History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 100

Author: Hill, Norman Newell, jr., [from old catalog] comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A. A., & co., Newark, O., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Newark, Ohio, A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 854

USA > Ohio > Coshocton County > History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881 > Part 100

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building remained unfinished, in consequence, until 1815. Mr. Ellington was succeeded as pas- tor by Revs. James Patterson, James B. Finley, Elisha Bowman and Samuel Parker, success- ively. Among the earliest members were Mr. Young, Peter Reasoner and wife, Daniel John- son (colored), Francis Stafford, Peter Camp, Eli McClain and Mordecai Chalfant. Nearly all the original members were from Muskingum county. The old meeting-house, a hewed-log structure, stood until 1849, when it was replaced by the building now in use, which is a frame, thirty by forty feet in size. It was built by Jacob Croy, who took the contract for $500, and, it is said, lost money by the operation. The church was repaired about ten years ago. This society has sent out into the ministry sixteen preachers. The membership is about 125. The present pastor is A. P. Jones.

A Sunday-school was started about 1822 and has been in operation with a fair degree of reg- ularity ever since. During the carly period of the church's history preaching was held entirely on "week days " and Sunday was given wholly to the Sunday-school. The members would start to the school early in the morning, taking their dinners with them, and remain in session all day. The present superintendent of the school is Mathias Slaughter. Unlike most country Sun- day-schools it is conducted throughout the entire year. The average attendance isabout seventy-five.

Tomika Regular Baptist church, situated one- fourth mile north of the township center, was organized January 5, 1828, by Elder Amos Mix, at the house of William R. Thompson with but three members-James Brooks, Elizabeth Brooks and John Howell. At this meeting, however, William R. Thompson and Sarah and Mary Thompson were received into the newly-made organization. Several years later a log church was built and in 1845 the present frame building capable of scating from three to four hundred persons, was erected. The membership at that time was seventy-five. At present it is sixty. The pastors who have performed ministerial ser- vice for the congregation from its organization to the present are as follows: A. Mix, J. Frcy, Sr .. William Mears, L. L. Root, L. Gilbert, H.

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

Sampson, J. Frey, Jr., S. West, R. R. Whitaker, B. Allen, E. B. Smith, J. W. Reed, A. W. Odor, E. Frey, J. C. Skinner, S. C. Tussing, John Wright and L. R. Mears.

The present Sunday-school was organized in 1872, with James M. Smith as superintendent. The present superintendent is David Frey. The school is kept open during the whole year. The membership is small, but the school is in good working condition.

The above two churches are the only active so- cieties now in the township. Within a few years the Valley Methodist Protestant church has de- clined. The house of worship stands in the south- western part of the township, on the north line of lot 22. The class was organized in the spring of 1859, in the school-house, by Rev. Jeremiah Biddeson. During the autumn of the same year the church was built, and dedicated in Deecmber, 1859, by Rev. Israel Thrapp, who was stationed on this cireuit with Rev. Biddeson. The build- ing is a frame, thirty by forty feet, and cost $800. Kinzey Fulks, who was the first leader, Cyrus McFarland, Wesley D. Richereek, John Tooth- man and John Lash were principal early mem- bers. The last regular pastor was Rev. Samuel Scott. The decline of the church was due to re- movals and deaths. A prosperous Sunday-school was connected with the church.

A congregation of Presbyterians was organized as early as 1825, perhaps some years earlier. Rev. James Cunningham, of Utica, held the first serv- ices. A log church was built first, and afterward a frame, which is still standing, nearly two miles northeast of Wakatomica, on the Newark road. Among the early members were John Pollock, Nancy Gibson, John and Joseph Mossman, Daniel McCurdy, John Crawford and John Me Farland. The society continued until a short time after the war. Political dissensions was one of the main causes of its decline.

CHAPTER LXX.

WHITE EYES TOWNSHIP.

Organization and Original Boundaries- Topography -- An- cient Fort-Settlement -Population - Postoffices - Avon- dale-Mills-Churches.

I N the commissioners' journal appears the fol- lowing record under date of Monday, De- eember 1, 1823: " Petition received and granted by commissioners to set off a new township to in- clude parts of Mill Creek and Oxford townships, and bounded as follows: beginning at the south- east corner of township 7, range 5, thence north two and one-half miles, thence west two and one- half miles to the center of said township, thence south two and one-half miles to the township line, thence west two and one-half miles to the north- west corner of township 6, range 5, thence south two and one-half miles, thence east two and one- half miles 'to the center of township 6, thence south two and one-half miles to the township line, thenee east two and one-half miles to the southeast corner of township 6, range 5, thenee north two and one-half miles, thenee east two and one-half miles to the center of township 6, range 4, thence north two and one-half miles to the township line, thence west two and one-half miles to the place of beginning."

