USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 2 > Part 34
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
FAIRFIELD.
As stated elsewhere, the Court of Quarter Sessions, at their meeting, on Tuesday, May 10, 1803, established Fairfield as one of the original townships. It lies wholly within Symmes's purchase, and is bounded on the north and west by the Miami River; on the east by Liberty and Union Townships; and on the south by Hamilton County. All the boundary-lines of Fairfield are irregu- lar except the eastern.
The history of Fairfield Township is very intimately connected with the city of Hamilton, which place, until a few years ago, was a part of the township proper. All the first settlers naturally made Hamilton a trading-point. for small supplies, and when provisions or dry-goods were needed in larger quantities, Cincinnati was visited. A. load of whisky, corn, wheat, or any other commodity, was always sure to bring a good price in the Queen City.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The north-western corner, or that portion of the town- ship lying along the Miami, is somewhat elevated in places. For a distance of two miles and a half from Pinney's mill, going north-east, the hills follow the river, so as to leave very narrow bottoms. From near Graham's mill the face of the country is level, extending in wide, spreading bottoms, and uffording excellent farming facili- 1
ties. These bottoms, in early times, turned off large erops of corn and wheat.
The north-eastern portion of the township is somewhat broken, but when tilled properly produces good crops. The soil is a loam of from six inches to three feet in depth. From the neighborhood of Flenner's Corner southward the surface is gently undulating. Fine build- ings are very noticeable, which are indications of a pros- perous community. The country round about Jones's Station. Schenek's Station, and Symmes's Corner is well adapted to all kinds of agricultural pursuits. Barley. corn, and wheat is grown in large quantities, and the acreage is steadily increasing. In the region of the "Big Pond" a deep, black, heavy soil, almost inexhaust- ible, extends for three miles east and west, and very nearly the same distance from north to south. This, now the richest portion of the township, was onee thought the poorest, but has been drained and cultivated, until it now brings a very high price.
ROADS.
Bridle-paths, in the early history of Fairfield Town- ship, took the place of roads. After some clearing was done, and settlers had become more numerous, couaty and State roads were laid out. The first road of any
471
1
FAIRFIELD.
importance led from Hamilton to Cincinnati via Spring- dale. The Symmes's Corner road was also of considerable consequence at an early day. The River road, as it was called, follows down the Miami on the east side, from Hamilton to the Colerain pike, with which it unites near the Venice bridge. The Miami Canal, treated in detail elsewhere, is the most important thoroughfare in the. township excepting the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad. It passes through a fertile traet of country.
No creeks of any considerable size flow through Fair- field, yet it is well drained by natural streams, artificial ditches, and tiling. The lack of large creeks prevented any mills in the interior of the township from running reg- ularly by water power, though along the Miami excellent mill sites were found and utilized. Above Pinney's mill, at the month of Bank Lick Creck, a stream which takes its rise in Colerain Township, Hamilton County, and which is very rapid in its current, an "old stone mill" was built as early as 1810. Joel Williams, a Yankee mill-wright from the East, acted as the builder. This stream takes its name from the fact that in the early settlement of the country deer frequented it to drink the peculiar water which in some places flows from its banks. The mill was a stone building about thirty by thirty-five feet, one story high. The grinding machinery was pro- pelled by an undershot or breast wheel; a race carried the water from some distance above. The walls were about twelve feet high and eighteen inches thick; the stone were taken from the bed of the stream. For years this mill called together many of the people in the township. It finally ceased to be a profitable establish- ment, and for years thereafter stood idle. Some fifteen years ago the building was torn away and now the mill site can hardly be found.
In 1833 Thomas Alston owned and operated a fulling- mill of considerable importance, also a carding-machine, about one-half mile below Graham's grist-mill on the Miami, or rather on a race from the Miami, in Section 15. Pike Alston, his grandfather, had, in 1836, a grist- mill, what in subsequent history was called Graham's mill, on the same race. At the death of Thomas Alston, in 1837 or 1838, the fulling-mill ceased to go on, except in cases of extreme nceessity. All traces of the estab- lishment have disappeared.
