Economic Pattern of Middletown
1830-1850

To cut down the bulk of corn to make it easier and more profitable to transport, some of it was made into whiskey. Most of the corn was fed to hogs, but the surplus fluctuated greatly from year to year, and so did whiskey production.

Enoch’s mill, at Manchester near Middletown, used 50,000 bushels of corn a year in the making of whiskey. Dickey’s distillery at Amanda was patronized. One of the early stills located near Middletown was described as follows: "It consists of a Still House with the stills, tubs, etc. in good order calculated to run two barrels a day . . . The Still is amply supplied with fine water from a spring."

Whiskey Production at Middletown

Brooms were manufactured in this area from broom corn grown on the farms surrounding the town. S. Leonard, in 1838, stated, "I intend to keep constantly on hand a superior article of Brooms, manufactured for those who want a good article." In 1838 at the canal office 42,557 brooms were shipped from Middletown; in 1839, 6,258; in 1840, 3,174; in 1847, 1,259; in 1851, 41,492; and in 1860, 9,576.

The pioneer woman did not have a large wardrobe, nor did she depend upon others to make her clothes. Spinning, knitting, and sewing were done in the home. Wool and linen were the first materials in popular use in the West. Both of these fabrics could be produced at home. In March the flax was sown, and by June it was ready to be harvested; in the same patch potatoes were then planted. The women gathered the flax, dressed it, and spun it. The sheep were taken to a small stream and the wool washed; after the sheep had dried they were sheared, after which the burrs and cockles were picked from the wool. One-fourth acre of flax and two or three sheep produced enough cloth for a large family. The wolf often got into the sheep pen and the snake into the flax patch.

The wool was usually sent off to one of the local woolen factories for carding. At the mill the wool was made into rolls, which were about thirty-six inches long and less than an inch thick. From these rolls it was an easy matter to spin thread on the spinning wheel or treadle wheel, which was in wide use, for it could spin both wool and flax.

The daughters of the family were given the job of spinning flax and wool. From the best flax, fine linens for Sunday shirts for men were made; Pantaloons for the boys and sheeting were made from the coarser quality of linen.

Cloth and flannel were spun from the wool. A cloth called linsey-woolsey was made by using a linen warp and a woolen woof. This cloth, which was worn largely by women and children, was lighter and cheaper than flannel. This linsey could be woven in plaid, and before the cloth had faded, it was considered pretty. A young lady with a new linsey-woolsey dress felt that she was properly clothed for any occasion. The cloth was dyed; a dull black was made from black walnut hulls, a yellow from white walnut hulls, and blue from indigo.

In the early days most of the spinning and weaving was done in the home, but the local textile factories slowly took this hard work out of the home.

Small woolen mills sprang up all over Ohio. According to the Federal Census of 1820, thirty counties reported woolen mills. In the Middletown area there were several woolen mills. Peter Poynter’s mill in 1839 carded 7,000 pounds of wool and dressed 2,300 yards of cloth. Many farmers brought wool to the factory to be carded, and took it home to be spun. Mr. Poynter had bought the machines that had formerly belonged to Issac Harrison. Carding and fulling were done at the "shortest possible notice." He had good workmen and promised to give the customer complete satisfaction. Pilling and Mitchell operated a woolen factory which carded 10,000 pounds of wool a year, and manufactured 4,000 pounds into cloth, cassimeres, and satinets.

On Brown’s Run a small tributary of the Miami River, a woolen mill was established by William Emelite, who did country carding, fulling, and manufacturing of cloth. The mill was located between Germantown and Middletown. William Thurston, who bought the mill, asked that wool be brought in good order, with one pound of lard to every eight pounds of wool. He held himself responsible for any wool damaged. James Boyd owned a woolen mill at Dickey’s basin, two miles below Middletown. He established a new and expensive woolen manufactory at the Canal lock at Dickey’s basin. After the water had been let into the canal, he was ready to manufacture all kinds of cloths, satinets, jeans, and flannels on shortest notice; he also did carding, fulling, and dyeing. He did the work for cash or on the shares. People who came from a distance to have their wool carded obtained their rolls the same day that they brought in their wool. Mr. Boyd advertised that he wished to purchase 10,000 pounds of wool "at the highest prices." He sold common dress goods, dark colors, drabs, etc., for 25 cents a yard, and light colors were less in proportion.

