Noble Township (part 3 of 8)

On election day a heavy vote was polled, and notwithstanding the intense interest only a few fights occurred. The total number of votes cast was 3,630, and the majority in favor of the new location was 150. In the townships of Beaver, Buffalo, Center, Marion, Noble, Seneca, and Wayne the majority of the votes were against removal, In Seneca and Wayne the new location did not receive a single vote. On the other hand not a vote was recorded in favor of Sarahsville in the townships of Jackson and Olive. The closest vote was in Noble township, where the majority in favor of the old county seat was but three votes. In counting and analyzing the vote some queer features were disclosed. Although the new location was considerably farther from Summerfield than Sarahsville, the majority of the voters at Summerfield favored the new site to get rid of

Sarahsville as a commercial rival. For the same reason a large vote was cast for the old county seat at Sharon, where it was seen that the establishment of a new county seat, only three miles away, would tend to injure the business of Sharon. About twenty votes were cast for other places, some of them clearly in a spirit of levity. The fight did not end with the election. No sooner had the result been announced than the friends of the new site were charged with committing almost all the misdemeanors in the code to carry the election. Then fraud, illegal voting, intimidation, and bribery were brought up as counter charges, and the old contest was renewed. John W. Noble and others, who had all along opposed the removal, brought snit to test the validity of the election. Thev based their suit on the plea that "there was no law of the State at the time of said vote, anthorizing and prescribing the manner of holding such an election, and that the law authecizing said election and removal is wholly unconstitutional and therefore void." Then followed a long and costly litigation. The court of common pleas decided against the complainants. To reverse the decision the contestors filed a petition in error in the district court of the county. From this court an appeal was taken to the supreme court of the State, where the original decision of the court of common pleas was reaffirmed, and the legality of the location fully established. In this case some of the best legal talent of the State of Ohio was employed on both sides and the ground was contested inch by inch until the final decision was reached.

- In the meantime the connty commissioners proceeded as though no suit was pending. Samuel Caldwell and others had offered to donate a location for a county seat, and had entered into a bond for $40,000 to carry out their promise. On December 6, 1854, less than sixty days after the election, the commissioners selected a tract, which is thus described in the records of that date: 'Beginning at the place where the Lancaster and Louisville road crosses the west line of the northeast quarter of section 3, in township number 6, of range 9 of the lands sold at Zanesville, Ohio; thence north on said west line 28 rods; thence east 29 rods; thence south 28 rods; thence west 29 rods to the place of beginning."* :

Two resolutions were adopted by the board on the same date. The first provided that "Ezra McKee be authorized to cause to be surveyed that part of said northeast quarter of section 3, Olive township, described in the first section of the law of April 29, 1854, and that in making such survey there be reserved as a public square about two and one-half acres, upon which to erect a court house, provided that a strip about three rods wide can be obtained on reasonable terms from

* After the suit of Noble et al. was decided this tract was deeded to the county commissioners by Samuel Caldwell. The deed bears the date of June

The survey ordered by the above resolution was made on December 20 and 21, 1854, by deputy county surveyor George Bell. ° In addition to the tract twenty-eight by twenty-nine rods, described in the commissioners record, a plat containing forty-eight lots, including about eleven and one-half acres, was laid off at that time, but none of the lots were offered for sale until the final disposition of the litigation to determine the location of the county seat. As soon as this snit was finally settled the town of Caldwell began to make progress. On June 10, 1857, the commission passed an order to erect a court house on the public square in the town of Caldwell, and fixed upon July 20 as the time for opening the bids therefor. Thomas Drake was emploved as architect and on July 21, the bids having been examined, the commissioners awarded the contract to Young & Gibbs for the sum of $13,000, the building to be completed by September 20, 1858. The building was completed to the satisfaction of the board and was accepted on January 4, 1859. During the time it was under construction the frame building on the west side of the public square was used as a temporary court house.*

On June 24, the commissioners ordered that certain lots belonging to the county, "as laid out and platted in the town of Caldwell," be sold at auction on the fourth of July, following. At that sale a number of the lots were disposed of, the prices ranging from $48 to $200 each, and within a few weeks a number of buildings were under construction. In one of these early buildings the first newspaper of Caldwell found a home. After the election which decided the location of the county seat, the People's Organ was changed to the Noble County Patriot. Water it fell into the hands of John Stevens and W. M. Kain, who published it a short time as a religious weekly under the name of the Christian Harbinger, after which it was united with the Republican, which had been started at Sarahsville in 1856 by Gibbs, Clark & Schofield. The new publication took the name of the Consolidated Republican, Randall Ross and William H. Phipps becoming the proprietors. In 1857 Ross built a two story house at 'Caldwell and in the upper storv he established the publication office of the paper. The lower store was cecupied by Elijah Stevens, who was the first merchant in the new county seat. Soon afterward he had a competitor in the person of Fulton Caldwell, who opened a store called the "Merchants' Exchange," cn Cumberland strect.

THE COUNTY OF NOBLE. 69 At the time the contractors began work on the court house the residences in the immediate neighborhood were so scattering that the workmen found it extremely difficult to obtain convenient boarding places. In this emergency the contractors put up a frame shanty, near one corner of the public square, for the accommodation of the men. The bricks used in the construction of the court house were burned on the premises from the clay excavated from the foundation of the building. The erection of private buildings had progressed so far by the beginning of the year that the commissioners were enabled to find temporary quarters for the various county offices, and therefore felt justified in ordering the removal of the records, ete., from Sarahsville. Accordingly, on January 21, 1858, an order was issued by the board for the officers of the county to remove all books, papers, furniture, and business to the places provided for them within the next twenty days. With the promulgation of this order came the last faint effort of the friends of Sarahsville to oppose the removal of the county seat. An appeal was taken to the courts to prevent the execution of the order, but the removal went on and in a short time the seat of justice of Noble county was fully established at Caldwell. The repeal was then dismissed, the only remaining evidence of Sarahsville's official greatness being two lonely prisoners in the old county jail. And even this was to be taken from her. In October, 1858, a contract was awarded James Dudley for the erection of a jail and jailer's residence on the west side of the public square, on a lot belonging to the county. The contract price was $3,800, and the time specified for the completion of the structure was December 1, 1859. It was completed on time and since then the prisoners have been committed to incarceration in the county seat. By the autumn of 1858 Caldwell boasted of two hotels. The first, called the "Eldorado,"' was a two-story frame building, near the southwest corner of the square. It was kept by A. R. Boice, who had erected the building for that purpose. The second hotel was opened by J. W. Boggs, in what was known as the George Rice building. . In 1860 Boggs became the proprietor of the old Eagle Hotel.

Sometime during the year 1858 the publication office of the Democratic Courier was removed from Sarahsville to Caldwell. Willjam H. Ijams had acquired ownership of the paper in 1857 and changed the name of it to the Democratic Star. Soon after its removal to Caldwell it again changed hands, Louis Baker and James H. Odell becoming the proprietors, and the name was altered to that of the Noble County Democrat. The organization of the Republican party in 1856, and the vigorous agitation of the issues that finally resulted in the Civil war, had made considerable change in the political opinions of Noble county. After the presidential

On May 27, 1859, Samuel Caldwell proposed to donate a lot to the Methodist Episcopal congregation of Olive, on condition that they would remove to Caldwell. The offer was accepted and before the close of the year a neat building had been erected and dedicated. This was the first church in Caldwell. It was also the only church until 1861, when the Caldwell Baptist Church was organized, under the leadership of Rev. G. W. Churchill, with about a dozen members.

In 1861 the board of county commissioners was made up of John Lemmax, William Crum, and James Ball. All three were men of progressive notions and early in the year they reached the conclusion that some provision ought to be made for the unfortunate poor of the county. After mature deliberation a farm of two hundred acres, with a good brick residence and other buildings, was purchased at a cost of six thousand dollars. Before steps could be taken to erect an infirmary, the Civil war broke out, and the farm house was made tu serve as such until the restoration of peace. The main building of the present infirmary was erected in 1865. The history of Noble county for the period from 1861 to 1865 was like that of many another county. Everything was subordinated to the prosecution of the war and but little note was taken of the civil and industrial progress of the county. When the call came for men to defend the Union, Noble county stood ready to contribute her quota, and her sons, being descendants of men who had been inured to fighting and frontier hardships, made the very best kind of soldiers. Her war record is told in the succeeding chapter.

First Troors rrom Nosie - Mvster Rori or Company I, Twenry-Firrnh Inrantry - In Company B - Movements oF tHE Twrntry-Firty - Twenry-Sixtu Reoraent - Muster Rois or Compantes D anp F - Movements or THE REGIMENT - TuirtrerH INranrry Orcaxizep - Company K From Nose - Muster Rort - Turrrty-Sixtu Inrantry - Twentietu Rec- IMENT ReE-OrGanizep> - Company I - Sixty-Seconp REGIMENT - Two Companies CuieFLy From Nosir - Names OF VOLUNTEERS - ENGAGEMENTS - Two Companies D anv F oF THE Srxty-Tuirp RegimeNnt - MoOveEMENTS OF THE REGIMENT - Seventy-Ercutu Iyvrantry - Company G rrom Nosre - Mus- TER Rott - Nrnety-Seconp Inranrry - Companiss D, E anp K Fittep Witn Nosie County Boys - Ont Hunprep anp SrxTEENTH Inrantry - NosLe County Contrisutes CoMPANY H - Atso Part or Company F - In Virointa - One Hunprep AND Srxty-First Regiment - Part or NationaLt Guarp - ONneE BatTtTaLion From NosLeE - Mvster Rotyts - Owr Hunprep anp Sreventy-Sixto Inrantry - CompPanies C anp I MaDE UP IN Nosire County - Last Cau ror Troops - Nosie Responps - Company D, One Hunprep anp Eieuty-Firra Reciment - Company G, One Hunprep anp Ereuty-SrxtH - Misceiia- NEOUS ENLISTMENTS - THE HoskKINSVILLE REBELLION,

N 1860 the population of Noble county was 20,751, and few counties in the Buckeye State furnished more men in proportion to population, or responded more promptly. When the call for three months troops was made, the work of recruiting three companies was begun in different parts of the county about the same time. Before the organization of these companies could be completed the quota of three months men was filled and they were consequently not accepted. Under the first call for three-years troops, the Twenty- Third, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Fifth regiments of Ohio infantry were raised, and Governor Dennison called upon Noble county to fur- nish onecompany. This time Noble county was not to be left out for want of punctuality. The three companies were consolidated and one full company was formed. It left Summerfield on June 22, 1861, and four days later was mustered into the Federal service at Camp

