Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th, Part 65

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 926

USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th > Part 65

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).

It was on February 10, 1888, that the institution of the Elks lodge was established in Delaware. There was a special program, and a banquet was served. Many prominent cit- izens were charter members of the order, many of whom have since passed away.

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The petitioners for the lodge were Robert G. Lybrand, E. L. K .: W. C. Jaynes, E. L. K .; Lou J. Mitchel. E. L. K .: G. B. Dona- vin. sect'y. : E. T. Butler, treas. : John W. Don- vin, chaplain; J. H. Smith, esquire: Robert C. Wintermute, inner guard ; Van Dyke Stay- man, Harvey J. Mccullough, Henry L. Baker. L. K. Donavin, trustees. Charter members were C. F. Gruner, W. E. O'Kane, I. R. Els- ton. H. N. P. Dole, H. E. Buck. W. B. Jones, Charles E. Dole, E. P. Sampsell. H. L. Hy- att, John P. Thompson, S. K. Donavin, M. P. Hunt. T. C. Jones, Jr., H. D. Myers, R. C. Thompson. R. E. Johnson. P. W. Merritt. W. L. Bennington. R. A. Jaynes, William Heseltine, L. L. Welch, R. S. Evans, E. G. Lybrand. Of this number only nine are now in the city.

ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS.

The aims and objects of this order are of the highest character. It is composed of prac- tical Catholics: Irishmen of Irish descent, hav- ing for their motto, "Friendship. Unity, and True Christian Character." Practical Catho- licity means that members should comply with their religious duties according to the decrees of the Catholic Church. Friendship: which shall consist in helping one another, and in as- sisting one another to the best of their ability. Unity : in combining together for mutual sup- port in sickness and distress. Christian: in loving one another, and doing to all men as we would wish that they should do to us. The Ancient Order of Hibernians is also an insur- ance society. It helps in sickness, paying a sick member $5 weekly. It helps in time of death. paying not less than $60.

In 1880, the order was organized in this county with a membership of fifty-two, and with the following officers: James McDon- ald. county delegate: John Donehue, presi- clent : Michael Neville. vice pres. ; Frank Ma- hony. fin. sect'y .: M. J. Hanley, rec. sect'y. : Stephen Potter, treas .; Charles McGuirk and Stephen Barnes, trustees. Patrick S. English, chairman ; Stephen Barrow, Ed. Hanley. John O'Conner, Thomas F. Maloney, Patrick Grif-

fith, standing committee. John P. Griffin, chairman; James Welch, Michael Jeffcot, vis- iting committee.

Up to the present time, the order has paid for sickness, death, and other charitable pur- poses, over $3,000. There is now a member- ship of forty-eight, with the following offi- cers: County president. J. F. Gaynor; city president, Martin I'. Handrahan ; vice pres., John Parker; finan. sect'y., Dennis T. Griffin ; recording secretary, William T. Egan : treas- urer, John Maloney; sergeant-at-arms. D. W. Lynch; sentinel. P. Butt: trustees: Jerry Gerow, chairman: Robert Nelson, Thomas Ross, William Enright. Ed. Welch, Raymond Zinker. W. T. Egan, Frank B. Carl.

ST. MARY'S TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY.

One of the greatest orders, and most bene- ficial to the community, is the St. Mary's To- tal Abstinence Society, which was organized in 1885. It has a working membership of IIO, including men and women. Their power exerted for sobriety and temperance is so great, no earthly power can estimate the good resulting from this organization. Their pres- ident is W. G. Gannon ; secretary, Robert Par- ker. Jr. : treasurer. Robert Parker, Sr .: Rev. Ph. Steyle, spiritual director. The object of this Society is to advance the cause of tem- perance.

IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN.

