by Paul W. Schanher, III
Our march back into time continues as we delve into the lives of those early pioneers who forged ahead with the new beginnings of frontier Springfield. Some have considered Griffith Foos of Kentucky to be the “Father of Springfield”. Foos, a man of relative means, moved with his family to Franklinton, Ohio, a small town west of present day Columbus located on Route 40, perhaps in 1800. History does accurately tell us that Foos along with several others became restless in that small community and decided to venture out together seeking what they hoped to be “greener pastures”. This was March 1801. They followed old Indian trails as they ventured in a westward direction eventually stopping at a beautiful springs located on the present day southwest corner of Spring and Main Streets. After resting there a while, they continued westward until they reached the Mad River changing directions there and passing through the valley leading to Urbana. Then turning in a southwestern direction following Lagonda Creek, now Buck Creek, they happened upon the double log cabin built by James Demint.
As their friendship developed, Foos followed through with Demint’s offer to buy property at a reduced rate in the area of what would become the original 1801 city plat of Springfield, so named by either Demint’s or Simon Kenton’s wife. Foos bought the property that he first rested upon during his initial trip to the area, because of the underground springs that were located there. Upon that ground he constructed his double log cabin home that also served as a tavern. This was the first home/ business building located in the original village limits. In the meantime, Griffith Foos returned to Franklinton to bring his family to this budding community.
In June 1801, Foos opened his tavern for business closing it May 10, 1814. At times his establishment served as the local gathering place for Sunday worship until a permanent building for church services could be constructed; however, that is another story for another day. After closing his tavern, Griffith Foos retired to his farm east of town. As I continue to quote noted local historian Ann Benston, “In 1817, Foos built and operated a small oil mill on the corner of Linden and Monroe Streets remaining active in public affairs, being elected to township trustee committees from 1812 through 1830.” He died on Thursday, May 5, 1859.
Walter Smallwood and his young wife came to Springfield from Virginia in 1804 bringing talents with them that would be the early beginnings of social change to the rugged frontier village. “Mr. Smallwood, the town’s only blacksmith at the time, became a most useful citizen though a man of rough manners with little to no regard for matters of religion, but a man of sound sense and good judgement.” Mrs. Smallwood, a woman of superior intellect, took a leading role in the promotion of peace and morals. A woman of strong Christian convictions, she was among the first twelve people to organize the first Methodist church and Bible society that met in a schoolhouse located on the NE corner or Main and Market, now Fountain Avenue, Streets. Eventually, having raised six children, all believers in the gospel of Christ, the couple moved to Missouri in 1852, as they followed several of their children in that direction.
In 1809, the Reverend Saul Henkle from Harden County, Virginia rode into Springfield with his wife and child as a circuit riding preacher filling the pulpit of the Methodist church. Reverend Henkle served the Springfield community and led an exemplary life of devotion to God for all to follow for the next 28 years. It was said of Rev. Henkle that he "married them and buried them." "The Gospel Trumpet", a religious paper edited and published by Rev. Henkle, proved to be a life-changing addition to many local readers. Springfield suffered a tremendous loss upon his death in 1837 at the age of 55.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Boomtown
by Paul W. Schanher, III
Our All-American city’s magnificent past with the industrial giant that was known worldwide as the Whiteley, Fassler, and Kelly Company. Our introduction to William Whiteley, the founder and chief promoter and his mercurial rise to become the head of the nation’s leading company in the manufacture of farm implements will bring to us a story that will touch our every emotion.
Whiteley, "the man who put Springfield on the map", was quite the promoter of his innovative farm equipment, especially his combination self-raking reaper and mower. Eventually, he named it the "Champion", because it always would win the first prize at state and county fairs. Whiteley would think of unique ways in which to market his reaper. To make a point with a fellow competitor about the efficiency of his reaper/mower, during one of the fairs on a hot July day, Whiteley, a big man of 6'4" and 240 pounds, picked up the front of the reaper and pulled it through the field himself. After all, he was the "Reaper King"!!! Springfield soon became nationally known as the Champion City.
