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Licking County, Ohio

History

The History of Homer, Ohio

The Newark Advocate (Newark, Ohio)  Friday, August 25, 1916

Pioneer Residents Aid in Making Homer Centennial Celebration a Big Success

Homer, O., Aug. 25

This Burlington township village today renamed the even tenor of its way, much in contrast to the scenes of yesterday’s busy activity.  Not a resident of today talks of anything except the glorious success of Thursday’s centennial celebration.  Old friendships were renewed, new ones formed and in every heart was uppermost, the feeling that everyone who participated was a better man and better woman.  There was not one dissonant note to mar the effect of a perfect harmony of good fellowship.

To Miss Hattie Burner, a daughter of one of Homer’s pioneer couples, is generally accredited the honor of starting the celebration upon its way and yesterday as she sat beside her aged mother, her heart was filled with pardonable pride as she gazed upon the gay and happy throngs and received the congratulations of hundreds who knew of her part in the affair.  Some months ago Miss Burner in looking over some old records discovered that Homer was really 100 years old in August of 1916 and she immediately took the matter up with the Federated Homer Brotherhood and a centennial celebration was suggested.

A committee was appointed consisting of Rev. E. L. Wehrenberg of the Presbyterian church.  Charles Snare and A. H. Wright was appointed and the project was advertised through the churches to the end that people became interested and invited their relatives and friends to “come home,” August 24, the day decided upon for the event.

Beginning early in the morning the throngs began to arrive, many coming up from Newark and down from Mt. Vernon to Utica by train and thence to Homer, by automobile or bus.  By noon the town was literally, not figuratively, filled with visitors, but the vast majority came in automobiles, the main street being lines on both sides with this style vehicles from one end of the corporation to the other.

Business was entirely suspended, and every lawn was freely given to parties who wished to sit and eat their lunch at the noon hour.  Hundreds brought baskets and enjoyed their contents in true picnic style, while dinner was served at several long tables in an annex to the main tent on the school grounds to those who formed no family groups.

Hon. John F. Kramer of Mansfield was the morning’s orator, Judge Lewis B. Houck of Mt. Vernon that of the afternoon, while J. Henry Miller, of Newark, spoke in the evening.  These men all drew lessons from the event and their addresses were carefully listened to by audiences which upon each occasion packed the tent.

One of the features of the literary part of the program was a historical sketch of the famous old town prepared by Miss Jessie Smythe, a cousin of Attorney B. G. Smythe of Newark, which was read by Rev. D. S. Carpenter of Nevada, O., formerly Methodist pastor here.  This was so much out of the ordinary historical review read upon occasion of this kind that it is here-with printed in full.

The History of Homer, Ohio

The dawn of the last century saw the country all about us covered with forests, part of the hunting grounds of the Shawnee, Wyandot and Delaware Indians.

They had temporary encampments within it and one village remained for a few years after the coming of the first white settlers along the creek about half way to Utica.  Their tent shaped wigwams were easily moved wherever game was plentiful; wherever a spot of ground could be found in which to plant their corn; wherever a sugar camp could be opened, there they may have camped within our territory.

There were no great trails, what we would call “trunk lines,” near us.  One trail, which the pioneers called the “Indian Path,” crossed the township from east to west, leading to “Raccoon Town,” south of Johnstown.  Another trail that could be easily traced in places ran to the southeast and was said by old hunters to lead to Flint Ridge, where the Indians got flint for their arrow heads.

These Indians had no traditions of the earlier inhabitants, whom we call the Moundbuilders and could tell nothing about the mounds.  They had always seen them and regarded them as antiquities or as the relics of an extinct race.

The soil in the vicinity of Homer seems to have been favorable for the work of the Moundbuilders.  Within a few miles of Homer there are or have been seven mounds, besides other earthworks.  Examination of one mound disclosed a circular building of stone, with a large “niggerhead” as a keystone.  When opened, nothing was found inside and others have shown nothing remarkable.

