Ohio Statewide Files
HISTORY OF LOWER SCIOTO VALLEY
OHIO
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Chapter V.

Material Wealth-Official Life-Patriotism. A Chapter of Material Wealth-Internal Improvements-The Ohio Canal-Miles of Railway in 1882-Governors-Representatives, Scioto, Pike and Jackson Counties- Common Pleas Court-Election of 1840-Presidential Campaign. [Text Version]


Material Wealth-Official Life-Patriotism.
A Chapter of Material Wealth.

The material wealth of the Lower Scioto Valley is so diversified as to make it peculiarly adapted to the uses of man. Its agricultural and mineral resources are both large, one inexhaustible in quantity and quality, the other fruitful beyond degree. The farmer, the mechanic, the artisan, the day laborer, and last, but perhaps not the least, the capitalist, find full play for the exercise of their talent, labor and money, and the latter for all the spare capital that he may have to keep the wheel of commerce turning and aiding labor to find its profit and its reward. In the early days of its existence the wealth of the Lower Scioto Valley came from its agricultural resources. Its mineral wealth was not then known to exist, and it was not until one-fourth of a century had passed from its first settlement, in 1795, that coal was known to exist, and still later when its twin deposit, iron ore, became known.

Internal Improvements.

But what brought Ohio to the front rank of States was a system of internal improvements inaugurated in the decade between 1820 and 1830. Railroads were not known in the whole country in the first-mentioned year, for the first railroad which came into existence in the country operated by steam was in 1828. This work of internal improvement was in the form of canals, and a system of main trunk and lateral canals was inaugurated in the above-mentioned decade, its first practical work commencing in the year 1825. Not enough credit has been given to the foresight and wisdom of the movers of this successful work. Notwithstanding the railroad interest, which is very great and has been a source of immense good to the State, the canal system of Ohio gave her a start and solid prosperity ere railroads were known to exist west of the Allegheny Mountains. The General Assembly of Ohio, which commenced its session Dec. 3, 1821, passed the first efficient act, in relation to the building of canals, and the sessions of the general assembly in the winter of 1824-'25 passed the necessary laws to secure their building.

This law, for the purpose of giving to Ohio transportation for the product of its soil, laid the foundation of her future wealth and prosperity. It filled her waste places with a teeming population. It encouraged the farmer and the manufacturer. It opened an era of prosperity to the daily laborer, and brought to many of them comfortable homes. Then was a way opened for the transportation of the products of the soil, the mines, the mills and the workshops. It gave the State such a start in the forward march of progress and in the race for material wealth, that to-day, although the thirty-second in size of the forty- seven States and Territories, she ranks both in population and wealth the third state in the Union. Ohio had brainy men in her young days, and, better still, the working of those brains was given to the public good and to the advancement of the public welfare. This, as this day, is called progress, but it is the advance of the individual few at the expense of the many. Ohio now is supposed to be big enough and strong enough to carry out her future destiny without the aid of such unselfish patriots as the Cutlers, Putnams and Ewings of pioneer days.

The Ohio Canal.

This canal proved to be an important work, running through the State from north to south, having a length of 307 miles, from Cleveland, on Lake Erie, to Portsmouth, on the Ohio River. It did much to develop the resources of the country through which it runs, and proved an important auxiliary to the commercial importance of the capital city of Scioto County. The mineral products and the sandstone became valuable adjuncts to the productive wealth of the city of Portsmouth, while, from many miles above, came the farm products of the fertile Scioto Valley. The canal was commenced in 1825 and finished in 1832, within a period of seven years. Its cost was $5,000,000. There was now transportation and a market, and the valley of the Scioto at once sprang into importance as the most fertile and productive in canals of any in the State, and this product found a market at almost every important town on the line of the canal. Portsmouth became a shipping point for a large quantity of wheat, flour, corn, and the product of the hog, and the produce began to receive a price that was near its true value. Thus the farmer was encouraged to enlarge his fertile fields, the manufacturer to increase his productive capital, and men of enterprise, generally, to enlarge the scope of their business operations.

