The following sketch of London, is prepared from data kindly furnished us by John Dungan, Esq., who came to this village in June, 1835.
The business portion of the village was then on Main, between Second and Third streets, and the men engaged in business were Col. John Moore, dealer in dry goods, located on North Main street; Stanley Watson, dealer in dry goods, located on South Main street; and Col. John Rouse, dealer in dry goods, located on South Main street.
The grocerymen were Gabriel Prugh, located on the southeast corner of Main and High streets; and Edward Turner, located on the northeast corner of the same street.
Those engaged in the manufacture of saddles and harness were Samuel T. Pearce, located on South Main street; and the firm of James Q. Lotspeich and William H. Squires, located on South High street.
The carpenters and furniture manufacturers were Nathan Bond, Benjamin Bond and Wilson Dungan; chair manufacturer, William McCormack, located on North Main street.
Clothiers, William Jones Jr., and Mr. Helphenstine.
The blacksmiths were William Jones, Sr., and R. B. Jones.
Hat manufacturer, Henry Stickles, located on the west side of Main street, on the present site of the establishment of Winchester, the clothier.
Those engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes were Joseph S. Warner, Benjamin Tinder and A. W. Tinder.
The plasterers and brick-masons were William Turner and son Edward.
The wagon-makers were William Cryder and John Parmer, both located on East High street.
There were two tanneries, one located on West High street, carried on by George Phifer, and the other located on East Fourth street, operated by William Bowers.
Weaver of loom fabrics, Peter Peetrey, located on North Walnut street.
A carding machine stood on North High street, operated by Henry Zinn.
There were two potteries in the village, one located on South Main street, in the rear of the present residence of Judge Clark, carried on by James M. Thompson, and the other located on the site of the Presbyterian Church, carried on by W. W. Burchnell.
The tinsmith was John Dungan. The taverns of Cols. John Rouse and Philip Lewis were located on the south side of West High street, and on the east side of Main street, where Speasmaker's hardware store now is, respectively. These two were the only taverns then in the village.
The professional men of the village were Dr. A. Toland, physician; Samuel N. Kerr, lawyer; and Peter Smith, the school teacher (the ministers being given below).
The church buildings were two in number, and stood, the Methodist on the corner of Fifth and Back streets, and the Presbyterian on the corner of Fifth and Oak streets. The pastors were Philip Nation and W. Westlake, of the Methodist Church (then only a circuit), and D. C. Allen, of the Presbyterian Church.
There was one schoolhouse, located on the southeast corner of Vernon and Second streets.
The business houses above named were all within a radius of about 400 hundred yards, and at this date there are only eight buildings standing in the corporate limits of the town that were here in 1835, namely, the Methodist Church building, since converted into a dwelling house, the brick residence of Stephen Watson, the residence of G. W. Lohr, the residence of Benjamin Farnsworth, which was the old weaving establishment of Peter Peetrey, the residence of Julia Freeman, residence of John Kanneaster, residence of Mrs. Dresbach, residence of Mrs. Dr. Lemen, formerly the old Presbyterian Church building.
The only survivor of the business men of London of 1835, now engaged in business in the town, is John Dungan, who has without interruption been an active merchant of the place since 1835. Mr. Dungan then began in the tin business, and continued in the same until in 1852, at which date he combined with the business, general hardware; this he continued until 1872, since which time he has been engaged in the furniture and book and stationery business respectively.
The population of the village in 1835 was not more than 300.