From to Microchips Scott T. Weber, Burton, , February 1993

Seventy years after is founding by the Sells they had a deed and a mortgage. In May While the Sells Settlement enjoyed no threat family in 1810, Dublin had its Wild West of 1809, during the spring floods of the of Indian attack, the calm was shattered on times and then a small band with a big Scioto, John Sells poled a flat-bottomed the evening of June 1, 1810, when six heart tamed life down for a while. boat up river to claim his 400 acres. With Wyandot warriors led by a Chief him was his pregnant wife and a flashy Roundhead inquired at the Black horse When the Sells family first gazed out over black Kentucky-bred stallion with the princely Tavern for the camp of Leatherlips. what was to be Dublin in the early 1800’s, sum of $350. In just a few weeks he was “Equipped in the most war-like manner and they must have imagined Utopia. Here were able to fashion a crude log cabin on the exhibiting during their stay an unusual the raw products that every beginning com- river bank just south of a particularly active degree of agitation,” as John Sells would munity hoped for: high limestone banks and clean spring near the present location state 20 years later in his written account of along the Scioto River that resisted flooding, of the Dublin bridge. On August 16, 1809, the matter, the six war-painted braves cra- plenty of hardwood timber, good clean Sells’ wife gave birth to the first white child dled English rifles in their arms; tomahawks springs in the rocks, friendly Indians and born in the newly-christened “Sells and long knives were stuck in their belts. plentiful game and fish. While the river was Settlement”. Somewhat reluctantly Sells directed them low most of the year, it had the promise of to Leatherlips’ lodge, which was two miles flooding in the spring which would propel That fall, Sells built another log structure, up river in a grove of sugar trees. a man and his flatboat clear to New the Black Horse Tavern; to attract travelers’ Orleans, if he had a mind to go that far. eyes, he fashioned a crude sign with the What Sells did not know at he time was There were limestone rocks for foundations likeness of his black stallion. Sells Settlement that these six warriors were a death squad and walls and fences, clay for the potter was a welcome relief to roadmen and sol- hand-picked by the mighty war chief and sites on the river for gristmills and diers before they made the last 12 miles to ’s brother, the Prophet, who had sawmills. And certainly there were plusses Franklinton. The Black Horse became known singled out Leatherlips as one of the key that no other community had. Spilling into as a landmark for both white and red men. chiefs who would not allow his Wyandot the Scioto was a wide, two-mile gash (later One Wyandot chief, Shateyoranyah, or people to join the swelling ranks of the to be called Indian Run) that promised well- Leatherlips as the settlers called him, was a 1,000 brave alliance gathered less than a irrigated farmland on both sides once the favorite of John Sells and encouraged white week’s ride from Sells Settlement in trees were cleared. And the new town was settlement in the area. Above the line of Propohet’s Town near Tippecanoe. centrally located between major trading Sells cabins and the tavern where High Leatherlips was among a handful of chiefs posts—like a spider in the middle of its web. Street now stands was an Indian trace that who not only opposed Tecumseh’s alliance, Indian parties from Upper Sandusky used but had sold Indian land east of the Wabash All of this was dancing in the head of in the spring, their horses laden with bales to — a man espe- Ludwick Sells, a tavern keeper from of beaver, mink and wolf pelts, deer hides cially hated by the Prophet for various war Huntingdon, Pa., who moved to Franklinton and maple syrup to trade with a French crimes. The verdict of the Prophet: execution (west Columbus) in 1800. So impressed trader in Franklinton for powder and ball, for treason and witchcraft. was he by his numerous scouting and camp- beads, blankets and traps. On the way to ing trips to the Virginia Military District land Afraid to follow the war party in the ensu- and from, they found John Sells a willing that in 1801 Sells sent two of his sons, Peter ing dark to help his friend, John Sells alerted barterer and friend and one who would and Benjamin, up river to purchase 400 the other settlers and waited until morning listen to their stories and allow them to camp acres where the village of Dublin now stands before gathering three of his brothers and on the steps of the Black Horse Tavern. for their brother, John, 100 acres for him- a settler, George Ebey, then saddling up Journals of the period describe groups of self, and 300 acres north for his other sons. his black stallion and heading for Indians sitting cross legged around Sells’ Leatherlips’s camp. When John Sells and For eight years the Selles took as many trips door telling stories of their hunts and con- his party arrived they found Leatherlips with as possible up the Scioto from Franklinton quests. his hands bound behind his back and to observe their new purchase. By 1806 Roundhead deep in his accusations against birthplace, Dublin, Ireland.” 