Ohio History Journal

A PRINTER'S TROUBLES

OXFORD, OHIO, DURING THE EIGHTEEN-THIRTIES

 

 

By ALTA HARVEY HEISER

 

 

At this time of celebrating the one hundred and fiftieth an-

niversary of the Ordinance of 1787, which act of Congress was

the official opening of the Northwest Territory, much thought is

being given to pioneer days. The early settlers took life in gen-

eral, and their own existences in particular, very seriously. This

is somewhat amusing unless considered with an understanding

of the conditions under which these people lived. These con-

ditions cannot possibly be thoroughly comprehended, but enough

may be learned to awaken feelings of deep respect for the people.

The people who established homes in the newly opened

Northwest Territory wasted nothing. They carefully preserved

papers the value of which seems trivial. Receipts were re-

quired for the payment of insignificant sums. Settlements of

charge accounts were not acknowledged by merely marking the

bills "paid." Usually the person to whom a bill was presented

wrote across the bottom or on the back, explaining just when and

how payment was made, and this the merchant signed. If a

citizen had the money or an article of exchange with which to

pay for a purchase, he had a statement to that effect ready for

the merchant to sign. This would be on a scrap of paper no

larger than necessary to contain the required wording. When

properly receipted, the scrap was filed away with other precious

documents. As these accumulated, they were gathered together

according to the years. Business and social correspondence was

preserved in like manner.

Printed matter was highly valued. Each printing establish-

ment had its own book bindery, or arrangements made with those

who did such work. Newspapers were published weekly, the

weather permitting. When it rained very hard or was severely

cold, the roads were impassable, and paper on which to do the

printing could not be secured. In time of drouth, the streams

did not furnish enough water to turn the mill wheels, and paper

(40)

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A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                 41

 

could not be manufactured. There were few paper mills, and

these had great difficulty in securing "good clean cotton and linnen

rags" from which to make their paper; but, when it was made, it

could stand the test of ages. The newspapers of the day were

carefully read and carefully saved to be bound, as a safe and

convenient way to preserve them.

Receipted bills, letters, newspapers, deeds, business agree-

ments, and many other documents were kept in desks or chests

which finally found their way to the attic. For a generation or

two, the family knew what was there. They cherished the things

because they had belonged to parents or grandparents. After

a few decades, little thought was given to these records of former

days. Perhaps the old homes passed into the hands of strangers.

What was found in the attic was considered just so much rubbish.

Those who have learned that the most reliable history of

their communities is found in family papers realize the serious loss

entailed when orderly persons have cleaned their attics. Those

who have been fortunate enough to come into possession of old

documents have learned that it is next to impossible to find the

complete history of any one thing. What is found in one attic

brings up questions which may be answered only by what some

other attic once held. Even if the clues lead to some certain

attic, more likely than not this attic has been house-cleaned and

cleared of fire hazards.

There have been found papers giving ample and authentic

evidence of the conditions which prevailed in the valley of the

Great Miami River during the first half of the nineteenth century.

It is bewildering to try to follow the speed with which property

was acquired and lost. Land was so cheap that well-to-do persons

who came to establish homes in the new country bought quarter

sections, half sections, or perhaps one or more entire sec-

tions. It took years of hard labor to clear enough of the ground

for farming to the extent of providing a living for one family.

Money was scarce, but those who owned a lot of land exchanged

plots of it in return for farm help or needed supplies. Anything

one person had that another person wanted was readily accepted

in lieu of money. Preachers, teachers, and merchants accepted

their pay in anything from cord wood and fresh meat to rags

and goose feathers. There was a ready sale for the surplus over

their personal needs. Rags were quite valuable, and in great de-

mand at paper mills. Whiskey was one of the most common ar-

ticles of exchange. Nearly everyone used it. Still-houses were

as plentiful as were grist-mills, and when a farmer turned his

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42     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

grain into whiskey he had an article that was easily carried to

the trading centers.

However, the early settlers did not always have an article

of exchange, nor was it required. One point stands out clearly

--almost everyone was in debt. Large property owners were as

deeply involved as anyone. It is easy to understand how am-

bitious persons, with a lot of confidence in their ability to carry

out their projects, were willing to make ventures which caused

heavy loads of debt; but it is not so easy to understand why the

firms that financed these ventures could be so confident that their

debtors would be able to pay. Those who had things to sell were

ready to make a sale, even though all they got in return was

a note at ten per cent. interest. Notes and bills came due, there

was no money, and law suits followed, causing heavy losses to

all concerned.

In the newspapers of that day, "Pay the printer" was a fa-

miliar appeal. The printer had to beg for his money from the

very doctor and merchant who, over extended periods, ran state-

ments in the paper that this was the last warning to be given their

debtors!

In 1838, a member of a prominent banking firm stated that

he believed a lien on real estate was the only safe security for a

debt in this country. Even so, it usually happened that property

put up at forced sale brought less than the amount of the debt.

