Isaac E. Keys ~ "Sign of the Black Boot" ~ A Leather Merchant in Waynesville

Isaac Evan Keys was a very successful business man in Waynesville. He was one of the brothers of John W. Keys. He was married to Rachel Elizabeth Cartwright. The following was written about him in the Souvenir and Homecoming Edition of The Miami Gazette published in October 1906:

"By his upright character and benevolence of spirit I. E. Keys enjoys the respect and love of the people among whom he has spent his entire life and he has always been interested in the welfare and best interests of the town and in many ways has been identified with the municipal affairs of the village. For more than twenty consecutive years he has had the office of Secretary of the Masonic Lodge.

No one in Waynesville has been so long continuously in the same business as I. E. Keys. The fire of 1900 destroyed the building in which he had conducted his business for almost forty years, and a new structure occupies the location with suitable rooms for his stock of robes, trunks, harness and other leather goods.

For many years he has been a commissioned Notary Public, and an official desk and safe also find a place for his business in that line."

For more information about the Keys family see:

• Judge John W. Keys
• Joseph Galloway Keys ~ Quaker Cabinet Maker, Justice of the Peace,
  and President of the Western Star Publishing Co.
• The Keys Brother that Went to California ~ Thomas J. Keys
• Horace P. Keys ~ The Last of the Keys in Waynesville
• Boyhood Memories of Daniel R. Anderson
• WAYNESVILLE BUSINESSES & PROFESSIONS LISTED IN
  THE MIAMI VISITOR WEEKLY NEWSPAPER WITH
  FURTHER INFORMATION INCLUDED

Israel Hopkins Harris ~ Waynesville Banker, Businessman and Scholar

Israel Hopkins Harris
b. in Centerville, Ohio, November 23rd, 1823
d. in Waynesville, Ohio, October 17th,1897

Israel Hopkins Harris was one of the five children of James and Rebecca Clark Jennings Harris.

His father, James Harris, had a farm south of Centerville and was a very successful dry goods businessman. He clerked first in the store of John Satterthwaite in Waynesville. After his marriage the Harris family moved to Centerville where he opened his own store. He later opened stores in both Waynesville and in Bellbrook. James Harris was also one of the first pork packers in the area as well as one of the first tobacco buyers. In 1844, the Harris family moved back to Waynesville.

Israel Hopkins Harris was schooled in Centerville by the noted teacher, David Burson, and in Franklin by W. C. Gould. He entered the Junior class at Yale in 1844. He graduated from Yale in 1846. When he returned to Waynesville after his graduation, he worked with his father in his dry goods business. After the death of James Harris, I. H. Harris partnered with his brother Joseph and continued in his father's business from 1849-1855. He consequently went into partnership with Jarvis Stokes of Lytle, Ohio to open a bank. I. H. Harris and Jarvis Stokes continued in the banking business until the death of Mr. Stokes in 1868. I. H. Harris continued the bank, the "I. H. Harris Exchange Bank" until his death.

I. H. Harris was married three times:

• Esther Ann Stokes, the daughter of his partner Jarvis Stokes, who d. 1849. Their daughter Mary died shortly after her mother.
• Carrie E. Bunnell, who died on January 15, 1873 in Jacksonville, Florida of T. B. They had three children: Emma who died when she was 8 years old, Jimmie who died at 16 months of cholera, and Laura who survived and married John Jacob Mosher.
• Edith Mosher (February 28, 1853 ~ November 2, 1943), the daughter of Nathan and Sarah Mosher. Nathan was the landlord of the Hammell House and it was there that Edith and I. H. were married by Elder J. H. Dodds of the Christian Church. Edith and I. H. Harris had two children: one who died in infancy and Minnie Mildred.

While attending Yale University, I. H. developed a deep interest in geology and became an avid collector of geological and archaeological specimens. His private collections of artifacts was world famous. He also collected fresh water pearls found in the mussels in the Little and Great Miami Rivers. He owned and operated the "Little Miami River Pearl Fisheries". He left his prestigious collection of geological and archaeological specimens to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C. In 1888 he sold over 2,000 fresh water pearls to Tiffany & Co.

The following is taken from the
"Memoir of Israel Hopkins Harris" by Charles F. Mosher
"The Old Northwest Genealogical Quarterly", April 1898

"In person Mr. Harris was slender and rather below medium height. He had the eagle nose and eye which are the marks of great power and force of character. In later years an iron gray mustache slightly veiled his firm, yet sympathetic mouth. A high forehead indexed the keen intellect behind it. He inherited intense vitality, and all his life long was much in the open air. Even at an age when most men begin to seek easy chairs and dread exertion, his energy led him to continue his outdoor exercise, and the last letter the writer ever received from him was in reference to a contemplated fishing excursion of some days' duration ~~preparations for which were interrupted by the short illness preceding his death.

Mr. Harris was a great believer in the benefits of pedestrianism, and no one ever visited Waynesville without carrying away a memory picture of him taking his daily walk over to the railroad station (Waynesville Depot in Corwin, Ohio) to meet the evening train, sometimes accompanied by his younger daughter or one of his grandchildren, but more often alone. His erect form, alert air, quick, nervous step and cheery greeting of friends~~for all who knew him were his friends ~~made an impression never to be forgotten.

Learned as few men are today, an ardent student to the last, a successful man of business, a loved and honored husband and father, an ideal gentleman~~he was all these things and more. Culture did not make him careless of the feelings of others less gifted than himself, and some of his warmest friedns were men who stumbled at the very names of the studies he so loved. The keen intellect which trcced the workings of Supreme Intelligence through countless ages without bewilderment or faltering, was no more marked in him than the great heart which beat in sympathy with every noble aim and action. The relentless critic of all shams, he was the friend of every one whose sincere desire it was to develop to the full those qualities which raise mankind above the brutes. Many who could not define the method, appreciated the result in themselves; and when the long, as that of one great household for the departure of its counselor, busy, fruitful life drew to a close, Waynesville's mourning was leader and friend.

