Bradford, page 612
The village lies northwest of Covington
on higher ground and is ten miles southwest of Piqua. Partly in Newberry and
partly in Adams township, it was incorporation in Darke county, but pays taxes
in Miami county. Bradford junction was so named by Thomas Bradford, a mail
clerk. The little hamlet at the point had been called Richmond and the junction
was first called Union City junction. Employees of the railroad company
purchased lots and came here to live and so helped build up the village.
William Romans, a master mechanic;
Daniel Rice, first foreman of the roundhouse; Christian Sears, Moses Wise, and
Wade Steele were among those buying land and laying out lots, as well as the
railroad company itself. A grain warehouse was put up by W. H. Sowers in 1868
and J. H. Sowers & company engaged in the grain business being the first
firm of importance. The depot was built in 1869, replacing the box cars used for
years. In 1870 the Iddings turnpike, on which Main street was laid out, was
extended to Covington and the Darke county line piked at the same time. Nathan
Iddings, the only pioneer now living in Bradford, has always contributed to the
prosperity of Bradford. In 1870 he had a general merchandise store in east
Bradford. He organized the first bank and he purchased and improved more
property than any other man there. His confidence in Bradford is evidenced by
the fact that he holds two hundred distinct pieces of property in and near the
village.
By his efforts Klinger’s turnpike
crossed by sixteen railroad tracks was closed in 1917 and given over to the
railroad company that now occupies the erstwhile pike and has 40 tracks crossing
it. Bradford is a scattered village. The streets, narrow but compensated by
beautiful shade trees in the resident portion, and all the streets are being
well paved.
A black broad-breasted yard, with a track
mileage of sixty miles, puffing engines, a smoky atmosphere, roundhouse, repair
and storage buildings forms the scene staged in coming into Bradford station on
the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Columbus & St. Louis railroad, When traffic runs
high, as many as seventy-five trains are handled in a day, crews and caboose
changed, engines and cars shifted. The first land appropriated for these yards
consisted of two hundred acres, which has been increased to three hundred acres.
Sixteen engine stalls was the capacity of the first roundhouse.
In 1917, extensive improvements of their
terminal facilities at this point were made by the railroad company with an
expenditure of $2,500,000 that incidentally greatly increased Bradford’s
prosperity. The roundhouse now has fifty stalls, new machine shops and an office
annex has been built. The big powerhouse has three sterling boilers, with 800
horsepower total and one 1,500 cubic foot and one 500 cubic foot air
compressors. The oil handling house has a storage capacity of 100,000 gallons
with the most up-to-date equipment for handling oil. A sand house has twenty
carload capacity. The stores department for the Columbus division is also
maintained here, for which four new buildings were erected this year. All the
cars and locomotives running on the Columbus & Logansport division of the P.
C. C. & St. L. are now taken care of and repaired at these yards.
Eight hundred men are employed, forty per
cent making their homes in Bradford, this includes fifty men working out from
Bradford on bridges and fences.
Founded in 1906 under the International
Committee of the Railroad Department of the Young Men’s Christian Association,
the Railway Y. M. C. A. at Bradford is one of the best in the country. It has
been written up in The Saturday Evening Post and in railroad periodicals ; its
fame has spread abroad as the railway companies of England have sent for
information as to the plans it pursues. The big comfortable two and a half story
frame building with basement is on the grounds, forming a “Y” between the
two divisions of the railroad, opposite the little depot. On the broad and shady
porch that runs the whole width of the building a rocking chair fleet of
railroad men may be seen any summer afternoon, some of them having been in the
employ of the Pennsylvania company a quarter of a century and more. It has a
membership of eight hundred and 365,000 railroad men enjoyed its privileges in
1919. There are 75 sleeping rooms, reading room with one of the best libraries
in the state and fifty current periodicals.
A large, well kept cafeteria, serving six
to eight hundred a day, is under the direction of Mrs. Elizabeth Heffner for the
last sixteen years, and known for her kindliness and skillful catering as
“Mother Heffner.” A billiard room is also on the ground floor and the shower
baths and boys’ club room are in the basement. It is officered and directed
solely by railroad employees. The first president was C. A. Skeele. At present
the official board consists of President, J. T. Allen, a conductor ;
vice-president, J. E. Paul ; treasurer, W. O. Terry ; A. L. Lincoln, recording
secretary ; the three last named officers are engineers. The first secretary was
J. E. Baldridge and the present one is J. E. Conley, whose efforts have so
efficiently improved the standards of this organization in every way.
First to build a church in Bradford were
the Baptists in 1870, who were closely followed by the Reform church. Methodists
built their church on School street. The Catholic church of the Immaculate
Conception on Clay street was built in 1875. The Brethren (old German Baptists),
are now worshipping in the Masonic Temple but expect to build soon.
Increasing growth of the population in
the last several years has very much over-crowded the schools and additions to
the present buildings are to be erected as soon as possible. The first school
house was on the Miami county side of Bradford until 1876 when a building was
constructed on the west side of the village. In 1908 two acres of land were
purchased on what is now School street and the present school buildings erected.
The school enrollment increased from 410 in 1880 to 2,465 in 1918.
The First National bank of Bradford, now
the only bank in the village, was organized in 1908 with a capital stock of
$25,000 and the first officers were J. E. Deeter, president ; J. R. Allen,
secretary ; J. A. Crowell, cashier. In May, 1919, this bank bought the Bradford
State bank, a reorganization of a private bank founded by Nathan Iddings and
David Arnold that had had an existence of twenty-three years and was during that
time the only bank in Bradford. Present officers of the First National bank
which has been increased to a capitalization of $50,000 are : President, J. E.
Deeter ; vice-president, J. R. Allen ; cashier, F. R. Dwyer and its location is
at the corner of Miami and Main streets.
The Bradford Building & Loan
association has its office in a little one-story frame structure on Miami
street. It is capitalized at $100,000 and its president is R. R. DuBois and
secretary, L. E. Harvey. Other members on the Board of Directors are : A. R.
Patty, W. K. Zeller, Charles Moore, C. Katherman, John Arnold and S. S. Miller.
Dr. William Commons, in the early 70’s,
published “The Railroad Gazette,” the first Bradford newspaper. In 1877 two
weekly papers were put out, “The Free Press,” by H. M. Bellow and “The
Independent,” by A. D. Maurer, later merged into the Bradford Gazette by L. D.
Bell. In 1884, A. F. Little bought the three existing weekly papers and
consolidated them into “The Sentinel.” This paper was made a semi-weekly in
1888. Mr. Little, the editor and owner, was mayor for a number of years.
Bradford is furnished with electric
lights and power by the Greenville Light & Telephone company, who also
control the Bradford Telephone system. While the village is supplied with water
by the wells system, the railroad company has its own pumping station on Harris
creek.
The Bradford Lodge of Masons, N. 593, has its own temple, built by Nathan Iddings, with a membership of 143 ; and its auxiliary order of the Eastern Star also meets there. Red Men, Maccabees, Odd Fellows, D. of A.’s and Junior Order have posts, also the G. A. R. and the American Legion is represented by the Ben Cole post.
Brandt,
page 615
Casstown,
page 615
Situated in the southeast corner of Lost
Creek township, Casstown is an unusually pretty little village picturesquely
placed. It is the only incorporated village in the township and has a population
of about three hundred. James Frazee, who settled in this neighborhood about
1814, was the original owner of the land and from him it was purchased by Rankin
Westfall and Luke Daney who laid it out in 1832. It was first called
Trimmensburg in honor of a man who assisted in survey, but later was re-named
Casstown in honor of Lewis Cass, United Stated senator and at one time spoken of
for president. Daniel Knoop built the first brick house and Joseph Green and
Joseph Campbell opened a store at an early date.
