USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Groveport > History of Madison Township, including Groveport and Canal Winchester, Franklin County, Ohio > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project to make the world's books discoverable online.
It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover.
Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you.
Usage guidelines
Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.
We also ask that you:
+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for personal, non-commercial purposes.
+ Refrain from automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help.
+ Maintain attribution The Google "watermark" you see on each file is essential for informing people about this project and helping them find additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it.
+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe.
About Google Book Search
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at http://books.google.com/
NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
3 3433 08184485 8
Digitized by
Digitized by Google
Digitized by
Digitized by
Digitized by
Digitized by Google
.
-
1
JUINS.
1
Digitized by
1
.
:
1
.
1
GEO. F. BAREIS, July 23, 1852.
Digitized by Google
HISTORY
OF
MADISON TOWNSHIP 12703 INCLUDING
GROVEPORT AND CANAL WINCHESTER, FRANKLIN COUNTY, OHIO.
COMPILED BY defick GEO. F. BAREIS
ILLUSTRATED
" To understand man we must look beyond the individual man and his actions or interests and view him in combination with his fellows." - Carlisle.
CANAL WINCHESTER, OHIO GEO. F. BAREIS, PUBLISHER 1902
-
9
Digitized by
y Google
302899
ACTOR. LEN , AND
19. 4 L
COPYRIGHTED 1902 BY GEO. F. BAREIS
Press of Fred. J. Heer, Columbus, Ohio, 1902
Digitized by Google
1
I 'Dedicate this Book to AMANDA J. SCHOCH, the wife of my bosom, whose assistance and encouragement lightened my labor in compiling and arranging it.
Digitized by Google
. P
Digitized by
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Prefatory Introduction
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
1
CHAPTER II.
Description and Organization
5
CHAPTER III.
Some Statistics
13
CHAPTER IV.
Native and Early Settlers
22
CHAPTER V.
Early Enterprises
32
CHAPTER VI.
1815-1825
41
CHAPTER VII.
Tax Payers 1825-1855-1872; Land Owners 1855-1872 .... 44
CHAPTER VIII.
Brighter Days-Ohio and Erie Canal
59
CHAPTER IX.
Cholera in 1833
73
CHAPTER X.
Township Officers
76
CHAPTER XI.
Schools
85
CHAPTER XII.
Literary Entertainments
140
Oregon
CHAPTER XIII.
159
Winchester
CHAPTER XIV.
161
v
Digitized by
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XV.
PAGE
Groveport
206
Roads
CHAPTER XVI.
230
Coach and Mail Lines
CHAPTER XVII.
242
Railroads
255
War Times
CHAPTER XIX.
264
CHAPTER XX.
Madison Township and Winchester Fairs
302
CHAPTER XXI.
Franklin Farmers Institute.
CHAPTER XXII.
Temperance
315
CHAPTER XXIII.
Franklin Academy of Music
John S. Rarey
CHAPTER XXIV.
326
CHAPTER XXV.
Churches
335
CHAPTER XXVI.
Secret and Fraternal Societies
398
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Pioneer's House and Home Life
410
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Incidents of Pioneer and Bygone Days.
418
Graveyards
CHAPTER XXIX.
428
Digitized by
:
CHAPTER XVIII.
307
323
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Map of Madison Township.
Inside front cover
Geo. F. Bareis
.Frontispiece
John Sharp
8 ℃
Michael Corbett
8
Dr. G. L. Smith
16
Dr. Abel Clark
16
John Kramer
24
John Helpman
24
Kramer Mills
32 40
Nathaniel Tallman
48
Dr. G. W. Blake
48
Lock No. 20.
64
John Chaney
80
Dr. Hugh L. Chaney
80
James B. Evans.
88
Rev. James Heffley
88
John G. Edwards
96
Dr. J. H. Saylor
96
Augustus Willie
104
Casper Limpert
104
James H. Somerville
120
Sarah J. Somerville
120
Mrs. Damaris R. Champe.
