AGRICULTURE OF ERIE COUNTY - 83 (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) CHAPTER XII. AGRICULTURE OF ERIE COUNTY. AGRICULTURE is the pioneer of civilization. It levels the forest, plants its home in the wilderness, upturns the primal, fertile soil of the prairie, and makes alike the " wilderness and solitary place to blossom as the rose." But very little attention has been paid in the past to the agricultural history of Erie county. A history fragrant with noble sacrifices, privations untold and daring heroic deeds unselfishly performed by the early pioneers. They builded wiser than they knew. Their wildest dreams could not have pictured the extent, the grandeur and prosperity of the agriculture of to-day. The crude implements of those early times, the wooden, mold-board plow, the sickle, the flail, the scythe, have been replaced with riding silver steel plows, the self binder, the steam thresher and mower of to-day. The log house has long been a thing of the past, and in its stead rises the stately mansion richly upholstered and furnished, of the wealthy farmers of this age. The scrubby live stock of years ago has been wonderfully metamorphosed into sleek Herefords, creamy Jerseys, prancing Hotspurs and black shining Berkshires grunting out their satisfaction at the present state of things. The improvement in the farmer's home life has been still more marked as the grandest result of this new order of things. The farmer of to-day, for at least a part of the year, is a man of leisure, in fact he is becoming a man of in- 84 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. telligence. He reads the best books relating to his calling, the daily papers, the leading magazines and works of the best literature. Through the Grange and kindred organizations he is becoming versed in parliamentary law, skilled in expressing his thoughts in debate and fitted for the highest duties of citizenship. Life means much more to him than to father and grandfather before him. His horizon has been infinitely expanded, his opportunities for improvement multiplied, and his enjoyments proportionately increased. Erie county is emphatically calculated for every variety of husbandry. Its location on the south side of Lake Erie very much modifies its temperature, while its variety and fertility of soil make it possible to cultivate any crop or fruit usually raised in the lake regions, with quite reasonable hope of success. Beginning at the lake, the limestone crops out near the surface and the soil, a rich, black loam, is admirably adapted for wheat, grapes and other fruits. A few miles south a sandy ridge is very well adapted to produce potatoes and general farm crops, and still farther south the rich prairie produces corn, oats, wheat and grass in native luxuriance. Erie county is the banner wheat county of Ohio, having produced in one year an average yield of 25.2 bushels per acre for the entire wheat acreage, the largest yield produced by any county in the State. Its total wheat produced that year was 657, too bushels. The average crop of corn aggregates 700,00o bushels, and oats 400,000 bushels. Erie county is one of the foremost in the yield of potatoes, ranking fourth in the State and all kinds of vegetables grow rankly. It has over 4000 acres in orchards. Its annual apple crop in fair seasons is one half million bushels. Peaches are a leading fruit crop. The grape crop is second only to one county in the State and averages about four million pounds annually, while its wine manufacture has reached colossal proportions. Unsurpassed shipping facilities, thorough cultivation, a fertile soil, nearness to market, make the farm lands of Erie county exceptionably valuable. The wooded portions of the county have not materially changed in the past few years. There is a disposition to stay the farther devastation of the forests. Careful underdraining has done much to redeem the waste places and make highly profitable farm operations, where in swales and low swamps miasmatic diseases prevailed. It is safe to say that one-half of the farm lands of Erie County are thoroughly underdrained. From the latest statistics at our command we find that there are in Erie county 158,435 acres of farming land exclusive of towns and villages ; at seventy-five dollars per acre would be worth in round numbers about $12,000,000. Number of horses 5781, value $500,000 ; cattle 9476, value $190,000 ; mules 50, value $5,000; sheep 30,000, value $90,000 ; hogs 8943, value $5o,000 ; carriages 1134, value $75,000; watches 446, value $10,000; other farm property $500,000. Let us look a moment at the productions of the farm lands of the county for 1886. Wheat, 247,824 bushels ; rye, 2,477 bushels ; buckwheat, 10,943 AGRICULTURE OF ERIE COUNTY - 85 bushels ; oats, 294,676 bushels ; barley, 36,219 bushels ; corn, 564,863 bushels ; butter, 394,117 pounds ; potatoes, 301,306 bushels, ranking third county in the State ; apples, 76,749 bushels ; wool, 606,665 pounds ; eggs, 197,245 dozen ; grapes, 2,571,045 pounds ; wine, 71,170 gallons pressed. While the above figures are not absolutely accurate they are a close approximation to the amount of farm products for the main crops for the above named year. