History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions

Dedication

This work is respectfully dedicated to

THE PIONEERS,

long since departed. May the memory of those who laid down their burdens by the wayside ever be fragrant as the breath of summer flowers, for their toils and sacrifices have made Fayette County a garden of sunshine and delights.

Preface

All life and achievement is evolution; present wisdom comes from past experience, and present commercial prosperity has come only from past exertion and suffering. The deeds and motives of the men that have gone before have been instrumental in shaping the destinies of later communities and states. The development of a new country was at once a task and a privilege. It required great courage, sacrifice and privation. Compare the present conditions of the people of Fayette County. Ohio, with what they were one hundred years ago. From a trackless wilderness and virgin land, it has come to be a center of prosperity and civilization, with millions of wealth, systems of railways, grand educational institutions, splendid industries and immense agricultural and mineral productions. Can any thinking person be insensible to the fascination of the study which discloses the aspirations and efforts of the early pioneers who so strongly laid the foundation upon which has been reared the magnificent prosperity of later days? To perpetuate the story of these people and to trace and record the social, political and industrial progress of the community from its first inception is the function of the local historian. A sincere purpose to preserve facts and personal memoirs that are deserving of perpetuation, and which unite the present to the past, is the motive for the present publication. A specially valuable and interesting department is that one devoted to the sketches of representative citizens of these counties whose records deserve preservation because of their worth, effort and accomplishment. The publishers desire to extend their thanks to the gentlemen who have so faithfully labored to this end. Thanks are also due to the citizens of Fayette county for the uniform kindness with which they have regarded this undertaking, and for their many services rendered in the gaining of necessary information.

In placing the "History of Fayette County, Ohio," before the citizens, the publishers can conscientiously claim that they ha^■e carried out the plan as outlined in the prospectus. Every biographical sketch in the work has been submitted to the party interested, for correction, and therefore any error of fact, if there be any, is solely due to the person for whom the sketch was prepared. Confident that our eft'ort to please will fully meet the approbation of the public, we are.

Respectfully,

THE PUBLISHERS.

Chapter I— Related State History 25

First White Men in Northwest Territory — English and French Claims — Three Successive Sovereign Flags Over Present Ohio — Passing of the Indians — Battle of Fallen Timbers — Northwest Territory — Ohio, the First Northwest State — Early Settlements — Activities of the Traders — French and Indian War — Pontiac's Conspiracy — Northwest Territory and Quebec Act — Revolutionary Period — George Rogers Clark and His Campaign — First Surveys and Early Settlers — Ordinance of 1787 — First Stage of Government Under the Ordinance — Second Stage — Organization of the Northwest Territory — Representative Stage of Government — First Territorial Legislature — Division of 1800 — Census of 1800 — Symmes Purchase and Other Early Settlements — County Organization — Indian W^ars — Formation of a New State — Date of Ohio's Admission to the Union — Capitals of Northwest Territory and Ohio — Constitutional History of Ohio — Military Record — Land Grants — Military Lands — Refugee Tract — Road Lands — Canal Grants — Zane Sections- — Ministerial Lands — Schools Sections — Ohio Politics — [^)Oundary Lines — Organization of- Counties and Early Events.

Chapter Ii— Geology And Topography Iz

Boundaries of Fayette County — Geological Formations — W'ater Courses — Drainage — Land Elevation — Rock Formations — The Drift — Gravel and Sand —The Soil.

Chapter Iii— County Organization 11

County Organizations Leading up to that of Fayette-— Fayette County Created — Original Townships — Present Townships.

Chapter Iv— Early Settlement 82

Indian Inhabitants — First Surveys — Land Entries — Early Settlers — Interesting Incidents — Pioneer Life — Narrative of an Old Pioneer — Early Habits and Customs — Pioneer Wedding — Mills and Milling — Taverns — Corn Huskings — Hunting — Early Mails — Pigeon Roosts — Sickness — Destruction of Milliken Dam — Incidents — A Hermit — Distilleries.

Chapter V— County Government 106

Scarcity of Early Records — County Treasury Robbed — Early County Bills — First Court House — Second Court Flouse — Present Court House — County Jails — Public Drinking Fountain — First County "Safe" — County Infirmary^ County Children's Home — Carder Infirmary — County Roads and Pike System — County Finances.

