Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 48

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149

USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 48

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Pleasant View United Presbyterian church was organized in 1850. Isaac and Joseph Morris and others were among the organizers. The house, a brick, was erected in 1857. Revs. Eli Huffman and Wm. Nicholas were the first preachers.

The Old School Presbyterian church was organized in Symmes' Corner about seventy-five years ago. The church was the outgrowth of the Venice, Springdale and Hamilton Presbyterian churches, and was built to accommodate a sprinkling of all these societies. In the 'fifties the church organization was removed to Hamilton county, where a house of worship was erected to meet the wants of the members who lived in that vicinity. During recent years a mission has been conducted at Sym- mes' Corner under the auspices of the First Presbyterian church of Hamilton.

The Valley Chapel Methodist Episcopal church, at Jones Station, was begun in 1840 by ministers of different denominations holding meetings in the old school house. These meetings continued without any de- cided improvement until February, 1866, when Rev. Daniel Griffis, pastor of Port Union Methodist Episcopal circuit, made a protracted effort and met with such success that in September following a house was dedicated which cost one thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars.

and are prospering under the pastorate of Rev. S. A. Stephans. This church is the outgrowth of a mission established a few years ago by the First Methodist Episcopal church of Hamilton.

St. John's Evangelical church in East Hamilton is a prosperous congregation. It has a very comfortable church building and holds services every Sabbath afternoon. F. L. Dorn, pastor.

The population of Fairfield township in 1900 was 4,018, a gain of 1,573 over the census of 1890. It is one of the few town- ships that made a gain in population over the former census. It is probable that the gain since 1900 has exceeded that of the de- cennial period between 1890 and 1900. The principal centers of population are found in the suburbs of the city of Hamilton, Linden- wald and East Hamilton, which are located in Fairfield township. The two towns have an estimated population aggregating twen- ty-five hundred. They have a number of manufacturing industries in operation and are thrifty, growing towns, both of which, within a short time, will probably be an- nexed to the city of Hamilton.

SYMMES' CORNER.

This hamlet, situated four miles south of Hamilton, along the line of the C. D. & T. Traction Company, has a population of probably two hundred people. It is sur- rounded by rich farming land, and the com- munity is one of the richest and most pros- perous in the county. The first settler here, Celadon Symmes, came as early as 1795, but the settlement did not assume the dignity of a hamlet until about 1830. Then

The Methodists of Lindenwald have re- a tavern, store and blacksmith shop were

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established. Joseph R. Symmes was the first store keeper. Benjamin Symmes was the first tavern keeper. Later, Creyton Wil- cox began to entertain the traveling public, of which there was considerable in those days, from the neighborhood of Richmond, Indiana, Eaton, Oxford and other distant parts who marketed their farm products and merchandise at Cincinnati. Daniel Rose- bone and Joseph Hughes were the first me- chanics and conducted blacksmith shops. A postoffice was established here in 1843. The C. D. & T. power house and car barns are located here.

JONES STATION.

Jones Station is located in the south- eastern part of the township near the Ham- ilton county line. It is a station on the Cin- cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, and takes its name from the owner of the land at the time the railroad was built, John D. Jones. Thomas Kirk was the first station FURMANDALE. agent, and he opened a country store here. Furmandale, commonly known as Snap- town, was formerly the seat of a large boarding school conducted by Mr. Furman. A postoffice was established later, and was given the name of Stockton, which it re- tains. The Millcreek valley traction road A tavern and distillery were also located passes near the station. The Valley Chapel here.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

The original boundaries of Liberty town- ship were Warren county on the east, Ham- ilton county on the south, Lemon township on the north and Fairfield township on the west, but with the creation of Union town- ship in 1823, Liberty lost the larger por- tion of her territory, and in point of popu- lation and territory is the smallest of the thirteen townships of Butler county. How-

Methodist Episcopal church and a graded school are located here.

FAIR PLAY.

Fair Play, formerly a hamlet located in "Black Bottom," west of Symmes' Corner, has entirely disappeared. Before 1850, when the Alston mill and the Graham paper mill were in operation at this point, there was quite a settlement here. There was a store established and considerable business was transacted, but after the mills ceased operation the town soon vanished.

