Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter 26: Seneca County in the General Assembly Seneca County on the Tax Duplicate-Soldiers of the Revolutionary War Oldiers, 1880

Chapter 26: Seneca County in the General Assembly Seneca County on the Tax Duplicate-Soldiers of the Revolutionary War Oldiers

TAX DUPLICATE-SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR OLDIERS OF THE WAR OF iSn SOLDIERS IN THE WAR WITH MEXICO-INDEPENDENT COMPANIES -OHIO MILITIA.

Till, kiinl reader. \vho may be desirous to know ho\\- and by \vhoin this ( ounty lias been represented in both brunches of the gen oral ussemblv of ( )hio troin the time ot its orguni/.ation hitherto, muy save a good deal of time and labor by glancing liis eye over a few pui,res in this ( hupter.

Tb,e time when, and the manner in which the districts, both senatorial and representative, were organi/ed and changed, each including Seneca county, and the time of the election of senators and representatives, and who they were, from 18^4 to iSXo. a period o! 56 years, re<|uired patient labor to ascertain, and it is hoped that this part of the present chapter ma\ be appreciated us a reference document in proportion, at least, to the work it required to produce it.

I'nder the old constitution - let it be remembered) senators were elected for two years and representatives tor one veur. The legislature met annually on the first Monday ot December. I'nder the present < onstitution the general assembly is to meet bi -annually and then on the fir>t Monday in January. In spite of this plain provision of the presriit ((institution, there was only one winter during the last thirtv \ear-- when the legislature did not have u session; and that was the ever memorable year ot iS;;. when it was discovered that the state treasury was short about three quarters of a million of dollars. In ali the-e years the legislature adjourned to an extra session, in violul ' - the plain provision ot the (onstitution. under a joint resolution ot both houses. In other words: the spirit and plain provision ot tlie < onstitution is deteated by the < nnstruction of the word " ad journment". \nd this determination to beat down the intention of the ( onstitution ot < >hio is a sin ot both parties alike I'.oth are lion. \\'hat further proot is necessary to show its spirit and meaning ' H(i\vc\ er. the people acquiesce in thi> bi-annual viol. it ion i if their funda mental law and are willing to pay tor it. This is all the politicians want, and are accommodated. l?ut tn resume. I'.elow find the years <>! the e!e< tioiis ot senators and represi-ntati\ es, tu-st under the old. and then under the new < on--; itution. the tune of their elections and. the < omposi t ions iii the- d: st rn t s ni regular 01 > Icr. \ ,/

It \vouldbe tedious and dry reading to follow the figures of assessment and taxation from year to year, and the reader must be content \vitli short references to show simply how Seneca countv swelled in proportions, in both wealth and on the tax duplicate.

(. Tinton township then had six pleasure carriages, \-alued at >4ho: F.den one. valued at 850: Hopewell two. valued at Si 60. There was then no other carriag1' in the county. Any spring wagon was a pleasure carri i'_re. There were nine ot these, valued at >6;o.

The following table will show the number ot acres and their value on the duplicate in i8><>. the number of horses, neat cattle and total taxe-^ for all nuri loses:

The bones of seven revolutionary soldiers rest in the ground of Seneca county. It is possible that there were others, but record is made here only of those whose death here could be ascertained.

\\'as a native of Kent county, Maryland, but settled in Virginia after the revolutionary struggle was over. lie took a very active part in the revolution, having enli-ued when he was only seventeen years old. He served under (ienerals Wayne, (ireefi, Lafayette and Washington. He was at Stony Point, in the battle of Monmouth. at the crossing of the 1 >elaware. and at the battle of Trenton. He moved to Ohio in 1X12. and located in I'airfield county. In 1X20 he moved to Wayne county, and afterwards came to Seneca count}', where he died near Tiffin. August 26th, 1X40, in the eightieth year of his age. He is buried in the new cemetery.

Was another revolutionary soldier, whose history, however, there is nobody able to relate. He lies buried in the cemetery at liascom. He died November lOtli, 1X44. aged ninety-nine years, nine months and seven days.

William Harris

ed in Si ipio township in 1X40. .it the age of eighty-two years. He - from Ne'.v jersey, and is buried at the < emetery near [olm Hall'-. There were a iroodlv number ot ^oldiers ot the war of 1X12 in Seneca

< mints, and the writer regret- hi- want of MUM ess in ascertaining then name-. Kvery effort was made to that end, and the newspaper- in Tittii, were kind enough to a-si-; me in < ailing on the friends and children ot the -old;er- o! the \sar »! i M .- to .jive me their name*, ami have- them recorded in the-e pa_;e-, \>\\\ it proved a failure and a le\v only have lieen i olio ted. < >ne man < ailed mi me and wanted tu kn<iu hnu mu<h I paid lor MX h iniormation. lie went awa\ without giving me an\ name- of I-'ort Lrie. Fort (ieorge ami l.undy's Lane, in many oilier minor engagements, and in numerous incursions into Canada. He was file major and leader of a band at the execution ot lames Hyrd. He came t<> Seneca county in 1.^.4^. and was buried at ( )mar in 1^55. Mrs. Melinda I .ee is his only living daughter.

My old friend l.oui-> Keilhar/. Kst).. of Liberty Center. Henry county. i Mr.o. was so kind a-> to furnish me with the names ot' men who went into the war again--! Mexico with him in 1^47. vi/:

\\\-re an independent company, very neatly uniformed and well drilled. They organi/ed in iS,v, . Sorry to >ay that m> roster has been preserved. Henry Lberi was captain. John J. Steiner was orderly. They served out their time under the law. and dispersed M>on after the cam- : laign ot i ' :

History 01 Sknf.Ca County

Daniel Labar. Henry Weisheckei Daiiit-l Si-helling, -lai-t'li F rent/el. ( 'arl Scheniiiij. iLTiial/ Kin-liner. Frit/ 1'auli. Joseph Schmitl .

