Coshocton County, Ohio - Chapter 12: Notes on Manufacturing, Mining, Etc Milling, 1876

Chapter 12: Notes on Manufacturing, Mining, Etc Milling

The earliest settlers relied for the most part on hominy or pounded corn. The hominy block was an indispensable article. The finest particles of the crushed grain were made into cakes and the coarser boiled. The hand-mill was the next appliance ; then the little neighborhood mills, turned by a run or a horse ; then the " one run of burr " mills were set up - one or two in a township. One of the earliest settlers tells how, having grown weary of hominy meal, and having heard that there was a power mill between Dresden and Zanesville, he put some grain in his canoe, and started down the river from near Oxford. The mill was discovered to be quite a patent aflair. Two canoes had been fastened just at a ripple in the river, and a small paddle-wheel set between the boats, and this, turned by the rippling waters, furnished the power to turn a large sized hand-mill.

In the " Notices of some of the Earliest Settlers by Township," in a preceding part of this volume, mention has been made of many of the " corn-crackers," as the primitive mills were often designated. Of the earlier mills the more famous w^ere those of Isaac Evans and Michael Miller. Probably the first mill that rose much above the dignity of a "corn-cracker" was that built in Linton township by Thomas Johnson and Jacob Waggoner in 1817, having four run of burrs.

In 1840 the "Union mill " was built in lower Roscoe by the Union Mill Company (R. M. Lamb, Dr. S. Lee, and John Frew, of Coshocton ; Wm. and John Carhart, Jos. Le Retilley and George Bagnall, of Roscoe ; and Peter Marquand, of Will's creek). Becoming embarrassed, the company sold this mill to D. E^. Barney & Co., of Cleveland, and it was by them sold to Arnold Medberry. It was burned in 1 855.

About 1846, the Linton mill was built by J, V. Heslip, Joseph Heslip, and M. L. Norris. In 1850, Robert Long started the mill at Warsaw; it afterward passed into the hands of JST. Rector, subsequently was run by Burrell & Donley, and then by Robert Darling & Son. In 1 856, the Empire mill in Roscoe was started by A. Medbery. After his death (in 1862) it was bought by F. E. Barney, Lewis Demoss, S. Lamberson, and D. L. Triplett. These gentlemen, within a few years, have added very largely to the machinery, and extended the buildings, making the establishment one of the largest in the State of Ohio.* In 1874, the Beebe Brothers started their mill in Lower Roscoe. Robert D. Boyd also built one at Wild Turkey Lock. In 183-, a flouring-mill was built, corner of Second and Main streets, by James Renfrew & Co. After a few years it was burned down, and subsequently another, on the same site, was erected by a company, embracing the principal merchants of the town of Coshocton and a few others. It was not very successfully run, and after some years passed into the hands of Love & Hay, distillers, as elsewhere noted. In 1875, C. Balch & Co. started the " City Mill," the large brick mill just east of the freight depot in Coshocton. The following is the list of mills now in operation in addition to those already indicated, viz. : New Princeton, operated

The manufactnre of whisky must be fairly set down as, for many years, one of the leading industries of Coshocton county. Much of the wealth of the county has come through it. A number of substantial citizens have been connected with it. It had the credit of being, for the most part, honestly carried on ; and the article made had a good reputation. Even a clergyman of the county advised his remote friends, " if they must have whisky, to be sure and get Coshocton county whisky." Passing by ruder and smaller still-houses, a noticeable one was in operation, nearly forty years ago, near Walhonding, conducted by James Gamble, and a little later, one at that place by Collins, Gamble, and others. Another was on Lower Wills creek, operated by Munroe and others. A few miles below lioscoe was a quite substantial structure, turning out large quantities of corn-juice from 1830 to 1840, owned by John Frew & Co. (the Bowmans, of Brownsville, Pennsylvania). In later times there was a large whisky-mill at Conesville, operated by Cone, and then J. W. Beebe, and then Barney, Corning & Co., during whose administration the establishment was burned. It was rebuilt by Beebe, and a second time burned.