FLENNER'S CORNER.

Flenner's Corner, located on the county road dividing Fairfield from Liberty town- ship, took its name from John Flenner, an early settler and store keeper there about 1850. In recent years the town has lost its importance, and exists only in memory.

ever, the highly cultivated farms, the good houses, the many pikes and other improve- ments in this township speak favorably of the thrift and enterprise of its citizens and the character of its agriculture. The popu- lation of the township in 1900 was 1,024.

Of the early settlers in this section of the county may be mentioned the names of John Nelson, John Beatty, David William-

22B

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son, Ephraim Baker, Thomas Hunt, John Morrow, Duran Whittlesey, Thomas Kyle, David Griffis, Cornelius Murphy, the Elliotts, Hugheses, Voorheeses, Lowerys, Kains, Howards, Scudders and others.

The principal towns are Princeton, Beth- any. Jericho and Huntsville, none having attained much size, nor being in importance more than they were years ago.

Settlements were made in Liberty town- ship prior to 1796. John Nelson cleared the first farm, and a little later John Beatty set- tled just above the present site of Bethany. Subsequently he opened "Beatty Tavern," the first public house in the township. Dur- ing 1798 Peter and David Williamson came as settlers and the latter soon afterward built the first house in what was afterward called the town of Bethany. The same year the Voorhees family came from Kentucky and settled at Huntsville, and this is where the late Hon. D. W. Voorhees, of Indiana, was born. The first marriage in the town- ship occurred December 25, 1798. The parties contracting were Samuel Kain and Miss Mary Howard. They settled on land which they bought, located just above Beth- any. John Morrow, a brother of Jeremiah Morrow, afterwards governor of Ohio, set- tled in the township in 1800 and was the first justice of the peace, in which position he served for eighteen years. To 'Squire Morrow Liberty township owes its name. He had formerly lived at Liberty, Pennsyl- vania, and when the township was estab- lished he went to Hamilton expressly to have the name given.

Prominent among the early events of the township was the building of the Spring meeting house, just west of Huntsville. It was the first Methodist church in the county,

and was established through the efforts of Rev. Arthur Elliott, the pioneer Methodist preacher, and his brother, Joshua Elliott, who gave the ground for both the building and the graveyard. The first church build- ing was made of hewed logs. This building stood some twelve years, when a brick church was built. This last church building was used until 1849, when the society was moved to Bethany, where a frame church was built, in which the Methodists wor- shipped until 1876. In that year a com- modious brick church was erected, which is the present place of worship. In 1875 the Cumberland Presbyterians established a church here, which society is in a flourishing condition.

The Princeton Methodist Episcopal church was established in 1835. In 1848 a great revival was had, and there were seven- ty-five accessions. In 1859 a brick church was built on a lot formerly owned by Pear- son Carl. The Universalist church at Princeton was founded about 1851, but dur- ing the Civil war services were dispensed with.

BETHANY.

Bethany was laid out by Samuel Lowery in 1822. It has never been a very large place, but is located in a rich farming com- munity on the Cincinnati and Dayton turn- pike. The first grocery was kept by a Mr. Crawford. The first blacksmith shop was conducted by Mr. Busby. He was followed by a Mr. Garrett, and he in turn by Peter C. Dilley. Samuel Kain built wagons here for many years from 1823 on. The Beth- any postoffice was established in 1844. In recent years Robert Billingslea and later a Mr. Jacobs have conducted general stores

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here. The town has about one hundred in- habitants, has two churches, a good school, two stores, a blacksmith shop, a telephone exchange and other business enterprises.

HUNTSVILLE.

Huntsville is the oldest hamlet in the township. It was named from Thomas Hunt, who settled here prior to 1800. Other early settlers here were Duran Whittlesey, Peter Voorhees, William Elliott, Elijah Hughes, John Harden, John Holden, Charles Legg and John Mallally. A post- office was established at Huntsville April I, 1817, and John Hunt was appointed post- master. The office was maintained here until 1844, when it was removed to Bethany. Prior to 1834 the mail was carried on horse- back by Dr. Stephans from Brookville, In- diana, to Lebanon in Warren county, Ohio. It then required a week to make the round trip between these points. Prior to 1840 Huntsville was a busy place. Ira Hunt con- ducted a brick yard and a saw mill. Nicho- las Curtis had a distillery and Joseph Curtis a general store. Zebedee Akers was a black- smith here for over forty years.

