CHAPTER IV
REMINISCENCES OF OLD CIRCLEVILLE
In our search for descriptions of early Circleville, we have found nothing more suited to the purpose than the following articles, which have been supplied by G. F. Wittich, who has made it a practice to collect all items of interest relating to the early town. Some of these have appeared in the columns of the local press.
CIRCLEVILLE IN 1825.
The following article, signed by "* *," appeared in the Circleville Daily Press, issue of October 16, 1885, being entitled "Sixty Years Ago :"
"Sixty years ago (1825) the east corporation line was the alley between the dwellings of Mack Parrett and Henry Pfennig, then called a lane. Then the quarter-mile race track was from this line east through the farm of Samuel Watt, the farm house being the house in which George H. Fickardt now lives, and the termination of the quarter-mile track was opposite the McCrea property. At the termination of every race the regular fist fights took place, as then about every other man wanted to be counted a bully.
"There were at that time regular training days for the militia, which comprised all men between the ages of 18 and 45. The training day for companies was the first Friday in September of each year and the general musters were on the Monday following, when all the companies of the county came to town to muster, the arms being generally cornstalks. It was a great time for us boys as there were plenty of fist fights, keeping the boys running from one side of the circle to the other to witness the fights.
"In those days every family raised their own hogs for their meat, the hogs being slaughtered in their own yards, in winter, neighbors. helping neighbors. The hogs were cut and sausages made in the evening, and generally all cleaned up in one day. Numbers of families also kept a flock of sheep running at large over the then open country. The sheep were sheared in the spring, the wool washed, picked and carded by hand and spun on the big spinning wheel and woven into cloth on hand looms, for winter clothing for both men and women. Wool picking was done by inviting the women to spend the evening, which took the place of the party of to-day. Refreshments or a regular supper of flannel cakes, stewed chicken, store coffee, store tea, warm ginger-cakes, etc., were served. No angel-food or pound cakes were to be found in those times. Flax was also raised by numbers of citizens of the town, who had their flax pullings. When ripe, the flax was hauled in and, when the husks were sufficiently rotted, broken on a regular flax brake. It was then hackled on long iron prongs, set in a piece of wood, put up in bunches and spun on the small wheel, and after-wards woven into cloth, for summer wear for men and women.
"There were, at that time two spinning wheels in town, one owned by Isaac Warren and the other by Mathias Myers, grandfather of Allen O. Myers; the statesman.
92 - HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY.
"For hats for men and boys, we depended on the hat manufacturers here in town. We had fur hats for the men and wool hats for the boys. The measure of the head was taken and we waited for the hat to be made. For shoes (no boots in those times), the leather owned by the head of the family was taken to the shoe shop, where each member of the family, boys and girls alike, went to have their feet measured to have shoes made for the winter. No shoes were worn by boys in summer, particularly; usually only the girls had shoes in summer.
"Clothing, such as it was, was also made at home. There were no clothing stores, no hat stores, no shoe stores, no stores to sell groceries exclusively, no queensware stores, no furniture stores, no stores for hardware exclusively. The so-called stores then kept groceries, queensware and a general assortment of goods, with usually a bottle of whiskey on the counter for such customers that wished to help themselves.
"There was more manufacturing in Circleville then, than now. Shoes; hats, clothing and furniture were all manufactured here and we had a nail factory here then.
"Wagons were sent to Zanesville for loads of salt, to be distributed through town and country. All dry goods and articles brought from the East were hauled over the mountains in Iarge wagons, drawn by six large horses, which were generally provided with bells. There were no railroads anywhere in this country at that day. No cooking stoves in those days. In their place were the large fireplaces in the kitchen with cranes for pots and the tin reflector to set before the fire .to. bake bread.
"Wood only was used for heating purposes and cooking, the fire being covered at night, to be rekindled in the morning, and if the fire went out, some one was sent to the neighbors for a coal. Failing in this the steel and flint to strike a fire were resorted to. We had no matches in those days.
"The culinery department of a household was not then as now. No fruit was put up in cans in their season, but fruits of all kinds were dried and preserved. Tomatoes were notknown as an article of food, but were known as `Jerusalem apples' and were set on mantelpieces as ornaments only.
"The schools of those times would not at all compare with those of the present day. For school books we had Webster's Spelling Book, Murray's Grammar, Smiley and Pike's Arithmetic, Olney's Geography, and the Bible and New Testament were used as readers. For books to read at home by the fireside in winter we had Scottish Chiefs, Thaddeus of Warsaw, Children of the Abbey, Alonzo and Molise, Charlotte Temple, Robinson Crusoe, lives of Washington and Marion. etc. We had no newspapers, except the one printed in Circleville, a small weekly sheet by the name of the Olive Branch, the grandfather of the Union-Herald and Daily Press.
"We had no gas or coal oil for lights in those clays, but instead we used the candle dips. which each family made for itself, just as they made their own soap for washing.
"Laborers received 50 cents per day in those times and worked from sunrise to sun-down; no talk about eight hours for a day's work. By the month they got $7 or $8 per month and board. Female help was then 75 cents per week.
"As store coffee was then high and but little money was to be had, rye coffee was used through the week, and store coffee Sunday morning.
"The boys had no glass or stone marbles to play with, but instead we would go to the brick-yard, make mud marbles and have them burned like bricks.
"For currency there were 6 1/4 cent pieces, called `fips,' ' 12 1/2 cent pieces, called `nine pence,' and quarter, half and whole dollars. We had no 5 or 10 cent pieces; money of all kinds was so scarce, that a half dollar looked to almost any one as large as a cart wheel.