As thus instituted the township consisted of three-fourths of what is now Lafayette township, the northeast, northwest and southeast quarters, the northwest quarter of Oxford township and only the southeast quarter of White Eyes town- ship as it now stands. When the change to its present boundaries was made is not shown by the records, but it must have been prior to 1835, for in that year the last of the townships was or- ganized as they now appear. It is now five miles square, being township 7 of range 5 as originally surveyed. On the north it touches Crawford township, on the east Adams, on the South Lafay- ette and on the west Keene.

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

The surface is usually hilly. In the southwestern corner, which is within a mile of the Tuscarawas river, is seen a gently undulating plain, extend- ing into Keene and Lafayette townships. Like other similar tracts in was scantily timbered when first settled. White Eyes creek is the principal stream. It enters from the north and flows in a southerly dircetion. Near the center of its course in this township it receives its two main branches, known as the Middle and East Forks. The latter flows almost dircetly west from Adams township; the former in a south- westerly direction from Crawford township. Along the valley of White Eyes creek the view is ofttimes quite picturesque. The valley is often narrow, and the bordering hillsides steep and precipitous. Huge frowning ledges of sandstone project from these or rise again perpendicularly forty feet, sometimes from the water's edge. Numerous fissures where these rocks have been rent asunder attest the operation here of the mighty forces of nature. Sometimes a solitary mass of rocks is seen standing in bold relief at the top of some towering hill.

In the northern part of the township, about a half mile south of Chili, is an ancient fortification. It stands on an elevated, level piece of ground ; is oval or oblong in shape, and encloses more than an acre of ground. The embankment has been greatly worn down by repeated plowings, and years ago it was four or five feet high. One end of the " fort " approaches close to an abrupt bluff and overlooks the White Eyes ereck valley from a height of forty or fifty feet. Many trink- ets, as stone axes, flints, etc., have been found in this vicinity

The name of the township and that of its main stream was doubtless given in honor of Captain White Eyes, a noted Delaware chieftain, who dwelt in the Tuscarawas valley.

The western half of the township is congress land. It was surveyed into half sections of three hundred and twenty acres each by Ebenezer Buckingham, in 1803. The eastern half com- prises two military sections of four thousand acres cach. The northern of these was owned by David Lynn, of Allegheny county, Maryland. He never settled on it, but sold it gradually to incoming settlers. About five hundred acres

were sold off the northeastern part very early- two hundred and fifty of this to Martin Baum, of Cincinnati, February 1, 1801, for two hundred and fifty dollars. About 1820 the remainder of the section was surveyed into twenty-eight lots of about one hundred and twenty-five acres each, by James Ravenscraft, he receiving, it is said, one lot in compensation for his services.

The other section, consisting of the southeast quarter of the township, was owned by Jacob Bowman, of Brownsville, Fayette county, Penn- sylvania. In May, 1812, it was surveyed into twenty-five lots of one hundred and sixty aeres. each, by Joseph H. Larwill. In 1816, Mr. Bow- man sold three of these lots, Nos. 17, 18 and 23, to John Henderson, for twelve hundred dollars, but he reserved nearly the entire section until the surrounding country was well settled and the value of the land greatly enhanced. The settle- ment of this part of the township was conse- quently much retarded.

It is not known who was the first settler of White Eyes township, but among the carliest was Robert Culbertson, who settled on the plains in the southwest quarter of section 25, about 1813 or 1814, He died in the fall of 1815, and his family rented the place and removed from the vicinity.

It is said that a Mr. Ray, before the war of 1812, settled upon the northeast quarter of sec- tion 7, and thus became the first settler in the township, and that he afterward sold the place to Michael Frock, also an early settler. Why he should have selected this rough piece of land, far removed from any settlement or stream of any size, is unknown. Jerry Hostetler, a Penn- sylvanian, about 1817, settled on seetion 23.

Michael Stonehocker, about 1816, settled upon the southwest quarter of section 16. He came here from Jefferson county, not far from Smith- field, but was originally from Virginia. After residing here for a time, he removed to Wash- ington county, and remained there four years. He then went to Powshick county, Iowa, where he died in 1865. His brother, Jacob Stone- hocker, removed from Jefferson county to Tus- carawas county about 1811, and to this township the year after Michael came. He purchased and

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

settled upon the north-west quarter of section 25, where he remained till his death. John Dicky had entered this quarter, but had lived here only about six months when he became sick, and, thinking that he had located too near the river, sold his claim and removed to Mill Creek township, where he died. Matthias Huller set- tled in this same section about 1820. He was from Pennsylvania, and years afterward removed to the western part of this State.

