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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

A Part of Genealogy Express

 

Welcome to
Fairfield County, Ohio
History & Genealogy


 

...

Source:
Centennial
History of Lancaster, Ohio

Lancaster People
1898
The One Hundredth Anniversary of the
Settlement of the Spot Where Lancaster Stands
by
C. M. L. Wiseman
Publ.  Lancaster, Ohio
C. M. L. Wiseman, Publisher
1898

EARLY DAYS AND WAR OF 1812.

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     The first brick building erected in Lancaster is the one now occupied by John S. Brasee as a law office.  The second was the Court House.  The third was built by the Rev. John Wright and now forms a portion of E. B. White's residence; all three were built previous to 1810.  In that year GEneral Beecher built his brick office, which stood on what is now the Rising corner, Columbus and Main Streets.
     In the early days transportation was out of the question, and everything required by the settlers was made by hand in Lancaster, and mechanics were numerous.  Bodenheimer and Spogle were wheel wrights; Miller, Tong, Luman Baker, Thos. Dawlin and Joseph Grubb were cabinet makers; William Duffield, Christian Weaver, John Leonard, J. A. Weakley, Henry Johns, W. Latimere and John K. Myers were carpenters; Jno. Foglesong and Samuel Blazer were blacksmiths; Samuel Effinger and Scipio Smith were tin smiths; Thomas Sturgeon and John Townsend were silversmiths; John Stallsmith, Jacob Embich and George Canode were shoemakers; John Beemen and Colonel George Sites were gunsmiths; John Shurr, Gotlieb Steinman, John U. Giesy and Daniel Keltner were bakers — all in business prior to the year

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1825.  Philemon Beecher, W. W. Irvin and Charles R. Sherman were the three ablest attorneys practicing at the Lancaster bar previous to 1830, and each was called to fill public positions of high honor.
     The declaration of war with England by the United States Congress in 1812, created great excitement in Lancaster.  A public meeting was called at the Court House.  Major Charles R. Sherman read the Governor's proclamation and delivered a thrilling patriotic speech. George Sanderson volunteered to raise a company, which he did in a few days — was elected Captain and marched his company to the Northern frontier and joined General Hull's army.  They were all surrendered at Detroit. Sanderson returned to Lancaster and in violation of his parole given at Detroit, raised the second Company and joined General Harrison's army and served through the war.  The risk Sanderson ran in violating his parole and his gallant conduct as a soldier, gave him a lasting reputation. 
     Feb. 17, 1815, a letter was received by the Post master of Lancaster from the Postmaster of Wheeling, Va., announcing that peace had been declared between the United States and Great Britain.
     Dr. James Wilson, President of the Town Council, at once issued a proclamation requesting all citizens of Lancaster to join in a general celebration of the event and an illumination of the town.  He also directed Captain Wm. Sumner of the Lancaster Artillery to fire a national salute in the afternoon.

COLONEL JOHN NOBLE

     Colonel John Noble came to Lancaster about the year 1815, as a tailor.  He was a brother-in-law of year 1815, as a tailor.  HE was a brother-in-law of Samuel Effinger  For many years he owned and was

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landlord of the Union Hotel, on the spot known successively as the Phoenix, Tallmadge, and Kirn.  From here he moved to Columbus and kept the old Neil House.  He was popular both as a landlord and a citizen.  He was the father of the late Henry C. Noble of Columbus and of John W. Noble of St. Louis, Mo.  Henry Clay was more than once his guest.  He entertained General Taylor, President-elect, at the Pearl Street House in Cincinnati.  Colonel Noble's daughter married Dr. Loving of Columbus, and his adopted daughter was the second wife of Dr. W. M. Trevitt, Ohio's Secretary of State.  Another daughter married Henry T. Myers.
     In the year 1840, he entertained James G. Blaine and Thomas Ewing's boys — then lads of eleven and thirteen years.  The boys remained until they supposed the hotel bill would exhaust their cash.  They ordered their carriage and called for their bill.  Col. Noble told them that he did not charge Mr. Ewing's boys — that their entertainment was free.  They, with one accord, proposed to stay another day and ordered their horse back to the stable, greatly to the amusement of Col. Noble.
     On this trip, as the boys approached Greencastle, they noticed a hickory pole with a Democratic flag.  As they passed it, Tom Ewing and Jim Blaine, as the boys were called, took off their hats and gave three cheers for General HarrisonHugh was the oldest and the driver, he reproved them, saying: "Your conduct is insulting to these people and you must not repeat it as they all know father's carriage." On their return trip, they did repeat it, and Hugh stopped the carriage, put them out, and drove off, leaving them to walk to Lancaster a distance of nine miles.

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     Col. Noble kept a hotel in Lancaster from 1819 to about 1832. In company with Captain Jno. A. Dubble he kept hotel ten years in Cincinnati. Returning to Columbus, he built and opened the old Buckeye House on Broad Street.  He was a partner in a general store in Lancaster and in two manufacturing establishments.  He was a public-spirited citizen and alive to the interests of the town.  He was the official representative of Fairfield County at Hebron when the canal was commenced; and escorted Governor DeWitt Clinton to Lancaster.

