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Mercer Home Page Part 3 - 1845 to 1860 Part 4 - 1860 to 1865 Page 2 - Social and Home Life in the 50�s and 60�s Surnames Page Page 1 - Social and Home Life in the 50's and 60's
In Part 3 we spoke of the mechanization and organization of agriculture that contributed to the prosperity of the county and gave leisure time for social organizations. In the household mechanization was having its effect as well, and the ladies were able to play their part in social life.
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The History of Mercer County, 1882 tells us that Mrs. Evaline C. Swafford owned the first sewing machine in Mercer County. It was bought in Chicago in 1858, by Theodore Glancy on his way east to school in New York. The machine was a great curiosity in the community, and persons came for miles to see the wonder. By 1864 Devoe & Crampton in Rock Island was advertising sewing machines ranging in price from $45 to $85. Additionally, ready made clothing was available: In 1854 Wells Willits advertised ready made fabrics as well as ready made shoes and caps { ad }. Ives & Denison in New Boston in 1864 advertised "Ready-Made Clothing, Boots and Shoes, Caps." While without doubt much of the family's clothing was still made at home, items could be purchased with extra money earned with the new farming methods. And the Civil War did not seem to be interfering with the supply. |
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| There were other domestic innovations. The 1864 fair included a category in its manufactured items of washing machines. As early as 1861 the wood and coal burning stove to the right was advertised; note the hot water tank. By 1864 many merchants advertised them for sale. Since Illinois had coal mines, coal was no doubt readily available for those who had the cash. And cash was not always necessary. Most merchants advertised they would take butter and eggs in trade. Since butter and egg production was the purvue of the housewife, she no doubt obtained some luxuries for herself, as well as for her family. Joseph Alyea advertised Queensware (fine dinnerware) in 1853 { ad}. Although he obviously preferred cash he also took produce in trade. In his advertisement he asked for old castings, copper, and brass, and cotten and linen rags, which he no doubt took in trade. In the same year Joseph's son, Thomas Alyea, advertised his new drug store { ad}. His advertisement included such items as paints, oils, dye-stuffs, perfumery, lemons, oranges, dates, almonds, wallpaper, and jim-cracks and notions generally. We suspect that New Boston, being a port on the Mississippi, gave access to many items that interior pioneers did not ever see! |  |
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The 1850's brought the organization of the New Boston Literary Union, which presented public entertainments that attracted the whole town. Luxuries in the home included musical instruments. The 1857 Agricultural Fair included a Miscellaneous Department where ladies were invited to bring their musical instruments and prizes were given for best performance. A newspaper article in December 1863 mentions that in the City of New Boston there were no less than seven pianos and six melodeons. There were two classes for vocal music and the school district owned a melodeon. A followup article in January 1864 added that there were both martial and string bands in New Boston. A Harvey County Kansas History tells us that the four Prouty boys had a dance orchestra when they lived in Mercer County called the "Prouty Band." This may have been the string band referred to in the newspaper as we know from the description of the Prouty�s trip to Kansas that they at least owned a violin, clarinet, and cello. Sarah Webster of New Boston and Henry Hiers won prizes at the 1859 and 1864 Fair for dulcimers they had made. Further social gathering outside the home included church attendance and their were related Church Societies. The History of Mercer County, 1882 tells us of the Methodist Episcopal Church Society organized in New Boston in 1838. In 1866 the society built a parsonage on lots 7, 8 and 9, block 4, in Thompson's addition. It cost about $1500. A list of members at various times is given in the History, as well as for the following societies. The Baptist Society was organized in 1844 and a church building completed in 1848. The building fell down about 1859. Meetings continued in the town hall. The Presbyterian Society was organized in 1857. but a church was not built until about 1868. In 1882 there were no meetings being held but still an organization. Eliza Township being more rural and more sparsely populated had no regular church buildings but services of Methodists, Baptists, and Christians were held at school houses over the