Union County, Ohio - Chapter 8: Agriculture, 1915

Chapter 8: Agriculture

Union has always been known as a purely agricultural section. Its great wealth has come directly from the fertile soil, less than a million pounds of fertilizer having been used in the entire county in 19 12.

As one drives over this goodly agricultural section today, and views the hundreds of beautiful farm homes, surrounded with all that goes to make up modern farm life, with well painted 'farm-houses, barns, silos, shedding for cattle, sheep and swine, he must be impressed with the thrift and frugality of the owners and renters of these magnificent farm holdings. It may be stated that during the last quarter of a century there has come to obtain a better and higher standard nf farm life in Union county. The fathers and grandfathers of the ]3resent farm owners laid well the foundations, and the and scientific application of the means at hand have brought about this wonderful transformation.

At the time the agricuhural society was organized in 1847, Union county was thinly populated , and one of the most backward counties in the state. There was very little tillable land, but little cultivated, not enough of grain products or stock raised to supplx- the home demand, no thoroughbred stock of any kind, but on the contrary, very inferior horses, cattle, sheep and hogs of every kind, and the farming implements used were very few and primitive in kind. The count}- was settled with men of strong moral convictions, industrious and enterprising, and at an early date advocated the importance of organizing an agricultural society. The first meeting to organize was held in the old court house during the summer of 1847, ^t which time the society was organized and officers elected. The second week of the following October was chosen for holding the first fair in the county.

The first fair was held in the public square of Marysville, using the old court house for the display of fabrics. There were less than one lumdred exhibits entered for the first fair. The second year the ground for exhibiting- was about two squares south on Main street and continued in that vicinity until the year 1852, using the court house for the fine art hall. Afterward the fair was held un the grounds now owned and occupied ])y the society for that purpose.

A committee in 1854 was appointed to make a purchase of fair gniund and report plan for payment. The committee made a purchase of John Cassii of thirteen acres of land on the Marion road, about three-fourths mile from the public square in Marysville, for which they agreed to pay fifty dollars per acre, one-half January i. 1855, balance in one year, with interest, and executed a written contract to that effect.

The plan rei^orted by the committee to procure funds for the purchase was that the ground Ije purchased by a joint stock compan\- in which each share should be ten dollars. The deed of con\eyance to l)e made to such stockholders, subject to the use of the Union County .\gricultural Society, so long as it should use the same for a fair ground, but to pass abscjiutely and unconditionally with the improvements to the stockholders, when the society shall disband or cease to occupy it for its annual fairs. In accordance to the plan reported, a warranty deed conveying the thirteen acres of land in survev Xo. 3,35,^ was made by John Ca.'isil, Xovember 26, i860, to the following named persons, stating the number of shares taken by each :

Richey & Buxton, one ; P. Manchester, one ; R. L. Broome, one ; Solomon Cook, one ; John Barbour, one ; Jesse Mearis, one ; J. R, Galloway, one ; Moses Coe, one ; A. S. Chapman & Company, one ; W. H. Robb, one ; Joseph Newlove, one: John E. Cahill, one; William M. Robinson, one; John Cassil, four; Samuel Woods, one; D. D. Welsh, one; E. Biglow, one; Luther Winget, one; Ray G. Morse, one; Benjamin Gordon, one; James Smith (Darby Plains), one; John Reed, 3d, one; R. D. Reed, one; A. A. Woodworth. one; William Bigger, one; Jesse Gill, one: A. F. Wilkins, one; John W. Thompson, one; S. A. Cherry, one; Thomas W. Miller, one; John Johnson, one; John T. Lenox, one; James Finley, one; W. W. Woods, one; C. S. Hamilton, one; P. B. Cole, one; William C. Malin, one; Joshua Marshall, one; Tabor Randall, one; N. Raymond, one: S. R. Reed, one; F. Hemingway, one; Hiram Stokes, one; \A''illiam Gabriel, one: George B. Barnham, one; J. E. Burnham. three: James Riddle, one and one-half; James Fullington, three: Charles Fullington, three; George W. Stamates. one; J. C. Sidle, one; James Kinkade, one ; Philip Snider, one ; James W. Robinson, two ; Samuel C. Lee, one ; C. Houston, one ; William T. Brophy, one ; Phelps & Mc Wright, one ; Thomas Turner, one ; J. Sexton & Company, one ; James Martin, one ; \Villiam R. Webb, one: James Al. Welsh, one.

