Fairfield County, Ohio - Chapter 15: Public Institutions and Public Buildings, 1912

Chapter 15: Public Institutions and Public Buildings

The Court Houses - City Hall - County Infirmary and Poor Farm - Fairfield County Childrens' Home - The County Fair - Old City Burial Ground, With List of Names as Recorded on Gravestones - Telephones and Telegraph.

Court Houses

Fairfield county's first court house was built in 1806, and occupied in 1807. Four years had elapsed since the first courts were held in log cabins. The new temple of justice was a twostory brick and stood in the center of Broadway, on the north side of Main street. It was one of the first structures of the kind then complete in the state. The brick were made by Sosthenus McCabe - it is said at $2.50 per thousand. In the first story was the court room, the seats being arranged in amphitheater form. In the second story were two jury rooms, reached by a flight of winding stairs. The roof was conical, and "hipped." and surmounted by a balcony and steeple. A fine bell hung in the balcony. The building was used for nearly sixty years, and was condemned by the county commissioners in 1864 on account of its supposed dampness, the floor resting near the ground. Soon after the war it was torn down, and the fears of dampness proved unfounded, by the remarkable dryness of the floor lumbers. For the three year between the demolition of this venerable edifice and the completion of its successor, the commissioners

At a very early day a two-story brick building was built on the south side of Main street, and in the southeast part of the public square. This building contained four rooms, and was used by the county officers, for several years. It was called, for political reasons probably, the "Red Lodge," though the exact origin of this sobriquet is not now known. The postoffice was kept in the lower story for a time. After the removal of the county offices, and also a small book store, the "Fairfield Telegraph," newspaper was published in the upper story, for about three years in connection with the telegraph office.

After the removal of Judge Irwin to his farm south of the town, the county commissioners purchased his large brick dwelling, on the north side of the square and devoted it to county uses. This arrangement was in effect between 1843 ^^'^ 1850. Soon after the purchase of the property, a stone vault was built on the premises, conforming with a statute providing for the safe custody of the books and funds of the countv treasurers. In this place the offices were continued until the completion of the new court house in 1871. The Irwin house, known for more than twenty years, as the "county building," was used as a high school for some time after its vacation by the county officials, and finally sold by the county for five thousand dollars.

The new court house was completed in 1871, about four years from the time the ground was first broken for the foundation. Immediately after the condemnation of the old court house, the county commissioners began to move in the matter of erecting a suitable court house, large enough to contain all the county officers. The choice of a site was a matter of some difficulty, and, while pending, occasioned much discussion. The northeast corner of Main and High streets was finally decided to be the most eligible site, and the ground was purchased from John S. Brasee for $5,000. An adjoining lot, on the east, was subsequently bought of John Randolph, and added to the first purchase. The whole was enclosed with a strong stone wall, sunnounted by an iron fence. A special act of the legislature was secured, which authorized a levy on the county duplicate for $100,000, for building the court house, and the funds were raised by the sale of county bonds. The plan was drawn by Jacob Carman, architect, of Lancaster, who directed the construction from the first. The cornerstone of the new court house was laid with appropriate ceremonies, and a large number of articles deposited therein. Among them were the names of the county, state and national officials, religious and secular newspapers, religious pamphlets and books, several bottles of wine, and the names of the teachers and pupils of the Lancaster high school. When the house was finished, its cost was found to have exceeded the original appropriation by more th^in $50,- 000, but this amount was levied and collected

The Fairfield county court house is entirely of Waverly sandstone, quarried in sight of the structure, and is three stories high. The basement story is occupied by the heating apparatus, rooms for storage, and the living apartments for the janitor. The main hall on the second floor is paved with marble, and fronting it are the offices of the auditor, treasurer, surveyor, probate judge, and recorder of the county. The common pleas court room is on the third floor of the south end. The jury rooms and the county clerk's office are on the right and left of the hall, at the north end. The inside edifice is all of hard wood. From the roof a fine view of the city, the romantic country around it, and a portion of the Hocking valley is obtained.

The older people of Lancaster have a memory of a less pretentious city hall than the one which now graces the southeast corner of the public square. The old city hall was a plain three-story brick building, erected in 1859 "by the practiced city fathers for the sole purpose of housing Lancaster's official family, and that it served its day and generation is evident when we recite that the mayor's office, postoffice, fire department and city prison found space within its walls." The hall proper was on the second floor of the building and besides being used as a council chamber, was used for church and as an assembly room for merry making. The third floor contained the lodge rooms of the Odd Fellows and the German Knights of Pythias.

