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 42
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For the first tavern-keeper the village had Gideon Howe. who began in the house now occupied by Oscar Sehlenk for the same purpose. This house was built in 1830, and Howe continued in it for ten or twelve years. Joseph Beek was also a tavern-keeper in the same build- ing for ten or more years. . Ezra Smith was here in
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1852; William H. Ridenour, in 1853, remaining for ! three years; David Long, Charles Ruffin, and Michael Gavin, the latter in 1872.
The first school-house was a hewed log building, which stood a few feet south of the store of Ridenour & Bake. This building was used for a number of years,- and then sold and removed. Some of the teachers here were Mr. Thompson, 'Squire Howe, who was from the East, also his sister Charlotte, and Mr. Macmean. Among the scholars were J. M. and C. P. Ridenour, J. M. C. Howe, James Long, and his sister Sarah. All these per- sons have since achieved considerable distinction.
The second school-house, a brick building, one story high and twenty-five by thirty fect, stood fifty rods north- east of the first house. Among the prominent teachers here were James Jones, James Welsh, Franklin B. Brookbank, and Charles B. Ruffin.
The third school-house in College Corner was a brick building the same size as the second house, erected in 1855, or thereabouts, and stood twenty-five rods south- east of the second building. The present school-building was erected in 1872, and is a two-story brick costing $3,000.
The post-office was first kept in a frame building south of Ramsey's store, on the site now occupied by a tin-shop. George Widener, the tinner, has been here for fifteen years. . The second post-office was immediately south a few feet of the first. The site is now occupied by a drug- store and town hall, the latter occupying the second story. The building is owned by John Howel, a dealer in real estate, but it was built especially for the purpose for which it is now used. All the other post-office build- ings were owned by the postmaster's.
Before the War of 1812 Samuel Ridenour resided half a mile sonth of the village, where he died in 1850, of erysipelas in the hand, contracted while cutting grain with a sickle in the harvest field. His death was deeply lamented by the entire community.
John Miller, of Rockbridge County, Virginia, settled one mile south of College Corner, on a farmi now occu- pied by George Wilson, in 1806. Tobias Miller, of the same place, came in 1809. Jacob Bake came in 1809, and took up his residence one-half mile below Tobias Miller's. Colonel John Miller, of Virginia, came in 1809, and took up his residence among the people in this section of country.
Joseph Kingrey, who came from Virginia, settled one mile and a half north-east of College Corner in 1809. Samuel and James Huston, of Virginia, setiled between Kingrey's and the Corner at an early day. John Pat- terson settled one mile north of College Corner in 1810. Peter Ridenour settled one and a half miles north-east of the village in 1810. Captain Loug took up his resi- dence in Indiana, one mile west of town, more than seventy years ago. The farm is now owned by Barney Bright, on which Long lived, and which he, no doubt, |
entered some time thereafter. Samuel MeDill and David Bonner took up their homes south of College Corner many years ago. Jonathan Paxton had a still-honse on a branch of Four-mile many years ago. Samuel Ride- nour had a similar eoneern in 1820 at his home. The first saw-mill in this part of the country was owned by Tobias Miller, in 1820. His mill sawed much of the lumber for the Miami University. Miller also carried on tanning extensively. His tannery was built in 1815, and continued to run until 1837. Both the saw-mill and tan-yard were kept going at the same time.
One of the curiosities of pioneer life is found in a hat shop or manufactory, which existed in a very pros- perous manner, in College Corner, soon after it was laid out. Mr. John Tilford was here in 1835 or 1856 in this business, who was from Franklin County, Indiana He remained but about two years. His place of mect- ing his customers was in a little frame house where Charles Cokefair's drug store now is.
John Leach was a tailor in the village in 1837, in a frame building where Ridenour & Bake's store now is .. One of the most distinguished of the early citizens of College Corner was General Ambrose Burnside, who was a tailor here before 1835. General Burnside is rement- bered by some of the oldest citizens as at that time being a very promising young man.
