A BRIEF HISTORY

OF

The State Board of Agriculture The State Fair

District and Agricultural Societies

and Farmers' Institutes

1

IN

OHIO

765

P.

A BRIEF HISTORY

OF THE

STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, THE STATE FAIR, DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES, AND COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES

OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

It has been deemed advisable by this Department to collate the laws and all other information obtainable bearing on the establishment of The Ohio State Board of Agriculture and its work, the State Fair, the District Agricultural Societies established by the Board and the date of organization of the various County Agricultural Societies under the state law, in order that the same may be incorporated in the Annual Agricultural Report for 1898 and thus be made a matter of official record. The early history of some of these County Agricultural Societies. has been included herein, and this has been done in every case where any data in regard to the existence of such societies could be found.

While much of this information is already on the records of this Department, it is so scattered as to be almost unavailable, and to correct this difficulty we have arranged it here in compact form and have added to it all that could be gleaned from other sources. Great care has been taken to give authorities, which it is believed will greatly increase the value of the record.

The first law in Ohio in relation to County Agricultural Societies. was enacted February 25, 1833, when the General Assembly passed an act entitled, "An act to authorize and encourage the establishment of agricultural societies in the 'several counties of the State." The law made it the duty of the county commissioners to give notice in a newspaper or by poster of a meeting to be held at the court house on the last Friday of June, for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society. If twenty or more persons answered the call, they could organize by electing, by ballot, a president, vice-president, treasurer, recording secretary, corresponding secretary and ten directors, who should constitute the County Agricultural Society.

No member of any agricultural society was required to pay "a greater sum than five dollars for the benefit of the society in any one year," and the amount so received was to be expended in the interest of agriculture, horticulture, etc.

The county commissioners were authorized under this law to pay out of the county funds, "for the benefit of any such society, a sum not exceeding fifty dollars in any one year." It was made the duty of the society to hold, annually, a meeting the third Saturday in November, for the purpose of making a report on "the state of the society, its effect on the agricultural interests of the county, the probable quantity of the staple commodities of the county and prices current thereof. and such other information in relation to the agricultural interests of the state as they may deem worthy of general notice," and such report was to be "transmitted to the chairman of the committee on agriculture in either branch of the Legislature." (O. L. Vol. 31, p. 28.)

The law was amended March 12, 1839, and county commissioners were authorized to appropriate one hundred dollars annually, instead of fifty, to County Agricultural Societies. (O. L. Vol 37, p. 50.)

The law of 1839 soon proved inadequate to the wants of the agricultural community, so on February 2, 1845, "A Bill for the Encouragement of Agriculture," was introduced into the Senate by Mr. Wetmore (representing Portage and Summit counties). Final action was not secured on the bill until March 10, near the close of the session (the Legislature adjourned March 13), when it was indefinitely postponed by a vote of twelve to thirteen. (Senate Journal 1845. pp. 406850-851.) This was a very serious disappointment to the friends of the bill, and as a result a State Agricultural Convention was called, to meet in the Senate Chamber, Columbus, June 25-26 of that year. The Convention was well attended by representative agriculturists from all parts of the State, and some stirring resolutions were passed, among them the following:

"Resolved, That the next General Assembly be requested to enact a law providing for the election by delegates from the different county or district societies, of a permanent State Board of Agriculture, to consist of seven members, residing in different parts of the State, who shall have the general supervision of all plans for the promotion of agriculture throughout the State, give instructions for the management of county or district agricultural societies, and obtain reports from the same, procure analyses of soils, lectures, etc., and generally perform such acts as may tend to promote improvements in agriculture, horticulture and domestic industry, also make an annual report to the legislature, embracing an account of their own proceedings, together with an abstract of the reports from the county societies.

“Resolved, That a State Board of Agriculture consisting of nine members be elected by this convention, who shall discharge the duties of said board, as contemplated in the preceding resolution for one year, or until their successors be appointed.

"Resolved, That a committee of ten be appointed by the chair to nominate to the convention suitable persons to constitute said board."

A committee was thereupon appointed and the following gentlemen were named and duly elected as a "State Board of Agriculture:"

"M. L. Sullivant, Samuel Medary, Franklin; Allen Trimble, High