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By J. T. Haynes
CHAPTER XXII
THE OHIO SOLDIERS AND SAILORS HOME
It AA-as in the year 1885 that Gen. R. B. Brown, of Zanesville, Avhile
commander of the Department of Ohio, Grand Army of the Republic,
learned through his trips over the state that the county infirmaries Avere
housing a large number of veterans of the Civil Avar. A complete investigation
revealed the fact that at that time there Avere close to 400 in
these county houses. This state of affairs Avas most distressing to General
Brown, and he at once sought aid of the governor of the state, Hon.
Joseph B. Foraker, AVIIO, in 1886, soon after his inauguration into office,
assured General BroAvn that he would do everything in his poAver to
relieve this condition. Among the leaders of the G. A. R., a movement
AVIIS at once started for the construction of a State Soldiers Home. At
this time there Avere in the State Legislature tAvo ex-Civil Avar soldiers,
Hon. J. J. Sullivan, of Holmes County, IIOAV of Cuyahoga, in the Senate;
and Hon. .1. L. Cameron, of Union County, in the House. A bill to
establish this home Avas entrusted to these tAvo members of this Legislature,
and by them AVIIS introduced. The presentation of this bill met
with such universal approval that on the 30th of January an act AVIIS
passed to establish "The Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home" for all
honorably discharged soldiers and sailors AVIIO had served the United
States Government in any of its Avars, and AVIIO are citizens of Ohio at the
time of making application for admission.
GoA'crnor Foraker at once appointed a board of trustees of five members—T.
F. Mack, of Sandusky: R. B. BroAvn, of Zanesville; Durbin
Ward, of Lebanon: W. P Orr, of Piqua, and Thomas T. Dill, of Mansfield,
receiving this honor. Before this board could meet for organization,
Durbin Ward died, and Thomas B. Paxton, of Cincinnati, Avas
appointed to till this vacancy. This beard organized as folloAvs: I. F.
Mack, president, and R. B. BI-OAVII. .secretary. The first task for these
men AVIIS to determine where this institution should be located, and after
touring the state in a private car of Jay 0. Moss, of Sandusky, Erie
County AVIIS selected as the most suitable place for the home. Tt Avas at a
meeting of this board in July. 1886, that the selection of Sandusky Avas
made, and in August of the same year a tract of ninety acres, one mile
south of the corporate limits of the city, was selected as the site for the
institution. This land Avas given to the state by the people of Sandusky,
and in addition to this the city promised to construct a large stone seAver
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