History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 143

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 143
USA > Ohio > Belmont County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 143

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).

Wayne forms a square of thirty-six sections, and lies in the southwestern portion of Belmont eounty; is bounded on the north by Goshen, on the east by Washington, south by Monroe eounty, and west by Somerset township.

This township is watered by Captina ereek and its numerous tributaries. The surface is quite hilly and rough in many places. The soil generally is fertile and productive. The pro- ducts are wheat, corn, oats, tobacco, &c.

The scenery along the meanderings of the well known Cap- tina is rather beautiful and picturesque.

SETTLEMENT.

The first settlements made in this township were along the banks of the above mentioned stream. In 1798 George Hall mi- grated from Wilmington, Delaware, and settled in what is now Wayne township, on sections 10 and 16. Here he erected one of the first cabins that was built in the township. There were at this time no settlers near him, save a few hunters who roamed through the unbroken forests without any permanent habita- tions. The nearest market was Wheeling, a distance of thirty- five miles. One can scarcely imagine the inconveniences of travel over dim foot paths or narrow Indian trails, and the dan- gers attending early journeyings. Mr. Hall was a sailor, and soon accustomed himself to the hardships of pioneer life. Before he emigrated he was united in marriage to Miss Letitia Ingra- ham, in Philadelphia, Pa. She was a native of Ireland, and born in Belfast. Crossed the ocean in the vessel known as the "Irish Volunteer." It was said that she was the handsomest lady that took voyage from that city. Both lived and died in this town- ship.

Herman Umstead migrated from Chester county, Pennsyl- vania in 1800, and located in Wayne, where he resided until 1862. He died in Illinois in 1878.

Among other early settlers were Houson, Moore, Mechen, Martin, Barretts, Skinners, Coons, Stanleys, Milhorns and Wood.

HUNTERS.

Benjamin Shepherd, Sr., and his two boys were very conspic- uous as hunters in Wayne township during its early settlement. They killed as high as two and three bears and as many deer in a day. They also killed wolves, panthers, wild turkey and other smaller game.

John Adams, who was with Wayne in the battle of the "Fall- en Timbers," was also a noted hunter in this township. It was his custom to wear a blue hunting shirt, in pattern not unlike that of an army overeoat. It had a cape fringed with yellow in front and around the bottom. He was a very large man, stand- ing six feet four ; was nimble and athletic. A year or two after Wayne's treaty, he was hunting through the thick forests on Captina creek one day, and came across an Indian who was loath to give up his hunting ground and the place of his native wigwam, perceiving Adams, immediately "treed," evidently in- tending to take his life. Adams also jumped behind a tree, and calmly waited and watched for advantage. He embraced the first opportunity, and as Esquire Uinstead says he expressed it : "I looked over the barrel of my gun, and that was the last time that Indian watched for a white man."

CHASED BY WOLVES.

One night as David Newell and Hall were returning from St. Clairsville, where they had ridden on horseback for the purpose of trading, were attacked by wolves. Being detained on their business longer than they had anticipated, night overtook them as they reached a small stream known as Bend Fork, which seemed a haunt for wolves. Here they found themselves almost surrounded with the carniverons animals. With great difficulty they made their escape through the woods and reached their honies in safety.

MODE OF CAPTURING WOLVES.

G. H. Umstead, Esq., says that it was customary with some of the hunters to put assafœtida on the soles of their shoes in

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

order to draw wolves into unoccupied cabins, then closing the door upon them. Wolves followed the scent of this drug either owing to a like or dislike of the same. The parties thus engaged in trapping, would erawl up from the outside of the cabins into the lofts and shoot them at leisure.

LAST WOLF SEEN IN THE TOWNSHIP.

The last wolf seen in the township was shot by Wesley Luke. He and Moses Groves were hunting one day along in 1832, on Mike's run, with hounds, when the wolf was started up and killed. Mr. Hall, the first tanner of Wayne township, tanned the wolf's bide with the hair on. It was preserved as a sort of a trophy.

MINERAL RESOUCES.

Wayne is underlaid with an abundance of coal ; strata rang- ing from three to six feet in thickness. Banks are opened and operated for domestic use, but none shipped from its borders. Iron ore is also found in limited quantities,

RAVEN AND ALUM ROCKS.

