USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 26
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During his entire trip he traveled through thirteen bands of Indians, some friendly and some savage and unfriendly to the white race. After a
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year in California he boarded a boat for Mexico. He was thirty days on the Pacific coast and upon reaching Mexico made his best pedestrian record of one thousand miles, walking to Vera Cruz, from which city he went to New Orleans by boat and over into the Mississippi river, headed north for Cairo, Illinois. From that city he walked four hundred miles to Cincinnati, finally arriving at Washington C. H. January 1, 1852. He was an early con- vert to the gospel of work and continued to follow it so long as his age and strength would permit.
AN AGED NATIVE-BORN CITIZEN.
In April, 1913, the Ohio Register spoke of an aged man, a native of this county, as follows: "Wallace Creamer, of Jefferson township, passed his ninety-fourth milestone yesterday. He is a pioneer citizen of Fayette county in whom all are justly proud. He is one of the wealthy land owners, whose ninety-fourth birthday was last Wednesday. He is truly a wonderful man and is approaching his century milestone with the spirits of a boy, with fac- ulties preserved and undimmed interest in the affairs of the church and nation. Mr. Creamer has voted for every Republican President since the formation of that party, and is a most loyal supporter of that political party. He was born and raised on the Creamer homestead, near Parrott's Station. He is rounding out his ripe old age on the same spot where he was born. It is the ardent wish of a large family and many friends that he may celebrate many more birthdays in the same happy manner that he has this year.
"Mr. Creamer married and reared a family of honor in this county. Mrs. Kate Worthington, mother of Mrs. J. D. Post, is a sister of Mr. Creamer, and she has passed her ninetieth birthday."
At this date (October, 1914) Mr. Creamer is still living and full of vigor and takes his usual interest in the affairs of the world.
FAYETTE PIONEER AT FORT MEIGS.
A considerable number of the first settlers in Fayette county had served as soldiers in the last war with Great Britain, the War of 1812-14. Among this number was Batteal Harrison, who was a representative in the Ohio Legis- lature-the first from this county. He was later an associate judge and a man of unusual importance to the first settlement. He participated in the engage- ment at Fort Meigs, under command of Captain Langham. The following
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description of that awful engagement has been well written by historian Henry Howe, and reads as follows :
Soon after the active operations began around the fort, Gen. William Henry Harrison received word that Gen. Green Clay was near at hand with a reinforcement of twelve hundred men. The plan was for Clay to descend the river in flat-boats; Clay was to detach eight hundred men, who should be landed on the left bank of the river, where they were to attack the English batteries, spike the cannons and destroy the carriages, then retreat to the fort, while the remainder of the troops were to land on the side next to the fort and cut their way to it through the Indians. When Clay approached the fort, he detached Colonel Dudley to attack the batteries. To divert the at- tention of the English and Indians, General Harrison ordered Colonel Miller, with his famous Fourth Regulars, to make a sortie on the side of the river on which the fort stood. He attacked the barriers, spiked the cannon, and, though the English outnumbered him, he took about forty prisoners and com- pletely routed them. Colonel Dudley raised the Indian yell and captured the batteries on the opposite side of the river, but, neglecting to spike the cannon, and lingering on the spot, his scouts were fired upon by the Indians in ambush. Indians began to swarm around him; Tecumseh swam across the river with his savage hordes upon his rear; Colonel Dudley fell by the tomahawk, and scarcely two hundred out of the eight hundred men reached the fort. The American prisoners were taken to old Fort Miami, in which they were con- fined. Here the infamous Proctor allowed the Indians to butcher the Ameri- cans with the tomahawk and scalping-knife and torture them as their fancy dictated. He is said to have witnessed the massacre of over twenty prisoners in this place. Tecumseh now made his appearance, ignorant of what was going on inside of the fort. A British officer described his conduct, on this occasion, to an American. He said that suddenly a thundering voice was heard speaking in the Indian tongue ; he looked around and saw Tecumseh, riding as fast as his horse could carry him, to a spot where two Indians had an American, killing him. Tecumseh sprang from his horse and catching one Indian by the throat and the other by the breast, threw them to the ground. The chief then drew his tomahawk and scalping-knife and, running between the prisoner and the Indians, brandished his weapons madly and dared any of the hundreds of Indians around him to touch another prisoner. His people seemed much confounded. Tecumseh exclaimed, passionately, "Oh! what will become of my Indians!" He then enquired where General Proctor was, when, suddenly seeing him at a short distance, he demanded of
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the commander why he had allowed this massacre. "Sir," said Proctor, "your Indians cannot be commanded." "Begone!" answered the wily old chief sneeringly, "you are unfit to command ; go and put on petticoats."