As previously stated, John Henderson pur- chased three lots, or 480 acress, in the Bowman section, in 1816. His brother, George, was in- terested with him in a portion of this property, and both were occupants. They were from Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania. George died on his farm, at an advanced age, in 1868.

The Ravenscrafts, James, William and John, came to the township, from Virginia, as early as 1820, and became prominent in this locality. James was the owner of lots 6 and 13 of the Lynn section, and William of lot 4. William had been a revolutionary soldier. The former took a lead- ing part in county affairs. He was a surveyor by occupation and filled the office of county sur- veyer for a number of years. He also served as county commissioner and State senator. He died in this townshsp about 1854.

Michael Frock came to the northeast quarter of section 7, in 1818. He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1785, and married to Elizabeth Seldenright in 1807. He was the first justice of the peace in this township. His wife died in 1856 and he survived her fifteen years, reaching the advanced age of eighty-six.

1816. The former settled upon lot 11, of the Lynn section, and, about 1842, removed to Union county. Tipton was the possessor of the west half of the northwest quarter of section 16. He afterward moved further west. James Sondals was another carly settler, occupying the north- west quarter of section 8. He remained in the township only a few years.

Robert Boyd, from Donegal county, Ireland, came to the township in 1824, and died a few years later. John Carnahan came in 1826 and, in the following year, his father and the rest of his family-Adam, James, Eleanor, Andrew, Thompson, William, Nancy, Eliza and Hugh. The family was originally from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. John, the first named, died November 21, 1869, aged sixty-three years. John Schuck, from Cumberland, Maryland, abont 1825, settled upon 200 acres, lot 22, and a portion of 23, of the Lynn section. He had traded a town lot, with a log-cabin upon it, at his former residence, for this farm. John Alexander came to the township in 1826, and settled upon lot 21, Lynn section. He was originally from Tyrone county, Ireland, was one of the earliest justices in White Eyes, and died in 1854. About 1825, Aaron D. Camp settled a short distance south of Avondale. The Winkleplecks, too, John, George and Jacob, were early occupants of this township. The State of Pennsylvania was most numerously represented in the early settlement of the town- ship, though it by no means furnished all the pioneers.

The population of White Eyes township, in 1830, was 445; 997 in 1840; 1,132 in 1850; 998 in 1860; 923 in 1870, and 960 in 1880.

Abner Kimball, in 1818, settled upon a tract of 500 acres, lots 12, 14, 18 and 19, of the Lynn sec- tion. He was from New Hampshire, and died in George Winklepleck kept the first postoffice, at an early day, in the northern part of the town- ship. Some years after Chili was laid out it was removed to that place. The next office was Munnsville, in the western part of the township, at which James McMunn was first postmaster. He was succeeded by John Carnahan. William Carnahan, John Jack and C. C. Hamilton afterward held the appointment. The office has been with- drawn since the establishment of the office at Av- ondale. This is a collection of twenty or more 1870. John McPherson, from Virginia, was a resident of the townshp, from 1821 to 1834. He had been a soldier in Anthony Wayne's army. George MeCaskey, from Donegal county, Ireland, came in 1819, and remained upon the same farm until his death, in 1871. He was eighty-six years of age. His wife died in 1862, in her elghtieth year. Henry Cliplever was in the township, perhaps as early as 1815. Hle settled upon lot 7. of the Lynn section, and died a few years later. Junkin Mulvane and John Tipton came about | houses in the eastern part of the township, near

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

the junction of White Eyes creek and Middle Fork. No town plat was ever made of the land in this vicinity, and the houses are widely scat- tered, some perched upon the hills and others in the meadows below, but it has the appearance of a thrifty little village. J. M. Ferrell started a store here in 1865, and the next year William J. Maley built a blacksmith shop. The postoffice established here about this time, was named Boyd's Mills, and Jacktown was the sobriquet which the village received. This name did not meet with the approbation of the villagers, and in 1875, in convention assembled, through the medium of the ballot-box, they expressed their choice of a new name. Avondale was the title selected, the name of the postoffice, by petition, was changed to it, and it has gradually super- seded the ancient designation. There are here at present two dry goods stores, owned by J. M. Ferrell and C. E. Miller; one grocery, G. C. Fer- rell; two blacksmith shops, two shoc shops, and one hotel, conducted by J. P. Benjamin. A tri- weekly mail is received from West Lafayette.