years by itinerant ministers. While the History of Mercer County, 1882 does not mention the Universalist Society, we find the following in the estate papers of Samuel Mills: "to the first Universalist Society of Mercer County Ill---dr---January 1st 1852 to subscription for preaching $5.00." And Mercer County had a Bible Society, begun in 1850. At their 14th annual meeting June 28, 1864, in Aledo, the following addresses were scheduled: The Bible for the Family - J. W. Stewart (not found in 1860/70 census) The Bible for the Soldier - L. S. Ashbaugh (see Miscellaneous Families) The Bible for the Sailor - C. H. Eaton (Charles of Aledo in 1860?) The Bible for the Heathen - J. H. Nash (John H., Clergyman, Ohio Grove) The Bible for the Freedman - J. S. Poage (James S., preacher, of Aledo) The Bible for the Public School - J. R. McCalister (not found in the 1860/70 census) William Townley, preacher, of Aledo, tendered the invitation for all to attend. It is possible that the preachers not found in the censuses were itinerant. It is curious that no one from New Boston or Eliza participated. Maybe because it was a function set up by one of the preachers in Aledo, or perhaps strengthening our speculation that New Boston & Eliza Townships were hotbeds of spiritualism by the mid-1860's! There were revival meetings in New Boston & Eliza Townships. The Aledo Weekly Record, January 26, 1864: "We learn that Rev. J. Westley of New Boston has been holding a series of meetings in the Brick-Yard School House, for some time past, and that the house is nightly crowded with anxious listeners. Quite a number have connected themselves with Church, and the meetings are well attended." He apparently also held revivals in Eliza Township (see New Boston Lay Society article below). We have included a brief history of the Mormon Church in Mercer County on the Adams page to aid researchers who think they had ancestors there with Mormon connections. It is not exactly pertinent to New Boston and Eliza Township other than that Jesse Adams of Eliza Township was instrumental in the founding of the Church in Mercer County. And there were lay societies. In 1855 a few members of the society of Odd-Fellows determined to establish a working lodge in New Boston. It was duly instituted as New Boston Lodge, No. 188, International Order of Odd Fellows. There is considerable history of this lodge, which had about 178 members, in the History of Mercer County, 1882. It included the Rebekah Degree which associated the wives of the Odd-Fellows in their work of "visiting the sick, relieving the distressed, burying the dead, and educating the orphan." In December 1866 Archer Encampment No. 70, International Order of Odd Fellows was instituted and membership rose to 82 by 1882. A charter was issued to New Boston Lodge No. 59 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons in 1848. Early records burned and in 1853 a new charter was issued. In 1882 the membership was 67 and it was one of the strongest lodges in the State. In the March 28, 1855 issue of the Golden Age we find an advertisement asking people to join "The Cosmopolitan Art and Literary Association, organized for the encouragement and general diffusion of Literature and the Fine Arts, on a new and original plane." Membership dues were $3.00 for the year and entitled the members to receive the Knickerbocker Magazine for one year and a ticket for drawings for a collection of fifteen statues in bronze, and several hundred magnificent oil paintings to be distributed in January of the next year. People paying for more memberships received more of the lottery tickets. A reader of our page tells us The Cosmopolitan Art and Literary Association was a national organization devoted to the dissemination of magazines and original art works in the 1850's. It was located in Sandusky, Ohio. |
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The Political and Religious Friends of Thomas Paine was a New Boston organization. Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet in 1776 Common Sense. 120,000 copies were sold and it was considered as one of the sparks of the American Revolution. A celebration was planned on Paine's 124th birthday, January 25, 1861, to be held at Roberts Hall in New Boston.
Planned was an oration, speeches, toasts, picnic dinner, and a Grand Ball in the evening. "The friends of the universal model of liberty throughout the country [yes, that is country, not county] are cordially invited to participate with us." Committee of Arrangements: Dudley Willits, Stanton Prentiss , Joseph Graham, William P. Myers, Henry Roberts, R. S. Cramer. Aledo Weekly Record, January 8, 1861. |