HON. MILLS GARDNER-AN EPITOME.
The late ex-congressman from this county, Hon. Mills Gardner, an hon- ored pioneer of Washington C. H., is entitled in this chapter to the following epitome. His biography appears elsewhere in the work:
Born January 30, 1830.
Left school at the age of fourteen years.
A store clerk until twenty-five years of age.
Married October, 1851.
Admitted to the bar in 1855.
1855 sent as delegate to state convention that nominated Salmon P. Chase.
Elected prosecuting attorney two terms.
1862, member of Ohio State Senate.
1864, presidential elector on Lincoln ticket.
1866, member of Ohio House of Representatives.
1872, member of State Constitutional Convention.
1876, elected to seat in United States Congress.
Died February 20, 1910.
A type of noble manhood.
JUDGE RICHARD A. HARRISON.
This distinguished lawyer and honored citizen, while not a resident, practiced law in Fayette county nearly a half century, and by reason of his strong personality and rare judicial mind, won the esteem and confidence of many within this county, who will recall his fair decisions and his noble traits of manhood. He passed from earth's shining circle in August, 1904. He was born April 8, 1824, in Thirsk, Yorkshire, England, the son of a mechanic who was also a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church. With his parents young Harrison came to America in 1832, the family settling in Warren county, but subsequently removed to Springfield, where the subject of this memoir worked on the Republic, a newspaper of that city, when aged about twelve years. In his after years he was classed among such noted characters as Stanley Mathews, Judge Hoadley. Judge Rufus S. Ranney and
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others of his day. In his office he frequently vacillated, but before the court he never wavered. He studied every feature of the case-both sides-and was never caught by the wiley traps sometimes set by opposite attorneys. While he knew both sides of all cases he tried, he never showed this fact before the court and jury-one side was his to contend for and there was none other to him before the courts.
Of Judge Harrison's early career it should be recorded that he com- meneed to study law in the office of Judge Rodgers, of Springfield, Ohio. After eighteen months there he entered the Cincinnati Law School, the first such institution established west of the Alleghany mountains. He graduated in the spring of 1846 and by virtue of his diploma was admitted to the bar on his twenty-second birthday, April 8, 1846, at London, Ohio. He had many celebrated cases, some of which were fought out before the supreme court. Among such noted cases at law may be recalled that in which the proceedings attacked the patents of the Bell Telephone Company. In this case he had associated with him Governor Hendricks, of Indiana, and J. J. Starrow, of Boston.
Politically, Judge Harrison was first a Whig and later a Republican. In 1857 he was elected to a seat in the General Assembly, being in the House. In 1859 he was elected to the State Senate. He there served with such noted law-makers as Gen. James A. Garfield, Jacob D. Cox, Thomas C. Jones and E. A. Ferguson. In 1861, when Gov. Thomas Corwin was appointed as minister to Mexico, his place as congressman was filled by. Judge Harrison, who was appointed to such position., He retired from public life in 1863. In 1875 Governor R. B. Hayes appointed him as a member of the supreme court commission for Ohio, but he respectfully declined, as did he upon the death of Judge William W. Johnson, in 1887, when Governor Foraker tendered him a seat on the supreme bench. He preferred the private practice of law to holding public offices.
Among the paragraphs in the fine set of resolutions by the bar associa- tion, after his death, occurs these words: "He was the ideal lawyer, states- man and citizen. Truly a great man has fallen. Nevertheless he lives and he was a man who in his profession and his every walk of life is worthy of emulation and veneration."
HON. MARSHALL J. WILLIAMS.
