USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 12
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 12
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counter enabled him to erect at Staunton the first tavern, where he entertained all with the natural eclat of one of his race. Simon Landry was probably eontempo- raneous with Felix. In 1807 Amariah Smalley put up a blacksmith shop, though he did not shoe many horses till later in life. Levi Martin was another of the Staunton pioneers. His wife was scalped by the Indians and left for dead, but she eventually recovered and lived many years to exhibit to the younger generations the scalp mark on her cranium.
Henry Marshall and John Defrees came into the township in 1806 and lived upon their farms till death claimed them at a green old age. A Virginian, named Will- iam MeCampbell, entered the township in 1807, and subsequently became one of the first justices of the peace elected in the county. About the same time the Staun- ton colony was increased by the arrival of Jacob Riddle, William and James Clark. A few years afterward John Gil- more built his house near the Miami, but previously Uriah Blue, Richard Winans, John Julian and Rev. William Clark had come.
The early pioneers of the township had more than their share of Indian troubles. Situated as many of them were along the banks of the Miami, which afforded abund- ant waterways for the little eanoes of the red prowlers, there were many alarms, some of them fortunately false. A story showing the perils and annoyances to which the Staunton settlers were put is told of the Carver family. At one time when Mr. Carver was hauling wood on a sled, an Indian, well loaded with the white man's "fire water," proceeded to make the woods resound with his heathenish
yells. These so frightened Carver's team that it was all the settler could do to re- strain his horses. He begged the drunken brave to desist, but as he exhibited no in- tentions in that direction, Carver proceed- ed to lay him out with a cudgel, whereupon the hilarious red man, upon recovering, betook himself to a less dangerous local- ity. Quite frequently bands of drunken Indians kept the women and children of Staunton Township in a state of terror, and at times the settlers, when forebear- ance had ceased to be a virtue, took the law into their own hands and visited the drunken warriors with well merited thrashings.
I cannot refrain from going back to the reminiscent days of Dutch Station. A whole volume might be filled with the story of the men who erected it after casting their fortunes in the Miami wilderness. It has aptly been said, as showing the prom- inence of this township, that "the Dutel Station" was the first place of settlement, Staunton was the first town in the county, and the first seat of justice.
Jane Gerard Dewcese was the first fe- male white child, and Jacob Knoop the first male white child born in Staunton Town- ship, dating back to 1800. Peter Felix, as I have already said, was a man who could drive a cool, hard bargain. He frequently sold needles to the unsophisticated Indians at one dollar apiece and when the would- be purchaser demurred to the price Peter without the semblance of a smile on his bland face would inform his customer that the needle maker was dead and that he (Peter) was offering the last of his stock dirt cheap. This bit of craft generally elosed the deal, and the Indian would walk off congratulating himself on the bargain,
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while Peter's white witnesses of the trans- action playfully observed that the needle maker had a knack of dying that was as- tonishing, not to say commendable.
The full history of Staunton Township, especially that interesting part which com- prises its early chapter, in all probability will never be written. Some of this his- tory has been merged into that of other townships. Upon the establishment of the county seat at Troy, Staunton lost some of its prestige, though she still deserves the appellation of "The Mother of the County."
A few years ago Miami Chapter, Dangh- ters of the American Revolution, marked with a huge boulder the site of the old Dutch Fort at Staunton. This memorial appropriately inscribed is one of several which have been placed within the bound- aries of Miami County to mark historic spots. It is said that General Wayne's army passed through a part of Staunton Township in 1794. It was also the scene of several animated scouting expeditions during the War of 1812.
Situated in Staunton Township is the County Infirmary, with the buildings per- taining thereto. The land was purchased by the county in 1838, the buildings erected the following year, and opened for the re- ception of inmates in 1840. In 1853 a storm demolished the Infirmary buildings, injuring a number of the public charges, but a year later new buildings were ready for occupancy. Since then additional buildings have been added, especially one for the proper care of the insane. To-day the Miami County Infirmary is one of the best institutions of the kind in the state and has been well conducted from the first. The inmates are well cared for, the build-
ings well kept up and the finances of the institution satisfactorily managed. The Miami County Infirmary is the largest publie institution on the eastern side of the river, the other being the Knoops Children's Home in Elizabeth Township.
LOST CREEK TOWNSHIP.