Chase, by Capt. John C. Robinson of the Fifth United States infantry. At the time of its muster-in the commissioned officers were: Captain, John M. Mosely; First Lieutenant, James H. Petty; Second Lieutenant, Joseph L. Ball. The non-commissioned officers and privates were as follows: (

Besides this company, which was mustered in as Company I of the Twenty-Fifth- Ohio volunteer infantry, a number of Noble county boys enlisted in other companies in the Twenty-Fifth regiment. Robert Rutherford was a member of Company B, of the Twenty- Fifth. In Company C of the same regiment were John Pierce, Joseph H. Lovall, John Master, and Peter Yoho. In Company H were Wilson 8. Archibald, James M. Coffee, Ezra L. Davis, Samuel B. Marquis, Reuben B. Marquis, William H. Timberlake, Orin Wheeler, W. H. Sutton, W. L. Smoot, John L. Cox, Veno F. Davis, Thomas J. Cooper, James W. Swift, W. J. Kean, Alonzo M. Burlingame, Samuel M. Gordon, Michael F. Danford, James S. Willey, Levi McLaughlin, W. N. Mills, Theo. Timberlake, John A. Timberlake. In company K were Levi Delaney, Shubal Hutchins, Nathan Harmon, Conrad Harmon, James McLaughlin, Jonathan Rainey, John A. Thompson, Jonathan H. Yarnall. Lewis E. Wilson held the rank of second lieutenant in this company, and Samuel P. Houston held a similar rank in Company F.

The Twenty-Fifth received its baptism of fire at Cheat Mountain, Va., September 12, 1861. Between that time and the close of the war it participated in the engagements at Greenbrier, Allegheny Mountain, Huntersville, Monterey, Bull Pasture Mountain, Franklin, Strasburg, Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, Freeman's Ford, Waterloo Bridge, The Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Hagerstown, Morris Island, South Carolina, where the siege lasted three weeks, Honey Hill, Devaux Neck, Indian Hill, Cockle Creek, Combahee Ferry, Ashapoo Ferry, Dingle's Mill, Red Hill, Deep Swamp, Beach Run, Swift Creek, and Statesburg. For some time after the actual surrender of the Confederate forces the regiment was employed in patrol duty in South Carolina. Of the total number of men enrolled in Company I, fifteen were killed in action; seventyeight were wounded and about twenty-five of these afterward died; thirty-five died of disease; twenty-one were reported missing, a few of whom afterward turned up sound and well; and five were reported as deserters. The remainder were mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, June 18, 1866, after nearly five years of active service.

Noble county was well represented in the T'wenty-Sixth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, which was organized soon after the Twenty- Fifth. The entire regiment was raised in the counties of Delaware, Ross, Noble, Guernsey, Butler, Madison, Mahoning, Scioto and Champaign. Considering the population of the several counties, Noble con- tributed more than any one of the others, as a large part of Company F and Company D came from Noble. Those in Company F were: John J. Barlow, Emanuel Brill, Francis M. Brill, George W. Brill, James B. Brill, Henry Brindley, Robert J. Brown, Fortunatis Burlingame, Ferdinand Burlingame, Justus M. Burlingame, Jacob C. Canady, William H. Craft, Robert F. Craig, Moses F. Engle, William Fulton, George R. Hall, Michael W. Jackson, Philander Johnson, Tsaac Long, Alexander C. Moore, Perry A. Morrison, Joshua McPeak, Mordecai McPeak, Charles Osborn, John W. Richey, William W. Rimer, Samuel F. Robinson, G. W. Robinson, Joseph F. Scarborough, Mathias W. Smith, William Steele, David Stewart, Augustus C. Tillett, John W. Tillett, Thomas Randolph, Alva H. Thompson, William Weaver, Samuel G. Wishard.

Company D was mustered in on August 3, 1861, Company F having been mustered in on June 28, preceding. About the time that Company D was accepted the regimental organization was complete and it was assigned to duty in the upper Kanawha Valley. In January, 1862, it was transferred to General Wood's division in the Department of the Ohio - later called the Department of the Cumberland. In October, 1863, it was again transferred, this time becoming part of General Wagner's brigade, in Sheridan's division of the Fourth army corps. The regiment was with Buell in his pursuit of Bragg through Tennessee in the fall of, 1862, and participated in the engagements of Murfreesboro, Stoné River, Tullahoma, Shelbyville, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, and the siege of Knoxville. At the battle-of Stone River the regiment lost nearly one-third of its men, the Noble county companies nobly bearing their share of the losses. At Mission Ridge the regiment also suffered heavy losses, fully half the men engaged being killed or wounded. During the late fall and winter of 1862 the regiment suffered great hardships from long marches, insufficient food, and scant clothing." Many of the men had worn the soles from their shoes until their bare feet touched the ground, but they were so far from the base of supplies that it was impossible to draw new ones. In the dead of winter they slept out of doors. without even the shelter of a friendly tent, and not one in ten of the men were supplied with over coats. Notwithstanding these hardships, when the men were asked to re-enlist for three years more nearly every one of Noble county's sons responded to the call. The regiment. was with Sherman on his famous "March to the Sea," and fought at the battles of Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro, and the other battles of the campaign. Later it took part in the engagements at Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee, after which it was sent to Texas, where it remained until mustered out on October 21, 1865.

Company K of the Thirtieth volunteer infantry, which was mustered in at Camp Chase, August 28, 1861, was recruited in Noble county. The commissioned officers of the company at the time it was accepted by the Federal government were: William H. Ijams, captain; Reese R. Furbay, first lieutenant; Orris Parrish, second lieutenant; and the non-commissioned officers and privates were as follows: Benjamin Alltop, Richard L. Allbritain, Edward Archer, Thomas Archer, Joseph G. Anderson, Martin V. Anderson, John Armstrong, John T. Anderson, John Ball, Jonas Ball, Enoch Ball, William E. Behmer, Charles W. Barton, William A. Blake, Emerson P. Brooks, Jeremiah C. Brown, James S. Butler, John J. Butler, John Campbell, Lemuel B. Chessire, John Clark, John Coffield, David Crooks, George W. Cunningham, Hiram J. Davis, Hiram V. Dempster, Adam Denoon, William J. Dobbins, Henry W. Farley, Melville G. Farlev, Daniel Fast, Joseph Flanders, Daniel Forney, David Foster, Alfred M. Gant, Martin L. Grimes, Josiah W. Hall, Thomas L. Hamer, Joseph B. Hamilton, John Hardin, Lemuel D. Harper, David W. Harris, Ezra Harris, Joseph C. Harris, Joseph S. Harris, Sampson Harris, David Hayes, John F. Heskett, Andrew H. Hipslev, Spencer K. Hill, John F. Holster, Andrew Hughey, Joseph W. Hughey, Jackson Hupp, John Hupp, Philip Jackson, Thomas J. James, Perry James, Alfred James, Salathiel Johnson, William R. Jones, Martin Lanam, John H. Larrick, George B. Lyons, William McCall, James McCann, John W. McCleary, Henry McGearv, John McGuire, Jefferson H. McIntyre, John B. McKain, William McKittrick, Jacob Miller, Frederick N. Mugrage, Parley C. Mngrage, George W. Nash, August Nelson, John B. Nickerson, Samtiel Nve, James H. Odell, Francis M. Poling, Richard Poling, Lorenzo Powell, Samuel Racey, John W. Roberts, Thomas Rossiter, Owen Rucker, Samuel Rutherford, William Sampson, James T.

Four Noble county men, Demetrius A. Foster, Samuel Harris, Thomas Shankland, and Ezra Travis, enlisted in Company F of the same regiment. Twenty-two men of Company K were discharged on account of disabilities, twenty-seven were killed or died of disease, seven were reported as missing, and the rest were mustered ont with the regiment at Little Rock, Ark., August 13, 1865. During the four years of service the Thirtieth participated in the operations around Sewell and Flat Top Mountains, Raleigh, Princeton, Green Meadows, and on East and New rivers, after which it joined the army in Eastern Virginia. At South Mountain the regiment lost eighteen killed and forty-eight wounded, and a few days afterward fought with distinction at the battle of Antietam. In January, 1863, the regiment was transferred to the Southwest, joining the second division of the Fifteenth army corps at Helena, Ark. In May it joined the army in front of Vicksburg and remained there until after the capitulation of the city. Next it was assigned to duty in Eastern Tennessee. It participated in the battle of Mission Ridge, and was one of the regiments that pursued the Confederates in their retreat. In the spring of 1864 it was veteranized and after the furlough joined the army in Georgia. From May 20 to June 19 the regiment was almost constantly under fire and suffered heavy losses. In July it became a part of General Sherman's forces before Atlanta. It was one of the regimental organizations that was on the historic March to the Sea. From January 1, 1865, until the muster-out, it was successively at Washington City, Louisville, Ky., and Little Rock, Ark. During the term of service the regiment marched nearly fifteen thousand miles and participated in some of the hardest fought battles of the war.