Wm. Renfrew and Robert Hay commenced operations in this line in 1831-2, in Upper Roscoe. The firm afterward became Love & Hay (Samuel Love afterward removed to Champaign county, Illinois, being in first, and afterward his brother Thomas Love). Subsequently, the distillery in Roscoe havingburned,they came over to the old flouring-mill at the corner of Main and Second streets in Coshocton, and there continued for many years.* In 1863, T. Love & Co. sold a thousand barrels of their whisky to parties who immediately shipped it to California, and brought back, as the return cargo, thirty thousand barrels of flour. The veryheavy capital involved and to some extent imperiled in the seasons of highest prices for corn, and especially the diflSculties of competing with less honest distillers, who would run " crooked " whisky, and the ample returns already secured, led to the giving up of the business. There is at this writing no recognized still in the county, and no whisky has been made in the county for some ten years.

Andrew Lybarger was the first man to start a tannery, setting up in that line, about 1808, in Coshocton, on the northwest corner of Second and Walnut streets. This yard afterward passed into the hands of John and Joseph K. Johnson, and, at a still later day, was owned by Andrew Wilkins. It was abandoned some years since. Probably the tannery next started was the one a mile above Roscoe, by the Carharts. N'ot long after was one at East Plainfield under the control of Thomas Johnston. Among the old establishments of this sort was one near Keene, operated by Geo. Wolf - afterward by Sprague ; one at East Union, started by McVey and Bonnett, now run by the. Blues ; and one near West Bedford, under Wm. Renfrew. At this writing there is a tannery at Plainfield, run by Lewis Carhart; one at Coshocton, by H. N. Shaw & Sons ; at Roscoe, by J. & H. Carhart ; at New Princeton, by Wm. Wolfe; at East Union, by the Blues; at New Castle, by Jonathan Knight ; at West Carlisle, by Lewis Bonnett ; and one at Chili, by Gotlieb Feller.

The first iron foundry in the county was started in Coshocton by George Conwell and Morris Burt. It still stands on the lot just south of Dr. Wm. Stanton's residence, corner of second and Locust streets. The Roses, of Roscoe, started the Roscoe foundry. The Coshocton one passed into the hands of J. C. Maginity, and the Roscoe one into Mr. Brown's, and these parties consolidated, making the Roscoe foundry the principal and, after a time, the only one. It is now operated by Henry King, of Coshocton, and James Mirise, of Roscoe.

Shaw & Sons. His son, Hiram, and Henry King, some eight years ago started a foundry near the Tuscarawas bridge, and operated it (having James Hay also for a partner for a time) until they removed to Koscoe.

A few years ago, a young man, named Edward Kirk, from Pittsburgh, started the foundry on Fifth street in Coshocton. It afterward passed into the hands of T. C. Ricketts, and was operated by Kirk and Robert Hay, then by Ricketts & Evans, and, still later, by Hirt, Palm & Evans.

In May, 1871, a stock compan}^ was formed, called the " Coshocton Iron and Steel Company." The company proceeded to erect quite extensive buildings, and put in them the machinery for making springs and axles and iron bridges. The president of the company was Houston Hay ; vice-president, F. E. Barney ; treasurer, T. C. Ricketts (and they, with Lewis Demoss and John Davis, were directors). The secretary was John A. Barney. James W. Shipman was general manager. He had formerly operated an establishment of the same kind at Fort Plain, E". Y., and the company bought the machinery of his establishment and removed it to Coshocton. This arrangement was made after a committee had visited the works there. Everything needful pertaining to the concern was obtained either from Shipman or other parties. For a time everything went well; but, after running some three years, the company made an assignment. The Avorking capital had all been borrowed at high rates of interest ; a boiler had exploded (June 10, 1873), entailing several thousands of dollars of loss ; very large sums were paid for salaries and wages, and in some cases not much return in the way of service made ; and these and other causes soon swamped the company, and more or less embarrassed the stockholders. The establishment was idle for a number of months, and was then bought on the second offer at sheriff's sale by Houston Hay, who held nearly one-third of the stock of the original company. The price paid was $33,334. Hay soon started the axle department, and not long after, in partnership with J. W. Dwyer, resumed work in the spring department.