"O! ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose not only the tyranny but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the Old World is overrun with oppresion. Freedom hath been hunted round the globe. Asia and Africa have long expelled her. Europe regards her as a stranger and England hath given her warning to depart. O! receive the fugitive and prepare in time an asylum for mankind." T. Paine |
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Another unique organization was the New Boston Lay Society. This organization is mentioned in 1863 as convening weekly on Wednesday evenings. Exercises consisted of a lecture of thirty minutes or more, four lectures of ten minutes each, the reading of a weekly paper edited by the ladies, and finally, a five minute speech by each member, the subject not announced to the speaker until the moment he was to commence his speech. If he failed to occupy the full five minutes he paid a forfeiture of 15 cents. "we call it a sprightly institution." Aledo Weekly Record, December 29, 1863. February 2, 1864, the Aledo Weekly Record reported on one of the New Boston Lay Society meetings: "We learn that Rev. J. Westley in consequence of being engaged in a protracted meeting in Eliza (see revivals above), failed to come to time with his Temperance speech as advertised. His place was however well filled by R. S. Cramer, Esq. who read a most eloquent lecture on "land monopoly and its effects on nations and individuals." William B. Crapnell was scheduled for the next meeting, subject - patriotism and love of country. New Boston's sometimes very cold climate furnished opportunities for get-togethers as well. In February, 1861, it was reported that six weeks of grand sleighing had just ended as bare patches begin to appear on the ground. While not mentioned, there were no doubt skating parties as well. And there were wood gathering parties, particularly during the Civil War when families turned out together to obtain an extra supply of wood for the families of soldiers serving in the War. One such party with tragic consequences was described in the Aledo Weekly Record, February 1, 1865 (paraphrased). New Boston: Captain George Sanders of the 17th Illinois Regiment met one Benjamin Sink who refused to turn out to haul wood for war widows. It was the custom of the town to have a dance at the end of the day on these occasions (as for nearly everything else). Sanders told Sink if he didn't haul wood then he couldn't dance. A young lady asked Sink to dance that night and Sanders told him to get off the floor. Sink shot Sanders and fled. Sanders was treated by Drs. Stanway & Benedict but died. Sink had been a one year resident. He was a heavy set young man, 23 years old, from Missouri. He disappeared. The dance went on. Sanders was known as a quiet peaceful man except when in his cups which he was that night. Alcohol, guns, and dances should not mix. The newspaper also mentioned there was an ice bridge over the River, everyone was hauling wood, and the streets were full of it. Apparently it was the custom, when possible, to cross over to the Iowa side of the River for a wood supply. [We wonder about the Iowa residents' reaction! Of course, many Mercer County families owned land on the Iowa side as well.] (See ) Iowa Connections Another place of informal gathering of friends and neighbors was the post office (inside a general store) at mail arrival time. The Postmaster, William Avery, posted a mail arrival and departure schedule in the New Boston Non-Pareil March 29, 1856. Note that letters were being posted to California and Oregon as several Mercer County residents had already "gone west." Note that steamboat mail arrived twice every night. Apparently steamboat traffic on the Mississippi was quite heavy. Arrivals and departures of steamboats were times of great excitement, especially for the children. And families often took a ride up to Rock Island on a steamboat just as an outing. See the Drury family page for a sketch of Drury's Landing in Rock Island County. One might guess that the same thing happened with the ferryboat for outings and visits to friends and family in Iowa. We have received a copy of a wonderful little book from James L. Brown it is a "Diary and Expense Book" printed in 1869 with a New Boston Advertisement as the cover and inside it has printed calendars, list of stamp duties, rates of postage, instructions as to income returns, and forms of accounts, especially adapted to the latest revenue laws, "for the use of farmers and others..." The book belonged to Mary Wheeler Tieman and she used it to record recipes of hers and of her sister Helen Wheeler Bassett. The recipes are also a fine historical item. To see transcriptions from the book [ Click]. Another major social gathering was the annual Agricultural Fair. In that day and age, one's occupation was intimately connected with one's social life and the Fairs give us a unique glimpse of how people occupied their time. Agricultural Fairs