There is a tradition to the effect that the term "Lost Creek" originated back in the days of the red man. It is asserted, with what degree of truth none can say at this late day, that an Indian once lost his bearings along the stream now called Lost ('reek. When accosted by a friendly set- tler who observed the Indian's state of mind, the brave replied that not only was the Indian lost, but the creek as well, hence the name Lost Creek, which the stream bears to the present day, as well as the township through which it flows.
The county commissioners at their ses- sion on December 10, 1818, decreed that a certain area bounded on the north by Brown Township, on the south by Eliza- beth and on the east by Jackson Town- ship in Champaign County should be called Lost Creek. Prior to this time, in faet as early as 1804, Willis Northeutt and John Rogers had settled within this area. Later General John Webb and Alexander Mc- Dowell, Sr., two men who had taken part in the War of 1812, entered the township and permanently located there. Some of the early records of Lost Creek have been lost, but enough is known to say that John Lenon, George W. Green, and James Buekles were the first duly elected trus- tees, and that J. K. MeFarland acted as elerk. The first township election was held at the home of George Puterbaugh, near the site of the now demolished Lost Creek
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Baptist Church. Very few votes were polled. There was no "log rolling," as now, and the ballots were bits of white paper, the names of the candidates being written in ink. From this first election, almost a century ago, sprang the govern- ment of Lost Creek Township.
Among the old settlers of Lost Creek Township-not in the order of their ar- rival, for that is impossible to give-were Elisha Webb, Asa Rogers, Abram Cromer, James Buckles, Timothy Green, James Frazee, George Green, Willis Northcutt, John W. Martin, Willis Hance, Benjamin Hance, Giles Johnson, Allen Ralston, Will- iam Babb, Daniel Knoop, John Wilson, William Burton, Thomas Shidler, Henry Whitmore, William Wallace, Richard Palmer, W. C. Knight, William Saunders, John Lenon, David Archer, Jonathan Yates, Reuben Westfall, John Darst, Thomas Stretch, Joseph Webb, Joseph Layton, James Fordyce, Jonas Sutton, D. H. Knoop, Thomas Long, Barnett Rapp, Samuel McDowell, John Shanks, Levi Martin, Jacob Youtsey, Jonathan Covault, Josiah Martin, Peter Clyde, Levi Trim- mens and Andrew Egnew.
These were the men who cleared the Lost Creek forests and opened up that township. They came from various parts of the Union. They made long and peril- ous journeys to the new homes, and by their perseverance made the woodlands put on new beauty. All were hardy, hon- est, God-fearing people, who raised large families where they settled. Lost Creek Township is peopled to-day by many de- scendants of its first pioneers.
There is nothing exciting in the history of this township. It saw none of the bor- der troubles which during the War of
1812 kept some of the other townships in a state of ferment. The only event of that war which belongs to the township is the march of General Isaac Hull's army on its way to Detroit. Hull came through the Miami wilderness from Dayton and crossed Lost Creek Township. He found a block- house near where the George McDowell homestead now stands, and halted there to rest his men. The march from Dayton had told severely on the little army; the men were almost shoeless and on the oc- casion above referred to the pioneer wo- men of Lost Creek bound up the bleeding feet with blankets and gave of their provi- sions to refresh the army.
The early enterprises of the township were few. In 1814 John McFarland erect- ed a carding-mill and fulling-mill near where Casstown now stands, and Green and Frazee put up a couple of grist-mills which were badly needed. Gen. John Webb was elected justice of the peace in 1819 and served many years in that capacity. One of the other early justices was Thomas Shidler, who became a member of the Leg- islature. General Webb, who lived to a good old age, came from Kentucky. He moved with his parents to Ohio in 1797 and settled first near the site of Dayton.
General Webb volunteered in 1813 to take part in the war with England. He was not permitted, however, to see any arduous service, as during the greater part of his enlistment he was stationed at Greenville. He afterwards became a ma- jor-general in the Ohio militia and upon the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861 he drilled a company of Home Guards, which afterward went to the front. Dur- ing the Civil War Lost Creek Township furnished more than two hundred men to
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the Union armies, and these took part in some of the most desperate conflicts of that war.