PRINCETON.

Princeton was laid out by Samuel En- yart in 1812. It was a lively business center in the early times. A Mr. Cummins con- ducted a tan yard and a carding mill was running here before 1820. James Clawson was the first shoemaker.

This community has produced several prominent personages. Benjamin Van Gor- don came here in 1810, served as justice of the peace for forty years and represented Butler county two terms in the state legis- lature; Peter Murphy, who was sheriff of Butler county from 1851 to 1855 and was state senator from 1871 to 1873. During this time Christopher Hughes, another Princetonian, represented the county in the general assembly. Earlier, Daniel Wood- mansee was representative for two terms, and from 1894-1900 Clarence Murphy was probate judge of Butler county. Prince- ton was made a postoffice as early as 1816, but in 1881 its name was changed to Claw- son, by which name it is now known.

HUGHES'S STATION.

Hughes's Station is on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and was named after the late Joshua Hughes, who owned the land on which the station was built and who was the first post- master of the village. The township house is located here, and it is the voting place of the citizens of the township.

KYLE'S STATION.

Kyle's Station is also a station on the Big Four Railroad and takes its name from Thomas Kyle who settled here in 1803. A postoffice was established here in 1872 and was named Fontana. In 1879 it was changed to Kyle's.

LEMON TOWNSHIP.

Lemon township originally comprised May 7, 1810, when Madison township was all of the territory now included in the two set off, the remaining territory lying east townships of Lemon and Madison. On of the Miami river, west of Warren county

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and north of Liberty township, retained the name of Lemon township. The township, as thus constituted, is irregular in contour, owing to the diagonal direction of the Mi- ami river, but its roads and farms are regu- larly laid out, and the country in general is under the highest state of cultivation and improvement. It has not only good roads, but the advantages of the river, the canal, the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway, and the Cincinnati, Dayton & Toledo Electric Traction Road, which pass through the township. The principal stream of the interior of the township is Dick's creek. In former times it was highly important for the water power it furnished to the little saw mills, grist mills and the occasional distillery erected on its banks. The population of Lemon township ex- clusive of that of Middletown, according to the census of 1900, is 1,825, a loss of 906 from that of the census of 1890. Middle- town city, however, more than makes up for this loss. Her population in 1890 was 7,681, and in 1900 was 9,215, a gain of 1,534 in the city, and a net gain in the town- ship of 628 in ten years.

Among the early settlers of Lemon township were the Dotys, Enochs, Irwins, Shafors, Dicks, Freemans, Reeds, Balls, Stewarts, Taylors, Hughes, Wards, Clarks, Vails, Potters, Johnstons, Williamsons, Fishers and Logans. Of these Thomas Ir- win and David Logan came as early as 1795, Joseph Williamson and Alexander McCon- nell in 1796, and Daniel Doty, John Reed, Stephen Vail, Moses Potter and others came before 1800.

The first settlement within the bound- aries of the township was on the Little Prairie, a natural meadow that extended on

both sides of the Miami river, more than a mile in length and half a mile in breadth, the north end coming up to the present site of Middletown. Symmes' northern line passes through Lemon township just south of Dick's creek, and is two and a quarter miles north of the Liberty township line.

The earliest church in this township was the Little Prairie church, of the Baptist de- nomination Its exact site is now unknown. There is a discrepancy in the date of the admission of this church. Judge Dunlevy makes it 1800, and the minutes of the Old School Baptist Association places it in 1801. In the latter year, according to the minutes, it had eleven members. The pastor was Elder Philip Sutton. In 1805 some differ- ences arose between this church and Elk Creek church, now at Trenton, which the association could not settle, and it is prob- able that the church disbanded, as no further notice is given it in the minutes.

MIDDLETOWN.

A graphic historical account of this city appears elsewhere in this volume.

MONROE.