Then came the railroad era, and thus Ohio has progressed and held up to this day the advanced position she reached by the foresight of her early pioneers, which places her, although small, as third in rank in the Union, only being exceeded by New York and Pennsylvania, both of which have much greater landed area. Thus having shown the growth of the State generally some statistics are here given of the productions of the Lower Scioto Valley, the counties of Jackson, Pike and Scioto, for the decade between 1870 and 1880.

Conditions of Lands in the Lower Scioto Valley, by Counties, in 1880:

 Culiv'dPastureWood WasteTotal
LandAcresAcresAcres AcresAcres
Scioto………………64,71426,418 56,30922,743181,288
Jackson……………49,62596,342 46,90019,154212,021
Pike………………58,14340,502 72,6635,232177,263

Total value of Lands and Buildings in the Lower Scioto Valley, as returned by the State Board of Equalization in the years 1846, 1853, 1859, 1870 and 1880:

 18461853 185918701880
Scioto……………1,571,4942,423,293 3,138,4043,867,4653,821,889
Jackson…………1,047,2381,760,479 2,064,4782,367,1542,467,856
Pike………………1,389,0401,710,422 2,261,1822,909,8822,981,723

Miles of Railway in 1882.

Scioto County had in 1882 62 12-100 miles of railway within the county, valued or assessed at $408,542, upon which a tax was collected of $8,406.52 for the year 1882.

Jackson County had 87 23-100 miles of railway, the assessed valuation of which was given at $505,221, upon which a tax was levied for the year 1882 of $8,918.38.

Pike County showed a railway mileage of 40 12-100 miles, assessed at $258,549, on which a tax of $4,602.28 was collected in the year 1882.

Additional transportation facilities are found in Pike and Scioto counties in the passage of the Ohio Canal through their limits from north to south, near the center of the counties and the Scioto River.

Acreage of Wheat sown in the Lower Scioto Valley, and average sown per acre:

 1871.1873. 1875.1877.1880.
 Acres|Av.Acres|Av. Acres|Av.Acres|Av.Acres|Av.
Scioto4,831|8.877,277|10.08 9,401|5.979,327|9.7214,273|8.6
Jackson10,526|2.707,378|7.42 10,137|6.7810,763|6.7811,838|8.9
Pike8,346|4.988,135|11.92 8,516|3.88,887|10.8613,961|10.0

Production of Coal from the Lower Scioto Valley since 1870, given in bushels. Pike mined no coal.

 1870.1872. 1874.1876.1878. 1880.
Scioto………..17,300 No rep't5,087,22939,000 186,075
Jackson1,870,5252,557,995 2,058,389No rep't2,134,319 4,911,300

Population of the Lower Scioto Valley, by Counties:

 1810.1820. 1830.1840.1850. 1860.1870.1880. Square Miles.
Scioto3,3995,750 8,74011,19218,428 24,29429,30233,511 640
Jackson…….3,746 5,9419,74412,719 17,94121,75923,686 410
Pike…….4,253 6,0247,62610,953 13,64321,75917,927 470

Total number and value of County Buildings existing in the Lower Scioto Valley in 1880:

County NameNo.Value
Scioto5$100,000
Jackson359,250
Pike350,000

Cities, towns and villages in the Lower Scioto Valley by counties.-Population in 1880.

Scioto Co.Jackson Co.Pike Co.
Portsmouth…11,321Jackson….3,021 Piketon……665
Friendship………66Coalton……800 Waverly….1,539
Galena…………214Oak Hill…..646 Beaver………95
Harrisonville…..116Berlin……..216 Buchanan……71
Haverhill………..91Ellsworth…152 Byington…….50
Lucasville……..222Eurekaville…86 California…..177
Powellsville…….69Vega………..29 Cynthiana…..149
Sciotoville……..671Winchester…64 Idaho……….106
Webster……222Jasper……..181 Wheelersburg 422
Latham……..79Sharonville..173  

Acres of land, and the value of the real and personal property of the Lower Scioto Valley:

Scioto County, 1882.-Acres of land, 369,794: 
Value$4,132,310
Value of real estate in cities, towns and villages2,503,570
Value of chattel property4,172,867
 --------------
Total$10,808,747
  
Jackson County, 1882.-Acres of land, 258,059;  
value$2,531,001
Value of real estate in cities, towns and villages685,262
Value of chattel property2,104,422
 --------------
Total$5,320,685
  
Pike County, 1882.-Acres of land, 274,384;  
value$3,000,697
Value of real estate in cities, towns and villages506,142
Value of chattel property1,979,822
--------------
Total$5,486,661
Grand total$21,616,093

Governors.