136
Miss Mary Young
136
Queen of Fame Group
152
Map of Winchester Opposite page 162
Canal Bridge, Winchester 168
Boat Passing Through Bridge. 176
William Fry 192
Samuel Bartlitt 192
Jacob Carty 200
Martin C. Whitehurst 200
Canal Bridge, Groveport 206
Map of Groveport
Opposite page 208
vii
Digitized by
Empire Mills
Pinnafore Group 144
viii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
John Cox
216
Wm. H. Rarey
216
Wm. R. Darnell
Salem Darnell 224
224
Big Walnut Bridge 240
Elisha B. Decker 248
John M. Schoch 248
John Gehn
264
Phillip Game 264
Genl. John C. Speaks. 288
Com. Edward M. Hughes 288
Spanish American Soldiers 296
Charles Campbell 302
302
Christian Gayman 320
George Powell 320
326
Methodist Episcopal Church 352
368
Thomas Patterson
368
Lutheran and Reformed Church 384
Dr. A. A. Shortt
400
Dr. J. B. Potter
400
Menonite Church 410
Pioneer's Cabin 410
William Kile
424
Moses Seymour
424
Digitized by
---
--
1
: i !
!
:
i
1
John S. Rarey
Henry Long
Edmund Gares
CHAPTER I.
PREFATORY INTRODUCTION.
"And praise be theirs who plan And fix the corner-stone Of house or fane devote to God or man, Not for themselves alone. - Not for themselves alone, The Pilgrim Fathers of the Western Wood, Not only for themselves and for their own,
Came hither planting in heroic mood The seeds of civil-graced society, Repeating their New England by the sea In the green wilderness. From church and school, with church and school they came To kindle here their consecrated flame : With the high passion for humanity, The largest light, the amplest liberty.
( No man a slave unless himself enthrall ),
(The tree of knowledge no forbidden tree, ) -- For eager-seeking youth, With priceless opportunity for all, (The tree of knowledg no forbidden tree, )- Free speech and conscience free. - Honor and praise no less
But theirs, who in the mighty forest, then The haunt of savage men, And tenanted by ravening beasts of prey Only less fierce than they, (The fever-chill, the hunger-pang they bore, Dangers of day and darkness at their door) Abode, and in the panther-startled shade The deep foundations of an empire laid. - JOHN JAMES PIATT."
(1)
Digitized by Google
2
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
The conception of this work dates back some twelve years, when the writer was persuaded to prepare a condensed narrative history of Madison township, to go into Captain A. E. Lee's History of Columbus, Ohio. Later plans suggested the publication in separate form, and this volume is the result. To compile a history a century after the first settlement was made is no easy task, especially so when the time required must be snatched from a busy life. Three generations have lived and gone to the "great beyond" since then. Not only has the wolf, the bear, the deer, the wild-turkey, the Indian, the pioneer cabin, and all the associations of those "good old days" gone forever from view, but even the pioneers themselves are all gone - not one remains to tell the story of the hardships endured in their solitary lives in the great woods. Very few even of those who had the privilege of hearing from the first settlers' own lips the story of their struggle to subdue the wilderness, are living.
No records remain and none were made of much that goes to make up a history of those early days. Unfortunately, no newspaper was published in the township for more than sixty-five years. Scores of old account and record books have been searched for names, dates, and events. Martin's History of Frank- lin County, Scott's History of Fairfield County, Hill's History of Licking County, Williams History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Studer's History of Columbus, Lee's History of Columbus, Howe's His- torical Collections, Graham's Map of Franklin County, and other similar works have been consulted. Original records have been carefully examined, such as the Plats and additions to the villages, at the County Recorder's office; the appraisement and sale of school lands at
Digitized by Google
:
I
-- --
i
---....
i : 1 i
----
-- ----
i
I i
1
-- ------- ! !
1
3
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
the Auditor of State's office; the bids, awards and pay- ment of contracts on the Ohio Canal at the Ohio State Board of Public Works' office, etc. While we do not claim that every name and statement is absolutely cor- rect in every particular, still we have spared no pains to make it as accurate as the nature of the work per- mitted; for "errors will creep into history as long as the human mind is forgetful."
