USA > Ohio > Delaware County > History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2 > Part 19
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services were discontinued, and in 1867, finding all efforts to rebuild it unavailing, it was sold to J. B. Jackson for $25, and moved by him to his farm near by, where it can still be seen. It was not until 1872 that the organization again showed signs of life and activity. In that year, the con- gregation built a fine brick structure, at a cost of $2,200, which was dedicated the same year, by D. D. Mather.
The Baptist Church, which is situated in the eastern part of the township, near the " Horse Shoe," owes its origin to the revolt of Elder Biggs and other members, in 1856, from the old Marl- borough Baptist Church. The church is a frame structure.
The Grange Society have quite a fine hall in this township. It is situated nearly in the center of the township, opposite the brick M. E. Church. The building is a frame costing $600 and was built, by Robert Jones. The land was donated by Judge Norris. The society was or- ganized in the summer of 1874. The first of- ficers being : J. B. Jackson, W. M .; B. F. Fry, O., and Richard Wallace, Secretary. The pres- ent officers are as follows : J. B. Jackson, W. M .; W. H. Pool, O .; Miss Joan Norris, Secretary.
The first school was taught in 1814 by Miss Electa Wilcox, in a log cabin, that stood in a sugar-maple grove, and had been used as a camp by Mr. Cole. After Miss Wilcox had taught a few winters, a subscription was raised, and a log schoolhouse built. The following description from a pioneer will give perhaps an idea of the proba- ble style of this structure. "It was one story high, built of logs, the cracks being filled with clay mud. The windows were made by cutting out a section of a log and pasting a greased paper over the aperture, thus supplying both frame and glass. The fire-place and chimney were formed by cutting a huge opening through one end of the cabin, thus building out and around it with clay. mud and sticks, and extending this crude structure to the ridge pole. In the cold days of winter, it required the services of about three boys to sup- ply wood for the fire, and three to bring water to keep the schoolhouse from burning down. For seats, they either had a section of a log, or else sat on a three-legged stool." This contrast with the school buildings and their facilities of to-day, is in keeping with the present condition, in all else that goes to refine and elevate, as compared with the surroundings of primitive times. Now large and commodious school buildings with modern
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
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appliances are to be met with in convenient places throughout the township. A corps of competent instructors are maintained, leaving no excuse for not securing a good education. The following school statistics will be found of some interest :
Amount of money on hand Sept. 1, 1878 ... $716.79
Total amount of money received during the year ending Sept. 1, 1879 2,581.20
Am't paid teachers during the year, primary 1,416.90
Fuel and other contingent expenses. 207.49
Total expenditures. 1,624.39
Number of sub-districts and districts 8
Whole number of schoolhouses. 8
Total value of school property. $3,200
Number of teachers employed at different times during the year, gents 5, ladies 10 15
Average wages of teachers per month .. $31.20
Average number of weeks the school was in session 26
Number of pupils enrolled during the year,
boys 137, girls 136.
273
Average daily attendance, boys 80, girls 72, 152
At present, the schools are in an excellent con- dition, and in many instances are being taught by young men from the Ohio Wesleyan University who are compelled to teach to procure funds to carry them through to graduation.
The section of what was at one time so famil- iarly known to the earlier settlers of Troy Town- ship as the United States Military Road, but which at the present time is rarely spoken of in the township, from the fact of its having been long since obliterated, was the result of the following petition, the first official record of Delaware County.