In August, 1861, the Thirty-Sixth volunteer infantry was organized, and on the 21st of the month was mustered in at Marietta. _ From Noble county came Benjamin F. Bell, William Barker, Henry Bass, John W. Dolman, John Hesson, William Hiddleston, Liberty Hiddleston, Joseph H. King, Shepard P. King, Nicholas Kirkman, Edward McElroy, Henry McElroy, Robert McCoy, Henry McCarty, Alfred R. Phillips, Isaac C. Phillips, James Phillips, Stephen Spencer, and White. Of these men, three were killed in battle, two died in the service, ten were discharged and the others were mustered out with the company at Wheeling, W. Va., July 27, 1865. They were members of Company E, of which Isaac Phillips rose to be captain. The regiment was interested, during its entire term of

When the Fiventietl Ohio volunteer infantry was reorganized in the fall of 1861, quite a number of Noble county boys took service in the new organization. Francis M. Shacklee, who had gone out with the Twenty-Fifth regiment earlier in the vear, was made captain of Company J in the rebrganization, and Tarrison Wilson, also of the Twenty-Fifth, became first lieutenant of the company in December. Under their leader ship the following Noble conniy citizens enlisted in Company T: Gules Archer, Cephus Archer, George Archer, Weeden Archer, Philip Amon, Ezekiel Anderson, John H. Barnes, Leaward Ball, James W. Barnes, John Burford, John Caldwell, Franklin G. Cleveland, Frederick Crow, Jacob Crow, Enoch Fuller, John W. Garrett, Daniel Gildow, Harvey J. Tarbin, Joseph FE. Warbin, John W. Houston, George W. Hupp, Marion Hupp, Joseph Killbangh. Jacob King, Joseph Kinney, Andrew J. Lucas, Manta McBride, Samuel MeBride, Peter McBride, Terence McGovern, Isaac C. irene David Mitten, Thomas Moore, Albert Morris, Benin' Moore, Thomas F. Morrow, Jesse Moran, Joseph W. Newlan, William IT. Newlan. John MNieun, Abram Northstine, Harrison Palmer, Harrison J. Palmer, Robert Palmer, Horace O. Reed, John Riley, Williain Rose, David W. Sawards, Griffin Sawards, George W. Smith, John W. Smith, William Smith, John Sturtz, James Swaney, Henry Tidd. James Tucker, Cyrus A. Tuttle, John N. Van Fossen, Nelson D. Warfield, David Wavy, Milton Way, William S. Wells, James White, James M. Wickham, Wieden Wickham, George Wild, Amon A. Williams, Thomas Wilson, Clark Young, Frederick Youngblue, Jesse R. Youngblue. The company was mustered in near Covington, Ky., on October 21, 1861, and during the winter was emploved in guarding government stores around Covington and Newport. In February, 1862, it started southward and its first actual service was in the campaign against Fort Donelson. Between that time and the expiration of its term of service the Twentieth participated in a number of engagements in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. Foremost among these were the battles of Pittsburgh Landing, the operations around Corinth, Oxford, Miss., Holly Springs, Champion Hills, around Vicksburg, and Jackson, Mississippi. After being veteranized the regiment was with Sherman around Atlanta, andl on the march to Savannah. It was mustered out, July 18, 1865, at Columbus, Ohio.

Late in the fall of 1861 the work cf organizing the Sixty-Second volunteer infantry was begun at Camp Goddard, Zanesville, Ohio. The organization was completed in a short time and on November 21 the regiment was mustered into the service. It remained at Camp Godda however, until January, 1862, when it was ordered to join General Rosecrans in Western Virginia. The first fighting experi- enced by the regiment was at Winchester, Va., where it was one of the regiments that pursued the enemy to Strasburg. Its entire service was with the Army of the Potomac, participating in the battles of Port Republic, Morris Island, Fort Wagner, Petersburg, Fort Gregg, and the final operations around Richmond.

The above named were all in Company I. : In Company H there were Jacob L. Gregg and Isaac M. Yoho, and in Company K there were John R. Brokaw, Israel Hitchcock, John H. Phelps, and James Wilson. Sixteen of the men from Noble county were discharged on account of disabilities or by crder of the war department; three were killed in action; seven were wounded, three of whom afterward died ; six died of disease ; one was reported as missing, and one as a deserter.

About the same time that the Sixty-Second regiment was organized, the Forty-Second was also recruited. The regiment was mustered in at Camp Chase, November 26, 1861, with James A. Garfield, afterward president of the United States, as colonel. Companies A, B, C, and D were completed and mustered in the preceding September, the last named company being raised in Noble county. The commissioned

The first contact the regiment had with the enemy was at Middle Creek, Va.. in Jannary, 1862, and this was followed by Pound Gap the sueceeding March. after which the regiment was sent to Lomisville, Ky. Tt took part in the capture of Cumberland Gap, as well as several skirmishes with the Confederates under Bragg and Kirby Smith. From that time until the spring of 1863 the regiment was engaged in the military operations in the Big Kanawha valley. April 29, 1863, it fonght at Grand Gulf, and then joined Grant's army at Vieksburg. After the fall of Vicksburg the regiment was transferred to the department of the Gulf, remaining in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. for the balance of the war. On Septem ber 30, 1864, it was mustered ont at Camp Chase, and on Sunday evening October 2, the surviving members of Company D reached Summerfield, where they were given a cordial reception.

The next enlistments from Noble county were in Companies D and F of the Sixtv-Third volunteer infantry, which was organized in January, 1862, by the consolidation of two battalions, recruited the previous autumn. James Taggart was captain of Company D, William C. Thomas was first lieutenant, and Angus McDonald second lieutenant. The membership of the company, or at least that part of it that came from Noble county, was made up of William G. Applebee, Nathan Baker, Ephraim Bell, Hiram Bell, Mahlon Brown, William A. Brown, Worthington Coffee, William J. Colliflower, Samuel Coffee, Benjamin Delancy, John M. Dixon, Joshua R. Goodings, Josiah Hart, Samuel Hawthorn, John W. Hughes, William E. Hughes, Paulen Jones, William Lewis, Winchester Lewis, Michael Lyon, James McFadden, William A. MeGuckin, Bristol McKensie, David A. McMunn, Isaac Marshall, Gallatin S. Marquis, James C. Matheny, John Minck, Thomas W. Parrish, James M. Pierce, John Reed, John M. Reed, John Ruple, Ezra Shock, Alonzo Shuman, Jacob Shuman, Isaac Smith, James K. Smith, Samuel Smith, William C. Smith, Zachariah Stokes, Orlando W. Stuckey, William Taylor, Andrew Van Sickle, Howard C. Wilson, Thomas C. Wilson, David Winders, Martin Wyrick, Joseph Ziler. Those in Company F were John Caldwell, D. W. Davis, and John Eicher.

On the 18th of February the regiment was ordered to Paducah, Ky.. where it joined the Army of the Mississippi. It was engaged in the battles of Island No. 10, the siege of Corinth, Farmington, Iuka, Parker's Cross Roards, and a few skirmishes during the years 1862 and 1863. In January, 1864, most of the men reenlisted and received their veteran furloughs. On February 18, just two years from the time it first started South, the regiment again assembled at Columbus, and left for the front, beginning active operations at Decatur, Ala. The fall of Decatur was followed by the battles of Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, and Jonesboro. Later it joined Sherman's army and marched through Georgia on the victorious campaign to Savannah. It was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 8, 1865.

A few Noble county boys enlisted in the Seventy-Seventh regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry. In Company B were Cornelius Archer, Owen Barnes, Martin Davis, Thomas C. Davis, James P. Daugherty, George W. Delancy, Cornelius Gray, William A. Harper, Edward D. Keith, Pobert M. Kelley, Samuel A. Lee, Jefferson Long, Jabez Osborne, lsaac Ward. The county was represented in Company D: by David McPeak and Jesse Gray. In Company H there were Samuel Carpenter, Wilson Cunningham and William Hughey. A half dozen were found in Company I in the persons of Isaiah Faulk, Jerome Mobley, Andrew Madlock, Thomas Moore, Jonas Singer and Allen Wheeler. In Company K there were Thomas M. Addis,

Company G of the Seventy-Eighth volunteer infantry was practically all from Noble county. The regiment was recruited during the late fall and winter of 1861 and was mustered into the service on January 11, 1862. At that time the commissioned officers of Company G were: Peter Gebhart, captain; Joseph Miller, first lieuten- - ant; Joseph C. Jenkins, second lieutenant. The muster roll of the company, including the recruits that were added from time to time, was as follows: William J. Anderson, Wilson Archer, William Armstrong, Wilbur F. Armstrong, Charles W. Arndt, Hiram Atkinson, Lewis Baley, Asa Barry, George Bash, Harmon Bate, Henry Beasley, Benjamin Beach, Doran Bigford, Ezra Bond, James F. Bond, Jeremiah Bond, George W. Butts, Thomas Carney, John C. Carpenter, Thomas Carpenter, Henry Carter, Joab Coe, Joseph P. Cowen, Jacob Cusaec, James David, Robert A. David, Samuel Davis, William R. Davis, Adam Dennis, David Dennis, John Dennis, Solomon fF. Dennis, Isaac Dickson, Joseph Dixon, Israel Dudlev, Alonzo C. Earhart, John R. Edgar, Edward Ellis, Josiah Fannaugh, John H. Fenton, Solomon F. Finley, Elijah Fogle, Hiram Fogle, Immer Fowler, Samuel Fowler, William Fowler, William F. Fry, Cyrus H. Gardner, Joseph Gatchel, Martin Gaffney, John Geary, Taylor Geary, Samuel H. Gebhart, Philip George, John A. Gibson, Wilson Gibson, John W. Gillespie, Levi Gould, James Graham, William J. Grimes, Jacob Hagen, Samuel Halley, William Halley, Franklin C. Halter, Conrad Harmon, Israel Hart, James P. Hartsell, John Hayes, Wheeler W. Heath, James F. Henten, Solomon F. Heskett, Elisha D. Hickel, Daniel J. Hill, Charles Hines, John R. Hunt, Alexander W. Humphrey, George W. Johns, Barnett Johnson, George W. Johnson, Lyman J. Johnson, James Kells, William Kent, Jonas Knepper, Arius Knight, Aquilla Lindsay, Charles Lindsay, Charles W. Lindsay, Kelsey Little, William Little, Alfred Lippitt, Jacob Looker, Isaac H. Long, William B. Long, Peter B. Lupardis, Samuel McCary, John W. McFerren, Cary McGinnity, James W. Mackey, Leonard Marlow, William S. Mendenhall, Caleb M. Mercer, David B. Mercer, George W. Mercer, Job T. Mercer, Thomas Mercer, Joseph Miller, William ; S. Miller, Jamies A. Moore, George W. Morgan, Owen Morgan, Lewis Morris, 'Simon Morris, Owen! Afulnix. Jesse Patterson, Robert Peacock, 'Sampson Peppers, David W. Pierce, Frank Porter, Aaron S. Purkey, Nelson Rayburn, Iret Rhinehart, Joseph Rhinehart, Daniel Rachesony Frederick Roach, Henry M. Roach, John W. Robsason; William Robinson, William Rockwell, William Rucker, Ebenezer Russell, Eden St. Clair, Samuel St. C lair,

Leaving Ohio at Cincinnati, on J anuary 11, 1862, the regiment proceeded by boat to join the Army of the Tennessee. It arrived at Fort Donelson a few days after the surrender and was assigned to the duty of guarding the prisoners taken there. On April 7, at Pittsburg Landing, (Shiloh) the regiment was for the first time under fire. It then participated in the campaign against Corinth. After.the fall of Corinth it was transferred to Logan's division and while under the command of "Black Jack" fought at Spring Creek, Granada, Miss., Raymond, Champion Hills, and Vicksburg. On the fourth of July, 1863, the Seventy-Eighth was made a part of Sherman's army, and participated in the movements against Jackson, Miss. It re-enlisted, and after spending a few weeks at home on veteran furlough joined the army of General Sherman in Georgia. In the battles at Bushy and Kenesaw Mountains it played an important part, as well as in the battles around Atlanta. After the march to the sea and the campaign against Johnston in the Carolinas it. went with the Federal forces to Richmond and Washington, participating in the grand review at the national capital. It was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, July 11, 1865.

