Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-22

SOME EARLY HISTORY TOLD
Thaddeus Binford Delivers Principal
Address, Telling of Early Life in
Native Coun'ty-Benjamin F. Nichols
Reelected President of the Associa-
tion-The Program.

citation was held Tuesday AFTERNOON
ut Cottage Grove Park, Soldiers Home
and at the afternoon session 200 par
ticipated, despite the unpleasant
weather for an out-of-door gathering
One hundred more were at the park
during the forenoon and took dinner
Officers were elected, Benjamin f.
Nichols being again chosen as presi-
dent; q. c. NfMillan, vice president;
William Battil1 elected treasurer and
Miss Eva Harableton, secretary.
The program, as previously an
nounced, was observed with but rev
changes. Rev. Josiah Paxson, OF Mon
tour, delivered the invocation, followed
by "a piano solo, Norwegian Pastoral
by Miss Majo,.ie Nichols. Miss Edna
Kirby, of Hartland, gave vocal num-
Der, and responded to an encore a1ter
which Mr.. ThsLddeus Binford delivered
the principal address of the afternoon.
Mr.. Binford's address was along the
line of facts that dealt with the early
history of Columbiana county. He
spoke as follows:
Friends and Neighbors: little
more than a century ago, SO far as the
white man is concerned, the history OF
the county settled by our forefathers
was commenced. Colunbiana county.
Ohio, century ago. was one vast will
derness, heavily wooded, hilly, thin
soil, it's surface almost covered with
stone. I dare say that if Columhiana
county was today as 1t was one hun>
grandchildren of the pioneers of that
county would go long way and try
every other field before they could be
induced to go among those hills to
make farms, build railroads and make
cities.
'sWho Of us today can appreciate the
work and sacrifice that our farthers
endured to make out of that county
profitable farms? Think for mo-
ment, no prailies, no cleared land. A
new settler must of necessity live in
the covered wagon at least long
enough to cut down the trees and clear
a place large enough to erect a log
cabin. The years it took after that to
put the land in condition to farm,
will not undertake to tell. The kind
Of people who undertook this work and
enduced its hardships we will hereaf-
ter refer to. The interest of most
counties to "a large extent center
around the county seat.
"Just when The first settlement was
made in this county and who were the
persons who first dared to presume
that they could make those "hills
blossom as the rose" we cannot prove
from history.
.sThe county seat Of Columbiana
county was founded by one Lewis
Kinney, February 16. 1903, who gave
1t the name of New Lisbon. During
that year the owner Of the county seat
built court house and county jail
and sold both the buildings, together
with the lots upon which they We're
located, to the county, for the munif1-
cent sum Of $3.50. One Of these build
ings was used by the county for a court
house from 1903 to 1916. A new jail
was built in 1903, and today stands as
one Of the landmarks OF the early SET
tlement.
"The first battalion of Columbiana
county militia was mustered in 1906
with John AFTER, a resident of New
Lisbon, as it's mayor. In 1903 was
erected in this country the first iron
furnace in that state, and during the
same year the first newspaper was
published in that county by William
L.sLeepper. known as The Ohio Pa
trlot.' This village grew steadily, and
IN 1909 contained more than sixty
houses The population consisted al
most Of people from states of Virginia,
Maryland and Pennsylvania. 1t is said
this village continued to Increase in
population to such an extent that most
OF it's citizens believed it was destined
20 become one of important inland
cities Of the nation. and when, in jan
uary, 1926. The Sandy and Beaver
Canal Company was incorporated,
visions Of commercial greatness in the
near future loomed up before the peo-
PIE. This canal was commenced.
but not completed until 1896 To us thi,
seems a long time, but if we go bacl,
and consider the means thew had to
work with, the only wonder is that II
could be built at all under such comb.
tions.
"The arrival of the first boat on this
canal was celebrated with appropriate
ceremonies at a meeting held in
building owned by the father Of the
late lamented Marcus A. Hanna
known as 'Hallna's Warehouse The
first railroad was built thru the conn
ty in 1852, but New Lisbon had no
railroad connections until after the
close of the civil war.
s'The old county possessed more hid
den wealth than the most sanguine of
the, earlier settlers dreamed Of. The
great and almost inexhaustible guam
tity of bituminous coal; with abund-
ant and valuable quantity of fire clay;
with unlimited amount of cement and
limestone easily accessible, with a
wealth of the finest building stone and
plenty of wafer for manufacturing
purposes, has made of this county one
of the wealthiest in the state Not
until 1895 did the residents of that VIII
Iage, then almost 100 years old, realize
that the county seat Of old Columbiana
county was now new. In that year. by
a proper proceeding. there was enter
ed decree in the common pleas court
by which the word new was stricken
from it's name. 1t is now and since
1895 has been known by the name of
Lisbon.
'Few counties in the state have fig
ured in the history of the nation more
than Old CclumbfaRa.' In