This is, at this writing, tlie largest iron manufacturing establishment in the county, giving employment to nearly one liundred men and boys. George Ayres is the superintendent of the axle department, John Hoban of the spring shop, and Farley Connerty of the foundry.

There are in the county deposits of iron ore - at least one large deposit of black-band (on tlie farm of William Hanlon, near Coshocton) - but as yet nothing has been done in either shipping or working these mineral riches.

More than forty years ago certain gentlemen came from Bucks county. Pa., and undertook the erection of a furnace near New Princeton, in Monroe township; but, after cutting immense quantities of cord-wood, and doing some work in building, the enterprise was abandoned. One of the principal operators (B. F. Williams) removed to Kichmond, Ind.

A couple of miles northeast of Coshocton is a blackmarble quarry. It is claimed to be of the sort used for tiling, etc. A movement was made a few years ago to utilize this, but the project was not well braced, and the capital requisite was not secured. Another effort was made in 1876, with some promise of success.

There was a carding-mill, in very early days, at Plainfield. At a later day, one near Warsaw and another at Bakersville. The first complete mill was started in 1833 in upper Roscoe by Samuel Moftat. After a few years it was burned down, and another built by C. S. Miller and S. Moftat. Miller went to California, and Moftat died, and the property passed into the hands of Thomas Wilson in 1855. With this enterprise, Wilson McClintock, afterward removing to Butler, Missouri, was for some years identified. The building was a frame one, stood a little above the planing-mill, and was burned down in 1867. Wilson proceeded promptly, after the fire, to build the large brick mill now operated by him, upon a site a little west of the old one, drawing water from the Walhonding canal, instead of the Ohio canal.

James Taylor operated a woolen mill in Coshocton for some years about 1840. Within a few years one has been erected by a stock company at Bakersville.

The paper-mill in Coshocton was built in 1863. Thompson Hanna (of Steubenville for many years) was its projector and builder. Messrs. Hay, Johnson, Spangler, Denman, and others countenanced the movement, and aided with the loan of funds. Daniel W. Hanna and Robert Sinclair (son and son-in-law of Thompson Hanna) afterward operated the mill. Want of working capital - made more oppressive by a boiler explosion * and other misfortunes - caused a failure of the proprietors. After some temporary arrangements, the property came into the hands of John W. Cassingham and A. D. Harvey, of Coshocton, and Hugh McElroy, of Pittsburg, Pa., and has been by them successfully operated for some years.

Among; the more considerable saw-mills of the earlier days were those of Isaac Evans, on Evans' creek, Thomas Johnson on Will's creek, and Sherry Odell on Mill creek.

The Coshocton Planing Mill Company commenced operations in 1869. The company was originally composed of Addison M. Williams, Martin Weiser, and W. H. Robinson, Jr. Robinson soon withdrew, and Dr. Wm. Stanton became a partner for a time. For several years the establishment has been owned and operated by Williams & Weiser. The building first used was Jackson Hay's old warehouse, from Canal Lewisville, which the company took down, hauled to Coshocton on wagons, and re-erected. Very considerable additions have been made to this original structure.

There are still several water saw-mills doing considerable in their way, but a very large part of work in this line has been done for some years by portable steam mills. Among those most largely operating with these have been Messrs. Stafford, Talmadge, Seward, and Joseph Elliott,

The first hatter's shop in the county was probably set up in East Union. Morris Burt was the first in this line in Coshocton. M. Ferguson worked in it for more than a quarter of a century in Roscoe. James II. Donohew, a veteran of the line, now represents the interest in the county at Coshocton.

The first brewery in Coshocton was started in the house opposite the ofiice of Dr. J. Harris, on IS'orth Second street, about 1852, by L. Mayer.