Also see, "The Harris Guards" ~ Ohio National Guard in Waynesville (more family photos)

Also see, I. H. Harris, Banker, Tells a Funny Story

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HARRIS FAMILY:
Israel Hopkins Harris (first three photos)

Minnie Mildred Harris ~
I.H. Harris' daughter by third wife ~ Edith Mosher

"The Harris Guards" ~ Ohio National Guard in Waynesville

Co. F, 13th Infantry Regiment, ONG
Waynesville, Ohio ~ June 1879
(Original photograph is in
The Mary L. Cook Public Library
Waynesville, Ohio)

Co. F of the 13th Infantry Regiment, Ohio National Guard , known as the "Harris Guards" was established in Waynesville, Ohio more than a decade after the Civil War. It was organized September 25th, 1878 and were disbanded on May 23rd, 1885.

• James A. Kerney of Waynesville received his commission as Captain of Co. F. for five years on September 30th, 1878 and again on October 21, 1882 for 5 years.
• Charles E. Jacobs of Waynesville was the first First Lieutenant but resigned on January 22, 1879.
• John J. Mosher of Waynesville was commissioned First Lieutenant on Februrary 14th, 1879.
• John Miller of Waynesville was commissioned Second Lieutenant on September 30th, 1878.
• William O'Neall of Waynesville was commissioned Second Lieuitenant on October 21st, 1882.
• William Rogers was commissioned a Second Lieuitenant on February 6th, 1884.

The "Harris Guards" was named in honor of local Waynesville resident, Israel Hopkins Harris (see below). In the 1882 History of Warren County, p 851 it states:

"Mr. Harris is the 'patron saint' of Harris Guards, Co. F. O.N.G., one of the finest compainies of the 13th Regiment; the company having been named for him voluntarily, as a tribute to his worth and popularity."

In 1879, the Harris Guards are mention twice in the Miami-Gazette newspaper:

“HARRIS GUARDS made a fine display at their dress-parade last Saturday. Thy moved beautifully, showing the efficiency of their officers and the aptitude of themselves; and their parade last Saturday was made additionally attractive by the Band, which marched at the head of the Company in fine style. But the Guards lack a stand of colors and they ought to have one” (February 26th, 1879), and

“A Card of Thanks. ~ In behalf of the members of Harris Guards, Co. F, we, the undersigned, desire to return thanks to the people of Waynesville and vicinity for their generous contributions to the fund for the purchase of a flag for the company and especially to Messrs. Cyrus Smith and L. H. Kelly, whose efforts contributed so largely to the success of the undertaking. Respectfully, J. A. Kearney, Capt. Com’d’g. and J. J. Mosher, First Lieut. (April 23rd, 1879).

This military unit performed at various functions in the community. For example, this story of their visit to Springboro found in the Wester Star newspaper of Lebanon, Ohio on June 26, 1879:

SPRINGBORO: The visit of the military company and band from Waynesville on Saturday evening, was greeted by our citizens with pleasure. The drill and music were excellent. But after partaking of an excellent supper, provided by the ladies, the music failed, only playing one tune after supper. Whether from eating too hearily or drinking too freely, or from sheer cussedness we cannot say. A few of the band tried to prevail on the others to redeem their credit, but failed. The officers of the military company were greatly mortified at the conduct of the band. May people who came in from the country were disappointed. We do not think our people will invite the band to visit us soon again. The conduct of the millitary was quite different. They were willing and cheerful and pleasant and sober. They used a drill new to most of our soldiers. They were highly complimented all around. Come again, boys.

The "Harris Guards" of the Ohio National Guards stationed in Waynesville did see some action in 1884 during the Courthouse Riots in Cincinnati. These riots were the worst riots ever experienced in Ohio. There had been a spree of violence and murder in Cincinnati. When two Cincinnati men murdered their employer but received a lenient sentence, 8,000 Cincinnati citizens angered at the corruption in the local court system, stormed the Hamilton County prison and the courthouse. In a fury at the increasing murder rate, the courthouse was burned to the ground. The riot lasted three days and 50 people were killed and 250 people were injured. ONG units from Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland as well as Waynesville were called up to service.

OFFICERS:

Captain James A. Kearney

Captain James A. Kearney, druggist and Postmaster, Waynesville; born in the county of Kerry, Ireland, January 24th, 1846. He was a son of Patrick and Sophia (Apjohn) Kearney, natives of Ireland. Our subject as three years of age when brought to this country. . . In 1865, Patrick Kearney came to this county and located on a farm near Waynesville. . . At the trial of our Government’s strength in the war of the rebellion he (Captain James A. Kearney) came forward to her support by enlisting Aug. 8th, 1861, in the naval service, being at the time of his 16th year of age. He served about two and one-half years and resigned, turning to Cincinnati and engaged in various capacities in the employ of the government till the close of the war, after which Mr. Kearney engaged in mercantile trade at sundry places in the States of Alabama and Arkansas; thence for a time engaged in the employ of railroad companies in the South. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Kearney returned to Waynesville and engaged as a clerk in the drug business and in the Spring of 1880 he purchased a new stock of drugs and entered upon trade on his own account; and April 22nd, 1881, received the appointment as Postmaster of Waynesville (The History of Warren County,Ohio [Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co.], p. 862.)

John Jacob Mosher, First Lieutenant
January 8th, 1857 ~ June 9th, 1894

John Jacob Mosher (known as "Jake") was one of the ten children of Nathan Nicholas and Sarah Ann Bovy Mosher. He was married to Laura Henrietta Harris, the daughter of Israel Hopkins Harris, a highly successful businessman and banker in Waynesville, and his second wife. From 1872 to 1878, John Jacob's father Nathan was the innkeeper of the Hammell House in Waynesville. Nathan Nicholas Mosher had fought in the Civil War, was disowned by the Quakers, had a farm in Morrow County, Ohio, after the Civil War lived in Kansas and Iowa, came then to Waynesville and eventually moved to Cincinnati where he worked on the Cincinnati Times, returning to Mount Gilead in Morrow County in 1895. Nathan died there in 1916. When Nathan moved to Cincinnati, two of his children stayed in Waynseville: Edith Mosher and John Jacob Mosher. Edith Mosher married Israel Hopkins Harris (his third wife). Her younger brother, John Jacob then married her step-daughter, Laura Henrietta Harris on June 6, 1883. "Jake" Mosher worked for his father-in-law, Israel Hopkins Harris in the Harris Exchange Bank. "Jake" died eleven years later at the age of 37 of pneumonia. Three years later Israel Hopkins Harris died and Edith Mosher Harris (his thrid wife) and her step-daughter Laura Henrietta Harris Mosher moved in together. They were both active in St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Waynesville.

