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 7
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Alum Creek Post Office is a point of interest, located on the pike between Delaware and Sun- bury. A post office has been located here for years, at a private house about half a mile west of the place, which affords the chilled traveler in winter a comfortable place to warm while the mail is sorting. A church building adds dignity to the name, and serves to mark the place.
Cheshire, located east of the central part, is the only village in the township. Samuel Adams owned the farm on which the village now stands, and laid it off into lots. The first store was a room about seven by nine feet, and was kept by L. R. Ryant. He bought his goods in Colum- bus and brought them here in a wagon on the 15th of October, 1847. A few years afterward. he added another room for a shoeshop, where he
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sold ready-made goods and manufactured to order. Mr. Ryant was also the first Postmaster, his com- mission being dated August 10, 1851. The post office is called Constantia, from Joseph Constant Lewis, the first child born in Berlin. The vil- lage is located on a barren clay knoll, a location which gave rise to a name which attained quite a local popularity. Jesse Hultz gave it the name of Peth, from a place similarly situated in New York, "for," in explanation, said he, " what don't run away will starve to death." A saw-mill and grist-mill combined was built here in 1855, by Daniel Nettleton. The structure is much smaller than originally constructed. Mr. Nettle- ton intended to add a carriage factory, but the excitement brought on by the undertaking pros- trated him with a nervous disease which put a stop to the enterprise.
A fine cemetery ground is located just south of Cheshire, which was laid out by the " Nettle- ton Grove Bank Cemetery Association," organ- ized October 10, 1853. The first officers were Joel Cleveland, President; Lewis Thompson, Clerk, and Vinal Steward, Treasurer. The oldest cemetery is the one where the block-house stood, on the west side of the creek, but it is rapidly going to decay. Another, near the town hall, on the road to Berlin station, contains many of the first settlers. Here an old storm-beaten stone bears the legend-
Here rest the remains of JOSEPH EATON. who departed this life Feb. 8, A. D. 1825, aged 59 years. He emigrated from the State of Pennsylvania, A. D. 1805. He was the son of DAVID, EATON ; which was the son of JOHN, EATON ; which was the son of JOSEPH, EATON ; which was the son of JOHN, EATON; who emigrated from Wales, A.,D. 1686.
The village is made up of two country stores of the smaller size, the post office, a saw and grist mill, a slat window-shade manufactory and two churches.
Berlin Station is simply what its name implies, a railway station. The first agent put in a stock of groceries and was the pioneer in both respects.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
There is now a grocery, a saw-mill, a wagon-mak- er's shop, a post office, a church building and a tile factory, at this place. The latter enterprise bids fair to reach large proportions. There is a large demand for drainage material, and the pro- prietors are active business men, who are well calculated to achieve success. The business has already developed a vigorous growth, and Berlin Station can well afford to nourish such an enter- prise in its midst.
Another place should be mentioned, which, though it does not now appear on the map of the county, promised at one time to rival the larger villages of this section. It was laid out, in 1850, by J. R. Hubbell and Thomas Carney, just where the railroad crosses the Berkshire pike. At that time, the railroad did not go to Delaware, and it was expected by the founders of this village that a depot would be established there. Some eighty lots were laid out and sold, a warehouse was built, and efforts put forth to stimulate the growth of the town. The railroad, however, had a larger town to deal with, and, in compromising with Dela- ware, placed its depot about two miles south, in the woods. Soon afterward, the curve was built to Delaware, which gave a finishing blow to the new venture, and, about ten years after its found- ing. " Berlin " returned to its rustic pursuits.
