History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 51

Author: D. W. Ensign & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 541

USA > Ohio > Columbiana County > History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 51

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TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1846-51, Peter Young; 1852-53, Kersey F. Randolph; 1854, Urinh Thomas; 1855-56, Lewis Brown; 1857, Robert W. Jackson;

1858, George Huff; 1859, Wm. H. Hescook ; 1860-65, George H. Young; 1866-70, John Nevin; 1871-74, J. R. Davis; 1875-78, J. W. Hays ; 1879, W. H. Young.

TREASURERS.

1846-57, Richard Stock ; 1858-61, Joel F. Read; 1862-63, Jeremiah Booth ; 1864-74, John W. Billingsley ; 1875, C. P. Hall; 1876-77, A. B. Underwood; 1878-79, Isaac Huston.

In 1846, Isaac Eaton, Moses Dickey, Levi Guy, and James Mackall were appointed road supervisors. Since that period five districts have been formed, and in 1878 the supervisors were Isaac Dyke, Henry Hickman, G. H. Gorby, T. J. Richardson, and W. H. Young. The roads of the township have been fairly improved, and most of the streams are spanned by substantial bridges, whose main- tenance has been a heavy burden. Several railroads have located routes through Middleton, and there is a prospect that one or more will soon be improved for travel.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

The manufactories of Middleton have not been very numerous, and have been limited to the common kinds. The first attempt at milling was made by John Leslic. He constructed a machine to grind corn by hand-power. The first grinding by water-power was done by Benjamin Wright, soon after 1800. He had a small corn-mill on Brush Run, near the west line of section 24.

The third mill, but the first which had any bolting appa- ratus, was put up at Achor, in 1803, by Aaron Brooks. A saw-mill was built the same season, and in the fall of 1804 both became the property of Baltzer Young, who owned them until 1839, when Peter and David Young became the proprietors, and carried on milling many years. The present is the third mill that occupies that site, and is owned by Andrew Whiteleather.

The next mill was built on section 10, about 1806, by Bernard Feazle. It was swept away by the great freshet in 1813, and the power thereafter was not improved.

On Leslie's Run was formerly a grist-mill, which was operated by John Beeson, John G. Strait, Robert Camp- bell, and others, which has long since been abandoned, and the building is now used for a barn by Zephaniah Wherry. Above this point, about 1815, William Burt put up a grist. mill, which has been discontinued, but a saw-mill is yet here operated. Below the mouth of Leslie's Run, at an earlier day, a stone grist-mill was erected by John Becson, which was successfully carried on until about thirty years ago. It was last operated by Thomas Reed. Farther up Bull Creek, John Edmundson put up a log-mill at an early day, and also had a tannery at this point. Benjamin Scott became the owner of the power and erected a very good mill, which was subsequently owned and operated by Thomas Cannon, Samuel Prouse, and Peter Ulim, the latter being the present proprietor.

On the west branch of Bull Creek, some time about 1820, Parley Bowen improved a power for a tilt-hammer for making axes, scythes, etc. At the same place Samuel Thomas had a carding-machine. In the course of time the power was employed by Moses Dickey to operate a saw- mill, which is yet continued.

A number of other saw-mills have been operated, at dif-

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TOWNSHIP OF MIDDLETON.

ferent periods, on the small brooks of the township. One of the principal ones was on Rough Run, and was put up by James Brooks, about 1825. That mill and others on the same site have been operated by Adam Conkle, John- son Chaney, John G. Gaston, Samuel Henderson, and John Donavan, the present proprietor. Ou the Middle Beaver, in the southwestern part of the township, Samuel Conkle erected a grist-mill in 1830, and not long after a saw-mill. These have been the property of James Gaston, Thomas Whitacre, and are at present the property of Philander Gaston.

In 1808, Archibald Scott and William Hamilton estab- lished a tannery at Achor, which, in 1812, became the property of Richard F. Randolph, who increased the ca- pacity, adding fifteen vats to the four already there. This tannery has since been carried on by the Randolph family, the present proprietor being Jonathan F. Randolph.