On the farm owned by George Phillips is situated the "Raven Rocks," which are frequented by pleasure-seekers in the sum- mer season. Tradition has it, that the Indians used to get lead here, but there is little reliance to be placed in this. John Gadd is supposed to have been murdered here in 1830. The "Alum Rocks," situated on the Evans farm, are also visited, but not be- ing as elligibly located as the former, are less sought after.

OLDEST BUILDING.

The oldest building now standing in Wayne township was erected by a Mr. Bates, and is situated in section 10.

FIRST LEVY.

The first county levy made in the township, after erection, was in 1811 and amounted to $40.85.

its

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL HOUSES.

As early as 1805 a small log school house was erected in sec- tion 16, the reserved school land, which is remembered to eon- tain a puncheon floor, split logs for seats and greased paper for window panes, This house for a time was also used by the Methodist for worshiping in. In 1810 a larger house was built in its stead. There are now eleven frame school houses in the township, What a change has taken place. The cabins have disappeared and neat frame structures built in their places.

FULLING MILL.

In 1817 Samuel Berry erected a fulling mill on .the land known as the Hanson farm in section 23. This was the first one built in the township, and in 1824, Jerry Beek put up the first carding machine in section 27.

FRIEND 3' CHURCH.

In 1809, the denomination of Quakers or Friends, erected a building for church purposes, and occupied it for a great many years. But finally the Friends got scattered, the congregation grew less and the building went down.

FIRST TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.

Ambrose Danford, Isaac Barrett and Philip Skinner, com posed the first board of trustees, the former gentleman serving in that capacity for a number of years.

EARLY JUSTICES.

Isaac Mcore, Joseph Moos, Thomas Williams, J, N. Evans and Elisha Harris.

EARLY MINISTERS,

Rev. Aaron Headly, a Baptist minister preached on the left hand fork of Captina creek, in an old school honse, in 1812. Rev. John Clinger, an M. E. Minister preached in Wayne and Washington very early.

1-52-B. & J.Cos.

CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO.

Tobacco is largely cultivated but not as much so as in years that are gone. During the rebellion the revenue on tobacco manufactured and shipped from New Castle, averaged from $500 to $1800 per month. McNichols & McEndre were at this time the leading tobacco dealers. This article yet remains the leading product of the township.

GRIST MILLS.

Seven grist mills have been built in the township since its set- tlement, three of which are operated at present by Henry Mill- horn, Archibald Cole and Levi Williams. These are all water power mills.

LARGEST FARMS.

The largest tract of land in one farm, is owned by Benjamin Shepherd and contains 400 acres ; next largest contains 320; another of 315 ; and two of 300 acres each.

THE NUMERATION FOR 1879.

Gives 404 males over twenty-one years of age. At the fall election of 1879, it polled 373 votes. The population is about 1500.

OFFICERS FOR 1879.

Justices of the Peace-D. Okey, P. King and S. F. Davis. Trustees-George Powell, A. R. Wilcox and B. Starkey. Clerk-S. F. Davis.

Treasurer-Lee Evans.

Constables-J. H. Morrison and J. W. Craig.

VILLAGE OF NEW CASTLE.

This village is located near the center of the township in a commanding point in the midst of a rich agricultural district. It was laid out by Wm. Horseman, November 28, 1834, and surveyed by D. Moore. Lots are 60x160 ; streets run east and west. It contains one dry good store, one grocery, one wagon- maker shop, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, one cigar manufactory, a school house and M. E. church. Population about 100.

VILLAGE OF HUNTER.

Hunter is located in the northern part of the township, near the line, and is situated on a hill with rather a delightful sur- rounding. It was laid out by N. Anderson in 1849, being sur- veyed by D. G. White. It received its name from W. F. Hun- ter of Monroe county, a congressmen from this district, 1849 to 1851. It contains one dry good store, conducted by Patterson & Bro .; one grocery, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, Christian church, and school house. Population about 55.

THE DISCIPLES' CHURCH.