The Baptist Church was the first to take the field in Berlin, in the person of a Rev. Mr. Wyatt. A church of this denomination had been formed in the Olentangy Valley, in Liberty Township, as early as 1806. Mr. Wyatt was their Pastor, and he came into this township about once a month to preach in the cabins about. He carried on his work as far east as Trenton, receiving such as wished to join the church into the organization at Liberty. From time to time, as the membership in the various localities would warrant, they were set off from the parent church at Liberty, into separate organizations. This distribution of churches, together with the increase of like faith in Berlin, made Alum Creek the central point for meet- ings. In 1816, they met for the first time in the block-house, which, having served the community in time of war, was called upon to play a nobler part in time of peace. For eight years the Bap- tist Church held its meetings here, when it was voted to change its name to the Berlin Baptist Church, and, in that year, erected the frame building, where lies the burying-ground on the road to Berlin Station. This building is now the town hall. Among the members, at that time,
were Isaac Monroe, David Lewis, Sr., Joseph Eaton, and their wives; John Johnson, Sarah Brandy and Polly Noko; the two latter were colored women. Sarah Brandy died at the age of 114 years. She had been a servant in George Washington's family, and been for a long time connected with the family of Gen. Sullivan, of Revolutionary fame. It was the habit of Gen. Sullivan to send to Joseph Eaton a small sum of money each year, to provide Sarah with such com- forts as tea, sugar, coffee, etc. In 1854, the Baptist church building now standing in Cheshire was built, at a cost of some $700. Rev. Philander Kelsey was the first Pastor in this edifice. It was dedicated on the last day of the year, and a bell was hung in it the following year. Elder Jacob Drake was early on the ground, and co-operated with Mr. Wyatt. He was a surveyor, and was much among the people. He preached in the cabins, especially in those of Mr. Lewis and Ros- well Caulkins. An incident is related which shows that " chickens " were not considered then the only thing fit for a minister to eat. He came out from Delaware one morning. in 1803, before breakfast, and a meal was prepared for him. The table was a puncheon, neatly smoothed off on the upper side, supported by pins driven into the logs of the cabin. When the meal was announced. he sat down to a single baked potato, with salt in a clam shell, and water in a gourd. This was the fare offered a minister, who had walked seven miles for his breakfast, and it is said he seemed to relish it as well as though it had been a fine dinner.
The Presbyterian Church came second in chron- ological order, its first minister being a Mr. Stevens, who came to Berlin on a missionary tour of exploration. Rev. Ebenezer Washburn, of Berkshire, was on the ground at an early date. Revs. Matthews, Taylor, Hughs and Hoge were contemporary with him. At an early time an or- ganization of a Presbyterian church in Berkshire was called the Berkshire and Kingston Church, with a constituency extending from Kingston to Orange, and this continued to be the center of this denominational influence until 1828, the year of the great revival, when that part of the church south of Berkshire was set off and formed into the Presbyterian Church of Berlin. Among the num- ber set off there were four elders, John Roloson, Paul Ferson, Milton Sackett, and Stephen Chand- ler. These composed the session of the new church, which at once proceeded to build a place of wor-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ship. The building is situated just south of Cheshire, and is a neat frame building, which cost some $700. The minister at this time was the Rev. Ahab Jinks. This man was peculiar in more respects than in his name. It is said, that, when a boy, he was the leader of a godless band of young ruffians, for whose sport he would mimic the preachers he heard, giving, their sermons ver- batim. Going to hear Dean Swift, his course of life was changed, and he turned his ability to- ward the right. His trick of memory never left him, and led to some contretemps in which he was the least confused party. On one occasion he preached from Isaiah i, 2, an especially brilliant sermon to his parishioners in Berlin, which greatly impressed them, and it was generally remarked, that the. minister had outdone himself. One of his parishioners went to Genoa in the afternoon, where he heard, to his utmost astonishment, the same identical sermon, delivered by Rev. Mr. Jud- son, the earliest of the Sunday-school agents. At another time, desiring to get up a camp-meeting in Berlin, Mr. Jinks preached a sermon which car- ried every obstacle before it, and aroused the peo- ple to the pitch of camp-meeting fervor. The ar- rangements were made for the meeting in the Dickerman woods, and it was carried on with great success. Near the close, Mr. Jinks invited a Rev. Mr. Pomeroy to assist in conducting the meetings. He came and delivered for his first effort the very sermon which had so aroused the people some time before. When asked to explain these coincidences. Mr. Jinks quietly remarked that he had heard them delivered, considered them good sermons, and thought he would give his parishioners the benefit of them. In 1832, Rev. Calvin Ransom was installed Pastor of this church. Five years later Rev. D. C. Allen succeeded him, and he in turn, after a few months, was succeeded by Rev. H. Shedd. In 1844, Rev. A. S. Avery was called, and in 1845, Rev. John W. Thompson was installed Pastor, and continued for a long time as Pastor of this church. Another church of this denomination was established at Berlin Station in 1876. The church was organized January 16, 1876, with nineteen members, and, in the fall of that year, a church building, costing some $1,700, was built. The church edifice is a neat one indeed, furnished with inside blinds, and presenting a very attractive appearance. The membership is now about sixty-nine. Rev. Thomas Hill is Pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is the next organization in point of time in this township.