"In those days a large part of the mechanics of the town would go in the country at harvest time to' help the farmers reap their wheat, as nothing but sickles were used for cutting. We had no wheat cradles and no reapers and binders in those days. Fifty cents per day was paid for a day's work, for a full hand; 25 for
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a half hand. The writer then made a half hand, coming home from a full week's work, Saturday evening with six bright quarter dollars jingling in his pocket.
"We had no buggies or carriages, no livery stables; we all went horseback or in common road wagons. On Christmas our stocking was hung up with the prongs of a fork and filled with gingerbread, mint candy and nuts. An occasional concert was given with such songs as `Pretty Polly Hopkins,' `How Do You Do,' `My Long-Tailed Blue,' `Jim Crow,' `Coal Black Rose,' Barbara Allen,' etc.
"Men worth from $5,000 to $10,000 were considered very wealthy, and a family with an income of $200 to $300 per year, well-to-do.
"There were no high-priced undertakers in those days. Coffins for an adult person cost from $5 to $8. There were no hearses ; the coffin was carried on a bier borne by the pall-bearers to the village graveyard. There were no envelopes for letters. The paper was folded and sealed with wax. We had no steel or gold pens ; we used the goose-quill for pens. We had no blotting paper, but black sand for blotting.
"We had what we then regarded as comfortable houses, but not elegant or costly ones. Plumbing was an unknown art. We had no water or gas pipes in our walls, no water closets in our houses, no fixed bath tubs and no door bells.
"Boys were modest, girls virtuous and old age respected in those days. Finally, things in general were not then as now."
CIRCLEVILLE IN 1837.
In an issue of the Circleville Union-Herald, in October, 1887, appeared the following letter from an old citizen of Circleville, W. H. Yerington, dated "Banning, California, October 3, 1887," and addressed to the editor of the Union Herald :
"Fifty years ago this night (October 3, 1837), I landed from the canal-boat 'Circleville,' Capt. John H. Sunderman, at the foot of Main street, with my father's family, and was taken to the old National House then kept by Mr. Darst, the father of Mrs, Henry N. Hedges, Sr,
"The circle was then complete and nearly all the business was clone in it. Jacob Lutz and Messrs. Gregg and Wolfley had moved on Main street the winter before. In going up Main street from the canal, we passed Samuel Briner's grocery and bakery on the corner of Canal and Main; then the McArthur Block which was just up to the second story; then came Lutz's store in the room now occupied by Lynch & Son, then Gregg & Wolfley, William and Hugh Bell, William J. Pyle. M. S. Butler and Israel Gregg and Lenant, all in the block then known as Commercial Row ; the next was the Market House, where Messrs. Clark, Steele and Jones' block now stands. The next house I remember was Jacob Leiby's (saddler), a two story frame, where the Second National Bank now stands. The upstairs he occupied as a workshop and the lower room as a salesroom and justice of the peace office; adjoining that was another two-story frame occupied by Major Bright and Capt. S. Swindell as a tin-shop; from there on to the circle was a row of wooden buildings--two of them are stilt remaining, those occupied by T. J. Epps and Caddy Miller. On the corner of Main street and the circle was a one-story frame grocery, kept by William Hamilton: next to him on the circle going south was John Hedges' cabinet-shop; next to him on the corner of Bastile avenue was a two-story frame house, one half occupied by Isaac Darst as a store, the other half as a dwelling. The next house was Dick Jenkins' saloon (in 1842 and 1843 used by Mr. French as a young ladies' seminary and in 1844 as Wittich's confectionery) ; the next was a little one-story frame occupied by Henry Sage as jeweler and watchmaker; then came Thomas Moore's grocery (the Masonic Temple now occupies the ground).
"After crossing South Main street (now called South Court street), the only business houses I recollect between that and the avenue was Samuel Diffenderfer's grocery and Dr. Webb's office; then came the avenue leading to the old stone jail. On the east side of this avenue were the county offices and where the elections were held. On the corner of East Main street and the circle was a drug store kept by Dr. E. B. Olds (the Star saloon now oc-
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( DRAWN BY G. F. WITTICH)
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cupies this site). On the opposite corner was the old Circleville House, kept by Jacob Gossler; a part of the old tavern is now occupied by James Harsha as a marble shop. As the old man was a very clever and social Pennsylvania German and had two very nice girls and kept an excellent table, he was well patronized by the young men. The next building was Matthew McCrea's dwelling, a two-story frame on the corner' of the avenue leading to the old Academy building and the old Methodist Church, which afterwards burned down. On the opposite corner was a frame building occupied by the widow Jackson and the three Bell girls. One of them married William Entrekin and is still living; another married a Presbyterian minister by the name of Wells ; the other I do not know whom she married, nor do I know whether they are living or not. The next was a two-story frame, one part occupied by Francis Kinnear as a dwelling and the room on the corner of North Main street (now North Court street) as a store. North of it, fronting on North Main, was the residence of Joseph Johnson; immediately north was a tavern, kept by Gen. John E. Morgan, the site now occupied by William Bauder's carriage shop. On the northwest corner of North Main and the circle stood an old yellow frame building, then occupied by Matt Whitesel as a grocery. I cannot call to mind now, who occupied the premises from there to the avenue. On the west corner of the avenue was the two-story brick residence of Samuel Rogers and adjoining was the store of Rogers & Martin.
"In the rear of the store and fronting on the avenue was an old, red frame building occupied by Rock & Rutter as a tailor shop. Mr. Rutter is still living and occupies the same house on Scioto street that he did when we first came to Circleville. Next was the store room of Renick & Hurst; it fronted on the circle and in squaring that quarter of the town it was turned around to front on West Main street and is the same building now occupied by Joseph Richardson. On the corner was the store room of Joseph Johnson, a one-story frame, which was also turned around on Main street.
