USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 48
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"It is nothing new, then, that the living should tenderly care for the bodies of their dead friends, and should provide pleasant and attractive grounds in which to 'bury their bod- ies out of our sight.' Since the burial of the dead in church yards has ceased, large and beautiful cemeteries have been provided for burial purposes. Our own country has taken the lead in this respect, and in the vicinity of Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, and other cities in our land, the most
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beautiful cemeteries in the world may be found. It is one of the best marks of the intelligence of any community to see the cemetery, belonging to such community, well cared for-a place to attract people by its quiet beauty, its neat and well kept grounds, and why should we not set apart the most beau- tiful spot on earth for the shes of our beloved? Let the hill tops of the 'Silent City' be kissed by the first morning ray and the last gleam of day; let dancing rivulets sing their glad hymns of praise ; let silver lakelets picture the glories of earth and heaven; let Luna and the starry hosts shed their hal- lowed influence upon the peaceful scene ; let Flora contribute her choicest offerings; in short, let nature and art so combine as to express in our cemetery our highest ideals of beauty and harmony.
"As I roamed through one of our most beautiful cemeteries this past summer, the virgin forests all aglow with the pink and scarlet skies, the crimson woodbine, the purple oak, the golden chestnut and beech, the multi-colored maple, etc., etc., as I turned into the paths along the calm, silver lakelets, in which the wonderful autumn tints were mirrored and along the banks of which the robins and hermit thrushes were sing- ing their Te Deums, and then, as I rambled over the emerald lawiis spangled with beds of fragrant flowers. I thought if the dead could speak, how heartily they would thank those who had prepared such an entrancing retreat for their long, long sleep It is well for the living to pass often through the streets of the "City of the Dead."
"Among the varied anticipated improvements of our pro- gressive city, let us not forget our cemetery. The time will soon be here, yea, it is here now, when Greenville cemetery must be enlarged. Let the land lying adjacent to, and parallel with the cemetery be secured at once. This, with proper grad- ing, platting and landscape gardening, could be converted into a most beautiful cemetery, and furthermore this would per- petuate the cemetery we now have and remove all doubt of its ever becoming an abandoned cemetery.
"Peace to this place of rest! 'Tis common earth no longer now, The gleaming sickle, and the laboring plow Here ceases their toil-for holy grounds Are gardens of the grave-the bounds 'Twixt life and death-the awful bourne (35)
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From whence no traveler doth return, Is peopled with dim mysteries- The Spirit Realm around us lies ; Peace to these shades, these hills and dells, Where silence, like a presence, dwells."
TOWNSHIP SKETCHES.
Darke county is one of the large political and geographical units of Ohio, being approximately thirty miles from north to south and twenty miles from east to west and comprising about 586 square miles of territory. It contains twenty town- ships, which, if of equal size, would each have about thirty square miles of territory. However, on account of the loca- tion of the county seat about three miles south o. the exact center of the county and the early development of the sur- rounding territory, Greenville township, which originally com- prised the entire county, early assumed a commanding posi- tion, enlarging what would have been her just share in an equal division of territory by the addition of two tiers of sec- tions on the south side and two tiers on the southeast, making her territory finally to comprise about sixty square miles, and throwing the county seat nearer the center of this large and important township. In order to adjust the map to this changed condition one township was omitted immediately to the east and five townships made smaller than an average, while about eight square miles were added to the western side of Adams township, making it the second largest in size in the county. Roughly speakinfg, there are four tiers of five town- ships in each running north and south. Beginning at the northwest corner and taking tier by tier they are as follows: First tier, Mississinawa, Jackson, Washington. German and Harrison ; second tier, Allen, Brown, Greenville, Neave and Butler ; third tier, Wabash, York, Richland, Van Buren and Twin : fourth tier, Patterson, Wayne, Adams, Franklin and Monroe. Accordingly we will give a brief sketch of each in the order named for convenience of reference and regularity of treatment, regardless of size or relative importance.
Mississinawa Township.
