History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, Part 44

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1108

USA > Ohio > Clinton County > History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families > Part 44

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This township contains nineteen thousand eight hundred and thirty-four acres of land and at present the acreage of tillable land is very great. The soil is composed of natural drift and alluvial formation, having been covered, as it was, for centuries with a dense forest, which, through the decay of so much plant and animal life. has left the soil very rich. This has been increased through the efforts of the farmers, making its soil doubly rich. This township received its name from Gen. Anthony Wayne, who led an expedition through this township prior to 1794. In his march through this section of the state, he cut a trail which was used by the pioneers for many years.

As Wayne township was not made a separate township until 1837. many settlers, and, in fact, all of the early settlers, were located here before the township was organ- ized. Among the first to make permanent settlements in this part were William Moore, who came to this township from Bourbon county. Kentucky, and settled about the year 1806. Among the pioneers who had settled here prior to 1810 were, John Jackson, from Tennessee : Edward Curtis, from Virginia ; Joseph Rooks, Thomas Stell, John Oxley. Moses Paris. Stephen Martin. Thomas Draper. John Allen and Jesse Boxley. From 1810 to 1820 the settlers came in great numbers from Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Another rather reliable source gives the first settler as Jobu Jackson, who has been mentioned previously. Mr. Jackson. it seems, came to this county in 1803 and settled on the Middle branch of Lee's creek, on one of the Ransdale surveys, No. 1.027. At the date of Mr. Jackson's settlement there were only about ten families within the boundaries of what is now Clinton county.

John Rowater Bales, better known to the early settlers as Borter Bales, settled on the West branch of Lee's creek. Mr. Bales built a mill where the road from New Lexington to Leesburg crosses the West branch. John Walters, uncle to John Walters, who settled on Todd's fork. and Nathaniel Pope were located near Leesburg at this time. Evan Evans and James Smith were also early settlers on Lee's creek.

Edward Curtis settled in the year 1805 on the north bank of Lee's creek. Mr. Curtis reared a large family and contributed to the early growth of the township. John Allen came in 1807. as did David Carter and Thomas Draper.

Benjamin Logan was probably the next settler in this township, and located on the East branch of Lee's creek. Mr. Logan enme from Tennessee, bringing Mike Fry, the rail-splitter, with him; this. however, was not the same Mike Fry who came with Thomas Dailey and Woolards in 1819.

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Thomas Adams was one of the settlers known as a "equatter"; that is, one who enters upon land belonging to another, without any title. Mr. Adams settled on the Gallatin survey, but the date has not been definitely fixed.

John Lyon, Sr., and Richard Lyon were also among the early settlers. Others who settled about this time were, Robert Antrim and family, David Carter, Edward Curtis, Jr., William Elliott and wife, Thomas Hardwick, Joseph Grice, David Stokesbury, the Thrail- kill family, James Sinclair and family. This completes the early settlements in this township, all of which were made before the township really existed.

The following are the officers of Wayne township in 1015: Trustees, Frank Dabe, George Wilson and Joseph Winfield; clerk, Roy Grove; treasurer, David Babb. Popula- tion, one thousand and fifty-two ..

CENTERVILLE.

Centerville was laid out on December 4, 1816. The proprietor of the town was Timothy Jones, who emigrated to this county from the state of Virginia. The principal street, Main, was laid off fifty-four poles long and four poles wide, and Its parallel alleys are fifty-four poles long and one pole wide. Middle street is fifty-four poles long and three poles wide. The parallel alleys are the same length and one pole wide. Main street runs north forty five degrees west, and Middle street runs at right angles to Main street. There were thirty-two lots in the original plat. These are laid out six poles in front and run back twelve poles. A stone is placed at the southeast corner of lot No. 2, and at the southwest corner of lot No. 16. Centerville is the voting precinct of Wayne township. This is the largest town in the township and, situated, as It is, in the center of a good farming community, it bas an extensive trade.

When the postoffice was placed here it was given the name of Lee's Creek. Babb Brothers have a very modern and up-to-date general merchandise store. They reach the country patrons through three buckster trucks which have dally routes to different parts of the county. Oscar Jones is the postmaster and also keeps a general merchandise store. The saw and grist-mill is owned and operated by W. D. Jerrells. Fred Webb is the village blacksmith and C. I. Pidgeon is the restaurant keeper. The village is supplied by one physician, C. A. Shaeffer. The population, according to the last census, was one hundred and thirty. Centerville, although not on a railroad, is supplied with a postoffice, and receives a closed mail pouch daily from Sabina.

