History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 86

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 86

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The earliest township records preserved are for the year 1828. They show that during that year the officers were as follows: Timothy Emerson, John Rader and George Ford, trustees; John Daugherty and James Pew, fence viewers; Henry Barnes, clerk; E. Thayer, justice of the peace ; Jacob Emerson, constable.

The first mill permanently erected was built by Nicholas Miller, in 1816, on what is now the farm of his son, Saul Miller. About ten years later a grist mill was added. The two were sold to John Burton soon after, and while in his pos- session were destroyed by fire, in 1836. About 1818 Jacob Emerson built a mill on lot 14 of the northwest quarter. He subsequently sold it to the Farwells. It suspended operations perma- nently in 1859. On lot 3 of the southwest quarter Ephraim Thayer, about 1825, built a saw- mill and grist-mill combined. Several years later a carding and fulling machine was attached to the mill. This was the first carding-mill in

this section of country, and for a number of years it did an extensive business. It went down about 1840. Rev. Adams, of later years, had a little, open, frame saw-mill, on lot 19 of the northwest quarter, where he also ground a little corn and buckwheat. John Andrews also ran a little corn-cracker several years on a little creek in the northeastern part of the township.

The only distillery operated in Keene town- ship was a little copper affair owned by Isaac Siphers, situated on lot 7, in the southwest quarter of the township, built about 1820, and kept up about fifteen years.

Long before the schools were maintained by public taxation, the demand for education among the pioneers of this township, as well as else- where, was sufficiently strong to keep schools in operation regularly for a few months every year. The earliest schools were taught in school-cabins built by the settlers, or in deserted huts, here and there, wherever they could be found. One of the earliest school-houses erected, stood on lot 13 of the southwest quarter of the township. It was built about 1818 or 1820, by the people of this vicinity, who " turned out" with their teams and their axes and soon constructed it and its rude furniture. It was a little log cabin, just high enough to permit a man to stand upright in it, with a fire-place, ten feet wide, occupying one end; for windows it had sheets of oiled paper placed over holes cut in the wall for this purpose. The seats were simply flat rails put on legs, the floor was puncheon and the roof made of clap boards. The first school in this building was taught by James Wilson, a gray haired man of about sixty winters. He was a Virginian, and came to Ohio, he said, to visit friends in Knox county, but, depleted in purse, he chanced to pass through this neighborhood just as the people were looking for a teacher. He was hired forth- with to teach the winter school of two months. The branches taught were reading, writing and spell- ing. Of the mysteries of arithmetic the okl man was as ignorant as his pupils. He kept what was termed a "loud school," condneted on the funda- mental principal that the greater the noise, the greater the amount of "larnin." An imperative rule was that all the scholars should study aloud,

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

the louder the better. Among his pupils were a number of strapping young backwoodsmen, and it is needless to say that until the novelty of the thing wore off their vocal powers wore exercised to their utmost capacity. To say that the din produced was deafening, would be to say that the falls of Niagara were "pretty good." Some of the young people who attended this school, were Ben. Norman, Isaac Oglesby, John Minton, Isaac Good, John Mulford, George Mulford, Diana Mulford, Robert Miller, George Moore and Gar- rett Moore. The location of the school proved to be too far north to be eentral for those who supported it, and consequently it was not kept up very long. Schools were afterward taught in abandoned cabins farther to the south. One of these was on lot 17 of the southwest quarter, taught by Amos Bonum, a cripple. The Millers, Oglesbys, Bakers, Emerys and others, attended school here. Afterward a school house was built in the northeastern corner of lot 14, same section, where V. Schwartz now lives.

Another early subscription school was situated on lot 7 of the same quarter. John Kay, Charlie McKee, Henry Barnes, William Kay, William Norman, Tipton Thompson and John Fulks were among the teachers here. The school in Keene village was established in 1820. Farther east, before the year 1820, Robert Boyd taught schools in old cabins a number of years.

