20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens

Front matter

Book^q? n6

20IS CENTURY HISTORY _.

Springfield, and ClarK County, Ohio

CHAPTER I. Peehistoric Matter 19

A Tale of the Airly Days — Geological Formation — Limestone Formation — Coal, Oil and Gas — Glacial Drift — Singular Growth of Timber — ^Prehistoric Man — Prehistoric Animals — Mounds and Mound Builders — The Bechtle Mound.

CHAPTER II. Topography 32

Character of the Surface — ^Elevation Above Lake Erie — Mad River — ^Tributaries of Mad River — Little Miami and Other Streams — Character and Fertility of the Soil — Timber — Comparative Table of Crops.

CHAPTER III. Indian Occupation 44

In a Condition of Nature — Erie Indians — Iroquois — Twightwees — Shawnees — Indian Villages — ^Battle of Piqua — Tecumseh — Indian Character — Indian Fighting — Indian Incidents, etc.

CHAPTER IV. The Old Northwest 61

The Old Northwest — Settlement by the French — French Settlement in Ohio — French Dominion — English Dominion — Important Part in the Revolution — ^United States' Control — Ordinance of 1787 — Arthur St. Clair.

CHAPTER V. State and County Government 72

Ohio — -Admission of State — County and Township Organization — Organization of Counties— Formation of Clark County — Systems of Survey — The U. S. Rectangular Survey — Miami Rivers Survey — Virginia Military Survey — Pre-emption Lots — Table of Measurements — Name of Boundary- — Selection of County Seat — ^New Boston — George Rogers Clark.

CHAPTER VI. Pioneers and Pioneer Days 89

No Time Like the Old Time — The Squatter — The Pioneer and His Times — First Settlers and Settlements — Present Pioneers — Wild Animals and TTieir Extinction — John Paul, the First Settler — Johnny Appleseed and Other Characters — Simon Kenton — Gen. Anderson's Address at the Ohio Centennial.

CHAPTER VII. County Politics and Roster of Officials 109

Whigs and Republicans in Politics — Vote at Presidential Election — Close Calls and Defeats — Log Cabin Campaign — Pre-eminence in Politics — Civil War Spirits — War Politics — Political Meetings — Garfield and Pendleton Debate — Keifer-Bushnell Contest — Unsuccessful Candidates — Plug Hat Brigade — Incidents Attending Elections Under Former Laws — State Officials — Apportionment to Congress — Congressional Dis-

, CONTENTS tricts — Jlembers of Congress — State Senators — Representatives — Common Pleas Judges — ^Probate Judges — Clerks of Court — Prosecuting Attorneys — Sheriffs — Auditors — Treasurers — Recorders — Surveyors — Coroners — County Commissioners — Infirmary Directors.

CHAPTER Vin.

MiscEiiAUEous Notable Events 127

Centennial of the Battle of Piqua — Springfield Centennial — Underground Railway — White Rescue Case — Springfield's First Riot — The Second Riot — Cyclones — Freshets — The Great East Street Shops — The Cru-

CHAPTER IX. COtTNTY BmLDlNGS, ETC 145

Court House — East County Building — ^^Vest Countj' Building — County Jail — Soldiers' Monument — County Infirmary — Children's Home — ^Agricultural Society.

CHAPTER X. Public Roads aud Highways 154

Condition of Roads Indicative of Advancement — Indian Trails, etc. — Early Roads — ^Military Route — Corduroy Roads — ^National Roads — Toll Pikes — Stage Coach Trip Through Springfield in 1834 — Dickens' Ride Through Ohio in 1842.

CHAPTER XI. Rajxeoads and Tbaction Lines 170

Building of Railroads — First Railroad — ^N. Y., P. & 0. — Springfield, Jackson & Pomeroy — ^I., B. & W. — Present Railroad Systems — Traction Lines — Street Railways — Telegraph — ^Telephone; Bell Company, Home Company.

CHAPTER XII. Mtt.t. s 179

The Old Mill — Mills op Mad River: Medway Mills, Eagle City Mills, Rector's Mill, Kizer Mill, Hertzler's-Snyderville Mill, Woodbury Mill, Ross Mill, Nauman Mill, Croft Mill, Snyder's Mill, Grisso Mill Leflel's Mill, Kneisley's Distillery, Rubsam's Mill, Enon Mill — Buck Cbeek: Lagonda Mill, Rennick- Bechtel Mill, Kitt Mill, Hunter Mill, Dawson-Runyan Mill, Cartmell JOll, Perrin Mill, Warder Mill, Croft Mill, Baldwin Mill, Barnett Mill, Wilson-Moorefield Mill, Rabbits-Olds Mill, Buckeye Works-P. P. Mast Co., Pitts Threshing Machine Shop, Snyder Hydraulic, Foos Oil Mill — Beavee Ceeek — Teibutaey OF Buck Ceeek: Demint's Mill, Lingle Mill, Fisher Mill, Foos Mill, Lowry Mill, Filler Mill — Mtt.t. Ceeek : Rebert Mill, Paden's Mill, Leflfel Saw Mill — Donnell's Ceeek : Dormell's Mill, Lowrey's Mill, Baisinger Mill — Rock Run — Chapman's Cbeek: Lance's Mill, Seitz Mill, Chatterlen Mill, Enoch's Mill, Dibert's Mill — Honey Ceeek: Black's Mill, Rayburn Mill, Paul Mill — Little Miami Riveb: Clifton Mills, Knot's Mill, Burk's Mill — Muddy Run: Shellabarger Mills, Partington Mill — Miscellaneous.

