400 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. THE TIFFIN CHURN FACTORY, Organized by A. C. Baldwin & Co., is doing a good business; it prosecuted its work steadily during the late severe long panic, proving that the institution is in able hands. LOOMIS AND NYMAN'S FOUNDRY, Located near the bridge on Market street, started when, in 1847, they bought the old foundry then conducted by Jesse Wolf. They afterwards bought the property where Van Nest's carriage factory stood, and erected valuable buildings on the premises. The firm is now composed of John D. Loomis, Philetus Nyman and George Loomis. They employ about 28 hands and turn out work annually to the value of .$50,000. THE TIFFIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY Is also a joint stock company, doing a great deal of work, and in successful operation on Melmore street. THE TIFFIN WATER WORKS Were accepted by the council of the city in the fall of 1879. There are about 14 miles of water pipes in the city. The city pays rent for hydrants. There are now in Tiffin 26 grocery stores, 6 dry goods stores, 5 .clothing stores, 8 boot and shoe stores, i carpet store, 6 Millinery and fancy stores, 5 jewelry stores, 4 drug stores, 4 fruit, confectionery and bakery stores, 3 hardware stores, 4 stove and tin stores, 2 hat and .and cap stores, 2 china and crockery stores, 2 book and stationery stores, 3 furniture stores, 3 photograph rooms, 5 harness shops, 2 marble dealers, 4 cigar manufacturers, 6 printing establishments, 7 barber shops, 8 meat markets, 5 blacksmith shops, 6 carriage and wagon works, 2 breweries, 3 wholesale liquor stores, 3 music stores, 6 hotels, 5 boarding houses, r plumbing and gas-fitting store, 2 pump shops, about 50 saloons, 2 bent works factories, 2 sash, door and blind factories, foundry, 1 stove factory, I woolen mill, 1 churn factory, 2 shoe factories, the gas works, agricultural works and water works. There also three building loan associations in the city. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY Is a new creation and fitting up a fine room in the market house building. It was incorporated in March, 1880, and the following named persons are the officers of the institution, viz: SENECA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY - 401 President—R. W. Shawhan. Vice-Presidents—Mrs. W. P. Noble, Mrs. John D. Loomis. Secretary-C. H. Cramer. Treasurer—J. W. Chamberlain. Trustees—W. P. Noble, Francis Wagner, George G. Harriman, Flora Cronise, Mrs. Laura B. Sneath, Mrs. Laura G. Bunn . There will be a public opening of the library on the 12th of May, 1880. One thousand, six hundred volumes of books are already collected. There are also two bent works in the city. One on West Market street, owned by F. Smith, and the Other on Water street, carried on by the Fishbaugh Brothers. Both are doing successful business. There are also a number of brickyards in full operation, and a drain tile factory, carried on by John Heilman. Tiffin has also two flouring mills; one at the north end of the iron bridge, on Washington street, and the other on Mill street; the former runs by steam and the latter by water power; both in daily operation. Unable to give the exact amount I feel it safe to say that more than five millions of dollars are invested in the various industries in Tiffin. SENECA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The pioneer legislatures of Ohio comprehended their missions fully and passed laws for the promotion of agriculture, for the protection of stock, to open roads' to market, etc., etc. And the manner in which Seneca county threw off her mantle of "native wild " and prepared the way for civilized life, proves the high order of the intelligence of her pioneer farmers. First a cabin, then roads, then meeting-houses and school-houses, then mills, and one improvement after another. On the 7th of June, 1833, the following notice, was published in the Seneca Patriot: To THE CITIZENS OF SENECA COUNTY—Notice is hereby given that a meeting will be held at the Court House, in the town of Tiffin, (they had no court house), in the county of Seneca, on the 28th day of June inst., for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society, to be entitled the Seneca County Agricultural. Society, in pursuance of an act of the legislature, passed February 25, 1833. By order of the Board of Commissioners. DAVID E. OWEN, Clerk for the Commissioners. Nothing was done under this notice, however, for very many rea sons, the strongest of which was the fact that the people had nothing to exhibit; fancy stock in horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, etc., had not been introduced here as yet, and there would have been "no show." - 26 - 402 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. It was not long, however, until the subject was agitated again, and now another notice was published as follows: GOD SPEED THE PLOUGH. In conformity with the act entitled, "An act to authorize and encourage the establishment of agricultural societies in the several counties in this state," passed March 12, 1839, notice is hereby given that there will be a meeting held at the court house in Tiffin, on Saturday, the 1st day of January next, for the purpose of organizing, etc. G. J. KEEN, Auditor S. C. TIFFIN, December, 1841. The meeting was held, at the M. E. church. John Terry, Samuel Waggoner, Abel Rawson, A. Ingraham, W. Toll, Evan Dorsey, Louis Baltzell, Lloyd Norris, Jacob S. Jennings, R. G. Pennington, Andrew Moore, George Stoner, J. W. Wilson