USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 49
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About 1820 the German Reformed church was organized at Overpecks. The first meeting house was built of hewed logs. Jacob Wehr sold two acres of land at one dollar per acre to the church authorities for burial purposes and for a building site. After several years a brick church was built which served the purpose of the congrega- tion until about 1858, when the present brick structure was erected by the Lutherans and Presbyterians.
During the 'fifties the Mennonite church was organized near Busenbarks. The early membership was composed mainly of Ger- mans. Among the early members were the Augspurgers, Hollys, Imhoffs and Slon- nekers. The society at first held meetings in private houses, but later a church was built on ground donated by Christian Slon- neker.
OVERPECKS.
The principal village in the township is Overpecks, named for Isaac Overpeck, an early settler. It is a station on the Cincin- nati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad and the Cincinnati, Dayton & Toledo Electric Trac- tion Road. Since the last-named road was built the village has had a very substantial growth. It has, in fact, become a suburb of Hamilton, and the homes of many people employed in that city are located here. The only postoffice in the township is located here.
BUSENBARKS.
Busenbarks, two miles north of Over- pecks, is a telegraph and railroad station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Rail- road. The C., D. & T. electric power plant is located here.
COKE OTTO.
At Coke Otto, two miles north of Ham- ilton, the Otto coke ovens are located. The inhabitants are principally employes of the coke works. The hamlet has a hotel, store and a school house.
ROSS TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized in 1803, forming one of the original subdivisions of the county. Until 1811 it embraced all of the territory now contained in Morgan township, as well as its present territory. The township as now constituted contains 19,496 acres. In 1820 its population was sixteen hundred and sixty-five; in 1830, seventeen hundred and forty-five; in 1890, fourteen hundred and fifty, and in 1900, thirteen hundred and thirty-eight
The first settlers of Ross township were the Butterfields, Mitchells, Parkinsons, Dunns, Smiths, Joneses, McCloskeys, Shaws, Willeys, Williamses, Andrews, An- dersons and Mooreheads.
The township is generally rolling and is well adapted to farming. Indian creek is the principal stream, which flows diagon- ally across the township from the north- west to the southeast. Other streams of less importance are Ziegler's run, Dry run
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and Paddy's run. The soil along these streams is very fertile. . Originally Ross township was covered by a very dense growth of timber, and wild game of every sort abounded. The most prominent of the early roads was the Trace road, leading from the Miami river over the Layhigh ridge to St. Charles and to the northwest. It followed about the same route of the present highway from Venice to Layhigh. The Lawrenceburg and Columbus, or State road, leading from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to Columbus, Ohio, was a principal thor- oughfare. The early roads usually followed the ridges so as to prevent cuts-a plan often employed to great advantage by the early surveyors in locating highways through a new country.
A leading industry in the early days of the township was distilling. Many fine farms were paid for with money made in manufacturing whiskey. About 1810 two men by the name of Sayres and Avery, of Cincinnati, erected a still house in section 10. In 1815 Matthew Timberman ran a distillery near where the late Andrew Tim- berman resided. The product was hauled to Cincinnati in four and six-horse wagons and marketed. From 1820 to 1840 James Comstock carried on distilling on Dry run. From 1818 to 1845 Joseph Van Horn had a still house in Millville. There were nu- merous other establishments scattered throughout the township.
About 1805 two important mills were built in Ross township,-Dick's mill, near Venice. and Van Horn's mill at Millville. The first mill at Dick's was of round hick- ory logs and contained what was known as a corn-cracker for the grinding machinery. This mill was constructed by Jacob Hyde.
About 1812 Samuel Dick, Sr., and his son George erected a frame mill forty by forty feet and three stories high. This was dis- placed in 1848 by a new frame building of the same dimensions. There have been many changes in the mill since it was built at this site a century ago. The mill, which was in active operation until a few years ago, had been in possession of the Dick family since 1812. Dick's mills was a post- office from January 15, 1819, to July 3, 1834. On that date the office was removed to Venice and was called Ross. The original ford of the Miami river was at Dick's mills. After the covered bridge was erected across the Miami near Venice in 1830, Dick's ford ceased to be used except for very ordinary purposes.
The principal centers of population in Ross township are at Venice and Millville. The latter lies also partly in Hanover town- ship.
