The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-06-02
Personal RecOllectiOns.
BY THE EDITOR.

from Portland to Jefferson Furnace,y you
will see large frame house on the top |
of the hill about a turlOng from Pert
land, and q hundred and fifty yards
south of the county road aforesaid. Be-
tween the road and this fine residence,
under the brow of the hill, you will see
an old two story hewed log house, with
one door and one small window in front,
aud large stone chimney peeping up
through the roof in the middle of the
house. This old log house was built
by my uncle, Solomon Mackley, about
half a century ago. 1t was built before
my recollection. The first that can
remember Of this house was in the win
ter of 1895. was there at a singing
school, taught by man named Lasley.
When you look at the fine residence
of Mr.. John Thomas, the frame house
first named, which probably cost from
$S, 900 to $l0,oOOi when you look on
the other side of the road, towards Oak
Hill, and see on the high hill the fine
brick residence of John ]. Jones, which
will, when finished, cost perhaps Sl6,-
0oo when you look at the many fine
houses in and around Portland, and
then look at this old log house, you will
scarcely believe me when / tell you
that up to l840, this was one of the fl
nest houses in that part of the county.
In the early days there were three
kinds of houses in this county. The
most common was the log cabin, with
out any glass windows, with clapboard
roof, door made Of Clapboards, lott laid
with the same, puncheOn floor, cat and
clay chimney, &c. Then there was a
higher order of building, only in this,
that after the house was up it was
"scutched" down, or the logs hewed
with a broad Ak. Then there was the
hewed log house, with plank doors,
plank floors, glass windows, and stone
or brick chimney. There were no frame
houses in all the south half Of Jackson
county prior to the year 1890, that /
can now reCollect. There were no brick
houses, that were ever inhabited. 1t
must have been about the year l827-30,
that Lewis Adkins undertook to build a
brick house on the Cackley farm, a mile
north east Of Oak Hill. 1t created quite
a sensation at the time. The building
cracked before it was finished, and Mr..
Adkins never moved into it. ! think
ii fell down soon after it was built. My
impression is that Mr. Adkins had a
lawsuit with the builders, who were
named Branderberry and McMahan.
But must get back to the old house
near Portland. My uncle and several
of his sons were skilful mechanics, and
they did the carpenter work on this
house. 1t had upper and lower floors
made Of dressed plank, tongued and
grOoved. 1t had plank doors, one glass
window in front and one in the rear.
1t had nice joint shingle roof, stone
chimney, and winding stairs. True,
the doors were not panel, but the most
common batten. The panes of glass
were 8 by 10, and the windows small
yet it was most ariStocratic house. l
was almost afraid to go into this fine
house, It was so grand, aud l should not
perhaps have ventured to 60 in, only
my aunt was so very kind to me, and
always gave me nice apples whom was
at the old horse mill, awaiting my turn.
This fine house had no carpets on the
floors, but the floors were kept scrub
bed clean and white with sand. Prior
to the year 1890 l do not suppose there
was yard Of carpet in use in the town.
ships of Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison,
Franklin OF Bloomfield, where now are
found the most thrifty and prosperous
people in our county.
The old stone chimney which can
yet be seen at my uncle's house, is the
second one which was built in this
house. II was built about the year
1895, by Amos LenigOr. The rock
was auarried on the hill half mile this
side of Jefferson Furnace, on the left
as you go to the Furnace Tho mantle
piece, instead Of an arch, was a great
stone going across the chimney, and it
weighed psrhapS half a ton. Ono Of
these, In the rough, was loaded on q
wagon ct the quarry, and was about to
crush one Of the fore wheels of the wag-
on. The neighbOn were called In to
help, aud with levers We raised the
wagon aud it was safely hauled to the
house
When think Of this miserable log