Such were the general conditions when William Wallace

Bishop of Oxford, Ohio, conceived the idea that he could suc-

cessfully operate a printing establishment by taking over the

unsuccessful college paper, and turning it into a sheet for the

public.

The first printing press at Oxford was called the Societies'

Press, because it was owned by the two literary societies of

Miami University. Their publication was satisfactory, but did

not pay its way. The publishers thought they could do better if

they included news of general interest, thus extending their sub-

scription list. This was in 1828. The faculty agreed, but could

not allow the young men to take a risk which might involve their

home folks in debt. So the faculty, consisting of President Rob-

ert H. Bishop, Professor John E. Annan, and Professor William

H. McGuffey, shouldered the responsibility, and started a new

paper. There was an immediate swelling of the subscription list,

but no proof is found that the new subscribers paid their bills.

Bishop, Annan, and McGuffey gave their paper a six months

trial, and quit in December of 1828. They found that they could

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A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                  43

 

not run a newspaper and a college at the same time, and that the

newspaper did not pay. The following letter, addressed to a

prominent attorney in Hamilton, Ohio, may throw some light

on the situation.

CINCINNATI, OHIO. January 20th, 1830.

MR. WOODS.

SIR. Sometime Since I Gave Mr. Bellamy Storer1 an account against

Msrs. Bishop, Annan, and McGuffey, amounting to $81.75, Which if Col-

lected you may pay over to Mr. Rowan and his Receipt Shal be Good for

the Same.

Yours With Respect,

DAVID LORING.

Two days later, John W. Rowan receipted a statement that

he had received from John Woods and M. B. Sargent (Woods'

law partner) the amount of $76, which was the sum due after

deducting attorney fees.

The firm of Loring and Rowan, in Cincinnati, dealt in paper

and other supplies for printers. Annan resigned on account of

poor health soon after the three men started their newspaper

venture. Bishop and McGuffey undoubtedly paid this bill to

Loring and Rowan from private funds. Bishop never had much

money to spare. As president of Miami University he received

a salary of $1000 a year. He had a large family, and spent a

great deal in helping worthy young men get a college education.

He was so appreciative of the help he himself had received from

the professors at Edinburgh University, that he made it a rule

of his life to finance one or more students wherever he was lo-

cated.

William Wallace Bishop, Doctor Bishop's eldest son, in

partnership with C. A. Ward had a little bookstore on Main

Street in Oxford. In addition to books they handled various sup-

plies needed by students at Miami University, but the sales did

not furnish enough business to make a livelihood for two enter-

prising young men. William Bishop was eager to try his hand

at the printing business, so, when the faculty at Miami gave it

up, arrangements were made by which the Societies' Press was

moved to the Bishop and Ward bookstore.

During the next five years, with various partners and spas-

modic publications, William Bishop kept up his connection with

the bookstore and printing business. By 1834, the store had been

moved to the little house which Bishop owned at the southwest

1 Bellamy Storer, of the firm of Storer and Fox, was the father of Bellamy

Storer, ambassador to Belgium and Austria-Hungary, who helped in Belgian Relief

Work during the World War.

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44     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

corner of High and Main Streets. Although he had had dis-

couraging luck, William Bishop's faith in his ability to make a

success of the printing business was not broken.

In addition to the property at High and Main Streets, Wil-

liam Bishop held a lease on the Main Street property where the

store was first located. On May 18, 1833, he leased from Miami

University two lots on High Street, directly opposite Old Central

Building on the campus. The records show that he made four

payments, one of $100, one of $5, and two of $47.50 each. Six

per cent. was the rate of interest on the cost price of the lease of

Miami University property. William paid $6 a year interest on

each lot, which proves that $200 was payment in full for the lease

of the two lots. He immediately started the building of a new

home. This was a wide, one-story house, with a basement. The

beautiful front doorway told a story of the good taste and good

material used throughout the house.

William plunged more deeply into debt than was justified

by his income. He borrowed money from the bank, and gave

other notes freely. A strange thing about these notes is that the

bank and other creditors accepted William's father as security,

when the good Doctor had no property, and nothing but his salary

upon which to depend.

In 1834, Robert H. Bishop, Jr., returned from Hanover Col-

lege, in Indiana, and began helping in the bookstore. William's

notes were coming due, but the anticipated business did not keep

pace. He was confident that there were better opportunities in

the West, so he stopped his publication, turned the press and

bookstore over to his partner, Andrew Noble, and his brother

Robert, bought himself a new frock coat and pair of trousers, and

started West in an earnest effort to raise money to meet his ob-

ligations. This was early in 1835.

It has been generally conceded that it was the Societies' Press

which William Bishop left in the printing office, and which Rob-

ert Bishop continued to use to do job printing. It has even been

stated that this same press was used till 1840, when the Bishop

brothers gave up using a printing press in Oxford, and disposed

of the one they owned. There has been found no statement to

change this belief other than the fact that, in 1835, the press

owned by William Bishop was valued at $500. The old press

could not have been considered worth that amount, even had the

book bindery been included. In 1830, the owners of the Ham-

ilton Intelligencer bought of the Cincinnati Type Foundry an Im-

perial Smith press, priced at $250. They were given a $10 dis-

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A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                 45

 

count for making a cash payment of $200 and their note for

$40, which furnishes an idea of the cost of a printing press at that

time.