John Jacob and Laura Henrietta Harris Mosher had three children: Carrie (Carolyn), Edith and Harris (Information taken from: Descendants of Hugh Mosher and Rebecca Maxson Through Seven Generations, Rev. Ed., compiled by Mildred (Mosher) Chamberlain and Laura (McGaffey) ClareAuthor: Mildred (Mosher) Chamberlain and Laura (McGaffey) Clarenbach Publication: Laura M. Clarenbach, Madison, Wisconsin, 1990, and, Waynesville's First 200 Years, 1797-1997 (The Waynesville Historical Society), 1997, p. 73-75.)

John L. Miller, Second Lieutenant

John L. Miller was a stone mason in Waynesville. He was married to Louisa A. Miller and they had three children in 1870: Bertie C. Miller, Naomi P. Miller, and Frank G. Miller.

Records of the "Harris Guard" can be found in the Archive/Library of the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio: Muster, Payrolls and Inspection Reports and Adjutant General Records.

Also see, THE "HARRIS GUARD", Co. F, 13th INFANTRY DIVISION, OHIO NATIONAL GUARD, WAYNESVILLE, OHIO, MUSTER LISTS.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS:

Children of John Jacob and Laura Henrietta Harris Mosher. Laura is the daughter of I.H. Harris by his second marriage to Carrie E. Bunnell.

The Hammell House & Other Early Taverns/Inns in Waynesville

TIMELINE OF THE TAVERN

• Early 1800s~log tavern on site of present day Hammel House owned by James Corey.
• 1807 ~ James Jennings, the brother of John Jennings who owned the grist mill (the "Upper Mill") in Waynesville, becomes the owner. In June 1807, David Faulkner deeded to James Jennings Wabash Square, lots No. 7, 8, 4, and the N. half of lot No. 6 for $350. Jennings built a frame house now there, about 1807 and opened a tavern in it. The house was run by Samuel Beck, Robert Way, Richard Cunningham.
• 1817 ~ James Jennings deeded the property, including lots No. 4, 7, 8, and parts of 3 and 6 to John Warrell for $600.
• 1822 ~ John Warrell built the brick part of the building, two stories high.
• 1831 ~ John Warrell sold the property and moved away.
• 1831~1837 ~ Innkeepers are men by the name of Keen, Barnhart & Durand. When John M. Keen bought the hotel in 1831 it was known as the "Union Hotel".
• 1837 ~ 1841 ~ The tavern was owned by Nathaniel McLean. Nathaniel was born in Morris Co., NJ, in 1787, and was a brother of the Hon. John McLean of the U.S. Supreme Court. Nathaniel had learned the printing business in Cincinnati. In 1810, he was elected a member of the Ohio Legislature, serving two or three sessions, and was an officer in the War of 1812. In the Spring of 1849, he move to St. Paul and embark on the newspaper business at the age of 60, although remarkably strong and active. Also, in 1849, he was appointed Sioux Agent at Fort Snelling, and in the fall of 1855, he was elected a Ramsey County Commissioner. He died of cancer in 1872.
• 1841 ~ The tavern is sold to Enoch Hammell in 1841. He kept a public house there from that date until about 1863, when it was sold and has since been used as a private dwelling. During the time Hammell owned it, he built the brick up to three stories.
• 1850 ~ Hammell looking for a buyer (see ads below)
• 1852 ~ Tavern leased to a Mr. Yeoman by Enoch Hammell.
• 1863 ~ The tavern becomes a private residence.
• 1901 ~ The tavern is bought by William O. & Ollie Casey Gustin, re-opened as the "Hotel Gustin"
• Sometime before 1934 ~ The building became a boarding house and then was converted into appartments. Sometime during the early 20th century, the third floor which had been added by Mr. Hammell.
• 1987 ~ The building was restored and re-established itself as a the Hammel House Inn and Bed & Breakfast.

There was always more than one tavern in the village of Waynesville. Another very early tavern was the "Holloway Tavern" on Third Street (1807). In 1810, David Hammell bought a lot in Miami Square he established a tavern. This tavern did not survive past 1824. The building later became known as the "Old Penitentiary." Another tavern was built on the northeast corner of North and North Main Street, known as the Miami House (also known as the Morrow House and the Cornell House), in 1826. In the 1880s it was named the Cornell House, owned by Samuel Cornell & Son. There was another tavern, a two story log building, located on the far north end of Main Street that continued until after the Civil War. It was built by Samuel Martin.

Consequently, there were originally three taverns/inns on the old Accommodation Stagecoach Line (Third Street):

• John Satterthwaite's home ~ The Half-Way House
• Emmor Baily's home
• "Holloway Tavern"

On Main Street were four taverns/inns:

• The tavern built by David Hammell later known as the "Old Penitentiary" in Miami Square.
• The tavern on the Hammell House property
• The Old Miami House at the intersection of Main and North Streets
• Tavern built by Samuel Martin on North Main Street.

Also see, SOME HISTORICAL HOMES IN WAYNESVILLE for more information and pictures of the John Satterthwaite home, the Baily home and the Holloway Tavern.

Ad from the Miami-Visitor weekly newspaper, February 9, 1850

The Waynesville Mill ~ The "Upper Mill"

The Grist Mill at Waynesville ~ ca. 1900 ~ The "Upper Mill"

Dam on the Little Miami River (still extant)

Charles M. Robitzer's team of iron grey horses
and his delivery wagon.

Men cutting ice on the mill pond and storing in mill.

The "Upper Mill" area along the mill race used as a recreational area
"Old Mill Stream" and then "Three Centuries Park".