VENICE.
Venice was laid out by Dr. Benjamin Clark. February 1, 1817. The name given the place by its founder was "Venus" be- cause of its pleasant situation and beautiful surroundings. The original plat included only that part of the village lying west of the Trace road leading to Layhigh. Sub- sequently additions have been made by various men at different times. Among the early business men of Venice were James Comstock, who kept a general store; Wil- liam Huxford, a blacksmith, and Dr. John Woods, who practiced medicine and con- ducted a tavern. Later Enoch Vaughn kept store and Thomas Joyce conducted a black- smith shop. In 1830 Jonathan Kilbourn engaged in the general merchandise business.
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He was an influential man, and represented the Butler district in the state senate about 1850. The town now supports a good hotel, two stores, two blacksmith shops, a steam grist mill, a printing office, and other lines of trade. The Venice Graphic, a weekly independent newspaper, is published by L. Demoret and has an extensive circulation.
The first school house was built about 1814. The house, built of hackberry logs, twenty by twenty feet, with puncheon floor, stone fire-place, board door with wooden hinges, writing desks made by placing long boards on slanting pins put in the logs, slab seats, windows which extended the whole length of the house, and other fixtures in common with early educational institutions. It was destroyed by fire after a few years, and for a time school was held in a log cabin that had been used for a residence. In 1825 a second school house was built. It was a one-story brick with raised floors on each side and was considered a model in its day. It was twenty-five by thirty feet, four win- dows on each side and one in the front and was provided with two large fire-places. School was held in this house until 1850, when a new house was erected on a lot in the rear of the old building. It was a one- story structure of two rooms, thirty by forty- five feet. The third building, just described, was in use until 1875, when the Union school house was built. This building was erected by the joint action of the two sub- districts, and is located just north of town. It was made an independent high school with Samuel McClelland, a graduate of Miami University, as its first principal. Others who have subsequently taught here as principals were a Mr. Dayton, Alfred
Joice, S. A. Gossett, William Crecraft and Guy S. Dennison.
The Venice Presbyterian church was or- ganized in 1828. It was an outgrowth of the Bethel church near Millville. It was originally connected with the Cincinnati presbytery. Subsequently it became con- nected with the Oxford presbytery, and after the union of the two Presbyterian bodies it was added to the Dayton presby- tery. In 1874 it was again connected with the Cincinnati presbytery. The present church edifice was erected in 1856.
The Methodist Episcopal church was or- ganized in 1826. The first services were held in the school house. In 1831 services were held by permission in the Presbyterian church. In 1832 a church building was erected, which continued in use until 1865. when the present church was completed. The charge was originally connected with the Oxford circuit, but in 1837 it was at- tached to the New Haven circuit, and in 1846 the name was changed to that of Venice, which name it still bears. There are four appointments at this time, as follows : Venice, New Haven, Okeana and Wash- ington.
MILLVILLE.
Millville was founded by Joseph Van Horn in 1815, who erected a grist mill here some ten years earlier; hence the origin of the name "Millville," given the village. In- dian creek divides the village, the two parts being connected by a covered bridge which was erected in 1849. The western side, situ- ated on a hill which slopes gradually toward the creek, is the business part of the town. Here is located the postoffice, hotel, store, blacksmith shop, harness shop and town
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hall. The eastern side of the village is level, John W. Meeker and William Brundridge. and has the greater part of the population. The town has a population of about two hun- dred.
Among the first settlers were Joel Wil- liams, George Thomas, William Van Horn, H. R. Coleman, Samuel Proud, David Mon- fort, Daniel Brosier and others.
The Van Horn mill was built in 1805 by Joel Williams, a millwright from the East, for Joseph Van Horn. The stone used in its construction were hauled from Bank Lick, a stream in Hamilton county. In 1821 the mill was purchased by William Cochran, and has remained in possession of the Coch- ran family ever since. The old mill has not been in operation for several years but is in a fair state of preservation.
The first postoffice, which was estab- lished in 1817, was kept in a log house which stood near the site of the old Ender Hotel. The early mail route had for offices Dick's Mill, Millville, Scipio (or Philan- thropy ).