The following letter relative to the history of the Disciples' church, of Hunter, is from A. J. Smith, Esq .: " I was a small boy when the first meeting house was built. The house was erected and the first organization effected before there was any town herc. As near as I can tell, this was about forty years ago. The ground, consisting of one acre, was donated to the society, besides the largest share of the building expenses, by Nathaniel Anderson. It was a very plain frame structure, 30x36 feet. I have no idea as to its cost. In September, 1850, it was burned down by an incendiary. A short time before the fire took place a barrel of whisky was tapped and spilled upon the ground. Whether this had anything to do with the burn- ing of the honse may be judged by others. After meeting in my house and elsewhere for three years, a brick house was built, but was used several years before it was completed. In the year 1871-2 a wind storm, in March, blew in the gable end and a portion of the roof off. The whole cost of the present house, I suppose, was about $1,500. The dimensions of this building are 30x36 feet, I think the records, with the Bible, were burned at the time of the fire. Early officers and members that are now within my recollection were as follows : John Milhoan and David White, elders; Samuel Milhoan, dea- con; and members, Mrs. JJohn Milhoan, Mrs, David White, John B. Milhoan and wife, George Milhoan and wife, Eleazer Evans and wife, William Newman and wife, John Newman, Nathaniel Anderson, Sidney and wife. Among the ministers

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

were Elders Lisister, John Frick, Jacob Yocum, Alex. Hall, William Hall, Joseph Dunn. L. M. Harvey, James Russell, William Mitchem, William T. Martin, Charles Newton, J. A. Walters, R. Atherton, Thomas Capp, William Woolery, A. Linkletter, W. H. Scott, --- Parker and, last, Philo Ingra- ham. Present membership, about 126. I think neither of the houses were dedicated. The officers for 1879 are II. Williams, HI. Stidd, elders; A. J. Smith, O. F. Dennings and L. Moore, deacons.

"Another fact I forgot to mention in its proper place, and that is this: After the burning of the first church, a large por- tion of the members drew off and built what is called Chestnut Level, leaving ours so weak that in consequence we had to con- tend against great odds. But at present the church is in good condition, and, notwithstanding its misfortunes, has received many spiritual blessings."

THE PLEASANT RIDGE M. E. CHURCH.

In 1853, Rev. S. P. Wolf organized this society at a Mr. Smith's house, where services were held until a church build- ing could be erected. Steps in the matter were taken immedi- ately after the organization was effected, and in the year fol- lowing a church edifice was completed, ready for oeeupancy. It was dedicated by John Coil, the presiding elder. It is a very comfortable church 30x40 feet. The minister in charge during its dedication was William Hamilton. The name of Pleasant Ridge was given this congregation in 1854, which name it still bears.

THE HOREB CHURCH

Was organized in 1842, by Rev. J. A. Rich. Soon after its for- mation, a committee was appointed by the congregation for the purpose of taking snch steps as were necessary for the erection of a church building. The committee consisted of George Shipman, Isaac Hanson and John N. Evans. These gentlemen went to work in earnest, and before the close of 1843 a church edifice 30x36 feet was completed and dedicated. Among some of the first ministers the following names occur: Revs, Samuel Franklin, John Coen, William Harris, A. J. Lane, Jerry Phil- lips, B. G. Edmonds, James White, J. B. Cooper, A. D. McCor- mack, W. C. P. Hamilton, N. Worthington, C. Morrison, J. W. Weaver. The present membership is 40. Rev. J. H. White, minister in charge; elass-leader, J. W. Poulson ; stewards, George Shipman and Lee Evans.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

MICHAEL DANFORD, Farmer. He was born in Wayne town- ship, Belmont county, in 1803. In 1831 he married Miss Mercy Danford. Their union resulted in nine children-six boys and three girls, only three of whom are living. In 1870 his wife died at the age of fifty years. She was a member of the Christian church at Hunter. In 1873 he was married again. His second wife was Catharine Berry. She was born in 1828. They are both members of the Christian church. In 1854, he was elected to the office of County Commissioner. Was fol- lowed farming all his life.

ERASTUS MOORE, Farmer. Born in Belmont county, October 25, 1833. He followed carpentering until he arrived at the age of twenty-five, when he turned his attention to farming. In 1858 he married Miss Nancy Mechen, who bore him seven chil- dren-four sons and three daughters, six of whom are living. He and family are members of the Christian church of which church he is an clder. His great grandfather was a native of Germany, and migrated to Belmont county where he died at the age of 106.

J. H. E. PATTERSON, of the firm of Patterson Brothers, was born in Belmont county, in 1847. He was reared on a farm and received a liberal education. About ten years ago he and his brother engaged in the mereantile business at the village of Hunter. In connection with this business they deal largely in leaf tobacco. In 1873, he was married to Catharine J. Kemp, who was born in 1853. She gave issue to a family of three children. Owing to his industry, with a fair business capacity, he has been very successful in life.