On February 24, 1896, a bond Issue of $75- 000 for a new city building, to occupy the same site as the old one, passed the council, and in that spring election it was carried by a large

Lancaster is justly proud of this beautiful building. On the first floor are the offices of the mayor, city council, city clerk, gas trustees, gas office, water works, and, until the new federal building was completed, the postoffice. The basement affords comfortable offices for the police court, which connects with the city prison, also in the basement. On the second floor is a fine auditorium, the public library and offices for the city engineer. The town clock is in the tower room and tells the good Lancaster people the flight of time.

The county infirmary is located in Pleasant township, about two miles north of Lancaster. About 1827 the necessity for a county infirmary was felt. Previous to that time such persons as became county charges were cared for in their respective townships by officers called overseers of the poor, who let out the contract for the keeping of each pauper to the lowest bidder, such contract running one year. The conditions were that the mendicant should receive adequate food, comfortable clothing and competent medical attendance. In 1827 it was realized that this plan might not care for the paupers properly and it was decided to build an infirmary. The infirmary farm consisted of one hundred and seventy acres of land and it furnished a considerable part of the support of the inmates. The first buildings were of frame, but in 1840 they were supplanted by a brick building.

The Fairfield county poor fafm, upon which the infirmary is located now, contains two hundred and ten acres, valued at $15,000; the buildings are estimated to be worth $35,500. Further equipment including live stock and machinery increases the total value of the poor farm to $58,050. The total expense of caring for sixty-nine paujjers was, for the year 19 11, $9,775.54. The net expense, exclusive of permanent improvements was $5,569.89. The cost per annum for each inmate was $102.21. The board of infirmary directors, January i, 19 12, are Israel Fosnaugh, Lancaster; F. William Becker, Canal Winchester; J. T. Fricker, Lancaster. The physician is Dr. F. P. Stukey. The efficient superintendent is John Keiser, and his wife, Mrs. John Keiser, officiates as matron.

Fairfield County Children's Home, located in Berne Township was founded in 1883. There is a very substantial brick building three stories in height and a twostory frame dwelling connected with it. The location is beautiful, at the foot of a round wooded hill and among the fertile fields of Fairfield. The first tract of land purchased for the Home consisted of 28 acres; later 80 acres were added and in 191 1, 23 acres more were purchased, making 131 acres in the farm. It is valued at $18,000 and the Iniildings are probably worth $50,000. The capacity of the Home is seventy and March I, 1912, there were fifty-eight inmates.

The first superintendent and matron were Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Gillett; they were succeeded by a son, Mr. Ed. M. Gillett and wife; they were followed by the present superintendent, Mr. Otto Groves and wife. In nearly thirty years there have been only three superintendents and this fact speaks volumes for their efficiency.

There are four trustees for this institution, two Democrats and two Republicans; their terms are four years each, one being appointed each year on the first Monday of March. The board at present is W. Mar- tens, president, Lancaster, O. ; J. B. Clay- permanent fair grounds, which he accompool, vice president, Lancaster, O. ; Samuel plished by buying a part of the farm of

The Fairfield County Agricultural Society pages of which some extracts are here inwas first organized in 185 1, and held its first troduced. Mr. Reber, first president, served reservoir. The Fair was a flattering success; In 1869, John Reeber was elected presibut, owing to the disordered and lost state dent, and John G. Reeves continued secreof the papers, it has been impossible to ob- tary; John C. Weaver, treasurer,

In 1876 T. W. Busby was president; Wil- its kind in the United States. Always keepliam Davidson, secretary; and S. J. Wolf, ing abreast of the times, each succeeding

The entire receipts that year were $17,- 360.65 - from the following sources. Gate receipts, $10,308.00; privileges, $3,348.20; entry fees, $2,281.35; rents, $336.70; and the remainder from miscellaneous sources. After paying $1,500 on the debt, the year was closed with a balance of $2,978.75. These figures show the prosperity of this organization.

The officers of 1912 are as follows: President, George L. Trimmer, Lancaster ; vice president, E. L. Ashbrook, Amanda; secretary, W. T. McClenihan, Lancaster; assistant secretary, T. T. Courtright, Lancaster; and treasurer, C. B. Whiley, Lancaster. The directors are : Allen J. Friesner, Lancaster, R. F. D. ; Herman Becker, Carroll ; Charles H. Creed, Lancaster; J. M. Glick, Canal Winchester, W. E. Armstrong, Stoutsville; D. W. Alt, Baltimore ; Charles Embich, Lancaster, R. F. D. ; Robert Rutter, Lancaster, R. F. D. ; Mr. Trout, Cedar Hill; Fred Kuhl, Amanda; Cyrus Mechling, Lancaster; Fred Ruff, Lancaster, R. F. D. ; and Grant Griffith, Hooker.