From 1825 to 1860 the taverns, of which there were several located here, did a thriv- ing business. Among the tavern keepers were William Hill, M. J. Millspaugh, Jacob Hasler, Frederick Zillyox, Joseph Van Ausdall and George Ender. The first black- smith was William Ray. Others who worked here later were Henry Gallaway, Michael Emerick, Jacob Fillhardt, Frederic Zillyox and Henry Garner.
The first store was established as early as 1819 by Eliakim Ross. In 1825 Henry C. Coleman was engaged in business here and in 1830 John and Thomas Hanna were merchants here. In 1838 John M. Cochran kept store. Those later engaged were Elias Kumler, A. T. Carnahan, Nelson Urmston,
During recent years the principal store and the postoffice have been kept by John Mc- Closkey.
The first school house in Millville was built of logs and stood on the present site of the Presbyterian church. This house was here in 1825. A year or two afterward a brick building was erected, which was in use until 1872, when the building and lot were sold to the Presbyterians, which or- ganization made extensive alterations and have since used it for church purposes. The present commodious public school build- ing was erected in 1872. From 1858 to 1870 a high school was carried on at Mill- ville by a corporaton of stockholders. The company owned its own school building and all of the higher branches were taught. pre- paratory for college. Prof. D. P. Nelson was the first principal.
Mt. Zion Lutheran church was built in 1853. It is an offshoot of the Samuel Zeig- ler Lutheran church in Hanover township, founded in 1815. In 1842 a division oc- curred in the old church over some differ- ences regarding their creed, and it was the remaining worshipers that formed Mt. Zion church.
The German Reformed Millville church was originally one of the branches of the Samuel Ziegler Lutheran congregation, which suffered a division in 1842. The church is in a prosperous condition and regular services are conducted.
The United Brethren church, established in 1822, was at one time the most important church in Ross township. Its present place of worship was erected in 1851. In recent years the congregation has not been as pros- perous as formerly.
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WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
Wayne township was created under the their hurry they gave her no attention. act of the legislature passed January 21, 1804. which empowered the county commis- sioners to alter the boundaries of town- ships, and to set off new townships. On petition of a number of inhabitants of St. Clair township, December 2, 1805, Wayne township was erected out of territory in the northeast corner of St. Clair township. The topography of the township may be de- scribed as rolling to hilly. The principal streams are the Seven Mile creek, which cuts off the southeast corner of the town- ship; Elk creek, which cuts off the north- east corner, and Ten Mile and Nine Mile creeks in the western section.
One of the earliest settlers in this ter- ritory was Matthew Winton, who located near Seven Mile. His house, which was of stone, stood just on the line between St. Clair and Wayne townships. Other early settlers were James Withrow, who came from Nelson county, Kentucky, in 1800; John Withrow, from the same locality ; Capt. Samuel Pottenger, William Harper, Robert Gilke, the Paddocks, Buchanans, the Cornthwaites and others.
About 1798 William Harper settled with his family on section 19. In the spring of the year 1800, in sugar-making time, the Indians came in quite a number to visit the Harpers, as they were accustomed to do. An old squaw became very intimate with the family, especially with little Elizabeth, a three-year-old child. One evening Mrs. Harper sent two children to bring in the JACKSONBURG. cows, and their three-year-old sister fol- Jacksonburg is the oldest town in the township. It lies near the highest ground lowed. When they had gone some distance the little girl cried for them to stop, but in in the township and was at one time the
After returning home Elizabeth was miss- ing. Search was immediately instituted, but the little girl could not be found. The next morning little footprints were found in the mud where she had crossed a stream, and close by them moccasin tracks. The Indians were all gone and it was evident the babe had been stolen. The father and mother visited all the Indian camps in search of their child, which was never found. In 1842 a gentleman who was well acquainted with the Harpers saw Elizabeth. He knew her by the family likeness which they all pos- sessed in a remarkable degree. She had married an Indian warrior and had two chil- dren. She afterward went with her tribe west of the Mississippi and was never heard of again. Her parents had died years be- fore, after despairing of ever finding her.