JAMES A. BERRY, Farmer. Born in Belmont county in 1821. He remained with his father on the farm until he reached the age of maturity. On the 8th of July, 1847, he led Miss Deborah Evans to the marriage altar. They reared a family of nine children-six sons and three daughters. Six children are living. On the 31st of July, 1872, he was called to mourn the loss of his first wife, who died at the age of forty-two years. She was a consistent member of the U. P. church. In 1877 he married a second time, to a lady whose maiden name was Lydia Irwin. He has been an industrious and successful farmer.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Washington township belongs to the lower or southern tier of townships. It was erected from York and Wayne in 1831. In its erection twenty-four sections were detached from the for- mer and twelve from the latter township. Its boundary is as follows:

On the north by Smith township, east by Mead and York, south by Monroe county and west by Wayne township.

This township is watercd by Captina creek and its numerous tributaries, which have their origin from the many clear and limpid springs that find their way to the surface along the in- dentations of the land.

The surface of Washington township is very undulating, with here and there bluffs abruptly rising to various altitudes. The soil along the water courses is rich and productive. Like the other townships in the county, bituminous coal-beds underlie its entire surface. Lime is also abundant. In the first settling these minerals were not utilized, and are not yet regarded by many at least, as a source of wealth. Iron ore has not yet been developed.

Washington was the last township erected in Belmont county. It is about six miles square and is considered a fine farming dis- trict. It contributes largely to the cereal products of the county ..

The population of this township is about fifteen hundred. The total number of votes polled at the election for Governor in 1879 was 321. The total vote during the eentennial year was 314.

SETTLEMENT, ETC .- THE DANFORDS, PERKINSES, AND OTHER PIONEERS. .

The first settlements made in this, now Washington township, began in the year 1797, along Captina creek. It was then a dense wilderness-the home and rendezvous of the bear, wolf, deer, reptiles, wild turkeys and various game. Soon after the introductory settlement of a few pioneers was made, emigrants from Pennsylvania and Maryland chiefly, came in pretty rap- idly, and erected their smoky little cabins, and commenced elearing away the forests and planting their small crops. The pioneers were very neighborly and agreeable, and often turned out to a man when any new settlers arrived, to help them cut logs and build cabins. They would never stop either until it was made ready to move in. They needed no laws or justices- made their own laws and lived up to them. Peace and tran- quility abounded then. Times were hard, extremely hard. Game and fish, of course, were very plentiful, but they had no mills, stores, or even roads ; had to go beyond Wheeling to buy corn, and gave one dollar per bushel for it. It was packed home and pounded in a mortar. These were made of a log of gum wood about three feet long and eighteen inches in diam- eter, with one end burnt out in a funnel shape, and then clean- ed out with an inshave, so as to hold a half bushel or more of corn. In these mortars were made their meal. Genius soon contrived the hand-mills, "and they got along a little better."

The bottom lands were first settled. The clearing was very heavy. The sycamore, sugar, walnut, buckeye and such like had to be cut down, rolled up and burnt, on account of the shade.

The first settlers thought nothing of frequently doing with but one meal a day. Sometimes they went a long time without food, and could eat a large quantity when they did eat. A large turkey roasted was eaten in one meal by small families. As a remedy for their great privations, they practiced economy. For trace chains ropes were used ; for collars they used corn husks; for log chains hickory withes. Their wearing apparel consisted of buckskins of their own tanning-shirts, pants, moccasins and all. They manufactured their own plows, which were rude im- plements indeed. The mould board was split out of a block of wood that had the right twist in it; the share and coulter were made of wrought iron, laid with steel. This was an excellent

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

plow for rooty ground. The principal diet of the pioneers was hog, honey and johnny cake.

Among the first settlers were the Danfords, Perkinses, Beans, Reads, &c. Some of the emigrants who moved here in real early days, remained but a short time, and then "pulled up stakes" and removed elsewhere. Others located permanently, and awaited the opening of the land office at Steubenville and other places, when they entered what land they wanted. The Danfords, perhaps, were the earliest permanent settlers.