From the organization of the first civil government in the Northwest Territory, of which the State of Ohio was a part, until the year 1884. Term-Two years.

NameCountyTerm
Arthur St. Clair1 1788-1802
Charles W. Byrd2Hamilton1802-1803
Edward Tiffin3Ross1803-1807
Thomas Kirker4Adams1807-1808
Samuel HuntingtonTrumbull1808-1810
Return Jonathan Meigs5Washington1810-1814
Othniel Looker*Hamilton1814
Thomas WorthingtonRoss1814-1818
Ethan Allen Brown6Hamilton1818-1822
Allen Trimble*Highland1822
Jeremiah MorrowWarren1822-1826
Allen TrimbleHighland1826-1830
Duncan McArthurRoss1830-1832
Robert LucasPike1832-1836
Joseph VanceChampaign1836-1838
Wilson ShannonBelmont1838-1840
Thomas CorwinWarren1840-1842
Wilson Shannon7Belmont1842-1844
Thomas W. Bartley*Richland1844
Mordecai BartleyRichland1844-1846
William BebbButler1846-1849
Seabury Ford8Geauga1849-1850
Reuben Wood9Cuyahoga1850-1853
William Medill10Fairfield1853-1856
Salmon P. ChaseHamilton1856-1860
William DennisonFranklin1860-1862
David TodMahoning1862-1864
John Brough11+Cuyahoga1864-1865
Charles Anderson+Montgomery1865-1866
Jacob D. CoxTrumbull1866-1868
Rutherford B. HayesHamilton1868-1872
Edward F. NoyesHamilton1872-1874
William AllenRoss1874-1876
Rutherford B. Hayes12Sandusky1876-1877
Thos. L. Young+Hamilton1877-1878
Richard M. BishopHamilton1878-1880
Charles FosterSeneca1880-1882
Charles FosterSeneca1882-1884
George HoadlyHamilton1884-1886

(Footnotes: 1) Arthur St. Clair, of Pennsylvania, was Governor of the Northwest Territory, of which Ohio was a part, from July 13, 1798, when the first civil government was established in the Territory, until about the close of the year 1802, when he was removed by the President.
2) Secretary of the Territory, and was acting Governor of the Territory after the removal of Governor St. Clair.
3) Resigned March 3,1807, to accept the office of United States Senator.
4) Return Jonathan Meigs was elected Governor on the second Tuesday of October, 1807, over Nathaniel Massie, who contested the election of Meigs on the ground "that he had not been a resident of this State for four years next preceding the election as required by the Constitution," and the General Assembly, in joint convention, decided that he was not eligible. The office was not given to Massie, nor does it appear from the records that he claimed it, but Thomas Kirker, acting Governor, continued to discharge the duties of the office until Dec. 12, 1808, when Samuel Huntington was inaugurated, he having been elected on the second Tuesday of October of that year.
5) Resigned March 25, 1814, to accept the office of Postmaster General of the United States.
6) Resigned Jan. 4, 1822, to accept the office of United States Senator.
7) Resigned April 13, 1844, to accept the office of Minister to Mexico.
8) The result of the election in 1848 was not finally determined in joint convention of the two Houses of the General Assembly until Jan. 19, 1849, and the inauguration did not take place until the 22d of that month.
9) Resigned July 15, 1853, to accept the office of Consul to Valpariso.
10) Elected in October, 1853, for the regular term, to commence on the second Monday of January, 1854.
11) Died Aug. 29, 1865.
12) Resigned March 2, 1877, to accept the office of President of the United States.
* Acting governor. Succeeded to office, being the Speaker of the Senate.
+ Acting governor. Succeeded to office, being the Lieutenant Governor.

Representatives-Scioto, Pike and Jackson Counties.

