USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 2
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 2
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486
Martindale, John, Jr
486
Mathews, John
663
Mathews, William
663
Maurer, D. B 791
Neth Brothers 429
Maurer, John 796
Neth, George
429
Maxwell Spafford WV. 478
Neth, J. B.
429
Maxwell, Thomas 47S
Nettleship, C. W
312
Means, Dr. Joseph W. 811
Newby, L. C ..
747
Meek, David 510
Meeks, D. C .. . 510
Newman, Charles E. 766
Reaver, Ora 378
Mendenhall, Isaac 528
Nolan, Cory H 444
Reed, Bert A .. 854
Mendenhall, Joseph E. 528
Nolan, John E 288
Rehmerth, Henry 779
Menge, Rev. Goswin B.
482
Mentink, Rev. Anthony J ..
3t5
Meredith, John L.
515
Nolan, Michael
288
Reiber, Jacob 711
Meredith, William J. 515
Norris, J. William. 477
Rhoades, Arthur C.
685
Mikesell, John
338
Nutt, Albert 472
Rhoades, George C.
656
Miles. Morris 642
O'Donnell, J. Guy. 556
Ritter, Hon. Harry J.
606
Miller, John H. S20
O'Ferrall, Dr. R. M. 350
Ritter, Harry W.
607
Miller, Melville, W. 446
Orbison, David 615
Robbins, Alvernus
841
Miller, W. F. 455
Millhouse, Jacob 735
735
Minton, Dr. W. A.
705
Minton. Dr. W. H. H
205
Mitchell, C. W.
538
Mitchell Milton G.
291
Parsons, George F 326
Rogers, Charles P. 537
Rogers, Theodore L. 536
Montgomery, C. W
352
Patterson, I. B. 460
Rogers, William C. 635
Rollin Family, The. 341
Moon, William B
661
Pearson, E. E. 641
Rollin. Horace J. 341
Rosenberger, Dr. A. S. 531
Moore, William 41S
Pearson, George 333
Rosenberger, Isaac J. 813
Rosenberger, Israel H. 462
Ross, John Wilson 386
Roszell, 488
Routson, Absalom 305
Routson, David J. 697
Morton, Charles 722
Peckham, Frank J. 497
Routson, George W 420
Morton, Samuel 722
Peckham, George W. 690
Routson, Isreal 694
Morton, Simon C .. S14
Pence, George W. 741
Routson, Reuben 698
Morton, William C 815
Pence, John N.
741
Royer, Samuel D.
631
Rudy, John C.
854
Magill, Fred B ..
635
Moyer, Perry H. 404
Maier, Charles B.
649
Mumford, George 403
Maier, Eberhart W 686
Maier, Michael 599
Mumford, William R.
410
Makepeace, S. S. 394-
Mummert, John
782
Murphy, George O 644
Murray, Charles
728
Murray, Owen 745
Murray, Samuel 727
Musselman, Jacob 719
Pleasant, George \' 755
Pleasant, William 755
Poling, G. W. 847
Prince, Will J., M.D. 366
Prugh, Jesse 444
Prugh, John L. 444
Purdy, James L. 306
Purdy, Thomas L. 474
Racer, John H. 303
Rake, Amos 697
Rake, William J. 697
Rannells, Chas F. 407
Reaver, Jacob 378
Reiber. John 712
Mikesell, A. F 832
Nunlist John A. 435
Rhoades, Charles D.
677
Miles, D. M. 642
Oda, John 775
Rhoades, John
656
Miller, Dr. John D 567
O'Ferrall, Dr. John 351
Robbins, William F
841
Orr. A. Morrison 466
Robinson, Alexander
689
Robinson, Charles A.
557
Robinson, John
659
Robinson, Michael 557
Mohler, E. S ...
765
Passage, Peter 816
Moon, James
661
Patty, Albert R. 705
Moore, John O
41S
Pearson, Frank W. 332
Morris, J. W ,69
Morrow, Daniel
526
Morrow, George B
756
Morrow, Harry 1.
S15
Morrow, R C.
756
Peckham, David 497
Richardson, O. W.
503
Orbison, David 615
Roberts, F. C.
