Category Archives: Local History

The Man They Had to Hang Twice

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August 13, 1853 – It was a riderless horse and wagon that started the search. Two gentleman having a conversation on the street corner noticed the horse casually strolling by with a wagon attached, nobody at the reins. Thinking there must have been an accident, the men stopped the horse and turned it around, and rode with it. Shortly after, they made a grisly discovery: two bodies were discovered savagely beaten in the woods on Stoddard’s farm.

The bodies were identified as Elizabeth Young and her son, James. Investigation of the scene pointed to a struggle, followed by difficult deaths for both Elizabeth and James. Among the evidence were a broken hair comb, drag marks, and bloody leaves. The cap James wore was found 30 yards away from his body.

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Dayton Firsts Part 7

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It’s time for some more interesting facts about the early days of Dayton!

  • First Masonic Lodge — The Masonic Lodge, and the first fraternal organization here, was St. John’s Lodge No. 13, the charter of which was granted by the state Grand Lodge at Chillicothe on January 10, 1812.
  • First Bank — The first banking institution in the city was known as the Dayton Manufacturing Company. It was incorporated by the legislature in 1813, and began business on December 13 of that year, in a building at the first alley south of Monument Avenue on Main Street.
  • First Stone Residence — About 1813, William Huffman built the first stone residence at Third and Jefferson. It served as both dwelling and store.

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The Story of Jordan Anderson

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Jordan Anderson was a slave until the Civil War, when Union Soldiers freed him. He took his family to Dayton, where they settled and he obtained work as a servant, janitor, coachman, etc. until 1894 when he became a sexton at a church.

In July of 1865, Colonel P.H. Anderson, his former owner, wrote Jordan a letter asking him to return to his plantation and help him bring in the crops after the war. Through his employer, Valentine Winters, Jordan responded with the following letter, sent to the Cincinnati Commercial and subsequently published.

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Dayton Firsts Part 6

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  • First Infirmary – the building was erected west of town, on land bought from Dr. James B. Oliver, in April 1826.
  • First Foundry – Opened by McElwee and Clegg and the first “heat” was made on December 2, 1828.
  • First Park – The land on Third Street between St. Clair and Patterson – now occupied by the public library – was deeded to the city in 1836 by David Ziegler Cooper, the son of D. C. Cooper, with the provision that it was “to be kept forever as a walk for the citizens of Dayton and its visitors.” It was first known as the “public square.”
  • First Episcopal Church – St. Thomas Episcopal Church, the first Episcopal church in Dayton, was organized on May 15, 1817 by Bishop Chase, with 23 members.

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The Day They Hung John McAfee

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In 1825, a man by the name of John McAfee was convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to death by hanging. Although he never made a formal confession, he was said to have written one out in rhyme:

Draw near young man and hear from me
my sad and mournful history.
And may you ne’er forgetful be
of all this day I fell to thee.

Before I reached my fifth year,
my father and my mother dear
were both laid in their silent grave
by Him who their being gave.

No more a mother’s love I shared,
no more a mother’s voice I heard,
no more was I a father’s joy –
I was a helpless orphan boy.

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Dayton Hero – David T. Chambers

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The chain of events that started Dayton’s Great Flood started on March 21, 1913, with a rainstorm. Over the next few days, more rain came, ultimately weakening the levees and flooding the already oversaturated soil. Water rose quickly, and as gas lines were destroyed, a fire started downtown that destroyed most of a block.

As these events were happening, twenty four year old David T. Chambers of North Dayton could not stand by and watch without helping. From the safety of his home, which was located above the flood waters, he could see the damage being caused by the rising waters.

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Dayton Firsts Part 5

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First Newspaper – First regularly published newspaper was “The Repertory,” published by William McClure and George Smith, the initial issue appearing on Friday, September 18, 1808.

First Political Convention – Held on September 6, 1809.

First Drug Store – It was opened in 1809 by Dr. Wood in Reid’s Inn, then occupying a part of the present site of Loew’s theater.

First “Fourth” Celebration – Dayton’s first public celebration of the Fourth of July, with a parade and speeches, was held in 1809.

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Prominent Local Figures: Israel Ludlow

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Although not very well known, Ludlow accomplished a lot in 39 years. Like Jonathan Dayton and James Wilkinson, Ludlow was from New Jersey, near Morristown.

Ludlow was a surveyor and town planner, helping to found Dayton, Cincinnati, and Hamilton, Ohio. Hamilton, Dayton, and Cincinnati all have a Ludlow street in his honor.

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The Man Who Sent Wilbur on the Wright Path

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If any fact is known about Dayton, it’s that Wilbur and Orville Wright created their heavier-than-air Flying Machine in Dayton, Ohio. What many don’t know, is that it almost didn’t happen.

Wilbur had set his sights on Yale. A star athlete in football, skating, and gymnastics, Wilbur intended to leave Dayton behind. It was the Winter of 1886 that changed the course of history for Wilbur and the future of flight.

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