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 30
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him to leave active service and enter the invalid corps, where he remained until after the war, He was a brave soldier and a good officer. In 1872, he was nominated by the Republican party for the office of County Recorder, and elected by over 400 majority, and re-elected in 1875. As in the military to in the civil service, he made a good officer. After he retired from the office in the spring of 1879, he removed to Columbus. where he is engaged in business. A brother of Capt. Adams, John Adams, was a Justice of the Peace in his native township, but he has recently removed with his family to Colorado. Silas Adams, a son of his, is still living in Harlem on the old Thompson farm, and is a prosperous farmer. The elder Adams remained but a few months in Har- lem, and moved into Radnor Township, where he improved a large farm, and resided on it for more than forty years. Like his brother and brother-in-law, Mr. Bennett, Squire Adams was an exemplary Christian and a good citizen. His wife was a Miss Cary aud'sister of Mrs. Waters, wife of N. B. Waters, who was one of the first settlers of Harlem. William Fancher, with his wife and a large family of sons and daughters, emigrated from Luzerne County, Penn., to Har- lem in the year 1810, and purchased a tract of about 1,000 acres of land in the south part of the township. He was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, but the particulars of his service are not known. He died over forty years ago. His wife survived her husband many years. Mr. Fan- cher and his sons cleared up a large farm. They were all industrious people. A number of the sons of Mr. Fancher served in the war of 1812. They were all patriotic and brave, and served their country faithfully, and all were permitted to re- turn at the close safe and sound. This family were so conspicuous and performed so important a part in the early settlement, that we regret that our limited facts compel us to be so brief.
In the same year, and it is believed at the same time, from the same part of the State of Penn- sylvania, Mr. N. B. Waters, with his family, moved into the township, lived here for several years and then removed to Fairfield County, where he lived for about eighteen years. He then returned to Delaware County, and settled in the upper part of Radnor Township, where he lived until his death, which occurred in the year 1858. His wife was a Miss Cary, and was the sister of the wife of Squire Elijah Adams. His son, Benjamin C. Waters, was born in Fairfield County, but when quite a
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
young man he removed to Harlem, married the daughter of his father's old friend, Col. William Budd, about the year 1846. By trade he was a blacksmith, and for several years he followed the business in the village of Harlem, but he was an intelligent young man and was soon elected a Just- ice of the Peace. In 1860, he was elected Sheriff of the county, and in 1S62 re-elected, and served in this office a period of four years. In the latter part of the war, he was Assistant Provost Mar- shal for the county, and for several years United States mail agent on the route from Cincinnati to Cleveland. In 1869, Mr. Waters was elected Probate Judge of Delaware County, and re-elected in 1872. Though not bred to the profession of the law, he had much legal learning, and his native good sense and judgment enabled him to discharge satisfactorily the responsible judicial duties of his office. Judge Waters, in all his official positions, had the reputation of being incorruptible and honest. He is now in poor health and living in retirement.
Among the early and most numerous of the pioneer families, is that of John Budd, who emigrated from the Wyoming Valley in the year 1810, and settled upon a large tract of sev- eral hundred acres, situated in the west part of the township, on Duncan Run. This family by mar- riage was connected with all the early families of this township. When Mr. Budd came to Ohio, he was considerably advanced in years, and all his sons were were young men grown. Their names were Benja- min, Eli, John and William. We may not give their names in chronological order of their births. Benja- min Budd settled east of his father, cleared up a farm, but in a few years afterward he sold his farm and moved to Indiana with his family and died there. His brother, Eli, settled on a farm further east, cleared it up, and about the same time sold out and emigrated to Indiana where he died. The elder Mr. Budd died on the old homestead, he helped to improve in the early days of the county, and his son William, by purchase and inheritance, became the owner of the old homestead property. His son John, or Dr. John Budd, the cognomen by which he was known, purchased from his father for $250, 100 acres of land, situated north of the village of Buddtown, as it is called, where he set- tled and lived until his death, which occurred in 1872. Soon after his father settled in Harlem he married Miss Mary Adams, the sister of Elijah and John Adams. The fruit of this union was several children, some of whom are now living in