Odd Fellows' Lodge, No. 224, was chartered March 28, 1861. The charter members were Ira Maxwell, A. S. Hall, Finley Egbert, J. E. Tucker, John Tweedy, J. M. Ridenour, Samuel Ridenour, Jun. The first meetings of this society were held in the present place of assem- bly, which is a leased building. The first officers were Ira Maxwell, N. G .; A. S. Hall, V. G .; H. C. Peters, R. S .; T. M. Ridenour, Treas. ; Johu Stephenson, W .; Joseph E. Tucker, Con .; E. Howe, I. G. ; John Tweedy, R. S .; Finley Egbert, L. S. Vice Grand supporters : S. B. McKee, R. S .; Marion Harter, L. S. Some of the leading present members are George Bargelt, who is now and has been secretary for nine years; George Clark. John Campbell, Finley Egbert, J. C. Gilmore, A. S. Hall, M. C. Judkins, F. M. Jackson, Philip Jackson, J. D. Johnson, M. C. Ketder, George Handley, George Mont- gomery, W. H. Shephard, II. Kiger, W. C. Miller, and William Rigsby. At present the membership numbers about forty. J. D. Johnson is the present N. G., and H. Kiger, V. G. In January, 1882, six hundred dollars was stolen from the society safe, the combination of which some persons had previously learned. An effort was made to detect the thief, but it proved unsuccessful.
In the Spring of 1837 the Rev. George M. Beswick, of the Indiaun Conference, organized the M. E. Church at College Corner. Beswick has now been dead these twenty years. This Church was organized at the house of John J. Murphey, in a little log house east of Ramsey's store. Thirteen members constituted the original roll, as follows: John and Desire Murphey, Samueland Barbara Ridenour,
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Brice and Eliza Pureil, Broomfield Boone and wife, Jo- | seph Kitchen, who was a local preacher, and wife, Mrs. Margaret Ridenour, Caleb Shera, and Sarah his wife. Mrs. Barbara Ridenour, Mrs. Boone, Mrs. Kitchen, Mr. and Mrs. Shera are still living. For a few years this point of worship belonged to the Centerville cireuit, but was soon changed to the College Corner and Liberty eir- enit, which name it still retains. The parsonage is located at Liberty.
Among the first preachers were Mr. Hasty, of Indi- ana, who was here in 1837; John Kigers and Landa Havens, both here two years, the former of whom is still living in Indiana; Greenbury R. Beeks, who was with the people for two years, and who is now dead; Mr. Kelso, who traveled with Beeks; Joseph Tarkington, who was here for one year, and who now lives in Greens- burg, Indiana; William Hibben, who died in Indianap- olis one year ago; W. W. Snyder, who was here after 1845, and who stayed for two years, now of South Bend, Indiana; John S. Wingate, another traveling preacher, who was here for three years altogether, and now of Greensburg, Indiana; and Mr. Falkinburg, here in 1855, who was the pastor in charge for two years.
The first place of worship this society had was a frame building, erected in 1838, which cost $800; the sceond house, a brick, was put up in 1855, and ecst $3,500. It stands on the old site.
This society is a branch of the Oxford Methodist Church. The land on which the house stands was given by Samuel Ridenour. The present preacher is the Rev. R. R. Baldwin. The membership numbers about two hundred.
One mile and a half south of College Corner an old log meeting-house, owned by the Methodists, was in use in 1821. This honse stood about nine rods north of the present school building. The second church, a frame building, was erected in 1841. In 1860, on account of deaths and removals, the society divided, part of the members going to Oxford and part to College Corner. The old church is now partly used as a dwelling. Some of the first members of the Bethel Church, the name by which this society was known, were John Brown and wife, both of whom are now dead; old Mr. Dollahan and wife, Wm. Shera and wife Eleanor, Margaret Ride- Hour, Broomfield Boone, and Joseph Kitchen. This church, from the time of its building to the time it was abandoned. belonged to the Oxford circuit.
In 1845, or thereabouts, the Presbyterian Church was organized in College Cerner. Joseph Stewart was a rul- ing elder for a number of years; so also was Josiah Wil- son, who is now dead. Sarah Howe was one of the leading and early members. Professors John W. Scott and Charles Elliott. of Oxford, were instrumental in the organization of this society. When the Church was first formed the professors from Oxford supplied the people with minis- ters. Before the society was organized the Kev. James
Grahami often preaebed to the people. He was a man of considerable ability, and did great good. He belonged to the New School Presbyterians, and was a resident of Oxford. This Church now has about sixty members and a capacity to seat two hundred and fifty people. The Rev. Wilber Chapman, of Lane Seminary, preaches to this people once every fortnight; also at Liberty.
