John McLandburgh

File contributed to Ohio Biographies Project by:
Linda Isenbarg
22 September 2000

History of Ross and Highland Counties Ohio
Biographical Sketches
Page 210-212
Williams Bros., Publishers
W. W. Williams, Printer, Cleveland, Ohio
1880

JOHN McLANDBURGH

John McLandburgh, another of the pioneer merchants of Chillicothe, was like a majority of the early traders, a native of Scotland. He was born in Kirkcudbright County, town of New Galloway, October 1767. After the close of the war of the Revolution, the old world, we may well believe, was filled with the fame of the rapidly opening avenues to enterprise and wealth in the new, and John McLandburgh, like many more of his young countrymen, decided to join the tide setting so strongly toward the west. And well was it for them, and for the great west; for many realized their dream of great achievement in new fields, and the influence of the sons of Scotia has been an important factor in her rapid progress toward greatness.

Mr. McLandburgh arrived at Philadelphia in 1794, just at the time when Wayne's great victory, followed by the treaty of Greenville, was opening the Northwestern Territory to the thousands that, in less than eight years, converted the wilderness into a State, with its constitution, and a first magistrate selected from the pioneers of Chillicothe. Remaining in Pennsylvania until 1799, and doubtless with that thrift which is a national characteristic, adding to his means to enter upon a new career under the most favorable auspices, he, in that year, was ready to resume his progress toward the Eldorado of his hopes. In February of the same year, he was united in marriage with Margaret Young, who, though a native of Pennsylvania, was of Scottish parentage; and, in the next autumn, after a journey of several weeks, performed partly on horseback and partly by flatboat, then the fashionable modes of transit, they arrived in Chillicothe.

Here Mr. McLandburgh opened a stock of goods, and commenced a business, which continued through half a century. His mercantile operations seem to have been prosperous in an unusual degree. Possessed of most unswerving integrity and kindness of heart, he secured the confidence of all with whom he dealt, and steady profits resulted from his varied business transactions. In 1814, his health failing, he was induced to visit the Blue Lick springs, Kentucky, for the benefit of the water. Extracts from letters written from that place and elsewhere, show the man, mentally and morally, and also the times in which they were written, with a vividness scarcely to be attained by many pages from the hand of another, and therefore their insertion is due to the memory of the writer of the letters, and to the readers of this sketch. The extracts let us somewhat into the manners of Kentucky watering places of the olden time, and also gives glimpses of business methods in Ohio, prior to canals and railroads.

To his wife, then in Pennsylvania, he writes from Chillicothe, December 3, 1802.

"The people in the country are not as sickly as last year; but in the town it is as bad as ever. Finley and wife have been very ill. Joseph Tiffin has lost his wife, and has been sick himself. Dr. Scott has been lying apparently at the point of death all the fall. Mrs. Kirkpatrick has lost two children. Mrs. Paton died a few weeks after her son. Rev. Mr. Steele arrived yesterday, having left Rev. Mr. Bishop and wife at old Mr. McCoy's. Mr. Steele will preach, on the Sabbath, on Kinnikinnick. Mr. Bishop is in town. Dr. Edmiston is married in Kentucky, and Mr. Dorcy expects him and lady in a few days."

"December27th.--There is little news since my last. Joseph Tiffin is still sick, and is thought dangerous. This is a very sickly country, and will continue so, let them say what they will. * * * The election will take place to-morrow two weeks. There are fifteen setting up for the house of representatives--but they will not all get it. Dr. Tillin will be governor. * * This has been as hard a winter as I have seen. Last Thursday the frost was so intense as to congeal wine. I saw it in Mr. McFarland's store."

"McConnelsburgh, February 25, 1906.
My, Dear:--This evening we arrived here in good health. I wrote you a hasty letter from Pittsburgh, informing you of our arrival there, and of the badness of the roads and the weather. We rested one day at Pittsburgh; and came on pretty well to Greensburgh; but, unfortunately, I got the old horse foundered. Yesterday morning he could scarce move. I pushed him on for about ten miles, until I came up with Mr. Carlisle and the rest of the party, and then I bid them adieu. Mr. Carlisle was not for leaving me, but I pressed him, as he could do me no good, and he was to hurry all he could. This was at Strattler's on the top of the Alleghany mountains. Well , I was fixed in this manner, alone on the top of the mountain, with a horse that could not step two inches at once. But I did not lose heart. I stripped off my coat, overalls, etc., and drove him before me until I got over the mountain, when I met a man who took me out of the road three miles, where I swapped the horse for a little tacky of a mare, worth about thirty-five dollars. I was obliged to do it or lose time, which just now I prefer to money. About two hours before sundown, I started with the little mare, got to Bedford before supper, and overtook my company. I do not know how the mare will do, but there is one thing I know, I will never again start on an old wagon horse, if I can find a better. As for myself, I was never better on the journey, only my legs and feet are very sore with walking so far yesterday. Remember my love to my dear Jenny."