Before possessing a church of their own the Lutherans held their services in the Methodist church. The first little stone church gave way to the present substantial brick building erected in 1867. Members of the Baptist congregation from Staunton and Troy assisted in organizing the Casstown Baptist church in 1851 and Willis Hance was the first pastor. A church was built on Center street, which is closed, however, at the present date. The Casstown Methodist church on Center street is one of the best of the smaller Methodist churches in this county. The Brethren church on Main street is the outgrowth of the German or Baptist church and at present lacks a pastor. Casstown has the advantage of a good school a quarter of a mile to the north and a fine new centralized township high school at the east edge of the village is being built. The Swearingen Grain company is perhaps the most important concern, their elevator having been put up on East street in 1905. A good business is done as Casstown is in the midst of a rich farming district. Troy, four miles to the east, is its banking point. The Springfield, Troy and Piqua traction line runs through the village.
Conover,
page 616
Covington,
page 616
Amidst most picturesque environments on
the Stillwater river Covington had its beginning as a community on the east side
of the Stillwater when Daniel Wright and Jacob Ullery laid out thirty-six town
lots in Section 30 with St. Mary’s road to the east. Streets were laid out
parallel to the river, running north and south ; a portion of St. Mary’s road
being taken into High street, and today this is the principal business street of
the town and in extent just a mile and a quarter ; Water street was laid out
next to the river on a bluff and Main street at the foot of the plateau that
carries High street. Noah Hanks was the surveyor.
Covington was first called
“Friendship,” a name that well might suit it today as there is a very
democratic and friendly spirit in the town with no class distinctions, real
merit rather than wealth being the “Open Sesame” in this community. It also
showed the name of Newberry on the original town plat that was surveyed by one
Benjamin Cox. Further back in 1794 General Wayne had fastened the name of Fort
Rowdy to his encampment on the ground where the Armory now stands. The first
postoffice, however, bore the name of Stillwater. Daniel Wright had been living
here in 1816 at the time he laid out the town with Jacob Ullery, and Ullery
already had a sawmill in operation on Greenville creek where it emptied into the
Stillwater at Covington. The Stillwater on Government surveys at present is
designated as the western branch of the Great Miami, emptying into that river
four miles north of Dayton, and its name of Stillwater had been gained by its
tranquil current, so slight that at times any movement is almost imperceptible.
Elijah Reagan and Michael Ingle, the tanner, in 1807, were the first to build
log cabins, and the earliest stores were on Main street, Noah Hanks putting up
one at a corner of Main and High streets where the present newspaper office of
the Tribune now stands. This was the first store in Newberry township. Michael
Ingle is of importance in the history of Covington from the fact that he brought
800 acres of land into a high state of cultivation. He also produced some very
good leather at his tannery. His well, dug through the rock, was the only one in
the settlement for at least ten years. In 1810 he purchased his third quarter
section. This section became quite valuable for its quarries. Samuel Brown was a
contemporary of Ingle’s, purchasing a quarter section next to his land, where
he built a cabin, that he occupied, however, only a short time, soon moving
away. William and John Coates were early settlers ; their cabins were in what
was originally the hamlet of New Jefferson, now part of Covington. The cabin of
William Coates was adjacent to the present site of the Pennsylvania station,
while his son-in-law, Daniel Wright, built on a location that would now be near
the corner of Main and Wright streets. The Revolutionary war found the settlers
scattered and seeking safety in more thickly settled localities, fearing Indian
attacks, and not returning until 1814.
Noah Davenport and a brother-in-law by
the name of Wagner, appeared on the scene in 1817 and put up a sawmill and his
grist mill rivaled Ullery’s for several years. Aaron Boggs was a later owner
of Coates’ mill property, where he turned out laths and broom handles. This
mill has been long abandoned but there are still traces of the mill race on
Stillwater just west of the cemetery. Jacob Ullery sold his grist mill to
Benjamin Lehman in 1818 and late in 1818 a new frame building was erected and a
flouring mill was actively in operation in 1820.
The growth of Covington was very slow,
ten years after the first survey there were only three families living there.
Indeed there has never been a period of rapid growth in its history, nor the
suspicion of what is termed a boom. It was in 1835 when the village was
incorporated a town, that Gilbert Adams was elected Mayor ; William Robinson,
recorder ; Charles Corwin, Joshua Orr and Thomas McKenzie, town trustees. The
Mayor elect is Col. W. Z. Marlin, a hero of the World war. From captain of
Company A, of Covington, he was promoted to major and received his commission as
lieutenant-colonel for gallantry in pursuing the Germans across the Escaut river
after the Battle of Lys in Flanders.
The
Dunkards. A very large per cent of the people in
Covington are of German descent. The Dunkards or German Baptists have made a
very strong impression in Covington and the neighboring country. They were the
first to go into the church field. This denomination today has a distinct
settlement on the Germany pike which branches off from the Troy pike and is
about a mile and a half from Covington. In 1845 they had a church organization
but no place of meeting. Their first church held 800 people and their men have
always gone unshaven, appearing with long beards and uncut hair. The clothes of
both men and women are made very plain to stifle vanity. The women wear the
black bonnets and are never without the white cap to cover their hair. The
orthodox members neither take an oath, nor bear arms and so were conscientious
objectors in the World war. Automobiles, smoking and alcoholic drinks are common
prohibitions. Thrift and conservatism not only were practiced by the Dunkards
but these virtues spread through the community. The old homes were built flush
with the sidewalk in Covington to conserve garden space in the rear. But while
the population of Covington is of German descent patriotism and loyalty was
distinctly evidenced in the World war.
Churches.
Church of the Brethren. This is the liberal element of the Dunkards. Their first
church in Covington was on the corner of Main and Ullery streets. A handsome new
edifice was built in 1910 when the congregation was the largest in the town.
Their first church was called the German Baptist church but the name of the
Brethren was taken when the new church was built. The present pastor is Reverend
George W. Flory.
Presbyterian Church. The remodeled
Presbyterian church at the corner of Pearl and Wright is the largest and best
arranged church building in Covington today. This church was organized in 1842
and later in conjunction with an organization of what were known as the
Cumberland Presbyterians, who had been in existence as a church entity in
Covington since 1838, built a church which was completed in 1844.
The church united these two
organizations, and the original church was used until several years ago when it
was handsomely improved and enlarged. The present pastor is Rev. L. N.
Montgomery.
The Christian Church. Second in the
organization of churches was the New Light or Christian church in 1820. The
first place of worship was on Trotters creek and the first preacher was a man by
the name of Stackhouse. Caleb Worley was a pastor for a number of years. The
present church building is the third structure built and all occupied the same
location on Pearl street. Rev. Edwin Flory is the pastor.
The Lutheran Church. The first German
Lutheran church was a frame building on the east side of High, south of Dodds
street, built in 1840. The present St. John’s Evangelical church was erected
in 1880 at the corner of Wall and Bridge streets. This congregation has so
increased that a new church is soon to be erected. Their pastor is Rev. H. C.
TerVehn.
The first church built by the Methodists
is 1836 was blown down by a cyclone, and this organization was left without a
place of worship until 1850 when the present church was built at the corner of
Spring and Pearl streets, of which Rev. W. W. Kent has the pastorate. This
church was built by the old blue stocking Presbyterians.
Schools.
