ain Street.

(commonly known as State Route 68)

Blanchard township was organized May 4, 1833, in the same year that the county was erected. It was one of the early settled townships of the county. It originally embraced nearly all of the northern part of the county. It is now in the form of a rectangle, four sections wide from east to west and six sections long from north to south, embracing twenty-four square miles, or 15,360 acres.

It is situated in the northern tier of townships and bounded as follows: On the north, by Hancock county; on the east, by Jackson township; on the south, by Pleasant township, and on the west, by Washington township. This territory was originally covered by a very heavy growth of timber, and required a great deal of labor to clear up and bring the land to a state of cultivation and production. The first settlers were compelled to travel through the dense forests to Logan county to obtain meal or flour.

This difficulty of the pioneers induced John McBride¹ to visit the Wyandot Indians at Upper Sandusky, and purchase a hand mill, which was regarded as a great acquisition to the settlement. This mill would grind about two bushels per day.²

Faze & Moses Drygoods

aze & Moses, c1900.

Sometime around 1900 (left) Faze & Moses was photographed along with a selection of wares. The owners were Nelson F. Faze and __ Moses.

If you look closely at the photograph you will see a step ladder, what appears to be paint cans, and a table of baskets. The office may have been on the second floor as someone upstairs was standing in the doorway when the photograph was taken. This photograph may have been taken during a holiday as the three gentlemen sitting in chairs at the far left are sitting in the street. Maybe they were waiting for a parade.

There was an earlier E. Moses who ran a general store. He may have been a partner to this Faze & Moses. There was a hardware store at the corner of W. Patterson & Main streets that sold farm machinery. It was on the west side of Main street about one block north of the Big Four rail road crossing. Due to cramped quarters they built a new building on the east side of the street. It was the first building in town with an elevator. Upstairs they stored farm machinery; hay balers, rakes, etc. The location of the new warehouse was the southern most building burned down in the fire of May 21, 1903. The Society has no photograph of the building at that location.

There is nothing known about Moses but Nelson’s parents were, William Faze and Elizabeth (Smith) Faze. He was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on August 13, 1857 and died on January 11, 1941 in Dunkirk as a widower. He’d been married to Austa Curran. She was born on July 4, 1875 and was a lifetime resident of Dunkirk when she died of influenza on December 5, 1929. Austa’s parents were Mathew Curran and Maria (Keifer) Curran.

cCloud & Pees and A.J.Huston.

Located in the Ruppright block, McCloud & Pees probably sold farm implements. A.J. Huston’s shop was located next door.

There was a Huston who was partnered with a Haldeman¹ some time after the Civil War. Before the war John Watters² made a frame for a building and intended erecting it on his lot (M.E. Church lot c1901). Before finishing it, however, he sold the lot and then sold the frame to Mr. Brookwalter who erected it on the lot known as Huston property. An addition was built to it by Mr. Brockerman and then Huston & Halderman purchased it. It was used as [a] hotel by Dave Trump shortly after the war, then as a residence by the owners, Halderman later selling his interest to Huston who used it as a residence until the year 1900 when he sold it to Lease Bros. who torn down the dwelling and erected two two-story frame business rooms. Lease sold the south part of his lot to John Beans who build a one-story room for his grocery and restaurant. The Lease rooms are occupied by Dave Smith hardware and W. Teagardin & Son meat market. The second story rooms are used as living quarters.

Gifford Hotel (c1903)

The type of business of A.J. Huston has not been confirmed, but from the photograph he was probably a butcher shop. He is wearing what looks to be a butcher’s apron and in the window are what looks like cuts of meat.

Claude Pees, Frank McCloud, Chase Wilson (4^th from the left), William Ruppright (sixth from the left), Jim Hueston (second from the right), and Dale Miller (seated the far right) are in the photograph. The individual wearing the butcher’s apron is Mr. Lewis Woods.

John Ruppright was a saloon keeper in town. He may have been the father or brother of William Ruppright. The location of the Ruppright saloon had earlier been occupied by Frank Turner’s grocery, J.J. Wood, Pore & French, Lynch & French’s groceries, Halderman & Miller’s grocery and Post Office, Geo. Kinsey & Son grocery, and Jacob Woods’ grocery.