On the organization of the Territorial Government, William H. Harrison was elected the first Delegate to Congress, holding, had he not resigned, from 1799 to 1801. He having, however, been appointed to the office of Governor of the Territory of Indiana, which he accepted, he resigned, and William McMillan was appointed to fill his unexpired term. Both of these delegates were from Hamilton County. From 1801 to 1803 Paul Fearing was the Delegate who represented the State on the floor of Congress, and the last under its territorial form.

The State of Ohio.

Ohio having been admitted into the Union as a State, Jeremiah Morrow, of Warren County, was elected Representative from the State from 1803 to 1813, Ohio being entitled up to that time but to one Representative. He therefore was the Representative of this valley, as well as all other parts of the State. In the year 1813, the State having been divided into six congressional districts, this section was called the third, and Duncan McArthur became the first Representative, having been elected in October, 1812. Mr. McArthur resigned April 5, 1813, and William Creighton, Jr., was appointed to fill his unexpired term. Mr. Creighton, Jr., also resigned, he resignation dating from Dec. 14, 1814. No appointment was made or election held to fill the vacancy so far as any records show, and the session of 1814-'15 was without a Representative after Creighton left. Mr. Creighton, Jr., was the Congressman elect for the succeeding Congress, the fourteenth at the time of his resignation, and took his seat at that Congress. Thus it is found that from 1815 to 1823, the following served as Congressmen: 1815-'17, William Creighton, Jr., of Ross County; 1817-'19 Levi Barber, Washington County; 1819-'21, Henry Brush, Ross County; 1821-'23 Levi Barber, Washington County. The census of 1820 necessitated a new organization of districts, as under that census Ohio was allotted fourteen members of Congress.

Reappointment.

In the organization of districts the three counties embraced in this work were placed in the Seventh District, composed of Scioto, Pike, Jackson, Meigs, Gallia, Lawrence, Athens and Washington counties, and from 1823 to 1833 were represented by Samuel F. Vinton, of Gallia County. Under the census of 1830, Ohio increased her representatives from fourteen to nineteen, and a new adjustment of districts became necessary. The three counties were still in the Seventh District which had, however, been relieved of a portion of its territory, and was composed of Scioto, Pike, Jackson, Ross and Fayette counties. The district was represented from 1833-'35, by William Allen, of Ross County; 1835- '41, William Key Bond, of Ross County; 1841-'43, William Russell, of Scioto County. The census of 1840 gave Ohio twenty-two members of Congress, and District Eight was composed of Adams, Scioto, Pike, Jackson and Ross counties, represented 1843-'45, by John J. Van Meter, of Pike County; 1845-'47, Allen G. Thurman, of Ross County; 1847- '53, John L. Taylor, of Ross County.

From 1853 to 1863 Ross, Pike, Scioto, Lawrence, Jackson and Gallia counties were in the Tenth District, represented as follows: 1853-'55, John L. Taylor, of Ross County; 1855-'57, Oscar F. Moore, of Scioto County; 1857-'59, Joseph Miller, of Ross County; 1859-'63, Carey A. Trimble, of Ross County. From this date Pike County has been in another congressional district from Scioto and Jackson, but the districts and counties in which they are now, and have been placed since the census of 1860, is given, the counties of Scioto and Jackson following first and Pike the last.

Eleventh District, 1863 to 1873-Adams, Gallia, Vinton, Jackson, Scioto and Lawrence counties: 1863-'65, Wells A. Hutchins, Scioto County; 1865-'67, Hezekiah S. Bundy, Jackson County; 1867-'73, John T. Wilson, Adams County.

Eleventh District, 1873 to 1883-Hocking, Vinton, Gallia, Jackson, Scioto and Lawrence counties: 1873-'75, Hezekiah S. Bundy, Jackson County; 1875-'77, John L. Vance, Gallia County; 1877-'83, Henry S. Neal, Lawrence County.

Eleventh District, 1883 to 1893-Adams, Scioto, Lawrence, Gallia, Jackson and Vinton counties: 1883-'85, J. W. McCormack, Gallia County.

Twelfth District, 1863 to 1873-Fairfield, Hocking, Perry, Pickaway, Ross and Pike counties: 1865-'67, William E. Finck, Perry County; 1867-'73, Philadelph Van Trump, Fairfield County.

