Varied Tidbits Of Lebanon History

First corn crop planted in Lebanon

Ichabod Corwin planted the first corn grown in Lebanon in the spring of 1796, yielding 100 bushels to the acre. This corn was planted on 12 acres near his cabin, which was located on the ridge between the cemetery and the Dayton Pike.

Ivins-Jameson early pharmacy.

Located on the land now occupied by the Lebanon Citizens National Bank was a small three-story brick structure of colonial structure. On the ground floor of this building was the pharmacy of W.A. Hardy and Son. In the fall of 1893, a young pharmacist, C. Wilbur Ivins, purchased the stock and fixtures of Hardy's Pharmacy and began to operate under the new name of Ivins' Pharmacy. Ivins was the son of T. Elwood Ivins, distinguished Warren county farmer and former director of the old Citizens National Bank. He was also the brother of Howard W. Ivins, local attorney.
Frank Carey, a watchmaker and jeweler, also operated his business out of the same room as Ivins. Clarence Jameson, another farm boy, in 1905, moved to Lebanon and was given a job with Mr. Ivins. Jameson was a student at National Normal University, studying chemistry. In 1907 Mr. Ivins moved across the street to the southeast corner of Mulberry and Broadway. In 1919 a partnership was formed between the two men, namely the Ivins-Jameson Drug Company.

The Oswald Funeral Home

John Oswald, founder of the Oswald Funeral Home, immigrated from southern Germany when he was 16 years of age. He first moved to Foster, where his older brother had settled about three years previous. Both men were cabinetmakers and were self-employed in Foster.
John came to Lebanon in 1859, where he started a hardware store, but continued his cabinet making. The following year, he began the undertaking business, primarily because he was a cabinetmaker and could make his own caskets. He later moved his business to the southeast corner of Broadway and Mulberry. Maurice, his son, was born here in 1866. Within a few months the family and business moved to a four-story wooden building which was torn down in May 1927 to make way for the present funeral home which was completed in November of the same year.

First white child born within the limits of Lebanon.

Josiah Morrow wrote that the first white child born in Lebanon was believed to have been Eliza Corwin, daughter of Ichabod Corwin. She was born at the family home August 27, 1797.
Lebanon was laid out in 1802 and at that time the Corwin home was located outside the town limits and stood on the location of the school building on North Brodway now occupied by the Junior High School building.
Within the confines of early Lebanon the first white child born was Katherine Hurin, daughter of Silas Hurin. She was born November 27, 1800, at the Hurin home on Cherry Street, just south of Main.

A short history of the Lebanon Fire Department.

Harry Hill, historian for the Lebanon fire department, wrote an article on the subject in the June 1952 edition of The Western Star. At this time I will relate it as it appeared. He writes:

"Lebanon is celebrating its Sesquicentennial this year, during which time you will see and hear of many of the old-time ways and means with which Lebanon always tried to keep in step with things modern.
"For the first 13 years there was no means of fighting fires. After a bad fire, the Village Fathers had everyone to provide himself with a fire bucket to use in case of fire. Later on, as fire apparatus builders produced better equipment, the Village Fathers bought a crude hand pump to throw water on the fires. "Later on they bought another one in 1835, and again in 1849 a larger and better hand pump was purchased, and this one was sold to Franklin. It burned up in the Town Hall fire in Franklin.
"Another hand engine was bought in 1861 and is the hand pumper we still have as a relic. When new it cost $920.
"Steam fire engines now began to appear, and after a lot of argument a Silsby Rotary Steamer was purchased for $6800 on terms of $850 cash and $1,200 per year for five years. This steamer was called 'the Belle of the West.' "This outfit arrived Monday evening, Feb. 19, 1872. Its first real workout on a fire was the old town Hall and Congregational Church, when it was in operation pumping water for 10 hours.
"Later on, in the 90's, another steamer was purchased which we of today remember. What became of the Silsby Rotary no one knows.
"Then came the water works, and the steamer was not needed much. It was stored in the rear of the Washington Hall and later (much to my regret) it was sold for the pitiful sum of $150.
"We still used the old hose reels for our hose. Then onward with the times, we got a team of horses (Frank and Tom) which was used on the streets to collect ashes and upon an alarm of fire would be driven to the firehouse, where we would unhitch and re- hitch to the hose wagon and rush to the fire. (No weeds grew under our feet.)
"Later on, two motorized outfits were purchased. One was a chemical outfit, and the other a pumper outfit. Then, as the demand grew with more houses being built and more inhabitants, a more up to date Ahrens-Fox pumper was purchased.
"In 1947 the Lebanon Council, knowing our needs, purchased a new high-pressure fog outfit for us. This is one of the latest in fire fighting equipment and has reduced the water loss at fires 500 per cent.
"We bought a resuscitator and inhalor (between $300 and $400) which is subject to call anywhere in the county. This used Oxygen which we have been using our money to buy. We also have a Scott Air Pack, a tank holding 1600 pounds of air. We can go into smoke or under water for 30 minutes. This we also bought with our small savings account.
"In conclusion, Lebanon is very well equipped with fire equipment and a loyal crew of fire fighters, and needs the wholehearted cooperation of every citizen in Lebanon."

Early Trustees of Lebanon.

Did you know that in 1818 Lebanon had two sets of town trustees? That's right - two! In the spring of that year two sets of town trustees claimed to have been elected. Both sets executed the duty of government and both passed an ordinance "regulating the markets." J.F. Moore, William Ferguson, Samuel Minton, Samuel Sering, John Hart and Benjamin Rue composed one board. The members of the other board were not identified. The above-mentioned men passed an ordinance stating that the power of municipal government was almost absolute. The ordinance appointed market days and places where markets should be held, and prohibited the holding of them on any other day or at any other place. Wednesdays and Saturdays were made market days by this ordinance.
On Saturday the market was to be held at the upper market house on Silver and Mechanic Street (the location of old Memorial Hall) on Wednesday at the lower market house on Broadway south of Main Street.
It was made unlawful for any person to sell or purchase at any other place on those days the articles exposed for sale in the markets under penalty of forfeiting four times the value of the article bought of sold - the buyer and seller to pay each half the penalty. The opposition board passed an ordinance in direct conflict as to times and places. No direct results of the matter have ever been determined.

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This page created 14 September 2004 and last updated 28 September, 2008
© 2004 Arne H Trelvik  All rights reserved