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 56
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Mitelcli Marshall had a large three story still-house, froni 1845 to 1852, one fourth of a mile east of the cen- ter of the village. The capacity of this establishment was fifteen barrels per day. Many hogs werc fattened at this distillery, and many cooper-shops were in active operation ncar at hand. Sylvanus Ochs built the store where Peter Winson now keeps, in 1840. His brother Josiah was a tailor in the same house for six or seven years. Stephen Irwin was also a country merchant in the same building about 1855. Mr. Winsen began as a weaver in Darrtown about 1840.
Dr. Wyman, from New York, introduced the com- mon domestic willow at Darrtown about 1845, five years after his arrival. The growing of willows in this vicin- ity is a leading industry with a number of the people. Dr. Yeaman, from Hamilton, came to Darrtown in 1827, remaining two or three years, and then removed to Craw- fordsville, Indiana. Dr. Wilson, from New England, was here in 1833, and remained five years, removing to Rossville, Indiana. Dr. Cruikshank, from near Cheviot, Ohio, came here about 1832, remained seven or eight years, and sold out to Dr. Mack, who continued to prac- tice here until his death a few years ago.
In the Spring of 1806 the first. school was made up in this part of the township and taught by George How- ard. The house stood a quarter of a mile north-west of the center of the town. It was a log building, with a
large fire-place in oue end, logs eut out for windows, roof covered with clapboards, which were held down by weight-poles. This house lasted and was used for twenty- five years. Among the teachers were John Blackburn, Enoch Morris, and Robert McManus, an Irishman, who was a fine scholar and a gentleman. The Irwin boys, the Kegards, Stouts, Hayneses, Priecs, and Darrs were among the scholars.
The second school-house was a frame, which stood on the public square, erected in 1830, or thereabouts. Abram Darr and Philip Brown were among the first teachers. This building was used for about eight years. For the third school-house the Darrtown people had a frame building which stood near Darr's distillery. The house is now used for a dwelling, near the center of the town. William Hewett and David P. Nelson were two of the first teachers.
The fourth school building, a frame, was erected about 1848, and occupied a site two hundred yards west of the center of the village. This building was used until the present brick was put up, with an Odd Fellows' hall above, but which has been sold to the school directors for school purposes. Richard Chambers and Gardner Darr were among the first teachers. Mr. Cornelius Jones, of St. Charles, is the present teacher. There is an average of seventy scholars.
John Mills built a carding-mill, in 1822, in Darrtown, and continued for five years. He sold out to Alnam Darr, who used the old machinery for grinding his cora for the still-house. The power was supplied by a large tread-wheel, turned by oxen. In 1858 and 1859 a saw- mill and a small grinding department was in operation in the village, owned by Benjamin Hawk and Joseph Keek. The buildings stood where the Lutheran Church now is. The establishment lasted but for eight or nine months.
In early history the settlers went to James Broadber- ry's saw and grist-mill, one mile and a half below. town, erected in 1818, and continued for twenty-five years. Broadberry also had a log still-house, in 1817, which was replaced by a stone building. Wallace and Bryant came from the neighborhood of Colerain, Hamilton County, in 1816, and erected a saw-mill, a grist-mill, and a fulling-mill, all run by undershot wheels, on Four- Mile, now known as Lane's mill. The latter member of the firm was the fuller. Wallace did sawing for eight or ten years; also carried on the grinding department. He sold out to James Smiley. The property now belongs to his son-in-law, W. L. Lane, of Oxford. The present mill is a three story stone building, and was erected about 1850 by William Elliott, who was accidentally killed.
Griffith's mill stood on Four-Mile Creek, where the bottom road from Oxford crosses the stream, in :S15. There was a sawing and grinding department, both of which continued to run for twenty-five years. Half-
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way between Lane's mill and Darrtown, Thomas Cooch built, in 1818, an overshot saw-mill. He had also pre- viously erected an overshot grist-mill, thirty-five feet wheel. Thomas Cooch, Jr., with his father, also had a large distillery. All three of these establishments con- tinued up to 1835, when the mills stopped. The still- house was carried on for five years longer. Pearson Stout had a still-house in 1840, on the farm now occu- pied by Ebenezer Brown, one mile north of Darrtown.