As early as 1840 Samuel Ridenour gave one and a half acres of land for burial purposes, but it was not until 1880 that the heirs of this liberal-minded gentleman deeded the ground to the trustees of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Samuel Ridenour died June 30, 1850. aged 57 years, 9 months and 3 days. He was in every way a man of the highest order, qualified for almost any un- dertaking, and so constituted as to win the eordial esteem and regard of his fellow-man. John M. Ridenour, a son, was at the time of his death a captain in the Twenty-eighth United States Infantry. He was wounded by the explosion of a mine at the battle of Petersburg, Virginia. He was then taken prisoner and held in eap- tivity for three months, and during two months of this time lay in prison at Castle Thunder, dying afterwards from the effects of bad medical treatment. He died November 25, 1869, aged 32 years, 3 months and 23 days. In the cemetery are :
Rev. H. B. Collins, a member of the Southern Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, born May 4, 1829; died September 4, 1864. Mr. Collins was a fine scholar and preacher, and at the time of his death was highly esteemed by all those who had the pleasure of bis ac- quaintance. Robert Howell, died April 24, 1862; aged 62. Jane Howell, died May 28, 1SS1 ; aged 83. Both were natives of England. Dr. Brice Pureil, born December 2, 1795 ; died December 8, 1866. David Montgomery, born June 15, 1809. and died June 12, 1852. Thomas Jones died June 10, 1875; aged 77. William R. Duckett, died December 30, 1866 ; aged 86. Grace, wife of William R. Duckett, died August 25, 1849; aged 71. Tilghman Duckett died April 27. 1873; aged 66. Thompson Wilcox was born September 28, 1791, and died September 25, 1876. Caroline Wilcox, his wife, was born January 3, 1821, and died September 25, 1876.
The Old School Presbyterian burying-ground was given for this purpose by Joseph Harter, a gentleman of many good deeds, but who did not belong to any religions society. He had three wives. We give their lives and his in brief:
Joseph Harter died August 11, 1863, aged 76; Rosannah Harter was born March 2, 1800, and died AApril 21, 1876. Mary Harter died May 3, 1839; aged 32. Catharine Harter died April 27, 1849; aged 30. These other two epitaphs are from the same yard: Calvin B., son of Gideon and Sarah Howe, a member of the Sixty-ninth Ohio Regular Volunteer Infantry, Company B, died March 23, 1862; aged 25. Sarah, wife of Ebenezer Howe, died October 25, 1Se5; aged SS.
Between the time when those lands were offered for sale and the time the location of this township was
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made, two and a half seetions lying on Four-mile had been purchased by individuals. Seetion No. 25 was entered by Colonel Samuel Beeler, and the west halves of Sections Nos. 11, 14 and 24 were purchased by Matthew Hueston. In the Summer of 1803 Colonel Beeler removed to his lands, and made the first improve- ments in what is now the Township of Oxford; and about the same time Colonel Hueston sold off the other halves of the sections which he had purchased in the township to James Adams, Zachariah P. De Witt, Nathan Horner, and Thomas White, who severally made im- provements and settled on them about the same time. In the year 1806 Captain Joel Collins purchased a part of Colonel Beeler's section, and settled on it. Colonel Beeler afterwards removed to Illinois.
The location of this township for college purposes having precluded all further purchases, it consequently remained unsettled, with the exception of the families above mentioned and some few squatters who dwelt along the bottoms of Four-mile Creek; amongst whom were Robert Taylor, called Buffalo Bob, Edward Lytle, Henry Hall, David Lee, John Slack and Mr. Perkins, . and perhaps a few others. At this sale some of the above men became purchasers of the land on which they had settled; others abandoned their improvements and removed farther west.
OXFORD.
The village of Oxford is situated in latitude 39º 34' north, and 7º 38' west longitude from Washington City. It is thirty-seven miles from Cincinnati, one hundred and ten miles from Columbus, and eighty miles east of Indianapolis.
On the 6th day of February, 1810, the Legislature of Ohio passed a law by which the board of trustees of the Miami University were directed to cause the town of Oxford to be laid off on the Miami College lands. In pursuance of the instructions contained in this law, the board of trustees, at their meeting in March following, appointed a committee of their body to make the selec- tion and eause the town to be laid out. This committee proceeded, on the 29th day of March, 1810, to the Mi- ami College lands, and, after a careful examination of the whole township, selected the present site of Oxford for the location of the town, which was laid out on the 10th of the mouth following. The town is one mile square, and when laid out contained one hundred and twenty-eight in or town lots, and forty four-acre out.lots on the south of the iu-lots. In July, 1827, an additional number of lots were laid off, and in November, 1831, a further addition on the east of the former lots and north of the University Square was made.
