USA > Ohio > Adams County > Caldwell's illustrated historical atlas of Adams County, Ohio. 1797-1880 > Part 25
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Mr. Naylor is not at present actively engaged in the practice of his profession, but is acting as deputy Auditor of the county, with the intention of resuming his profession of law at an early day.
Ile was married, June Ist, 1875, to Miss Nannie Irene Cory- ell, secoud daughter of Judge J. L. Coryell, of West Union.
MARK O'NEIL-MANCHESTER.
Mark O'Niel was born at Maysville, Kentucky, May 14th, 1856; moved from there in 1864, two miles north of Manchester, where his father now resides. In 1874, he left his home and was absent three years, during which time he was at Lock burn, Frank- lin county, Ohio, where he was principally oducated. In the lat- ter part of 1876, he returned to his home, near Manchoster, where he has since resided.
May 26th, 1877, hic commeneed the study of law with William Anderson, of said village, and was admitted to the bar Sept. 26th, 1877.
G. W. PETTIT,
Was born April 5th, 1846, in the village of Dunkinsville, ro- ceived his education mainly in the common schools, and as soon us olI enough, commouced teaching; with a widowed mother to support, he had no small difficulties to overcome.
Ilo devoted his spare hours to the study of law, and was, in September, 1877, admitted to tho bar by the District Court at West Union, at its September term. In April, 1879, ho moved to West Unlon and entered npon the practice, Hon. J. T. Mullen kindly giving him tho privilege of his law library. Mr. P. tricil his first case nt tho May term, 1879.
J. W. SHINN,
Was born in Jacksonville, Adatns county, January 27th, 1815. He was tho sixth in a family of eight childron. Ifls father died when Mr. Shinn was but six years old. Ile was placed in tho family of Judge Henry Oursler, with whom he lived until he wat- twenty-four years old, in which time ho had received a pret-
ty good oducation, having uttonded the Miami University at Ox- ford, and the Ohio University at Athens.
Having attained his years of majority, he was, In 1868, elected county Clerk, and was re-elected to the same office in 1871. While serving in the Clerk's office, ho devoted all his sparo time to the study of tho law, and was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Adams county, at its September term, 1874, sinee which time he lias devoted most of his attentoin to the practice of his choson profession.
At the April election of 1880, he was. elected Mayor of West Union, which place he now occupies.
He married Sarah E., daughter of Samnel M. Wright, March 8th, 1870, who died November 18th, 1871.
He married for a second wife, Laura Swearingen, September 15th, 1874.
.
HENRY SCOTT.
IIenry Scott was boru in Greeno township, Adams county, March 6th, 1838. Ho is the second in a family of fivo children, of John and Susannah Scott. He received his first education in the common schools of the country, then for awhile attended the North Liberty Academy, and afterwards, the West Union High School, under tho care of Professor Williams.
IIe romoved to Jefferson township, where at the age of twenty-one, he commenced teaching, which he followod some years. In 1863, he was elected Justice of the Peace for that town- ship, to which office ho was ro-elected three terms, but before the expiration of his last torm, he was elceted County Treasurer, which office he held two terms. In the mean time, he devoted all his spare hours, during these years, to the study of the law, and was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Adams county, at its Soptember term, 1878. Soon after this he entered into a co- partnership with F. D. Bayless, in the practice of the law-in West Uuion.
March 24th 1861, he married Harriett Shively, daughter of James and Mary Shively.
D. W. THOMAS.
The subject of this sketch in 1860, commeneed the study of the law with tho late Col. J. R. Cockerill, of West Union. He enlisted in the army in 1861, which intorrupted his studies but after his return from the war, in 1864, he resumed them, and on the 1st day of October, 1864, was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Brown county, Ohio. Ho located in West Un- ion, and since then has been continually engaged in the practice of his profession.
LUTHER THOMPSON,
Was born near Dunkinsville. Adams county, Ohio, Decem- ber 10th, 1868. lle received his education mostly at the National Normal School. of Lebanon, graduating there in the Scientific class of 187I. Read law with F. D. Bayless, of West Union, and was, on tho 24th day of April, 1873, at Portsmouth, Ohio, ad- mitted to the bar ; has ever since followed the profession of law, and is now the senior member of the firm of Thompson & Evans.