THOMAS EWING.

     Thomas Ewing was born in Ohio County, near Wheeling, Va., Dec. 28, 1789.  His father was Captain George Ewing, a soldier of the Army of the Revolution, who at the close of the war left his home in New Jersey for the West.  Owing to trouble with the Indians in the Ohio Territory he settled temporarily
in Virginia.  In a few years the Indians became peace ful and he continued his journey to Ohio, and settled on what is now known as Federal Creek in Athens County.  Young Ewing worked upon his father's farm until nineteen years of age, reading in the meantime such books as were to be found in the cabins of the settlers and in the new library which they had purchased.  Being ambitious to obtain an education he prevailed upon his father to permit him to go to the Kanawha Salt Works and earn the necessary money.  He walked through the woods to the Ohio River and got aboard a keel boat and worked his passage to the salines.  This was in the year 1809.  In December of this year he returned home, went to Athens and spent three months there as a student.  In the spring of 1810 he went again to the Salt Works to earn more

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money.  He was successful, returned home and paid off his father's debts.  The winter of 1810 and 1811 he spent at home reading the books of the library.  In the spring of 1811 he again went to the Salt Works and after a summer's work returned home with six hundred dollars in money.  He immediately entered the Ohio University, being twenty-one years of age, and continued a student there until the spring of 1815, when he graduated with honor.  After graduating he again went to Kanawha and in six weeks earned one hundred and fifty dollars.  With this sum he returned home and in July of the same year, 1815, he came to Lancaster and commenced the study of law with General Beecher.  During his college term he taught school one term at "Gallipolis, Ohio; and the Athens County records show that he occasionally acted as a surveyor.  Before entering General Beecher's office he had read Blackstone and after fourteen months of hard study, sixteen hours per day, he was in August, 1816, admitted to the bar, being then past twenty-four years of age.
     His first speech as an attorney was made in the Court House at Circleville, Ohio.  In 1817 he was appointed Prosecuting Attorney for Athens County, notwithstanding the fact that he lived in Lancaster, forty-five miles distant.  He served as such for the years 1817-18-19 and 20, and again in 1824 and 1825.  He was Prosecuting attorney for the County of Fairfield from the year 1818 to 1830.  Three or four years after being admitted to the bar, Mr. Ewing married Maria, daughter of Hugh Boyle, Clerk of the Court, and one of the pioneers of Lancaster.  In the year 1824 he formed a partnership with his young friend, Henry Stanbery, which continued a few years.  They soon became great

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rivals at the Lancaster bar and upon the circuit; but this did not disturb or mar the friendship of their early years.  Mr. Ewing soon rose to eminence as a lawyer and Whig politician.  He had the honor to deliver the oration at Hebron, Ohio, when the first shovelful of earth was thrown by Governor DeWitt Clinton upon the surveyed line of the Ohio Canal.  In 1831 he was elected by the Ohio Legislature as Senator of the United States and served six years.  He soon became an influential member of the Senate and a good debater, making for himself a national reputation.  In 1841 he was Secretary of the Treasury in President Harrison's cabinet.  In 1849 he was Secretary of the Interior under President Taylor and organized that department. Unfortunately for Mr. Ewing and the country, both presidents died early in their administration so that he did not have an opportunity for the display of his great abilities as a cabinet officer.  In 1851 Thomas Corwin, then Senator from Ohio, resigned and Governor Ford appointed Mr. Ewing to fill the vacancy.  Corwin, wheji nominated for Senator, defeated Mr. Ewing in caucus by one vote. That vote was cast by General Joe Geiger, of Circleville, whom Mr. Ewing had in some way offended.  Great as Mr. Ewing was as a statesman, his great fame will rest upon his ability as a lawyer, a lawyer rooted and grounded in the fundamental principles of the law.
     In a purely legal argument he was without a rival at the Ohio bar.  In the courts of Ohio, Henry Stanbery was his most formidable competitor.  They were opposed to each other on all great cases. In the great case of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Ewing represented the North, Stanbery the South.  As all the world knows, Mr. Ewing won the case.

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Good judges pronounced his argument a wonderful production.  In the Martha Washington case tried in the United States Court at Columbus, Stanbery appeared for the prosecution, and Ewing for the defense.  Mr. Ewing submitted the case without argument much to the surprise of Stanbery who had a carefully prepared speech, and the jury brought in a verdict for defendants.  During the trying times of the Rebellion, when his boys and son-in-law were at the front, he was in constant communication with the authorities at Washington.  His advice was often sought by the Administration and freely given.  It was mainly, (as his friends claim) upon his advice that Mason and Slidell were surrendered and a war with England averted.  He left a sick-bed and made his way to Washington to advise with President Lincoln on this occasion.  He lived to see peace and a reunited country.  Mr. Ewing was a man of splendid form, strong and active, and many good stories are told of his strength and agility.  He could jump higher than any young man he ever met and but few, if any, could throw him down.  He is credited with once taking an ax by the handle and throwing it over the Court House steeple.  After Mr. Ewing became established as a lawyer, he, in company with Hon. Samuel F. Vinton, purchased and operated the Chauncey Salt Works in Athens County.  They continued the business for twenty years or more and finally turned it over to Colonel Steel, Ewing's son-in-law.  After the death of President Harrison, Mr. Ewing did not remain long in Tyler's cabinet.  Tyler and his cabinet differed radically on the bank question in particular, and they were not long in tendering their resignations.  Mr. Ewing wrote and published a lengthy letter explaining why he left the cabi-

