ecodev_ch05

Welcome to
MIDDLETOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
"Linking the Past with the Present for the Future"

The Economic Development of Middletown, Ohio
1796-1865
by
George C. Crout

Chapter 5

Pigs and Pork

The pioneers found that this region was particularly adapted to the raising of hogs, which ranged the woods and lived on meat, consisting of acorns, hickory nuts, and other small nuts. The hogs that lived on this diet rarely weighed over one hundred pounds, but the housewives believed that the meat was sweeter if the hog was not so fat. When there was a surplus of corn, the pioneer fed his hogs corn for a few weeks before butchering, and it was soon discovered that corn-fed hogs made the best meat and brought the best market price. Packers began to stipulate that corn-fed pork was desired; a typical advertisement read: "Wanted a quantity of corn-fed pork." As the years went on, larger and larger hogs were produced. In 1823 over 6600 hogs weighing an average of 200 pounds each passed over the toll bridge at Hamilton.

James Fisher, who had begun packing pork in Boston in 1820, moved to Hamilton in 1831 and began business there. Similarly, two Boston men, Gardner Phipps and Sumner Hudson, came from Boston to Middletown, and began the pork packing business here in the winter of 1835-1836. F. J. Tytus soon became a partner of Mr. Phipps, and the firm of Phipps and Tytus was organized.

In 1837 Edward Jones, a carpenter by trade, came from Massachusetts to Middletown. In the spring and summer he carried on the carpenter’s trade, but in the winter he packed pork for Mr. Phipps. By 1840 he had obtained a fourth interest in the business. From the 1830’s until the Civil War, the most important industry of Middletown was pork packing. Middletown’s growth as a pork center was made possible by the Miami-Erie Canal, for this canal afforded cheap transportation for pork products. The canal led to the pork marketing center of the time, Cincinnati, called at this time "Porkopolis."

In 1839 Middletown had three porkhouses, which every winter, packed between 12,000 and 15,000 hogs, or about $200,000 worth of pork products, the town’s main export. At that time the Miami Country was called the wheat and corn belt of the West. Middletown’s packing industry developed rapidly, for this was an excellent corn-producing region, and here some of the finest hogs were bred and raised. The introduction of the Poland-China hog brought fame and wealth to this region.

Corn was for many years the basis of Middletown’s prosperity. The corn which was not needed in the fattening of the hogs was used in the manufacture of whiskey. The packing industry of Middletown, and there are statistics to prove this assertion, helped give Cincinnati its leadership in the pork industry; it helped make Cincinnati the "Queen City of the West."

Pork Products Cleared at Canal Office

Year

Pork

Pork and Bacon

Lard

Live Hogs

 

(Barrels)

(Pounds bulk)

(Pounds)

 
         

1838

13,029

2,750,925

1,393,700

 

1839

6,424

1,719,921

603,571

632

1840

7,295

311,223

585,272

1,384

1842

7,696

1,387,878

947,796

1,603

1847

4,634

1,254,149

975,853

 

1851

12

1,194,850

571,611

 

1855

862,950

225,360

--

 

1858

915

1,032,165

307,769

 

1860

 

239,583

210,947

 

The South speaks of "King Cotton," and we may well speak of "King Hog." Pork packing was our main industry for many years. In the Shaker and Harkrader settlements was bred the Poland-China hog which became famous throughout the West. Near Middletown a monument has been erected to honor the Poland-China hog. Some of the largest hogs in the history of agriculture have been bred near Middletown. Some of these hogs have weighed from 700 to 1,200 pounds at three or four years of age. One hog, owned by Daniel Leibee, weighed 1,650 pounds; this hog was taken as far as New Orleans by boat, and was exhibited by Daniel Bowman; thousands of farmers paid ten cents to see it. During this period hogs were driven down the streets of Middletown. Everyone had to make way for the hogs, as perhaps as many as one hundred would be in one drove. Other hogs were brought in wagons. The town was filled with hogs, and around these hogs Hones built a large prosperous business. "Jones’ Hams" were prized in the best hotels of the United States, the Jones trademark was as famous then as the Armco trademark is today.

The hogs not packed at Middletown were taken to Cincinnati, then the pork center of the United States.

Hugh Vail, son of Stephen Vail, started a pork packing house along the bank of the canal. He also operated a grain elevator.

Edward Jones became the leading pork packer of Middletown. His letters give us an excellent picture of Middletown from 1836 to 1850. Jones, who arrived in Middletown in November 1836, obtained a job from Mr. Phipps, the leading meat packer of the time. He was paid $30 a month, and had to pay $2.50 for board each week. He wrote home: "I arrived here the 15th after a long journey . . . I have let myself to Pack Pork."

In 1837 another member of the family came to Middletown, and wrote to William Jones, the father:

The season is said to be backward, but I have seen corn as high as my head in the gardens . . In the cornfields it is as high as in the east when it sashes out. I have seen the cornfields side by side extending more than two miles. It is a very common thing to see 40 to 60 acres in one field and I saw a field that I was told contained 250 acres.

From this description it is easy to see that corn was the most important crop grown around Middletown.

Mr. S. T. Jones said that "many farmers raise from 2 to 400 hogs and fat them. I have seen the Hog Buckeye that weighed 1400 but he will not weigh that now, next fall they take him east."