In primitive pioneer times the market price of wheat was twenty-five cents a bushel ; coffee cost fifty cents a pound, and ealieo forty to fifty cents a yard. The " corn erackers" in use would not grind wheat to a desirable degree of fineness, and, to separate the coarser grits, perforated deer-skin often answered the purpose of sieves. Buckskin pants were the prevailing fashion with the men, and coats were seldom if ever worn, even to church. Miss Shoemaker, an old maiden lady, residing a mile or so northeast of the village of Keene, remembers vividly the "open air" meeting held by the Presbyterians in early days, the preacher, standing beneath the umbrageous oak, vigorously expounding his fourthlies and fifthlies to his hearers, while children of all sizes and ages were creeping over the ground and dividing with the preacher the attention of their

parents. Once an irreverent wag, during the night before communion serviees were to be held in this grove, peeled the bark from one of the trees, which would be conspicuous the next day, and painted in large letters on the white surface thus exposed the words, "beer and cakes," or some similar motto. The indignation of the members was strongly aroused against the per- petrator of this reflection upon their religious services, and he would have suffered had his identity been discovered.

Methodist itinerant preachers came to Keene frequently, before a class was organized there, and discoursed in divers places, just as circum- stances would permit. One place for holding meetings was a little deserted eabin, floorless and dreary, situated about a mile south of the village. It was an invariable habit among the back-woods- men to bring their dogs with them in attending church here. The snarling and fighting of the dogs in church was a cause of great annoyance to the preacher. The manifestation of an un- usual amount of eanine depravity one day was too much for the patience of Rev. Graham, who was then filling the pulpit, and he proceeded to administer a rebuke. After admonishing his hearers to remember where he had stopped preaching, that they might not lose the thread of his discourse, he demanded of his congregation reasons why they persisted in permitting their dogs to accompany them to service. He inquired whether it was through fear of wild animals; if so, they should bring their guns with them. Was it through fear of the devil ? Then let them get down on their knees in their cabins and pray to their God to drive him away. The rebuke, it is understood, produced the desired effect.

The village of Keene is very pleasantly located a little northwest of the center of the township. It stands on the erest of a range of low hills and commands a view for miles around of a beauti- fully rolling country. It was laid out in 1820, by Jesse Beals, the original plat containing sixteen lots. An addition was made in 1839, by Charles and Robert Farwell. As originally platted, the village was wholly within lot 1 of the northwest section. This part is now the southeastern por-

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

tion of town. Elisha Elliott was the first resident owner of lot 1, but, previous to the survey of the town, he had sold it to John Burton and Jesse Beals, the eastern half to the former and the western part, which is the site of the village, to the latter. Beals emigrated from near Keene, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, as did a num- ber of the other settlers in this vicinity, and named the village in honor of his old home. The township name has, of course, the same origin.

At the time the village was platted, no build- ing stood within its limits, the entire ground still covered with its primal dress of forest trees and thickets. There was, however, at this time, on lot number 2, on land which afterwards became a part of Keene, a hewed-log cabin, erected, a year or two before, by Alexander Barnes. The first building within Keene proper was a school-house, described as "a little leaky log cabin." Adam Johnson probably taught the first school here, during the winter of 1821. He was succeeded by James McMath, of Harrison county. A little later Daphne Johnson, daughter of Adam Johnson, was the village school mis- tress. She died a few years after, of consump- tion. Dr. Benjamin Hills erected the first dwell- ing-house. The next building was a shop for the manufacture of windmills, built by Chauncey Litchfield.

Henry Ramsey was the first individual to sell goods at Keene. He offered his little stock of merchandise to the public about 1827. Previous to that date, for some years, he had followed the occupation of peddling goods, from door to door, in this vicinity. He was an Irishman, by birth, and emigrated from Liverpool; a cabinetmaker, by trade, and was considered a queer, half-witted character. Alexander Renfrew for many years, in early times, kept a flourishing store here. Charles Farwell kept the first tavern.

Keene once aspired to become the county seat. While Coshocton county still included a large portion of what is now Holmes county, the vil- lage of Coshocton was inconsiderable in size, and far from the center of the county. Keene claimed the advantage of a more central locality. and was urging its clainis pretty strongly, when the formation of Holmes county, in 1824, put an

end to the hopes of Keene in this direction .. Prominent men at Coshocton, it is said, through fear of losing the county scat, were influential in having the new county struck off.

The only postoffice in the township is at Keene. It was first kept by Chauncey Litchfield about a mile south of the village, but, after this grew into a little trading town, it was removed to this place, and Robert Farwell appointed postmaster. D. G. Whittemore fills this position at present.