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net, and quoted conversations had with the President and conversations that took place in cabinet meetings, that the public might fully understand his reasons, for this breach of confidence, as his enemies termed it.  He was roundly abused by all of the leading Democratic papers of the country, harsh terms and abusive language filling their columns.  Mr. Ewing was not injured in the estimation of his party and, on his return to Ohio, he was tendered public dinners by the enthusiastic Whigs of Columbus and Zanesville.  From 1841 to 1860 Mr. Ewing was engaged in his profession in large and important suits, both in the courts of Ohio and of the United States.  The Stoddard case, a case involving Spanish land titles, he tried in St. Louis and was successful.  He spent four months or more in acquiring the Spanish language that he might more fully understand and prosecute his case.  Much of his time in preparation was spent in Cincinnati.  While there he made the acquaintance of an intelligent photo graphic artist, in whose office he was accustomed to unbend himself when tired of his work.  This artist states that in conversation with Mr. Ewing he was surprised to learn that he knew more about the photo graphic art than he himself. This is not surprising to those who knew Mr. Ewing, for he was a ripe scholar, well read and at home upon any subject that he might be called upon to discuss.  He had assisted his father to make a new home in Indiana where the old gentle man died Jan. 14, 1824.  This home was on the Ohio River near Cannelton and, at the time of which we write, was occupied by Mr. Ewing's aged brother George.  While at St. Louis trying the Stoddard case, he notified his brother that on a certain day on his way home his boat would pass Cannelton but would not

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stop.  The boat reached the point in due time and the aged brother was in his chair on the river bank surrounded by his family.  As the boat drew near, Mr. Ewing stood at the railing surrounded by the deeply interested passengers; he greeted his brother and the salutation was returned.  As the boat passed up stream the old man arose, trembling with age and quivering with emotion, and bowed a farewell for the last time, never to meet or see his brother again.
     Mr. Ewing died Oct. 26, 1871, at his home in Lancaster.  His funeral was largely attended.  On his death-bed he said to a friend, "I have lived a long, useful and eventful life and I am ready to go."  The honorary pall bearers were:
     Governor R. B. Hayes,
     Senator John Sherman,
     Senator Allen G. Thurman,
     Judge Welch
of the Supreme Court,
     John H. James, of Urbana.
     A. B. Walker, of Athens,
     W. Marshall Anderson, Circleville,
     Charles B. Goddard, Zanesville,
     M. A. Daugherty, Lancaster,
     John D. Martin, Lancaster,
     Darius Tallmadge, Lancaster,
     George G. Beck, Lancaster,
     Frederick A. Foster, Lancaster,
     Charles M. L. Wiseman, Lancaster,
     J. F. Vandemark, Lancaster,
     Hon. Henry Stanbery,
     George Reber, of Sandusky,
     Henry B. Curtis, of Mt. Vernon,
     Hocking H. Hunter, Lancaster,
     John T. Brasee, Lancaster,

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     James R. Pearse, Lancaster,
     Charles Borland, Lancaster,
     Samuel A. Griswold, Lancaster,
     Samuel Herr, Lancaster,
     Jacob Beck, Lancaster,
     Dr. T. O. Edwards, Lancaster.
     About the year 1818 the southern part of Fairfield County was infested with a gang of thieves and counterfeiters, who for months or years had evaded or escaped from the officers of the law and defied arrest.  Thomas Ewing, who was Prosecuting Attorney, be came tired of this and requested to be sworn in as a special constable; which was accordingly done.  He selected a half dozen choice spirits, who like himself, were large, strong, and active men, of known courage and discretion—Nathaniel Red, Christian Neibling, Adam Weaver, Christian King, David Reese, and Elnathan Scofield.  They proceeded to the rendezvous, surrounded the house and captured the gang, binding the leader, who was in charge of Mr. EwingScofield was about to be overpowered, when Ewing went to his relief.  The leader seized this moment for escape, and, though his hands were bound, jumped out of a second story window and made his escape in the darkness.  The others were tried, convicted and sent to prison.
     During the years Mr. Ewing was prosecutor and for many years previous, there were numerous distilleries in the County; and merchants everywhere sold or gave liquor away to their customers, and whisky was a universal beverage.  Along in the twenties the sale of it was regulated somewhat by statute.  The records show that Mr. Ewing as prosecutor procured indictments against Latta, Connell and Ainsworth, Christian 

