BRYAN AS IT APPEARED FIFTY-FOUR YEARS AGO
From The Bryan Democrat, Bryan, Ohio, Thursday, March 31, 1904
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Following is a Brief Description of the Village as it is Remembered by John CONNIN Who Came Here with His Father on the 7th. of July, 1849.
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My father and his family moved from Wyandot county, Ohio to Bryan, Williams county in 1849. We landed at Williams Center on the 6th. day of July, on Saturday, and stayed all night, and on Sunday morning my father and myself went over to Bryan four miles from Center. On our way to Bryan we passed quite a number of clearings in progress. a great deal of the work was in rolling logs in large heaps as so to burn, and in those heaps were popular logs that would measure five to six feet across and twelve to fiftten feet long and also mant cherry and walnut logs. Perhaps one of those logs at the present time would bring from $50 to $1000.
After we got as far as Jacob BOWMAN's mill located on Lick Creek east and south of George RUFF's house we followed the woods road running zig-zag thru the forest and struck the town of Bryan, so as to see it, about where HARRINGTON's blacksmith shop now is, there was a charcoal pit and blacksmith shop run by John TOMSON. This pit would cover about fifty feet in diameter. The wood from which the charcoal was produced was set on end and tapered to the top; then all was covered with straw and dirt, set on fire and burnt until all was charred. When we came opposite the shop we could see the town luming up. My father's object in coming to Bryan was to procure a place to move into but failed to get a house. Finally, we procured a house in the country, one mile east of town, on what is now the HICKOX farm. It was a log cabin. Perhaps many yet remember the cabin., I shall never forget the place while I live. the house was full of fleas. If you ever had fleas you will pity me. Here is a little incident that happened while we lived in that cabin. One night about midnight, my father heard quite a noise over head, the floor being clap-boards laid on loose. My father got frightened and called to me to get my gun and I said to him that the gun was not loaded. The country being so new, he supposed he was going to be robbed. The noise was made by a cat.
Father and myself cut and hauled logs and built a log cabin before we could move into Bryan. Now as I remember Bryan 54 years ago, commencing on the east side of the square was a two story frame hotel, run by Daniel LANGEL, north, on the next lot was a one and half story frame store room, dry goods, owned by William YATES and north of the store was a two story log house owned by the same party, the corner lot was vacant. On the north side of the square was the log jail where the sheriff of Williams county hung TYLER. The scaffold and lumber was still there when I came here. TYLER had kiled a child near West Unity in 1848 and was hung February 1849. On the northwest corner was a one story frame house occupied by William McCANE, auditor of Williams county.
On west, on High street, on the north side was a two story frame house and on the same lot a one and a half story frame shop owned by Jacob OVER, on the next lot west a one story cabin shop and on the corner where DILLMAN's place is, was a two story frame house owned by Joseph KOFFMAN. Across the street south was a two story frame occupied by John SADORIS, a dwelling and wagon shop. East on the same street a one story log house and shop cabinet occupied by FULTON. On the northwest corner of the square one and half story frame occupied by George ARNOLD. Next south one story cabin occupied by Mrs. FURR and her daughter. Next south two story log house occupied by Sam KENT; next south two story new frame owned by BLAKESLEE, now by NEWCOMER and GILLIS. On the southwest corner of the square was a two story frame occupied as a store room and dwelling by Charles CASE. South on Lynn street, west side, a one story log cabin, next south a one and a half story log cabin occupied by GILLSON; next south a two story log house occupied by Jacob YOUSE, across the street on the east side was a log house and log shop used as a wagon shop, occupied by Volney CROCKER. North on same street was a one and one half story log house occupied by Mrs. PEOPLES.
On the south side of the square was a log cabin where they kept TYLER's body in a barrel of whisky; next east a log cabin and frame shop occupied by KNOSKE, a tailor. South on Main street a two story log house used a tannery and shoe shop, next south a 12x12 one story frame stood where Chris SHIFFLER now lives. One east side of the street, on H. D. KING's lot a two story log house stood occupied by SCHMACHTENBERGER. North on the corner of the same lot was a two story frame store and dwelling occupied by I. WILL. On the corner where GRASSER's dwelling now is, stood a log cabin occupied by Charles YOUNG. South of the CHRISTMAN House was a story and a half frame house occupied by A. J. TRESSLER as post-office and dwelling. At that time we used foolscap paper for writing lettersand sealed the envelopes with red sealing wafers. Postage five cents.
On east High street, north side, two lots from the public square was a log cabin occupied by Ben KENT; next east a log cabin; next west of BOWERSOX dwelling was a two story frame and east of this house a tannery owned by A. M. BOWLS. Where the green-house now stands was a story and a half frame occupied by Doc. John PAUL. On the lot now owned by Mrs. WALT was a log cabin occupied by J. K. MORROW and his mother. On the lot that C. S. ROE now owns was a log cabin occupied by John KOFFMAN, the man that killed a deer while hoeing beans. The deer jumped into his garden and he ran the deer into a snow bank and killed it with a hoe. North of KOFFMAN's was an ashery where they made black salts and where they boiled the flesh of TYLER's bones. On the northeast corner of the square, what was called CARTER's corner, stood a two story frame occupied by Chauncey MADISON as a hotel.
