Lobby for a Canal in Shelby County; shelby county ohio historical society

The Canal Act, passed in 1825, authorized construction of the Miami Canal from Cincinnati, Ohio to Dayton, which was the principal concern of the businessmen in those areas. Of much less importance to them was extension of the canal northward through the wilderness to Lake Erie. In fact, as author Michael Morthorst related in his book, "The Miami & Erie Canal and the Sidney Feeder Canal", after getting the canal built from Cincinnati to Dayton, Dayton area legislators backed the idea of constructing a railroad or canal route from Dayton to Sandusky, and not through Shelby County.

William Barbee, an Ohio legislator, pushed for and obtained funding to survey a canal route through Shelby County. The survey results were acceptable, but a severe drought in the Mad River basin in 1830 caused many to reconsider this route. It became apparent to the residents of Shelby County, along with those of other areas in the Miami Valley, that it would be necessary to lobby the legislators in Columbus in order to convince them to extend the canal north of Dayton.

A notice appeared in Sidney's first newspaper, "The Western Herald", on September 22, 1831, inviting the citizens to a meeting at the Courthouse, "to take into consideration the utility of the extension of the Miami Canal to this place." The next week's edition of "The Herald" noted that the "...meeting not being so full as many desired, in order that a powerful voice be expressed, it was thought proper to adjourn, to assemble again...on the 15th inst. at 1 o'clock P. M."

Dr. William Fielding, one of Shelby County's first physicians, made the following motion at the meeting of October 15: "RESOLVED, That a committee of five persons be appointed to prepare an Address tot he People and Memorial to the Legislature, expressive of the sense of this meeting, and report to an adjourned meeting of the citizens, to be held in this place. Samuel Gamble, George Leckey, John Buckland, and attorney Joel Frankeburger were appointed along with Dr. Fielding to draft what amounted to a 'manifesto' for presentation to the General Assembly in Columbus.