Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 26

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 26

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

The principal settlers seem to have

Through the northern part of the town- ship, in early times, there was a road established leading from Springfield west- wardly toward Columbus, which is still called the Old Columbus Road. This road lost much of its former importance upon the establishment of the National Road, which runs the entire length of the town- ship, and at an early date gave much im- portance to the villages of Brighton, Vienna and Harmony, which were located on it. It is still the public thorough- fare of the northern part of this township leading to Springfield. The Springfield and Charleston Pike extends across the lands of the southern part of the township and the McArthur Free Turnpike leads north and south from Lis- bon via Plattsburg, Vienna and Catawba. It was built in 1868 by John McKinney. In addition to the three villages before mentioned, Plattsburg and Lisbon are located in this township, giving to the township more prominent villages than any other township in the county (see villages). Fifty miles of improved roads are within the township.

RAILROADS.

The Columbus branch of the Big Four Railway runs through the entire town- ship from east to west very near its cen- ter, and the Springfield and Columbus Traction line now follows the National Road in the northern part of the town- ship, and the D. T. & I. R. R. crosses the southwest corner of the township.

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

VOTING PRECINCTS.

The township has recently been divided into two voting precincts, the western part having its place of voting at Harmony and the eastern part at Plattsburg. There may be a further division of the eastern precinct, constituting a new vot- ing place at Vienna in a not far distant future.

POPULATION.

Harmony Township has not as large a population now as it had in 1850. On that date there were 1,929 people residing in this township; in 1870, there were 1,821; in 1880, 1,846; in 1890, 1,819; and in 1900, 1,830.

ACREAGE AND ASSESSED VALUE.

The following table shows the number of acres and the assessed value of the real and personal property as included in the various school districts of the town- ship :

Acres

Real Estate

Personal Total Property $491,930 $1,419,780

Harmony Tp.

27,189 $

927,850

H. & Madison

School Dist.

1,223

37,610

12,100

49,710

H. & Spr. School

756

26,080

9,940

36,020

District

Vienna Sch. Dist. 2,413

77,590

48,410

126,000

Vienna Town ..

214

50,930

63,475

114,405

31,795 $1,120,050 $617,855 $1,745,915

POLITICS.

This township has always been in favor of the political candidates that were in opposition to the Democratic party.

In 1840 William Henry Harrison re- ceived 266 votes and Martin Van Buren but 48. In 1863 John Brough for gover- nor, received 357, and C. L. Vallandigham only 34; and the township has in recent years been Republican to the extent of 200.

OLD SETTLERS.

Thomas Chenoweth settled in the vicin- ity of Lisbon as early as 1803, and in 1815 laid out the village of Lisbon. He was a Virginian. He accumulated con- siderable property by farming. He was the father of three sons and three daugh- ters. He died, on the farm where he had spent a long and useful life, February 25, 1856, in his seventy-ninth year.

George Weaver settled near Lisbon in 1808, and erected a distillery some years later. He operated as a distiller for a number of years, and removed to Madison County about the year 1831.

John Merideth was a soldier of the Rev- olution. He came to Ohio from Hamp- shire County, Virginia, in company with Hamilton Busbey, in the fall of 1815, de- scending the Ohio in a flat-boat to Cin- cinnati, and traversing the wilderness by wagon to their destination. He settled at Lisbon in the fall of that year, and if not the first, he was one of the first, merchants of that place. During his busi- ness career, as a matter of convenience, he issued a proprietary scrip as curren- cy. This home-made medium was easily imitated and the result was that he was compelled to redeem more than he issued. After a number of years, he removed to Urbana and became cashier of a bank. Later, he removed to Miami County, and died in 1839, at the age of ninety-one. His youngest son attained distinction as a general during the late Civil War.