June 8, 1808. " A petition for a county road on west side of Whetstone (Olentangy), beginning at the Indian boundary line, thence to Delaware, thence to south line of the county, as near the river as ground and river angles will admit. Pe- tition granted, and Moses Byxbe, Nathaniel Wyatt and Josiah Mckinney appointed Viewers, and Azariah Root, Surveyor." This road was imme- diately surveyed and laid out, and at the southern boundary line of Delaware County it connected with the Columbus road, and at the Indian boun- dary line it joined with the road north to Lower Sandusky. Soon after it was laid out, it was used by the military authorities as a channel for sup- plying the northern forts with war materials, and hence derived its name, although the part in Del- aware County was built by order of the Commis- sioners, on the petition of private individuals. The road between the old Marlborough Baptist Church and the town of Dolhi in Radnor Town- ship was first laid out in the following unique
manner. Joseph Cole had long appreciated the fact that a road ought to be cut through the woods between the two points, so that the members of the Baptist congregation living in Delhi could conveniently reach the church. One day, Mr. Cole, accompanied by several men, went out to locate and open the road. James Norris, Jr., being one of the number, was told to proceed two or three miles in advance, in the direction which the road was to take, and, climbing a tree or stand- ing on the roof of a cabin, to blow the large horn which he had in his possession. He did as di- rected, and the chopping party, following in the direction of the sound, opened the road through to where Norris was found astride the roof of a cabin. Again he was sent in advance, and by repeating the operation, the entire road was opened between the two points. 'The " Horseshoe " road was lo- cated about 1828, and lies east of the Olentangy. It opens up the Horseshoe bottoms. This road is what is known as a mud road, the pure signifi- cance of which can only be appreciated after a thaw in winter, or a hard rain in spring. The Columbus & Sandusky Turnpike was built as early as 1833, and runs north and south through the township, a short distance west of the old mili- tary road and of the Olentangy River. It was half dirt and half plank, and in some localities, where the land was low and marshy, trees were felled across the road-bed and a sort of corduroy formed. An incident which happened in connec- tion with a toll-gate on this road in Troy may be of interest. It seems that just before the charter was revoked, the Company allowed the road to run down until it was a miserable affair, and at the same time exacted a heavy toll. The citi- zens became very much dissatisfied, and one night a mob came up from Worthington and began tearing down the gate which was situa- ted about five miles from the city of Delaware. The gate-keeper, Thomas F. Case, fired upon the party, and wounded a man by the name of Ingham quite seriously. The parties went to law, and for many weeks the case attracted a great deal of at- tention. About 1842, the charter of this company was recalled by the Legislature, and, in 1869, the Delaware & Troy Pike Company received a charter which was virtually a continuance of the other. This Company located the present road, which, with a few alterations, represents the course of the old Sandusky road. A toll was collected on this road for a few years after it was established, but, on petition of the citizens of Troy and viein-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ity, it was made free. The pike road which con- nects Delhi, in Radnor Township, with Ashley is also free, and passes in almost a direct line east and west through the northern part. It was built in 1870. The old road to Ashley was blazed through sixty years ago.
The first bridge in Troy Township was built over the Olentangy, near Joseph Cole's, by Joseph Alexander, in 1840, and served its purpose for nine years. About the year 1850, its place was supplied by a new structure which stood for ten years. This bridge was built by James Bishop, Christian Black and Elihu Clark. The present one, a covered bridge, was built about the year 1860, by a man named Landon, who lived in Sun- bury. There is a new covered bridge which spans the Olentangy River just southeast of Judge Norris' farm. It rests on two strong abutments of limestone, and serves as a great convenience, as, heretofore, in the case of high water, the trav- eling public have been necessitated to either go up the river to Joseph C. Cole's, or down to the stone mill near Delaware, for the purpose of cross- ing. Previous mention has been made of the fact that the first mills built in Troy Township were put up by Joseph Cole. They comprised a saw-mill. and a grist-mill, and were situated just north of the covered bridge that crosses the river near the old Marlborough Church. To-day, a few of the old timbers which composed the dam may be seen in the river near the place. All other traces of the mills have disappeared, and even the location is known but to a few. The saw-mill was put up about the year 1820, and was built of hewn logs. The grist-mill was built about three years later, of sawn timbers. The stones that were first used in this mill, were made from a granite bowlder gotten out along the bank of the river. They were dressed and put in position by Henry James. The first meal that was ground was used in powdering the hair of Newman Haven, the millwright. The dam was situated just above the mills, and was known in those days as a brush dam. It was constructed of brush, dirt and stones, with a few logs, and was a crude affair. Subsequently, during a freshet, it suc- cumbed to the pressure, going down stream with the foaming water, and, in its stead, a more sub- stantial one was built. Some time after the com- pletion of the latter, an accident occurred in its connection, which came very near closing the career of Mr. Cole. Its seems that the water had forced its way through a weak place in the dam,