There is another indication that William Bishop bought a

new press. Before moving the office from Main to High Street

the paper was discontinued for a short time, the last one issued

carrying the statement that there would be an improvement with

the next publication. In October of 1834, William Bishop made

an agreement with the firm of Corey and Fairbank, of Cincinnati,

that he owed that firm $280.36. Elisha W. Chester was assignee

for Corey and Fairbank, listed in the Cincinnati Directory for

1834 as a firm of booksellers and publishers. The firm is not

listed for 1831, so if the bill, which was a "balance," was for

books, it was large even for a period of three years, considering

the small amount of business done by the Oxford bookstore, and

also considering that many books were purchased from eastern

firms. It is quite possible that the publishing firm in Cincinnati

sold a printing press to William Bishop.

It is a mere conjecture concerning the new printing press, but

it is all too evident that when William Bishop went West he left

many big bills unpaid. Charles McGhee and James Hayden of

Oxford, who each held William's note for $750, dated January

16, 1835, and payable October I, the same year, became alarmed at

his absence. It was learned that young Bishop borrowed $500

from the Bank of Hamilton, only two months after borrowing

the $1500 from the two Oxford gentlemen. Doctor Bishop, who

went his son's security, was a source of concern to the Old School

Presbyterians among the university trustees, because of his lenient

views; but there was never a man in Oxford more honored and

loved than was Miami's first president. However, McGhee and

Hayden felt that they were in a fair way to lose the money loaned

to the president's son. Not even waiting until the notes were

due, they took action, which they no doubt regretted later.

There was no stigma attached to being in debt, but this im-

plied slur on his son's character was a terrible blow to Doctor

Bishop. The troubles he was having at the University, with the

ambitious and ever-quibbling McGuffey, were as nothing com-

pared to the implication that he had a dishonest son. Doctor

Bishop set to work to meet the situation, and as soon as he had

the matter in hand, he issued the following statement:

It is known to most of the men of business of Oxford and its vicinity,

that the Property and Books of my son, W. W. Bishop, were in June last,

seized by a writ of Attachment, on the plea that he was an ABSCOND-

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46      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

ING DEBTOR; while he had a partner in business and a brother, with

open doors and open accounts, carrying on business, as they had been doing

for two or three years.

I have it now in my power to say, that I have this day received the

property thus attached, at the valuation then made; and have entered into

an obligation to pay over to each of the Creditors, his legal dividend of

the proceeds. And farther, that an arrangement has been made with the

most of the Creditors, to pay to them, THE WHOLE AMOUNT of their

respective claims, within a specified time.

The Attachment, under the form of law, has occasioned a loss of

at least two thousand dollars, without contributing to the advantage of a

single individual concerned. I hope, however, that under the protection and

blessing of Heaven, my life and health will be continued, so that I will be

able in due time, to meet the engagements which this loss has demanded;

and that, though I should, in holy providence, leave my sons POOR, they

will be found by all those who may be acquainted with them, to be

HONEST, and every way worthy of confidence.

My friends in Oxford and elsewhere, who have, on the present emer-

gency, tendered me their assistance in a variety of forms, have and ever

will have my best wishes for their prosperity and happiness in all their

concerns. And I am peculiarly happy in being able to say, that among my

friends, there are some who have held from the beginning, the oldest and

the largest of the claims. As to the two or three individuals to whom all

the loss and the inconvenience, and anxiety, which was occurred, is to be

attributed, I sincerely hope that they will also so far profit by this ex-

perience, as never again to be employed either directly or indirectly, in any

such work.

OXFORD, OHIO. March 1, 1836. R. H. BISHOP, SEN.

This, however, is getting ahead of the story. Doctor Bishop

went to Hamilton for legal help. William C. Woods, who grad-

uated from Miami in 1833, was now associated with his brother,

John Woods, in the practice of law. They were retained to look

after the Bishops' interests. McGhee, who was mainly respon-

sible for the attachment having been made, secured the help of

John M. Millikin and William Bebb, another Hamilton law firm.