Mrs. Ophia D. Smith, author of The Life and Times of Giles Richards, discovered an old agreement between the Colerain Cotton Mills and Hiram Ogden in which the price of spinning wool was stipulated. To spin wool from 1 to 15 cutt to the pound the cost was 6 1/4 cents for white wool yarns, while colored or mixed woolens cost 7 cents; from 15 to 20 cutt the cost was 7 cents, and anything above that number was 8 cents.

In the same book the methods used in manufacturing woolens are described:

Indigo was sometimes used for dyeing the wool; the indigo was put into a large iron kettle, and a cannon ball was dropped in and set in motion to crush the indigo.

Mrs. Smith in the following paragraph describes one of these old woolen mills:

The mills of this vicinity would probably fit that description.

Hamilton likewise had her woolen factories. One of them, owned by Joshua Sowery, was located at the first lock above Hamilton. He had power looms, and offered to exchange woolen goods for wool or hard soap.

WOOL AND COTTON TRADE OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO

The woolen factories manufactured cotton yarn also. The raw pound cotton was shipped from Cincinnati by the canal, and manufactured into yarn. In 1839 there arrived 25,710 pounds of cotton by the canal; in 1842, 23,083 pounds; in 1847, 55,452; and in 1851, 21,167 pounds.

In the thirties Middletown had large forwarding houses. Farmers stored their goods in these houses, and received warehouse receipts. As soon as the goods were sold by the commission merchant, the farmer collected his money. J. S. Iglehart and Company bought grain crops, particularly wheat, barley, and corn. This company also acted as commission and forwarding merchants. John Mumma and Samuel Weikel owned a warehouse located on the canal, where a person was "in constant attendance." They received all kinds of goods which they shipped to market by the canal.

The commission houses shipped such products as wheat, corn, rye, oats, peas, beans, clover and grass seed, barley, butter, pork, lard, whiskey, yarn, cheese, pig iron, merchandise, wool, hides, pelts, pottery, timber, brooms, stone. From this list one obtains an idea of the crops produced by the farmers of this region, as well as the goods processed or manufactured in Middletown.

Farmers did not receive high prices for their produce. On the Middletown market for December 14, 1839, the following prices were quoted:

Prices on the Middletown Market

A great deal of money was not needed in those days. A housewife could buy a broom for 17 cents, a wicking for a lamp for 6 1/4 cents, and oil pot for 18 3/4 cents.

Some things were high, however. Good calico cost 50 cents a yard, and a cheaper grade for as low as 37 1/2 cents.

The town of the early nineteenth century was largely self-sufficient. Skilled tradesmen supplied most of the needs of the community. The farmer looked to these tradesmen to help him in his work. The blacksmith forged his plows, spades, axes, and other tools. The tanner made this leather, and the miller ground his grain. With the aid of these artisans the farmer could devote all his time to farming. Likewise in the towns each man performed his own particular task, and hired others to do the rest of his work. Unlike the pioneer who did most of his own work, the workman began to do what he could do most efficiently, and a simple division of labor developed. Since transportation costs were much higher in those days than they are today, mass production was unknown. It was cheaper for a man to locate a small manufacturing unit in a town to supply the local market.

Thomas Wilson came to Middletown, bought the cabinet manufactory of Issac Vadder, and made furniture. He had a shop near Main Street, and kept on hand ready made tables, bedsteads, bureaus, and other articles of furniture. He made furniture to order for anyone who desired it. Later Mr. Wilson went into the undertaking business as a sideline.

