IN
the spring of 1817 the plat of the village of
McConnelsville was made by William Montgomery,
surveyor for General Robert McConnel, the
proprietor, who then resided in Muskingum County.
The town site, with the exception of one or two small
"patches," was then a forest of poplar, Hickory, beech
and elm of immense size, with dense undergrowth.
The original plat of the town included only ninety-two
lots, and known to owners and conveyancers as “The Old
Town.” It is bounded on the north by the alley
north of Liberty Street; on the east by the alley east
of East Street; on the south by the river, and on the
west by the alley west of West Street. The
situation is certainly a favorable one, and the plat an
improvement on others of a more recent date.
From the location which is about equidistant from
Athens, Cambridge, Zanesville and Marietta, it would
seem that General McConnel had the future
county seat and county in view when he purchased the
land of the government in 1805, paying $1.75 per acre
for it. At all events, after the formation of the
county, as an inducement to make McConnelsville the
county seat, he donated several lots for public
purposes: Town lots number 15, 22, 29 and 30 for public
buildings;* two squares of five acres for a “military
parade ground,” one of which is now the village green
and the other the grove. He also donated lots
number 1 and 2 of the second addition to the
Presbyterian Church, lots 13 and 14 to the Friends;†
lots 11 and 12 of the second addition to the Methodists;
two lots on the north side of Jefferson, between main
and West Streets, to the Baptists; a lot for a market
place; lots for school buildings, and to the county a
portion of the present cemetery.---------------
*Lots 15 and 22 were afterward sold by the county 15 to
Michael Devin and 22 to Thomas Devin - for
the purpose of securing money to aid in the erection of
the courthouse and jail.
†The lots given to
the Friends and Baptists were afterward devoted to
different purposes.
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The first settler of McConnelsville was Jacob
Kahler, who located in the fall of 1817. He
had previously built a double log cabin on what is now
Jefferson Street, near the corner of Poplar. The
cabin was afterward used for some years by Alexander
McConnel as a currier’s shop in connection with his
tannery adjoining. Kahler subsequently
built a frame house, the first in the town on lot 7,
corner of Liberty and West Streets. He was a
carpenter. The second house in the town was
erected on lot 19, West Street, by Thomas
Moore. He left in 1820.
M'CONNELSVILLE IN 1840
James Young, brickmaker, tavern keeper and
justice of the peace, erected a story-and-a-half log
house on lot 64, southwest corner of Main and Union
Streets, and there, besides balancing: the scales of
justice for the township, furnished veal, venison and a
variety of other viands to suit the tastes of lawyers,
judges and court attendants generally, and from his bar
dealt out liquid refreshments at moderate prices.
For some years his hostelry was the chief resort for all
who visited the town. He was licensed “to keep
tavern” at the second regular term of court, July 5,
1819—license fee, $7. His house had two rooms on
the ground floor and two above. One of the lower
rooms served as kitchen and dining room, while the other
was baggage-room,
bar-room, sitting-room and parlor combined. The
upper rooms furnished the sleeping accommodations.
On lot 79, northwest corner of Main and Water Streets,
a two story log house was erected, and opened to the
public under the euphonious title of "The Sign of the
Buck." In its day it was the resort of the
elite of the valley, and in it many a joyous couple
joined in the reel, quadrille or waltz to the
inspiring music of the fiddle. But now -
McCONNELSVILLE IN 1886
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"Where once the sign-post caught the passing eye,
Crumbled it heaps, its moldering ruins lie."
The Proprietor, James
Larrison, for some years carried the weekly mail on
horseback from Zanesville to Marietta; he was prompt and
efficient in his duty. He carried a large tin horn
at his side, upon which he blew a shrill blast as he
entered or took his departure from each place. He
was the first tavern-keeper of the village.
Another early tavern-keeper was Jacob P. Springer,
the first sheriff of the county. His tavern was
something of an improvement, and was kept in a frame
building on lot 28.