In an effort to give John Woods an idea of how matters

stood, Bishop wrote to him, on June 20, 1835. His letter reads:

DEAR SIR: The amount of my responsibilities on account of W. W. Bishop

is nearly as follows--

Doll

Note in Hamilton Bank Due 20th June                                      500

Note in Lafayette Bank [Undecipherable date]                          363

Note to Gregg & Elliott, Philadelphia, Franklin Bank                350

(due June 6/9)                                               1213

If it is agreeable to you I would wish the amount to be levied on

the Printers Press and Type

the Bindery

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A PRINTER S TROUBLES                        47

 

the profit acruing to W. W. Bishop from the firm of Bishop and

Noble, and the house & lot on which the Book Store & Printing is--

 

 

Mr. McGhee's claim is                                                                                                        750

Carpenter's bill for work done                                                                                         300

Materials on the ground which must be paid for say                                                200

Corey & Fairbank of Cincinnati, Commercial Bank,                                                  299.53

(due 24/27 June)                                                                      1529.53  [1549.53]

This same if it is agreeable to Mr. McGhee I would wish to be levied on

the New House & Lot on which it stands--

With an arrangement of this kind I am confident that the house may be

finished & brought onto market by 1st Oct & that the business of Bishop

& Noble may be carried on and every claim and every dollar against

W. W. Bishop and against Bishop & Noble paid on One Year from this

date.

Sincerely Yours

R. H. BISHOP.

Bishop hoped that matters could be arranged out of court,

and felt that Woods should have been able to take care of things

in that way. On July 25, 1835, he again wrote:

 

MY DEAR FRIEND:

I acknowledge that I have had some very harsh thoughts and have

uttered some very no doubt improper expressions as to the attachment

which has been fixed in favor of Mr. McGhee. I cheerfully however re-

ceive your explanation and wish you now to act with Mr. Bebb--in harmony

if possible--the whole matter put forth under the contract of a commis-

sioner--or commissioners--that additional expense of continued suits and

advertisements may be avoided.

Sincerely Yours,

R. H. BISHOP.

About the first of November, 1835, he wrote to McGhee and

Hayden, as follows:

 

GENTLEMEN:

The claims which you two have upon the estate of W. W. Bishop,

now under attachment, form about the one third of the just claims of other

creditors. I have seen nearly all of the other creditors or their authorized

agents, and find that could you two be satisfied, there will be no difficulty in

making a liberal and equitable arrangement with every one of them. I

propose therefore to you--

1. To take the whole of the property now under attachment at the value

put upon it at said attachment.

2. To have payment made to every one who has a just and legal claim

against said estate, in one year from the first of January next, with six

per cent interest, or sooner, if the property can be profitably disposed of at

an earlier date.

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48      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

3. To give my individual legal obligation that, should I live two years from

the present, payments shall be made, to pay every individual the balance

of whatever may be due him on his original claim.

4. That one or both of you should act as assistants or Trustees with myself

in disposing of said property.

5. That the debts that are due to W. W. Bishop be collected in any way

which may be agreed upon and the proceeds appropriated immediately to

the extinguishment of the debts against foresaid estate.

6. That one half the expense incurred by the issueing of the attachment

be paid by the creditors and the other half charged as a debt against the

estate.

I only add

1. That if the attachment had not been issued, I am now confident that

Mr. McGhee would have had his money in full by the first of last August,

and

2. That whatever may be the legal explanation of the matter, the oath

upon which the attachment was procured, was morally to say the least

of it a rash oath and not according to matter of fact.

I make the whole of this statement in the honesty of my heart--the

court is now in session--and if you and me agree--the whole matter may

be spedily adjusted.

With respect and affection,

Sincerely Yours,

R. H. BISHOP.

The above was not written by Doctor Bishop, and the mis-

takes in grammar and spelling must not be taken as his.        He

evidently did not finish the dictation, as he never used the term

"affection" even when writing to his close friends, and assuredly

that feeling did not exist for the gentlemen to whom the letter

was addressed.    It was best to have so important a communi-

cation written by someone else, as very few were able to decipher

Bishop's writing. A couple of weeks later, he himself wrote to

John Woods.

OXFORD, Nov. 14, 1835.

MY DEAR FRIEND:

I find that I can make an equitable and liberal arrangement with all

who have any past claims on the property of W. W. Bishop now under

attachment, provided Mr. McGhee will withdraw his suit and have the

matter taken out of court. Mr. McGhee says he cannot withdraw it with-

out your consent. I hope you will see it to be both your duty & interest

to give that consent.

With respect, Sincerely Yours,

JOHN WOODS, ESQ.                                    R. H. BISHOP.

And so began the work of making sales and collections.

Peter Sutton, who, later, was treasurer of Miami University,

was justice of the peace, and cooperated with the Bishops and

their attorney. As soon as it became known that an attachment

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A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                   49

 

had been made on the property of William Bishop, many sales-

people tried to remember claims. As late as March 22, 1836,

Abram Flagg paid Peter Sutton 12 1/2 cents to "prove" his bill

of 75 cents, the price of two large and two small "arch bars."

Mr. Flagg may have thought that since William was away, no

one would know that he was in debt to William. Mr. Flagg's

account was "not allowed," and when William Bishop returned

he brought suit against this gentleman.

William Bishop returned to Oxford, disproving the statement

that he was an absconding debtor. The burden of attending to

the involved estate was too much for the elderly father, and

when William learned what was taking place he returned. No

one knew so well as he whether or not the claims against his

estate were just.