Centerville has a first-grade high school, which was erected at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. This town, as the name indicates, is located in the center of the township. While it has suffered from the lack of a railroad through It, It is still a thriving village.

Memphis is the only other town in the township. This hamlet is situated in the eastern part of the township and is merely a cluster of houses at a cross roads.

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CHAPTER XXIX.

WILSON TOWNSHIP.

The first person to settle within the bounds of what is at present known as Wilson township was Amos Wilson, in honor of whom the township was named. Wilson was born in New Jersey, April 7. 1770, and moved with his parents to Kentucky In 1784, where he lived for seven years. He married Ann Mills on June 22, 1791. In 1795 he moved to Ohio, settling In Warren county near Waynesville, where he lived for over a year. In 1798 or 1797 he purchased two hundred acres of land from Joshua Carmen, located in Taylor's survey No. 736. Tracing his way with a pocket compass, he settled by mis- take on R. Eggleston's survey No. 88. He spent almost a year improving this location, before he discovered his mistake and again made a mistake, moving onto what proved later to be Lindsey's survey No. 732. He first arrived in the township in 1799. He remained at the last-mentioned place until 1802 before finding out that he was again Improving another's property, and not his own. In that year, Joshua Carmen came from Kentucky to look after the survey of land that he owned, bringing with him Mr. Wilson's brother-in-law. James Mills. On being told that he was not on his own land, he became so discouraged at the prospect of receiving no benefit from his years of labor that he made known his intention to return to the older settlements, Mr. Carmen persuaded him to give up this idea, and, as a part compensation for his repeated failures, made him a present of fifty acres adjoining his original purchase on the west. In the year 1917 his wife died; he was married during the same year to his second wife, Rachael James, with whom he lived until her death, In 1518. His third wife was Mary Coulter, widow of William Coulter. In 1827 he built the first brick house in this part of the country. In 1539 he became dissatisfied with his surroundings, sold his farm and moved to Delaware county. Indiana. In the same year his third wife died. In 1843 he married Eliza Dowden. Again becoming dissatisfied with his sur- roundings, he returned to Oblo in 1843 and bought his old home, where he remained until 1854, when he again removed to Delaware county, Indiana, where he died on October 27 of that year, in his eighty-fourth year.

PIONEFRA.

In 1806 John Coulter bought land of Jacob Piatt, who owned Walker's survey No. 743, and began its improvement. Coulter was born in the county of Antrim, Ireland. July 18. 1777. He emigrated to America, landing in New York, where he remained for a short time, coming from thence to Cincinnati, Ohio. He leased a part of his purchase in what was later Wilson township, to Oliver Simpson for a term of three years, and came out Immediately and began Improvements near the place of the present family residence. Mr. Coulter, on June 11. 1807, married Margaret Gibson, a native of the county of Fermanagh, Ireland. In December. 1500, they moved to their new home, where they passed the remainder of their long, active and useful lives. They brought up a family of twelve children. Mr. Coulter died in 157, aged nearly eighty years,

Another pioneer of this township was Ramoth Hankins, who came from Pennsylvania in 1809, on a prospecting tour and liked the appearance of the country so well that he hought one hundred acres of land in Walker's survey No. 743, and built a cabin on it in the same year. He returned to Pennsylvania, spent the following winter, and In the

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spring of 1810 he moved with his family, consisting of a wife and two children, to big Ohio home, reaching his destination on May 7.

Absalom and Cyrus Reed, brothers, came from Kentucky in 1810 and settled on Lindsay's survey No. 732. They were extensively engaged in stock-raising, being among the first to introduce improved breeds of cattle. John Watson, a native of Ireland, moved to this township in 1800. In 1810, William Fannon moved to the neighborhood and bought two hundred acres of land in Taylor's survey No. 736.