The Darrtown town hall was built in 1826 or 1827, to be used by all religious congregations as a place of worship. Conrad Darr gave the land on which the house stands. Among the leaders in this enterprise were Joseph Haynes, a blacksmith, who lived one mile east of town, in 1814, and perhaps was the first within this part of the township; Jacob Ogle, a man of many excellent parts, and James Walden, who lived, on the farm now owned by Huston Kiger, the latter of whom has a large steam saw-mill. At that time the Baptists were the most prominent. This Church was organized in 1806 at Thomas Cooch's. The first preaching was under a shade in the Summer, and at Cooch's house in the Winter. The first preachers that might be called regular were Stephen Gard and William Tyner. In 1816 the society built a frame meeting-house in the old or present cemetery. This society flourished for a while, and was then broken up. Among the members were Israel De Witt, Thomas Cooch, James Walden, and Mr. Blackburn. When the town hall was built this society sold their church to Abram Lawe, who removed it to Darrtown, and it is now used for a dwelling.
The cemetery was laid out in 1806 by Thomas Cooch and Mr. Markle. The former gave one and the latter half an acre of land. The first interment was that of Harriet, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Cooch, Sep- tember 6, 1806. About the same time the Baptist Church was organized the Methodists began to have preaching in the neighborhood, and some time thereafter built a log church on the Beeler section, at the foot of the western slope of "Chaw Raw" hill. This Church has since become very numerous and respectable, and now worships in a handsome frame building in the vil- lage. There are a number of graves near the site of the old church, but the house has long since disappeared.
The New School Presbyterians organized a Church in Darrtown about 1848. The first preachers came from Oxford. In its most prosperous days, this organization numbered thirty-five members, of whom Stephen Ken- dall, Hiram Darr and wife, Susanne and Sarah Cook were the most prominent. The Rev. B. W. Chidlaw organized the first Sabbath-school in Darrtown, about 1840. Joseph Curtis, of Hamilton, was the first super- intendeat, followed by Gardner Darr, who was also the chief officer of a similar organization, at the same time, at MeGonigle's.
Jericho, four miles north on the Hamilton and Richmond pike. The original place of worship has since been de- stroyed by fire. This resulted in the erection of the church in Darrtown. George Kramer and wife Barbara, old Mr. Knapp and wife, Daniel Shollenberger and wife were among the first and leading persons who gave the Church its present healthy constitution. There are now over sixty members in good standing. A Union Sunday- school is carried on, with alternate meetings at the Meth- odist and the Lutheran Church.
Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 47, was chartered June 10, 1871. The charter members were W. H. Harris, A. J. Morton, W. L. Lane, Joseph and David Keek, R. G. and William Kendall, and George Morton. This society is a branch of the Somerville Lodge. There are Dow thirty-two members. The ball where the society mects was built for a select school, and was owned in shares, which were bought at a small figure from the stockholders. A. J. Norton was the first N. G .; W. H. Harris, the first vice-grand.
Old Mr. Cooley settled in the lower end of Darrtown in 1815. He was from Kentucky ; his family consisted of but himself and wife. The same year he built the stone house now occupied by Mr. Wagonfeed. Conrad Darr, in 1815, began a tanyard, carried on for seventeen years, in the upper end of the village. He was followed by his son Hiram, who continued in the business of his father for nine years, and also carried on boot and shoe making, on a small scale, for fifty years.
Enos Campbell, a soldier of the Revolution from Pennsylvania, came to Darrtown about 1810, and re- mained for ten years. David Rattery, a Scotchman, came to the village in 1825, and left in 1835. Samuel Finch, from Massachusetts, was a settler in Darrtown before 1818; he remained four years.