16-year old Lucy Sells, daughter of John the old chief. Sells. When the good doctor, a learned and Peter and Benjamin Sells built and oper- well-bred gentleman from the East decided Desperate to save his friend, John Sells ated the town’s first gristmill on the banks of to marry Lucy, a prominent church-going offered his Kentucky stallion in exchange the Scioto. The mill was operated by George young lady, John Sells was so delighted he for the chief’s life. “Let me see him,” said Ebey until 1855 when John Corbin com- built them a fine limestone house with deep, Roundhead. Sells trotted the horse for them pletely rebuilt the structure with frame sid- walnut-lined windows on High Street. in the camp clearing and the Indians poked ing. By 1900 the mill was in ruins and the his satin hide, the prize being so great they flood of 1913 dashed it to mere foundation The limestone Chapman house was for retired to a lengthy council. Perhaps fear- rocks. many years a landmark on the “upper ing repercussions from the Prophet, they street.” Lucy would have circuit ministers John Sells started a distillery near the pres- emerged from their consultation two hours stay for as long as six weeks when they ent Dublin bridge and built a hatter shop, later and rejected the temping offer. preached in the Dublin area. The doctor which he later trained his two sons, Charles Roundhead pointed to the sun and swept his opened a store in Dublin and later turned and Eliud, to run. For years travelers knew finger across the sky — the execution would to real estate dealing when John Sells died the business as “the hatter shop on the way be at four o-clock that afternoon. in 1841 and left no will — the burden of to Franklinton.” John Ashbaugh set up a land dispersal left to Lucy. Leatherlips accepted his fate. He walked to pottery shop along the river in 1813 and his lodge, washed himself, put on his best did a lively business selling earthenware By 1840 there was a need to bridge the buckskins and beads and carefully painted dishes and cups not only to settlers and Scioto and eliminate the problem of ford- his face with scarlet, blue and white clay travelers, but to dozens of Indians who ing the river, especially during the spring scooped from small pots. He shook the traded for his goods. Farmland continued floods. Elisha Hays was commissioned to do hands of the Sells brothers and George to be cleared and the downed trees were the work and a wood covered bridge was Ebey, then paused for several moments gaz- dragged by horse and oxen to a sawmill built; it lasted in several forms and rebuilds ing into the eyes of John Sells. John Sells built on Indian Run. until 1880, when a steel span was con- structed. Leatherlips began his death chant and the In 1818 John Sells ran an ad in the Sells men followed the six warriors about 80 Columbus Gazette stating that on April 10 In 1842 Dr. Eli Morrison Pinney became yards into the woods where they halted by he would sell 200 acres in the new town of Dublin’s second doctor and continued his a shallow grave. Here the old chief knelt Dublin. As an incentive he offered one year’s practice for over 60 years. Dr. Pinney was and prayed and Roundhead prayed beside credit for the first payment and the balance an abolitionist and listed his fine brick house him for a time. Roundhead straightened up in two yearly payments. He cited the fact that as a stop on the Underground Railroad for and with a wave of his hand called one of there was ample stone, lime, sand, and slaves fleeing along the Scioto River north the braves up behind the kneeling excellent clay for bricks, several clean to Canada. When slaves climbed the river- Leatherlips. The warrior drew a bright tom- springs and “excellent sawmills and grist bank, they hid behind brush along the side ahawk from the folds of his kapote, paused mill adjoining. This town stands on a high of the house and talked to Dr. Pinney through for a second with it high above his head, bank and is known to be remarkably a copper speaking tube that ran through then brought it down with all his weight healthy,” the bill read. the south wall to the parlor. The slaves were into the back of Leatherlips’s head, nearly fed and rested in Pinney’s horse stable at the Few took John Sells up on his offer despite cleaving his skull. back of the property, then given food and the reasonable terms. The country was in a provisions for their journey north. With Leatherlips dead, the powerful depression and Columbus was drawing the Wyandot nation would join Tecumseh’s war settlers. The 1820’s saw several new busi- Dublin was not without its tragedies; shortly council and adopt the teachings of the nesses, however; Basil Brown arrived in before noon, one hot August morning in Prophet in a last ditch effort to drive whites 1826 and ran a successful shoe store. 