331
Millhouse, Madison
O'Roark, J. A. 337
O'Roark, W. L. 337
Palmer, Capt. Samuel D. 656
Pearson, Horatio 641
Peckham Coal and Ice Co., The 497
Peckham, Chas. 477
Mote, Daniel ,97 Pence, Thomas J., V.S. 396
Pierce, Samuel 832
Pierce, Zenas 852
Piqua Handle & Manufactur- ing Co. 634
Musselman, John 719
Myers, John G. 754
Myers, M. D .. 701
Myers, Michael 754
Neal, James K 362
Neal, Samuel N 361
Newman, Daniel 766
Nolan, Michael 445
Rehmerth, William J. 780
Norr, T. H. 540
Phillippi, Jerome 524
Mumford, George Jr. 403
PAGE
18
INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
Simmons, B. F. 627
Telford, James 595
Rudy, Levi
854
Simmons, Charles
760
Tenney, Dr. Eli
552
Rudy, S. J.
505
Simmons, George 0 760
Simmons, John
493
Tenney, W. Irving
551
Ruhl, Josiah W. 788
Simmons, J. W.
493
Thoma. Albin
335
Simmons, Peter 627
Rundle, G. H ... 417
Rusk, Edwin N 513
Rusk, William
573
Smith, Benjamin F. 678
804
Sando, Samuel 643
Sando, W. W. 643
Sayers, E. F. 389
Smith,
Daniel
329
Sayers, Ezekiel
614
Sayers, Harry L.
613
Smith, H. W. .S04
Schmidt, Joseph J.
380
Schnell, Charles A.
810
Schram, George
835
Schram, John $35
Smith, Dr. S. D.
713
Trostel, Charles E
397
Ullery, David 816
Ullery, David E. 816
Ullery, Dr. G. C. 816
Updike, Gideon G .. 461
Updike, Wilbur D. 320
Vandergrift, William A 358
Van Horn, E ..
752
Van Horn, Oscar 351
Van Horn. William 351
Vinnedge, Clinton 366
Shaffer, John
601
Sowers, John
301
Shanks, Daniel 655
Sowers, William H.
301
Shanks, William T. 635
Spencer, J. M.
347
Sharp, Calvin 641
Sproul, Robert S.
471
Sharp, Levi 641
Stahl, J. W.
809
Sheets, Elizabeth 430
Staley. Andrew
325
Sheets, John
421
Stanfield, Maurice
374
Sheets, Isaac S.
421
Stauffer, James W.
812
Sheets, Mary
415
Steil, Frederick 367
Steinlage, Rev. George P.
361
Shepard, Ezra 851
Stewart, J. F.
635
Sherman, Henry
5.89
Sherman, Louis
589
Shilling, David
514
Shilling, Dr. Harry
474
Stockstill, Elias D. 476
Wehneman, John H.
745
Shilling, Louis O.
514
Shilling, T. C .. .
801
Shipman, L. H.
417
Strock. Adam M .. V.S. 513
Wenger, E. 819
Wetzel. John G. 310
Shook. John N 526
Suber, J. C. 710
Wharton, Oliver 435
Wheeler, Leonard A. 726
726
Shroyer, Oscar 37
Sullivan, Hon Theodore. 29S
White, Jeremiah
638
Siegel, George 783
Swearingen. Franklin S. 333
White, J.
G3S
Siegel, Joseph E. 331
Swearingen, John L. 334
Whitman. Edward
675
Siegel. William 783
Swisher, W. V. 341
Whitman, Frank L.
675
Simes, Edward 488
Switzer, Edward L 316
Whitmer. Abraham
826
Simes, James E. 473
Switzer, Jacob
S01
Whitmer, Henry C.
826
Simes, Lewis E. 488
Switzer, J. M. SO1
Whitemr, John
501
Simes, Thomas J. 473
Switzer, Levi 60S
Whitemr, William W
501
Whitmore. David J.
659
Simon, Otto 464 Syler, Sherman D. 411
Wagner, Jacob G. 524
Walker, H. J. 406
Walker, Josiah 406
Warner, Albert 695
Warner, David 688
Warner, Jacob 68S
Washing, George 501
Weaver, Dr. Adam D. 586
Shepard, George W. 85t
Stewart, Thomas B.
542
Weaver, Wesley D 470
Weddle, Darius W 625
Weddle, Rev. John B 626
Stilwell. Morris J ..
S56
Shilling, Jesse
500
Stockstill, John P. 476
Wellbaum, Aaron 821
Wellbaum, David
Shook, Isaac 526
Suber, George 746
Shroyer, Jacob 373
Suber, Orel MI .. 833
Shroyer, John W.
374
Suber, William D. 710
Wheeler, T. B
684
Stichter, Jacob
S06
Stichter. Jacob B.