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. Closely identified with the agricultural prosperity and growth of the county, are the different farmers' societies that have had a wonderful influence in uplifting and elevating the masses by bringing people of all classes together and infusing a spirit of mutual dependence and interest in each other. Prominent among these is the Erie County Agricultural Society. Its history properly antedates the formation of Erie county it having been first known as the Huron County Agricultural Society, organized in June, 1833. We have before us an exceedingly interesting manuscript volume, the records of the Erie County Agricultural Society from 1833 to 1878. To its pages we are largely indebted for many facts in the early history of the society. At the time mentioned Huron county embraced the present limits of Erie. We copy from the minutes of the first meeting : " In pursuance of an act of the Legislature of the State of Ohio, passed February 25, 1833, to authorize and encourage the establishment of agricultural societies in the several counties of the State, public notice is hereby given that a public meeting will be held at the court house in Norwalk on the last Friday of June, 1833, for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society to be called the Huron County Agricultural Society." Accordingly the meeting was held as above and one of the first, if not the first agricultural society in the State was organized by the election of the following officers : Amos Woodward, president ; Timothy Baker, vice-president; Lemuel Morse, Levi Barnum, Lester Cone, John Millen, John Fulton, Aaron Corbitt, Arunah Eaton, Wm. P. Mason, Daniel .Beach and Charles B. Simmons, directors. Eben Boalt, treasurer; John V. Vredenburg, corresponding secretary ; Joseph M. Root, recording secretary. The first annual fair was not held until October 18, 1838 at Norwalk. We append the program : " The Throne of Grace was first addressed by the Rev. Mr. Higgins ; Agricultural address, by F. B. Sturgis Esq ; awarding premiums." From the reports of the latter we cannot refrain from taking a few items. Best acre of corn, George Powers, sixty- three bushels shelled. Best one-half acre, of potatoes, John D. Allen, one hundred bushels. One half acre beets, J. V. Vredenburg, one hundred and twenty-five bushels. Samuel Preston is reported to have raised from seven square rods of ground, at the rate of six hundred and eighty-five bushels of potatoes per acre. We find first premium on " improved cooking stove " given to William Gallup, the only uten- 86 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. sil of any kind on exhibition. The amount in premiums offered at this fair was $70. At a meeting of the Agricultural Board, December 14, 1838, a proposition was received from Licking County Agricultural Society to send delegates with them to Columbus for the purpose of organizing a State agricultural society and 0. Jenny and J. V. Vredenburg were sent as delegates. At the second fair held at Norwalk, October 17, 1839, $118 was offered as premiums, and at the end of the year sixty-seven dollars were in the treasury. In 1840 $129 were offered as premiums, but no account of a fair being held is given. The fair for 1841 was held at Norwalk, November 2. There is no record of any fairs being held in 1842-3-4-5-6 and 7. HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. Agreeable to public notices in the newspapers of the two counties, on the 15th of March, 1848, the above society was organized in the sheriff's office in the court house at Norwalk, and a constitution adopted. This district society em braced the limits of Huron and Erie counties. In the spring of 1838 the county of Erie had been organized from the northern townships of Huron county. The complete formation of Erie county as it now is, was not completed until 1840. Platt Benedict was the president of this new society, Benj. Benson, secretary, and Luke S. Stow, of Erie, one of the directors. The latter was afterwards one of its efficient secretaries. It held its first fair at Norwalk, October 12, 1848. This new district society, organized from the two counties. seems to have been heartily supported from its inception. At the annual meeting in March, 1849, the officers of 1848 were re-elected and Andrew Ainsley, of Erie, added to the directors. A premium was offered for the best farm essay to be read at the coming fair, an example worthy to be commended to our fair managers now. This fair of 1849 was held at Milan, and the Press said : " The display in all the departments far exceeded any previous fair, and was attended by at. least three times