USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 32
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Here, near an Indian camp, he halted upon the summit of a hill overlooking a rich valley, through which a stream of water coursed its way. At the base of this hill gushed forth the cool waters of a beautiful spring.
This is the place where the first pioneer of Pleasant Township settled, and is now the site of the residence of this pioneer's grandson, George Coffey.
The first morning after the arrival of this family-May 7-it was discovered that a snow several inches deep had fallen.
A sort of rude tent was hastily con- structed and in this the first few months of the family life were spent.
The pioneer had. in this time, made ar- rangements for building a cabin. He was assisted in its erection by Thomas and Jesse Pierce, then living in Champaign County. and by two or three Indians.
This was the first cabin built by a white settler in this township.
Soon after his arrival the pioneer,
ed out in search of food, and, luckily, at the cabin of a neighbor over in German Township, he obtained a small amount of corn, which, however, had been somewhat damaged by the early frosts of the pre- ceding autmon.
In possession of his supply of corn, he proceeded to Simon Kenton's Mill, where it was ground into meal, with which he returned to his family. The mill of Kenton was on the present site of La- gonda. In the autumn of 1803 Isaac Agmond and his family came to this township and built a cabin where Mart Mahar now lives. At this point was an- other Indian camp, the two being con- nected by an Indian trail. In 1804 Archi- bald MeConkey and family, accompanied by the father of Mrs. McConkey, removed here from Kentneky. The wife and moth- er performed the journey on horseback, carrying with her the three children- Alexander, Elizabeth and Daniel-the wardrobe and lighter effects of the fam- ily. The other members of the party travelled on foot. It may not be amiss to state that a cow was also brought from the Kentucky home, and perhaps the only one in the little company of pioneers.
Archibald MeConkey soon built a cabin a short distance to the east of Joseph Coffey's, on the farm afterward owned by his son-in-law, Mahlon Neer. Three danghters of these parents-Margaret, Nancy and Mary-were born here.
The other families settling here in this year were those of Samuel Lafferty, Henry Dawson. William Hendricks, the father-in-law of Mr. Lafferty, and George Metsker.
Lafferty and Hendricks were the joint
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owners of the farm on Buck Creek, where they lived, and which they afterward sold to Nathaniel Cartmell, from whom it re- ceived its present name, "the old Cart- mell farm."
The Lafferty family consisted of the parents and one daughter-Catherine. Hendricks and Lafferty were from Vir- ginia. Metsker lived on the farm now owned by William Hunter, and better known as the Lofland farm.
Henry Dawson settled on what to the present day is called the Dawson farm. The children of this family were Ellen, George, John, Richard, Harriet and Eliza- beth. Henry Dawson, the father, had served in the Revolution as lientenant.
He removed to this locality from Ken- tucky, from which place he brought sev- eral fruit trees, carrying them in a Dutch oven. They were the first of their kind to produce fruit in this locality. It may be necessary to state that one or two of those apple trees, one near the Dawson cabin, are still living.
Solomon Scott came in 1805, from Vir- ginia, as did also Jonathan Hunter, with a large family. The sons and daughters were named respectively William, George, Jonathan, Jeremiah, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Nancy, Rachel and Saralı.
Jonathan Hunter located upon Section 22, which he purchased soon after.
On the 29th of .June, 1805, Constantine, wife of Henry Dawson, died. This was the first death that occurred among the pioneers. A grave was prepared near the cabin home, and the little company of neighbors and friends, amid wild forest scenes, performed the humble rites of burial, while the bereaved family wept the irreparable loss.
Sarah Coffey, wife of Enos Neer, was born May 29, 1808, and was the first female born here.
William, the fourth son, was born Jan- uary 11, 1811.
Soon after Jonathan Baldwin was mar- ried to Sarah, daughter of Solomon Scott. William Hunter and Blanche Hendricks were married February 1, 1807.
There is an interval of a few years, during which no accession was made to this early settlement ; but, from the year 1808 to 1812, and about that time, the spirit of enterprise seemed to have pre- vailed in the older settlements, and a number of fearless men, with their fam- ilies, joined the brave and hardy pioneers.
The men who came at this time were Nathaniel Cartmell, David Wren, Peter Arbogast, Andrew Baumgardner, George, Joseph and Abraham Runyan, William Curl, Edmond West, George, Richard and Charles Botkin. Jonathan Jones, W. T. Hunt, Andrew Hodge. Absalom Clark, Thomas and Philip Tunks and George .Jones.
