USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 29
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The nearest neighbors of the Johnsons were John Rowe, John Draper. and a second John Draper who lived on Rattlesnake creek. It is told for a truth that children were in the habit of going five miles to play with "neigh- bor's children."
The southwest part of Green township was settled by Virginian emi- grants and North Carolinians, all members of the Friends church or society, usually denominated Quakers. The first were James Smith, who located in the extreme corner of survey No. 1082, and Enos Haines, a portion of the lands adjoining the Clinton county line.
In 1823 came Z. Morris from his old Virginia home-his birth place. He was accompanied by his brother Isaac. The first named located on a hundred-acre tract of land bought of Daniel Burress. There he was still re- siding in 1881, the happy possessor of over three hundred acres, all well im- proved and much of it tilled annually.
Other settlers were William Bankson, Joshua Haines, Philip Barger, one of the very first settlers of this township, Enos Reeder, Edmund and James McVey, all Quakers and excellent citizens. The descendants of these pioneer families are still holding lands entered and bought by their forefathers in this township.
MOONS.
Moons is the only village within the township. It was once known as Buena Vista and still earlier as "Goatsville," which happened on account of so many Dunkards residing there, that some wag said they reminded him,
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with their long hair, of a lot of goats. It is located in a part of survey No. 3987, near Rattlesnake creek. In 1880 it had a population of about one hun- dred and twenty-five, which has been increased to two hundred since that date. The township and village have six hundred and ninety-four inhab- itants.
It was in 1832 when John W. Simpson and Stephen Tudor came to this location to buy land. The former bought a lot of James Larkins, and the latter took other land. The main street was at that time a so-called town- ship road, but the next year was changed to a state road. Simpson returned to Highland county and married, then came back, erected a small cabin, and removed thereto. This was evidently couple No. I to settle as man and wife in old Buena Vista, now known as Moons.
Stephen Tudor, a carpenter, remained in the new settlement until 1835, then sold, William Moon finally getting the land he had lived upon. John Simpson opened the first store in Buena Vista and frequently refused to sell as many yards of calico as a lady asked for, on the theory that it never paid to be entirely out of any given article. Early dealers here were Bell & Jenkins, of Washington, Isaac Tracy, Messrs. Moon, Vickers and Silas Iron.
The first blacksmith was Thomas Dowden ; James McKinney was also an early workman at the glowing forge in this village. William Blair con- ducted a combined shoe shop and whisky-selling place.
The first physician was Doctor Mckinney, this being his first place to practice his profession, and he succeeded remarkably well, it is said by old timers. Moons is now a mere hamlet, with but little business.
MILLS AND DISTILLERIES.
Thomas Moon was the first person to distill liquor in this township. Abraham Crispin started another distillery a few years later.
Thomas Moon also operated the first flouring mill in this section of Fayette county. It was, of course, the first duty of a settler to build him a cabin home in which his family might be safe from the wild beasts that roamed throughout the forest; next he must needs clear land and plant a small crop on which to sustain life, till more improvements could be made. When harvest time came there was indeed much joy in the family circle. But soon another obstacle presented itself to the settler. How was he to con- vert his ripened grain-corn and wheat-into meal and flour? Steam mills were not known here then. Water mills were a long distance apart, so "horse mills" were employed. Most townships had what was known as treadmill,
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but not at first, so farmers had to go quite a distance "to mill" as they called it. Some went to Springfield, where there was a good water mill in opera- tion. When the canal was constructed via Chillicothe, it appeared a bless- ing, for it was then only thirty miles to mill. The building of the Moon mill was a great boon to all within the radius of many miles.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
The first shoemaker in Green township was David Bradshaw, who set up shop in 1817. Before that the settlers had to go barefooted or wear moccasins.
The first marriage was that uniting, on January 7, 1811, David Moon and Mary Ellis. A justice of the peace named Ralph Stout was the 'squire who performed the ceremony.
Thieves and robbers infested this as well as other parts of this county at an early day. Most all the pioneers came in from Virginia. They stood on their rights and were honorable. But other settlers were from other states and disposed to pilfer and lived in partial idleness-living off of the more honorable people of the community. Horses, cattle and hogs were frequently stolen. Padlocks had to be placed on out-house doors. One William Johnson was in the habit of fastening his doors this way every night. One night his son closed the door, but neglected to attach the pad- lock. He was sent back to do so, and upon approaching the stable was sur- prised to see a strange horse tied near the door. He was entering the door when a man mounted the horse and was off like a flash, but luckily he was caught in the act and the horse was restored.
CHAPTER XXIV.
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
On the south line of the county, to the east of Concord and Green town- ships, is Perry township, which up to 1845 was a part of Wayne and Green townships. The settlement here reaches back almost as far as any within Fayette county-to 1804. Perry was organized in 1845, the first officers being as follows: Trustees, Joseph Waln, William Wilson, Albert Adams; treasurer, James Mooney; clerk, Lewis Todhunter; constables, John F. Doster and Jonathan Jones; justices of the peace, Thomas Ellis and Robert Eyer. The population at this date is nine hundred and thirty. Martins- burg is the only village within the township and that contains about two hundred and fifty people. The hamlet of Walton contains sixty.