Graham's mill was built in 1810, or thereabouts, by Jeptha Garrigus. It was subsequently known as Jack- son's mill, and then in 1834 or 1635 became generally known as Graham's mill or mills. Mr. Graham at about the same date created a large paper-mill on the race, which he carried on successfully for a number of years. In 1856 or 1857, Major John M. Millikin bought the mill seat and buildings at sheriff's sale, and one year .thereafter sold to M. P. Alston. The grist-mill con- linved to run up to 1870. The Alston fulling-mill and varding-machine, the Graham paper and grist-mill, were all on the same race. The latter ceased to exist about.
the same time. They stood almost opposite the old country residence of Isaac Anderson.
John and Henry Traber built about 1818 a two-story frame grist-mill one mile below Hamilton, on the Miami. which continued to run up to 1835. Both of the Trabers were mill-wrights and men of large acquaintance. Pere- grine Orndorff had a grist-mill in St. Clair Township, opposite Traber's mill, which, in 1836, belonged also to the Traber brothers. " The same dam answered for both establishments, though the St. Clair mill was fed by a race, and was in partial operation in 1855. Both of these mills were built about the same time.
Bigham's mill was built about seventy years ago by some unknown mill-wright, though the father of Thomas MeCullough, now of Oxford, was perhaps the original owner." For many years it was the only mill of consid- erable importance in the north-east corner of Fairfield. Settlers came a distance of ten and fifteen miles fre- quently to have their corn ground at this pioneer mill ; and many of them relate how the half bushel of corn was put in one end of a sack and a large stone in the other, to make it balance. Many customers remained over night at MeCullough's (or Bigham's) mill in order to be on time in the morning, or to save a ride through the woods of half a dozen or more miles before sunrise. This establishment stood in the north-west corner of Section 26.
Moody Davis owned a grist and saw mill on the Big Miami in 1815, where the water enters the hydraulic, but the mill-wright is unknown. This mill continued to run up to the time the hydranlie was built. The present is a part of the original dam.
Below Bigham's grist-mill a short distance a saw-mill was in operation at one time, about 1835. It was built by the Bighams, but lasted for only a few years.
In 1812 or 1815, John Allen built a grist-mill on the Big Miami, in the south-west corner of the township. This mill continued to run up to about 1840. Moody Davis and William Dye wer. among the millers, though not owners. Mr. Allen sold the property to Peter Springer, who partly rebuilt it, and did a good business for about fifteen years. There are a few remnants of the old mill left.
There were no mills in Butler County before 1804 of which there is any accurate knowledge. When it was necessary to have eoru ground the hand-mill was resorted to, which in most cases answered the purpose very well. The mortar and pestle were common implements amoug many of the pioneers, especially those who came from the South. The grater was also found in many a house- hold. It was made by perforating a piece of semicircular tin from the concave side, and nailing its edges to a block of wood. The soft corn was rubbed against the rough edges of the holes, while the meal fell through them on a slanting board and down into a bowl or eloth placed there for its reception. The hand-mill was never used a
--
---
472
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
great deal by the early citizens of Fairfield. But it was better than the mortar and pestle.
Some of the water-mills were of that description de- nominated tub-mills. They consisted of a perpendicular shaft, to the lower end of which a horizontal wheel of about four or five feet was attached. The upper end passed through the bed stone and carried the runner after the manner of a trundle-head.
Still-houses were numerous in early times. In 1817 Thomas Hunter owned one of these establishments a quarter of a mile east of Symmes's Coruer, which he car- ried on four or five years. The capacity of this still-house was one barrel per day, or one hundred and twenty-five bushels of corn for the same length of time. Hunter's meal was ground at Alstou's mill; the whisky was hauled to Cincinnati by qx-teams, four or six to a wagon. On Major Millikin's farm, sixty rods from the north-west corner of his place, the Sheeleys built a still-house about 1810, near a spring, which they carried on successfully for eight or ten years. Daniel Millikin had another on the island above Hamilton (which he bought in 1816 or 1817, of the St. Clair heirs), which he opened in 1817 aud eontinned to run up to 1825. The house was a frame building.
There was a similar establishment iu 1825 near the former resideuce of A. P. Miller. This building was a log-house.
STREAMS.