John Peelle, son of Reuben and Rhoda Peelle, was born in Wayne county, North Carolina. June 2, 1781. He remained with his parents until his twenty-fourth year, when he moved to Grayson county, Virginia, where he remained for one year. He then took a long trip through the then unknown "far West," traveling through Ohio and into the territory of Indiana as far as the site of the present city of Richmond. He returned to his parental home in North Carolina, but, becoming dissatisfied, again turned his face toward the west. Pausing on his way in Belmont county, Ohio, he fell victim to the wiles of the little god of love and married Lydia Bundy, according to the ceremony of the Society of Friends, of which they were both members. Soon after their marriage they moved to Fall Creek, where they lived until 1811, in which year they moved and settled near the place at present oceupled by the village of Bowerville, Greene county. They remained at this place two years, moving, on March 1, 1813. to the northwest side of Call's survey No. 887, building a cabin and making other improvements. While living on Call's survey, he made his first purchase of land in Oblo, buying fifty acres in Drathin's survey No. 830. At first he had no intention of making his home on that survey, but secured the land for the purpose of making sugar from the fine grove of maples growing there. Having bought more land joining his "sugar orchard," he con- cluded to make that his home, which he did in 1820.

William Gallemore was born on November 5, 1776, in Guilford county, North Caro- lina, where he remained until his marriage. in 1501. to Mary Stanley. The young couple left North Carolina and went to Grayson county, Virginia, where they resided for about nine years They then emigrated westward, making their home in Highland county, Ohio, for three years. Leaving Highland county, they went to Greene county, from which they moved, in 1815. to Clinton county, settling on Graffin's survey No. 8330, where they passed the remminder of their lives, bringing up a family of ten children, five boys and five girls, all of whom reached maturity and married.

The other pioneers of the township, with the dates of their settlement, are: Col. Thomas Hinkson, 1807: Benjamin Bentley, about 1812; Mark and Isaac Pearson, 1815: Thomas Greer, Peter Jasper and Thomas Babb.

FORMATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

An examination of the commissioners' records discloses the following document :

"Special session. August 20. 1850. This day the commissioners met pursuant to adjournment. present : Joseph Hoskins. Azel Walker and Enos La. Tacy.

"This day a petition was presented to the commissioners of the county, praying for a new township, to be taken from the townships of Richmond, Union and Liberty, as set forth in a petition signed by a majority of the householders residing within the boundaries of the proposed new township, of which the following is a copy, to wit :

" "To the Commissioners of Clinton County : Your petitioners, citizens of Clinton county, Ohio. respectfully present that we labor under great inconvenience on account of our very remote situation from the place of holding elections, and from the place where the other township business is transacted. in consequence of which we respect- fully but most earnestly ask you to establish a township to be taken out of Union, Richland and Liberty townships, to be bounded as follows, to wit:

"'Beginning at the Fayette and Clinton county line. where said line crosses the

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southeast line of A. Benjamin's survey No. 927, thence southwesterly with the line of said survey to the east corner of Thomas Shaw's survey No. 844; thence with the south- easterly Hne of said line of said survey to the east corner of William Taylor's survey No. 726; thence with the southeast line of said survey to its south and eust corner of William Lindsey's survey No. 732; thence westwardly across sald survey to its west corner, and east corner of Thouns Bland's survey No. 885; thence northwardly with the north- easterly line of anid Bland's survey to its north corner, and the east corner of William White's survey No. 2,714, in Union township; thence northwardly and with the north- east line of said survey No. 2.714 to the west corner of Richard Call's survey No. 887. and at or near the line of L'union and Liberty townships; thence in a northeasterly direction to the northeast corner of Liberty and northwest corner of Richland town- ships, in the Greene county line; thence eastwardly with the north line of Clinton county to the place of beginning, which limits as here prescribed contain the amount of territory required by law to constitute a township.

"We. your petitioners, now claim it as an act of justice, Inasmuch as there is left in each of the townships from which the proposed new township is to be taken ample amount of territory still to constitute a constitutional township; that our petition be granted as now asked for, and which is signed by citizens and voters in the district included in the limits of the new township. July 13, 1850'