Rev. Vinal Steward was the first minister of this denomination in the township. He came in 1814, and soon after organized a class, composed of Jacob Aye and wife, and his children-John, Jacob, Jr., Henry, Betsy, Katie, Polly and Peggy ; Lewis Sherwood and wife, and John Lewis and wife. About 1829, they put up a hewed-log meeting- house, a little north of Cheshire Corners, in which they worshiped until 1845, when they held their services in the Presbyterian building. Some three years later the church erected their present place of worship in Cheshire at a cost of $500, dedicat- ing it in 1849. In 1878, the society added a bell. The Cottonwood Wesleyan Church is located in the southwest corner of the township. It was called the Fairview M. E. Church about 1854, and continued for some twenty years. This organiza- tion died out about 1874, when the Christian Union occupied the building for about five years. On March 20, 1879, the Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized with fifteen members, and occupied the church. Mrs. Jacob Colflesh is Class Leader, and B. Hartley, Steward. Rev. Mr. Teter preached for two years here before the organization of a church, and was succeeded by Rev. L. White. Services, Sunday school and prayer-meetings are maintained throughout the year. The church has a seating capacity of one hundred and fifty, where services are held every alternate Sunday.
The Peach Blow Church, in the southern part of the township, belongs to the United Brethren denomination. It was organized in 1857, with about twenty members. Their meetings were first held in the schoolhouse on the west side of the township until the following year, when the pres- ent place of worship was erected on land belong- ing to G. A. Stover. The building, a neat frame, cost about $700. The first Pastor was Virgil Pond; the present one is Rev. Daniel Bonebreak. A good Sunday school is maintained the entire year. The tradition in regard to the name of the church is an interesting oue. It was dedicated as Berlin Chapel. The trustees who had the matter in charge, decided to have the church painted white, but a third trustee, when the painter came on the ground, directed him to paint it red. So sash and woodwork, and altar soon glowed in that sanguinary hue. The astonishment of the major- ity of the Trustee Board can be better imagined than described. The minority member explained that he had a preference for the delicate tint of the peach-blow, and had thus changed the instructions
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
of the painter. The final upshot of the whole matter was that the peach-blow member retired from the unappreciative church, and the color of the church changed to white, but the name of peach-blow still adheres to the church. A few members of this denomination were settled about Alum Creek Post Office, and, previous to 1860, held meetings at the residence of O. R. May. About this time the project of building a church was inaugurated, and, with the earnest support of such men as Mr. May and Nathaniel Roloson, soon became an accomplished fact. The church is known as the North Berlin U. B. Church, although it was one of the conditions of Mr. Roloson's aid that it should be open to the use of all denomi- nations. This gentleman gave the land on which the building stands. The first Pastor was Rev. William Davis. They maintain Sunday schools in the summer.
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The Universalists, in 1820, made a short-lived attempt to gain a foothold for their doctrines. They held a camp-meeting in a grove near the bridge, south of Cheshire, a Mr. Rogers conduct- ing the services. The effort created some little
Sunday schools were early established, though not of the form we know in these days. The first excitement among the evangelical organizations, " effort in this respect was probably in 1815, by Mr. Goodhue, in the cabin occupied by the Widow Byxbe, sister-in-law of Col. Byxbe. There is no tradition in regard to its character or its results. Later, James and Paul Ferson, of Orange, taught a Sunday school. Mrs. Gregory, who lived at Berkshire, had an occasion to go East about the time when the interest in Sunday schools was at its highest there, and became greatly interested in the subject of introducing them in the West. On her return home, she communicated her enthu- siasm to the Ferson brothers, who became promi- nent in Sabbath-school work, establishing at various places schools on the plan inaugurated at the East.
but produced no permanent results. An incident is related in connection with this effort, which, for the time, created quite an animated discussion in church circles. One Sunday morning as the peo- ple assembled it was discovered that there was no pulpit. Of course, one must be had, and tools and axes were brought out to supply the missing enginery of the church. It is said that some from the evangelical churches aided in this work on Sundry, much to the scandal of the Christian community. Some ten years later a Mormon missionary made a visit and held a few meetings, but made no impression on the steady-going peo- ple.