The village was settled to a great extent by New Englanders, and, in keeping with their advanced views of education, an academy was established here about 1845. A stock company, consisting of ten or twelve of its substantial citizens, was or- ganized, a lot purchased, and a comfortable build- ing erected. The school was conducted first by Rev. George B. Sturges, an Episcopalian minister, afterward by Francis Benton and one or two others. For several years it enjoyed a vigorous growth and exerted a wide-spread influence, hav- ing in attendance at one time more than 100 students from a distance. Then it began gradually to decline, and in a few years more was merged into the public schools.

A Baptist church was located here years ago, but is no longer in existence. It was organized about 1842, at the residence of Absolom Farwell, by Rev. Gorham as officiating clergyman, and D. B. Whittemore, F. S. Bryant, Absolom Farwell, Zopher Farwell and Charles Farwell as members. A large frame meeting-house, with steeple attach- ment, was built shortly after its organization. It became defunet about 1862, from internal dissen- sions and loss in membership. The building stood until 1871, when an incendiary reduced it to ashes. The ministers who labored with this church were J. M. Winn, B. White, M. J. Barnes and T. Evans.

Keene has now a population of about 275. Its present business may be summarized as follows: Two stores, owned by Smith & Parkhill and Dan- iel Whittemore, two hotels, two wagon shops, three blacksmith shops, two shoe shops and one harness shop. Two physicians reside and prac- tice here, Drs. William Shank and Joseph F. Sni- der. Two fine church buildings adorn the place, the Presbyterian and the Methodist Episcopal.

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

Newport, a dead city of the past, came into ex- istence in 1530, in which year it was laid out by Solomon Vail, close to the southern line of the township, on a little tract of land now owned by Sarah Wolfe. The Ohio canal had just been built, and the design was to found an emporium of trade on this commercial highway. Its begin- ning was auspicious. Two warehouses, opened by Robert Mitchell and Butler Luce, speedily built up a large trade. Two stores and a tavern were started, and the ring of the anvil was heard in the land; but the hopes of the village were destined to be disappointed. A formidable rival, Canal Lewisville, came into existence about a half mile to the east, and soon overtopped. then swallowed up, its little neighbor. Part of the plat of Canal Lewisville lies in Keene township, but all its buildidgs are in Tuscarawas township.

There are now four churches in active opera- tion in Keene township, two of which are in Kecne village-the United Presbyterian and the German Baptist. Of these the United Presbyte- rian-Amity church-is the oldest. It is located in the northeastern part of the township, and is composed of the Associate Reform congregation of Mill creek, and the Associate congregation of Keene, which, before the consolidation occupied substantially the same territory. Robert Boyd was the first member of the Associate Reform church who settled in Keene township. He came May 4, 1817, and was soon followed by oth- ers. Mr. Boyd was an educated man, and came when a young man from Ireland. The first preaching was in the summer of 1818, by Rev. George Buchanan, of Steubenville; he preached occasionally afterward. Robert Boyd and George Ford, formerly elders in his congregation at Steubenville, acted as a session here. After 1822, Revs. David Proudfit, David Norwood and Moses Kerr supplied the pulpit occasionally.

The first communion was held in the fall of 1828, by Rev. Samuel Findley, D. D. The mem- bers at that time were Robert Boyd and wife, George Ford and wife, John Williams and wife, Thomas Hamilton and wife, Joseph Marshall and wife, Robert Boyd, Jr., and wife, Mrs. Nancy Fos- ter, Mrs. Sarah Ford, and others. Rev. D. F. Reid settled as first pastor in 1841, in connection with

Millersburg and White Eyes, and labored with a good degree of success about sixteen years. A brick church was erected in 1834; the present frame church in 1856.

