Once upon a time in Ada
Things you didn’t know about your own hometown
By Lee Crouse
[email protected]
Early Days In Ada The Ada Record 26 February 1902 By W.L. Reece
W.L. Reece returned to Ada in the fall of 1857. At that time there were on about seven or eight residences in Ada with a population of thirty or forty souls. I can recall the names of some: Henry Simons, S.M. Johnson, Lige Wilson, George McElroy, Nate Ahlefeld and a Mr. York. Nate Ahlefeld and I (W.L. Reece) formed a partnership under the firm name of Reece & Ahlefeld. We purchased of Dr. Sager (who resided at Lafayette) a small stock of goods. We did not possess much capital so we spread out our goods in order to make a good showing. We filled the shelves of one side of our store with yellow ware, which gave rise to the saying that our principal “assets” consisted of yellow ware.
Before the days of plastic and Pyrex, most American homemakers used a set of yellow ware bowls in their kitchens.
A Brief History of Yellow Ware
The first pieces of yellow ware, made in Scotland and England during the late 1600s, were made from a clay that was a yellow buff color. Yellow clay contains a much lower level of iron causing it to vitrify at temperatures much higher than red clay, making yellow clay pieces much harder and more desirable for use in the kitchen. The popularity of yellow ware, always known as yellow ware, spread from England to France, Canada and the United States.
By the 1830s, the beautifully colored pieces were being made in the United States using fine yellow colored clay found along the banks of rivers of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Depending on the origin of the clay, finished pieces ranged in color from a deep mustard yellow to a beautiful light yellow resembling the color of fresh butter.
Due to its low cost and durability yellow ware remained the popular choice for use in kitchens for more than a century. It fell out of favor with homemakers in the 1940’s, being replaced by pieces made of modern materials of the times.
Our store was situated on the north side of the rail road switch where the Gill building stood before it burned. We dealt in all kinds of country produce, cord wood and hoop poles, until the firm of Reece & Ahlefeld was dissolved by my purchasing Mr. Ahlefeld’s interest in the business.
During the winter of 1858-1859 I bought about 250,000 hoop poles. Everybody was cutting and hauling hoop poles to market. I. Piled them from Main street to my store room. It was said that some persons were guilty of taking from this pile, hauling them out of town, them bringing them back the next day and selling them to me again, but if this was so I was never able to discover the guilty parties as I had no private mark on the poles by which I could identify them.
When the partnership of Reece & Ahlefeld was formed Nate was postmaster and railroad agent for freight only as no passenger tickets were sold then. Just prior to or about the time of the dissolution of the firm Mr. Ahlefeld resigned both offices and I was appointed in his place. I served as postmaster during the greater part of President James Buchanan’s administration nearly three years of Lincoln’s. When I took charge of the post office my salary was obtained from the business of the office or in other words I was paid a commission amounting in all to about fifty dollars per annum with a plenty of work as every letter and paper received or sent had to be recorded in duplicate form. I also carried the mail to and from the depot; for this service I was paid by the railroad company, I think about $33 per annum.
About the latter part of 1857 or 1958 the population of Ada was increased one by the coming of Dr. J.W. Walters. I remember that soon after the Doctor came he wanted to purchase a horse, saddle and bridle as he possessed neither; walking was not of the best in those days in the absence of sidewalks and piked roads. Doc. found some fellow who was willing to sell. Doc’s exchequer was low and he came to me to borrow the balance needed but as I was in “the same boat” I could not give him the desired assistance: however the doctor obtained the outfit in some manner and started to peddling pills and quinine and as the residents of Ada and vicinity well know he was very successful in his practice.
During the time I was agent for the Railroad Company, which I think at that time was called the Ohio and Pennsylvania R.R. a matter occurred which indicated the financial condition of the Company. A widow lady, a Mrs. Routson (mother of Wm. R. Routson) had a horse killed by the train. It was appraised at $50 and the Company could nor or refused to pay for it. So she brought suit before the Justice of the Peace and obtained judgement for the amount. At the proper time an execution was issued which was placed in the hands of Joel Baum, constable, who levied upon a locomotive which was standing on the side track: he fastened it to the track with chains. A few days afterward the railroad people attempted to move the engine by attaching another locomotive to it and pulling it out. They succeeded in breaking the chains when about 20 to 25 citizens, with the constable, began piling cross ties in front and under the trucks of the captured engine. The result was the railroad people abandoned the attempt and left it standing.
There it remained several days which one day a gentleman came to me and introduced himself as Mr. Bailey, of Wooster, Ohio, and stated to me that he was a member of the Board of Directors of the railroad company and that he had been appointed a special committee of one to adjust the matter so as to obtain the release of the locomotive as they needed it. He said the constable would release it and give them sixty days to settle the clain if I would go security for the payment of the judgement or the return of the locomotive. We fixed the matter up, the engine was released and at the expiration of sixty days back came the engine and it was delivered to me and I in turn delivered it to the constable. Later on the matter was settled by the payment of the judgement.
When Mr. Bailey came to me for security the railroad owed me over $350 for supplies furnished the company for which they had made a note signed by Mr. Davis, their paymaster. The note was past due and Mr. Bailey said if I would act as security I would be paid my claim but this promise was not fulfilled and later on I sold the note to a firm of brokers in Pittsburgh at 55c on the dollar.