Hamilton Busbey was a Virginian, and was born in Hampshire County in 1792. He emigrated to Ohio in company with John Meredith in 1815, settling at Lisbon, where he remained for ten years. He

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

then bought and occupied a farm near the present village of Plattsburg. He served the township in various official capacities. He was the father of a large family. Mr. Busbey died in Coles County, Illinois, De- cember 16, 1847, aged fifty-five.

Joseph Morris was an early settler near Lisbon; was one of the early school teachers of the village, and was a minister of the Baptist Church, for a period of half a century. He raised a large family of children, who inherited the noble traits of their father, and who filled well their stations in life.

John Craig, a Revolutionary soldier, was born February 15, 1758; entered the army in 1775, and was discharged in 1780. He came to the township in 1808, and died in Springfield Township, at the home of Lewis Skillings, Sr. He was a man of moral worth and sterling integrity.

John Heaton settled east of Lisbon as early as 1815; was a farmer, and served as a Justice of the Peace for twenty-one years. His sons, Henry, James, Abraham and Abner, were residents of the town- ship, and worthy citizens. Mr. Heaton died November 22, 1861, at the age of eighty-two.

John Judy, Sr., was born in Basle, Switzerland, about 1760. He came to America at the age of ten, with his father's family, who settled on the south branch of the Potomac. He came to Ken- tucky at the age of twenty-two, and mar- ried Phoebe Lamaster. About 1794, he came to what is now Greene County, Ohio, and about the year 1800 he came into the territory of what is now Harmony Town- ship, and settled two miles east of the present site of Plattsburg, now the farm of Matthew Bonner. Here he reared a

family of children. About 1831, he re- moved to Union County, Ohio, where he died at an advanced age.

The Turner brothers, Thomas, James, Robert, William, David and Samuel, were settlers near the Madison County line, coming into the township in about the year 1808. They were natives of Maryland. They took an active interest in the organization of the township. Robert served as a Justice of the Peace and as County Commissioner. Their descendants are among the prominent citi- zens of Union County. "There was not a black sheep in the flock."

"Col." Thomas Rathburn was born in Rhode Island in 1782, and came to Ohio in 1811, settling at Brighton the same year. Served some years as Justice of the Peace, and also as Colonel of militia. Died in 1869, in his eighty-eighth year.

Samuel McMillan, settled on Beaver Creek, near the present site of Brighton, in 1811. He was a blacksmith by trade. and also served the township as a magistrate.

Enoch King was from Pennsylvania, and in the year 1812 or 1813, settled a mile east of where Plattsburg now stands. He was a farmer of good repute, and was the appraiser of real estate of the town- ship in 1840. He was twice married; had a large family, thirteen of whom grew to maturity. Enoch, John and David, sons of the second wife, are residents of the township to this day. Mr. King died in 1865, aged seventy-one. His widow and daughter Mattie reside on a portion of the home farm.

John Oshorn was a native of Green- brier County, Virginia ; he moved to Ken- tucky in 1790, and thence to Ohio in 1812,

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

occupying the lands on which Plattsburg was afterward located. His sons, Will- iam, Levi, Jesse and Elijah, were in after years worthy and prominent citizens of Harmony Township. He died August, 1847, aged eighty-seven.

William Oshorn, oldest son of John Osborn, came to the township with his father in 1812, having been born in 1787. His first wife was Jane McDonald; his second, the widow of James McArthur. Mr. Osborn was one of the original found- ers of Plattsburg, and built the brick hotel on the principal corner. He was a man of great energy and extraordinary business capacity, and dealt largely in stock and real estate. He died October 17, 1870, aged eighty-three. A suitable sketch of his life and character is found in Turf, Field and Farm of October 25, 1870, written by Hamilton Busbey, editor of that journal, and a native of Harmony Township.

Mack McDaniel was a Kentuckian. He settled near the site of Plattsburg in 1813, and died in November, 1832, at the age of eighty-one.