There were others who subscribed and paid part, but b\' conditions of the association, the same were forfeited because not paid in full. Part of the amount subscribed was paid toward the improvements, and the sum of six hundred and fifty dollars and interest jiaid for the said land; the total amount of land owned by the society is forty-se\'en acres and ninety-nine poles. The amount of purchase monej^ paid, six thousand ninety-two dollars and fifty cents.

The first mone}- paid to any officer of the society was to John Johnson, secretary, who received (\ve dollars for his ser\'ices from the organization of the society until the year 1852. C. S. Hamilton did all the printing for the society for the year 185 1 for two years' membership, being the first compensation for printing. The first building was erected b}- Thomas Snodgrass, for the accommodation of the ticket master and board of directors, twenty feet long and twelve feet wide, at the cost of twenty-two dollars for the entire building. The first imported horse was brought to the county by Charles Fullington in 185 1 and was known as "Louis Napoleon," weighing sixteen hundred anfl fifty pounds. In 1850 James Fullington brought from Kentuckv the first thoroughlired cattle to the county. Tn 1853 Charles and

James Fulliiigton imported to the county some \ery fine thoroughbred cattle, and the same 3ear and by the same parties were imported to the county the first fine wool sheep. W. M. W'inget brought to the county the first thoroughbred Jersey in 1880. Our county might be regarded better adapted to grass than any other product. Great improvement has been made in the last few years in the raising of wheat, by the means of fertilizing, which has proved to be of great profit, and quite a number of our farmers are using the same with great success.

The Agricultural Society has been of great benefit to the county, inspiring a zeal of enterprise among the people that is commendable. One remarkable feature of our society has been the unanimity with which the officers and managers have worked together from its organization, with but one object in view, its success.

Year after year the county exhibits have been held and tens of thousands of people from this and adjoining" counties have met on the beautiful grounds at Marysxille. They ha\e greeted one another and exchanged ideas concerning the great industry of the county - farming and stock-raising. They have listened to good speeclies, viewed the best grades of stock, with fine trotting and pacing races, seen the fine exhibits of fruits and flowers, the handiwork of the ladies of the county. The annual fair is an event looked forward to by every one. The success of these county fairs is due to the hundreds of thrifty farmers from the fourteen townships. The present farmer is really a progressive man and grasps at new and improved features when convinced that a new and better method may be successfully installed.

The [jresent officers of the society are as follows: J. K. Langstaff, president; L. H. Elliott, vice-president; E. C. Cody, treasurer; W. C. Aloore, secretary. The mem])ers of the board of directors are as follows;

The Tri-County Fair Association

This association was fomied at Richwood as a stock company in 1891, and embraces Union, Madison and Delaware counties. These annual fairs have been highly successful. Racing and horse exhibits have taken the lead, rather than grains and fruits and vegetables. As a horse fair it draws immense crowds every year. The society owns over thirty-four acres of land on the southwest line of Richwood and have good improvements thereon. The president is Carl Allgower. Paul B. Van Winkle is the efficient secretary. The association is controlled by twelve directors.

Plain City Fair

Pastime Park, joining the village of Plain City, Jerome township, on the north, is located on the old farm owned in the early days by William McCune, who also' operated quite an extensive tannery. The park contains twentyseven acres of ground, and has a fine race track for matinee races and training horses. The grove of natural forest trees is beautiful, and a great pleasure resort. Chautauqua meetings are held in the park every year. The "City of Tents" during these meetings is quite large and the attendance is numbered by thousands.

Many picnics and Fourth of July celebrations were held on these grounds before the Civil War. Some of the older citizens recall these celebrations held every year in Pleasant Valley and in those days the meetings were patriotic indeed. Usually one good speaker, the reading of the Declaration of Independence, a few patriotic songs, music by a good martial band, made a day of real enjoyment. Long tables were erected, filled with the substantial "fat of the land" and a free dinner for all.

For a number of years this park was used for agricultural fairs and the exhibition of fine bred stock was the principal feature of the fairs. Jerome township has a state-wide reputation for raising fine draft horses which it has had for more than fifty years. Since the establishing of the matinee training course many fine trotters are bred and these meetings attract many horsemen from other sections of the state.

The Grange

The Grange was very prominent in Union county for rnany years before the eighties and then interest in the movement subsided to the extent that it nearly disappeared as a local organization. Within the past few years there has been a revival of interest in the Grange and now there is a county organization with several local organizations in the various townships. In view of the fact that the Grange was formerly a very prominent factor in the agricultural life of the county, it seems pertinent to insert in this connection the following quotation from the History of Union County, published in 1882 :

"Among the man\' agencies and influences which have been at work to advance Union county to the front rank of comities in Ohio, the Grange is entitled to notice. The Grange movement, having for its main objects the social, educational and material advancement of the farming classes of our country, took its start a few years after the close of the Civil War.