At an early day two flat-boats were built at Broad- berry's mill on Four-Mile, by Jacob Ogle and the pro- prietor of the milling establishment. When the creek rose, ou account of a freshet, the boats were floated to Hamilton empty, and loaded there for New Orleans.
James Anderson came from Pennsylvania to Darr- town in 1817; built the house now occupied by John Graw, and close by opened a still-house, in 1820. He remained for ten or twelve years, and died afterward in Oxford Township.
SOMERVILLE.
Somerville was laid out by JJacob F. Rowe, October 7, 1831. John and Marsh Williams, from New England, were the first village store-keepers, in a log house in the southern part of the town. John removed to the West. where he died. Marsh, after several years in the village, opened another store half a mile west, where his son Benjamin now lives. The Willianises came to this town- ship in 1803.
Benjamin Fox and Luther Taylor were village store- The Lutheran Church in Darrtown was organized at i keepers after the Williams brothers. Mr. Fox bought
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the saw-inill, and run it for some time. Ford Haff was a store-keeper for ten or twelve years. He also engaged in eutting pork for two seasons. Benjamin Myers, now of Camden, Ohio, was a Somerville store-keeper in 1840, under the old Odd Fellows' hall. He sold out to David Davis, who eut pork and shipped it to Cincinnati on the canal from Hamilton. Davis is now in Louisville, Ken- tucky. Edward Ogle was also a pork merehant, but failed, removing to Illinois. One of the old pork-houses stood on the west side of the old cemetery, and was forty by fifty fcet, one-story and cellar. Ogle and Fox did their paeking in a hewed-log house, built in 1837 or 1838 by Sammel Ellsworth for a pottery. It stood opposite the Methodist Church. At the time the pottery was built Ellsworth was keeping tavern in Somerville.
William Morey, father of Lee and Ellwood Morey, was a hatter in the village in 1827, one door above where Jolin Young's drug-store is. He was followed by others, the last of whom was James Craig. C. H. Newton be- gan as an apprentice in April, 1832, and served four and a half years. He is now the only man living in the corporation who was here in 1832.
The Somerville mill originally stood above the depot, and was an old establishment in 1832-a frame building. It was run by the Joneses, who were Quakers. A saw- mill stood a short distance above, which was torn down about ten years ago. Jones sold to Jacob F. Rowe in 1839, removing to Michigan. John Irwin became the next owner, from Pennsylvania. Since this time there Ifave been a number of owners, among whom were Ben- jamin Fox, William Fox, and James Young. The pres- ent owner is John Muff, who bought the property of the John Antrim estate in 1879.
Solomon White was the first tavern-keeper in Somer- ville ; he was in a frame house opposite the Odd Fellows' hall in 1827. By trade White was a earpenter ; he also carried on a blacksmith shop in the village in 1832.
Jacob Andrews had a tavern in the village in an early day, on the south-east corner of the depot and Main Street. He was followed by David Miller. L. J. Saucer followed Ellsworth, and David Holmes succeeded Sauser.
The Somerville Presbyterian Church is a branch of the Seven-Mile Presbyterian Church at Collinsville, which was organized in 1810. . The first pastor was the Rev. M. G. Wallace, who served the Church from 1810 to 1820. . The Rev. James Hughes then supplied the Church for one year. He was followed by Francis Monfort for ten years. The congregation was then sup- plied for a short time by the Rev. William B. Smith, and in the Fall of 1834 the Rev. Thomas Edgar Hughes became stated supply. The church was erected during the same year. Here the people assembled regularly, still under the control of the Seven-Mile Church. In 1843 the Oxford Presbytery appointed elders for the Church. After the organization the Rev. Mr. Hughes
continued to supply the two Churches until his death in January, 1864. Over two hundred persons quited with the Church during his ministry. In 1864 Rev. James W. McClusky entered upon the pastorate, which con- tinued for eighteen years. In the year 1874 the old house was declared unsafe, and in the month of Decem- ber of the same year a new house, which eost about $5,000, was dedicated free of debt. Iu 1875 seventy-six members were added to the Church register. The ruling elders have been Daniel Carson, Caleb Baker, Jonathan Crowley, Benjamin Bourne, John Beaty, Howard Young. A. P. Young, Jacob Earhart, James R. H. Bernard, William Crume, Mahlon D. Hinsey, and G. F. Cook. Some of these have rested from their labors and entered upon their reward.