Signed by Edmund Thorp, John C. Coulter, Edwin Raleigh, Harvey H. Hankins, James W. Fannon, John M. Hinkson, Jr., William G. Brown, John Oliver. Jr., Absalom Douglas, John Coulter, H. A. Douglas, S. A. Douglas, Jeremiah Sturgeon, Franklin Jones, J. B. Degroot, Isaac Turner, Robert Jones. William Reed. Robert Sturgeon, William Rhinehart, Anthony Brown, William Jacks, Floyd Ferris, Jesse Carter, Joseph Robinson, G. H. Washington, Reuben Peelle, Mark Peelle, Benjamin Bentley, Isaac Pier- son, Jonathan Mills, Amos Wilson, James R. Mills, B. R. Washington, Mills Johnson, Elbert Chance, William Story, Benjamin Barnes. Abl Oliver, Everett Oliver, Isaac Lamb, Reuben Mills, Ert Lamb. James Fannon, George Jay, E. Daugherty, S. A. Bowermaster. William Greer. John Lyou. John S. Oliver, John Cater, Andrew J. Jay. Wilson Carter, Samuel Leming, James T. Bryant, Joshua Thorp, Jesse Walker, Joseph C. Girard. I. C. Williams, H. H. Bruce. Isaac Gerard, John Sturgeon. J. A. Bragg. Robert S. Eastham, Jesse C. Everest, Miler Podell. Ellho Tichnor, I. P. Lenue, John M. Wood, William Thorp. E. A. Spencer. James Glover, William Oliver, Elisha Gallemore, James Greer, Enos Johnson. M. H. None, Mark Plerson. Harvey Jackson, Etheldred Woodward. Ander- son Horney, John B. Oliver. Richard Fawards, John Cater. Jr., James Lyons, Bassele Balley, John D. Halson, Talbot Johnson, William Peelle, William Small, Malcomb MeKenzie. James T. Johnson. John Hoover, John B. Spencer, W. D. Bryant, Daniel Furnace, Isom Lamb, Joseph Lamb. William Watson. Isaac Sheim, Joshua Gallon, C. R. Spencer, John Haines. Stephen Carroll, Israel Farley. Jesse Moore, John Fannon, Will- tam Williams. John Williams, Matthias Brewer, Joseph Oliver. J. T. F. Johnson, John Mills. Malen Griffin. Ezekiel Everest, William Everest, John I'mphlett, H. 8. Moorman, G. K. Dawson, Moses S. Hunt, William M. Shein, Lewis Hunt. Joshua Joiner, Ozaias Goodson, William Bentley. C. W. Watson. Samuel Davidson, James Richey. Alfred Sheinn, Bennett. B. Arnold, D. A. Harper, James Rooner, James Ellis, R. Clements, William Nevergall. William McPherson. Alfred Coulter, Edward Shein, Isaac Telfair. David J. Mills, Christopher Ellis, Henry Miller, William Miller, Tate Wright, Samuel Jackson. William Bloom, Aaron Bloom. John Rhinebart. Thomas Sturgeon, John C. Dowden.

"And being satisfied that thirty days' previous notice of such Intended application had first been given by advertising in' three public places within the boundaries of said proposed new township, the commissioners being also satisfied that it is necessary to ereet a new township as prayed for by said petitioners, and as fully set forth by a plot

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and survey, made by Hiram Madden, surveyor, and this day presented by said petitioners to the county commissioners, by which they are satisfied that the said proposed new township embraces a territory of more than twenty-two square miles. Thereupon, the commissioners granted the prayer of sald petitioners, and direct that a township shall be laid off and established according to the boundaries described in said petition, plat and survey, by the name of Wilson township; and direct that the boundaries as set forth in such plat and survey be recorded as required by law, together with the proceedings had by the board in relation thereto."

At the same meeting the commissioners, made the following allowances for platting and surveying the township: To Hiram Madden, surveyor, 9 days, at $1.50, $13.50; to Edwin Raleigh, chain-carrier, 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50; to James Glover, chain-carrier, 6 days, at 75 cents, $4.50; to Edmund Thorp, marker, 6 days, at 75 cents. $4.50.

As a final act in the creation of the new township, an election was ordered to be held on Saturday, September 7. 1850, at the tavern of H. H. Bruce, In the town of Lewis- ville, for officers, three trustees, one clerk, one treasurer, one assessor and one constable. From the township records the following is taken :

"Between the hours of eight and ten o'clock A. M., a lawful number of the voters of Wilson township being present In the town of Bloomington, proceeded to nominate Edmund Thorp. Samuel Furnace and Elisha Gallemore, judges of election, and Jesse Everest and H. T. Moorman, clerks. Proceeded to the election of three trustees, one clerk. one treasurer, one assessor and one constable for Wilson township. On examining the votes given the following persons were declared duly elected : Trustees, Anderson Horney, H. H. Hankins, John G. Coulter; clerk. Absalom Douglass; treasurer, William Peelle: constable, Isaac Turner : assessor, Isaac Turner."

They were all qualified and assumed the duties of their offices on September 10, 1850.