Benjamin Hathaway was from Massa- chusetts, and served in the War of 1812, and was a Captain in the navy. He be- came a citizen of the township in 1815. His story of his life is a mixture of fact, romance and mystery, but he was withal a man of great integrity and intelligence. His son Benjamin was colonel of a regi- ment of militia, and a school teacher of repute. The senior Hathaway died Janu- ary, 1861, aged eighty-two years.

James Haney settled on Beaver Creek in 1810, and built the first saw-mill in the township. The remains of the mill and race can yet be seen.

A man named Burke erected a mill on the Little Miami about 1815. It was a small affair, and could only be operated to advantage during the rainy seasons, but it was considered valuable in those days.

Col. William Foreman, born in Ken- tucky in 1791, came to Ohio and settled in Harmony Township in 1812. He was the father of eleven children, a colonel of militia, served as township treasurer for several years, and was the owner of a large estate. He carried on a tannery on the old London Road, three miles west of Plattsburg, for many years. He resided in Harmony Township fifty-eight years and died February 19, 1871, aged eighty- one.

William Henry was from Kentucky. He settled on the Little Miami, one and one-half miles north of Lisbon, in 1814. He was a man whom many remember kindly.

James McDaniels settled two miles north of Lisbon in 1815. His nativity is in doubt. He took an active part in the campaign of 1840, and at a mass meeting at Springfield on the 18th of June of that year, he was selected as one of the cor- nermen in the erection of a log cabin on the occasion.

Robert Reid settled on the Little Mia- mi, on the farm now owned by Mrs. J. F. McGrew, in 1815. He took an active part in the affairs of Harmony Township, serving as clerk and trustee.

James Sprague was a Canadian; he settled west of Lisbon, on the Little Mia- mi, about the year 1815. He was the father of L. B. Sprague and Darius Sprague, former residents of Harmony

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

Township, and of Dr. James Sprague, of London, Ohio.

Edward Rice was one of the early set- tlers of Harmony Township. He came to Ohio with his wife in 1809, from Mas- sachusetts, which was also his wife's birthplace, and settled on the farm south of the present village of Harmony, known as the Patten farm, in 1812. He was a man well informed, took an active inter- est in the public affairs of the township, and was a township trustee for several years. Four of his sons were residents of Springfield Township and city. His son, Asa, now deceased, built a steam saw- and grist-mill in Vienna about 1854. Mr. Rice died January 10, 1842, and his wife Lucy October 22, 1877.

Gabriel Cox settled on a farm adjoining Harmony Village about the year 1813. He farmed some and kept hotel south of the village. He was a Freemason, and when he died was buried by that order.

James Donnels settled on the Jesse Boyd farm on the old Columbus road in 1808. He was a farmer and amassed con- siderable wealth. His only son James, now deceased, lived on the farm now owned by E. A. Bowman, immediately east of Harmony, in the house built by his father about the time the National Road was finished.

David Hannah was a Virginian. He settled on Sinking Creek, in the north- western part of the township, in the year 1815, and carried on a distillery for sev- eral years. In his day he was regarded as the largest and most powerful man in the township.

John Nichelson settled on Beaver Creek in 1806. He had five sons-four of whom passed away years ago. Isabel, the eldest

daughter, married Moore Goodfellow, and this is regarded as the earliest mar- riage in Harmony Township. Daniel Jones married one of the daughters, and the third died unmarried.

Andrew Nichelson came to the town- ship with his father John Nichelson, in 1806, being then three years old. Before he was of age, he purchased and paid for a tract of eighty acres of land, thus lay- ing the foundation for the vast wealth which he afterward possessed. He was twice married, and was the father of a large family-eleven of whom became men and women. His first wife was Rachel Hammond; she died in 1852. His second wife was Mrs. Angeline Yeazell, nee Spencer, whom he married in 1854. He was a man much esteemed for his many charitable acts, a life-long and con- sistent member of the Christian Church, and was widely known as one whom noth- ing could divert from the path of recti- tude. He died July 23, 1880, in his sev- enty-eighth year.