The old Mill and Mill Race in the mid 1970s
shortly before its demolition.
Gift Shop ~ "H. B. & Me"

TIMELINE:
From working mill to recreational park to tourist shops

• 1806 ~ Quaker John Haines of Virginia moves to Ohio and builds a grist mill on the Little Miami River at Waynesville. He also builds a dam which overflows onto the land of Abel Satterthwaite. Mr. Satterthwaite begins a law suit and the dam is destroyed. Shortly thereafter the mill itself is destroyed by fire. John Haines built his home on North Main Street (see photograph below).
• 1810 ~ John Jennings buys the Haines mill property.
• 1825 ~ John Jennings builds a three story brick mill on the mill race.
• 1832 ~ The Jennings mill is sold to Stephen Cook and Jason Evans.
• 1835 ~ A log dam is replaced by a stone dam.
• 1840 ~ Jason Evans, now the sole owner, sells all his mill property to William Oliphant. Jason Evans and family moves to Cincinnati and persues a successful career in pork packing.
• 1850 ~ The mill is sold to Oscar J. Wright.
• 1888 ~ John S. Wright buys mill from O. J. Wright's daughters.
• 1904 ~ The mill is bought by Charles M. Robitzer who does major repairs and names the mill, the "Waynesville Flouring Mills". The mill is run by natural gas from a well that was drilled along the mill race. The mill is noted for his fine Albino flour. Robitzer's mill also grinds graham and buckwheat flour, white and yellow meal, chops, feed chops, and has a separate mill for hog feed and four different grades of crushed corn. His splendid team of iron grey horses is seen all the time making deliveries in the Waynesville area (see above).
• 1911 ~ The mill stops operating as a mill. It housed an ice plant until the 1950s.
• 1931 ~ Charles M. Robitzer builds "Wayne Park" around the old mill which includes a swiming pool and picnic grounds.
• 1942 ~ The property is bought by Henry Geiger and renamed "Old Mill Stream".
• 1951 ~ L. D. Baker and Tom Norris open a mill race fishing concession, a live fish hauling service and develop other amusements. For more information see, Waynesville in 1957.
• 1969 ~ A country store is incorporated into the main level of the mill.
• 1973 ~ An Olympic size pool, children pool and buildings are added. It is renamed "Three Centuries Park".
• 1974 ~ The old mill is demolished and the "1776 Inn" opens.
• Today the Der Dutchman Restaurant and Carlisle Gifts stand where once the mill stood.

Below: Miller's House (yellow)
next to the Funkey-Evans House on North Main Street
Photographs of the Swiming Pool at
Mill Park in 1962.

The Little Miami River and local creeks were potent sources of water power and Waynesville was blessed with many mills ~ grist, saw and oil. Waynesville had a number of mills along the river, the "upper mills" (the Jennings mill property discussed above on the north end of town) and the "lower mills" (Elliott mill property on the south). Both the "upper" and "lower mills" consisted of a saw mill and a flour mill. Just a few miles further south of town were "Telegraph Mills" run by G. Hinchmann. Many more mills and factories could be found in all the villages and hamlets along the Little Miami River and its tributaries.

Ethan Allen Brown ~ An Attender at Quaker Meeting

Ethan Allen Brown (b. December 23, 1818 ~ d. January 25, 1901), a local farmer near Waynesville, would become one of the first Directors of the Waynesville National Bank in 1875. He held that position until his death in 1901. He had also been a teacher and director of Wayne School District No. 2 from 1850 on for approximately 13 years. For many years he was a Wayne Township Trustee and was a Justice of the Peace. He was widely respected for his fairness and good judgment. He was a non-Quaker married to Hannah Ann Chandler Brown, a Quaker who was the aunt of Aaron B. Chandler. Ethan A. Brown and Hannah Ann Chandler were married on October 11th, 1860.

The Waynesville Area Heritage and Cultural Center at The Friends Home, Inc. is in possession of one of Aaron B. Chandler’s Law books, A Guide to Executors and Administrators in the Settlement of the Estates of Deceased Persons within the State of Ohio; to which is prefixed A Brief Comment Upon the Statute of Wills by George W. Raff (Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., Law Publishes, 1860). A. B. Chandler’s signature is on the first page above the signature of E. A. Brown who bought the book January 30th, 1863. Aaron's uncle Ethan, a Justice of the Peace, may have encouraged Aaron to study the law.

E. A. and Hannah Ann Brown were also on the Board of Trustees of Miami Valley Institute ~ A Hicksite Quaker College in Springboro, Ohio.

E. A. Brown's farm was located on the north side of Lower Springboro Road east of Waynesville (across from the Cook farm, now Milton Cook’s Organic Farm).

Obituary in the Friends’ Intelligencer, 2nd mo. 16, 1901:

BROWN.~ Near Waynesville, O., First month 26, 1901, Ethan Allen Brown, In the 83rd year of his age. This dear brother was one of whom we could truly say, he had not lived in vain, his life seemed to combine so many of those attributes which make heaven on earth. It fell to his lot to a peacemaker, an arbitrator, and general counselor among his neighbors and friends. It was said at his funeral that if Ethan A. Brown excelled in any one thing it was that of justice. He was not a member of Friends’ Meeting but frequently attended with his wife, who is a member. He held to the principles of Friends in preference to those, of any other, denomination. O, that this world might be filled with such characters. F. P.

Ethan, the son of Joseph and Dinah (Cook) Brown, and his wife, Hannah Ann Chandler Brown, are buried in Miami Cemetery in Corwin, Ohio, Section G.

Funkey & Missildine ~ Merchants in Waynesville

Funkey & Missildine’s Cash Trade Palace,
Miami-Gazette, August 27th, 1879

Below: Cadwallader Hall

John A. Funkey was a dry goods merchant in partnership with John F. Missildine. They bought out the stock of John M. Hadden, a long established merchant in Waynesville. Funkey and Missildine opened the “Cincinnati Cash Store” (also known as the "Trade Cash Palace") in February of 1873 in Cadwallader Hall on the ground floor at Main & Miami Streets in Waynesville. They dissolved their partnership in March of 1881. Both men continued in the trade with separate stores.

In 1881 Funkey opened another store where the Waynesville Antique Mall is located today on Main Street (see photo below dating from 1905).

John's wife Clara was 31 in 1879. They had two children: Pearl, a son(5) and Mabel P. (1). See, 1880 Census Place: Waynesville, Warren, Ohio; Roll: T9_1075; Family History Film: 1255075; Page: 473B; Enumeration District: 79; Image: 0360. John and Clara have two other children listed in the 1900 Census: George A. (18) and Eva M. (16) (see George and Eva's photographs below). See, 1900 Census Place: Waynesville, Warren, Ohio; Roll: T623 1330; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 154. Also see, Waynesville’s First 200 Years, 1797-1997 (The Waynesville Historical Society, 1996), pp. 184-186.