"I have now completed the circle and the only brick buildings on the north side of Main street was the grocery of Harvey and Samuel Littler, now occupied by Snider. The building now occupied by the Union-Herald office was a store kept by Z. R. Martin and Henry Sunderman. The next was a building occupied as the Bank of Circleville, Hoel Lawrence, president, and Mr. Gillette, cashier; and I am glad to know that Mrs. Gillette is still living and remarkably active for her age.
"Adjoining the bank on the east was the harness and saddlery shop of John A. Wolfley. The next was a two-story brick building occupied by George E. Wolfley as a dwelling, now turned into a hotel, and on the canal was the large brick warehouse belonging to Rogers & Martin.
"The block, which is Benford's hardware store, was built in the summer of 1838 and when finished Rogers & Martin and Renick & Hurst moved from the circle into it, the former parties occupying the corner room and the other the room east ; I do not remember who occupied the east room.
"The old circular embankment was perfect then, except where the streets crossed it, which were cut down. The old square fortification was nearly whole, and a part of it was used annually by the militia as muster grounds.
"South of that, what was familiarly known as `Darling's Lake,' were corn fields, farmed by John O'Day, who lived in a log cabin, some-where near the residence of Mrs. William McCrum. I recollect going to his house one day to buy some corn and he gave me three half bushels of ears fora bushel; I thought he was cheating himself, but I found out different afterwards.
"There was not a turnpike in the county; the Maysville and Zanesville was not built for three years after. There was no bridge across the Scioto then, although there had previously been a floating bridge ; all the crossing was done in a ferry-boat just above the aqueduct, kept by an old man by the name of Richardson. The piers of the old bridge, that was burned a few years ago, were laid the summer before we came and the woodwork the same fall and winter.
"The contractor was a Mr. Day. I believe
96 - HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY.
he was from New York and report said he lost money on the contract, but I am certain there never was a better bridge erected in the State, and if it had not burned it would have lasted for 50 years longer.
"At that date there was not a railroad in Ohio; all the produce was shipped by canal and all the goods were brought here by the canal or by wagon. All the traveling was done by stage. It took two days and nights to go from Columbus to Cleveland and then often the passengers had to get out and pry the stage out of the mud.
"After the National road was built, our merchants went East by that route ; goods were generally sent by rail to Cumberland and from there to Wheeling by wagon. If there was plenty of water in the Ohio River, they were put on a steamboat to Portsmouth and from there to Circleville by canal. If the Ohio River was low, they usually wheeled them clear through.
"I recollect one spring D. Pierce, the veteran merchant, had his goods wagoned from Cumberland ; one wagon carried 9,600 pounds. It was a large Conestoga wagon, four-inch tire, six horses, bells on each horse, driven by a single line and the driver road the off horse, and when the wagon was backed up to the pavement in front of his stare the team reached across the street.
"The merchants carried everything--hardware, glassware, queensware, earthenware, boots and shoes, hats and caps, groceries and liquors. It was a very common thing, but was thought no disgrace then, to get drunk; every-body drank, and if you went to a farmer's house, the first thing he would do would be to hand out the bottle; if you did not take some he would consider it an insult.
"Whiskey was cheap; I have sold many a barrel, when they were building the Washing-ton turnpike, of Dick Ward's fine corn juice for $5 and used to retail A. &.M. A. Ashbrook's best rectified fine whiskey and not doctored for 20 cents per gallon.
"Money was very scarce and not much in circulation and what was in circulation was paper money. There were plenty of banksthroughout the State, which issued their paper 'freely, and their standing was not the best.
"Most all the business was done in trading. If anybody wanted to go to housekeeping, the merchant would give them orders to the furniture store, to the stove and tinshop, or if he wanted a saddle or a set of harness, the merchant would send a clerk or an order and get them and the manufacturer would pay his employes by giving them orders on the store.
"Everything in the produce line, or every-thing that the farmer manufactured, was very low and as he could not sell it for cash he had to trade it out. I have bought wheat when I was with Doddridge & Company, at 40 and 50 cents. per bushel, corn at 12 1/2 cents, oats at to cents; good fat hogs would only bring 2 1/2 cents per pound dressed, and one season, Messrs. Gregg and Wolfley packed pork at that price, shipped .it to New York via New Orleans and lost money on it. You could then buy good beef at 3 cents per pound; chickens, 75 cents per dozen; turkeys, from 25 to 30 cents each ; butter in the summer 6 1/4 cents; eggs 2 and 3 cents a dozen, and I have seen barrels carted away and dumped in the bottoms, could not sell them, and they spoiled on their hands.
"I remember Doddridge & Company shipping 30 barrels of dried apples to Cleveland, for which they only paid 37 cents per bushel; when they got return of sales, they did not realize first cost.
"Common home-made blue jeans brought 50 cents per yard in trade, linsey 25 cents, plaid flannel 50 cents, home-made linen 30 to 40 cents.
"Wages were exceedingly low. Good mechanics got from $1 to $1.25 per day, and common laborers from 50 to 65 cents, while farm hands were working for $8 to $12 per month and board. They did not stop at 10 hours for a day's work either, nor did they go to town every Saturday afternoon, as most of them do now. The farmer boys all wore home-spun, stated at home and worked for the best interest of their employers.
"But what a change has taken place in the last half century. Now he must wear the best
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of store clothes, have a horse and often a buggy and come to town every Saturday afternoon; in fact, I have known young America plowing in $12 doeskin pants and $10 boots.
"There was not a book store in town. I had to go to Chillicothe to get my school books. The first book store was opened by William McArthur on the corner in a one-story frame house, now covered by the Odd Fellows' Block. The first regular hardware store was opened by Samuel Marfield in the room adjoining the Third National Bank.