Monroe is located in the southeast part of the township on the Dayton and Cincin- nati pike, and is about midway between the two cities. Its altitude is about two hun- dred feet above the valley and the situation is most healthful. The country about Mon- roe was settled before 1800, and it soon be- came an important trade center. The ear- liest settlers were John Baker, John P. Wil- liamson, Nathan Sackett and John H. Piatt. Stores were established and taverns built quite early and in 1817 the town was laid out by Sackett and Piatt. The plan of the

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town is as follows: The main road running in 1869, under the supervision of Father through the town from Cincinnati to Day- Smith. There are about fifty families in the parish, and the church is prosperous. ton, called Main street, is four poles wide. The cross streets are three poles wide. and the alleys are one pole wide. In the BLUEBALL. early days before railroads were built Mon- Blueball was originally a tavern stand, and the name originated from a tavern sign. In the stage-coach days the place was an important station for the various lines of mail and stage coaches running between Cincinnati and Dayton. The hamlet lies partly in Warren county. There is a Pres- byterian church here and a general store. A postoffice was established here in 1844. roe was a thriving village; manufacturing was carried on to a limited extent, and owing to its location it was the principal stopping point on the stage coach route be- tween Cincinnati and Dayton. There was considerable of traveling and the several tav- erns did a flourishing business. At one time three or four lines of stage coaches were in operation and so great became the com- petition that the fare between the two cities, LESOURDSVILLE. which was usually two dollars and a half. was reduced to fifty cents. Monroe has four churches. The earliest church organized there was the Mount Pleasant United Pres- byterian. It was organized prior to 1802, and was originally known as the Swamp Creek congregation. Later it changed its name to the Mount Pleasant Associate Re- formed church, and since 1856 it has been known by its present name. The first church was built of logs, the second was a frame structure and the third was brick. These were situated about half a mile north of the village, but in 1854 the congregation built a new church in the village.

The Methodists held services in Monroe as early as 1823, but not until later was the church organized. The society increased rapidly from the very beginning.

The First Presbyterian church was or- ganized in 1831. It was first called the Harmony church, and commenced with six- teen members. The church has had a pros- perous career.

The Monroe Catholic church was built

LeSourdsville takes its name from Ben- jamin LeSourd, the founder' of the place, who, about the time the Miami canal was built. purchased ninety-five acres of land of Abraham Freeman for the purpose of build- ing a great city. He started a big store, but after a year or two failed, and sold out to Thomas Ward. The earliest settler here was Abraham Freeman, who came before 1800. He built a saw mill which went down about 1815. Other early comers were the Hugheses, Wards, Shafors and Clarks. The late Hon. Durban Ward, of Lebanon, taught school here many years ago. The first house in LeSourdsville was the Red Buck tavern kept by John Freeman. A union church was built here just before the war, but about 1876 the property passed into the control of the Presbyterians.

AMANDA.

Amanda was founded in 1827 by Rob- ert Coddington and Samuel Dickey. It is located on the Miami and Erie canal and on the L. C. D. branch of the C. H. & D. Rail-

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road. It was formerly an important grain shipping point. The town, owing to its proximity to Middletown, has lost much of its business importance. A branch of the Methodist Episcopal church is located here and regular services are conducted.

Excello is a small village located just below Amanda. It had its origin in the building of the Excello paper mill in 1865, and the residents are principally employes at the mill of the Harding Paper Com- panv

ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP.