the number of spectators. It is pleasing to note the growing interest manifested in agricultural and industrial affairs, and we confidently anticipate the day when Erie and Huron counties will rival in their efforts those of any other in the State." In competition on field crops the following yields were reported per acre : Wheat, 34 bushels ; corn, 135 bushels ; barley, 581 bushels ; oats, 651 bushels ; potatoes, 360 bushels. In 1850 Philo Adams, of Erie, was president ; E. M. Barnum, secretary, and Isaac T. Reynolds one of the directors from Erie. The time of holding the fair, October 10 and 11, at Norwalk. The number present, 8,000. One of the best points made by the speaker of the occasion, who gave the agricultural address, was : " That the ulterior object of these annual gatherings for competition is an improvement in the breed of farmers—of men." In 1851 Philo Adams was president, I. T. Reynolds vice-president, and AGRICULTURE OF ERIE COUNTY - 87 Luke S. Stow, secretary. The fair was held at Milan, October 8 and 9 ; the number estimated to be present, 10,000. The fifth annual fair was held at Norwalk, in 1852, October 5, 6 and 7. The members of the society numbered at this time 800. The amount received from all sources $2,129.75 ; amount expended $1,083.53 ; amount on hand at end of fiscal year $1,046.22, a very good financial showing. At the annual meeting January 20, 1852, two resolutions were offered to the effect that the connection between the two counties in this society be dissolved, and that the Board of Managers be requested to settle up the affairs of the society. These resolutions were referred to a committee, and the committee, at a subsequent meeting, reported adversely and the resolutions voted down. The fair in 1852 was held October 5, 6 and 7, at Norwalk, and over $1,000 offered as premiums on a largely increased variety of articles. The entries numbered 700. The best one acre wheat, 45+ bushels; one acre corn, to' bushels, shelled ; one acre oats, 74 bushels ; one acre potatoes, 382 bushels. No manure was applied to the soil to raise any of these premium crops. In 1853 I. T. Reynolds was president, L. S. Stow, secretary, and .the fair was held at Monroeville. The seventh and last fair of the two counties jointly, was held at Norwalk, October, 1854, and like its predecessors was profitable and successful. At the annual meeting January 2, 1855, after a spirited debate, the following resolutions were adopted : Resolved, That in the judgment of this meeting the general interests of agriculture will be best promoted by the existence of separate societies in each of the counties of Huron and Erie. Resolved, Therefore, that with a view of separate organizations in these counties this society be dissolved as soon as the financial matters can be closed up, and that a committee of three from each county be now appointed to adjust the funds belonging to the society. A committee was appointed. $511. io was the amount found in the treasury. This was divided according to the population of each county, Huron county receiving $299.06, and Erie county $212.04. Thus closed the pleasant associations, as a society, formed through seven years of intimate labor together, years that had seen the formation of the society, its unexpected growth, and the still more surprising advancement of agricultural and mechanical industries. The separation was not made without pain, for the annual reunions at the fairs had been seasons of glad fraternal greetings and pleasure. The ties were strong that mutual friendship and labor had woven, and united the two counties as one family. By the dissolution of the old society, Erie county was thrown upon her own resources, with only two hundred and twelve dollars and four cents in her treasury. It seems hardly possible that the Erie County Agricultural Society 88 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. could attain to its present gigantic proportions from so modest a beginning. As early as February, 1855, immediately following the dissolution, we find the leading spirits of agriculture in little Erie convened at Huron to organize the ERIE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. A notice had been published in the three newspapers of the county to that effect. I. T. Reynolds was called to the chair, and Hon. F. D. Parish made secretary. It was resolved that it be the sense of this meeting that it is expedient that we organize an agricultural society at this time. Thirty-seven members united with the society at this meeting and the following officers elected: I. T. Reynolds, president ; Harvey Chase, vice-president; F. D. Parish, secretary ; C. N. Ryan, treasurer ; B. H. Rogers, J. W. Thompson, A. W. Prout, sr., Elijah Bemiss, and Elam Ward, directors. The following preamble and resolutions will show the spirit of the meeting at this time. They were severally adopted, viz. : Resolved, That our board of directors offer no premium on tobacco or intoxicating liquors. • WHEREAS, A well directed and vigorous system of agriculture is among the indespensable requisites to individual and national prosperity and happiness, and a thorough knowledge of mechanics, arts, manufactures, commerce, and facilities for transportation is essential to the life and progress of such a system, therefore be it Resolved, That whatever measures tend essentially to improve the quality or to increase the quantity of agricultural productions, or to the improvement of stock, to increase the diffusion of the knowledge of mechanics and commerce should receive the constant attention of the entire community, and "common interests demand common efforts." 