History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 69

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 69

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).

The present trustees are John McGechan, David Mc- Devitt, Samuel Williams, Win. Patterson, and Wm. Mc- Gaffick. The last class-leader was Harrison Benson.

The first Methodist Episcopal preaching in Wayne was held in 1825, at the house of Gideon Gaver, now occupied by Joseph Bindsley. There was preaching there every fortnight until about 1840, when the members of the con- gregation generally joined the Pleasant Grove congregation.

SCHOOLS.

Schools were properly regarded as necessaries, and soon after settlers began to multiply measures were taken to look after the education of the young.

The first teachers were McClurg, Hugh Lee, David Hoit, and David McDonald; after whom came IIugh Reid, Wm. Dunn, Joseph Hunter, Erastus Lec, a deaf man, and Jessie Robertson. Mr. Lee was noted as an ex- cellent teacher and a wonderfully accomplished penman. A famous school-teacher was " old man Powell," a white- haired, white-bearded old man, who taught in 1827. Be- sides his duties as pedagogue, he followed also the business of making walking-sticks, which he supplied in considerable numbers to his aged neighbors.

Wayne now enjoys liberal educational advantages, and six district schools provide for the rising generation an abundant fund of preliminary education.

POST-OFFICES.

Gaver and West Beaver are the two post-offices in the township. At the first namned, Robert L. Fleming was the first postmaster, and after him officiated Samuel Ewing, George Elliott, Wm. O. McCord, and Jas. Trunick.

The post-office at West Beaver was established in 1849, when Wm. Phillips was appointed postmaster, after whom the appointees were David McLean, John Robinson (1853 to 1861,) Robert Morrow, and John Robinson (present incumbent, second term), from 1863 to this time, and still in office.

CEMETERIES.

The first burial-ground laid out for public use was the one now adjacent to Bethel church, for which Thomas Pat- terson gave the land in 1821. The first white person who died in the township was James Armstrong, who, in 1807, lost his life by a congestive chill, consequent upon a bath · in the creek.

A solitary grave, marked now by a clump of bushes, near where the first township school-house stood, is where John Roley buried a child in 1820. The land has been plowed times without number, but that spot has remained undisturbed all these years.

The first person buried in Bethel church-yard was one McCartney, a crazy man, who after a roaming existence of careless freedom, died in the confinement which his symp- toms of violence demanded.

Besides the cemetery at Bethel church, there are ceme- teries also at the Methodist Episcopal and Lebanon United Presbyterian churches.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

The justices of the peace who have served in Wayne from the organization to the present time, 1879, have been John T. Parker, Patrick McKaig, Thomas Roseburg, John Shivers, Isaac Morgan, James McCord, John Robinson, Samuel Ewing, and David W. Todd.

VILLAGES.

Wayne has within its limits no villages, although there are two postal stations, known as Gavers and West Beaver. Gavers, named in honor of Gideon Gaver, an early settler, has a store, but with that its semblance to a village ceases, since the neighboring dwellings are all farm-houses.

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JABEZ COULSON

Joseph Coulson

MRS JOSEPH COULSON

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH COULSON, WEST TP., COLUMBIANA CO., O.

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WEST.

LOCATION-NATURAL FEATURES.

THE township of West, No. 16 north, range 5 east, is bounded as follows : north, by Knox township; east, by IIanover township; south, by Carroll County ; and west, by Stark County. Among the natural curiosities of the town- ship is the watershed which separates the waters of the Tuscarawas and Mahoning Rivers. On the farm of James Reed are several springs, from the principal of which the family obtain their supply of water. It is located in the cellar of his dwelling. Thence the water takes an east- erly course for nearly half a mile to what is known as " Gimlet Hill," near Chambersburg. At the foot of the hill the water separates, about one-half of its volume cours- ing southward, joining the Big Sandy, thence the Tusca- rawas, and eventually reaching the Ohio River through Muskingum at Marietta. The other branch flows north- easterly through North Georgetown, Alliance, Warren, Trumbull County; thence via Youngstown to the Ohio, near Beaver, Pa.

