Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1925-03-19
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us unconsciously to assume, must be
done; or else in something which
she presented as recreation but
which was of as much value as our
regular lessons. In the latter case
we were learning additional lessons
under the guise of a reward or an
amusement. Once, | remember, she
brought to school supply of pic
ture cards and lead pencils. She
stated that as soon as any of us had
| learned our lessons we might have
card and a pencil and draw a copy
of the picture. And she presented
the proposal in such a way, that we
felt ourselves greatly favored, and
took up drawing as an extra study
without realizing it.
In this school, | felt for the first
time real joy in study; and some
Of the hours I spent there still seem
to me to rank among the best hours
in all my experience The hours of
absorbing interest are the great
hours of life. and thanks to this rare
teacher, this noble mistress of
minds, l learned in her school the
supreme secret of happy and success
full work.
"Aunt Fanny Gage Proposed Hold
ing OF County Fair
The Dickinson foundry, mentioned
by Mr.. Travis, was first owned and
operated by Mr. James D. Gage His
wife, Mrs. Frances d. Gage, was an
author of more than local reputa-
ton, whose pen name was Aunt
Fanny" 1t was she who in letter
to the Morgan Herald first proposed
the holding of Morgan county fair
For two or three years the fair was
held short distance above town, be-
tween the river road and the hill.
The other foundry was at first
factory of threshing machines. 1t
was built by Cyrus P. Fisher. To
supply his factory with water, he
had the we'll dug in which the acci-
dent occurred, referred to in Capt.
Travis address One afternoon
while the we'll was being dug, it cav
ed in and buried the man who was
digging it. Fortunately some boards
that had been used to support the
sides fell in such a way as to pro-
tect him and at the same time admit
a little air. The town was in a
state of tremendous excitement till
he was rescued few hours later.
Soap And Candle Factory
The soap and candle factory was
owned by George Richardson, who,
with such help as his wife could
render, performed all the work OF
the establishment.
The boats that were built on the
/, river bank east of Kennebec avenue,
were called Orlean boats. The
builders We're Randolf B. Bell and
H. r. Cheadle. The latter was the
father of Mrs McVeigh who con-
Quoted the Kennebec hotel for sever
al years. The boats were, as well as
| can guess, about so feet long, II
: or / feet wide and eight or ten
feet high. The roof as arched and
; covered with two layers Of weather.
boards extending from side to SIDE.
AT the rear room was partitioned
off, for eating and sleeping. The
rest of the boat was filled with bar
rels of flour for the southern mar
ket. Several times as a boy it was
my duty to keep the barrels of -four
rolled up to the mill door for my
|, father, who lowered them into the
boat; and once l helped to roll them
back from the front to the rear Of
the boat. When the boat was full.
the opening at which the flour was
taken in was closed The boat was
propelled with huge oars, or poles,
operated by men who walked back
, and forth on the roof The boats
were called Orlean boats, but /
think the flour was sold anywhere
, along the Mississippi that buyers
We're found; and when all the flour
, had been disposed of, the boats were
sold for what they would bring and
the men returned on steamboats,.
The two ferries were known as the
: upper and the lower. Both were at
first operated by horse power, eacn
{ of them using two horses on a tread
wheel. Later the upper one was
: changed to a steam ferry, and the
lower to rope ferry.
/ There were a few general stores
, not included in Capt. Travis list n.
) Shepard & Sons occupied the room
{ directly across the alley from the
, present location of the Morris Hard
ware Co. The building was called
the Buckeye block and was owned by
Nathaniel Shepard After he with
! drew, the firm became Shepard &c
I Adams. The Black store was at first
: in the other, that is, the east, room
/ of the same building. 1t was first J.
& A. Black, then, after the arrival of
Peter Black, it was Black & Broth
) ers, and still later Joseph Black &
; Co. Directly opposite Shepard's on
the other side of Main street, was
} that of Alex Simpson When Joseph
Black married Mr.. Simpsons Oldest
daughter, the Simpson store was
) discontinued and the Blacks erected
: the building which now occupies the
ground, and moved into it. On the
| northwest corner of Main and Sew
: enth streets, Edwin Corner had a
5 store, afterward Corner & McGrath,
: ater Joshua Gregg had a store in