At Clarkson, Joseph Moore began a tannery many years ago, on the side opposite the present establishment, which was built by Richard Stock. Bailey F. Randolph was his tanner. Subsequently, William and Perry Ashton carried on the business, and were followed by George Uncapher and the present proprietor, W. H. Owens. At Clarkson common earthenware was made about 1840 by John T. Vale and others.

Formerly there were many distilleries in Middleton, whose capacity, however, was not very great, seldom ex- cceding three bushels per day. The first was put in operation at Achor, about 1808, by Levi Rogers, and at later periods, among the distillers, were George Brown, Job Rossell, George Grate, John Grate, Levi Guy, Edward Crawford, William Craige, and Peter Myers.

THE MINERAL WEALTH

of Middleton is varied and extensive, but, owing to the lack of shipping facilities, has been but slightly developed. In the southeastern part of the township flagging-stone of any size, so hard as to be a good substitute for fire-brick, crops out on many farms, and in the same locality are deposits of excellent cement and beds of rich ore. Fire- brick and potters' clay may be procured on many sections, and salt and petroleum exist in limited quantities. But the most abundant mineral is coal. Nearly the entire town- ship is underlaid by veins of superior bituminous or cannel- coal, which has been mined only to supply the local demand for fuel. Banks were opened as early as 1840 by George Burson on the Ward farm, and later on his own farm, on section 15, which he is yet working. Along the same ridge, extending from the northeast to the southwest, are numerous banks of coal, which, it is said, will smelt iron without coking. Among those who have mined coal in the township may be named N. Durk, A. Ward, Andrew French, Eli Guy, Isaac Dyke, Jasper George, Adam Pancake, John Scott, Hugh Gaston, John G. Gaston, Isaac Warrick, and others.

THE FRUIT INTERESTS

of Middleton have become such an important feature of its history that mention of them may appropriately be here made. The soil of the township, in the northwestern part

especially, is adapted for the culture of the peach, and the " Carmel Ridge" has' a wide reputation for producing a superior quality of this delicious fruit Apples and pears also grow to perfection, and the grape and other small fruits seem at home among the hills of Middleton. Fruit-grow- ing may be said to have become the principal industry of the people, and on some farms it constitutes a business of no small proportions.

One of the first peach-orchards was planted many years ago by John Marsh. This is now owned by Charles P. Hall, and has been enlarged to contain twenty-four hundred trees. In the same neighborhood are the orchards of John T. Vale, with more than five thousand trees. Among other prominent orchardists may be named Jacob Taylor, Morton Neil, Meader Allman, Charles Hewitt, Adam Reed, Josiah Miles, Aaron Kersey, Mahlon and Alexander Underwood, John Burson, James Nichols, Henry Morlan, Israel Cope, John V. Ashford, Stephen Crawford, Nathan Crawford, Jonas H. Farr, Joseph Love, William Crawford, I. and M. Warrick, Franklin Taylor, David Swaney, Robert Martin, James Rogers, Theop. Rogers, Samuel Eaton, George Bur- son, Eli Guy, G. H. Mackall, James Mackall, John Hen- derson, Isaac Beatty, J. G. Gaston, William McCoy, William Pancake, Richard Lyons, and Allen Campbell.

Nurseries for the culture of fruit-, ornamental, and ever- groen-trees have been established at Carmel by N. W. Craw- ford, and in the Beaver Valley by G. H. Mackall. Each of these contains from 10 to 15 acres.

HAMLETS AND VILLAGES.

Although numerous attempts have been made to form villages, the township is destitute of any place of importance greater than that which attaches to a country trading-point. One of these embryotic villages was platted on the 28th day of November, 1806, by William Heald for Isaac Siddle. Fourteen lots were laid out on the northwest quarter of section 18, which received the name of Waterford, but not a single house was here built, and very few people in that quiet Quaker neighborhood are aware how narrowly they escaped village greatness. Near here is at present

THE EAST CARMEL POST-OFFICE,

which, since 1871, has been maintained by the government, and which has a tri-weekly mail, supplied by the route from Liverpool to New Waterford. Since that time William H. Blackburn has been the postmaster, keeping also a small country store. Before 1871 the post-office here was main- tained by individual enterprise.