In the cast part of the town is laid off a plat of ground containing fifty-six acres, which is designated the " Uni- versity Square." It is reserved for the ercetion of build- ings for the use of the institution, to lay ont such gardens, avenues, and promenades. as may be found
necessary and convenient. In the north-east corner of the town plat is also reserved a tract of about forty acres, designed for a botanical garden.
Oxford is situated half a mile west of Four-mile Creek, on an elevated piece of ground abont eighty fect above the level of the channel of the ereck. The lots in the town of Oxford were disposed of by the trustecs of the University at publie sale, in a manner similar to the lands of the township; only with the exception that the purchaser was required to pay the amount of the price bid for the lot, on which being complicd with he receives a lease for ninety-nine years, renewable forever; subject, however, to the payment, annually, of a quit-rent of six per eent on the purchase price of the lot, in the same manner as the other lands of the township.
The first sale of the lots in Oxford was beld at Hamil- ton, on the 22d and 23d days of May, 1810, when the lots then laid out of an uneven number were offered for sale. At this sale eleven in-lots and eight four-aere out- lots were sold, the in-lots at priees from $16.663 to $25.90 each; the four-acre out-lots at the rate of five dollars per acre.
Ou the 28th and 29th of August ensuing a second sale of lots in Oxford was held in Hamilton, when the residue of the lots then laid out were offered for sale. At this sale only three in-lots and three out-lots were sold, at about the same price as the first sales.
During the Summer of 1810 the tall trees which then covered the site of the town began to be cut down, and a few cabins commenced. The first house erected in Oxford was built by Samuel McCullough, on Lot No. 1, being the lot on which Captain Joel Collins's house stood in 1838. It was built of unhewed beech logs, and for several years was the only house of entertainment in the place. It disappeared many years ago. On the lot ad- joining the public square was shortly afterward erected : hewed log house by William McMahan, which was also removed many years since. According to the census of 1830, the population of the village amounted to seven hundred and thirty-seven souls.
Oxford had for her first settlers James M. Dorsey, William Ludlow, John Smith, son ef Jacob Smith of Green County, Moses Crume, James Parker, Seth Bate-, George Davis, Robert Morris, Levi Lee, Stephen Miner, Walter Dickinson, Abrabam Yock, William Alien, Thomas Longley, Benjamin Jones, Aaron Jones, James Ratliff, Elias Farr, Sylvester Lyons, James Beck, aud Philip Wiggins. These men constituted what might be properly called the first settlers. But there were others whose influence was as great. Zachariah De Witt settled here in 1808 or 1810; Colonel Samuel Beeler, Captain West Boney and his son Wales B., coming here about 1816; 'Squire Crawford, a merchant, in 1822, justice of the peace for forty years; 'Squire Sutton, now eighty-oue years of age, for thirty six years a justice of the peace ; Elcazar Hoag. settling on Four-mile in 1810, being a
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school-teacher by profession; Ethan S. Weston, recently deceased, a remarkable man for his age; Thomas Craven, an early Baptist preacher here in 1812; John Mollyneaux, a merchant; Joseph Ward, here in 1822; John Demoss and John Parsons; Elijah Fay and Chris- topher Girton, the latter already mentioned as having a mill on Indian Creek ; Heury Lewis, a merchant ; John Abel,. Deacon White, and Thomas Mccullough, the latter the first white male child born in the township, and others. 'Squire Dorsey was a well-informed early eitizen.
Below is given a letter from Dr. John W. Keely, now of Indianapolis. We publish it in his own language, because it will better illustrate those pioneer times :
"I lived all my life, up to 1836, in the town of Oxford, save the first year and a half. My father, John Keely, a briek and stone mason by trade, was induced by one Merrikin Bond to remove from Cincinnati to Oxford, some time in 1817. My oldest brother, Will- iam, died in his eleventh year, on the 2d of May, 1818, and was the first one that was buried in the old grave- yard, down by the railroad depot.
