The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-09-19

Out tuebc SOOu ucRdu " ulBa ppcoA
and give place to awnings. The, resi-
dences, however, still retained their
shade trees, which gave the town
beautiful appearance In summer.
The front yards generally had flower
beds that we're kept In good order,
and added much to the pleasure OF
passers.by. az well as the owners.
Wood was the only fuel and the
farmers kept the town well supplied
except when the roads we're too bad,
as often happened, tor then the only
pixies in the county we're the Chilli
cothe and Cincinnati, and the New
Market pike, and both we're toll roads.
It frequently happened, In spring
especially, that no butter or eggs
could be found In the stores for weeks.
Immediately after the war, the free
turnpike law was passed, under which
new pixies we're built. Hillsboro en-
couraged the good work by subscrib-
ing literally to all the roads leading
to the county seat, and now the
farmers can bring their produce to
market at all times.
This county has been notable for
many years as one of the most evenly
divided in politics, 80 that the county
officers have generally been pretty
equally distributed between the two
great parties. In 1852, the Auditor,
wD. n. Woodrow; Probate Judge, J.
r. Emrie; Clerk of the Court, John
W. Bell; and Prosecuting Attorney,
John Torrie. were all Democrats
while the Treasurer, Rev. VIM. M.
McReynold Sheriff. David Fenwick;
and Recorder, James M. Keys, we're
all Wings, as we're the three County
missioners, Chas. Robinson, Henry
Wilkins and BENZ. Cowgill. This close
balancing of political power, however,
was good thing for the people, as 1t
made both parties more careful to
nominate good men, for the loss of
only few votes might defeat any
candidate. The county has thus been
fortunate In nearly always having
honest and capable officers, to which
ever party thev belonged.
! One of the most efficient and pupu-
lar of the county officers fifty years
ago was James Reece, son of David
Reece, one of the pioneer settlers,
and who several times Represented
the county in the legislature. From
1855 to '57 Mr.. Reece was County
Auditor, and in 1859 was again elected
and held the Office four years. In 1864
he was elected Treasurer, and served
two terms, and when nearly or quite
: four score, was again elected Auditor.
He was one of the leading Republi-
cans from the first organization Of
the party, but was beloved and re-
: spected by all his fellow.citizens,
regardless of party.
No political leader In Highland
county exerted a greater influence
over his party than that old Demo-
cratic wheel-horse, Gen. ]. j. Nc
Dowell. He served one term In the
7 Legislature and two in Congress and
was a fine type of the old Virginia
] gentleman. The General was one of
the prominent lawyers in 1852, and
the other lawyers we're Judge j. w.
Price, John A. Smith, VIM. o. Collins,
Jas. q. Thompson, Jas. Sloane, A. G.
t Matthews and Daniel Scott.
The doctors were Jacob Kirby, r.
? d. Lilley, ]. M. Johnston, G. G. Sans
A. Baker and Il. ]. Cannifi
The only ministers we're DR.. Steel
+ Presbyterian, w. I. Fee, Methodist,
: and Mr.. Walden, Baptist.
I The leading business men were 8. E.
Hibben, d. J. Falls, Patterson q Var
Wrinkle, Benz. Barrere, Jas. Dill
: Benz. CLANCY, Dry Goods Jno. w
Higgins, Dow Higgins, Jacob Miller
George Lawrence, grocers; W. r.
" Smith, Lyman Perrin and Frank
King, druggists; Joseph Kibler, J. K
Marlay, hardware; Gilbert McFadden
china store; e. W. shriver, John
Reckley, tinware and stoves. The
only hotels were the Eagle kept b.
, Myers & Nicely, and the Denny House
by e. J. Bl cunt
In the great Civil War Highland
. county proved her patriotism and
. loyalty to the Union, by sending hel
: full quota of volunteer to the front
and the county was never subjected
to the disgrace of the draft. DR. W
:, n. Smith. James Reece, Q. 8. Bell
: and James w. Doggett, as member,
: of the County. Military Committee
were indefatigable In their efforts ia
encourage volunteering.