A source of great natural pride is the splendid school system and the fine
school building that now houses over 400 pupils. The first schoolhouse was built
in 1815 of logs and as there was no glass for windows, greased paper was used in
the window sashes to give some degree of transparency for light. This stood on
the present site of D. C. & P. traction office on High street. The second
schoolhouse, built in 1820, was a frame structure afterwards used as a chair
factory of which James Purdy was proprietor. Later the brick building now used
as a fire department and council chamber was the schoolhouse. Among the earlier
teachers were Amos and James Perry, James Hanks, Joshua Sanders, David
Brumbaugh, Anderson Ballard, John Barbour and Benjamin Dunham. The present
school building was completed and dedicated in 1897 and includes the eight grade
rooms and high school ; the high school is classified as one of the first grade.
It stands at the head of Wright street on Wall street, and a magnificent view of
the river can be obtained from its towers. R. F. Bennett was the first
superintendent and C. H. Detterbug is the present superintendent. Covington’s
Board of Education in 1918-1919 were J. L. Reck, Dr. H. W. Kendall, George A.
O’Donnell, C. E. Aspinall and L. H. Fox.
Financial
Institutions. The well-to-do farmers near and in
Covington not only require the two banks now in existence but have helped to
build up the Covington Building & Loan association in Covington. This
association was organized in March, 1886, and now has the reputation of being
one of the safest institutions in Ohio. Its first officers were president, S. W.
Ullery ; secretary, E. S. Mohler ; treasurer, C. C. Shuman ; attorney, J. Guy
O’Donnell. Its present quarters are now in the brick building erected by Dr.
H. W. Kendall in 1917, and considered at that time the most pretentious building
in the town. Its capitalization is now $2,500,000 and it has over 2000
stockholders. The present officers are Charles Boyer, president ; J. L. Reck,
secretary ; other directors, Calvin Teague, Jacob Tobias, J. W. Lyle, J. W.
Metzgar, William Fortner, H. W. Kendall.
The Stillwater Valley Bank started as a
private institution in 1871 and was not incorporated as a state bank until 1908.
The first officers of the institution as a state bank were, president, Jacob
Kendall ; cashier, A. C. Cable ; assistant cashier, A. J. Maier. The official
board in 1919 were D. G. Wenrick, president ; B. F. Alberry, vice-president ; J.
L. Cramer, second vice-president ; Jacob Kendall, cashier ; the capital stock,
$50,000.00.
The Citizens Bank was incorporated May
31, 1900, with a capital stock of $25,000, and its first officers were
president, Henry Flesh of Piqua ; vice-president, J. W. Ruhl ; cashier, J. L.
Goodnight ; other directors, J. G. Bartmess and S. B. Freshour. The first
quarters were in the Worley business block across the street from the present
bank building. Business developing, a new two-story brick building was put up in
1916 on the corner of High and Wright streets. The capitalization of the
Citizens is still $25,000 ; and it is officered by J. W. Ruhl, president ; A. K.
Rankin, vice-president ; A. W. Landis, cashier ; L. N. Van Atta, assistant
cashier. Other directors, George Worley, C. M. Patty, and M. B. Ullery. The
above banks and building association were headquarters for war work including
Red Cross subscriptions and Liberty Loans.
The Buckeye State Mutual Insurance
association is not only the largest mutual insurance company in Ohio, but is
unique because of its origin, dating back to 1879. In March of that year seven
men prominent in the German Baptist church devised plans for an insurance
company that should be officered only by men of their church. One hundred
thousand dollars’ worth of risks were secured within a month by unpaid
solicitors, and the German Baptist Mutual Insurance company was established.
In June, 1918, the stress of world
conditions and public sentiment compelled the company to rid itself of its title
“German” and the new title of “Buckeye State” was substituted. The
present risks in force amount to $62,500,000, and the officers are : C. H.
Jackson, president ; C. B. Maier, vice-president and auditor ; D. G. Wenrick,
secretary and treasurer ; Forest Honeyman, adjustment inspector. It has its own
offices in the Newberry Township building.
No town of Ohio is better off in the way
of good service from public utilities. Forgotten are the days of tallow candles
and coal oil lamps and wood piles which did service until the Miami Valley Gas
and Fuel company entered Covington in 1889 with its pipe lines that carried gas
for light and heating from the gas fields of Indiana and later from Lancaster
field including eastern Ohio and West Virginia.
The Buckeye Light and Power company was
organized in 1911 with J. H. Marlin of Covington as president, and T. Russell
Robinson of Boston, secretary and treasurer. A dam was constructed with a
twenty-eight foot water fall at Greenville Creek falls ; the power plant being
located one and an eighth miles from town. This plant is one of the best
hydro-electric plants in the state. The company also furnishes electric light
and power to Pleasant Hills, Ludlow Falls and to a number of individual country
lines.
The Stillwater Telephone & Telegraph
company is noted for its excellent service, with subscribers at Covington,
Pleasant Hill and rural routes. The company was organized in 1900 with a capital
stock of $20,000. Its first directors were: A. J. Venier, M. C. Rorick, John P.
Rorick, L. E. Simes, Geo. H. Probeck, J. S. Corwin, J. L. Goodnight and John
Weaver. Capital stock has been increased to $71,000 and there is a direct
connection with the Central Union & Ohio State Telephone companies and with
the Postal Telegraph company. The water supply here is very wholesome and
obtained from wells and the Stillwater river beds into which flow a number of
springs. The pumping station is at the foot of Wright street. The officers of
the company in 1919 are : president, L. E. Simes ; vice-president, J. L. Cramer
; secretary and treasurer, S. A. Kraus ; other directors, Glenn Shawver and Dr.
H. W. Kendall.
Railroads.
The first railroad into Covington was the Columbus, Piqua & Indiana railroad
that was built through Miami county in 1859. Three years later, in 1862, the
Richmond & Covington Railroad company was incorporated and planned to have
their junction with the Indianapolis division, at Covington. The merchants here
objecting the junction was staked four miles west of Covington and was known as
Bradford Junction. This property is now operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad
company and has four passenger trains a day.
The Dayton, Covington & Toledo
railroad was incorporated in 1879 and constructed as far north as Covington in
1880. This railroad was later known as the Delphos division of the C. H. &
D. and is now privately owned by John Ringling of circus fame. It has two
passenger trains a day. The Dayton, Covington & Piqua traction lines give
excellent passenger service, the trains leaving and coming hourly. One mail a
day is carried by the traction line from Dayton and intervening stations
including West Milton, Pleasant Hill, Ludlow Falls, Union and Englewood.
Industries.
A tannery established by Michael Ingle was among the first industries of
Covington. Extensive quarries were operated for many years until the use of
concrete for building purposes superseded stone. The Covington stone quarry did
a flourishing business in the early days and J. W. Ruhl operated a quarry and
lime kiln. The C. H. Jackson quarries were a prominent concern, and are now
owned and operated by the Ohio Marble company of Piqua. Wagner’s Tile and
Brick yards also prospered in the quarrying days. Crampton & Sons Boiler
works and The Crescent and Metallic Fence Stay company went out of business
twenty years ago. Manufacturing is not extensive at present, the population
being largely retired farmers. Piqua gives employment to a number of men and
women in her mills. There are a number of postal clerks employed on the
Pennsylvania road to Indianapolis who live in Covington and some are employed at
the Bradford yards.