The oldest and best known mill in the town- ship was first built by William M. Boyd, an early settler of Keene township, in 1831, at what is now Avondale. He remained in possession of it until. 1847, when he sold it to Henry Winkle- pleck. Soon after Mr. Winklepleck died and the property passed into the hands of Adam Gardner. He operated it a great many years, and then sokdl it to Thomas Elliott, who disposed of it to John P. Benjamin. The dam was torn away by a freshet several years ago and has not been re- paired. It contained two run of stone, and did an extensive and satisfactory business for nearly fifty years.

Another mill was located about a mile further up the stream. It was operated successively by by Mr. Headley, William Frazy, Andrew Croy and David Reed. It suspended about 1860.

James Evans built a saw-mill at an early date in the northern part of the township, on lot 24 After some time he sold it to George and Henry Winklepleck. It remained in the Winklepleek family until about 1865, when it was sold to John Bowman. A short time before this, a grist-mill was added, and with it, steam power, which is

used when the water is low. A fulling-mill was also operated in connection with the saw-mill for a few years, while under the management of the. Winklepleeks. The grist-mill contains two run of buhrs, and is now doing a fine business.

Frederick Everhart erected a saw-mill on Mid -- dle Fork, in the northern part of the township, which ceased to operate under the ownership of Lewis Swigert.

Thomas Dudgeon for a short time ran a distil- lery on section 4.

There are at present seven religious societies in the township, three Methodist Episcopal, one- United Presbyterian, one United Brethren and two " Union " churches.

The White Eyes Methodist church was organ- ized about 1852. In that year the first house of worship, a frame building, was erected on the lot donated by William R. Boyd, in the southeast quarter of section 6. Rev. Boggs was the first minister. The early members included Robert R. Boyd and wife, Robert Adams and wife, Wil- liam Adams and wife, William Carnahan and wife, Francis Boyd and wife, Mrs. Isabella Boyd, Mary Boyd and Mrs. Nancy Mccullough. The present church was crected in 1876. It is a neat frame, thirty by thirty-six feet in size. The pas- tor is Rev. T. G. Roberts. The membership is seventy-three. A Sunday-school is held only during the summer.

Chili Methodist Episcopal (German) church was organized in the spring of 1875 by Rev. Charles Cook. He was stationed in the Dover circuit, and for nearly a year before the class was organized had been holding a series of meet- ings in the school-house and in private houses in this vicinity until he gathered together a suffi- cient number of members to start a society. The original members were Philip Gebhard and wife, Christian Leindecker, Valentine Hothem and wife, John Eberwine, John Bender and Charles Souerbrey. The membership has since increased to sixty. During the summer of 1875 the church was built on a lot donated by Gottlieb Fellers, close to the Crawford towhship line. It is a frame building, and in its erection involved an expenditure of $1,200. The dedicatory sermon was delivered by Rev. George Sehwint, in the

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

fall of 1875. During the ensuing winter Rev. O. C. Klocksiem, the second minister, conducted an interesting and successful revival. He remained on this appointment three years, and was suc- ceeded by John Haas, who was pastor two years. Rev. William Andree, the present pastor, fol- lowed him.

Jacob Miller was the first superintendent of the Sunday-school. Philip Gebhard acts in that capacity at present. The school numbers about sixty, and is open during the summer season only.

Kimball's Methodist Episcopal church, the old- est in the township, was organized about the year 1819, by Rev. Thomas Ruggles. On the roll of pioneer members were the names of Abner Kim- ball, John Schuck, Nathan Spellman, Edward Me- Garvey and wife, Gabriel Hedley, Elizabeth Hed- ley, John Little, and others. Meetings were held for a few years at Abner Kimball's house, and also in a school-house that stood on Junkin Mul- vane's farm. A log church was built in 1831, on lot 19 of the Lynn section. One of the early schools was taught here by Joseph Townsley. It was replaced in 1856 by the frame church now in nse, the present valuation of which is $700. Rev. T. G. Roberts is the present pastor, commencing his term of service in September, 1880. The present church membership is sixty. A Sunday- school was organized in 1856, which is now super- intended by Zachariah Everhart, and has a mem- bership of fifty.