A study of the list of William Bishop's creditors gives an in-

teresting presentation of the difficulties in the life of an ordinary

business man in the young State of Ohio. William had a wife

and children for whom he was striving to establish a good home.

He wished to build up a business in Oxford that would allow him

and his family to enjoy such comforts as were afforded by the

times. He had title to four lots in Oxford. The lot on Main

Street he had sold to a "black man," who had made part payment,

and was ready to pay the rest as soon as William gave him his

title. This lot was appraised at $150, and the place at High and

Main Streets was appraised at $500. There was a shack used by

the "black man" on the Main Street lot, and a small house used as

the place of business on High Street. The lots leased from the

University in 1833 were in the new part of the village, across

High Street from the campus. The lot on which the new house

was near completion was appraised at $1100, while the adjoining

lot was appraised at $150.

The three letters quoted below may explain what action was

taken concerning the real estate.

OXFORD, Nov. 16, 1836.

JOHN WOODS.

SIR. In the Bishop case I have to inform you, that I have an order

on the Treasurer of M. U. for five hundred dollars ($500.00) which the

Treasurer informs me will be paid so soon as the funds can be had, he

says he expects to be able to pay it off this week.

R. H. Bishop, Sen., wishes to know whether he will receives a part of

this payment on demands that he is security on, and on some that he has

become responsible for.

The Schedule which he claims on stands thus........$2700.00 is R. H.

Bishop's responsibilities as exhibited to me.

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50      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

Since writing the above Joel Collins² called on me and wishes to know

if I will let the lots attached in this case and sold to R. H. Bishop, be sold

at Collectors sale and bought in by M. U., the Miami U. becoming re-

sponsible for the payment of eleven hundred dollars.  The Trustees of

M. U. by a resolution passed at their last session agreed to purchase said

lots, towit 289 & 290. And Collins would prefer letting said lots forfeit

than to take a deed from Court. But if we would release our claim on

lots 289 & 290 even when the purchase money on these two lots is paid

we will not in my opinion have sufficient security for the payment of the

balance of the property, as the ballance [sic] is of that kind that it is not

good security for its own purchase money.

You will please to inform me so I can let the Doctor know what

course he must take (if any he can) to obtain a dividend on this payment.

The first payment five hundred dollars I expect will be made this

week, which will be taken or sent to you soon. After paying the rents on

said lots if you think I had better do so. As it is now due and the lots

are now advertised for sale, which they have done without letting me know

anything of the matter, untill I seen the advertisement. But if the lots

are sold at Collectors Sale I cannot see how I am to make a return of my

proceedings in the case that will be Sattisfactory or correct.

PETER SUTTON.

 

HAMILTON, OHIO. Nov. 23rd, 1836.

DR SIR:

Yours of the 16th Inst mailed on the 20th I recd. There can be no

objection to the proposition of Judge Collins to let the lots be sold at the

Collector's sale provided he will become bound for the payment of the

money. You say that he will become responsible for the payment of Eleven

hundred dollars for the lots No. 289 and 290--I understood that Dr.

Bishop was to pay the appraised value. . . .

Thus began Woods' letter to Sutton, and he continued at

length, asking that he be sent a copy of Doctor Bishop's agree-

ment concerning his payments towards the debts. To this Sutton

answered at once:

 

DEAR SIR.

You say that you understood that Dr. Bishop was to pay the appraised

value of the lots. You have forgotten the agreement of purchase by the

Dr. which I exhibited to you after reciting the case proceeds as follows:

"Therefore be it known that I the said Robert Bishop do agree to

take said property on the following terms and conditions. That for the

said inlots 289 & 290 I agree to give the sum of one thousand dollars, for

the said part of inlot 72 the sum of five hundred dollars for the said

Printing press and book bindery with the appurtenances thereto belonging

the sum of five hundred dollars, for the said seven plate stove the sum

of five dollars for the said Franklin stove the sum of twenty dollars, for

the said sheet iron stove the sum of one dollar for the said printing paper

the sum of fifty cents, and for the said lot of lumber the sum of fifty

 

2 Joel Collins was Secretary of Miami University.

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A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                        51

 

dollars making in all the sum of two thousand and seventy six dollars and

fifty cents."

The above is Sutton's copy of the agreement. He continued

his letter by giving dates of proposed payments:

 

You see by this extract that $1000 is all he agreed to give for lots

289 & 290; and although he sold for $1100 he is still a considerable loser

in the transaction, for he had the boards for which he gave $50.00 worked

up in finishing the building, so that the work and lumber cost him more

than his advance on the property. As to the disposition of the rest of the

property attached, you will learn from the extract given, except inlot 62, this

lot has not yet been sold nor can he find a purchaser for it under its present

incumbrance. Since the return of W. W. Bishop I have let the matter rest

waiting untill he should get able to attend to business, and then see if he

would not release to the black man or make him a title that he would be

sattisfied with. The black man says that he is ready to pay the ballance

as soon as he can have a title. Say $35.00.