Covington Woolen Mills, formerly the
Lewis Woolen Mills, organized by A. J. Lewis in 1887, manufactured a high grade
blanket, its “Miami Fleece Blankets” having an enviable reputation. At the
death of Mr. Lewis, Mrs. Lewis and her sons William J. and C. E. Lewis carried
on the business for a few years until it was taken over by the Covington Woolen
Mill company in 1917. The Mills are a mile west of town about halfway to
Greenville falls, and their product has always been of the best quality. Army
blankets were furnished the government for the World war. The present officers
of the Covington Woolen Mills are : president, H. C. McCrossin ; secretary and
manager, W. J. Lewis ; treasurer, Jacob Kendall, and the company has been
capitalized at $40,000.
The Drees Saw mill is operated by William
Drees and supplies a quantity of crating to Piqua and Troy factories. This
company supplied their output to the government during the World war. The Con F.
Drees Novelty Works factory is the first seen on entering Covington on the D. C.
& P. Traction company coming in from Piqua. A variety of articles are
manufactured, talcum powder, fly traps, and seven metal toys, wagons, miniature
Fords, trailers, etc.
The Covington Lumber company, on Piqua
avenue, which has been established for thirty years, has just been purchased by
George Worch of Versailles.
The Sugar Grove mills, two miles south of
town on the Stillwater, have a capacity of fifty barrels a day and the company
is proud of the fact that two carloads of their product a month went to Belgium
during the period of the war. Their output of cornmeal is of such quality they
are called the “cornmeal kings of the valley.” The president of the present
company is Jacob B. Kendall and this company succeeded Ezekial B. Kendall &
Co. ; J. N. Arndell is the manager.
The Covington Flour mill on Bridge
street, owned by W. L. O’Roark, formerly of Covington Roller mills, is noted
for its product, “The Pride of Covington flour.” This mill was first built
seventy-five years ago by D. E. Fall and later was owned by Neer & Cossell,
and entirely rebuilt in 1909. It has a capacity of 100 barrels a day and during
the World war operated for ten months solely on government orders.
The Westville Creamery company has been in business for twenty years. R. R. Johnson is the president, William B. Johnson, secretary and general manager. A main plant is located at Westerville, a few miles out of Columbus. When the plant at Bradford burned January 1, 1919, it was decided to build at Covington. This fine new plant for butter making was completed May 31 of the same year and is one of Covington’s important institutions.
Being the center of a fine tobacco
raising country, there are four tobacco warehouses located here, owned by the
National Leaf Tobacco company, Gill Trembly Tobacco company, Huffman Tobacco
company and the Hoeflich warehouse.
Newspapers.
The Covington Tribune Gazette is now being published by F. J. Little. The first
paper issued here was the Stillwater Valley Gazette, brought out in 1870 by S.
W. Ely, and later came under the control of William A. Brown, now editor of the
Greenville Advocate, who changed the name to the Covington Gazette. In May,
1883, W. F. Cantwell bought the Gazette and it enjoyed a very good circulation
in the Stillwater valley. The Covington Tribune was established in 1898 by J. H.
Marlin and O. W. Yount and the control of this paper was assumed in 1905 by A.
L. Marlin and his son, W. L. Marlin, now Col. W. L. Marlin of World war fame.
These two papers, the Gazette and Tribune, were consolidated and published by A.
F. Little, who also publishes the Bradford Sentinel.
The
Armory. Much pride is taken in the armory,
erected in 1916 on High street, directly across the street from the traction
office. It is an impressive structure of pressed brick and had just been
completed before the troops let for the border. After the declaration of war
with Germany the local companies were stationed awhile in the armory. Lieut.
Colonel William Marlin’s efforts were instrumental
in obtaining this armory from the state, and it is now used for the
meetings of the Grand Army of the Republic, Boy Scouts and Camp Fire Girls, of
which Covington has a growing organization, and will be headquarters for the
members of the A. B. Cole Post of the American Legion.
Lodges.
Among the lodges established in Covington are F. & A. M., Covington Lodge,
No. 168 ; Knights of Pythias, Stillwater Lodge, No. 233 ; Junior Order United
American Mechanics, No. 221 ; Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; Amokee Tribe,
No. 132 ; Independent Order of Red Men ; Covington Chapter, No. 275 ; Order of
the Eastern Star, Demoiselle Council, No. 53 ; Mildred Rebekah Lodge.
Fletcher,
page 623
Fletcher has only been an incorporated
village for the last fifty years although laid out back in 1830 by John Molloy.
The original plot of the village consisted of forty-six full and four fractional
lots. Since then the place has been added to by Parrot’s addition, Moses’
addition, Clark’s addition, Eickelberger’s addition and Kiser’s addition.
John Kiser, a Virginian, was the first settler coming in 1806 and his son Isaac
was the first white child born within what are now the corporate limits of
Fletcher. He also built the first tavern. Samuel Dougherty kept the first little
shop in a log cabin he built in 1830. Samuel Crane started a second store in
1835 and Isaac Dukemineer came along in 1850, building a brick store room.
Farming land near Fletcher was purchased
at $1.25 an acre in those days and farm laborers were paid $8.00 a month. Isaac
Kiser went into the general merchandising business with Michael Duncan ; they
also bought and sold horses, riding horseback and leading perhaps a half dozen
horses all the way to Philadelphia where they purchased their supplies to be
shipped via Cincinnati by canal to Fletcher. Alonzo Montgomery and Solomon
Brecount were contemporaries of Isaac Kiser, known for years as “Squire
Kiser,” as he was township justice and personal adviser to many.
In 1894, the first grist mill in the
township was built at Fletcher by Benjamin F. Shattuck, destroyed four years
after it was built by fire. On this same location on Walnut street and the
railroad, now stands the grain elevator and feed mill operated by the Fletcher
Grain & Supply company, an incorporation of farmers since 1915. The officers
are John Caven, George Pence and Francis Willard, and LaVerne Berryhill is the
manager. This is the most important business of Fletcher and it is understood
they buy and sell more grain than any firm between Columbus and Indianapolis.
The citizenship of Fletcher is composed
of retired farmers and it has a population of 375. The present mayor is Herbert
Harbaugh and Mrs. Maude Carter is the postmistress. It is a station on the
Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Columbus & St. Louis railroad, seven miles east of
Piqua, with a passenger service of four trains a day, two east and two west, and
three mails. Two paved roads run through the town, the Piqua and Urbana State
road and the Fletcher and Casstown road. Main street is part of the Urbana road,
this street being a mile in length, and well paved.
The village is now being poled for
electric lights by the Dayton Power & Light company to do away with the
present oil lamps lighting the homes and streets. J. C. Suber has a general
merchandising store, there are one drug store, four groceries and two blacksmith
shops and the Sunlight creamery does an active business in collecting cream for
shipment. Forty homes in this little village are occupied by widows, the
majority of whom have pensions.
There are three churches in the village.
The Methodist church in Fletcher was the first church built in the township, and
was erected in 1820 on land donated by Alexander Oliver. The present church
building is of brick and located on Main street in the center of the village. As
early as 1809 the Baptists held services in the home of John Kiser. The present
church is a frame building on East Main street that was built in 1862 at a cost
of $1,500. In 1837, the Presbyterian church was organized in Fletcher by the
Presbytery at Sidney. The Presbyterian church today stands on Walnut and North
Presbyterian streets and is a substantial brick structure. A new centralized
school house is under construction just west of Fletcher, this village being in
the township school district. Until this is completed the school house on Walnut
street is being used. This present school house was built in 1874 when the
special school district of Fletcher was organized. The first log cabin school
house in the Brown township had been built in 1810, the second school house was
put up on William Mason’s farm in 1818.