Whiteley, Fassler, and Kelly blossomed during the early 1860's as the men followed their hearts, left the fields, and fought in the Civil War to protect the Union. Slavery also became a major issue during this time; however, that is not the scope of the article. With fewer men to farm and more work than those left behind could handle, reaping machinery became much more necessary than ever before as these implements could perform the work of several men. In due course of time, this fast-growing company worked together with several others which would lead to the formation of the Champion Works. Millions of dollars later, this company became the leading farm implement manufacturing center in the United States.
William Whiteley was a promoter desiring to have the biggest and the best. When he learned that Chicago had larger factories for the production of farm machinery, he began to plan for, design and build a much larger complex much to the dismay of his two partners. They left him in order to pursue other interests. The famous East Street Shops, the second largest such factory in the world and completed in 1882, resulted from his endeavors to increase production. His total expenditure was estimated to be approximately two million dollars depending upon which article one reads. It has been said that if all of the wings of the manufacturing complex, located at the NE corner of present-day East and Kenton Streets, were lined up end-to-end, it would stretch out to a mile in length! Located at the NE corner of East Street and modern-day Kenton Street, these shops became the modern marvel of their day increasing production beyond Whiteley's wildest dreams.
His empire came crashing down to the ground in 1887. A labor union led by the Knights of Labor tried to infiltrate Whiteley's business. He fought against this potential threat. Whiteley appealed to his workers on the premise that he treated them so well by loaning them money for housing and providing them with good wages as well as proper working conditions. Despite his seemingly endless negotioations with his workers, one thousand joined the labor union, leaving approximately one thousand left to report for work the next day. On the front of the shops Whiteley hung a large sign for all to see saying, " Free and Independent Labor Only". This first ever lockout was not the only problem facing the Reaper King. Apparently, he had a banker friend in Cincinnati with whom he entrusted most of his money for investment purposes. However, scheming to make a large amount of money for himself, the "friendly" banker lost the entire amount that Whiteley and others had invested. Along with this unfortunate incident, the price of reapers began to decline. Whiteley suddenly was bankrupt. He eventually sold his beloved East Street Shops for one-tenth of what he paid for them to be built before moving to Muncie, Indiana with the hopes of starting over. He never did reach the heights of his previous empire and several years later, he moved back to Springfield. He did build another plant located in the west end of town called the Cooperative Reaper Factory.
During his illustrious career, William Whiteley has been credited with 125 patents. He never did realize the prosperity that once was his, but his mark upon our All-American city will never be forgotten. Visit us here as we continue to look into the wonderful past of our beloved Springfield, Ohio. Until then, keep pressing on to the mark.
(edited for the Internet)
Early Pioneer Days in Springfield
by Paul W. Schanher, III
Frontier days of the early 1800's did not serve Springfield well as our community's state of mind was one that was “not fit for man nor beast”. However, that soon changed with the advent of several men and their families who began to change the face of our All-American city.
In 1812, the man who would eventually be known as “the Merchant Prince” came from New Jersey quite by accident according to some reports. Pierson Spining’s [noted local historian Ann Benston insists that the spelling should be Spinning] father owned a dry goods in Dayton and would send his wares via flatboat down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati where the merchandise was eventually loaded onto wagons and brought to Dayton. One day one of Spining's flatboats overturned with most of the goods on board and everything was lost except for some calico that was retrieved from the river. Someone mentioned to them to take the soiled material to the backwoods town of Springfield to sell there. He did. He sold. He stayed. After establishing his own successful business, Spining built a fine three-story hotel with an open courtyard in the middle on the NW corner of Main and Limestone Streets called the "Buckeye House" which is a parking lot today. He soon became a very wealthy man. But he entered into a guaranteed contract with the federal government to continue building the National Road as it came through Springfield only to lose nearly his entire fortune. He returned to his hotel and served as Justice of the Peace for the remaining years of his life.
Maddox Fisher, a southern aristocrat from Kentucky, arrived in Springfield in 1813 with an abundance of energy and ability bringing a new attitude to our frontier town. With his fortune he purchased 25 lots located near the public square from James Demint, the founder of Springfield. He built a cotton mill along Buck Creek which he later turned into a flour mill which served him well until a fire destroyed it twenty years later. It has been said that Fisher’s early enterprise of the mills represented the turning point in the business history of Springfield. Others joined in as a result of his early pioneering enterprises.
