640 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER LXIV.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.*

CRESTLINE - ITS EARLY HISTORY-VERNON STATION-THE FIRST RAILROAD - LAYING OUT OF CRESTLINE - FIRST BUILDINGS- A RAILROAD TOWN - INCORPORATED - LIST OF MAYORS-EDUCATIONAL MATTERS - THE CHURCHES - SECRET SOCIETIES - GROWTH, HOTELS, ETC. - MILLS - THE PRESS - WATER WORKS.

THIS is comparatively a new place; a little more than thirty years ago, it was not thought of; consequently the "oldest inhabitant " is not in particular requisition in gathering its history. Men comparatively young remember when its site was a good place to hunt deer. It is generally flat about Crestline. and it has something of the appearance of a frontier railroad town, being very- muddy when muddy anywhere, though its general elevation is about the average; indeed, when laid out it was thought to be the highest point above son-level in the State, hence the name Crestline.

John Newman, who lived in the village of Leesville in 1840, says he was in the habit of coming down into the "big woods," where Crestline stands, to hunt deer, which were plenty, even at that late day- ; also wolves, wild turkeys, etc. It was a country very similar to certain portions of the Black Swamp, in the western part of the State, to-day ; flat, swampy, but the soil is rich and very valuable, when cleared of timber and cultivated. A Dutchman by the name of Harvey Aschbaugh, owned eighty acres of this valuable land, including the present site of Crestline. All that appeared to him valuable on the tract were the game, the timber, and a fine sulphur spring, the latter at present within the corporation limits. His cabin stood on the narrow, winding, muddy road that led from Mansfield to Leesville the first road through there.

* Now in Crawford county, formerly in Richland.

North of the Aschbaugh place, was a cabin occupied by a negro family, who owned the eighty acres upon which they resided. Where this family came from what was their name, or what became of them, is not remembered. Their cabin stood at what is now the west end of Main street and wits erected after the Aschbaugh cabin. About the time the negro cabin was erected, another cabin was erected directly east of it, on the adjoining eighty acres, at what is now the east end of Main street by Samuel Rutane, who had entered and purchased the land from the Government. Still further east of Rutane was the cabin of Benjamin Ogden on another eighty-acre lot: further cast still, on the Leesville and Mansfield road, stood the old log house called Seltzers TAver, in which, for many years, while all was a wilderness around, one Seltzer kept weary travelers in his rude loft, and fed them on "corn pone " and venison.

This was about the state of affairs, when the wave of civilization approached, and came down upon the doomed settlement, through the blare of a head-light and the fuss and thunder of a locomotive.

John Adam Thoman-a well-known name in Crestline first saw the locomotive coming; he could see the headlight through the dense woods in the direction of Cleveland, and knew it would strike that wilderness and scatter the wolves, deer and timber, like chaff before a hurricane, and immediately began his preparations to meet it and accept the inevitable. He pur-

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chased the eighty acres belonging to the negro family, paying What was then a high price, $600, and immediately began laying out a town in the woods. The road, however, struck the farm of Rutane, at the east end of Main street, where the company erected a little shanty for a depot, and called it Vernon Station. Rutane sold his place to a man named Conwell, who erected the first house near the station. It was on Main street, west of the railroad. Conwell afterward sold it to Rensselaer R. Livingstone, who laid out a town around the station. Here, then, the present town had its beginning, and many houses were erected around Vernon Station before Crestline was thought of. The Livingstone and Thomas Additions, as they are called (though really Crestline is the addition), are now the larger part of the town.

The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad has the honor of establishing Crestline. The charter for this road was granted in 1836, but it was not until February, 1851, that the road was opened for traffic. In 1850, however, trains were running as far as Shelby and Crestline. At that time, the road was a wooden one, comparatively speaking, the improved "T" rail not having been invented. For three years, Vernon Station had an opportunity to spread itself before it was interfered with by another railroad. It grew to be something of a place. A post office was established there; a hotel erected, called the Ohio House, kept by Michael Heffelfinger ; Messrs. Newman & Thoman started the first store, and kept a general stock, such as is usually kept in a country store. A grocery and provision store was also established about the same time, by Thomas Hall, who was a contractor, and engaged in building a section of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, then being rapidly pushed forward, and who established the provision store partly for the purpose of supplying his employee. Thoman and Livingstone were busy during these years, selling their lots, advertising the town, and erecting dwelling-houses for the accommodation of new residents and the numerous employes of the different contractors on the two roads.

On the 11th of April, 1853, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad was opened for traffic from Allegheny City to Crestline, a distance of 187 miles. Unfortunately for Vernon Station, it was for some reason ignored by this road, which crossed the Cleveland, Columbus & Indianapolis road a half a mile or more south of it, and immediately there was a rush for the junction. Thereafter Vernon Station was "left out in the cold."