In 1824, when excavating near the creek bank, a very large skeleton was found.  It is stated that the lower jaw would go over the face of the largest man present with room for the two hands between.  It was thought to be the skeleton of a prehistoric chief.

History is silent regarding the early exploration of our township.  The only recorded expedition that may have come through our community was that of Captain Samuel Brady, a noted scout and Indian fighter, with a party under his direction.  They were sent out about 1792 or 1793 to “ascertain the condition of the more or less hostile Indians of the Muskingum and its tributaries; to learn the state of their feelings tward the border settlers and to chastise such small hunting and marauding bands as might fall in their way.”  The expedition crossed the Ohio at Wheeling, directing its course to the forks of the Muskingum, from there following the Walhonding to the Kokosing or Owl Creek.  This they followed to a point near the headwaters of the Licking.  Thence they turned south and followed the valley of the North Fork in its junction with the South Fork.  To return to the Ohio they descended the Licking and Muskingum to Marietta.

During the next ten years many settlers came into the county, making homes in the Licking Valley.  When the first pioneers entered our township in 1806, there were six families in Newton township and no one nearer than Mt. Vernon, in Knox county.

There were ten men in the first company, among whom was James Dunlap, a surveyor.  He surveyed the unbroken woods all through the county here and his charts are still in the possession of his descendants.  On the creek bank near his farm was the only Indian village in historic times.  The chief once came to Mrs. Dunlap to have her make him a vest such as white men wore.  It is said she made it for him.

Across the creek, Henry Oldacre settled on the Lohr farm and his son, Andrew Oldacre was born there in 1812.  Others of the company were Nathan Conard, Adam Patterson and John and Thomas Dixon.  These all located near good springs along what they called “the Indian Path,” the trail now followed by the Johnstown road.  Nathan Conard settled in 1807 on the Hamlin Conard farm.  Adam Patterson settled on the Lewis Edman place and the Dixons on Mrs. Carrie Hall’s place.  Like many pioneers, the Dixons built their house from the trees they cut to clear a space for it.

Others of this first company whose homesteads cannot be located were Cornelius Vanausdal, John Johnson, Jonathan Beaty and Hugh McKindley.  In 1808 came a second company.  Among them were Jessee Van Fossen and James Dickey, who also settled on the Indian path; the first at the Thomas Patten place and the second at Tom Edman’s.

J. Helphrey located not far from Utica; James Buchanan made a home on the place now owned by Charles Butcher.  John Chonner’s original home cannot be located. He once lived on the site of the M. E. church, at other times at the Jonathan Bailey place and later at the O’Connor place and at another place on that road.

The party that came in 1809 or 1810 cannot be located, except that Abner McLane lived on the site of the old house on Charles Channell’s farm and Jacob Moore settled at that time on Newlen Larimore’s farm and a family of McKindleys near the Stephen Edman place.

The next year came Colonel Walt Wright, Samuel Edman, Van Simmons, Thomas Bare and Ezra Mead. Colonel Walt Wright’s home was where Samuel Shaffer’s house is.  Samuel Edman located on what is called the old Edman farm.  He set aside a burying plot on his farm and was buried there 40 years later.  Van Simmons settled on the place now owned by J. S. Edman and Thomas Bare on the old Cummins farm now owned by Mrs. James Dunlap.

James Houck came about 1811.  His original home cannot be located.  He, like John Chonner, seems to have bought and sold many times.  His son, Jacob Houck, was born here in 1812.  Mr. Same Scott must have come in 1810 or 1811, and Daniel Smith in 1814, as also M. R. Catt’s father, Philip Catt.  John Peters, John Philips and John Bash came some time before 1820 and John Hilbrant settled on the Lock road about the same time.

The Granville road had been opened in 1810.  It followed the section line through the site of Hanover, passing about where the blacksmith shop now stands.  Because of the hills and creek it was later established where it is now.  In 1816 that part of the village east of Coleman’s alley was laid out by John Conner.  It was called Burlington, after the native town of Col. Wright, but when it became a post town it was necessary to change and it was called Homer.  This probably happened about 1825.