not only were held during the War, but grew considerably in size during that time period. While the Fairs were held in Millersburg there were certainly plenty of participants from New Boston and Eliza Townships. It was the custom for the Fair to be advertised in the newspaper ahead of time with a list of categories and prizes offerred. Then, after the Fair, the newspaper published a list of the prize winners in each category. We will discuss some of the Fairs briefly here including prize winners, and then will include prize winners in family history when we have the information. "Somehow I was never allowed to go to the County Fair. Maybe it was because the other girls, after bleaching themselves for weeks with sunbonnet, fascinators, and homemade mitts, usually met a young man, who, after keeping company with they married at the age of 14 or 15 and began having babies. I always wondered why my friends wouldn't rather have played a little longer. We had such good times." Isabella Greenway "A Charmed Girlhood," A Quilt of Words (Boulder, Colorado: Johnson Publishing Company, 1988) The first list of premiums offered is from the Fourth Annual Fair to be held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, September 29, 30 & Oct. 1, 1857. This was reported in the very first issue of the Aledo Weekly Record Vol #1, #1, July 14, 1857. We then have a list of prize winners from the Sixth Annual Fair held September 27, 28, & 29, 1859, and a premium list from the Eleventh Annual Fair held September 27, 28, & 29, 1864. The Fairs were divided into Departments. We will comment separately on each Department to try to assess how things changed in this time period, and whether any effect from the War can be discerned. The Departments, and categories within Departments, also give us a glimpse of the life of the times, and the prize lists constitute an informal census. Where known we have included the name of the township after the name of the person. Those living in townships other than Eliza and New Boston will generally not be noticed elsewhere on this site unless they at one time had connections. There was a Superintendent for each Department and a committee of Judges. In addition there was a General Superintendent for the whole fair and an Executive Committee. In 1857 the General Superintendent was Graham Lee of Hamlet. The Executive Committee was composed of: Tyler McWhorter (Millersburg), President; Amos Prouty, New Boston, Vice President; Wm Nevius (Ohio Grove), A. P. Taylor (Millersburg), John Scott (Richland Grove), William Strong (Oxford), and James M. Manning (Mercer), Director: Washington Wolfe (Keithsburg), Treasurer; L. B. Howe (Millersburg), Secretary; Wm. I. Nevius (Ohio Grove), Chief Marshal; S. T. Stratton (Millersburg), Assistant Marshall, and Dudley Willits (Eliza), Orator. The newspaper reported that several wild animals would be exhibited, including an elk, buffalo, and wolf. In 1859 we only have the list of prize winners and the only official mentioned is William L. Green of Millersburg, Secretary. The Secretary reported that cash prizes could be collected from him and that other prizes (silver cups and agricultural periodicals) could be collected at the annual fair meeting in Aledo in January 1860. Mr. Green also mentioned that several prizes had not been collected from 1858 and could be picked up from him. In 1864 the Executive Committee was composed of Josiah Candor of Hamlet, President; T. S. Ross (not identified in the 1860/70 census), Vice President; H. S. Senter (Mercer), Secretary; Joseph McCoy (Mercer), Treasurer; A. P. Taylor (Millersburg), O. A. Bridgford (Millersburg), Edward Brady (Millersburg), Walter Pryne (New Boston), Cruser Gray (Hamlet), Directors; J. E. Bay of Millersburg, General Superintendent; O. A. Bridgford, Superintendent of the Horse Ring (Note: O. A. Bridgford was Sheriff of Mercer County at this time); George B. Gilmore (Millersburg), Marshal; and John W. Mills (Oxford), Orator. It was no accident that the committee members were clustered around Millersburg. They had to be available for meetings! Some of the Rules and Regulations published for the 1864 Fair are also of interest. Any person could become a member of the Agricultural Society for $1 and all members of their family would be admitted free to the Fair. Tickets were 24 cents for a single admission, except boys under 16 who were 15 cents. Two-horse carriages were charged $1 per day for entry to the grounds; one-horse carriages 75 cents, and horse and rider fifty cents. All members of the Agricultural Society and members of their family were allowed to compete in the Fair. Entries in the Horse Departments had to be from Mercer County. But Rock Island residents south of Rock River could compete in all other Departments. (Note - we have not checked the Rock Island census for persons