80G
Shaffer, David C. 600
Sotherland, Richard H., Jr.
851
Snell, Rev. John H.
483
Scott, John
291
Snook. C. G.
294
Scott, Robert S. 434
450
Snowberger, Oliver H. 664
See, William E.
449
Snyder, Anderson 693
Senour, Dr. John G.
385
Snyder, C. E.
523
Shade. J. A. 577
Snyder, E. N. 756
422
Schuesselin, Fred 776
Schultz, Charles C. $12
Schultz, William 812
Smith, W. J.
372
Scott, George 29t
Snell. Daniel
483
Scott, H. E. 5:21
Smith, James 346
Tobias, David W. 439
Smith, Hon. J. Harrison 753
Tobias, Elias 439
Tobias, Jonathan 525
Schuesselin, Charles F. 776
Smith, William
713
Smith, Cortez M.
778
Thompson,
Dr. W. R. 472
Throckmorton, George 427
Smith, Enoch
618
Thompson, H. S.
474
Thompson, Joel T.
392
Thompson, Josephus 676
Thompson, Samuel 676
732
Sinks, A. E. 561
Thomas, David E ..
Thompson, Elmer E.
392
Smith, Alexander 678
Smith, Claude C.
Smith, Cloyd
Tobey, Charles W. 381
Tobey, Nathaniel 381
Smith, Lawson D. 422
Smith, William H.
618
Snowberger. David R. 667
Vinnedge, George 365
Vinnedge, Lewis D. 365
PAGE
Rudy, Joseph M. 602
738
Tenney, Frank W.
Rudy, Solomon A. 601
Ruhl, Dr. L. A 360
Thomas, Charles 732
Weaver.
Wehneman, John A 745
Stouder, A. G. 429
Shellabarger, William E 660
See, Jacob
19
INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Whitmore, Harry M. 639
Wirrig, John A. 621
Young, David D 761
Widener, Jacob
702
Wise, Moses B 674
Yount, E. W. 810
Widener, R. Hayes 733
Wolcott, Benjamin L. 629
Yount, S. K. 805
Widener, William D. 733
Wolcott, Lewis F
629
Yount, P. A .. 805
Wilgus, J. F. 602
Wood, Charles A.
295
Wilgus, John H. 603
Wood, Charles L.
295
Ziegenfelder, James B 338
Wilgus, Thomas 794
Ziegenfelder, Thomas 338
Wilgus, William, Sr 794
Zimmerlin, G. Jacob 759
Wilhelm, Eno . 588
Zimmerman, Charles 773
Wilhelm, Percival
588
Wilkinson, J. B.
541
Wood, William W 781
Zimmerman, Charles 797
Wilkinson, Joseph E 317
Worley, Aiken
706
Zimmerman, Fred 797
Wilson, John 309
Worley, John
706
Zimmerman, John 773
Wilson, Robert F. 791
Zimmerman, Joseph 793
Wilson, Robert M. 309
Yates, S. Frank. 649
Zink, W. A. 780
Wilson, William G. 401
Yerty, Jacob 713
Zollinger, John
487
Wilson, William W. 792
Verty, Samuel 713
Zollinger, Henry 593
Winters, Warren N 364
Young, C. O., V. S. 725
Zollinger, John Wm .. 521
Wood, H.
763
Woodward, Col. John R.
