Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 7

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1189

USA > Ohio > Hancock County > Findlay > Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens > Part 7

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).

MISSIONARIES AND CHURCHES.

"Long before church buildings were erected, the missionary-ever mindful of the Master's work-came, and for the time being the rude cabin of the frontiersman, or the log schoolhouse, were the church edifices, in the advanced settlements. Here too, in these primitive buildings, were held the Sabbath Schools, the meet- ings of which were as anxiously looked for, and as highly enjoyed as are our more modern schools. Church services were frequently held in woods, under the cool shade of the forest trees, 'God's First Temples.' Such meetings were known as campmeetings, because those attending erected tents in which to reside during the continuance of the meeting. This style of meeting was then a necessity, as there

were no buildings of sufficient capacity to hold the congregations, and not ministers enough to supply the different settlements with services, hence, they came together in large bodies, and had the advantage of the ministrations of a number of preachers.

"These meetings were conducted with the utmost decorum, with services at stated hours, and rules governing the little com- munity in such a manner that all might enjoy their coming together. This style of service is not practiced to a great extent in this day, for there exists no such necessity as at that early date. With the abundance of houses of worship and ministers of the gospel, the holding of them meets with much disfavor by very many Christian men and women, as they are too generally vis- ited by the wicked who wish to avail them- selves of an opportunity of showing their innate cussedness."

The first church edifice erected in the county was the "Dukes' Meeting House," in Blanchard Township. It was built. and owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church. The building was hewed of logs, and its dimensions were thirty-two feet long and twenty-eight feet wide. The roof was of clap-boards, a kind of roofing very much in use at that time, and were kept in their places by poles laid on each course of boards. The openings between the logs were chinked with wood, and daubed with mortar, the then prevailing style. The pul- pit and seats were of rude construction. The seats were simply benches without backs, and the pulpit of unpainted boards. Many-very many-who in that early day met in that house for worship, have passed away. The pulpit in that old church has

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

been occupied by such ministers as Bige- low, Finley, Thompson, Wilson, Gurley, Allen, Heustiss, Conway, Hill, Runnels, Breckenridge, Delany, Biggs and a host of other pioneer Methodists, whose names are familiar, not only in our own county, but all over Western Ohio. Humanity, civilization, good society, and all that goes to make us a great people, owe to these self-sacrificing, earnest, unselfish, devoted servants of their Master, a debt which can never be repaid, except by a practice of the precepts they taught, and in a defense of their memories.

As early as the year 1822, the Rev. James Gilruth, a Methodist minister, preached in Findlay. He had left his home in the east and came west for the purpose of entering lands. He first visited the land office at Bucyrus, Ohio, and there obtained a plat of Government lands not taken up in the District. He made his way into Hardin County, passing through old Ft. McArthur. But not being able to suit himself in that . region, he turned towards Findlay. After leaving Ft. McArthur, he did not see a dwelling house until his arrival in Findlay, which was in the month of April. As soon as it became known that a preacher had ar- rived, he was waited upon by some of the citizens, and requested to preach for them. This he readily consented to do, and an ap- pointment was made and circulated to the different settlements. Father Gilruth said he had a very attentive congregation, and as large a one as he could expect, and in- deed it was said at the time, by those in attendance, that almost every man and woman in the county was present. This

sermon was undoubtedly the first ever preached in the county.

It is stated, however, that the late Rev. Adam Poe, also of the Methodist Church, was led to suppose that he preached the first ser- mon in the county, owing to the following cir- cumstance. He and another minister on their way from the Maumee River to the South, stopped at Findlay over night, and were so- licited to preach. Poe consented to do so. They had put up at the tavern kept by Wilson Vance, had their horses cared for and ate their suppers, after which they went to the place of meeting, which was in a log schoolhouse near where the depot of the C. S. & C. "Big 4" Railroad is now located. The two mission- aries had but a single dollar between them, and as it would require all of that to pay for their suppers and the care of their horses, and no one inviting them home with them, they slept in the schoolhouse that night, and the next morning, after paying their bill at the tavern, they rode to the next settlement, a distance of several miles, before getting breakfast. It is not at all strange, after such an experience, that Poe and his companion should conclude that they were the first to bring good tidings to this benighted people.

