Coshocton County, Ohio - Chapter 13: Merchaxdizing, Banking, Tavern-Keeping, Etc, 1876

Chapter 13: Merchaxdizing, Banking, Tavern-Keeping, Etc

Merchandizing was, of course, for many years on a very limited scale. The " goods " had to be brought from Pittsburg, Steubenville, or Zanesville, either in wagons or by steamboat. For many years, of even later times, it was a common practice to drive stock on east, and in exchange get supplies of goods. Colonel Williams was a " trader."

Among the men who achieved a reputation in this line in the earlier days were James Renfrew, Benjamin Ricketts, John Smeltzer, and Robert Hay, of Coshocton ; Thos. Johnston, of Plainfield ; the Mulvains, of Oxford township; Wm. Brown, of West Carlisle; Chas. E. Marquard, at New Guilford ; John H. Pigman, at Clayville ; Samuel Holmes, of West Bedford ; Welch, of Roscoe ; Samuel Ramsey, of Keene ; F. W. Thornhill, of West Carlisle, West Bedford, and New Guilford (East Union); G. V. Lawrence and E". Shafer, at New Castle.

Of a somewhat later date than above named merchants, we have Wm. Renfrew, W. K. Johnson k Co., John Burns, Bagnall & Le Retilley, John Frew & Co., T. C, Ricketts, R. M. Lamb, Arnold Medbery, H. Meek, Humrickhouse & Co., Samuel Lamberson, John G. Stewart, Jackson Hay, H. N. Shaw, F. X. Fritchey, D. Bretsford, at Jacobsport ; R. Cochran, at West Carlisle ; H. Beall, at Keene ; Seth McLain, in Roscoe; R. Boyd, at Keene ; the Denmans and the Shoffners, at Warsaw ; Wilson & Thompson, at West Bedford.

after the canals were built, and a very great one along the line of the railway after it was opened.* With this multiplication of establishments has come a division into departments in the larger places, and the same store is now no longer expected, as in the olden times, to have laces and silks and soap and nails. There are, at this writing, in Coshocton and Roscoe only forty-six stores, with nearly- as many more shops and saloons, etc. The keepers of some of these, as of others in the county, will doubtless be able to secure honorable and extended mention in " Chronicles of 1976."

In May, 1876 Banking

The merchants of the earlier day received deposits, and settled any eastern claims in any wise arising against their customers. The first parties who undertook the business in regular way of selling eastern exchange, and doing a full deposit, discount, and exchange banking business, were W. K. Johnson & Co., about 1852. They operated at first in the rear room of those now occupied by J. G. Stewart, and then in the office he occupies. After W. K. Johnson's death, the firm was J. K. Johnson & Co. (the company being John Johnson). After the latter's death, David and John H., sons of Joseph, were received into the firm, and the business was thus conducted until their removal to New York City, about the 1st of January, 1872. Since that time, the establishment is designated "Johnson's Bank" - John G. Stewart, proprietor.

T. C. Kicketts started the second banking-house, about 1855. He also organized the "First National Bank" in January, 1872 (commencing business March, 1872) - T. C. Kicketts, president, and Baxter Ricketts, cashier. In the winter of 1873-4, it was reorganized, Jackson Hay becoming president, Houston Hay vice-president, and H. C. Herbig cashier. Its original capital was $50,000 ; its present, $90,000.

The Merchants' in 1838, and even later, put out their " scrip," and in 1861 the treasurer of Coshocton county gave out many "pieces of pasteboard" as money; but this was the first bank of issue in the county.

About 1856, the south room in the frame building on Second street, next north of B. Shaw's china and glass store, had over it the sign " Bank," and was the headquarters of one who afterward became quite famous in certain monetary transactions - i. e. James M. Brown.

