Meek details design of sheriff’s home, jail

Last week’s column pointed out that Horace Stephen Buckland, a son of the well known Civil War hero Ralph Buckland, was credited with actively playing a big element in attaining land adjoining the courthouse and the making of the sheriff’s residence and jail on that land.

That creating now residences the county commissioners’ offices.

Horace Buckland, who was very profitable himself, attending Harvard Legislation Faculty and turning into Common Pleas Court docket judge, served on the “superintending committee” for the new jail extra than 130 many years in the past.

Many of us can bear in mind that that office developing as soon as served that dual purpose of sheriff’s residence and jail.

Individually, as a younger reporter I used a little time there.  Not in the jail, folks, but covering the news.  I really do not feel the sheriff however lived there, but the jail surely was applied.

I’ve also listened to quite a few mentions of the fact that just one-time students at St. Joseph remember that the higher college throughout Clover Avenue was a boredom breaking attraction for all those held in the cells.

The jail-residence developing was erected in 1890 to 1892 with the $36,000 price funded by the issuance of bonds authorized by a particular act of the Ohio Condition Legislature.

According to Meek’s “Twentieth Century Background of Sandusky County,” the “ground plan” for the sheriff’s home was 52-feet by 50-feet with the jail right staying 48-ft by 40-ft.

The jail, however, lined three flooring. There were eight cells on the very first two floors and these ended up for male prisoners.  On the third level ended up 6 cells set apart for woman prisoners — “suitably ready,” according to Meek.

Civil War veteran Lorenzo Dick served as sheriff

The sheriff at the time of development was Lorenzo Dick, who experienced served with honor and was imprisoned himself all through the Civil War. Oddly, while in jail, he was commissioned captain in the Union Military, but did not know of the advertising until finally he reached property.

He was honorably discharged May 15, 1865, and after many years in the cafe and grocery small business, he was elected sheriff in 1889.  He served two terms as sheriff and was then elected mayor of Fremont.

Tale proceeds

Rutherford B. Hayes spoke at jail cornerstone ceremony

The former president Rutherford B. Hayes, who was a winner of jail reform, specifically separation of the hardened criminals from other folks, was the speaker for the ceremonies at the laying of the cornerstone on Nov. 6, 1890.

Gen. Roeliff Frinkerhoff of the Ohio Board of Charities despatched a concept that surely mentioned that Hayes’ issues have been answered in the new jail: “your jail plans will make it completely practicable to safe absolute separation of prisoners, so as to shut off all contaminating affect.”

Greatly identified and revered J. C. Johnson was the architect for the gray stone structure with Lake Excellent pink sand stone ornaments. Theodore Brockman was the contractor.

Roy Wilhelm began a 40-calendar year vocation at The News-Messenger in 1965 as a reporter. Now retired, he writes a column for both of those The News-Messenger and Information Herald. 

This posting initially appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Roy Wilhelm: Meek particulars style and design of sheriff’s property, jail