David Waltman and Simon Ropp came abont 1820. Nathaniel Cartmell settled on Buck Creek, as before mentioned.
Peter Arbogast, Andrew Baumgardner. Andrew Hodge, Abraham and Joseph Runyan, William Curl and George Jones formed the first settlement at Asbury.
Edmund West lived on the farm now owned by William Waltman. The Tunks brothers, Philip and Thomas, located on the two adjoining farms, one now owned by the heirs of Henry Arbogast and the other by John McClenen. Philip estab- lished a tannery at the latter place. It was donhtless of the most primitive kind, as was also the distillery a short distance
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to the north, at a house now owned by lands has been of comparatively recent Israel Everhart. Absalom Clark lived at date. this place, engaged in the management of the distillery.
Thomas Tunks subsequently sold his claim in 1816 to George Botkin, Philip disposing of his to Mathew Shaul some time later. Charles and Richard Botkin lived near each other. A cabin where George Coffey now lives was the home of Richard, while that of Charles was situ- ated a short distance west of the present dwelling of Armstead Tavenner.
Near the residence of Samuel H. Grove may still be seen the log cabin, once the home of David Waltman, whose farm ad- joined that of his pioneer neighbor, Simon Ropp, he having built a cabin on the farm uow owned by Jonathan Page.
Jeremiah Curl, the father of Mrs. Wil- liam Coffey, and Brazill Harrison were early settlers. The former located on the north side of Buck Creek Valley, a short distance to the southwest of the present residence of Albert Cheney, and the lat- ter on the Columbus Road, at a cabin on the eastern part of the farm now owned by Nelson Hammond. It will be noticed that the first settlements were established in the western part of the township. This circumstance deserves a brief explanation. The eastern portion of the township, it will be remembered, was in Virginia mil- itary land, and one hinderance to its set- tlement was the question of conflicting claims-a difficulty peculiar to these lands -and another, was the fact that large tracts were owned by Thomas M. Bailey, who, like most land speculators, deferred the sale of his lands for a great many years; hence the settlement of the Bailey
The first neighborhood was formed, as may be readily supposed, by the families of Joseph Coffey, Archibald McConkey, Isaae Agmond, Henry Dawson, Samuel Lafferty, William Hendricks and Jon- athan Hunter. The second was that near Asbury, comprising the families located there from 1808 to 1811. Those forming the first neighborhood in the eastern part of the township were the following:
Samuel West. Henry Curl, Otho Arbo- gast, David Runyan, William Neer, Lemnel Davisson and Nicholas MeCauley. The latter, an earlier settler than many of the others, lived on the farm afterward owned by S. R. Dickson. Amos Neer came to this township from Virginia in 1817.
EARLY EVENTS.
Cornelius Palmer built the first black- smith shop in this township not far from where Nathan Neer formerly resided. The first saw-mill was built by George Dawson near where the grist-mill of J. M. Runyan is at present located. The first grist-mill was built on Buck Creek about 1819 by William Hunter. The Cartmell mill, which was situated further west on the same stream, was built about three years later by Nathaniel Cartmell.
Henry Dawson was the first cooper. William T. Hunter was the first cabinet- maker and undertaker and lived for many years in a log honse near the recent resi- dence of S. N. Conway. The first tavern was built in Catawba in 1838. The first place of burial was on the western part of the old Dawson farm. The first cabin was built by Joseph Coffey and was de-
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scribed as being sixteen feet in length by fourteen in width. It was provided with a huge fire-place, built of stone, the chim- ney being composed of sticks and clay. The rude door turned upon wooden hinges secured to their places by wooden pins. Rough slabs, split from the forest trees, served as a floor, and a piece of oiled paper, attached to a light frame in an opening in the wall, admitted the light.
The Springfield Republice, founded in 1817, was the first paper patronized by the early settlers.
The first election in the township was held at the house of Joseph Coffey and resulted as follows: Joseph Coffey, Andrew Hodge, trustees; Samuel Laffer- ty, clerk; Henry Dawson, treasurer; Sol- omon Scott, justice of the peace.
The first marriage was that of John Gilmore, of Urbana, to Miss Ellen Daw- son, in 1805. The first school was taught by Jesse Reese in 1810. The first church in the Asbury neighborhood was built about 1824; the one at Mt. Vernon in 1825.
Dr. W. Owens was the first resident physician.
The first white child born was John Coffey, June 29. 1805; second, William Lafferty, May 25, 1806.
The first female birth was Sarah Coffey, May 28, 1808.
The first death was that of Constantine Dawson, June 28, 1805.
PROMINENT CITIZENS.
