Message on a bottle

By Steve Roush
HCP columnist
 
Ladies and gentlemen, when I was a kid, I was fascinated with old glass bottles.
 
Pop bottles, or soda bottles if you prefer, medicine bottles, unusual bottles, the older the better, I loved to find them and collect them. 

Growing up on the farm, I was amazed how many bottles I came across. I remember finding a treasure trove of them in an old outhouse we had in the locust grove. Now, I don’t remember actually using the outhouse as an outhouse, but my folks assured me it was used as an outhouse “back in the day.” But we digress.
 
I recall keeping the bottles in the barn. I had them lined up in that old barn and kept more in boxes. A couple of weeks ago, my brother showed me an old bottle he found in the haymow with some other bottles and cool old items (some of which we may talk about in the future). It was a clear, glass medicine bottle (I believe) and the words, “Hillsboro, Ohio” embossed on the bottle jumped out at me. It read, “McKeehan, Hiestand Grocery Co. Hillsboro, Ohio.”
 
The bottle was obviously very old, and the name rang a bell, as I am related to some Hiestands. Actually, the first thing I thought was, I bet our historian friend Jean Wallis knows all about that grocery company, but Jean passed away last year so I can’t ask her about this, but I bet the farm she wrote something about McKeehan and Hiestand Grocery Co.
 
I was right.
 
And it also turns out a subject I have written many offerings about over the years, C.S. Bell, was a central figure in the McKeehan, Hiestand Grocery Co. There are other famous historic names linked to this establishment, as well.
 
The McKeehan of McKeehan and Hiestand was Milton McKeehan, and the Hiestand was Joseph Miles “J.M.” Hiestand.
 
Milton McKeehan was born June 4, 1837 – more than 187 years ago – in Sinking Spring, the son of Eden and Margaret Whitlatch McKeehan. On Christmas Day of 1860, Milton McKeehan married Sarah E. Foraker, who was born on Feb. 16, 1840, the daughter of Henry and Margaret Reece Foraker. If you’re wondering, yes, Sarah was related to Gov. Joseph Benson Foraker, who was Ohio’s 37th governor. Sarah was the governor’s sister. After their marriage, Milton and Sarah lived in Locust Grove, Adams County, for nine years.
 
McKeehan’s future business partner, Joseph Miles Hiestand, was born Oct. 3, 1832 – more than 192 years ago – also in Sinking Spring, the village that was platted by Joseph’s grandfather, Jacob Hiestand, in 1815. Joseph was the son of Samuel and Catherine Miles Hiestand. Samuel Hiestand was a merchant in Sinking Spring, and Joseph ended up being a business partnership with his dad.
 
Joseph M. Hiestand also served in the Civil War. He was captain of Company B 175 Regiment OVI. The company was made up of Highland County men, mostly from Brushcreek Township. They were mustered into service at Camp Dennison, Ohio, on Sept. 10, 1864. The regiment was ordered to Columbia, Tenn., where they performed post and garrison duty in the town and also engaged in guarding the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad. In advance of Hood, one of the regiment’s outposts was captured, south of Columbia, while the remainder of the regiment fell back to Franklin, Tenn., and took part in the battle at that place on Nov. 30, 1864. The regiment then fell back to Nashville and took position in Fort Negley, where it remained during the battle, and on Christmas Day, was again ordered to Columbia, and engaged in usual garrison duties, and guarding the railroad bridge.
 
Captain Hiestand and the rest of the regiment mustered out of the service June 26, 1865. Joseph Hiestand then returned to Sinking Spring, and on Nov. 2, 1865, he married Elizabeth Hare Wharton, who was born Nov. 1, 1838. The following year, 1866, the Hiestands moved to Hillsboro, where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
 
Turns out, McKeehan and Hiestand would not begin their Hillsboro business venture until later in the 1870s, but let’s pause for now and we’ll continue next time.

 
Steve Roush is president of the Highland County Historical Society and served as chairman and vice chairman on the HCHS Board of Trustees for two terms, a board member of the Highland District Hospital Foundation, a vice president of an international media company and a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached by email at roush_steve@msn.com.