USA > Ohio > Knox County > A history of Knox county, Ohio, from 1779 to 1862 inclusive > Part 18
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The writer, then a small boy, having heard the circumstances on his way home, stopped in at Judge Banning's and stated what had occurred, when he at once buttoned up his vest and coat, took his cane, went up to David Morton's, where the Bish- op was staying, and tendered the use of the Ban- ning Chapel for Catholic service. The offer was most gratefully and graciously accepted, and the first Catholic discourse ever delivered in this town was pronounced at the Banning Chapel. This, in the eyes of many bigoted and intolerant minds, was a very great sin; but the religion of Grand- father Banning was of that catholic spirit which
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enabled him to do acts of kindness and pour out heart offerings as becometh a true christian. And here we will record that this "bread cast upon the waters returned again after many days" in like spirit.
In February, 1844, Judge Banning was drowned in the dam of the Clinton Mill Company, when attempting to cross upon the ice to his farm, after some infernal fiend had burned up the Norton street bridge. His body was soon recovered and great efforts were made to resuscitate life, but in vain. He was in his 76th year, and remarkably vigorous and robust for one of his age.
The Catholic sect having increased to a consider- able number, and having, by liberality of our citi- zens, erected a neat brick church, Bishop Purcel again visited Mt. Vernon to consecrate it-and most happily referred to the circumstances attend- ing his first visit and the charitable and brotherly kindness of Father Banning, and devoutly offered up his supplications to the throne of mercy in his behalf. The incident was a most affecting one, and the eyes of many were suffused with tears as their supplications were offered up.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
RICHLAND COUNTY DURING HIER TUTELAGE .- DIVIDED INTO TWO TOWNSHIPS .- THE EARLIEST SETTLERS .- VOTERS .- OFFICERS AND MATTERS WORTH RE- MEMBERING.
IN pursuance of our purpose, as expressed on page 26, we devote a few pages of our history to the earliest matters of record on our journals in regard to Richland county. The Commissioners of Knox, on the Sth of June, 1809, declared the entire county of Richland a separate township, which shall be called and known by the name of Madison. At the present time a township of this name exists, and Mansfield, the flourishing county seat of Richland, stands therein. At the election of 1809, that whole region polled but 17 votes, and in the year following there were but 19 votes. The vote in October, 1811, for Representative, stood, Jeremiah R. Munson 14, Wm. Gass 3; Sheriff, Ichabod Nye, 17; Commissioner, John Kerr, 17; Coroner, Dr. Timothy Burr, 17. The Judges of election in 1810 were James Copus, Wm. Gardner, John Foglesong; Clerks, John C. Gilkison, James Cunningham. In 1811, Winn Winship and John C. Gilkison, clerks, certify as to the full vote of Richland. Among the names of these early settlers will be found several with whom our readers were acquainted in the olden time; we give them- Moses Adzet, George Ackley, the Baughmans,
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Jacob and John Coon, Andrew Craig, Thomas Coulter, James Black, Hugh and James Cunning- ham, John Crossen, the Gilkisons, the Gardners, the Hulls, Moses Fountain, the Lewisses, the Mc- Clures, the Murphys, the Newmans, Pearces, Oli- vers, Wm. Lockard, Jacob Shaffer, Joshua Rush, Sam. Martin, the Slaters, Zimmermans, John Wal- lace, Joseph Middleton, James Hedges and Rollin Weldon.
The first Justices of the Peace were Archibald Gardner, elected in May, 1809; Henry McCart, in 1810; George Coffinbery and Peter Kinney, in 1812; James McClure and Andrew Coffinbery, in 1814. The whole return on the tax duplicate, in 1811, was 73 horses, 124 cattle and one stallion, valued at $150, and taxed at $35.
