Columbiana County, Ohio - Chapter 19: Internal Improvements, 1879

Chapter 19: Internal Improvements

The Indian trails which radiated in many directions from Forts Pitt and McIntosh and penetrated the forests of the north and west, connecting the head-waters of the streams or following their sinuous borders, - these narrow lines of travel were the principal highways by which the first settlers of Ohio entered her then half- hospitable borders. The war-path was destined to become a way for what is called civilization, and the Indian doomed to be elbowed and jostled from the narrow trail trodden for centuries by his ancestors.

In addition to the trails described elsewhere§ in this volume, there was one which passed through the southern portion of the present county of Columbiana, and led westward to the Moravian towns on the Muskingum. From information which has been collected by the Pioneer Society of the county, it appears that this trail entered Ohio about two miles south from Archer, in the present township of Middleton, traversed that township and Elk Run, entered Centre at section 25, passed through Wayne near what is known as " McKaig's Mill," and thence southwesterly through the township of Franklin. The trail, as remembered by the first settlers, was from two to three feet wide, and in many places higher than the ground on either side, - " no doubt from the passage of Indian ponies and the accumulation of ages in traveling in Indian file."

Means Of Travel

For some years after the county was organized, 1803, there was no better means of travel provided than the back of the faithful horse or mule. Whether to carry grave

J The following was the average yield per acre, in the State of Ohio, in 1877, of each of the cereals named: wheat, 15.65 bushels; corn, 32.48 bushels; oats, 31.75 bushels; buckwheat, 10.15 bushels; rye, 12.21 bushels; barley, 29.02 bushels.

judges, and others " learned in the law," to their labors in some distant court, forward the weekly mail on its plodding journey, or transport merchandise between the settlements, the patient quadruped was saddled with the duty.

Duncan and Wilson, of Pittsburgh, as early as 1786, were engaged in forwarding goods and provisions upon pack-horses across the country to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, now Cleveland, from whence to be shipped on the schooner " Mackinaw " to Detroit. Six trips were made in the summer of that year for the firm by Col. James Hillman, of Youngstown. " His caravan consisted of ten men and ninety horses. They usually crossed the Big Beaver four miles below the mouth of the Shenango ; thence up the left bank of the Mahoning, crossing it about three miles above the village of Youngstown ; thence by way of the Salt Springs, in the township of Weathersfield, through Milton and Ravenna, crossing the Cuyahoga at the mouth of Breakneck, and again at the mouth of Tinker's Creek, in Bedford ; and thence down the river to its mouth, where they erected a log hut for the safekeeping of their goods, which was the first house built in Cleveland. At the mouth of Tinker's Creek were a few houses built by the Moravian missionaries. They were then vacant, the Indians having occupied them one year only previous to their removal to the Tuscarawas River. These, and three or four cabins at the Salt Springs, were the only buildings erected by the whites between the Ohio River and Lake Erie."*

County Roads

A road was laid out from the State line to Peter Musser's mill, in 1803, by William Heald, surveyor, and James Taylor, Henry Forney, and Jacob lludysill, viewers, for which the court allowed them "in full compensation" the sum of four dollars, September 9th of that year. The road was laid thirty-three feet wide, and confirmed by the court Dec. 1, 1803.

A road of the same width was laid in 1803 "from the west end of Walnut Street, in the town of New Lisbon, to Atwater's road, in section 5, in 14th township, third range," and confirmed also on December 1st.

In March, 1804, the court ordered payment of sixteen dollars to sundry persons as their total compensation for "services rendered in reviewing and laying out a road from the middle to the west fork of Little Beaver Creek, of the road from New Lisbon to Georgetown." Also, in the same month was laid a road thirty-three feet in width " from the Ohio River to John Myers'."

Nov. 6, 1804, a road was confirmed, extending " from the court-house to McKaig's, and thence to Tuscarawa Path." This also was two rods wide.

A road was surveyed by William Heald, in March, 1804, from New Lisbon to the Pennsylvania line in section 25, township 8, range 1, which was in length fourteen miles, three quarters, and thirty-six perches, and in width fifty feet.

June 11th following, a road was confirmed by the court which was laid fifty feet wide, extending from New Lisbon to section 3, in township IS, range 5; and Nov. 4, 1805, a road of the same width, from State line to Jackman's mill, thence to New Lisbon ; and on the same day, a road " from near Augusteen's, on section number twenty-four, eighth township, first range, to Connecticut line between sections numbers one and two in thirteenth township, second range." This also was fifty feet wide.

