USA > Ohio > Columbiana County > History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 36
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TOWNSHIP OF ELK RUN.
A. J. Lane; 1871, John Huston ; 1872-73, J. D. Leggett ; 1874-75, W. Bedall; 1876-78, James M. Bray ; 1879, A. J. Culp.
THE ELKTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
In September, 1840, the Rev. Joshua Monroe organized, at the village of Elkton, a class of 17 members, among whom were John Kemble, leader, Daniel Ikard and wife, John Crook and wife, Thomas Crook and wife, James Montgomery, Elizabeth Baker, and Jacob Pitzer. This class, in the course of years, became known as the " Bethel M. E. Church, of Elk Run," but since 1870 has been known by the above title.
The society worshiped in the free church until October, 1870, when the present meeting-house was consecrated for its use by the Rev. A. B. Leonard, of Pittsburgh. It was erected that summer by Alfred Dickey, at a cost of $1800, and presents an inviting appearance, having a beautiful location on a hill overlooking the little village. The trustees having control of this property are Thomas Crook, William Beard, George V. Davis, W. T. Simpkins, Perry Armstrong, and James Switzer.
The church has 68 members, under the pastoral care of the Rev. A. J. Culp. It is connected with the Kemble church, in a circuit which has always had the same pastors for that body and for the Methodist churches in Middleton.
A Sunday-school, which has an enrollment of about 100 members, has been maintained since 1870. The superin- tendent is Leonard Trunick. In 1840 a union Sunday- school was organized in the village, and after the " White House" was built was held there until 1871, when it was discontinued. Among its superintendents were S. W. Orr, John Crook, and Thomas Crook.
The Methodist ministers who were natives of Elk Run have been A. E. Ward, George Crook, and Ira Kemble.
THE ELKTON FREE CHURCH.
In 1838 a meeting of the citizens of Elkton and vicinity was held to devise measures for raising means to build a suitable house in the village of Elkton, in which religious meetings might be held by any denomination, under proper restrictions, to be imposed by a constitution adopted by the members contributing to the building fund. William Kemble, David Ward, John Kemble, Jonathan Morris, Daniel Ikard, and Samuel Kemble, Jr., were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions. With the means thus raised was built, in the summer of 1840, a brick house of worship, which received the title " Elkton Free Church."
This church was used by the Methodists and other de- nominations until 1870, when the materials comprising it were sold to Cyrus Kemble, who removed them to build the residence now occupied by David Morris, at the mill. During the same season a new and more spacious church was erected for the society, on the original site, by Alfred Dickey, at a cost of $1268.75. It is a plain but neat frame structure, 35 by 45 feet, with ample accommodations. for the people of Elkton and vicinity.
The church can be used for religious meetings (preaching
services) only, and is free to all, without reference to sects or creeds, and when regular meetings are maintained the oldest appointment shall have the preference of the hour for meeting; but all shall be subject to the rulings of the board of trustees. These for many years have been Wil- liam Kemble, C. V. Crow, and William Moore.
Worship is held once a month by the Presbyterians, and among their ministers who have served in the church are the Revs. A. O. Patterson, Robert Dixon, George N. John- son, and David Hargess, who came from New Lisbon and Madison. The Bible-Christians also maintain meetings once a month in connection with their work on Church Hill. Occasional meetings are held by the United Presby- terians, Disciples, and the Winebrennarians.
THE WHITE HOUSE.
In consequence of a clause in the constitution of the free church limiting the meetings to "preaching services," the people of Elkton determined, Jan. 14, 1842, to build a house for Sabbath- and singing-schools, township-meet- ings, and other public gatherings. It was voted to call the building " The Elkton Sabbath-School House," and to erect it on a lot adjoining the free church. A small frame house was put up the same year; having been painted white, it was soon almost universally called the " White House," by which name it is yet known.