Tombstones were made by E. B. Potter, who kept the best quality of freestone on hand, and cut these stones and engraved them for his customers. Jesse Vinson kept a large assortment of tombstones, window sills, and all kinds of stone work. He kept his goods at Reynolds and Sutphin’s warehouse along the canal.

William Young, who bought the warehouse of John Mumma, sold iron products such as bar, rod, plough, plate, cast and hoop iron, nails, spikes, shovels, spades, and other articles.

The ten yard was a feature of the pioneer town. One of these yards had been described as having "21 vats, frame bark and mill house, 56 feet long and 26 feet wide and a frame beam house 20 by 24 feet."

Daniel Leibee ran a tan yard. He kept on hand a large stock of leather goods consisting of sole and upper leather for the making of shoes, calf and kid skins, sheep and hog skins, harness, bridle, bag leather, and rawhide traces. He bought hides and skins, paying five cents per pound for beef hides, and eight cents per pound for calf skins. In tanning he used white and black oak bark; he offered to purchase two hundred cords of "good white and black oak bark" at $5 per cord. The bark was to be measured and due allowances made for excessive thick bark. As soon as Daniel Leibee finished work on some leather he advertised: "150 sides heavy Sole leather . . . just finished as for sale by D. Leibee." Since horses were used for transportation, good saddles and harness were in demand. Mr. Crawford operated a saddle, harness, and trunk manufactory.

Since there was a market for the farm surplus, the farmers prospered and began to build better houses. Finally the brick house became a possibility. The first brick building in Middletown was erected for a school house in 1815. The first brick home was constructed in 1819 by Jonathan Tullis; it caused a great deal of comment, for the builder was in debt. As Mr. Heaton was riding by one day, he stopped to examine the house. Mr. Tullis asked him what he thought of it. Mr. Heaton replied that he thought the walls leaned a little.

"What way?" asked the astonished owner.

"Towards Hamilton," was the curt reply. The courts were there. In two years Mr. Tullis had to sell the house to pay his debts. Soon other brick houses were being built.

In Middletown bricks were manufactured by Joseph Leibee. Since the town was growing, this building material was needed. In one month he burned from one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand bricks at his kiln, and in a season he could produce a million and a half bricks at one time. They sold at $5.60 to $8.00 per 1000. The firm could not meet the increasing demand, and the local newspaper stated that the town needed more brick makers, for 3,000,000 bricks were to be needed the following year.

"By Hammer and Hand All arts do stand."

So advertised Samuel McQuiety, one of the early blacksmiths, who did "all kinds of work in his line." He kept improving his shop, and his business grew rapidly. Cramer and Lafore, two other blacksmiths, did all the kinds of smithing that was generally done in the country, such as ironing wagons and carriages, plows, sleds, sleighs; shoeing horses; repairing gun locks and edged tools such as drawing knives, plain bits, cutting box, and butcher knives; elliptic springs and carriages and wagons finished throughout; and repairing of all kinds of brassware.

Middletown’s tinner was John Reis. Besides working throughout the town he also ran a shop where he sold all kinds of tinware.

Samuel Weigle owned a tobacco manufactory. He kept in stock the best quality of Spanish and half Spanish and common cigar, chewing tobacco of every king including "Sweet Cavendish, Virginia Twist," snuff, and dry tobacco, which was sold by the pound. He used home grown tobacco for making part of his cigars.

Before the white man came, the Indians had grown tobacco in the Miami Valley. Tobacco growing rapidly developed because the weed was a product which could be packed and shipped at a profit, for much tobacco could be transported in a small space and it commanded a good price. In 1839 Ohio had risen to seventh place in the production of tobacco among the states. Seedleaf, after its introduction in 1838, became a favorite among the farmers and was raised near Middletown in the Dick’s Creek valley. This tobacco was used as cigar filler. Tobacco became one of the leading exports of the region surrounding Middletown.

Tobacco Shipments

In 1839 Samuel Weigle had started his shop; others tried manufacturing tobacco but they were usually unsuccessful.

