Oxford Township (part 2 of 2)

The village of Ashley is the most populous municipality outside of the city of Delaware in the county. Its original name was Oxford, but was changed to Ashley in honor of L. W. Ashley, one of the proprietors of the ground upon which the village was built. The other owner was J. C. Avery. County Surveyor Charles Neil platted the village on June 15, 1849, laying it off in 69 lots. On August 6th of the same year an addition of 83 inlots was made and on June 18, 1850, J. C. Avery, S. Finch and Henrv Lamb made an addition of 15 in-lots. In 1852, Lamb and Finch platted ten out-lots, and in i860. L. W. Ashley added three more lots. In 1877. Hugh Cole and John Doty made a small addition, bringing the total number of lots up to 183. In May. 1850. a small grocery and dry goods store was started by Lewis Purmort on the Shoemaker farm east of the village. Later in the same year Aloy Patee built the Ashley hotel, and Purmort moved his stock of merchandise into one of the rooms of the hotel. In 1850 or 1 85 1. the first postoffice was estahlished. and J. H. Miller, of the dry goods firm of Miller & Mulford served as the first postmaster. Among the earliest firms were Robert Morehouse. Tr.. who erected a frame buildingp on in-lot No. 4 and started in the dry goods business. Two years later they sold out to J. S. Brumback. A vear or two after the village was laid out. Benjamin McMaster, Joseph Riley and Israel Potter erected a grain warehouse, of which Mr. McMaster became sole proprietor in 1853. He engaged in the grain business a few years longer and then sold out to the firm of Breeden & Place. About the time this grain warehouse was first erected, Jesse Meredith built another on the railroad grounds, and combined the grain business with the duties of station agent. Among other early merchants we may mention Adam Sherman and a Mr. Clark. The village of Ashley was incorporated August 30, 1855, and the following were the first city officials : James Culbertson, mayor; A. Patee. recorder; Jesse Meredith. S. Joy, Levi Shisler and Samuel Shisler, councilmen. Thev served until the regular election the following spring, when L. D. Benton was elected mayor; J. M. Coomer, recorder, and Solomon Joy, Samuel Shisler, S. I'.. Morehouse. A. G. Hall and George Mc- Master, councilmen. Benjamin Fry was the first marshal, and Solomon Joy the first treasurer. The first ordinance passed by the Council was for the suppression of intemperance. In the spring of 1857, B. F. Fry was elected mayor. Ashley is now one of the most prosperous municipalities of its size in the State.

Its financial interests are taken care of by the Ashley Bank and the Farmers' Savings Bank. The Ashley Milling Company and the firm of Lin & Shoemaker conduct prosperous flouring mills, while Frank Goodrich and Graham Company are elevator proprietors and dealers in grain. The hardware buisness is represented by B. Bartholomew and John Olds; Fisk & Wilcox deal in agricultural and other implements ; A. B. Claypool. Lee & Fisk. Frank Sharp and Ray Waters are gr< icers ; James Dugan deals in clothing; A. Aldrich, Charles Malony, William Robinson, and E. Wilkerson are blacksmiths; Miller Bros, are proprietors of a furniture and undertaking establishment ; while the dry goods interests are looked after by E. C. Sipes (proprietor of "The Bazaar"), Westbrook & James, and Jo- seph Wilt. There are two hotels - the Cottage and the Franklin, presided over respectively by William Ashbrook and E. Stalkbarger. and other business interests are represented by John Brehm, baker and confectioner; Frank Barto, William Osborn, barbers; M. Powell, dentist; O. M. Gilbert, distillery; Jesse Achelson and Ray White, draymen ; Aldrich & Stratton and Ed Keltner, emblem manufacturers ; James Durkey, harness and shoes; D. Davis and Frank Pierce, jewelry; Clyde Sherman, livery; Welch & Windsor and A. M. Myers, meat; Mrs. Clara Wilkerson, millinery; A. P. Oliver and A. E. Thomas, real estate and insurance; Ray Slack and J. G. Redman, restaurants ; Doctors Burke}-, A. E. Westbrook, Elda Welch and M. McGough, physicians. The Ashley Star has W. S. Shoemaker for editor and manager, while Charles Longwell is engaged in the manufacture of monuments.

Oxford Township Officials (1908): Jerome Harroun and Seebers Martin, justices of the peace ; Stanley Beel, J. B. Glenn, and E. A. Martin, trustees; Ralph Davis, clerk; Leroy Watters. treasurer; J. L. Porterfield. assessor; John R. Compton and B. L. Martin, constables.