Among those who have more recently been active in affairs of this township, the following may be mentioned :
Eli Hunter was born in this township September 24, 1847, the son of Lemnel
Hunter, who was also born in this town- ship in 1814. "Squire" Hunter was mar- ried in 1876 to Lneinda J. MeClintock, and a few years ago remodeled the resi- dence on the old homestead, where he has resided his entire lifetime. He is very active in the affairs relating to his town- ship.
Daniel T. Gordon was born in Cham- paign County in 1835, son of John W. Gordon, and came to this township about 1860. In 1861 he was married to Sarah E. Grove, daughter of John Grove. Mr. Gordon died in 1907.
A well-known character of this town- ship is "Uncle Joe" Pearson, who was born in London February 12, 1827. He came with his father to this country in 1832 and has resided here ever since the war. He is a strenuous character, active in his Republicanism. For a long time he conducted a hotel in Catawba and as its host became acquainted with all who had business at that village. He was mar- ried in 1848 to Nancy Golden, and his first wife having died of cholera the year following, he was married to his second wife, Mary S. Pahner. Mr. Pearson is a man of positive character, honest and just in his dealings, and is living the life, in old age, of a person who has the con- sciousness of having performed his duty as he saw it.
The Runyan connection in this town- ship is a large one. J. Milton has been active in township affairs; was born in the village of Catawba June 20. 1841, the son of Henry Runyan, and has re- sided at his present place of residence since 1856.
Israel Everhardt has been a long time a resident of this township. He was born
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in Londin County, Virginia, 1811, and and afterwards became the possessor of came to this village in 1861.
The MeConkey family for a long time have been active in this township. The ancestor, Archibald MeConkey, was born in Ireland and came to Catawba in an early day and lived until 1890. The father of Daniel MeConkey was born 'in Kentucky in 1805 and died in 1856. Alex- ander was the fourth of this family. Nathan M. was a school teacher in this township for many years, served as coun- ty commissioner and at the time of his death was superintendent of the Orphans' Home. Enos died a few years ago. Alex- ander is still living in Moorefield.
The Neer family is likewise a large one in this township. In fact. it seems that everybody is related either to the Neers, Runyans, Hunters or MeConkeys. Luther is a descendant of Amos Neer and came to Catawba in 1818. He was born two miles southwest of Catawba November Amos Smith, a quite prominent farmer in the southern part of this township, was born June 16, 1848, his father being Eli Smith, who was born in Harmony Town- ship in 1823. Amos was married on June 25, 1872, to Catharine Wyatt. 12. 1855. and married in 1879 Molly J. Loveless. He is an active farmer, own- ing a large traet of land. William H. is the son of Nathan Neer. He was born in the western part of this township in 1822 and married Mary A. Hunter, who was Among others might be mentioned in connection with Pleasant Township af- fairs Samuel West, now living toward the southwestern part: Aquilla West, recent- ly moved to London; W. L. Houston, a prominent land owner in the same section. born in the same neighborhood. William H. was married to Anna E. Cartmell December 29. 1874. She was the daugli- ter of Nathaniel M. Cartmell and a sister of P. M. Cartmell, of Springfield, Ohio. Charles F. Neer was born southwest of . recently deceased : the Cartmells, Joneses and others.
Catawba in 1856, a son of Nathan, and was married in 1882 to Lida A. Conway. daughter of N. S. Conway. Alonzo W. Neer is a brother of Charles F.
The Hodge family is another promi- nent family. James M. was born in 1837 and married in 1864 to Mary A. Hunter,
the old Jim Foley farm in Moorefield Township. They are both recently de- ceased. William Hodge was born No- vember 14. 1826, and married in 1850 to Dorcas H. Botkin.
George W. Coffey, the son of William Coffey, was born July 26, 1837; married in 1865 to Margaret A. Ferguson, and now lives in the village of Catawba.
Thomas Wingate was born January 24, 1827, in Maryland, and came to Catawba in 1865, since which time he has conduct- ed a general store in that village; was married January 16, 1853 to Miss Mary Lafferty. William E. Yeazell was born in Moorefield Township in 1829, and mar- ried in 1850 to Lydia Bennett. He be- came quite a large land owner in the southern part of the township, and died in 1906.
Dr. M. R. Hunter was a practicing physician in the vicinity of Catawba for more than half a century. Dr. Stephens is at present actively engaged in that pro- fession. Dr. Beach ard Dr. Bloyer were one time residents.
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
COUNTY OFFICIALS.