1878, Dr. Summerbell, one of the Christian from the Great Lakes area. Joseph Button and Giles Weaver were sad- Church’s ministers, was leading a hymn dlemakers. The Indian Trace on top of the when he looked over the heads of his con- Later in 1810, Sells began to survey his river bank became the present High Street gregation ands saw a curl of smoke and 400 acres into town plots. Sells Settlement (Upper St.) and Eliud Sells moved the Black flame shooting from E.W. Tuller’s General had gained a Methodist Episcopal Church Horse Tavern there. The post office was Store and Drug. Hymnals flew and babies in 1807 and a Christian Church which met commissioned in 1820. John Sells and wailed as the congregation rushed to the in settlers’ cabins. A Franklinton resident Moses Davis floated flatboats loaded with site, hanging Sunday coats and hats on the and itinerant Methodist minister, John flour from the gristmill down river to New trees and hitching posts along South High Shields, preached sermons. In addition to Orleans for sale; their profits barely cov- Street, and formed a long line from the preaching, Shields was a fine stonemason ered the trip back, but they were heroes spring down by the bridge. Dozens of buck- and surveyor and helped Sells lay out the when they rode back to Dublin. ets were passed up and down the line and plots. When he was finished, Sells asked dashed onto the store and adjoining build- him to help name the new town. Shields By 1830 Dublin was prosperous enough ings. Others raced in among the flames replied, “If I have the honor conferred upon to attract the services of a handsome 34- and pulled produce and dry goods into the me to name your village…surrounding this year-old physician, Dr. Albert Chapman, street. By 2 pm the flames had totally beautiful valley, it would give me great who settled in town and promptly carried destroyed the frame store and were burn- pleasure to name your new town after my on a much-talked-about love affair with ing Dr. Pinney’s office and John Boord and William Pinney’s “Meat Shop and Oyster Billingsly to help bring in the hellraisers. To allowed them to continue playing their instru- Depot” two doors down. Word shot down keep the jail well-populated and fine rev- ments until the early morning. Many a jolly the water line that the whole town might be enues up, the mayor and his council passed salute of trumpet blast was heard down the consumed by the terrible conflagration. ten ordinances regulating disorderly offenses old Dublin streets as the members returned Swift riders were dispatched to enlist the prohibiting intoxication, obscene language, home. help of Worthington’s fire pump. “The town quarreling and gambling, and regulating By the turn of the century, with the saloons was almost doomed and took a terrible the speed of horses and mules through the contained and troublemakers ordinanced scorching,” reported the Columbus Gazette village. into submission, Dublin had a community the next morning. Finally the townspeople The ordinances had little effect. The jail problem of quite a different dimension — were able to saturate Woodruff Tuller’s home overflowed, but revenues from fines were religion. There were three churches in town, enough to halt the fire’s spread after it con- quickly exhausted to feed the prisoners and all fighting for a majority share of the com- sumed one block. pay the doctor who dressed their wounds. munity’s sparse attendance. The Christian In the 1880’s Dublin was known as the A couple of weeks after the last of the ordi- Church was on Rt. 161 near the cemetery, roughest frontier town in the area. Five nances were passed “a roving band of the Methodist Church on South High St. saloons on the main street garnered a lively young rock-throwing men from and the Presbyterian Church on North High. business at all hours of the day and night, Worthington”, as the Columbus Gazette None of the three could afford a resident seven days a week. Young men raced their reported in 1882, poured from a Dublin minister and all received missionary aid. buckboards and horses through town throw- saloon late one night and challenged the There was considerable squabbling about ing mud over porches and shop windows. Dublin boys to a rock fight. The “townspeo- the division of the community. There were drunken brawls and cussing ple fled for cover under a hail of stones,” As many worshipers would later say, the matches and rock fights in the streets with and all the windows in the drug store, gen- Lord solved the problem. On Sunday, June rival gangs from Worthington and eral store and the saloon were shattered, as 16, 1912, at 12:40 pm, just as the three Columbus. well as the glass from several homes on congregations had safely reached their High St. The town fathers ordered all saloons There was a saying around the county that homes from morning services, a tornado closed for 24 hours while they huddled in “Dublin’s rocks had handles on them” and struck