"The squaring of the circle was commenced by Dr. E. B. Olds in 1839 by erecting the large three-story brick known as the Olds Block. The corner room was completed early in the year of 1840 and occupied by Olds & Baker as a dry goods store. I do not now re-member who (lid the excavations, but Dick Wilson and Joe Carr did the stone work, W. C. Joseph and Jacob Taylor did the brick work and Stanley Cook & Sons did the wood work. That fall was the great campaign, when Harrison ran against Van Buren for president. Dr. Olds being a strong Democrat and believing that Van Buren would be elected, he offered to sell and did sell quite an amount of goods at double price if Van Buren was elected or nothing if Harrison was elected. The result was that he supplied a good many Whigs with dry goods for nothing. I shall never forget the exciting times during that campaign.
"The political meetings were immense with their long processions. Everybody seemed to be fully aroused and excited and to see the log cabins, coonskins, strings of buckeyes and hard cider was wonderful. On one occasion I re-member of seeing a very large wagon made for the express purpose, filled with men, drawn by 36 yoke of oxen.
"General Harrison came here one evening; the people built a temporary platform around the sign post, that stood in front of the Ohio House (I think it was called then) and he made a speech from it.
"During that season we had some of the most able and talented speakers in the State, such as Thomas Ewing, Sr., the old salt boiler; Thomas Corwin, the wagoner boy; Henry Stanbery and others.
"The meetings were generally held in the woods, which is now built up and known as "Briartown." The evening meetings were held in the old Court House, which was not torn down until the next year, 1841. The southeast quarter of the circle was next squared by Olds and Cradlebaugh, and a row of one-story frame buildings was erected on Main street (now Court). Two of them are still standing, one occupied by Aker King and the barber shop next to it.
"On the grounds now occupied by the Wagner Block, the Old School Presbyterians erected a frame church, which was later on moved over to the northeast quarter of the circle and is now occupied by Ensworth & Brunner as .a hardware store.
"The northeast quarter was next squared by the same parties. The southwest quarter was to be squared, but was not for several years afterwards, by W. W. Bierce. In this quarter was `Bastile Avenue.' It was the most popular avenue in town and the most populous. A short reminiscence of one of its residents by `Lex' was published a few weeks ago in your paper, which was perfectly familiar to me, as we lived on the avenue and scarcely a stone's throw from the place.
"The first residence on the avenue was Isaac Darst's, which was sold to john Conn and was moved on Mound street opposite Mrs. Dr. Stribling's house. On the rear of the same lot was. a story and a half frame, formerly used by Darst as a warehouse, afterwards converted into a dwelling and my recollection is, that Dr. Terry and wife were the first to occupy it. Afterwards S. D. Turney lived in it. In squaring that quarter it was moved to Franklin street and is now owned by the, Lounsberry heirs.
"Directly opposite was the residence of Dick Jenkins, who died there and whose widow married George Dalton and who a short time afterward moved to Southern California near Los Angeles. * * * Next to that was a one-story frame. I do not recollect who lived in it when we came here, but it was where Dr. Griswold and wife went to housekeeping, after they moved to Circleville.
"On the other side of the Avenue was a one-
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story frame used by George C. Gephart as a tailor shop, until Mr. Diffenderfer built his store on West Main street, when he moved into the second story of that.
"After the General moved, the room was occupied by James Civils and John Butler as a paint shop. Mrs. Butler is still living at Circleville.
"On the same lot farther west was the two-story residence, of George C. Gephart, now owned and occupied by Mrs. Alice D. Hawkes. General Gephart raised a large family and moved West many years ago and lived to be quite old. He has only been dead a few years.
"Next to this on the west was the one-story brick cottage of Dr. Gibson, the residence of the `Belles of Bastile Avenue' mentioned by your correspondent `Lex,' who is mistaken when he said the Doctor left two children. He left three--Hannah, Susan and George. Hannah married a Mr. Stiner, Susan married Peter Bohn and George died quite young from white swelling of the knee, aged 11 or 12.
"Opposite General Gephart's lived Col. Henry Sage in a two-story frame; he also had a large family. My impression is that the children are all dead except the youngest boy Harleigh, who is living at Dayton. The youngest daughter married a Mr. Cherry, who died. She afterwards married Dr. Sharp, who became notorious for his fighting proclivities during the late war, but always backed down when anybody wanted to fight him. They moved from Circleville and I don't know whether she is living or not.
"Next was the residence of Dr. William N. Luckey and wife; a more generous, clever, whole-souled couple never lived in Circleville. Aunt Luckey was the personification of generosity and goodness, as every one that lived by her could testify. They never had any children. One peculiarity the Doctor had--you could never get him to go on the ice; no difference how thick it was, he said it had no joists underneath.
"The next building was the Lutheran Church, which stood back a little of the present church. The pastor was- Joseph A. Roof. Although he left Circleville a number of years ago, I believe he is still living. There never was a preacher in Circleville that was more highly esteemed by everybody than he. He was very generous to the poor, although his salary was small. He did a great deal of good during the cholera of 1850. He was on the Board of Health and one of the most active members. He was taking care of the sick, helping to bury the dead and urging the living to prepare for death. He was one of the most useful ministers Circleville ever had.
"Opposite the church was a one-story frame, occupied by Abraham, Emanuel, John and David Gephart, four brothers, as a carpenter shop. Emanuel is the only one of them now living in Circleville and I think the others are dead.
"The next residence was that of George Downs, a man universally known throughout the county. He had some very peculiar traits, was rather rough in his language, but had a heart in him as big as an ox--a more liberal and generous man could not be found anywhere: the latch-string always hung outside and he never turned any away if they needed help. I speak from personal knowledge, for we lived beside him for several years. He was a hatter by trade and had a shop on the public grounds in the rear of the Market House. His hats were very heavy and durable and I have heard of them lasting- as long as seven years.