gradually increasing the crevice until it had washed out a large hole in the bottom, through which the water was pouring with a fearful ve- locity. Mr. Cole, seeing the danger that threat- ened the rest of the dam, immediately got a corps of workmen and began repairing the break. While standing, looking down into the hole, super- intending the filling, he lost his balance and fell into the boiling, foaming vortex. In an instant he was swept through the dam into the deep water beyond. Hugh Cole was engaged in hauling logs to help repair the dam, and was just returning with one when he saw his father fall into the hole. The next moment he saw him struggling in the branches of a submerged sycamore-tree which had floated over the dam a few days previous, into which the current had carried him. He sprang to the ground, and, cutting the hame-string, took one of the horses out, jumped upon his back, swam him across the river to where a " dug-out " was tied, and, pushing that into the stream. pad- dled to where his father was and brought him to the shore. It was found upon examination, that Mr. Cole's right arm was dislocated, and that he was otherwise badly bruised. He told his son that in three minutes more he would have been compelled to release his hold, and in all probabil- ity, he would have been drowned. It may not be out of place to give another instance connected with this dam, that resulted more fatally to one party at least. In 1832, Thomas Willey and Nathaniel Cozard attempted to cross the river just above the dam, in an old "dug-out." It seems that neither one of the men had had much experience with that kind of craft. and, as the river was high and the current swift, they were carried over the dam. By a strange coincidence, Hugh Cole was riding along the bank and saw the men pass over. Dashing his horse into the angry waters just below the datu, he seized Willey by the hair as he was going down the last time, and brought him safely to shore. Cozard was carried down stream and drowned. His body was found soon after about a mile below the dam.
In the year 1832, Lyman Main put up a saw- mill on the " Horseshoe Creek," built a dam and ran the mill for a number of years. The mill has long since disappeared together with the dam, leaving the waters of the creek to flow unim- peded to the Olentangy. About the years 1834 or 1835. Timothy Main built a saw-mill on Horse- shoe Creek, near the edge of Oxford and Troy Townships. It was used for a number of years,
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and then disappeared with the demand that called it forth.
" Audaces fortuna juvat." This old saying, which now has become almost a proverb, seems very expressive of the people of this township, and, as they behold the records of the past in war and in peace, they can well exclaim " Fortune fa- vors the brave." Many of the carly settlers of Troy Township had been officers and soldiers in the Revolutionary war, to whom a grateful and bankrupt Congress gave the only compensation they could, namely, a liberal donation of its West- ern land. The war of 1812 came, and the settlers and their sons again left the plow in the furrow, and the ripe grain standing uncut in the field, to hasten to the relief of Fort Meigs and Lower Sandusky. There were a number in this town- ship who went with Drake, and were with him in his glorious campaign. The Mexican war did not take many from this township, but the war of the rebellion called every man from his field or fire- side to do for the Union. The names of the brave sons of Troy will long be remembered, and the many incidents of their camp life told anew, for no matter what the political cast of the township, it entered heart and soul into the grand object of preserving the Union. As far as politics is con- cerned, this township can, we think, hold the ban- ner as being the most evenly divided township in the county, or in the State, for that matter. The following statistics will give an idea of the strength of both parties :
Governor-Charles Foster, Republican, 107 ; Thomas Ewing, Democrat, 108. Lieutenant
Governor-A. Heckenlooper, Republican, 107; M. V. Rice, Democrat, 108. State Senate- Thomas Joy, Republican, 112; F. M. Marriott, 104. Representative-John Jones, 100; D. H. Elliott, 107. The Supreme Judges, Auditors of State, Attorney General and County Commissioner each had 108 votes.
The early record of the township officers is missing from the Clerk's books, and the earliest record which can be found bears date April 4, 1823, and is as follows :
" At the election held for the purpose of elect- ing township officers, the following were elected to their respective offices :
Trustees-Timothy Main, Peris Main, Jonas Main ; Constables, Sabeers Main, Elijah Williams ; Treasurer, David Tarboss ; Supervisors-Solomon Aldrich, Henry Cline, David Tarboss, John'Main ; House Appraisers, Timothy Main, Sabeers Main ; Overseers of the Poor, David Dix, David Carter (killed) ; Fence Viewers, David Dix (John Wil- son), Samuel Wilson ; Clerk, John Wilson.