The subscriptions to build this house were secured from the people living in all parts of the township, and were paid in money, labor, lumber, or farm produce. The sub- scribers were the following : Henry Herbert, William Pen- nell, Alexander Martin, William Kemble, George Nuzum, John Clark, William Crow, Jr., William Martin, Jonathan Cowgill, John Kemble, Henry Wetsel, Daniel Ikard, Daniel G. Albright, Michael Ickes, Thomas Baker, S. W. Orr, Charles Ritchie, Stuart Herbert, Thomas Batchelor, Joseph Hudd, George Huston, John Crook, John Menser, Wash- ington Frederick, Moses Dickey, Samuel Chamberlain, David Crow, Robert Huston, Stacy Pettit, David Reddick, William Armstrong, William Montgomery, Martin Poland, Frederick Gemmill, David Stapleton, John Stapleton, James Batchelor, Thomas Crook, Henry McComb, Vincent Long- shore, Cornelius Whitacre, William Crow, Fanny McCook, John B. Crow, James Howe, Abraham Welker, William W. Longshore, John Beard, James Thompson, Guion A. Blair, George Harmon, William Barnhill, Harrison Rich- ardson, Jonathan Morris, Thomas R. Thurston, John Wil- liams, William H. Spence, Hannibal Hepburn, David Ward, Stephen Morris, Thomas McCoy, Thomas Pike, Daniel P. Carlisle, Nathan Heald, Thomas Hawkins, Marion Ritchie, Richard Burnell, Samuel Stickle, Nehemiah Wright, Wash- ington French, John Cochrane, Andrew Barnes, Isaac Siddall, James Montgomery.
The house is controlled by a board of trustees elected at the April meeting by the voters of the township, and within it all township-meetings are held. The present trustees are Andrew Armstrong, John Culler, and Hamil- ton Dickey. Among other trustees have been C. V. Crow, William Kemble, John Switzer, and William Moore.
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FAIRFIELD.
TOWNSHIP No. 12, range 2, in the county of Colum- biana, has been known by the above name-" Fairfield"_ since its organization, in 1805. It is on the northern bor- der of the county, and has for its boundaries Beaver town- ship on the north, Unity on the east, Elk Run on the south, and Salem on the west. The surface is level in the north- east, undulating in the central part, and moderately hilly in the southern part, nearly the entire area being susceptible of cultivation. It was originally covered with heavy forests, composed chiefly of the hard-woods, and a considerable proportion is yet timber-land. The greater part is under- laid with a good quality of coal, the veins of which have been partially developed in the southern and western parts of the township. In the latter section are deposits of iron- ore. Building-stone and potters' clay are also found in the township.
The soil is productive, but is of various kinds,-black Joam, heavy clay, and light clay, with more or less of sand or gravel, being often on the same section,-and generally is of easy cultivation. In the southeast it is especially adapted to fruit culture, and in other localities to the growth of grass and grain. Farming is the chief industry of the people of the township.
Fairfield has no large streams, but is well watered by a number of brooks thut rise near the centre of the township, some of which flow northerly, others southerly. But little difficulty is experienced in obtaining water for domestic purposes ; and in the northern part of the township artesian- wells, sunk to a moderate depth, yield copious streams of pure water.
PIONEER SETTLERS.
Many changes have taken place in the population of the townebip, and but little can be learned concerning the early settlers of Fairfield, except from the meagre recollections of their few remaining descendants. Most of the early settlers came from Pennsylvania or Virginia, and, with few excep- tions, had sufficient means to begin their new life comfort- ably, nor did they long endure the isolation of their new home in a forest country. The immigration was so great that within a few years every section of land was occupied by actual settlers. - Some sections were subdivided into lots containing not more than 20 acres, upon which cabins were put up by the pioneers, rude and uncomfortable, but giving their occupants a sense of ownership and a feeling of inde- pendence.
It is probable that Mathias Lower was the first perma- nent settler in the township. He was a native of Mary- land, but came from Westmoreland Co., Pa., in 1800, and "squatted" in the valley of Bull Creek before the land was surveyed. After the lines were run he found that the location did not suit him. He then united with Wil-
liam Heald in purchasing section 23, the northern part of which became his. Here he began improvements, which may have been of considerable extent, as early as 1803, for in the full of that year the first Court of Common Pleas for the county was held in his log barn. There being no separate room to which the jury might repair to make up their verdict, a large log in the woods near by was used as a seat while they deliberated the momentous question of the guilt or innocence of the individual on trial.
This farm is at present occupied by Jacob, a grandson of Mathias Lower. Of a large family of children which Mathias Lower had, there is but one surviving member,- Emanuel, who lives on a part of the original purchase.
In 1801, and the few years ensuing, a large settlement of Friends was founded in. the southeastern part of the township. Most of these came from Bucks and Chester Counties, in Pennsylvania. Prominent among them was William Heald, a surveyor, under whose direction the greater part of the county was subsequently surveyed. With his family of five children, he settled on section 26. and lived in the county more than sixty years, being active in his profession until about 1850. In his old age he re- moved to Cedar County, Iowa, where he died June 4, 1867 at the unusual age of one hundred years, eight months, and twenty-eight days. Two of his brothers, John and Nathan, came with him, and settled in Fairfield. The former had a family of eight children, and lived in the northern part of section 25; the latter found a home on section 22, but soon after removed to Elk Run.
