Pioneer Life in Dayton And Vicinity

Pioneer Life in Dayton and Vicinity: 1796-1840

by John F. Edgar
Copyright 1896

TITLE AND PREFACE

CHAPTER I.

LA. SALLE—Treaties with the Indians— General George Rogers Clark—Indian Hunting-ground—Gist—John Cleves Symmes's Purchase—Boundary Lines—No. I Miami Land Warrant—Surveyors—Major Stites—Venice—Death of John Van Cleve—Fort Recovery—Battle of "Fallen Timbers"—General Wayne's Victory—Daniel C. Cooper and John Dunlap—Spring of 1796—Israel Ludlow and Party—Naming the Town—Copy of an Old Certificate

CHAPTER II.

THE SETTLEMENT AND THE FIRST SETTLERS

WILLIAM HAMER—Birth of Dayton Hamer- Jonathan and Edward Mercer—George Newcom and Party—Samuel Thompson—Mary Van Cleve—The Pirogue—Arrival of the Party—The First House In Dayton—Agreement Between Colonel Newcom and Robert Edgar—The Tavern—Official Positions—Thomas Davis—John Davis—First Death—William Chenoweth—John Dorough — Daniel Ferrell— James Morris—Solomon Goss—Abraham Grassmire — John Van Cleve and Family—Benjamin Van Cleve—First Recorded Wedding—Obituary of Mrs. Thompson—Mrs. McClure—William Gahagan—Daniel C. Cooper—Headgates—Digging a Race—First Mill Started—Article of Agreement—Mrs. Sophia Greene Burnett— First Colored Person—New Plat of Dayton—Transfers of Property—Governor Meigs's Order—Robert Edgar—The Quarry—Mrs. George's Death—Biographical Sketches

CHAPTER III.

DAYTON TOWNSHIP FORMED - Part One

Dayton Township—Boundary Line—James Brady—Tax on Single Men—Andrew Lock—Blockhouse—Officers of the Town—Location of the First Settlers-General Brown—Original Topography—Household Furniture—Nuggins—David Lowry's Trips to New Orleans—Ebenezer Wead—John Stewart Wead—John Miller—George Adams—Blockhouse—Dr. John Hole—Hole's Station—Jerome Holt—Census—State of Ohio—William King—Rates of Ferriage

DAYTON TOWNSHIP FORMED - Part Two

William Ruffin—Five Families in 1802—Philip Wagner—John Bradford—Daniel Miller—John H. Williams—James Lockhart Williams—Harbert S. Williams—James Bracy Oliver—John Neff—Henry Leatherman—Gilbert Kennedy—Isaac Spining—Commission of Governor Edward Tiffin—Charles Spining—John Whitten Van Cleve—Woodland Cemetery—Bachelor's Alley

CHAPTER IV.

MONTGOMERY SEPARATED FROM HAMILTON COUNTY - Part One

Local Officers—Order Issued by the Court—Montgomery County Formed—County-seat—First Election—Second Election—Sheriff—Contract for New Jail—Prisoners Escape—First Term of Court—New Court-house—Furniture of Court and Jury Rooms—Curwen's Description—First Appearance Docket—Letters of Administration—Third Term of Court-Grand Jury—Court Docket

MONTGOMERY SEPARATED FROM HAMILTON COUNTY - Part Two

Luther Bruen—David H. Bruen—Luther Barnett Bruen—Henry Brown—Female Charitable and Bible Society—Robert Patterson Brown—Henry L. Brown —Judge A. Barr Irwin— Captain Hugh Andrews—Nathan Worley—Joseph H. Crane—Joseph G. Crane—Colonel Robert Patterson—Mathias Dennison—Jefferson Patterson—David McConnaughey—John C. McConnaughey— Aaron Baker—David C. Baker—Philip Gunckel—Lewis B. Gunckel—John Martin Shuey—Martin Shuey—Adam Shuey—Rev. William J. Shuey

CHAPTER V.

THE TOWN OF DAYTON INCORPORATED - Part One

Act of Legislature—Town of Dayton—Meetings of Council—Charter—Flood of 1805— Licenses— Ferries—Colonel John Grimes's Tavern—Taylor Street Bridge—Alexander Grimes—Colonel David Reid—Daniel Kiser's Tavern—General Fielding Loury—John Howard—Fielding Loury, Jr.—David Squier—Timothy Squier—Matilda Owens—William Roth—Matthew Patton—Joseph Peirce—Jeremiah Hunt Peirce—Joseph Crane Peirce—Horatio Gates Phillips—Dayton Hydraulic Company—Jonathan Dickinson Phillips—John G. Lowe—George S. Houston—Charles Russell Greene—John Rench—Jonathan Harshman—Jacob S. Brenner—William George—Sarah George—First Sunday-School Superintendent—William Bomberger—William G. George—Augustus George—Abraham Darst—William Eaker—George W. Smith—George Umbaugh

THE TOWN OF DAYTON INCORPORATED - Part Two

Henry Butt—Peter Lehman—David Lehman—Samuel Boogher—Daniel G. Boogher—Jesse Boogher—Lewis Kemp—George W. Kemp—John Folkerth—Justice of the Peace—Russel Folkerth—John Bonner—George Fryberger—Valentine Fryberger — James Steele—First Opera-house—Robert W. Steele—A Few Important Changes—Roads Opened—Repertory—Paul Butler—Henry Disbrow—First Carding-machine—Weaving Establishment—James Hanna—Peter Bellaw—A Manufacturing Town—Secret Society—First County Convention—Mail Route-Postage—List of Postmasters—1809—Three Physicians-Rev. James Welsh, M.D.—List of Medicines-Dr. P. Wood—First Drug-store—Service at the Court-house—Repertory Discontinued—Ohio Centeniel—Ohio Republican—Fourth of July Celebration—Census for 1810—Town Election—Sidewalks Made—Two Tickets—Names of Suburbs—Standard Half-bushel—State Corduroy Road—Dr. Este—Earthquake Shocks—David Lindsley—John Perrine—James Perrine—Stephen Johnston

CHAPTER VI.