Georgetown,
page 624
Georgetown or New Lebanon was sponsored
by George Hatfield and laid out in about 1840. At one time it had a thriving
industry in oak shingles but the scarcity of timber in that locality put a
complete end to that business. Its postoffice title is Pottsdam and the present
population is little over a hundred. The German Baptists have a church there but
it is without a regular pastor.
Laura,
page 624
Laura is situated near the North branch
of Ludlow creek in Union township, on quite rolling ground. It was laid out
about 1840 by Wesley Sharp and Riley McCool. It is now quite a thriving
community of about 400 inhabitants, incorporated as a village some thirty years
ago. It is a station on the Big Four road. Anderson & Coppock’s grain
elevator is one of the most important industries. A tobacco warehouse has been
established by Andrew J. Schaurer, and The Laura Lumber company does a
flourishing business. In its precincts are an excellent graded school and two
churches, the Christian church and The Friends (Quaker) church.
Lena,
page 625
Lena was laid out by Levi N. Robbins in
1830 and was first named Elizabethtown in honor of his wife. This was
subsequently changed to Lena, because there was another town in the state called
Elizabethtown. Strange to say, after the new name was selected, there was found
to be another postoffice in the state by the latter name. It was eventually
decided to call the postoffice at Lena, Allen’s postoffice, in honor of
Sylvanus Allen, the first postmaster in the township. The first store in the
village was built by Joseph Beck. William Graham operated the first blacksmith
shop in the village after it was laid out. The postoffice has been discontinued
and Lena is served by rural route from Conover about a mile away. The Lena
Conover High school located here is a credit to the community. The Masons
established Fidelity Chapter O. E. S., at Lena, August 6, 1897, and the Odd
Fellows, Silver Star lodge, June 28, 1896.
Ludlow
Falls, page 625
Ludlow Falls has been an incorporated
village since 1910 and has a growing population of about two hundred. It was
built on Ludlow creek at the point where Ludlow falls makes its descent of
thirty feet over jagged rocks into the canon below. Prosperity is contributed by
the fact that Ludlow Falls is on two railroad lines, the Peoria division of the
Big Four and the old Delphos division of the C., H. & D., now owned by John
Ringling, and also a station on the Dayton, Covington and Piqua Traction. The
grain elevator operated here by Meyers & Patty company is one of the best
known in this part of the country. A very good township school is located in the
village. There are two churches in Ludlow Falls, the Christian and the Friends
(Quaker) churches.
Pleasant
Hill, page 625
This village, the only one in Newton
township, was founded by the late J. K. Teeter (father of U. B. Teeter), who
settled here in 1837. Six years later, May 26, 1843, he laid out the original
plat, one mile square, and it was surveyed by James Hauk. This plat consisted of
eight lots, all west of Main street, lot No. 1 being the lot now occupied by the
Whitmer Hardware store. It is well laid out with wide streets and its
comfortable homes denote its population of prosperous retired farmers. The first
building was erected by S. T. Coote on lot two ; and in 1847 J. K. Teeter put up
the second building as a store room and home for his family.
The citizens first decided to call the
village Newton, after the township, which had been named in honor of the
physicist, Sir Isaac Newton. The earliest postoffice in the locality had been
established about a mile southeast of Newton, and from the unusually lovely
landscape was called Pleasant Hill Postoffice. This postoffice was moved to
Coppocks mill in 1840 for convenience, still retaining the name of Pleasant
Hill. In 1850 when this postoffice was moved to Newton, the name of this village
was changed to Pleasant Hill, and John Whitmore was the first postmaster. June
30th, 1866, the village was incorporated and its first mayor was
Charles W. Davis. The construction of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton road
through here began in 1879, and gave Pleasant Hill her first shipping
facilities. Today the Dayton, Covington and Piqua Traction whose cars first came
through here in 1902, gives an hourly passenger service, and it is also a
station on the Delphos division of the old C., H & D. road with two
passenger trains a day.
Telephone service has been rendered by
the Stillwater Telephone & Telegraph company of Covington since 1911, and
electric light and power has been obtained since 1900 from the Buckeye Light
& Power company, also of Covington. The water supply is excellent, from a
system of wells, and the present village water works were installed in 1908. The
population now numbers fully a thousand and has about doubled in the last forty
years. The present mayor is Frank M. Longnecker.
The first place of education was a log
cabin just within the village limits when John Whitmore, father of the Whitmore
Brothers who own the present hardware store, taught. A one-story brick was the
next school building, on the lot now occupied by the residence of Mrs. Ella
Schaffer ; and in 1862 that structure was torn down and the two-story brick in
which Mrs. Ella Schaffer now lives was erected. Sub-district No. 7, including
Pleasant Hill, was organized into a special school district November 3, 1866.
Owing to increasing population a new school building was erected in 1874-75, and
in 1875 Horatio Pearson became school superintendent.
In the development of the village,
religion played an important part. Pleasant Hill now has four churches. The
first church building in the corporation was a log house built in 1820 by the
Christian denomination just south of the cemetery, and was the second church in
Newton township. It has been known as Hopewell church. The next church of this
denomination was built in 1868 ; this structure was torn down in 1910 and a
handsome edifice was built. The first church building of the church of the
Brethren or German Baptists (originally Dunkards) was built in 1841, just north
of Pleasant Hill. In 1853 this denomination came to Pleasant Hill to worship. In
1903 the Brethren church was built on Church street. The church of the Brethren
or Progressive have a brick building on Church street. The River Brethren
worship in what is called the “White church,” stuccoed frame painted white,
on South Church street. The original frame building was a Methodist church. For
a time the Lutherans also had services in this church, but these have been
discontinued.
There is practically no manufacturing
done at Pleasant Hill. Myers, Patty & company own the grain elevator on High
street and the railroad. This elevator and the other buildings were built in
1890 by Read & company, from whom they were bought eighteen months later.
This company also owns and operates a grain elevator at Ludlow Falls and one at
Rangeville (four miles north of Covington). They buy and sell grain and tobacco
and do some grinding of meal and feed. The old grain mill they own on Monument
avenue, a square south of their present plant, and which was built in 1879 by
Patty, Whitmore & company, they are using now as a tobacco warehouse. Myers,
Patty & company are incorporated for $25,000 and the officers are :
President, G. W. Whitmore ; vice-president, J. G. Myers ; secretary and
treasurer, W. O. Patty ; other directors, C. N. Patty and N. B. Peter. The
Rogers Davis Lumber company, incorporated in 1914 for $25,000, is one of the
important institutions, and has its plant located at the foot of Monument
street. They do a retail business in lumber, coal and building material. This
was originally the Daniel Moul Lumber company.
Beery
Correspondence School for Horsemanship is a most
unusual enterprise, being the only school of its kind in the world. It was
founded by Professor Jesse Beery, a native of Pleasant Hill, who had been an
expert trainer of horses for 20 years, giving exhibitions in all parts of the
United States for many years before he started his correspondence school.
There are a number of courses taught by
mail, including “colt training, vicious horse training, how to ride and train
saddle horses, animal breeding and feeding.” Seventy-five thousand students
have taken his courses. On the roll now are pupils in New Zealand, South Africa
and Australia. This business makes quite a difference in the postoffice at
Pleasant Hill, as the Beery mail averages 2,500 letters and inquiries a day in
January, February and March, received from all parts of the world. A special
“breaking” bridle is manufactured by this company and a number were sold to
the government. New courses have been added for “Practical Child Training”
and “School Room Discipline.” The Beery school was incorporated in 1908,
with Jesse Beery as president ; A. J. Lauver, vice-president ; Roy Coppock,
secretary. July, 1919, the capital stock was increased to $50,000, and the
officers are : President, Jesse Beery ; vice-president, A. J. Lauver (also
general manager of the Burroughs Adding Machine company) ; treasurer, C. F.