and others took active part. Samuel Waggoner was elected president; A. Ingraham, vice-president; Evan Dorsey, recording secretary; R. G. Pennington, corresponding secretary; Lloyd Norris, treasurer; Terry, Moore and Stoner, executive committee. A constitution was adopted. Thus the society was put on foot and has flourished ever since. Its county fairs are amongst the best in the state. It owns about twenty-five acres of land near College Hill, between North Greenfield and Portland roads, well provided with halls, race track and stalls. Its present officers are: N L. Brewer, president; Jacob Rickenbaugh, vice-president; H. J. Weller, secretary; John M. Kaull, treasurer. There are eighteen managers, one from each township, two from the city and one from the county at large. The vast majority of the most successful business men in Tiffin are those who commenced the world with very little capital, or none at all, and I take pride to record the fact, that the leading characters in all branches of industry here, are self-made men. Some have already been named, and a few more only will now be noticed. MR. JOHN D. LOOMIS Was born November 3, 1811, in Osego county, New York and was raised in Cayuga county, same state. He came to Ohio in 1839 and located in New Haven where he remained five years, and then removed to Licking county, Ohio, where he .remained two years, and In 1847 removed to Tiffin, Ohio, where he has remained ever since. The firm, of which he has been the head ever since its location, has not only constantly increased since its location here, but has never been under the necessity of borrowing a dollar. MR. JOHN M. NAYLOR Was born at Wooster, Ohio, on the 9th of December, 1822. When a boy he became a dell in a store in Wooster, then carried on by Messrs. Jacobs and Kanke. This was in 1834. In 1847 Mr. Naylor, in company with Mr. Harvey Howard, of Wooster, opened a hardware store in Tiffin, which they carried on here until 1851, when Mr. Howard sold his interest, and the store from that time was conducted in the name of Naylor & Pittenger up to 1855. From that time to 1857 Mr. Naylor conducted the business alone, for three years, when he was joined by a brother, W. W. Naylor, and the firm was called Naylor & Bro. This firm was continued to March 4, 1866, when William W. Naylor died, and the immense establishment has ever since been carried on by Mr. Naylor alone. On the 11th day of December, 1849, Mr. Naylor was married to Cornelia, daughter of Judge Pittenger. In 1857 he built. the beautiful villa on Melmore street, where he still resides. The mother of Mr. Naylor was a sister to Judge Musgrave, of Crawford county. An uncle by marriage was Judge Dean, of .Wayne county, and my esteemed friend, Judge E. V. Dean, of Ironton, Ohio, is a full cousin of J. M. Naylor. Mr. Naylor's life is a fine specimen of a self-made, successful career, based upon industry, economy, ability and honesty. Ever busy, late and early, with a friendly word for everybody, it is a matter of perfect wonder where he ever found time to make himself master of history, civil government and universal geography. HENRY GROSS. In the outset of this enterprise, the writer intended to say as little as possible about the living, but to recall the past and present it to the reader in its true light. Having unavoidably touched a few of the living, it would wrong the harmony of the work did I not also mention another distinguished Tiffinite, who, by his genius and skill, has won for himself a national reputation. Seneca county has not been slow in producing men of distinction in almost every department of life. Our farmers are celebrated for having made, Seneca county the first "wheat county " in Ohio; our mechanics are equal, at least to the best of them; our lawyers and doctors are men of note; the nation found a president as near to Seneca county as possible; we have furnished the state with two state treasurers, one governor, one lieutenant-governor and came within 29,000 votes of furnishing another; we have sent four of our citizens to con- 404 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. gress and three colonels to the war, with a fair prospect of sending another; the United States sent one of our citizens to represent her in China, and Pere Hyacinthe married one of our fair daughters. Henry Gross is the second son of Henry Gross, sen., mentioned in a former chapter. He was born July. 21, 1813. When a boy he made himself busy in his father's gun shop and learned the use of tools. As he grew up he formed a great taste for music and the fine arts, and while he acquired and mastered the gunsmith trade, became also an inventor. He secured a patent for a breech-loading rifle, and, in company with Mr. Ed..Gwynn, started a factory. In this, as in almost all his business undertakings, he allowed himself to be over-reached and proved to his friend that he was more of a genius than a financier. He secured many patents on ingenious steel and iron works, time-locks on safes, etc. While he was in the employ of the " Hall Safe and Lock Co.," in Cincinnati, for many years, he was sent for from very many places in the United States to open safes that by some accident had become fastened and nobody found to open them. Mr. Gross traveled many thousand miles on missions of that nature, and never failed in any case. He often astounded the bystanders in opening safes in a few minutes when ethers had worked for days.. It is safe to say that there is not a safe made anywhere that Mr. Gross cannot open in a very