A rib is taken out of the side of Richland on the 7th of January, 1812, as the following entry on the Journal of the Commissioners explains : " Order- ed, that Madison township be divided as follows, to wit : The division line of the township should be one mile cast of the center of the 17th range, in the lower township, and shall be known and desig- nated by the name of Greene." Brief entry that- is it not, for the formation of a township within the lines of which we now find the better part of Ash- land county and some of the best lands in Rich- land. Whether it was named after the Rev. John Green, who had just been licensed to marry, "this deponent saith not," as the books show not, but we presume, as our people were eminently patriotic, that it was named after General Nathaniel Greene, one of the heroes of our revolutionary war. The
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KNOX COUNTY.
Mohican river passes through this township on its way to the Gulf of Mexico via the Walhonding, Mus- kingum, Ohio and Mississippi rivers. In the olden time men did navigate this route, if we are to put implicit confidence in traditions of the dead past. We have a work published several score years ago which asserts that "it is navigable (except being obstructed by dams) most seasons of the year." Beaver dams, it is presumed, or some other dams, usually obstruct. The Judges at the first election were Melzar Tanneyhill, Isaac Pierce, Samuel Lewis, and the clerks Peter Kenny and Thomas Coulter. Melzar Tanneyhill received a $6 county order for listing this township. At the election April 6, 1812, at the house of Abraham Bangh- man, jr., Philip Seymour, Henry Seymour and Martin Rufner, whose adventures with Indians have since been so widely known, were among the voters. John Murphy, Henry Naugh, John Pool, Wm. Slater, John Totten and Ebenezar Rice were other voters. Among the settlers, in 1814, were Josiah L. Hill, Trew Petee, Wm. Brown, John Shehan, Ahira Hill, Asa Brown, Jeremiah Conine, Lewis Crossen, Stephen Vanscoyos, Noah Custard, David Hill, Moses Jones, Silvester Fisher, John Crossen, H. W. Cotton, Lewis Pierce and Adam Crossen. The poll-book for the township of Greene, in the county of Knox, October 13, 1812, " shows 41 voters, but the names of Seymour and Rufner are lacking. The 14th of March, 1812, Knox Com- mon Pleas Court allowed Greene township threc Justices. Perryville was the principal business point, and the Browns W. & A. were the first mer-
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chants, and for many years the leading business men.
On the 10th of April, 1812, a petition of citizens of Richland was presented to the Commissioners of Knox for " a road beginning at the house of James McClure in said county, and run the nearest way to a mill seat belonging to Amoriah Watson; the same be granted, and Jacob Newman, George Coffinbery and Wn. Gass were appointed Viewers, and W. Y. Farquhar Surveyor of the same."
In February, 1813, Thomas Coulter, Wm. Gass and Peter Kinney were elected Associate Judges by the Legislature. Winn Winship, the first Clerk of the Court of Richland county, wrote an excel- lent hand, and was a quick business man. Several of his certificates are on file in our Clerk's office, containing election returns, &c., with a hole cut through a piece of paper showing a wafer, the county having no scal. The entire vote of Rich- land, October 12, 1813, for Representative was : Wm. Gass, 31; Sam. Kratzer, 14.
Mansfield was determined upon as the seat of justice of the county, April 2d, 1809, by Jno. Hecke- welder, John M. Connell and Moses Ross, Com- missioners. Winn Winship was the first Post- master at the town ; and among the early tavern keepers known to our citizens was Capt. Sam. Wil- liams. Jabez Beers was appointed lister of this county in 1812. Until after the war of 1812, there was not much improvement in the county. A very large proportion of the carly settlers were from Knox, and throughout our history the people
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KNOX COUNTY.
have been quite intimate, and lived together upon the most friendly terms.
We have much material that we would like to present; but as the history of our sister county and its affairs do not, from the period to which we have carried this sketch, properly belong to our enter- prise, we close by giving a view of the Mansfield Female Seminary, whereof Rev. C. S. Doolittle, A.M., and J. Lindly, A.M., are Principals ; and inasmuch as the former is a native of Knox, and a son of one of our old teachers, it will not be thought out of place to say that here young ladies can acquire an accomplished education upon very reasonable terms.
WHISSEMONTH, MANSFIELD O.
