CONCLUSION from Beers Histor of Warren County, Ohio

CONCLUSION

Contributor::

Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 23 November 2004

Sources:

The History of Warren County Ohio
Part II, The History of Ohio
(Chicago, IL: W. H. Beers Co, 1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, IN: Windmill Publications, 1992)

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When peace was proclaimed, after the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee to Gen. U. S. Grant, the volunteer troops disbanded, and a return to home industries instituted, Ohio, like many other States, gave direct attention to the interests of returned soldiers. The thrift of the State was augmented by a spasmodic, and thereafter recognized as a fictitious, demand for products, commercial and industrial pursuits redoubled their forces. But the great wave of stagnation swept over this fair land—the re-action of a war excitement. Laborers were many, but wages were inadequate. Deeper and deeper settled this lethargy— called by many "hard times"—until the wheels of commercial life revolved slowly, and from the workshops and the factories went up the echoes of privation and distress. There was no famine, no fever, no epidemic, it was simply exhaustion. In the larger cities there was much suffering. Idle people loitered about, barely seeking employment, the task seeming worse than hopeless.

During the years 1870, 1871 and 1872, the stringent measures brought about by the depressed state of business retarded any material advancement in general matters. The years 1873-74 were marked by a preceptible improvement, and a few factories were established, while larger numbers were employed in those already founded. The year 1875 was under the direction of a Democratic Legislature. It was marked in many respects by a " reverse motion " in many laws and regulations.

The Legislature which convened in 1876, January 3, was Republican in the main. It repealed the "Geghan Law" passed by the preceding body. At the time of its adoption, there was the most intense feeling throughout the State, the charge being made that it was in the interests of the Catholics. Among the general enactments were laws re-organizing the government of the State institutions, which the previous Legislature had ordered according to their own belief to follow new doctrines. The office of Comptroller of the Treasury was abolished. The powers of municipal corporations to levy taxes was limited, and their authority to incur debts was limited. Furthermore, this body prohibited any municipal appropriations, unless the actual money was in the Treasury to meet

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the same in full. A law was passed for the protection of children under fourteen years of age, exhibited in public shows.

The temperance cause received more vigorous and solid support than was ever rendered by the State previously. A common-sense, highly moral and exalted platform was formed and supported by many leading men.

This year witnessed the serious "strikes" among the miners in Stark and Wayne Counties. The consequences were painful—-distress, riots and destruction of property.

The State Mine Inspector reported 300 coal mines in the State, with only twenty-five in operation. Not over 3,000,000 tons of coal were raised during the year, owing to the dullness of the times.

The State charities reported the aggregate number under public care to be 29,508. The taxation for the maintenance of these classes was one and one six-hundredth of a mill on each dollar of taxable property.

The reports given of the year 1877 indicated a revival of business interests and prosperity. The State produced of wheat, 27,306,566 bushels; rye, 914,106 bushels; buckwheat, 225,822 bushels; oats, 29,325,611; barley, 1,629,817 bushels; corn, 101,884,305 bushels; timothy, tons of hay, 2,160,334; clover, tons of hay, 286,265; flax, pounds of fiber, 7,343,294; potatoes, 10,504,278 bushels; sweet potatoes, 126,354 1/2 bushels; tobacco, 24,214,950 pounds; sorghum, sugar, 7,507 1/4 pounds; syrup, 1,180,255 gallons; maple sugar, 1,625,215 pounds; maple syrup, 324,036 gallons; honey, 1,534,902 pounds.

The year 1878 was marked by a more vigorous and combined effort of the people to entirely overcome the stagnation of business, the influence of the lethargy yet combating the awakened interest. This energy was amply rewarded in 1879, by a general dawning of the " good times "so ardently desired. New enterprises were instituted, manufactories erected, improvements carried on, and agriculture was successful. Before the year closed, the State was basking in the light of prosperity, and the year 1880 was ushered in when the confidence of the people was again a permanent incentive—confidence in the nation, their State, each in the other and themselves. The old-time crown of power, influence and integrity, which Ohio has earned, is conspicuous in this year of 1881. The jewels have been reset, and we confidently doubt not that their luster will remain undimmed intrusted to so faithful and so earnest a people.

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Population of Ohio by Counties

COUNTIES	1820	1830	1840	1850	1860	1870	1880
The State	581,434	937,903	1,519,467	1,980,329	2,339,511	2,665,260	3,198,062

