Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 34

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 34

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The census of 1900 gives Catawba 231 residents, the population being less in number than it was in 1880.

C. H. Runyan is the present postmas- ter. J. E. Bumgardner is present mayor.

CLIFTON.

Clifton was platted by Bates and Lewis in 1840, in lots numbering 1-84. When Clark County was first laid off, the en- tire present village of Clifton was placed. within the boundaries of this county, but General Whiteman had but recently built a house. which is the old stone residence still standing a short distance east of Clifton. He did not wish to be taken out of Greene County and the boundary was afterwards changed so as to put his house back in Greene County. Although the place was not platted until 1840, yet from the fact that a mill was erected here by

somewhat of a settlement here before the plat was made. It received its name prob- ably from the beautiful cliffs immediately west along the Little Miami River. The mill is now in Greene County, and is run by Mr. Preston.

The village is almost due south of the city of Springfield, about eight and one- half miles. It has two grocery stores, an opera house, and a graded school build- ing of four rooms. The county line runs through the school building, the district being a special district composed of ter- ritory in both counties. The village con- tains three churches, the Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Presbyterian. The first church in this neighborhood was built by the Baptists, with the help of the Presbyterians. It was a log house built in 1807 on the north bank of the Little Miami, about eighty rods east of General Whiteman's house. Its population at the last census was 262.

Present Officials-A. H. Ellis, Mayor; G. E. Burney, D. A. Clark, B. Z. Luse, R. H. Sparrow, Richard Sparrow, Coun- cilmen; W. M. Cultice, Marshal.

CORTSVILLE.

Cortsville appears to have been plat- ted, but the record of the plat is not in the recorder's office in this county. In 1830 Robert Cort began the erection of a car- penter shop and residence for William Marshall. In 1835 he and Mr. Marshall became partners and built a small store- house at the crossing of the first road leading north from Selma into Green Township. This was the beginning of Cortsville, which is located in the south-

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

eastern part of Green Township, about eleven miles from Springfield.

Cort and Marshall died about 1843, and the business passed into the hands of other parties, but it was finally abandoned about 1852. There is a blacksmith shop there and a small grocery store and per- haps twelve to fifteen residents. In the time of the toll roads, there was a toll-gate at this place. There is a colored Baptist Church and the population at this time is principally composed of colored people. At one time there was a postoffice at this place but this was transferred to Selma in 1845.

DIALTON.

Dialton is a comparatively youth- ful place. No plat was ever made of that village. It is located in the north- eastern part of Pike Township half a mile south of the Champaign Coun- ty line and one mile east of the boun- daries of German Township. It owes its classification as a village to the establishment of a postoffice in that place in 1865, and was named after former Judge Dial, for his efforts at a previous time to have the office established there. The settlement had its origin in the build- ing and operation of a steam saw-mill at this place, in 1851, by Jacob M. Myers and Jonathan Lehman. For many years this was the principal industry of the town, the mill afterwards being con- verted into a hub and spoke factory. At one time twenty-two men were employed.

William Michael kept a grocery on the corner for many years. He was the first postmaster of this place. The village is thirteen miles from Springfield. The S.

T. & P. traction company now goes through it. The Baker Brothers conduct a general store here.

DOLLY VARDEN.

Dolly Varden is the name given to a plat of lands laid out by Simington Buf- fenbarger in 1872, lots 1-7, and in 1876 lots 7-22. It was doubtless named after the locksmith's pretty daughter in Charles Dickens' novel of Barnaby Rudge. It is about seven and a half miles southeast of Springfield on the road leading westward one-half mile north of South Charleston, about three and a half miles from that place in Madison Township. It never ac- quired any particular prominence. The Springfield and South Charleston Trac- tion line runs through it and there is a stopping place there for convenience of the neighbors.

The schoolhouse is the principal build- ing. There are probably twenty-five or thirty people living in this place. It never reached sufficient importance to have a postoffice.

DONNELSVILLE.

Donnelsville was first platted in 1830 by James Donnel, from whom no doubt it received its name. This plat included lots 1-36 on both sides of the National Road. Afterwards, in 1844, Abraham Smith made an addition to the north of this first addition of 38-54, and in 1859 .John Leffel platted some lots. This vil- lage is located on the National Road, seven miles west of Springfield. Not far east of the Center of Bethel Township there is a voting place known as Don-

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nelsville Precinct. Settlements were made at this place some time prior to its establishment as a village. For many years Silas Trumbo conducted a general store in this village. He was succeeded in that business by J. B. Trumbo, who still conducts the store.