Pleasant Township being strongly Re- publican in recent years has furnished a fair number of the county officials. N. M. MeConkey served as county commissioner from 1870-1876, and as representative from 1880-1882, and at the time of his death was superintendent of the Orphans' Home. His son. M. M. MeConkey, was recorder from 1891-1897.
The present coroner, Dr. J. D. Thomas, was a resident of this township at the time of his election, and N. M. Cartmell, who is now one of the county commis- sioners, is likewise a resident of this township.
At an early date. in 1826-1830, William Saylor was sheriff.
TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS.
The following are mentioned in a for- mer history as having served in official capacity in township affairs:
Samuel Lafferty, Joseph Coffey, Henry Dawson, William Coffey, Cornelius Arbo- gast, Henry Curl. Joseph Wilkinson, Daniel MeConkey and J. V. Cartmell. And among those thus serving at a more recent date may be recorded the names of D. H. Randall, Otho Arbogast, George Yeazell, Matthew Neer, Joseph Pearson, Jonathan Page, William Hardman, John MeClenen, John W. Yeazell, Luther .Jones, Enos MeConkey, George Coffey, N. M. MeConkey, J. H. Baldwin and John Q. Skillman.
The number of years served by the trustees of Pleasant Township, from 1880 to 1907-H. L. MeConkey, one year; Martin Mahar. one year; F. M. Silvers,
two years; Daniel Gordon, five years; A. J. Rust, one year; J. M. Runyan, three years; T. W. Runyan, two years; Enos MeConkey, three years; W. J. Baird, three years; J. M. Yeazell, six years; C. A. Wright, three years; S. P. Hedge, six years; William H. Neer, six years; Jesse Tarbutton, three years; George Coffey, six years: James Fitzgivens, three years; Charles MeClenen, four years; J. H. Page, four years; Alf. Jones, five years ; William Neer, three years; T. M. Hunter, two years. C. H. Runyan, township clerk.
Justices of the Peace since 1871-John Skillman, 1871-1874; J. W. Yeazell, 1872; Joseph Baldwin, 1875, 1885; William Jobes, 1877-1883; N. S. Conway, 1878- 1893; Eli Hunter, 1886-1892; J. M. Run- yan, 1895-1904-1908: Enos McConkey, 1896; Alf. Jones, 1897; T. M. Hunter, 1900; Harry Jones, 1903; F. H. Mahar (elect).
CHURCHES.
Mt. Vernon-The first places of wor- ship were located in some of the early schoolhonses. In 1825 a church was built at Mt. Vernon. This was located abont a mile and a half west of Catawba. The church has long since been abandoned. In 1828 the first Sunday school was organ- ized by Moses Henkle.
Asbury Chapel, Methodist Episcopal- The first church built in the Asbury neighborhood was in the year 1824, and was called Asbury in honor of a bishop of that name. The names of two of the early preachers were Strange and Goddard. The services are still conducted in the Asbury Church, which is connected with
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the Moorefield charge, Rev. M. E. Echols Putnam and Samuel Lafferty were teach- being the pastor. ers.
Methodist Episcopal Churches-At a later day the Methodist Episcopal organ- ization built a church in Catawba. This church is active, and, like most village churches, draws large crowds from the surrounding country, having about three hundred members and two hundred en- rolled in the Sunday school. The Rev. J. Dolby is the present pastor.
Under the control of the Methodist de- nomination also is the chapel at Pleasant Grove, situated about two miles southeast of Catawba, and Nation Chapel, located on the Catawba and London Pike in the Houston-West neighborhood. These churches belong to the same charge as the Catawba church belongs to.
Methodist Protestant -- The Methodist Protestants have a church and an active congregation, located in the village of Catawba, the Rev. M. M. Campbell being pastor of the same.
SCHOOLS.
The first schoolhouse built in this township was situated on the north bank of Buck Creek, in about 1810. Jesse Reese is said to have been the first teach- er. His immediate successor was John Dawson. The second schoolhouse was sit- nated on the north bank of said stream at the branch of the road. Edward Watts was the first teacher.
John Harvey taught a school about 1811 on the place where Kemp Coffey now resides. One of the early school- houses was built at Mt. Vernon, and in 1815 there was one built in the Asbury neighborhood. At this latter place Israel
Schools have been conducted success- fully for a number of years, Catawba be- ing considered as the central place of ed- ucation of the township, although there is no township high school.