the vicinity of Harlem. He was by profession a physician of the botanical school, and had never enjoyed the advantages of a collegiate education, but had practical common sense and never under- took to do in his profession a thing beyond his skill. He was amiable and kind hearted, and a good citizen, and at his death was eighty-seven years of age. His wife died some years before him. William, who will be remembered by those who knew him as Col. Budd, was something of a character. He had dash and enterprise, owned and run a mill, kept store, carried on farming on a large scale, dealt in stock, and had a taste for military and political life. He was Colonel of a regiment in the peace establishment, and had a great taste for litigation. He sometimes engaged in legal practice in the Justice Courts. His wife was Miss Adams, a sister of Elijah Adams and Mrs. Ben- nett. They raised a large family of sons and daugh- ers, and both died many years ago. He left a large estate. Upon his death, his oldest son, James Budd, became the owner of the "Old Budd Home- stead," as it was called, consisting of several hun- dred acres, to which he made additions by purchase until he became the largest landholder in the township, and one of the largest in the county. James Budd was very much a "chip of the old block." Like his father, generous and kind- hearted. For many years he was extensively en- gaged in the stock trade, and at the close of the war met with heavy pecuniary losses, sold his farm and moved West. The oldest daughter married Maj. Jesse C. Tull about forty-five years ago. He was a native of the State of New York, and, when a young man, came to Ohio and was em- ployed as a school teacher in Harlem. After his marriage to Miss Budd, he was an active business man in Harlem, dividing his time in agricultural and mercantile pursuits. He is now, and for many years past has been, engaged in the hotel business in Columbus. Another daughter, as has already been seen, is the wife of Judge B. C. Waters. There are still living in Harlem a num- ber of the descendants of this family.
Benjamin M. Fairchild immigrated to Harlem either in 1808 or 1809, the exact date is not known. He came from Bennington, Vt. For many years after he came to Harlem, he was em- ployed by Benajah Cook, to work on the farm and at other kinds of work. He was a millwright and mechanic by occupation, but possessed a ver- satility of genius that enabled him to take up and I lay down at will, almost any trade he chose. When
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
he came to Harlem he was unmarried, and lived for several years in the life of single blessedness in Har- lem, but being a Christian in his religious faith, he vielded to the Divine sentiment, " It is not good for man to be alone," and, about the commence- ment of the war of 1812, he married a wife, and sent for his brother, Shuman, who was married and had a family, and was living in Vermont, to join him with his family in Harlem. He had already, by his industry and savings, laid up money enough to purchase a farm from Mr. Cook, of about 150 acres. Mr. Fairchild was a very industrious and worthy. citizen. He built several grist and saw mills, and opened up several stone quarries. He gave gratuitously the stone for the Central College. These quarries he bought from Col. Moses Byxbe, and were located on Duncan
Run. He died in 1878, at an advanced age. His brother moved into the township in 1812, to Harlem, and lived on a farm south of his brother's farm and adjoining. He was liberal and charitable to the poor. He died without heirs, and left his estate to his wife and his brother's family, ex- cept $1,500, which he donated to the church.
One of the earliest and best examples of a pio- neer and backwoodsman is Mr. George Fix, who settled in Harlem Township over sixty years ago, on a farm of 100 acres, located near the southeast corner of the township. He raised a large fam- ily of sons and daughters, all of whom live un- married with the old people on the old homestead, and in their habits and manner of life are, for all practical purposes, hermits. The old gentleman, at the age of eighty-five, is stout and active. By nature a stalwart, with a large and muscular frame in his younger days, he was capable of great phy- sical endurance. He is an honest, inoffensive man. His sons and daughters, in the character of their persons and habits, resemble their father in his eccentricities. Conrad Wickizer, a native of Berks County, Penn., settled in the southeast part of the township about the year 1812. He improved a farm and raised a large family ; many of them and their descendants are still living in Harlem, and the eastern part of the county. George Wickizer was well educated, and held several township offices. He was an honest and upright man. Mr. Wickizer died of cholera, which it was supposed he took from exposure. During the cholera sea- son in Columbus near thirty years ago, his son, who was living in Columbus, was attacked by this malignant disease and died ; the father conveyed the remains to Harlem for burial, and was soon
afterward attacked by the disease, and in a few hours died. There are quite a number of the fam- ily connection still living in Harlem. One of the early families in this township was the Maon family -- Thomas Mann, Eleazer Mann, Abijah Mann and Gorden Mann. They intermarried with the early families and have left a large and numerous posterity, now much scattered. Some are still living in Delaware and some in Franklin County, and many have moved West. Daniel Hunt, Esq., a native of Washington County, Pern., im- migrated to Harlem, and settled upon a farm of 200 acres, about one mile east of Harlem Center. He cleared up his farm, and was an industrious man and very prosperous in his worldly affairs, but bail debts he was compelled to pay, and other misfor- tunes, very much embarrassed him financially, and. now over seventy years of age, the fruits of hard labor in his younger days have been taken from him to pay the debts of other people. He came to Harlem about the year 1835. He held the office of Justice of the Peace for several years, is a member of the Disciples' Church, or the Camp- bellite Church, and is an honest man. John Har- over and his family immigrated from Ohio County, W. Va., to Ohio, about fifty years ago, and settled on a farm in the southeast part of the township, where he cleared up his farm and raised a large family. He died about twenty years ago upon the homestead he helped to clear up and improve. It is now owned and occupied by his son, Mr. Ly- man Hanover, who is an Elder in the Baptist Church.