we could not find in the Mercer County census records.) Farms DepartmentDepartment I - Farms: 1857 judged all farms over 50 acres together. By 1864 farms of 50 acres or more were judged separately from farms of 160 acres or more, and a separate category was established for renters of farms. In 1857 there were prizes for best hedges, best orchards, and best dairy. (The "best hedge" category tells us what they did for fencing before the advent of wire fencing in the 1870's!) Judges in 1857 were William M. Hays (Sunbeam), William Doak (Hamlet), and Paul Sheriff (Keithsburg).By 1864 a category for 20 acres or more of corn was added and a category of 5 acres of corn or more cultivated by a boy under 16. In 1864 there was also a category for best managed and cultivated kitchen garden by a boy under 16 [so much for our theory that the gardens belonged to the women!]. Judges in 1864 were L. Volney Willits (Sgt, Co K, 102nd Ill, discharged for wounds), John M. Gilmore (Millersburg), and William McHard (Hamlet). In 1859 William Petrie (Oxford), a Scot, took the silver cup for the best farm over 160 acres. Martin Cook of Eliza Township took second place. Bell & Brother took the prize for the 50 acre or more farm (this does not give us enough information to know if it was the Bells from New Boston or from some other township). William Prouty had the best hedge. C. G. Taylor (North Henderson) had the best managed dairy and the second best hedge. Horse DepartmentsAs mentioned in several places in this history, Mercer County became well known for blooded horses. (See Part 2 for a sample stud advertisement; See Welch Family for a photograph of several types of horses on their farm in 1909). With so much interest in horses we are curious as to whether horse racing ever played a part in the county history; we have so far seen no mention of it. We do know that Eli Reynolds who lived briefly in New Boston and then in Muscatine, Iowa, and Drury Township in Rock Island County was fond of horse racing so it was definitely nearby.Department II - Horses for the Road and Department III - Horses for Work remained the same from 1857 to 1864. A Department IV - Sweepstakes (for horses) was added by 1859. The departments were divided into categories, such as stallion, colt, filly, mare, gelding, etc. In 1857 participants were required to show their horses at work in Department III. In 1864 they were shown in a large ring. By 1859 horses for the road had added categories of draught horses and trotting horses. Martin Cook of Eliza Township was Superintendent of both Departments II & III in 1857. Dr. J. Trego (Richland Grove), Benjamin Decker (Sunbeam), and Joseph Wade (Liveryman - Keithsburg) were judges in Department II and Hiram Knox (Hamlet), Knotley Scott (North Henderson), and Joseph Huston (Eliza) were judges in Department III. In 1864 O. A. Bridgford of Millersburg was Superintendent of all three Departments. J. W. Lloyd (Millersburg), Jacob Kerlin (New Boston) and John S. Paxton (Liveryman - Aledo) were judges in Department II and J. J. Huston (Eliza), Joshua W. Cabeen (Sunbeam); Charles S. Caldwell (Pope Creek) were judges in Department III. No judge was listed for Department IV so judging was probably done by Superintendant Bridgford. The categories were best stallion of any class or age, and best stallion as a stock getter, to be exhibited with six colts of his get, under one year old. Prizes awarded in the 1859 Fair are listed. Department II: Horses for the road - best stallion 5 yrs & over, Drury Maxfield & Co. (Cyrus Maxfield - Liveryman, New Boston, Drury not identified, but probably Edward stock dealer), 2nd C. M. Coe (Liveryman - Aledo); best stallion 4-5, James H. Bane (Sunbeam), 2nd, Urial Scott (son of Notley - North Henderson); best stallion 3-4, Charles Boyles (Hamlet); best gelding, J. Taylor Gilmore (Millersburg), 2nd, Robert Gilmore (Millersburg); best span geldings, Thomas Willits (Millersburg), 2nd, Martin Cook (Eliza); best mare, William Reynolds (Sunbeam), 2nd J. N. Markee (Sunbeam); best span mares, E. Gilmore (Millersburg), 2nd, I. F. Riggs (Aledo). Draught horses - best stallion, 5 & over, Graham Lee (Hamlet); best gelding, David Finch (New Boston), 2nd, J. A. Boney (Millersburg); best span geldings, Wesley Valentine (Millersburg), 2nd S. Marquis (Aledo); best mare, H. Riddell (Hamlet), 2nd, S. F. Hartman (Perryton), best span mares, J. R. Whitham (Mercer). Trotting horses - best trotting horse or mare, C. M. Coe (Liveryman - Aledo). Department III: Horses of all work - best stallion 5 & older, Pettis Finch (New Boston), 2nd, H. Carns (Perryton); best stallion 4-5, Pettis Finch (New Boston), 2nd B. Unangst (Pope Creek); best stud colt, 2 yrs, John McRoberts (Preemption), 2nd, J. J. Huston (Eliza); best stud colt, 1 yr, E. D. Essley (Eliza), 2nd C. H. Maxfield (New Boston); best