The Associate congregation of Keene was or- ganized August 26, 153%. Robert Boyd and Rob- ert Karr were ordained elders, Rey Samuel Ir- vine officiating. Members: Robert Boyd and Elizabeth, his wife; Robert Karr and wife, Wil- liam Boyd, John Karr and wife, Sarah Boyd, John Boyd, John Elliott and Martha, his wife; Robert Tidrick and wife, John Williamson and wife, James Johnson, Samuel Boyd and Nancy, his wife; and John Loder. Revs. S. Irvine, Jo- seph Mekce, Samuel H. McCleans, and others, supplied occasionally. In April, 1845, Rev. James M. Henderson was settled as pastor one- fourth of his time, in connection with Northfield and Claysville. He labored thus one year and nine months, with a good degree of success, when he was released from this part of his charge. He was a strong advocate of temper- ance and an opponent of slavery. In November, 1854, Rev. John P. Scott was settled one-third of his time, in connection with Millersburg, and labored here one year and nine months.

These two churches formerly went into the United Presbyterian church, September 4, 1858. Rev. William A. McConnell was settled as pastor of the congregations of Mill Creek, White Eyes, and Keene, July 1, 1859. Pursuant to a notice given on the last Sabbath in April, the congrega- tions of Mill Creek and Keene voted unani- mously to consolidate into one congregation and session, under the name of Amity. This action was ratified by the Presbytery, October 15, 1861. Mr. McConnell labored with ability and success until some difficulties arose. He resigned his charge at the meeting of Presbytery, June, 1864, on the ground that he had not got the encourage- ment and support to harmonize the charge he was led to expect. He left on the 13th of Sep- tember, 1864. At that time Amity had 130 mem- bers. The present pastor is William Wishart ; the membership, forty.

The German Baptist church, known more gen- erally as the Dunkard church, has a nicely finished frame building on lot No. 25, in the southwestern

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

part of the township. It was built in 1878, and dedicated on the 7th of July, of the same year. Its cost was about $1,000. This is the first church edifice of this denomination erected in the coun- ty, although the society is one of the oldest. This is due to the fact that the members have been few in number and widely scattered. Preaching has been held in various parts of the county, for a long time in Franklin township, at the resi- dence of Philip Hershman. The church was or- ganized there about 1830, by Rev. Schofield. The principal early members were Philip Hershman, John Hershman, Nicholas Miller, Samuel Bel- hart and George Wilcox. Lewis Rodruck was pastor many years. He was succeeded by Revs. Eli Stell, Philip Axline, John Nicholson and Samuel Mantis. The present membership is about forty.

The First Presbyterian church of Keene was incorporated February 25, 1835, with the follow- ing membership: Timothy Emerson, John Elliott, Robert Farwell, Calvin Adams, John Shannon and Jacob Emerson. Previously, these members belonged to the " congregation of Coshocton and Mill creek," which had been organized many years before. Services were once held alter- nately at Coshocton and Keene; when at Keene, during pleasant weather, under the trees of the forest, on the site of the present church; at other times, in cabins or the school-house. About 1833, when the Keene members were strong enough to form a separate church, they left the old organization and founded the Keene church. Their first building, a large frame structure, was erected in 1834, by Charles Farwell. The pres- ent church was built in 1878-79, and dedicated May, 1879. It is pleasantly located on a knoll of gently rising ground, is a substantial, commodi- ous, frame edifice, with slate roof and a spire, and was erected at a cost of $2,600. Rev. George Warner was the minister in charge when the division ocurred in 1833. Rev. N. Conklin was stated supply for two years ending June, 1836. Rev. J. S. Wylie followed Mr. Conklin and served three years. Both Mr. Conklin and Mr. Wylie also served, at the same time, the Coshocton church, and these churches have frequently been associated in ministerial charge. Rev. B. J. Lowe

followed Mr. Wylie, remaining as stated supply two years. From 1841 until 1843, the church was supplied by the presbytery. Rev. John D Whitham was installed pastor July 7, 1843. In 1844 a division ocurred and a new school church was organized. After a little time, this was re- organized as a "True Presbyterian " church, which, after a feeble life, protracted through a dozen years, became extinct. Of the old church Rev. J. W. Knott became pastor June 28, 1845, remaining in charge until October, 1847. Rev. Samuel Hanna became pastor November 11, 1848, and continued his labors here until his death, in 1850. Revs. John Trubit, William Edgar and C. C. Bomberger supplied the church from 1850 until July, 1856. At that time Rev. William E. Hunt took charge, remaining about one year. Rev. R. W. Marquis was installed November 14, 1857, and continued as pastor until his death, in May, 1875. Rev. Augustus Cone, who succeeded him, remained two years. The present pastor is Rev. W. D. Wallace, who also has charge of the Sabbath-school connected with the church. The number of communicants is about 120.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Keene was organized, as nearly as can be ascertained, about 1830. Of the original members were Robert Boyd, Daniel Boyd, John Boyd, Samuel Elliott, George Elliott and Thomas Elliott. Prior to the organization of the church preaching was fre- quently held in cabins and school-houses in and about Keene. A frame house of worship was erected soon after the church was organized. It stood just south of the present church, a large frame building, erected in 1860, at a cost of about $2,000. Both churches were built by John Elliott of Coshocton. The membership at present num- bers about sixty. Rev. E. H. Dissette has charge of the circuit to which this church belongs. It includes the churches at Louisville, Warsaw, Spring Mountain and Elliott's chapel, besides the Keene church. The Sunday-school connected with the church is superintended by William Bechtel and has a membership of about sixty.