The following are a list of the teachers for the coming year: Superintendent, N. W. Lemen, for a term of two years; No. 1, Vernon, Lottie West; No. 2, Asbury, Theresa L. Slagle; No. 3, Catawba, prin- cipal, N. W. Lemen; intermediate, A. G. Pearson; primary, Grace Davis; No. 4, MeConkey, F. M. Tavenner; No. 5, Pleas- ant Chapel, Forest Mahar; No. 6, Pleas- ant Hill, open; No. 7, National Chapel, Alice Fenton; No. 8, Oak Grove, J. Omer Hedges; No. 9, Bodkin, J. E. Runyan. Salary $50, term eight months.
Enumeration of pupils for 1907-Males, 169; females, 133; total, 302.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.
BOUNDARIES.
Springfield Township is the center township of the county. It is bounded on the north by Moorefield Township, east by Harmony Township, sonth by Green Township and west by Mad River. Mad River Township and Bethel and German Townships. There is a neck run- ning ont west of the city of Springfield, which has for its boundary Mad River Township on the south, Bethel on the west and German on the north. It is six miles wide. It is eight miles east and west; including the neck on the west, it runs two miles further. The township was organized shortly after the creation
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of the county in 1818. A township by the same name existed before the creation of Clark County. Just what its territorial extent was at that time is doubtful. From some reports that were made by the coun- ty commissioners on April 25, 1818, it would seem that some part of Springfield Township was in Greene County prior to the organization of Clark, but the better opinion now is that the south line of Springfield Township marks the boundary line that formerly existed between Cham- paign and Greene County. The township no doubt received its name from the city of Springfield, which was then a large village in its midst. Springfield city is not in the center of the township, much of the larger portions of the township be- ing east and south of the city.
SOIL.
The lands are quite fertile, much of it being bottom land and the rest is what is known as second bottom land. None of it is so hilly but that it can be easily culti- vated. Along the western portion there is the Mad River Valley and possibly along the bluffs on the west side of this valley for a short distance the land might be considered too hilly for cultivation, but this is so small in extent as to hardly merit consideration.
CREEKS -- CROP.
Buck Creek flows through the township, forking a short distance above Lagonda, where Beaver Creek enters, and along the attendant village of these streams is some quite fertile soil. In the south- western part of the township Mill
Creek flows in a northwestern direction through the entire township, and in the southeastern part of the township is found the north fork of the Little Miami. Sinking Creek enters into Beaver Creek in the northeastern part of the township and Rock Run flows through the neck in the western part of the township, so it will be observed that the lands of the township are naturally well watered and suitable for grazing and dairy purposes, and a suitable portion is being used for dairies to supply the city of Springfield; otherwise the standard crops are grown in addition to garden truck to supply the markets in the city of Springfield.
There were formerly quite a number of villages just outside the corporate limits of Springfield in this township, but prac- tically all of these have been taken inside the corporate limits, with the exception of Beatty in the southeastern portion and Sugar Grove west of Mad River. La- gonda was the most prominent, but in the last extension (1882) of the corporate limits of Springfield it was taken in as a part of that city. (See villages.)
Mad River and Buck Creek and some of the tributaries of these streams afford- ed power which was used for milling pur- poses by the early settlers. (See mills.)
TIMBER.
The lands of the township were mostly occupied by timber which prevails gen- erally in this county, oak perhaps being the prevailing type, especially upon the lands south and east of the city. Upon the lands west there were some beech and sugar trees and in the valleys some wal- nut. Only in recent years has the town-
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ship been divided into voting precincts, it by the voters of the entire township, it now having two, East and West, the Urbana Pike being the dividing line north of the city and the Selma Pike south.
ROADS.
There are eighty-nine miles of public roads in this township, more than in any other township in the county. As a mat- ter of course all railroads entering the city of Springfield go through this town- ship. (See railroads.)
POPULATION.
The population of this township, in- cluding the city of Springfield, was in 1850, 7,002; 1870, 15,540, of which 12,652 were in the city; in 1880, 24,455, of which 20,730 were in the city; 1890, 34,845. of which 31,895 were in the city; 1900, 41,- 861, of which 38,253 were in the city.
ACREAGE, ETC.
The following table shows the number of acres and the assessed valuation of the real estate and personal property, às the same is apportioned in school districts in the city of Springfield, including the en- tire township (1906) :
Acpre
Real Estate
Personn! Property
Total
Sp'sfield To. 22.773 $ 1,125,230 $ 717,760 $1.842,990 Spr. and Har.
Sch. Dist. 1,804
89,950
43,700 113,710
Spr. & City
Sch. Dist. 1.846
270,720
289.470 569,190
City of Spring-
field ......
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