Casstown. The only municipality within the boundaries of Lost Creek Township is the village of Casstown. It was laid out in 1832 by Levi Trimmens. It was first called Trimmensburg, but the name not suiting the first inhabitants it was changed to Casstown, being the only postoffice of that name in the United States. Cass- town now contains about 300 people. The first brick house erected in the village was built by Daniel Knoop, who for many years engaged in the merchandising busi- ness there. The village is four miles east of Troy, on the Springfield, Troy and Pi- qua Railway. It has several stores, a grain elevator, three churches, an Odd Fel- lows Lodge, good cement sidewalks, and is quite a business center. Some of its early mayors were John T. Webb, Abram Mer- ritt and Henry Jackson. Others were J. B. Geisinger, Charles P. Young, H. P. MeDowell, James M. Stuart, John C. Knoop. The present official roster is as follows: Mayor-W. W. Baker, clerk-F. G. Main; treasurer-Samuel Knoop; mar- shal-John H. Harbaugh; council-J. W. Fuller, Charles Conner, Alexander Long, Frank Simmons, Thomas Lewis, W. R. Wilgus; board of education-George M. Boak, Joseph Burton, Jesse Davis, Sam- uel Porter, W. W. Baker. Casstown has a well-graded high school, conducted by F. G. Main as principal and Horace Motter and Miss Pear Main as assistants. In the center of the township lies a collection of houses known locally as Sodom of Pence- town. It has never advanced beyond the dignity of a hamlet.
ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP.
Elizabeth Township is the only one in the county which retains the name orig- inally given to the area, or a part of it, which was first embraced within the coun- ty limits. The western part of the county, known as Randolph Township, lost its name when it was broken up into town- ships. There is no record of settlements in Elizabeth Township prior to 1800, the settlers, seemingly not having penetrated that far eastward.
The states of Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia furnished some of the first white men who came to Elizabeth Town- ship. These were Michael Slidaker, John and Jacob Mann, George Williams, John Flynn, John Gearhart, and the Cecils. They found the forests of Elizabeth un- broken by the work of the settler, and they at once set to work to flood the ground with sunshine and establish themselves on farms. It took a good deal of energy for these men to bring order out of chaos, but they were equal to the emergency. All day long their axes rang in the wildwood, and cabin homes began to appear in every di- rection. They were installing a little com- monwealth of their own.
John Shidaker, one of the first set- tlers, was a shrewd man. He purchased a whole section of land from the govern- ment and walked to Cincinnati to make the payments, carrying his gun on his shoul- der. Fearing that the Indians or some des- perate white man might rob him, he car- ried his money in his gun. It is stated that he got through safely, completed his transaction and tramped back to his cabin home. Samuel Kyle was another of the early settlers of Elizabeth Township. He
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was a Pennsylvanian. He was one of the first pioneer preachers of the county, hav- ing joined the Christian Church with his parents. He organized the Cove Spring Church in a log schoolhouse that stood on or near the Kyle cemetery. He served as pastor of the church for many years, and at one time was a member of the state Legislature.
In 1813 Robert Spronl came from Ire- land and settled near the Cove Spring Church. He was a pronounced Presby- terian. Jacob Harter, another of Eliza- beth's pioneers, served in the War of 1812 and took part in the siege of Fort Meigs and the battle of Perrysburg. Harter, while reared in Kentucky, was a native of Virginia. A number of the settlers of this township took part in the war. John Will- iams and Jacob Mann both bore a cap- tain's commission, and Philip Sailor, Will- iam Mitchell, William Shearer and John Shidaker were privates. It is narrated that all these men were fearless and faith- ful in the discharge of their duties and were a credit to the community which they represented.
For some time after the settling of the township the Pottawatomies gave the whites no little trouble. The Indians com- mitted no depredations, but they had the habit of lurking around the settlements, frightening the women and children and keeping them always in a state of alarm. The people of the township were greatly relieved when the last Indian took his de- parture and the frontier saw him no more. With the Indian were the wild animals. Wolves were plentiful in the township, even as late as 1820, and it required the utmost exertions of the settlers to exterminate them. Sheep, which had been early
brought into the township, the first flock by the Knoops, were visited by wolves and numbers of them destroyed. They were the ferocious grey wolves and their preda- tory excursions in packs forced the set- tlers to keep large dogs capable of doing battle with the invaders. More than one desperate conflict took place between wolf and mastiff.