Seventh District, 1873 to 1883-Adams, Brown, Highland, Ross and Pike counties: 1873- '77, Lawrence T. Neal, Ross County; 1877-'81, Henry L. Dickey, Highland; 1881-'83, John P. Leedom, Adams County.

Twelfth District, 1883 to 1893-Brown, Highland, Clinton, Fayette, Ross and Pike counties: 1883-'85, Alphonso Hart, Highland County.

State Senators-Scioto County.

With Adams County-1804-'8, Thomas Kirker. With Gallia County-1808-'12, J. P. R. Bureau; 1812-'13, Thomas Rogers; 1813-'14, Louis Summers; 1814-'16, Robert Lucas. With Pike, Jackson and Gallia-1816-'17, Robert Lucas. With Pike, Jackson, Lawrence and Gallia-1817-'20, Robert Lucas. With Pike and Lawrence-1820-'22, Robert Lucas; 1822-'24, William Kendall; 1824-'28, Robert Lucas. With Pike, Jackson and Lawrence- 1828-'29, William Kendall; 1829-'30, Robert Lucas. With Pike and Jackson-1830-'32, David Mitchell. With Pike, Jackson and Lawrence-1832-'34, John James; 1834-'36, William Kendall. With Adams and Brown-1836-37, John Patterson; 1837-'39, Charles White; 1839-'41, John Glover. With Lawrence and Gallia-1841-'43, Simeon Nash; 1843- '45, Moses Gregory. With Jackson, Lawrence and Gallia-1845-'47, J. J. Coombs; 1847- '49, William Kendall. With Adams, Pike and Lawrence-1849-'51, William Salter. With Pike, Jackson and Adams-New Constitution-1852-'54, Oscar F. Moore; 1854-'56, Thomas McCanshire; 1856-'58, H. S. Bundy; 1858-'60, George Corwin; 1860-'62, William Newman; 1863-'64, Benjamin F. Coates; 1864-'68, John J. Wilson; 1868-'72, James Emmitt; 1872-'78, I. T. Monahan; 1878-'80, Irvine Dungan; 1880-'82, John R. Pollard.

Pike County.

With Ross County-1815-'16, James Dunlap and Benjamin Hough. With Scioto-1816- '36. With Ross and Jackson-1836-'37, David Crouse; 1837-'39, John J. Van Meter; 1839-'41, John Hough. With Jackson, Ross and Hocking-1841-'43, Allen Latham; 1843- '45, John Crouse, Jr. With Ross and Hocking-1845-'46, John Madeira. With Adams and Highlands-1846-'47, Tilberry Reid; 1847-'49, J. R. Emrie. With Scioto since 1849.

Jackson County.

With Scioto County-1816-'20. With Meigs and Gallia-1820-'22, Daniel Womeldorf; 1822-'24, George House; 1824-'24, Daniel Womeldorf; 1826-'28, George House. With Scioto-1828-'49. With Gallia, Athens and Meigs-1849-'52, Horace S. Horton. With Scioto since 1852.

Representatives-Scioto County.