In August, 1862, the work of recruiting the Ninety-Second Ohio infantry was begun, headquarters of the regimental organization being . at Marietta. Notwithstanding the number of Noble county boys already in the field, there were plenty of others who stood ready to heed their country's call. The greater part of Companies D, E, and K, came from the little county among the hills of Southeastern Ohio. The commissioned officers of Company D, all of whom were from Noble county, were William Wheeler, captain; John Brown, first lieutenant; James M. Joseph, second lieutenant. Following is the muster roll of the company: Anthony M. Allen, Thomas K. Amos, Isaac B. Archer, James P. Ball, Reason A. Ball, David A. Balldridge, John A. Balldridge, Charles G. Barclay, Charles W. Barnes, Highland Barnes, Nathaniel B. Barnes, Swazy Barnes, Vachel Barhes, Elijah Bassford, John W. Barthalow, Sanforth Barton, Thomas W. Betts, Philip Brand, Peter Brand, James F. Brothers, William H.

A week before that date, Company E had heen accepted with Erwin F. Dudley as captain; William C. Okey, first lientenant; and Thomas W. Morris, second lieutenant. The commissioned officers of the company were all from Noble county, as were also the following non-commissioned officers and privates: Isaac Anderson, Elijah M. Ball, James W. Barry, John M. Barry, Joseph Carral, James Cawfield, James W. Church, Aurelius Clark, Jason Clark, Wilham T. Craig, Alvin D. Cunningham, Francis G. Cunningham, Wilham ( Nafhivani; George W. Cooper, ohm C. Cooper, Moses Carter, Abraham

Marching orders were received by the Ninety-Second on October 7, and from that time until the following January it was on duty in the Kanawha valley. In January, 1863, it went to Nashville, Tenn., where it became a part of Crook's brigade, and from that time until it was mustered out in June, 1865, it was almost continually on the firing line. The first engagement in which it took an active part was the battle of Hoover's Gap, and it was one of the Ohio regiments that marched with Sherman through the heart of the Confederacy to Savannah, fighting in all the engagements of that memorable campaign.

The next regiment to be organized in Southeastern Ohio was the One Hundred and Sixteenth infantry, which was mustered in at Marietta in the month of September, 1862. True to her traditions, Noble county was one of the first to answer the call with the result that a large part of Company F and practically all of Company H were recruited in the county. Those in Company F were Dighton Bates, William H. Bell, Robert Bramhall, John R. Brokaw, James Carson, Joel B. Cummings, Alfred W. Davis, John Dillon, William Fisher, Ja«oh Gregg, James Harrison, James F. Hughes, Joseph S. Johnson, George W. Johnston, George W. Johnson, Amos S. Jones, Edward S. King, Samuel King, Silas King, William King, Charles Latch, John T. McCoy, Henry Martin, Jacob Martin, John Martin, Samuel B. Matthias, Robert Martin, Garrison Miracle, Jacob Phelps, John Phelps, Richard T. Phelps, James T. Piggott, John Rake, John Rawlings, George Rav, Jacob Schwall, Thomas Shahan, Jonas Steed, George W. Smith, Jonas Smith, Freeman C. Thompson,* James Wilson, Richard Wilson, Samuel Wilson, Isaae M. Yoho, Peter Yoho.

Wilbert B. Teeters, who had gone out as a sergeant in Company I of the Twenty-Fifth regiment, was made captain of Company H, One Hundred and Sixteenth regiment, in August, 1862. Wilham H. Spriges was first hentenant, and William L. Moseley second heutenant. The non-commissioned officers and privates in Company H were Nathan Archer, John Armstrong, William A. Arnold, Reason Baker, Pavan Bartlett, David M. Bock, Leroy D. Brown, Nathaniel Butler, William Y. Cain, Jacob Carpenter, Samuel Carpenter, John Catlett, U. J. Cheshire. Henry C. Clary, Leonard Craig, Henderson Crooks, James M. Dalzell, Benjamin C. Drake, Jacob Dudley, Joseph Dudlev, Jacob L. Durnall, William J. Emmons, Charles W. Engle, Charles .\. Gally, Joseph Geralds, Daniel Gorby, Matthew Grandon, Jacob Gregg, Jacob L. Gregg, Isaac Groves, John A. Groves, James Harrison, William H. Hesson, Alvah D. Hopper, Samuel Hull, Wesley James, Henry T. Johnson, Jesse Joseph, Alex. D. Kackley, John W. Kacklev, Eli T. Kirkbride, James P. Kyser, John J. Kyser, George Lamp, Benjamin Larrick, John Larrick, Noah Larrick, William McBride, John T. McCoy, Stephen C. McCoy, Joseph A. MelIl-

The regiment was armed and equipped at Gallipolis soon after it was mustered into the service, and on October 27 was united with the One Hundred and Tenth, One Hundred and Twenty-second, and One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio regiments in a brigade, at Buchanan, Va. During the winter it was engaged in guerrilla warfare a large part of the time. About the middle of March, 1863, it joined the army at Winchester, taking part in the military operations around that place. In the month of April it was attached to General Hunter's division and marched up the Shenandoah Valley. At the battle of Piedmont the regiment lost 176 men in killed and wounded. This was the most severe engagement which had been encountered up to this time. From April until July the time was spent in hard marching through Virginia and Maryland. On Sep tember 3, it was with Sheridan's army at the battle of Berryville, and a few days later at Opequan and Fisher's Hill. In the spring of 1865 the One Hundred and Sixteenth took part in the investment of Petersburg, fighting at Fort Gregg, Burksville and Appomattox. It was mustered out on June 14, 1865, except two companies which were transferred to the Sixty-Second, and on June 23 the men received their last pay from the government at Camp Dennison, where they were formally discharged.

On May 9, 1864, the One Hundred and Sixty-First infantry was mustered in, as part of the National Guard, for the one hundred days' service. It was composed of three battalions, one of which was from Noble county. This battalion, the Ninety-Third, was made up from Companies C, F, and H,, containing one hundred and ninety-six men. Company C was officered by William A. Allen, captain; C. J. Barnes, first lientenant; Isaac Philpot, second lieutenant. The muster roll

The three companies comprising the Ninety-Third battalion were mustered in, as already stated, on May 9, and the term of their service expired early in September. During that time they saw but little of the strenuous. side of military life, being employed most of the time in conducting supplies to Hunter's army in the Shenandoah Valley, though it was engaged in several sharp skirmishes around Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, and Maryland Heights.

One unacquainted with the character of the Noble county people would suppose that by this time the supply of men capable of bearing arms was well nigh exhausted. But every call for fresh troops met with a hearty response and somehow there were always found men in the county ready to enlist. The age limit was not closely applied in making up any of the military organizations of the county. Boys in their teens marched alongside of men whose hair was generously sprinkled with the silver of age, and both made gocd soldiers. So, when the One Hundred and Seventy-Sixth volunteer infantry was organized at Camp Chase in the fall of 1864, Noble county wes represented by nearly all of Company G and a large part of Company I. The commissioned officers of Company G were Allen G. Floyd, captain; James E. Phelps, first lientenant; Simon K. Young, second lientenant. The muster roll of the company bore the names of David L. Adams, George W. Addlesperger, William A. Allender, Allison Archer, Esau Archer, George W. Archer, John M. Areher, Peter Archer, Church Ball, Adam C. Barnes, John H. Barnes, George H. Barry, Isaac Bates. Robert Bates, Allen Berry, Otho Brokaw, Robert Butler, Noah Cale, John H. Camden, John Clark, Thomas Clark, Job Cooper, Francis W. Craig, Henry H. Crane, Henry Cronin, John H. Crow, Greenherry Davis, William E. Davidson, Charles DeLong, James Eckles, William Eckles, Henry Enochs, James Enochs, Shephard Enochs, Jesse Finch, John Finch, Wallace Foster, John B. Gibson, James E. Harding, Lorenzo D. Hill, David Hupp, Lewis V. Hupp, Theodore Ijams, Elijah Johnson, George W. Jones, Philip Jones, Thomas Lake, Benjamin Lamley, Edward Lamley, John Lamlev, James Lincicome, John Z. Long, Noah Long, Thomas McConnell, Thomas Mercer, Andrew J. Merry, David Mitchell, Nathan Moore, Robert Moran, Arius N. Morris, Christian A. Mossburgh, Henry Musser, Jr., Joseph H. Odell, Theodore Osborn, Jacob A. Palmer, Henley E. Peters, John Poulton, John W. Poulton, John Powell, William Rinehart, Frederick Roach, John A. Robinson, Sylvanus L. Robinson, Samuel F. Rock, Henry Ross, Peter Rucker, Philip Shanks, Thomas Shilling, Mathias Sheble, William Shipley, John W.