SETTLEMENT.
It is generally conceded that the first white settler in this township was Jonathan Wright, who in 1796 emigrated from Kentucky to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he remained until 1804, squatting on land within the present limits of Perry township, which belonged to C. Monroe of Virginia, who owned military tract No. 658, consisting of two thousand acres granted for military services as an officer in the Revolutionary war. Wright remained on this land until the year following, then moved to Wayne township, where shortly afterward he died.
John Buck was the next settler. He came from Virginia in 1805, bought a part of the Monroe claim, and there lived until his death in 1830.
Isaac Todhunter, of the society of Friends, emigrated from Tennessee by reason of his hatred for slavery. In December, 1804, he stopped with his sons, Isaac and Richard, who had come in the spring before and squatted on a small prairie, the site of Leesburg, Highland county, where they had succeeded in raising a small field of corn on which to support the family the' first year. The next year Mr. Todhunter purchased twelve hundred acres of Nathaniel Massie (survey No. 2620), on Walnut creek, in the southwest part of the township. Immediately he sold six hundred acres to Thomas and Mordecai Ellis, of Tennessee, who at once located themselves on their land.
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David Dutton, also of the Quaker faith and from the same place in Tennessee, soon made his settlement in this township, near these original settlers. Isaac Todhunter remained on his land until death in 1821, his wife surviving him ten years.
A former historic account of the settlement of Fayette county gives the following on the experience of one of the pioneers, Abner Todhunter, of Perry township :
About 1806, when the sight of an Indian presaged bloodshed and horrid torture, Abner, a youth of fifteen, was sitting in his father's cabin with several younger children, the father and mother being absent on a visit. when he observed six painted savages approaching on horseback. Though ac- customed to danger, he felt his hair begin to raise as the warriors dismounted and entered the house. With that presence of mind, however, produced by long exposure to danger and sudden alarms, he received them calmly and, remembering their characteristic gratitude, he invited them to sit down and placed before them the best of the larder, and then retired while they enjoyed the repast. When they had finished, one of the band arose and approached him, which a second time almost paralyzed him with fear and caused his hair again to stand up stiff. Giving himself up for lost, he tremblingly awaited the issue; but instead of cleaving his head with a tomahawk, or circling his body with his knife, and rather than scalping him, he allayed his dreadful fears by kindly patting him on the head, exclaiming, "White man heap good, feed Indian," and, mounting their horses, they rode off, much to the relief of the frightened youth.
Samuel and Warnel Tracy were among the earlier pioneers in Perry. They arrived from Maryland in 1807, settling on land later occupied by T. G. Cockerill and Joseph Tracy.
Robert Adams came about 1808, from Pennsylvania, settling on five hundred acres which he bought in Ball's survey.
Barnabus Cochran. born in Cape May, New Jersey, in 1773, came to Perry township in 1806, settling on land bought from Seth Smith. He early founded Methodism in this section of the county and from his efforts came Cochran Chapel.
Another Quaker, John Hutton, in 1810 emigrated from Beaver county, Pennsylvania, settling on land later known as the Calvin Beatty place, to whom he sold his interests in 1822 and moved to Clarke county.
John Daster, a native of Frederick county, Virginia, emigrated to Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1810, remained three months and bought land in the
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McKee survey, of Seth Smith, McKee's agent. He died in 1840, some years after he lost his wife.
Another Virginian was Henry Snyder, who came from that state in 1810, purchasing land of Samuel Waddle.
In 1813 the Connor and Voltenburg families squatted in Perry town- ship. Conner operated a small distillery on the banks of Paint creek. Both families left in 1825 and were never heard of afterward.
In 1812 Samuel Edwards came in from Ross county, purchasing con- siderable land in this township.
A South Carolinian named Robert Iron, when aged twenty years, emi- grated to western Virginia, where he followed surveying for seven years, locating claims for soldiers of the Revolutionary War. He then located in Brown county, Ohio, then moved to Pickaway, settling in Fayette county, in 1814, on lands purchased from Thomas Hine, located on the banks of Sugar creek in Perry township. He sold to William Snyder in 1848. He was the father of sixteen children by one marriage. He was in all married four times, and died at his daughter's, in Highland county, in 1848.
John Orr, Sr., a native of Virginia, moved first to Kentucky, and in 1817 to Fayette county, Ohio. He first claimed land in Wayne township. Of William Bush he bought land situated in Perry township, at the crossing of the Martinsburg pike, to which he removed in the spring of 1819. He died in May, 1856.
Some time before 1818 came John Beard, who owned land and remained until his death in 1821.
Robert Anderson, another prominent factor in the early settlement of Perry township, was a native of Virginia, near the James river, where he was born in 1795. In 1818 he emigrated to Buckskin, Ross county, Ohio. In 1819 he came to Perry township, this county, the same year marrying Sarah Rowe, daughter of Jesse Rowe, Sr., who gave the young couple on the day of marriage one hundred acres of good land. He succeeded and before his death he owned over one thousand acres. He willed much of his estate and deeded much more to his sons and daughters. Mathew, a son, inherited the old homestead on Little Wabash, in the northern part of Perry township. He was a most exemplary Christian and did much for his Master. He was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal church society at Rowe's chapel. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Death claimed him in 1878.