."On the other side of the avenue next to the church was Jacob F. Mader's grocery and bakery. The house was built on the side of Mount Gilboa, the basement being used as a bakery, while the upper rooms were used as a grocery and dwelling. He moved to Chillicothe and lived there quite a number of years, but moved back to Circleville, where he is now living, a very hale, hearty old man. The next house was built and owned by Henry Sunderman, into which we moved, when we came to Circleville; it was a one-and-a-half-story frame and in squaring that quarter, it was moved around to front on Mound street and is still standing. There were no other houses for several years. At that time Mount Gilboa was almost _complete. A road had been cut through it.
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"The old Episcopal Church was built on the mound on the south side of the road on the same grounds of the present church building but at a greater elevation ; the floor of the old building would he as high as the roof of the present one.
"The north part of the mound was a great place for bonfires; holding rejoicings over success of elections, etc.
"I recollect on one occasion the Democrats had achieved a victory and they were having a big demonstration on the mound. They were all pretty full and felt happy, when one, William Strevey, got too near the edge of the bank and fell off down to the road. They thought he was killed, when old Anthony Bowsher hallowed out, `Cover him up! Cover him up so those d-- Whigs wont find him!' It happened that the man was not hurt at all.
"There was no foundry then ; all the plows and castings sold here were brought from Columbus.
"In the year 1838 my father entered into partnership with Isaac Darst and they put up a foundry on the land belonging to Mr. Darst, nearly on the site where the gas works stand. It was literally a one-horse concern, for the power was produced by a large bay horse walking on a large horizontal wheel. It was quite a novelty to the young folks and a large number of the older people, who used to come down there by the score every time he took a cast. It was sold after the death of Mr. Darst to Judge Bierce, who had it removed to the old Cradlebaugh tavern stand, where it has remained ever since and is now known as the Scioto Machine Works.
"There was another foundry started by a Mr. Jones on the south side of the canal near the aqueduct, but it soon fizzled out.
"There were three furniture shops--John Hedges, Solomon Hedges and Michael Pontius; two chair shops--Matthias Myers and Emmet & McLain; the last named did all their turning by clog power, two large and heavy dogs traveling in a large wheel about 30 feet in diameter. There was also a wood-turning shop owned by Jonathan Moore, on the race from the mill near the aqueduct. There were two carding machines, one over the turning shop just mentioned and one just above Groce's slaughter house, run by Jacob Diffenbaugh, who also had a sawmill in connection with it turned by water from Hargus Creek.
"There was also a sawmill on the same creek near' where Pickaway street crosses the creek and another on the basin close by the old Doddridge mill.
"The canal did a large business, as it was the only way to get rid of the surplus corn, wheat, flour, pork and lard. During the dry summer and fall of 1841, all the country mills were stopped on account of the creeks drying up and the farmers from Clinton, Fayette, Madison and part of Highland counties used to come here to get their wheat ground, and I have known them to wait three days for their grist and have seen as many as 5o wagons camped out near the mill at one time.
"There were three tanneries : James Bell's, near the Academy; Robert Hays', on the street between George Gearhart and Daniel Demuth; and Andrew Cradlebaugh's, on the lot owned by the Scioto Machine Works.
"There were three cooper shops : James Sapp's and George Burgett's on Water alley and a very large one on the mill race, run exclusively on flour barrels for the mill carried on by William and John Maiden.
"There was only one flouring mill, owned by J. G. Doddridge; which turned out 100 barrels every 24 hours and which is still standing.
"Now after saying so much about the town, let me say a word of the inhabitants at that time. There are barely a dozen persons who were men grown that are living there now. All I can call to mind now are : Samuel A. Moore, Jerome Wolfley, George Gearhart, Jacob Rutter, Michael Pontius, George Pontius; Acker King, Benjamin Myers, Bentley Groce, Emanuel Gephart, Jacob F. Mader and Joseph Richardson. There are a few others, that are living, but have moved away: J. G. Doddridge, Hugh Bell, Daniel Pontius, Harvey Johns and Joseph A. Roof. There may be others but I cannot call them to mind.
"There is not a single man in business now, that was doing business when we came to Cir-
100 - HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUTNY.
cleville. D. Pierce, the oldest in business, came the next year after, as did Samuel H. Ruggles.
"In the summer of 184o I attended a select school (there was no free school then) in the Academy and out of a school of 40 boys, there are but four of them still living: George W. Doane, of Omaha; W. K. Rogers, of Columbus; William McCrea, of Illinois, and the writer, and the time will not be long when we too will be numbered with many, that have gone on before. * * *"
RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY CIRCLEVILLE.
The following article is made up of extracts from a letter written by W. H. Yerington to G. F. Wittich, dated "Los Angeles, California, April 19, 1903."
"* * * Since I have sat down to write, I don't know what to say or where to commence. The first recollection of you was, when you opened out a candy and toy store on the old circle between Bastile avenue and South Main (now South Court), in a two-story frame building previously occupied by Richard Jenkins, universally called Dick Jenkins, as a saloon and grocery. You turned the upper story into an ice cream parlor and to avoid the going through the store you put up steps on the out-side. I remember distinctly, that in that room I ate my first dish of ice cream, but I can assure you that it was not the last. Jenkins built the three-story brick block on West Main street now owned by J. P. Smith and Mrs. Charles Hartmeyer and known as the Jenkins Block.