In 1801, also camne Samuel Oliphant, and settled on the northeastern part of section 27. The third member of his family of six children married the Hon. Richard Beeson, of Unity, in 1804, and lived to become almost a centena- rian, living until a short time ago-now 1879-with her son Mahlon. Samuel Oliphant removed in bis old age to the residence of his son Ephraim, and died there
William Ferrall came from Campbell Co., Va., in 1801, and settled on section 22. His sons by his first wife were James and William; by his second wife, John, Jonathan, Benjamin, and Edward. Some of the latter yet live in the township, and the original purchase is yet occupied by their descendants.
John James was in the party that accompanied William Ferrall from Virginia, and settled near him and reared a large family. The same year Isaac James became a resi- dent of section 35. He had eight children, and some of the.sons afterwards built a saw-mill in that locality.
Joseph Bradfield was another Virginian who came at that early period. He settled on section 36, on the home- stead now occupied by a grandson. He had three sons,- Thomas, who removed to the western part of the State,
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COLUMBIANA HIGH SCHOOL, No.1, COLUMBIANA, O .
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TOWNSHIP OF FAIRFIELD.
John, and William. Aaron, son of William, is a resident of Middleton township, and John lives near East Fairfield, on the eastern part of section 36.
John Crozer, the first justice of the peace, settled in the same year, and lived at East Fairfield until his death, at an advanced age. He had three sons,-James, Thomas, and John.
West of Mr. Crozer, on the New Lisbon road, Abel Lodge was an early and prominent settler. He afterwards moved to East Fairfield, where he became widely known as an innkeeper. In the same locality John Aldoefer set- tled early.
Near Middleton, Henry Dixson owned a tract of land upon which settled his sons-in-law, John Woods and John Cope; and in the same neighborhood, John Allman lived as early as 1802. His death occurred in 1811, and was one of the first deaths among the adults of the township.
A few years later Joab Pritchett settled on the same section, No. 25, and lived there until his death, in 1851. He came from New Jersey, and had then a son, John, who lives in Wayne County. A son born in Fuirfield, Joseph, is now a citizen of Middleton.
In 1806, James Boulton became a resident of Fairfield, and his son Levi, who was at that time ten years old, is yet a citizen of the village. James Boulton died in 1837, from injuries received by being thrown from his wagon.
SKETCH OF EPHRAIM HOLLOWAY, 8R., AND FAMILY.
Ephraim Holloway, Sr., one of the early settlers of the county, was born in New Jersey. When but a small boy he moved with his father, John Holloway, to Culpeper Co., Va., where the father resided until his death. Ephraim married Miss Susanna Garwood, of Culpeper Co., Va., but who was also a native of New Jersey. In 1801 he moved with his family, then consisting of his wife and two daughters, to Columbiana County, locating on the northwest quarter of section 36, in Salem township, which he improved, and where he resided until his death; he died in 1845, at the advanced age of sixty-eight years. His widow resided in Columbiana and Muhoning Counties until 1866, at which time she died in Green township, Mahoning County, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. There were born to them twelve children, as follows: Susanna, Mary, Margaret, John, Isaiah, Sarah, Ephraim, Isaac, Jacob, David, Dayton, and Eliza. The three last named died quite young. Susanna married James Cald- well and located in Elk Run township; afterwards moved to Fairfield township, where her husband still lives, she having died in 1871. Mary married Benjamin Underwood, and after a few years spent in this county moved to Union County, and later to Michigan. Margaret married Philip Miller, and moved to Union County, where she still resides. John mar- ried Miss Lydia Dixson, daughter of John and granddaughter of Joshua Dixson, of Fairfield township. Soon after marriage they located two miles east of the village of Columbiana, where they resided until separated by the death of the wife on the 3d day of May, 1843, he continuing in the old homestead for nearly two years afterwards. In 1844 he married Miss Rebecca Seachrist, and in 1845 purchased and moved on to what was known as the "John Dixson farm," one-half
mile north of the village of Columbiana, which is still owned by his heirs, having remained in the possession of the family from its original purchase from the United States government by Joshua Dixson to the present, passing down to the fifth generation. They raised a family of eleven children, six by the first and five by the second wife, as follows: Leonard D., Ephraim S., Lucena, Eliza Ann, John Dixson, and Lydia A., by the first wife, and Susanna, Lot, 'Amanda, George, and Park by the second wife. Lucena died in February, 1877; the others are still living. The father died August 22, 1874, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
Isaiah married Miss Catharine Hardman, and moved to the State of Illinois. Sarah married John Waynee, und located in Hanover township. Ephraim married Miss Mary Ann Caldwell, located in Elk Run township, and afterwards moved to Centre township, where he died in 1875. Isaac married Miss Charlotte Caldwell, who died soon after their marriage. A few years later he married Miss Mary Lodge. They are now living in Green town- ship, Mahoning County. Jacob married Elizabeth Williard, of New Lisbon, and both are still living in the county. The family were not members of any religious denomination, but were descendants of Quakers and always adhered to the Quaker faith.