Most of the crockery used consisted of yellow and brown ware, which was not in the least bit artistic. John R. Russell owned the Middletown Pottery, which made crocks, dishes of all sizes, jugs and jars, pitchers, and on the whole a "fine assortment of crockery."

AS the forests in this region contained much hickory, fine carriages and wagons were manufactured in this area. The village wagon maker, and there were many of them in Middletown, made stout wagons, which carried the farm products to market, and brought back needed articles to the farm home. The wagons were often painted red or some other bright color. Six oaken bows were pushed into the staples on the wagon bed, and over these were stretched white canvas, which was tied to the body of the wagon with twine. This cover kept the products free from the rain. On the back of the wagon was the feed box. A big board across the front of the wagon served as a seat, and over the rough board was placed cushions or old quilts. Many different kinds of carriages were manufactured by Silas Deeds, who employed skilled workmen to make carriages of "the latest Eastern fashions." The carriages were made of "the best and selected materials" and sold for $150 to $400.

James Bowman manufactured hats of all prices. C. C. and J. H. Mitchell were tailors who supplied their customers with the latest fashions from the East. Kerr and Lindsey, who had operated a store in the East for many years, opened a tailor shop in Middletown, where they furnished their customers with the "latest fashions." Michael Presler was another tailor in town. The tailor made clothes for the more well-to-do persons, and for some professional men, who wore expensive broadcloth suites. The Methodist minister wore a long-tailed coat. If the farmer got a broadcloth suit for his wedding, he thought that he was lucky.

In 1839 there were several thriving stores in town, many of which catered to the needs of the farmers. Mr. P. Mitchell kept a supply of harness, bridles, riding whips, saddle bags, and saddles. Farmers who wished to make maple sugar, and many of them did, bought their supplies for the sugar season from J. R. Russell, who sold large sugar pots.

There were many general stores that sold everything from dry goods to groceries. Oglesby and Martin, who bought the store of Francis J. Tytus, sold dry goods, hardware, groceries, queensware, etc. They sold for cash or offered to trade for country produce. Many of the stores offered credit to their customers, but Oglesby and Martin stated that they were "fully satisfied that the overgrown crediting business that has been done in this place, has proven an injury to both seller and buyer." Since they commenced business with a small capital, they were determined to sell for cash only, or to take an exchange for goods country produce such as wheat, corn, lard, and bacon. Cassidy operated a store; he stated that he received his goods from New York and Philadelphia and that he would sell them at low prices. Mr. R. W. Gilchrist kept a large stock on hand, but would not compete in advertising with the other merchants. He deemed the large advertisements, which covered about ten inches of space, a waste of money and thought it was unnecessary "to come out with a sheet that would cover a barn door, in resemblance of a theater bill of to enumerate articles and prices." Z. Brown offered to take country produce such as "wheat, whiskey, linen, linsey, feathers, butter, beeswax, tallow," in exchange for his goods. Ledman and Vudder operated a dry goods store and grocery; they asked gentlemen to call to examine their assortment of cloths and cassimeres of every color and quality. They also sold cotton warp and an assortment of cotton yarns, along with a good assortment of brown and bleached sheeting and shirting. George Wrenn sold "fashionable" goods, and invited the people of Middletown to visit his store. Gilbreath and Deardoroff kept a store. Enyart and Achey operated an iron, hardware, and grocery store, in which they sold "iron, castings, nails, window glass . . . groceries, hardware, rope, shovels, glassware, cordage, spades and drawing chains." Later they added New Orleans sugar and anvils to their stock.

J. and J. Leibee sold the following cloths: Blue black, brown, black drab and invisible green cloths, plain and fancy cassimeres, satinets, Gro de Swiss Silk, plain and rubbed linen, nankeen, pongee. They advertised fir sake the latest style of leghorn and straw bonnets, palm leaf hats, ribbons, silk, worsted and cotton hosiery, kid and silk gloves, pongee, bandanna, Spittelfield, and linen pocket handkerchiefs.