In 1879 John Funkey and his wife Clara bought a lot on North Main Street. Their Italianate Victorian home, the Funkey-Evans House (see photo below), was built in 1880 and still stands at the foot of Chapman Street. The Funkey House was bought by Joel Evans for his wife Cynthia in 1894.

According to Dennis Dalton (January 1982 from his 1970 notebook), John Funkey went on periodical drunken binges and the family would lock him upstairs in his room ~ once John jumped out the window and “nearly killed himself” to go drinking ~ one of his drinking friends was Perry Pence and John would “hunt all over town” for him and eventually “terrorized the village” with his drunken antics.

John F. Missildine was a dry goods merchant who had grown up in Waynesville. As a young man he labored on the farm and also taught school in the winter. In June 1865 he married Jemima Burnet who died in September 1868. He married to Druscilla McLary, age 30. They had five children by 1880: Oliver Oscar, 8, Ella J. ,7, Wilbur Howard, 5, Mary Etta, 4, and Cecilia, 2 (see, 1880 Census Place: Waynesville, Warren, Ohio; Roll: T9_1075; Family History Film: 1255075; Page: 489A; Enumeration District: 79; Image: 0390.). In 1895 John F. Missildine was the mayor of Waynesville from 1895-1900. Their sixth child was John Henry.

John F. and his family were some of the original communicants of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Waynesville (Waynesville’s First 200 Years, 1797-1997 [The Waynesville Historical Society, 1997], pp. 283 and 159). John F. Missildine was one of the Trustees on the board of the ill-fated Wayne Novelty Works Company in Waynesville. Below is a photograph of their home in Waynesville (white house):

John F. Missildine was a Quaker for a short period of time. According to the Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol. 5, Ohio by Hinshaw, p. 101, he became a member on 9th mo. 26th day 1866 but was disowned for entering a marriage out of unity 8th mo. 26th day 1871.

An O. Missildine is listed as a worker during the building of the 1905 Friends Boarding Home. This is probably Oliver O. Missidline, John's son.

The Funkey-Evans house located at the
bottom of Chapman Street.
On the left is the "Old Lock Up".

Below: Eva & George Funkey
Children of John A. & Clara Funkey

William Manington & Lewis F. Manington ~ Justice of the Peace & Constable of Waynesville in 1879

Two brothers involved in law enforcement had their hands full in Waynesville in 1879! William and Lewis F. Manington were two of the sons of Joseph and Lydia Lynch Manington. Joseph and Lydia were married October 1, 1818 in Wayne Township, Warren Co., Ohio. They had seven children. The name is often spelled as "Mannington", in various documents.

William Manington was 53 in 1879, the year of the apparently accidental killing of Captain William Rion Hoel and the Anderson triple murder in Waynesville. He presided during the inquest concerning the death of Captain Hoel. He also took part in the inquest concerning the Anderson trip murder. He was a retired shoemaker and a Justice of the Peace. At the time of these events, the Mannington household also included his niece, Clementine, and his mother, Lydia Manington.

His wife was Elmina R. Lickins who was 43 in 1879 and they had four children living at home: Anna (18), Isaiah (14), Fanny M. (9) and Ella (2). See, 1880 Census, Place: Waynesville, Warren, Ohio; Roll: T9_1075; Family History Film: 1255075; Page: 473B; Enumeration District: 79; Image: 0360. William and Elmina Lickins Manington were married on December 15th, 1836 in Butler Co., Ohio.

William was also a Trustee and the clerk of the Board of Trustees of Miami Cemetery.

One of William's brothers, Lewis F. Manington was Constable of Waynesville and a farmer in 1879. Lewis F. Manington fought in the Civil War in the 79th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In the 1870s Lewis F. Manington and his family had moved to Spring Valley where they were employed in the bagging factory of the Messrs. Walton. It was there in 1871 that Lewis Manington lost one of his arms in a factory accident. It was reported in the Miami-Gazette, January 18th, 1871:

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT SPRING VALLEY: Last Wednesday morning while Mr. Lewis F. Manington, who for some time has been in the employ of the Messrs. Walton at Spring Valley, was engaged in feeding the carding machine in the bagging factory, his right arm became caught in the works from which he was unable to extricate it until so mangled that it had to be amputated just below the elbow joint. Mr. Manington’s sufferings must have been intense; yet he bore them manfully, and during the amputation was not put under any soporific influence. The surgical operation was performed by Drs. Carey and Elgin of the village, who deserve credit for the skillful manner in which it was done. Mr. Manington is, we are glad to say, doing well, and will in a short time, it is hoped, be about again. We tender him our sympathy in his sad affliction ~ the more so as he had after repeated misfortune, begun to recruit when again afflicted by this sudden casualty.

Lewis Manington had a prosthetic arm. It was reported in the Miami-Gazette on August 2nd, 1871 that “Lewis F. Manington has obtained a new arm instead of the one he lost some months since.”

In April 1879 Lewis F. Manington, 46 years of age, was elected Assessor and Constable of Waynesville (Miami-Gazette, April 9th, 1879). Besides having to deal with four murders, it would also be a year of personal tragedy for Mr. Manington. It was reported in the Miami-Gazette on December 31st, 1879 that his daughter Beulah fell and severely injured her spine. It was not a mortal accident, although that was at first feared. Shortly after the turn of the new Year it was reported in the same paper that his sister, Mrs. M. A. Appleton of Springfield, died of consumption (January 14th, 1880). In mid-August of 1880, the Lewis Manington family moved away from Waynesville to Jamestown in Greene County where he commenced a career in hotel keeping (Miami-Gazette, August 25th, 1880).