EARLY SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLMASTERS.

The history of education in Ohio is unique in this respect : That in 1785, before there was a settlement in the territory now comprised within the State, it was provided by Congress, in an ordinance for the survey and sale of the western lands, that section sixteen, or one- thirty-sixth of every township included under the ordinance, should be reserved from sale for the maintenance of public schools within the township. The "Compact of 1787" declared

Digitized by

Google-

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

that "schools and the means of education shall moral obligation on the part of the people to forever be encouraged."

As these lands were at first only reserved from sale and settlement, no steps were taken by the territorial legislature to apply them to the purpose for which they were set aside. When Ohio was admitted as a State, these re- served school lands (of which there were 740,- 000 acres) were granted to the State and placed at the disposal of the Legislature.

The constitution of 1802, repeating the famous educational clause of the Ordinance of 1787, made it the duty of the Legislature to carry out its intent. It also provided that all schools, academies and colleges founded upon or supported by revenues from the land grants should be open "for the reception of scholars, students and teachers of every grade without any distinction or preference whatever." The Constitution of 1851 goes still farther, and de- clares in plain terms that the General Assem- bly shall provide by taxation or otherwise, "a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the State." What has the State done in fulfillment of these constitutional obligations which it assumed? Nearly all the school lands were sold long ago, and those that have not been sold are held under per- petual lease at an extremely low rental. The money received from the sale of these lands was paid into the State treasury, the State pledging itself to pay six per cent. interest thereon forever, the interest to be distributed annually among the various townships and districts for school purposes. As a matter of fact, the fund itself has been borrowed and spent by the State, and the annual interest the State is obligated to pay is raised by taxation. The fund is now, therefore, merely a fiction of bookkeeping, and represents the legal and

tax themselves a certain amount each year for school purposes.

The old log schoolhouses, with their rude furniture, have been replaced by accommoda- tions and facilities for securing an education that transcends the wildest dreams of the teach- ers and pupils of those primitive days. There are few people now left in the county who are old enough to recall these early "temples of learning," and a brief description will doubt- less interest the pupils of the present as well as those of coming generations. The early schools were not public schools in any true sense of the word, and not free schools in any sense. Land grants were not yet available, and school taxes were unknown. The schoolhouses were not built by subscription; the neighbors would gather at some point previously agreed upon, and, with axe in hand, the work was soon done. These early structures all belonged to the log-cabin style of architecture. They were fifteen to eighteen feet in width, and twenty- four to twenty-eight feet long, with eaves about ten feet from the ground. The chinks between the logs were filled with clay mortar. . The floor was of earth, puncheons, or smooth slabs. Puncheons were logs split and smoothed a little with an axe or hatchet on the flat side. To make a window, a log was cut out, usually the entire length of the building, and the open- ing thus made was covered with greased paper mounted on sticks.

The room, or at least one end of it, was heated from an immense fireplace, and it usually took most of the time of three boys to fill its hungry maw with logs. The furniture con- sisted principally of rude benches without backs, made by splitting logs in halves, and mounting them, flat side up on four stout