Perkins ; secretary, Harry Whitmer.
The first bank in Pleasant Hill was not
established until 1907 ; before this time the banking was done in Covington and
Troy. This institution is a state bank capitalized first at $15,000 and
increased in 1913 to $25,000. Its location in a three-story brick building is at
the corner of Main street and Monument avenue.
The present officers are J. G. Myers,
president ; Chas. Whitmer, vice-president ; C. F. Perkins, cashier ; F. C.
Longnecker, assistant cashier ; directors, J. G. Myers, Chas. Whitmer, F. M.
Longnecker, C. M. Patty, Chas. H. Jackson. This bank was headquarters for the
local Liberty Loan organization, for which C. F. Perkins was chairman. Liberty
Loan bonds were sold to the amount of $222,350. The Pleasant Hill quotas were
oversubscribed in every instance. In the Fourth Liberty Loan campaign they had
the record of subscribing 315 per cent of their quota.
The Pleasant Hill News, issued first in
1914, is a weekly paper published and owned by H. C. Marlin, a son of J. H.
Marlin of Covington. Several newspapers before this had struggled vainly for
existence, among them the Pleasant Hill Advocate.
The Grand Army post in Pleasant Hill is
strong, as there is no post in West Milton. Their monument, erected in 1895 in
the center of the village to Civil war heroes, gives its name to Monument
avenue. Lodges have been established by the Masons, Odd Fellows and Junior
Order.
Staunton
township and the settlement called “Dutch Station,” which later became
Staunton, was the cradle of Miami county history, and many of the early events
were enacted in this neighborhood. Peter Felix, the little French trader, was in
all probability the first merchant of Staunton, and was also the first
tavern-keeper. The first official session of court was held at the house of
Peter Felix, and here justice was first dispensed in Miami county. It was
thought at that time that Staunton was destined to be the county seat, but
subsequent events decreed that Staunton should be famous only for its past
achievements. The county seat was established at Troy and this step marked the
decline of Staunton, and loss of her early prestige. However, it will always be
remembered for its historic interest. Here, in the early days, the best of the
first settlers gathered and transacted their business. Around this little
village are woven the early legends of the county ; the fame of Peter Felix,
Simon Landry, the Knoops and Carvers and many of the early pioneers.
Tippecanoe
City, page 628
Tippecanoe City, a village in Monroe
township is by reason of its uniformly wide streets, the best laid out of any
community in Miami county, and with its well kept grounds and homes is a model
of sightliness. Located in a fine farming country its industries are equally
divided between agriculture and manufacturing. It lies on the West bank of the
Miami river, and the Miami and Erie canal, finished to Troy in 1836, gave an
early outlet for its products.
Land where the present village now stands
was cleared by Robert Evans in 1839, who disposed of it to his brother-in-law,
John Clark. Clark’s family had emigrated to Miami county from Maryland. In
1840 Mr. Clark laid out the village but it was not regularly incorporated until
1851. Hyatts village, now a part of Tippecanoe City, was the first location and
when the canal came the village moved east. It was the first post village,
dating back to 1820, and Levi N. Booker was elected the mayor in 1851. The early
settlers came chiefly from Virginia and South Carolina with a sprinkling of the
thrifty Pennsylvania Dutch. Some South Carolinians were granted land south of
the Cowlesville road for services in the Revolutionary war.
In 1839 Thomas Jay built the first store
room, a frame structure, and the first tavern was put up the next year by Henry
Krise. Among the pioneers of Tippecanoe City contributing to its prosperity were
Mordecai Clark, Henry TenEyck, Jacob Rohrer, George Smith, Henry Hawver, Josias
Kerr, Isaac Harshbarger, Sidney Chaffee, Samuel M. Morrison, Dr. E. L. Crane,
Eli Motter, Rev. John Rutter, Dr. J. Gilbert, Samuel Staley.
The business street of the town is Main,
and John Clark’s home, a substantial brick, still standing at the east end of
this street, was built by him in 1851. John Morrison built a business building
on Main street in 1850 and in 1867 the Chaffee business block on Main and Second
streets was completed.
The census of 1910 showed a population of
1881, but the vote of the village in the fall of 1919, numbering 780, would
indicate a population of 2,500. Among the contributing factors to this growth of
population have been the railroads, traction lines and splendid public
utilities. The Dayton & Troy Traction line, with an hourly service from
Dayton to Piqua, connects with the Western Ohio traction line at Piqua and with
the Springfield, Troy & Piqua at Troy. At Dayton it makes connections with
the Ohio Electric line, the Cincinnati & Dayton traction and the Dayton,
Springfield & Xenia. The car barns and electric power house for this road
are in Tippecanoe city. The Baltimore & Ohio road has two passenger trains a
day and five mail trains.
The Tippecanoe Water & Electric Light
plant is under municipal ownership, and furnishes water, electric light and
power to the village. The power plant in located on East Main street just east
of the Canal. A system of wells supplies the purest of water. The Tipp Telephone
company was organized in 1898 by H. G. Ritter, B. F. Dietrick, Eli Saunders, E.
H. Timmer and J. A. Kerr. It was the first independent company in the United
States to obtain connections with the Bell Telephone company. A. R. Garver is
now president, and John I. Yount, manager.
There are three Protestant churches and
one Catholic church now existent in Tippecanoe city, The first place of worship
for the Methodists was a rude log house built in 1820. Twenty years later a more
modern church was built on the same ground and this did service from 1840 to
1860. Zion’s English Lutheran church, located on Main street, is a very neat
modern structure. This church is especially interested in the Sarah Feightley
Home for women over sixty on Main street, established at the death of Miss
Feightley, who left her home and estate for its endowment. St. John’s Catholic
church was first a mission church and it was not until 1858 that their present
church was built and a regular priest appointed. The priest also conducts
services at St. Paris and Bradford.
The Masons, Odd Fellows, Grand Army of
Republic, Women’s Relief Corps, Maccabees, Royal Arcanum, Junior Order of
Mechanics, and Ben Hur’s have lodges in Tippecanoe.
With more than $2,000,000 worth of real
property on which taxes can be levied the Tippecanoe schools have no reason to
suffer from the want of funds. It is a separate school district with a large
territory from which to draw. A log cabin in Hyattsville was the first seat of
learning, but the first real school in Tippecanoe City was erected in First
street, and its old bell now peals forth in the Baptist church. This property
was sold in 1854 and a frame building put up on Dow street between First and
Fourth streets. In 1868 a square brick structure was erected to replace the
frame building and this served its purpose until 1896. The present school
buildings, both the high and grade school buildings, have beautiful grounds and
are located on the block bounded by Dow, Third, Fisk and Broadway, with very
attractive campus and wonderful old maple trees and is most prominently in view
from the Traction cars. The present grade school building was finished in 1896
and took care of all pupils until 1917 when the handsome high school building
was dedicated.
The soundness of their banking
institutions is a matter of pride to the citizens of Tippecanoe City. During the
World war they were most active in Red Cross and War Loan campaigns and
activities. The Tipp National bank was organized March 5, 1883, with a capital
stock of $60,000, and was soon doing business in its own brick building on the
south side of Main street. The first
officers were Samuel Sullivan, president ; Jacob Rohrer, vice-president ; A. W.
Miles, cashier ; other directors, G. W. Weakly, W. W. Crane, J. W. Bowman, Wm.