CHAPTER XIII. Featebnax Homes and Philantheopic Institutions 197

Be Kind — Ohio Masonic Home — Odd Fellows' Home — Knights of Pythias' Home — Oesterlen Orphans' Home — Clark Memorial Home.

CHAPTER XIV. Mtt.ttaby History of Speingfield and Claek County, Ohio 206

Paper Read by Gen. J. Warren Keifer at First Centennial of Springfield — ^Revolutionary and Territorial Times— War of 1812-1815— Mexican War, 1846-1848— Civil War, 1861-1865 — Second Ohio Infantry — Third Ohio Infantry — Sixteenth Ohio Infantry — Thirty-first Ohio Infantry — Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry — Seventy-first Ohio Vol. Infantry — Eighty-sixth Ohio Infantry — Ninety-fourth Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio — One Hundred and Forty-sixth

CONTENTS

Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Krty-seeond Ohio Infantry — One Hundred and Fifty-third Ohio Infantry — Sixteenth Ohio Independent Battery — Seventeenth Ohio Independent Battery — Squirrel Hunters, 1862 — First Kentucky Infantry — United States Navy— United States Military Academy — Spanish War, 1898.

CHAPTER XV. Townships 221

Bethel — German — Ureen — Harmony — Madison — ^Mad Eiver — Moorefield — Pike — Pleasant — Springfield.

CHAPTER XVI. Villages , 318

AUentown — Beatty — Bowlusville — Brighton — Brottensburg — Catawba — Clifton — Cortsville — Dialton — -Dolly Varden — Donnelsville — Durbin — Eagle City — Enon — Harmony — Hennesy — Hustead^ — -Lawrenceville — ^Lagonda — Limestone City — Lisbon — ^Medway — ^New Boston (see Chapter 5) — New Carlisle — ^New Moorefield — Northampton — Owltown — Pitchi,n — Plattsburg — Selma — Sugar Grove — South Charleston — Tremont City — Vienna — ^Villa — Windsor.

CHAPTER XVII. City of Springfield ( I ) 358

Distances from Springfield to Other Cities — Springfield in 1907 — Location, etc. — Naming and Platting of the City— Plats and Additions to City — Early Settlements — Selection as County Seat — Early Events — • Council with the Indians — Early Customs — "Sleepy Hollow" and Old Virginia — Eaelt Settlers: James Demint, Griffith Foos, Robert Renniek, John Daugherty, John Ambler, Cooper Ludlow, Walter Smallwood, Pierson Spinning, Rev. Paul Henkle, Ira Paige, Maddox Fisher — Condition in 1828 — Condition in 1832 — A^illage Days, 1834-1850 — Condition in 1S50 — City Government — Roster oe Officials: President of Council — Mayors of City — Solicitors — Treasurers, City Clerks — Police Department — Chiefs of Police — Police Judges — Police Prosecutors — Police Clerks — Board of Public Safety — Roster of 1907 — Fibe Department: Volunteer — Paid Fire Department — Roster of Present Department — Public Buildings: Market House — City Hall — City Jail and Station House — Public Library — Hospital — Postoffice — ^Postmasters — Snyder Park — Fountains, etc. — Hotels: Foos Tavern — Lowry Hotel- — Ludlow Hotel — Ross Tavern, Hunt's Hotel — MacElroy Hotel — ^Norton Hotel — Werden Hotel — Buckeye House — Hagenbach Hotel- Murray — Cherry House — Williss House — ^National Hotel — American and Western Houses — Lagonda — Bookwalter Hotel — Arcade Hotel — Palace Hotel — Palmer House — Opera Houses: Black's Opera House — Grand Opera House — Fairbanks' Theatre — The New Sun — Office and Store Buildings: Kizer — Old King — Union Hall — Commercial — Bookwalter — Buckingham — Mitchell — Arcade — Johnson — Zimmerman — — Gotwald — King — Bushnell — Wren's Department Store — Fairbanks — ^Dial — Financial Institutions : Mad River National Bank — First National Bank — Citizens' National Bank — Lagonda National Bank — Springfield National Bank — Springfield Savings Bank — Springfield Building and Loan Associaton — ^Merchants and; Mechanics' Building and Loan Association — Other Associations — American Trust and Savings Company — Manufacturing Industries: Defunct Industries — Paper Mill — Oil Mill — Woolen Mills — Car Shops — Threshing Machines — Sewing Machines — "Whitely, Fassler & Kelley — Champion Machine Co. — The A.