As to the accounts I have collected but $22.60. And I think the

Doctor has collected about the same amount. I presume that there will

not be more than twenty dollars more collected as the principal part of the

accounts are on students that have left.

Yours

PETER SUTTON.

The college books do not record the purchase of the leases

on lots 289 and 290 by William Bishop, nor the transfers made

in 1836, but in the journal of the Board of Trustees it is stated

that on September 29 of that year the trustees bought a house and

two lots for the president's residence, at a cost of $1100.00. James

H. Rodabaugh, in his Robert Hamilton Bishop, states that Miami

University purchased the property now known as the Bishop

Home from Doctor Bishop because he was in need of money. At

that time it was a one-story house with a basement; the second

story was added by Robert H. Bishop, Jr., who secured his title

to the homestead from the university in 1851.

* John A. Meeks, the carpenter employed by William Bishop,

submitted his account as follows:

Measurement                                                       569.87

To six days hewing                                               7.50

To five days labour                                               6.25

To 144 lights sash 11 by 16                                 14.40

To half measurer's fee                                          2.50

600.52

Cr. by Book Account                                           316.82

Balance                                      283.70

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52     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

When William was able to take hold of the work, it was

found that there was more than enough on the books against

Meeks to offset that claim, and it was not allowed.

Another claim was that of Ira F. Bigelow, the plasterer,

whose bill shows how the charges were made.

feet        in

East Front room                   1036     0

East Back room                    878       8

West Front room                  1037     8

West Back room                   865       0

Hall                                       922       6

4739      10

Divided by 9                          4739     10

Which leaves yards               526       5

At 16 cts per yd                       16

3156

526

Price of 5ft 10in     11

$84.27

Credit by                               45.25

Which leaves due                                  $39.02

Mr. Bigalow's claim was allowed, but the claims of James

Stevenson for lumber; J. Stilson, for nails, basing boards, and

"postage to date"; John Wright, notes; John DeCamp, note; Jo-

seph Woodruff, tailoring; and Johnson & Co. were among those

not allowed because of "set offs."

Jane R. Bishop loaned William $200 in 1831. This was paid

with interest to date of settlement. Joel Collins had in his hands

some money belonging to Cordelia Beeler. In April of 1834, he

loaned $50 of this to William. One of the first requests made of

John Woods by William Bishop was: "I wish you to pay in full

that little demand due--Beeler."

W. H. Johnson's bill for "hailing sand for building, $4.45"

was allowed, as was that of Wm. E. Chamberlin and Gurnsey Y.

Roots. These last two gentlemen had a general store in Oxford,

and were William's close friends. They went his security for

money he owed George R. Brown of Preble County, for "money

advanced and goods sold." This claim was allowed.

William Bishop's account at the store owned by Chamberlin

and Roots, running from September, 1833, to October, 1834,

amounted to $120, on which he had paid $76. Items on the state-

• 13
 

A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                    53

ment included nails, letter paper, trimmings, gloves, andirons,

screws, fur collar, locks, grass rope, brush, oil, crackers, cheese,

boots, and candles.

There was also a small claim presented by Joseph G. Monfort.

Other claims were for larger sums. McGhee was the represent-

ative of an eastern firm, it appears, as also was J. E. McClellan,

whose claim was for more than $300. Wright and Walker, a

Cincinnati law firm, handled affairs for Leavitt, Lord, & Co., a

New York publishing firm, whose claim was for $363. Elisha

W. Chester, assignee for Corey & Fairbank, Cincinnati publishers

and dealers in printers' supplies, had a claim  for about $300.

Other claims were those of Hayden, the Bank of Hamilton (of

which Woods was president), and the Cincinnati Type Foundry.

The claims of Monfort and the Cincinnati Type Foundry

give interesting details concerning William Bishop's business in

Oxford. He had a book bindery in connection with his printing

business, but he did not do all the binding even of his own pub-

lications. Monfort's place of business was in Hamilton, Ohio.

He furnished William with books at wholesale rates, and did

binding for him. A statement of their business transactions dur-

ing the year previous to the time William went to Illinois shows

that Monfort's work was done simultaneously with the same kind

of work being done at the Bishop and Noble establishment.

W. W. Bishop

To J. G. Monfort Dr.

April 10, 1834  To 2 Dialogues of Devils @ 67 cts       $ 1.34

To Binding Essays on Silk                                               .37

May 15, 1834        To 12 Elementary Readers                                              2.25

Nov. 1, 1834          To 6 Natural Philosophy @ 66 2/3                                 4.00

To 3 Watts on the Mind @ 37 1/2                                  1.12

April 1, 1835  Binding 12 Bishops Logic @ 16 2/3                                       2.00

Binding Mr. Weston's Ch. Advocate                              1.25

Binding Lot of Books per contract                                  14.50

Binding 312 Bishops Philosophy @ 20 cts                    62.40

Sundries from his books                                                  128.77

$218.00

Cr.