Tavern-Keepers

One of the most prominent features of a country is the public house or tavern, and no proper sketch of a region or people can ignore this feature. For some years Charles Williams was the only man in the county holding himself out in the capacity of landlord, or having business enough to warrant the taking out of a license. In the earlier days travelers expected and received entertainment at almost any house where they pleased to stop. Hospitality was the pride of the whole people, and those agreeing to supply the travelers' wants were not niggardly in doing so. The appliances were sometimes of a rude sort; but the

Illustrative of the primitive way they had in those days of entertaining travelers, the cheapness of the viands, and the anxiety of the early settlers to treat strangers well, we reprodnce from Mr. Melishe's journal* his account of a scene between himself and a landlady : " When near Coshocton, I stopped for breakfast at a small roadside tavern. I was anxious to be gone as soon as possible, and urged the landlady to make all the haste she could. She said she would have the breakfast ready in a minute ; but the first indication I saw of dispatch was a preparation to twist the necks of two chickens. I told her to stop, and she gave me a look of astonishment. ' Have you any eggs ?' said I. 'Yes, plenty,' replied she, still keeping in a sitting posture, with the chicken in her hand. ' Well,' said I, 'just boil an ^gg, and let me have it. with a little bread and tea, and that will save you and I a deal of trouble.' She seemed quite embarrassed, and said she never could set down a breakfast to me like that. I assured her I would take nothing else. ' Shall I frj' some ham for you along with the eggs ? ' said she. 'No,' said I; 'not a bit.' 'Well, will you take a little stewed pork?' ' jSTo.' 'Shall I make some fritters for you ? ' ' IsTo.' ' Preserve me, what will you take, then V ' A little bread and tea, and an ^gg.^ ' Well, you're the most extraordinary man that I ever saw ; but I can't sit down to a table that way.' So I allowed her to take her own way, assuring her I would take mine as to eating. She detained me about half an hour, and at last placed upon the table a profusion of ham, eggs, fritters, bread and butter, and some excellent tea. All the time I was at breakfast she kept pressing me to eat; but I kept my own counsel, and touched none of the dishes except the bread, the tea, and an ^gg. She aiiected great surprise, and when I paid her the ordinary fare, a quarter of a dollar, she said she didn't want to take anything."

Knox county, passing through Coshocton, on a silver shilling. Selecting his house, he would ask for entertainment, and, -when about to leave, state that he had only this shilling, producing it, and that it was invariably refused.

An invariable attendant of the early tavern was " the bar," with its decanters and glasses arranged on a shelf behind the counter. The great glory of the tavern was "the ball." A gentleman happened at old Charley Williams' at the time of the usual "court week" dance, and nearly fifty years after gave a graphic, inimitable account of the affair. Becoming at length tired of the revel, he stole away to his bed, but in a little time two of the party came up to him. When on the landing of the stairs, coming down in obedience to their behests, he shrewdly put the candle out, and, slipping past them, got into a nook, where he rested, if not sleeping, until the next morning. The host, as well as the guests, was decidedly festive that night ; but the next day he apologized to his stranger guest, and blamed the frolic on " them Zanesville lawyers."

Among the more famous keepers of public houses, besides Williams, were Wilson McGowan, Benjamin Ricketts, B. E. Shaw, Samuel Morrison, J. C. Maginity, in Coshocton ; Theophilus Phillips, and Barcus and Mrs. li. Johnston, of Boscoe ; B. Magness, of Linton township ; Moses Morgan and P. Wolf, of Oxford township; Robert Farwell, in Keene ; Joseph Butler, in New Castle ; Stryker Morgan, three miles east of Coshocton ; Augustine White, of West Carlisle ; F. A. Stafford, in Virginia township ; Moses L. !N"eal, Coshocton ; Ellis D. Jones, first in Roscoe, then in Coshocton ; and Wm. Tidball, who was the tirst keeper of wdiat is now the City Hotel, and had before taking that won a reputation up in Clark township. W. H. H. Price is now growing gray in the business.

Transportation Business

Doubtless the citizens of Coshocton county best known .in direct connection with the transportation business on the - canal Avere Captain Isaac Evans and Captain Wm. Moririson, both with good reputations ; the former dead, the latter still living in the county. ^Neither this sort of work nor the stage-coach business ever seems to have had a large place among Coshocton county interests. Among " the drivers " there were possibly some whose experiences would be freighted with romantic interest were they set out ; but they are, if recorded at all, in some tablet of memory now moss-grown and illegible.

Above the general surface there rises the history of the canal-driver boy, who afterward was governor of Iowa - Wm. Stone - originall}- from the State of New York, but spending his boyhood and young manhood in Coshocton.

A good many " bare-foot Bills," both in and out of Coshocton county, have gotten well on in the world. For the comfort and encouragement of the present generation let it be recorded.