Telephones And Telegraphs

The following excellent article from Mr. William F. O'Gara, general manager, gives the origin and history of the telephone and telegraph in Fairfield county. The account also serves in part as a sketch of Mr. O'Gara's life and work. He is one of the most expert telegraph operators in the country and has long held a leading place among high grade telegraphers. - (Editor.)

the telephone business in Ohio, that Fairfield county is the best developed county in the state, and the only county which gives free service between all of the exchanges in the county. All of these exchanges are connected up with the Bel! long-distance lines, so it does not make any difference in what remote part of the county you are, you can be connected with any point that these lines reach and get good and satisfactory service, as all of the farmer lines are constructed up to the Bell standard of construction. In the organization of these companies I made an effort to demonstrate by local ownership what benefits could be derived, I therefore succeeded in getting the fanners to subscribe for the stock to furnish the money with which I constructed these various plants and put them in operation.

Before organizing the local exchanges, I constructed lines running into the country, first connecting Amanda, Pleasantville, Rushville and Sugar Grove. It took some little time to get the farmers to take hold and try the use of a telephone, but in a short time after they commenced to put them in their homes, as I was compelled to put them all on one circuit, the lines became too crowded, I was forced to adopt some other means by which telephone service could be furnished to farmers and sold the stock to local people with which to do the work.

The Carroll Telephone Company with capital stock of $5,000.00, Carroll, Ohio. Board of Directors : O. B. Brandt, pres., John Gibboney. Dr. Brown, Jos. P. Gundy, P. J. O. Kemerer. J. C. Bowman, Wm. F. O'Gara, secy, and genl. m'gr. Number of subscribers, 190.

Amanda Bell Telephone Co., August, 1904. Capital stock $20,000.00. Board of Directors, - Wm. F. O'Gara, genl. m'gr., Fred L. Mauger, Theo. Lape, pres., Emmett Defenbaugh, secy., John Meyers, Thos. J. Barr, treasr., Sam'l. Simons. This company has 400 subscribers.

The Sugar Grove Telephone Company was organized in December, 1904. Capital stock, $5,000.00. Board of Directors, - Dr. Mason, Wm. F. O'Gara, genl. m'gr, Harry Anderson. Wm. Blum, Chas. Carr, secy. Number of subscribers, 182.

The Rushville Bell Telephone Company was organized in January, 1905. Capital stock, $10,000.00. Board of Directors, - B. A. Thomas, pres., R. W. Hyde, secy., McC. Brinckley, John Morrow, Colson Linville, Wm. F. O'Gara, genl. m'gr. Number of subscribers, 220.

The Buckeye Lake Home Telephone Company was organized in March, 1906. Capital stock, $25,000.00. Board of Directors, - L. H. Soliday, pres., W. T. Kemp. H. E. Clark, G. W. Reincheld, M. H. Hamilton, Wm. F. O'Gara, genl. m'gr, Lewis P. Hoffman, E. N. Heston, W. H. Lamb, Clarence Lamb, John Culp, Geo. Haver, Levi Hite, Michael Soliday. This company takes in the northern portion of Fairfield County - Pleasantville, Baltimore, Basil, New Salem, Millersport and Reservoir. Number of subscribers, 861.

In order to be able to give every farmer his trading point it was necessary for me to organize The Farmers Independent Company of Canal Winchester, capital stock $25,000.00, and also The Pataskala Farmers Independent Telephone Company, capital stock $10,- 000.00. Both of these companies are in successful operation, the Pataskala farmers retaining stock in their plant, but the Canal

Winchester farmers did not give the movement the encouragement which was met with in other localities and the stock was all taken up by the Bell Company.

78. Elizabeth G., wife of Rev. William 89- Sarahaihue, daughter of John and Maynard, and daughter of E. Connell; died J^ne Shugert; died September 4, 1835, aged September 22, 1845, aged 20 years, 27 days. ^ y^^^' 3 months.

79. Connell, son of Rev. and E. Maynard; 90. Charles G. Shugert, son of Zach and died February 20, 1846, aged 18 months, 16 Sarah Shugert; died February 5, 1826, aged ^ 8 years, 6 months 4 days.

82. William, son of John and Ann Mor- 93- John Armstrong died November 2, gan; died August 17, 1824, aged 6 months, 1825, aged 13 years, 8 months.

175. Lucinda Devore, died January 18, igo. Christian S., son of William and 1842; born September 23, 1838. Sarah A. Manson, died January 16, 1838, Meirs. aged 2 years.

212. Mary Ann, wife of F. G. Philbrek; Littler; died June 20, 1841, aged 6 years. died November 3, 1844, aged 19 years, 11 230. Harriet C, daughter of Samuel and months. Nancy Littler, died September 4, 1838, aged becca Ann Smalley; born October 3, 1S38; 258. Louisanna Elliott, wife of Perry died December 7, 1839. Root; died November 19, 1851, aged 24 years.