth over sixteen. Nineteen instructors are employed in the public schools of the city, viz., th , male and sixteen female teachers, and the educational standing of the schools will compare favorably with any in the State.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE PRESS-WHIG AND REPUBLICAN PAPERS-THE HARDIN " INTELLIGENCER " -- " WEEKLY NEWS" AND "HARDIN COUNTY REPUBLICAN "-KENTON "REPUB- LICAN"-DEMOCRATIC PAPERS-THE KENTON "DEMOCRAT "-KENTON "HERALD "-DEMOCRATIC "EXPOSITOR" -" NOR'WESTER "-" WEST- ERN COURIER "-" HARDIN COUNTY DEMOCRAT "-" DEMOCRATIC ADVOCATE "-KENTON " DEMOCRAT "-INDEPENDENT PAPERS -THE KENTON "NEWS"-KENTON " WOCHENBLATT" -- "CATHOLIC LOCAL NEWS" -- THE MEDICAL PROFES- SION OF KENTON-SECRET SOCIETIES - CITY OFFICIALS-FIRE PROTECTION AND CITY BUILDINGS-CEMETERIES.

pioneer newspaper of this county was the Hardin Intelligen- cer, established by John Shrenk, and first issued on Saturday, October 7, 1843. It was a weekly, twenty-column sheet, price " $1 for six months, if paid within three months from the receipt of the first number, otherwise $1.25 will be charged." In the issue of June 8, 1844, kindly furnished us by Robert McCurdy, of Kenton, the editorial column contains the following notice:

WANTED,

" Bacon, potatoes and sugar, in payment of subscriptions due this office."

Its news was entirely political, foreign and advertisements. The Intel- ligencer was published in the interests of the Whig party, and ran until. early in the fall of 1844, when Mr. Shrenk removed his press, etc., to Upper Sandusky, thus leaving Kenton without a paper.

Shortly after the removal of Shrenk, Dr. U. P. Leighton, Richard Holmes, Alexander Ballentine, Samuel Watt and John Lawrence, leading Whigs of Hardin County, raised sufficient funds to purchase a press and other necessary material at Cincinnati, for the purpose of starting a Whig newspaper at Kenton that would assist in the election of Henry Clay to the Presidency of the United States. The printing press was hauled from'Cin -. cinnati by Hiram Furney, one of the pioneer teamsters, and A. R. Scott, now an employe in the Republican office, well remembers that on the re- turn trip Mr. Furney stayed over night at his father's cabin, in Taylor Creek Township, and that the press was examined by the children with con- siderable interest and curiosity. F. W. Murray was installed as editor and publisher, and the paper came out under the title of the Weekly News and Hardin County Republican, the latter term being only a sub-head, in small type, to the principal name. A Mr. Riley was also connected with Murray, for a time, in the publication of the News, which ran until the beginning of 1847, when the owners, becoming dissatisfied with the manner in which the paper was conducted, wrote for J. S. Robinson, who was then engaged in a printing office at Tiffin, Ohio. He immediately came to Kenton, and was put in charge of the office.

Kenton Republican .-- This paper was founded by J. S. Robinson, and

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

first issued on Wednesday, January 20, 1847. It was the lineal successor of the Weekly News; advocated the principles of the Whig party, and claimed to be "a journal of news, politics, science, education, morals, literature, agriculture and markets." At the end of six months, it adopted the motto, "Be Just, and Fear Not." The price of the Republican was $1.50 per annum, in advance, $1.75, if paid within the year, and $2 at the end of twelve months. It was a twenty-column sheet, published and edited by Mr. Robinson. On the 25th of March, 1847, "Watt & Leighton" appear at the head of the paper as proprietors, and "J. S. Robinson" as editor. The Republican was not issued regularly on Wednesdays, but was in keeping with those pioneer times of uncertainty, often coming out on Thursday, or- as late as Saturday. On the 7th of July, 1847, the following motto was

adopted: " Aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail." Dr. U. P. Leighton became sole proprietor December 1, 1847, but at the close of Vol I, Mr. Robinson's name appears as editor and pro- prietor. He immediately enlarged the paper to a twenty-four column sheet, dropped all mottoes, and issued it regularly every Thursday .. "The " was . attached to the title, making it read, The Kenton Republican, while its whole appearance was much improved, and its worth as a newspaper con- siderably enhanced. Thus it remained until February 25, 1852, when the old motto, "Be Just, and Fear Not," was again adopted, and, on August 27, the day of issue was changed to Friday.