At the old Scott mills, on Bull Creek, the Mill Rock post-office was established in 1873, and had E. Prouse as the first postmaster. Peter Ulim holds the appointment at present, and also keeps a small grocery-store. Mail is sup- plied from New Galilee, Pa.

THE VALLEY OF ACHOR

was the name applied by Abraham Z. Rogers to a village which he platted, before 1807, half a mile east of Young's mills, near the present Baptist church. The place had a promising future until the State road was located over the ridge a mile or so south, when it began to decline, and

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY, OHIO.

whatever interests were demanded by the surrounding neighborhood found a better place at the mills. One by one the few log houses which had been built here were re- moved or went to decay, and the village-plat forms a part of the neighboring farms. Joseph W. White, Samuel Jackson, Richard F. Randolph, and a few others had small stores at this point many years ago.

At the mills was established a post-office, which received the name of

ACHOR,

a title which yet designates it, and which is now applied to this locality. Jacob Young was the first postmaster, and was followed by Samuel Young, John Kinney, and Martin E. Hewitt. It was allowed to go down about this time, but in 1872 it was re-established and P. W. Smith appointed postmaster, who yet holds the office. A daily mail is sup- plied from East Palestine.

In 1806, Baltzer Young opened a tavern at his residence, and continued until 1836. A short time before, Samuel Young opened a store in the log building below the mill, and after a number of years was followed by John Kinney. For a space there was no store, when Martin Gillespie en- gaged in merchandising, and was followed by J. G. Green and the present W. S. Guy. At this hamlet are also at present a few mechanic shops and three or four houses, besides the mills, which are the principal feature of the place.

BELLEFONT,

another ephemeral village, was platted, March 9, 1816, on the northeast quarter of section 26 by Nicholas Young, a native of Bellefont, Pa. Young was a tailor by trade, and induced other tradesmen to settle there; but, as the locality was not suitable for a village, the purposes of. the founder were not realized. Only half a dozen houses were built, and the plat has long since been vacated. On the State road west, George Pancake had a tavern many years, which had a wide reputation among the travelers of that period. Another tavern that found much favor was kept by Amos Stevens at a point still farther west.

NEW LIBERTY

is another village that exists only in the records of the county. It was platted on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 29 in March, 1817, by Levi Guy, probably in oppo- sition to Clarkson, which had been laid out the year before. Beyond a house or two, no other buildings were put up, and the aspirations of the proprietor were overcome by the more sturdy progress of

CLARKSON,

which became the only village in the township. It has a pleasant location on sections 29 and 30, and was platted, Feb. 19, 1816, by William Heald for the proprietor, Robert Hanna. The general plan embraced two streets, each sixty feet wide, dissecting a square around which were twelve lots. The village had its beginning there, but in its sub- sequent growth expanded more in length along the street running north and south. It contains two churches, three stores, two public-houses, the usual complement of me- chanic shops, and about thirty dwellings.

The Hannas sold the first goods in the place in a log cabin on the square. John McCoy had the second store. Some time about 1824, Richard Stock began merchandising, and continued until 1856. Meantime, Eli Vale was in V trade, and was succeeded by I. & M. Warrick, for a number of years successful merchants, who were followed, in 1870, by W. C. Wilson, yet in trade. The other merchants are William M. Crawford and Mrs. A. Campbell, and among others who have been in trade were Henry Lyon, Isaac Levan, J. A. Lyon, James Heeps, Jacob Walter, William Hamilton, and A. Campbell.

Thomas Hanna, Isaac Pyle, and others were early tavern- keepers in the village. Other landlords were William B. Shannon, John Souder, Jacob Walter, and A. Campbell. The present houses of entertainment are kept by Mrs. A. Campbell and Harvey Moore.