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

wooden pins about fifteen inches long. Just the boys and girls of the rising generation under the window, two or three strong pins must have to hold their own in the battle of life. were driven into a log in a slanting direction; on these pins a long puncheon was fastened, After the completion of a rude edifice, the school directors hired perhaps the first man who came along and claimed that he was capa- ble of teaching school. The younger class of rising Americans of that day, like their elders, took pride in the exercise of their mus- cular force in pugilistic encounters, and not in- frequently there occurred a set-to between the teacher and the big boys when he attempted to punish them for infractions of the rules, in which the master generally came out best; for if he did not, he might as well have given up his position at once, for if worsted, from that time on there would be trouble brewing con- stantly; and in some schools it was necessary in hiring a teacher, to look well to his physical as well as to his intellectual qualifications, for without the former the latter were of little ac- count. which served as a writing desk for the whole school. There was no blackboard, and no ap- paratus of even the rudest description to assist the teacher in expounding the lesson. Steel pens were as yet unknown and their place was supplied by goose quills. Reading, spelling, writing and arithmetic constituted the course of study. Text-books were few. The favorite reader, when it could be procured, was the New Testament; Murray's reader was owned by a few, and here and there would be found a copy of the "Columbian Orator;" Webster's Speller was the first used, later, the "Elemen- tary Speller" was introduced. They learned to "figure" from Pike's and Smiley's Arithme- tics. When grammar was taught, which was not often, Murray's and Kirkham's grammars were the text-books used. These were the books comprising the primitive outfit of the teacher, while each pupil usually had one or more of them. As there was but little work to do on the farm in mid-winter, a three months' term was taught at that season, so that the boys could attend. The teachers were paid by subscription, and "boarded around," the terms being from one to three dollars per pupil for a term of three months. In those days there was little money with which to pay salaries, as nothing was raised to sell, and gold and bank notes were unknown before the War of 1812.

Probably none of these early teachers could measure up to the standards required of the teachers now in our schools; but, fortunately, the conditions of life in those pioneer days did not call for the educational qualifications that

"Readin and Ritin and Rithmetic were taught to the tune of a Hickory Stick," and it was considered a wise precaution on the part of those interested to look the master over well and size up his prowess on the first day of the term, so as to com- pute just how far it would be prudent to tempt him. During the holiday season it was the custom to expect a treat of apples or candy or both from the teacher to the entire school, and if he was negligent or refused to do so, he was barred out of the school room by the large boys, who se- cured an entrance to the premises by a key or through a window early in the morning, and by securely fastening the door on the inside, would not permit him to enter until the coveted treat was promised. In some

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

instances this was carried on for several ics and artisans were in demand, and the days in succession, the children returning supply was of the less skillful class. each day to their homes for that day. At times the teacher arrived on the ground first and obtaining entrance first held the fort. But then the said "big boys," after fastening the door and windows on the out- side would climb to the roof and by cover- ing the chimney, would smoke the teacher into submission.

But taking it all in all when the teacher showed firmness with kindness, there was abundance of good feeling and a pleasant time was enjoyed.

In those days the country schoolmaster ranked next in importance to the circuit preacher, and as he went boarding around he was welcome to the best seat by the fire side, and the choicest viands at the table, and was regarded by the patrons of the school as the embodyment of wisdom, and by the younger members of the family as the embodyment of power, for well they remembered the birch rods sticking up in the walls of the old schoolhouse, and with what expertness he could wield them.

The first schoolhouse in Hancock County was built in Findlay, and the first school was taught by John C. Wickham, who was long a resident of the county.

THE COUNTRY SHOEMAKER.

In early days, owing to the absence of mercantile and manufacturing establish- ments made it extremely inconvenient, and at times almost impossible to obtain the necessary articles of clothing. A very large portion of the early settlers were engaged in agricultural pursuits, and hence mechan-

Thus the country shoemaker-and al- most every settlement contained one-was a necessary appendage to a well regulated neighborhood. Each farmer or head of a family, would purchase leather enough, both sole and upper, to supply each mem- ber of his family with a pair of shoes- good heavy waterproof shoes-made for service, rather than for ornament. The shoemaker was then engaged to work up the stock. He had no shop furnished with counters, shelves and drawers, well stored with manufactured work, indeed it fre- quently happened that he had no abiding place, but like the country schoolmaster, boarded around. Going from house to house, he would take his seat by the side of the huge fire-place, and would measure, and cut, and shape, and thus make shoes enough for the whole family. His annual visits were looked for with interest by the little ones who, when he had come, would gather around him, watching with open- eyed wonder, the putting together with wax-end and peg, the homely but service- able foot-gear. And how they enjoyed his story telling and songs. The coming of the shoemaker was one of the events not to be forgotten.

LOG ROLLING.