For the first school-house Somerville bad a building which stood on the Jacksonburg road, on the bank of Pott's Run, in the field now owned by John Young, five rods from the road. William Mack was one of the early teachers. The second school building stood in town; so also does the third.
In August, 1861, Somerville was overflowed by Seven- Mile, and considerable damage done to property. Stock was scattered and fences were displaced beyond recog- nizance.
Dr. Williams, here in 1825, was the first resident physician in Somerville. He remained about eight years. Dr. Waugh, from Maryland, came here in 1828, and re- mained three years. He married while here. Dr. Adams, a New York unmarried man, was with the peo- ple for four or five years. He went from Somerville, married, to Eastern Ohio. Dr. Mendenhall succeeded Dr. Adams, who was also his pupil. He was a resident. physician at two different periods.
Dr. Easton came here in 1840 from near Cincinnati, and in 1847 went to Evansville, Indiana, where he died. The other physicians have been Dr. Creighton, from Dayton, Ohio, here about five years; Dr. Simpson, Dr. Miller, Dr. Brown, Dr. Cook, and Dr. Carey. Dr. Alexander, from near Camden, practiced here more than a quarter of a century ago, and was the first resident botanical physician in Somerville. Dr. Ferguson was another of the physicians here for three or four years. Dr. Hair was also a citizen at the same time. Dr. Brown was the first physieiau in this section of country. and was here three-quarters of a century ago. His home was in Preble County, two and a half miles north-west of Somerville.
The Free-will Baptist Church was organized in 1835 or 1836. This building was erected with the understand- ing that all religious denominations should use it if desired. Thomas Murray, Cephas Blossom, and Mr. Foreman were the trustees on the part of the Church. John Clark, Dr. Eastman, and Harrison Perham were the trustees on the side of the people. The house was a frame, and stood on the east side of Mound Street,
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a few feet from the first alley. Jacob Rowe and wife Aceded the land-about one-eighth of an aere-for church purposes. Alexander Keller now occupies the house as a dwelling, two and a half miles west of the town. The Rev. Benjamin Skinner was the organizer of the Church, and afterwards served the people for ten or twelve years.
Odd Fellows' Lodge, No. 54, Invincible. was organ- ized in December, 1845. The charter members were John Woodside, Henry Dove, Daniel Boyer, J. West- erman, Jr., William Newton, Miles Minges, and Abran Clark. The first meetings were held in the third story of a house built by Mr. Nye, of Cincinnati, who came here and built a store in 1838. The third story was added by Ford Huff, to whom he sold out. The present membership numbers about forty-five. Huff's room was used for three or four years. A room was then leased of Benjamin Myers and oeeupied for twenty years. The present hall was built in 1850, costing $2,500, and occu- pies the site of the first place of meeting.
In 1832 Jaeob F. Rowe and Benjamin Bourne donated about one aere of land to the Presbyterian Church for burial purposes. The first person buried in it was John, son of Daniel and Anda Perry, who died April 26, 1832; aged nine years, ten months and fourteen days. The leading burying-ground for the early settlers was in Preble County, just over the line.
Iu December, 1875, the Collinsville cemetery was enlarged at a cost of $2,125, for seven acres, after a great deal of vexations bargaining. The same month and year the Somerville ground, four and four-fifths acres, was enlarged at a cost of $970. And in August, 1876, the Darrtowu ground was likewise enlarged by the township buying three aeres at a cost of $1,000.