The whole township is well drained by the Mahoning River and its numerous branches on the north, the Big Sandy and tributaries of the Tuscurawas on the west and south. The surface of the land is undulating, and in some localities quite hilly, but not sufficiently so to be termed mountainous. The greatest elevation is attained in the vicinity of Chambersburg, on sections 9, 10, 15, and 16.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Of the pioneer families of West township, that of Michael Sanor was the first in the northern part. He was a native of Westmoreland Co., Pa., and came to West early in the spring of 1804. In his family were eleven children,- Julia, who married Daniel Mathias; Catharine, who mar- ried Jacob Lower; Jacob; Mary, who married John Sentz; Michael ; Susan, who married Christian White- leather ; Elizabeth, who became the wife of John Wolff; George; William ; Sarah, who married Adam Hahn; and John. Michael Sanor the elder was a Revolutionary sol- dier, and served under Gen. Washington.

John Ruff, also a native of Westmoreland Co., Pa., purchased lands in section 3, and settled there in the spring of 1804, soon after the arrival of the Sanor fam- ily. The children were thirteen in number, nine of whom caine with the family. They were Anthony, Christopher, Sarah, Jacob, Isabella, John, Polly, Jonas, and Daniel. Those born since the settlement in West were Samuel, Matilda, Nancy, and David.

Another Westmoreland County family was that of Henry King, who settled on section 4 in 1804. His children were David; William; Christina, who married Abner Sheetz; Henry ; Elizabeth, who married John Sanor; and Samuel.

David Smith entered and settled on section 11 in 1804. In his family were ten children, viz. : Susan, who married Frederick Zepernick ; Barbara, who married George Fred- erick ; Nancy; Catharine, who married George Reamer ; John ; David; Jacob; Mary, who married George Catt ; Hettie, who married John Snyder ; and Betsey, who mar- ried Henry Thomas.

On the 5th day of May, 1805, John Hahn, Jr., a native of Maryland, with two hired men, John Roger and Lud- wick Bates, settled on section 8. Mr. Hahn brought a wife, but no children, to the township. They have had born to them since that time fourteen sons and daughters, most of whom died in infancy. John, the only surviving child of the family, lives at Moultrie, in West township.

In 1806, Isaac Davis, a Virginian, came to West with a wife and four children,-Isaac, Jr., Mary, Eleanor, and David. Isaac, Jr., married Edith Richards; Mary married Thos. Emmons; Eleanor married Gilbert Blanchon ; David married Rachel John. Eleanor (Davis) Blanchon lives in Iowa, aged ninety-two years, and is the only child of Isaac Davis, the pioneer, now living. Rachel, the widow of David, still lives in West, aged eighty-eight years.

In 1808 three families settled in West. These pioneers were William Harrison, John Freed, and John Hahn, Sr., father of John Hahn, Jr., above mentioned.

William Harrison came from Monmouth Co., N. J., and located in Centre township in 1804, where he remained until 1808, when he removed to West, and settled on sec- tion 13. In his family were nine children,-Elizabeth, Rachel, Richard, Matilda and Edilda (twins), Achsa, and Mariam, all of whom came to West with their parents, and Susanna and William Henry, who were born in the town- ship.

Richard and William Henry Harrison both live in West. The children of Richard are Isaac, Edilda, Thomas, Ann, William, Edward, Ruchel, John, and Joseph. The chil- dren of William Henry are Samantha, who married Milton Bahner; John, Benjamin F., Mury Ann, who married John Nagle; William D., Janet, who married William Elton ; Frances E., who became the wife of David Fultze; Susanna, who became Mrs. George Reamer; Sarah E., Jeremiah, Samuel Grant, and one who died in infancy.