1803-'4, Dr. Thomas Waller; 1804-'5, David McKinney. With Adams-1805-'6, Daniel Collier, Abraham Shepherd and Phillip Lewis; 1806-'7, A. Shepherd, James Scott and Phillip Lewis, Jr.; 1807-'8, Alex. Campbell, Andrew Ellison and P. Lewis, Jr.; 1808-'9, Robert Lucas; 1809-'12, Daniel McKinney, Sr.; 1812-'14, William Kendall; 1814-'16, David Mitchell; 1816-'19, Ezra Osborn. With part of Lawrence-1819-'20, David Mitchell. With Lawrence and Pike-1820-'21, David Mitchell and William Miller; 1821- '22, Robert Lucas, 1822-'24, John Barnes, John Davidson; 1824-'25, William Collins, John Lucas; 1825-'26, William Kendall; 1826-'27, John Davidson, Isaac Bonsor; 1827- '28, Isaac Bonsor, contested, given to Samuel Crull. With Lawrence-1828-'30, Joseph Davidson; 1830-'32, James Rogers; 1832-'33, William Carpenter; 1833-'34, Edward Hamilton; 1834-'35, William Miller. Alone-1835-'36, William Miller. With Adams and Brown-1836-'37, John Glover, James Loudon; 1837-'38, William Kendall, Nelson Barrere; 1838-'40, Joseph Leedom, John H. Blair. With Gallia and Lawrence-1840-'41, Daniel Young; 1841-'42, Moses Gregory; 1842-'43, Hiram Campbell; 1843-'44, Joseph J. Coombs. With Lawrence-1844-'45, William Oldfield; 1845-'46, Timothy R. Stanley; 1846-'47, John A. Tarley; 1847-'48, Elias Nigh; 1848-'49, Joshua Hambleton; 1849-'50, James Rogers; 1850-'51, Oscar F. Moore. New Constitution-1852-'54, Wells A. Hutchins; 1854-'56, Samuel J. Huston; 1856-'58, Daniel McFarland; 1858-'60, James B. Ray; 1860-'62, John W. Collins; 1862-'64, Martin Crain; 1864-'68, Elijah Glover; 1872- '74, J. C. Malone; 1874-'76, George Johnson; 1876-'78, J. T. Sellards; 1878-'80, R. H. Hayman; 1880-'82, Amos B. Cole.

Pike County.

With Jackson County-1816-'18, Jared Strong; 1818-'19, William Givins; 1819-'20, Jared Strong. With Scioto-1820-'28. With Jackson-1828-'29, Alex. Miller; 1829-'31, John Barnes; 1831-'32, Robert Lucas; 1832-'33, George Burris; 1833-'34, John Barnes; 1834-'35, John Burnside, 1835-'36, David Mitchell. With Jackson and Ross-1836-'37, Daniel Ott, James Hughes, J. J. Van Meter; 1837-'38, James Hughes, Daniel Ott; 1838- '39, James Hughes and Abraham Hegler. With Jackson and Ross-1839-'40, Elihu Johnson, Samuel Reed. With Ross, Hocking and Jackson-1840-'41, J. T. Worthington, John Stimson, Joseph Kaler; 1841-'42, LeGrand Byington, John James, Daniel Karshner; 1842-'43, LeGrand Byington, Elihu Johnson, William Nelson; 1843-'44, Wesley Claypool, Joseph Kaler, Asa R. Cassiday. With Adams-1844-'45, J. M. Britton; 1845- '46, Daniel Cockerill; 1846-'47, J. P. Bloomhuff; 1847-'48, Amos Covine; 1848-'49, Daniel Cockerill; 1849-'50, Jacob Taylor; 1850-'51, J. W. Smith. New Constitution- 1852-'56, Edward R. Allen; 1856-'58, John Anderson; 1858-'60, J. J. Green; 1860-'62, S. W. Shaw; 1862-'64, Thomas Wilson; 1864-'66, James Jones; 1866-'68, Aaron Ferneau; 1868-'70, Isaac C. Penneston (died), Isaac Austill; 1870-'74, Isaac Austill; 1874-'76, J. B. Ray; 1876-'80, J. W. Washburn; 1880-'82, Alfred Moore.

Jackson County.

With Pike County-1816-'20. With Gallia and Meigs-1820-'21, George House, R. G. Hanna; 1821-'22, Daniel Womeldorf; 1822-'23, J. W. Ross, Jared Strong; 1824-'25, J. W. Ross, David Mitchell; 1825-'26, J. W. Ross, Samuel Holcomb; 1826-'27, Daniel Hoffman, Stephen Strong; 1827-'28, Andrew Donnelly, George Burris. With Pike-1828- '44. With Gallia-1844-'4'23, J. W. Ross, Jared Strong; 1824-'25, J. W. Ross, David Mitchell; 1825-'26, J. W. Ross, Samuel Holcomb; 1826-'27, Daniel Hoffman, Stephen Strong; 1827-'28, Andrew Donnelly, George Burris. With Pike-1828-'44. With Gallia- 1844-'45, J. J. Coombs; 1845-'46, Martin Owens; 1846-'47, Alex. Poor; 1847-'48, A. T. Holcomb; 1848-'49, H. S. Bundy. With Gallia, Athens and Meigs-1849-'50, A. T. Holcomb; 1850-'51, H. S. Bundy. New Constitution, with Vinton-1852-'54, D. D. T. Hard; 1854-'56, W. J. Evans; 1856-'58, E. F. Bingham; 1858-'60, Robert B. Stephenson (resigned), W. L. Edminston; 1860-'62, Alex. Pierce. Alone-1862-'64, Isaac Roberts; 1864-'68, James Tripp; 1868-'70, Levi Dungan; 1870-'72, W. S. Williams (died), T. L. Hughes; 1872-'74, Bernard Kahn; 1874-'76, T. J. Harrison; 1876-'78, A. B. Monahan; 1878-'80, A. B. Monahan (died), J. B. Paine; 1880-'82, J. B. Paine.