I cannot remember very many of the citizens of Ada at that time, but remember Sterling Robinson, Wm. League, Jacob and Hugh McElroy, Samuel Arbuthnot, Cal., Lew, and Phil Stumm and Sam Lantz. It was about this time that Chris., Henry and Wm. Young came to Ada accompanied by their brother-in-law, Jacob Forbing, and erected a factory for the manufacture of chair stuff, principally of black walnut timber. The Young’s also erected the old flouring mills which later they sold to John B. Carey. {This is where the Kephart and Young houses are now.}
Of the farmers residing in the vicinity of Ada, I recall John Lynch, Eli Pugh, Jacob High, W.W. Thompson, George and John Epley, Robert Hyndman, Avery Carey, Richard M. Johnson, John Hoon, Noah Dearth, Wm. Clappin, John Tressel, John Shanks, and John and James Mustard.
As to church organization there were no church buildings; services were held in the old school house situated on the corner of Main and Montfort streets, {where the Misses Rinehart’s dwelling house now stands} I remember that Joel Baum came around frequently solieciting money to pay the Methodist minister, there being no regular charge; the ministers were called “circuit riders,” I can’t remember the names of the ministers who held services but do remember that James S. DeLisle, who styled himself the “long meter” preacher, did a great Lord’s Kingdom in Ada and vicinity.
Prior to the organization of the Ada Union school district it was known as sub-school district No.5, of Liberty Township. About the time or soon after the organization of Ada union school district that “wheel-horse” of education, Prof. H.S. Lehr, made his appearance and was employed as teacher. How long he taught the school I do not remember but think it was until his fertile brain conceived the idea of establishing the Northwestern Ohio Normal School, which every one knows has been a success. Speaking of the Normal, school reminds me of the time when the faculty asked for greater facilities in the way of more room and fixtures. We were very much concerned for fear we would lose the school as there were other places bidding for it. A vote was taken for the issuing of bonds which resulted almost unanimously in favor of the issuing of the bonds. I, with some others, was selected as a committee to go to Coluto lobby with the legislature for the passage of a special act. It was my first experience in the lobbying game, likewise my last.
About 1860 I took as a partner in the mercantile business Hollis J. Gilbert; the firm was Gilbert & Reece. Our store was in a frame where what is now known as the Bauman corner. During the early part of the existence of this firm, I traveled over the country buying fur. On one of my trips I heard of a party living on the north side of Hog Creek marsh who had some mink pelts for sale; at that time mink fur was very fashionable and brought good prices. I called at his house and he brought out some six or eight pelts. I bought them for about $5 each, brought them to town and on close inspection found one was a black cat skin with a mink tail sewed on to it. I sold it for 25c. Doctor Walters will remember this circumstance. We also bought and shipped grain and as we had no warehouse, grain was loaded direct from off the wagons into the cars. We shipped our grain to Sandusky city. On the first shipment of one car we cleared about $45 and we were so elated over our success that we bought a box of cigars and treated everybody that came around. A short time afterward we erected a small warehouse on the switch, just east of the warehouse now owned by Mr. Brewer, which later was erected by Joseph Ream & Son and afterwards purchased by me. We also engaged, along with Sam Lantz, in buying and shipping hogs and cattle. We came out of this line of trade about $250 in the “hoie.”
About the close of the war the firm of Gilbert & Reece was dissolved. Soon after the dissolution of the firm I took in as partner Frank Urich and the firm was them reece & Urich. We continued in business some time when I purchased Mr. Urich’s interest and he moved to Lafayette, Ohio. I continued in the mercantile business until I sold out to Frank Schwab, of Lima.
As to the grocery trade of Ada at this time I cannot remember much. I remember “Uncle Billy” Edwards kept a grocery in the building nearly opposite the old depot which afterward became the Commercial Hotel. Sam Lantz had a general store in a building on the north of the railroad, erected. I think, for a warehouse by Joseph Ream, afterward used by Wm. League for a stave and barrel factory.
Soon after President Lincoln’s first call for volunteers, possibly in May or June 1861, quite a number of the citizens of Ada and vicinity, who were subject to military duty, feeling very patriotic, thought best to prepare themselved for war by drilling in military tactics. Arrangements were made to meet every Saturday afternoon for drill but a difficulty confronted us which we had not taken into consideration- who would be the drill master? None of had any experience in that line but as is most always the case in any great undertaking there is some one who feels himself equel for the emergency. W. Ansley, (who lived on the Kenton road just east of George Reece’s) a native of the “dark and bloody ground”, claimed he had some military tactics by experience in militia drill during the Mexican war. By common consent he was made captain or drill master.
Our drill ground was on Main Street. Our uniform was any kind of trousers with red flannel shirts. We met several times and went through the evolutions of files by four, by flank, etc, etc, until we thought we were proficient in marching. Our captain suggested that before we went south to shoot the Johnnies we ought to drill in the manual of arms in which all the company concurred. Here another difficulty arose: we had no guns or accountrements, but that obstacle was soon overcome by making aquisition on a pile of hoop poles that belonged to Wm. League. Each “soldier” was provided with a pole (we were privates) and we felt perfectly safe as to any accident by the premature discharge of any of our guns or being prod with a bayonet.
Our first drill in the manual of arms was on Main Street. We were formed in lines, our right resting at the Main street bridge across Swag run, at the intersection of Buckeye street, and extended south perhaps half way to the railroad. Our captain got along fairly well in the manual until he wanted to give the command to “order arms” There he stuck: after deliberating awhile he saw his way out and gave the command “the butts of your guns on the ground”. We had no trouble afterwards in understanding the command to “order arms.” After drilling for some time we concluded we were capable of going to the front, broke ranks and disbanded without a loss of a man.
