History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 75

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 75

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 Methodist Episcopal church has always been the most vigorous denomination in this township. Of the four congregations now exist- ing, three belong to this church. The oldest of these is the Taylor church, located in the south- eastern part of the township. It was organized about 1832. Meetings were held for several years at the houses of its members and at the school- house; then a hewed log church was built on the old Richard Taylor farm. Its early active mem- bers included the names of Richard Taylor, Wil- liam Currie, S. H. Loveless, Thomas Hayes and Robert MeFarland. In time the building became very much dilapidated, many members were removed by death, and others withdrew their membership and united with other Methodist so- cieties which had in the meantime been estab- lished in various localities. These circumstances left the church in a very weak condition, and services were suspended for several years, then about ten years ago an effort was made to resus- citate the languishing organization. The present frame house of worship was erected on the site of the old church at an outlay of about $1,600, through the exertions of Ezekiel MeFarland, S. M. Daugherty, Elias Hinds, Alexander Loveless and others. The reorganization was effected un- der the ministry of Rev. S. A. Thompson. Dur- ing the first year it was connected with the Port Washington circuit; it was then attached to the Bakersville circuit, to which it still belongs. Dur- ing the winter of 1877-78, under the pastorate of Rev. Philip Kelser, a revival was held which re- sulted in over forty accessions to the church.

459

HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

Previously the membership had been very small, numbering not more than ten or twelve. It now amounts to about forty. A Sunday-school, at present superintended by Isace Dewitt, is held during the summer, with a membership of fifty or sixty. The cemetery adjoining this church is the resting place of many of the earliest settlers of the township.

Wesley Chapel, another Methodist Episcopal church, is situated at Powell's Cross Roads, in the southwestern part of the township. The building was erected in 1860, at a cost of $2,000. It is a neat frame, thirty-two by forty-two feet in size. At the time of its construction, Rev. Benjamin Heskett was the pastor in charge, He conducted a revival about this time, which re- sulted in good to the congregation. Ile soon after enlisted in the service as captain of Com- pany C of the Fifty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and fell at the battle of Stone River. The society was formed about 1843. The greater part of its members had been connected with a congrega- tion at Evansburg and, when they deemed them- selves of sufficient strength, separated from it and organized Wesley Chapel. Among the lead- ing members, at the time, were James and John Powell, Thomas H. and Washington Powell, George, Isaac and Andrew Norman, John Son- dels and J. R. Davis. John Powell was the first class-leader. The meetings were held in the Powell school-house until the church was built. The church wasincluded in the Newcomerstown circuit, at first, but has since been joined to that of Bakersville. The present class-leaders are Washington Powell and Thomas Hamilton. The Sunday-school is a department of Christian work which has been conducted since the organization of the church.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Bakersville was organized about 1845. The earliest meet- ings were held at the house of Thomas Hayes. After Bakersville was laid out, the place of wor- ship was transferred to the meeting-house in the village, which had been built by Leonard Hawk. Services were held here for five or six years, when the first church was built The present church was built in 1874, dedicated February 7, 1875. Stephen Loveless and Thomas Hayes were among the early members. The membership is

now about sixty. Rev. T. J. Roberts is the pastor. A Sabbath-school was organized cotemporane- ously with the church. It is now under the su- pervision of C. C. Hamilton, and is in a prosper- ous, healthy condition.

The Presbyterian church at Bakersville was organized April 23, 1833, by Rev. James Morrow, of New Philadelphia. Its first house of worship, a log church, stood on an elevated piece of ground one mile south of the village. The pres- ent neat, frame structure in Bakersville, was built in 1861. The old church cemetery, near the first church, is still used as the church burial ground. During almost its entire history, this church has been associated with the Linton township church, having the same pastors, except in the case of Rev. John Moore, D. D. The carly members were George Walters, John Walters, James Jones, Mrs. Catharine Rodney, Robert Lyons, William Shan- non, John Buck and Albert Pillows. The elders have been James Jones, George Walters, William Shannon, Robert Lyons, John Buck, David G. Miller, John Miller, William Hawk and Alexan- der Fenton. The last two constitute the present session. The number of communicants at this time is about fifty. The Sunday-school has been a living, active institution for many years. John Leach is its present superintendent.