The population was 1,552 in 1820, 1,513 in 1830, 1,562 in 1840, 1,453 in 1890 and 1.343 in 1900. The earliest settlers of the township were the Andrews, Brelsfords, Bairds, Burns, Brookses, Corneliuses, Duf- fields, Davises, Foxes, Grafts, Hutchinses, Phares, Pottengers, Stubbses, Squires, Wil- sons, Weavers, Withrows and others. The Cincinnati and Richmond division of the Pittsburgh. Cincinnati. Chicago & St. Louis Railroad system crosses the southwest corner of the township. In the township are two villages. Jacksonburg and Seven Mile, the latter lying also partly in St. Clair.
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most important trade center west of the of the noted Indian chief, Killbuck, who Miami river in Butler county. It was on kept his clan at the mouth of the stream which empties into Elk creek. Killbuck was about half civilized and when his warriors left this section he refused to go with them. He afterward went to Indiana. the main road leading from Cincinnati to Preble and Darke counties, and had at one time two hotels, four stores, a pork-packing establishment, four tailors and other import- ant industries. The earliest settlers in this The Union church of Jacksonburg was built in 1843. It was first used principally by the Methodists, though free to other de- nominations. In 1876 the United Brethren gained control and have held services there with much regularity. neighborhood were Benjamin Vancleve, John Baird, John Craig and Henry Weaver. They laid out the village February 16, 1816. John Baird built the first tavern. William Phares kept the first store. One of the early merchants was the late Henry S. Earhart, The Presbyterian church was established in 1872 with sixteen members. The church has had a prosperous career. of Hamilton. In 1824 the town attained its greatest prosperity. The tavern could not begin to accommodate the traveling public. It is said that frequently there were as many SEVEN MILE. as fifty teams at a time putting up for the night in the town. There has always been some manufacturing done in the village. Charles Wells was the first blacksmith. Thomas Hartley was the next smith to lo- cate there. About 1870 John H. Yager started a blacksmith, wood-working and paint shop, and manufactured buggies, wagons, harrows and rollers. Thomas Brothers conducted a printing office for some time. After the building of the rail- roads and a bridge across the Miami at Mid- dletown Jacksonburg lost much of its im- portance as a trading point. The town was incorporated many years ago, and has a complete municipal government under the village plan. Its population according to the census of 1900 was only seventy-seven. It is the smallest municipality in the state.
The first church built in this locality was Shiloh church. It was a log structure and later was changed into a school house as well, with occasional church services. /The Shiloh church is near the camping grounds
Seven Mile was laid out in 1841. The original proprietor of the land was Samuel Brand, who owned five hundred acres and built a mill and a distillery, which he con- ducted until 1835. John Walter, who came into possession of a portion of the Baird land, laid out Walnut and High streets, and one twelve-foot alley. F. B. Landis pur- chased the first lot. After 1851 additions were laid out by F. B. Landis, Surber, Bob- benmeyer & Surber and Weider. In the spring of 1838 there were but two houses in Seven Mile. Stephan Emerick was the first merchant. John Boliard was the first black- smith. Henry Jacoby kept tavern here in the 'thirties and 'forties. Later Wilson Clark and William Lightsinger kept general stores. The present merchants are A. B. Pharls and F. J. Schmidlin. Beck Brothers conduct a general blacksmithing business. The town has besides a hotel, a harness shop, tin shop, meat store and a mill. Seven Mile was incorporated in 1875. According to the census of 1900 the population was 256.
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The first school in this neighborhood was taught by William Garrison in a building erected very early. It stood a half mile east of Seven Mile. The second building was erected in 1830 and the present building in 1878. The turnpike passing through Seven Mile, from Eaton to Hamilton, was built in 1833 and 1834. The pike is sixty feet wide and was intended to accommodate three teams abreast. At that time the travel was very great. The pike was built by a stock company of which John Woods was presi- dent.
A stock company founded an academy here in 1858. I. N. Hughes was the prin- cipal, and the school had an attendance of sixty students the first year. R. B. Hanby, author of "Nellie Gray," succeeded Mr. Hughes. The last school was conducted by B. Starr, in 1866, when the building and grounds, containing four acres, were pur- chased by the Seven Mile special school dis- trict for three thousand five hundred dollars. The house is two stories high and contains four rooms.
In 1870 Prof. B. Starr established a se- lect school for boys, which he carried on for several years. Prof. Starr was a gradu- ate of Middletown, Connecticut.