TVY, CHAMBERLIN, ER . O.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE TOWNSHIPS SEVERED FROM OLD KNOX .- CHESTER, BLOOMFIELD AND FRANKLIN .- THEIR HISTORY UNTIL MORROW WAS CRE- ATED.
THE territory of Knox remained entire, notwith- standing extraordinary efforts had been made time and again to erect new counties, taking a part of her territory, until, at the session of the Legislature in 1848, Morrow was created-taking from Knox Chester, Franklin and Bloomfield townships.
Chester Township, the oldest of the three, was laid off by order of the Commissioners at their session April 10th, 1812. The first election was held at the house of Wm. Johnson, on the 25th of that month. The Judges of election this year were Joseph Duncan, Henry George, Evan Holt; Clerks, Win. Johnson and Samuel Johnson. Rufus Dodd, first lister of taxable property, received a $3 county order for his services this year. In addition to the above-named, we find other early settlers to have been Ensley Johnson, John Walker, David Miller, John Parcels, Enos Miles, Robert Dalrymple, Isaac Norton, James and George Irwin, Joseph Howard, Bartlet Norton, and Daniel Kimbel. Moses Mor- ris, Henry George and a few other Welch families, were among the number of the best citizens of this township, and many of their countrymen located
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around them. The greater part of the original families were from New Jersey.
In 1813, at the October election, there were fifteen voters; among them were Joseph, William and Uriah Denman, Sam'l Shaw and Chism May. The vote stood, for Representative, Gass 15; Com- missioner, Peter Wolf 9 ; Sheriff, John Hawn, Jr. 13, Wm. Mitchel 2.
The forks of Owl Creek passing through this township afford several good mill-seats a durable power, and furnish the people with facilities for getting breadstuffs at their own doors. Their lands are generally rolling and very productive. The citizens have ever been distinguished for industry and thrifty management. In 1830, the population was 778 ; in 1840, it was 1,297 ; and in 1850, 1,620.
Chesterville, the post-office and business point, was laid out by Enos Miles, deputy surveyor, -. For many years the post-office went by the name of Miles's x Roads, and the good tavernkeeper's name seemed for a long time likely to absorb the other. It was on the main thoroughfare from Mt. Vernon to Mt. Gilead, and on the old State road from Johnstown to Paris and New Haven; distant from Mt. Vernon 14 miles, from Fredericktown S, from Mt. Gilead 10, from Johnstown 23, and 30 from Paris. In 1830, it contained 250 inhabitants, 40 dwellings, 5 stores, 1 tavern, 1 flour-mill, 1 saw- mill, 1 tannery, 1 church, and several mechanic shops. This village has ever been distinguished for the attention paid to schools, churches, etc., and the general morality of its citizens ; of whom we may name the Shurs, the Bartletts, and Hance,
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HISTORY OF
who have been heavily engaged in merchandise and trade, Abram King, Dr. Richard E. Lord, Dan. Miles and Judge Kinsel.
Evan Holt, as a revolutionary soldier, served six years ; was a native of Chester, Pa., emigrated to this county in 1808, and lived for 39 years on land received for his services. He also was a pensioner until his death, in his SAth year, leaving a large family married and settled around him. Evan, Jr. was a great fighter-possessed of bone, muscle and pluck ; he fought in Morris township, about 35 years ago, a fist fight with John Magoogin, where he displayed uncommon skill. They had a difficulty at a camp-meeting over the creek, on James Smith's farm, and then made up this fight, to come off at the first big muster at the Cross Roads, by Wm. Mitchell's. A great crowd wit- nessed it. Magoogin was a stont and brisk man of much courage ; he died a soldier in the Mexican war. The fight was conducted fairly, and Magoo- gin carried the palm.
The Dalrymple family is one of the most re- spected, of whom Charles has long been a good jus- tice of the township.
The poll-book of Chester in April, 1821, con- cludes as follows :- " We certify that John Stilley had 26 votes for Justice, Wm. W. Evans 26. De- cided by draught in favor of John Stilley. John De Witt, John Beebee, Jas. McCracken, Judges ; Enos Miles, Jas. F. Clapp, Clerks. We therefore do certify that John Stilley from Arrangements was duly elected a justice of the peace for Chester township, this 1st Monday, April, A. D. 1824."