606
Tool
Wood, Shovel and Co., The 763
Zimmerman, Charles 793
INDEX OF VIEWS
PAGE
Ball Memorial Hospital, Piqua 215
Brethren Church, Pleasant Hill 103
Cabin Built in 1798; Staunton Township 47
C. H. & D. Depot, Troy 267
Christian Church, Covington 87
Christian Church, Piqua 103
Christian Church, Pleasant Hill 229
Christian Church, Troy 245
City Building, Troy 117
County Infirmary 215
Covington Woolen Mills, Covington 155
Edwards School, Troy 173
English Lutheran Church, Troy 125
Episcopal Church, Troy
245
Favorite Stove and Range Company's Plant, Piqua. 237
Fireplace in Home of Horace J. Rollin, Staunton Township 155
First Baptist Church, Troy 103
First National Bank, Troy 125
Forest School, Troy 173
Greenville Creek Falls, Near Covington 73
High School, Bradford 187
High School, Casstown
187
High School, Piqua
187
High School, Troy
173
High Street, Piqua; Looking West from North Plaza 135
Hohart Electric Manufacturing Company, Troy, Plant of the 125
Horse Shoe Bend, near Troy 47
Hotel Troy, Troy 257
Indian Mound on Wolverton Farm 47
I. O. O. F. Building and Post Office, Troy 215
Knoop Children's Home
215
Looking North on High Street, Covington 73
Ludlow Falls
59
Mckinnon Dash Works, Troy 275
Main Street, Piqua; Looking North from Ash 135
Main Street, Tippecanoe City 87
Main Street, Troy; Looking West 257
Market Street Bridge, Troy
267
Masonic Temple, Troy 125
May's Opera House, Piqua 135
M. E. Church and Parsonage, Covington. 73
M. E. Church, Piqua 143
M. E. Church, Troy 245
Miami River, Troy
73
Miami River Below Troy 47
PAGE
Miami County Court House 117
Miami County Jail, Troy 267
Mother's Spinningwheel 155
Old Canal Locks, Troy 59
Old Gault House, Troy 125
Old Court House 117
On the Banks of the Canal, Troy 205
Orr Felt & Blanket Company, Troy, The. 275
Pioneer Pole and Shaft Company, Troy, The
275
Presbyterian Church, Covington 229
Presbyterian Church, Piqua 143
Presbyterian Church, Troy 245
Public School, Covington 187
Public Square, Troy 257
Public Square by Electric Light, Troy 257
Residence of John Schram, Newton Township. 155
Residence of L. M. Flesh, Piqua 87
Residence of Oscar F. Furrow, Lost Creck Town- ship 17
Residence of W. P. Orr, Piqua S7
Residence of E. N. Snyder. 756
Schmidlapp Free School Library, Piqua 229
Schoolhouse, West Milton 187
Site of First Fort and of First Birth in Miami County S7
Site of Fort Piqua; Confluence of the Miami and Loramie Rivers 135
St. Boniface Catholic Church, Piqua 143
St. James Episcopal Church, Piqua 103
St. John's Lutheran Church, Troy 229
St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Troy 103
St. Paul's Evangelical Protestant Church (German), Piqua 143
Stillwater River, Pleasant Hill 59
Soldiers' Monument, Forrest Hill Cemetery, Piqua .. 135 South Plum Street, Troy 87
South Street School, Piqua 187
Sugar Loaf, Swift Run Lake 237
Troy Carriage Sunshade Company, Troy 155
Troy Club, Troy 117
Troy Electric Works, Troy 125
Troy Wagon Works, Troy 275
The Tumbles; Swift Run Lake 237
Water Works Plant, Troy 267
West Charleston Falls 47
Y. M. C. A. Building, Piqua
103
Y. A. C. A. Building, Bradford
155
Thomas & Harbaugh
history of miami County
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY AND DESCRIPTIVE
Introductory-First Lords of the Soil, the Mound Builders-Speculations and Tradi- tions as to the Mound Builders-The Indians not the Aborigines-Coming of the White Man-Resistance of the Indians-Area of Miami County-Its Dirision into Twelve Townships-Topography, Elevation, Drainage-Fertility of the Soil- Disappearance of the Forests-Conditions Favorable to Agriculture-Tributaries of the Miami-Geological Foundations-Prehistoric Remains-Indian Occupancy -Early Abundance of Game.
In the preparation of this work the au- thor will incline to the narrative rather than to the technical style. He will give the principal facts as they appeal to him, clothing them in language easily under- stood, leaving to the close student the dis- puted points and those which border on tradition. There is nothing in local his- tory so confusing as that which borders on the obscure, and history, to be intelli- gible. should be stripped of the mistiness which sometimes surrounds it. The truc history of a country is that of its people, for they are the makers of history.
After the discoverer comes the pioneer,
who is the avant courier of trade. com- merce, the arts and sciences. The sound of his axe is succeeded by the music of countless wheels of industry, and from small beginnings in the wilderness spring the myriad avenues of civilization which, diverging like the spokes of a wheel, com- plete in time the upbuilding of a commu- nity or the glory of a nation. That this is the case locally I will endeavor to show in the following pages.
There exists no doubt that the first "lords of the soil" embraced within the present borders of Miami County were a race of people known as the Monnd Build-
21
22
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
ers. Of this race, which vanished before the coming of the Indian, we have traces in the shape of mounds, fortifications, and relies of earth and stone. Whence came the Mound Builder and whither he went is to this day a subject for speculation. J. F. McLean, who is an authority on the Mound Builders and their works, calls them "an ancient and unknown race of people, possesing a well-developed type of civilization, who once inhabited the Valley of the Ohio." It is but fair to say that his opinion of the attainments of this peo- ple is disputed by other writers.