John Freed was a native of Fayette Co., Pa., and came to West township in 1808, with a family of children, as follows: Abram, Henry, John, Barbara, who married Jos- eph Messimore, Peter, Nancy, who married Jacob Freed, Betsey, who married Jacob Smith, and Jacob.

John Hahn, Sr., a native of Maryland, settled in West township in 1808, bringing three children,-Caleb, Eve, who became the wife of Samuel Hiner, and Elizabeth.

Jehu Coulson was a native of Virginia, but removed

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY, OHIO.

from that State to Fayette Co., Pa., at an early day. In 1811, Mr. Coulson, with a family of eight children, emi- grated from Fayette County to Columbiana Co., Ohio, and settled in West township. The children were Uriah, Jehu, Jr., David, Jabez, Rachel, who married Benjamin Young, Jesse, Amos, Harvey, and Catharine, who married Samuel Smith. The last named three were step-children. Jabez Coulson is the only child of Jehu Coulson now living in the township. His age is eighty-two years. Jabez Coul- son's children were Rachel, who became the wife of Jesse Bowersock, Joseph, Benjamin, Pine, who died in 1839, and John.

Nathan Pine, Johu Messimore, and Philip Wolff settled in West township in 1812. Nathan . Pine was a native of Chester Co., Pa., and settled on lands in section 12. Four children came with the family,-Garrett, Isaac, who died in 1861, Lydia, who died in 1843. and Enos. There have been born, since the settlement in West, Lewis and Nathan. Of this family of children, Nathan alone now lives in the township. He married Hannah, daughter of David Davis.

John Messimore. came to West from York Co., Pa., bringing a wife and six children, viz. :. John, Joseph, Jacob, Henry, George, and Catharine. Henry, the fourth and only son living, still resides in the township, and is the futher of four children,-Elizabeth, who married Simon Bernard; Julia, who married Abram Wyman and died in 1868; Lavinia, who married Ephraim Crowl; and Jesse, who married Annie Gamble.

Philip Wolff entered lands purchased from the govern- ment on section 13. He raised a family of several sons and daughters, all of whom were natives of the township.

Philip Brenner, a former resident of Virginia, near Harper's Ferry, settled in West in 1813, bringing with him a family of children, viz. : Michael, Philip, Jr., Jacob, Polly, Peggy, John, and Samuel. Of these Michael and John live with their families in the township.

Isaac Willis, the second son of Joseph Willis, came to West township in 1819. In the latter part of the same year he went to Carroll Co., Ohio., where he died soon after his arrival. By his first wife he had five and by his second ten children. John Willis, his son, is the oldest living representative of the family in Columbiana County. John Willis married, first, Cynthia Shepherd, by whom he had one child. His second wife was Mary Crago, by whom he had six children. His third wife was Elizabeth Kelley, who bore him ten children, all of whom are now living.

Among the pioneers of the township, whose settlement dates prior to 1820, there should be mentioned the follow- ing names : Audrew Barnes, Jacob Lower, Henry Betts, John Zepernick, Henry Barnes, Jacob Redmond, John Foulks, whose father built the first cabin on the present site of New Lisbon, and possibly others whose names have been forgotten, or who have long since removed from the town- ship, concerning whom no reliable information or accurate date of settlement or removal can be obtained.

Jacob Koffel, a native of Maryland, settled in West in 1823. In the family were several children,-George, John, Jonathan, Samuel, Sally, who married Henry Messimore; Barbara, who married Abram Roose; and Betsey, who married Jacob Lozier.

Joseph Summers settled in West in 1825. His children were Solomon, Daniel, Hannah, who became the wife of Eli S. Hoover; John, and Annie, who married Simon Sturkey. Of these Solomon, Daniel, and John Summers still live in the township.