Common Pleas Court.

District No. 7, Sub-division No. 2—Scioto, Pike Jackson, Lawrence and Vinton Counties 1852-'58, Wm. V. Peck, Portsmouth; Simeon Nash, Henry C. Whitman; 1858-'67, W. W. Johnson, Ironton; John P. Plyley, McArthur; 1868, J. P. Plyley, Henry A. Towne; 1870, W. W. Johnson, J. P. Plyley; 1871, J. J. Harper, Portsmouth; W. W. Johnson; 1872- '73, J. J. Harper, W. K. Hastings, Jackson; 1874-'77, J. J. Harper, Portsmouth; Porter Du Hadway, Jackson; James Tripp, Jackson, added in 1878; 1879-'80, J. J. Harper, James Tripp; 1881-'83, A. C. Thompson, Portsmouth; James Tripp.

Election of 1840.

In the early days election days were a sort of holiday. The voters went early, took their guns along and proposed to have a good time, shooting at a mark being one of their festive pastimes. County elections did not produce much excitement; it was the State election or the presidential years which called forth the true patriotic fervor in those pioneer days of song and story.

It was genuine enthusiasm, too; there was nothing sordid about it. They went in to win on their side, and until the polls closed they kept the ball rolling lively. When the battle of the ballot ended the victors were cheered and the slain decently interred, to be resurrected, perhaps, at some future day.

Presidential Campaign.

There have been many exciting presidential campaigns in this country, but to the old men of to day there has never been an election that could at all compare with that of 1840. And in this must be given the palm for fun, frolic and intense patriotism to the men of other days. It was a campaign of barbeques, picnics and processions of merry song and patriotic utterances. Money, indeed, was used in the times of long ago, but instead of a bribe to the individual voter to corrupt and degrade him, as now, no such thought entered the minds of the leaders in those good old days. The money went for music by the band, a roast ox and a "little more cider, too." There was a feast of reason, a flow of soul, and principles were fought for and not spoils.

The year 1840 will ever be memorable in the political history of our country. Jackson had carried out his plans to destroy the power of the United States Bank, which was using its vast resources to corrupt the people's representatives, to secure a renewal of its charter, and become a power potent for evil in the future of the country. Having accomplished this, he retired, and Martin Van Buren became his successor. Finances, however, had become deranged, and every effort of those who had felt the power of Jackson's policy was willingly put forth to effect the downfall of Van Buren's administration, by fair means or foul. The financial panic of 1837 was the golden opportunity of the Whig party, and they availed themselves of it. The cry of hard times was echoed and re-echoed throughout the land, and it was no false cry. Wildcat banks had come into being in place of the old United States Bank, and when the pressure came they were unable to stem the tide of bankruptcy and ruin, of which indeed they were the most potent cause, and which then swept over the country with the force and destructive power of a cyclone, carrying desolation in its path. The bank's circulation being principally secured by bonds and mortgages, and real-estate rapidly depreciating, these banks went down before the financial storm like leaves in an autumnal gale. The financial crash of 1837 told fearfully and with terrible effect in the East, where the bulk of the voting population was then found; but while west of the Mississippi the vote was light, and the country sparsely settled, yet the West was as enthusiastic as any other portion of the country and went into the campaign with the greatest fervor and delight. The distress all over the country was great, and a presidential campaign came to hand before the people could recover. Not only were the friends of the United States Bank and the old Whig party solid, but the story was added that Van Buren's administration was one of wild prodigality, and that the cabinet was an aristocratic court that vied in follies and extravagance the worst courts of Europe. This was a harp of a thousand strings, and every string seemed to send forth a wail of horror over the reckless waste of this Democratic administration. From this came the grand campaign of "Log cabin and hard cider," that of 1840. The old pioneer dotes on that campaign, and memory brightens as its vivid scenes are recalled to mind.