In the matter of temperance, the first agitation was begun in public in 1832. A meeting was held in the brick schoolhouse across the street from where the Presbyterian church now stands, just south of Cheshire. A pledge had been pro- posed with two or three names attached, and at the meeting some eighteen more names were se- cured. A society was formed, and many more united. This pledge, however, did not exclude vinous or fermented liquors. About 1840, the movement in favor of total abstinence became gen- eral throughout the country, and the result in Berlin was to drive a good many out of the tem- perance society here. With the progress of
thought, the sentiment of this community has ad- vanced, and Berlin is abreast with the rest of the world in matters of temperance. Not a drop of liquor is offered for sale within her borders. About 1840, the proslavery sentiment in Berlin was very pronounced. No discussion of this absorbing question could be calmly carried on, and the pres- ence of an " Abolitionist " created more excite- ment than the passage of a show now does among the children. Later, when antislavery sentiments had reached a larger growth, the flight of fugi- tive slaves was only conducted in safety when the darkness of night afforded concealment. But. notwithstanding these untoward circumstances, the " underground railroad " passed right through the village of Cheshire. From Orange along Alum Creek the fugitive from bondage made his way with the friendly aid of earnest men to Cheshire, thence to the Quaker settlement, and then on to Oberlin, or some other outlet. But all that has long since changed, and every honest man now goes his way without let or hinderance.
The first school in this township was taught by Joseph Eaton, in a cabin which stood west of Alum Creek, and a half or three-quarters of a mile north of the old Baptist meeting-house. The second was taught by Lucy Caulkins, in a cabin near where the block-house stood, about 1810. The first schoolhouse was built just south of the block-house, on a ridge of land which overlooks the creek, but was not much used. It was of the rudest sort, built of round logs, with paper windows, bark roof and puncheon furniture. A school was taught in a cabin near the bridge, opposite the place of John Jones. After this, the block-house furnished good accommodations for school as well as church, and was used for some years. There
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
were, in 1818, but four schoolhouses in the town- ship, with an enumeration of about 100. They were distributed as follows : one in the northwest quarter, two in the northeast quarter-i. e., one in the Durham settlement, and the other in the Eaton 1 neighborhood-and one in the southeast quarter, situated across from the Presbyterian church, south of Cheshire. Peletier Morgan, an old Revolu- tionary soldier, was one of the early teachers in this latter schoolhouse. He carried his whisky in a wooden bottle regularly to school, and divided his attention between that and his pupils. A brick schoolhouse was substituted for this old one in 1826, with Joseph P. Smith as first teacher. The children of that day were not different from those of to-day. Full of mischief, they watched the teacher's eye, and were on furtive mischief bent at all times. An anecdote is told of Thomas Scott and Harry Hoadley getting bumped against the logs of the block-house by the teacher for punish- ment. The justice of the punishment they never questioned, but they sought to evade it in the future by having their heads literally shaved. At another time, a boy of eight years was observed weeping bitterly, and leading a youngster of some four years, who evidently did not comprehend the per month. These prices are without board.
disturbance. On being asked the cause of his grief, the boy blubbered out that his brother " didn't seem to feel the importance of business, and he was afraid he never would." What solace could be offered to a mind thus stricken with grief, it is hard to conceive, but of such were the boys of the pioneers. Spelling-schools and singing-schools were engaged in at that time with far more zest than has come down with those institutions to us. And in the part not laid down in the programme -the going home with the girls-there was a zest which shows itself in the very stories of the time. Milton Sackett relates an incident which pictures forth the society of that day in a vivid manner.
As is often the case nowadays, two boys had their hearts and attentions set upon one girl, and both proposed to himself to escort her home. While one of the contestants was lighting his torch of hickory at the old block-house fire-place, his rival, who had been quicker than he, just placed his torch in close proximity with the other's coat-tail. Of course there was a sudden hurrying about to extinguish the blazing coat- tail, but, in the mean while, the shrewd incendiary had gone off with the girl, leaving his rival to grieve over the lacerated state of his feelings, as well as that of his coat-tail.