In 1850, three miles west of Somerville, John Wright, a millwright, who worked for Ezra Bell, erected the mill that is seen standing idle in the southern part of the town, for want of capital and work. The original struct- ure eost $2,200. Six years thereafter the establishment was removed to the village. A small grinding establish- ment was added. Every thing is now in a dilapidated condition. As far back as 1828 Mr. Ronse, of New Jersey, began to tan on Marey's Run of Seven-Mile. He continued for ten years. John Airy opened a tan- yard in Somerville, opposite the present post-office, in 1832 or 1833, which has continued to run with many changes in proprietorship, for forty years. Robert Young had a still-house one mile south on a branch of Seven- Mile, at an early day.
Cornelius Hiusey cawe with his brother William and Archibald Armstrong, from Delaware, in 1802, and en- tered Seetion 9, which was afterward divided among themselves. As early as 1810 the former of these men opened a still-house, which he carried on for twenty years. The distillery was ou Hinsey's branch of Seven- Mile. David Unsicker had a distillery on Section 9 in 1839. On Section 16 Joseph Augspurger had a
whisky-making establishment in 1825, on the farm now owned by John Sloneger. The water was pumped by a big dog, and the corn ground by horse-power. Moses Campbell also had a still-house on Section 16, but it was not very important; it was known as a "family con- eern." Samuel Young had another on Section 10 (which he partly entered) at an early day. Christopher Augs- purger had a similar one in 1824, about three rods from his house. He was followed by his son-in-law, Joseph Kinsinger, who carried on the business extensively. His eorn was ground by cattle.
Somerville was incorporated in 1832. Thomas Mar- tin was the first mayor, and Benjamin Hubbard, now a lawyer of Eaton, seventy-two years old, the first clerk and reeorder. Among the other mayors were Ebenezer Blossom, R. L. Gard, Henry Dove, J. P. Randall, who served four terms, Daniel Peters, W. R. Woodside, Cor- nelius Conaroc, and M. W. DeCamp, the present officer, who has held the office for ten or twelve years. Council meets in the town hall, ereeted in 1863 or 1864, and eost, including the lot, $850. Erastus and Joseph Marey were the contractors.
The following are the postmasters in the township of Milford, since they have been appointed :
Collinsville-Matthew Richardson, March 26, 1826; Andrew P. Young, June 12, 1837; James H. Steele, May 11, 1850; Stephen B. Squire, May 27, 1858; George Hippard, November 30, 1861; Pierson Carl, October 31, 1863; Stephen R. Bonnell, January 17, 1867; Oscar Bischoff, December 22, 1868; James G. Young, February 1, 1869; Daniel MeLain, February 7, 1870; Stephen Morris, July 18, 1870; James E. Young, November 4, 1870; Daniel MeLain, April 11, 1871; Jacob H. Shallenbarger, December 15, 1880.
Darrtown-Abraham F. Darr, January 18, 1825; Sylvanus P. Oaks, April 14, 1836; John McMechan, July 27, 1839; James Shears, June 17, 1853; Philip Stover, June 3, 1854; John MeMechan, November 28, 1854; Benjamin F. Stevens, June 4, 1858; John E. Bagsley, December 31, 1858; James G. Clements, March 4, 1859; Cynthia A. Davis, December 28, 1859 ; John McMechan, June 13, 1860; William B. Kendall, January 24, 1871; James G. Clements, December 19, 1872.
William's Store-John Williams, January 27, 1824; Jeremiah S. Waugh, January 20, 1834. Changed to Somerville, February 28, 1834.
Somerville-Jeremiah S. Wangh, February 28, 1834 Thomas Martin, May 26, 1836; Martin Tolbert, Sep- tember 25, 1839; Renben White, November 11, 1839; John W., Kline, January 25, 1841; Ford Huff, May 11, 1842; William Lange, March 18, 1843; James Cook, March 29, 1855; William Lange, December 16, 1856; Andrew S. Ridenonr, August 28, 1871; John P. Woodside, July 15, 1872; Andrew P. Young, March 14, 1873; Mahlon D. Hinscy, June 21, 1875.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.