Bank Liek is the largest ereek, in volume, in the town- ship. It flows through the south-west eorner to about the distance of three-quarters of a mile. Pleasant Run is a stream of some size. It takes its head partly in Hamil- ton County; its eurrent is tortuous aud winding; its prin- eipal tributary, Pond Run. Symmes's Run enters the Miami just below Hamilton. Two-Mile Run unites with the Miami at the old site of Bigham's mill. The waters in the region of the "Big Pond" flow southward into Mill Creek and empty into the Ohio. On the head branch of Mill Creek, Isaac K. Davis had a saw-mill exactly on the line dividing Fairfield and Liberty Town- ships, in 1836. There were also two saw-mills in Section 32, oue owned by George Kline, the other by William Hall, both in 1836. At the same time there was a steam-mill on the canal where it crosses the line dividing Sections Nos. 35 and 36, owned by M. Brennan. Many Indian murders were committed on these creeks.
SCHOOLS.
Probably the first educational institution in the north- east corner of the township was a subscription school, about 1820. It was known as the Buckeye school-house, as buckeye logs had something to do with the building. Every thing was patterned after the houses of those days-greased brown paper for window-glass, and clap- board roof, held down by weight-poles. This house stood a quarter of a mile east of Major Millikin's present resi-
1.
dence. Samuel Wiek, son of a Presbyterian elergyman of Pennsylvania, was among the teachers.
In 1807, a log dwelling-house, which stood a quarter of a mile east of Alston's mill, was converted into a school building. The fire-place extended entirely across one end of the house, and accommodated a baek-log eighteen feet in length. Nearly all the baek-stieks were burned off in the middle, and then pushed towards the center of the fire-place for the finishing process. This house disappeared many years ago. Mr. Fag was among the first teachers. He had a way of puuishing the scholars by splitting a stick and then placing the eulprit's ear in the middle to have it pinched. The seholars took delight in fastening the teacher out in those days. This building was supplemented by a frame, which occupied a site a little south-east of the log-house, erected iu 1819 or 1820. This house was used until the present briek took its place, some ten years ago.
Two hundred yards south-east of the Auburn Meth- odist Episcopal Church, a log school-house was erected in 1820, or thereabouts. It was eonsumed by fire in 1825. Joseph Work was an early teacher: also Mr. Aikens. There have been two houses at this place. The first stood near the second, and. was erected about five years before it.
CHURCHES.
The Auburn Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- ized in 1835 or 1836. For the leading members there were Solomon and Rudolph Flenner, brothers; Alexander McDaniel, David Randolph, and their wives. At the time of its organization it belonged to the Westehester eireuit. Before the house was built there were two regular preaching places in the neighborhood. One was at the residenee of Solomou Flenner, the other at Mr. Bullion's, who lived on the Randolph farm, one-fourth of a mile north-west of Flenner's Coruer. The Rev. John Baughman, a man who figured largely in Meth- odism in Butler County, was the first regular preacher. The house, with many changes, is yet standing. It is a briek building, and will comfortably seat three hundred people. The mason was Ezekiel Squires. The land was given for this purpose by John Rudolph aud Solo- mon Flenner, meu who are among the best of all the early settlers. The Suuday-school was organized as many as forty years ago. This Church has now a mem- bership of about forty, although it suspended for some time. It is in a flourishing coudition.
The Fairfield Baptist Church was in operation in 1800, being the earliest church in the towuship, and the next to the earliest iu the county. It was a hewed log-house, capable of seating about two hundred persons, and was placed in the south-west corner of the yard. The land on which the church stood was taken from Moses Lyon's farm and comprised about two arres. Mr. Lyons and James Clawson were among the members half a century ago. The former has been dead these many years.
473
FAIRFIELD.
At one time a division took place in the Church, in common with nearly all other Baptist congregations, which resulted in a New School Baptist Church. This new organization held their services for a good while in the house where John Flenner now lives, but they never built a regular place of worship. After some losses in membership by deaths and removals, another house, a frame, was built ou James Clawson's farm. This resulted in the abandoument of the old hewed log-house except for funeral purposes. Mr. Childers, Wilson Thompson, and Mr. Mott were among the early preachers.
FLENNER'S CORNER.
Fleuner's Corner took its name from John Fleuner, who, about 1850, opened a store at this point, began to deal in graiu, and in other ways increase the importance of' the place. The firm soon became known by the name of Fleuner & Hughes. They were succeeded by Mr. Gardner, who is now at MeGonigle's, having left some ten years ago, but who bought the store of Mr. Hughes, Flenuer having previously sold out to his partner.
Eli Stickle was the first blacksmith in the village, and was here in 1836. He was followed by George Weaver. David Thompsou, Wm. Miller, the latter being in busi- ness during the late war. The house in which these men carried on their trade now belongs to the founder of the village.