Previous to this, a party of gentlemen concluded that money could be made out of this point on the road by laying out a new town. The names of these gentlemen were Jessie R. Strong, the chief engineer of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad; Thomas W. Bartley, of Mansfield, and John and Joseph Larwill, of Wooster-the latter gentlemen being well known in the early history of Mansfield and this county, as surveyors. Whether these gentlemen exerted sufficient influence to change the direction of the road slightly so that it should strike the other road at a point so far from Vernon Station as to give room to plat a new town, is not certainly known, but may be reasonably inferred, from the fact that the chief engineer was interested in the project, and that these gentlemen were connected with each other by marriage, if not by blood relationship. Be this as it may, it was perfectly legitimate. They purchased the eighty acres of Harvey Aschbaugh, across which it was determined to run the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, and laid out a town at the junction, which they called Crestline, and thereupon Vernon Station was abandoned. It, however, made little difference to the latter, as the two towns soon grew together and the line between the two plats was obliterated. The two railroads built a frame union depot which stood

642 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

there in the mud a squatty, ugly looking thing for years. In 1864, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad erected. the present fine brick edifice at the junction, which is used as a depot and hotel.

Jessie R Strong erected the first building in Crestline. It is yet standing close to the junction, on the north side of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, is two and a half dories in height, and one hundred and twenty five feet in length. When erected, it was considered one of the finest hotels in the State; was lighted with gas manufactured on the remises, and furnished with bath-rooms, hot and cold water, etc. It was called the Crestline House. It has been in continual use as a hotel, and is now called the Gibson House. Its first proprietor was Jacob Brown.

Soon after the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad was completed to Crestline, the Bellefontaine road made its appearance. It was first built between Galion, Ohio, and Union City, Ind., and afterward extended to Indianapolis and to Crestline. It was opened for business in July, 1853. For some years, it used the track of the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati. between Galion and Crestline, and then passed into the control of the latter road, which was thereupon changed to Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis, thus giving the road direct connection with St. Louis and the West. Crestline became immediately an important railroad point and grew rapidly, notwithstanding the unfavorable location.

Mr. Hall, the contractor before mentioned, erected the second building, on the north side of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, on Thoman street, and started a store, abandoning his business at the station and opening out a general stock at his new location. The first lots were sold at auction, and the first one sold was purchased by G. W. Emerson, who afterward sold it to Mr. Babst, who erected upon it the Emerson House the second hotel. Mr. Emerson kept this hotel many years. In March, 1854, an addition was made called East Crestline, which is within the present limits of Richland County, the maxi part of the town being now in Crawford County, though when platted, Crawford had not been formed, and the territory was included within the limits of Richland-the line of Richland then being about four miles west of Crestline.

It will be seen that Crestline is emphatically a railroad town; the crossing of two important trunk lines caused it to spring into existence, and the principal dependence of the place for its growth and prosperity was, and is to-day, upon these roads. There is an excellent farming country around it, but, Galion being only four miles away, Bucyrus and Shelby a short distance on either side of it, there was no occasion for its existence but the railroads ; take these away, and its farming community is not sufficiently strong, perhaps, to save it from a lingering death. But the same power that breathed into it the breath of life, yet sustains it. The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne ,& Chicago Railroad shops are located here, and these, together with other shops and foundries that have sprung up in connection with the railways, employ several hundred hands continually, that must be fed, clothed and lodged. The town was incorporated March 3, 1858, David Ogden being elected first Mayor, and William Kinsley first Recorder. The first Trustees were William P. Kernahan, E. Warner, Robert Lee, M. C. Archer and William Boals. The following is a list of the Mayors, who served in the order in which their names appear: Silas Durand, Samuel Hoyt, -Jacob Staley, Nathan Jones, Robert Lee, Jacob Staley, Dr. J. M. McKean, George W. Pierce, Nathan Jones, A. E. Jenner, Nathan Jones, Dr. Edwin Booth and Dan. Babst, the present (January, 1880) officer.

