The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1886-05-12
OLD TOWN HALLS AND THE NEW.
Wellington's Little Town House in the
Wilderness and the Magnificent Su-
perstructure of the Booming
Little City.

Some people advise the public to build
no expensive public ediices. This ad-
wise is hasty and even cruel, for many
reasons. 1t will be admitted that some
ages did rob the home, that they might
build the temple; and one can yet see
some form of this injustice in the world.
But the world is outgrowng this form of
folly, and we all live in u broad west,
where the country and village churches,
school houses and public edifices rise up
among the trees in great beauty and sim
plicity, Complaint thatmay have justly
applied to the far past can not by any
mind that wishes TO be reasonable, be
laid against the public buildings, which
so adorn the villages and cities of this
new continent. ...
The private home is confessed, both in
philosophy and song, to be the dearest
spot on earth, and all things should be
done to embellish and beautify it; but not
altogether out of the private homes, has
the civilizing education of the world pro,
ceeded. The young and old have been
compelled, by the laws Of education, to
meet together in companies larger and
quite different from the one accustomed
to assemble around the freside. Hence,
politics has its forum, art its school and
gallery philosophy its porch and NOR
ais its temple; a high type Of civilization
seeks to make the public hall, where the
people come together in mass, attractive
by adomments, appealing TO mans love
for the beautiful, which is his most ele.
waiting principle.
Excelsior seems always to have been
the motto of Wellington. 1t was the rul-
ing spirit of the old pioneers who cleared
off the wilderness, and founded Il civiliza-
tion which has developed into the energy,
happiness, intelligence, enterprise and
beauty of the Wellington of today They
thought out and acted out their own sal
vation. They were animated by knowl-
edge and principle that dwells in "minds
replete with thoughts of other men," and
wisdom attentive TO their own best in.
terests. In all ways the old pioneers of
Wellington were typical Americans, no.
ted for intelligence, energy, courage and
devotion to moral principles. Even when
there was only handful of them, they
built churches in which to worship God,
and halls in which TO transact the affairs
of local government. Many of them lived
to a venerable Old age, lived to see and
enjoy Wellington as it is to-day, the most
beautiful little city to be found anywhere.
A few of them still linger on the shores
Of time, whose presence to the people Of
Wellington, is benediction and bless
ing.
Less than half Dozen who were adults
when they came TO Wellington, are alive.
Deacon Case is now the living pioneer
who has been in Wellington the longest.
Isaac Bennett and Austin Finch come
next both having emigrated to Yelling.
ton over half century ago The venera-
BILE DIR. ID. J. Johns earliest of pioneers,
passed over the river and was buried on
those gala days when Wellington was full
of exultation and pride over the compile.
ton and dedication Of her magnificent
town hall. Those were proud days for
Wellington, but the death and funeral
obsequies of the old pioneer, is sugges-
tive of the early civilization leading on to
the grand achievement over which Well.
ington has a right to be proud. A little
log cabin in the wilderness Is where he
voted and aided in the government of his
adopted township acting as one of the
clerks of the first recorded election in the
annals of Wellington, sixtytwo years ago.
lie outlived the ten electors who voted
with him that day. There was a deep
pathos in his death and burial, at the very
time when Wellington was sounding
the exultant notes Of preparation
for the dedication of hersuperb
public edifice. The mind ran back
over seven decades of Wellington
history, and saw the little township capi.
tol building in the wilderness, and con.
trasted II with the stately and magnificent
town hall Of to-day.
The industry, enterprise and push Of
any people is illustrated by the public
edifces they build. The works Of this
kind, with which Wellington is adorned,
would be credit to a city Of five times
It's present population, and surpass,
without doubt, the public buildings Of any
village Of its size in Northern Ohio. Not
only in public Improvements has Well
ing shown progressive spirit but in the
building of business blocks and private
Residences. Almost within the last two
decades the old wooden structures, run
ming each way from the public square,
have been supplanted by solid, brick
Structures. But the leading ornament of
Wellington is its magnificent town hall,
just completed and dedicated for the use
\ of the people. It stands on the old site
where the first town house was erected
In 1929.
Before the building OF what the old pi.
oneers called their "Town House, cleo
lions and town meetings were held in pri.
yate residences. 1t is the recollection of