Ohio Counties
Adams
Historical Collections of Ohio
By Henry Howe
Vol. II
©1888
MADISON COUNTY
Page 164
MADISON COUNTY
was organized in March, 1810, and named from James Madison, the fourth
President of the United States. The soil
is clayey, and the surface level. Almost
one-third of the surface is prairie land. It
is largely a stock-raising county.
Area about 470 square miles. In
1887 the acres cultivated were 106,169; in pasture, 97,489; woodland, 19,118; produce in wheat, 429,299 bushels; rye, 2,763;
buckwheat, 755; oats, 103,205; barley, 720; corn, 2,288,745; broom corn, 34,000
lbs. brush; meadow hay, 20,910 tons; clover hay, 3,083; potatoes, 19,544 bushels; butter, 377,235 lbs.; cheese; .600;
sorghum, 474 gallons; maple sugar, 300 lbs.;
honey, 3,752 lbs.; eggs, 460,915 dozen;
grapes, 18,100 lbs.; wine, 50 gallons; apples, 3,565 bushels; peaches, 334; pears, 383; wool, 362,386 lbs.; milch cows owned, 4,540; stallions, 108. School census, 1888, 6,046;
teachers, 169. Miles of railroad
track, 53.
|
Township And Census |
1840 |
1880 |
|
Township And Census |
1840 |
1880 |
|
Canaan, |
607 |
896 |
|
Paint, |
|
1,429 |
|
Darby, |
466 |
1,126 |
|
Pike, |
529 |
548 |
|
Deer Creek, |
345 |
910 |
|
Pleasant, |
936 |
1,433 |
|
Fairfield, |
505 |
1,653 |
|
Range, |
820 |
1,884 |
|
Jefferson, |
|
2,301 |
|
Somerford, |
761 |
958 |
|
Monroe, |
385 |
650 |
|
Stokes, |
770 |
1,285 |
|
Oak Run, |
|
613 |
|
Union, |
1,350 |
4,443 |
Population of Madison in 1820 was 4,799; 1830, 6,191;
1840, 9,025; 1860, 13,015; 1880, 20,129, of whom 16,398 were born in Ohio; 754, Virginia; 397,
Pennsylvania; 273, Kentucky; 196, New York; 90, Indiana; 917, Ireland; 195,
German Empire; 103, England and Wales; 37,
British America; 11, Scotland; 7, France. Census of
1890; 20,057.
This county is
a high table land between the Miami and Scioto rivers. The railroad surveys show
London to be 389 feet higher than Columbus. Early
in the century about half the surface was
covered with water. Ponds were numerous,
the resort, of cranes, ducks and other water-fowl. The land was then considered worthless; by cleaning and draining
it has become highly valuable.
About half the county is clay soil. Sheep, swine and bulls are largely raised. Formerly the farms were
very large, going sometimes into thousands of acres. By deaths and the
subsequent divisions of estates they are rapidly diminishing. The larger farms
are generally sub-let to tenants, largely Irish, who are generally thrifty.
Deer Creek, in
this county, was so called by the Indians, because of the many deer that used
to frequent it to eat the moss that grew
plentifully upon its banks. It was considered by the Indians the best
hunting-ground for deer in this whole region of country.
The first court
in this county was held in a cabin, Judge THOMPSON, of Chillicothe, presiding. The grand jury retired to deliberate to an oak
and hazel thicket that stood near. The
principal business, for the first year or two, was to try men for fighting.
London in 1816.—London, the county-seat, is twenty-five miles westerly from
Columbus. It was laid off in 1810 or ‘11,
as seat of justice by Patrick McLENE, by order
of the commissioners; and by the autumn of 1812 had six or eight
Page 165
families. The view shows on the left the court house, and in the distance the academy. London
contains 1 Presbyterian and 1 Methodist church,
a classical academy, 1 newspaper printing office, 8 stores, and by the census of 1840 its’on was
297.-Old Edition
LONDON,
county-seat of Madison, twenty-five miles west
of Columbus, and five miles northeast of Cincinnati, is on the P. C.