"I received my Circleville paper to-day and in it was the notice of the death of Gen. Joseph Geiger. I think the title was conferred upon him more for a joke than a reality, for under the old constitution the militia laws were unreasonable and the young men and old ones re-fused to train. Joe tried hard to get the law repealed and I think they made the appointment just for a joke to pay him off in his own coin, as he was a great joker. I remember on one occasion the authorities at Columbus sent commissions as officers to several of our young men, to call out the militia and muster. They would not accept the commissions, but they called a meeting and agreed to train. At the day appointed they met in an old house close to the aqueduct and formed a fantastical company, and marched through the streets dressed in the most comical garb they could think of--some painted their faces--all under the command of Capt. Sam. Stover, who rode what we call out here a burro; you would call it a jack. He had on a paper hat, a paper horn sticking out of each side with the word `Veto' in large letters printed on them and market baskets for stirrups. The rear was brought up with a four-wheeled child's wagon, on which they had placed a long piece of stove-pipe representing cannon. Captain Stover was the son-in-law of Matthias Robbins, grandfather of the Lilly boys.
"On another occasion the boys consented to muster, if they were furnished with a good captain. Jonas Specht, of the Washington Township Guards, said he would drill them, which was agreed to. On the clay appointed he came to town in full uniform and made the old National House his headquarters. Shortly the company appeared in front of the hotel and rested ; they sent word to the Captain that they were ready to muster; such an oddly dressed company you never saw; not one had a uniform and 1 don't think there was a single gun in the whole crowd. The Captain came out .and took command and they started up North Main (North Court) street; it was understood among the boys, that they would cluck him in the canal. When they arrived at the crossing of North High street, the Captain ordered them up the street towards the old graveyard; instead they turned to go down the-canal. The Captain repeated his order to go the other way; the company commenced surrounding him. He by this time began to `smell a mice;' he broke away and ran up the street and some of the men after him; they chased him into old man Hartman's house where they left him. There was no more military training. Captain Specht soon after went to California. I have a faint recollection, that he came back some years after on a visit.
"When we came to Circleville there stood on the southeast corner of Pickaway and Main.
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streets a small, one-story weather-beaten house, owned and occupied by Jacob Appenzeller; the lot was very low and every time it rained the water would run into it. I have seen boys poling around in it on boards many times. Sometime previous to this the old Methodist Church had burned down and the trustees were looking around for a site to build a new church. The membership was poor and they did not have much money (as was the case with everybody else those days) and they wanted a lot, where they could have a basement with small expense. Mr. Appenzeller offered them this lot very cheap and they bought it. When it became known, there was a kick against it, not only by the outsiders but by their own members. They said, why build your church in a mud hole, when there are plenty of good places you can get. They would not listen but stuck to it like a dog to a root, laid the foundation, built the church, finished the basement and held service and Sunday-school in it, until they could finish the upper part. I remember their using one summer the upper part before the walls were plastered or the windows put in, sitting on temporary seats of rough boards. That was 50 years ago and they are worshiping still in the same church.
"As to the Presbyterian Church, it was a very plain red brick building without any ornamentation about it small windows and small glass. When Judge Bierce came, he found them short on music, so he brought in a violoncello and used it in the church to help out the music. It so happened that they had a member by the name of Robert Hayes, a genuine blue stocking of the old school ; it made him mad--he said he did not believe in praising God with a `big fiddle' and every time they would use it, he would go out and stay till they got through.
"Afterwards they bought a pipe organ at Adelphi, manufactured there by a man named Diffenbaugh--that was an improvement on the `big fiddle;' then when they built the second church they bought a city- organ with all the modern improvements. You remember Reuben Moore, the little short man; they got him to pump the bellows and it kept him busy.
"The Methodists had bought a large bell for their church and it would not do to let the Methodists beat them, so they (the Presbyterians) bought a bell a few hundred pounds heavier. You know my partiality goes to the Methodists, being raised in the church. Al-though the Presbyterian bell was the heaviest, the Methodist bell made the most noise, and that holds good in the membership, too!
"I will tell you how the Methodists got their bell. You know Fred Cogswell used to be partner of D. Pierce in the dry goods business in the early '40's. He sold out and went into politics and they elected him justice of the peace. After serving several years, he aspired to something higher. In the county convention that fall he got the nomination for probate judge. Being of an aristocratic feeling, he was afraid the common people would not vote for him. The Methodists up to this time had no bell, so he goes to some of the leading men of the church, and proposes to them, that, if they would use their influence among the members to vote for him and elect him judge, he would make them a present of a fine bell. They assented to the proposition. When the election came off, Cogswell had several hundred majority. When the old Methodist church burned, they had a small bell. This fell to the ground and cracked. They gave that to him: he sent it to Cincinnati to George W. Coffin's bell foundry. Not long after the bell arrived and its arrival was made known by the clatter the small boys made on it as they brought it on a dray to the church. The following words were cast on the bell : `Presented to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Circleville, Ohio, by Frederick Cogswell.'
"To show their appreciation of the gift, the trustees of the church deeded to him as long as he lived one of the best pews in the church. They also got a silver plate, had his name engraved on it and put it on the end of the pew and it was still there when I left. The Judge has been dead a good many years and I hope he has a higher and a better seat in the church on high.
"Somewhere in the. '60's the pastor of the Methodist Church got into trouble and the
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members agreed to dispense with .his services. It so happened that the General Conference met at Washington Court House that fall and they sent word over that they wanted the conference to send them a man of weight and experience, and to clinch the matter, they sent a committee to explain matters. The Bishop assured them they should have just such a man as they asked for and they came home well pleased. When the appointments were published in the paper, every one wanted to know who was coming to Circleville. `Rev. C. D. Battelle, Circleville,' was the announcement. Who was he? No one knew him. The first Sunday he was to preach, the church was crowded to see the new minister. When he made his appearance, the members were fully satisfied that the conference had filled the bill. He was a man that would weigh nearly 300 pounds, his hair was quite gray and he had been preaching over 50 years (he was a man of weight, age and experience surely). The first impression was not favorable, but when the year was up he had church matters all settled up and everything was going on lovingly and harmoniously.