"This race," continues Professor Mc- Lean, "has left us no written history, but the testimony of its existence and advance- ment in the arts and sciences is attested in the stupendous structures consisting of mounds, walled enclosures and domestic implements, which have long attracted the attention of observers, scientists, and the public generally. The ethnologist has been intensely interested as to the type of man- kind that constructed the remains. Many are the theories that have been propound- ed, but certain testimonies exist which en- able us to arrive at plausible conclusions."
It is no longer believed that the Indian erected the squares and parallelograms found in different parts of Ohio nor the mounds which exist in various parts of this country. "The North American In- dian," continues the authority above quot- ed, "has no habits of progressive industry. There is not one seintilla of evidence that he built these mounds. His own testimony is against it. To say the least, he was in- capable of the task. For instance, one In- dian tradition avers that the primitive in- habitants of Kentucky perished in a war of extermination waged against them by
the red tribes, and the Indian chief To- bacco informed George Rogers Clarke of a tradition in which it was stated that there was a battle at Sandy Island which decided the fate of the ancient inhabitants. Chief Cornplanter affirmed that Ohio, and this local section as well, had once been inhabited by a white race who were famil- iar with the arts of which they (The In- dians) knew nothing.
There is no doubt that the Indians had such traditions. They saw the various mounds and, being unable to account for them, they invented traditions which, to their romantic minds, would suit the ease. The red man was a born story teller. Every campfire had its romanticist, and the wigwams that dotted the vast region through which the Miami flows heard more than one fanciful story of the vanished races. There is no definite history that all the stone implements and weapons which are found to this day within the bounda- ries of Miami County came from the hands of the Indian, In regard to the makers of these relics there is a large amount of speculation. Dr. Abbott and others have discovered a paleolithic man and another whom they link kindredly to the Eskimo. Then we have also the Mound Builder and the pre-historic Indian, and the latter day "Lo." That the Indian manufactured stone weapons, implements, etc., there is not much doubt. From diggings made within the Ohio Valley in 1884 the follow- ing conelnsions as to how the arrow-head was formed may here be given:
"The primitive man first removed the outlying stratum of earth. On reaching the flint a large fire was made on it which caused the rock to shatter; water prob- ably being thrown on it to hasten the
23
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
work. Removing such pieces as could be detached, the process was repeated, if necessary, until the limestone below was reached and a hole made large enough to work in. The burnt portions being all taken off and thrown out of the way, clay was plastered along the upper half of the flint to protect it from the heat, and a fire built in the bottom of the hole against the larger and lower part.
"With the large boulders he broke off the upper unburned portion and carried it to some convenient level spot, where, with smaller hammers, the blocks were broken into suitable size for working. It is a sin- gular fact that no arrow-heads or other specimens were made where these blocks were broken up, but the small pieces were always carried to another spot-sometimes only a few yards away. In making large or heavy articles, as axes, pestles, etc., that did not require careful or delicate work from the beginning, he used a hard, tough, pebble, preferring diorite or some form of quartz. With this he could knock off chips and spalls from his inchoate im- plement until he had removed as mnehi of the useless portion as he could in this way; then, with light blows, he pecked over the entire surface until he had brought it to the correct outline on every side. With a piece of gritty sandstone he ground away the marks of the hammer and finally rubbed off all rough places and seratches with a softer, finer-grained stone than the first, and thus gave the specimen a smooth surface with more or less polishi. All instruments for cutting or splitting had the edge made sharp and smooth by rubbing as soon as the form admitted- often before the hammer marks were ef- faced from other portions ; and if a groove
was needed it was made as soon as pos- sible."
I have been thus particular regarding the manufacture of the stone relics of the vanished races, as gleaned from the con- clusions of archaologists, for the informa- tion of the school-boy who to-day searches the farms of this county for these interest- ing relies. He is the coming archeologist and must take the places of those who go before him. The Mound Builder has ocen- pied and ever will occupy the mind of the antiquarian, and his sojourn in the Miami Valley need not be enlarged upon in a work of this nature. He was the true ab- origine-a term which applies only to the first inhabitants of a country. Many writ- ers speak of the Indians as aborigines, which term, according to the makers of our dictionaries, is incorrect. The Indians, following the vanished races, became the second occupants of the soil, and henceforth when reference is made to them they will be called Indians, which is their rightful title.