Jacob Adams, the first merchant, and for many
years one of the most prominent citizens, arrived in
1819, bringing with him his family, goods for his store,
and the frame for the building, with counter, shelves,
etc., already prepared. His store was on the
southwest corner of the public square. The year of
his arrival he set about building a brick house— the
first in the town— which in 1820 was open to the public
as the Adams House, a name which it still
retains. With additions and alterations it has
been continuously occupied as a hotel and is now kept by
a son of the original proprietor.
According to the personal recollection of the late
Judge Gaylord the following men, with their
families, were residents of the town on April 1, 1819:
| Jacob Kahler....... |
on lot No. 9 |
| Moore & Paschal....... |
on lot No. 19 |
| Jacob P. Springer....... |
on lot No. 28 |
| Jonathan Porter....... |
on lot No. 25 |
| Jonathan Williams....... |
on lot No. 51 |
| Jacob Adams, ....... |
on lots No. 42, 44
and 57 |
| Lewis Ramey....... |
on lot No. 61 |
| James Young....... |
on lot No. 64 |
| Robert Robinson....... |
on lot No. 65 |
| Philip Kahler....... |
on lot No. 66 |
| Timothy Gaylord....... |
on lot No. 67 |
| Jacob R. Price....... |
on lot No. 79 |
| Jacob Larrison....... |
on lot No. 79 |
Drs. Samuel A. Barker
and General Alexander McConnel were single men
and residents of the village. Mr. Barker
was the only physician and was the first county clerk,
first school master and first postmaster.
General McConnel boarded with Jacob Kahler
and had a tan yard in what is now the northwest part
of the town. All the settlers, with the exceptions
noted, had children, and most of the families were
large. The number of inhabitants was then about
seventy-five, of whom fully two thirds were children.
Jacob R. Price at one time county treasurer, was
the village blacksmith. He died in Missouri.
Robert Robinson and Timothy Gaylord
were shoemakers. Both died in the village.
Gaylord was the first county recorder, afterward
auditor, justice, etc.
Jonathan Porter, Lewis Ramey,
and Jacob Kahler were carpenters.
Porter was the first tax collector. Jacob
Kahler did some work as a millwright.
Philip Kahler was chiefly engaged in
cultivating the soil. Jonathan Williams,
from Baltimore, was also a carpenter and joiner, and the
first in the village. He came from Baltimore and
first worked on the Adams House. He was
the leader of the “Junto” faction of local politics.
He was a man of great energy and courage, and withal
somewhat eccentric. He was usually present in
every crowd where there was likely to be any excitement,
and on such occasions always bore with him a heavy
lignum vitas stick, by him called the “Old
Presbyterian.” He
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Luther D. Barker
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TELEGRAPH COMPANIES.
Page 309 -
SCHOOLS.
Page 310 -
TEMPERANCE WORK.
Page 311 -
CHURCHES.
Page 312 -
Page 313 -
ODD FELLOWS.
Page 314 -
Page 315 -
MASONIC.
BIOGRAPHICAL
GEN. ROBERT McCONNEL
Page 316 -
JAMES
A. McCONNEL
GENERAL ALEXANDER M'CONNEL
Page 317 -
JACOB KAHLER
Page 318 -
ANDREW KAHLER
Page 319 -
JACOB ADAMS
Page 321 -
THE
PINKERTON FAMILY
Page 322 -
JUDGE
NATHANIEL SHEPARD
Page 323 -
DANIEL
CHANDLER
Page 324 -
325
COLONEL WILLIAM HAWKINS.
GEORGE P. MORRIS
Page 326 -
LUTHER
DANA BARKER
Page 327
JOSEPH
KELLY
JAMES WATKINS, ESQ.
HON. WILLIAM DURBIN
Page 328 -
331
JAMES
K. JONES
Page 331 -
333
CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAVIS
CAPTAIN CARLETON C. MORGAN
Page 333 -
G. C. DEVOL
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