A bit of history on the Meigs County Fair

The month of August brings many familiar things to Meigs County. Soon, teachers and students alike will be returning to school; Friday night lights will oversee Meigs County’s Tornadoes, Marauders and Eagles duke it out on the gridiron. But before all of that, many Meigs County citizens of all ages will head to the 155th edition of the Meigs County Fair.

Several of my weekly readers have asked about an upcoming fair article and were curious as to what I could “dig up” on Meigs County Fairs of the past. I first took a look at last year’s fair premium and saw the history of The Meigs County Fair that Margaret Parker and the late Rev. Middleswarth compiled some years back that gives a detailed description of how the fair had changed locations over the years until land was donated, then expanded to what the fairgrounds is today and gives a look at past presidents, admission prices and additions of events to the fair. You can read that here: http://www.themeigscountyfair.com/contact_us_and_about_the_ag_society

Parker’s article also talks about how no fairs were held in 1861, 1863, and 1864 due to the American Civil War and Morgan’s Raid, which included parts of Meigs County. No fairs were held in 1895, 1896, 1915, 1916, or 1917 due to financial reasons; 1917 also had the beginning of the U.S. participation in the first World War. With World War II, there were no Meigs County Fairs from 1942-1944, but from 1945 to the present, there has been a fair every year.

I went online to an article from an 1851 weekly edition of The Meigs County Telegraph that remarked on the first Meigs County Fair held by the Meigs County Agricultural Society on Wednesday, October 22, 1851. Today, the Meigs County Fair is still hosted by the Meigs County Agricultural Society, more commonly known as the Fair Board. The Meigs County Agricultural Society was established March 25, 1851. 167 years have passed since the first Meigs County fair was held, but some of the remarks made then can still be of value today, 154 county fairs later. It read as follows:
The first Fair of the Meigs County Agricultural Society was held on Wednesday the 22nd in Middleport. We regard this as an important era in the history of farming in our county. It is a movement in the right direction, and though the articles presented were not numerous, or remarkable for their excellence, it will have an important bearing upon the interests of Agriculture and labor generally. It will awaken interest to the subject, and that is the first step to improvement. But it will do more.
It will lead to active effort to contribute something another year that will far surpass anytime that was presented this year. Many were deterred from offering articles of real value and excellence by the fear that they might be so far outdone that they would be ashamed of the contributions. They will be better able to judge of the comparative merits of their own articles hereafter. No one should be deterred from contributing something to the exhibition, from the fear of being surpassed, or of not obtaining a premium. The true value of such exhibition does not consist in the amount of premium obtained, but on the thoughts which it awakens, the generous rivalries which it excites, and the consequent improvements which will result from it.
If every farmer and mechanic would resolve to present something worthy of exhibition another year, and would endeavor to make it as perfect in its kind as possible, they would be richly rewarded, and they would afford abundant evidence that all the wealth and capabilities of Meigs County does lie buried beneath her sandstone. The number of persons in attendance, was, we believe, much larger than was expected, which shows that there has been an interest awakened in the subject which will produce important results.

The address by Mr. Valentine Horton was listened to with deep interest by a large and intelligent audience, and was worthy of the subject and the occasion. It was mainly occupied with a clear and able exposition of those general principles which lie at the foundation of all real progress, and with some practical suggestions, which are well worthy of the careful consideration of the farmers of Meigs County. We are unable to give an abstract of it, which will convey a correct idea of the many valuable truths and beautiful illustrations which it contained.

After the address the crowd dispersed to examine the various articles and animals presented for exhibition. A description of these we must leave to other hands. Everything, we believe, passed off in a satisfactory manner and its influence will be beneficial not only to the members of the Society, but to the general interests of labor and production in our county.
In another article I was able to find winners of every exhibition held at the first fair. Many of the surnames that appeared as winners of the inaugural fair can be seen in the barns, on the tractors, and in various exhibits at the upcoming fair. They are as follows:

HORSES
Best Stallion over 5 years, to James Caldwell $5.00
Best Brood Mare, to William Rankin $4.00
Second best Brood Mare, A. J. Giles $2.00
Best Saddle Horse, to R.G. Cook $3.00
Best Buggy Horse, to W. C. Hoag $3.00
Best 2 year old Colt, to Abner Stout $3.00
Second best 2 year old Colt, to Gideon Brown $2.00
Best Colt from 1 to 2 years old, to Joseph Black $3.00
Second best Colt from 1 to 2 years old, to J.C. Hysell $2.00
Best Colt under 1 year old, to Stephen G. Harper $2.00
Second best Colt under 1 year old, to A. J. Giles, $1.00.

CATTLE
Best Bull over 2 years old, to John Stanley $2.00
Best Milch Cow, to Silas Strong $3.00
Second best Milch Cow, to G. W. Allison $2.00
Best Heifer over 1 year old, to Silas Strong $2.00
Second best Heifer over 1 year old to Silas Strong $1.00
Best Calf under 1 year old to Benjamin Stout $1.00
Best yoke of Work Oxen over 4 years old, to Obadiah Walker $4.00
Best yoke of Steers from 3 to 4 years old to L. Brine $3.00
Second best yoke of Steers from 3 to 4 years old, to Joseph Black $2.00
Best yoke of Steers from 2 to 3 years old, to James McGuire $2.00
Best yoke of Steers from 1 to 2 years old, to Silas Strong $1.00

HOGS
Best Hog exhibited, to Jonathan Rankin $2.00
Second best Hog, to Jacob Swartz $1.00

SHEEP
Best fine wooled Buck, to Cephas DeCamp $3.00
Second best fine wooled Buck, Cephas De Camp $2.00
Best 3 fine wooled Ewes, to Stephen Titus $3.00
Second best 3 fine wooled Ewes, to Mary Titus $2.00
Best 3 fine wooled lambs to Mary Titus $2.00
Second best 3 fine wooled lambs, to Stephen Titus $1.00

CROPS
Best Wheat Crop, 10 John P. Stout $3.00
Quantity raised over 37 bushels, per acre.

DOMESTIC ARTICLES
Best 5 lbs. Butler, to Lucius Higley $2.00
Second best 5 lbs. Butter. to Melzar Nye Sr. $1.00
Best Cheese, to Jabez Benedict $2.00
Second best Cheese to R. G. Cook $1.00
Best 5 lbs. Honey in Comb, to Martin Heckard $2.00
Second best 5 lbs. Honey in Comb, to John A. Eakin $1.00
Best 10 yards Linsey, to Stephen Titus $2.00
Best 10 yards Rag Carpet, to George W. Cooper $2.00
Second best 10 yards Rag Carpet, to Melzar Nye Sr. $1.00
Best pair Blankets, to Robert Ashworth $2.00
Second best pair Blankets, to Stephen Titus $1.00
Best Coverlet, to Robert Ashworth $2.00
Second best Coverlet, to Robert Ashworth $1.00
Best Bedspread, to Stephen Titus $2.00
Best Quilt, to Lemuel Powell $2.00
Second best Quilt, to Jacob Simpson $1.00
Best Woolen Stockings to Melzar Nye Sr. 50 cents
Best pair Socks, to Silas Strong 50 cents
Best show of Fancy Needle Work, to Stephen Titus $2.00

MANUFACTURED ARTICLES
Best Buggy, to Stephen Titus $3.00
Best Farm Wagon, to John M. Cook $3.00
Best Saddle, to William Wallace $2.00
Best Harness, to James Wright $2.00
Best Pair of Men’s Boots, to H. H. Rice $2.00
Best Shovel Plough, to Stephen Titus $1.00

As the old Ohio flows….