A log rolling was one of the great social events of early days and combined work with pleasure. The pioneer, after he had cut down the trees, and burnt the limbs or "brush" as it was called, cut them into cer- tain lengths, and was then ready for "log rolling," to which all his neighbors were

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

invited-an invitation . that was never re- fused, unless for valid reasons. When the log rollers had assembled on the ground, they selected two or more of their number as captains, and by choice made by the cap- tains would divide themselves into parties and apportion an equal amount of work to each party. The logs were then rolled into heaps and burned. The party who first cleared their portion of the ground, was declared win- ner and entitled to a first "smile" from the little brown jug, and a seat at the first table. A clearing with a score or more of men thus engaged in a friendly contest, was rather a lively place.

For the same occasion, the good wife would quietly put the patch-work quilt in the frames, and invite the wives and daughters of the log rollers to come in and help her. Thus, while the men and boys were busy in the fields, the women and girls were busy with the needles. After supper, whilst the girls were busy wash- ing the dishes, and setting the house in order, the men found recreation in feats of running, wrestling and jumping. Candles, or the dry hickory bark torch were lit at dark, the coun- try fiddler made his appearance, and taking his seat on a table, tuned up his instrument, when "choose your partners" was in order. The pio- neer boys and girls danced to the music of such good old healthy tunes as the Fisher's Horn Pipe, Money Musk, Devil's Dream, Arkansaw Traveler and Colonel Johnson.

Whilst the young people were thus engaged, the older ones occupied themselves in smoking and rehearsing the exploits and gallantries of their younger days, occasionally joining in the dance, just to show the young folks how they used to do, you know. But to the still younger ones, the most interesting part of a log-rolling

and quilting was the supper, for they were sure to get an extra piece of johnny cake, and a piece of pumpkin pie, after which they were generally willing to go to bed; but willing or unwilling, they went; as their room was much more desirable than their company, and they were tired out by the uncommon excitement of the day.

OTHER PIONEER AMUSEMENTS.

Every pioneer was of necessity a hunter, not for amusement alone, but for the reason that much of his subsistence, and his safety, and that of his property depended upon his skill and vigilance with the rifle. Hence it was, that almost every man and boy, and a great many women and girls were accomplished shots. Many a leisure hour did they while away in friendly competition with their trusty rifles, and proud was the champion of his lau- rels thus honorably won.

Among the most pleasant gatherings of these early settlers, were the corn huskings. Sometimes the corn was husked just as it had been cut and shocked in the field. At other times it was gathered in one place, either on a fine grass plot, or on the barn floor. It was usually divided into equal parts, and the husk- ing party was divided into companies under captains. The company that first completed its task was declared the victor. When the husk- ings were held in the barn, the women and children would frequently assist.

These husking bees were usually held when the moon was at its full, so that there would be sufficient light. In the meanwhile the women-folk of the party were engaged in cooking and preparing supper for all, consist- ing of yellow corn cake, juicy venison, luscious turkey, and occasionally a slice or two of bear

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

steak. Not unfrequently an entire crop of corn was husked 'in one night and without expense to the owner, other than furnishing the sup- per to the workmen.

Another source of pleasure, although mixed with hard work were house-raisings. In this, as in log rollings and corn huskings, the par- ticipants were divided into companies each un- der the lead of a captain. To each was as- signed the raising of one side and of one end of the cabin. Each of these parties chose two of the most expert ax-men to carry up the cor- ners, as the logs were raised to the proper place. A good deal of skill and a mechanical eye was required by these corner men, as a very slight mistake in making a notch too shal- low or too deep or out of a straight line, might loose the whole corner. So expert became many of these men-and they were found in every settlement-that they were enabled to notch and place the logs almost as rapidly as they could be raised to their place on the building.

Grain was not thrashed by machinery driven by steam, as now, but was either beaten out by the old fashioned swingle or flail, or tramped out by horses or oxen. When thrashed it was separated from the chaff by a fanning-mill- consisting of two men and a linen sheet, the grain being slowly poured from a measure at an elevation, and passed in front of the mill, which was kept constantly in motion; the chaff was blown away, the clean grain falling to the floor.