short time without knowing anything about the combinations. Were it not for his high order of character and strict integrity, he would certainly be a dangerous man to run at large. Of his latest and best invention, the papers are full of praise, and a copy of an article that appeared in the Southern Merchant of November, 1879, is here added to show how Mr. Gross' genius is appreciated by other people, and not to have it said that William Lang runs wild with his love for old Seneca and his friends. But here is the article: In our occupation as journalists, recording the current events of the times —the affairs of governments and political movements, the evil doings of the criminal classes, the gyrations of society, the theatrical stellar attractions, the condition of the great manufacturing interests, the prospects of the growing crops, and the excitement in the great commercial marts, and the educational, religious, and æsthetical interests, it sometimes becomes our duty as well as pleasure to sing the praises of the. great geniuses and thinkers who overcome the obstacles of nature and- utilize her forces for the good, comfort and happiness of mankind—the men who have a keen appreciation of the disadvantages under which sorrowing humanity toil, and strive to attain happiness, and put forth their best energies to dissipate them. As one of this illustrious band we take pleasure in classing Mr. Henry Gross, of Cincinnati, Ohio, with whom' we had a delightful and instructive HENRY GROSS - 405 interview, learning. of his achievements in the various branches of the mechanic arts to which he has turned his attention and thoughts. His name is familiar to almost every banker throughout the country as a skilled expert and the inventor of the finest time and permutation locks extant, and they will no doubt be pleased to learn that he has-again come to their aid, promIsing them still further protection from the hands of lawlessness. We have neither time nor space to record all the incidents of his eventful career, devoted as it has been to many fields of inventive research, but we wish to speak somewhat limitedly of his later achievements in the construction of devices for the preservation of accumulated wealth, the reward of industry, from the natural and human enemies which beset the possessor' we mean his improvements in the construction of those trusty safeguards of the merchant and banker, the fire and burglar-proof safes and vaults, and the locks and bolt-work thereof. Mr. Gross has bad the most intimate and varied experience in the construction of safes and locks during the past ten years,, and as an expert has been invariably successful in exposing the weaknesses of safes put upon the market by their makers with the false claims to security. As the result of this rich and varied experience, we are not therefore surprised that Mr. Gross has apparently reached the goal of excellence in this particular art, and we, will take pleasure in speaking somewhat in detail of his various ;improvements. First and foremost he exhibith a burglar-proof safe for bankers' use, the door of which is guarded when closed by the most simple and compact bolt work; so constructed that it presents a resistive strength to fracture equal to five times that of any system of train bolts now in use, and this bolt work, with the locks to guard it, is operated by a massive, invulnerable welded steel and iron disc,, hung upon inner and outer bearings so truly and perfectly that it can be revolved like a top under the slightest pressure, while it is secured so strongly and closely in a corresponding opening in the body of the door that it would require tons of pressure or shock to remove it. The more immediate cause that developed the necessity of this new departure in safe construction lay in certain discoveries made. by Mr. Gross in the course of his expert occupation of opening safes whose locks had become deranged or the combinations lost by carelessness. He found by experimental test that the various spindles or arbors in common use, by means of which the locks and bolt work were manipulated, could be successfully assailed, so that he seldom consumed more than two hours, and usually about half that time or less, in utterly destroying them and entering the safe. Feeling that such safes could not be conscientiously recommended to the public as burglar-proof, he devised the above described improvement, which entirely does away with the use of spindles or arbors, and with this disc arrangement the safe has then nothing passrng through it, and the door and walls are solid alike. Mr. Gross stakes his professional reputation on the merits of this .invention, which only. requires to be seen to be appreciated ; its simplicity is apparent to everyone, and the practical man can readily see that the inventor has simply taken advantage of the best construction to secure maximum strength in the materials used. The locks employed to secure this safe are the result Of much study, and 406 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. are most admirably adapted to the purpose. The time movement and permutation tumblers are closely connected within a space' of two inches square, and perform all the functions of the ordinary bulky time and combination locks of ten times the size, while possessing new features of convenience and security that will be readily appreciated by users. Mr. Gross also finally presents a fire-proof safe, of excellent design and calculated per maximum efficiency in the protection of