The Improved Order of Red Men, Dela- wana Tribe, No. 42, hold their regular Pow Wow at their Wigwam every Thursday of snow moon, and trail their hunting grounds regularly. This lodge was chartered May 5 1904. It is strictly a patriotic and fraternal organization : and like the previously men- tioned orders, it is a temperance organization. and none can join it only under certain condi- tions, as follows: The candidate must be a white person; a citizen of the United States: must be able to speak and understand the Eng- lishi language: of good moral character; and a believer in the Supreme Being, or Great

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Spirit ; must be of sound body and mind; must reside within the reservation six moons next preceding the application; is not engaged, and must not engage, directly or indirectly in the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors to be used as a beverage.

In this order, an officer of the tribe is raised to the chieftancy of the Great Sachem of the Tribe, and the Past Chief Deputy to the Grand Sachem. They keep the great fire burn- ing brightly to keep a clear understanding of the remarkable secret principles of their order. They alone appreciate and know the great Sun Session which goes down in history. There is a membership throughout the United States of about 500,000. True to the legends of the Red Man, their place of meeting is the Wig- wam, and the highest office is the Great Sun Sagamore. Following the ancient tribesmen of the original inhabitants of this country, they have a prophet, a medicine man, a sa- chem, senior and junior, a sagamore, who is the chief of records and keeper of wampun. The tribe in Delaware, No. 42, is named "Del- awana." We add a few of the names of the tribes throughout the country: Ioka, Chicko- pee, Kill Eagle. Chimney Rock, etc.

The charter members of the Delawana Tribe are R. Garlinghouse, William McFar- land. B. Radcliff, W. E. Demorest, Nathan Jones, J. McCarty, Ally Vining, J. F. Den- nis, Clyde Coonfare, C. C. Long. F. Uffer- man, C. Shover, John Dent, David Shaffer, O. E. McFarland, W. W. & G. B. Collins, R. S. Sherwood ( sagamore), Joe. Feaster, Frank Grove, Henry Freece, J. W. Stietz, J. Fagley, H. C. Smith, Frank Gardner, Frank Rogers, C. C. Emerson, Henry and W. L. Smith, J. M. Syckes, L. M. Poppleton, G. C. Vining. They have a membership of about one hun- dred.

The Elk lodge of Red Men at Hyattsville was organized some seventeen years ago, or 1891. No further data has been furnished in regard to the history of their orgainzation.

TIIE POCAIIONTAS TRIBE

Is an order for the squaw members of the tribe. The members meet in their tepee reg-

ularly, and are enthusiastic workers for the order. At their annual Council Fire, they, like their brother lodge, make a report of their transactions, and of those who have taken the trail to the Happy Hunting Ground in the Spirit Land, from which no hunter ever re- turns. The orders look after the orphans of the tribes, and have an annual assessment to apply for the benefits of their wards until they are fourteen years of age.

At one of their great Sun Sessions, they disqualified for membership all saloon keep- ers, bar tenders, and retail liquor dealers. The Red Men have under advisement the building of a home for indigent members. The Dela- wana and Pocahontas tribes are making a strong effort to have the home located in Del- aware.

Present officers : George Wilson, prophet ; Frank Crumb, sachem; Ben Rad- cliff, senior sagamore ; Ezra Beekman, Jr., sag- amore; W. J. Temple, chief of records; G. K. Zimmerman, collector of wampum; Richard Sherwood, keeper of wampum.

GEORGE B. TORRENCE POST, G. A. R., No. 60.

Was chartered April 20, 1881, with the following members : D. A. Stark, J. W. Watkins, B. W. Brown, R. G. Lybrand, H. J. Mccullough, John Chapman, John S. Gill, R. J. Cox, R. R. Henderson, J. F. Curren, F. M. Joy, J. Kruck, George Root, C. D. Crawford, J. S. Jones, John D. VanDeman, F. B. Sprague, C. Riddle, Aaron Frantz.

SONS OF VETERANS.

Sons of Veterans, Delaware Camp. No. 3II, organized July 18, 1888, with the fol- lowing members: H. E. Anderson, F. Smith, H. B. Abbott, H. Sackett, J. W. Blue, Charles T. Watkins, J. L. Anderson, C. W. Knight, J. Leeper, George H. Watkins, James O. Cut- ler. C. S. Cochran, C. C. Reed, L. E. Shrock, G. C. Vining, E. J. Pollock, J. A. Edwards, C. D. Burroughs, W. H. Armstrong. F. H. Watkins, W. G. Neilson, George C. Hipple, S. M. Waterhouse, G. A. Warren, H. H. Hip- ple, H. J. Clark, W. J. Brown, M. C. Reid.