This deceased member of the state supreme court was born in Fayette county, Ohio, February 22, 1837, and died at Columbus, July 7, 1902. His father was Dr. Charles M. Williams, who was a native of Clermont county,
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this state. The parents resided in Fayette county nearly all the years of their married life. The father was a noted physician of his day. Judge Williams, of whom this memoir treats especially, was permitted to attend the common schools, but had a hard time at trying to secure a higher education, but finally mastered all obstacles and became a learned man. Aside from two years at Delaware College he had no school advantages outside the common district school. Before he had reached the age of twenty years he had taught a number of terms of district school, at the same time studying law. In 1857, when he was about twenty years old, knowing that he was qualified to practice law, but also knowing that he had to wait another year before he could be admitted in Ohio, he went west to Iowa, where age made no difference, and there he was at once examined and admitted to the bar. He remained and practiced there for one year, then, being seized with a home-sickness for his native state, he returned and opened a law office in Washington C. H. He continued in the practice until 1884, when he was elected judge of the second district circuit court. The year after he returned from Iowa, 1859, he was elected prosecuting attorney for Fayette county and was re-elected in 1861. In 1869 he was honored by being elected to a seat in the Ohio Legislature, and was re-elected in 1871. In 1884, when the circuit court of Ohio was created, he was elected a judge in that court, and was soon its chief justice. He served two years on the circuit bench and in 1886 was elevated to the state supreme court. In 1891 he was re-elected and still again in 1896, serving almost sixteen years on the supreme bench of the state.
As a judge the name of Marshall J. Williams will be honored as one of the greatest jurists of his generation, and will stand in fame among the ablest of any age. In the social relations of life, among his neighbors and acquaint- ances, he was highly respected, and in his profession was admired and beloved by all the attorneys. His moral character was above reproach and unsullied. He was ever a true gentleman, honest and upright, commanding the respect of all within the large scope of his activities. His influence was always on the side of right and good order.
Hon. A. R. Creamer, a fellow associate, used these words in his eulogy over Judge Williams: "He needs no bronze statue or granite shaft to per- petuate his memory. His decisions will be read, studied and followed in the legal profession and the courts for a thousand years and as long as our present form of government endures. A man's good works are the most en- during monument to his memory. Judge Williams could leave no richer legacy to the public or to posterity than the record of a pure, well-spent, hon- ored life."
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CHAPTER XIX.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The township of Union occupies a central position in the county. It was one of the original townships, formed at the time of the organization of Fayette county in ISI0. The boundary lines are as follows: Beginning about a mile east of Bloomingburg, on the Marion township line, it runs a little south of west about four and a half miles to the pike; then deflects a little to the south until it reaches Paint creek, about two and a half miles; thence nearly southwest about two miles to Sugar creek; thence with said creek about ten miles to Paint creek; thence north with the pike one mile ; thence east one mile to Paint creek; thence north two miles with the creek; thence northeast two miles to the pike; thence north of east three miles to the railroad; thence northwest with the pike three miles; thence north to the beginning.
The drainage of the township is well taken care of by Paint creek, supplemented by artificial drainage where necessary. This creek divides near Washington into the east and west branch. Sugar creek flows along the western side of the township. The land generally is level in Union town- ship. The western portion was at one time very heavily timbered, while the northeastern part was called the "barrens," very low and swampy, covered with high grass in the early days, which the Indians annually destroyed by burning.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Edward Smith. Sr., was one of the earlier settlers in the township, coming in 1810. He is mentioned in full in the chapter on early settlement and organization. His death occurred while he was trying to cross Paint creek during high water.
Jacob Casselman was a noted hunter and farmer of this section. John Thomas, a farmer, was a soldier in the War of 1812. Jacob Judy, also a soldier in this war, was another prominent early farmer. Col. Joseph Bell
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represented the fourth district in Congress for several terms. Col. Joseph Vance, Sr., served in the French and Revolutionary wars. John King, farmer, Robert Irion, first surveyor, William Cockerall, first school teacher, John Irion, trustee, William Boggs, shoemaker, J. and S. Coffin, tailors, were in the War of 1812, also James Pollock and Reuben Purcell. William Bran- non, Sr., William Brannon, Jr., James Brannon, C. Coffman, Hiram Rush and N. Rush were farmers. The Allens, Ananias, Madison, James, Joseph, Jesse, Benjamin and Eben, all lived on Allen run, sometimes called Big run.
Robert Smith emigrated from Virginia at an early date and settled in Ross county, near Bainbridge. From Ross he came to Fayette and after- ward served in the War of 1812. Edward Taylor was a Pennsylvanian and a veteran of all the early wars. He first came to Kentucky and in 1815 pur- chased two hundred acres of Nathaniel Massie on main Paint and Taylor runs. He lived to be over one hundred years of age. J. S. Bereman was another early settler of Union township. Daniel McLain, Joseph McLain, William R. Millikan, William Rush and Lieut. John Millikan were other early comers to the township.
Judge James Beatty emigrated to Fayette county in 1818, when the town of Washington had but a few log cabins and deer and game were in abund- ance. He served in the War of 1812. His father was Charles Beatty, who died in 1850. Judge Beatty was elected and commissioned an associate judge in 1847 and served until the new constitution was adopted.