Adams	10,406	12,281	13,188	18,883	20,809	20,750	24,005
Allen		578	9,079	12,109	19,185	23,623	31,314
Ashland				23,813	22,951	21,933	23,883
Ashtabula	7,382	14,584	23,724	28,767	31,814	32,517	37,139
Athens	6,338	9,787	19,109	18,215	21,364	23,768	28,411
Auglaize				11,338	17,187	20,041	25,444
Belmont	20,329	28,827	30,901	34,600	36,398	39,714	49,638
Brown	13,356	17,867	22,715	27,332	29,959	30,802	32,911
Butler	21,746	27,142	28,173	30,789	35,840	39,912	42,579
Carroll			18,108	17,685	15,738	14,491	16,416
Champaign	8,479	12,131	16,721	19,782	22,698	24,188	27,817
Clark	9,533	13,114	16,882	22,178	33,034	32,070	41,948
Clermont	15,820	20,466	23,106	30,455	33,034	34,268	36,713
Clinton	8,085	11,436	15,719	18,838	21,461	21,914	24,756
Columbiana	22,033	35,592	40,378	33,651	32,836	28,299	48,602
Cochocton	7,086	11,161	21,590	25,674	25,032	23,600	26,642
Crawford		4,791	13,152	18,177	23,881	25,356	30,583
Cuyahoga	6,328	10,373	26,506	48,099	78,033	132,010	196,943
Darke	3,717	6,204	13,282	20,276	26,009	32,278	40,496
Defiance				6,966	11,886	15,719	22,515
Delaware	7,639	11,504	22,060	21,817	23,902	25,175	27,381
Erie			12,599	18,568	24,474	28,188	32,640
Fairfield	16,633	24,786	31,924	30,264	30,538	31,138	34,284
Fayette	6,316	8,182	10,984	12,726	15,935	17,170	20,364
Franklin	10,292	14,741	25,049	42,909	50,361	63,019	86,797
Fulton				7,781	14,043	17,789	21,053
Gallia	7,098	9,733	13,444	17,063	22,043	25,545	28,124
Geauga	7,791	15,813	16,297	17,827	15,817	14,190	14,251
Greene	10,529	14,801	17,528	21,946	26,197	28,038	31,349
Guernsey	9,292	18,036	27,748	30,438	24,474	23,838	27,197
Hamilton	31,764	52,317	80,145	156,844	216,410	260,370	313,374
Hancock		813	9,986	16,751	22,886	23,847	27,784
Hardin		210	4,598	8,251	13,570	18,714	27,023
Harrison	14,345	20,916	20,099	20,157	19,110	18,682	20,456
Henry		262	2,503	3,434	8,901	14,028	20,585
Highland	12,308	16,345	22,269	25,781	27,773	29,133	30,281
Hocking	2,130	4,008	9,141	14,119	17,057	17,925	21,126
Holmes		9,135	18,088	20,452	20,589	18,177	20,776
Huron	6,675	13,341	23,933	26,203	26,616	28,532	31,609
Jackson	3,746	5,941	9,744	12,719	17,941	21,759	23,686
Jefferson	18,531	22,489	25,030	29,133	26,115	29,188	33,018
Knox	8,326	17,085	29,579	28,872	27,735	26,333	27,431
Lake			13,719	14,654	15,576	15,935	16,326
Lawrence	3,499	5,367	9,738	15,246	23,249	31,380	39,068
Licking	11,861	20,869	35,096	38,846	37,011	35,756	40,450
Logan	3,181	6,440	14,015	19,162	20,996	23,028	26,267
Lorain		5,696	18,467	26,086	29,744	30,308	35,526
Lucas			9,382	12,363	25,831	46,722	67,377
Madison	4,799	6,190	9,025	10,015	13,015	15,633	20,129
Mahoning				23,735	25,894	31,001	42,871
Marion		65,511	14,765	12,618	15,490	16,184	20,565
Medina	3,082	7,560	18,352	24,441	22,517	20,082	21,453
Meigs	4,480	6,158	11,452	17,971	26,534	31,465	32,325
Mercer		1,110	8,277	7,712	14,104	17,254	21,808
Miami	8,851	12,807	19,688	24,999	29,959	32,740	36,158
Monroe	4,645	8,768	18,521	28,351	25,741	25,779	26,496
Montgomery	15,999	24,362	31,938	38,218	52,230	64,106	78,550
Morgan	5,297	11,800	20,852	28,585	22,119	20,363	20,074
Morrow				20,280	20,445	18,583	19,072
Muskgingum	17,824	29,334	38,749	45,049	44,416	44,886	49,774
Noble					20,751	19,949	21,138
Ottawa			2,248	3,308	7,016	13,364	19,762
Paulding		161	1,034	1,766	4,945	8,544	13,485
Perry	8,429	13,970	19,344	20,775	19,678	18,453	28,218
Pickaway	13,149	16,001	19,725	21,006	23,469	24,875	27,415
Pike	4,253	6,024	7,626	10,953	13,643	15,447	17,927
Portage	10,095	18,826	22,965	24,419	24,208	24,534	27,500
Preble	10,287	16,291	19,482	21,736	21,820	21,809	24,533
Putnam		230	5,189	7,221	12,808	17,081	23,713
Richland	9,169	24,006	44,532	30,879	31,158	32,516	36,306
Ross	20,619	24,068	27,460	32,074	35,071	37,097	40,307
Sandusky	852	2,851	10,182	14,305	21,429	25,503	32,057
Scioto	5,750	8,740	11,192	18,428	24,297	30,868	33,511
Seneca		5,159	18,128	27,104	30,868	30,827	36,947
Shelby	2,106	3,671	12,154	13,958	17,493	20,748	24,137
Stark	12,406	26,588	34,603	39,878	42,978	52,508	64,031
Summit			22,560	27,485	27,344	34,674	43,788
Trumbull	15,546	26,153	38,107	30,490	30,656	38,659	44,880
Tuscarawas	8,328	14,298	25,631	31,761	32,463	33,840	40,198
Union	1,996	3,192	8,422	12,204	16,507	18,730	22,375
Van Wert		49	1,577	4,793	10,238	15,823	23,028
Vinton				9,353	13,631	15,027	17,223
Warren	17,837	21,468	23,141	25,560	26,902	26,689	28,392
Washington	10,425	11,731	20,823	29,540	36,268	40,609	43,244
Wayne	11,933	23,333	35,808	32,981	32,483	35,116	40,076
Williams		387	4,465	8,018	16,633	20,991	23,821
Wood	733	1,102	5,357	9,157	17,886	24,596	34,022
Wyandot				11,194	15,596	18,553	22,395

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Polulation of the United States

Principal Countries of the World; Population and Area

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FOOTNOTES

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