JACOB MAMAN WELLS,
Was born in Clermont county, Ohio, June 8th, 1821. He had as good opportunity of an education as the schools of this section, at that early day, afforded. 'These opportunities, he improved ; commenced teaching in 184I, which profession he followed ten years, in the meantime diligently employing his leisure hours m the study of the law, under E. P. Evans, of West Union. lle was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Pike county, Ohio, November, 1854, and immediately commenced the practice of the profession. Ardent and fearless in the advocacy of what he con- 'ceives to be right, he immediately obtained a large practice, which he has retained to the present time. There has not been a case of homicide in Adams county, that he has not been employed ou one side or the other.
Ile is a firm and consistent Republican, from conscientious convictions of duty. As a husband and father he is kind and in- dulgent to a fault. 1Ie has been twice married. By his tirst mar- riage he had seven children. lle is now in his titty-ninth year, and in the full possession of his physical and mental powers.
CHAPTER XXV. THE MOUND BUILDERS.
Far back in the dim ages of the past, this land teemed with a busy population, and Adams county was adorned with beantitul tiolds that were covered with luxuriant crops of golden grain, that 'supplied the inhabitants with .an umple sustenance. Their dwellings dotted tho valleys or nestled neur tho ruvines that ent gaps into the hdls, through which flowed strenins of pure crystal water, that subserved the uses and ministered to the comforts of the people. Happy children with gleeful mirth, gamboled in the bright sunshine over the fields or through the groves, or per- chance climbed the steeps to gather tho wild flowers that 80 en-
ticingly, looked ont from their quiet abodes. Domestic animals lazily grazed the rich pastures, or lelsurely climbed tho slopes to browso the herbage there. We can gladly hope that In theso early days, which reached back almost to creation's morn, when the oarth was new and bright, that man was not yet stained with crime, nor his hands dyed in the blood of his fellow man, but cach could sit under his own fig tree, with none to molest or or make him afraid. There Is reason to believe that their days were happily and pleasantly spent in the peaceful ocenpation of providing for their wants, and in offering sacrifices and supplica- catious to their deities. Age on age circled away over this happy and contented people, but a chango was to come it last. Dire calamities of some kind, at length overwhelmed the the land, and the people who had occupied It so long, were de- stroyed, but whether by pestilonce, famine, or whether exter- minated or driven from it, by some eruel and savage enemy, is not kuown. It is probable that the latter was the case, that the inhabitants atter offering all the resistance in their power, were compolled to give way to the superior ferce of a relontless foe, aud as they retiro before the invaders, the fleeing exiles doubt- lessly east many longing, sorrowing looks behind upon the homes they were forced to leave, and the land they were to see no more.
The conquerors, whoever they may have been, seem not to have occupied or improved the country they had wrested from its occupants, but loft it to relapse into wilderness again. Cen- turies havo since rollod their courses over these Elysian fields, which havo long ago, again been covered with donse forest», while not a traco or vestige of their habitations remain-all have disappeared before the great destroyer-Time.
This people havo left no trace of their history, except what can be gathered from the remains of their works, that have sur- vived the wrock of timo; and even these memorials of departed nations are fast being obliterated by the ruthless hands of those who have finally succeeded to the heritage of the vanished races. These successors who boast of thoir refinemont, high civilization and christianity, not satisfied with the vandal destruction of the works left by these pre-historie poople, have, with sacriligions hands, invaded the quiet sanetuarios of the dead, and with the plowshare, remorselessly exhumed the remains of the silent sloep- er's beneath the soil. Many of the burial grounds of the sleeping dead have been converted into fields, where acres are to-day, lit- erally covered with fragments of human bone, that lie bleaching upon the surface, and which fertilize the soil and cause it to bring forth larger crops, to fill the coffers of the living. O, shamo! where is thy blush !
llad we the space we would give a more full account.
MOUND BUILDERS' WORKS.
Although generation after generation of the Mound Builders here lived and flourished, and peradventure reached the acme of their glory, then passed through age after age of de- cadence and decrepitude, into the receptacle of things lost upou carth, without transmitting to us of these latter days anything that can properly be called history ; and though no record of their exploits has como down to ns through the intervening cen- turies, yet their still enduring works furnish the laborious stn- dent some indications, even though they be slight, of the pccul- iarities and characteristics of their builders, and afford us some data as to the probable history they made during the unknown, perchance barren, uneventful cycles of their long career as a na- tion or race. As the history of the Mound Builders is as yet an unwritten one, it is a matter of gratulation that so many way- marks and traces of them yet remain. By the aid of their still remaining works we are able to gather much of their manners, habits and customs, their general characteristics, their mode of life. the extent of their knowledge of the arts, their husbandry, their state of civilization, their religion and its rites.
Mounds, enclosures and other works of these pre-historie peo- ple were built for various specific purposes differing from cach other somewhat necording to the uses for which they were de- signed.