Robert Robinson, attorney and an early representative of Fayette county ; Wade Loofborrow, of whom the same could be said: Col. S. F. Carr, attorney, were pioneers. Brice Webster, Robert Harrison, Joseph Orr and James Harrison were farmers. Thomas, J. and C. Walker, James Tim- mons, Patrick Pendergrass, Thomas Pendergrass, James Allen, Samuel Web- ster, Moses Rowe, Daniel McLain, John Hues, B. Ball, John Weeks, John Dehaven, William Highland, Robert Geno, Abram Ware, David Thompson, Daniel Shiry, John Rankin, N. Evans, John Allen and David Morrison were farmers.
Seth Dunn. hunter and farmer; Elisha Taylor and Colonel Jewett, farm ers, were all in the War of 1812. Nathan Loofborrow, Jerome Drais and James McCoy were all noted stock dealers. Isaac Templeton, a day laborer, was the father of eighteen children (three sets of twins). Abel Wright and John Myers, respectively tanner and farmer; Joseph Blackburn was ninety-nine, a tanner; Stephen Grubb, carpenter; Judge Gillespie, a man of influence ; Noah Devault and George Hinkle, carpenters : Zebedee Heagler and John Grady were the first butchers.
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John Thomas settled at the mouth of the east fork of Paint creek about 1810 and was known all over the county as "Chin" Thomas, on account of the remarkable extension of his chin.
Robert Harrison and William Downing came from Kentucky about 1808, and located on Sugar creek. Samuel and Frank Waddle came from Kentucky in 1810 and settled on Sugar creek. Henry and Jacob Snyder came from Virginia, first to Ross county, then to Fayette, locating on Sugar creek in 1809. David and John Wright settled on Sugar creek in 1808. Leonard Bush came from Virginia, with a large family, in 1808, and settled on Sugar creek. Fielding Figgins, with four or five sons, came from Ken- tucky and began farming on Sugar creek in 1809. The Millers came from Virginia in 1810 and settled between Washington and Sugar creek. The Coils located near Bloomingburg in 1809. Jacob Judy came from Virginia and located on the east fork of Paint creek in 1809. A Mr. Smith settled on Paint creek, in which he was subsequently drowned.
It appears that for a long time no settlements were made in the im- mediate vicinity of Washington. John Orr settled on Paint creek, about two miles southeast of Washington, in 1808.
Valentine (Felty) Coil was one of the earlier settlers of Fayette county and Washington C. H. During the early Indian wars, when about two years of age, he was captured at Ruddle's station by the Indians and Canadians under Colonel Byrd, and, with his sister, was carried across the Ohio, at Cin- cinnati, to Niagara Falls, thence to Canada, where he was adopted by a squaw who had lost a son, with whom he lived until his marriage. It is said that the notorious Simon Girty, who captured him, met him at a public house in Canada, and after inviting him to drink, and when under the in- fluence of "fire water," bantered him for a fight, which being refused, he grew very talkative and revealed to him the whereabouts of his friends. On the strength of this, Coil went to Kentucky and found an uncle, who went with him to Virginia and found his mother, who had married a man named Hendricks. When he saw her, she did not recognize him. By means of a mark he was made known. He returned to Canada and, after the death of his wife, came to Fayette county and set up a distillery near Washington, which he finally abandoned and came into town. It is said he made whiskey in Canada for the English Fur Company. He was sold by the Indians to a British officer, whose wife imposed upon him and made him a slave.
CHAPTER XN
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP
TOPOGRAPHY.
Jefferson township was named after the third President of the United States. It is located in the northwestern part of Fayette county, being bounded on the north by Madison county, on the east by Paint township, on the south by Union and Jasper townships, and on the west by Greene county. Paint creek forms its eastern boundary proper, while Rattlesnake enters in the north and crosses the entire township, flowing southwestwardly, while the numerous tributaries of these streams traverse the township in different directions. According to statements of the old settlers, Rattlesnake creek is named from an old Indian chief, whose camp was often located along the banks of this stream named after him. Sugar creek, flowing almost parallel with Rattlesnake, obtained its name from the great abundance of sugar maple on its banks.