Between fifty and sixty years ago, Elan Blain, Esq., immigrated from Pennsylvania and settled on a new farm on Spruce Run. He was an intelligent but unassuming man, and reared a large family of children. For fifteen years, he was a Justice of the Pcace of Harlem Township, and held other othi- cial positions. On a farm adjoining the farm of 'Squire Blain, on Spruce Run, a man by the name of John Miller settled, about sixty years ago. He was a hard-working man, honest, and was ore of the pioneers who cleared up the township of Har- lem, and encountered the trials and hardships of life in a new country. He died on the farm on which he had lived. only a few days before this history was written ( March, 1880). He was, at his death, over eighty years of age, and left a large family of children and grandchildren. About the same time that Mr. Hunt settled, his brother-in-law, Jonathan Bateson, a native of Washington County, Penn., settled on a farm of 1
0
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
200 acres, on the north of Squire Hunt's farm. He cleared up a large farm, and was a very indus- trious man. He was for several years a Justice of the Peace, and was always highly respected. He and Squire Hunt married two sisters; their maiden name was McClelland. Nathan Paul settled upon a farm of about 400 acres, about one-half mile east of Harlem Centre, in the year 1839. He was an enterprising and intelligent man, and, in a worldly point of view, was a thrifty man. His wife was a Miss Bell, who is still living. He died in the year 1850, at the age of forty-one years, leaving a large estate, and two sons and a daughter.
Among the prominent and leading farmers of this township, thirty years ago, were George Gard- inghout, Thomas Goosuch, Joseph Goosuch, David Goosuch, John Goosuch, and others. But the scope and purpose of this work is to write the history of the township and sketch the early pio- neers, and incidents connected with their descend- ants.
Late in the autumn of the year 1871, the quiet and peaccable community of Harlem was startled by the announcement that one of the most active business men of the township had been cruelly and wickedly murdered. Mr. Charles F. Garner, for many years a resident of Harlem, a, successful farmer and stock-dealer, by occupation had been for several years engaged in the business of purchasing, for the butchers and the Columbus meat market, fat cattle and hogs. On the 28th of November, he drove to Columbus a lot of fat cat- tle. After making sale and receiving his pay, amounting to several hundred dollars, he started, late in the evening, for his home in Harlem, with his money in his possession. On his departure from the city, and without his knowledge, a young man named Barclay, who had previously made his home with Mr. Garner, and had been in his employ, concealed himself in the rear part of his wagon. On reaching the covered bridge crossing Alum Creek, about four miles from Columbus, on the road from the city to his home in Harlem, Barclay struck him over the head with a club and broke in his skull. The blow, though not produc- ing instant death, so stunned him that he became unconscious. Barclay, supposing he was dead, after robbing him of his money, left him in his buggy in the bridge, and made his escape. Garner soon rallied from his unconsciousness sufficiently to drive his team to a neighboring farmhouse, where he stopped and remained until his death, which occurred on the 3d of December, following. i to build the same having been donated by Mrs.
The evidence of Barclay's guilt was only cir- cumstantial. He was arrested, near Summer- ford, Madison County, and was immediately in- dieted by the grand jury of Franklin County, for murder in the first degree, tried, found guilty and hanged. Whether the murder was committed for " hire and salary, and not revenge," or both, is known only to that tribunal before which all are to be tried, and that will commit no mistakes. Before his execution, the wretch made a full confession of his guilt, and then suffered the righteous punish- ment prescribed by that ancient law, " that whoso- ever sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."