John W. Dye built the first mill in Eliz- abeth Township. It stood on Lost Creek near the stone house which stands on the John Lefevre farm. It was a wonder of the early days, as it was built in 1813. In order to accommodate the people, a road was built from the Dye' mill to Troy, an innovation which was much appreci- ated. In 1823 Michael Carver put up the second grist-mill, and others followed. Distilleries, saw-mills, turning-lathes, and other industries followed one another un- til Elizabeth Township became one of the most progressive of the east side divi- sions. For years good roads were un- known, but at last came the Troy and Springfield Pike, which runs through the township from east to west, and other ef- forts in good road building became snc- eessful. To-day the township is well snp- plied with good roads.
Alcony. Having no incorporated town, Elizabeth Township is in this partienlar a little behind some of hier neighbors. The village of Alcony, or Miami City, as it is sometimes called, is the only settlement within her area. Carr, Hart and Vande- veer laid it out in 1858, and Philip Diek erected the first house. The village has now a population of 200 and lies in a bean- tiful region. Some years ago a postoffice was established there and the people are now served daily by the rural route sys-
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tem. Alcony has a good church, good pavements, and her people are among the most progressive in the county. Eliza- beth Township contains the Knoop Chil- dren's Home, an account of which will be given in another chapter.
In this township are found numerous small cemeteries which mark the last rest- ing place of many of the first settlers. It seems that in the early days families buried their dead on the farms instead of in a general graveyard, and this probably accounts for the many small God's aeres. Not a few soldiers of the Revolution are buried in this township. These men, after serving in the Continental army, sought a home beyond the Alleghanies and were laid away among the growing settlements of the Miami country.
It would require too much space to enumerate the full history of Elizabeth Township or to record the strides she has made since the coming of her first set- tlers. The township now has a population of 1,400 and can boast of one of the best country school systems ever devised. This is shown by the class of scholars turned out by the annual examinations.
BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
The southeasternmost division of the county, called Bethel Township, will finish this account of the twelve little common- wealths that make up the body politie of the county proper. The boundaries of Bethel as formed by the county commis- sioners at their first meeting have never been changed. The first settlement of the township goes back to the life of the Dutch Station at Staunton. One Thomas Stock- still, a Tennesseean, who became disgusted with the system of slavery which prevailed
in the South at the close of the eighteenth century, left his father's roof and finally settled in the northeast corner of the town- ship. It was probably the first actual set- tlement in the county, as it was made in 1797. Stoekstill came north as a youth : growing to manhood among the woods of Bethel and lived to become one of the township's most useful citizens.
After Stockstill's coming, others, at- tracted by the beauty of the land in Bethel. erected homes there and opened up the region. Among these were David Morris, Sr., a New Jersey man : Robert and John Crawford, Samuel Morrison, Mordecai Mendenhall, John Ross, Daniel Agen- brood, the Saylors, Puterbanghs, Clay- tons, Ellises. Studebakers and Newcombs. Some of these people were of the Dunkard persuasion, a class of inhabitants noted for their honesty, good habits and worth. This little colony soon made Bethel Town- ship one of the most desirable in the coun- ty, and their presence there induced other immigrants to share their fortunes. They represented several of the original states of the American Union.
Bethel Township experienced certain hardships which were not visited upon her neighbors. Lost Creek Township suffered during the famons cholera epidemic, but Bethel fell a prey to fever and other dis- eases, owing to a poor system of drain- age in the marshy region in the northeast corner of the township. This state of af- fairs discouraged some of the most hope- ful of the population. There were few doctors those days, and they were of a school not very progressive. Then they were few and far between, and the vari- ous diseases spread so rapidly that for a time the mortality was very great. The
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lance and calomel were the stock in trade of the old physicians and they were ever administered without stint and to the det- riment of the sufferers. At one time it looked as though a portion of the town- ship would be depopulated. The few car- penters within the disease belt trans- formed themselves into undertakers, and night and day they were busy burying the dead. No system of embalming was known. To the credit of the self-consti- tuted undertakers be it said that they re- fused compensation for their services. At last the low lands were drained, and almost like magic the sickness disappeared, but it had populated many a little cemetery and filled more than one community with mourning.