In this county relics of early occupation have been found everywhere. They are numerous in some localities and infrequent in others. On the Col. Johnston farm, near Piqua, great numbers have been found, and in certain places throughout the Stillwater region. These relics are the only implement legacies left us by the races which once tenanted this section. In all probability some of the tumuli to be found within our borders would yield re- sults if opened, and on several occasions this has been done. Some gravel pits have brought to light many skeletons, but the skulls when measured have inclined sci- entists to the opinion that they were the remains of Indians. Not long ago a pit
24
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
on the eastern side of the county produced a perfect skull faced with a flattened cop- per plate, which gave credence to the as- sertion that the remains were those of an Indian chief of distinction. In some of these "finds" no weapons or implements were brought to light. The Indian, as a rule, buried the weapons of the dead with them, unless the hasty abandonment of a field of battle prevented.
In one pit on the Joseph Stafford farm in Lost Creek Township more than fifty skeletons were uncovered in one spot, which inclines one to the belief that the early inhabitants fell victims to an epi- demic which carried them off in great num- bers. It is well known that at various times the red races that inhabited Ohio were decimated by smallpox, a disease for which they had no cure, and consequently they died rapidly. Few Indians were actu- ally killed in battle in Miami County, for, so far as is known, no inter-tribal wars occurred, and the numbers slain by the whites were not great. Summing up every- thing, there remains no doubt that this county saw in its primitive state the vil- lages of the Mound Builder. While he left behind him comparatively few traces of his occupancy of our soil, he must have lived here, to vanish in the mists of the past and become one of the enigmas of the ages. The space that exists between his disappearance and the coming of the In- dian is indeterminable. Whether it should be counted by decades or centuries no one can tell. If the Mound Builder was the sentient being some have called him, it is strange that he should leave behind him no hieroglyphics by which the learned could arrive at the time of his habitation. The Indians speculated over him; as has
been said, they had traditions of him, but the forests of this vast and now densely populated region are as silent regarding him as are the rivers of the Old World of the first people who looked upon their waters.
The Indians of Miami County had their own history to make, and they made it. Too often that history was made to the sorrow of the first settlers. They disputed the ground with the white man; they re- mained here as long as possible. The white man saw that the land was fair and he wanted a new home west of the Alle- ghanies, and the forests of Ohio beckoned him irresistibly. The dawn of eivilization broke with the vanishment of the savage. The settler came here to remain, and not all the red tribes were strong enough to dispossess him. There could be no peace between the two races. The settler was ready to extend the olive branch, but the Indian rejected it. The warrior saw in the vanguard of civilization a menace; he stood ready to resist every encroachment and it is to llis credit that he did it with all his might. There remains among us to-day nothing to mark the Indian occu- pation of this county. The fertile fields were destined to receive a new race of people, and with the disappearance of the scarlet tribes the whites began that era of prosperity which exists to the present day.
The area of Miami County approximates four hundred square miles. It is divided into twelve townships, six on each side of the river, which, rising in Hardin County, flows southiward and enters the Ohio near Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The surface of the county is undulating and the soil pro- ductive. The land in the western part of
25
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Newberry Township is the most elevated in the county. In the Stillwater region, especially in Union Township, the eleva- tion is again marked, and precipitous banks in some places fringe that historic stream, but these acclivities lose themselves in gentle undulations until they become level plains. Newton Township, also on the west side, is mostly level, though bluffs are found along Stillwater as it courses through that particular section. In the northern part of the county, or that por- tion embraced by Washington Township, in which is the City of Piqua, the land is again undulating in the eastern and south- ern portion, but rather flat in the northern part. East of the Miami River there is but little high ground except in Bethel Township, where the land attains consid- erable height; but all these elevations are tillable and produce good crops.
The course of the Miami lies through a region particularly adapted to agriculture, and this fact no doubt attracted the early settler and decided him to locate here. The many small streams which enter the Miami head largely in natural springs, and it is noticeable that they are generally free from contamination, the water being clear and healthful. These creeks, for the most part, flow through farm lands, and nearly all have low banks which afford stock easy access to the water. Spring Creek, so named on account of contiguous springs, courses through a fine farming region. Lost Creek and Honey Creek, also on the east side of the county, enter the Miami in Bethel Township and not far apart. Indian Creek, heading in Lost Creek Township, flows in a southwesterly dirce- tion into Lost Creek. The various small tributaries of the Miami form a perfect
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