Lewis (36) and his first wife, Sarah Jane Van Camp (35), in 1870 were living in Wayne Township with their eight children: Emma (18), Robert (17), Joseph (15), Florence (14), Beulah (12), Eliza (10), Walter S. (5) and Howard (3) [1870 Federal Census, Roll, M593_1277, page 115, Image 636]. Sarah was reported to have been suffering from cancer so bad that she was confined to bed and unable to care for herself in the Miami-Gazette, February 2nd, 1870. Lewis Manington remarried on October 12, 1871 to Mary Ellen Smith. It was reported in the Miami-Gazette, October 18th, 1871:

MANINGTON~SMITH~At the home of Mr. Shaffer, near this place, October 12, 1871, by Elder C. M. Robertson, Mr. Lewis F. Manington and Miss Mary Ellen Smith. Lewis remembered the printers in his joy, and receives in return their best wishes for his happiness.

At the time of the 1880 Census, the Maningtons were still living in Corwin, across the river from Waynesville. Lewis was 47 and his second wife, Mary, was 26. His daughter Beulah who worked as a domestic servant was 18. His grandson, Harry, was living with them (Year: 1880; Census Place: Corwin, Warren, Ohio; Roll: T9_1075; Family History Film: 1255075; Page: 472D; Enumeration District: 79; Image: 0358.).

Lewis F. Manington requested membership in the Society of Friends (Miami Monthly Meeting) 5th mo. 28th day 1884. However, he requested to leave membership on 7th mo. 22nd 1885. See, Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Volume V, Ohio by Hinshaw (Baltimore, MD.: Genealogical Publishing co., Inc., 1994), p. 96.

The following obituary for Lewis F. Manington is in the possession of local historian Dorothy Carter. Unfortunately, it is undated although most likely from the Miami-Gazette:

The funeral of ex-constable L. F. Manington which took place according to announcement, in the G. A. R. hall last Wednesday afternoon, was largely attended. The W. R. Hoel Post in full force escorted the remains to the hall; the pallbearers were Wm. Cook, F. W. Hathaway, D. R. Anderson, H. Kilbon, D. A. Brown and John Biggs. The music by the M. E. church choir was solemn and appropriate. Rev. R. K. Deem offered a feeling and beautiful prayer and also read several selections of scripture. Comrade Cartwright announced that by request of the deceased, his old commander, Col. Doan, of Wilmington, would speak upon this solemn occasion. Col. Doan responded by saying wealth could not have procured his services or presence at that time, but he was there because the sleeper was his comrade. He based his remarks upon the works, “If a man die, shall he live again?” His discourse was touching and pathetic, and he accorded to his dead comrade the praise of being a brave soldier, and a kind comrade, who on one occasion when the “boys” were on half rations, shared his last “hard tack” with his hungry colonel. The speaker cheered the mourning friends with the assurance that in the last few months of Mr. Manington’s life he had given evidence that he was a child of God, and that there was a hope of life beyond the grave for him.

The Brown Family ~ Publishers of the Miami~Gazette

Thomas J. Brown

Sophia Annie Stinchcomb Brown

Thomas J. Brown was born near the village of Bellbrook, Greene County, Ohio, August 16th, 1833 and died on April 2nd, 1913 in his home in Waynesville, Warren County, Ohio at the age of 79. He was the son of David W. and Lydia Bowser Brown who emigrated from Bedford County, Pennsylvania and settled in Greene County at a very early period and reared ten children.

When he was 14 years old, Mr. Brown suffered the loss of his hearing, but he adjusted to his affliction and did not let the handicap diminish his accomplishments in life. He became especially interested and well versed in science and journalism. He recieved his education at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio where he delved into scientific works and literature. He developed an interest in geology in which he became recognized scholar. He was associated with the noted Professor Edward Orton of Ohio State University, and took part in his geological survey of Warren and Greene Counties.

Mr. Brown also developed a great interest in archaeology and loved to particularly study the ancient moundbuilders, especially at Fort Ancient, south of Wayensville. Over the years he gathered a large collection of geological and archaelogical specimens.

On May 23, 1861 in St. Barnabas Church, Baltimore, he married Sophia Annie Stinchcomb (d. March 13, 1911). The couple lived on"Cottonwood Farm" near Ferry, Greene County, Ohio and there their two daughters were born: Annie Urith and Mary Thomas. In 1878 the family moved to Waynesville. For more than a quarter of a century Mr. Brown was the editor and publisher of Waynesville's Miami-Gazette weekly newspaper. His wife Sophia was the Associate Editor of the paper. She was the cultural and literary writer for the paper. The family were members of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Waynesville, see St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

Their two daughters: Annie U. and Mary T. never married. In their retirement they lived at the Friends Boarding Home. Both sisters were teachers of disabled children. They both taught at the Ohio State Institute for Feeble Minded in Columbus. Previous to her employment at the Ohio State Insititute for the Feeble Minded, Annie U. taught at the old OSSO (The Ohio Soldier's and Sailor's Orphans Home) in Xenia, Ohio. Annie U.'s interest in helping the disabled continued into her retirement. She became an accredited Braille transciber. She herself had become disabled due to an accident and was confined to the Friends Home, but this was work that she could do and was glad to do.

Mary T. Brown leased the Miami-Gazette from her parents and was the publisher for a while in partnership with Adelbert M. McKay.

Below are a photograph of Annie U. (left) and Mary T. Brown (right) in their youth:

The Brown family home:

The Miami-Gazette Weekly Newspaper of Waynesville

The Miami-Gazette weekly newspaper is a remarkable document of the life of a small village. It is a well-spring of social and historical information. It fleshes out the lives of the people of the past and presents them in the full color of local, state, national and international events. Any genealogical study is advanced far beyond the bare vital statistics by reading though its columns full of chatty detail. It is a window onto a world long gone.

The first major paper in Waynesville was the Miami~Visitor weekly owned by J. W. Elliott. It was a six column, four-page paper that concentrated on national and international news with a little spattering of local news. It included local poetry and serialized stories. Shortly after its first publication in 1850, it was purchased by the energetic John Wesley Roberts who emphasized that the newspaper was an organ of literature and increased the local news accounts. He was a great editorialist and wrote and responded to the big issues of the day in his own firery style. Two literary magazines were published in Waynesville during the 1850s: the "Little Traveler" and the "Message Bird".

After he moved to Kansas, J. W. Henley, then J. Drew Sweet and Joseph Collett acquired the newspaper. During the Civil War it was discontinued. It came back to life under the editorship of Misters Sands and Sweet at the conclusion of the war and would continue on for ninety more years. From 1875 till 1880 the paper was called the Miami Gazette & Harveysburg Reporter.