Dublin. The main funnel touched an emergency session. Effective immedi- a smart traveler wouldn’t approach Dublin down in the graveyard, flattening 50 tomb- ately an ordinance was drafted that pro- without “a rock in each hand” to protect stones and then skipping over the Christian hibited throwing rocks within the town lim- himself. Even the local doctor took to car- Church’s belfry and breaking into two its; fifty more laws were passed to regulate rying a billy club in his surrey for traveling smaller funnels. The south funnel passed the proper hitching of horses and mules, the outlying roads. By the late 1880’s other over the tops of several homes, shattering prevent fishing on the Sabbath and swim- communities penciled a tribute to the “river chimneys and taking out some trees, then ming in the Scioto from sunup to sundown. rats” of Dublin: sweeping low only long enough to flatten As a final jolt to the drunken rowdies, an the frame Methodist Church. The north fun- “Dublin, Dublin, city of beautiful roses, ordinance was passed in 1895 requiring nel worked along High Street, doing min- Gouged out eyes and bloody noses, that all saloons close on Sunday. imal damage until it reached the If it weren’t for the solid rock foundation, Into this Wild West atmosphere in August, Presbyterian Church, where it ripped off It’d be gone to hell and damnation.” 1890, came a group of nine musicians and the belfry and blasted the roof from its sup- The ruffians were causing not only a dan- an able, college-educated director, Charles ports. No injuries or deaths were reported. gerous situation, but an embarrassment for Erwin Davis. The Grey Eagle Band (later Shortly after the tornado, the Christian the prominent members of the community, changed to the Dublin Cornet Band) pro- Church welcomed the other two congrega- especially those who had political aspira- vided wholesome entertainment at parades, tions and on March 4, 1913, the three tions, like the wealthy land baron and store fairs and special events. Blue uniforms with churches officially become the Dublin owner E.W. Tuller. Before ordinances could brass buttons and instruments were fur- Community Congregational Church. The be passed and outlaws jailed, the town had nished quickly by a community anxious to first service after the alliance was attended to be incorporated. So in September of rid itself of a “tarnished reputation”. A four- by 228-more people than had belonged 1881 Dublin became an incorporated vil- hitch, brightly painted wagon was custom- to all three congregations combined. lage. T.J. Steinbower, the village blacksmith, built in Columbus and allowed the band to a man large of stature as well as pocket- travel to London, Marysville, Magnetic In the 1920’s farming and quarrying were book, was elected mayor. E.W. Tuller, who Springs and Columbus to play at fairs, ded- Dublin’s main economy. The steam thresher would be elected to the state legislature in ications and parades. helped harvest as gangs of up to 40 men 1899 and who owned half of Dublin, was and boys separated wheat and helped each The Cornet Band was not exempt from the elected treasurer and Milton Smiley, clerk. other get crops in. The first gas tractor was mischief of the period. “Penalties of one, in Dublin by 1930. The new town fathers lost little time evict- or even two dollars, were laid upon mem- ing the law breakers. They built a jail by bers who returned from playing engage- The Depression in Dublin was eased by the old school house on North High Street ments with too hilarious a spirit,” stated a storekeepers who sought to increase store for $34.17 and hired John Wing as the band program. When members grew older, traffic on Saturday night by showing movies first marshall. Wing promptly deputized the after-practice location was moved to on a large white screen set up on High St. John Boord, a storekeeper, and Richard the saloons where bartenders graciously Farmers brought their produce to swap at the markets and later brought their chairs or blankets to watch Charlie Chaplin, west- erns and early science fiction films. Swimming at the “Old Rock” on the Scioto was popular, even though it was illegal. Kids made soap box derby cars and raced from the old blacksmith shop down over the Dublin bridge; their parents put their Fords in neutral and took turns seeing who could cruise the furthest from the top of the 161 hill, through town and past the church—the prize for one competition was a new set of wire wheels. The economy was boosted by the WPA project to build the Dublin stone bridge in 1935; several area stonemasons — Dan Eger, Ticky Wing, Eli Pinney — served as workers on the construction. The new bridge made Dublin more accessible from Columbus and Eastern Franklin County, but it would take 40 more years and Jack Nicklaus’ vision of a championship golf course to transform the village from a rural hamlet to a bustling suburban center.

SOURCES “Shanachie: A magazine of Dublin culture and history”; “The Faces of Old Dublin”, Volume V, 1993.