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King and Henry Arnold for selling whisky in quantities less than one quart.  They were tried and fined five dollars and costs each.  John Reber and John G. Willock were witnesses in two of the cases, being clerks in the stores.
     George Smetters (Smothers) was indicted for selling three pounds of pepper at retail to Henry B. Joy of the value of $1.06.  "Merchandise, not the growth and manufacture of the United States, contrary to the form of the Statute in such cases made and provided."  T. Ewing, Prosecuting Attorney.
     Smetters pleaded guilty and was fined $10 and costs of prosecution.
     George Smetters was the owner of a large farm near town, but not a merchant.  He drove a six-horse team to a Conestoga wagon, and carried produce to Baltimore and brought out goods for Lancaster merchants.  It is highly probable that he carried small quantities of goods of his own, or for his own use, and retailed to his friends.  His case was continued for one or two terms and he finally gave Hugh Boyle, Clerk of the Court, a power of attorney to plead guilty for him.  This very unusual proceeding was accepted by the Court.  Smetters was no doubt absent from home during the sessions of the Court, which was the cause of his unusual manner of pleading.  This indictment was brought Oct. 1, 1821, and finally disposed of October, 1822, Judge John A. McDowell presiding.  The foreman of the Grand Jury was Samuel F. Maccracken.  The witnesses were George Burkley, Christian Rokohl, and Henry B. Joy.  The fact is Smetters had no attorney and he empowered Boyle to plead for him and submit the matter to the judgment of the Court.

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     Kilbourne’s Gazetteer for the year 1818, says of Lancaster:  “It contains between one hundred and two hundred houses and a population of six or seven hundred inhabitants.  Here are likewise twelve mercantile stores, a handsome court house and jail, a Methodist meeting-house, a bank, an English and German printing office, from which are published weekly newspapers in both languages, and a market-house, with a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Various kinds of mechanical business are likewise here industriously prosecuted.”  Edition of 1829, gives this:  “The town contains ten large stores, and seven taverns, the latter of which may justly be ranked with the first houses of entertainment in the United States.  It contains about two hundred and fifty houses, and one thousand five hundred inhabitants.  The houses are principally brick and frame—a large number of them brick buildings. * * * The public buildings are a brick court house, a new market-house, with a town house and a Masonic hall erected over it, and four churches.  Lancaster is well supplied with the means of education. In addition to an academy, which is now in high repute, there are several other respectable schools. * * * Here are also two printing offices, from which are published weekly a German and two English newspapers.”

BANKS

     The Lancaster, Ohio, Bank was chartered in the year 1816, and organized for business August 30th of the same year, with capital of $200,000.  Philemon Beecher was president for one year and was succeeded by John Creed Michael Garaghty was elected cashier and served from August 30, 1816, until the

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closing up of the bank in 1842.  The first directors were Philemon Beecher, Elnathan Scofield, Jacob Claypool, Peter Reber, Charles R. Sherman, John Williamson, Jacob Green, Daniel Van Metre, William King, Richard Hooker, Benjamin Smith, and S. F. Maccracken.  Probably there was no abler board of directors in Ohio at that time. 
     The State of Ohio in 1827 advertised for bids for an agent to pay contractors on the line of the Ohio Canal.  The Chillicothe Bank bid one-fourth per cent; the Franklin Bank of Columbus, one-half per cent; and the Lancaster Bank agreed to disburse the funds without charge, provided it could control all State funds deposited in New York.  The proposition of the Lancaster Bank was accepted.  This was a great financial stroke.  The bank increased its circulation with this large volume of New York exchange as security to its bill holders.  This brought on a war between the banks.  The Chillicothe Bank bought up the circulation of the Lancaster Bank and made a systematic run upon it.  Creed was aroused and retaliated, and soon made the Chillicothe concern sue for quarter. 
     Jacob
Claypool, one of the first directors of the Lancaster Bank, lived on his farm in Greenfield Township.  He came at an early day from Hampshire County, Va.  He was a man of rare good sense, intelligent and honest, and was always in close touch with the business men of Lancaster, by whom he was highly esteemed.  He represented his county in the General Assembly for several years.  In his day he was one of the most widely known and popular farmers and business men of the county. 
     In the year 1836, January 25, the Lancaster Bank

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had loans and discounts to the amount of $602,729.00; due from other banks, $72,291.00; specie on hand, $70,417.00.
     The only banks in the State of Ohio outside of Cincinnati able to make a better showing were the Bank of Chillicothe, the Franklin Bank of Columbus, and the Commercial Bank of Cleveland.  The banks of Massillon, Zanesville, Marietta, Dayton, Steubenville, and Circleville fell far below it.
     The Lancaster Bank building was the first one in Lancaster to have a freestone front.
     This bank for seventeen years declared a dividend of nineteen per cent to its stockholders, besides having a large surplus.  Work Galbreath was the teller and paid- the contractors.  In 1837 he carried to Toledo $100,000 in currency.  This would be considered a risky business at this day. In 1841, owing to the stringency in the money market, the bank increased its capital $50,000 and issued notes for it.  Distrust followed this act and the pressure became so great that the bank closed in 1842, the Court appointing H. H. Hunter, Jacob Green and Joseph Stukey receivers.  The outstanding circulation was called in and redeemed—the last act was to pay Jacob Green $4,000 to redeem such straggling notes as might be still in circulation.  This in brief is a history of the greatest financial institution known to Lancaster. T. Ewing, W. J. Reese, H. H. Hunter, H. Stanbery, S. F. Maccracken and John Creed were directors in 1841.