Moore Goodfellow was a native of Ire- land. He settled on Beaver Creek on lands now owned by Charles Snyder, in 1810. His wife was Isabel Nichelson; they were married in 1808. Their chil- dren were William, John, Thomas, Mary Ann, Isabel, Samuel, Elliott, Rachel, Rhoda and Moore. His offspring, with their descendants, have held prominence in the township in business, political and social circles for nearly three-quarters of a century. He died September 16, 1860.

Henry Oxtoby, Sr., was a native of Yorkshire, England, as was also his wife, Elizabeth Cook. They were married and had four children in their native land. They emigrated to America in 1803, lo-

255

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

cating first in the State of New York. In 1814, they came to Ohio and purchased 160 acres of land near Oxtoby Station. For this land Mr. Oxtoby paid $2.25 per acre; it has since sold for $100 per acre. The senior Oxtoby died in 1838, his wife in 1836; the children have since followed, Henry only a few years ago.

William Baird was a native of Hagers- town, Md., born March 16, 1762. He moved to Kentucky in 1794, and thence to Ohio in 1808, settling on Beaver Creek lands latterly owned by his son William D. Baird. He served in the Revolution- ary war. He left three sons and four daughters at his death. Mr. Baird was present on the occasion of a treaty made with the Indians in 1809 at Springfield, and saw the celebrated warrior and chief Tecumseh. He was also personally ac- quainted with Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton of historic fame.

Benjamin Foreman, James Parks, War- ham Stasy, Lewis Fee, Nicholas Storms, John and George Jones, Allen Gilbert, Matthew Spencer, John H. and George Dynes, were all settlers of Beaver Creek. section, in the vicinity of the National Road.

James Burns and Daniel Jones and family were early settlers near Lisbon. Thomas Stites was an early settler one and a half miles northwest of Lisbon, and managed a distillery for some years.

Jacob Girard, Thomas Whittredge and Isaac Dillon were early settlers near Lis- bon. Robert Thorp, Sr., and family set- tled in the southwestern part of the town- ship in 1819; they came from England. James Price came in 1820, died in 1846.

Isaac Chamberlain settled near Lisbon about the year 1815, and kept a public

house for several years. His children were Stephen H., George, Walter, Mary, Caroline and Sarah.

John Whiteley settled in the neighbor- hood of Fletcher Chapel, near the west- ern line of the township. He served as justice of the peace of Harmony Town- ship for several successive years. He was also a commissioner of the county. His sons-William, Joseph, Andrew and Abner-have become noted throughout Christendom as inventors and manufac- turers. Mr. Whiteley died June, 1845, aged sixty-four. Andrew was the father of William N. Whiteley, the great reaper inventor.

Christopher Laybourn was born in En- gland, in 1745; there married, in 1777, to Margaret Newlove, born in 1758. In 1794, he with his wife and six children emigrated to New York, where they lived eighteen years, during which time he was mayor of New York City two years. In 1812, he and family came to Clark Coun- ty, settling in the southwestern part of this township, now known as the Thorp farm. He afterward moved to the farm in Section 25, where he died in 1842, his wife having died in 1825. He was a school teacher and a man of good educa- tion.

John Judy, Jr., was the second son of John Judy, Sr., and was born in a block- house near Flemingsburg, Ky., in 1791. He came to Ohio with his father's family and settled on the "Judy farm" on the head waters of the Little Miami near the Madison County line. His wife was Ly- dia Hull. He served in the War of 1812 as a private; served Harmony Township as a magistrate, and was a captain of a company of militia. He built one of the

256

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

first brick houses in the country, and kept the "Black Horse Tavern," the first hotel in the township. He was a man of integrity and lived and died a consistent member of the Free-Will Baptist Church. He removed to Illinois about 1860, and died December 1, 1874, aged eighty-three.