Kor'I I1Ai.1. Artii.I.Kky

\\"as tlu- only independent artillery company ever urgani/ed in the county. It \vas \vcll unifonned and well drilled, making a very fonnid able appearam e.

\\ li;lc on the ^ubicct ot " indcpcnilcnt comiKinics," it may he well to remark that >im e the war of the rebellion two independent companies have been or:_:ani/ed in Titlin. vi/.:

\vith a brigadier-general in each. The brigade districts were again -ub-divided into regimental districts and company districts. In time nf need the militia was easily rendezvoused and each man knew the rompanv. regiment, brigade and division he belonged to. Company muster was held in August and regimental muster in September of each year. ( >n these muster days the officers were elected. The rank and tile elected their captains and lieutenants, and these the higher officers and so on. The elections of all commissioned officers were certified up to the governor, who t as now), was the commander-in-chief. and issued the commissions accordingly.

Thus the " army of ( >hio " was organized, and it was no small affair to be a captain, major, colonel, or general. 1'eple took great pride in military affairs and it was considered a mark of honor and distinction to be a military officer and in the line ot promotion. There was as much electioneering on those muster days for a captaincy, or to become a colonel as there is now-a-days in the race for an office in civil life.

The muster days were regarded as days ot tun and trolic. The hotel keepers and gingerbread shops made the most out of them. The men were ordered out on parade, " uniformed, armed and equipped as the law directs:" but the state furnished no arms and the men had no uniforms. There was no need of a uniform for onlv two days' drill during the year, and officers being changed so often, refused to uniform on account of the expense. Everybody, therefore, appeared on parade in citi/.ens' clothes and just in such dress as was convenient to each. Some dressed in the best they had and others came just as they left their work. The larger number were in '' homespun," colored with bark. It was both convenient and usual to pull the boots over the pants and wear linsey-woolsey wammuses, the corners tied into a knot in front. Some had fur caps on. others straw hats or slouch hats: no two were dressed alike. Standing in line or marching, the men swung their arms, laughed, talked, looked about and generally did as they pleased. If the captain scolded or undertook to be strict in his discipline, they would elect another man next time. Those who had no _r'in- would borrow a piece for the occasion, or use any stick or cornstalk as a substitute for a gun, for there was no time for going through the manual or firing exercises. The captain himself, having no knowledge of military tactics, could give no instructions, and the whole day was spent ;n inarching around, forming line, calling the roll, electing ottn er-. drinking, (arousing and fighting. It was customary to have -cveral fights nt fisticuffs on every muster day.

Ill 1X4.: Dr. Charles Heilhars. a denti-t, was elec ted captain <>i'a I ittin company, and having no military experience, was very innocent in hi-. new position. After dinner he took charge of his company and marched up and down the street several times and the men got tired <>: walking so much. The captain had a loin;, ( avalry sword. whi< h he leaned against his right shoulder, and man hcd at the he. id of his ( om- '-any in single file. One time the t aptain and h:s drummer turned .nto Market street, marching east, and when he rea< hed the alies' east

'.i//v</.v. sword and < oat, put them on. and at noon recess wen; home to tell his wile and exhibit himselt to her in "war pain'." U'hiie his wile was busily engaged preparing dinner, the < aptain employed tinnine by drilling himsell on the porch. giving word-, ot < ommand very strong. There was a trap door in the porch floor leading to the cellar below, and the wile, in her hurry to get dinner, running up and down the cellar stairs, left the trapdoor open. The captain, full of war. paid no attention to the cellar way. Now he gave the command: "Company, three paces to the rear - march"' and in the execution of tincommand, he lell into the cellar. His wile heard the rai ket, ran to his issuance, and helped him up on to the porch again. She brushed him oil ni.-ely and consoled him on his luck\ escape. h.umg no bones broken and all that. and. when " Richard was him-el! again." the i ap tain straiLjhtened up. looked over his shoulder at his wife, and e\- iaimed in a loud voice, " Sal. what in h 11 do you know about war' When the new constitution was adopted, the legislature made m.u>\ i han^es in the militia s\ stem oi ( >h.io. ami the old " < on; -talk muster" was " done iway with." The system . >f the " National ( luards " was '.hen 'naujuratc-d and is now m vogue.

\nd is not tin- idea ol "well regulated, militia " tin- best m.h- Mrv s\-s»ein alter all? Look at your standing arm\ oi i-onsumers that eat out the substance of the people, and i rush o> iberties \\ ;i: the world never learn the fa< t. that tin- tree of i anno! _row ;n a soii that trembles under the iron hei^l "! tin- s The ilis',, r\ "t our ..wu wars has established the t.n t. that the

War seems to he the normal condition of man, anyway, and our people are perfectly imbued with this idea. ( )ur \\ar amongst the states lias proven to the world that men can leave their farms, their shops, stores, factories and offices, and in a few short weeks of drilling, make valiant soldiers with an easier mobility, in larger or smaller bodies, than the >tiff. garrisoned drones of a standing army, with its endless red tape.

Let those who talk of a strong, centralixed, brilliant government, backed and upheld by bayonets, look over the following tables, and if they are Americans, blush:

The reserves, the militia and irregular troops are not included in the above numbers. I-'rom the Cincinnati J-.ihjiiirer of May 15. 1880. J take the following notice of the proceedings in the German diet:

Makiiig an average ot ^224 tor eadi man per year. The average of the daily salary of the president of the United State> "t Amer:' a- "i 58 - looks small in comparison, but the annual expense