Located in the north half of the building over the years were; Rupprights Dry Goods Store, Sampsons Grocery, Krogers Grocery, Myers Dry Goods Store, Meeks Health Center, Reams General Store, and the Public Library. After Huston’s closed the post office moved into the south half. Originally the second floor was not partitioned into rooms. It’s first partition was built when Lewis Woods and his wife, Catherine Woods, needed an apartment. Over the years the second floor was used by Dr. Walter Geiser as a dental office, and Dr. C.R. Blosser as a medical office.

At one time Grace Ruppright and Fay Ruppright used the south side until they married. Dr. Geiser’s office, located on the south side, was then moved to the north side behind Dr. Blosser’s office. They second floor of the building is still currently used as apartments.

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 ¹Dunkirk, Past and Present by G.M. Kingbury, Vol. II, p. 4. Hugh Huston was granted ownership at the third addition of Dunkirk on May 5, 1875. Martin, Haldeman and Jones applied and were allowed ownership of the first addition of Dunkirk on June 18, 1875. Both John Watters and Hugh Huston signed a petition for incorporation which became Dunkirk on Septermber 4, 1867 by order of the County auditor. Others signing that petition were Isaiah Larkins, A.K. Mecaskey, James Larkins, A.S. Stradley, J.C. Leslie, George Longabaugh, S. Arnold, A. Houghland, William Borch, J.B. Haldeman, James Mahon, George Ebert, F.P. Gale, Charles Mahon, Daniel Younker, J.M. Hutchinson, J.F. Kinsey, G.M. Kinsey, Elija Harvey, W.R. Wiles, E.F. Shuee, Wm. McGinnis, John C. Holverstott, E.M. Showe, A.S. Powell, Samuel Wart., Joseph A. Leslie, W.D. Edgar, J. McLane, H. Moses, Daniel Kurd, Wm. K. Hughes, James Moore, S.B. Lydick, Renattus Gum, John Divine, Daniel Keisch, John Sigley, George Kinsey, S. Kehlder (M.D.), D.L. Koontz, W.S. Wiles, George W. Pifer, William H. Snelling, Isiah H. Snelling, Michael Bosserman, James M. Cawer, M. Longworth, James Downing, Sam’l Strawbridge, Amos Wart, Hugh Downing, and Isaac Kinnear.
 ²ibid. p. 3. John is listed as an original lot owner (Lot #5) of Dunkirk. Other Watters were Cath. Watters (Lot #9) and Thos. Watters (Lot #10). The relationship between the three individuals is unknown.

ain Street After the 1903 Fire.

Main Street (May, 1903)

This is a photograph taken after the May 21, 1903 fire which took out much of downtown Dunkirk. The principal part of the business section was destroyed. Forest sent men to help fight the fire as Dunkirk only had a hand pumper and bucket brigade at the time.

In the foreground is the C.C.C.&St.L. railroad. It later became the Pennsylvania railroad. Currently it is part of the L.E.&W. It is believed that this photograph was taken with the photographer located somewhere south of the tracks and looking north.

Main Street (c1915)

ain Street, c1915.

This is a photographic postcard of how Dunkirk looked around 1915. The postcard was postmarked May 25, 1915. The photographs was looking south on what is currently State Route 68.

The second awning on the left has the word barber on it. About half way down that same side is a livery stable & feed store. In the background is the Big Four railroad crossing. On the extreme right is the Gifford Hotel (D.F. Ripley, Prop.). One of its advertising signs can be seen just below the window on the side of the next building.

The postcard (above left) was addressed to Miss Marie Kraft, Kenton, Ohio. from Catherine H.. It reads: Dear Marie. I am going to write you a card and ask you to come and spend me a visit this week. how are you all. we are, all well having good times. be sure and come ano an let me no.

.E. Church, 1921.

The M.E. church installed a public library which opened in January, 1921.

unkirk is selected as convention city.

The Y.M.W.B. closed at Kenton on August 17, 1926. At the same time Dunkirk was chosen as the convention city for the Y.M.W.B. organization of the Wesleyan Methodist church for 1927.³

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 ¹There was a J.C. McBride who was a minister in Dunkirk between 1863-64.
 ²Information taken from material originally published under the title "Dunkirk, Past and Present". Vol. I: History of Dunkirk. Dunkirk, Ohio by G. M. Kingsbury.: Standard Print. Co., 1901-1902.
 ³Marion Star (Marion, OH) 17 Aug 1926, p.12, c.7.