BIOGRAPHIICAL SKETCH OF THE DIXSON FAMILY .*
Among the most prominent and active of the early set- tlers of Fairfield township were Joshua Dixson and Dinah his wife, who moved to the township from Fayette Co., Pa., in 1802. He was born Oct. 20, 1750. His wife was born Feb. 28, 1760. They located sections 3 and 4, built their cabin on section 4, and a few years later erected a brick dwelling,-the first brick structure erected within the terri- tory now embraced within the corporate limits of Colum- biana,-which is still standing and used as a residence. In the organization of the township in 1805 he took a promi- nent part, and on the 21st day of August of that year laid out the village of Columbiana, having the plat acknow- ledged before Lewis King, a justice of the peace, and on the 22d day of the same month the plat was recorded in the recorder's office in New Lisbon, in Book A, page 11.
At the time of moving to the township they had a family of cleven children, who accompanied them,-five sons and six daughters, -- as follows: Emanuel, John, Joshua, Nathan, and Thomas, Hannah, Rachel, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Dinah, and Lydia. The first son and daughter named were chil- dren of a former wife. Hannah was born Sept. 19, 1774; Emanuel, Sept. 28, 1776; John, Dec. 28, 1783; Rachel, July 19, 1785; Elizabeth, Nov. 22, 1788; Rebecca, Dec. 22, 1790 ; Joshua, Dec. 7, 1792; Nathan, Aug. 25, 1794; Thomas, Oct. 3, 1797 ; Dinah, Aug. 27, 1799, died Oct. 7, 1804; Lydia, born Oct. 24, 1801. Levi, the twelfth child, was born in the township, Aug. 25, 1803, and died Aug. 25, 1804.
Soon after their arrival in the township several of their children married and located in the county, and became prominent citizens of their respective localities. Their
. Also spelled Dixon.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY, OHIO.
memories are cherished by many still living. John married Miss Hannah Beall and located on a part of section 4,-on the farm now owned by his grandchildren, the heirs of John Holloway, deceased,-where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1840. He was a civil engineer, and for many years did a large portion of the surveying in the northern and eastern part of the county. Rachel be- came the wife of Benjamin Hanna, and soon afterwards located in Centre township, near New Lisbon, where they resided until death. Each died at an advanced age. Elizabeth married Samuel Townsand and located in New Lisbon, where she resided until her death. Rebecca mar- ried George Copeland, and located in Fairfield township, where they improved two farms of 160 acres each. They resided for many years on their farm east of Columbiana, and about fourteen years ago moved into the village, where Mrs. Copeland died in April, 1873. Her husband, who was born on the same day of the month, same month and year, with herself, is still living, and is in his eighty-ninth yeur. Joshua, Nathan, and Thomas all married and located in the county, where they resided until their death, each dying at an advanced age. Lydia married a Mr. Stewart, and left the county soon after marriage.
Joshua Dixson and family, down to the second generation, were members of the Friends' church. He and the older members of his family took an active part in the organiza- tion of the first Quaker church in the county.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS.
In 1804, Joshua and Joseph Wood settled on section 13, and were from Western Pennsylvania. About that time George and Jacob McGregory found homes in the same neighborhood. In 1806, Jacob Hum and his sons John, David, and Jacob located on section 14. Jacob was six months old, and yet lives in Columbiana. Two other sons, George and Adam, were born in the township. On the same section William Kimball and John Job were early settlers.
On section 15, Charles Fitzpatrick was a pioneer settler. His son John is a citizen of Columbiana. On the same section, south part, John Windle located in 1807, and lived there until his death, in 1857. A son, Augustine, now living on the section, and two daughters, constituted his family.
Michael Fox lived on section 16 as early as 1804, and at his residence was held the first township-mecting. The place is now the property of J. Kyser.
Peter and William Bushong were pioneer settlers on section 10 before 1807. In the same locality were Thomas Dillon and Michael Coxen. The latter is credited with making the first bricks that were used in the township.