A State road was laid out by Lewis Kinney, road commissioner, Nov. 21, 1805, "from near the mouth of Little Beaver Creek by New Lisbon to the south line of the county of Trumbull."

In November, 1828, Joab Gaskill and Robert Lattimore, commissioners, and J. G. Williard, surveyor, laid out the road which extends from Canton through New Lisbon to the Pennsylvania line, beginning in the line between Stark ami Columbiana Counties.

Bridge

At a meeting of the associate judges of the Court of Common Pleas at New Lisbon, Dec. 1, 1803, a petition was presented by John Bever an! Thomas Moore, proprietors of Beaver Mills, "praying an order might be granted for building a permanent and free bridge across Little Beaver Creek, at or near Little Beaver Mills, which was accompanied by proposals by a certain Robert Kelly, guaranteed by John Bever, one of the aforesaid proprietors, for building the aforesaid bridge at their own proper costs and charges, of the dimensions and materials following, viz. : stone pillars or butments built for a frame of wood to rest on, and of such a height as will make it convenient for ascending and descending the banks of the creek aforesaid, and out of the reach of the freshets of the creek, the whole sufficiently strong for wagons loaded and other carriages that may pass over it. The floor of said bridge to be a proper thickness, and all to be completed in a workmanlike manner and within a reasonable period, which bridge they agree to keep in good repair for two years after the same is completed, and the same bridge to be of the width of twelve feet. Ordered by the court that the aforesaid proprietors be authorized, and they are hereby authorized, to build a bridge over the aforesaid creek, and of the dimensions and with the materials above specified, within one year from the date hereof, for which purpose the said John Bever hath this day entered into a bond in the penal sum of one thousand dollars to complete the aforesaid bridge in the time specified and of the materials within mentioned, in consideration of subscriptions to the amount of four hundred and ninety-four dollars, obtained by the aforesaid John Bever and Thomas Moore and other persons from sundry citizens of the county of Columbiana, and from sundry others of the States of Pennsylvania and Virginia."

Mr. Fisher A. Blocksom, who was deputy postmaster at New Lisbon, under Captain Thomas Rowland, in 1812 - 13, stated to Mr. II 11. Gregg that " the mails then consisted of one weekly horseback mail from Pittsburgh to New Lisbon, via Grecrsburg and E ist Fairfield, and thence to Cleveland via Deerfield and Ravenna. There was also a weekly horseback mail from New Lisbon to Steubenville, via Gillingham's Salt Works, and a weekly mail to Canton, via Grissell's post-office and Osnaburg, and that eacli of these horseback weekly mails were carried in the old-fashioned saddle-bags, with mail locks attached."

Stage Lines

Lines of stages were first advertised in the Ohio Patriot of Saturday, May 23, 1S29, and the notice, which is quoted, tells tersely its own story of the march of improvement in matters of travel and communication. The notice reads as follows :

"The public are informed, that a regular line of Stages is now running from and to the above places, three times a week, leaving Pittsburgh on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at 3 o'clock A.M. and arriving at New-Lisbon on the same day, at 7 o'clock P.M.

" To facilitate the transportation of passengers, arriving in New- Lisbon or Wellsville, on any other than the regular stage days, the subscribers have procured

Steam-Boat Stage Office

"The proprietors of the accommodation line, just established, pledge themselves to spare no pains to render the situation of those who may favor him with their patronage both comfortable and agreeable. Fare reasonable, and every attention j)aid to bayyaye, but in all cases it must be at the risk of the owner.

" N. B. Arrangements have been made to meet the Middleburry and 'Warren Stages in New-Lisbon, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, which stages will leave town regularly every Wednesday and Sunday mornings.

This enterprise was but the prelude to others in the same field, and in the following week notice was published of another line of stages, of which and other matters Mr. Gregg wrote for the Pioneer Society in part as follows :*

" On the 30th of May, 1829, a flaming advertisement came out also in the Ohio Patriot for a ' New Lisbon, Wellsville, and Steubenville mail stage,' also to run three times a week, and signed ' M. Seydel, Union Hall Stage Office, New Lisbon.' This line was to leave the house of M. Seydel, New Lisbon, sign of the Union Hall, every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, at six o'clock a.m., and arrive at the stage office of John M. Jenkins, of Wellsville, at nine o'clock a.m., and to leave Wellsville at ten a.m., and arrive at Dohrman's Hotel, in Steubenville, at six o'clock P.M., - that is, twelve hours from New Lisbon to Steubenville.