The surface of Jefferson township is generally level, with occasional ridges and low rolling hills. The soil is black and very productive and large crops of grain are harvested each year, especially between Sugar and Rattle- snake creeks. The land in this section was originally timbered heavily with elm, hickory, oak and sugar maple, but the interests of commercialism have largely removed this magnificent growth from the township.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Chief among the military surveys of this township are tracts bearing the names of McArthur, two thousand acres; Washington, two thousand acres; Kearns, one thousand acres; Duff, two thousand acres; Dunn, one thousand acres ; Mosely, one thousand acres. Pendleton, Spottswood and others. These surveys have been divided into small tracts and are owned principally by the pioneers and their posterity.
Records show that William Robinson, Sr., was among the first who settled within the limits of this township. The family, which consisted of
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father and four sons, were natives of North Carolina, whence they removed to Virginia. In the year 1901 they came to this state and settled in Greene county about five miles southeast of Xenia, where they remained a few years and then came to this township, perhaps in 1804. The elder Robinson located on the present site of Jeffersonville, occupying a cabin situated on a lot later owned by Richard Fox. William Robinson, Jr., took possession of a tract of land just across the creek from the village, now known as the Wright farm. Two of the sons, Thomas and Abner, lived near, also Nicholas, an- other son.
Aaron Kendall and family left Stafford county, Virginia, in 1805 and settled in this township on part of the Washington survey. The father eventually traveled back to Virginia and died there. The remainder of the family grew up and scattered.
In the year 1809 or 1810, George Creamer and three sons, Michael, Joseph and David, came from Berkeley county, Virginia, and settled on Sugar creek, on land still owned by his descendants. George Creamer, Jr., came in 1813 and located in the same neighborhood. The family held prominent positions and took an active part in the development of the county. George was the first justice of the peace; David was justice of the peace and surveyor : Joseph, Michael and David participated in the War of 1812. The senior Creamer died in the year 1825.
Soon after the Creamers took their departure from their Virginia home they were followed by Marshall and Jacob Jenkins, who resided in the same neighborhood. Marshall Jenkins removed to Sugar creek. He lived there about twenty years, then removed to Port Williams, in Clinton county. Jacob took possession of a tract of land and lived thereon until 1850, when he divided the same amongst his children and removed to Jeffersonville, where he died in 1865.
Prior to 1812 a Carolinian named John McKillep came here and located about two miles north of Jeffersonville, with his wife and three sons, John, William and Daniel. Mrs. McKillep was held in high esteem for her services among the settlers as midwife, and, because of the scarcity of physicians, was in great demand.
One of the two Duff surveys in the county was settled by Patrick Kerns, who emigrated prior to 1810 and cleared a piece of ground adjoining that of Jenkins and Creamer. He built a two-story log house, in appearance far in advance of his day and which was standing and occupied as late as 1874. The western survey was purchased by Peter Harness in 18II and divided among his sons.
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Joseph Hidy settled at an carly day near Paint creek and owned a large tract of land in Paint township. Michael Carr owned land in this township, but lived in Paint.
John Killgore, with his wife and a large family, emigrated to Greene county, Ohio, from Kentucky in 1801 and located in the immediate vicinity of Xenia, where they remained several years, but, because of the scarcity of game, they determined to change their quarters. Accordingly the elder, ac- companied by several of his sons and a neighbor named James Kent, pro- ceeded to explore the country east of Xenia and finally entered this township. The first trace of civilization they discovered was a turnip patch near the cabin of Phillip Powell. They struck the branch called Benbow creek and followed the same through the farm now owned by Perry Killgore to its mouth at Sugar creek and here a bear was shot by one of the party. Per- ceiving smoke arising from near the spring on what was later the Blessing farm, they proceeded hither and discovered a party of Indians in camp. The latter were friendly and invited the Killgores to remain over night, which invitation was thankfully accepted, the bear being served for supper. On the following day they went to Madison county, selected a tract of land, erected a cabin, and moved into the same with their families, remaining until 1808, when one hundred and twenty-five acres in this township, extending from Perry Killgore's house to the road east of the same, were purchased. Here they remained until 1812, engaged in farming and hunting. At the outbreak of the War of 1812 one of the sons, James, went to Kentucky with Nathaniel Scott and manufactured saltpetre. John went to Chillicothe, en- listed in the service and died while guarding prisoners. His coffin was made by Joseph Hidy. His son, John Clark, volunteered and was taken to Upper Sandusky, where he remained until the close of the war. The Killgore farm was purchased of Thomas Posey at seventy-five cents per acre. At the death of the elder Killgore it was bought by two of his sons; one of the brothers, Clark, eventually became sole owner.
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