In the northeastern part of Fairfield, Nicholas Firestone, a native of Virginia, settled in 1801. His sons by his first wife were Peter, John, and Henry. At a somewhat later day Jacob Unger became a settler in this section, but re- moved to Unity.
Robert Hanna and wife, with a family of nine children, located on section 10, building their log cabin on the south- east quarter of said section, near where the residence re- cently occupied by James Caldwell now stands. Benjamin Hanna, the second of their children, located and made
the first improvement on the farm now owned by Mr. Poul- ton in 1803, where he resided until 1810, at which time he sold, and purchased of Joshua Dixson the southwest quarter of section 3, which has been known in late years as the Allen farm, a part of which is now within the corporate limits of Columbiana. This he sold a few years later to Jacob Seachrist, and located just north of New Lisbon.
Joshua Dixson and wife, with a family of eleven children, located on section 4. . He erected his cabin near where Mrs. Daniel A. Stouffer now lives, and afterwards built a part of the residence now occupied by Mrs. Stouffer, in which he resided until his death. He purchased section 3 from the United States government at the same time that he purchased section 4.
One of the first marriages in the township was that of Benjamin Hanna and Rachel Dixson, which was soleni- nized, Dec. 15, 1803, according to the customs of the Friends .*
On the 4th of July, 1804, John Michael Esterly and his family, natives of Germany, landed at Baltimore, and after a few days began their journey to the West. On the way they stopped at Allegheny City, where a son four years old was accidentally drowned. In the fall of the year they reached Fairfield, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 5. The children then were George, Jacob, Cathe- rine, and John, who all found homes in the surrounding country. George subsequently moved to Springfield, where he reared a large family. Jacob settled in the eastern part of section 5, and reared seven sons,-John, Abraham, Isaac, George, David, Jonathan, and Jacob. John re- mained on the homestead and reared two sons,-Solomon and Levi. He is the only one of the three brothers sur- viving, and is one of the few old men of the township who came at such an early date.
On section 7, John Becson settled about 1803, and soon after put in operation the first grist-mill in the township. In 1820 he sold his property to Jacob Nold, who had three sons,-Henry, John, and Jacob. Two of the sons of the last named-John Z. and Abraham-yet live in this neigh- borhood.
As early as 1803, Caleb and Jesse Cope settled on the eastern part of section 18, on the farms which yet belong to their descendants. About the same time Samuel Erwin became a resident, on the southwest quarter of section 20. Of a family of five children, the youngest, Mahlon, is yet a citizen of the county. In this neighborhood William Ingledue was an early settler. On section 19, on the present Beilhart place, George Slutter was a pioneer. Here, also, David Newhouse and the Wilhelm and Frederick families lived at an early day.
On section 29, James Daniels located about 1802, and after a few years sold to Lawrence Ney, the father of Samuel Ney, the present occupant of the farm.
Isaiah Garwood wus a settler on section 28 before 1803; Joseph and Benjamin Stratton on section 32; and D. Gal- braith, Alexander Rogers, Jesse Lewis, and the Freed family, in the southern part of the township.
The immigration after 1805 was so great that no ex-
* Gen. E. S. Holloway.
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TOWNSHIP OF FAIRFIELD.
tended account of the pioneers can be given. Rudolph Buer, Levi Antrim, William Hickman, Samuel Wallaban, Jesse Allen, and Daniel Hardman all merit a place among the earliest of the township's pioneers.
At an election for justices of the peace, Oct. 18, 1809, which resulted in the choice of William Hickman and Alexander Rogers, the voters were the following : Joshua Woods, William Harrison, Robert Hanna, Peter Bushong, David Hawley, John Keller, John Aldoefer, Amos Huw- ley, John Dizson, John Underwood, James Crozer, William Hickman, Benjamin Hunna, Joseph Woods, Levi Antrim, Alexander Rogers, Thomas Hanna, Daniel Wallahan, John Crozer, Samuel Wallahan, Augustine Bushong, Mathias Lower, Rudolph Baer, Joseph Humphrey, James Adamson, John Crozer, Jr., George West, Parnall Hall, Enos Woods, George Rogers, Jacob Woods, John Randall, William Fer- ral, Jacob Stratton, William Ingledue, David Stratton, Nathan Cope, Joseph Stratton, Michael Coxen, Joseph Stratton, Jr., Abel Lodge, Peter Atterholt, John Jobs, John McClure, Joseph Beal, John Bradfield, Edward Brad- field, Caleb Hawley, Joshua Dixson, Thomas Dixson, Jacob Harmon, George McGregory, James E. Caldwell, Joseph Bradfield, John James.
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