The Clarkson post-office was established some time about 1839, with Richard Stock as postmaster, and William Thomas, assistant. Subsequently, the office was held by Isaac Warrick, Samuel Casebur, Moses Louthan, and A. Campbell. Mrs. A. Campbell is the present incumbent. The office has a tri-weekly mail from New Lisbon, a tri- weekly mail from New Waterford and East Liverpool, and a semi-weekly mail from New Galilee.

Among the earliest physicians in the township, if not the first, was Dr. John Edmundson, living in the Quaker neighborhood, who was in practice a number of years. Dr. Thomas McMillan, a Thompsonian physician, had an ex- tensive practice a few years later, continuing through a period of fifteen years. For the past twenty-five years Dr. Golden Pearson has been a practitioner in that part of the township.

At Achor, Dr. William Wilson was in practice about twenty years, before 1839, and the next resident physician was the present, Dr. W. H. Young, located here since 1875.

At Clarkson, Dr. Joshua Calvin was a physician before 1850, and was followed in his practice by Dr. Luther Cul- vin. In 1870, Dr. D. Young located, but remained only a short time, followed by Dr. H. W. Vale and the present practitioner, Dr. A. G. Vale.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Owing to the loss of the records, nothing satisfactory concerning the condition of schools prior to 1853 can be given. That year the directors of the several districts were as follows, the first named of each set being the clerk : District No. 1, Milton P. McArtor, Israel Underwood, and John Rudibaugh ; District No. 2, Charles Billingsley, Joel F. Read, and David Brown; District No. 3, David Young, Samuel B. Todd, and George Fakin; District No. 5, George W. Churchill, John W. Billingsley, and Jesse Underwood; District No. 5, Nathan H. Armstrong, Jacob Taylor, and Jesse Hole; District No. 6, Samuel C. Saint, John Sowders, and Edward Huston ; District No. 7, John Durk, Elisha Rowles, and Henry Durk ; District No. 8, Uriah Thomas, Henry March, and William McCoy ; Dis- trict No. 9, James Fitzsimmons, George Davidson, and Mathew Davidson ; District No. 10, James Rogers, Spaar Dyke, and A. J. Cannon.

The board of education was organized by electing Uriah

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Thomas chairman. David Young, James Rogers, and Uriah Thomas were constituted a committee to draft rules for the government of the schools.

It was voted that each district have power to build its own school-houses, and the following year most of the dis- tricts displaced their log school-houses with comfortable frame buildings. The condition of the schools at that period may be seen from the following table :

District.

Males.

Females.

State Fund.

Township Fund.

No. 1

$79.80

$63.20

.20

70.00

67.00

106.40

41.60

.. 25

79.80

63.20

5 ..

.. 38

78.40

64.60

6 ...

.. 36

105.00

43.00

.48

124.60

29.40

.39

102.20

43.80

95.20

49.80

" 10 (males and females) 9

12.60

10.53

making a total of 594 children of school age. In 1878 the number of male children of school age was 276; of female children, 220,-nearly a hundred less than in 1857.

The present board of education is composed of J. C. Huston, President, and W. II. Young, Clerk ; associate members, Samuel Eaton, Isaac Randles, B. F. Dyke, J. M. Louthan, Hiram Booth, S. B. Davis, H. J. Green, and Alvin Thomas.

Middleton is provided with good school-buildings, and a commendable degree of interest is taken in educational matters. A fair proportion of its citizens have received the benefits of a college education.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

To the Baptists belongs the credit of first establishing the forms of public worship in the township, and also of pro- viding the first church-building. In the month of August, 1804, two missionaries visited the feeble settlement and or- ganized

THE ACHOR VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH

with fourteen members, ten of whom were Owen Bowen, Joel Rogers, Abraham Rogers, Christopher Warman, Henry Kirkendall, Elizabeth Bowman, Elizabeth Rossell, Melea Rogers, and John Cross. Others soon joined, but for many ycars the society was poor and led a struggling existence. The meetings were first held in the houses of members, but in 1806 a meeting-house was erected of round logs, which was roofed with clapboards and for a floor had the bare ground. It had no door or window, and the seats con- sisted of split timbers placed crosswise on four logs. In time a better house took its place, and still later the present attractive frame meeting-house was erected. It has an ex- ceedingly fine location on a little hill, on which have been allowed to remain handsome forest-trees. In the rear of the house is a well-kept grave-yard.