Chapter Vi— Official Representation 117

Presidential Vote in the County — Political Parties — State Senators — State

CONTENTS.

Representatives — Presiding Judges — Associate Judges — Common Pleas Judges — County Auditors — County Recorders — County Treasurers — Clerks of Court — Sheriffs — Probate Judges — Prosecuting Attorneys — Coroners — County Suveyors — County Superintendents of Schools — District Assessors — County Commissioners — Justices of the Peace.

Chapter Vii— Transportation 127

Early Transportation by Freight Wagons and Boats — Th^ First Railroad — Bond Issues — Subsequent and Present Roads.

CHAPTER VIII— EVOLUTION OF AGRICULTURE AND STOCK RAISING_-13Q Fayette an Agricultural County — The Soil — Live Stock — Agricultural Statistics — Drainage — Tiling — County Agricultural Societies — Hog Cholera Epidemics — Corn Shows and Institutes.

Chapter Ix— Banks And Banking 135

Early Barter and Exchange — Money Scarce — "Cut Money" — First Banking in Fayette County — First National Bank and Other Banks at Washington C. H. — Jeffersonville Banks — Banks at Good Hope, Milledgeville and Bloomingburg — 1912 Financial Showing.

Chapter X— Newspapers Of Fayette County 142

The Press a Great Civilizing Influence — Fayette County's First Newspaper. Freedom's Advocate — Later Newspapers at Washington C. H. — The Jeffersonville Citizen — Newspapers in Ohio — The First Printing Press in Fayette County.

Chapter Xi— The Medical Profession 150

Value of the Physician — Progress in Medical Science — First and Early Doctors in Fayette County — Later Doctors — Physicians of the County in 1914 — Fayette County Medical Society — City Hospitals.

■CHAPTER XII— THE BENCH AND BAR 160

The Judiciary — Legislative Enactments Establishing Judiciary System — The First Session of Court in Fayette County — Fayette County Lawyers — Present Members of the Bar — Judges of Court of Appeals — Judges Court of Common Pleas — Other Court Officers — H. B. Maynard — John J. Harper.

Chapter Xiii— Military History Of Fayette County 172

Fayette County's Part in the War of 1812 — Transportation of Provisions — Mexican War^ — Militia Muster Days — Fayette County in the Civil War — Lincoln's Proclamation — Mass Meetings — Enlistments from F'aj'ette Count}- Townships — Revolutionary Soldiers in Fayette County — Memorial Hall — Names of Fayette County Soldiers — Spanish-American War — A Hero in Two W^ars.

Chapter Xiv— Educational History 201

Great Progress in the Science of Education — The Old and the Modern School House — Schools of Washington C. H. — Township Schools — Wayne Centralized School — The Thoughtful School Superintendent.

Chapter Xv— Secret And Fraternal Orders 215

Free and Accepted Masons — Royal Arch Masons— Knights Templar — Independent Order of Odd Fellows — The Encampment — Knights of Pythias.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Xvi— History Of The Churches 220

Presbyterian Churches — Methodism in Fayette County — African M. E. Church — Methodist Protestant Churches — The Christian Church — United Bretliren Churches — -Baptist Societies — Colored Baptist Church — Friends Society — Free Church Association — Universalist Church — Protestant Episcopal Church — Church of Christ — Oldest Church Building in the County — Catholic Church — Young Men's Christian Association.

Chapter Xvii— Miscellaneous Matters Of Interest 245

The Temperance Crusade — The Appeal — Counterfeiting — The Funk F"ight — A Cruel Indian — Early Criminal C?.ses — Execution of William G. W. Smith — Stock Sales — Horse Trading — Capture of Andrew Ellison — A Hot Race — Big Riot of 1894— Unique Destruction of a Mill Dam — Immense Petrified Maple Log — First Murder Case — F'irst Execution — First Marriages — Centennial Anniversary of County — Intoxicated Hogs — Odd Old Record — Garfield Memorial Services — McKinley Memorial Services — Population Statistics — Great Flood of 1913 — Portrait of McKinley by Local Artist — Automobiles in Count}' — Blind Pensioners — Market Quotations.

Location and Boundaries — Settlement — Early Stores and Shops — Mills- Waterloo.