Isaac Vadder operated a "cabinet wareroom," or furniture shop.

Reynolds, Sutphin and Company kept a general assortment of liquors, among which were brandies, wines, rum, gin, and whiskey.

W. B. Storms sold drugs and medicines, paints, oils, and dye stuffs. He sold liquors, which he advertised were for medicinal purposes -- Port, Madeira, and Malaga wines, French brandy, Holland gin. He sold patent medicines, and whale oil which was used in lamps.

Even though almost all homes had a cobbler’s kit; most men preferred to let the shoemakers do the work. In pioneer times the wandering journeyman shoemaker traveled from home to home, where he was given shelter, food, and a few days’ work. After he had repaired the shoes for the family and had made as many new pairs as were needed, he made his way to the next cabin. The early shoes, which were made of heavy leather, wore for a long time. In Middletown shoemakers’ shops were set up, and the farmer had his shoes made to order in the town. The shoemaker’s shop was not an elaborate affair. In it was the cobbler’s bench with a leather seat; on the bench were the hammer, last, sewing awl, lapstone, shoe knife, shoe pegs, shoemakers wax, and thread. David Steel, Dayton Lummis, and Joseph Sheaff were shoemakers. A mammoth boot told the customer the location of a shoe store, which kept on hand a supply of boots, shoes, ladies; Kidd and Morocco slippers of every description. These last were made of the best Eastern and French leather and were guaranteed to be of the latest fashion.

Middletown had its confectioneries where young and old alike gathered. Mr. E. Plummber operated a bakery and a confectionery. His specialties were the making of spruce beer, and of ice-cream, which he advertised as "a little colder than ice, and a little richer than cream." Tom Coalson informed the public that "the good things in this world can be supplied at all times at my confectionery."

In summary, Middletown in 1839 had ten stores within the town which annually sold merchandise to the amount of $125,000; three pork houses; a grist mill; a woolen mill; a coach factory, which turned out an average of %5000 worth of work a year; three shoe shops; a chair manufactory; two cabinet shops, two blacksmith shops; three master carpenters; one tinner; three saddlers; two silversmiths; five tailors; a tobacconist; four coppers; two bakeries; two tanneries; a pottery; a turning shop; a plow manufactory. There were also: one drug store, a liquor store, a coffee house, confectioneries, and a tavern.

Within three miles of the town were the following factories: Dickey’s grist mill, Mumma’s grist mill, Banker’s flour mill, and Clapp’s grist mill. At Manchester, Enoch had a distillery, a chopping mill, and a pork house. Near the town were located five saw mills, two or which sawed 879,000 feet of lumber a year. Pilling and Mitchell had a large woolen factory.

Three large commission houses and forwarding houses were located along the canal. these houses, according to their books, in the five months, March to July, cleared 22,874 barrels of flour, 5,891 barrels of pork, 7,065 barrels of whiskey, 7,763 pounds of butter, 381,929 pounds of pork, and bacon in bulk and hogsheads, and 517,516 pounds of lard. During the same period there arrived 1,786 barrels of salt, 394,456 pounds of iron, nails, and castings, and 899,737 pounds of merchandise.

Near the town were about 50,000 acres of rich production soil, and Middletown was the trading center of the area. Mr. Clark, a farmer who lived near Middletown, had a large white brick house, with a green slope in front of it, and surrounded by an orchard. Near it stood another white brick owned by Shobal Vail. Around it were fruit trees. Along the canal were fields of corn, the staple of the hog-growing region. In the rear of the cultivated fields, which flanked the canal, extending back upon the hills were the oaks, elms, and maples. the large white residence of the Griffins was a typical farm home. In front were several acres of corn, with fruit and forest trees behind. Northeast of the town was Manchester, Abner Enoch’s village. The whole town of Middletown was surrounded by fields of corn and wheat. The Miami River flowed through the valley, and along its serpentine course grew the "white armed sycamores whose branches shine like silver in the sun." Down the canal came the Cartagenian, a coal boat, which was manned by tow boys and dragged along by a brace of horse frames.