Trumbo is a native of this township and served as County Commissioner in 1891-1897. The village has two churches -Methodist, organized about 1819 at the house of the father of Jeremiah Leffel, north of the village, the building being moved there about the time the latter was laid out; and the Lutheran, organized about 1830. There are several other sub- stantial residences in this village located east along the National Pike. The census of 1900 gave it a population of 200, being forty-three less than the census ten years previously gave it.

Its transportation facilities are afford- ed by the Big Four Railroad, at a station called Donnelsville, about two miles to the southwest, and by the Dayton and Spring- field Traction line, which can be reached on the Valley Pike one mile south of the village.

DURBIN.

Durbin is the name given to the station at the crossing of the Big Four and Erie Railway, about three miles southwest of Springfield. It was named after General Durbin Ward who was general counsel for the Erie Railway at the time (1880) that the "Big Four" made its crossing here. It is also reached at present by the Dayton and Springfield Traction Line, and at this writing the Erie Railway transfers its passengers at this point to

a special car on the traction line, and in that way reaches Springfield. It has hardly assumed the dignity of a village, yet there are perhaps fifteen or twenty houses in the immediate vicinity. The schoolhouse was erected here in 1905.

EAGLE CITY.

Eagle City is the name given to the postoffice located at what was formerly known as the Baker Mills, latterly owned by Mr. S. R. Hockman, and is located on Mad River about four miles north of the city of Springfield, a short distance off of what is known as the St. Paris Pike. The name was given when the postoffice was established there about 1885.

Since free delivery has been established, the office has been abandoned, but the place still retains its name. Its only in- dustry is the mill which is now owned by HI. L. Detrick. The D. T. & I. R. R. runs not far west of this place and stops at the road crossing.

In 1851 the Society of Bethel was or- ganized and steps were taken to build a house of worship on the site of Section 25, on the old Clifton Road. Richard Kelley served as teacher and Sabbath school leader for a number of years. It was abandoned in 1880.

In 1835 a house of worship was built near the present Emery Chapel, and it is said to have been the first church built by the Methodists in that part of the coun- try. Previous to this the people had held their worship in an old log church called Ebenezer, which stood in the same neigh- borhood. The first chapel was christened Emery Chapel, but it was frequently called by the name of Maine's Meeting

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

House, from Adam Maine, who lived in the immediate neighborhood. This house was succeeded by the present Emery Chapel in 1853. It is located on the Yel- low Spring Pike, immediately south of the village of Beatty, and is built of brick. Services are still held here.

People living in the settlement known as Rockway built a church, which has been under the control of the Lutheran denomination and is still in active opera- tion.

In the present year, 1907, a denomina- tion calling themselves "Saints or Church of the Living God" have erected a church a short distance this side of Rockway Chapel on the National Pike, west of Springfield. Services were first held here on October 28, 1907. The structure is a frame dwelling and cost $2,500.00.

In 1888 Locust Grove Chapel was erected. This chapel is located on what is usually known as the Gillett Road, about three and a half miles southeast of the city of Springfield. Sunday school and occasional services are held here.

SCHOOLS.

Springfield Township has no high school, the pupils taking advantage of the Springfield city high school under the provisions of the Patterson law.

The following is a list of the teachers for the coming year :

Superintendent, J. M. Collins; super- visor of music, W. H. Lewis ; No. 1, Ridge, Clara Kempler ; No. 2, Reed's, John Cope- land; No. 3, Sinking Creek, Effie Valen- tine; No. 4, Congress, Bessie Umpleby ; No. 5, Cross Roads, J. M. Collins, prin- cipal; Maggie Hinkle, primary; No. 6,

Benson's, P. E. Runyan; No. 7, Possum, Redmond Higgins, principal; Bessie Gar- rison, primary; No. 8, Mill Creek, J. W. Arthur; No. 9, Rockway, C. E. Collins, principal; Glenna Snavely, intermediate; Ella Kissell, primary; No. 10, Snow Hill, Pearl Weatherford, principal; Beatrice Kaufman, primary; No. 11, Victory, Fay Stafford; No. 12, Locust Grove, Margie Black; No. 13, Durbin, W. S. Maxwell.