Amoug the first landholders in this neighborhood were Moses Line, who, in 1836, owned one hundred and ninety acres in the western half of Section No. 15, upon part of which the Fairfield Baptist Church stood; Henry Line fifty acres in the southern part of the same section. Sarah Randolph, James Davis, and Benjamin F. Ran- dolph each owned over one hundred acres in Section 15, in 1836. Fractional Section No. 15 was owned by John Allen, Beujamin F. Randolph, Vincent Davis, and Nathan Woodruff. These men altogether owned a little over two hundred and nine acres.
Seetion 10, in Liberty Township, was settled by David Flenner, who owned two hundred and sixty acres; Leonard Swingler, who owned eighty acres; Vincent Davis, who owned eighty, and John Smalley, who owned one hundred and sixty acres. These latter three owned the easteru balf of the sectiou. Where the Hamilton and Middletown road crosses the township line, Thomas Clay- tou owned forty acres, north-west corner of Section 9; cust of him was Henry Herr, with one hundred acres, and Sarah Cummings, with one hundred aeres. The middle portion of the same scetion was owned by Will- insta Dye, one hundred and fifty deres; Absalom Cum- mings, fifty acres, and Nathan M. Miller, fifty acres. William Dye, Jolin Line, Levi Moore, Sen., and Levi Moore, Jr., owned the remaining portion of Section 9. These men made up the settlers in the neighborhood of Flenner's Corner in 1836. The Corner is on the county road dividing Fairfield from Liberty Township, which
follows the line from Alleu's old mill on the Miami, with the exception of about a third of a mile, to Davis's steam saw-mill on the head branch of Mill Creek.
Section 29, of Fairfield Township, was set aside as the ministerial section. It was owned in 1836 as follows: M. Brennan, forty acres; Johu Woods, forty acres; O. Moudy, eighty acres; John Derrough, one hundred and sixty-all the western half. The eastern half of the sec- tion was owned by M. Brennan, eighty; John Gilmore, eighty; Aaron L. Schenck, one hundred and sixty acres. The Miami Canal passes through Section No. 29 from west to east.
FAIR PLAY.
A village was laid out about 1850, at Alston's mill, ou the north of the road that leads directly west from Symmes's Corner to the ferry on the Miami, near Isaac Anderson's old residence across the river, in Ross Town- ship. It was known as Fair Play. There are no traces of the village left. There were thirteen lots. At the time Graham's paper-mill was in operation at this point, a store, containing all the knickknacks peculiar to a pioneer people, was carried on successfully. The busi- ness was considerable, but when the mills ceased to run the store failed to prosper.
About the time the paper-mills were in full operation a Methodist Episcopal Church was organized near the proposed village. The exact date of its organization is not precisely knowu, but the best evidence places the time at 1843. There were only a few male members, Joseph Lashorn being the most prominent. It was a branch of the Methodist Church in Hamilton. Five or six years after the society was established, Lashorn re- moved to Hamilton, from which time the Church began to lose its influence. David Brant was also an early male member. Both he and Lashorn are dead. The house, a handsome brick, was built by the members and by the contributions of the neighbors. John Hageman gave about one acre of land for the church site and burial purposes. In 1876 Rev. F. G. Grigsby, a United Brethren clergymau of the Mt. Pleasant circuit, began to preach at this point. A Church was organized, and the building, which was becoming very much dilap- idated, was repaired. The Methodist society has ceased to exist.
Immediately after the Methodists organized a Church at Fair Play, or Black Bottom, a Sunday-school was opened up under the management of Alexander Hunter, who was at that time not a member of the Church. His wife. Naucy, also rendered much valuable assistance. She was a Methodist. Her husband subsequently be- came one, however. There is a good Sabbath-cheol carried on at this point at present, and Church services are held with considerable regularity.
Among the owners of laud near Black Bottom ia 1836 were Michael Hageman, John Hart, Prudence I Cook, William Maxwell, Mary Ann Maxwell, Coruelins
60
-
474
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
Swim, Jane Piatt, James Cornelius, John Spear, the lat- ter three owning the land between the bayou and the river; Thomas Cooper, David Brant, Philip H. Howard, Joseph Grooms, Robert Cooper, and Benjamin Alston.
JONES'S STATION.
.