The first building in Homer is said to have been on the site of Yoakam’s store.  Mr. Catt says it was a log house and that his father helped to raise it.  Across from the blacksmith shop was a large double log house that stood there many years.  Other log houses are remembered, but with the advent of the sawmill the appearance of the village must have greatly changed.  John Chonner built the first mill and sawmill. He also built the brick house owned for many years by Robert Condon.

In 1823, James Houck, who owned the land lying west of the village, laid out an addition covering all the village west of Coleman’s alley and built several houses.  At the time of the Burlington storm he was living in the track of the tornado.  His house was destroyed but none of the family was injured.  He lived to be a very old man – dying in 1883 – lacking but a month of being 100 years old.

The tornado known as the Burlington storm occurred on May 18, 1825.  It came in the afternoon, originating in Delaware county.  It passed along the surface for several miles and then lifted above the forest trees.  When it descended it was with increased violence.  As it passed through Bennington and Burlington townships it seemed to gather force.  The cloud was very black and sometimes bore hard on the ground; at other times it lifted a little above the surface.  The movement was very rapid and lasted only a little while – perhaps two minutes.  Those who saw it said the fragments of trees and houses high in the air looked like a flock of huge birds.  Many incidents are told of the power and fury of the storm.  Colonel Wright’s log house was torn to pieces.  His 14-year-old son tried to hold the door shut and was blown across the room with such violence that he was killed.

The family of Mr. Vance, seeing the storm approaching, left the house, going to a young orchard.  He told them to lie down and grasp the young apple trees, he himself taking the baby girl.  The house was destroyed and a flying timber struck one boy, killing him instantly.  Another son was blown against the snag of a tree and wounded that he died, and Mrs. Vance suffered a broken rib.  Another son had taken shelter behind a fallen tree which was lifted and dropped on the other side, leaving him unhurt.

Mr. Andre Oldacre was a boy of 12 at the time.  He was blown against a tree and clung to it, saving his life.  The tree is said to be still standing.  Mr. Clemons was fishing when the storm came and took refuge behind a tree.  The top of the tree was wrung off over his head and the water was sucked from the creek, but he clung to the tree stump which remained for several years.  The upper story of Mr. Clemons house, which was the back part of Mr. Hunter’s brick house, was taken off.  Later it was roofed as at present and the front was built.

Mrs. Esther Yoakam was a baby in the cradle at the time and after the storm was found still in the cradle, unhurt, with a table set over it.

Orchards and forest trees were uprooted and broken, the trees falling in every direction, so that it was not possible to determine the course of the storm from the fallen trees.

Cattle and horses were carried considerable distances and dropped, sometimes dead and sometimes unhurt. Articles such as shingles, pieces of timber and furniture were carried twenty and even thirty miles.  The next November Col. Wright identified a coat that had been found in Coshocton county and a grain sack that had Mr. Vance’s name on was brought back to him.

The period between 1820 and 1840 shows a great influx of settlers. Somewhere in this time came the Wheelers, Wilcoxes, Osbornes, Dunlaps and Weavers.  About 1823 Dr. Cooley came to Homer.  He had come from Massachusetts to practice medicine in Granville.  After some years it became evident that there were too many doctors in Granville and not enough in some other places so the doctors got together and drew cuts to see who should go.  The lot fell to Dr. Cooley and Homer was enriched by his services for about 40 years. Whether the Rosecrans came before or after the storm is not known.  There were two families.  One man was known as Captain Rosecrans and the other was Crandall Rosecrans, who was the father of Bishop Rosecrans of the Catholic church and of General Rosecrans, who was commander of the Union forces at Chickamauga.  As boys they were studious and are remembered as reading by the firelight. Sylvester was interested from youth in religious study and early decided to become a Catholic.  While still a boy he dared to argue with men concerning his faith.  He chose a Catholic school, entered the priesthood and became a bishop.  He is said to have been so charitable that when he died at the age of 51 he possessed only two silver half dollars.  The father, Crandall Rosecrans once kept a tavern at the Hartsock corner. He also built the house occupied by Hattie Burner and later lived at the Mark Mathews house.  Captain Rosecrams lives at Jay Vance’s place.  He and his sons made a clearing for J. N. Smythe in the winter of 1830 while Mr. Smythe went back to New York for his family.