"Philadelphia, 21st April, 1809.
"My Dear:--Yesterday afternoon I arrived in this place in good health, but very much fatigued by riding in the stage. It goes in two days from Chambersburgh to this place--the first day, eighty-four miles; the next, sixty-two. I got a chance to send my horse back from Carlisle to my brother's, where it will be kept until my return. All things considered, I have made a good journey. We may say that it was only twelve days' traveling. We have just hit the time for coming to the city. Owing to news from England, goods have fallen very much in the past six days. India goods only are high. This city exceeds Baltimore in size and beauty. * * * * My love to the children. If Jenny is a good girl, some time I may bring her to see this fine city. I will write to you before we leave, and hope to hear from you at Carlisle. I commit you to the providence of a good God."

"Philadelphia, 2d March, 1811.
* * * "I have nearly completed my purchases, but the goods are not yet packed. Indeed, I am not so pushing as I would be, had I not strong hope that carriage would soon fall. It is now six dollars (per hundred) but next week it is expected at five, or five an a half. Wool and cotton cards are not to be had in the city. I have procured a box of each from a gentleman who has been at New York. English goods very low in general. Of calicoes I have the best in market for twenty-five cents. I have this day insured our house at the high rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per hundred. Indeed I could scarce get it done at all. They say we are as bad as a cask of powder. I also insured Mr. Fullerton's at two per cent., owing to the printing office being kept in it. I also insured the type for Nashee & Denny. I was stirred up to insure, as there was a very great fire last night in the city. There were three large brick houses and two frame, with one store-house, burned to the ground. When I inform you that three pocket-books have been lost since I came to this house, and money in them to the amount of two thousand dollars, you will rejoice with me that I have escaped. Indeed, this is getting to be a second London. Mr. McCracken was among the sufferers. The wagons take twenty-eight days at present. I expect the roads to be very bad. I have bought arms for your sons. As we are like to have war, it is fit we have soldiers."

In the year 1814 Mr. McLandburgh, accompanied by his beautiful little daughter Jennie, born in 1800, afterward Mrs. Ramsey, visited the Blue Lick springs. The journey, like the wedding tour of the wee lady's mother, was made on horseback.

"Upper Blue Lick, Monday morning, 20th July, 1814.
We arrived here on Friday, about one o'clock. Our journey was as good as I could expect. I stood it pretty well and began to drink the water on the next morning. I cannot say how it may do, but have little hope that it will be of much advantage, with regard to my worst disorder, which affects my heart. It still continues, and does not appear to be affected by anything I take. What with the fatigue and weakening effects of the water, I am nothing increased in strength. The Springs is but little impregnated with salt. When it was wrought, it took nine hundred gallons for the bushel. It is very clear and pretty hot to the hand. The Springs is a fine place for the half-savage, whole-heathen Kentuckian, to spend the Sabbath. Hundreds of men, women, children, horses, and cows, gather here to drink the water, swim in the river, run races, get drunk and fight. This is the common report, and almost the whole of it was visible to me yesterday."

"Philadelphia, February 22, 1819.
"Dear J.:--* * * * For our part, we are just as much at our ease as is possible. We are in our ordinary health, and every night abroad among our friends, kindly entertained. Indeed, I am somewhat suspicious that from the high company a certain lady is keeping, a piece of vanity is likely to show itself,. It would take you some time to count the plaits, the drawings, the fringes, the trimmings, of a fine black dress that I discovered in my room this evening, with a note pinned to it and addressed to Mrs. McL----. And that is not all; a cap--yes, a cap! whose crown would hold a peck of potatoes, and juts on the top like the knobs on the back of the sea serpent. And this is to adorn the head of your revered mother. But youth must be indulged. I intend filling this sheet myself, for if I was to show what I have written and leave any blank paper, I have little doubt you would get word of certain fine articles of dress not in my portmanteau when I left home, and particularly of a bell-crowned hat, just the dandy. But it would gratify revenge, and I can't leave any space for it. But hush, your mother was at -no-yes, I will out with it; it's too good to keep-she was at the theatre and saw the play! I have a fine stick over her head now, when anything comes crossways, nothing to do but ask "How did you like the play? But you must keep all secrets, "For it is hard to sit in Rome and strive with the Pope." (Is not this exquisite playfulness?)

In 1821 Mr. Landburgh fell a victim to the malarial fever which prevailed for successive seasons throughout the Scioto valley. At the time of his death, his sons were too young to take charge of the business, and but for the remarkable degree of energy and self-reliance developed by the hardships and trials incident to pioneer life, by the wife who had not hesitated to make her home in the wilderness, the business must have been closed, and years of profitable trade foregone. But Mrs. McLandburgh was a woman of more that ordinary endowments, and her affairs were managed with great prudence and skill. In 1828, with the prospect of advantage to her family, she removed to Pittsburgh, and finally to Phhiladelphia, where her sons were completing their education.

After an absence of five years, Mrs. McLandburgh returned to Chillicothe, in 1833, where she continued to reside until her death, in 1869. Her residence in this city extended over a period of seventy years. For more than seventy years she was a church member, and she was one of the founders of the Associate Reformed church, of Chillicothe, with which she remained until that body united with the Associate church. She then connected herself with the Old School Presbyterian church, in whose communion she died, a consistent member, with an unclouded faith. Her early life was identified with Chillicothe, through its rapid progress from the cluster of cabins which she found it in 1799, to the thriving city and State capital, enjoying a preeminence in social culture and refinement, seldom secured in a single decade.

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