In February, 1865, came the last call for infantry troops in which Noble county participated. In that month the One Hundred and Eighty-Fifth and the One Hundred and Eighty-Sixth regiments were organized, with headquarters at Barnesville. The One Hundred and Eighty-Sixth was mustered in on February 14, for one year. In this regiment Noble county was represented 'by Company G, with William Bramhall as captain, John Bramhall as first lieutenant, and John Mitchell as second lieutenant. The muster roll of the company contained the names of Aaron Archer, Ambrose Archer, Isaac Archer, James Archer, Nathan Archer, Sebastian Archer, Thomas Archer, Zachariah Barlow, Philo V. Barnes, Miles P. Bevans, William M. Caldwell, Abner M. Chapman, David Cline, Richard T. Crandel, Robert F. Dailey, Samuel Davidson, Henry Dunn, Thomas Edwards, Isaac Enochs, Isaac Enochs, Jr., Richmond Enochs, Alfred Farley, Elijah Forshey, John Forshey, Thomas Forshey, Joseph Freeman, Russell Glidden, Silas J. Gordon, George Grandon, Stephen Grandon, William Grandon, Isaac Harper, Mordecai Harper, William Harper, Henry W. Heidelsheimer, James Hicks, George Hiddleston, John Hughey, William T. Hutchinson, Richard Iams, Samuel King, William L. King, David Kline, Robert J. Lawrence, Archibald C. Lovall,

Noble county contributed Company D to the One Hundred and Eighty-Fifth infantry, which was mustered in on February 25, 1865, for one year. Mathias D. Rodecker was captain of the company; George W. Beymer was first lieutenant; and William C. Calland was second lieutenant. The non-commissioned officers and privates were Isaac Arters, Wilson S. Bailey, Nathan Barnes, George Bircher. William H. Brown, George M. Butler, Charles W. Calland, Richard Calland, William C. Calland, Thomas Carter, Edward Cleary, Charles Craig, William Craig, John W. Curtis, John M. Danford, George W. Dotson, Charles W. Dowell, James W. Drake, Thomas A. Forshey, Erasmus I. French, William French, John W. Fry, Henrv R. Guiler, John W. Hare, Abraham Kent, Cyrus Loper, James M. Me- Ginnis, John R. McGinnis, James A. Miligan, Alexander Milton. Jason Moore, Milton Moore, Samuel Moffitt, Richard T. Norvil, William M. Nowell, Richard G. Okey, Michael M. Peters, David W. Phillis, William H. Pigeatt, Edward T. Reed, Joseph E. Selby, William Shepherd, James T. Slack, William T. Staats, George H. Timanus, William West, Franklin Wiley, Levi Willey, Lorin Willey, John Wilson, John M. Wilson.

Neither of these two late regiments saw much actual service, the One Hundred and Eighty-Sixth being mustered ont at Nashville, Tenn., September 18, 1865, and the One Hundred and Eighty-Fifth at Lexington, Ky., September 26.

In addition to the infantry companies named, there were a number of Noble county men in other companies, notably Company B of the Ninth Ohio volunteer cavalry, the Twenty-Second battery, Ohio light artillery, and Company F of the Sixty-Third infantry, which was filled with Noble county recruits after the original organization was depleted by arduous service. To give an accurate account of the individual records of these men would be an extremely difficult matter, at this distant day, and is therefore not attempted. It is safe to say, though, that no matter where they were found, they did their duty, for out of the hundreds of men that enlisted from Noble county very few were dismissed from the service for conduct unbecoming to a soldier, and less than a dozen are known to have deserted. Out of one of those desertions, however, occurred an incident that will long be remembered by the residents of Noble county, and particularly those of Noble township. The affair has been handed down to history as the "Hoskinsville Rebellion."

All along the Ohio river there were many who felt that the war could have been avoided. They were either immigrants from the Southern States, or descendants of those who had come from that section of the Union, and their sympathies were with the slaveholders to a considerable degree. Among them were some who recognized not the truth of the old adage that "Discretion is the better part of valor," and kept their tongues wagging in denouncing the government for its attitude toward the South. The draft of October, 1862, encouraged this class of mischief makers and led to the organization of such socicties as the "Knights of the Golden Circle." The southern portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio were full of this class of people, and by the beginning of the year 1863 they had grown sufficiently bold to offer organized resistance to the Federal authorities in a few instances. One purpose of the secret orders was to have the members write to their friends in the army, persuading them to desert, and promising those who would do so the aid and protection of the society. On January 25, 1863, a young school teacher of Noble township wrote to his cousin in the Seventy-Eighth Ohio infantry. The letter contained the following extract:

"Well, Wesley, my advice to you is this, and it is not given without much reflection, knowing the danger to which such a step will expose you. Come home, if you can possibly get home, for to conquer the South is an impossibility, and the only hope for you to reach home is to desert, for to stay where you are is death, and to desert can be no worse."'*

The recipient took the advice contained in the letter, deserted his post, came home, and found concealment near Hoskinsville. In February thé letter happened to fall into unfriendly hands and was published, whereupon the adjutant-general of Ohio caused two warrants to be issued for the apprehension of the deserter and also for the writer of the letter. Deputy United States Marshal Colby was sent from Cincinnati with a corporal's guard to make the arrests. Upon arriving at Hoskinsville the deputy marshal was surprised to find the mer he desired under the protection of a well organized and armed mob,

* At the time this letter fell into the hands of the authorities it was thought to be part of a well-organized movement to demoralize the army, but it afterward developed that it was the individual act of a thoughtless young man, who, in his zeal, did not weigh the consequences of such a course.

which dared the officer to attempt to take the men. Deeming it unwise to try to serve the warrants the marshal and his posse retired and the mob became jubilant to think they had won_a victory over the government. Their joy was destined to be of short duration. Marshal Colby tried to make the arrests on March 11. When he found himself thwarted he reported without delay to United States Marshal, A. C. Sands, at Cincinnati. A hurried consultation was held with Colonel Eastman, commander of the post at Cincinnati, and the result was that two companies, B and H, of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio, under Capt. L. F. Hacke and Lieutenants Clotworthy and Hudsom, were ordered to Hoskinsville with instructions to make the arrests at all hazards if the parties could be found. This force proceeded by rail to Cambridge, where it arrived on the evening of 18th, and the following morning took up the march to Hoskinsville. About the middle of the afternoon of Friday, March 20, the troops reached their destination to find the place almost deserted, only a few old, decrepit men and the women and children remaining in the village, the men who had constituted the mob of a few days before being in hiding in the neighboring hills. The soldiers established "Camp Hardy'* and went into quarters to await the return of the citizens. Thev remained at Hoskinsville until Monday, March 23, when they broke camp and marched to Cambridge via Caldwell with seventeen prisoners. Later other arrests were made, the total nuinber of prisoners being thirtyfive, who were cited for trial before the Federal court at Cincinnati. The deserter had managed to escape to Canada and the teacher who had written the letter had also disappeared. After the war the former eame kack to Noble county where he is still living, but the latter never returned.

Of the men arrested nine pleaded guilty and were fined and imprisoned. Indictments were returned against ten others for conspiracy. Three of those were found guilty and fined five hundred dollars each. Some trouble was experienced by the government in getting witnesses to Cincinnati and heroic measures had to be adopted in a number of eases.t Such was the famous '"Hoskinsville Rebellion." After a lapse of more than forty years the incident is referred to in a spirit of levity

*The camp was so named in honor of Moses D. Hardy, who had furnished the officers with the names of a number of those who participated in the insurrection of March ll.

Centennial Ode

Progress Since THE War - Tue Or Fieirps - Firsr Wetrts - A Mipyieur Experirence - Davin McKrr - A Coxripencre Game - Rartroap AcITation - TuHE Otp Catrco Roap - Marietra & Pirrspure Company IncorporatEp - Conrractr Ler ror Con- STRUCTION- - First Tratn TO CaLpwELL - THeE Narrow Gates - ZANESVILLE & SovTHEASTERN - T'wo Companies CoNsoLt DATED - CoMPLETED IN 1883 - New Towns 1x Nosie Cotxty - Dexter Crtry - SortTy Oxvive - Drptey - Ava - BeEtie VALLEY - East Unron - MovnpsvittE - Fuitpa - Growtu or Catrp- WELL - NEWSPAPERS - INCORPORATED - PETITIONERS - VILLAGE OF THE Seconp Crass - First T'rvstees - List or Crry OFrtciaLs - Banxs - F air AssociaTion - Brintoirne anp Loan Asso- CIATION - IMPROVEMENT Bonps - Fire - Warter-Worxks - Deatu or Joun Gravr - "PrivaTe" DatzELt - So.ptiers' REtnrons - Movcnp Britpers Rerics - AvstraLtian Barrotr Law - New Jepiciat Crrctir - Spanisu-AMerican War - Mu1itra - Menicat Society Orcanizep - Tur Great SNow Strorm - CENTENNIAL ODE.

INCE the great Civil war the progress of Noble county has been steadily forward along peaceful lines. When her sons were discharged from the army they returned to their homes, "beat their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning hooks," and began the creation of new wealth to take the place of that destroyed by the ravages of war. The valor of the soldier has been extolled in history and song, but the meed of the artisan and husbandman is to be found chiefly in the cold, unsympathetic statistics that mark a nation's advancement. Yet the triumphs over the forces of nature - the deeds that distinguish civilized man from the barbarian - are no less deserving of praise than the victories of arms. Since the war the industrial development of the county has vone forward with great strides. Railroads have been constructed, thus placing the people of Noble county in communication with the outside world, and adding to their commercial possibilities ; schools and churches have been founded for the intellectual development and moral welfare of the people; newspapers have been established to

One of these industries, and one that has contributed in no smali degree to the material wealth of the county, is that of oil production. Oil was first discovered in Noble county in 1814. For many years prior to that time a deer-lick, near the place where the village of Olive was afterward started, was known to be rich in salt. In 1814 Silas Thorla, who had previously been in the employ of the Kanawha salt works, was attracted to the spot and determined to sink a well for the purpose of engaging in the manufacture of salt, which at that time was worth two dollars a bushel, and hard to obtain at times even at that price. At the depth of about two hundred feet a rich vein of salt water was struck, but it was so impregnated with oil that for a time it was thought to be unfit for use. It was soon discovered, however, that by letting it stand awhile the oil could be skimmed off and the water converted into salt. A few of the settlers tried the experiment of using the oil in their lamps, but in its crude state it made so much smoke and emitted such a disagreeable odor that the attempt was abandoned. No further effort was made to utilize the oil and hundreds of gallons of it were allowed to go to waste. Much of it was gathered by peddlers and sold under the name of "Seneca Oil,''* as a remedy for rheumatism and kindred ailments. In addition to salt water and oil, the Thorla well would at times issue gas with such pressure that the water would be forced forty or fifty feet in the air. This occurred about once a week and the salt. making had to be suspended while the blowing process was under way. It was observed that the gas was easily ignited and that it burned steadily, but, as in the case of the oil, no effort was made to turn it to account.

About a year after the Thorla well was sunk, Robert and John Caldwell and an Englishman named Hill drilled a well about a half mile further up the little stream and began the manufacture of salt there. This well, like its neighbor, produced both oil and gas, but, as salt was the principal object of the quest, the by-products were allowed to go to waste. John McKee, an old pioneer, gave the following interesting recollections of this well, in an interview in the Caldwell Republican in the summer of 1870. It seems that the demand for salt was sufficient to justify the proprietors in running the works day and night, the water to supply the kettles through the night. being pumped during the day. Mr. McKee said: .