Danford, as the name implies, is undoubtedly of English ori- gin, though it would be difficult, if not impossible, at present to trace out their connection with the Danfords or Danforths of the old world. The first member of the family, of whom it is now possible to get any account, was Peter Danford, who was born in the state of New Jersey, about the year 1739. Little is known of his early life. He was a farmer. Was married (at what date it is not known) to a Sarah Morrison, by which marriage he had four children : Samuel, William, Sarah and Rebecca. After the death of his first wife, he married a Mercy Ewing, by whom he had one son-Ambrose. His second wife died in 1793. At an carly day, some time between 1785 and 1796, Peter Danford moved with his family to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he settled on Patterson creek. From this point his sons, Samuel, William and Ambrose, came to Belmont county, Ohio, about 1797, and located in section 4, Washington township, where they cleared a piece of ground, built a cabin, and planted some corn, after which Samuel and William returned to Patter- son creek for the family, leaving Ambrose to take care of the crop and look after the interest of the new home in the woods. After an absence of several weeks, the boys returned to their frontier home, bringing with them their father and sister Sarah, the younger sister, Rebecca having been left at Patterson creek. She was brought over,perhaps, the following year. The family remained at this place for several years, till the father entered land on Benfork, in section 23, now owned by the heirs of his daughter, Nancy Grove. In 1803, Peter Danford married his third wife, a widow, Margaret DeLancy, by whom he had two children, twin daughters. He died in 1827. His wife Margaret died in 1835.

Samuel, a son of Peter Danford, was born in New Jersey, per- haps about the year 1776, He was married to Nancy Mathew about the year 1798. He settled on the land now owned by Mrs. Emma Danford and family, on section 22, Washington township, on Captina creek, which he owned until his death. He reared a family of fourteen children, six sons and eight daughters, nine of whom are still living.

William, the second son of Peter Danford, was born in New Jersey, in 1778. He married Elizabeth Moore, daughter of Michael Moore, in 1799. In 1807 he entered the east half of section 22, now Washington township, at present owned by John Sidebottom. The war of 1812 having broken ont, he joined a company raised in Belmont county, and marched to Lower Sandusky, where he died in November, 1813. He left seven children-Hiram, Michael, Samuel, Abraham, Peter, John and Bersheba- all of whom are living, except Peter. Two, Michael and Samuel, are citizens of Belmont county. Michael married Mercy, second daughter of Ambrose Danford, by whom he had three sons-Alexander, William and John, and two daughters, Virginia and Emily. The latter, wife of John Sidebottom, Esq., now lives at the old homestead. Samnel, third son of William Danford, lives on Crabapple creek, in Washington township. His two sons, Hon. Lorenzo (of whom a sketch is given else- where) and De Witt are both practicing at the Belmont county bar.

Ambrose, the youngest son of Peter Danford, was born in New Jersey on the 9th of July, 1784. He moved, with the rest of his father's family, to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where they lived till he was thirteen years of age, at which age he was sent with his elder brothers, Samnel and William, to locate a home for the family in the northwest territory. Young as he was, " Little Ambrose," as his brothers called him, en- dured the hardships of a tedions journey through an unknown and pathless forest, with courage and manliness. Whatever he lacked in age and strength, his brothers, who were warmly attached to him, endeavored to make up for by kind treatment. It is related that when provisions were scarce and those to be had were not of the best order, consisting of musty bread and tainted bear's meat, the elder brothers would make their meals of whatever was left after " Little Ambrose " had been served with the best. These acts of kindness he never forgot, and often spoke of them in relating the incidents of his early life, When the boys arrived in Ohio, they located a piece of land on

Captina creek, cleared a patch of ground, erected a cabin and planted some corn. In this lonesome place, in the midst of an almost unexplored forest, a wild woodland, pathless, save only by the trail of the Indian or the track of the wolf and the bear, in a lonely little cabin by the banks of the winding stream, shut in by hills, "Little Ambrose" was left to " take care of things" while his two brothers returned to Pennsylvania to bring the rest of the family. How he spent the long, lonely weeks till the return of his brothers with the family, can only be imagined. But he was a plucky little fellow, with a cool judgment, and would be likely to prove equal to any emergency, so that his brothers perhaps acted wisely in leaving him as they did. Many incidents might be related, showing the hardships of this pio- neer family ; but the readers of this history will find elsewhere enough to enable them to understand the energy and endurance which the conquerors of the forest must have possessed and the trials and hardships through which they wrought out the basis of our civilization. It was a rule of this family that every sum- mer two of the boys should provide the family with salt. They would travel horseback to Winchester, Va., where they would help to harvest until they had procured enough money-an ar- ticle practically unknown in the new settlements to bny a bushel of salt, with which they would return to their home in the for- est. Upon these tours they were, of course, compelled to sleep out at night. They would put bells upon their horses, and turn them loose to feed, after which they would build a circle of dry brush, get in the middle of it and then set fire to it, to keep the wolves away.

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History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 143

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 728

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728