AN ANCIENT WORK.
On the farm of Samuel McClung, in the northern part of Tiffin township, Adams county, O, is a circular enclosure of about thirty acres, that is undoubtedly a work of the Mound Builders. It is almost, if not quite, an exact circle, and bears ev- idence of great antiquity. Mink or Town run passes nearly cen- trally through it from west to enst. This stream is somewhat rocky or stony, and the embankients of the work, which extend at right angles with tho ravino aro to a considerable distance on either side of the run, tilled with stone promiscuonsly .interming- led with earth. Some of these rocks are us heavy as two men can enrry, and were doubtless transported 'by hand from the creek to the place thoy occupy in the walls, until the distance be- came greater than the workmen liked to carry them in this inan- ner, after which tho embankment appears to have been inde mainly of earth, with a few scattering stones, such as were, per- haps, gathered along the lino of the works thrown up.
Those portions of the wall in which stone is feely used, are much better preserved than the parts built of earth. Although full grown forest trees now cover the former, the embankment
50
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO.
yet remains two or three feet above the original surface of the ground, while those portions constructed of earth, are in somo places scarcely traceable. These embankments were, doubtless originally, of considerable height, but tho wear of time during the unnumbered centuries that have passed by since they were Unilt, has nearly obliterate.i them. They bear unmistakable evi- denco of great antiquity.
The only gateway or entrance to this work that we discov- ered, was on the west side, where the creek enters the enclosure. The walls on either sido of tho stream, instead of terminating abruptly as they approach it, nro, as it were, bent round to tho outside in a circle, till they reach the embankment behind, mak- ing the ends of the walls at the gateway, terminate in a circular nub turned outward. Theso circles are 40 or 45 fect in diameter. The gateway is over 100 paces in width. On the outside of this work, some twenty rods cast of it, are five or six small low monuds, one of which has been examined by Mr. MeClung to the depth of four or five feet, but nothing was found.
luside of the enclosure, not far from its eastern wall, is a small mound, that before the land was cleared, was some six feet high, and twenty or thirty feet in diameter at the base. This is in a field belonging to Mr. Treber, that ents off a segment of the cirele, containing about two acres. It is now nearly leveled by the plow. By digging into it Mr. McClung found charcoal and ashes, and a part of a broken pot of earthenware, but he has suf- fered them to be lost.
CHAPTER XXV1.
SPRIGG TOWNSHIP.
This was one of the original towuships, as reorganized by the Commissioners at their December session, in 1806.
Its boundaries extend from the Southeast corner of IInnting- ton township (now in Brown county), on the Ohio river; thenee up the river to the month of Island Creek ; thence northi, so far that an east and west line will strike the line of Thomas Ilill's land; thenee west so far that a south line will strike the begin- ning. This included all of Manchester and Liberty townships.
The election was ordered to be held at the house of Seth Foster.
THE SURFACE
Of this townshtp is diversified, consisting of hills and valleys, with the farm productions common to the southern portion of the county.
FIRST SETTLERS.
It is difficult to ascertain with certainty, when the first set- lers cane. It is probable that the first to settle in the township were three brothers, named George, Joseph and Isaac Edgington and William Leedom, a son-in-law of George Edgington. These parties located near where Bentonvillo now stands, not far from 1795. Not far from the same time, but perhaps the next year-1796, a settlement was made on what is known as " Dutch Run, " by a company of Germans who came in a colony and set- tled some three miles southwest of the present village of Beuton- ville, on the run that now bears the above name. The names of these colonists were John Bryan, Peter Pence, John Pence and Iwo lads named William and Georgn Pence, Michael Roush, Phil- . Housh and and George Cook.
Samuel Starrett came and bought land in 1796. In 1804 he 'led on the farm now owned by his son, John Starrett. In $00, Daniel Henderson, Peter Conner and William Robinson, located about a mile and a half south of the Starrett farm.
Among the other early settlers, were John McColm, in the sontheast part of the township. Van S. Brady, Joseph Beam and l'eter Conner, who came abont 1801, and settled near Bradysville. Robert Simpson, who settled on the farm now owned by his grandsons, Will and John Simpson, on the Manchester pike. Sammel Swearingen came about the same time and settled ad- joining Simpson.
EARLY' SCHOOLS.
It is diffienit to obtain any definite account of the first schools in this township-one of the first, perhaps the first, was known as the Buckeye School House, about two miles southeast of Benton- ville. tt stood on the line dividing the farms now owned by Har- rison Pence and Joseph Lytle. It was also used as a place for re- ligions meeting. An Irishman named Conn, was the first teacher.