THE WAR OF 1812

Enrollment—James Madison—President's Call—General Munger—Dayton the Headquarters—First Companies to Arrive—Governor Meigs's Arrival—General Hull—Camp Meigs—Hull's Surrender—Seventy Brave Men—Governor Meigs's Order—Wagon Boy of Ohio—Shirts Made by the Ladies—First Recruiting Office—Peace Declared—Population Increased—Current Prices—Charles Tull—Eddy Falrchlld—Henderson—S Elliott—Rolling-pins

CHAPTER VII.

DAYTON TO 1840 - Part One

John Ensey— Alexander McConnell—Benjamin Kiser—Daniel Kiser—Henry Diehl—John Rouzer—John Compton — Thomas Cottom—Leven Cottom- William TyIer—James Grimes—William Huffman—William P. Huffman—Samuel Shoup—Joel Ohio Shoup—Samuel Tate—Mary A. Darst—Obadiah Burlow Conover—Temperance Question—Harvey Conover—Wilbur Conover—Obadiah M. Conover—Hiram Strong—Colllns Wight—The Dayton Manufacturing Company—Directors—New Charter—The Dayton Branch of the State Bank—Directors—Dayton National Bank— Directors— Workingmen's Association—Bible Society—Second Flood—Dr. A. Coleman—Revenue of the County—New Court-house—Social Societies—First Market-house—Market-house Moved

DAYTON TO 1840 - Part Two

Moses Stout—David Stout—Moses Simpson—Robert Strain—Daniel Stutsman—John Grove Stutsman—First to Do Gas-fitting — Jonathan Stutsman—Robert McReynolds—Thomas Morrison—Shinplasters—David H. Morrison—Thomas G. Carpenter—Silas Broadwell—Ephraim Broadwell—David Heck—Henry Stoddard—George B. Holt—Dr. William Blodget—Dr. Job Haines—Samuel Forrer—James H. Mitchell—John Bimm—Robert J. Skinner— Ohio Watchman—Bridge Across Mad River—Ferries—Bridge Company Incorporated—Toll-house—First Stage Line—First Show—First Circus— Elisha Brabham—Cut Money—Lewis Hamblin Brown—Bible Society Formed—Cooper's Mills Burned—Fire Department—First Fire-wardens—The Gridiron—Thespian Society

CHAPTER VIII.

DAYTON TO 1840—CONTINUED - Part One

Location of the Canal—First Canal-boat Built, Alpha—Suppers and Toasts—First Steam Packet, Enterprise— Aqueducts— Cost of Canal—Census in 1820-30—Two Newspapers- Jephthah Regans—Richard N. Comly—Dayton Journal—Major W. D. Bickham—Log Cabin—Flood of 1828—First Book Published —John Dodson —Augustus George—Dayton Temperance Society—Extracts from a Letter—Lovell Bebee—Emson Brown—Underground Railway—James F. Thompson—Gorton Arnold—John W. Dryden—Andrew Wiggim—James Dodds—John Engle—Rev. Thomas Winters—Rev. David Winters—Valentine Winters—Thomas Clegg— Exhibition of Gas— William Westerman—Peter Perlee Lowe—Edward W. Davies—Andrew Gump—Edward Weakley—Dayton Evening Herald—Henry Herrman—Charles Soule—Benjamin Wicks Mead—Peter Light—David Stone—William B. Stone—John Belville—Dr. Hibbard Jewett

DAYTON TO 1840—CONTINUED - Part Two

John W. Harries—David Altick—Gideon Beall—Joseph Weston—Frederick Boyer—Thomas J. S. Smith—John Bidleman—Thomas Brown—James Findlay Schenck—Robert C. Schenck—Dr. John Boyd Craighead—Daniel W. Iddings- Joseph Barnett-Harrison Convention—Hezekiah Loomis—James Decatur Loomis—Peter Post Conover—Peter OdIin—Eliam E. Barney—Augustin King—Colonel Edward King—James Greer—Christopher Thompson—Frederick Gebhart—Hiram Wyatt—John Achey—David Laymon—William Hoff—Francis Ohmer—William Dickey—Horace Pease—William Clark—Beniah Tharp—-Jacob Sturr—Thomas Mathison—Miss Maria Boyd—Charter Amended—Locomotive Exhibition—Morris Seely—Phillp Keifer—Alexander Swaynie—The National Hotel—Calvin Francisco—Cholera—Flood of 1832—David Zeigler Cooper—Wild-cat Currency—Dayton Philharmonic Society—Joseph Wheeler—Colored People Mobbed—National Road—Dam Across Mad River—Race Dug by the Soldiers of 1812—Original Map—The Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad Company—First Locomotive, "Seneca"—Census of 1796 and 1896—Retrospect

CHAPTER IX.

CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES

Beaver Creek—Shakers—Presbyterians—First Meeting-house—Burying Ground—First Sunday School—Methodists—First Minister—Camp-meeting of 1819—First Town Clock—Baptist Church—Christ Episcopal Church—New Light Society—German Reformed Church—First United Brethren Church—United Brethren Publishing House—First English Lutheran Church—First Catholic Priest—The African Methodist Episcopal Church—First and Second Schools—Dayton Academy—Manual-labor School—Public-school Tax—The Old Eastern School—Central High School—Dayton Library Association—Dayton Lyceum—The Mechanics' Institute — The Adelphic Society—Public School Library