The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-07-12
PERSONAL RECoLLgcT1oNs
u THE EARLY sETTLEMExT OF
THE TOWN OF LANCASTER.
by GEORGE sANDERsos.

| The town of Lancaster vas LAID on
lin 1900, BY Ebehozer Zane, of Wheel
ing, Virginia, and as compliment tC
a number Of emigrants from Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania. received Tho
name it now bears. The original plot
was bounded on the west by Front
street, through which the canal passes
on tho east by Broad Alley, which j.
the alley running north and south east
Iot Fourth street; on the north by ono
tier OF in-lots on the north side of Mul.
berry street, and on the sonth by one
tier ofin-lots on the south side of Chest,
nut street, and was covered with a lux.
uriant growth of forest timber, consist.
ing of the several varieties of oal,
black and white walnut, elm, sugar,
honey locust, buckeye, mulberry, wild
cherry, and hickory. The pawpaw.
wild plum, maple, black haw, grape
vine, and spice bush, made up tbickly
set underground. Soon after the town
was laid off Il sale Of lots took place
and were taken by purchasers at
prices varying from FIVE to one hun
dred dollars a lot according to the sit.
uation. There were some inequalities
in the suriace,ofth the plot, but they have
all been removed long since by
Improvement. The first purchasers
were, generally speaking, mechanics
and laborers, who forthwith commen.
ced clearing off their lots, and erecting
log cabins, and so rapidly did the work
of Improvement progress during the
fall of 1900, and the following winter,
that in the spring Of 1901 the principal
streets were opened, aud the number
Of dwellings erected, rude and uncom. .
Portable as they were, gave Lancaster
the appearance of a thriving town in
the wilderness. N,.....
The following arc the names of the
early settlers of the town, and in what
part of the town they settled, as far as
recollccted by the writer of this article,
who deems it not out of place to state
that he has been resident of Lancas.
ter and its immediate vicinity ever
since the town was located, and is now
in the 18th year of his age
Samuel Coates SEN, and Samuel
Coates jr. erected the first cabin in the
newtown in 1900. 1t stood on the al
ley on a lot fronting on Front street,
between Main and Chestnut. The
Coates's-father and son-were from
the city of Leeds, in England, where
they had been engaged in business.
but failing, came TO the United States
In 1893 mail route was established
along Zane's Trace, and the elder
Coates was appointed Postmaster al
the Crossings of the Hockhocking, SC
called and generally known by set.
tiers. The Trace, for it was only an
apology for road, crossed the stream
about midway between the turnpike
and railroad bridges. Hero in lone,
ly cabin was the first post Office estab
lishcd in Fairfield county.
The elder Coates held the post Office
until about 1907 or '08, when he de.
parted this life, and the son succeeded
to the office and continued to discharge
the duties until about 1914, when he
was succeeded by Jacob d. Deetrick
He died in 1889, aged 70 years.
Ralph Morris, in 1900 put up a cab
in on Front between Main and Wheel
ing streets He died about 1906.
Gen. Jonathan Lyrch improved
the lot on the south east corner o
Front and Wheeling streets, in 1900
and moved to it in 1901. He sunk
tan yard about the same time at th
base of the hill west of his residence
and was the first to commence the bu
siness of tanning in the valley of Hook
ing. Gen. Lynch was appointed b,
Gov. st. Clair the first Coroner OF Fair
field county, and held the office 70
several terms after the admission o
the State of Ohio into the Union. H,
also rose from Captaincy to Genera
Of Brigade in the early Militia o
Ohio, Ho was native of Fayett,
county, Pennsylvania, and died in lSlS
aged 46 years.
DR.. Amasa Delanoe, built cabin OF
tho northeast corner of Front an(
Main streets, in 1901 entertained th
public and practised physic for yea
or two He was succeeded as an inn
keeper by William Austin, WHO, dyin!
in 1903 or '04, George W. Solby, son
.law,ot DR., Silas Allen, Of TobeytowI
(now Royalton), took the stand ant
continued the business few Years.
Gen. David Reese emigrated iron
Virginia in 1900, and put up cabiI
on the north side of Wheeling between
Front and Second streets. He wa
elected on the 18th of October, 1902,
member of the first General Assembly
oc the new State of Ohio, and continu
cd to represent the county of Fairfield
for several succeeding sessions. IL,
also, at an early period of the new
county was elected Brigadier Genera
of the Militia. In 1903 or Oh, or abou
that time, ne erected brewery on tn,
lot upon which ST. Peters Church nov
stands, and departed this life in 1872
in his list year. 4L
4 Henry Wertwine, a German, in 1902
improved lot on the north side o
Wheeling, between Front and Secont
streets, and carried on the baking bu
siness. He died in 1903.
Alexander White, (3) in 1901 livcc
in a cabin which ho erected on tn
south side of Wheeling, between From
and Second streets. He was iron
! Winchester, Virginia, and was an AT
torney at Law, and became somewha
eminent in his profession during hi
short residence in the town. He die'
in 1904 ... ur