A small soap-factory was built twenty-five years ago near the bridge in Coshocton by J. Mayer. Some six years ago, the establishment was bought by W. H. Robinson, Jr., and C. Skinner, and torn down, to be replaced with the " Coshocton Soap Works," now owned and operated by D. Adams.

J. K. Marsh was the first to manufacture cigars on any noticeable scale - running into the millions. He set up in Coshocton in 1870. A Mr. Ilorton made a few some years before.

The manufacture of flour and whisky made the coopering business at one time quite an important industry. Among the long-engaged in this line were, of the earlier days, Jonathan Fisk and J. Huff", and of later times, John Mulligan, Robert Crawford, N. Schott, and K. Klossen, of Roscoe, and C. Marks, of Warsaw.

In 1857, E. McDonald and Alex. Manner, from Dresden, set up a carriage manufactory on West Walnut street. After a couple of years, Manner engaged in other business.

The shops on Sixth street, now occupied by Alex. Manner, were erected by G. A. Pieffer & Sons, of Dresden, in 1869. In 1873, Manner bought these premises at assignee's sale, and has since operated there.

Darius Wright for many years carried on wagon-making at Cross Roads, on a scale to become largely known through the county. He is now operating in Warsaw.

Geo. Schleich was the first to do much in this line in Coshocton ; subsequently J. Glover undertook the same line of work, and was succeeded by C. W. Frew, who afterward removed to Illinois.

There has been since 1860 a noticeable carriage and wagon-shop, at West Carlisle, in charge mainly of Mr. Welling. There has also been for three years past a considerable amount of work in this line done at New Bedford.

John Irwin for a number of years turned out a large number of plows, but he removed, two years since, to Iowa, and this business is now chiefly carried on by King & Mi rise, of Roscoe.

The Coshocton gas-works were built in the winter of 1873-4. The contractor was B. Van Steenberg, of New York, who also at the outset was the heaviest stockholder - selling his interest subsequently to Houston Hay. The company was first organized in 1872, F. E. Barney, L. Demoss, John G. Stewart, H. K Shaw, and AV. E. Hunt, directors. H. K. Shaw was succeeded by H. Hay, who, with the others above named, are the present directors.

H. N. Shaw k Sons (in connection with their more extended tanninir operations), in 1875, undertook the manufacture of boots and shoes on a larger scale than had been previous!}' attempted.

The latest manufacturing enterprise is that in charge of J. W. Bebee (United States Yeast Company) - the making of dry yeast. In the winter of 1875-6, he entered upon this work in Lower Roscoe, and is at this writing shipping several hundred pounds a day.

A few years later, the " Licking and Coshocton Coal Company " commenced quite extensive operations at Coalport, and continued shipping by canal to Newark until about 1860, when the works were taken by others.

In 1856, Foght Burt, from his mine on his farm, about a- mile southeast of Coshocton (now in possession of W. K. Johnson's heirs), made a four-feet ten-inch rai'lroad to connect with the S. & I. R. R., making the junction a little south of the freight-depot. At first horses were used to haul the cars; afterward a small locomotive ("Little Giant"), T. II. Burt being the engineer. A considerable amount of money was put in the enterprise, and much effort made by Mr. Burt and his sons, R. W. and T. H., but the project was a costly failure, owing, as is said, to the failure of the S. & I. R. R. Co., " from inability possibly," says R. "W. Burt, to meet expectations of assistance in building the coal road, and afterward in furnishing cars.

The coal business received a great impulse about 1868, through the operations of Colonel J. C. Campbell and Albert Christy, who leased large tracts, and organized the " Coshocton Coal Company'," enlisting A. H. Spangler very thoroughly. This company bought out Prosser's Beech Hollow bank, and Shoemaker dying, the territory held by him was also embraced in their leases. The Miami Company was formed buying from the Coshocton Company the Shoemaker leases ; also the ISTew York Company taking some territory two miles south of the town of Coshocton.

Several companies were also organized to operate in the old Coalport field. These, with some changes in organization, continue. The New York Company's mine passed into the control of the Union Company, now under the management of Colonel Wood. The Miami Company was supplanted by the "Penn Twyn."