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HOCKING VALLEY BANK

     This bank was a branch of the State Bank of Ohio, and was organized in 1847, capital $90,000; D. Tallmadge, president; C. F. Garaghty, cashier.  In 1848 Garaghty resigned and Win. Slade, Jr. (a Lancaster attorney), was elected cashier.  In 1850 he resigned and moved to Cleveland, O.  He was succeeded by M. A. Daugherty (a Lancaster attorney).  At the April election in 1855 John Reber was elected president and C. F. Garaghty again cashier.  Reber was president but one year, when he was succeeded by D. Tallmadge.  C. F. Garaghty resigned in 1859 and was succeeded by H. V. Weakley.  The charter of the bank expired in 1865.  This bank was well managed and was one of the solid institutions of Lancaster.  The Hocking Valley National Bank was the legitimate successor of the Hocking Valley State Bank, capital $100,000.  D. Tallmadge was president, H. V. Weakley, cashier, and James T. Willock, teller.  In 1866 Weakley resigned and J. W. Farringer was elected cashier.  In 1869 G. A. Mithoff succeeded Tallmadge as president and W. D. Kutz succeeded J. W. Farringer as its cashier.  Upon the death of G. A. Mithoff his brother Theodore was elected president and served as such to the date of his death, except one year of this time, 1883, when H. C. Drinkle was the president.  The Savings Institute was organized in 1848.  Jacob Green, Samuel Beery, Henry Miers, L. Lobenthal, Gideon Martin, Wm. Phelan and S. McCabe were the directors; Jacob Green, president, and C. F. Garaghty, cashier.  J. C. Weaver succeeded Green as president

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and N. C. Worthington succeeded Garaghty as cashier.  This bank lost heavily by discounting notes for a young speculator, the notes proving to be forgeries, also in the destruction of their office by fire.  The directors concluded to close up the affairs of the bank, which they did in 1857, with a loss to the stockholders.

EXCHANGE BANK OF MARTIN & CO.

     This was not a bank of issue.  It commenced business Jan. 1, 1854, with John D. Martin, P. B. Ewing and Samuel Stambaugh as the partners.  S. Stambaugh died in June, 1854, and the business was continued by his associates.  B. F. Reinmund was cashier for a few years, and February, 1859, was succeeded by C. F. Garaghty.  In 1864 this bank was merged into the First National Bank, and C. F. Garaghty was cashier for one year.  He was succeeded by Geo. W. Beck, who has held the position with a change of name and stockholders for thirty-two years. For several years it has been known as the Lancaster Bank.  S. J. Wright was president for a time and Henry Musser was his successor.  John D. Martin was a banker thirty-two years, longer than any Lancaster man; Michael Garaghty came next, serving twenty-six years; and next in length of time, John Creed, serving twenty-five years.

COMMERCIAL BANK

     This bank was what was called a private bank.  It was established in 1872 by J. H. Cochran.  In June, 1873, S. J. Wright became a partner, and in February, 1874, bought the interest of Cochran.  September 14, 1874, this bank was merged into the Fairfield County

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Bank, with Wesley Peters as president and S. J. Wright as cashier.  These officers were succeeded by P. Rising as president and H. B. Peters as cashier.

BANK OF GARAGHTY AND HUNTER

     This bank was organized in 1869, with C. F. Garaghty as president and Wm. Noble as cashier.  John Hunter was the partner of Garaghty.
     November, 1875, it closed its doors upon its depositors forever.
     Jno. R. Mumaugh and Wm. Noble closed up its affairs as assignees and paid forty per cent, dividend.  This was a bank without capital or prestige — and those who put their faith in it were heavy losers

FARMERS’ AND CITIZENS’ BANK

     This bank was organized in January, 1893, with Samuel Whiley as president and F. C. Whiley as cashier.  It is a private bank and the other stock holders are Jacob Keller, Edward Binninger, Philemon Binninger and C. B. Whiley.  All well known Lancaster business men.

THE ERA OF SHINPLASTERS

     The panic of 1837 broke many business men and banks throughout the West.  No one knew when he took money over his counter whether it would be worth fifty cents on the dollar on the next day.  For want of currency and for other reasons, individuals and corporations issued promises to pay in fractional amounts and this paper was called the shinplaster.  Many of these small notes were counterfeited and many who issued them failed in business, and the country was soon flooded with shinplasters as worthless as the

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bills of doubtful banks.  Among others the City Council of Lancaster authorized such notes and they were signed by W. J. Reese, president.  It has not been many years since the council redeemed a few of these notes.
     Julius W. Dumont was one of the merchants who issued these notes and failed to redeem them.  Mechanics and small traders issued such notes.  Mr. Burkey, a shoemaker, and father of Lawrence Burkey, late of Newark, Ohio, issued notes of this character.  Irvin Schleghm, a cigar maker, issued such notes, as did many other business men of small means; and for a time they passed as readily as any other currency.