CHAPTER XVIII.

TOWNSHIPS AND TOWNS.

Settlement and Organization of the Townships-Settlement and Founding of the Towns- Sketches of Ashley, Galena, Sunbury, Ostrander, Lewis Center, Powell, Radnor, and other Towns.

NOTE-In order to avoid the excessive duplication of data, a considerable amount of matter coming natur- ally under special headings, as Churches, Military His- tory. History of the professions of Law and Medicine, Public Institutions, Banks, the Press, etc., have been omitted from this chapter and will be found in the special chapters devoted to the respective subjects mentioned, or elsewhere in the general history.

BERKSHIRE TOWNSHIP

Was third among the townships now con- stituting Delaware county. inhabited by a white man, Col. Moses Byxbe and his small company settling there in the fall of 1804. It was formed of United States Military land, known in the United States Military survey as Township 4, Range 17, and is now five miles square, but during the early existence of Berkshire Township its boundary lines and area were frequently changed. Prior to 1806. it was a part of Sharon Township, in Frank- lin County, but in that year, through the ef- forts of Major Thomas Brown, on petition, was organized as a separate township to in- clude the fourth section of what is now Brown. the third section of Kingston, the east half of Berlin and Orange Townships, and the west half of Genoa and the present Berkshire Townships. This township was given the name. Berkshire. in honor of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, from whence had come Major Brown, Colonel Byxbe and other of the prominent early settlers of the com- munity. As new townships were organized from time to time, section after section of 1

Berkshire was set off until, of the land origi- nally embodied in the township, but the west- ern half of the present Berkshire Township remained and was joined to the eastern half, which had been set off from Sunbury Town- ship. Sunbury Township had been estab- lished at the first session of Commissioners' Court after Delaware County had been sep- arated from Franklin in 1808, and included, originally. the present townships of Harlem, Trenton and Porter, with the east half of the townships of Kingston, Berkshire and Genoa. besides the townships of Bennington, Har- mony. Peru and Lincoln, now in Morrow County. The surface of Berkshire County is rolling, lies high, and is admirably adapted to farming. It was covered with a heavy growth of timber, excepting a small prairie northeast of Berkshire Corners which in the early days was noted as a deer lick and the resort of im- mense flocks of wild pigeons. The land lying between the Little and Big Walnut Creeks. which afford excellent drainage for the town- ship, was covered almost exclusively with oak. while in other parts was a variety, including maple, walnut, hickory, butternut and elm. The soil is a light clay, with the exception of the elm swamps and prairie land. which are of a rich, black loam.

The first settlers in Berkshire Township came from Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Colonel Moses Byxbe, a man of wealth and standing, kept hotel and conducted a general store in the town of Lenox, in that county,

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and in the course of business came into pos- session of a large number of soldiers' land warrants, which he located in section 2 of what is now Berkshire and section I of the pres- ent township of Berlin, 8,000 acres in all. Ile afterward acquired other land in Brown and Genoa Townships and was the largest land- owner ever resident of Delaware County. In June, 1804, he fitted out a four-horse team with Orlando Barker as driver, a three-horse team with Witter Stewart as driver, a single- horse wagon in charge of Solomon Smith, and, after loading with his store stock and household goods, started for his new pos- sessions in the West, leading the way with his family in a carriage drawn by two horses. He was also accompanied by Azariah Root. a surveyor from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Edwin Potter, a nephew of Colonel Byxbe. thirteen years of age. After an adventurous journey, he arrived at Worthington in Au- gust, and, this being the nearest point to his destination, built a two-story frame house, in which he and his family lived for three months. During this time he went to his land in Berkshire, and erected cabins for his home and stables on the prairie, on the bank of the Little Walnut. He also erected a cabin for Mr. Root on the Berkshire Road, a half mile south of Berkshire Corners. In November, 1804. he moved with his household goods and his family into the new home. Berkshire Street was surveyed through his land, and farms laid out abutting it, plans being rapidly advanced to bring in new settlers. The next to join the settlement was a Mr. Curtis, a shoe- maker, who came in January, 1805. followed closely by John Kilbourn, Ralph Slack, Elam Vining, Sr., James Harper, who was a black- smith. Adonijah Rice, and two colored wo- men, Sarah Brandy and Polly Noko. Major Thomas Brown, who had visited the settle- ment in 1805, returned to take up his residence in 1806, being accompanied by David Prince and John Patterson. Nathaniel Hall. James Gregory. Solomon Jones, Joseph Patrick, John B. Grist, David Armstrong, Samuel and David Landon, Gideon and William Oster- haus, a Mr. Helt, George Fisher and Joseph