sucking horse colt, M. A. Cook (Eliza), 2nd E. Poffenbarger (New Boston); best brood mare, S. Carnahan (Keithsburg), 2nd, C. H. Maxfield (New Boston); best filley, 3 yr, Strong Brothers (Keithsburg), 2nd, Ira Noble (Eliza); best filley, 2 yrs, J. Whitsett (Preemption), 2nd Alex Carnahan (Millersburg), best filley, 1 yr, 1st & 2nd, C. H. Maxfield (New Boston); best suckling mare colt, Eli Cook (Eliza); 2nd, P. Finch (New Boston); best gelding 2 yr, J. H. McWilson (not identifiable in the census); best gelding, 3 yr, W. Epperly (Millersburg); 2nd Thos J. Gillett (Sunbeam); best span geldings, Benjamin Decker (Sunbeam), 2nd, Daniel Edginton (Keithsburg); best mare, H. W. Denison ( New Boston), 2nd, J. A. Maury (Aledo); best span mares, Brady Willits (New Boston), 2nd, A. P. Taylor (Millersburg); best gelding, not over 3 yr, M. A. Cook (Eliza), 2nd, Paul Sheriff (Keithsburg). Department IV - Sweepstakes Winners: best stallion of any class or age, C. M. Coe ( Chauncy Coe was a 32 year old liveryman of Aledo from New York). Best stallion as a stock-getter, with 6 colts, C & E Drury (Courtney and Edward Drury) were both farmers in New Boston Township). It is pretty clear from the above list of prizes that fine horse raising was concentrated in northern and western Mercer County. In History of Mercer County 1882 page 254, it tells us that Robert Sherer, stock dealer "did much to improve the stock of horses in the county. No one carried off more first premiums from the county fairs than he." Curiously he is not listed in the above prizes, but he died in 1861 and may not have been in good health at the time of the 1859 fair. Mules and Asses DepartmentMules and Asses was Department IV in 1857, but was later moved to Department V when the Horse Sweepstakes category was added. Superintendents were J. P. Boyd of Millersburg in 1857 and Joseph C. Gilmore of Hamlet in 1864. Judges in 1857 were D. F. Noble (Eliza), William A. Dryden (Pope Creek), and Solomon Wolf (Keithsburg).Judges in 1864 were William Willits (New Boston), Johnson Beatty (Millersburg) and James W. Kimel (Sunbeam). Prize winners in 1859 were: best jack, 5 yrs, Graham Lee (Hamlet), best span mules, 4 yrs, John Willits (New Boston), 2nd, L. V. Willits (recently discharged veteran of the Civil War); best mule, 2 yrs, J. M. Willits (New Boston), 2nd, William L. Nevius (Ohio Grove); best mule, 1 yr, John M. Sample (Viola); best mule colt, Josiah Candor (Hamlet), 2nd, John M. Sample. By 1864 this department had expanded to 15 categories, probably reflecting an increase in mule raising for Civil War use. Again mule raising seemed to be done more toward the northwest part of the County. Sheep DepartmentSuperintendent in 1857 was William S. Haverfield of Millersburg. Judges were Henry Lee (Mercer), Jonathan Duncan (Sunbeam), and Samuel Fletcher (Preemption). There were five categories, buck and ewe of fine wool, buck and ewe of long wool, and mutton. There were no entries in the 1859 Fair for sheep so we do not know who raised sheep in Mercer County. By 1864 there were sixteen categories including fine wool, medium, wool, long wool and mutton, probably reflecting an increased interest in sheep because of supply for the Civil War. Superintendent was Ambrose Eddy of Millersburg. Judges were Henry Lee (Mercer), James Kiddoo (Millersburg), and Hurlburt H. Parks (not identified in 1860/70 census).Swine DepartmentThere was a small Department for Swine in both the 1857 and 1859 Fairs. The categories were simply best boar, best sow and best suckling pigs. Superintendent in 1857 was N. W. Crippen (New Boston) and judges were Dr. A. Ashbaugh (see Miscellaneous Families), David Sumerville (North Henderson), and Levi Cooper (Hamlet). Prizes awarded in 1859 were: best 1 yr boar, A. R. Sutton (Millersburg), 2nd, J. B. Gilmore (Sunbeam); best boar pig, C. G. Taylor (not identified 1860/70 census), 2nd, Martin Boyd (Millersburg); best breeding sow, J. B. Gilmore (Sunbeam), best sow pig, C. G. Taylor, 2nd J. B. Gilmore; best sow and 5 pigs, Henry Lee (Mercer), 2nd John M. Gilmore; best pair pigs under 6 mos, F. Shedd (Pope Creek), 2nd J. B. Gilmore. The raising of hogs probably increased in response to the need for easily shipped meat during the Civil War and there were twelve categories in the 1864 Fair including both large and small breeds. Superintendent of Swine for 1864 was Ambrose Eddy of Millersburg. Judges were William I. Nevius (Ohio Grove), William Wait (not identified in the 1860/70 census) and S. F. Hartman (Hamlet).Hogs were big business in Mercer County even before the Civil War. The newspaper reported on February 26, 1861 that Mercer County packed [for shipping] 4,823 pounds of pork. Average weight of the hogs was net [dressed] 230 pounds. Martin Bear had the best hogs, 82 averaging net 284 pounds. Continued on Social Page 2. |