LOTTERIES

     In the early history of Lancaster, lotteries and the sale of lottery tickets were legal, and many schemes were managed by very prominent citizens.
     In 1819 S. F. Maccracken advertised lottery tickets for sale in the Ohio Eagle.  The scheme was for a canal at the falls of the Ohio River, Jeffersonville, Indiana.
     The postmaster advertised lottery tickets for sale in that year for a New Jersey scheme. In 1819 the Barrett Woolen Mills at the upper falls of the Hockhocking was built by lottery.  There are still in existence lottery tickets with the names of General W. J. Reese, S. F. Maccracken, and Jacob Claypool, as managers.
     This was the canal mill scheme; the drawing took place sometime in the thirties.  Lotteries had their day and are now illegal.  Men who once engaged in the lottery business would not think of doing it now; for public sentiment pronounces it an evil, thoroughly demoralizing in its tendency; and, like the universal use of intoxicants, it is a thing of the past.

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HENRY ARNOLD

     Henry Arnold, son of Frederick Arnold who died on his farm north of Lancaster, was born in or near Hagerstown, Maryland, 1776, where he was a counter pane weaver for a number of years, and where a majority of his children were born.  Henry Arnold is mentioned in a history of Western Maryland as early as 1800 and up to 1805.  In a weekly paper, published in Hagerstown and preserved in the library at Baltimore, Md., he advertises his business, that of counter pane weaver, and states that his shop is located on the street leading to the Western country.  Other advertisers locate their shops on the street opposite Henry Arnold's place, giving him some prominence.  Henry Arnold in same paper advertises for a runaway negro.  The records show that he sold considerable property before moving to Ohio in 1815.  His father, his brother Daniel, and four sisters, Mrs. Reber, Mrs. Orr, Mrs. Canode and Mrs. Weaver, came to Lancaster several years in advance of him.  He came to Ohio about the year 1810 on a prospecting tour and was pleased with the country; just how long he remained or the exact time he brought his family to Lancaster, is not known.  Mrs. McNeill, shortly before her death, gave the year 1815 as the time of his arrival here with his family.
     He purchased what has long been known as the Arnold corner and commenced the dry goods business, which he continued until about the year 1836, when he retired from the cares of business.  F. A. Foster was his partner in business from Oct. 30, 1817 to Oct. 30, 1823.
     His son George was a partner from 1825 to 1830.

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George
moved from Lancaster to Utica, Ohio, and opened a store.  Here Jno. D. Martin and General W. S. Rosencrans were his young clerks.
     From Utica he moved to Mansfield, Ohio, where he engaged in the dry goods business and was a successful merchant.
     Here he made the acquaintance of Miss Bartley, the daughter of Mordecai Bartley, the future governor of Ohio.  Miss Bartley in time became his wife; and when his father-in-law became governor George Arnold was appointed his secretary.  When he left the governor's office he settled in Mt. Vernon, Ohio.  His grandson, H. B. Arnold, is a promising young attorney of Columbus, Ohio.  Young Rosencrans went with Mr. Arnold to Mansfield.  From here, on one occasion, he drove Thos. W. Bartley to Columbus.  He proved to be so bright and intelligent, and so pleased Judge Bartley, that in a year or two he procured his admission to West Point.  Henry Arnold had a family of seven daughters, all handsome young women.  They became the wives of the best young men in town, Dr. Robert McNeill, F. A. Foster, Thomas Reed, Wm. Phelan, Amos Swayze, Benjamin Reinmund and O. W. Rigby.  Mrs. Swayze married for her second husband Mr. Wells, and they moved to Iowa.  Mrs. Maria Rigby for her second husband married a Mr. Bently, of Mansfield, where they resided.  Her daughter by this marriage became the wife of General R. Brinkerhoff, now one of the distinguished men of Mansfield.  Mr. Bently dying, his widow became the wife of Mr. McNulty, of Ashland, Ohio, he being her third husband.
     Henry Arnold was during his life a very prominent citizen of Lancaster.  In 1833 he was one of the County

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Commissioners for Fairfield.  He was the guardian of John Reber, his nephew, and employed him as clerk in his store.
     For many years of his old age he made his home with B. F. Reinmund and wife on the old Arnold corner, where on a pleasant day he was a familiar figure.  He died September 20, 1858, in his eighty-first year.
     The Arnold connection by blood and marriage is a very large and highly respectable one.  Henry Arnold married a Bowman and a sister of his wife married Mr. Gormly, who at the time of his death was a wealthy banker in Bucyrus, Ohio.  Gormly's granddaughter is the wife of F. S. Monnett, Attorney-General of Ohio.