2. That we regard agricultural societies in connection with public fairs as among the most obvious and efficient means to the accomplishment of these ends. 3. We deem it, therefore, both the interest and duty of every member of the community to lend his influence and contribute his show to add to the efficiency and to extend the influence of such societies. 4. We commend the consideration of this subject to our fellow citizens of Erie county and cordially invite them to become members of this society, and invite common effort to secure a common good. A premium list embracing every form of industry, was carefully prepared, aggregating $700 to be awarded at the first annual fair, which was held in Sandusky and was a decided success. The fairs for 1856-7-8-9 and 6o were held at Huron, she having in 1856 at the annual meeting of the society bid $1,000 and free use of grounds for five years against the offer of Sandusky of $850 and free use of grounds. AGRICULTURE OF ERIE COUNTY - 89 These five years were socially, financially, and agriculturally successful, and the good people of Huron did all in their power to make these public gatherings pleasant and profitable. At the annual meeting in November, 186o, it was voted to locate the fair for five years at Sandusky, and the following officers elected : E. Bemiss, president; F. D. Parish, vice-president ; C. C. Keech, treasurer, and George J. Anderson, secretary ; Isaac Fowler, I. T. Reynolds, William H. Crane, D. Lindsley, C. B. Choate, directors. During the war, from 1861 to 1864, no fairs were held, all the energies of the people being given to preserve the life of the imperiled nation. April 5, 1865, a meeting was held at the court-house, Sandusky, for the purpose of reorganizing the Erie County Agricultural Society. The officers elected were as follows: Hon. F. D. Parish, president; W. H. Crane, vice- president ; John McKelvey, secretary ; F. W. Coggswell, treasurer ; and C. H. Botsford, Luke S. Stow, A. W. Prout, sr., Samuel Bemis, Isaac Fowler, A. Hollister, D. C. Richmond, Calvin Caswell, Charles Carpenter, managers. A meeting of this board was held August 16, 1865, and a committee, appointed at a preceding meeting to locate and fit the grounds for holding a fair in 1865, reported that they had effected a conditional arrangement for securing by purchase the beautiful grove near the south part of the city known as the Pierson and Ankeytell lots, containing nine acres of land, for the sum of $4,800, and for the sake of completing the purchase the committee recommend the plan of petitioning the county commissioners to assist the society by appropriating not exceeding five thousand dollars for the purchase of said lots. This plan met with the unanimous approval of the board, and blank petitions were sent to all the townships for the signatures of the principal taxpayers of the county. It was stated that the healthy condition of the county finances would warrant this appropriation. The petition was successful and the purchase made in 1866, and the property deeded—as all subsequent real estate of the society was—to the county commissioners. The first fair was held on these grounds October 17, 18 and 19, 1865, and the Northern Ohio Grape Growers' Association was held on these grounds at the same time. In 1868 another small piece of ground was bought to enlarge the track, of Jacob Wintersteen, for $300, and in 1874 about eleven acres more were purchased by C C. Keech of Jacob Wintersteen for the society for $15,000, which made about twenty acres, at a cost of $20,100, as the property of the society, these being the present grounds. Since these purchases great improvements have been made, substantial buildings have been erected, a fine tunnel made under the track, grounds thoroughly underdrained, and a roomy amphitheatre built, making the grounds second to none in the State. Total paid for land and improvements, $39,964. It is not the purpose of this sketch to follow in detail further the magnificent history of this society since the war up to the present time. The same 90 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. public spirit and sacrifice that made its inception possible has characterized its friends during these later years, and though