Instead of giving "personal" sketches at so much per head - a thing utterly distasteful to most persons - we have aimed to mention in a thoroughly impartial- way the name and work of every one who contributed to the development of the Township. In the prescribed limits of this book a host of the names of those who lived honorable and influential private lives must nec- essarily be omitted to give place to those who sacrificed time and personal comforts to bear the responsibili- ties of public trusts and criticisms.
We deemed it would be a source of satisfaction and enjoyment to our readers to see the faces of as many of the more active and influential citizens reproduced as we could secure, even though we omit a personal sketch of their lives.
It would require more space than is at our dis- posal to enumerate all the persons who have helped in this "labor of love." The compiler acknowledges himself under special obligations to the late John R. . Wright, Mrs. Nathaniel Tallman and George P. Champe, and to James B. Evans, Esq., Geo. M. B. Dove, A. M. Senter, and all others who have aided him in any way, and he sincerely thanks one and all of them.
In our search we accumulated a large amount of material, that we could not use in our present pre-
Digitized by Google
4
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
scribed book; this together with all such items of per- sonal, family and general history, illustrating in any way the development of the township, as our friends will kindly send us by-times, will be preserved for fu- ture use and reference.
February 22d, 1902.
GEO. F. BAREIS.
1
Digitized by
CHAPTER II.
DESCRIPTION AND ORGANIZATION.
"The hills are dearest which our childish feet Have cherished the earliest; and the streams most . sweet Are ever those at which our young lips drank, Stooped to their waters o'er the grassy bank." - WHITTIER.
The most recent epoch in geology is the Glacial Period or Ice Age, although quite remote as compared with human history. During this period a vast field of ice, hundreds of feet thick, extended from the far north to Southern Ohio. This sea of ice was the ac- cumulations of the snows of a long continued period, and possessed the properties of a solid and of a fluid. The accumulating weight of the snow above caused a slow, but steady and powerful flow, grinding moun- tains to powder in its path and forming great valleys and basins. It was thus that the great fresh water lakes were excavated and the wide valleys through Ohio became the water courses, the dry beds of which are now the fertile fields. For ages this powerful force was grinding and mixing the rocks into earth in such a way that no one generation can utilize all its fertility, but, as it were, locking it up that future generations may still reach down and inherit its wealth of productiveness. As the enormous weight of ice in its powerful and almost imperceptable flow moved
Digitized by Google
(5)
.
6
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
onward, a bank of debris which resisted its flow, called a terminal moraine, was left to mark its southern progress. One of these terminal moraines, known as the Ridge road between Pickerington and Basil marks the place where an iceberg was finally resisted in its journey further southward.
As the climate became warmer this territory was in a great open sea, in which the winds and currents drifted detached mountains of ice, which when float- ing southward into more temperate latitudes melted, depositing boulders and ground debris, which clung to them. This deposit is called "the drift," being the earth on top of the solid rock.
Great volumes of water from the melting ice flowed southward, cutting wide rivers whose dry beds are now called second bottoms.
Madison Township with the surrounding territory must have been a great inland sea. The drift deposit is of various depths.
The drilling of the gas well at Winchester revealed that the drift was about 500 feet thick, while just south of Little Walnut creek, not more than half a mile away, the Black Shale crops out, and only a few hundred yards farther south at the Zimmer hill the Berea grit sandstone comes to the surface. The underlying rock bed in the remainder of the township is Huron or Black Shale; this is underlaid by the carniferous lime- stone, familiarly spoken of as the Columbus Lime- stone. Dr. Edward Orton says of this strata: "It is one of the most remarkable store houses of ancient life in our whole series of rock formations."
As the climate still gradually became warmer and the expanse of ice less the streams became narrower, finally cutting deeper and narrower channels and leav-
Digitized by Google
·
7
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
ing the older and higher beds dry. Then began the processes by which the fertility of these deposits should become available for the habitation of man. Nature provided seeds with the means of finding a congenial soil and climate. Vegetable growths followed each other, each enriching the soil. Worms, crabs, burrow- ing animals, roots, frosts, rains, all assisted in making the soil fertile.
