CLERMONT COUNTY OHIO - HISTORY: CLERMONT COUNTY [Part 6] (published 1898)
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HISTORICAL COLLECTION OF OHIO, By Henry Howe, LL.D., 1898

        NEW RICHMOND, founded about 1816, is the largest and most important
business village in the county. It is on the Ohio, twenty miles above
Cincinnati, with which it is also connected by railroad, and three miles
below the birthplace of Gen. Grant. It has newspapers: Clermont
Independent, B.L. Winans, editor; The News, A. Townsley, editor. Churches:
1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Colored Methodist, 1 Colered Baptist, 1 Baptist, 1
Presbyterian, 1 Christian, 1 Catholic and 1 Lutheran. Bank: First National,
Franklin Friedman, president, D.E. Fee, cashier.
        MANUFACTURES, - J. & H. Clasgens, woolen yarns, 97 hands; Friedman,
Roberts & Co., planing-mill, 20. Tables and carriages are also made here.
Population in 1880, 2,545. School census in 1886, 675; George W. Fetter,
superintendent.
                THE PHILANTHROPIST. - In 1834 James G. Birney began the
publication of his noted anti-slavery publication. The Philanthropist, in
New Richmond, under the assurance of the Donaldson brothers and other
well-known anti-slavery men that he should be protected from mob violence.
A native of Kentucky, he could not even attempt the issue of his paper
there, much as he wished. In 1836 he removed his paper to Cincinnati,
where, on the night of July 30, a mob having the countenance of the leading
citizens broke into the printing-office, and destroyed the press and
scattered the type. While at New Richmond lawless men threatened to sack
the office; but, at a signal of danger, the people of the village at a
public meeting resolved to stand by Mr. Birney at the peril of their lives.
In 1844 Mr. Birney was the "Liberty Party's" candidate for President, with
Thomas Morris for Vice-President. They received 62,163 votes.

                        THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY

        ANTI-SLAVERY SETTLERS. - Clermont county, and indeed the Ohio river
border, was largely settled by men from Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky to
escape the baleful institution of slavery. These men became the strongest
of anti-slavery men, and the position of Clermont was pre-eminent in the
great struggle that ended in the emancipation. Judge Burnet, in his
"Notes," in his account of the delegates who framed the first Constitution,
says "that Gatch and Sargent from Clermont were among the honored men who
successfully labored in the construction of the State Constitution and the
early legislation of Ohio; that they were elected because they were
anti-slavery men, and they were Virginians, and both practical
emancipators." Obed Denham, a Virginian, the founder of Bethel, in his
conveyance, wrote as follows: "I also give two lots in said town for the
use of the regular Baptist church - who do not hold slaves, nor commune at
the Lord's table with those who do practice such tyranny over their
fellow-creatures."
                FLEEING SLAVES. - The position of Clermont on the border
made it the first place of refuge for fleeing slaves. Bryon Williams in the
history of the county gives these facts: "Nothing was done to entice slaves
from Kentucky; only as they came were they sped on their way. True men
never refused bread to the beseeching negro fleeing from chains and with
his face toward the North Star."
        The owners pursuing the negroes were informed who were most likely
to have assisted the fugitives, and, returning in baffled rage, heaped
curses loud and deep on names of persons and localities in hearing of
slaves, who reverently preserved the stealthy knowledge for their own time
of need.
        The late Robert E. Fee, of Moscow, was, it is true, charged with
abducting slaves, and at one time was under requisition for the same.
        ROBERT FEE AND THE KIDNAPPERS. - About the year 1840 a family of
blacks, living for years in the south part of the county, were, except the
father, kidnapped at night and carried into Kentucky, under the plea that
the mother was a runaway slave, and her children, though born out of
bondage, must share her lot. Robert Fee devoted himself to their rescue by
legal means. He followed them into a distant State into which they had been
sold, and narrowly escaped death. The mob, raging for his blood, actually
passed through the room adjoining his hiding place. The affair produced
much excitement, and caused many hitherto neutral people to join the
opposition to slavery. The family was hopelessly lost and separated, but
Fee repaid his wrongs many-fold.
        A light was said to have burned in his house all night to guide
travellers across the river. His doors were barred, and his family, girls
and all, slept with loaded firearms in ready reach. His house was
surrounded again and again by violent slave-hunters. The romance of the
border of that day was thrilling in the extreme, though its actors were but
plain farmers and timid shadow-fearing fugitives.
        There was no preconcerted action on the part of the men so engaged,
yet there according to circumstances, either hurried them or secreted them
until the hunt went by. They were then guided northward, generally through
Tate township, where they were cared for by the Rileys, Benjamin Rice,
Richard Mace, Isaac H. Brown, and others. The route from thence led by
various ways to the Quaker settlements of Clinton county. The work was
generally done in the night, to avoid trouble with some who for the sake of
rewards were often on the watch. Few were ever captured, and many hundred
must have escaped.
        A FOURIERITE ASSOCIATION was formed in the county in 1844. The
Phalanx bought three tracts of land on the Ohio, in Franklin township, and
put up some buildings. At the end of two years, seeing that communism did
not better their lot in life, and the association getting in debt, they
closed up its affairs.
        A SPIRITUALISTIC COMMUNITY bought their buildings. At its head was
John A. Wattles, with a following of nearly 100 persons. It was based on
principles of business and religion, and involving a system of communism.
In the great flood of 1847 their main building fell and seventeen lives
lost, which ruined the enterprise.


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