Present officers are as follows :
Trustees-John Downing, John Shaffner, Hen- ry Main ; Constable, James Main ; Treasurer, John D. Williams; Assessor, John Barber ; Land Appraiser, Ephraim Willey ; Clerk. S. Willey ; Justices of the Peace, Charles Blymyer. William Pool ; Supervisors-Wilbert Main, Madison Main, Cornelius Marsh, William Pool, David Williams, John Barrett, Henry Ward, James Miller, H. A. Silverwood, David Dix, Jr., Samuel Willey. Ezrah Darst, Anthony Smith, James Landers, William Downing, Albert Shultz, John Coufer.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXIII .*
OXFORD TOWNSHIP -ORGANIZATION-EARLY FAMILIES-PIONEER ENTERPRISES-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
"So centuries passed by, and still the woods Blossomed in spring, and reddened when the year Grew chill, and glistened in the frozen rains Of winter, till the white man swung the ax
. Within them-signal of a mighty change."-Bryant.
O XFORD, like some other political organiza- tions that have passed into history, has had its rise and decline. Its earliest organization was a part of Marlborough and with it extended its authority to the lake shore. After some seven years of this subordinate rule, a petition was pre- sented to the County Commissioners by John Shaw and others, praying for the erection of Oxford into a separate township, which was granted March 6, 1815, with boundaries as fol- lows: " Beginning at the southeast corner of the sixth township, Range 18, United States mili- tary lands, and running thence north on the east line of Range 18 to the Indian boundary line ; thence westerly on said line to the east line of Range 19; thence south on said range line to the south line of the sixth township ; thence east on said line to the place of beginning." Three years later, all that part of Radnor Township which was situated due north of Oxford, and north of the Indian boundary line, was attached to this town- ship. In 1822, on the formation of Westfield Township, Oxford furnished the territory, and in 18-47, when Morrow County was formed, a strip one mile wide and five miles long was taken from "the north side and added to Westfield Township. Oxford at present is five miles long east and west, and four miles wide north and south, and bounded on the north by Westfield, on the east by Perry, both townships in Morrow County; on the south by Brown, and on the west by Troy and Marl- borough. The surface of the township is gener- ally level, though somewhat broken in the north- west corner along the Olentangy River which passes through that corner of the township. Along the west branch of Alum Creek, which passes almost the entire width of the township from north to south about a half' a mile from the
east end, the surface presents the same broken features. About the center of the township, the Basin Branch forms a junction with Alum Creek. This branch is large enough to run a saw-mill. and just at this point was the site of the first mill erected in the township. The soil is generally a low black loam, originally very wet, almost swampy, but by a regular system of drainage there is scarcely an acre in the township that has not been reduced to good tillable land. In the sections noted as rolling, the soil is principally elay, but well adapted to the products of this region and is profitable for farming purposes. The timber com- prises the various oaks of this climate, hickory, ash, elm, and beech. There was formerly consid- erable walnut, but the demand for this timber and the consequent market for it has resulted in re- moving all of this kind, save here and there a sol- itary tree. An occasional sycamore of fine growth is found and finds a ready market. The farms have nearly all been well improved and are man- aged with all the advantages of improved tools and methods, and prove generally profitable to their owners. Corn is the chief product, and is raised in large quantities. Wheat is also a profit- able erop here and a considerable amount of it is raised. A good deal of grain is shipped annually at this point, though perhaps not so large a quan- tity as formerly, the farmers of late turning their attention to stock-raising and consuming their grain at home. This is one of the best shipping points between Columbus and Cleveland.