In 1870, F. E. and J. A. Barney, D. L. Triplett, S. H. Lee, G. W. Ricketts, E. Prosser, and others formed the " Home Coal Company." Prosser, after a year or so, sold his interest in that company, and opened a mine three and one-half miles southwest of Coshocton, near the canal, shipping by that chiefly to Newark. This bank is still under his control. He also, in connection with J. AV. Cassinghara and T. Dudley (of Piqua), purchased the Home Company bank. These gentlemen also operate the " Penn Twyn," and are thus the heaviest coal operators in the county at this writing.*

Vast amounts of coal of confessedly superior quality have been shipped from these mines, and whatever the result to some of the stockholders and operators, large pecu-

The difficulties connected with the matter of transportation arc alleged to be the chief drawbacks to a more successful prosecution of business at any of them.

Besides the merchant mines already mentioned (eight), there are now a number of home supply mines, of which the principal are those of William Hall, J. Lear, William G. Hay, and J. Burt, of Tuscarawas township ; and D. Markley and R. Boyd, of Keene township.

Besides the territory embraced in the leases of the companies above referred to, the Morgan Run Ooal and Mining Company has several (three) thousand acres covered by its leases, but as yet unworked. It is expected that these lands will be penetrated by the Massilon and Coshocton Railroad, whose projectors are largely interested in them.

Coal Oil Stills And Oil Wells

From 1857 to 1860 a good deal of money was expended in the making of coal oil in Bedford township, where there are very fine beds of cannel coal. Parties from Boston, New York, and Pittsburg, including such men as Ezra Cornell, of New York ; A. E. Kittredge, of Boston ; and Robert Forsythe, of Pittsburg, erected stills and opened mines, and made things for a time very lively. But the oil wells in Western Pennsylvania soon set aside the coal oil. Considerable quantities of the coal were afterward shipped to the gas-works at Newark and elsewhere. There was at one time much " oil fever" in Coshocton county.

Messrs. Montgomery and Cowdery came in, and driving about in an elegant conveyance, with silver-mounted harness and whip, made many anxious to get " into oil." They took leases, and gave people to understand that oil abounded in the county. A few of the citizens have reason to remember them, and would rather not hear much about oil stocks.

leadership of F. E. Barney, T. C. Ricketts, and others, formed a "test" company, and sunk a well near the Empire mills in Roscoe, to the depth' of some seventeen hundred feet, at a cost of some $6,000, but did not strike oil in paying quantities. Several holes in the ground were also made on Will's creek, and some gentlemen of Coshocton and elsewhere got into companies " on the ground floor."

During the war and soon after, a great many oil leases were taken on ground in New Castle township, and parties, chiefly under the management of Peter ISTeft', of Cincinnati, sunk some wells. I^o oil of consequence was found, but there was an immense outflow of gas, and this has recently been turned to account in making lamp-black of very superior quality and in considerable amount.

Soon after the settlement of the county, salt was manufactured on a small scale at Rock Run, three miles south of Coshocton. A few miles further down the river, just over the line of the county (in Muskingum), are, at this writing, quite extensive salt works, with which John H. Klossen, of Coshocton and Roscoe, has for some years been connected. They were operated for years by Retilley & Bagnall, of Roscoe.

Potteries, in the region of New Castle (where excellent materials are found), have been very successfully carried on by the Richs and their successors.

George Bagnall, about 1860, began operations in that line in Lower Roscoe, and afterward sold out to Mr. Rich, who now carries on the business. Bagnall removed to New Comerstown.

The Coshocton Stone Company (Thomas H. Johnson, of Columbus, and John A. Hanlon andL. L. Cantwell, of Coshocton) have for a year past been operating in their quarry (on the Ohio canal and the projected route of the Massillon and Coshocton railway) and in their yard in Roscoe, where they have steam stone- saw apparatus. They are at this writing shipping a contribution of stone for the Ohio building at the Philadelphia Centennial Fair.