Several church organizations have formerly had an existence in the township, that are now numbered with the dead. Among them was Evans' Creek Regular Baptist church, which was organized in 1845, with about twenty members. Joseph Whitaker, Josiah Tipton, Robert Corbit, John Lewis, John Camp, James Randles, Mr. Bechtal, Simon Porter and Samuel Camp, were the prominent members. In ten years the mem- bership was about fifty. From that time the number begun to decrease, and in 1865 they ceased to be a church. They once had a house of worship, which was situated on Robert Corbit's place, but it, too, is gone. The ministers that furnished pastoral service to this church are as follows: R. R. Whitaker, J. G. Whitaker, A. W. Odor and J. W. Moreland.

The Pinkerton Methodist Episcopal church stood in the northwest part of the township. It was a log building erected about 1836. The so-

460

HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

ciety lasted only about ten years. Its principal members were the Pinkertons-William, John, James, Thomas and Matthew-Jacob Norman and Jacob Powell.

A German Reform Church was organized at Bakersville very soon after the village was laid out. Its original membership was quite small, consisting of Philip Myser, Leonard Hawk, Peter Hawk, John Myser, Jacob Myser and per- haps a few others. For several years the society met in the building erected by Leonard Hawk for church purposes. It was then moved a mile or two north of the village into Tuscarawas county where it still exists. A Disciple congrega- tion also worshipped in Leonard Hawk's churel during the same time the German Reform Church occupied it. They afterward held ser- vices for ten or twelve years in private residences, but finally becoming too weak numerically to maintain an organization they disbanded. Rev. Armstrong was one of its earliest preachers. Thomas Wert, the Dewitts, R. C. Chaplin, Mr. Shores and Mr. Carnahan were early members.

A Weinbrenner organization, too, is numbered among the defunet religious societies of this township. It never attained to any considerable strength and lived but ten or twelve years, hav- ing been organized about 1836. Its principal members were Samuel Camp, Thomas Cordry, Vincent Dewitt and James Johnson. During pleasant weather services were often held in the forest groves, where the shouting proclivities of some of the members succeeded in attracting large audiences to their meetings. At other times the meeting were held at private houses, no church building ever having been erected. Revs. Beidler, Keller and Logue ministered to this congregation.

Bakersville, the sole village of the township, containing several hundred inhabitants, has a very pretty location in the little valley of Evans creek, in the northeastern part of the township. It was laid out in the spring of 1848, by John Baker; Lane Baker surveying the plat. A vil- lage was apparently wanted in this neighborhood, for it grew rapidly at first. A solitary log cabin had previously occupied the village site, standing close to the place now occupied by Joseph Mi-

zer's stable. The first building was erected by Leonard Hawk. It is still standing, occupied at present as a dwelling house by C. Smith. It was built for a church and was used in part for this purpose for several years. One end of the build- ing, however, was occupied by Leonard Hawk and Samuel Ferdic as a store-room, the first in the place.

A select school was begun soon after the vil- lage was laid out, and continued two winters. It was held in a room rented for the purpose. Lewis Travus and James Dunlap were the teacli- ers. A stone school-house was then erected, and the youth of the village instructed therein for seven or eight years, when the foundation sank a little and the building was adjudged unsafe. It was removed and the frame which now sub- serves the purposes of education placed in its stead. It contains two rooms, both of which are occupied.

The first and only postoffice in the township was established at Bakersville, by the appointment of Stephen H. Loveless, postmaster, soon after the village was laid out. The appointment is now held by Dr. E. P. Steward.

A summary of the present business is as fol- lows: Dry goods-John H. Loveless, C. C. Ham- ilton and Mizer Brothers. Joseph Ripple has a grocery. There are three blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, two cabinet and three shoe shops. A woolen factory has been in operation about six years. It was built by the Bakersville Woolen Mill Company, consisting of H. J. Stonebrook, Jolın W. Peairs, James A. Mizer and Jacob Mil- ler Mr. Stonebrook now has entire possession of it. It is worked during the summer only, and produces a large quantity of woolen goods. A steam grist and saw mill is located here. It was erected six or eight years ago, and is owned by Levi Miller. The grist mill has three run of buhrs, is run steadily and does a good business