This society has generally been peaceful and prosperous, and at present numbers seventy-five members, who have been under the pastoral direction of the Rev. John Owen since May 1, 1878. The first pastor was the Rev. Henry Frazier, who served from 1804 till 1815. The interme- diate pastors, and the years when they became connected, were as follows : 1816, Rev. Thomas Rigdon ; 1819, Rev. Andrew Clark ; 1825, Rev. Jehu Brown; 1829, Rev. Wm. P. West; 1834, Rev. Jonathan Davis; 1836, Rev.

G. Huston ; 1836 till 1866, Rev. Rees Davis; 1869, Rev. David Williams; 1870, Rev. A. G. Kirk ; 1871, Rev. Charles Morton; 1872, Rev. William Entwistle; 1874, Rev. William Leet ; 1876, Rev. A. G. Kirk.

In 1844, J. L. Douglass, a member of the church, re- ceived license to preach, and subsequently went as a mis- sionary to Burmah, where he died.

Those elected to the office of deacon by the church have been the brethren George Brown, Henry Kirkendall, Ethan Thomas, Job Rossell, Sr., Jeremiah Booth, James Davis, Job R. Davis, and Jonathan F. Randolph.

A flourishing Sabbath-school is maintained by the church, which is at present superintended by J. W. Hays and Jere- miah Booth.

THE CARMEL MEETING OF ORTHODOX FRIENDS,

the next religious society organized in Middleton, was in- stituted about 1810. That year the first meeting-house was built, on a lot donated for this purpose by Jacob Hea- cock and Susannah, his wife. It was a log building, and was used until about 1835, when a new house was built, which was partly destroyed by fire in the winter of 1845. The present neat frame house was built in the summer of 1846, that part of the old house left standing being used for the Particular meetings meanwhile. It has a pleasant location in a beautiful grove, and is yet a comfortable place of worship.

The first Monthly meeting at Carmel was held the 20th of 12th month, 1817. Joseph Fisher and Nathan Heald were the first clerks. Nathan Hole, Abijah Richards, and Esther Hole were the first ministers; Joseph Fisher, William Leech, Charles Hole, Esther Richards, Martha Ashton, and Sarah Hole, the first elders; and Joseph Young, Joseph Fisher, Aden Morlan, and Nathan Jones, the first overseers.

The principal members at that time were John Edmun- son, Nathan Hole, Robert Hanna, Thomas Hanna, Charles Hambleton, David Hole, Abijah Richards, William Leech, Aden Morlan, James Marsh, William Neil, John Vale, William Underwood, Stephen Ogden, Joseph Fisher, Jona- than Marsh, George West, Charles Hole, Thos. McMillan, Joseph Heald, Joseph Young, Nathan Johns, Jacob Hea- cock, Richard Trillis, William Wiley, John Hole, Caleb Cowgill, and Joshua Davis.

The Monthly meetings were discontinued in the fall of 1854, nearly all the old members having deceased or re- moved. The last elders were Merab Hall and Nathan P. HIall. Abi Heald, the wife of James Heald, was the last recommended minister.

The Friends yet living in this neighborhood have since 1854 been connected with the Middleton Monthly Meeting, but Particular meetings are still maintained at Carmel, having about 40 attendants from the James Heald, Wilson Hall, Joseph Cope, A. H. Blackburn, Morton Neil, Israel Cope, Meader Allman, Charles P. Hall, Wm. H. Blackburn, Pearson Hall, and other families.

Charles P. Hall, who has furnished the data for this sketch, is the clerk of the Preparative meeting.