" Soon after the publication of this latter advertisement the public were again notified, by advertisement of Feehan & Watson, that their line was to extend from Wooster to Mansfield, and that the line was also to run daily from Pittsburgh to Beaver. Such were the great mail-routes run by the old-fashioned stages forty-seven years ago.

" When the writer of this essay came to Columbiana County, in March, 1835, the contracts for carrying the mails daily in old-fashioned stages or post-coaches were from Wellsville to Fairport, on the lake, and from Pittsburgh to Wooster; and I well recollect seeing the tired horses come in daily, dragging the heavy stages, filled with passengers, through the hard roads, and sometimes the mud up to the axles. When the customary change of horses took place at the old Watson or Cross Keys Hotel, in New Lisbon, the horses would then move off as gayly as a new circus, and the poor tired and sleepy passengers, too, even seemed to be cheered up at the prospect of a new team ; and the driver would crack his whip, and swing himself on the stage-box, and look as if he felt as happy as Napoleon when he crossed the Alps to defeat the Austrians in Italy."

The following stage-routes were in use in 1835. The tables give the distances between stations, and the total distance of each station from starting-point :

A stage-route was established in 1833 from Wellsville, in Columbiana County, to Fairport, on Lake Erie ; and another, in 1835, from Wellsville to Cleveland. Both routes passed through New Lisbon and Salem. Before these lines were in operation mails were borne by carriers on foot from Salem, and probably from New Lisbon, to connect at Palmyra with the stage-route between Beaver and Cleveland,* named in the last schedule.

June 13, 1818, the following rates were established by the commissioners: "for each ferry-keeper to demand and receive for the transportation of persons and property over the Ohio River : for each foot" person, 6} cents; man and horse, 12 cents; loaded wagon and team, $1 ; every fourwheeled carriage, empty wagon and team, 62J cents ; for loaded cart and team, 50 cents; for empty cart and team, sled, or sleigh and team, 31 J cents ; for every horse or mare, mule, or head of neat-cattle, 6|- cents; for every sheep or hog, 3 cents."

The fer riage "on all other waters in the county" was fixed at four cents for each foot person, one cent for every hog and sheep, and in other cases about one-half the rates charged for ferriage across the Ohio.

The first steamboat for navigating the Ohio River was built and launched in 1811, and was a joy and wonder to the inhabitants of the river townships who saw it pass on its first voyage from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Down to the year 1832 there had been built for navigating the Western rivers three hundred and forty-eight steamboats, of which one hundred and ninety-eight were then running. Of the latter number there were built at Cincinnati, sixtyeight ; Pittsburgh, sixty-eight ; Louisville, two ; New Albany, twelve; Marietta, seven ; Zanesville, two ; Fredericksburgh, one; Westport, one; Silver Creek, one; Brush Creek, one ; Wheeling, two; Nashville, one ; Frankfort, two ; Smithland, one ; Economy, one; Brownsville, six; Portsmouth, three ; Steubenville, two ; Beaver, two ; St. Louis, one; New York, three ; Philadelphia, one ; not known, ten.

Canal

amended March 9, 1830. Nearly nine years after the former date, - Nov. 24, 1834, - the work was formally begun at New Lisbon amid great rejoicing, Elderkin Potter performing the ceremony of " breaking ground" near the old furnace. Because of various embarrassments, the canal was not completed until 1846, the first boat from the East reaching New Lisbon October 26th, under command of Capt. Dunn. The arrival was the cause of great rejoicing. A jubilee meeting was held at Hanna's warehouse, at which William E. Russell made an appropriate speech in behalf of the citizens, to which Dr. Leonard Hanna gave an earnest response in behalf of the directors of the canal corporation. The day's celebration was closed with an exhibition of fireworks, and a supper and ball at the Watson House.

One of the many packets which plied between New Lisbon and Pittsburgh was the " David Begges," commanded by Capt. George Ramsay, " one of the jolliest fellows that ever trod shipboard." A number of boats were built at New Lisbon.

About a mile east of Hanover the canal was conducted through a tunnel nearly three-quarters of a mile in length to a point about one mile west of Dungannon. North of the latter place there was a smaller tunnel about three hundred and fifty yards in length. At Gilford there were two reservoirs, - one of an area of four hundred and ninety acres, and one of less than half that size. Traces of the tunnels and reservoirs are yet plainly visible, and will be visible for years to come as reminders of an unfortunate project. 'The track of the canal may be traced over its entire original course through the township, but passing time is gradually obliterating the faint evidences of what at one time promised to be an important highway for traffic.

The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad was opened between Salem and Alliance, a distance of thirteen miles, Nov. 27, 1851, and on the third day of January following cars ran from Columbiana to Pittsburgh.

The Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad was opened for business between Wellsville and Cleveland in 1852, and between the former place and Pittsburgh Sept. 16, 1S56. Prominent citizens of the couuty projected this road, chiefly residents of Wellsville.

The total length of the main lines of these railroads within the county of Columbiana is nearly one hundred miles, the first two embracing between them nearly the entire territory of the preseut county.

Militia

Lewis Kinney, gathered on the farm owned by Jonah Robinson, situated on the Georgetown road and on the west side of the west fork of Beaver Creek, where musters were held for many years.

The first muster of the second battalion, under Maj. John Taggart, took place on the farm of Matthias Lower, in Fairfield township, where the first Supreme and Common Pleas Courts were held.

Many who were originally officers in the militia, or were promoted to such positions afterwards, became prominent in various capacities, civil and military. Brig. -Gen. Robert Simison became Associate Judge ; Lieut. -Col. Reasin Beall, Clerk of the Court, Treasurer, and Recorder; Maj. Lewis Kinney served in the State Senate from 18U8 to 1813; Maj. John Taggart, who lived in Unity township, near Palestine, became senator in 1806-7 ; Capt. Israel Warner was a captain in the war of 1812, and marched a company to the northern frontier; Lieut. Jacob Gilbert became captain, and Ensign Lindsey Cannon a lieutenant, in the war of 1812, as did also David Graham. Lieut Peter Musser was afterwards brigadier-general, a major in the war of 1812, and a member of the House of Representatives in 1821-22 ; Dr. Horace Potter, surgeon, was afterwards Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, and Maj. Thomas Rowland, the first quartermaster, - who was subsequently County Treasurer, - marched a company of volunteers to the relief of Gen. Hull in 1812, and afterwards, having received the appointment of captain in the United States infantry, enlisted a company and again marched to the relief of the frontier; Fisher A. Blocksom, clerk of the regiment, became a representative in the General Assembly in 1826, and served until 1828, and again served from 1831 to '33. He was also senator in that body from 1817 to '51, and for several years "prosecuting attorney" of the county.

The following item of history connected with the early operations of the county militia is introduced in the language of Mr. II. II. Gregg, as published in 1873 :

" As early as March 28, 1803, a call was made by the governor of Ohio, through Maj. -Gen. Wadsworth, upon Brig.-Gen. Beall to take effectual measures to arm and equip, according to law, one hundred and forty-four of the militia of his brigade, and hold in readiness to march, at a moment's warning, to meet some great national emergency. This emergency having passed, an order was issued by Maj.- Gen. Wadsworth, dated Canfield, June 8, 1800, in which the troops were discharged, with the thanks of the President of the United States 'to those volunteers whose patriotism induced them to volunteer their services in defense of the liberties of their country.' And Maj. -Gen. Wadsworth cordially congratulated the detachment on the happy change in our foreign relations which has made their services unnecessary."

Raster of Columbiana Militia .* - The following list contains the names of all males in the county over eighteen years of age who were subject to military duty in 1806, and, as far as given, is the only correct list of the first inhabitants. The principal object in producing the names is

A part of the record is lost or mutilated, as are some of the company rolls. The regiment contained eighteen musicians and eight hundred and ten rank and file.

Capt. John Nichol'S Company

Wtdlsvilk Militia- and Cavalry. - Wellsville boasted, in the days of 1811, a crack militia company, known as the Wellsville Light Artillery, Capt. Henry Cope. The command numbered fifty-one men, carried a twelve-pound Napoleon gain, and paraded in a showy uniform consisting of red coats, white pants, and stiff hat with brilliant plume. They are said to have made a very imposing appearance when out in the full pomp of display, and during the company's eight years' existence, from 1844 to 1852, their red coats and white pants glistened in public at general musters, Fourth of July celebrations, parades, and on other occasions. It was while in camp at New Lisbon that the company received orders to prepare to take the field of active service in the campaign against Mexico. Arrangements were at once set afoot for a departure for the seat of war; but just then peace was declared, and the company lost a chance to win glory upon the tented plain.

Before the days of the artillery and contemporaneous with it, Judge J. A. Riddle commanded a cavalry company attached to the State militia, with headquarters at Wellsville. In 1858, Capt. Henry Cope organized the Wellsville Guards, with A. H. Battin as first lieutenant; James T. Smith, second lieutenant; and J. H. II. Hunter third lieutenant. Upon the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion in 1861, the entire command, with one exception, enlisted in the service, and went out under the three months' call in Company K, Third Regiment Ohio Volunteers.