Bakersville Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, No. 79, is the only lodge of this order now exist- ing in the county. It was organized December 7, 1874, with twenty-two charter members. Its first officers were: Martin Kugler, Chancellor Commander; B. W. Chapman, Vice Chancellor Commander; A. A. Peairs, Prelate; A. B. Martin, Past Chancellor; Joseph Mizer, Master at Arms;

461

HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

J. H. Loveless, Master of Exchequer; Levi Mil- ler, Master of Finance; J. H. Stonebrook, Keeper of Records and Seals. The present membership is twenty-four. At one time there were forty members, but removals have reduced the num- ber. Only one death has occurred in the lodge since its organization, that of Martin Kugler.

Bakersville Lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars, No. 564, was organized Sep- tember 4, 1877, with twenty-seven charter mem- bers. Within one week of the date of organiza- tion 104 names were enrolled as members. Its first elected officers were as follows: A. A. Peairs, Worthy Chief; Mrs. Kate Chapman, Worthy Vice Chief; Levi Miller, Worthy Chaplain; Ed- ward Corbit, Past Worthy Chief; Isaac Carnahan, Secretary; E. P. Steward, Treasurer; J. Stone- brook, Financial Secretary; D. L. C. Wood, Mar- shal; Allie Peairs, Deputy Marshal. The active membership now amounts to about fifty.

Each of the above lodges has a hall on the see- ond floor of the Stephen Hawk block.

CHAPTER L.

BEDFORD TOWNSHIP.

Location-Organization-Name-Topography-Early Settlers -Indians-First Road-Schools-Mills-Distilleries - Can- nel Coal Oil Operations-Churches-West Bedford.

neighbors who had secured "fat" quarters. The purpose of the suit was to compel a division of the surplus land.

The land which forms this township was a por- tion of Newcastle township until 1825, at which time it was organized by act of commissioners into a separate township. The organization was completed by the election of township officers at the house of Henry Haines. It is not known to a certainty who these officers were, as the records of the election are not known to exist, but Wil- liam McCoy, Herman Anderson and John Mc- Nabb are supposed to have been the first trus- tees, and Nathan Wright the first justice of the peace. Richard Wood afterwards served the township in this latter capacity for an extended period of years. Jehu Wright, Michael Heaton and John Quigley, were other early "squires." The township election continued to be held at Mr. Haines' residence for four or five years, and were subsequently transferred to West Bedford.

The township received its name from a county in Pennsylvania, from which came quite a num- ber of the pioneer families. Bedford county fur- nished at least fifteen or eighteen early families in this township, perhaps many more, besides many others to surrounding townships. The first settler from there doubtless sent back to the friends he had left in the East, a glowing account of his western home and thereby induced others to emigrate, the favorable reports of these in turn bringing others. A similar emigration was instituted years afterwards from this township into Hardin county, many of the early settlers moving there in their old age. The population of the township according to the late eensus is 920.

B EDFORD township lies in the western part of the county. It is bounded on the north by Jefferson township, on the east by Jackson, on the south by Washington, and on the west by Perry, and consists of township 5 in the Sth range of the original survey. The northeastern quarter is a military section, which was surveyed into The character of the surface is rolling through- out, generally roughly rolling. The headwaters of Mohawk and Simmons' runs are near the middle of the township, east and west. South of this the water flows in a southerly direction in several small streams, the most noticeable of which is Wakatomica run. Poplar, chestnut, black walnut, hickory and red oak, besides other varieties, were the trees composing the dense for- ests that held continuous possession of the soil seventy-five years ago. Coal in the eastern half one hundred-acre lots, in 1808, by William Cut- bush; the remainder of the township is congress land, opened up for settlement by its survey into sections, in 1803, by Silas Bent, Jr. The township exceeds somewhat the requisite width of five miles, making the western tier of sections con- siderably larger than they should be. Some of the quarter sections here contain nearly 260 acres, instead of 160, and the fact led to some unsuccess- ful local litigation, in early days, by one or two settlers, against their adjacent, more fortunate | of the township is abundant; scarcely any is

462

HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

found in the western part. In the east the soil is sandy and black loam in places; in the west, where much limestone is found, it is a loam with clay subsoil. There is very little surface rock to be seen. On John Noland's place is a single ex- ception. Standing Rock, as it is called, about fifteen or eighteen feet high and twenty feet in length by ten in width, is rendered doubly con- spicuous by the absence of other exposures in the vicinity.