Prince also appear on the roster of names for that period. In 1807, came Ichabod Plumb and Dr. Reuben Lamb, with their families, from Worthington, and in 1808, Hon. Eze- kiel Brown. The first white child born in the township was Albert Root, born in 1807. fol- lowed shortly by the birth of Ralph Slack. The first death recorded was that of the wife of Elam Vining, Sr., in 1806. Major Brown, in 1811, erected the first brick house, which is still standing, in the township, made of brick manufactured near where the house stood, and in 1816 David and Joseph Price built the first frame dwelling. Thus it is seen brick ante- dates lumber as a building material in Berk- shire Township, an anomalous situation due to the fact that the settlement numbered among its citizens a brickmaker and mason. The first mill in the community was that of Nathaniel Hall, built in 1808, on Alum Creek in what is now Berlin Township. Asa Scott was the first township treasurer, and David Prince, one of the first trustees, but the other officers of the township at its inception are un- known. Major Brown conducted the first store in the township, and probably the first in the county. Adonijah Rice conducted the first tavern in the township at Berkshire Cor- ners, and was also first post master there. The early industrial enterprises of Berkshire are treated of in the chapter on manufactur- ing.

. Berkshire Township lays claim to two healthy, vigorous villages in Sunbury and Ga- lena, and two settlements, Berkshire Corners and Rome, the two latter not fulfilling the promises of future greatness made by their founders. Colonel Byxbe displayed great ability in interesting a good class of citizens in Berkshire Corners, pointing out its desir- able location and its prospects of becoming a county seat, possibly a state capital, but with the disposition of his property there, the death knell of the settlement's pretentions was sounded. It was without its leader, he having (liverted his zeal and energy to the develop- ment of Delaware, where he had acquired large interests. Although it was never plat- ted, nor rose to the dignity of a village. it was

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not without its prestige in the early days. Ma- jor Brown conducted his store there until his death in 1816, then was succeeded by Flavius Fuller, whose business ceased to be a paying enterprise and was discontinued when Sun- bury began to boom as a business center. Mr. S. S. Bennett was an extensive stock dealer at this point, and did much to keep it alive as a center of trade for some years.

Sunbury, located in the east central part of the township, on the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad, was laid out by William and Lawrence Meyers on land formerly owned by a Mr. Alden, the plat bearing the date of November 9, 1816. It was well chosen as a townsite, being located on the Columbus and Mt. Vernon Road and contiguous to a large area of country without a trading point at hand. The first merchant was a Mr. Whit- more, who had established a store a year be- fore the town was started, but after a short time he was succeeded by Benjamin Webb. A third store was built and conducted by Steven R. Bennett. In 1816, the first hotel was started by a Mr. Rogers, who continued until 1820, when the stage began running through the town. Increase in hotel trade brought a competitor, in the person of Law- rence Meyers, who by erecting a suitable building was able to command the patronage. and Mr. Rogers retired from the field. B. H. Taylor and B. Chase built a fulling-mill, equipped for carding and pressing, which was conducted with success for many years, draw- ing patronage from many miles distant, as it was without competition in that vicinity.