its early promoters have mostly passed away, the present generation has taken up the mantle of the fathers and are looking well and faithfully to its interests. Did time and space permit I would like to write of the past and present workers in this society—of a Parish, Reynolds, Crane, Bemiss, Richmond, Keech, Milner, Caswell, Prout, Carpenter, and many others who have done so much to make the society what it is to-day ; and let it also be added that the meed of praise must equally be accorded to the ladies and city friends, for they have all done their share in making the work of the society a success. Charles H. Rockwell" is the present president, and John T. Mack, secretary, (1888). For a number of years prior to 1875 the Erie County Farmers' Club and Horticultural Society flourished, and held quarterly meetings in different parts of the county. It was a literary society, and discussed topics pertaining to farm life and fruits and flowers. Colonel D. C. Richmond was the able president and its moving spirit. Farmers' Insurance Company.—June 28, 1877, the Erie County Farmers' Insurance Company was chartered and organized. This is a mutual insurance company on the assessment plan, and has now nearly $2,000,000 property insured. It is purely a farmers' company, as its name implies. Henry Milner is president, and Wells W. Miller, secretary. Granges.—About the year 1874 the Grange movement struck Erie county, and four granges were organized in Margaretta, Milan, Perkins and Berlin townships. Margaretta Grange No. 488, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized January 30, 1874, with twenty-six charter members as follows : E. D. Graves and wife, J. B. Witter and wife, John White and wife, Calvin Caswell and wife, W. W. Miller and wife, E. White and wife, L. S. Graves and wife, N. E. Prentice, M. F. Brown, J. C. Rogers, 0. Brown, E. D. White, J. Atwater, D. S. Barber, S. H. Rogers, R. F. Fowler, J. G. Snowden, T. W. McCarty and Levi Chamberlin. Its present membership is fifty, and its present officers are : W. W. Miller, master ; L. Billings, overseer ; B. Beebe, lecturer ; W. H. Havice, steward ; S. M. Ray, assistant steward ; J. B. Witter, chaplain ; E. ID, White, treasurer ; D. S. Barber, secretary ; E. C. Witter, gate-keeper ; Mrs. E. A. Beebe, ceres ; Mrs. W. W. Miller, pornona ; Mrs. G. W. Ray, flora ; Mrs. D. D. White, lady assistant steward. Milan Grange No. 342, was organized January 6, 1874, at the residence of N. M.- Hawley, with twenty-five charter members, sixteen gentlemen and nine ladies, by State Deputy Barrack. The first officers elected were : G. B. Jarrard, M. ; W. W. Moore, 0. ; A. W. Hawley, L. ; E. W. Hughes, S. ; C. C. Roscoe, A. S. ; Reuben Tufner, chap. ; N. -M. Hawley, treasurer ; R. N. Wilcox, secretary ; Victor Turner, G. K. ; Mrs. A. W. Hawley, ceres ; Mrs. Benj.. AGRICULTURE OF ERIE COUNTY - 91 Wilcox, pomona ; Mrs. C. C. Roscoe, flora; Mrs. E. W. Hughes, L. A. S. 'Present membership thirty-eight. Perkins Grange No. 637, was organized March 2, 1874, with thirty-five charter members. Since its organization five have died. Its present mem'bership is thirty. Its present officers are : J. D. Parker, M. ; A. A. Storrs, O.; J. F. Greene, L. ; Theron Goodwin, S. ; C. W. Hill, A. S. ; Henry Jarrett, chap. ; W. F. Gurley, sec'y ; Henry Milner, treas. ; H. C. Norton, G. K. ; Mrs. C. W. Hills, ceres ; Mrs. J. D. Parker, pomona ; Mrs. W. F. Gurley, flora; Mrs. Henry Milner, L. A. S. Berlin Heights Grange No. 345, was organized in the town hall January 7, 1874, with twenty-four charter members, fourteen males and ten females; J. W. Barrack, deputy, officiating. The officers elected were : Henry Hoak, master ; S. O. Kellogg, overseer ; L. S. Chapin, lecturer ; L. B. Chapin, steward ; A. Pearl, assistant steward ; James Douglass, chaplain ; J. M. Stahl, treasurer ; J. P. Lesley, secretary ; G. L. Sands, gate-keeper ; Mrs. H. T Smith, ceres ; Mrs. S. O. Kellogg, pomona ; Mrs. J. S. Milliman, flora ; Mrs. James Douglass, lady assistant steward. The following, by Master J. M. Stahl of Berlin Grange—a history of the workings of Berlin Grange—is a fair sample of the history of other granges of the county : "Much interest was taken in the new organization, and the membership in a short time began to rapidly increase, there being at the end of the first year 'sixty members. Meetings were generally held weekly, and many lively discussions were entered into on the various topics that seemed to come within the sphere of grange work. "The purchasing of goods at wholesale prices was much discussed, and was made the leading object of the order, though nothing much was done practically. When the first year closed our grange was considered a success. "The second year opened with high spirits and a continued increase in membership. Much time was spent in discussing methods of purchasing and distributing goods, as the money feature of the grange was still looked upon as its main