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KNOX COUNTY.
SUCCESSIVE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1812. Wm. Johnson.
1833. Enos Miles.
1817. Rufus Dodd.
1836.
Joseph Denman.
1839.
1819. W. Van Buskirk.
1836. Byram Beers.
1822.
1839.
1842. 66
1820. Enos Miles. Daniel Beers.
1845.
1823. 66
1835. Henry De Witt.
1824. John Stilley.
1838.
1842. P. B. Ayres.
1829.
66
1845.
66
1832.
1843. Thomas Peterson.
1827. Moses Powell.
1846. Davis Miles.
1830.
1844. Charles Dalrymple.
1833. 66 66
1847.
Franklin, the most extreme township in the north-west corner of "old Knox," before she was shorn of her fair proportions by the erection of Morrow, was first known December 3d, 1823, by being created and named after the philosopher, statesman and printer, Benjamin Franklin. The first election came off on the first Monday of April, 1823, at the house of Thomas Axtell. The princi- pal place of business is Pulaskiville.
Jamestown was many years ago a famous busi- ness place, projected by Allen Kelly, Esq., who emigrated from Northumberland county, Pa., at a very early day, and has ever been a prominent stock raiser and farmer. David Peoples, David Shaw, Wm. T. Campbell, Washington Strong, the Petersons, Hickmans, Blairs and Van Buskirks were among the early settlers. Of these Abraham Blair, of Perth Amboy, N. J., settled in 1811 upon the farm on which he died, in his 90th year, on the
19
1826. John Beebee.
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HISTORY OF
2d of October, 1846. He served as a minute man during the Revolutionary War, and participated in the battles of Trenton and Monmouth. . He was a good citizen, and much respected. Pasiones
David Shaw served his fellow-citizens over twenty-one years as a Justice of the Peace, and was also Commissioner of the County nine years. He was a very clever, quaint old gentleman, whose name is ever associated with Franklin township affairs.
Colonel Strong was noted as a military charac- ter, and a democrat. His patriotic party ardor sus- tained him in walking all the way from home to the State Conventions at Columbus, and back again. And speaking of democracy reminds us of the zeal of Joshua Bickford, who, for many years. was one of the shining lights of Franklin. One little incident is worthy of note. He was selected once upon a time as Chairman of a County Con- vention, and among other business was the appoint- ment of delegates to a district convention to be held at Johnstown to nominate a candidate for Congress. One of the legal gentlemen of the party arose, and moved the appointment of a committee to select delegates to the Congressional Convention, &c. President Bickford put the question-" Gentlemen, all you in favor of the motion just made about del- cgates to the Congregational Convention will say aye." The gentleman who made the motion sprang to his feet somewhat excited, exclaiming, "The Congressional Convention," I said. " Exactly," said the President ; "You've heard the motion, Gentlemen : the Congregational Convention I said,
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and I say it again, and I know what Mr. M- said, and what we all want-we want democrats to congregate at Johnstown, and it is a Congregational Convention." Joshua was in earnest in whatever he undertook, and seconded by the efforts of Lieut. Bernard Fields usually carried his points. He was noted as tavern-keeper, merchant and horse-trader, and was always " bobbing around."
In addition to the prominent citizens enumerated as having held official positions, we may mention the Swingleys, from Hagerstown, Md., Sam. Liv- ingston, Henry Weatherby, Anson Prouty, Wm. Faris, Wm. Gordon, Benjamin Corwin, Alex. Wil- son, Jonathan Olin, Wm. Lavering, Caleb Barton, H. P. Eldrige, C. Sapp, Wm. Linn, B. O. Pitman, David Ewers, Ebenezer Hartwell, B. and E. Lyon, Ben. Hathaway and Thomas Morrison.
In 1830, Franklin had over 16,000 acres of land upon the tax list, and the census then showed only 800 inhabitants. In 1840, the inhabitants num- bered 1,313, and in 1850, 1,456.