As suggested by the name, this township is the starting point of the Mississinawa branch of the Wabash river. This stream rises in the north central part of the township, runs
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southeasterly, just crossing the eastern line, then turns south- westerly, making a bow across the southern part and provid- ing a drainage basin for about three-fourths of the entire area of this division. Within a mile of the head of this stream the eastern branch of the Wabash arises and flows northeasterly into Mercer county. The upper waters of the west branch of the Stillwater drain a small part of the southeastern section. With the exception of the northwestern section, which is in- clined to be hilly, the surface is generally level and highly pro- ductive, especially along the creek bottoms. In early days it was covered with a fine growth of native trees, oak, aslı, elm, hickory, sugar, maple and beech being found in abundance. This township is absolutely regular in outline, being five miles east and west and six miles north and south and is geograph- ically known as township 14, range 1. Previous to March, 1839, it was a part of Jackson township. At that time the northern tier of sections belonged to Gibson township which extended to the Greenville township line. On April 12, 1848, Gibson township was thrown into Mercer county and this tier of sections added to Mississinawa giving it the proportions which it now possesses.
Philip Reprogle is said to have been the pioneer settler in this township, locating in 1833 half a mile east of the present site of Rose Hill. Joseph and William Reprogle soon fol- lowed, settling in this vicinity in 1835. Prominent among the early settlers were: John B. Anderson, Samuel C. Carter, David Brooks, John A. McKibben, Hugh Mckibben, Wm. Van Kirk, Wm. B. Light. Francis Whitaker, E. H. Fisher and Mahlon Peters. The Methodists are credited with building the first church, in 1851, near the southern line, a mile and a half east.of the southwestern corner of the township. There are now six churches in this township as follows: First M. E. church at Lightsville; First U. B. church at Rose Hill ; Mt. Zion near Buck's Corner; Christian in central part; two Brethren ( Progressive Dunkard). The date of the erection of the first school house is probably unknown. At the present time there are nine rural schools in this township.
The only villages are Lightsville and Rose Hill, both on the Fort Recovery pike in the southeastern part of the township. The former was platted by Wm. B. Light in 1874, in section 6. There is a school employing two teachers in this village. Rose Hill was laid out in 1852 at the joining of sections 14, 15, 22 and 23 on the high ridge of the divide.
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This township has the unique distinction of producing more natural gas than any in the county. In all probability fifty wells have been drilled within the last six years, mostly by the Salem gas company, of Salem, Indiana. These wells are about eleven hundred feet deep and some of them supply gas to Fort Recovery. Indications of the presence of petroleum have been noticed in a few of these wells, but no permanently flowing well has been drilled.
Although there are no railways or important towns in this township the tax levy of 1913 shows a real estate valuation of $1,524,530 and personal property to the extent of $348,560. Population in 1910, 1,258.
Jackson Township.
This township at the time of its erection, 1833, embraced what is now known as Gibson township in Mercer county, and Mississinawa and Jackson townships in Darke county, known geographically as townships 13, 14 and 15 of range 1 east. then belonging to Washington township. Gibson township was detached in 1836, and Mississinawa in 1839, reducing Jackson to its present proportions. The northern part is com- paratively level with a gentle slope toward the Mississinawa basin, and has a dark loamy soil, which is very productive. A variety of forest trees originally grew in this section, includ- ing oak, walnut, ash, elm and hickory. The central part of this township is undulating and contains considerable clay in its elevated portion. Beech was the predominating timber in the primitive forest here, interspersed with considerable sugar maple and shell bark hickory. The southern part of the township is the most rolling, while the soil contains a larger per cent. of loam and loose fertile soil, especially in the val- leys and low lying tracts. The headwaters of the Stillwater drain the eastern half of the township and form what is known as the "flats or spreads," of Stillwater, a district known in carly days for the swampy condition during the spring fresh- ets, but now well drained and almost entirely reclaimed by the plow. Perhaps because of its dense woods, lack of roads and comparatively inaccessible condition this township was not settled as early as some others. However, about 1829, Jacob and Richard Strait, Gilbert Vail, Tobias Miller, Abraham Miller, John Armstrong, John Wright, William and Samuel Dennison and John Woods made settlements and were soon
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followed by William Parent, John McFarland, Isaac Beal, William Ross, Frederick Roe, William K. Marquis, John Crumrine, Gilbert Hand and Joseph Hay. The first school house was built in section 35. The first church was built by the Methodists. With the progress of road building, railway construction and drainage this has become one of the best townships in the county. Union City (Ohio side) is located in the southwestern, Hill Grove in the southern and Elroy in the eastern part of this township. Three railways and a trac- tion line traverse the southern part of the township and con- verge at Union City. The tax assessment of 1913 showed $1,975,720 in real and $1,086,720 in personal property outside of Union City. Adding the latter the grand total assessment was $4,058,880, indicating the substantial growth of this town- ship in the brief history of its existence. The population of Jackson township, including Union City, Ohio, in 1910, was 2,968.
