Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/680

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��HISTOKY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

��could be converted into whisky, which could be freighted to the lake, and found a ready market. Maple sugar was also an import- ant item of trade, and was made in large quantities, bringing from 4 to (5 cents per pound.

In 1822, Mr. Graham petitioned the Post- master Greneral for a post office at Ilniontown. The petition was forwarded to Hon. John Sloan, then llepresentative to Congress from the Richland and Wayne County District. The Postmaster General declined granting a post office with the name Uniontown, as there were

��The name Uniontown continued to hang to the place two or three years, when it was changed to Ashland by the Legislature.

The first school in Ashland was taught by Therrygood Smith, and was situated on the lot west of the one afterward occupied by Hugh Davis. This cabin burned down in 1824, taking fire from its lath and clay chim- ney. The first house erected for school pur- poses was in 1825, on the lot afterward owned b}'' Sarah Jones. Chandler Foote taught here. The third school was taught inl826, in a cabin owned bj' CuUen Spaulding, b}' Mr. Fleming.

���already two Uniontown post offices in the State. Mr. Sloan then made choice of the name of Ashland, there being no post office of that name in Ohio. Mr. Graham became the first Postmaster, and the first contract for car- rying the mail was let to a Mr. Bell, who was to make the trip once a week between Wooster and New Haven, Huron County, via Ashland. The mail was carried on horseback about a year, when the Post Office Department discov- ered it would not pay expenses and withdrew the contract. Mr. Gi'aham then hired the mail carried to Mansfield three years at his own ex- pense and at a loss.

��In progress, the Ashland schools have kept pace with the growth of the town. At present it is divided into three districts, with excellent buildings in each.

The question of establishing a first-class in- stitution of learning somewhere within the limits of Pennsylvania, Ohio or Indiana, had been freely discussed for many years by the more enterprising members of the Brethren Church, and attempts had been made in each of these States, and in one of them a large sum of money had already been guaranteed for this purpose ; but for vai'ious reasons all these efforts failed, though the importance and benefit of

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