The
population of Plain City at this time is about
1,500, and of that number 400 reside in Jerome
township. The flouring mill, owned and
operated by U. D. Beard, is located on the
west bank of Darby Creek in Jerome Township.
The mill was erected by Dr. W. I. Ballinger
and Richard Woodruff in 1873, and has always
done a good business, handling a large amount of
grain.
The Plain City M. E. Church is located in Jerome
Township. the church building is beautiful and
commodious, the congregation numbering about 500,
with a large and flourishing Sunday School.
The Church Society of Pleasant Valley was organized
in the cabin of Andrew Noteman about the year
1812, and has been in existence continuously, the
majority of the congregation residing in Madison
County. Rev. S. A. Stephan is the
minister in charge at this time.
Pastime Park, joining the village on the north,
is located on the old farm owned in the early days
by William McCune, who also operated quite an
extensive tannery. The park contains 27 acres
of ground, and has a fine race-track for matinee
races and training horses. The grove of
natural forest trees is beautiful, and a great
pleasure resort. Chautauqua meetings are held
in the park every year. the "City of Tents"
ILLUSTRATIONS:
ROBERT L. WOODBURN
86th O. V. I.
Major
Llewellyn B. Curry
Paymaster U. S. Navy |
Captain
James Cutler
2nd U. S. I., 1st O. V. C.,
Civil War-Mexican War. |
Dunallen
M. Woodburn
58th O. V. I. |
Captain
James A. Curry
War of 1812 |
during these meetings is quite large
and the attendance is numbered by thousands.
Many picnics and Fourth of July celebrations were held
on these grounds before the Civil War. Some of
the older citizens recall these celebrations held
every year in Pleasant Valley, and in those days the
meetings were patriotic indeed. Usually one
good speaker, the reading of the Declaration of
Independence, a few patriotic songs, music by a good
martial band, made a day of real enjoyment.
Long tables were erected, filled with the
substantial "fat of the land," and a free dinner for
al.
In the year 1833 Otway Curry, who resided in a
log house on the exact spot where now stands the
residence of Charles M. Jones, composed a
poem especialy for the Fourth of July celebration.
It was set to the music of Pleyel's Hymn Second, and
sung July 4th, 1833, in Bigelow's Grove, Pleasant
Valley, under the leadership of Nelson Cone.
The poem will be herewith published as a part of the
early history of Pleasant Valley, frequently
referred to by the newspapers of today.
"God of the high and boundless
heaven,
We call upon Thy name;
We tread the soil that Thou hast given
To Freedom and to fame.
Around us on the ocean waves
Our starry banners sweep,
Around us in their lowly graves
Our patriot fathers sleep.
With fearless hearts and stalwart
hands
They bore the eagle high
O'er serried arms and battle brands
Careering in the sky;
For Freedom, in her darkest day,
Their life-blood bathed the plain;
Their mouldering tombs shall pass away,
Their glory shall remain.
God of the Free, Thy children bless,
With joy their labor crown;
Let their domain be limitless,
And endless their renown.
Proclaim the morn of Freedom's birth
O'er every land and sea,
till her pure spirit fill the earth,
Wide as the heavens are free."
The farm which Mr.
Charles M. Jones owns and on which he resides,
adjoins Plain City on the north and was purchased by
his father, Thomas Jones, on his "Pleasant
Valley Stock Farm" as it is still called, deals
largely in horses and keeps up the reputation
established by his father more than half a century
ago as a breeder of fine stock.
There are citizens yet living in the vicinity who can
remember the days when there were but two general
stores in the village, George Hill,
proprietor of one, and Joseph and Peter
Guitner of the other, and "Old Dad Marshall"
kept the grocery, where he dispensed ginger-snaps,
blind-robbins, and red-striped peppermint candy.
The merchants of the town at this time have a large
and flourishing trade. Good churches, goods
schools, and the citizens are progressive,
prosperous, and happy. |