Springfield once was a part of Greene County. Maddox Fisher changed that. He believed in Springfield so much to the point that he would routinely travel on horseback to Chillicothe, the state capital at the time, with the thought of convincing the lawmakers to forge a new county with Springfield as the county seat. Eventually, he convinced the powers to be to follow through with his recommendations; however, New Boston wanted to be the county seat as well. So Fisher made more trips in order to plead Springfield’s case. Springfield was a mainstay for the Whig Party while New Boston consisted mainly of Democrats. With Ohio mainly of the Whig persuasion, Springfield won the vote to be the county seat of the newly formed Clark County. This was 1818. He later became postmaster and also devised plans for the building of a new courthouse on Demint’s public square. He indeed was a “true gentleman” to all that knew him.
In 1819, the colorful Col. William “Uncle Billy” Werden arrived in town from the state of Delaware. He soon became know far and wide as the most famous innkeeper in the west. In 1820, he bought property located on the NW corner of present day Main and Spring Streets for the purpose of eventually building a hotel. Anticipating the coming of the National Road through Springfield, he built the Werden House, better known as the National Hotel. In 1829, it soon became the most favorite stopping point along the well-traveled National Road as travelers headed westward. Uncle Billy was a pleasant host meeting every stranger with an outstretched hand along with taking the weary traveler into the hotel only to have a servant remove his muddy boots for cleaning, and then place a seat before him in front of the fireplace with a clean pair of slippers. Mrs. Werden cooked a hearty meal and made certain that each guest had a comfortable bed and clean linens. Some even paid fifty cents for the privilege of sleeping on the floor. He later served as postmaster. Werden strongly supported education and religion as he gave his support to the founding of the high school and also helped to organize the Episcopal Church in town in 1834.
Frontier days of the early 1800's did not serve Springfield well as our community's state of mind was one that was “not fit for man nor beast”. However, that soon changed with the advent of several men and their families who began to change the face of our All-American city.
In 1812, the man who would eventually be known as “the Merchant Prince” came from New Jersey quite by accident according to some reports. Pierson Spining’s [noted local historian Ann Benston insists that the spelling should be Spinning] father owned a dry goods in Dayton and would send his wares via flatboat down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati where the merchandise was eventually loaded onto wagons and brought to Dayton. One day one of Spining's flatboats overturned with most of the goods on board and everything was lost except for some calico that was retrieved from the river. Someone mentioned to them to take the soiled material to the backwoods town of Springfield to sell there. He did. He sold. He stayed. After establishing his own successful business, Spining built a fine three-story hotel with an open courtyard in the middle on the NW corner of Main and Limestone Streets called the "Buckeye House" which is a parking lot today. He soon became a very wealthy man. But he entered into a guaranteed contract with the federal government to continue building the National Road as it came through Springfield only to lose nearly his entire fortune. He returned to his hotel and served as Justice of the Peace for the remaining years of his life.
Maddox Fisher, a southern aristocrat from Kentucky, arrived in Springfield in 1813 with an abundance of energy and ability bringing a new attitude to our frontier town. With his fortune he purchased 25 lots located near the public square from James Demint, the founder of Springfield. He built a cotton mill along Buck Creek which he later turned into a flour mill which served him well until a fire destroyed it twenty years later. It has been said that Fisher’s early enterprise of the mills represented the turning point in the business history of Springfield. Others joined in as a result of his early pioneering enterprises.
Springfield once was a part of Greene County. Maddox Fisher changed that. He believed in Springfield so much to the point that he would routinely travel on horseback to Chillicothe, the state capital at the time, with the thought of convincing the lawmakers to forge a new county with Springfield as the county seat. Eventually, he convinced the powers to be to follow through with his recommendations; however, New Boston wanted to be the county seat as well. So Fisher made more trips in order to plead Springfield’s case. Springfield was a mainstay for the Whig Party while New Boston consisted mainly of Democrats. With Ohio mainly of the Whig persuasion, Springfield won the vote to be the county seat of the newly formed Clark County. This was 1818. He later became postmaster and also devised plans for the building of a new courthouse on Demint’s public square. He indeed was a “true gentleman” to all that knew him.