its contents from fire. All the inventions of Henry Gross, from his first " time lock," show the master's hand of genius; and now that he has practically demonstrated the excellence and invulnerability of the two last efforts of his skill, it is sincerely to be hoped that bankers, county treasurers, and those who use safes 4 generally, will look at the merits of his make before they buy the productions of mendacious manufacturers, whose main merits consist in the liberal use of printer's ink. If Mr. Gross' executive and financial abilities were equal to his genius, he would have been a millionaire long since. THE PRESS. The various newspaper enterprises that were established in Tiffin from time to time, the incidents connected with them, the political views they advocated, the questions that agitated the public mind from time to time, and the greater or lesser lights' that figured on the affirmative and negative sides of these questions, the results obtained by the elections and all that and more, would make a very interesting book, and it is hoped some Tiffinite will some day take up the subject and write up a volume. A short history of these establishments in Tiffin, without comment, is all that is intended here. The first newspaper published in the county was the Seneca Patriot, E. Brown, editor and proprietor. The little hand press upon which it was printed was procured from. Mr. J. P. McArdle, who claimed for it that it was the first printing press brought to Ohio. The first number was issued August 4th, 1832. Its motto was, " Constitutional Rights, Republican Institutions, and Union Forever." The paper came out as circumstances would permit. Sometimes the editor was out of paper; sometimes out of ink. Public patronage was not very good, and the notices and work from the county officials formed the principal part of his support. The greatest trouble of all, however, was the triangular fight between the political parties. The .Patriot was the only paper in the county, and Mr. Brown undertook to accommodate them all, and secure custom from each. He proposed, therefore, to devote a certain space of each paper to articles suitable to the ideas of each party, and headed them " Clay politics," "Jackson THE PRESS - 407 politics," " Wirt politics." For awhile he abstained from taking any part and remained neutral, but the Whigs blamed him with partiality, sent in one communication after another, and he bore up with wonderful courage for a while. Finally the thing got so pressing, and the anti-Masons so boisterous, that Mr. Brown lost all' power of endurance, and finally, on the 27th of October, 1832, he came out in an editorial to declare his true position. He could stand it no longer. He complained of men of the three parties who were so unreasonable as to claim more than their share of the paper, and being refused, threatened to injure the paper, etc. He finally concluded by saying : " Should we be compelled to haul down our tricolored flag, or to be more explicit, we shall undoubtedly hoist true American colors, and if we are driven from our position we shall assuredly declare for Andrew Jackson and the Democratic party." Now the Whigs withdrew their patronage; Ebert and Mercer came out in an open card and refused to support the paper because it was no longer neutral. Brown had gone over to the Jackson men. In the next issue the editor says: "From what has already transpired we are convinced we can never give satisfaction while we pursue the course first prescribed. Party feeling is so much excited in this place, that jealousies will arise, and unpleasant measures will be taken, however just our cause may be." That settled it. Mr. Elisha Brown sometime after took sick and died at Cincinnati. His son, J. H. Brown, carried on the paper for a short time thereafter, and then sold the press and material to Mr. Alonzo Rawson. Before proceeding further in the history of the press, let us record such evidence as can be secured to preserve the history of this old press, which is certainly very remarkable. It was brought to Washington, Pennsylvania, by a Mr. Colerick, prior to the year 1800, from some place on the Atlantic coast. It was removed from Washington to Wellsburg, Virginia, about the year 1820, by J. P. McArdle, who was a very Polite and intelligent Scotchman, and lived with his family for a long time in Republic, where one of his sons, Ed. McArdle, still resides. Mr. J. P. McArdle moved this press to Mount Vernon, Ohio, where he published the Register in 1816, and the above date of 1820 must be erroneous. From Mount Vernon the press was removed to Clinton, and from there in 1827 to Norwalk. Here it became the property of the Messrs. Browns, who took it to Sandusky City and brought it from there to Tiffin in 1832. The Seneca Advertiser, speaking of this old press' one time, said: 408 - HISTORY OF SENECA .COUNTY. " It must be acknowledged that this venerable press, in the service of half a century, has earned at least the reputation of a faithful herald of a noisy world.' It has no doubt emblazoned to the world the achievements of many an eminent statesman, and probably chronicled as they occurred the stirring events which gave our government its national existence. Commencing its tour of pilgrimage upon the Atlantic coast, it has wound its way to the fancied 'far west.' It is indeed a relic of other days. He who would compare, at this day, that sturdy lever with the vast improvements made upon its like, since its first clays, would behold one of the most astonishing