The advantages that the town possessed were, first, the rich farming region of which it was the logical trading center; and, second, the water power furnished by the canal and the Miami River for the development of industries. the early industry of Middletown was based upon products of the farm. Pork, whiskey, and flour were the leading exports. All of these products were consumer’s goods, for they were used directly by the consumer without further process of manufacturing.

The chief trade was with Cincinnati, the "Queen City." The editor of the local paper wrote: "All that concerns Cincinnati is of interest to the valley of Miami. She is the granary into which we pour the golden tribute of our fields; she is likewise the treasury whence we draw the luxuries and many of the necessities of life."

As Middletown grew there was a great demand for more buildings. Most of the dwelling houses were occupied by more than one family. There were not enough business houses. Mr. Leibee put up three business rooms, which were rented before the timber was sawed.

As the town grew, the need for a market house became apparent. In June, 1838, the town trustees voted to erect the house; and informal poll had shown that out of one hundred and fourteen people who were asked if they wanted a market house, eighty-eight of them replied in the affirmative. The house was to be twenty-two feet by fifty feet, with turned columns, paved, and enclosed. Contractors were notified that bids would be received June 1, 1839, and the building was to be completed by September. The market house was erected on Broad Street, south of Mill Street.

In the next decade the town continued to grow. In 1840 the population was 809, and 1,087 in 1850.

In 1846 Henry Howe first visited Middletown. He wrote, in part, this description of the town of that time.

In 1845 a young crippled girl, Martha Davidson, came to Middletown from Monroe. She bought ribbons and other materials for trimming hats from the store of Oglesby and Barnitz. Mr. Oglesby suggested that she start a millinery store. She thereupon bought a house, and began a noted millinery store, which she operated for over fifty years.

William Oglesby, one of the pioneer merchants of the town, was born in 1815; he was one of a family of nine children. His grandfather and father had been sickle makers in the days when sickles were made by hand.

The Oglesby family becoming tired of the civilized life of Chester County, Pennsylvania, decided to move west. In 1818 they emigrated to Preble County, Ohio. Here William received an education in the typical log school house. As at the age of thirteen it was necessary for the boy to find a way to make his own living, his father obtained a job for him at the store of Captain Hiram Potter in Jacksonburg. The family discussed whether William should leave home; William himself made some objections. After he had worked a few days on the farm, clearing a new piece of land from roots and stumps, he decided to work in the store. He put on his best "homespun" and left home. For two or three years he served as a boy of all work, and then went to Middletown to enter the store of Jonathan Martin, where for two or three years he worked. After Mr. Martin’s death, the business was carried on by Tytus and Wrenn. Later Mr. Oglesby became a partner of F. J. Tytus.

In 1840 Mr. Oglesby and his brother brought a stock of goods from Philadelphia. The goods were loaded on a steamer, called the Troy, at Pittsburgh, and sent to Cincinnati, but on the way, at Portsmouth, the ship sank. Unfortunately there was no insurance on the goods. A part of the goods was fished out and dried, repacked, and sent to Cincinnati, thence to Dayton, where it was opened. Mr. Oglesby decided to go to Sidney, but after three months there he sold out. After working for two years in Urbana, he went to Philadelphia, where he served as a clerk in a wholesale dry goods store. At the end of six months, he married Miss R. S. Barnitz, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, who was the sister of his later partner. They were married in 1843.

In 1844 Mr. Oglesby entered into a partnership with his brother-in-law, Mr. George C. Barnitz, in the dry goods business. From 1844 to 1855 the firm bought farm produce. In 1855 Mr. Oglesby entered into the paper manufacturing business. Oglesby and Barnitz built up a large trade. George C. Barnitz had had experience in retailing in Middletown. He came to Middletown in 1838 and began working for Jacob Leibee, who ran a general store. In 1840 he entered into a partnership with William Young. Then, a few years later, he became a partner of William Oglesby in a mercantile and grain buying business.