object and attraction. Some few goods were purchased which generally gave good satisfaction, but as there was no convenient place to store goods the transaction was attended with more trouble and expense to those handling them than the profits amounted to. A store house was often talked of, but never was made a practical reality. "At the end of the second year our grange numbered ninety-eight members, nearly all in good standing. Meetings were generally well attended, but were not held weekly as often as they were the first year. The social feature began to be looked upon as the leading feature of the grange. An organ was purchased and music became a prominent part in the exercises of the meetings. The year ended as it began, full of hope and interest ; and so far as the social feature was concerned, may be called the golden year of the grange. 92 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY. "The third year began as the second one ended, with flying colors and high aspirations for developing the social faculties of the farmer and raising him to a higher plane in society. "At this time our ninety-eight members were about evenly divided between the sexes, and also between old people and young people.. The young folks were the life of the grange, and at times, under the inspiring music of the organ and violins, they could not refrain from timing the music with their feet. This was offensive to some of our pious church folks, and with due deference to their feelings the dancing was stopped. The end of this social amusement was the end of the great interest taken in the meetings by the young people, and one after another dropped out until our membership consisted principally of old people. "The purchasing of goods at wholesale, by our grange, proved unsatisfactory, and many who had come into our ranks mainly on account of the gain in dollars and cents, ceased to attend. Hence our meetings before the third year closed were not large but interesting to those who attended. A paper was started, essays written and read, and the program was changed from meetings of business to a school for the attainment of that knowledge and culture necessary to the elevation and refinement of farmers and their families. Most of the then active members held that the gaining of knowledge was of more value and a nobler object of the grange than the saving of a few dollars and cents. Hence this feature was for some time held to be the grand work of the order. But our meetings were often not well attended, and many who did not attend ceased to pay dues; but none were dropped for non-payment of dues until sometime in the fourth year. "Throughout the fourth year meetings were held regularly every two weeks, sometimes well attended, but generally only by the faithful who seemed to enjoy them and were profited by attending. Many of the uninterested were dropped for non-payment of dues until our numbers were greatly reduced. Some said the grange was dead ; others said it was not dead, and never would die. And this condition of things continued for some years ; sometimes the interest being quite lively, and then again less interest was taken and the meetings would become fewer and smaller. "At the present time we number forty-two members and several of these are not in good standing. But we have some twenty or twenty-five members who are as zealous in the cause as when the grange was first organized. They see the necessity for a farmer's organization, and believe that there can be no better organization than the grange. When all other classes are organized to protect themselves and to facilitate their own interests, is it not clear that if the farmers of our country do not organize, they must go to the wall ? Is it not clear that surrounded as they are by rings, chartered corporations with special privileges, monopolies and trust companies, the only alternative is organization or servitude ?" MILITARY HISTORY - 93 The granges in the county are now all in a healthy condition, the flow and ebb of their prosperity are passed, and they are now upon a solid foundation and have come to stay. With township, county, State and national organizations, working in harmony and unitedly for the bettering of the condition of the farm masses, it is the only hope or bulwark against the aggressions of monopolies, trusts and extortion of other organizations detrimental to the farmers' interests. Its social Feature, its literary culture, its helpfulness against the isolation of farm life, and, best of all, the fraternal brotherhood and sisterhood it engenders, are necessary to the farmer who would keep his occupation abreast in all respects to the ether industrial occupations of the age. No Pomona or County Grange as .such has ever been organized in the county, but the granges meet quarterly, together, and thus keep alive a feeling of union and fraternity with each other. Mrs. H. C. Norton is now the State deputy master of the county.