Another element of great importance in the de- posit of the drift is that it shall be of such a mixture of gravel, clay and sand that there may be a good sup- ply of water. In this respect the deposit of earth in the township is of such a character that the soil is of the most productive and the water supply of the am- plest. Scarcity of water in the wells is rarely ever known. Blue clay is to be found in most localities of the township, usually from six to twenty feet under the surface. Large "nigger-heads" are found on the surface, as also wherever a well is dug or excavations made.
In 1899 the U. S. Geological Survey placed a plate in one of the stones of the creek bridge abut- ments near Winchester, indicating that the ele- vation above the sea level at that point is 758 feet. Other elevations in this section, as ob- tained by surveys for the Ohio Canal, Hocking Val- ley and the Ohio Central Railroads, are as follows : Lockbourne 688 feet. Groveport 740 feet. Winches- ter 768 feet. Columbus (Union Station) 744 feet. South Columbus 734 feet. Brice 765 feet. The fixed level at the Franklin County Court House is 777} feet.
The township is well watered by several good sized streams, as shown on the map: Big Walnut (also called Big-Belly and Gahanna), Blacklick, Little Wal-
Digitized by Google
8
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
nut, and Alum Creek; there are also numerous smaller streams, among them George creek, Spring run and Big run - which, with the network of tile drains, carry off the surplus water. The adjoining lowlands along the larger streams are often flooded when a rich fertil- izing sediment is left. Large portions of the town- ship were originally covered with large ponds and swamps, often spoken of as prairies; especially was this true of the eastern section, giving it the name of "the flats." Scarcely a trace of these remain, the lar- ger ditches only reminding one of them. So rich and productive is the land in this township that sections of it are referred to as the "garden spot of Franklin county." This is notably true of land in the neigh- borhood of Asbury church.
Corn, wheat, grass and the cereals usually produced on rich soil grow to perfection. On the wide bottoms, which once formed the beds of the streams now nar- rowed down to mere rills compared to what they once were, is the richest alluvial soil, and has been in con- tinuous cultivation in many instances for upwards of ninety years. In recent years many persons find re- munerative results in raising small fruits and vegeta- bles, especially strawberries, raspberries and nutmeg melons, for the Columbus market.' The land gener- ally having a southern slope and being of a warm na- ture is well adapted for market gardening.
Originally the township was densely timbered with giant oak, ash, walnut, hickory, elm, maple, beech, lin- den, cottonwood and other trees. Along the streams grew buckeye, pawpaw, willow and immense syca- mores. Thousands of the choicest walnut and white oak logs have been shipped to eastern and foreign mar-
Digitized by Google
--
!
1 1
:
JOHN SHARP April 26, 1781 - Nov. 7, 1868. From a Dagueratype taken July 4, 1849.
Digitized by
MICHAEL CORBETT. Sept. 29, 1829 - Nov. 19, 1901.
Digitized by
9
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
;
kets, and thousands of others were burned in great log heaps, at an early day, to get rid of them.
On the first day of March, 1784, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, dele- gates in Congress on the part of Virginia, executed a deed of cession by which they transferred to the United States all rights, titles and claims of Virginia to the country northwest of the Ohio river.
October 22, 1784, Arthur Lee, Richard Butler and Oliver Walcott met the hostile Indian tribes of the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix, and there concluded a treaty of peace with them. After the old indefinite claims of the Iroquois was thus extinguished, on January 21, 1785, negotiations with the Western Indians was begun by Arthur Lee, Richard Butler and George Rogers Clark at Fort McIntosh. The Wyandots, Delawares, Chippeways and Ottowas were represented at this treaty.
During 1785 Brant, the great chief, formed a con- federacy of the Western Indians, and on January 31, 1786, a meeting was held by George Rogers Clark, Richard Butler and Samuel H. Parsons with the Dela- wares, Wyandots and Shawnees at the mouth of the Great Miami river. On account of the hostile attitude of the Shawnees and the absence of the Wabash tribes no treaty was signed.