The following is a list of the mayors of Sunbury since its incorporation in 1882: 1. A. Ports, 1882; R. D. Robinson, 1883; John Roberts, 1886: I. A. Ports, 1887: R. D. Rob- inson, 1888: C. C. Brooks. 1890: 1. A. Ports, 1894: C. C. Brooks, 1896; W. F. Whittier. 1898: C. C. Brooks, 1902: Miles Gregory. 1906, and Samuel Hopkins, 1908. The names are given in the order of succession. the dates being those when the duties of the office were assumed. The present members of the Coun- cil are Dr. T. J. Williams, president : O. F. Etling, J. A. Loar, C. L. Boyd, James Furry

and J. W. Longwell. The following gentle- men are members of the Board of Education : D. H. Davis, George Axline, Robert H. Lar- rimore, James Cockrell and Clayton W. Bar- ton. The Board of Health is composed of the following gentlemen: Dr. J. H. Gerhardt, health officer; Dr. H. B. Kistler, secretary ; Dr. T. J. Williams, T. F. Blakely, James Cockrell and H. Il. Herlocker.

Other township officals whose terms be- gan in 1907, are: I. S. Sperry, justice of the peace; Leon Hough, and C. W. Barton, trus- tees ; \V. E. Loar, clerk ; O. A. Kimball, treas- urer; J. W. H. Webster, assessor Sunbury Village; E. H. Furniss, assessor Galena Pre- cinct : John P. Hupp, Sunbury Precinct: An- sel Stanforth, Berkshire Precinct ; C. E. Budd, constable.

Among the principal industrial and busi- ness enterprises of Sunbury we may mention The Sunbury Co-Operative Creamery, The Far- mers' Bank, Burrer's Flouring mill, a saw mill, a poke factory and a factory where hay-balers are made. Blakely & Williams and C. B. Morris & Co., are general merchants; Wheaton & Cummins and Benoy & Benoy. hardware dealers; W. O. Buckingham & Sons, warehouse and dealers in lumber and farm im- plements : E. E. Root, bakery and fruit dealer, and Harry Fleckuer, fruit: John P. Skeels, grocer ; R. P. Anderson, druggist; Mr. Stro- snider. undertaker: 11. S. Cook, harness-shop ; The Delaware County News Item, a live newspaper published by W. F. Whittier ; hotel conducted by the present mayor, Samuel Hop- kins; two livery stables kept by Hopkins Brothers and Frank Alberry, respectively.

Located between the Big and Little Wal- nut Creeks, near the point of junction, is the village of Galena, through the northwest cor- ner of which passes the Cleveland. Akron and Columbus Railroad. It was platted by Wil- liam Carpenter, April 3. 1816. and recorded on the 23d day of the same month. The first building erected was the little log house which served as school and church prior to the incep- tion of Galena. Gilbert Carpenter, Sr., built a saw mill in 1809, the power being furnished by water in a race constructed by him. joining

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY

the Walnut Creek. About 1818 Benjamin Carpenter, Jr., constructed a second race, just south of the first one, and established a grist mill, which in later years was operated by George Vanfleet. The first store, started in 1810, by a man named Manter, was in a log cabin near the bridge. Soon after, Elias Mur- ray established a store on the southwest cor- ner of the square. The village was known by the name of Zoar until a postoffice was ac- quired, and was then named Galena, at the suggestion of Nathan Dustin, as there existed another town of Zoar in Ohio. The growth of the village was steady, but at no time rapid, as no effort was ever made to create a boom. The citizens, however, were men of enterprise, and by subscription the sum of $13,000 was raised to get the old Columbus & Mt. Vernon Railroad to pass through the town, in addi- tion to which they donated three acres for de- pot purposes.

Rome was the only village of Berkshire Township incorporated, but this honor added little to its development or welfare. It was incorporated in 1838, by Almon Price, who had laid off his farm into lots, but as there was nothing to stimulate its growth, the act of in- corporation was annulled on petition of the lot holders.

BERLIN TOWNSHIP.