HONORABLE DAVID COLERICK

     The Hon. David Colerick, late of Ft. Wayne, Ind., left Lancaster when a young man.  He told the writer, when in his old age, that he had visited Lancaster but once, and that was two years after he had removed to Ft. Wayne.  At the time he left Lancaster he was engaged to Susan Arnold.  He returned to claim his bride, but her parents told him frankly that they would rather bury her than send her to the wilds of Indiana to endure the privations of a frontier life among the Indians.  He returned to his home and never saw Lancaster afterwards.  Susan Arnold subsequently married Wm. Phelan, and Mr. Colerick married Miss Walpole, of Indianapolis, a granddaughter of one of the Gillespies, of Brownsville, Pa.  One of his daughters married John Larwell, of Wooster, Ohio. Larwell's sister married John K. Miller, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, a grandson of another Gillespie.  General Chas. Ewing married the daughter of John K. Miller, who was a brother of T. Ewing Miller, of Columbus, Ohio.

[Pg. 94]

WILLIAM TOWNSEND

     William Townsend came to Lancaster at an early date and opened a jewelry shop.  He advertised in the Ohio Eagle as early as 1817.  He ceased to do business in 1826.  He was a friend of General Sanderson.  He and the General with other old friends spent their summer afternoons in the shade of his sycamore tree which stood in front of his establishment.  He was quite a character.  He died in the year 1843.

JOHN LATTA

     John Latta, Benjamin and John Connell came to Lancaster about the year 1813 and commenced the business of merchandising under the firm name of Latta and Connell.  They were men of integrity, wide awake business men and popular salesmen, being successful rivals of Creed, Maccracken and the "Kings.  Their store was opened at sunrise and their clerks remained on duty until late at night.  John Connell retired from the firm in March, 1823, and in the year 1825 Richard M. Ainsworth became a partner and the firm was known as Latta, Connell and Company.  In the year 1828 Benjamin Connell sold his interest and retired to his farm on the hill west of town.  The name of the firm was then changed to Latta and Ainsworth.  Jan. 22, 1834, John Latta retired on account of poor health.  R. M. Ainsworth, John G. Willock, who came to Lancaster from Scotland in 1826, and James Rice became the proprietors.  Rice retired from the firm in 1838 and the business was continued by Ainsworth and Willock until the year 1847.  Early in 1847 Willock sold his interest to R. M. Ainsworth Ainsworth left for the East to buy goods on his own account

[Pg. 95]
and died suddenly at a lonely hotel on the National Road on his return trip. His widow sold the goods to John Effinger, and he in 1849 sold out to Little and DresbachMr. Latta notwithstanding reverses in business made some judicious investments and at his death left his son William a handsome estate.  In January, 1830, Captain Witte, of Hanover, Germany, came to Lancaster and purchased the farm now owned by John S. Brasee and erected a steam mill and distillery.
     Maccracken, Latta and Effinger, on special contract, bought his grain and undertook to dispose of his whiskey.  The venture was a loss to all concerned.  Witte failed and turned his property over to his agents.  They in turn made a contract with Captain Joshua Clarke to run the business in connection with Captain Witte.  This arrangement lasted two or three years but it was not profitable.  The wife of John Latta was the daughter of the first Thomas Sturgeon, one of the first hotel keepers of Lancaster.  She was the widow of Dr. James WilsonLatta died in 1846, aged fifty-eight years.

SAMUEL EFFINGER

     Samuel Effinger was born in Woodstock, Va., and came to Lancaster in the year 1813.  He began the tinning and coppersmith business in which he was successful.  In October of 1816 he was married to Mary Noble, sister of Colonel John Noble.  In connection with his regular business he purchased horses and drove them to Virginia and Baltimore, Md.  His skill ful coppersmith was John A. ShraffRichard and Milton Hamson, David Kyner, Philip Lantz, William Searls, Thomas Durban, Elias Prentice, Jacob Evans, John McClelland and John Work received their train

[Pg. 96]
ing in his shop.  In 1832 he had just completed his new house, where Mrs. Dr. Effinger now resides, when he took sick and died.  His stock of goods was sold to Maccracken and Cross who carried on the business for a few years.  Maccracken then sold his interest to David Reese.  Apr. 11, 1837, Reese and Cross dissolved partnership and Reese continued the business alone.  In 1838 the firm was known as Reese and Shraff and in 1839, Reese and KreiderDavid Reese died in 1840, and his interest in the firm was sold to Jesse B. Hart and John D. Martin.  In 1842, John D. Martin retiring, John McClelland became Hart's partner and in a year or two bought the interest of Jesse
B. Hart
.

FREDERICK A. FOSTER.

     Mr. Foster was a native of Rhode Island.  He came to Lancaster from Marietta in the year 1810 and was first employed as a clerk by John Creed.  Nov. 23, 1815, he became partner and the firm was known as Foster and Company.  Oct. 30, 1817, he withdrew from this firm and formed a partnership with Henry Arnold.  This partnership continued until 1823, when Foster sold out to George B. ArnoldFoster then opened a store on his own account and carried on this business until April, 1832, when he sold out to Benjamin Connell who bought the stock for his brother John Connell.  This closes Mr. Foster's mercantile career.  He served as secretary of the Lateral Canal Company and was clerk for Mr. Hunter, the receiver of the Lancaster, Ohio, Bank.  F. A. Foster was highly esteemed, a man of integrity and good business ability. He was one of the last of the pioneers whose life continued to the present generation, his death occurring in the year

[Pg. 97]
1880.  He was one of the honored pioneer members of the Presbyterian Church. His first wife was a daughter of Henry Arnold; his second wife was a Wilson.