Enumeration of pupils for 1907-Males, 450; females, 388; total, 838.

ENON.

Enon is the principal village in Mad River Township, and is located on the Springfield and Dayton Turnpike, seven and a half miles southwest of the city of Springfield. It was originally platted in 1838, the time that the Springfield and Dayton road was laid out, and was at the intersection of the road leading from Xenia to New Carlisle. Elnathan Cory and E. D. Baker made the first plat of lands 1-60.

In 1842 Mr. E. D. Baker made a second plat, the lots in which were numbered from 6-79, and another plat in 1845.

In 1847 David Cross platted an addi- tion of lots 1-20, and in 1849 David Funderburg made an addition of lots which he numbered 117-135. There were settlements in this vicinity prior to its being platted as a village.

In 1812 William Donnels built the first tavern in the township about one and a half miles west of the village. It was known as the "Hickory Tavern." The first hotel was built in Enon by Franklin Cook in 1838. It was built of stone and rough cast and for three-quarters of a

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century was used for that purpose. A few years ago it was destroyed by fire.

The first church erected in this town was the Methodist Episcopal, the or- ganization being formed about 1840. Rev. Hamilton is now pastor.

The first schoolhouse was built on North Xenia Street. The next school- house was built on South Xenia Street. It has another church called the Chris- tian Church, of which Rev. Jones is now pastor; two grocery stores, at present one conducted by A. B. Dunkle and the other by Aaron Dellinger. Peter Hardman is the present postmaster.

For many years John Baney carried the mail between Enon and the railroad station.

The town enjoys the distinction of a fine Knights of Pythias hall, erected in 1889 by Adolphus H. Smith, Jr. The census of 1900 gives the village a popula- tion of 295, a decrease of 36 over that of 1890 and a decrease of 67 over that of 1880.

The village is thriving, however, and contains some very pleasant country homes. Immediately northeast of it is the celebrated Knob Mound, the most distin- guished mound in Clark County. The railroad facilities to this village are fur- nished at Enon station one-half mile to the north, where the Big Four and Erie Railroads parallel each other. The Day- ton and Springfield Traction line can also be reached on the Valley Pike one and one-half mile to the north. This village is located on or near the route that General Clark took on his way to the battle of Piqua in 1780, and it is said that his military staff reconnoitered from the top of the mound in this vicinity.

The first house was built by Jesse Rhodes. The first merchant was John R. Miller. He came here at an early date from Brottensburg. After him came Stephen Wilson from Hertzler's Mill. Other merchants were Melyn Miller, Conrod Kurtz, Robert Gaston, J. L. Conklin, afterwards in Springfield; he was burned out here. David Zigler, Smith and Ohlwine, John H. Littler, Anthony Beam, John Goodwin, Miller and Wolfe, H. Strauss, John Wallace and others. Mr. Wallace Robinson, Kennedy and Miller Baker were tailors, Joseph Sipes Nelson Hardman, T. J. Barton, John Hall, Wm. Pottle and Franklin Roch were blacksmiths. James Vanostrain and Wm. D. Miller made the celebrated Miller plow. William Barton, Silas Chappell, Peter Miller, Edwin Barton and others ran a cooper shop. The first physician in the town was named "Hoylt."

HARMONY.

Harmony is situated on the National Road near the west line of Harmony Township, six miles from Springfield. It was platted originally in 1832 by Lay- bourn Newlove, lots 1-13, and in 1851 John Walker made an addition to the village on the north side of the road.

Joseph Newlove and Robert Black were early hotel keepers of this village. About the year 1835, Harvey Ryan built a tan- nery there. He was succeeded in busi- ness by F. & N. Schoenberger and they in turn by John H. Larimer. The works have now been abandoned.

The first schoolhouse was built here in 1835, John Newlove being the teacher. During the time that stage coaches passed

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over the National Road, the village had a bright and stirring appearance, but after the railroads came, this kind of travel ceased and Harmony lost much of its energy. About 1890 a postoffice was lo- cated at this place which was called Wise- man. This office was abandoned when the Rural Delivery was inaugurated. Re- cently the Springfield and Columbus trac- tion line has been built through this vil- lage and it has again assumed an air of some importance. Its population would not exceed seventy-five. The cholera of 1852 almost wiped this village out of ex- istence.