Joseph Willis, and Joseph, Jr., his son, settled in West in 1822. John Clark, with a family, settled on section 9 in 1831. Nicholas Kurtz settled in Centre township in 1808, where he lived until 1832. He then removed to West. He married Margaret Wiley, and brought to Co- lumbiana County one child, David, who died in 1874. The children born since the settlement were Michael, who died in 1832; Nancy, who married David Crowl, and died in 1865; Jacob, now living in Illinois; Thomas ; Susanna, who died in 1842; Daniel, who died in 1875; John, who died in 1849; Charles and William, both of whom are in the Western States.

Taylor Wooley, of Chester Co., Pa., came to West in the spring of 1833 with his wife and two children, Rachel, who married Oliver Taylor, and George.

In the latter part of 1833, Thomas Hawkins, of Wash- ington Co., Pa., located in West. He raised a family of ten children, four of whom are now living. Two of these children, George, and Mary Ann Smith, wife of David Smith, still live in the township. Joseph H. Taylor, with his wife and one child, came to West in 1834. Mr. Taylor still lives at Rochester, and is seventy-five years of age.

John Snyder became a resident of West in 1834.

Eli Taylor came to the township in 1835. He married Susan Wooley, and raised a family of children.

The only representative of New York State among the early settlers of West township was Lewis McCoy, a former resident of Dutchess County. . He came to the township in 1836. Mr. McCoy married Elizabeth Essick, daughter of Jacob Essick, of West township, by whom he had five chil- dren,-Hannah, who married Henry Smith, and died in 1877; Jacob E., Mordecai O., William L., and Samuel B.

ORGANIZATION.

West was added to the list of townships of Columbiana County in 1816. The clerk's minute-book of proceedings shows the record of elections only since 1823. The records prior to this time were made and kept on loose pieces of paper, which have been lost or destroyed. At an election held April 7, 1823, Jacob Ruff, John Sanor, and Jacob Smith were judges; David and William King,' clerks. The trustees elected were Jacob Smith, Jacob Sanor, and Daniel . Evans; lister of property, William King. Since 1823 the clerks and treasurers have been as follows :

CLERKS.

David King, 1823; William King, 1824-36; George Reamer, 1836; Jesse Van Matre, 1837-38 ; William King, 1839-46; J. R. Arter, 1846; Samuel Hershberger, 1847-48; Lewis McCoy, 1849; E. M. Colstock, 1850; James Sleutz, 1851-52; Mordecai H. Logue, 1853; William Weaver, 1854; Ira Jennings, 1855; Philip Tho- man, 1856; J. P. Thoman, 1857-59; B. A. Whiteleather, 1860; Jonathan Weaver, 1861-62; J. H. Weaver, 1863; J. H. Miller, 1864; Eli Taylor, 1865-72; John L. Heim, 1872-73; Albert C. Smith, 1874; Eli Taylor, 1875; D. M. Burger, 1876-77; Jonah Wickersham, 1878-79.

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Quesan Naylor

Eli Taylor

RESIDENCE OF ELI TAYLOR , WEST TP., COLUMBIANA CO., OHIO.

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TOWNSHIP OF WEST.

TREASURERS.

George MoNally, 1823; David King, 1824; Jesse Van Mater, 1825- 34; Isaac Davis, 1834-35; John W. Davis, 1836; George Reamer, 1837 ; David Zepernick, 1838-39; Hugh Lee, 1840-41; David Zepernick, 1842-47; John Curry, 1847-51 ; Moses Davis, 1851- 52; John Miller, 1853; John L. Hime, 1854; Henry Weaver, 1855; John L. Hime, 1856; William Essick, 1867; John L. Hime, 1858-61; Henry Sanor, 1861-62; G. S. Bentley, 1863-64; Levi King, 1865; Granville S. Bentley, 1866-72; Joseph H. Taylor, 1872-79; Harrison Emmons, 1879.

A88E88ORS.