Ashworth, John Brown. A bronze tablet is in evidence on their office, received
from the Federal Reserve bank in recognition of their liberal support in
subscribing more than their full quota of Treasury Certificates of Indebtedness,
Series Five, before the bonds were put on the market. Present officials are :
President, T. C. Leonard ; vice-president, E. L. Crane ; cashier, A. W. Miles ;
assistant cashiers, M. T. Staley and Harry Fidler ; directors, T. C. Leonard ;
E. L. McKinney ; A. L. Harshberger, A. W. Miles, E. L. Cooper, H. D. Kerr.
The Citizens National bank was
established in 1907, and incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000. It is
located in its own commodious brick building, erected specially for banking
purposes. The present officials are : President, A. R. Garver ; vice-president,
L. R. Fergus ; cashier, Charles O. Davis.
The Monroe Building & Loan
association, located in Monroe township building, is the biggest and oldest
financial institution in Tippecanoe City, having prospered rapidly since its
incorporation, July 19, 1875, to assist men in owning their homes. From its
original capitalization of $100,000 it has increased to $1,000,000. Present
officers : President, M. T. Staley ; vice-president, Eli Saunders ; secretary,
D. D. Kessler ; attorney, R. A. Kerr ; other directors besides the officers are
J. H. Pohlman, C. B. Herr, C. A. Huber, A. L. Hagerty, W. M. Kessler.
First of the series of weekly newspapers
published was the Tippecanoe City Reflector, that ran just two years from 1853
to 1855. The Fireman’s Gazette was brought out a short time in the 50’s. It
was not until 1866 that another attempt was made, when Charles Crowell for a
short time published the City Item.
In 1869 Joshua Horton issued the first
number of the Tippecanoe City Herald, which he edited until April, 1880, when it
was sold to Caldwell & company, the members of which were W. F. Caldwell, W.
C. Staley and L. G. Gates, who were in control for four years. In 1881 J. A. and
E. H. Kerr purchased a half interest, and W. F. Caldwell continued a year as
editor and manager until he moved to Piqua. The plant is in the rear of the Tipp
National bank. J. R. Horton, grandson of the founder of the Herald, was in
control for a few years, buying out the Kerr interest, and the present owner
obtained possession in 1912.
For a short period there were two papers
here, the Herald, republican, and the Tippite, democratic, edited by Eldon
Leonard.
The Miami and Eric canal running north
and south just east of the village, offered the first shipping facilities. Live
stock as well as farm products, leather, cooperage lumber ; products of the
breweries and distilleries were sent down the canal on flat boats to the Ohio
and thence by river boats to Pittsburg and the east. In 1851 the Dayton &
Michigan railroad was built to Tippecanoe City opening wider the avenue of
industry. This line has been absorbed by the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and
gives Tippecanoe City two passenger trains a day besides its freight service.
The Dayton & Troy traction line with its hourly passenger service, also
helped shipping facilities.
The Johns’ grist mill was the first of
any importance to be built here. At its inception in 1840 water rights were
obtained at the canal lock for a period of 99 years and under these rights the
present flour mills run by Foster who succeeded John K. Herr are still operating
and prosperous. Some few years later this same Uriah Johns cut a race across
Main street and built a second four mill, also a flaxseed oil mill. The second
four mill he sold to Chaffee & Smith and a very interesting law case of
water rights ensued.
A flaxseed oil mill was built by Jonathan
Favorite and Wesley Roberts in 1839 and a malt house established by Walter Norey,
a Scotchman, was unsuccessfully managed, and turned over to a stock company in a
few years. Col. Reuben T. Hutchins operated a malt company from 1852 until 1877,
when he sold it to S. R. and B. F. Rhodehamel who successfully carried on the
business for a number of years.
A linseed oil mill built by Jonathan
Favorite and Wesley Roberts in 1839, where the Tipp Whip factory stands did
quite an extensive business for some years. Their property was bought by the
Tippecanoe Whip company in 1885.
George and Edward Smith built one of the
early distilleries in 1852. S. L. Chaffee built his distillery in 1855 on the
canal at the end of Dow street, and Dietricks Distilling company operated from
1885 to 1917.
An interesting enterprise was the
Tippecanoe Grape Sugar company, of which Mr. B. F. Rhodehamel was also
president. This plant was located on First street and the canal and glucose was
manufactured. The company was capitalized at $75,000. It was sold to the
American Glucose company in 1883, who operated it for four years from main
offices at Peoria, Ill. An explosion occurred in 1887 when the factory was
dismantled.
On the site of the old glucose plant, the
Lin Dell company with offices in New York, established a canning factory. This
has 104 employees, and aids the truck farmers of the neighborhood from whom they
purchase fruits and vegetables.
The Amola Soap company has its factory
for manufacturing toilet articles, on south First street in the buildings
formerly occupied by the Davis Whip company, The business had been established
for thirty years in Peoria and in 1917 was purchased by A. L. and H. R.
Harshberger and moved to its present location. They now have 25 employees and a
factory floor space of 20,000 square feet. At present it is subsidiary to the
Tippecanoe Whip company whose officers are J. W. Bowman, A. L. Harshberger, W.
C. Staley, W. B. TenEyck and Jacob Prill, but the company is shortly to be
incorporated.
The Tippecanoe Whip company was in
existence from 1884 until 1917 when their property on East Main street was sold
to the Miami Conservancy district. They were a prosperous firm during the days
of buggies. This whip company succeeded to the occupancy of the old linseed oil
property.
Ford & Company’s Wheel plant, owned
by Leonard, was established in 1865 with its factory on First street. It did
quite an extensive business first in wheels for wagons, then for automobiles.
Two years ago the property was taken by the Miami Conservancy. They employed
about 100 hands and their wheels were used in foreign countries as well as in
this.
The Northern Manufacturing company is one
of the largest and most progressive manufacturing firms of Tippecanoe City. It
was capitalized June, 1919, at $100,000, to make buffets and bedroom furniture.
The company bought the Tipp Furniture company, whose factory buildings had been
erected in 1890 on Second street, and the Ford & Company’s plant, covering
about 8 acres on Second street, was purchased two years ago, and two new
buildings were added to the three already there. On Fifth street six buildings
are now in use and five blocks of ground occupied. Between 75 and 100 men are
given employment by this company. The officers are A. R. Garver, J. H. Rohrer,
J. B. Garver, J. B. Backman.
The Tipp Building Manufacturing company
is engaged chiefly in the making of kitchen cabinets. Modern factory buildings
are located on Walnut street west of the B. & O. railway tracks. It has a
capitalization of $75,000 and its officers are H. J. Ritter, A. R. Garver, Ben
and Ed. Timmer. This business dates back to a planing mill on the same location
built by Robert Smith. Trupp, Weakly & company purchased Smith’s mill in
1872, put in extensive machinery and developed a big building material business
finally absorbed by the Tipp Building Manufacturing company.
The American Strawboard company of Akron,
O., is now turning out 11 to 12 tons daily of strawboard from its mills in
Tippecanoe City and they employ about 35 men in its operation. The local
management of this mill and of others at Piqua is under Mr. J. F. Anderson. The
Tippecanoe mills were bought from the Tippecanoe Strawboard company, organized
in 1885, with a capital stock of $35,000. First officers : W. W. Crane, H. E.
Hawver and W. C. Staley. The capital stock had been increased before the sale of
the property to the Trust.
The Tipp Novelty works, owned by James
and Russel Scheip, have an attractive group of buildings on the North side of
Sixth street. Here toys of every description are made, that have a market all
over the world, and any number of dolls, blocks, wagons, etc., go to the
children in Australia.