In 1819, the colorful Col. William “Uncle Billy” Werden arrived in town from the state of Delaware. He soon became know far and wide as the most famous innkeeper in the west. In 1820, he bought property located on the NW corner of present day Main and Spring Streets for the purpose of eventually building a hotel. Anticipating the coming of the National Road through Springfield, he built the Werden House, better known as the National Hotel. In 1829, it soon became the most favorite stopping point along the well-traveled National Road as travelers headed westward. Uncle Billy was a pleasant host meeting every stranger with an outstretched hand along with taking the weary traveler into the hotel only to have a servant remove his muddy boots for cleaning, and then place a seat before him in front of the fireplace with a clean pair of slippers. Mrs. Werden cooked a hearty meal and made certain that each guest had a comfortable bed and clean linens. Some even paid fifty cents for the privilege of sleeping on the floor. He later served as postmaster. Werden strongly supported education and religion as he gave his support to the founding of the high school and also helped to organize the Episcopal Church in town in 1834.
Springfield's Founding Father
by Paul W. Schanher, III
This blog will chronicle lives of some well-known, and some not so well-known, men and women who forged the path from the humble beginnings of Springfield’s early pioneers to the modern days of our beloved All-American city. Each article will introduce you all to people who were our founding fathers, our resourceful inventors, our leaders of social reform, our military heroes, our practical politicians, our sports figures, and our mighty industrialists, all leaders of our community. It will focus on our first settlers, those who had amazing resoucefulness and the wherewithal to plot a new town out of the wilderness known only to roving bands of Indians and the abundant wildlife.
James Demint, considered by most local historians past and present to be the founder of Springfield, arrived with his family in 1799, holding a deed for 640 parcels of land procured from a real estate agent John Cleve Symmes of Cincinnati. A Kentuckian by birth, Demint was no stranger to wilderness wanderings. Upon arriving in what would become Clark County in 1818, Demint and his family encountered the Mad River leading into Lagonda Creek [Buck Creek today] and followed that rapid flowing stream until he found a suitable place to settle. He built a two story “saddleback” log cabin above the cliffs overlooking Buck Creek. Today a large rock with an inscribed plaque situated in the front yard of the William Toy Board of Education building on College Avenue, marks the exact location of the first dwelling built in the modern day Springfield city limits. Demint did meet Simon Kenton and told him of his idea of laying out a town along the banks of Buck Creek, but at this point in time, it was only a dream.
In the spring of 1801, a young surveyor named John Daugherty happened upon the lonely Demint family. Now James Demint felt that his dream of laying out a town would come true with the hiring of this young surveyor. They began the survey process on March 17, 1801, with the finalizing of the original plat signed by Demint on September 5, 1803, and certified in Xenia of Greene County on September 17, 1804. During this time around 1803, Demint’s beloved wife Elizabeth died. He buried her in a space of three plats of land that eventually was designated as the Demint Cemetery, now located along modern day Columbia Street. After a time of grieving and trying to raise their five children on his own, Demint married a woman named Nancy. Together they had three more children.
James Demint was a “rough, reckless man”. His hardworking first wife complemented him well. As they cleared the land chosen for the homestead, both had to smoke out and eliminate the dens of numerous snakes that lived along Buck Creek. He began the first business in town near his cabin building a grain mill at the edge of the hill so that he could sell his alcoholic beverage to the towns people and wandering Indians. He also built the first grist mill on Mill Run in which he would grind the wheat and corn thus allowing the local farmers not to have to travel great distances after harvest. He was quite the entreprenurial man.
According to noted local historian Ann Benston, Demint “ in early March 1816, rode his horse with his salable wares to various businesses and taverns. His final stop was the widow Fitch's tavern in Urbana where he laid down for a rest never to rise again." He was buried with his first wife "under the larger tree in the corner" of the Demint Cemetery.
John Daugherty, the surveyor of Demint's first plat of Springfield, was born in Virginia, but left at a young age to explore and survey the Ohio territory. Again, historian Ann Benston says of Daugherty, "he was a man of considerable natural ability, uncouth in person, but endowed with the faculty of making friends among all classes." In fact, the towns people elected him as "overseer of the poor" of Mad River Township during the 1803 election. He later served as a clerk of Springfield Township, sheriff at the first Court of Commom Pleas, elected auditor of Clark County, and justice of the peace in 1818. He later served as a State Representative from 1820-24. He represented his country during the War of 1812 as a field officer with the Ohio militia. It was said of Daugherty upon his death on Friday, March 25, 1836, that he was "one of the earliest settlers and most active citizens of this section of the country. He cut the first logs and built the first house on the corner of Limestone and Main Streets where he kept the post office." He was buried in the Demint Cemetery.