The Indian wars were terminated by the treaty at Greenville in August, 1795. After the final transfer of the territory from Britain to the United States in 1796, under Jay's treaty, and the extinguishment of the In- dian titles all apprehensions of danger on the part of the whites ceased and friendly intercourse with the In- dians succeeded.
Digitized by Google
10
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
By the ordinance of 1787 the territory purchased of the Indians was to be divided into townships six miles square, by north and south lines crossed at right angles by others; the first north and south line to begin on the Ohio River at a point due north of the western ter- mination of the southern boundary of Pennsylvania, and the first east and west line to begin at the same point, and to extend throughout the territory. The ranges of townships thus formed were to be numbered from the Pennsylvania line westward; the townships themselves from the Ohio River northward. Each township was to be sub-divided into thirty-six parts or sections, each one mile square. When seven ranges of townships had been thus surveyed, the Geographer was to make a return of them to the Board of Treasury, who were to take therefrom one-seventh part, by lot, for the use of the late Continental army; and so of every seven ranges as surveyed and returned; the re- maining six-sevenths were to be drawn for by the sev- eral states, in the proportion of the last requisition made on them; and they were to make public sale thereof in the following manner: Range I, Township I, was to be sold entire; Township No. 2 by sections, and so on alternately ; while in Range II, Township I, was to be sold by sections and Township 2 entire, re- taining throughout, both as to ranges and townships, the principle of alternation. The price was to be at least one dollar in specie or certificate of liquidated debts of the United States. Five sections in each township were to be reserved for the United States, and one section for schools.
Madison Township is wholly composed of what is denominated Congress Lands; that is, land that has not been set apart for any special purpose but is sold by
Digitized by Google
11
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
the government at a fixed price. Most of the land in this township was entered at the Land Office at Chilli- cothe, in Ross county. A good portion of it - all that purchased before 1820- was paid for at the rate of two dollars per acre, in payments ; after that date Con- gress fixed the price at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, cash to be paid when entered.
These lands were first surveyed in 1799 by John Matthews and Ebenezer Buckingham into townships six miles square and then divided into thirty-six sec- tions one mile square, containing six hundred and forty (640) acres each. The numbering of these sections is indicated on the map of the township, and was always in the same order.
The sections were again sub-divided into four equal parts, called northeast quarter section, southeast quarter section, etc., containing 160 acres each. And by an "Act" which went into effect in July, 1820, these quar- ter sections are also divided by a north and south line, into two equal parts containing 80 acres each, and called the east half of the northeast quarter of section, etc.
In establishing the township and section lines a post or stone is first planted at the point of intersection ; then on the tree nearest the post or stone, and standing within the section intended to be designated, is num- bered with a marking iron, in the following order : R. (Range) No. ., T. (Township) No. .... , S. (Section) No. The fact that these surveyed townships, which are designated by numbers, are of dif- ferent boundaries from the civil townships which have been otherwise named is often confusing. Thus this territory as surveyed is known as Range No. 21, Town- ship II. While for civil purposes it has been named af-
Digitized by Google
.
12
HISTORY OF MADISON TOWNSHIP.
ter the fourth President of the United States - Madi- son - and includes parts of two other surveyed town- ships, viz: two tiers of sections - No. I to No. 12 in- ·clusive - of Range No. 21, Township No. 10, former- ly in Ross county. On January 12, 1810, when Picka- way county was formed - "picked away" - from Ross, Franklin and Fairfield counties, these sections became part of Franklin county, and the following March were included in this township; and by an act ·of the Legislature of 1850-51, six sections from Range No. 20, Township No. 15 - Violet Township, Fairfield .county - were added to Madison Township, and this accounts for the fact that there are three sections each number 6 and 7, and two each numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, '9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 30 and 31. In the first division of Franklin county into townships, in 1803, this territory formed part of Harrison Township; there were at this time only two townships in Franklin county east of the Scioto river. Madison is now the largest township in the county, being eight miles in extent north and south, and seven miles east and west, with the exception of a gog of two sections in the southeast corner - one mile east and west and two miles north and south - belong- ing to Fairfield county. Madison Township was or- ganized as a township on March 4, 1810, and Ebenezer Richards and George Hays were elected Justices of the Peace.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.