& St. L. and I. B. & W., Railroads. The county is a rich agricultural district, and London is a wheat-shipping centre
and famous for its cattle sales.
County Officers, 1888: Auditor, William C. WARD; Clerk, M. Francler DUNN; Commissioners,
William E. BEALS, Alfred C, WILLETT, John P. BOWERS;
Coroner, Daniel T. FOX; Infirmary Directors, Patrick McGUIRE, James C. Peck, Valentine
WILSON, Jr.; Probate Judge, Oliver
P. CRABB; ; Prosecuting Attorney, Corwin LOCKE; Recorder,
Samuel TRUMPER; Sheriff, John T. VENT; Surveyor,
William REEDER; Treasurer, William M. JONES.
City Officers, 1888: Geo. H. HAMILTON,
Mayor; W. M. FEGUSON, Clerk; Charles MAGUIRE, Marshal; John E. LOTSPIECH, Chief
Fire Department. Newspapers: Enterprise, Republican, John WALLACE, editor; Madison County Democrat, Democratic, M. L. BRYAN, editor and publisher; Times, Republican, CARSON & GUNSAULUS, editors and publishers; Vigilant, Prohibitionist, F. A. TAYLOR, editor. Churches: 1 Methodist Episcopal,
1 Baptist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 African Methodist Episcopal, 1 Catholic, 1
Episcopal and 1 Lutheran. Banks: Central, Thos. J. STUTSON, president, William
FARRAR, cashier; London Exchange, Robert BOYD president, A. C. WATSON, cashier;
Madison National, Stephen WATSON, president, B. F. CLARK, cashier.
Manufactures
and Employees—G. W.
Shank, handles, 32 hands; J. B. Vanwagner, grain elevator, 3 ; F. PLACIER, flour and feed, 5
; Wm. M. Jones & Sons, carriages and buggies, 12; William Holland,
carriages and buggies, 17; E. R. Florence, washing machines, etc., 7 ; E. J.. Gould, doors, sash, etc., 6.—State Report, 1888. Population in 1880, 3,067. School census, 1888, 1,048;
school superintendent, J. W. MacKINNON. Capital
invested in industrial establishments. $49,000. Census, 1890, 3,292.
THE LONDON LIVE-STOCK SALES
BY HON. JOHN F. LOCKE.
The live-stock
sales at London, Madison county, Ohio, have justly
obtained a wide distinction throughout the Central and Western States among
cattle and horse-dealers. For many years prior to 1856 Madison county had been especially a
grazing country, where large herds of cattle were raised and shipped to the
eastern markets. There were many large farms, and all their owners were engaged, more or less, in raising, buying
and selling cattle. Early in the year
1856 a few of the leading cattle-dealers met in London for the purpose of
arranging for monthly sales to occur in London, where buyers and sellers could
more conveniently be brought together, and purchases and sales be more easily
effected. It was agreed to hold the first
sale on the first Tuesday in March, 1856,
and thereafter on the first Tuesday of each and every month.
The first
sale was accordingly held on the first Tuesday of March, 1856, and they have continued as regularly as the first
Tuesday of the month came, from that day until
the present, a period of over thirty years. But
four sales have been missed the July sale, 1863,
when the “fall of Vicksburg” was celebrated; the October
sale, 1863, being election day, and a very exciting one, being in the
celebrated Vallandigham campaign; the July sale,
1865, being the Fourth of July, in celebration of the “downfall of the
rebellion,” and the September sale, 1868, on account of the “cattle
plague.” The sales were begun
without organization, and have continued
to run without organization or officers ever since. They have been controlled by no ring, and in no interests but the
interests of buyers and purchasers alike.
Page 166
Top Picture
Drawn
by Henry Howe in 1846.
VIEW IN LONDON.
The Court-House is shown on the left, the Academy on
the right in the distance.
Bottom Picture
O. C. Hule, Photo, London,
1887
VIEW IN LONDON
The Court-House is on the left, on the site of that
above.
Page 167
The method of their operations is simple. On the day before the sale, and often on the day of the sale, various droves of cattle may be seen coming on the several roads to London.