Another carly school honse known as the Jennings School llonse, was on the farm now owned by Cyrus Ellis, and stood where his house is now situated. Schools where taught in it as carly as 1804. Allen Gates was one of the first teachers.
THESENT SCHOOLS.
This township is divided Into fourteen snb-distriets, in which schools are Might six months in the year, as required by law. These districts Inve comfortable houses in each of them.
INDEPENDENT DISTRICT-BENTONVILLE.
This school lins one of the best houses in the county. It was built in 1871 -- is a two story frame bnikdling with four rooms. The enumeration in 1879, was 155. In addition to tho cominen branchies, Algebra and United States llistory are taught.
MILLS.
The first mille wero probably " horse mills," It is believed the first of these mills was built as early as 1800, by Michael Roush, in tho "Dutch Settlement, " and the tirst water mill was built on Island Creek, near the line between Sprigg and Monroe townships, known as the Bowman mill.
There are at present three mills in the township, McColm's steum flouring mill on Little Three Mile Creek, kuown as Grime's mill, and a small coru and saw mill near Bradyville.
This township contains three villages, six churches, three mllls, and two post-offices.
VILLAGES.
DENTONVILLE.
Bentonville is the principal village in the township. It was laid ont by Joseph Leedom, October 10th, 1839, with nineteen lots. It was named in honor of Thomas II. Benton. G. W. Leedom laid off an addition to it on June 9th, 1841, of nine lots, and on June 24th, 1842, he made a second addition of 36 lots.
A third addition was made July 30th, 1845, by Joseph Lee- dom, of 62 lots.
A fourth addition was made August 1st, 1845, by Amos Duncan, of 8 lots.
It contains two dry goods stores, three grocery stores, four millinery stores or shops, one drug store, one steam flouring mill, two wagon shops, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, one cooper shop. one ehair shop, two harness shops, one gun shop, one hotel, Que M. E. Church, one Christian Church, and a population of 400.
EARLY HOUSES AND BUSINESS OF MENTONVILLE.
Some time before Joseph Leedom laid ont the village, he sold to Lyman Perry one aere of land that is now within the limits of the town. On this land Mr. Perry built a frame house and fitted up a room in it and opened ont a store. This was the first house bnilt, and the first store started in the limits of the town. This building still stands, and is now owned and ocenpied by Mrs. Ilannah MeCutehen, as a residence. The carpenters who built it were Thomas Bowman and John C. Beasley.
After Mr. Perry, Jeremiah Stewart kept the store, and then R. N. Edgington was next.
The first house built after the laying ont of the village, was a hewed log building, put up by - Palmier, on the ground now occupied by F. M. Harover's store. .
TAVERNS.
The first tavern in the village stood on the site now occupied. by the present steam mill. It was kept by G. W. Leedom, and started about 1840.
BRADYSVILLE.
This village was laid out by Van S. Brady, January 25th, 1839, on a plat of thirty-one lots. It was called Centerville, which is still its legal name. In obtaining an order for a post-office at the place, it was found there was already an office of that name in the State. Therefore the name of Bradysville was given for the post-office, in honor of the proprietor, and for this circum- stance the place is everywhere known by the name of " Bradys- ville."
The village contains two stores, one cooper and wagon shop, one bleeksmith shop and one church, and a small mill near hy for grinding corn, and being near the center of the township, the elee- tions are held here. It contains about fifteen houses and one hun- dred inhabitants.
CLAYTON.
This village lies in the north-west corner of the township The neighboring country looks poor and uninviting. It contains some eight or ten houses-has two stores and one blacksmith shop,. but no post-office. Their mail is brought from Bentonville by private conveyance, as apportunity offers, and left at one of the stores tor distribution to the community. There was a store kept liere as early as 1838 or 1839, by Vincent Cropper, and about 1840, George Bryan laid off a few lots for a village, but the plat was never recorded. Mr. Bryan being an ardent Whig, called his new town Clayton, in honor of Henry Clay, or James M. Clayton, the distinguished Senator from Delaware.
This place was somewhat notorious in its early years for the drinking and rowdyism of the community. It is said to be in- proving of late years in that respeet, however.
EVERTONVILLE.
This place, usually known as "Nauvoo, " was laid ont Sep- tember 10th. 1845, by John Everton, who named it after himself, "Evertonville. " Eighteen lots were surveyed and sold.
An old man named Bartley, sottled lu this locality before any one etso' had ever lived tiere, but wo learned nothing more of his history.