" Speaking of the grave-yard, reminds me of an in- scription upon the tombstone of Mrs. Phebe Morris, wife of David Morris, a deist. A good many years ago he had a conversation with. the Rev. William H. Raper, who was on the Oxford circuit in 1820 or 1821. Mrs. Morris was then sick, and desired to converse with a minister. Mr. Morris would not agree that Mr. Raper should talk personally with his wife, but agreed that the minister should visit the sick lady and converse with him in her presence in regard to the differences in Chris- tianity and Deism. The conversation was had, and at one point she put in a word as to the reasonableness of Mr. Raper's argument. This threw Morris into a pas- sion, and resulted in breaking off the conversation, and the forbidding Mr. Raper the privilege of administering to the dying woman the consolations of religion. Mrs. Morris, I think, had been persuaded to adopt the prin- cipies of her husband, but in her last sickness had fears, and desired the presence and services of a minister of the Gospel. The following is the inscription I copied from the tombstone years ago, after my conversation with Mr. Raper :
"' 1821-Mrs. Phebe Morris, wife of David Morris, died September 6, in the 23d year of her age. She recognized the doctrine of the infinite perfectibility of the human mind, and believed that to be happy we must be virtuons; and to be virtuons, we must do something to mitigate the woes and increase the happiness of others. To her husband she was most affectionate. To her friends, generous and kind. To her enemies, cold and indifferent. Her greatest desire was the cultivation of her mind. Her principal amusement wa's reading, and her favorite books " Godwin's Political Justice" and "Condorcet's Human Mind." Her fate and untimely death, which occurred September 6, 1521, was brought about by affliction, which was borne to the last moments of her existence with patience and philosophie fortitude, perhaps never excelled.'
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"A man by the name of Kitchen, I think, was a blacksmith in Oxford, and local preacher in the Method- ist Episcopal Church in 1820, or thereabouts. Joseph Shirk was a blacksmith from my earliest recollections. He built a house, a brick building, in which he lived, on the corner of High Street, north of the African Meth- odist. Episcopal Church. Shirk was also a Baptist preacher, a man of sterling integrity and a good citizen.
" Among the early merchants I call to mind Bonney, Chamberlain, and Chittenden. The former was also a kind of dealer in real estate and loaned money by taking the interest in advance. Among the tavern-keepers I only remember Weller, father of John B. Weller, once gov- ernor of California ; also a man by the name of Chauney, from Maryland. His wife was regarded as one of the finest cooks in town. John McGonigle also kept a tay- ern and boarding-house. John Huston was a carpenter and builder, employing a great number of hands. He planned and built what was known as the Mansion House, and was a man of integrity and enterprise. The Mansion House was the principal hotel for many years.
"Of Dr. Bishop I can say nothing but good. If he was not a good man there is no use of looking for good men in this world. The Rev. Henry Little, who died in Madison, Indiana. a few months ago, beeame pastor of the Oxford Presbyterian Church in or about the be- ginning of the year 1830. He had not been there long before a very remarkable awakening took place in the Church and throughout the community. A great many young people professed conversion and united with the Church. The Presbyterians, under the pastorate of Mr. Little, held a camp-meeting in a beautiful grove in the north-west corner of the corporation of the town of Ox- ford, beginning on the first day of September, 1831. It was on Thursday that the first service was held. I have a very pleasant memory of that meeting, the services of which I attended every day, for the reason that it was on the Sabbath, the fourth day of September, 1831, that I was converted down in a big cornfield just north of the eamp-ground. The memory of that time is precious to me, and as fresh as though it had transpired but a week sinee. Of the ministers who assisted in the meeting I ean recall only a few : Mr. Little, Mr. Graves, Dr. Black- burn, of Kentucky, and Dr. Bishop. On the day the niceting closed, as they were singing a farewell bymo, Robert Morris, familiarly known as Robby Morris, who was a member of the New Lights' Church, became very much excited and began to shout quite loudly. Mr. Graves and Dr. Bishop were sitting alnost touching each other. Mr. Graves made some very severe remarks on the disorder, but the doctor touched him with his elbow and said, ' Charity, brother, charity."
"Among the early Universalist preachers of Oxford, in 1832 or 1833, was Jonathan Kidwell, a man of dark- gray eyes and a keen caricaturist.
"My first recollections of Sunday-schools begin with
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about 1824, when I was eight years old. It was a union school, and was held in the south-west corner of the Uni- versity building, over the ground floor. My father, John Keely, was the superintendent of thet school for many years. It was a primitive affair when compared with the schools of the present day. The exercises consisted of reading the Scriptures, singing, recital of verses which had been memorized, and prayers. It often happened that there was not sufficient time to hear all the verses that had been memorized. One girl, I remember, mem- orized nearly the entire New Testament. Her name was Laura Cross. The scholars were rewarded as follows: For ten verses, a plain white Scripture ticket; when ten of these were obtained the scholar was entitled to a pink ticket, and so on.
"The Presbyterians for many years occupied the chapel of the University for church purposes.
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