No changes were made in the roll of officers at the second election, held April 7. 1851, except in trustees. William Reed was chosen In the place of H. H. Hankins. Road supervisors were also chosen at this election, as follow: District No. 1, Adam Long: district No. 2. James Ritchie; district No. 3. Reuben Peelle; district No. 4. Eri Lamb: district No. 5. John D. Holson; district No. 6. Benjamin Barnes. A school tax of two mills to the dollar was voted on, on the grand levy, and resulted in ninety-three votes being east for the school tax and forty-six votes against it.

At the same election the question of Clinton county subscribing two hundred thou- sand dollars toward the construction of the Cincinnati. Wilmington & Zanesville railroad was submitted to the voters and was accepted by the vote of one hundred and forty-one in favor of the subscription and only twelve votes against.

At the present time Wilson township Is one of the two townships of the county whose bounds are not crossed by a railroad.

The following are the officers of Wilson township in 1915: Trustees. C. E. Pelle. Bert Burns and J. F. Reardon : clerk. H. H. Creeden ; treasurer. C. T. Telfair. Popula- tion, eight hundred thirty-two.

Wilson township is located In the northeastern portion of the county, and is bounded on the north by Fayette county, on the east by Richland township, on the south by Richland and Union townships and on the west by I'nion and Liberty townships. The surface of the township is either level or gently undulating. It is divided Into two nearly equal portions by the watershed between the Scioto and Little Minmi rivers. On the western side the descent is rather abrupt to Anderson's prairie, which fills the greater portion of that side and is drained by a creek of the same name. The land on the eastern side slopes off much more gradually to the beds of Wilson's creek and the Little Rattlesnake. These three streams form the natural drainage of the township. The soil is a rich black loam of an excellent quality of yellow clay, easily tilled.

CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO.

BLOOMINGTON.

Bloomington is the only village in Wilson township. It was laid out in 1842 by the county surveyor, Peyton West, for James Degroot, the proprietor. This little hamlet first bore the name of Lewisville, but when the postoffice was established it was given the name which it now bears. Lewisville began small and has bravely held its "smallness." By the census of 1880, It contained a population of one hundred sixty-nine; at present the population is much less. The citizens of this little wayside village are served with two general stores, H. H. Creedon and S. M. Kellison; R. T. Briggs is the village blacksmith.

CHAPTER XXX.

TOWN OF WILMINGTON.

The site of the town of Wilmington, the county sent of Clinton county, was, up to the year 1810, covered with a dense growth of timber. In that year, the county having been organized, it became necessary to locate a county seat. The town was laid out on a " part of T. Posey's survey, No. 1,057. the land having been donated for that purpose and James McManis having been appointed director to act for the commissioners. The history of the location of the county seat is given in detail elsewhere in this work. The town was first named Clinton, but this name did not prove satisfactory and an order was therefore issued by the court of common pleas in September, 1810, changing it to Armenia. This name also proved to be unsatisfactory and, by the request of the donors, the court ordered that the name be changed to Mt. Pleasant, on December 31, of the same year. Still there was great dissatisfaction and on February 20, 1811. the court ordered that the name be changed to Wilmington, decreeing that there would be no further change unless authorized by an act of the Legislature. The town, as originally laid out, consisted of sixteen squares of eight lots each, the lots numbering consecutively from 1 to 128. For the benefit of the readers, the following description is given :

"State of Ohio, Clinton County, ss. :

"(II .. S.). Be It remembered that before me, the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the county of Clinton, personally appeared James McManis, Director for Clinton County, and proprietor of the land contained within the bounds of the town of Clinton, as conveyed to said James MeManis in trust for the use and behoof of said county, and produced the within plat, which he acknowledged to be an accurate plat of snid town of Clinton, and that Nos. 58 and 73 (as marked on said plat), are particularly set apart for public grounds The plat is on a scale of ten poles to an inch : the streets are four poles wide, and the alleys one pole wide; the courses of the same are north eighty-nine degrees east, by south one degree east; the Rizes of the lots five and a half poles in front. and ten and a half back, except those fronting South street, which are five and a quarter poles in front, and eleven poles back. All the other lots, as numbered on said plat, are for sale for the use and behoof of said county of ('linton, wherein said town lies, except two lots reserved by Joseph Doan (one of the donators). Said James McManis doth voluntarily acknowledge the land contained in said plat to be for public uses for the county of Clinton and town aforesald within said county, in trust to and for the uses and purposes herein named. expressed or Intended, agreeable to said plat, and for no other use or purpose whatever. Given under my hand and seal. August 2, 1810.

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History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, Part 44

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1108

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1108