HENNESSY.

Hennessy is a station on the Pennsyl- vania Railway, in the southeastern part of Mad River Township, one-half mile north of the south line of Clark County, and the same distance east from the Yel- low Springs Pike. It is nothing more than a cluster of houses and a stopping place for trains on the railroad.

At what time it first received its name is not known, but as it appears on Colonel Kizer's map in 1850, it must have been shortly after the Little Miami Railroad was built.

HUSTEAD.

Hustead is situated on the Yellow Springs Pike six and one-half miles south of Springfield and it receives its principal importance from the fact that the post- office is located there and a small grocery store.

The name is taken from persons resid- ing in the neighborhood. It is located in the Eastern part of Mad River Town- ship, very close to the border line, be-

tween it and Green Township. The popu- lation is about twenty-five. Its name does not appear upon the map prior to 1880. Mr. H. H. Turner is postmaster at pres- ent.

LAWRENCEVILLE.

Lawrenceville is located six and one- half miles northwest of the city of Spring- field, in German Township, on the road leading from Springfield, known as the Coblentz Road. Its first plat of lots was made in 1843, numbered 1-15, by Emanuel and Margaret Circle. The place was then called Noblesville, and it continued to have that name until it acquired a post- office and then, it being found that there was another Noblesville in this state, its name was changed to Lawrenceville, after Judge Lawrence who was then a member of Congress from this district. A store was built in 1836 by Elias Over. A few years later three Germans, named Rice, Dipple & Rice built and operated a pottery. This industry has long since been abandoned.

In 1905 John Rust laid out an addition of lots numbering from 1-2. The S. T. & P. Traction line having in the year 1905 been built through this village, consid- erable stimulus has been given to its growth, and smaller tracts of land are of- fered in its surroundings for sale at this time. The high school built in 1874 for German Township is located here, as well as a Reformed church, designated as Mount Pisgah. This church was built by the Lutheran and Reformed denomina- tions in 1821. The town has never been incorporated. There are probably 150 people living there. It has one store and blacksmith shop. James V. Ballentine,

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HIGH SCHOOL, SO. CHARLESTON

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SO. CHARLESTON

FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE, SELMA

CHILLICOTHE STREET, SO. CHARLESTON

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eighty-four years of age, was born in its round offering for sale cranberries. vicinity and still resides in Lawrenceville. In 1907 the Traction Company built a station, in which Napoleon Wagner at- tends to selling tickets, cigars, etc., and C. H. Bailey conducts a general store. Beesley put up a carding and fulling- mill. During 1812 and 1814, Peter Ritt ran a distillery; it was built on the farm of J. T. Warder and run by M. Murray. On August 1, 1830, Jeremiah Warder pur- chased the village of Lagonda for three LAGONDA. thousand dollars. The old mill was used, but was soon turned into a distillery. Lagonda while still preserving its name, is fast losing its identity as being now a part of the city of Springfield; yet at one time it almost held the position of a rival to Springfield. In Edwards' His- torical Atlas of Clark County the follow- ing is given: Warder erected a large mill south of the creek, and built a dam, which supplied the water-power for saw-mill, factory, still, and grist-mill. The grist-mill had a large patronage and ran for forty years. John Hunt was storekeeper in 1828. Mulhol- land was a jeweler. C. McLaughlin and George Warder were early storekeepers in a house which finally took fire and was consumed. The first English school in the neighborhood was taught in a small log house about one and a half miles north by east of Lagonda, on Mr. Cra- bill's farm. Later the school was moved into the Baptist Church, half a mile north of the village. During 1845 Rev. William J. Shuey taught the first school in La- gonda, with thirty or forty pupils. Next year a three hundred dollar house was erected by Nicholas Nimsgern. In 1858, a house thirty by forty-five was erected, at an expense of twelve hundred dollars. In 1867, a sixteen hundred dollar house was erected. A church was built in 1871, at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars, by the W. B. C. membership, one hundred and twenty-five. Dr. William A. Need- ham of Vermont, came to Springfield Township, and lived in a log house near Lagonda, in the year 1814. This person was well known and a popular physician of the times."