Upon the organization of this township, Wm. Van Buskirk, a Justice of the Peace within the territory, who had been re-elected in 1822, contin- ued the functions until again elected in 1824. In 1821, John Truax was elected. In 1827, David Shaw was elected, and subsequently re-elected over and over again; and when the township was car- ried into Morrow county, it took the old Justice along to keep it straight. H. W. Strong was elected in 1834, and re-elected in 1837. Wm. Van Bus- kirk was elected in 1840, re-elected in 1843, and
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HISTORY OF
again in 1846; and during his term of service the connection with Knox was severed.
Bloomfield Township was created June 23d, 1817, and received its name in this wise : Several of the settlers were at the house of Sheldon Clark early in the Spring, talking about the new township, when John Blinn called attention to the coming of flowers upon the beautiful mound that they stood upon, and suggested that, as the field was in bloom, it should be called Bloomfield, which was accordingly done.
Benjamin H. Taylor was the first lister of prop- erty for taxation and made his return June, 1818, receiving an order for $5 for his services.
The family of Artemas Swetland emigrated to this State in 1808, and in 1812 located in this part of the county, where their name has ever since existed.
The next earliest settlers were the Clarks, Walker Lyon, Preston Hubbell, Seth Nash, John Helt, Wm. Ayres, John Blinn, Dr. Bliss, Samuel Whit -- ney, Lucius French, Stephen Marvin, Samuel Mead, Lemuel Potter-allindustriousand substantial men. The Clarks-Roswell, Sheldon and Marshal, were sons of Daniel Clark, of New Haven co., Ct. Lyon, Hubbell, Nash, Whitney, French, Marvin and Mead, were also from that county. Helt and Ayres were from Washington co., Pa.
The first post office established was called Clark's Roads, at the intersection of the road from Johnstown to New Haven with the road from Mt. Vernon to Delaware-a central point-being 13 miles from Berkshire, Mt. Vernon, Chesterville
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KNOX COUNTY.
and Johnstown. The post office was subsequently styled Bloomfield.
The next was Sparta, upon the old State road from Mansfield via Frederick to Sunbury and Co- lumbus. It is considerable of a trading point. From 1810 to 1850 much mechanical and manu- facturing was carried on. Benjamin Chase erected quite a large woolen manufactory and ran it for several years ; upon his death the works stopped. Charles Osborne was the last at the business ; he moved to Mt. Gilead and has since gone west, some- where. Elisha Cook now operates a steam saw and grist mill in the old factory buildings.
In 1817 there were only 16 voters. In 1840, the population had increased to 1,252; and in 1850, 1,395.
Of the first settlers Sheldon and Roswell Clark, Walker Lyon, Stephen Marvin, Samuel Mead, A. W. and Giles and F. M. Swetland are yet living.
Roswell Clark came to the country in 1816, with his wife. They have had three children-Daniel, now in Xenia ; Eliza married John Barr, in Bloom- field ; Rev. Wesley died at West Liberty, two years ago, aged 46 years. He was a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a man of much worth ; his widow and children live in Bloomfield. Sheldon Clark was married when he emigrated, in 1819, and has two daughters-Victorine P., mar- ried Floyd Sears ; and Rebecca Jane, C. B. Jack- son. Preston Hubbell is dead, and his three chil- dren are in the west. Lucius French is dead ; his son, Andrew, and daughter, Emeline, live in Bloom- field.
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John Helt survives with two children-Casper, a son, in Bloomfield ; and Lafayette, a soldier in the army. Wm. Ayres is dead, and left no chil- dren. Walker Lyon, in his 73d year, is in Bloom- field with his son, Smith. He has two daughters living-Harriet, wife of Rowland Rogers; and Sally Jane, wife of James Howe, of Fredericktown. Samuel Whitney died leaving two children- Wheeler, in Bloomfield ; and Samuel, near Berk- shire. Seth Nash is dead, and his children, three in number, are in the west. Artemas Swetland is dead ; his three boys-Augustus W., Fuller M., and Seth, and his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Shurr, are living. Lemuel Potter moved into Bloomfield in 1819 from southern Ohio ; he is dead, and left eight children-Cassandra lives in Bloomfield, Lemuel, jr., in Urbana, and two of the boys are doctors in Wayne.