"One noteworthy feature of the Grange is the admission of women to full membership, and to this fact may be attributed its great success as a social institution. The Grange has done much toward lessening the burdens of women in the country households and afforded occasions and facilities for social intercourse unknown, or at least uncommon, before its advent. The presence of women at the regular meetings tends greatly to the encouragement and refinement of all parties. The Grange encourages education among farmers, and in their meetings are discussed questions calculated to improve their condition and contribute to make their homes more attractive. These discussions lead to liberal sentiments, and it is believed that through the liberal teachings of the Grange much has been accomplished in bringing our rural population to the adoption of impro\-ed methods in farming, and greatly encouraged the spirit for building our free gra\-el roads, which at an early day encountered such strenuous opposition.

"The Grange is in no respect partisan, yet in the meetings of the subordinate Granges, as in the state and national Granges, men of all parties and sections are brought together and calmly discuss questions of public policy. These meetings and discussi(^ns tend greatly to remove sectional prejudices and jealousies, and moderate the asperities engendered in heated political campaigns. The influence of the Grange has been felt in the legislation of our countrv, notablv in the states of Illinois and Wisconsin, where re- strictixe laws regulating railroads were passed. These were commonly known as the Granger Laws, and much commented upon at first, yet they have stood the test of the supreme court of the United States. In the future, this influence is destined to be felt in the impending contests between the people and monopolies.

"The Grange in Union county was popular in the start, subsequently it lost in membership and some Granges became dormant from various causes, more especially because many looked upon it as merely a moneysaving institution, and being disappointed, dropped out. Recently, however, as in other sections of the countrj^, the Grange is beginning to have a healthy growth, and the prospect is that it will be in the near future what it was intended to be, a blessing to the farmers and their families.

"The educational feature of the order is being more thoroughly put into practice now than ever before. The national and state Granges are devoting a large portion of their revenues toward the payment of lecturers to visit the Granges throughout the land, and any subordinate Grange, by a limited expenditure added to the provisions made by the state and national Granges, can secure the benefit of lectures, essays and addresses, on subjects of general interest. Such privileges have been enjoyed by the citizens of the towns and cities greatly to their profit and improvement, but never by the country people until this system was devised by the Grange. That there has been a great improvement following the etiforts of the Grange, no intelligent observer will deny. The safety of our free institutions depends upon the intelligence and virtue of our people, hence the importance of encouraging every effort to improve and advance the agricultural classes who constitute the great conservative element of our country."

There has been an increased interest in the Grange in Union county within the last two }ears. In November, 1913, the county, or Pomona Grange, was organized with Sylvester Wilson as Pomona Master. It is interesting to note that Mr. Wilson is the youngest man in Ohio holding this position. Under his leadership the Grange is once more assuming a prominent place in the agricultural life of the county. When the local organization was effected in the fall of 191.3. there were only fifty-three members in the county : at the present time the eight subordinate Granges of the county have a total membership of nearly three hundred. The local organizations of the county with their officials are as follows :

York Grange, No. 1910: Worthy master, Lloyd \Vorthington; overseer, James Sherman; steward, \'ale Rhoades; gate keeper, Emery Morrow; chaplain, Mrs. Louie Thompson; lecturer, Eva Hoover; Ceres, Mata Morris; Flora, Marie Hornbeck ; Pomona, Ellen Harris ; assistant steward, Ellis Bosart ; lady assistant steward, Mrs. Nettie Hanawalt ; secretary, Edwin Morrow; treasurer, George Harris; business agent. Dr. Charles Thompson.

Claibourne Grange, No. 1 807 : Worthy master, Llewellyn Jones ; overseer, Howard Langstaff; lecturer, M. M. Cameron; steward, Clyde Cramer; chaplain, Ethel Reed; treasurer, Mrs. M. G. Baker; secretary, George Hartley; lady assistant steward, Anna Jones; gate keeper, T. T. Van Aucken.

The officers of the county organization are as follows : Worthy master, Sylvester Wilson ; overseer, Mason Baldwin ; lecturer, Mrs. L. W. Shaw ; steward, Howard Langstaff; assistant steward, Lou Baldw-in ; chaplain, M. E. Vance ; treasurer, L. W. Shaw ; secretary, George Mitchell ; lady assistant steward, Mrs. Charles Loveless; gate keeper. Charles Hoopes; Ceres, Opal Austin; Pomona. Mrs. Willis Wvble ; Flora, Lena Newman.