Assessors were not elected until 1842, since which time they have been as follows :

Alexander Anderson, 1842; John Orrison, 1843; John McDonough, 1844; James Cooper, 1845-46; Alexander Anderson, 1847-48; Jobn Foulks, 1849 ; John Miller, 1850-53; James Sheetz, 1853- 54; John Walters, 1855 ; Henry Bates, 1856; Robert Crist, 1857- 58; David F. Lower, 1859 ; Robert Crist, 1860; David F. Lower, 1861 ; David Essick, 1862; Robert Crist, 1863; R. H. Garrigues, 1864; John Walters, 1865-66; La Fayette Foulks, 1867-69; John Walters, 1870-71; La Fayette Foulks, 1872: John Pieren, 1873; David Emmons, 1874-75; William MoCoy, 1876-77; William Mitchell, 1878-79.

VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.

NEW ALEXANDER.

Probably the oldest hamlet in West township is the little village of New Alexander. No positive record of its plat- ting exists, but it must have been laid out about the year 1812. Originally, it comprised twenty acres of land, owned by David Smith, a pioneer of the township. A hotel was built there in 1818 and run by John Rits. The sign of the Black Bear is still in the memory of some of the older inhabitants. John Rits died about the year 1840. New Alexander was on the old stage-line road, and a halting- place of considerable note in its early days. The place has. about fifty houses and a population of about 200.

CHAMBERSBURG.

Chambersburg was originally platted and laid out on the 20th day of December, 1828, under the proprietorship of Michael Coxsen, David Myers, George Ball, and William McMillon. As laid out it comprised the southeast quarter of section 9 and the southwest quarter of section 10. The map or plat was recorded Dec. 22, 1828. In June, 1842, the village plat was enlarged by including lands of Jonathan D. Koffel.

Chambersburg is situated about three miles west from New Alexander, and is on the old stage-road of fifty years ago. A'n old hotel stood on the site of the village before it was laid out. It was kept by Samuel Miller until burned, about 1830. Mr. Koffel then built and ran a hotel at the village. . At present Chambersburg has a tavern, store, and blacksmith-shop. Its population is about 100.

ROCHESTER.

The, village of Rochester, before it was formally laid out, was a post-office station known as " Emmons Cross-Roads." Jacob St. Clair was postmaster there as early as 1828 or 1829. On the 25th of December, 1834, J. G. Williard, surveyor of Columbiana County, platted the original village of Rochester, under the proprietorship of Thomas Emmons

and Isaac Davis. An addition was made April 20, 1854, under the direction of George Sloan, who made a further addition April 19, 1862. The post-office and station at this place, since its laying out, has been known as " East Rochester," to distinguish it from another place of the same name. The village is known as " Rochester," although it is also frequently designated East Rochester. The first store was kept by Jacob St. Clair, when the village was known as " Emmons Cross-Roads." It has but one general store at present. Joseph Coulson is postmaster and station- agent.

LYNCHBURG.

Lynchburg owes its existence to the construction of the Sandy and Beaver Canal. It is a namesake of the city of Lynchburg, Va. Eli Wickersham and Amos Preston were the original landholders, under whose direction the village was laid out. The first plat was made Dec. 4, 1834. An addition was made Dec. 26th of the same year by Amos Preston, William Hall, and Philip Wickersham. From the time of the abandonment of the canal Lynchburg dates its decline. On the 6th day of May, 1845, upon the petition of Owen Stackhouse, the Court of Common Pless of Columbiana County ordered that forty-six lots, then within the village limits, be vacated. At present it has but little more to boast than a name. The village has a population of about 50.

MOULTRIE.

The hamlet of Moultrie was laid out iu sections 7 and 8, Feb. 7, 1853. The survey was made in September, 1851. It comprised twenty-four lots, each 60 by 120 feet in size. John Foulks was proprietor of the lands; the survey was made by J. G. Williard. The village is located on the line of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad, to the erection of which it is indebted for its being. A store, mill, blacksmith-and wagon-shop comprise the business industries of the place. Its population is about 75.

BAYARD.