In educational matters, the town has not been neglected. Before the arrival of the railroads, j a district log schoolhouse stood about one and

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a half miles northwest of the present site of the town, on the Leesville road. This had been sufficient for educational purposes for many years, and a school was taught there as late as 1850. In 1853, when Crestline began to grow, a two-story frame school building was erected in the east part of the town, and shortly afterward, a similar one was erected in the west part. These two buildings served the purpose until 1868, when the present union-school building was erected. This building, which is an ornament and honor to the place, was designed by Mr. Thomas, and built by Miller, Smith & Frayer, contractors. The Board of Education, under whose supervision it was erected, were Jacob Stahle, President; D. W. Snyder, John Berry, S. P. Hesser, C. Miller and N. Jones. The cost of the building and furniture, together with the two lots upon which it stands, was $30,000. It is located on Columbus, between Union and Cross streets; is of brick, three stories above basement; seventy-two feet in length by sixty-five in greatest breadth; contains eleven schoolrooms, besides six smaller rooms used for offices, library, etc., and will accommodate 500 pupils. Adjoining the lots on which the building stands, is the school park, which consists of six town lots, and is beautifully diversified by gravel walks, evergreens and shade trees. In the center is an elegant fountain, around the base of which are six hydrants for drinking purposes. The building and surroundings are, indeed, well calculated, with an efficient corps of teachers, to improve the mental faculties of its pupils in a superior manner. Not only has the intellectual training of the children been well provided for, but the spiritual needs of the older people have been well attended to, there being . at this time seven churches in the town, occupied by as many different denominations.

The Methodist Episcopal is the oldest of these, having been organized about 1844, in what was then called Minnerly's Schoolhouse (now McCulloch's), and, as will be seen, some years before Crestline had an existence. John Lovitt was a prime mover in this organization. The church which is now standing on Thoman street was the first one erected by the society; it was erected in 1854 through the influence and personal exertions of Mr. Minnerly, David Thrush, David Kerr, Francis Cornwell, Mr. Howland, Francis Peppard and David White, who, with their wives and portions of their families, were a few of the first members. L. A. Markham is the present minister, and the present membership is about two hundred and fifty. The Sunday school connected with this church is one of the largest and most active, with a membership of 230.

The Trinity German Lutheran located on Main street was organized about 1851, in the schoolhouse; the members of the first organization being Michael Webber, Henry Lambert, George Hass, B. Faltz, John Keller and others. In 1861, they erected the present church edifice at a cost of $3,000. The first minister was the Rev. Meiser, who was followed by, M. Hatsberger, H. Smith, Rev. Haley and Martin Berkley, the lager being present Pastor. The present membership is about seventy. An active Sunday school is connected with the church; conducted by the officers, with a membership of sixty. Its organization is coeval with that of the church.

In 1879, Peter Sleenbecker, George Shaffer, George Snyder, George Sleenbecker, Michael Reh, Charles Christman, C. Morkel and others, becoming dissatisfied regarding some matters of church government, withdrew from the above church, organized a second German Lutheran society, and erected a church on East Mansfield street, costing about $4,000. Their first meetings; before the erection of their church, were held in the old German Reformed Church, which kept its doors open for them. Rev. Shultz, of Gallon, was their first minister, and was followed by Rev. Voegele, their present Pastor. Their

644 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Sunday school was organized about the same time, its present membership being about thirty. The church is not a strong one in numbers.

The English Lutheran Church was organized in 1854, by Rev. A. F. Hills ; the members of the first organization being David Lichtenwalter, A. W. Stone, William Kinsely, David Keplinger, E. Warner, David McCartel, D. Minich, Jane McCartel, Hannah Stine, Elizabeth Warner and Isaac Miller. Their early meetings were held in the private residences of the members, though the present frame church was erected about the same year the organization occurred. A. F. Hills was first Pastor, followed by A. B. Kirtland, D. I. Foust, H. K. Fenner and B. F. Crouse, the present minister. The present membership is about one hundred and seventy. The Sunday school is large, active and healthy, numbering about one hundred and sixty pupils. Henry Erkley is Superintendent.

The German Reformed Church, situated in the northwest part of the town, was organized in 1858, by Rev. M. Stern, of Galion. A few of the original members were David Bluem, Phillip and Frederick Eichorn, and Joseph Bender. For three or four years, their meetings were held in the English Lutheran Church ; but in 1862 they erected a brick church costing about $1,900. Their first minister after Stern was John Rettig, followed by John Winter. F. W Marcus is present Pastor, with a membership of 130. The organization of the Sunday school was coeval with that of the church, and now numbers about one hundred and twenty-five pupils William Lampert was first Superintendent.

The St. Joseph Catholic Church is located on North street. The present organization dates back to 1858, though services were held by different priests of the church many years before this. The few Catholics who were scatterer among the early settlers were frequently visited in this way, and meetings called at their resi deuces, some years before they were gatherer into a church. The church was organized by Father Gallagher of Cleveland, who was Pastor at Mansfield at the same time. The early meetings were held in the houses of Mike Dunn and Laurenz Raindl, who, with Patrick Duun, Mr. McNamara,.J A. Barrel and Thaddeus Seifert, were the original members. The present frame church was erected in 1861, at a cost of $1,000. The membership numbers about one hundred families, and the Sunday school about two hundred children. There is a day school in connection with the church, with one hundred and seventy pupils in attendance.