Sundries from his book                                                   151.16

Stock furnished for binding Bishops Philosophy           9.00

$160.16

Balance due J. G. Monfort          57.84

The Cincinnati Type Foundry presented a claim for $71.56,

• 14
 

54     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

balance due on quite a large amount of business William had

given them. On examining their itemized statement, William saw

that they had not credited him with some type he had returned to

them. He had not kept a memorandum of the "weight" of type

he had secured from the Webster and Cameron Publishing Com-

pany in Hamilton. In writing to Taylor Webster, William re-

ferred to having sent him some English type, taking Nonpareil

in exchange, and asked Webster to state value of same to Bebb,

so that gentleman would know how much to deduct from the Type

Foundry's bill. Webster replied that it had been "Burgeoice" and

not Nonpareil, an unopened box, but the item and weight would

have to be secured from the Foundry's account against Webster

and Cameron. Woods wrote to Guilford at the Foundry, stating

the above facts, and asking that credit be given to William Bishop.

Guilford replied that Bishop "certainly labors under some mistake

if he is in earnest." The bill was settled according to the figures

given by the Type Foundry, although as late as July of 1837 Wil-

liam Bishop contended that the Type Foundry owed him a credit

of "about $50."

Bishop and his sons worked with Woods and Sutton to make

sales and collect money to pay the creditors. Robert Bishop, Jr.,

joined his father in a pledge to pay William's debts, and trans-

ferred a lot of his own to Hayden, as a $500 credit on Hayden's

claim against William. The claims were not altogether William's

personal affair. When he went west, most of McGhee's money

was left in the hands of his business partner, Noble.

In October of 1837, William Bishop wrote to Woods:

I hereby send you a statement of the offsets to meet my debts, which

you would do me and I suppose my Creditors a favor to transmit each

of them a Copy. As most of them suppose I undoubtedly left them to

catch what they could, a little explanation from you would satisfy them

to the contrary. . . . There is also my Printing office which I wish to

present to my brother, but which is not withheld from my Creditors if it

is necessary to sell it--also 640 Acres of Land in Illinois--also my case

vs Noble which I will let them have at 50 per cent discount if they want

to speculate.

When the attachment was made, the books showed that there

were outstanding accounts amounting to $1344.59. After about

three years Sutton reported collections of $83.41. More than this

was eventually collected, but many of the accounts were a total

loss. There is no way to tell which of the names on the books

were those of students, but in the list are found the names of

many of the most prominent people of the day. It may be well to

preserve the list: Samuel Armstrong, Thomas Armstrong, John

• 15
 

A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                    55

 

Arthur, Barrows and Hills, Samuel Bennet, Ira Bigalow, E.

Bishop, R. H. Bishop, Willson Blane, J. R. Brown, John B.

Camel, E. Chamberlin, Cole, Chs. Creed, John M. Crothers, E. El-

liott, Farnsworth, E. H. Flint, J. R. Gibson, George Goble, Daniel

Gollman, John M. Gordon, Washington Grant, Lyman Harding,

C. B. Harrison, W. & J. Harrison, Wm. Hills, Frederick Hoover,

Hotchkiss, Mrs. Irwin, Joseph C. Junk, C. F. Kellog, McCormac,

McDonald, Mrs. McGonigle, Alexander McKinney, H. B. Mayo,

John A. Meeks, Miami University, Stephen Minor, Joseph Mon-

ford, P. Monford, James Montgomery, B. F. Morris, B. R. Neal,

Wm. Parsons, Albert Phipps, Mr. Pipen, Frederick Pope, Wm. C.

Rogers, W. S. Rogers, John Rollins, W. Rock, Alanson Roots, G.

Y. Roots, Miss Schooley, J. W. Scott, Hugh Short, Wm. Sillers,

Snowden, Thomas Smith, John Starr, David Stewart, Stout,

Thomas E. Thomas, Thomas Townsly, Benjamin Trotter, Mr.

Ustick, VanMater, John Walker, John Watterman, Wardwell, C.

Webster, G. G. White, Thomas Willson, Joseph Woodruff, Fay-

ette Wordsworth, Chas. Warthington, John Wurtz, and Philip

Young.

When the sales were all made it was found that there was

enough to pay forty-five cents on the dollar; but, as Doctor

Bishop's earlier statement showed, he pledged that the debts should

be paid in full. As collections were made, the more pressing debts

received first attention. When, in July of 1838, Wright and

Walker received the dividend on Leavitt, Lord, & Co.'s claim, they

wrote to Woods asking when they could expect to receive the bal-

ance, to which the reply was:

I fear that it will be some time before the balance can be collected

from R. H. Bishop. He has no property and depends entirely upon his

salary for the support of his family and to pay the debts for which he is

bound as the security of his son. He assures me that the whole of his

salary over the sum necessary to support his family with the most rigid

economy shall be faithfully appropriated to the payment of the claims.