* ; ° The oil was so named because the Seneca Indians were known to have used a similar oil in their ceremonies, and fo~ medicinal purposes, as early as

THE COUNTY OF NOBLE. 95 the water nearly exhausted and had to pump more. For this purpose he mounted a platform made of puncheons to reach the spring pole; this brought him eight or ten feet above the ground and almost directly over the well. In order to have light upon his work, he carried some blazing coals upon a piece of hickory bark. He placed the bark upon the floor, seized the spring pole and commenced work; but ere his task was half completed a live coal fell through the floor and very near to the well - quite near enough to ignite the gas from the well. Mr. Caldwell said he saw a ball of fire rise upward, while the timbers cracked and the irons rattled and his hair stood on end. Slowly this ball ascended, being fully as large as a haycock, until it reached the highest branches of a hickory tree standing near, when it exploded, making a noise equal to the loudest thunder. The noise was heard for five miles in every direction. * * * * Robert Caldwell was not hurt, but a worse scared man was never seen on Duck Creek."

In August, 1859, Col. E. L. Drake, acting for a syndicate of capitalists, struck oil near Titusville, Pa. Within a few weeks an intense excitement pervaded all Western Pennsylvania and even extended to other States. A popular song, entitled "Oil on the Brain," was sung throughout the country. Shortly after Drake's discovery, David McKee, of Noble county, visited the oil regions of Pennsylvania and became interested in the oil question. Forming an agreement with George J. Duff, a Pittsburg operator, he began active operations in the Duck Creek field in the summer of 1860. Others were in the field equally as early and in a little while the oil excitement was as great in Southeastern Ohio as it had been in Pennsylvania the year previous. The first oil well to "come in" in Noble county was on the farm of Dennis Gibbs, and was drilled in the summer of 1860. A little later the second well was completed on Frank Blake's farm, and while oil was found in both places it was in small quantities and the wells were abandoned. In the fall-a well was drilled on James Dutton's farm, about a mile from Macksburg. This well yielded about one hundred barrels a day and great excitement followed. In a few weeks the territory was full of prospectors and one could see derricks in every direction. The first well drilled by McKee & Duff was what was known as the "Diamond Well," not far from the present site of Dexter City, in Jefferson township. "Oil was found in paying quantities but the well had to be abandoned on account of the excessive flow of water.

This much was known of the Noble county oil fields before the war began. By the fall of 1861 all work tending toward the development of the field was suspended. Like nearly every other discovery of rich natural resources the real development had to be preceded by a period of wild speculation. After the restoration of peace, attention was again directed to the possibilities of vast fortunes being acquired in oil. Speculators from New York, New England, and Pennsylyania visited Ohio for the purpose of leasing cr purchasing all the lands under which it was thought oil could*be found. Companies with capital stock running into millions were organized, the sale of this stock being the principal object. Farms worth forty dollars an acre sold for a thousand, some refusing even this high figure.* After the collapse of this bubble the real prospecting for oil commenced and has gone on until the present time. In 1903 it was estimated, by competent persons, that there were from two hundred and fifty to three hundred paying wells in operation in Noble county.

Most of the early wells were sunk only to what was called the second sand, ranging in depth from five hundred to nine hundred feet. Some were even less than five hundred. The supply of oil in these wells was soon exhausted and for a time it looked as if the entire field would have to be given up. The completion of the railroad from Marietta to Caldwell, in the fall of 1871, offered the oil producers an opportunity to get the output of their wells to market. and the oil industry received a new impetns that led some of the prospectors to try the experiment of sinking wells to a greater depth. In connection with the further development of the Macksburg field a smooth piece of exploiting was done by some of the class known as "wild catters" from the Pennsylvania fields. These men put down a well, in Jefferson township, abont three miles from Macksburg, sinking it to the third sand, where oil was found in abundance. They were verv secret in their movements, however, and, instead of pumping the well, plugged it, took down the derrick, and announced that the experiment was a failure. Several farms in the neighborhood had heen leased, the leases being contingent upon the discovery of oil. These leases were not consummated and the field was apparently vacated for good. Then one of the "wild catters," pretending to have learned that some others were desirous of testing the field, snggested to one of the farmers in the vicinitv that he might, by pouring some oil on the surface around the well, lease his land to good advantage when the new men arrived on the ground. Soon afterward the supposed strangers put in an appearance, sure enough, and the "salted mine" worked fully as well as its projectors had intended. The newcomers were favorably struck with the prospects and at once began the work of leasing lands. Here is where the scheme worked the other way. The neighboring farmers, believing the well to have been a failure, as given out by the men who had drilled it, leased their lands at a comparatively low

* As a matter of fact very few farms were actually bought by these oil eampanies. Fabulous prices were offered but onlv in a few instances were the lands actua'ly paid for, the main object being to dispose of the stock. Such lands as were bought were necessary to the companies to carry out their representation as owners of oil lands in the new field.

figure. Many of them sold their farms outright, at prices about equal to their value for agricultural purposes. When the lands had all been secured the development of the field was begun in earnest and in a short time the Macksburg oil region was producing more than three thousand barrels of oil daily. Some of the farmers who had parted with their lands on easy terms felt chagrined over the manner in which they had been made the victims of a confidence game, but it was another application of the old consolation, "What can't be cured must be endured."

At the close of the war the greatest need of Noble county was improved transportation facilities. As early as 1849 the Sharon Railroad Company had been incorporated by Isaac Parrish, J. M. Stone, Oliver Keyser, Elijah Stevens, and Samuel Aikens, with a capital of $30,000. The purpose was to build a road from Sharon to the most available point on the Muskingum river in Washington county. The following summer the work of grading the road was commenced but it was soon discovered that the capital was entirely insufficient to carry out the project. In the articles of association it was provided that the road might be extended to Marietta or Cumberland, or both. In 1853, the Guernsey county court granted the company permission to increase the capital stock to $50.000 and to extend the road to Cumberland, in pursuance of the provisions of the charter. The company was re-organized and several propositions, each more pretentious than its predecessor, were broached. After ten years spent in futile endeavors to build the road from some place on the Ohio river near Steubenville to Cincinnati, and after more than $250,000 had been expended in the undertaking the old "Calico" road as it was called, was relegated to oblivion.

In 1866 the agitation was begun in favor of a railroad from Marietta to Point Pleasant. Meetings were held along the line of the propesed road but the people, remembering their wihappy experiences with the old "Calico" route, gave the movement at first but slight encouragement. The first interest manifested in Noble county was at a meeting held at Caldwell, on November 8, 1866. At this meeting William McKee, Dennis S. Gibbs, and George Fetters were appointed as a committee to visit Cumberland and Marietta to counsel with the people of those cities and bring about some concert of action. For a time efforts were made to revive the old "Calico" charter, but that plan was finally abandoned and preliminary surveys were made along both the east and west forks of Duck creek, for a road running from Marietta, through Caldwell and Cambridge, to some point in the interior of the State. Matters dragged along for about a year and a half, until February 19, 1868, when a meeting was held at Cambridge, at which a large number of people from Guernsey, Washington and Noble counties were present. At that time it was decided to drop all negotiations with the old company and form a new one. The work of perfecting the organization of this new company was entrusted to a committee, consisting of Gen. A. J. Warner, of Marietta, E. W. Mathews, of Cambridge, and James S. Foreman, a prominent attorney of Caldwell. The committee went to work with commendable zeal, and in the following September the Marietta & Pittsburg Railroad company was incorporated. In October W. H. Frazier, William C. Okey, and William W. Glidden, of Caldwell, and R. R. Dawes and William P. Cutler, of Marietta, were authorized to receive stock subscriptions and donations for the construction of the road.* A year later a fund of $175,000 had been subscribed in Noble and Washington counties and it was decided to begin work upon the road at once. A contract was accordingly made with Warner, McArthur & Co. to build the road from Marietta to Caldwell. For doing so they were to receive $5,000 a mile in cash; $4,000 in capital stock, and $8,000 in seven per cent first mortgage bonds. Work was pushed with great vigor and in November, 1871, trains began running between Caldwell and Marietta. The arrival of the first train at Caldwell was hailed with demonstrations of joy. At last Noble county was in direct communication with that great artery of commerce, the Ohio river.

In 1872 the road was completed to Cambridge, and two years later it was extended to Canal Dover where it forms important connections with the trunk lines running north and east. The road has hada somewhat checkered career. It has several times been in the hands of a receiver. It has been known as the Marietta & Pittsburg, the Marietta, Pittsburg & Cleveland, the Cleveland & Marietta, and is now operated as the Marietta Division of the Pennsylvania System. The stockholders have never accumulated large fortunes from the dividends received, but the road had been an important factor in developing the natural resources of Noble county, nevertheless.

About the time that the Marietta & Pittsburg railroad was completed to Caldwell, agitation was started for the construction of a narrow gauge railroad from Zanesville to Caldwell, and ultimately to "some point on the Ohio river. The agitation culminated in the incorporation of the Zanesville, Cumberland & Caldwell railroad company, but the project received but little support from the people of Noble county, owing to the fact that all their energies were at that time being exerted in behalf of the Marietta & Pittsburg road, which was already an assured reality. In 1872 the Bellaire, Wocdsfield & Zanesville railroad company was organized. Later the interests of the two companies were consolidated under the name of the Bellaire & Southwestern railroad company, with E. G. Morgan as president, and

*In order to secure the completion of the road to Caldwell, Noble county was required to raise $60,000. Altogether the citizens subscribed about $115,000 to build the road through the county.