Bohlander & Sons nursery is one of
the show places of the town as well as an important adjunct in giving healthful
employment to a number of men. Over 3,000 varieties of trees, evergreens, shrub
and perennials are grown on the land the company has under contract, or under
their management elsewhere.
The nursery consists of seventy acres,
and fifty gardeners are employed. Fully 150 acres are under their management or
contract, with 50 more men employed. The firm not only supplies stock for the
beautifying of estates but act as landscape gardeners. Peter Bohlander founded
the business more than 70 years ago, starting on 15 or 20 acres near Dayton,
later moving to the present location and at his death his son, W. F. Bohlander
assumed control. The reputation of this concern has spread all over the country.
The Tippecanoe Knitting mills on North
First street, are a subsidiary of the Superior Underwear company of Piqua, and
take care of the overflow of the Piqua plant. They were bought from the
Tippecanoe Underwear company, organized in 1907, operated there until 1913, when
they sold their machinery and building to the Superior. When in operation this
mill employs 100 operators.
West
Charleston, page 633
West
Milton, page 633
First to settle in Section 21 of Union
township was a South Carolinian, named Joseph Evans, who brought his family
north in 1805. The natural advantage of this high and fertile ground on the west
bluff of the Stillwater which runs in a deep gorge below the level of the
surrounding country, made a strong appeal to Evans who purchased the land in
1807 and had it surveyed and plotted into lots comprising 53 rods each and Main
and Miami streets were laid out parallel with the river bluffs. The lots were
sold and the place called Milton, to gratify Miss Elizabeth Evans, his oldest
daughter, whose favorite book was Milton’s “Paradise Lost.” In later years
the name of the village was changed to West Milton as there was another village
named Milton near Toledo. The Evans family, George Buchanan, a carpenter, and
Samuel Pearce, were the only residents for a number of years, and Evans opened a
store in 1810, the first in the township. Growth of the community at this point
was so slow that in 1825 there were but three families living in the town
proper. A weekly postoffice had been established in 1817 and Oliver Benton was
postmaster. The village of West Milton was not incorporated until 1834 when C.
W. Beebe became first mayor.
In earlier years, there was some
manufacturing in the neighborhood of Milton with rather crude machinery of
course. John Mast installed a carding machine in his grist mill, operating
alternately with the grist mill. Samuel
Kelley erected a woolen mill on Section 21 just west of the Stillwater on the
Spring stream. In 1820 Daniel W. Thayer bought the Kelley Mills and improved
them to make blankets. Samuel Kelley after disposing of his mills to Thayer
built a cotton manufactory just north of Milton, complete in 1824, subsequently
converting it into a woolen mill and sold it to William Rutledge. There was also
a scythe factory on the river bank in Section 21. Linseed oil was manufactured
on a small scale.
West Milton is one of the oldest
headquarters in the state for making lightning rods. There are two firms in the
business here today, the D. H. Mast company and the L. H. Mast company. This is
the only manufacturing done in the village at the present time. Geographically
it is the center of the cigar leaf tobacco producing field of Ohio, four big
tobacco warehouses being located here. Indeed the village is in the midst of the
best agricultural country in the world, and farming land here has grown very
valuable.
West Milton is the outgrowth of a Quaker
settlement, the majority of these settlers coming from South Carolina. Being of
the society of “Friends,” their garb was of the sober Quaker gray.
Descendants of these first settlers while no longer adhering to the fashion in
dress, still have the virtues of quiet dignity, sobriety and honesty they
inherited from their forefathers and are noted for their integrity.
As the town had no outlet for any
shipping by canal which was the earliest route in Miami county, her industrial
progress was slow. It was not until 1879 that the railroad came through. Today
the Dayton, Toledo & Chicago road gives service and residents of the village
often seek the convenience of the Peoria division of the Big Four road, that has
a station at Ludlow Falls just a mile and a half distant. The Dayton, Covington
& Piqua Traction brought through in 1902, affords invaluable service with
its hourly trains. This company has its car barns and powerhouse located here
and eighty of their employees make their homes in West Milton.
Overlook park was established by the D.,
C. & P. company at the north end of the town. This includes forty acres of
land and has been made into one of the most beautiful parks in the state. One of
the natural attractions is a picturesque waterfall, where the Spring branch
empties into the Stillwater. Boating, bathing and fishing are some of the sports
enjoyed in this park during the summer months. A dancing pavilion, cafe and rest
room have been built and visitors come from all neighboring points on the line.
The gorge of the Stillwater, almost a hundred feet below, affords many artistic
bits of scenery.
Miami street, where the traction line
passes, is the business street. Pearson’s hotel, on this street, is quite a
comfortable two-story brick building erected in 1906 by Robert Van Horne
Pearson, and has been an hotel site for seventy-five years. Among the happy
conditions which contribute to the health and to the happiness of this community
are first its high location, being 128 feet above Dayton, and second its pure
water supply, as the municipal water works has eleven springs to draw from. By
the census of 1910 the population was shown to be 1,209, increased, it is
estimated, about 200, and over this happy community of 1,400 A. G. Miller has
jurisdiction as mayor of the village.
The Quaker sect had their first monthly
meeting in Union township, two miles south of West Milton, in 1807. This was the
central church for a number of years until transferred to West Milton, when the
West Branch church was abandoned in the 80’s. On South Main street is the
Methodist Episcopal church, first established in 1833. The West Milton Christian
church was established, through the efforts of William Jay, at the south end of
Miami street.
The first bank established was the West
Milton bank in 1882. This bank was nationalized in 1908 and became the First
National Bank, retaining the same officers as follows : Robert M. Douglass,
president ; C. B. Douglass, vice-president ; D. F. Douglass, cashier. The
present location is on Miami street.
The Citizens National bank, organized in
1907, occupies one of the finest small bank buildings in the state. It has a
white marble front and most up-to-date banking equipment. Originally this bank
had an authorized capital stock of $30,000, with $18,000 paid up. The officers
were : President, C. E. Emmerick ; first vice-president, Adam Pfeiffer ; second
vice-president, A. J. Iddings ; cashier, Noble B. Hunt ; directors, C. E.
Emmerick, Adam Pfeiffer, Dr. W. H. Kessler, J. C. Minnick, B. J. Ford, L. A.
Pearson, G. A. Falconer. The capital stock of $30,000 is now all paid up and the
officers are : President, L. E. Ellerman ; vice-president, C. E. Emmerick ;
cashier, L. C. Gnagay ; assistant cashier, H. E. Pearson. It is worthy of note
as showing the wealth of the community that the deposits of the two banks amount
to $1,500,000 for a population of 1,400 ; over $1,000 per capita.
The West Milton Loan & Savings
association was first incorporated as the West Milton Home Savings association,
December 1st, 1887, with an authorized capital stock of $100,000. The
first officers were : President, J. W. Smithman ; secretary, J. E. Hart ;
treasurer, P. O. Vore.
The West Milton Home Telephone company,
established in 1882, is now managed by H. S. Blessing, one of the Brethren
church preachers. The officers are : President, Charles Ammon ; vice-president,
Arthur Patty ; secretary, L. A. Blessing ; treasurer, Daniel Long ; other
directors, N. W. Rinehart, Havilah Coppock and J. C. Henderson. This company
also supplies service to Laura, Englewood and Verona.
Stillwater Valley Electric company is
owned by L. A. Pearson and has supplied electric
light and power to West Milton since 1907. The power plant is on the old Coppock
flouring mill site on the Stillwater river, used as a mill site a hundred years
ago.
Masonic, Odd Fellows, Rebecca, Knights of Pythias and Pythian Sisters.