IRONTON
SHORT STORY SERIES

Submitted by: Sharon Milich Kouns

   Ironton Register, March 17, 1904

  South of the Ohio Iron & Coal Company's land, which became the plat of Ironton, lay the land owned by the late W. D. Kelly, which extended to a point probably near Fifth and Oak streets, and back to the hills in the rear of the fair grounds, now Beechwood Park. Adjoining the Kelly land was what was known as the Heplar strip, then came the Parker and Kemp lands. From thence to Cemetery lane came Lombard, owned by John Campbell, which took its name from a stately row of poplars that once graced its entire frontage on Third street. This land is all now included in the city of Ironton.

Referring to the Register of April 10, 1851, we note that at the time Ironton was incorporated, the auditor of Lawrence county was J. C. Terry, who seems to have been a man much interested in its development and welfare.

In this issue two deaths are recorded: "On the 4th inst., in this town of fever, Mrs. Emeline, wife of Edward Campbell, age 21."

"On the 9th inst., of fever, Mr. Ebenezer Corwin, aged about 60, one of our best, firmest and most worthy citizens."

During the month news went forth that must have been interesting in-__ to the voters of those days, and aroused, perhaps, as much if not more, excitement and comment than does such news at the present time. This was a notice reading as follows:

"TOWN ELECTION - The first election of town officers will take place on Saturday, April 19, at which time a Mayor, Recorder and five Trustees are to be elected, constituting together the council.

Township election - On Monday, the 7th inst., the following persons were elected for this Upper township, viz., Trustees, John Kyle, Shepard Duke, Fletcher Golden; Clerk, Henry J. Clark; Assessor, Andrew Holliday; Treasurer, T. W. Means; Constables, J. K. Kidd and William McGeer."

"John D. Heckard has opened a tailoring shop over Irwin & Kelly's store, No. 6, Union Block."

"April 17, 1851 - Married, at Burlington, Iowa, on the 1st inst., by Rev. _. L. Ingersoll, J. W. Roberts, Esq., of Ironton, O., and Miss Caroline Sherley, of the former place."

Here is the record of the marriage of a man well remembered by many for his business aims and successes in more than one line:

"At Cincinnati, O., on the eighth inst., Mr. Joseph S. Peebles, of Hanging Rock, O., and Miss Nancy F. Lodwick, of Cincinnati, O."

"Locals - Please notice the advertisement of the Saddle and Harness shop by William Nixon, which appears in today's issue."

"Stephen Evans and Robert Allen offers in this issue to execute plain and ornamental plastering."

In the same issue, quite a long article tells of a destructive fire in Cincinnati, on April 9, whereby Campbell, Ellison & Co., of Lawrence county, lost from $3,000 to $5,000 on goods in warehouse burned."

"The Ironton Rolling Mill is a fixed fact. Mr. Pugh, one of the company, is now in town. The main building 150 x 105 feet, is being framed in Pittsburg, and will be here about the first of May. Ho for the first Rolling Mill of Ironton! There will soon be another."

New Anti-Saloon Law - The late act of the Legislature restrains the sale of spirituous liquors. The law takes effect on May 1st, after which date, all license to sell intoxicants will be of no effect."

"Population of Ironton - 'Ironton will never be a town.' 'They will never do anything there.' It will never be a place of any account,' have been heard from various quarters so often that the expressions are as familiar as household words. Well, last week we took the town census, for our own satisfaction, and found - what? 933 inhabitants, and Ironton is not yet twenty-two months old."

"Iron Railroad - Work is still going on. Ten miles of the road is graded and ready for track, with the exception of the tunnel on the seventh mile. This extends the road to Lawrence Furnace.

"At the tunnel work is carried on by relays of men, night and day, and we think that five weeks hence, a passage will be made through the hills, the depth of the coal vein, to-wit: 5 feet.

"S. Daniels is now engaged on track laying, three miles of which is already down, and will complete it to the tunnel, when a locomotive can be used for that distance. All in all, we are fully satisfied that the Road can be completed to Lawrence Furnace by September 1st."

Editor Stimson believed in always speaking well of his home town; and he kept regular tally of its growth and progress, as persons who have been reading this series of articles may have noticed. He not only did this through his paper, as editor, but was personally active in temperance work and the cause of education. Yet he was not a man to ignore public faults or foibles, and when there was just cause for criticism, or disapproval of any act he hesitated not to sound a note of warning in no uncertain tone. Many glimpses of the man's capacity for good is revealed in the records left by Mr. Stimson fifty years ago.