and remarkable evidences of human skill ever developed in any branch of scientific or mechanical invention." If this be the first press (and it undoubtedly was) that crossed the Alleganies, it should become the property of the west, and here be preserved to attest the improvements in the " art preservative of arts." Mr. Alonzo Rawson, who bought the press, issued the first number of the Independent Chronicle and Seneca Advertiser on the 26th of April, 1834. Making his bow to the people he said he would be independent in politics, and advocate measures, not men. He soon, however, leaned over to the Whigs very strongly, and the leading Democrats put their heads together to buy Rawson out. Mr. Josiah F. Reed purchased the office from Mr. Rawson, and issued the first number of the Tiffin Gazette and Seneca Advertiser in the last week in November, 1835, as the organ of the Democracy. During a large portion of the year 1836, it seems that there was no paper published in Lower Sandusky, for nearly or all the official notices from Sandusky county during that time were published in the Gazette here. In the latter part of February, 1838, Luther A. Hall, who was one of the principal leaders of the Whigs of .Seneca county, bought the whole concern of Mr. Reed, and immediately handed it over to Mr. Joseph Howard, who was one of the early lawyers here, and the second clerk of the common pleas court, a Whig, of course. Mr. Howard kept the name of the Gazette for his paper, but dropped the Advertiser. In his inaugural he says that he must have the support of all people who want a newspaper, and throws himself upon the Whig party especially. Mr. Howard, after one or two issues, sold the concern to Samuel A. Gristwold, who issued his first number on the 7th day of April, 1838, and conducted it as the organ of the Whigs until the fall of 1842, when it was discontinued. Mr. Griswold is at present the editor of the Lancaster (Ohio) 'Gazette, which has been under his charge for many years. What has become of the old press ? Now came on the ides of the ever memorable campaign of 1840, and the Democrats without a news- THE PRESS - 409 paper ! " Willenskraft 'Wege schafft," 'says an old German proverb. Money was raised, a new press and type purchased, and the Van Burenite saw the light of day; " Cronise and others, editors and proprietors." The " others " were Joshua Seney and Gabriel J. Keen. In the fall of 1841 the Van Burenite. was discontinued, and in the following spring Mr. John G. Breslin purchased the concern and issued The Seneca Advertiser. The first number was published on the 6th of May, 1842 Mr. Breslin conducted the Advertiser until 1854, when it was leased to John Flaugher, who continued it about one year, and was. succeeded by W. W. Armstrong, now of the Cleveland Plaindealer, until the year 1857, when Mr. Armstrong purchased, the concern and became its proprietor, 'as well as its editor. He continued the paper until the spring of 1863, when he rented the , office to Messrs. Beilharz. & Myers to take charge of the office of secretary of state, to which he was elected in October, 1862. About one year thereafter Mr. Beilharz withdrew, and J. M. Myers had charge of the office alone, and has edited the paper ever since, with his acknowledged ability. The office has. been vastly enlarged and improved, and the Myers Brothers have lately abandoned steam power and substituted water power to run their presses. In the line of politics the office has made no change since. the first issue of the Van Burenite, now forty long years. The inaugural address of the Van Burenite was written by Joshua. Seney, Esq , and, a copy is preserved in the appendix to this book, which see. In the summer of 1848 my esteemed old friend, John G. Breslin, was a candidate for member of the house of representatives of Ohio. The leaders of the Democratic party, undertook to publish a German Democratic newspaper in the office, of the Advertiser, and thereby aid in rallying the German citizens in support of the Democratic party In conformity with this plan an address was issued and circulated among the Democrats of the county to raise funds, of which the following is a copy. To________ The undersigned, Democratic central committee of Seneca county, desire to secure the publication of a German Democratic paper in'Tiffin for the campaign, and, if properly sustained, design making it a permanent issue. Of the success of this enterprise we entertain no doubt, if we can secure sufficient means to purchase the necessary type, etc. We have made arrangements to secure the use of the press, etc., of the Seneca Advertiser office, and it now remains only for us to raise the amount necessary to enable us to pro-- cure the- above articles. The expense of sustaining the paper, etc., after its commencement,. will be 410 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. borne here by our friends in subscriptions.. Our desire in addressing you is, to solicit such aid as you may deem proper, to extend, to enable us to commence the publication. And we assure you that such aid as you may afford will be gratefully receiVed, and faithfully applied to the purpose intended, and the furtherance of democratic principles in northwestern Ohio. The necessity of a German Democratic paper in this section of the State—located, too, in the banner district of Ohio—will be apparent to you, when we state that there are in this (Seneca) county about eight hundred German Democratic voters—at least twenty-five hundred in this congressional