"The next house to the church on the east was built by John Gregg; then came the eastern boundary alley of the original town of Circleville. The next house, a two-story brick, was built by Maj. George Hammel of the famous `'Circleville Horse Dragoons.' The next house was a one-story frame owned and occupied by Col. Valentine Keffer; you will no doubt have a slight recollection of the old gentleman or at least one of the younger members of his family. His children were all girls and he had a number of them ; what a jolly time they must have had, when all of their beaux called on the same night!
"Colonel Sage, the eccentric jeweler, was very fond of fishing, particularly spearing or `gigging.' He knew all about it and what he did not know was not worth knowing. He had an old Indian canoe about 12 feet long, round on the bottom; he always had some one to go with him to paddle. When they dug the canal from the aqueduct to Foresman's mill, they left a good many large holes in the bottoms. Every time the river overflowed, it filled these holes with water and fish. When the water fell, the fish were left; during the summer the water would get very clear. One day the Colonel got John Maiden to go with him; they got in the canoe, the Colonel standing up in front with his gig raised ready to strike, Maiden in the rear paddling. Something went wrong and the Colonel cursed him. Maiden determined to pay him off for it, so when the Colonel's back was turned he run the canoe against the stump of a tree; the impact threw the Colonel over and he went into the water like a bullfrog off a log.
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"The latest practical joke I remember was where the biter bit off more than he could chew. Mrs. Joseph Olds was taking her baby in a wagon down town one day. She stopped at Mr. McCrea's store, but left the wagon with the baby in it on the pavement in front of the large window. Mrs. Samuel S. Denny saw her leave the baby outside; he (Mr. Denny) slips up and wheels the wagon away with the baby in it and takes it to his own house. Fortunately Mrs. Olds saw him, but never let on. While the baby was good, they (Mr. and Mrs. Denny) had no difficulty in keeping the child but soon it got tired and then there was a tempest in a teapot. All they could do would not quiet it, so Mr. Denny was compelled reluctantly to take the child over to its mother; then Mrs. Olds had the joke on him.
"Do you remember the Schramm family, that used to live on East Main street on the lot, where Kellstadt's grocery now is; they were all natural musicians from the old man down; they made up a good band or orchestra among their own family. There were Michael, Sigmund, George, Fred and Charles and two girls They moved to Iowa.
"Do you recollect Rev. William Rhinehart, United Brethren preacher, also Rev. W. B. Hanby, who edited and printed the Religions Telescope in the two-story building on North Main street; also Rev. Altman (converted Jew), associated with them.
"When the old U. B. Church was built, they moved the press and paper to the base-
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PAGE 104 - PICTURES (WILLIAMSON HOUSE, CIRCLEVILLE; HAWKES HOUSE, CIRCLEVILLE; HARSHA HOUSE, CIRCLEVILLE AND NEW HOLLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
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ment. Your brother Frederick afterwards bought and occupied the old frame house as a toy and candy store.
"I have two anecdotes about Dr. Olds I want to tell. He told it on himself when he was running for Congress. His father had a large family and was not very well off in this world's goods. They had mush and milk for supper; the mush was put in a large bowl in the center of the table; the children were each given a small bowl and spoon to help themselves. It so happened, there were not spoons enough of the same size to go around, so they had to give a larger spoon to fill out; then there was a contest who should have the large spoon. The Doctor said in the wrangle he always came out ahead and got the big spoon. When he came home from one of his election trips, he had a big tin spoon made about four feet long and placed over the front door of his store.
"When the Doctor was stumping for Congress, the Whigs used to tell some tough yarns on him. On one occasion there were several merchants from Circleville and Chillicothe going East in the stage-coach to buy goods; and to pass away time they used to tell stories. One man from Chillicothe said : `I had a dream the other night. I dreamt that Dr. Olds had died and gone to Hades. When he came to the door and knocked, Beelzebub asked, "Who is there?" The answer was, "Dr. Olds." "What! Dr. Olds, of Circleville?" He answered, "Yes." Then he called to one of the young imps and said: "Here, unscrew my tail and put it on the Doctor; he is a bigger devil than I am" ' I can't vouch for the truth of the story, but it had a considerable run at the time.
"You may not thank me for writing such foolish things, but a man said many years ago : `.A little nonsense now and then is relished by the best of men.'
"A little over a year ago an article was published in the Circleville Union-Herald, stating that after the old octagon Court House was torn down and before the new one was ready to be occupied they had court in the old two-story log building -(now weather boarded)at the corner of Scioto and North High streets. This is a mistake, for I know positively that was not the case. Francis Williamson, an old cooper, lived in it at the time and died in it. There was one term, there may have been two, held in the Lutheran Church. A man from Williamsport by the name of Davidson was tried there for manslaughter. He struck a man on the head with a fence rail and killed him. He was sent to the penitentiary for one year by Judge John Keith. At the same term a man named Wolf was sentenced for three years for horse stealing. Two terms of court were held in the U. B. Church. At one of them a father and son (Lewis) were tried for killing a man named Brown. They kept a dry dock on the canal opposite Mr. Ruggles' ware-house and Lewis, son and wife, lived in an old packet boat drawn up on the ways. They were cleared, but I don't recollect on what grounds. * * * "
In the Circleville Democrat and Watchman, of March 10, 1905, appeared a communication, signed by "Ithuriel," from which we will quote in part, as follows :
"About my earliest recollection in old Circleville was the `torchlight procession' of 1844. when James K. Polk was elected President. It had been parading the streets, and, boy-like,. I heard the fife and drums, coming north on Scioto street, and when they turned east at the old Williamson corner, on North High, as it was then called, I was on the lookout for it. The torches carried by the men--and boys, too --were hickory sticks about five or six feet long, with a ball of. candle wick wired to the end, and saturated in tar and turpentine. It was a sight that boys do not forget ; and the' cheering, too--you think you can hear it yet. The procession having been on the march for some time, some of the torches were burned out, and when done for were thrown away. The next morning I started out to gather up, some of the torch sticks, lugging five or six in my arms into the yard. Some of the tar and turpentine having run down the sticks, I naturally got some of it on my check apron and when my mother got sight of my apron, with tar all over the front of it, she interviewed me
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with a switch. My father didn't happen to be there, or I'd have gotten another, for he was an old-line Whig, and he'd not have me carrying any 'Locofoco sticks, shure.'