This township, one of the five originally the north by the township of Wayne, on the founded in Butler county in 1803, was east by the Miami river and the lower end of Madison township, on the south by the river, and on the west by Hanover and Ross townships. The township is irregular on the south and east sides, resulting from the fact that the Miami meanders through the very fine bottoms along its course, a large portion of which are in St. Clair. named after General St. Clair. It embraced all of the northwestern part of the county and included the present townships of Ox- ford, Milford, Wayne, Reily and Hanover, and was bounded, when it was organized, on the north by Preble county, on the east by Lemon township, on the south by the Miami river and Ross township, and on the The topography of the township east of the Seven Mile creek is generally level, while west of the creek it is hilly. The soil is very fertile and produces the finest cereals. The country was originally covered by dense forests, the greater portion of which were destroyed by the early settlers when clearing the land, as they had little or no use for tim- ber after their cabins were built. The town- ship is well watered by the Miami river and numerous creeks. The principal stream is the Four Mile. It takes its head in Preble county, and has many tributaries. Seven Mile, a stream almost as large as Four Mile, unites with the latter in section 8, just south of the town of Seven Mile. Cotton run rises in Wayne township, flows south and empties into Four Mile about one mile and a half below the mouth of Seven Mile. Five Mile run, a small stream, flows between Cotton run and Seven Mile. It is fed principally west by the state of Indiana. Wayne and Milford townships were struck off of its ter- ritory in 1805, the latter at that time includ- ing also what is now the township of Ox- ford. Reily township was set off in 1807, and embraced all of what is now Hanover. These divisions reduced the size of St. Clair considerably, but possessing, as it did, the town of Rossville, its history is extended and interesting, and a large portion of it will be found treated under the head of Hamilton. In 1810, its population was eleven hundred and eighty; in 1820, thirteen hundred and seven; in 1830, eighteen hundred and thirty- four. In 1900, it had thirteen hundred and eighty-eight inhabitants in the township proper, the territory occupied by West Ham- ilton no longer being included. There are in the township seventeen thousand, three hundred and thirty acres.

St. Clair, as it now exists, is bounded on by a spring near the center of section 4.

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This spring is on the Walker farm and is mill, much in the same way that it does known as Wayne's spring because near it now. The old trace road from Seven Mile takes the course of General Wayne's march north. The old State road, as it was com- monly called, took the direction of Law- renceburg, Indiana, and for a long time the mails were received over this route from North Bend, on the Ohio, below Cincinnati. General Wayne and his army encamped when on their way north to chastise the In- dians. Two Mile creek empties into the Mi- ami opposite Old river. Its source is found in Hanover township. These streams in former years supplied power for numerous mills. One of the most celebrated of the mills was the Fear-not mill on Four Mile, built in 1816 by Joseph Watson. When he built the mill in the wilderness it was pre- dicted that he would soon fail in business. In answer to the prediction, and what was characteristic of the man, Mr. Watson gave his mill the name "Fear-not." The first building at the Fear-not site was a frame, two stories high, equipped with an under- shot wheel and two sets of buhrs. About twenty years later a second mill, similar to the first, was built. The mill has long been in disuse, but can yet be seen.

Distilling was a prominent industry in the township during the thirties. Still houses were considered a necessity, and many of the best people in the county were engaged in the manufacture of whiskey. The capacity of the early distilleries was limited usually to one or two barrels per day, and whiskey was sold from fifteen to eighteen cents per gallon. 4

The roads diverging from Hamilton to all parts of the county west of the Miami river pass through St. Clair township. The first road established by the county com- missioners of Butler county was from Smith's and St. Clair's mill on Four Mile to Nathaniel Bell's on Elk creek. The old Eaton road took the course of General St. Clair's march to the northwest, and passed by way of the site of the Fear-not

The first settlers of St. Clair township located at or near the town of Rossville. Afterward that part of the township lying south of Hamilton was settled principally by Germans from North Carolina, Penn- sylvania, Virginia and Tennessee. Among the early families settling here were the Garvers, Fishers, Lingles, Castators, Trout- mans, Mitchells, Kyles and Shellhouses. Among the early settlers in the northwest- ern part of the township were the Brookses, Irvings, Wallaces, McClellans, Eatons, Cor- nells, Browns, Caldwells, Robinsons, Long- fellows, Grays and Harrises. The eastern part of the township was settled by the Overpecks, Warwicks, Wehrs. Jacobys, Descombes, Sellers, Huestons and others.

The first church was organized as early as 1806. It stood one and a half miles southwest of Hamilton, and was known as St. Peter's Lutheran church. It was a log building, about sixteen by eighteen feet. It was provided with a fire-place eight feet wide and five feet deep. The building was also used as a school house for many years. In the early 'forties a frame church build- ing was constructed, in which services were held with considerable regularity for over forty years. Among those who taught school in the old log church about 1830 were James Hill, Capt. William Giffin and Jonas Ball.

The Blue Grass church, which stood

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near the Fear-not mill on Four Mile, was one of the earliest churches. It was first occupied by the Methodists, but about 1832 the Old School Presbyterians took charge and held services here regularly for many years.

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 48

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1149

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149