A Visit to Cecil in 1886

From the Paulding Democrat of April 8, 1886:

CECIL CHIMES

Twenty years ago the branches of the majestic elm waved in the unbroken forest where now stands the village of Cecil. The origin of its location is that the Paulding Furnace having been built on the canal, and the proprietors wishing a railroad communication nearer than Emerald, they prevailed upon the Wabash [Railroad] Company to give them a station as near a point as possible on that road, which was done in the year of 1867, and Martin N. Utley was appointed the agent.

Mr. Utley also embarked in the mercantile business and has been a moving spirit of the town since that date. His first business room was a log cabin, which was superseded in a short time by a neat frame, which is now occupied by William Wallace as a hotel and saloon, Mr. Utley having subsequently erected a large two-story frame where he is now the proprietor of as fine a general store as the county affords.

W. H. Robertson and Russell Randolph are the other merchants and both have good rooms and fine stores.

The principal factory of the place is the stave factory of the Beugnot Bros. & Co., and was put in operation in 1878. The factory furnishes employment to about 35 hands and has an average cutting capacity of about 24,000 staves per day. The firm also has 560 acres of land in Sections 35 and 36 of Crane Township from which they get stave bolts for their factory. Upon this land they have located a sawmill and manufacture lumber extensively, and have a switch running from their mill to the Mackinaw* over which they ship this lumber to market. One hundred and 50 acres of their land is improved and they are tiling and propose to farm the same and more as fast as it is cleared. The firm controls about 100 hands in their various branches of business in the county.

Cecil has two church edifices, one Catholic and one Presbyterian, both frame. The Presbyterian was erected in 1878 and the Catholic in 1880. The United Brethren denomination talk of erecting a church in the coming summer.

Cecil has a nice brick Town Hall erected in 1880. It is a two-story building about 24 feet wide by 40 feet in length.

The school house is a neat two-story brick erected in 1879 and is a very substantial and beautiful building. The spring term will close for a month’s vacation on Friday, April 9th.

Cecil was incorporated in 1879, and has now about 400 inhabitants.

H. M. Simpson is the proprietor of a tile factory and sawmill and does a good business.

Coe Robison is the only tonsorial artist** in the place. He has neat rooms and is ever ready to wait upon all customers.

John Kain has lately opened out the only meat market of the place. He will run a wagon to Sherwood and will do a good business. Success, John.

Allen Boyer has lately opened a new shoe shop. Charlie Leaders and Ed Williams, two first class workmen, are in his employ. We trust that Mr. Boyer will receive good patronage.

A large frame hotel was erected last fall by Orsemus Bartholomew Chesbrough, who has lately furnished it nicely and will soon open it to the traveling public.

John Mast is the only blacksmith in the place. He is a good workman and does a large business.

The genial John White settled near Cecil as a shiptimberman about 20 years ago. He is the present proprietor of a billiard hall and lunch room on south side of the Wabash track and invites all to come and see.

Delphos Guerin has a fine grocery store and sells piles of goods.

The Wabash depot is a neat, substantial frame and was built in 1879. T. A. Wesley, the genial passenger and freight agent, took charge of the depot about three years ago and is well liked by all. He informs us that the receipts of the freight office is $4,000 per month and the passenger receipts about $400.

Owing to the present prospect of the Mackinaw being built northward this season, a boom for Cecil is bound to come and in view of this it would be an excellent point for a flouring mill, in fact one of the best in the county; a good drug store and hardware store are also much needed as there are none in the town.

Take it all in all Cecil certainly has a bright prospect of becoming a prosperous and thriving village, situated as it is in the midst of a fine farming country and with, when the Mackinaw is completed, the best railroad facilities of any place in the county. Success to the place and to the good people there.

*The Mackinaw line, a nickname for the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw Railroad. It later became the Cincinnati Northern and eventually the New York Central.

**Tonsorial artist is another term for barber.