Among the early items of this township was the separation of a man and wife, by public notice given, as follows : "By mutual consent James C. and Rebecca Wilson, of Bloomfield township, Knox county, have this day (Oct. 21st) agreed to dissolve as being man and wife."
Stephen Marvin is living. He had three chil- dren ; two survive-Charlotte, widow of Wesley Clark ; and Eliza, wife of Dr. Page.
The first brick house in this township was built in 1823, by Roswell Clark, a two story building in which he has so long resided. The first frame house was the two story frame in which Sheldon Clark resides, built in 1828. Prior to these houses they, like other settlers, lived in log cabins. The
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KNOX COUNTY.
Clarks burnt the first lime in this township on log- heaps. The price then was fifty cents per bushel unslacked-just double the present rate. Since that they have burnt many kilns, and made their support and fortunes. For many years they fur- nished the greater part of the lime used at Mount Vernon for building and other purposes.
Among the objects of sympathy, at an early day, was Samuel Collinfare, a poor little hunchback and ricketed spinner, who traveled from house to house and spun for the citizens. He was a native of the Isle of Man, and made his first appearance about 1819. The dwarf never would work for wages, but for clothes and food-was good society-well in- formed, and ever cheerfully greeted where he called. 7A few years since E. W. Cotton, obeying the prompting of a generous heart, erected a monument in the burying ground to mark the spot where his mortal remains were laid.
The first church in this township was the Metho- dist Episcopal, at Bloomfield, on Clark street, as it is called ; it was erected in 1839. The next Metho- dist Episcopal Church was built at Sparta in 1846.
In 1816 the Christian Church was put up in Sparta. These churches are frame buildings. The first preacher in the township was Thomas Kerr, Methodist. A good man-long since departed. About 1817 Rev. - Cooper, Methodist, officiated in the township ; he is also dead. They were both local preachers.
The Rev. - Britton, about 1817, preached the Christian or Campbelite doctrine. Rev. James Smith, about the same time, was a voice crying
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HISTORY OF
aloud in this wilderness the same gospel truths. They also have passed hence.
In 1850 the Wesleyan Methodists erected a small church about one and a half miles west of Sparta, at which the noted Edward Smith preached until he died at Harmony in 1859; his body was inter- red in the Bloomfield burying ground. The present preachers are John T. Kellum and Wm. Conant, Methodist Episcopal ; Rev. - Bainam, Wes- leyan Methodist. The last Christian minister was the Rev. J. W. Marvin.
The Rev. - Cleaver, a Cumberland Presby- terian minister of Bellville, occasionally holds forth in this township.
The first white person to die in Bloomfield town- ship was Marshal Clark, brother of Sheldon and Roswell, who died in 1816.
Bloomfield deserves more than a passing notice for the respect shown to the dead. The cemetery is a sacred spot-neat and tastily kept. It is one mile north of Clark street, and contains many neat and costly monuments.
The trustees of the township have, from its first selection, had its keeping in charge, and they de- serve credit for its management.
The first store in this township was kept by ----- Carpenter. The second by Dr. A. W. Swetland, who is yet in business at Sparta.
The other parties selling goods at Sparta are Chase & Co., the brothers Wm., John & E. Byron, L. Swetland, and Antipas Dexter; and a stock of goods is kept at Bloomfield by Mann Lyon.
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KNOX COUNTY.
Among the residents of Bloomfield are the Con- ways. Widow Charlotte Conway, who died in 1859, moved from Fauquier co., Va., with her sons Joseph, Wm. and John. Joseph married a daugh- ter of Wm. Sanford in 1842; Wm. lives near Mt. Liberty, and John in Knox co., Missouri. The Manvilles, the Barrs, the Sanfords, Lovelands, Shel- dons, Burkholders, Searses, Ashleys, Craigs, Throck- mortons and Higginses, are also among the well known names.
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