There were two hotels in Bryan at that time. There was a great deal of travel by movers and parties looking for land. There was at that time a plank road company organized to run a road from Ft. Wayne to Maumee thru Bryan. The company built a saw mill here to saw plank for the road and built part of the road thru Bryan but the company finally broke up and the road fell thru. The mill was built a little northwest of the brewery. The same frame burnt fir J. BALL a short time ago. The town was in a bad shape to improve. It was surrounded by speculators who unreasonably advanced the price of land even up to the original plat. By mutual consent quite a number of the citizens formed a pioneer company and began a cut and slash of the best timber until the speculators were compelled to sell. We agreed to stand by each other if caught cutting timber out. Urie and myself went into the woods and cut and had hauled to mill enough of logs and timber to build a two room store house. We took the job for $800 to furnish all and deliver keys to Jacob BOYERS. When and after we hauled a lot of popular logs and had them sawed rady to haul, John KOFFMAN got a team and hauled the lumber to his house from the mill. But John liked to sleep and while he slept we got the teams enough to load and haul the lumber to where we intended to build a kiln to dry the lumber. We had the lumber stacked by morning and Johnny said not a word about the lumber. John was agent for the land. There were some of those logs that would perhaps bring fifty dollars at the present time.
The county was almost bankrupt. County orders were worth only fifty cents on the dollar. The transportation was by wagon to Defiance. That was the trading point. David RODKEY ran a wagon train from Bryan to Defiance. There were no gravel roads then. The roads were cut thru the woods and very often changed to some better place. Teaming was all done with oxen. Horse teams were scarce. A two horse carriage driven into town would have been as great a curiosity as Buffalo Bills Show. There was in town at the time I came here two buggies more like our wagons at the present time. If the young people wished to go to any meeting off at a distance they would go in a two horse wagon, boards laid across the bed for seats.
The country around Bryan was very wild. We could hear the wolves howl at night. I remember one night going home from town, I think there was church that night, and it was very dark. The road ran thru the woods and angled from the corner where the Brethren church now stands. The timber commenced there and woods all the way. When I came to what was called CROCKERs Bridge my horse became frightened, whirled and ran back quite a ways before I could get him stopped. I want to say my hair stood on end. He did the same thing the second time but I finally got him to go across the bridge. Bear were often seen in the woods and at night when in bed you could hear the wolves howl. Deer were plenty. you could buy venison, two hind quarters, called venison saddle, for 50 cents, fore quarters 25 cents.
Bryan in 1849 was a very small town. The question of moving the county seat was being agitated and made lots a dull sale. Lote around the square sold for $50 and $75. As I remember, the corner where the First National Bank stand, sold for $75. In 1849 there were in Bryan three attorneys, two doctors, three department stores, six mechanics, three carpenters, one tailor, one tinner and one shoemaker. BLAKESLEY, Charles CASS and E. FOSTER were attorneys. J. DOBES was called an attorney, but was more a speculator than anything else. BLAKESLEY was learned man but not very popular as a pleader at the bar. FOSTER was not good counsel but in court cases was much sought after. Two doctors, John PAUL and Thomas P. KENT. PAUL was a good doctor, had very good success. BLAKESLEY was a very peculiar man. Bought all of his wood four foot long and burnt it the whole length. He kept an old chair to rest ine end on while the other end burnt. At one time I went to see him in his office and there was a pole sticking out of the door of his office. As the end of the pole burnt off he would shove it into the stove. He never bought any tobacco but would pick up stubs of cigars and chew them.
We had no church building. Used the school house for meetings. The Methodists with but very few members were the only denomination in 1849. The town was surrounded by timber. Timber came up to where Wm. AUNGST resides and up to the BOWERSOX dwelling. GRASSERs lot was the last cleared spot north; on the west, WILLIAMS Hotel. No road ran north. the r oad from West Unity to Center angled thru the court yard close to the court house. The road south on Main street ran south a mile then angled to the west until it struck the creek and followed its bank to Ney. The road to Pulaski ran zig zag thru the woods. Oftimes some one from Bryan would be called upon to take a team down the road to help some poor mover out of a mud hole.
The county officers, in office in 1849 were William McCANE, auditor; GILLSON, treasurer; Jacob YOUSE, recorder; John PAUL, clerk; Daniel LANGEL, sheriff; James SHORTHILL, deputy sheriff; Jerry BEAVERS was constable of Pulaski township. LANDIS from Defiance came over to Bryan. He was in debt to some one and they got a attachment to serve on LANDIS and gave it to Jerry to serve but in place of going to LANDIS, he served the papers on the horses. While he was reading the papers to one of the horses the other whinnied. Jerry said to the horse, "Keep-e, keep-e still, I got one for you to." There are but few of the inhabitants left at this time. Seven people remain from 1849.
Wages at that time for common labor was 50 cents for a day. For carpenters $1.00 to $1.25 per day an board oneself. Produce was cheap. Wheat 40 cents, meat-pork 3 cents, beef 3 to 4 cents by the quarter, maple sugar 5 to 6 cents per pound. Dry goods were high - muslin 10 and 15 cents, calico 10 and 15 cents. A pair of calf boots cost from $6 to $9. Calf hide shoes for women, no fine shoes with high heels, cost from $3 to $4. Our young ladies did not have any feathers in their hats. Their head gear was a bonnet that looked like a covered wagon. The young men and old wore better clothes than the ladies. Their hats were cold stove pipe hats and would cost from $5 to $8. A common man's suit would cost him $45. Such were the olden times.
(The above article was retyped as printed in the newspaper, spelling and grammar not corrected.)
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