The glory days of the Miami~Gazette began in October 1881 when Thomas J. Brown and his wife Sophia Annie Stinchcomb Brown acquired the newspaper. In 1896 the Browns bought out The Waynesville News paper and the Miami~Gazette became known as the Miami~Gazette & Waynesville News. From 1898 on it reverted back to its original shorter title, the Miami-Gazette.

The Miami-Gazette was the weekly diary of Waynesville, Ohio. In it can be found the weekly events of Waynesvillians near and far. The grandchildren of the old pioneers who had traveled far beyond southwestern Ohio subscribed to the newspaper so they could maintain their roots in their home community. They would write to the editor and their adventures and comments were printed in the paper. One of those Waynesvillians who went west was Mariana Chandler, the daughter of Aaron B. Chandler and older cousin to Elizabeth, Ruth and Lewis Chandler. Mariana had moved to Denver, Colorado to pursue her teaching career.

She and other Waynesville expatriates appreciated the Miami-Gazette. After receiving the Special Homecoming Edition of the Miami-Gazette Mariana wrote to the editor (December 27, 1905):

Dear Gazette: The Home Coming Edition received and enjoyed. Congratulations upon your success. It is a worthy magazine and will warm the hearts of all "far away Waynesvillians" and bring them Home. Yours, Mariana Chandler.

In an age where people have forgotten the art of letter writing and the joy of newspaper reading, the letters from Waynesvillians who lived away from their home town to the Miami-Gazette reminds us of the importance of newspapers for maintaining relationships especially during the Gilded Age, which was such a time of expansion and growth. Most families were divided by distance. It was the time of the settlement of the far west and those who risked going west were still interested in their old homes. Another subscriber to the Miami-Gazette, as well as many other local newspapers, was Friend Clarkson Butterworth especially after he moved to Michigan. He often quotes from these newspapers in his personal Diaries. Unfortunately today, newspapers are often ignored in genealogical research because most newspapers are not indexed for names or events. However, much is lost if the researcher ignores this potent source of information. The plain truth of the matter is that much of the social life of the early Chandlers and other families would have been lost if not for the Miami-Gazette.

Since it was a great tool for communication near and far, the newspaper today is a marvelous genealogical tool. Microfilm copies of the Miami-Visitor and the Miami-Gazette are in the Ohioana Room of the Mary L. Cook Public Library as well as at: the Ohio Historical Society Archive/Library, the Warren County Historical Society, and the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Also see, Mariana (Mamie) Chandler

George Pliny Brown ~ Educator, Administrator, Publisher, and Author

Photo and information taken from the
Souvenir & Homecoming Edition of The Miami~Gazette
October, 1906

George P(liny) Brown became a distinguished teacher and publisher. He was born on November 10th, 1836 in Lenox, Ohio (Ashtabula County). He was a graduate of Grand River Institute in Austinburg, Ohio. He started teaching when he was 16 years old. He taught in the schools of Waynesville, Ohio from 1854 to 1860. He was the superintendent of the new Union School in Waynesville from 1858 to 1860.

In 1885, the students of Jesse T. Butterworth, Samuel Scott and George P. Brown established the “Old School Association”, an alumni association that met annually in Waynesville. The association commemorated the early pioneer teachers of Waynesville who taught in the pre-1858 public schools in Waynesville and for a short time in the new Union School a decade before the Civil War. It was dedicated to preserving the memory of those times. In 1887 they added the name of teacher Thomas Collett to the list. During the great Home-Coming of the Waynesville School in 1906, both George P. Brown and Rev. Samuel Scott were present.

In 1855, George P. Brown had married Mary Louise Seymour and they had four sons: C. C., F. S., Ralph and Walter.

In 1860 the Brown family moved to Richmond, Indiana where he became superintendent of schools for seven years and of New Albany schools for one year. In 1869 he tried his hand at publishing. During his life, George P. Brown wrote many articles for a variety of educational journals and books on education. Also in 1870, he became the first mathematics instructor at the newly founded Indiana State Normal School in Terre Haute. Also around this time he practiced Law for a while. For the next two years he was the principal of Indianapolis High School and then he was appointed superintendent for four years. He then became a representative of the D. Appleton Company publishing house for a few years.

In 1879 he became the second president of the Indian State Normal School, which later became Indiana State University. He resigned in 1885. He moved to Topeka, Kansas for a short time and was an agent for A. S. Barnes and Company. He moved to Bloomington, Illinois where he bought and edited the “Illinois School Journal” and he organized and was president of the Public School Publishing Company of Bloomington, Ill. George P. Brown wrote six books one of which, not surprisingly, is entitled, Religious Instruction in State Schools (1891). He died February 1st, 1910 in Bloomington.

For more information see website:
http://www.indstate.edu/aboutisu/brown.html.

Reverend Samuel Scott ~ Methodist Minister and Teacher

The above photo and information taken from the
Souvenir & Home-Coming Edition of The Miami-Gazette
October, 1906

Samuel Scott arrived in Waynesville from Philadelphia in the spring of 1840. He was a brick maker, a gardener and a schoolteacher up until 1850 when he devoted all his time to teaching. He tells the following story about his early experience as a teacher in 1840:

“About this time the public school system in Ohio was introduced. I went to Lebanon, the county seat of Warren County, to be examined as a teacher. Milton Williams, one of the prominent lawyers of that place, had been appointed county examiner. He invited me into a small back room, connected with his office, where I passed through the ordeal of my first examination. He asked me to read a few paragraphs from some book he bought from his office, propounded two or three questions in Geography, and closed up by having me solve a simple problem in proportions, or ‘single rule of three’, as it was termed in those days. He then said, ‘I guess you will pass’ and wrote me out a teacher’s certificate. In the winter of 1840-1841, I taught my first school in this state in what was then called ‘Crosswicks’ district about two miles from Waynesville. The term, or ‘quarter’ as it was then called, consisted of thirteen weeks, or sixty-five days, for which I received $65.00."

In the 1850 Census of Warren County (Wayne Township) Samuel Scott is listed as a 30-year-old Brick Maker married to Rebecca who was 25 years old. In 1850 they had three children: Susan R. (5 years old), Francis (4 years old), and William (1 year old).

