Posted on: Guernsey Co. OH Queries Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Oh/Guernsey/1209 Surname: McCormick, Armstrong, Gillespie, Bennett, Stewart, Thompson, Rankin ------------------------- Stories of Guernsey County, Ohio by William G. Wolfe Published by the Author Cambridge, Ohio 1943, Copyright, 1943, by William G. Wolfe Typography, Printing and Binding in the USA by Kingsport Press, Inc., Kingsport, Tennessee. --------------------------- According to On-line Database of all the on-line library card catalogs anywhere in the world (OCLC): Reprint. Originally published: Cambridge, Ohio: the author, 1943., work has lapsed into the public domain. -------------------------- Transcribed and/or paraphrased and submitted by: Marilyn M. Murphy, Ft. Worth, TX, 2000; MMacMurph@aol.com -------------------------- Quaker City. The naming of Quaker City, and it's history from the period it was named Quaker City is described in Wm. Wolfe's Stories of Guernsey Co. beginning on page 914: In 1870 Alex Cochran, came to Milwood and opened a drug store. Here was a man with a vision. From the day he entered the won to engage in business until his death in 1904, he was active in development of the community. Having sensed the possibilities of the place, he immediately after his arrival succeeded in getting a progressive movement started that changed the sleepy little village to a bustling town. A Fair Association was organized in 1871, of which Mr. Cochran was a leading spirit. The fair grounds included the land now occupied by Broadway and Fair Street. Mr. Cochran purchased a part of the grounds from the fair board, still leaving enough for the fair, and laid out, "Cochran's Addition" or Broadway. He sold what lots he could and then built houses on the others. On the Northwest corner of Broadway and South street he erected the Beecher House in 1875, said to have been the finest hotel between Wheeling and Zanesville. On the opposite corner he erected a three-story block of business rooms, including a hall for public gatherings. In 1871 the Methodists reorganized and built a church at the Northwest corner of Main and Pike streets. The old Christian church on East Main Street being no longer adequate, the members of that denomination erected a new edifice at the Southeast corner of Broadway and South Street, in 1874. Although the town had been platted as Millwood, the name of the postoffice was Leatherwood. The railroad station was called Millwood. Mail meant for the Leatherwood postoffice was often addressed to Millwood and reached a town by that name in Knox County. To avoid this confustion, the citizens held a meeting on February 17, 1871, to consider changing the name to one that might apply to the post office, the railroad station and the community in general. A vote was taken by those present, which resulted in fifty-three for "Quaker City," twenty-five for "Guernsey City," and three for "Guernsey." Application was made to the state legislature for a change of name and it was granted. Although the fairs were a success, more room was needed for the growing town, and after holding fairs a few years, the organization laid out the grounds in 100 lots and opened Fair Street. The most of these lots fell to Alex Cochran, as he was one of the largest stockholders. Within a short time he built ten or twelve dwellings on the street. Alex Cochran's chief desire was to see Quaker City prosper. He owned much land in the community and directed the farming of it. He was an extensive coal operator, giving employment to many men. He engaged in mercantile enterprises, managed a hotel and livery barn, dealt in timber and was proprietor of on of the largest planing and saw mills in that section and which is still operated under the name of The A. Cochran Company. [1943] So closely was he identified with all activities of Quaker City that the village was sometimes referred to as "Cochrantown." In the middle 70's a macadamized road was completed between Quaker City and Summerfield, Noble County, thus diverting the southern trade from Spencer's station to Quaker City. In 1879 a large brick school builking was erected at the corner of Fair and South streets and a high school was established. This building was in use until 1927 when it gave place to a more modern structure. The Quaker City National Bane, which had been established on Main Street in 1872, moved to its new building at the Southwest corner of Broadway and South Street in 1909. The Methodists built a modern church in 1908 to replace the one erected in 1871. The Quaker City Window Glass Company was organized in 1884, with Isaac W. Hall, one of the largest stockholders, as president, ant T.M. Johnson, secretary. Its capital was $60,000. A ten-pot factory was erected, composed of three main buildings and several smaller structures - a furnace room (160 by 130 feet), a flattening house (120 by 80 feet), a wareroom (100 by 80 feet), a pot-house, cutting room and offices. About 100 men were employed at this plant. The oldest continuous industry in Quaker City is now known as the Community Mill. It was built in 1854, the year the railroad entered the town, by Isaac W. Hall, Thomas Moore and others, at a cost of $15,000. for many years this mill produced an average of seventy-five barrels of flour a day. The A. Cochran Company's planing and saw mill had its beginning in 1871. J.B. Lydick was the original owner. Millwood (Quaker City) had a population of 216 in 1850, 246 in 1860; and 367 in 1870. The population of Quaker City was 594 in 1880; 845 in 1890; 878 in 1900; 746 in 1910; 732 in 1920; 613 in 1930; 634 in 1941.