The Avondale United Presbyterian church was organized at the central school-house, three-fourths of a mile from Avondale, in May, 1872, by Rev. Andrew McCartney. It was formed by a union of White Eyes congregation and Oak Grove con- gregation, originally an Associate Reformed and an Associate Presbyterian congregation. The principal original members were Samuel Boyd, John Dagherty, Thomas Elliott, W. H. Park, John Boyd, Daniel Smith, Madison Warren, Robert Dickey and Samuel Weir; the elders were Camp- bell, Warren and James T. Boyd. The church, a

neat frame building, at Avondale, was erected in 1873, at a cost of about $1,900 Since the organiza- tion there has been no settled pastor. Rev. An- drew McCartney was stated supply for one and a half years, half time, Rev. T. H. Pollock for one year, and Rev. William Wishart for six months. The membership is now fifty.

White Eyes Regular Baptist church, located on lot £1, Lynn section, was organized in 1839, with fourteen members. In 1854, the membership reached sixty. From that time the number de- ercased, and a few years ago the congregation met and disbanded, having at the time about fifteen members. The ministers who have served this church as pastors are as follows: H. Sayer, B. White, R. R. Whitaker, A. W. Odor, J. W. and H. Broom. The house of worship was a small frame. In the summer of 1880 it was rebuilt by the people in this vicinity, irrespective of church affinities, and has thus been divested of its strictly denominational character.

A similar "union" church stands on lot 2 of the same section. A United Brethren congrega- tion built a frame church here as early as 1845. Solomon Reed, Adam Deeds and William P. Murphy, were leading members of the society which was never very large. It disbanded about 1865. In October, 1876, it was resolved by a few of the farmers of this neighborhood to rebuild the church. This was accomplished in the fol- lowing year, through the efforts of Solomon Deeds, Robert Miller, C. C. Geese, John Phila- bam, James Moore, and others. It is now known as Union Chapel and was dedicated June 22, 1878, by Rev. Philip Kelser, a Methodist Episcopal minister, assisted by William P. Murphy, a Christ- ian Union, and Thomas Pollack a United Presby- terian minister. Rev. William P. Murphy is the present minister of this independent congrega- tion.

A United Brethren church stands on lot 22 of the Bowman section, near the southeastern cor- ner of the township.

J.D.M. Kisson

"SHADY BEND," RESIDENCE OF HON. JOHN

7, OXFORD TOWNSHIP, COSHOCTON COUNTY.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,

ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED.

NOTE .- All matter contained in these sketches has been obtained directly from families or individuals cognizant of the facts contained in them. Being thus obtained, those furnishing the information are alone responsible for the facts and dates written. The publishers do not hold themselves responsible for any statements found in them.

ADAMS WILLIAM, Bedford township, shoe- maker, postoffice West Bedford, born in 1820, in Jefferson county. He came to this county in 1834 with his father, John Adams, who was born in 1792, in Maryland. He came to Jefferson county in 1806, and was married in 1818 to Miss Mar- garet Donley, of that county, who was born in Pennsylvania. He died in 1875, and she died in 1872. They were the parents of five children, the subject of this sketch being the oldest. He was married in 1855 to Miss Ann Mccullough, of this county, who was born in 1827, in Dela- ware.

ADAMS E. W., Roscoe postoffice, farmer and lumber dealer, born January 24, 1832, in Keene township, son of J Q. Adams, a New Englander by birth and of English descent: married Octo- ber 3, 1866, to Miss Olivia M., daughter of Alan- son Gleason, of Ashtabula county. Their family consists of five children, viz: Lora L., John Q., Dorothy A., Edward G. and Clifford G. In 1872 the firm, Adams & Gleason, lumber dealers, was established in North Roscoe. Their stock consists of both rough and dressed lumber and they manufacture frames and all kinds of supplies used for building purposes.

ADAMS THOMAS, White Eyes township, farmer, is a native of this county, and was born in 1839. His father, John Adams, emigrated to this country from Ireland and settled in White Eyes at an early date. Thomas was drafted in 1862, and employed John Bowman, of Columbus, as his substitute. He married November 29, 1866, Miss Angeline Wilhelm, daughter of Sam- uel Wilhelm. She was born in this county in 1844. They have two children-Ida R., born in 1867; Reo Alva, born 1877.

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History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 100

Author: Hill, Norman Newell, jr., [from old catalog] comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A. A., & co., Newark, O., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Newark, Ohio, A. A. Graham & co. Number of Pages: 854

Author: Hill, Norman Newell, jr., [from old catalog] comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A. A., & co., Newark, O., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Newark, Ohio, A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 854