district—and doubtless from fifteen to twenty thousand in northwestern Ohio—among whom we can number some of the most unyielding Democrats in the State—yet are comparatively destitute of the means of acquiring political information. If successful in commencing this publication, we feel assured hundreds, if not thousands, can be rallied to the polls, and many induced to a speedier naturalization, who have heretofore felt indifferent as to the importance of acquiring the right's of citizens, and the glorious privileges of an American freeman—and thus swell, by thousands, the Democratic vote of Ohio. For such amount as may be contributed by yourself, and other friends, in your place, we will, of course, furnish the proper number of papers, weekly, in remuneration. Will you exert yourself actively among the friends of the cause, and advise us as soon as possible of your success, etc. ? JOEL W. WILSON, RICHARD WILLIAMS, WILLIAM LANG, JOHN G. BRESLIN. Democratic Central Committee. TIFFIN, February 4, 1848. This call was answered by funds sufficient to purchase a lot of type for a German paper, and the first copy of the Seneca. Adler made its appearance about the latter part of April, 1848, and appeared weekly for just six months; William Lang was the editor, and John G. Breslin the publisher. At the end of this time, Mr. Breslin was elected a member of the general assembly, and getting ready to go to Columbus, had nobody to look after the Adler in the office, and the writer found other and more profitable employment. The Adler was the first German paper published in Seneca county. The next German newspaper published here was the Unsere Flagge, J. M. Zahm. editor and proprietor; and the third, Die Tiffin Presse, George Homann, editor and proprietor; both of which shall be noticed again. On the 18th of. November, 1845, the first number of the Whig-Standard was issued by George L. Wharton, editor. The following is the conclusion of the editor's " salutatory," viz : " We shall enter our protest against the Locofoco party and labor ardently for the preservation of those principles bequeathed to us by the patriots of the revolution—the principles of the Whig party—a. 'party whose origin was THE PRESS - 411 our country's revolution, and whose fidelity and patriotism achieved our independence. Upon this broad platform we shall stand, adhering firmly to liberty, despising anarchy and despotism with an eye single to the interest of our country, feeling assured that upon the integrity of the Whig party, rests our destiny as a nation." Mr. Wharton conducted the Standard until 1848, when he was followed by, Abraham Laubach, who continued it only one year, and sold out to Captain McKee, who conducted the paper until 1855, when W. C. Gray became its editor, and changed the name to the Tiffin Tribune. He left in 1861, at which time John Robbins purchased it, and continued its publication until 1865, when it again changed hands, passing into the possession of Abraham Kagy, who edited it but a short time, when Messrs. Myers and Miller bought him out; and published the, paper until 1868. In November of the year 1868, Messrs. Charles N. Locke and Otis T. Locke purchased the office, and it has ever since been continued under the firm name of Locke & Bro When the Whig party merged over and into the Republican party, the Tribune followed the transit, and has ever since been the organ of the Republican party of Seneca county. The paper has a large circulation, and is very ably edited by 0. T. Locke, who is still at his post. In October, 1854, J. M. Zahm, Esq., started a German paper called Unsere Flagge, and continued the publication until January, 1867. It supported Democratic principles from an independent standpoint The office was purchased by Elmer White and Frank Rader in 1868, Who commenced the publication of an English paper, independent in politics, calked the Tiffin Star. In October, 1873, Messrs. J. K. Huddle and Frank Dildine purchased the office, the latter retiring in 1874, after which time the paper was published by Mr. Huddle. alone, who turned it into a daily, made a most spicy sheet, and the first daily newspaper Tiffin ever had. It is to be regretted that Mr. Huddle was not sustained with funds, as he should have been, until the' office could rely upon its own resources, which it would have done in a short time after it failed. The Tiffin Presse, George Homann, editor and proprietor, made its first appearance on the 6th day of January, 1871; is Democratic in its views; has a large circulation, is generally admired by the German community in the county, and' is very ably edited. , The Evening Herald was established January 9th, 1877. It is a spicy little daily, well managed; H. C. Kepple, publisher and proprietor; W. H. Kepple, editor. The Tiffin Gazette, Charles, L. Zahm, editor and proprietor, issued 412 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. its first number in April, 1878. It was a weekly neutral family newspaper, well edited, and very clean and neat in its mechanical appearance, decidedly the most readable family paper published in the city; appeared only about one year, when it was suspended for want of proper patronage. Mr. Zahm sold the office some time afterwards to D. J. Statter, Esq., who, as the editor and proprietor of the Tiffin News, a weekly family newspaper, issued the first number on April 3, 1880. It is a beautiful and interesting four page sheet. The circulation of all these weeklies is about 5,000. In addition to all these newspapers, large quantities