Dr. William Amphlet located in the western portion of the township in an early day. He was an Englishman by birth, well educated, skillful in his pro- fession and owned a library of great value.

Dr. J. B. Lingle was born in Spring- field in 1813, and settled at Vienna as a physician in 1836. He was a successful practitioner, and served the township of- ficially as justice of the peace, treasurer and clerk. He died in 1878.

Washington and Josiah Wilson came to this township with their mother Temper- ance (Judy) Wilson, about 1813, where Michael Wilson, Jr., was born shortly afterward. This family became one of the wealthy and influential ones of the township and wielded an influence for good.

Mention is made of other physicians who have practiced their profession at Vienna. Harry H. Yound, Hames Sprague, Dr. Norris, Dr. Hunter, Will- iam U. Banwell, E. H. Smith.

The merchants of Vienna have been Caleb Barret, Daniel Brown, Emanuel Wayne, D. B. Farrington, W. S. Funston, George W. Ryan, D. O. Heiskill, J. M. Bennett, W. T. Harris, J. A. Widdicombe, Samuel Frock.

William Pool and wife came with their son-in-law, Edward Rice, to this township in 1812, where both died; they were na- tives of Massachusetts.

EARLY EVENTS.

The first marriage we have recorded in the township is that of Isabel Nichel- son to Moore Goodfellow in. 1808. The first schoolhouse was erected on the Good- fellow farm in 1808. The first church con- structed of hewn logs, was erected on a farm of Samuel Goodfellow in 1809. At an early date a grist-mill was erected by a man by the name of Burke on the Miami two and a quarter miles south of Platts- burg. Caleb Barret was the first store- keeper at Vienna Cross Roads. He moved his store to this place from the old vil- lage of Windsor where he had a store as early as 1825, on the Old Columbus Road.

The first saw-mill was built in 1830 by James Haney on Section 11 on Beaver Creek. At an early date Isaac Chamber- lain built a hotel at Lisbon. The manu- facturing industries of this township have never been very extensive.

Formerly there was a tannery three miles west of Plattsburg known as the Forman tannery. Another tannery was located in the northwestern part of the village of Vienna, and was carried on by D. W. Hinkle. In several places in the township distilleries were conducted in a small way, there being one on the Old Columbus Road. At present there is a grain elevator at Plattsburg and the En- terprise Manufacturing Company con- ducts the business of making blankets, etc., at Vienna.

RECENT INHABITANTS.

In addition to those spoken of above, whose records were found in Beers' His- tory, the following persons have been

257

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

more or less prominent in this town- ship.

James Wallingsford was born in this township in 1826, on the farm then be- longing to his father and situated on the National Road between Vienna and Har- mony. This road crossing was in early times given the name of Buena Vista. Mr. Wallingsford has been an active ehar- acter and was for a long time a resident of this township, but is now living in the township of German. For a long time he was an auctioneer and occasionally does business of that kind yet, although seven- ty-seven years of age. His brother Joseph Wallingsford, who was born at the same place, lives in the city of Springfield and is now eighty-four years of age.

Michael Wilson, deceased, was born in this township in 1814. He was, married to Lavina Henry in 1835. He died in 1879, leaving a very large family.

Abraham Weaver was born in Virginia in 1823; he married Miss Sophia Sprague in 1847, and has resided in this town- ship ever since.

Joseph C. Olinger was one of the large land owners in the eastern part of this township and came here in 1846 from the State of Virginia. He died in 1894. C. S. Olinger, attorney, of Springfield, is one of his children.

William Troxell, now deceased, moved to this township from Pike Township in 1837. In 1847 he was married to Mrs. Margaret Brooks. She dying, he was married a second time, in 1874, to Dora V. Shriack. Mr. Troxell was for a long time an active and energetic citizen, accumulat- ing about 600 acres of land. He died about the year 1890.

John Goodfellow who is still active and resides in Vienna, being connected with the Enterprise Manufacturing Company, is a native of this township and the son of Thomas Goodfellow. Manly Goodfel- low, a brother of John and still residing . in this township, was born in 1843.