Col. S. L. Mooney as general superintendent. Work was commenced on the road in 1876 and on Thanksgiving day, in 1879, the first train ran over the road from Bellaire to Woodsfield. The opening of the - line thus far stimulated the interest in the western end of the proposed road and on December 16 a meeting was held at Summerfield to take the necessary steps to secure the completion of the road to that place, at any rate. Everyone seemed to take a lively interest in the matter and many felt that Summerfield would have a railroad before many months had elapsed. In January, 1880, the work of soliciting subscriptions and securing the right of way was begun. Then the committee met the real difficulties of the situation. Quite a number of those who had talked in favor of the road declined to give any substantial aid when called upon to do so. Through the summer the enterprise languished and for a time it looked as though the whole undertaking was doomed to failure. In December, 1880, the matter was revived by a meeting at Caldwell, at which it was proposed to make that town the western terminus of the road. At that meeting prominent representatives of the railroad company were present and proposed to furnish and lay the iron rails, and fully equip and operate the road between Woodsfield and Caldwell if the pecple along the route would pay for grading the road bed, secure the right of way, and furnish the ties. To do this would require a subscription of a little more than $100,000. John W. Tipton, Fulton Caldwell, W. W. Collins, William W. Glidden, R. P. Summers, George A. Smith, and David S. Spriggs were appointed a committee to make a tentative canvass for subscriptions, and to secure the co-operation of the people of Summerfield, Freedom, Louisville, and Sarahsville in raising the amount. The work proceeded slowly and it was not until the fall of 1881 that the entire sum was subscribed.

In the meantime a company had been formed at Zanesville to build a road from that city to Beverly, to connect with the Bellaire & Southwestern. This company was known as the Zanesville & Southeastern railroad company. In January, 1882, it was consolidated with the Bellaire & Southwestern, under the name of the Bellaire, Zanesville & Cincinnati railroad company. Muskingum county donated over $200,000 to the new scheme and work was begun at Zanesville on a line to meet the easternend. In August, 1883, trains began running between Bellaire and Summerfield. In November of the same year trains began running between Caldwell and Zanesville, and on December 3, the first train ran through to Bellaire from Zanesville, and the B. Z. & C. was complete.* The road has passed through the usual

*From Zanesville to Bellaire by the narrow gauge is 112 miles. As the road runs through a hilly country the greater part of the way. and follows the course of the streams much of the distance, numerous curves occur. This has given rise to the nickname of the ''Bent, Zigzag & Crooked,'' a play upon the initials of the terminal stations.

trials of local roads. It was twice in the hands of receivers, and was finally re-organized as the Ohio River & Western, under which name it was still operated in 1903. In 1902 the road passed into the hands of the Appleyard Syndicate, owners of a number of interurban traction lines.

The development of the oil industry and the building of railroads led to the establishment of several new towns and villages. Dexter City, in Jefferson township, was laid off on August 5, 1870, by R. W. St. John, Hiram Flanders being the proprietor of the site. Additions were soon afterward made to the original plat by George Bell, John Smithson, J. J. Shriver, and U. J. Cheshire. Some of the lots in these additions lay in Jackson township. The town was named for Dexter W. Snilivan, who erected the first building in the place after the original plat was surveyed. Soon after Sullivan's building was commenced, David McKee began the second one, in which he placed a stock of goods as soon as it was finished, thus becoming the first merchant in the place. Dexter City is located on the line of the Cleveland & Marietta railroad, the road being completed to that point about the time the town was laid off into lots. For some time the town enjoyed a boom, owing to the railroad and the adjacent oil field, after which it settled down to a steady growth, and is today one of the important commercial centers of the-county.

Two miles north of Dexter City, on the same railroad, the village of South Olive was laid out in August, 1871. Welton B. Ostrander owned the land and emploved David Miller to make the survey, the original plat consisting of thirteen lots. Several additions to the original have been made by William Kirkbride and others. A railroad station was the first building erected. Soon after it was finished W. D. Guilbert opened a store in it, the first in South Olive. He was soon followed by Rice & Martin, and for a time South Olive was considered an emulator of Dexter City for commercial honors. A thriving trade was soon built up by the local merchants, and considerable business is still done there. One of the early industries was a large tobacco packing business, which was conducted by Gouchenour & Guilbert. In 1880 the warehouse that they had erected was sold to Jacob Purcell, who converted it into a modern grist mill. Three years later the mill was destroyed by fire, and this misfortune, coupled with the waning of the oil excitement about the same time, had a disastrous effect upon the town, from which it never fully recovered. Partial amends were made by the opening of the South Olive Creamery Company in 1886 which brought new business to the village.

Another village that sprang up about the same time as South Olive, was that of Dudley, where a flag station was established by the railroad company in 1871. As soon as the railroad station was built a store was opened in the structure by J. P. Arnold. A little village grew up about the station but no official plat of the place was made until 1877. Several residences, a wagon shop, a saw and grist mill, a school house and a Universalist church were built during the next decade, but Dudley never grew to metropolitan proportions.

In April , 1873, William Lowe was employed by Levi Glover to lay out the town of Ava in Noble township, in the northern part of the county. The original survey consisted of twenty-two lots, but the town has been increased by additions to almost five times its original proportions. Ava is on the line of the Cleveland & Marietta railroad and is one of the principal trading points for the farmers of that section, and is also the center of the coal mining industry opened up 'in 1903.

In 1872 Benton Thorla opened a store on his farm where Belle Valley now stands. In the same year a postoffice was established there and Mr. Thorla was appointed postmaster. Three years later he emploved William Lowe to lay off the town plat. When the Bellaire, Zanesville & Cincinnati railroad was completed this place became a junction of that road and the Cleveland & Marietta, which made it quite an important point. At one time the town of Belle Valley boasted two hotels, a fine grist mill, three general stores, and several other business enterprises; being only four miles from Caldwell, the growing county seat gradually drew the trade away and Belle Valley merely held its own for two decades, but in 1903 the town took on a new lease of life by the opening of the McKee coal mines, and nearly or quite doubled its population in less than a vear.

Between the time that Noble county was organized and the beginning of the Civil war the villages of East Union, Moundsville, and Fulda were projected. East Union was laid out in the spring of 1856 bv Charles Burlingame for Henry Archer, who had started a store there some vears before. The postoffice was established in 1859 with Allen Floyd as the postmaster, a grist mill was erected by a stock company, and for several vears a thriving business was done in buying and shipping tobacco. Moundsville was projected by Isaac Davis, who laid off twelve lots there in the spring of 1861. But the war coming on just at that time the growth of the village was no doubt retarded by it. Rufus Hall built a small mill there, and being a violinist of more than ordinary ability the place soon became generally known as "Fiddler's Green." After Hall removed from the place the mill fell into disuse and the few straggling houses constituting the village took the name of "Stringtown." W. D. Guilbert conducted a store there from 1866 until the completion of the C. & M. railroad, when he removed to South Olive. The town of Fulda, in Enoch township, was laid off in June, 1861, by Charles Burlingame for John Brahler and John S. Hohmann. A number of German families had settled in this locality some vears before and the town was named for one near their old home in the Fatherland. Some time before the platting of the village a store had been opened there by Heiddlesheimer & Hohmann. Soon after the plat wa' filed a postoffice was established there with John S. Hohmann as the first postmaster. Fulda is chiefly noted as the site of St. Mary's Catholic church. The parish is one of the oldest and largest in that part of the State, and the church building is one of the most imposing edifices in Noble county.

During the war the town of Caldwell made but little progress. Since that time its growth has been slow'but sure. Before the building of the railroad the only means of communication was by means of a hack line from Caldwell to Campbell's Station on what is now the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. The distance is twenty-two miles and the hack made but three trips a week. This hack carried the mails and on the days between its trips there was a mail from McConnelsville thus giving Caldwell a daily mail service. The first schoo] house in the town was built in 1866 at a cost of $2,300, S. B. Pugh being the contractor. Fourteen years later the building had become inadequate to the growing needs of the school population and a more commodious structure was erected at a cost. of nearly $10,000. "School House Hill" is the highest point in the town where the building commands an excellent view, and where the best of sanitary conditions can be easily maintained.

Both pelitical parties have been well represented by newspapers in Caldwell, thongh the Republican papers have received better support, owing to the fact that the party has for many vears been in a majority in the county. After the suspension of the Noble County Democrat in 1860, that party was without a local organ until 1863, when some of the Democratic leaders induced Robert Hutchinson to buy the outfit of the old Woodsfield Herald and establish a paper at Caldwell. Accordingly in the summer of 1863 the Democratic News was launched. Nathaniel Capell soon became associated with Hutchinson, but the paper was not a financial success and the publishers sold out to Robert J. Smith, who continued its publication until 1865. The business was then transferred to McGlashan & Clymer. The latter shortly afterward retired from the firm and McGlashan changed the name to the Noble County News, continuing to publish it regularly until 1869, when he sold out to W. A. Wallace. Wallace published it as the Cottage Visitor for about two years when he turned it back to Cyrus McGlashan, who changed the name to The Spectator. A year later John M. Amos and F. W. Moore bought the paper, changed the name to that of the Citizens Press, bought a lot of new type and in many ways improved the appearance of the paper. Mr. Amos soon became the sole proprietor and under his management the paper continued to prosper until 1884, when he sold out to A. P. Jennings &

Son, who changed the name to the Caldwell Press. A rival Democratic paper was started in July, 1886, by C. W. Evans. It was called the Noble. County Democrat and after about a year was consolidated with the Press. In 1887 Jennings & Son sold the paper to L. W. Finley & Son, who continued its publication until 1894, when the plant was sold to J. W. Bigley. In June, 1902, it passed into the hands of William C. Archer, a yonng man of fine attainments, who has greatly improved the appearance and character of the paper. The Press is the only Democratic paper in Noble county.

The first Republican paper in Caldwell was the Voble County Republican, as mentioned in a former chapter. It was removed from Sarahsville with the county seat by Randall Ross. In 1859 he sold the paper to John L. Shaw, who conducted it until 1866. In Mareh of that year the ownership was transferred to Goodrich & Teters. In July, 1869, John W. Bell and Wallace H. Cooley succeeded Goodrich & Teters, and about a year later Mr. Bell retired from the partnership leaving Mr. Cooley in charge. In Angust, 1883, the first number of the Caldwell Journal made its appearance. Its publication was begun by Frank M. Martin, who had previously been connected with the Noble County Republican and the Woodsfield Gazette. From April to December, 1886, Mr. Martin had a partner in the person of J. F. Knonff, and after this partnership was dissolved the former continued the publication of the paper until May, 1903. In July, 1898, he purchased the Noble County Republican and consolidated the two papers under the name of the Noble County Republican - Journal. In May, 1903, he sold out to Eastman Archer, but remained with the paper until the first of the following July. On May 3, 1899, the first issue of a new Republican paper appeared. It was called the Noble County Leadcr and was published by J. S. Harris, a newspaper man of wide experience and recognized ability. The Leader is still 'under the management of Mr. Harris and has a large patronage.* For some time P. F. Yoho was associated with Mr. Harris in the publication of the Leader, but his death left Mr. Harris the sole proprietorship.