of daily papers from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo and Chicago are sold by the newsboys. There are more that 5,000 newspapers and 3,000 periodicals .distributed at the Tiffin postoffice every week in addition to the above. What further proof is required to show that Tiffin contains a reading population ? The letters and papers sent by the Tiffin postoffice number over 15,000 per week. Foreign dailies are sold to the number of 300 or more by the newsboys. WILLIAM W. ARMSTRONG. Hitherto, in glancing over the history of the press in Tiffin, very little has been said about two distinguished men connected with it, and who did more than any of their predecessors to elevate the tone of the press and improve the style mentally and mechanically, thus fitting it to the demands of the age and the requirements of a higher order of newspaper literature. One of these men is the subject of this sketch, and if time and material can be procured before this chapter goes to the printer, there will also be added a short pen-picture of the other. Mr. Armstrong was born in New Lisbon, Ohio, on the 18th day of March, 1833. He is the youngest son of General John Armstrong, a prominent and influential citizen of Columbiana county. In 1847, on the 27th day of May, when only two months past fourteen years of age, William became an apprentice to the printing business in the office of the Seneca Advertiser, at Tiffin, then published by John G. Breslin, Esq., a position he was compelled to take owing to the financial reverses of his father. William was then a small boy, and the writer, being an old friend of Mr. Breslin, and visiting the office of the Advertiser very often, well remembers the little fellow sitting at the desk trying penmanship, and looking up into my face with his large blue, sad eye, that seemed to speak of homesickness or loss of friends. Our old THE PRESS - 413 citizens too, well remember the boy with his red curls, his friendly face, his polished manners, as he delivered his newspapers every week for a couple of years. It was not long after his arrival here until William had a host of friends among the older classes of our citizens. His sprightliness and ability soon endeared him to his employer, Mr. Breslin, who made him one of his family. Mr. Armstrong worked at his trade, occasionally contributing to the editorial columns of the Advertiser, until 1852. When Mr. Breslin was treasurer of state, he tendered him the office of register of the bank department of the state treasurer's office, which he filled with the satisfaction of the banks and the treasurer for about two years. The life of a clerk was distasteful to young Armstrong, and he returned to Tiffin in 1854, purchased the Advertiser, and entered on his majority and editorial career about the same time. The young writer being an ardent Democrat, the Advertiser was conducted as a Democratic organ of the strictest sect, and he being. a good business manager and a vigorous writer, soon made his paper a power in northwestern Ohio. In 185; he was appointed by President Buchanan postmaster at Tiffin, an office which he held until 1861, when he was retired by a Republican successor. On the 10th of November, 1857, Mr. Armstrong was married to Miss Sarah V., the youngest daughter of Josiah Hedges, Esq. Their union has been blessed with three children, two boys, both now dead, and one daughter, Miss Isabella H., surviving Mr. Armstrong's position in politics in Seneca county, and his genial nature, made him a strong man in his party in the state, and his strength was manifested in 1862, when, although still but twenty-nine years of age, he was elected secretary of state of Ohio. His determination to make that office one of importance is shown by the fact that under his administration its reports became the most interesting of any of t he state departments. He collected election statistics, facts, etc., which made the report much sought after. He served as secretary from 1863 to 1865, during the period of our great civil war, and although an ardent Democrat, was in favor of the maintenance of the union. His name will be found on the commissions of many thousands Of officers of the union. army from Ohio, who served during the war of the rebellion. After Mr. Armstrong had served one term of two years, the Republicans returned to power in Ohio and he was again at liberty to return to his favorite pursuit of journalism. He accordingly, in April, 1865, purchased the material of the lately 414 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. suspended Cleveland Plaindealer, and selling the Tiffin Advertiser to the Messrs Myers, he transferred his efforts to the metropolis of northern Ohio, the city of Cleveland. Owing to the death of J. W. Gray and subsequent unskillful management the Plaindealer had been brought, into a very unfortunate condition, as was indicated by its suspension. It is a severe task to revive a dead newspaper, yet Mr. Armstrong not only did that, but in a few years made the Plaindealer one of the leading newspapers of the west. A clear, vigorous, ready writer, self-educated and nervy, he naturally took a bold, aggressive course, and neither friends nor enemies had the slightest difficulty in knowing what he. meant. He showed himself on all occasions a Democrat of the school of Jackson and Benton, unswerving in favor of state rights, home rule and hard money, and those time-honored principles he was prepared to maintain against all opposition, either by voice or pen, for if