Richard Shelton is regarded as the primitive white settler of the township. He came about 1808, and settled on lot 25 of the military section. He was of a roving nature, possessing in a greater degree the characteristics of a hunter than of a farmer.

Next in the long line of pioneers was Ezra Horton. He was from the Cumberland valley in Maryland, and settled in the southwest quarter of section 6 about 1809 or 1810, where he remained till his death. His wife, Jemima, was noted in pioneer circles for her skill in performing the duties of a physician. Two of his sons, Thomas and David, were engaged in the second American struggle for liberty in 1812. Thomas, at the first call to arms, enlisted in Captain Meredith's con- pany, and served in the vicinity of Mansfield. David participated in a more active campaign at Fort Meigs, on the Maumee river.

Henry Haines was the next settler. He left his eastern home in Bedford county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1810, for the West, reaching Licking county in the fall of that year, expecting to con- tinue on to Franklin county, but discouraging reports induced him to stop. He was informed that Zanesville, some sixty miles distant from his prospective home, would be the nearest point at which to obtain salt and get his grinding done; also that the proposed location was unhealthy. This piece of news prevailed with him, and he resolved to settle closer to Zanesville. He was directed by a Mr. Wolford to this township. In the spring of 1811 he moved here, entering the northwest quarter of section 18. For six months he lived in a three-sided cabin, the one end being entirely open, but by fall he had a substantial log cabin ready for occupation. He brought with him six cows, and made a large amount of

butter. Few of the settlers who soon after located here were fortunate enough to own a cow, and butter, with them, was quite a luxury. Mr. Haines availed himself of every opportunity to exchange this product of the dairy for a pig. In the course of several years he had a large drove of hogs and a fine herd of cattle, which had been raised with trifling cost. These he drove to Zanesville in several lots, and sold them at a fair figure. With the proceeds of these sales he paid for his quarter section. He reared a family of eight children, and died in 1863, at the age of eighty-one years. His brother John came with him, and settled the northwest quarter of section 14.

In the fall of 1811 John Wolford appeared, settling in the southwest quarter of section 14. He had entered it some time prior to his imi- gration ; was originally from Bedford county, Pennsylvania, but had been living a while in Belmont county. He afterwards moved to Han- cock county, and there engaged in milling till he died.

About the same time Elias James from Bed- ford county, Pennsylvania, settled on the north- west quarter of section 16. This quarter had been entered by a German named Grimm, who, at the first indication of approaching In- dian warfare, sold it for a trifle to Mr. James and vamosed to a more congenial clime in the East. Information is had that Mr. Grimm afterward settled in Keene township and rose to the dignity of an associate judge.

John McKearns from Bedford county, about 1812, settled in the southwest quarter of sec- tion 24. He died in the spring of 1815 of " cold plague " as did also his wife and a sister. Aaron now lives just across the line in Washing ton township.

Solomon Tipton, formerly from Wellsburg, Virginia, but directly from Belmont county, set- tled on the northwest quarter of section 15 prob- ably in 1812. He came in the spring and in the fall of the same year was drafted into the army and entered service. While in the army a sad calamity befell his family at home. The back wall of his chimney which had been built that sum- mer fell over upon two of his children, killing one of them and seriously injuring the other.

463

HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

Nathan Wright came with his family from Bedford county to Perry township in June, 1814, and a few months later to the southwest quarter of section 25. His oldest son, John, who was married, accompanied him. Another son, Na- than, is still living in the township and is the old- est resident here. He was born February 9, 1798, being now in his eighty-fourth year. His mental vigor is unimpaired, and he is widely known and highly esteemed by all who enjoy his acquaint- ance. In his youth he was a deer slayer of note, and in his prime an active, intelligent and ener- getic citizen. Charles Cessna came with the Wrights from the same county. He settled in the northwest quarter of section 17, and after a resi- dence of perhaps fifteen years moved to Hardin county.

About 1814, Samuel Dillam settled on the mili- tary section. He was a roving character, did not become a property owner here, and changed his place of habitation repeatedly.