REVEREND SAMUEL CARPENTER

     The Rev. Samuel Carpenter was a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and came with his cousins to Lancaster at a very early day.  He was partner of Emanuel Carpenter, Jr., in the mercantile business in 1816 and 1817.  Upon the death of his partner a few years later, he became a suitor for the widow's hand and they were married.
     He was a surveyor, which calling he followed after the failure of Emanuel Carpenter.  He also preached for the Old School Baptists the greater part of his life.  In 1827, when the canal was being built, he rode to Akron, Ohio, on horseback, to solicit employment of Alfred Kelley, the Canal Commissioner.  He carried with him an excellent letter of introduction and recommendation by Charles R. Sherman, which the Judge very kindly volunteered.  He was also endorsed by Thomas Ewing at request of Judge Sherman.  Copies of these old letters are still preserved.  Carpenter was employed by Kelley and was also employed years afterwards on the Hocking Canal.  He was a painstaking, honest engineer, polite and courteous to all in his employ.  He was fond of fruit and flowers and at one time had a nursery.  He lived and died in the house built by Emanuel Carpenter on Broad Street.

THE DUKE OF SAXE WEIMAR, 1825.

     The Duke of Saxe Weimar's Travels gives the following: — "New Lancaster has its name from the city of Lancaster in Pennsylvania, and was founded by

[Pg. 98]
Pennsylvania Germans, who were joined by many German emigrants, particularly Wiirtemburgers, and some Switzers.   .   .   .   . Shortly after my arrival, I received the visits of several of the German and half German inhabitants; among the latter I remarked Judge Deitrick, a native of Philadelphia, an agreeable, plain and well-informed man; he offered to be my guide through the town, which I thankfully accepted.  He introduced me to several of the merchants, whose well-furnished stores I visited.   .   .   .   . We saw an English and German printing office; the latter was under the direction of a German, Mr. Hermann, who publishes a German newspaper under the title of Der Ohio Adler, (The Ohio Eagle), the English printing office likewise published a paper.  The type for the German paper is from the foundry in Philadelphia, and cannot be said to be elegant; it is true there is generally but little elegance to be observed in German type.  I read in Mr. Hermann's office about twelve German papers, published in the United States; they were mostly written in corrupt German; the only well written one was edited in Philadelphia by Mr. Ritter.   .   .   .   . Judge Deitrick conducted me to a cloth manufactory belonging to Mr. Rice, (Ring and Rice) whose machinery is moved by the waters of the Hockhocking.   .   .   .   . Mr. Deitrick introduced me to a Mr. Sherman, judge of the Supreme Court, who is one of the most respectable inhabitants of the place.  He invited me to tea, and I met with very agreeable society."

HENRY CLAY.

     Henry Clay frequently passed through Lancaster on his way to Washington City.  He was the idol of the old Whigs of Lancaster and they were always ready

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to do him honor.  The leading citizens of Lancaster regardless of party were always glad to see him in Lancaster; and for years they had a desire to show their regard for him in some complimentary manner.  In the year 1825 the long desired opportunity occurred.  It was known that he would pass through Lancaster in the month of August of that year.  A meeting of citizens was called and a committee appointed to extend him an invitation to partake of a complimentary dinner to be tendered bv the citizens.  The letter of the committee reached Mr. Clay at Lebanon, Ohio, where he was detained two or three weeks on account of the sickness and death of a young daughter.  The following is a copy of a subscription paper signed by the citizens :
                                                                             Lancaster, July 25, 1825.
     WE, the undersigned, agree to contribute our proportion of the expense of a public dinner to be given to Mr. Clay, when he shall pass through Lancaster on his way to Washington City.
 

WILLIAM W. IRVIN,
HUGH BOYLE,
BENJAMIN CONNELL,
R. M. AINSWORTH,
GEORGE MYERS,
T. TENNY,
HENRY ARNOLD,
R. STURGEON,
ABRAM PITCHER,
ELNATHAN SCHOFIELD,
WILLIAM HANSON,
E. B. THOMPSON,
MICHAEL GARAGHTY,
NOAH S. GREGG,
ADAM WEAVER,
ROBERT McNEILL,
HENRY STANBERY,
ISAAC CHURCH,
JOHN NOBLE,
JAMES WHITE,
SAMUEL EFFINGER,
G. D. CAMPBELL,
JACOB SHAEFFER,
HOCKING h. hUNTER,
GEORGE SANDERSON,
JOHN HERMAN.

     Mr. Clay performed the sad duty of burying hisyoung daughter and proceeded on his way to Washington.  He arrived in Lancaster late in August and

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the dinner took place according to program.  The men who participated in that enjoyable occasion are all dead.

PAGE 100 - CONTINUED -

NOTES:

 

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