In the southeastern part of the township a so- ciety of the United Brethren denomination was formed about 1850. Among those who partici-

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

pated in its organization were George Beaver, Henry Reamer, Solomon Best, Christopher Keesy, James Murphy, William P. Murphy and Thomas Smith. A frame building was erected soon after. During the late rebellion, the discussion of war issues in the pulpit produced disruption and ul- timately the extinction of the society. Later a Christian Union church was organized at the same place by Revs. Pigman and George Steven- son. The organizing members of this church were principally those who had belonged to the United Brethren church. Its carcer was also breif, perishing four or five years after its organi- zation. George Stevenson and William P. Mur- phy were the principal ministers who had charge of this church.

CHAPTER LVIII.

LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP.

Organization - Name-First Officers-Location-Topography -Early Settlers-School Section-Prominent Men-Taverns -Mills-Schools-West Lafayette-Churches-Birmingham -Bridges-Mounds-War Matter.

I AFAYETTE township was the last organ- ized in Coshocton county. It was formed in 1835. The western half of its territory had previously been a part of Tuscarawas town-hip; the northeastern quarter had belonged to Oxford, and the southeastern quarter to Linton township. It was named in honor of General Lafayette, the news of whose death, it is said, reached Coshoc- ton during the session of the county commis- sioners at which the township was ordered to be oraganized. The first township officers were Wendel Miller, Laken Wells and Simon Moses, trustees; John Dean, clerk; John Wagoner, treas- urer; David Fitch and James Kinner, constables ; and John Dean and Ralph Phillips, justices of the peace.

. Its position in the county is just cast of Tus- carawas township; on the north, east and south it is bounded by White Eyes, Oxford and Linton townships respectively. The Tuscarawas river flows in a westerly direction through the north- ern part of it. White Eyes creek enters the river

from the north, and from the south several small streams which drain the greater portion of the township. In the southeastern part of the town- ship, however, the streams flow southward and enter Wills creek in Linton township. The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis railroad crosses the township a short distance south of the river by a direct course nearly east and west, while the Ohio canal, north of the river, observes more closely the windings of the stream.

The topographical features of the township dif- fer somewhat from those of most other townships. A broad expanse of level country, known as White Eyes plains, begins in the western part of the township and continues eastward eight or ten iniles, through Oxford township into Tuscarawas county. It has an average width of about two miles and follows the bottom lands on the south of the river. It is separated from these bottom lands generally by a bluff rising thirty or forty feet. About a half mile north of the village of West Lafayette is a remarkable hill, isolated from all others. The plains stretch away to the south and a narrow valley separates it from the river on the north. Towards the east it rises ab- ruptly to a considerable height, but on the oppo- site side it slopes very gradually and does not reach the level of the surrounding country for a half mile or more. The soil of the plains is a gravelly sand. It was considered worthless by the first settlers, as crops could be raised upon it with indifferent success, but later it was found to be quite fertile under proper cultivation. The plains were very sparsely timbered at the adveut of the carliest pioneers. Clumps of bushes, or stunted trees, were scattered here and there, but generally tall, waving grass, called wild grass, was the only existing vegetation. The rich river val- ley was heavily timbered with the sycamore, sugar and other species of woodland growth. South of the plains the surface is broken up into hills, which had a scanty covering of trees, such as the oak, chestnut, hickory, poplar, walnut and other varieties.

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History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 86

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