Some of the earliest settlements in this county were made in Berlin Township. At that time, however, its metes and bounds were not those now shown on the map. From 1806 to 1820, Township 4, Range 18 of the United States Military lands, was divided between the townships of Liberty, Delaware and Berk- shire. In 1806, Sections I and 4, together with what was then the rest of Berkshire Township, were set off as a township. This was the shape of Berlin when the first settlers came here. The peculiar division of town- ships when Berkshire was laid off is probably accounted for by the fact that Col. Moses Byxbe owned Section I of the fourth township in Range 18. Berlin Township as now consti- tuted was set up January 8, 1820. At that

time the ist and 4th sections were taken from Berkshire, the 2nd section from Delaware and the 3rd section was taken from Liberty. The township as thus formed is bounded on the North by Brown, on the South by Orange, on the East by Berkshire and on the West by Delaware and Liberty Townships. Asa Scott started the petition for the new township and suggested its present name. At that time Scott was treasurer of Berkshire Township, which included Berlin, and in going over the figures, discovered that the population was large enough to justify a separate organiza- tion, and so he headed the petition to the Com- missioners. Dr. Loofbourrow was made town- ship clerk; Joseph Eaton was made justice of the peace, and Scott was continued in his po- sition as treasurer at the first election.

Alum Creek is the principal stream. It flows in a southerly direction in a winding course through about the middle of the east- ern half of the township. It drains a wider area on the east than it does on the west. The eastern bank of the stream is marked by many bluffs, and back of the bluffs thie land is more or less broken. In the southeastern part of the township, the land is less broken and rich bottom lands. East of the creek the soil in the eastern part is the usual mixture of clays, well adapted to grass and corn. The lower lands west of the creek are rich, but an immense amount of ditching and tiling has been necessary to make them tillable. This region was originally covered with vast for- ests, the hard woods common to this section growing on the high lands, with burr oak, elm, basswood, buckeye, etc., with an underbrush of paw-paw and spice bush, in the swampy portions. Ever since markets have been fairly accessible, stock-raising and stock-feeding have received considerable attention.

Joseph Constant, of Peekskill, New York, was the first purchaser of land in this town- ship. He bought Section 4 from the Govern- ment, paying $2 per acre and receiving a deed signed by President John Adams. He was popularly known as Judge Constant, but whether he ever held any judicial position is not known. It was claimed that he had been

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a Colonel in the army during the Seminole War in Florida, and that it was there that he contracted the disease from which he died. Some time before he died, he gave fifty acres of land to David Lewis, Sr., on condition that he would settle upon it. However. George Cowgill, who in November. 1805, located about a mile north of the Delaware and Sun- bury Pike, was the first permanent settler. He was closely followed by David Lewis, Sr., who was accompanied by his daughter, Hannalı, and sons John and David, Jr. The latter was married, and on September 29, 1806, had a son born, whom he named Joseph Constant Lewis, for Judge Constant. This was the first white child born in the township. Their land was on the west side of Alum Creek, on the hill about opposite the cemetery south of Cheshire. In the spring of 1806, Joseph Eaton. Sr., and John Johnston brought their families from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and settled on Olive Creek or Big Run about two miles north of Cheshire. Others who came into the settlement in that year were David Isaac. Philander Hoadley, and Chester Lewis, with their families from Waterbury, Connecticut. They settled on Section 4. In 1807, Philo Hoadley, with his wife, three sons, and Lovell and Lucy Calkins, and Asa Scott came from Connecticut. Lovell Caulkins began at once to clear land whereon to raise sustenance for his father's family, who were to follow him into the wilderness, and while he was thus en- gaged, his sister began to teach school. In 1808. Lovell Caulkins returned to Connecticut and made up a company of emigrants, com- posed of the families of Roswell Caulkins, Samuel Adams. Jonathan Thompson and John Lewis, forty persons in all, and on Sep- tember 20, 1809, the little company started for the West. Capt. John Lewis, of this party, was the first permanent settler in the south- east quarter of the township. After this, there was a slow but steady increase in the popula- tion of the township.

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Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th, Part 65

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company Number of Pages: 926

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 926