The pork-packing business fluctuated a great deal. Edward Jones in 1840 wrote to his brother Andrew: ". . . I have been at work at the pork business the past winter but the season has been very short not more than half as long as common . . ." The business was affected by the weather, by market conditions, by the yield of corn, and by the demand for pork. Edward Jones in another letter stated: "I have let myself to Tytus and Phipps and are at work repairing the pork house and will remain with them through the pork season. The prospect for pork is not very good for we have the driest summer that ever was known. Most everything is dried up. Corn is not very much hurt." The corn was expected to yield about two thirds of the normal crop.

In the winter Edward Jones worked in the Porkhouse and in the summer in the tanyard or did work as a carpenter. In 1837 he said, "I am very well and are at work in a Tanyard in Middletown. I shall work there this summer and I think I shall work in a Porkhouse in winter." The pork packing season began in December or January and usually continued until the first of April, as is shown in this statement found in a letter: "I went to Middletown to work in a Porkhouse for Sharp Tytus and Company. I staid with them till 1st April."

In 1839 Edward Jones wrote to his father: "I have been at work in the Porkhouse nearly 4 months and shall remain some time. We have been very busy for 5 or 6 weeks--out from 150 to 250 per day but shall get nearly through this week. Sumner Hudson is here from Boston and is having a lot of pork packed." In the same letter he stated that pork was selling for 6 1/2 cents a pound, and that the hogs were not as good as they had been the previous year. At Cincinnati there was a large quantity of pork and flour in storage, for the water of the Ohio River was too low for boats.

As late as 1847 Middletown’s porkhouses were still shipping pork to Boston. In an unsigned letter to Mr. William P. Jones of Weston, Massachusetts, the following statements are made: "Edward has shipped a barrel of Hams and Shoulders to Sumner Hudson’s South Market. There is no charges on it, it is marked William P. Jones, Weston, Massachusetts. They will probably not be there before May if as soon." This letter shows that Edward Jones was now operating his own business, and that he was shipping hams east. The hams were shipped on March 22 and were expected to arrive in Boston by May. In one year Edward Jones killed 11,000 hogs.

In 1840 there was a ready sale for pork in Middletown; the price ranged from $3 to $4 per 100 pounds. The price of pork varied greatly from year to year.

J. S. Iglehart was another meat packer. In September, 1838, he advertised that he wished to contract for good hogs. He stated that he intended to out hogs through the season, and offered to pay the highest prices. Mr. Iglehart sold bacon, hams, sides, shoulders, and other pork products, as well as dried beef and other beef products.

At Franklin, Ohio, Caldwell and McTaggert were leading pork packers; they bought good "corn-fatted" hogs by the thousands and had a reputation of giving as high prices for hogs as any other place along the canal.

In Middletown these men at one time or another were engaged in the pork trade: Hugh Vail, Edward Jones, G. Phipps, J. S. Iglehart, G. L. Wrenn, W. B. Oglesby, S. V. Curtis, and S. A. Wrenn.

In an old ledger kept by Francis Tytus from 1836 until 1840 a glimpse of Tytus’s pork business can be seen. The ledger was kept systematically, and in it over seventy separate accounts are recorded. Many of the old settlers had accounts with this man, for from him they obtained their pork supply. He sold to townspeople as well as to wholesalers and retailers as far east as Boston. On March 27, 1837, there was shipped to Ellison of Boston pork and lard products amounting to $182.33, which amount was later paid by draft. Amos Burkirke of Franklin owed $123 for pork.

Many local men had dealings with the pork-packing house. Abner Enoch paid $565.73 for hams and ribs. N. P. Inglehart’s account was $211.05; George young’s $110. Among the men most prominent on the ledger were John Coombs, Jacob Tyrane, William Simmons, Ambrose Paris, Furman Scotcher, John Smith, Moses Buffington, Joseph Oglesby, S. Dickson, Christopher Brown, Henry Shaffer, Peter Lollar, Ireal Gibson, Christian Forrer, Nathan Sharp.

In some cases Mr. Tytus traded pork for things which he needed, such as pork to Joseph Hilt for candles valued at $21. He bought $501 worth of groceries from R. G. Mitchell for which he paid in meat. On Nov. 30, 1837, he received cotton warp and cotton yarn from R. Buchanan in exchange for pork, and obtained tinware in a like manner from Ann Bird in 1838. Some things he bought outright, for in spite of the above trades he was not on a barter basis. He bought $291.40 worth of salt from Pennsylvania, and at one time purchased over $800 worth of barrels.

Fancis Tytus owed many debts. Among those whom he owed were: Jacob Bake, George Phipps, William Young, Peter Van Derveer, Jacob Oglesby, Mr. Potter, and many others, but he also had many creditors, and on October 1, 1840, he listed his debts due at $10,882.97.

The products of the pork-packing establishment found their way to market on canal boats. Many are the accounts of payments to these boats. In 1837 for freight the Black Hawke was paid $7.50, the Nile, $37.50, the Franklin, $60.50, Constitution, $47, the Hannibal, $142.53, the Pochahontas, $4.25. The Black Hawke appears most frequently on the ledger and did the most service to the packing house.

On the flyleaf of the ledger is a notation that two hands were engaged for the fall and winter of 1837-1838. These men were Thomas and George Robinson; they were to be paid $20 a month and board.


Back to George Crout Chronicles
Back to Middletown Historical Society
© Middletown Historical Society