John Anderson had entered the southeast quarter of section 24, and built a little cabin upon it, in 1814, which he expected to occupy. He returned to Guernsey county, whence he came, for his family, and died there, early in 1815, of cold plague.

About 1815, a tide of emigration set in, which continued unabated for ten years, and before the expiration of that time, the land in the township had all been entered. Thomas Smith and his son Edward settled, about 1818, in the southeast quarter of section 11. Their nationality was Irish. Edward had been drafted into the British service, while still living on the Emerald Isle, and was sent, with the English forces, to Canada, near Sackett's Harbor. While he and a fellow- soldier were out on the river, in a little boat, fishing, they made a successful effort to desert the English lines. They drifted down the river as far as they could, without exciting suspicion, and when ordered to return, pulled lustily in the op- posite direction. The pickets opened fire upon them, and Smith's companion dropped flat in the bottom of the boat, to screen himself from the flying bullets, leaving his fellow deserter to row him out of danger. Smith brought the boat safely to the American lines, amid the huzzas of the soldiers who witnessed the escape. A

brother, who subsequently became a blacksmith, in Coshocton, and his father, Thomas, had in the meantime emigrated from Ireland to America. Edward joined them in the East and eame, with his father to this place, where he remained all his life. Daniel, William and James McCurdy, three brothers, remotely from the "holy sod," and immediately from Jefferson county, came in about 1816 or 1818, and settled in sections 19 and 20.

Edward MeCoy, a little earlier, came from Bed- ford county, Pennsylvania, and settled in the southwest quarter of section 17. He died re- cently in Monroe township. His brother, Wil- liam McCoy, accompanied him here. Other early settlers, from the same county, were Moses Wol- ford, occupying the northeast quarter of section 24; William Richards, the southeast quarter of section 17; Jacob Rine, the southwest quarter of section 14; Henry Rine, the southeast quarter of section 25; Enoch Fry, the northwest quarter of section 25; Jacob Adams, Robert Elder, Samuel Rose, a famous bee-hunter, and Micajah Heaton, the northeast quarter of section 16.

To vary the Bedford township monotony, John Hutchinson, originally an Irishman, about 1816, came from Wilmington, Delaware, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 11. John Mc- Nabb, a little earlier, emigrated from Belmont county to lot 6, military section; likewise George McNabb to the southwest quarter of section 15; Martin Markle to lot 13, from Virginia. He re- moved to Illinois twenty-five or thirty years ago. Nathan Evans, from near Baltimore, Maryland, about 1818, located the northwest quarter of sec- tion 3; Samuel Duncan, a brother to Matthew Duncan, of New Castle township, the southwest quarter of section 5. He here ran a little fulling machine. His death resulted from the kiek of a horse. Bennett Browner moved to lot 21, mili- tary section, about 1816. He hailed from Vir- ginia, was a noted character, and years after moved to New Castle township, where he died. Joseph Parish came, in 1817, from Belmont county and entered the northwest quarter of sec- tion S. Hugh Barrett and his sons, John (mar- ried), Joseph and Richard, came about 1818 or 1820, emigrants from Ireland, settling in the north- western part of the township. John Richardson,

464

HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

one of the floating population, lived a while, at an early day, on the military section, and after- wards went to Jefferson township. He was from Virginia. A son, Joseph, attained to considerable prominence subsequently in Roscoe. Thomas Tipton, a brother to Solomon, in 1817, settled on the southeast quarter of section 5.

Thomas Norris came to Ohio in 1813, with the expectation of settling in Coshocton county, hav- ing relatives on the Tuscarawas river, but his children were taken sick with the measles in Belmont county, and, once stopped, he remained there seven years. 1Ie rented a farm of about fifty acres, which was cleared and leased twenty acres of timber for six years, having the use of it during this period in return for the labor of clearing it. During his stay here, he accumulated means sufficient to enter the south half of section 7, on which he settled in 1820. He died twenty- one years later, at the age of sixty six years. Stephen Donley came with him, entering the northeast quarter of section 5. Joseph Hughes came in the spring of 1821, from Belmont county, to the southeast quarter of section 6. David Lammey, his brother-in-law, owned seventy acres of this section, and came out a year or so earlier, building at first a little cabin of saplings, without doors or windows, the only entrance being from the roof.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 75

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