The Presbyterian Church of Crestline was organized February 20, 1855, in a small schoolhouse, by Rev. I. N. Shepherd, of Marion, Ohio, and Rev. Silas Johnson, of Bucyrus. Previous to this, however, Rev. Luke Dorland had collected the Presbyterians of the place. and preached to them at various times and places, for six or eight months. After the organization, meetings were held occasionally in the different churches of the village, already erected. The principal original members were John S. and Jane Smith, Alexander, Margaret and Martha J. Patterson, John and Mary White, Sampson Warden, John S. and Eliza Jane Banbright, B. and Mary Mansfield, and Samuel R. and Isabelle Graham.

The present church was erected in 1866-67. Rev. J. P. Lloyd was the first minister after the organization was effected, and continued in charge thirteen years. He was succeeded by Rev. James Shields, who remained seven years. The present Pastor, Rev. W. W. Macamber, succeeded Shields, November 18, 1879. The present membership is 200. A. M. Patterson is Superintendent of the Sunday-school, which is a large, active one, embracing 175 pupils, and was organized August 10, 1862.

The several secret societies at present in existence in the town are the Crestline Chapter. No. 88, R. A. M.; Arcane Lodge. No. 273, F. & A. M.; Crestline Lodge, No. 237, 1. O. O. F.; Crestline Division, No. 8, Conductor's

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Brotherhood; Labonah Encampment, No. 123 ; Crestline Commandery, No. 21.

Crestline has grown rapidly, and therefore is not as healthy as towns around it that have grown slower. Some of its streets are narrow, winding and dirty ; a large majority of its business houses near the railroads, where they are the most conspicuous to public view, are weather-beaten, tumble-down frames, jumbled together, big and little, in a triangular and almost every other shape, caused by trying to build them facing the railroads, and at the same time preserve the points of the compass. In fact, its general appearance is more that of a frontier town than of a solid, substantial, well-laid-out, healthy Ohio town. In addition to its railroads, their shops, etc., there are about a dozen hotels, and as many more boarding houses, some of which eke out a precarious existence boarding railroad employes. The hotel business has been overdone, and some of them are standing idle, or have been converted to other uses. The Continental, kept by Russell & Co., is the only first-clam house. It is heated by steam, lighted by gas, manufactured on the premises, has every convenience for the comfort of its guests, and charges accordingly. One excellent feature is the establishment in the building, above the gentleman's waiting-room, of a reading-room, where the waiting passengers may while away a pleasant hour, among the latest magazines and papers, in a pleasant room, instead of spending their time and money at the numerous saloons which still defy, not only in Crestline but everywhere else, the "boasted civilization of the nineteenth century."

The hotels are mostly located in the neighborhood of the depot. At present, there are five dry-goods stores, three drug, one book, three jeweler, and a large number of grocery stores and saloons; two banks, one publishing house, an iron foundry employing half a dozen hands, two wagon and carriage shops, one planing-mill, five lawyers, six physicians, besides the usual number of mechanics in every department of labor. The Continental Flouring Mill was erected in 1860, was a small affair, but has been in many different hands, improved many times, and is now capable of turning out 100 barrels of flour every twenty-four hours. It is owned by Russell, Daily & Co. It is the only gristmill in the town. Two saw-mills were erected in an early day (between 1850 and 1856), one by Lang & Miller, the other by S. B. Coe; both were within the limits of the present corporation; both have disappeared. It is a noticeable fact that the stationary sawmills once so plentiful in the county are fast disappearing. They will probably become a curiosity to the next generation, especially those propelled by water-power.

The Crestline Advocate was established in July, 1867, by A. Billow, its first editor and proprietor. It is independent in politics. Mr. Billow died in May, 1876, since which time the paper has been conducted by his son, D. C. Billow. It is successful and permanent. Its presses are run by water power furnished by the water-works.

It once had a competitor called the Independent Democrat, established by Jenner & Reed in 1873. It advocated the politics its name indicates and changed hands several times during its fleeting career. It was moved to Bucyrus in the summer of 1876, and shortly afterward discontinued.

One of the best of Crestline's institutions is its water-works; they are simple and inexpensive in construction, and furnish the purest of water, which, no doubt, contributes largely to the health of its citizens. The water is brought in a large wooden pipe from a power ful spring three miles east, in Springfield Township mentioned in the history of that township. It has a fall of 150 feet, from which considerable force may be obtained. It is carried over the town in smaller pipes, and uses for all purposes.