Allen County, Ohio - Chapter 14: Fibst Industbies, Bailboads, Ganal, Etg, 1885

WHEN the pioneers of the county took up their residence here, they were compelled to visit Sydney, Piqua, Gherokee, St Mary's, West Liberty, XTrbana, or the Quakers* Mill at Wapakonetta, in their search for milling facilities. This was a most expensive and disagreeable procedure, as, in the greater number of instances, men were de* layed and by other means disappointed. To remedy this evil, hand-mills, hominy-blocks and corn-crackers were brought into use, which for a few years enabled the pioneers to overcome the inconveniences of going to milL How this labor was performed within the family circle, is shown in the following extract from Robert Bowers' reminiscences : ^^The horse and hand-mill, or the tin grater were always reliable and in constant nse as a means of preparing onr breadstoff. I was my father's miller; just the age to perform the task. My daily labor was to gather com and dry it in a kiln, after which I took it on a grater, made from an old copper kettle or tin bucket, and after supper made meal for the johnny-cake for breakfast ; after breakfast I made meal for the pone for dinner; after dinner I made the meal for mush for supper. And now let me paint you a picture of our domestic life and an interior view of my father's house. The names which I give below a great many of them will recognize the picture only too well drawn, and think of the days over forty years ago. Our house was a cabin, containing a parlor, kitchen, and dining-room. Connected was a shoe shop, also a broom and repair shop. To save fuel and light and have everything handy, we had the whole thing in one room, which brought us all together so we could oversee each other better. After supper each one knew their place. In our house there were four mechanics. I was a shoe-maker and com grater. My father could make a sledge, and the other two boys could strip broom corn. My sisters ^un yam, and mother knit and made garments. Imagine you see US all at work, sister Margaret sings a song, father makes chips and mother pokes up the fire. Isaac spins a yam, John laughs at him, and thus our evenings are spent in our wild home, for we were all simple, honest people, and feared no harm from our neighbors."

In the following list mention is made of the early grist and saw-mills: The Crawford Mill in Bath Township was constructed in 1830. It resembled a large coffee-mill, and was worked in a similar manner - the customers having to aid in turning it. In 1830 the Sugar Creek Gristmill was constmcted by Samuel Burch. Two years after the McClure horse-mill was put in operation; in the fall of 1832, the Joseph Ward Mill was erected on Sugar Creek. The same buhrs used in the McClure Mill were also brought to the Ward Mill when the supply of water warranted sufficient power. This mill was situated on Hog Creek, six miles below the Tompkins & Hindel Mill. A saw-mill was erected on Sugar Greek by Higgs in 1882, and the same year Benjamin Clevenger erected a small mill, lower down the creek, in Sugar Creek Township. In 1837 a grist-mill was erected by Peter Bhodes on the Ottawa. The Luke Tipton Mill was a horse-power affair. In 1837 a grist-mill was erected by Solomon Carr & Co. The Shawnee saw mill was built by Ezekiel Hover and Ashei Tompkins on Hog Creek, south of Lima; while the Scott sawmill was erected in the vicinity in 1834. The first grist-mill in Shawnee Township was erected by Ashel Tompkins and Daniel Hindel m the winter of 1834-85. This mill stood on Hog Creek, one half mile below the village of Lima. In Auglaize Township a grist-mill was erected at an early day. A corn-cracker was erected on Little Biley Creek by Joseph Deford, while Isaac Parker operated a horse-power mill at Bockford.

A reference to the township and village histories will point out the great advances made since 1842, when the last of the pioneer mills was established. Very extensive saw-mills, planing-mills, wheel, hub and spoke factories, stave, hoop and excelsior works, machine shops, flouringmills, etc., eta, have taken the place of the old time industries, keeping pace precisely with the progressive movement of the people.

The Ohio Legislature in February 1820, directed the Governor to appoint commissioners to lay out the route for a canal between the Ohio river and lake Erie. The commissioners we;re not appointed then, but in January 1822 an act was passed providing that seven commissioners be appointed to survey a route for a canal to connect the Ohio river with the lake. In 1824 the survey was made. In 1828 Congress made a grant of land to Ohio to aid the constniction of the Miami & Erie Canal. In July, 1848, the Wabash & Erie was opened for navigation, and in June, 1845, the Miami extension was formally opened. Samuel Forrer, noticed in other pages of this work, was connected with the surveys from July 1825 to 1881 and located the Miami & Erie Canal. In 1832 he was appointed Canal Commissioner, and in 1835 was elected a member of the newly organized Board of Public Works. In 1871, when he was seventy - eight years of age, he still held the position of Consulting Engineer so far as the Miami & Erie Canal was concerned.

Samuel Doyle built the propellor, Niagara, in 1845, at a cost of $10,000. This boat was placed on the Miami Canal the same year under command of Capt. William Dale, as the first steam vessel used in its navigation.

In 1852, Ohio granted a charter to the Toledo & Illinois Bailroad Company, and Indiana a charter to the L. E. W. & St. L. B. B. Co. These companies were consolidated in March, 1853, through the negotiations of A. Boody, of New York. In 1852-53 the road was surveyed through Ohio and Indiana, and in May, 1853, the work of construction was begun. In July, 1855, the road was opened between Ft. Wayne and Toledo, a distance of ninty-four miles. Before the close of 1856 the Illinois division was completed.

The Ohio & Indiana Bailroad was opened from Crestline to Ft. Wayne in 1854, under authority granted by the Legislature, March 20, 1850. In 1856 this road was consolidated with the P. Ft. W. & C. B. B., and now forms part of the great railroad system operated by the Pennsylvania Bailroad Company. With the exception of the ancient ruins, commonly called the Lima Depot, this road is complete in equipment. Bichard Metheany, next to Judge Hanna, of Fort Wayne, was the leading worker in this enterprise.

The Toledo, Cincinnati & SL Louis Railroad, - Originally this now great system of narrow gauge railroad connected Shane's Crossing with Delphos. In 1881 the road was extended to Dayton. The Delphos & Eokomo Boad, the Dayton & Toledo Bailroad, and the Delphos, Blnfflon & Franklin Bailroad are parts of this system.

The Cleveland, Delphos d St. Louis Railroad leaves Delphos, crosses' the northwest quarter of Monroe Township and also the northeast quarter of Bichland, leaving the county at a point east of Bluffton. William Semple is president; C. A. Evans, vice-president; J. D. Callery, secre-

The Chicago dt Atlantic Railroad, - This road extending from Chicago, 111. to Marion, Ohio, and with its connections, forming a direct route between the West and the North Atlantic States, was opened from Lima to Marion, May 1, 1883. Among the persons who may be considered the founders of this great highway, the names of Thomas Espy, Lester T. Hunt and James S. Bobinson are prominent.