Since the earliest authentic data at command- 1837-the yearly increase in school population has been from 10 to 12 per cent. In 1837, the enumeration was 340; in 1858, about 530. The number in the last enumeration has fallen to 288. In 1837, there were seven schoolhouses; in 1845, there were ten; in 1853, there were thir- teen ; now there are but ten. Of these ten, all but two are good, substantial brick structures, furnished with improved school furniture. Ladies are largely employed as teachers, receiving from $18 to $25 per month. Gentlemen receive $35
In compiling the above pages we have been greatly indebted to the manuscript of Mrs. Ripley, and to an historical sermon by the Rev. J. W. Thompson. These papers were written during the life of some of the original settlers, and clothe the scenes of long ago with a romantic interest that can be felt but not copied. To those whose ancestors came here as early settlers, as they trace their history in these pages, there must come as to no one else a feeling that
" Something beautiful is vanished, Which we sigh for now in vain ; We behold it everywhere, On the earth, and in the air, But it never comes again."
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVII.
ORANGE TOWNSHIP-THE EARLY SETTLEMENT-SOCIAL CUSTOMS IN THE WILDERNESS-HISTORY OF THE VILLAGES, ETC.
" Eschewing books and tasks, Nature answers all he asks ; Hand in hand with her he walks, Face to face with her he talks. Part and parcel of her joy."- Whittier.
T' THE historian called upon to record the history of Orange Township from the earliest settle- ment, finds his duty a pleasure not unmixed with difficulties. For him no record exists, and only vague tradition, with here and there a fragment of personal reminiscence, serves, like a " will-o'-the- wisp," as an uncertain guide through the obscurity which the shadows of seventy years have brought about the early men and times. The early settlers were men and women of heroic mold. Though coming simply to find more room, cheaper lands, and to found a home, they met the trying experi- ences of the new country with a spirit that exhib- ited such characters as make the world's heroes.
"The applause of listening senates to command, The threats of pain and ruin to despise, To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land,
And read their history in a nation's eyes, Their lot forbade."
Slowly and laboriously they toiled through the unbroken wilderness, and here reared their first cabin. Herethey dispensed their frugal hospitality, spread around their humble charities, and, with heroic patience and fortitude, endured the stern fate of the pioneer, unknown and unsung of fame. And yet,
" Let not ambition mock their useful toil, Their homely joys, and destiny obscure ; Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile, The short and simple annals of the poor."
What is now called Orange Township, was, be- fore the pioneer's ax disturbed the native quiet of the woods, an unbroken forest of heavy timber. Oak, ash, beech, elm and hickory abounded, in- dicating a generous variety of soil. Sloping up, on either hand, from the Alum Creek on the east, and from the Olentangy on the west, the land forms a ridge of some elevation, nearly in the middle of the township, and is now traversed by the track of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati
& Indianapolis Railway. The soil along the river bottoms, for the most part, is a rich alluvial de- posit. The ridges which rise immediately back of these bottoms, are covered with beech timber principally, indicating a clayey formation. The same is largely true of the central southern por- tion of the township. In the northern portions existed, in the early times, a considerable extent of elm swamp, which, under the influence of clearing and tilling, has proven fine farming land of black, rich soil. Geographically, Orange Town- ship lies next south of Berlin; is bounded on the east by Genoa, on the west by Liberty, and has for its southern line the southern line of Delaware County, and was known in the early survey as Town 3, Range 18. Alum Creek, rising in the northern part of this and Morrow County, passes through the eastern portion, and the stream, vari- ously called Whetstone and Olentangy, runs just west, but curves eastward enough to cut off the lower western corner of the township. It would seem, from the configuration of the ground, that these streams would afford fine drainage for the whole township, but it is complained that the higher portion of the township is most in need of artificial draining. In looking on the map, it will be observed that the southwest corner of the township is cut off by the Olentangy River, and is annexed to Liberty Township. Thereby hangs a tale. Somewhere about 1824, Ebenezer Good- rich, living on this little point of land, was elected Justice of the Peace, by the citizens of Liberty Township. There seems to have been no sus- picion on his part, or on the part of any one else, that he was not a citizen of Liberty Township. and he went on performing the ordinary duties of a Township Magistrate. Finally, it dawned upon some mind that Mr. Goodrich was not a citizen of Liberty, and, therefore, not eligible for the office he held. Here was a dilemma not easily evaded. All the business of an official nature that he had done up to this time was found to be void, and there seemed to be no escape from confusion worse confounded. A remedy was found, at last, in a
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