A. N. Brooks, whose death occurred in 1906, was born in this township in 1835 and carried on a grain business for many years at what is known as Brooks Sta- tion.

Alexander C. Patton was born in Bel- mont County in 1838 and died July 10th, 1899. He lived a short distance south of Harmony from 1869 until his death.

Jacob Volmer a resident of this town- ship, near the village of Harmony, was born in 1840 in Muskingum County. Was married to Mrs. Olive Stephens in 1870. In 1866 he became interested in wagon making and entered into partnership with John Ulerick of Harmony, which they operated for a number of years.

David King, now a resident of the city of Springfield, was born in this township in 1843 and held the position of justice of the peace for some time.

John McCoy was born in Mad River Township, this county, in 1853. He was married to Mary Roberts in 1878. Mr. McCoy has been a resident of this town- ship for a number of years, conducting a store in Vienna and is now connected with the Enterprise Manufacturing Com- pany.

The Kirkhams still occupy a prominent position in township affairs as also do the Nichelsons. William Harris, now de- ceased, was for a long time resident of the Village of Vienna, as is J. S. Rice, who is still living at that place. C. O. Hays

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

is a prominent farmer in the southern part.

Trustees of Harmony Township- Jacob Vollmer, 1881-1884 ; Moore Goodfel- low, 1881-1884; A. C. Patton, 1881, 1884- 1889; Abraham Weaver, 1882-1885; Geo. J. Tippie, 1884-1887; John A. Stewart, 1885-1888; F. S. Wilson, 1887-1893; Charles Mitsch, 1888-1891; Wm. Bennett, 1889-1896; E. A. Bonner, 1891-1894; J. P. Franklin, 1893-1899 ; Milton Alexander, 1895-1901; Samuel Ramsey, 1896-1903; Joseph Weaver, 1899-1902; C. A. Snyder, 1901-1904; Jacob Stoll, 1902-1907; Geo. C. Agle, 1903-1907; Wm. M. Kirkham 1904-1907.

Treasurers-John Goodfellow, 1881- 1895; W. S. Bennett, 1895-1901; R. W. Jones, 1901-1904; L. M. Finch, 1904 -....

Clerks-Jas. H. Glover, 1881-1887; Chas. S. Beesley, 1887-1891; John McCoy, 1891-1900; D. W. Coberly, 1900-1904; Arthur Robbins, 1904-Oct. 1906; Louis West, 1906 -. . .

Justices of the Peace since 1871- Thomas Goodfellow, 1871; Almon Brad- ford, 1871-1877; Abraham Weaver, 1872; William Hains, 1873; W. T. Harris, 1876; M. H. Dynes, 1879, resigned; G. W. Keeler, 1880-1886; David King, 1881, 1887, 1896; Henry A. Campbell, 1884-1887; Abel Laybourn, 1890-1893; D. Wilson Wright, 1890; E. H. P. Arnold, 1896; James Vince, 1899-1902, 1904; W. H. Willis, 1899-1902, 1904.

Members of the Board of Education- Chas. . E. Davey, Washington Wilson, Henry Beard, Geo. Agle, Chas. Hayes.

Members of Vienna Special District Board of Education-Henry E. Bennett, John Goodfellow, Howard Logue, Jacob Stoll, W. G. Harris.

CHURCHES.

LISBON BAPTIST CHURCH.

About 1811 a log house of worship was built on the bank of Little Beaver Creek. In 1820 the society had increased to sixty- six. In 1833 a movement was started to build a new house, and in that year a church was built. In 1866 it was again determined to build a new church and the site was selected not far from Lisbon. This church was completed in 1867 and dedicated in that year by D. Shepherd- son. In 1875 it was wrecked by a storm. Rev. David Kerr of the City of Spring- field is pastor.

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 26

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 1086

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086