C. Evans Co. — Champion City Manufacturing Co. — Tricycle Factory — ^Present Industries — International Harvester Co. — P. P. Mast Co. — American Seeding Co. — Thomas Manufacturing Co. — Springfield Metallic Casket Co. — Crowell Publishing Co. — Good & Reese Co. — James Leffel & Co. — Wickham Piano Plate Co. — Bettendorf Metal Wheel Company — Robbins k Myers Co. — Foos Manufacturing Co. — Springfield Machine Tool Co. — Tha 0. S. Kelly Co. — Springfield Malleable Co.— Mast, Foos & Co. — Indianapolis Switch & Frog Co. — ^Miller Improved Gas Engine Co. — Patric Furnace Co. — Trump Manufacturing Co. — Springfield Gas Engine Co. — The E. W. Ross Co. — Foos Gas Engine Co. — Heating and Lighting Plants: Gas — Electric Light — Home Lighting, Power & Heating Co. — The People's Light, Heat & Power Co. — Ansted t Burk — Barnett Flouring Mills — Stone and Lime Industries — Springfield Breweries — Summary of Industrial Matters: Machinery, Material & Supplies — Gas & iSteam Engine Group — Iron & Steel Products — Manufacturing Publishers — Manufacturing Florists — Medicine, Chemical and Coffin Companies — General Factories — Miscellaneous Factories — ^Mercantile Affairs:

CONTENTS

Retailers — Rroceries — Dry Goods — Clothing — Druggists — Jewelers — Shoes — Meats, etc. — Livery Men — Hatters — Hardware Stores, etc. — Books and Book Binderies — Cemeteeies: Columbia Street Cemetery — Greenmount Cemetery — Ferncliff Cemetery — Catholic Cemeteries — Lagonda Avenue Cemetery — St. Bernard's Cemetery — Cavalry Cemetery — The Press: First Paper, The Farmer — The Republic — Press Republic—The News — Mad River Democrat — Transcript — Democrat — Gazette — Morning Sun — Farm & Fireside — Farm News — Poultry Success — Springfield Journal Adler — Miscellaneous — Editors, etc. — Societies: Commercial Club — Lagonda Club — Country Club — Literary Clubs — Men's Literary Club — Young Men's Literary Club — Miscellaneous Clubs — Women's Club — Authors — Masons — Odd Fellows — Knights of Pythias — Miscellaneous — Trades and Labor Organizations.

CHAPTER XVIII. Spbingfield ( II ) EnucATiOJr — Schools .■ 455

Early History — Location, Principal and Enrollment of the Various School Buildings (1907) — -Private Schools Other Than Wittenberg College — Parochial Schools — Wittenberg College.

CHAPTER XIX. Spbingfield { III ) Chubches 474

(Genera! History from paper of Dr. Kay.)

Center Street Methodist— High Street M. E. Church— St. Paul's M. E.— Clifton Avenue M. E.— Grace M. E.— North Street A. M. E.— Wiley A. M. E.— Allen Chapel A. M. E.— Methodist Protestant Church — The Christian Denomination — Disciples' Church of Christ in Springfield — LTnited Presbyterian — First Presbyterian — Second Presbyterian — Third Presbyterian Church — Protestant Episcopal — The Heavenly Rest Protestant Episcopal — First Baptist — Trinity Baptist — The Blessed Hope Baptist — St. John's Baptist Church (colored) — LTniversalists — First Lutheran — St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran — Zion's Lutheran — Second Evangelical Lutheran — Third Lutheran Church — Fourth Lutheran Church — Fifth Lutheran — St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran — Cavalry Evangelical Lutheran — St. Raphael's Catholic — St. Bernard's Catholic — St. Joseph's Catholic — United Brethren — Lagonda Avenue Congregational Church — First Congregational — Jewish Congregation — Seventh Day Adventists — Christadelphians — Grace Reformed — Church of Living God — Young Men's Christian Association — Young Women's Christian Association — Central Y. M. C. A.

CHAPTER XX. Bench and Bab 514

Early Courts — Common Pleas — Common Pleas Judges — William A. Rodgers — William White — James S. Good — Charles R. ^^^lite — F. M. Hagan — John C. Miller — Jacob Kreider Mower — ^A. H. Kunkle — Probate Court Judges — Circuit Court Judges — Police Court Judges — Early Lawyers — Members in 1852 — Samson Mason — Charles Anthony — Samuel Shellbarger — George Spence — Samuel A. Bowman — Members in 1864 — Members in 1881 — Sometime Members — General Keifer — A. P. Linn Cochran — Bar Association — ^Library — Members in 1908.