The Cotton Run Methodist Episcopal church was organized in Seven Mile in a very early day. For a few years services were held at the homes of the members, but in 1831 a church was built upon an acre lot donated by John Withrow. Rev. Joshua Holland was the first pastor.
The United Brethren church was or- ganized in 1844. The first pastor was Rev. Theophilus Rork. In 1859 the first church was taken down and a new one erected at a cost of five thousand dollars. Services are no longer held.
The Presbyterian church was organized in 1878. Prior to 1881 the society wor- shiped in the German Reformed church, but in that year a commodious and handsome church building was erected. The church has prospered from the beginning and has a large membership of faithful and active Christian workers.
MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
This township was organized December 2, 1805, and originally formed a part of St. Clair. It is one of the northern tier of townships and is bounded on the north by Preble county, on the east by the township of Wayne, on the south by Hanover and on the west by Oxford.
Milford township, in 1820, had a popu- lation of 1,501; in 1830, 1,808; in 1840, 1,868; in 1890, 1,649, and in 1900, 1,476.
Some of the early settlers of the town- ship were the Grimes, Glimes, Gard, Han-
cock, Hayne, Hinsey, Jones, Irwin, Kreamer, Kennedy, Lytle, Lippencott, Mar- shall, Markle, Ogle, McCleary, McMechan, Brown, McNeal, Broadberry, Pottenger, Pughe, Robinson, Reed, Richardson, Sut- ten, Stout, Rynearson, Simmons, Scott, Steel, Simpson, Taylor, Teegarden, Wal- ters, White, Williams, Watters, Walden, Darr and Young.
The principal streams in Milford town- ship are the Four Mile and Seven Mile creeks. The former cuts the township in the
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southwest, while in the northeast a similar cut is made by the Seven Mile creek. The valleys along these streams are very pro- ductive. Darr's run drains a considerable portion of the western part of Milford township, and is the principal tributary of Four Mile creek.
St. Clair's route, in his expedition against the Indians of the northwest, passes through Milford township.
From 1803 to 1806 the settlers suffered from the pinches of poverty. The most of them had to travel through the wilderness from twelve to fifteen miles to mill and this was a great inconvenience and hardship. The Indians at this time were very annoy- ing to the settlers by their constant begging of "ochpon" (bread), "monako" (milk), and "quis-quish" (meat). Some of them often appeared in full war dress, painted, and with the scalping-knife by their side. Others wore the uniform of an officer whom they had previously killed and robbed. Two of them were known by the names of "Kill- buck" and "Mishawa," the latter a Shawnee chief, who is believed to have been killed at the battle of the Thames by Colonel John- son's men.
In the fall of 1804 a Baptist preacher by the name of Patterson, from South Caro- lina, a traveling minister, preached at the house of L. R. Cooch, the first sermon ever delivered in that part of the township. During the summer of 1806 a traveling Baptist preacher visited and preached in the western half of the township five or six times.
Milford township has three villages, as follows: Collinsville, Darrtown and Somer- ville. The beginning of what is now
COLLINSVILLE
was the entering of the land upon which it is located by Matthew Richardson in 1802. The first lot sold was bought by Charles Collins, a wagonmaker by trade, from whom the town received its name. He continued to work at his trade here until 1839, when he sold out to W. H. Crume and removed to Preble county.
The first store keeper was Colonel A. P. Young. He was succeeded by James Steel. Eli Murphy and James Crozier opened a blacksmith shop in 1837. Johns Davis built the residence and store room later occupied by John Slonneker.
James Young conducted a saw mill as early as 1811. A few years later a grist mill was added. The mills were operated until about 1860. The first school teacher in Collinsville was an Irishman by the name of William Hewett, who taught here from 1818 to 1838. The first school house was constructed of logs, with a fire place in the center of the room, while a brick chimney carried out the smoke through the rafters. In 1838 a frame building was constructed and in 1876 a two-story brick. Joel Harris taught here after the Civil war and also took an active part in local affairs.
The Collinsville Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1843 and was con- ducted with varying success until about 1870. The Presbyterian church was or- ganized in 1810. The society is in a flour- ishing condition, and has a handsome frame church structure near the main part of the town. Collinsville is a station on the Cin- cinnati and Richmond division of the Penn- sylvania Railroad.
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