Jones's Station, on the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Day- ton Railroad, was so called because the land on which the station originally stood was owned by John D. Jones, a large dry-goods merchant of Cincinnati. Immediately after the railroad was built, Thomas Kirk opened and carried on a country store here. He was also the first station-master. On account of some difficulty, in 1861 he removed across the street, where Louis Huber's saloon now is. He continued the store-keeping business at this place for about five years, selling out to Joel House. He was succeeded by his brother, Jacob House, but the store by this time had become more of a saloon than any. thing else. Mr. Bernhardt is the present store-keeper.
For the first school-house, Jones's Station had an old- fashioned frame building, which occupied a site on the ground used at the present time for school purposes. It was there more than fifty years ago. Joseph Walker gave one-fourth of an acre for the school. The house was about twenty-two by thirty feet. It has since been removed, and is now the property of Enoch Chambers, but is occupied as a tenant house.
The second school building was a brick, erected in 1850, or thereabouts, and occupied the same site as the old frame. This house was very nearly the same size as the frame. About nine years ago this building was divided into two rooms, in order to have two teachers, and more thoroughly to advance the village education. It was soon found necessary, however, to build a new house. The present building was therefore erected in 1875, at a cost of $4,500. The accommodations are ex- cellent, and the instruction as good as any in the county.
Mr. Long, a man who was much beloved by the pupils, was, perhaps, the most noted teacher in the old frame. William Mack, a distinguished lawyer and poli- tician of Terre Haute, Indiana, was, in his youth, a scholar in the same building. Many a prosperous farmer and business man and their wives, now of the county, obtained their early education here.
. The Valley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church at Jones's Station was begun about 1840 by ministers of dif- ferent denominations holding meetings in the old school- honse. These meetings continued without any decided improvement until in February, 1866, when a protracted effort was made by the Rev. Daniel Griffis, of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, then assigned to what is now called Port Union circuit. Twenty members were added to the Church at this meeting. These, with others, at once made an effort to erect a church building, which was attended with such success that in September fol. lowing a house was dedicated which cost $1,750.
Two years before this time, under the inspiration of Miss Jennie Cooper (now Mrs. Joseph Mach), a Sunday- school, which proved very prosperous, had been organized.
The large contributors in the building-fund were Enoch Chambers, Thomas Slade, William and Thomas Wall, Jacob Shafer, and others with equally benevolent hearts. The original trustees were Enoch Chambers, S. D. Spell- man, William Whitlock, Thomas Slade, and William Wall.
The ministers who have been assigned to this circuit (Port Union) have been as follows: 1. Levi White, in 1859, for two years, at a salary of $450, assisted by Mr. Keck for one year and by Daniel Griffis for one year; 2. G. W. Fee, for two years, at a salary of 8470, assisted by Will- iam Hartley for one year and D. J. Starr for one year; 3. A. Murphy, for two years, at a salary of 8470 per annum; 4. J. P. Waterhouse, one year, at a salary of $400; 5. A. Bowers, for two years; 6. Rev. Mr. Pierce, R. M. Thompson, H. Lawton, W. B. Jackson, three years, at a salary of $700. Rev. W. H. Black served for three years, at a salary of $800; J. S. Wetherby served for one year, at a salary of $800; J. Pierson, for one year, and the same pay. E. Burdsall met the wants of the Church for three years, at $800 per year.
Doctor R. C. S. Reed says: "The teachers in our common schools who have been most appreciated in the busy long-ago were a Mr. Lake, here in about 1840 for four years; D. B. Coates, who continued for about the same length of time; George Winder, for about five years; S. Land, for about four years. Those here for short terms were E. Chase, S. Chase, D. Rogers, and P. Winder."
The Pleasant View. United Brethren Church was organized in 1850. Isaac and Joseph Morris and others were among the organizers. The house, a brick, was erected in 1857. This society takes its name from the fact that the church occupies one of the handsomest sites in the county. Revs. Eli Huffman and Wm. Nicholas were the first preachers. Among the carly members were Jo- seph K. Morris and wife, Isaac K. Morris and wife, Aaron Lewis and wife, John Nixon and wife, Mary Byers, Thomas Woods, and Daniel Coleman. There are at present standing over forty members. The Sunday- school was organized in 1852, and has since been a means of much good in the community.
The first school-house was built of logs, about 1835. The second house was built in 1851. The third was built in 1870, and stands just across the road from where the others were.
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.