On the 20th of May, 1853, Mr Robinson sold the paper, etc., to R. Coulter, who had been associate editor for about ten months prior to the date of purchase. The new owner changed the name of the paper to The Hardin County Republican, which bore no motto. Its size remained the same, but an entire new set of type was purchased, and the Republican ap- peared in an improved form. Mr. Coulter ran the paper until January 20, 1854. when Mr. Robinson, who was still connected with its publication as editor, assumed entire control and ownership, and on the birth of the Repub- lican party it cast its fortunes with that political organization.

The office of the Hardin County Republican was destroyed by fire August 30, 1856, almost everything being swept away in a few hours, and its next issue was a half-sheet printed at the office of the Kenton Democrat and Courier. In the meantime, new material, such as press, type, etc., was purchased, and September 12 the Republican came forth from the ashes much enlarged and improved, and containing twenty-eight columns of mat- ter. The Republican was, at this period, recognized as an aggressive, well-conducted county newspaper, and the student who will take the pains to examine its old files, will find no "milk and water " policy contained in its articles. The paper continued to increase in worth under the manage- ment of Mr. Robinson until the breaking-out of the rebellion, in April, 1861, when its editor responded to the first call for volunteers, and A. R. Scott assumed editorial charge, which position he filled till the close of Vol. XVII, in 1864, when he, too, went into the army.

On the beginning of Vol. XVIII, Lester T. Hunt took control of the Republican; and, September 16, 1864, Hunt & Myers became owners of the paper, having previously bought it from Mr. Robinson. Mr. Hunt con- tinued as editor, with C. S. Myers as associate. On the 9th of November, 1865, the date of issue was changed from Friday to Thursday. The name of the paper again underwent a change, July 12, 1866, when it appeared as the Kenton Republican, thus going back to its old title. It came out in an entire new dress, printed from new type, and presented a decided im-

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

provement over its former issues and general make-up. The copartnership of Hunt & Myers was dissolved by mutual consent, October 24, 1866, Mr. Hunt becoming sole proprietor. In January, 1868, the Republican was en- larged to a thirty-two-column sheet, and a Campbell power press added to the establishment, which was the first of the kind in this portion of the State.

A half-interest in the Republican was sold to A. W. Miller, late of the Tiffin Tribune, in January, 1869, and, on the close of Vol. XXIII, Mr. Miller purchased the remaining half, and enlarged it to a thirty-six-column paper. Until April 6, 1871, " Hunt & Miller, editors," stood at the head of the paper, but the succeeding issue bore " A. W. Miller, editor and pro- prietor; L. T. Hunt, associate editor." In April, 1878, a four-horse-power · engine was put in to run the presses, this being the first used at any print- ing office in Kenton. The Republican was owned and published by Mr. Miller until his death on the 17th of February, 1880.

For about two months after this event, Mr. Hunt had editorial control of the paper, but, in April, 1880, it was purchased by G. W. Rutledge from the administrator, T. H. Bagby, and first issued under his name on the 6th of May following. . Mr. Rutledge, who is a native of the county and a descendant of one of the first three families who settled within its boun- daries, conducted the Republican, as editor and proprietor till May 25, 1882, when he sold a half-interest to E. L. Millar, also a native of Hardin County, and formerly connected with the Ada Record. The paper has since been owned and operated by Millar & Rutledge. In October, 1882, the office of the Republican was removed to the Dougherty Block, on North Detroit street, where it occupies two stories in that handsome brick struct- ure. The motive power is furnished by the water works, and the office con- tains everything necessary in a first-class printing establishment. The Republican is newsy and full of enterprise. Politically, it is an aggressive supporter of the Republican party; claims a circulation of about 2,000 copies, and is issued every Thursday at $2 per annum in advance.

DEMOCRATIC PAPERS.

In the summer of 1844, a goodly number of the Democrats of Hardin County got up a subscription paper, with the object of raising a fund to buy a printing press, and establish a newspaper at Kenton in he interest of James K. Polk, the Democratic Presidential nominee. James Bean took the subscription list to Samuel Medary, the veteran Democratic editor, of Columbus, Ohio, and asked him to accept said paper as security in payment of an old press and set of type in his office. Medary first objected to the arrangement, asking, " Where am I to get my pay ?" He, however, finally concluded, for the sake of the party, to let Bean have the press, etc., and exclaimed, " Take it along, and give them hell!" The press was hauled from Columbus to Kenton, put in charge of Mathias H. Nichols, and first issued as the Kenton Democrat. This paper existed for several years, when Nichols removed to Lima, and subsequently represented that district in Congress, from 1853 to 1859.

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The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 56

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1076

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076