Farmers patronized the store and developed faith in the square-dealing and honesty of the man. They began to leave their money at the store for safekeeping. The custom grew, and in 1850 the two men opened the bank. The bank was operated under the partnership of "Oglesby and Barnitz." This bank became the center of the town’s financial life. It furnished credit for the development of industry and of all kinds of business.

The Oglesby and Barnitz firm shipped farm produce to Cincinnati; in 1851 they advertised: "Wanted . . . 50,000 bushels corn and oats, for which the highest market price will be paid." The farmers would come to get their money, but they would say: "We don’t want to take all this money home, for it might get stolen. Put it in a bag and keep it in the vault." Finally the two men opened up the banking service; as the service grew they closed out the general store and equipped the room with a banking counter.

At this time David Wolverton and Company were operating another bank. In 1853 they printed this advertisement: "David Wolverton and Company are at all times prepared to discount, on reasonable terms, good business paper, advance cash on claims left for collection, and make short loans. Money deposited payable on demand with interest."

The early labor system used by the tradesmen was that of the apprenticeship. Before a man could have become a skilled laborer, he had to pass through the apprentice stage. Boys at the age of eleven or twelve were apprenticed; they left home and took up residence with their masters. Many poor families had their children apprenticed to cut down living expenses.

Needless to say the apprentice was not always satisfied with his life. Sometimes the work was long and hard. Many times these apprentices ran away, and the papers of one hundred years ago were filled with the advertisements of masters asking that their apprentices be found and returned home. A few cents reward was offered to show how little the master felt the boy was worth--a small reward was his way of expressing indignation.

In 1833 in Middletown there lived Lewis Woodard, who ran a coopering business. Witter Blackleach was his seventeen-year-old indented apprentice. The boy was described as having a light complexion, brown hair, sharp features, and small stature, "very clumsy and impudent and rather a downcast look." The description of the boy’s clothes give us some idea of what the boy of that time wore. Witter, when he disappeared, was wearing a new pair of white drilling pantaloons, a brown cloth coat and vest, and a black hat. He took with him a pair of blue pantaloons, a pair of black cassinet pantaloons, and several other articles belonging to the master. The boy was described in the blackest terms. The town was cautioned against sheltering this "dangerous youth." The owner recited how he had taken the boy, who was in a state of starvation, and given him the better things of life.

`Mr. G. H. Adams had evidently taken the boy, for he answered Mr. Woodard’s advertisement, declaring that the statements contained in the article from beginning to end were "as black and infamous falsehoods as ever was penned." He said that the boy had never been apprenticed to Woodard, and the he had a perfect right to leave, and that when he left he had gone openly and boldly. Furthermore he stated that the boy had bought the clothes he had taken out of his own earnings. Woodard was warned that if he were not careful serious consequences would follow his misrepresentations of the facts.

Mr. Woodard answered these charges in the next week’s edition of the newspaper. His reply was that the boy had run away from Middletown and that he had taken a number of articles belonging to the master. He continued: "It can be satisfactorily proven that the boy was indented; a written contract, drawn up by James Heaton, Justice of Peace, exists between the boy and his mother and myself. Adams states that the boy left me, and did so because he had a right to, and that he went off openly and boldly. This is not the fact, for at the time he ran away, I was twenty miles from home, and left no other persons about the house but Blackleach and another apprentice. He endeavored to hire a boy to convey his baggage out of town secretly, but being unsuccessful, be made his escape through an obscure alley." Woodard accused Adams of spreading falsehoods and warned him that he had already exposed himself to lawsuit, and that if he persisted "in his slanderous course" this would be the result.

This is just one of the many disputes which arose between apprentice and master. How this dispute ended history does not reveal.