The women also had their sport, for quilting bees were no less a source of pleasure and en- joyment to the wives. All the good dames in a neighborhood would assemble around the patchwork quilt and with stitch and gossip while away the time pleasantly, and around the

well-ladened tea table exchange reminiscences of their girl-hood days.

Athletic sports had a great charm for these backwoodsmen. Running foot-races, jump- ing, wrestling, pitching quoits or horse shoes, lifting weights and like manly exercises best pleased them. Some of their feats of jumping and racing would do credit to a troup of mod- ern athletes. And the ease with which they could "ring the meg" with a horse shoe at twenty-five or thirty yards was astonishing. With such exercises as these their muscles be- came hardened, their limbs were developed and their endurance put to the test.

Horse racing was also a favorite amusement with some. The swiftness of a race was not regarded as of much moment, but the simple fact that two horses would make a race no mat- ter how slow it was, would be sufficient to draw a crowd and the pleasure in the amuse- ment seemed to be just as keen as if they had been witnessing some of the feats of modern high-flyers.

Because of the isolated condition of the set- tlements and the almost unceasing toil of all, any social gathering was hailed with pleasure and enjoyed to the fullest extent.

STORES AND TAVERNS.

In the early days the mercantile business was no slight undertaking. Without any of our modern facilities for safe and rapid trans- portation, all goods had to be brought overland from points in the far distant East, principally Philadelphia, at great expense and risk, and it is not strange that we find that many a person who attempted the enterprise was compelled to abandon it after a loss. Naturally the stores were not of the specialized character that they possess, at least in the larger places, today, but

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

contained commodities of every variety that could be used in the primitive settlements. The settlers depended, too, on providing themselves with many of the necessities for which we are now accustomed to look to our merchants.

There were two commodities which, to most, are almost absolute essentials to exist- ence and which the early settlers had the greatest difficulty in obtaining. These were flour and salt. In consequence we find among the earliest activities of the pioneer, an effort to provide a supply of these articles. Owing to the want of flouring mills in the county, flour and other bread stuffs had to be procured from distant and more favored settlements. Ur- bana, Perrysburg and Sandusky City were the principal points visited for this purpose. Salt was usually obtained through a process of evaporation by boiling the water from saline springs, a slow and tedious operation which raised the price of the product almost to that of a luxury. Then there were hats, shoes, crockery, hardware, medicines and groceries to be provided. For years money was very scarce, and all business became a system of barter, and goods were exchanged almost ex- clusively for produce. The trade with Indians was at one time large. They brought cran- berries, maple sugar and syrup, pelts and furs, and bought only the finest goods. The women would take only the finest broadcloths for blankets and petticoats, while the men chose the brightest prints for shirts. The ordinary prints which now sell for 8 cents per yard sold then for $1.00, while the higher priced sold for $1.50 per yard. Every store had upon its counter a flask of whiskey with a glass and it was expected that every one who came into the store would avail himself or herself of the hospitality thus set forth. Tobacco was in

large demand among the Indians, who made a mixture of tobacco and sumac leaves, calling it 'Kinnikinic.'"

In the early days there was no institution of greater importance, perhaps, than the tavern. The most prominent and influential citizens did not hesitate to engage in the business, and the number of taverns in existence at that time in any locality would now, perhaps, be considered out of proportion to the size of the place. It was a sort of center for all the vari- ous activities of the neighborhood. Here the people gathered to exchange their gossip as well as to hear news of the outside world from any chance stranger that happened along. Here all the public gatherings were arranged, all the notices were posted, and court was held here, in some localities. It was an institution of great importance, just as it is in later times, though in lesser degree, under another name. It was not long after the county began to be settled until we find these hostelries being es- tablished in various parts of the county as the need for them arose. The following descrip- tion of one of these old taverns, though ap- plying to a neighboring county, will answer equally well for the type that prevailed in early days in Hancock County.

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.

Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 7

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1189

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1189