These two early pioneers, James Demint and John Daugherty, paved the way for our All-American city to grow into a highly regarded industrial giant in the times to come. We will continue to look into the lives of those who led the way. In the next issue we will investigate the impact that several other early settlers had upon our early years.
This blog will chronicle lives of some well-known, and some not so well-known, men and women who forged the path from the humble beginnings of Springfield’s early pioneers to the modern days of our beloved All-American city. Each article will introduce you all to people who were our founding fathers, our resourceful inventors, our leaders of social reform, our military heroes, our practical politicians, our sports figures, and our mighty industrialists, all leaders of our community. It will focus on our first settlers, those who had amazing resoucefulness and the wherewithal to plot a new town out of the wilderness known only to roving bands of Indians and the abundant wildlife.
James Demint, considered by most local historians past and present to be the founder of Springfield, arrived with his family in 1799, holding a deed for 640 parcels of land procured from a real estate agent John Cleve Symmes of Cincinnati. A Kentuckian by birth, Demint was no stranger to wilderness wanderings. Upon arriving in what would become Clark County in 1818, Demint and his family encountered the Mad River leading into Lagonda Creek [Buck Creek today] and followed that rapid flowing stream until he found a suitable place to settle. He built a two story “saddleback” log cabin above the cliffs overlooking Buck Creek. Today a large rock with an inscribed plaque situated in the front yard of the William Toy Board of Education building on College Avenue, marks the exact location of the first dwelling built in the modern day Springfield city limits. Demint did meet Simon Kenton and told him of his idea of laying out a town along the banks of Buck Creek, but at this point in time, it was only a dream.
In the spring of 1801, a young surveyor named John Daugherty happened upon the lonely Demint family. Now James Demint felt that his dream of laying out a town would come true with the hiring of this young surveyor. They began the survey process on March 17, 1801, with the finalizing of the original plat signed by Demint on September 5, 1803, and certified in Xenia of Greene County on September 17, 1804. During this time around 1803, Demint’s beloved wife Elizabeth died. He buried her in a space of three plats of land that eventually was designated as the Demint Cemetery, now located along modern day Columbia Street. After a time of grieving and trying to raise their five children on his own, Demint married a woman named Nancy. Together they had three more children.
James Demint was a “rough, reckless man”. His hardworking first wife complemented him well. As they cleared the land chosen for the homestead, both had to smoke out and eliminate the dens of numerous snakes that lived along Buck Creek. He began the first business in town near his cabin building a grain mill at the edge of the hill so that he could sell his alcoholic beverage to the towns people and wandering Indians. He also built the first grist mill on Mill Run in which he would grind the wheat and corn thus allowing the local farmers not to have to travel great distances after harvest. He was quite the entreprenurial man.
According to noted local historian Ann Benston, Demint “ in early March 1816, rode his horse with his salable wares to various businesses and taverns. His final stop was the widow Fitch's tavern in Urbana where he laid down for a rest never to rise again." He was buried with his first wife "under the larger tree in the corner" of the Demint Cemetery.
John Daugherty, the surveyor of Demint's first plat of Springfield, was born in Virginia, but left at a young age to explore and survey the Ohio territory. Again, historian Ann Benston says of Daugherty, "he was a man of considerable natural ability, uncouth in person, but endowed with the faculty of making friends among all classes." In fact, the towns people elected him as "overseer of the poor" of Mad River Township during the 1803 election. He later served as a clerk of Springfield Township, sheriff at the first Court of Commom Pleas, elected auditor of Clark County, and justice of the peace in 1818. He later served as a State Representative from 1820-24. He represented his country during the War of 1812 as a field officer with the Ohio militia. It was said of Daugherty upon his death on Friday, March 25, 1836, that he was "one of the earliest settlers and most active citizens of this section of the country. He cut the first logs and built the first house on the corner of Limestone and Main Streets where he kept the post office." He was buried in the Demint Cemetery.
These two early pioneers, James Demint and John Daugherty, paved the way for our All-American city to grow into a highly regarded industrial giant in the times to come. We will continue to look into the lives of those who led the way. In the next issue we will investigate the impact that several other early settlers had upon our early years.
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