Many of the boys of Middletown in earlier days began their work as apprentices. The local papers carried frequent advertisements such as the following: "A boy, of industrious habits and good moral character, will be taken as apprentice."

The apprentice, after serving a term, became a journeyman. A journeyman was more skilled, and much more in demand by the master workman, who owned his store, than was the apprentice. J. S. Curtis ran this article: "Wanted. Immediately, two or three journeymen cordwainers, on Ladies Springs and Gentlemen’s Pumps, to whom constant employment and good wages will be given."

Men who had passed through the apprentice and journeymen training stages were in demand throughout the country. Skilled labor was badly needed in the growing towns of the West. Around 1840 the editor of the Mail wrote that in this town six to ten carpenters, and as many brick and stone masons were needed, three or four wagonmakers, two or three plowmakers, and as many blacksmiths and toolmakers. Watchmakers, jewelers, silversmiths, and shoemakers were promised immediate employment.

Carpenters were paid two dollars a day. Wagonmakers sold a good two-horse wagon for $140.

The housewife of the early Middletown home often hired a neighbor’s daughter to help with the work, and she was paid a stipulated amount. Or the father might have secured a bound girl, a girl who was an orphan and who had been supported by the county. One of these orphan girls was often put in a private home, and when she was eighteen, she was to be set free and given some clothes, a few articles of furniture, and a set sum of money. She was paid no wages, but she received her room and board. There was plenty of work for the early housewife, for she did the cooking, sewing, housekeeping, churning; she cared for the chickens and saw to it that the cellar was filled with winter supplies and the smoke-house with pork.

The Panic of 1837 had an adverse effect on business conditions in the West. This panic was at first felt in the East, but it spread throughout the whole country. The West did not recover from the blow until the forties. The leading merchants found it difficult to keep their stores going. F. J. Tytus bought goods on credit. Abner Enoch ad to make arrangements with his creditors. Mr. S. T. Jones wrote: "I stopped a Cincinnati the 22 and 23 . . . out for Middletown and have been here ever since. Business is very dull in the west, full as much as in the east."

This was a period when money was hard to collect. The merchant had money on his books, but he found the collection of the money difficult. In the newspaper columns many business men asked their debtors to make a settlement. Typical of these pleas is the one of J. S. Curtis, which read: "Money! Money! The subscriber takes this method of informing his friends and customers that he is much in need of the article, soliciting all those who know themselves to be indebted to him either by note or book account for a longer period than three months, to call and cash up, circumstances, which it is not necessary to mention, compel him to make this request."

Clapp and Ryerson notified all persons who were indebted to them to pay immediately, or they were threatened to "be put to cost without distinction." This was only another method of saying, "Pay up or the law will be after you." T. B. Tullis asked that all his debtors pay up within two or three weeks. William McAdams had left his notes of long standing with Esquire Alexander, the justice of peace, for collection.

Partnerships were being dissolved. The firm of Ledman and Badder was dissolved by "mutual consent." It, like most of the other firms of that time, was a co-partnership, an early type of business organization, later superseded by the modern corporation. The co-partnership of J. P. Reynolds and Joseph Sutphin, which had existed under the firm of Reynolds, Sutphin and Company was dissolved. All persons who were indebted to them were asked to pay up.

The proprietor of a country store at Le Sourdsville was hard hit by the panic. He advertised that he intended selling his mercantile business. He had on hand a large quantity of dry goods, selected in Eastern cities, that he offered to sell at cost. He was also eager to sell the store. A town had just been laid out around the store, and the proprietor felt that the location was as good a one for a county store as any in Butler County.

Despite the depression period, the Miami Valley made definite gains. In 1840 the population of the valley was 353,768, whereas in 1790 it had been only a wilderness. From 1830 to 1840 the per cent of increase in population had been 36, while in the preceding ten years it had been 57 per cent. It can easily be seen that the hard times did have a bad effect upon the valley and upon Middletown. Prices for farm products were low, and fewer people came to settle on the farmlands of the valley.