The village of Bayard is situate at the junction of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh with the Tuscarawas Branch Rail- road. It was laid out and surveyed in April, 1852, under the direction of Cyrus Prentiss and James Farmer, who purchased the lands for the purpose. The village has two hotels,-the " Valley House," built about 1861, by John B. Milner, and now kept by John H. Huth, and the " St. Charles Hotel," built about 1867, by James M. Leith, and now conducted by Charles Blythe. Although Bayard has no manufacturing interests within its platted limits, it is a place of consider- able importance as a post-office and a railroad transfer sta- tion. Alfred Jones is postmaster and station-agent. The village has a population of about 125.

CHURCHES.

West township has nine church societies, some of which held informal meetings prior to 1820, yet there is found but one church-building erected before that time. This was the old log church and school-house built for all public purposes in the year 1810 at New Alexander. This old pioncer building was torn down in 1840. The

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIANA COUNTY, OHIO.

members of the Society of Friends met for worship in the old log school-house on section 35 as early as 1815.

The Plains Disciples church, so called, about a mile south- west from Bayard, was built about 1830. Its location in that part of the township known as "the Plains" gave it this distinguishing title. The building was removed about 1845.

Meetings of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Disciples, Lutheran, and other societies were held at different places and at irregular intervals, since which church societies have been formed, but no written or accurate record exists from which any reliable account of their organization can be obtained.

MENNONITE CHURCH.

This society dates its organization from about the year 1840, but had no place of worship until 1858. The church building is a small wooden structure on section 9. The society is small, having but about 15 members.

BIBLE-CHRISTIANS CHURCH.

The society of the Bible-Christians Church at New Alexander was organized about 1840 by a few persons then living in the vicinity of that village. The church- edifice was erected near the site of the old church and school-house built in 1810. Among the early pastors of the society were Revs. Robert Hawkins and John Sechrist.

THE HIME'S CHURCH.

This church was built and named in honor of John Hime, the donor of the land upon which it was erected. The premises were deeded to three trustees as representa- tives of the Presbyterian, Lutheran, and German Reformed societies, to be used by them in common. The first church was erected in 1842, but not sufficiently large to accommo- date the growing societies. In 1873 the edifice was re- built. In connection with the church is a cemetery, which was laid out about the time the building was erected.

METHODIST CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal society at Rochester was or- ganized in 1851. The early meetings were held in the old school-house in district No. 8. Among the early members of the society were John De Ford, John Hunter, David Bashaw, and Benjamin Haldeman. John De Ford was class-leader. This society continued about ten years, and then became extinct. In 1875 the new church-edifice, and the only one ever erected at Rochester, was built, and the society reorganized with Rev. Charles B. Henthorn as pastor.

THE BIBLE-CHRISTIANS CHURCH SOCIETY.

This society is practically a branch of the Bible-Chris- tians Church, with a slight modification in the name to dis- tinguish it from the mother-church. This church society, numbering about forty persons, was organized in 1876, and holds its meetings in the old school-house near Rochester, that building having been fitted up for this purpose.

DISCIPLES CHURCH.

The Disciples society at New Alexander built their first church-edifice in 1870, although the church was organized

prior to that time. Their early meetings were held infor- mally, and no record of them was kept. The society at present numbers about 60 persons.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

This society still exists in West, although it has no church-edifice in the township. A greater part of its mem- bers worship in the adjoining townships. The number of members of the Society of Friends in West is about 60.

CEMETERIES.

The oldest cemetery in West is the Friends' burying- ground, in the south part of the township. It derives its name from the Society of Friends, by whom it was platted and laid out about 1815, although it has never been held for the exclusive use of that society. Nathan Pine, Sr., was buried there in the autumn of 1816.

The New Alexander Cemetery was laid out in 1816, at about the same time that West was made a township. David Smith, a pioneer, donated the land for this purpose. The cemetery is about two acres in extent.

The Plains Cemetery or burying-ground derives its name from its location on what is known as " the Plains," south- west of Bayard. It was laid out about the same time that the Plains church was erected, 1830.

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 69

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