In 1840, as before remarked, the people still suffered from the hard times brought on by the financial disaster of 1837; hard work had not yet drawn them out of the slough of bankruptcy, and the promised relief from congressional action had also failed. So the story of trials and sufferings was told in son and carried everything before it.

The log-cabin feature touched the hearts of the people, for of such were their homes, and the songs had the effect of clinching reason and fancy, and securing their votes. "For Tippecanoe and Tyler, too, for Van, Van, is a used up man," was a chorus that rang out with a heartiness that boded no good to the Democracy.

It was claimed that the destruction of the old United States Bank and the extravagance of Van Buren's administration had brought on the disastrous financial panic of 1837 and all the evils which followed, and that "Old Tippecanoe," Wm. Henry Harrison, who was not only a soldier boy, but a farmer, would give the country a farmer's administration, which meant economy and good times.

The Whigs had decidedly the best of the fight, and the campaign was simply "immense," with its grand barbecues, speeches, processions and songs. The charge of lavished expenditures of Van Buren was harped upon with wonderful effect, and many songs were composed and sung of the way he spent the people's money in high and aristocratic living.

The Democrats, however, were not idle; they saw the storm and prepared to meet it with counter charges, and the same kind of ammunition, but the disaffection of Van Buren and his traitor host caused their banner to trail in the dust.

The election came off, and the songs "Log Cabins" and "A Little More Cider, Too," did the business. "Old Tip" was elected, and "Tyler, Too," and the people once more settled down to quiet life.

But if you want to put life and snap in the voice and limbs of the old pioneer on an election theme, strike the key note, the year 1840. His eyes will brighten, his limbs will straighten, and his voice will ring out with a bell-like clearness, as he tells you of that greatest and best of political campaigns ever held in this country. The contrast to the bright glow and honesty of the one party, all working together for success, and the dark and damning treachery which haunted and followed the other with a black and frowning brow, was significant of the result. Treachery had done its evil work, and done it well. He who had received honors and emoluments at the hands of his party and the people, became a traitor and a renegade, and so Van Buren sank out of sight, the dark pall of oblivion covering him with a mantle of shame. "Salt River" became household words, and many people actually believed that a vessel had taken the Democratic candidates on a voyage up that beautiful (?) and historic stream. Harrison was deserving of his country's honor, and though General Cass may have been better versed in statecraft, yet if Harrison had lived, the country would never had suffered.

Such a campaign as that of 1840 at this day would be a farce. There is too much bargain and sale. It would not chime in with an innocent song, for there is very little innocence in the elections of later years. Principles have had little to do with elections. Highsounding words, plenty of promises,-to be broken, capital to the front, labor to the rear, monopolies triumphant and rolling in wealth, the people to live a pauper life, with the heritage of unceasing work fastened upon their limbs. This is the present outlook for the people, taken from a party standpoint, who love them so dearly and well. So the old pioneer revels in the times of long ago, and he is not far out of the way. Those days were as full of wrangling and bitterness as those of the present, but it was a square fight for principles only. Money was not the mighty power which controlled past elections. It did not rule Congress, purchase Legislatures, or elect Presidents. It had the will to do it, but its representative, the United States Bank, lay bleeding at the feet of the people, where it had been laid by the iron will and mailed hand of their lion-hearted President. The Lower Scioto Valley played her part in this election, and polled her vote for the "Hero of Tippecanoe."

Henry Clay, of Kentucky, was the leader of the Whig party, and he was made the target of a good deal of Democratic thunder. The songs were not all on one side, not by any means; but the charge of royalty was the winning card of the Whigs. However, the Democrats got off a good many songs against Clay and his party, and a verse is here given to show the tactics of the Democracy:

"There's Harry Clay, a man of doubt,
Who wires in and wires out;
And you cannot tell when he's on the track,
Whether he's going on or coming back."
 


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