In 1841-1842 both Rev. Thomas Collett and he were converted during a revival in Waynesville. He was licensed to exhort in 1843. He was licensed to preach in 1850. He was ordained a Deacon by Bishop Thomas Morris in 1855.

Samuel Scott taught at the Crosswick District School north of Waynesville in the winter of 1840-41 and the fall term of 1856. He taught in the Waynesville Schools from 1850 to 1856. In the fall of 1850 he began teaching in the “Upper School” in Waynesville for four years. The next two years he taught his “Select School” in the old Academy Building.

In November 1856 he began his work with the American Bible Society, as a county agent. He organized township level Bible Societies that were affiliated with the county level Bible Societies. He appointed local agents, usually women, who would canvass school districts, supply Bible to the poor and solicit fund for the larger Society. He would travel to visit all his local agents and on Sundays preach. In November of 1861 he moved from Waynesville to Dayton to put his children in better schools and be more available for his work for the American Bible Society. He lived the last 45 years of his life in Dayton. He rented a room on North Main Street in Dayton for a reading and social room for men. Out of it evolved Dayton’s Young Men's Christian Association.

Rev. Scott as a strong Temperance man. He was involved in the Washingtonian Movement, the Sons of Temperance and The Good Templars. He became involved with the Prohibition Party in 1869 and was a candidate for the governor of Ohio on the Prohibition ticket. He received 700 votes.

He also took an interest in organizing circulating library associations based on the co-operative principal. He did this in an effort to stem the tide of the pernicious literature he felt was flooding the country. He established 319 libraries in Ohio, 6 in Indiana and 3 in Pennsylvania. One of the places in Ohio was Waynesville. Rev. Scott was in Waynesville in the summer and fall of 1879 soliciting funds for a circulating subscription library (Miami-Gazette, August 27th and October 15, 1879). For more information about Samuel Scott see, Rev. Samuel Scott’s Ancestry, A Brief Autobiography of His Life, and Antiquity of the Name of Scott (published in Dayton, Ohio 1902). There is a copy of this work in The Mary L. Cook Public Library in Waynesville.

A. E. Merritt ~ Contractor and Builder

Ad in the Miami ~Visitor newspaper, March 23rd, 1850

A(bsolem). E. Merritt (1809-1874) was a contractor, a carpenter and builder. He was also referred to as an architect. His home was located on the northwest corner of Third and North Streets, cattycorner from the Waynesville Methodist Episcopal Church. He bought this property, Lot #1 of the Joseph B. Chapman Addition to Waynesville on June 13th, 1845 for $138.00, Warren Co. Deed Book #26, pp. 601-602 (The handwritten deed is housed in The Mary L. Cook Public Library). In 1847 he took out a $300.00 mortgage on this property from David Evans. The mortgage was paid off on June 11th, 1853 (The mortgage paper is housed in The Mary L. Cook Public Library). He and his wife Esther Kindle (1809-1892) took out another mortgage for $500.00 in 1861 (This mortgage paper is housed in The Mary L. Cook Public Library). His carpentry shop was on North Street.

Mr. Merritt was very active in the social and political life of Waynesville. He was a large subscriber to the building fund for the new 1840 Methodist Episcopal Church. He was the main contractor for St. Mary's Episcopal Church (Also see, History of St. Mary's Episcopal Church). He donated $50.00. In 1854 he was elected mayor of Waynesville and the town council members were Dr. W. H. Anderson, Wesley Haines, Emmor Baily, Levi Hartsock and Daniel Jones. He was associated with E. R. Printz from 1857-1865 in the drug and grocery business (“Early Waynesville” by Judge John W. Keys ).

As a prominent man and leader in Waynesville, his lengthy description of a journey to Mt. Holly, New Jersey was published in the Miami-Visitor on April 5, 1854.

It is not surprising that A. E. Merritt was interested in improving the schools. In the 1850 Federal Census of Warren County, Ohio (Waynesville), he is listed as a 40 year old father, married to Esther P. Merritt who was 41, with five children: Elizabeth R. (11), Keziah (9), Charles E. (7), Esther (4) and Emma (2). Mr. Merritt was listed as a trustee in The Catalogue of the Officers and Students of Waynesville Academy, For the Year Ending Ninth Month, (September) 1846. A. E. Merritt continued his interest in education by serving on the new Union Schoolhouse board when it was contracted to be built in 1855 and he was involved in all the political controversy in the village that finally led to the building of the new school. He and Joel Evans were two of the contractors for the building. The first Union Schoolhouse stood from 1857-1891 and was then replaced by the present structure. A. E. Merritt served as the District Clerk of School District #7 (Waynesville) for many years.

In 1856, A. E. Merritt belonged to the Waynesville Teachers’ Association along with G. M. Zell, D. C. Halsey, George Pliny Brown, Samuel Scott, Miss A. Brown, Miss E. Brown, Coates Kinney, William Henry Venable, Jesse T. Butterworth, John C. Kinney, A. Sellers, Mrs. M. L. Brown (Mary Louise Seymour Brown, wife of Geo. P. Brown), Mr. Hart and Jason Evans (Miami-Visitor, Jan. 30, 1856, February 27th, 1856 & May 7th, 1856).

A. E. Merritt was also highly involved in the Wayne Township Bible Society. According to the Miami-Visitor dated Augut 3, 1859, he was the vice-president of this Bible Society. It is evident that Mr. Merritt was also a Temperance man by the lengthy article he wrote against the evils of alcohol, which was published in the Miami-Gazette on October 18, 1865.

He was the Postmaster of Waynesville for a number of years. Housed in The Mary L. Cook Public Library are two of his Postmaster certificates: one dated April 29th, 1861 and the other June 9th, 1873.

A. E. Merritt was also involved in the establishment of the Waynesville Literary Society and the Waynesville subscription library during the 1850s, both of which were begun by John Wesley Roberts, the publisher of the Miami-Visitor newspaper. Mr. Merritt was on the Board of Trustees for the Waynesville Library Association in 1855.

On August 3rd, 1867, A. E. Merritt bought lot 51 in section H in Miami Cemetery for $22.00. The Miami Cemetery Association deed is housed in The Mary L. Cook Public Library.

The Merritt house ~ Waynesville