Mr. Everton was an early soltler, and kept a sinall store whero the village is located, long before he laid off a town. Ile appears to have been somewhat eccentric in his notions. He at one time concluded to move to Nanvoo. Illinois, prepared his wagon, and loaded his effects in tho evening, to make an early start next morning. When morning came lils mind was changed, and he unlondod his goods and remained. From this circumstance tho community called his village Nauvoo, by whileh name It Is now everywhere known.
This placo is on the West Uulon and Aberdeen pike, two miles south of Bradysville, but has never amounted to much, and there is now neither store, post-office or shop of any kind in it.
POST-OFFICES.
This township has two post-offices, Boutonville and Bradys- ville.
BENTONVILLE.
This office was established about 1842, and has had the fol- lowing postmasters : John S. Adamson, 1842-45; Asahel D. Keet, 1846-50; James Martin, 1851-56; E. D. Leedom, 1857-61; T. M. Downey, 1862-65; L. L. Edgington, 1866-67; W. B. Baird, 1868-71 ; James Bradley, .1872 ; J. G. Bradley, present incumbent. BRADYSVILLE.
A post-office was established at this place about 1839, with Power Campbell as the postmaster. The second was William M. Greenlee ; third, Robert Tucker ; fourth James Truitt ; fifth, Samuel Greenlee.
CHURCHES.
"There are six churches in this township, as follows :
At Bentonville, one M. E. Church, one Christian, called "Un- ion Church," one M. E. Church at Bradysville, one Christian Church at Nauvoo, MeColm's Chapel, M. P., in the southeast part of the township, and Ravenscraft's Chapel, M. P., in the southwest part of the township, on the farm of the late David Bradford.
THE FIRST CHURCH
Organized in this township was Ilopewell Chapel. It was situated about three miles west of Bentonville, on the land of James Hook, who gave them an acre of ground for house and grave yard.
The first house was built in 1812, of hewed logs. After being used twenty-five years, it was accidently burned. In 1839 a new frame house 40x45 was built about half'a mile east of the first one. In 1845 this house was abandoned and finally sold, a part of the members uniting with others in the neighborhood of Clayton. formed a church there, while another portion united with the Bentonville church. The old graveyard is still used.
_ M'COLMS CHAPEL, M. P.
This church was organized in 1871. In 1873 they built a neat frame house, 32x46. It is situated on Cabin Creek road, in Sprigg township, three miles west of Manchester. It was named in hon- or of Mathew MeColm, an old and estecmed citizen who donated over half an aere of land for the building lot.
RAVENSCRAFT'S CHAPEL-METHODIST PROTESTANT.
This congregation was organized about 1844 as a Methodist Episcopal church, under the preaching of the Rev. - Perkiser. They held their meetings for some years in the Kimble school house. In 1851 they built a frame church, situated on the Man- chester and Aberdeen road, in the sonthwest portion of the town- ship, and called it Furgeson's Chapel. In 1870 they changed the administrative forms of the church and adopted those of the Protestant branch of that denomination.
About 1874, they replaced their old house with a neat frame building 32x40, and named it " Ravenscraft' Chapel, " in honor of an esteemed minister of that name. .
UNION CHURCH-CHRISTIAN.
But little can be gathered of the history of this church. It appears to have been organized abont 1830, at what is known as the Buckeye school house, some two miles southwest of Bentonville. In 1832, they built a brick house where the present frame one stands. This house was used until abont 1850, when it was replaced by the present frame. Alexander McLane organ- ized the church and preached for the congregation for.some years. Mathew Gardner preached here occasionally after its organization.
BENTONVILLE M. E. CHURCII.
No history of this church found.
M. E. CHURCH, EVERTONVILLE.
No history.
MURDER OF SANFORD PHILLIPS.
" . "HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO.
51
There was living in Bentonville, In 1866, a widow lady nam- (al Susan Pardon. With hor lived a daughter, who was a young woman, and a son in his teens. This lady resided in the north- west part of the village, and on the 31st of December, she und her son went some two miles in the country, to the house of a friend, where they were ; one nearly all the day, the danghter remaining at home. But abont noon, she too, left the house for an hour or more, to call on a neighbor or two. On returning home she rais- ed the alarm that a man was killed in the house. People soon gathered to the place, and found Sanford Phillips lying in tho honse, murdered. He had received two fatal blows with an axe ahont the head. One had half severed hils head from his body. and a blow had been given in the forehead with the blade of the axe, extending down the face. Ile had seemingly been sitting in n chair when he received the fatal strokes, and had apparently been dead some time when found.
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