Union City, Ohio.
Union City was platted in 1838, and incorporated December 6, 1853. It is distinctively a railroad center and owes its re- markable development to that fact. The Greenville and Miami railway was completed to this point from Greenville on December 25, 1852. The Union and Logansport Railroad (now the Logansport division of the Pennsylvania railway) was started under the title of the Monroe and Mississinawa railroad, in 1854, but not completed until 1867. The "Bee Line" or Big Four reached Union City about the same time as the G. and M. (now D. and U). For many years Union City has been known for its large output of building material and vehicles, its elevators and warehouses. The main busi- ness and public buildings and institutions are on the Indiana - side, but there is a large public school house, a U. B. church, a Free M. E. church and an I. O. O. F. lodge, known as State Line Lodge No. 724, which was instituted in 1883. The census of 1910 gave Union City, Ohio, a population of 1,595, and the entire city a population of 4,804. The tax assessment of real property on the Ohio side in 1913 was $744,550, and of per- sonal property $251.890.
Washington township.
This township originally comprised the territory now in- cluded in Washington township and all of German township,
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except the southern tier of sections. German township, it seems, was detached in 1820. In 1833, the north tier of sec- tions in the latter was thrown into Washington township, but returned in December, 1834, since which time Washington township has remained as it now is in dimensions. The upper waters of Greenville Creek drain the northern section and Cront creek the central and southern sections of this town- ship. It contains nearly twenty-one thousand acres of land which was originally covered with a dense growth of timber and was noted for the large number of excellent springs. As previously noted Indian settlements were numerous along the Crout creek prairie where they left many marks of their former habitation. The soil is very productive and probably produces as much grain and produce as any in the county. The first settlers to locate in this township were Martin and Jacob Cox of Pennsylvania, who settled on the south side of Green- ville creek in sections 13 and 14 on October 16, 1816. They were followed by James Brady and Samuel Cole, from Sussex county, New Jersey, who came in March, 1817, and settled in sections 26 and 27. Samuel Cole, Sr., and Levi Elston came in 1818 and were followed by John Snell and Daniel Shively. 'The latter settled in section 27 on Crout creek and formed the nucleus of what was later known as the Dutch settlement, to which came the Hecks, Millers, Raricks and Clapps from Pennsylvania and Maryland. Besides these several families were added to the original settlers from New Jersey and formed the Jersey settlement in the eastern part of the town- ship. The list of pioneers should include the names of Joel Co- sad, Nathanil Skidmore, Jeremiah Rogers, Samuel and Peter Kimber, Henry Creviston, Ignatius Burns, Philip Manuel, Moses Crumrine, Jesse Gray, Jacob Chenoweth, Conrad Har- ter, Charles Sumption, Solomon Harter, Joseph Dixon, L. D. Wintermote, Hezekiah Fowler, David Wasson, John S. Hiller, Isaac Vail, Thomas F. Chenoweth, Aaron Hiller and Johnson Deniston. The first road from Greenville to reach the early settlements crossed at the old ford, ran along the north side of Greenville creek to beyond Dean's (Weimer's) mill, where it crossed just below the old Murphy graveyard. The next road crossed Greenville creek at the same point, recrossed to Tecumseh's Point, kept south of Greenville creek, crossed West Branch north of the old George Fox mill and continued on to the Jersey settlement and Crout creek. As before noted these were some of the early roads of the
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county, and have been replaced by portions of the present Union City and Winchester pikes. John Clapp built the first rude grist mill on Crout creek, largely with volunteer help, 111 1823, and Jeremiah Rogers later built a saw mill on Hoovers branch of that creek. David Clapp built a flour mill on Crout creek in section 15, in 1832, which later became known as McClure's mill and served the community until recent years. It is to the credit of this township that the first church in the county was erected along the township line in section 36 about 1819, by the Methodists as before mentioned. A second church was built by this denomination in section 32 at an early date, and was known as the Chenoweth church. It is sail that the first big Methodist camp meeting in the county was held in section 33 on what is now known as the Houpt farm. The third church was built by the Presbyterians in section 14 on the farm of Martin Cox. All of these early churches have been discontinued but others have taken their place and the township has not lost its early religious character. There is a German Baptist church in section 9, a Disciple church in section 29 and a Union church in section 18.