Isum Channell came about 1830 also Harvey Scribner and the Quick family.  About 1883 Jonas Williams’ father and Joseph Stinson came and the next year Jonathan Wright and Joseph Patton.  William Daly, Isaac Mathews, Edwin Williams, Jonathan and Mathew Yoakam and Thomas Larimore all came after 1840.

In the old days there were several physicians besides Dr. Cooley who practiced in Homer.  Among them were Dr. Wheaton who was here in 1840.  Dr. Oldfield, the two Drs. Inskeep, Dr. Briggs, Dr. Witherow, Dr. Newland, Dr. O’Connor and Dr. Ayres.

To the period between 1840 and 1860 belongs the story of the Claflins, who have made the village of Homer famous.  The father, who was called Buck Claflin, was a lawyer in a small way.  He was considered a shrewd, rather unprincipled man, whose dislike was to be avoided.  The mother was of German descent, very broken in speech.  She was a very religious woman and fully enjoyed a revival meeting.  She never allowed the children to quarrel at least they must make up before sun went down.  Pursuing the same policy herself, if she had trouble with her neighbors, she went in the late afternoon to her orchard and prayed for them in a loud impassioned voice.  At one time she thought her children were not fairly treated at Sunday school.  For two Sundays she kept them home.  The third Sunday she went, followed by her three little girls after Sunday school began.  Into the church and up the aisle she went, until she faced the superintendent, Salmon Wheeler in the stand.  Then she commended to talk rapidly in her broken Dutch dialect.  For some moments nothing happened, then Mr. Wheeler arose and without a word motioned her back.  She backed down the aisle, talking all the time, with Mr. Wheeler silently shooing her along, until she went out the door, which he closed after he.

She loved high sounding names and called her children Queen Victoria, Utica Vantitia, Tennessee Celeste, Malden and Hebron. Her daughters had a remarkable influence over their companions.  After a rather spectacular career in New York City they went to England.  In time “Vic Clafin” became Lady Martin and Tennessee, who is Lady Cook, is now a rather famous Suffraget.

The date and place of the early schools is lost.  No doubt they were held in the log cabins by whoever was capable of teaching.  Mrs. Georgiana Williams thinks she remembers when the brick school house was built about 1837.  It stood on the southeast corner of the present school year. (yard?).  About this time we hear of several places where “Infant Schools” were held.  One was in the present house of the Youst farm for the little ones who could not cross the creek.  The first church in the community was a Congregational church, organized in May 1828.  The building stood on the North side of the school lot and was occupied about 15 years when it was sold to the New Lights and later mover to Back Street and made a shop by John Moore.  The Congregationalists and the old school Presbyterians united and forms a New School Presbyterian Church and built on the present site.  In the new church the pulpit was in front of the church with a door on each side, so that those coming in faced the congregation.  In the gallery behind the pulpit was the choir with an orchestra off four pieces and a leader with a tuning fork.  The Baptist church was organized in May 1829 with members from both Bennington and Burlington Townships.  They met in the home of one of their members for three years but it is recorded they met in November 1832 and “resolved to raise funds to build a meeting house in Homer.” It is recalled that in 1845 “It was a strong church and had such good revival meetings.” The Methodists held their early meetings in the homes of the people and later in log school houses. However, in 1834 they built on the site of the present church which was given to them by Mr. Houck.

A noteworthy character in the early days of this church was a man known as “Uncle Jimmy Wheeler.” He was a minister and is still remembered as “one of the best men that ever lived in Homer.” For many years he was a missionary among the Wyandotte Indians.  He is described as a tall man who was instantly recognized by the white beaver hat he wore.  In his old age he was in a runaway accident that caused his death after much suffering.