The first church or meeting-house built in this township was by the Methodists, in the year 1812, on the farmi of Benajah Cook, Esq. It was a plain log house, small in size, and the first minister who officiated in it was the Rev. Daniel Bennett. For many years, there was regular preaching on " week days," once a month, and at first it belonged to the Columbus circuit, but afterward was attached to the Worthington circuit. The congregation wor- shiped in this log house until 1838, when a new church was built upon the present site, about one mile north of Harlem. It is a large and commo- dious brick structure. The dedication sermos was preached by the Rev. Uriah Heath, of Wor- thington. At Centerville, the Methodists have a church, an offshoot of the Harlem Church, which was built about the year 1845. At first the con- gregation worshiped in a schoolhouse just east of the village, and the Campbellites also worshiped in the schoolhouse on alternate Sundays, and, on account of the difficulties that would sometimes occur between the respective congregations, it was called, in derision, " Confusion Schoolhouse." The present structure was built about 1855, at a cost of $1,600. The bell cost $372. This church was also dedicated by the Rev. Uriah Heath. The present minister is the Rev. Ralph Watson .. The Disciples, or Campbellites. organized a church in this township, in the year 1840, at the residence of Jonathan Bateson. The first organization consisted of nine members, as follows, viz .: James Oglesbee and wife, Jonathan Bateson and wife, James Beauseman and wife, C. D. Clark and Daniel Hunt and wife. The present church edifice is located about one mile east of Centerville, and cost $1,500. In the year 1861, the Old School Predestinarian Baptists organized a church, and built the church edifice in 1868, the money
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
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Huldah Fairchild. The first Pastor was the Rev. John H. Biggs. The present Pastor is Elder Lyman B. Hanover.
The first mill built in this township was run by hand, and the second mill was run by horse- power, and built in 1815 or 1816. Soon after these mills were built, John Budd, Sr., built the first grist-mill that was run by water power, and at the same time built a saw-mill. Benjamin M. Fairchild built a grist and saw mill. These mills are located on Duncan Run. Benajah Cook at an early day, built a saw-mill on Duncan Run. Col. D. Keeler on Spencer Run erected a saw-mill at an early day. For many years after this township was first settled, the nearest mills for grinding wheat were at Chillicothe. There is now a good steam grist-mill at Centerville.
The first post office in Harlem was at Budd- town or Harlem. It was established in 1816, and the first Postmaster was Col. William Budd.
The first death in the township was that of a Mr. Harris, but the circumstances of his death are not recorded, and there is now no one living who knows the particulars. He was probably a stranger in the township.
The Indian trails of seventy years ago have been superseded by broad public highways, traversing the township in every direction. There are roads running east and west, and north and south on the section lines, and crossing at right angles at the center of the township.
The first schoolhouse built in the township was built near the close of the war of 1812, and the first
teacher was David Gregory, of Berkshire. The house was a log cabin, with holes cut through the logs, and greased paper pasted on the logs over the windows to let the light into the interior. This house was located on the site of Harlem Chapel. The first school teacher, Mr. Gregory, subsequently became a prominent citizen of Delaware County- was a Justice of the Peace, County Commissioner, Representative in the State Legislature, Director of the State Prison at Columbus. and was a man of much more than ordinary ability. Soon after the commencement of the war of the rebellion, he emigrated to the State of California, where he died several years ago. This rude schoolhouse in the wilderness where the children of the pioneer received a scanty education, has multiplied to about eight times its numbers. The public schools are supported on an average half a year at the public expense, and taught by competent teachers.
This township contains but two towns or vil- lages. Centerville is situated at the center of the township, and was laid out in 1848. The pro- prietors of this village were Edward Hartrain and Ben Roberts. Harlem Village was laid out in 1849, and the proprietors were Amos Washburn and James Budd. Centerville contains two stores, two blacksmiths. the M. E. Church, an apothe- cary's office, one wagon-maker's shop, and some other mechanics, and in all, about one hundred and fifty inhabitants. Harlem Village is not so large. It has one store and several mechanics, and not to exceed fifty inhabitants.
CHAPTER XXX. ,
GENOA TOWNSHIP-TOPOGRAPHICAL-SETTLEMENT-RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL-MILLS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS-POST OFFICES.
" Where is the patriarch you are so kindly greeting ? Not unfamiliar to my ear his name,
Nor yet unknown to many a joyous meeting In days long vanished-is he still the same?" -- Holmes.