THE CARMEL MONTHLY MEETING OF HICKSITE FRIENDS.

On the 29th of September, 1828, a number of Friends, who had been accused by the regular meeting of defection of

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doctrine assembled at Elk Run, and, after appointing James Hambleton clerk, chose Eli Vale, James Marsh, and Thomas. McMillan to confer together as to what future action should be taken. They reported that they were impressed that the harmony of the society would most likely be promoted if those who held the belief of Friend Hicks would hold a meeting " separate from our accusing brethren," and that for this purpose a house had been proffered by Jesse Un- derwood until some other place could be provided. James Hambleton, Jacob Hcacock, and Benjamin Pyle were ap- pointed to endeavor to make arrangements with the op- posing party relative to the use of the meeting-house. These reported that no plan would meet the approbation of their former friends, who steadfastly refused to give them the use of the house, and that a place of worship must therefore be otherwise provided. Accordingly, on the 20th day of the 12th month, 1828, Jacob Heacock and Benjamin Pyle were appointed overseers of the meeting, which was now permanently organized, James Hambleton clerk and Thomas McMillan assistant.

At a later session of the meeting, James Hambleton, John Edmundson, and Jacob Heacock were appointed to build a meeting-house on the northwest corner of Jacob Heacock's land. On the ground thus secured, in a beauti- ful grove, a small brick house was built in 1829, which yet stands, and is at present being repaired. It was origi- nally in charge of a board of trustees chosen by the Carmel meeting, but is at present nominally controlled by the Salem meetings.

The early and prominent members of the Carmel Hicks- ite meeting were from the Boram, Barrett, Crawford, Cowgill, Edsill, Edmundson, Farquar, Hambleton, Heacock, Johns, McMillan, McConnell, Morris, Marsh, Pyle, Pallet, Raley, Reeves, Thompson, Townsend, Richardson, Vale, and Waterworth families, living in Elk Run, Middleton, and St. Clair townships. Until about 1845 the meetings were well attended, and the society was prosperous. About this time many members removed, and the interest so rapidly declined that after December, 1851, no Monthly meeting was held, although Particular meetings were maintained with considerable regularity several years later. Recently these have been only occasionally held by the Raley family and a few others, sometimes assisted by Friends from the Salem meeting.

The Carmel Monthly Meeting for women was established Sept. 20, 1820, and was discontinued in 1840.

THE ZION HILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Some time before 1815 a class of Methodists was formed in the Stevens neighborhood, in Middleton township, which embraced, among other members, Amos Stevens and family, Augustus Stevens and family, Thomas Saint and wife, George Ashford and wife, John Leslie, Samuel Brisbine, James Thompson, Joseph Saint, Elijah Leslie, Benjamin and Joshua Todd, Jane Brooks, Margaret Thomas, Aquilla Ward, Alpha M. Baxter, and Mrs. Pancake. Later addi- tions were received from the Thomas, Huston, McCoy, Huff, Hays, Addis, and Fitzsimmons families.

Amos Stevens served as the leader, and frequently exhorted in the meetings after the regular sermon had

been delivered by the traveling minister. In the course of time his son, Augustine Stevens, entered the ministerial ranks. The services were first held in the houses of the members, in barns, and often in the woods; but in ten or fifteen years a meeting-house was built on the land set aside for this purpose by Amos Stevens, which was the place of worship many years. From this fact the appoint- ment was long known as the " Stevens church."

In the summer of 1865 a new church-edifice was built near the site of the old house, under the trusteeship of John Huston, John Burson, James Fitzsimmons, G. H. Huff, William Burson, Edward Huston, and Isaac Huston, which was dedicated Nov. 18, 1865, by the Revs. Hartshorn and Lane, as the Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal church, and by this title it has since been recognized. The house has a most beautiful location, and presents an inviting appearance. It is a plain frame, and cost $2500.

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 51

Author: D. W. Ensign & Co. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages: 541

Author: D. W. Ensign & Co.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 541