After three years of hardship and anxiety Doctor Bishop

wrote to John Woods:

MY DEAR FRIEND: Finding that I cannot either collect some three or four

hundred dollars which are at present due to me, mostly in small sums--

or borrow to the sum of five hundred dollars--I am induced to make a

proposal to you in order to have the affairs of W. W. Bishop, as far as you

and I are concerned, settled up.

I will give you my note for the whole balance due from me on account

of contract for the property--payable in six months from the first of

March, 1838.

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56      OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

Or--I will give separate notes to each individual creditor to be

lodged with you to the amount of his share on the dividend, payable in

six months from 1st of March, 1838.

I have been living and supporting my family for the last eighteen

months at the rate of $300 per annum--and have in this way paid off a

considerable amount of the responsibilities to which I was liable at the

commencement of this affair--And if my life and health should be con-

tinued another eight months, and the ordinary blessings of Heaven attend

me and mine, I will not need to ask indulgence from any man on earth as

to money matters.

The Property still under attachment might I presume be sold to bring

the money, for which I am responsible; but even in that case the payments

could not be made sooner than what I now propose--and besides, my son,

Robert, having just begun to do something like what is called a living

business, needs it--to take it from him would be to throw us all back

again to where we were two years ago.

We still intend, bona fide, to pay every individual (with only one

exception) having any claim upon W. W. Bishop. We only ask to be

considered and treated as honest men.

Sincerely Yours,

R. H. BISHOP.

 

HAMILTON, June 5, 1838.

DEAR SIR:

Your letter of the 24th of March, proposing to pay in six months

from the first of March the balance due for the property according to your

contract with Esq. Sutton, I duly received and I am willing to close the

business in that way. I presume it would be proper for your son Robert

to join with you in the note as he has the property in possession.

You will see by the accompanying statement that the balance due is

$627.60 with interest from the first of March last--making $646.41 on the

first of September for which you will draw the note payable to me and

I will at once pay off the dividend upon all the claims in my hands. If

you hand the note to Esq. Sutton his receipt shall be valid and it can be

entered on your contract. If you cannot pay the whole sum in September

a part of it may stand for two or three months longer.

Sincerely Yours, etc.

JOHN WOODS.

The claim which Bishop refused to pay, without stating his

reason, was that of Corey and Fairbank, for whom Attorney

Elisha W. Chester of Cincinnati was assignee. When Woods

made his final statement, January 12, 1843, Chester had been paid

nothing, although his claim had been allowed.

In business transactions of a century ago counterfeit money

often made an appearance. Sutton evidently did not notice that

he had received some such money, for he sent it on to Woods,

who was more observing, and promptly returned the same. The

"five-dollar bill supposed to be counterfeit" was replaced.

• 17
 

A PRINTER'S TROUBLES                  57

 

When a man serves and achieves he must pay the price of

jealousies, criticisms, and having all his private affairs aired.

Broad minded Robert Hamilton Bishop, with a keen understand-

ing of young men, was too far ahead of his times to be thoroughly

satisfactory to the less liberal trustees. Before the dividends were

paid on the claims against his son's estate, Bishop was forced from

the president's chair, and given a new department at less than an

ordinary professor's salary. Long before the debts were all paid,

he had dropped from Miami University, but found peace for his

last days at Pleasant Hill, where he took a position in Farmer's

College.

The story just told, many points of which are not clear, is

the story of one of the hardest ordeals in Bishop's life of service, a

life beset with many trials. The last years at Oxford would have

been far from peaceful, even without the added misfortune of his

son's difficulties. He wrote in his private Weekly Journal many

an expression of grief over his eldest son, who cared little for

either the Old or New School Presbyterians, or any other re-

ligious denomination; but he never lost faith in his son's honesty,

and it was a terrible blow to learn that others did not altogether

share this faith. Early in 1837, he wrote in his Journal: "I

am again a Bankrupt as consequence of the bad management of

my son, William." William helped untangle the accounts, but he

did not stay long in Oxford.

Is it unkind to the memory of Doctor Bishop to dwell upon

the details of these troublous times? There is nothing in con-

nection with the story to detract from the Doctor's high reputa-

tion. He was justly indignant at the inconsiderate actions of

some of the creditors, but he did not try, under the protection

of the law, to avoid paying in full everyone to whom money was

owed. At the same time, he shrewdly avoided having anyone take

advantage of him in his financial difficulties, and endeavored to

save from the wreck something for his namesake son, who carried

on at Oxford and Miami with honor to his father's memory.

That is the high spot of this story. The whole affair, petty

little detailed accounts and all, gives an illuminating picture of

the times; but there is one outstanding feature which makes the

story differ from most of the stories with a similar setting. Wil-

liam Bishop's predicament did not mark him as being much differ-

ent from many of his contemporaries. Usually, the person so in-

volved gave up, and started life anew in some other locality. Wil-

liam Bishop left Oxford, but he had something to start on. Rob-

• 18
 

58     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

ert Hamilton Bishop's fine character and the assistance he re-

ceived from Miami University saved a place in Oxford for the

Bishop name, and saved to Oxford the beautiful Bishop

homestead.

• 19