In the old days there was much business done here. Almost all the needs of the people were met by the manufacturing industries of the community.  When the first settlers were establishing their homes, Joseph Conard, just over the line in Washington Township was starting a tannery which he maintained for 70 years.  There were two other tanneries in Homer and all over the surrounding country there sprang up shoe shops; at one time said to be forty and also harness shops using the leather out of these tanneries.

Another prominent industry was in the woolen mills.  There were two of them here that did a thriving business.

At one time there were three blacksmith shops and various other mechanics such as wagon makers, coopers, cabinet makers, taylors, millers and distillers.  Mr. Houck built a sawmill on the Granville road and Mr. Claflin also had a saw mill as well as a grist mill.  Bryant Thornhill built the first grist mill afterward known as the Stamen mill.

When Mr. Burner came here in 1845 there were three hotels.  Same Scott had built a hotel on the Northeast Corner in Homer.  It was a stage station where they stopped for dinner and changed horses.  On the Harstock corner was Nimrod Warden’s.  His hotel was not so public but it was all good.  On the hill at the Hunter place, Smith Scribner kept the “Temperance Tavern.”

At this time the stage ran daily from Newark by way of Chatham.  In the earliest days the mail was carried on horseback weekly to Newark and Granville the only Post Offices in the county.

In 1825 there were eight Post Offices and Homer is named as one of them.  The mail was brought by two horse stage or four horse stages twice a week.  About 1828 came the ponderous fast going four horse coach running daily.  A very early route ran from Newark to Mansfield by way of Granville and Mt. Vernon road.  The last route ran from Newark to Mt. Vernon by way of Utica and Homer.  When the railroad was finished through Utica in 1850 the stage line became unprofitable and was soon discontinued.

About that time a telegraph line passed through the county from Zanesville to Sandusky.  It was operated until 1863 when it was bought by the railroad company and taken away from here.

In our cemeteries there lie soldiers of every war of the nation.

Samuel Edman and Nathan Comestock of the Revolution.

Phillip Catt and Jacob Robinson of the War of 1812.

Edwin Williams and General Jones of the Mexican War.

At the time of the Civil War, great many went from Burlington Township in Tennessee and Georgia.  Some died on the battle field, some in scouting parties, some in hospitals.  Others all lost their lives in Andersonville.  Those who came back lived out their lives crippled in health and limb.  For many years they received the respect and deference due them for their costly service.  30 years ago Decoration Day brought out the whole people and how the hearts of the children thrilled as they saw the long line of soldiers following “Old Glory” to the cemetery to decorate the graves of the “fallen heroes.”

Beside the Rosecrans and Claflin there have been several notable men who have lived in Homer.  Among them was Zenophon Wheeler who became Judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee.  Alfred Wheeler his brother was a minister and editor of one of the Christian Advocates.  Crandall Williams became an eminent criminal lawyer in a western State.  Charles Scribner practiced law some years in Mt. Vernon and later in Toledo where he became an eminent jurist and author of works on American Law which were accepted as authority the world over.  Philip Jackson was partner of Charles Scribner in Mt. Vernon and later practiced law in Wapakoneta.  During the Civil war he was a Scout in The Union Army and was instrumental in the capture of General Morgan.  Passing Morgan’s guard he climbed into a pine tree beside a window where he was able to hear the conversation and see the charts while Morgan and his men were planning how to escape across the Ohio River.  Two ministers who went from Homer were Thomas Wheeler and Henry Fulton.  William Knowles was a long time resident of Homer.  Some of his poems received wide commendation.

When the great factories of the country began to supply the needs of the people the small business of Homer died out until it had only its stores and a blacksmith shop.

And thus the village slept until 1900 when it woke with the new century to find itself famous: “There is Gas at Homer.”

Centennial Notes

The oldest woman present at the celebration, occupying a seat of honor before the speaker’s stand, was Mrs. Elizabeth Burner, who came to Homer, a bride in 1845, and has lived in the village ever since.  Mrs. Burner was 93 years old the 21^st of last March.

Probably the oldest man, at least from a point of continuous residence in Burlington township was John Keckley who was born 84 years ago upon the farm where he still resides.

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