Martin Bailor was born in Dauphin County, Penn- sylvania, March 18, 1826, and came to this county with his parents, George and Sophronia Bailor, in May, 1831. He was married November 16, 1880, at Hamilton, to Elizabeth Simmons, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Simmons. She was born in Butler County, February 1. 1832. Her parents were among the early settlers of Milford Township. Mr. Bailor is a retired farmer, own- ing three farms.
Hezekiah Bradbury was born in Butler County, April 22, 1809. His parents came to this county in 1805. The grandfather was from England, settling in New England, in a wild portion. In one of the forays of the Indians all his buildings were burnt. Three of the fam- ily were in the War of 1812 -- James Bradbury, Simon Bradbury, and an uncle, and Dr. Patterson Thayer, his wife's father, died in the army. Hezekiah Bradbury was married on the 22d of April, 1837, to Maria Thayer, daughter of Patterson Thayer, M. D., and Anna Beatty More, who came to this county in 1816. Mrs. Bradbury was born September 13, 1816, in Pennsylvania. They have had five children. John W. Bradbury was born in 1838; Nancy Eleanor Bradbury, July 18, 1841 ; James K. Bradbury, June 4, 1844; Elizabeth Bradbury, June 4, 1844, a twin with the preceding, and Anna M. Brad- bury, April 16, 1851. Elizabeth died February 18, 1863. Each of the children have been given six thou- sand dollars apiece. Mr. Bradbury moved where he now lives in 18-46.
Zebedee Brown was born in Virginia, January 23, 1808, being brought hither in 1811 by his parents, Ber .- jamin and Phebe Brown. Mr. Benjamin Brown settled close to the Fair-Play Mills, then taking a lease on some land at Black Bottom. He stayed there seven years, and then moved ou what is called the Springdale Pike, on the Enoch Chambers farm. On this he lived two years, then buying seventy acres of ground, now owned by Mr. Springer. He died of the cholera in 183:, his wife surviving, and living to the great age of eighty-eight. Zebedee Brown was married to Margaret Vinnedge, daughter of David aud Elizabeth Vinnedge, August 11, 1833. His wife was born in this county April 5, 1815. They had nine children. David V. Brown was born June 23, 1834; Mary Teigue, August 16, 1836; Cath- erine Scott, May 31, 1838; Benjamin Brown, June 22, 1840; Wilkinson Brown, September 9, 1842; William Brown, March 24, 1844; Jeremiah Brown, August 24, 1847; Sarah E. Bradbury, November 24, 1849, and James R. Brown, September . 24, 1856. Upon Mrs. Brown's death he married Rebecca Spivey, daughter of James C. Spivey and Catherine Spivey, who was born ia this county in 1827. She has had two children, Charles and Russell. The former was born Jnouary 29, 1868, and the latter, May 11, 1870. Wilkinson Brown was in the late war. David Vinnedge served in the
Revolution, and Mrs. Rebecca Brown's grandfather, John Walker, was in the battle of Tippecanoe.
James Brown, now a resident and practicing attorney of the city of Mankato, Minnesota, was born in Mil- ford Township, Butler County, Ohio, on the 14th of March, 1821. His parents emigrated from near Belfast, Ireland, to America in 1810, and on their arrival at Cincinnati his father purchased of Martin Baum a quar- ter section of land one mile south of the present village of Collinsville, and in June, 1810, the family settled in their new home, in the midst of an almost unbroken forest. The family, at that time, consisted of the father and mother and their three daughters. His mother's maiden name was Mary McMechan. She had four brothers who came to America. One was the Rev. James MeMechan, of Hamilton, Ohio, the father of Mrs. Jane HI. Corwin and Mrs. Ellen A. Smith. An- other was Col. David McMechan, and the others were John and William MeMechan.
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