G ENOA TOWNSHIP, named by Elisha Ben- [ nett from the town of Genoa, in Italy, is situ- ated south of the township of Berkshire, in Range 17, and is known as Township 3. The western half of Genoa formerly belonged to the old township of Berkshire, while the eastern half was in the town-
ship of Sunbury. When Harlem was formel. it took in all of what is now Genoa, which latter was set off from the former June 4, 1816, and. at present, is bounded as follows : On the north by Berkshire; on the east by Harlem; on the south by Franklin County, and on the west by Orange Township. In is composed entirely of United States military lands, and is a full town- ship, being five miles square. The principal stream which enters the township is the Big Wal- nut, called in some sections the Gehenna, and Big | Belly. It received the name of Big Walnut in
*Contributed by H. L. S. Vaile.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
this township, from the fact that its banks and bottoms were covered with a dense growth of black-walnut trees, which have long since, in a large degree, disappeared, and now, when black- walnut lumber commands a high price, and finds a ready sale both in this country and in Europe, we are not surprised that the farmers and old set- tlers speak in a regretful manner, of the loss sus- tained by the lavish use of this timber for fence rails, at an early day. Thousands of rails have been split, and old dug-out canoes made from logs that to-day would be worth hundreds of dollars. The doors, floors and sometimes even the walls of the cabins were made from this wood, and it is related, that, in clearing the land along the banks of the Big Walnut, the early settlers used to chop the tree in such a manner that it would fall into the creek and thus be carried away by the cur- rent. The Big Walnut flows through Genoa Township from north to south, just east of the central part, with a very winding course, receiving from both the east and west a number of small tributaries. In the early settlement, the waters were alive with fish. Game of every description was found in the forest that lined its banks, and the Indians held this locality in high favor, and expressed many regrets when called upon by the whites to vacate the land which had been bought from them, and, when removed beyond the treaty line, would avail themselves of every opportunity to come down and hunt. The soil is quite rich. In a few localities there are deposits of sand and gravel ; beds of clay are frequently met with which have been utilized in many instances by the farmers, as the fine brick houses scattered throughout the township will abundantly testify. Along the course of the Big Walnut occasionally are to be found rich bottoms which bear abund- antly, but which are frequently overflowed by the spring and winter freshets, although these inunda- tious tend in some instances to make the raising of a crop a hazardous undertaking. However, the mud deposited by this overflow is an excellent fer- tilizer, thus compensating by an increased yield for the occasional loss of a crop. One of the greatest freshets experienced in this locality took place in September, 1866, at which time the bot- toms were flooded. Sheep, hogs and cattle were drowned; haystacks and parts of buildings were seen going down stream.
About the same distance west of the central portion of the township is what is called the Ridge, a high piece of land forming the " divide " between ;
the waters of Alum Creek, in Orange Township. and the Big Walnut. On either side of this water-shed the land becomes comparatively level. However, along the course of the Walnut on the west. it is badly broken; east of the same, it is rolling. The land is naturally well drained, although in some localities and especially on the bottom lands, artificial drainage is absolutely necessary. In its geological aspect, the township presents some interesting features. Along the west bank of the Big Walnut, about two miles below the town of Galena are seen a wonderful shale deposit. Here in one place, the road called Yankee street makes a curve, and, rising with a hill, follows along the very edge of the highest shale cliffs to be found in Delaware County. For fifty, and, in some instan- ces as high as sixty feet, the cliffs rise almost per- pendicularly from the bed of the Big Walnut. The view from the top of the cliff is very fine, but the danger to be met with sometimes, as the fol- lowing incident will show, detracts very materially from the romance of the scenery. Ira Bennett. who lived in the township, was traveling home- ward one dark night, riding a blind horse, and when he had reached the locality where the road is so near the edge of the precipice, his horse lost the track, and walked off the cliff. Bennett in his descent grasped a bush, and finally succeeded in reaching the top of the cliff, more frightened than hurt. His horse was found dead the next morning at the base of the cliff. At another time. Lewis Mcleod was but little more fortunate. While riding along near the same spot. the night being dark and his horse blind in the eve next to the precipice, the horse saw a light from the other side of the road, when he shied and went over the cliff. McLeod sprang from the horse's back just in time to save himself from going over, but his horse fell to the bottom. The next day, a party upon going to the spot where the accident happened, to their great surprise found the horse alive at the bottom of' the cliff, although somewhat bruised. They succeeded in getting him home, and in a few days he was apparently ready to try it again. In some places along the Big Walnut, there is an outerop- ping of Waverly sandstone, which is excellent for building purposes. although the quarries in Trenton and Berkshire are more generally worked, and the stone is said to be of rather a superior quality. In some places in the beds of shale, there is found a thin layer of limestone of inferior grade. On ac- count of the ease with which it can be quarried, however, it is sometimes used for building
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