"What illuminations they had then! Pieces of boards fastened across the windows, with holes in them six or eight inches apart, and candles in the holes, all lighted, in stores and residences of those who belonged to the party that came off victorious, presented a- grand sight to a boy.
"Then comes into my mind the old Academy, with the little one up against the ,end of it to the east, and a short distance away the well, and not far from it the Methodist Church and Walters' carpet-weaving establishment' The Academy was located opposite the end of the avenue that divided the northeast quarter, extending from the old circle to the ditch surrounding, that extended from near Bauder's carriage shop around, passing Bell's tannery, to the residence of Mr. Bell, on East Main street. In the winter time the water in the ditch was frozen and afforded us a skating and sliding place, o'er 40 years ago. And the school teacher, Whitwell, an old Englishman, an inveterate tobacco chewer. My, what a thrashing he gave Jerome Gearhart and George McCrea, with an old rattan, out of an umbrella he kept for that purpose, for giving Spence Franklin and me a chew of tobacco apiece.
"At that time only two quarters of the circle, as they were then termed, had been built up--the northwest and the southeast. The old Court House had been torn down. On the northwest corner, Olds' block had been constructed; on the southeast corner Dr. Webb's office stood ; adjoining it Mr. Bell's shoe store, both frame .structures; close by; to the east, stood the O. S. Presbyterian Church, where the Delaplanes built the brick storeroom ; next to the east lived Dr. Troup; then Fred Landis had a bakery, and on the corner of the alley "Mike" Pontious had his cabinet shop; across the street the old City Hotel (Circleville House), kept by Mr. Douthirt, afterwards by Mr. Heffner. The circle extended from the old City Hotel around to a point opposite the north end of The New American Hotel. On the corner opposite lived 'Squire Kinnear; farther east on the corner of the avenue was Harper's monument factory; across the avenue the McCrea house. The county offices were in a little one story brick-that stood on the east side of the avenue that lay in the southeast quarter, and about where the rear of Henry's livery stable is now, perhaps a little southeast near the street.
"The southwest quarter was the last one to be built up. On the corner of South Main, now Court street, stood Moore's fluid shop, alongside James Feeny's; next on the corner of the avenue, G. F. Wittich's confectionery, with steps on the outside to get to the second story, the ladies' parlor, for ice cream. Across the avenue lived the Darst family, in a two-story frame, and at the corner of the circle and West Main streets was Olds' drug-store. Following the avenue on the southwest, Robert Bell lived in a frame to the right; across the alley the Gephart two-story brick, afterwards Mrs. Hawkes-Brown; then the Gibsons; across the street stood the residences of Colonel Sage and Dr. Luckey; then the Lutheran Church. Oh, what times we boys had going to school in the basement of that old church, to Miss Brown, who taught there. She was a sister of Dr. M. Brown. And Mount Gilboa, in the winter, what boy or girl does not recollect it ? - when coated o'er with snow, affording us a sledding place, over fifty years ago.' At the end of the avenue, junction of it and Scioto street, stood the Crouse, Doddridge and Gen. Joe Geiger mansions; near by the woolen mill, and flour mill, in sight along the canal."
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G. F. Wittich writes as follows in regard to the early business establishments of the city:
"According to my record of business transactions with the people of Circleville for many years, I find that between the years 1845 to 1865 the following merchants were doing business here. They were not what we call dry goods stores now. They sold besides dry goods a very large amount of groceries, hardware, queensware, boots and shoes and produce. The list is probably not strictly correct, but as near as I could find the names on my books :
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R. D. Atwater & Company, Atwater, Groce & Helman, Fanus Crouse, N. W. Doddridge, Dresbach & Triplett, James McCoy, W. E. & J. Delaplane, George B. Dresbach, Einsel, Wagner & Company, Joel Franklin, Noah S. Gregg, S. Jacobson, McCrea & Machir, Edson B. Olds, Darius Pierce, Samuel Rogers and William Wolfly. Hardware : Samuel Marfield. Shoes : Robert Bell. Groceries : Samuel Diffenderfer, Duncan & Groce, T. G. Ehrnman, Michael Kellstadt, Ruggles & McQueen and Moses Kahn. Grocery and Confectionery: F. F. & G. F. Wittich. Drugs : Griswold & Ballard, Troup & Fickardt and Joseph H. Olds. Hotels : Pickaway House, Carlisle and Boyd ; National House, J. Try; American Hotel, Philo W. Rodgers. Publishers : Circleville Watchman, by O. E. Niles and Jason Case. Doctors : Marcus Brown, A. H. Blake, E. C. Clarke, Wayne Griswold, H. Chenoweth, C. H. Hawkes, N. E. Jones, Chester Olds, William L. Peck, Kingsley Ray, H. Taylor, Samuel Turney, R. L. Van Harlingen and P. K. Hull. Lawyers : Alfred Williams, P. C. Smith, W. F. Hurst, John Cradlebaugh, Charles B. Crouse, Guy W. Doane, Henry N. Hedges, Sr., Joash Miller, J. L. Wyman, F. C. Doddridge, A. T. Walling, B. H. Bostwick, Chauncey N. Olds, Joseph Olds, George Doane, H. F. Page, Jonathan Renick, C. B. Mason and Jeremiah Hall."