By an act of the county commissioners, February 4, 1870, the town of Caldwell was incorporated. The resolution was passed by the board in response to a petition signed by nearly every legal voter and taxpayer in the village. The names attached to the petition were: J. M. Dalzell, W. H. Summers, R. S. Allbritain, S. P. Evans, F. M. McKee, David Gookins, Worthy McKee, Cyrus McGlashan, John Martin, C. A. Foster, D. A. Foster, J. M. Burlingame, John M. Amos, Weedon Headley, S. B. Pugh, A. G. Evans, A. H. Evans, W. P. Evans, W. H. Cooley, John W. Bell, Frank Shafer, John L.

The first trustees of the town were William H. Frazier, C. A. Foster, and John M. Amos. Mr. Frazier was elected chairman of the board and Mr. Amos clerk and treasurer. In November, 1871, the former resigned and William H. Summers was appointed to the vacancy. The trustees elected in 1872 were Jabez Belford, chairman ; John M. Amos, clerk; and C. J. Jenne, treasurer. Soon after Caldwell was incorporated a movement was started in favor of making it an incorporated village of the second class, under the laws of the State. The question was submitted to the voters at an election held on April 8, 1872, the vote resulting sixty-one in favor of the measure and fourteen against it, and on May 20, the first election of officers occurred under the new regime. The officers of the town since that time have been as shown by the following list; together with the year of their election.

The record of the treasurers of Caldwell is not very clear. The first mention of an incumbent of the office, after the village was incorporated in the secord class, is in 1874, when Gilead Ogle was elected to the position. M. C. Julien was elected in 1878; and again in

*Under the Municipal Code, passed hv the Ohio legislature. October 22, 1902. the elections are held on the first Monday in April. Mr. Richcreek is the first mayor under the new order.

1880, but it is not certain whether some one else was treasurer between those dates. L. W. Glidden was elected in 1884; T. H: Morris in 1885; J. J. MeAdams in 1897; and J. T. Young, the present incumbent, in 1903.

The completion of the railroad in 1871 necessitated improved facilities for commercial transactions, and in December of that vear the Noble County Bank was organized with a capital stock of $40,000. W. H. Frazier was elected president and E. P. Pierce, cashier. On March 18, 1873, the hank was merged into the Noble County National Bank, which was then organized with a capital stock of $60,000. The president and 'cashier remained the same and Charles T. Lewis was elected assistant cashier. The number of stockholders was materially increased and a board of directors, consisting of W. H. Frazier, John Lemmax, Henry Large, Ezra McKee, and George A. Smith, was chosen. In 1903 the officers of the bank were: E. J. Hoge, president ; J. E. Smith, vice-president; W. E. Tipton, cashier; A. C. Okey, assistant cashier. The board of directors was made up of E. J. Hoge, J. E. Smith, J. M. Maring, John Lemmax, and George E. Large. The capital stock remains at $60,000 but at the close of 1903 the bank had a surplus of $40,000 and undivided profits amounting to $12,000 more.

In September, 1902, the Citizens National Bank of Caldwell was organized and it opened for business on November 3, with O. O. McKee, president; J. S. Jones, vice-president ; V. E. Harkins, cashier. The capital stock of the bank is $60,000, all of which is held by residents of the county. At, the close of the first year's business the bank had a surplus of $4,000. In 1903 the stockholders decided to erect a building on the south side of the public square. The building is three stories high, the bank and a drug store occupying the ground floor, the second story being used for offices, and the third story by the K. of P. Lodge. The cost of the building was about $35,000 and it is considered the finest and best appointed business building in Caldwell.*

'In May, 1883, the Caldwell District Fair Association was organized and in the following July it was incorporated with David Miller, president ; I. M. Combs, vice-president; E. H. Archer, secretary ; and G. A. Smith, treasurer. The capital stock was fixed at $6,000, which was later increased to $10,000. Immediately after the association was incorporated a tract of land about a half mile west of Caldwell was secured for a fair ground, a fine half mile track was constructed, and the first fair was held under the auspices of the association in September, 1884. Since that time a number of successful exhibitions

Another institution that has been of almost:incaleulable benefit to 'Caldwell and the immediate vicinity is the Caldwell Building & Loan Association, which was organized in the spring of 1885. The incorporators were W. H. Cooley, who was elected the first president ; O. T. Wilde, secretary; W. D. Guilbert, treasurer; Stephen Mills, John Emmons, T. C. Kane, John W. Tipton, Jr., John M. Amos, and A. C. Okey, directors. Some of the finest residences in Caldwell have been built through the agency of this association, which has been honestly and efficiently conducted from its first organization.

On April 14, 1888, the Ohio legislature authorized the municipal authorities to issue bonds to the amount of $5,000 for the purpose of providing fire protection for the property holders of the town. Two years later another act was passed increasing the amount to $15,000, a portion of which was to be used for improving the streets. In 1897 two disastrous fires occurred, the first on May 4, destroying nearly all the buildings on the south side of the public square, and the second on June 1, which destroyed all the buildings, in the square, bounded by four streets, north of the public square. These unfortunate events stimulated the demand for better protection against conflagrations of a like character in future. Steps were accordingly taken to construct a water works system that would not only be an important factor in extinguishing fires, but which would also supply the citizens of the town with water for drinking and domestic purposes. On November 10, 1897, the council adopted a resolution awarding the contract. for the construction of waiter works to Davis & Archer, of Bellaire, for $14,000, and at the same time a contract was awarded to the Hughes Steam Pump Co., of Cleveland, for $1,500 fcr an engine and boiler for the same. The completion of the works gave to the people of Caldwell an abundant supply of good water, established a feeling of security against losses by fire, and enhanced the value of property. In connection with the water works plant is the city electric light: plant.

In a. little cemetery near Hiramsburg stands an unpretentious slab of plain, white marble, bearing the inscription: "John Gray, died March 29, 1868, aged 104 yrs. 2 mon. and 23 days. The last of Washington's companions. The hoary head is a crown of glory." John Gray was born near Mount Vernon, Va., January 6, 1764. In his boyhood he was employed by George Washington on numerous errands. His father fell at the battle of White Plains, and the son enlisted in the Patriot Army in 1781, where he served until the close of the war. John Gray was twelve years of age when the Independence of the United States was declared ; fifty-one when Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo; and seventy-three when Victoria mounted the English throne. He lived to see the American arms victorious in the war of the Revolution, the war of 1812, the Mexican war, and the war between the States. In 1829 he settled in what was afterward Noble county and there passed the remainder of his life. In 1866 he was granied a pension of $500 a year, by an act of Congress, but he lived only two years to enjey it. According to the records cf the pension office at Washington he was the last surviving pensioner cf the Revolution, and he was prcbably what the inscription on his tombstone declares - "the last of Washington's companions." The last vears of his life were spent in a humble home, about two hundred and fifty vards from the little cemetery, where his mortal remains fevnd their final resting place, and where a nunher cf his relatives lie buried. Many interesting incidents are told of the old veteran by Noble county people who knew him, and it is prchable that in future a suitable mcnument will mark his grave.

In connectien with the Civil war it is worthy ef nete that Noble esunty furnished the only private seldier who afterward achieved a national reputation. James M. Dalzell. better known to the public as "Private" Dalzell, enlisied in Company H, One TWundred and Sixteenth Ohio velunteer infantry as a private, thongh he was promoted sergeant major fer gallant conduct. In 1866 he was appointed to a clerkship at Washington, where he remained for two vears, devoting his evenings to the study of Jaw; in 1868 he was admitted to the bar. Returning ta Caldwell he began the practice of law and tock an active part in political affairs. His name was soon widely known through his contributions te the leading newsparers of the country, and as a public speaker in politica] campaigns he had few eauals. Tn 1871 he ecenceived the idea of a general national reunion of soldiers who had served in the Union army dnring the war. A eall was issued for such a meeting, at Lansing, Michigan, on March 4, 1872. Owing to insufficient advertising and lack of support, the reunion was a failure. A second effort was made with Washington, T. C., as the meeting place and March 4, 1873, as the date. This reunicn was but little more successful than that at Lansing the previous vear and most ef these who had hecome interested in the movement grew discouraged. Not so with "Private" Dalzell. Undismaved by two failures he made a third effort, selecting his home town for the meeting place and September 15, 1874, as the time. Here he had the co-operation cf his old comrades in arms and September proved a much better month for a reunion than March. For months prior to the time fixed for the meeting Mr. Dalzell kept the newspapers busy in publishing his articles relating to the project, with the result. that many took an interest in the matter. Congress passed resolutions recognizing the reunion as a national affair and granted the use of a number of pieces of artillery with'an appropriate supply of ammunition. General Sherman and other prominent commanders were present; nearly every northern State was represented in the vast crowd, which was estimated at from 25,000 to 30,000 péople. The reunion was held in a beautiful grove just west of Caldwell where the program: was carried out according to the original plan. Old acquaintances were renewed and old friendships cemented at this first, and greatest, national reunion of Union soldiers. Notwithstanding Caldwell had at that time but one line of railroad the crowd was not inconvenienced for want of accommodations and everybody went away happy, but none more so than "Private" Dalzell, who had witnessed the successful culmination of his long cherished scheme. Reunions were also held at Caldwell in 1875 and 1876 but neither of those later meetings equaled in magnitude or interest that first great reunion. Mr. Dalzell represented Noble county in the Ohio legislature for four years from 1875 to 1879, and in 1882 he was a candidate for the Congressional nomination. The convention met at St. Clairsville, and after nearly three hundred ballots adjourned without making any nomination. After that he retired from politics and devoted his time to the practice of his profession.

All through the Ohio Valley have been found the ruins of struc tures, in the shape of mounds, erected by some ancient but long since extinct population. Several of these mounds have been found in Noble county. In 1872 a number of scientists came to the county for the purpose of exploring one known as the Bates. Mound in Beaver township. Among the relics taken from the mound were three skeletons of gigantic 'stature, grim mementos of a pre-historic race. They measured over eight feet in height and recalled to mind the children of Anak reported by the spies sent out by Moses to reconnoiter the Promised Land. Upon being exposed to the air the bones soon: crumbled to dust but the scientists who had made the investigation expressed themselves as being highly pleased with the discovery.