The only village of consequence in the township is Hil Grove, which is located in the northwest corner of section 4 and extends partly into Jackson township. This village was laid out in 1848, by W. Nickel, and is situated on the Dayton & Union and Ohio Electric railways which traverse the north- eastern portion of the township. It now has a Re'ormed and a United Brethren church, a school house and a few shops, but on account of its proximity to the thriving railway town of Union City, has been unable to make much progress. Nash- ville is the only other village in this township. It is located on the township line in section 34, at the intersection of the old State road and the Palestine pike. It contains one gen- eral store and a U. B. church, the latter being in German town- ship. The small railway mileage and the absence of large towns make Washington distinctly a rural township with some of the best farms and farmers in the county. Like other townships of this class it makes slow increase in population as many of its young men are attracted to the nearby cities and commercial centers. Its population in 1890 was 1,485, and in 1910, 1,388. The real estate assessment in 1913, was $1.955,233.00 and the personal property was listed at $535,520.00.
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German Township.
This township is known geographically as township 11 north, range 1 east, and was formed in 1820 from the southern part of Washington township with the addition of one tier of sections from the northern portion of Harrison township. It comprises about thirty-three square miles or over twenty-one thousand acres of land, most of which is exceptionally fertile. The eastern part is drained by the upper waters of West branch, the northwestern section by the head of Crout creek and the southwestern portion by the upper waters of the Whitewater river. The West Branch prairie is gently rolling and although somewhat boggy in early days, it has been re- claimed and is one of the choicest farming and grazing sec- tions of the county. This valley, with its numerous springs, its gentle slope and its beautiful groves of maple, beech, oak, etc., was a favorite dwelling place for the Indians who built several villages here as well as on the upper waters of Crout creek, and left numerous distinct marks of their extended hab- itation. The western part of this township is flat, but the south central portion is somewhat broken. The pioneer set- tler was probably James Cloyd, who settled land on the prairie just south of the present site of Palestine in 1814. Jonathan and Alexander Pearson settled in this same neighborhood about 1816. Samuel Loring settled in the southwest quarter of section 14 about this time and later laid out the town of Palestine. John Wagner, who originally came from Berks county, Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1806, and settled with other Pennsylvania Germans at an early date in the Miami valley, entered the northwest quarter of section 24 on the edge of the West Branch prairie about 1816. In the fall of that year he sent his sons Daniel and William with some stock which they were to feed on the luxuriant prairie hay that grew in that region. Here they erected a rude temporary hut and spent the winter with two or three Indian families as near neigh- bors. Several emigrants came in the fall of 1817, among whom were Martin Ketring and family, and George Teaford, who settled in section 22, Henry Ross, who settled in the northwest part of section 24, and George Stingley and family, who settled in the southeast quarter of section 12. John McNeil, James Woods and Wear Cassidy are also mentioned as early settlers. As in the other townships the most attrac- tive, best drained and easiest opened sections were entered
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first. Thus it happened that the wet, level land in the extreme southwestern part of this township was not entered until 1826. The first school house was built as early as 1820, in section 14 near Palestine, and the second in 1822 on the north- west quarter of section 13. William R. Jones was the first teacher. The residents of German township have always taken much interest in educational matters. Until recently there were ten special school districts in the township besides the Palestine school. Two of these have recently combined with the Palestine district and erected a commodious, modern brick school house having six rooms at a cost of about $15.000. Four teachers are employed in this school, two of them teach- ing in the high school, which gives a three-year academic course. This school is located on the south side of Cross street near the western limits of the village of Palestine. Prof. Harter Wheeler is the efficient superintendent.
