HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY

CHAPTER XVII.

STATISTICS.

The number of children in Fairfield county eligible to enter the common schools, that is between six years and twenty-one years of age, in 1879, was 11,904. The number of civil judgments entered in Fairfield county court of common pleas, for the year ending June 30, 1879, was 289. Of these, 195 were rendered for money alone, and 94, where money was included. Amount of judgments, $131,900. Within the same time, 36 decrees were rendered by the county, for the year ending March 31, 1879. Number of births in the county for the year ending March 31, 1879, 725. Number of letters of guardianship issued by the probate court, for the year ending March 31, 1879, 47; number of wills probated, 40; letters testamentary, 24; letters of administration issued, 51; estates administered on, 75. Number of persons sent to insane asylums from Fairfield county for the year ending March 31, 1879, 17; males, 6; females, 11. Number of paupers supported by Fairfield county, for the year ending March 31, 1879, 209. Total expense to the county, including outside support, $12,420. Average cost of each pauper per diem, twenty cents. POLITICAL.---Since 1832 the county of Fairfield has been Democrat- ic by majorities ranging from 800 to 1000. As is well known, the birth of the Democratic party was coincident with Andrew Jackson's presidential canvass. The numerical relation between the Republicans and Democrats of the present day is almost the same as existed between the old Whigs and Democrats. Prior to the Rebellion the Abolition party had no existence in this county, there never having been more than three or four votes cast. There is hardly a civilized nation on earth that is not represented in Fairfield county, some countries having furnished thousands of its present population. In 1798, when immigrants first began pouring into the Hocking Valley, Pennsylvania furnished the most, followed by Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky. In 1799 and 1800, several small colonies of Swiss arrived and settled in the neighborhood of what is now Basil, Liberty township. This continued until a considerable Swiss settlement was formed, and the name "Liberty" was given to the town- ship by them. Soon after the population of Fairfield county was greatly and rapidly augmented by arrivals from "Der Faderland" and Holland. The dialect of every German province is spoken in Fairfield county, the Teutonic being second only to the English tongue, in the number of its representatives. There is not a European state or province, or one of the original 109

thirteen United Colonies of America, not represented in Fairfield county, the New England States and Carolinas furnishing the smallest number of settlers. MARRIAGE LICENSES.---By reference to the records of the clerk of court, and those of the probate court, it is found, that within a period of forty-six years, viz., from April 1835 to April 1881, there were issued within and for Fairfield county, 13,243 marriage licenses, being an average of 290 to the year. This would give the number of persons married within the same time at 26,680. This seems wonderful, because the average population of the county for the same years, has been below thirty thousand souls, all told, including children and aged persons; and yet this is true. Even the present population is but little above thirty thousand. SOME MORTALITY STATISTICS.---The average duration of human life in Fairfield county, until recently, has been estimated at 33 years; it is now supposed to be between 35 and 37 years, undoubtedly owing to improved sanitary conditions and better modes of living. To throw some light on the subject of longevity, the births and deaths within the county for the year 1877 are here given. City of Lancaster, first ward, births, 30; deaths, 16; second ward, births, 14; deaths, 8; third ward, births, 22; deaths, 14; fourth ward, births, 14; deaths, 4; fifth ward, births 17; deaths, 5. Total for the city of Lancaster--- births, 97; deaths, 47. Hocking township, births, 28; deaths, 9; Amanda township, births, 48; deaths, 10; Pleasant township, births, 44; deaths, 28; Richland township, births, 28; deaths, 9; Rush Creek township, births, 58; deaths, 16; Greenfield township, births, 33; deaths, 12; Madison township, births, 25; deaths, 17; Bloom town- ship, births, 46; deaths, 9; Walnut township, births, 40; deaths, 17; Violet township, births, 66; deaths 18; Berne township, births, 31; deaths, 15; Liberty township, births, 58; deaths, 15. Total births for the county, outside of Lancaster, 525; total deaths in the county, out- side of Lancaster, 187. Total births, city and county, 622; total deaths, city and county, 236. It will be noticed that the number of deaths in proportion to the births, is greater in the city than in the country. The population of the county in 1877 varied a little either way from 34,000; the inhabitants of the city of Lancaster, for that year, numbered about 6,000. The number of deaths in Fairfield county for the year ending March 31, 1879; White, males, 137; white, females, 129; colored, males, 3; colored, females, 2; deaths, where sex was unknown, 14. Total deaths for the year, 285. Causes of death in the county for the year ending March 31, 1879; Measles, 1; scarlet fever, 5; diphtheria, 12; croup, 9; whooping cough, 2; typhoid fever, 9; erysipelas, 1; influenza, 1; cholera infantum, 8; ague, 2; rheumatism, 4; gout, 1; dropsy, 9; cancer, 6; mortification, 1; scrofula, 3; consumption of the bowels, 1; consumption of the lungs, 49; dropsy of the brain, 1; inflammation of the brain, 3; apoplexy, 2; paralysis, 7; epilepsy, 1; convulsions, 4; brain disease, 7; inflammation about the heart, 1; heart disease, etc., 19; bronchitis, 2; asthma, 3; lung disease, etc., 29; inflammation of the stomach, 1; inflammation of the bowels, 2; fistula, 2; liver complaint, 2; diabetes, 110

2; joint disease, 6; carbuncles, 1; skin disease, 1; child-birth, 3; old age, 20; atrophy, 2; fractures and contusions, 1; burns, 1; suicides, 2; sudden deaths and causes unknown, 17; still-births, 1. INQUESTS---The number of inquests held in Fairfield county by justices of the peace, for the year ending June 30, 1879, was 5; by the county coroner, 6; of this number two were suicides, three were homicides, and six by accident. Of the eleven, three were foreign born, three were native born, and five nativity unknown. 111