The settlement of Oxford Township began nearly as early as any other part of the county, but it grew up very slowly for several years. In the year 1810, a settlement was begun in the northwest quarter of the township, around what is now known as Windsor's Corners. The first. settler in this section was the father of Ezra and Comfort Olds, who built the first cabin, a log structure, twenty feet square. In the fall of the same year, or perhaps the following spring. Henry Foust, a young unmarried man, settled on a farm a short distance east of the Olds farm. He was
*Contributed by J. F. Doty, Esq.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
married, in 1812, to Mary Olds, and lived on the place until 1878, clearing the forest by his own effort, and raising a large family. The youngest child, Albert, still lives on the homestead. Old Mr. Olds often related, during the latter part of his life, of his going to election in Oxford Town- ship when there were but five voters, who ap. pointed him the first juror from the township in the courts of Delaware County. Two years later, a young man by the name of William T. Sharp came as far as Norton, with Gen. Harrison's army. He was not a soldier. however, and liking the country, determined to make it his home. He lived for some time in the family of Henry Foust, and later settled about a mile down the river, on the farm now owned by Albert Gillet. He raised a large family, the gentlemen of that name known in the county as stock-dealers being his sons. One of these, Samuel Gillet, lives within a few rods of the old homestead, and was, during the late war, Captain of Company D of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Among the first families who came here, but a few years later, was Aden Windsor, who settled on the farm at the corners. In the year 1832, he built a brick house on his farm, which was the first brick residence in the township, and it still stands a silent witness of the passing years. The owner of this residence lived but a few years to enjoy the comfort thus prepared, but the property is still in the hands of the family. About the time he erected the dwelling, Mr. Windsor put up a frame barn, across the road from his house, and it still remains, though considerably the worse for the half-century's exposure to the elements, without the protection of paint. Soon after the war of 1812, David Kyrk came into this section. He was a soldier in that war, and still lives here, nearly ninety years old, on his original farm. He is one of the very few remaining pensioners of 1812. His has been a remarkable constitution, and after a long and active life, he has only recently become unable to walk from his farm to town, a distance of four miles.
In 1810, a settlement was begun in the south- east part of the township, known later as the Alum Creek District. Andrew Murphy, from Pennsylvania, was the first settler, but was joined, soon afterward, by James Mc Williams, Hugh Waters, Henry Riley and Henry Wolf. Some seven years later, that section of the township where Ashley has since risen was settled by Rob- ert Brown, his farm occupying the southwest
quarter of the village. His cabin home stood on the ground now occupied by the Ashley Hotel. Iu the following year, Ralph Slack came up from Berkshire and settled on the farm now occupied by the southeast part of the village. His cabin was built near the site of the residence of Bennett Brundige. About the same time, his brother, John Slack, settled on the farm next east, across Alum Creek, his house being near the present res- idence of Joseph Evans. Elijah Smith settled on the farm now owned by Howard Rogers, about 1815, and Calvin Cole settled, about the same time, on the farm next east of John Slack. In 1819, Adam Shoemaker settled a short distance north of the present village of Ashley, but moved, a few years later, to a point just east of the village. He had a large family of boys, who settled about him, so that at present there are more of his descend- ants living here than of any other of the early families. In 1823, Amos Spurgen settied on the farm now occupied by the northwest quarter of the village, and three years later, Thomas Barton set- tled on the farm next northwest of Ashley. The latter raised a large family, who remained here, and are now in possession of the original lands of their father.
Section 3, the southwest quarter of the town- ship, was sold to John Rathbone, of New York. His patent was issued for 4,000 acres, and was signed by John Adams, President of the United States, May 3, 1800. This land was not brought into the market, however, until 1842, when it passed to his grandson, Hiram G. Andrews, of Delaware, who immediately put it up for sale. It was laid off into forty sections of 100 acres each, and the first purchaser in the following year was Griffith Thomas, and soon after, Evan McCreary bought a lot. Isaac Clark, George Houseworth and N. E. Gale were among the purchasers of this land, which sold at from 83 to $8 per acre. At this time, this land was heavily timbered, and much of it so wet that it was con- sidered almost worthless; for years this section was known as the " great south woods." To the early settlers the prospect must have been very discouraging, but, by great energy and industry, this section has become the abode of some of Ox- ford's most thrifty farmers. The lands are gener- ally cleared, drained and in good condition for tilling, and the farms to be found here cannot be excelled in the county for their production of corn, wheat, pasture, stock, etc. The rude log cabins | that sheltered the first owners have given way to
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