Besides this strange death sickness, Bethel Township experienced during her early history some trouble with Indians. The savages found excellent lurking places among the hills that are to be found in some parts of the township, and from these they made frequent incursions into the neighboring country. On one of these occasions a young girl named Hacker was overtaken, scalped and left for dead on the ground. She was found in an uncon- scious condition after the departure of the Indians and conveyed to her home. The victim of the assault not only recovered, but raised a new crop of hair, and also a family. In course of time the Indian dem- onstrations ceased and the inhabitants of Bethel Township enjoyed a long period of peace.
Brandt and West Charleston are the largest villages in Bethel Township. The former is situated on the famous National Pike and contains about 200 inhabitants.
It was founded in 1839. Being some dis- tance from a railroad, it has not made the growth it otherwise would have done. John Dinsmore was the first tavern keeper in Brandt, which place was at one time fa- mous for a plow factory installed by Wilm- ington and King. When the building of new pikes became one of the features of Bethel Township, the old National Road fell into disuse and much of the former glory of Brandt vanished. It has now sev- eral stores, a postoffice, one or more churches, and several nurseries which have more than local significance.
N'est Charleston is one of the oldest towns in the county and was laid out by Charles Friend in 1807. The town lies on the Troy and Dayton Pike, which road, it is asserted, was originally cut out as a trace by General Wayne. For some years West Charleston maintained considerable importance, but when it came to be missed by the canal and the railroad, it lost much of its former prestige and developed into a quiet village. To-day it contains prob- ably 200 souls. Not far away are found the "Charleston Falls," which of late years have become a summer resort for the contiguous country. The "Falls" pos- sess much natural beauty and are con- nected with some of the most interesting legends of Bethel Township. In conclud- ing the history of the townships of Miami County I have been briefer than they de- serve. Much could yet be told concern- ing them. Some of their statistical his- tory will be found in another part of this work. Perhaps in no other county in the state is there a history so interesting as ours. During the first century of its ex- istence Miami County has made prodig-
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ious strides along the highway of prog- ress, and to this glorious consummation the several townships have worked in uni-
son. Each township within our borders may proudly take for its motto the phrase "Imperium in imperio."
CHAPTER VIII.
TROY, THE COUNTY SEAT
Establishment of the County Seat-Rivalry Between Staunton and Piqua; Troy Enters the Contest-First Survey by Andrew Wallace-Absence of Graft-Description of Troy in 1815-Log Court House Built-Brick Court House Built in 1816-Over- field's Tavern-Queer Real Estate Transactions-William Barbee-" Squire " Brown and Other Early Settlers-The "Broadford War"-First Railroad-Open- ing of the Canal-The Cholera Scourge in 1850-First Court of Common Pleas- Troy Merchants in 1828-The Jackson-Adams Campaign-Runaway Apprentices -Appearance of the County Seat in 1853-Mayors Since 1840-Early Schools and School Teachers-Churches-The Postffice-City Government-Corner Stone of the Court House Laid, 1885-Masonic Temple Erected.
It was about ten years from the time of the appearance of the first white settlers in the county until the establishment of the county seat at Troy. A court of jus- tice had previously operated at Staunton, being held in the house of Peter Felix, the trader; but the need of a permanent county seat was felt and it was determined to set it up. Already a good deal of ri- valry existed between the various inter- ests in the county. Piqua desired to have the honor of being the county town and there were those who considered Staun- ton the best site. Among the latter the pride of first settlement existed. The first settlement had been made at Staunton, and its central situation appealed to many. A good deal of "log rolling" took place.
The county was formed by an act of the Legislature dated January 16, 1807, but it
was not until the following September that the commission appointed to lay out the seat of justice for Miami County made their return to the court. This report was signed by Jesse Newport, Daniel Wilson and Joseph Lamb. They fixed upon Frac- tional Section 21, and the northeast quar- ter of Section 28, Town 5, Range 6, east of a meridian line drawn from the mouth of the Great Miami River. The site se- lected consisted of forty acres and was owned by Aaron Tullis, who deeded the tract to Cornelius Westfall, town director, on the 31st day of July, 1813, for $120.30, or about three dollars per acre. On the same day William Barbee and Alexander McCullongh deeded to the town director the east part, northeast quarter of Sec- tion 28, containing' 144 acres and 77 poles, for $421.50.
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