"From the manuscript of William H. Berger, the following facts have been compiled. The first building erected in Lagonda was about 1800. James Smith was the first white man to pass through the valley, accompanying a party of In- dians. The journey occurred in 1760, and Smith saw elk and buffalo. Simon Ken- ton and others settled north of Spring- field in 1799. A mill was wanted; the Government offered thirty acres of land to any mill builder. Kenton built a mill, but got no land. Kenton's claim was deeded July 29, 1814, to William Ward, Sr. Caleb Tuttle, when a boy, took wheat to Kenton's mill, and, standing on a block, bolted the flour by turning the cloth with a winch. Kenton sold, December 5, one-fourth 1o William Beesley and Nicholas Ricket. The former erected a saw-mill with a butter-churning attach- ment, and both worked in unison. Ricket now built a frame mill near the old site, and put in two sets of burrs. Mrs. Tuttle ran this mill while her father was sol- diering to the northward. Indians came

Later there was a postoffice established

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

there, with Henry C. Laybourn as post- master. This was abandoned when the corporation limits of Springfield were ex- tended in 1882.

Wm. H. Berger died in 1907 having spent his lifetime in the vicinity of Lagonda.

LIMESTONE CITY.

Limestone City is located about three miles southwest of the city of Spring- field, immediately south of the Big Four Railway. It is not far from where Krebs Station was located in early history of this county. It was platted by George Sintz in 1886. It is principally occupied by persons working in the various stone quarries in that locality. The quarries accessible from this point are those of R. R. and William Mills, the Moores Lime Company and the W. D. Moores Lime Company. Its population is probably from fifty to seventy-five persons. It takes its name from its surrounding lime- stone quarries.

LISBON.

Lisbon is situated near the south line of Harmony Township on the road lead- ing from South Charleston to Springfield and is about ten and one-half miles from Springfield and two miles from South Charleston. It is one of the oldest vil- lages in the county, having been platted in 1815 by Ebenezer Pattoch and James Cheneworth. The latter was a Virginian and settled there as early as 1803. At one time it promised to be a village of considerable importance, but later the drift of population seemed to be towards its successful rival South Charleston, and this became more so after the building

of the Little Miami Railway. Today but little evidence of its old-time importance remains.

In 1820 there was a schoolhouse built at this place, and later on Isaac Chamber- lain kept a hotel here, and a grocery store was also once conducted in this place.

Nothing remains now but the black- smith shop and the schoolhouse. On the original plat there were fifty-six lots. The church in the neighborhood, known as the Lisbon Church, is of the Baptist denomi- nation, the Rev. David Kerr of Spring- field being the present pastor.

MEDWAY.

Medway is located on the Valley Pike, and is so called because it is nearly mid- way between Dayton and Springfield.

In 1807 Rev. Archibald Steele built a grist-mill near this locality, which was the origin of the village. Mr. Steele in 1816 made the only plat of lots that was ever made for this village. It consisted of eighty-nine lots on each side of what is now the Valley Pike, and the town has been built along these lines. It always has been a village of considerable pros- perity, as it is situated in one of the rich- est valleys in Ohio.

Recently the Springfield and Dayton traction line has been built through it, and they have erected here a power-house which supplies power for the entire sys- tem, being one of the largest power-house plants in the country. This has added considerable importance to Medway, as the car barns are located there and a num- ber of men, working on the traction line as motormen, conductors, and in other capacities, have made their homes there.

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The traction line has also located one had upon our forefathers a hundred years ago, but if this was a factor in the early location of this village it has long since ceased to be a useful one. However this may be, New Carlisle is located upon as fine a plat of fertile territory as can be found in the Great Miami Valley, and this no doubt had its influence upon the mind of the early settlers. Besides it is in all probability located not far from one of the Indian trails that lead from the old village of Piqua (New Boston) over to the Indian villages upon the main part of the Miami River.

of its parks along this line, which is des- ignated by the name of Tecumseh, and is a frequent place for picnics and other out- ings from the City of Springfield and Dayton. A branch line has been built leading to New Carlisle, so while the old industries connected with the various mills upon Mad River located in this vicin- ity have passed away, a new and import- ant one has come, and Medway bids fair in consequence to become a village of con- siderable importance in the future. It has a graded school and two churches; Methodist and Mennonites. There are several stores which compare favorably with those carried on in villages of this character. It is not incorporated, but it is probably safe to say that it has a popu- lation of about 300. It is twelve miles from Springfield and is in the southern part of Bethel Township forming a precinct known as Medway Precinct.

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 34

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