Mr. Armstrong had made any efforts he would have taken rank as a very graceful orator and stumper. In, 1868 Mr. Armstrong was elected delegate at large from Ohio to the Democratic national convention, which met at New York, and which nominated Horatio Seymour for president. In 1872 he came within a few votes of securing the nomination for congress in the Seneca—Erie district. In 1873 he removed his family permanently to Cleveland, and settled in a beautiful little home. In 1876 he was chosen by the Democrats of the Cuyahoga district, the second in point of population and wealth in the state, to represent them in the St. Louis Democratic national convention, and again in 188o the same compliment was paid him, by the same district, and he was chosen a delegate to the convention which nominated Hancock and English for president and vice-president. His co-delegates to that convention selected him as the member of the Democratic national executive committee from Ohio. One young printer boy from old Seneca has made himself a reputation as an able and capable politician. In every capacity in life in which he has been tried, he has been found equal to the occasion.. A biography in the history of Cuyahoga county says of Mr. Armstrong: " What he is in his office, he is out of it, a man of decided convictions and strong will, always a potent force in the councils of his party and in the community in which he lives." He never has allowed his strong party feelings to control him in his personal and social relations, and he numbers warm friends in all parties. His career is one that has been watched with satisfaction by every resident of Seneca. county. THE PRESS. - 415 THE " SENECA WHIG." Tracing the history of the press in Tiffin, I came very near forgetting to record a very strange feature in the history. of, the old Whig party that affected the old' Whigs in Seneca county, and resulted in the establishment of another newspaper called the Seneca Whig. The great question of slavery divided and finally broke down the old Whig party, The Democrats were called pro-slavery men because they could see no constitutional way to get rid of the evil. Many leading men in the Whig party had less constitutional scruples about the question, and organized the " Free Soil'party." A host of Democrats joined them; even Martin Van Buren, on whose account, and in whose defense of "Florida war," " gold spoons," " sub-treasury," etc., etc., the Democrats had suffered countless abuse, left them and became the candidate of the "Free Soilers " for the presidency in 1848, with Adams for vice-president. The regular Whigs supported Taylor and Filmore. There was considerable of a stampede from the Democratic party to the " Free Soilers " in some states and just enough to defeat Messrs. Cass and Butler, the candidates of the Democrats. If the course pursued by Mr. Van Buren was the satisfaction of a revenge against Cass, it-free-soiled Van-Buren's fame as a statesman and patriot. A very respectable number of the Whigs of Seneca county leaned over to free-soilism, and Mr. Wharton with his Standard supported their cause. This left the old regulars without a paper, and the Clay Whigs said some unpleasant things to Mr. Wharton. Some withdrew their subscriptions and advertisements. In less than a month after Wharton had hoisted the Van Buren banner, a press and type, cases and printers, were brought to Tiffin and the first issue of the Seneca Whig saw the light of day on the 29th day of September, A. D. 1848, calling upon the old " faithful and true " to stand firmly by Taylor and Filmore. And they did. Captain J. W. Filler was the editor. He was a very nice looking young man, but a little reckless about running into debt. The paper continued about two years and then became the propertY of somebody who took it to Findlay. Four years thereafter the Whigs made their last, grand rally under General Scott and were defeated. Free- soilism had assumed proportions. THE SENECA COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION. This society should not be overlooked, though it did go into dilapidation by neglect. After much talk and publishing notices in the newspapers of Tiffin, an organization was effected on the 22d of, February, 416 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY. 1869, at a meeting held in the city hall, of Tiffin in conformity. with the call hereto attached. This notice was published only eleven short years ago, and already more than one-half of the signers have passed over the troubled ocean `of life; but their names should be preserved. A PIONEER ASSOCIATION-OLD FOLKS, ATTENTION ! As one after another of the old settlers of Seneca county are leaving us, and their number is continually growing less, we express but a general wish when we call on you, the survivors, whom a kind Providence, has, in his mercy, spared up to this time, to meet with us at the next anniversary of Washington's birthday, February 22; 1869, at 10 o'clock A. M., in the City Hall, in Tiffin, for the purpose of organizing a Pioneer Association. We desire to preserve among the archives of the association, the names of the old settlers, both male and female, and incidents of frontier life in this county. Let us meet and organize in the morning, adjourn for dinner; and spend the afternoon in social chat, listening to speeches,. frontier anecdotes, etc. We would also invite as many of other friends as can make it -convenient to' be with us; believing that to see the old " bushwhackers " together would afford them pleasure.