The Lutherans are credited with employing the first min- ister, Jacob Ashley, who came monthly from Germantown, Ohio, and preached in the settlers' cabins, receiving therefor a yearly compensation of twelve dollars. This little society erected the first log church in the southeast quarter of section 22, one mile south of Palestine, in 1826, and continued to wor- ship here alone for several years. Then a Reformed congre- gation was organized in the same locality and in 1866 the Lutherans merged with them, Rev. John Stuck becoming the first minister under the new organization. The United organ- ization, known as St. John's Reformed church, erected a new frame building in 1868 and worshipped here for several years, but finally disbanded.
The German Baptists also held services in early days under the preaching of David Miller, son of Jacob Miller, the first elder of that denomination in the Miami valley, and Benjamin Bowman, both of whom came here from Indiana for that pur- pose. An organization of a society was effected early by these preachers, but meetings were held in barns and houses until 1868 when a commodious frame meeting house was erected about half a mile south of Palestine. The early preachers were John Weaver, John Crumrine and William Marius.
The Methodists probably erected the second church struc- ture in the township in the northwest corner of section 29 and the Lutherans the third, in the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 24 along the east township line on the farm now owned by E. T. Wagner. Like St. John's
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church this afterwards passed to the Reformed society and is now known as West Zion.
The. Christian denomination effected an organization as early as 1836 under elder Elijah Williamson, who, with Rich- ard Brandon, preached in an old school house in Palestine where a church was built in 1859. The United Brethren so- ciety was organized in 1857 by Rev. Jacob M. Marshall and in 1859 erected the Pleasant Grove church in the northeast corner of section 3 along the Washington township line. The Universalists organized in 1868 under Rev. Elihu Moore and a few years later built a substantial frame church on the north edge of the village of Palestine where they still maintain wor- ship. The Disciples organized in 1873 under John M. Smith with about twenty members, and in 1877 erected a church in Palestine.
There is a settlement of colored people in the northwestern part of this township which dates its origin from 1822, when James Clemens came from Rockingham county, Virginia, which county had passed a law that all free-born colored people should leave the state. Clemens entered 320 acres of land. He married Sophoria Sellers, of his home county, and became the father of ten children, five sons and five daughters. Three of his sons, Charles, William and Perry, became minis- ters of the gospel. Being attracted by the location and natural resources of this part of the country, other colored families soon followed Clemens, among whom were Reuben Bass and wife, who came from Guilford county, North Carolina in 1823, and entered 200 acres of land. They were the parents of eight children. John Randles and wife and Thornton Alexander and wife of Virginia were also among the early settlers, who en- tered a considerable amount of government land. From this comparatively small beginning the settlement has grown until now it contains about 450 inhabitants, with two churches, four school houses and a number of prosperous homes. This settlement extends into Indiana and formerly supported an academy known as "The Union Literary Institute," which about forty years ago was in a flourishing condition. Some very prominent men of both the white and colored races were educated here and went out into the world to fill places of honor in nearly all the walks of life, as judges, lawyers, doc- tors, bishops, presidents of colleges, etc. The older people of the settlement now look back on this institution with pride and recognize that it was one of the means of holding the
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