Robert Scott, a Pennsylvanian, came to the township in 1820, locating on the Little Wabash.
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William S. Cockerill, a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, born in December, 1790, emigrated to Ohio in 1812, first settling on the Ohio river, but in 1821 came to Perry township, purchased land of John Rowe, son of Jesse, Sr., and a year later sold and re-located on the Little Wabash. He was four times married and the father of eighteen children, nine by each of his first two wives. He was a man of literary tastes and had much ability. In connection with his farming operations he also taught many terms of school. At his death he owned four hundred acres of excellent land.
Rev. John King, one of the founders of Methodism in Fayette county, was born in Elmira, New York, in March, 1786. He married there and soon settled in Ross county, Ohio, where he remained until 1816, then moved to Perry township, locating lands later in possession of his son, Rev. W. A. King, and there he died. His was a clear and certain conversion. Through- out his life he was never a doubter, but faithful to his call. In 1820, at his own house, he organized a Methodist class and was its leader a number of years. Bishop Soule ordained him a minister in 1834. His first wife drop- ped dead from her horse, while going home from church one Sabbath. He then married Alcina Cherry, who survived until 1878. Reverend King served in the War of 1812. In his own house, in Perry township, he taught several winter terms of school, charging nothing for tuition. He died on his farm in 1868, mourned by the whole township and county.
Gershom Perdue was born in Virginia in 1790, of French ancestry. His father died when he was a youth and he lived with his mother until eighteen years of age, then went to learn the trade of a tanner. He operated a tannery in Highland county, Ohio, a number of years; also conducted a mercantile business. He was the first nurseryman in southern Ohio, having established a nursery at Leesburg in 1816. In 1836, with his family, he removed to New Martinsburg, Fayette county, where he lived until his death, at a very advanced age. He was of great value to the church of his choice, the Christian denomination.
MILLING INTERESTS OF LONG AGO.
The hardship of the early settlers getting suitable conveniences for grinding corn and wheat here as well as in other sections of Fayette county added to the other trials of the hardy pioneer band. First, the block and pestle was employed; then came the stone and hand mills, which methods have been described elsewhere in the general early settlement chapters of this volume.
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The advent of the first water mill system in Perry township was in 1816, the mill being built by Thomas Stout, on the Little Wabash, near the crossing of the Martinsburg pike. This was only a small mill and only did grinding a few years.
In 1815 Henry Snyder built a saw-mill on Sugar creek, to which, in 1818, he attached a grist-mill, both being run until the spring of 1832, when the dam was washed away. The mill was sold to Nicholas Kline, who moved its parts away and the machinery finally found its way into the Sturgeon mills. In 1837 Kline sold both mills to Samuel Briggs, who soon tore them down, and erected better, larger mills in their stead.
The first to open a blacksmith shop was John Painter, in 1832, on land later owned by Ely Wilson. He continued until 1838, when he moved to Union township.
In 1835 a colored man named Thomas Waldron built a shop and re- mained six years. The tools were moved by his son to Wayne township, where he operated another shop which was of great benefit to the early set- tlers in that part of the county. This trade was of more use then than in later years when so many things are made by machinery, which then had to be forged out by hard blows on the smithy's anvil.
Aside from Martinsburg, the only store of general merchandise in Perry township was the one opened by John Orr, Jr., in 1841, in one end of his dwelling. In 1851 he erected a large frame store room, continuing until 1856, when he closed up and rented his room to Grove & Craig. Other changes obtained and in a year or two the stock was removed to Highland county.
NEW MARTINSBURG.
Originally called "Martinsburg," New Martinsburg is located on the Martinsburg and Washington turnpike, at the crossing of the Greenfield and Sabina pike. It was laid out by Thomas Ellis n 1831. The first house was erected there by Thomas Ellis, Jr. In 1880 New Martinsburg had a popula- tion of about two hundred souls. Its 1910 figures were, according to United States reports, about two hundred and fifty.
A postoffice was established here in 1851, with Gersham Perdue as post- master, who retained the office fifteen years, and was succeeded successively by J. W. Kneedler, E. W. Welsheimer, Jacob Perdue, J. W. Barnett, Dr. J. S. Jones and others in the last twenty years and more.
In brief, the business interests of this village have been as follows: James and Thomas Ellis opened the first store soon after the platting of the
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village, and remained in trade only a brief time. The second to embark in trade was Joseph Patterson, followed by Robert Buck, of Greenfield, in 1836. Daniel Marsh followed him in two years, then sold to William Wil- son, who continued ten years. In 1838 Richard L. Williams opened a store and continued during all the years down to 1878, when his death occurred, his goods being sold by his executor. In 1839 William and Isaac Coffe brought in a stock from Warren county. Two years later Mr. Perdue bought the last named stock and continued several years, having as a partner, part of the period, Henry Daster. With some firm changes, this stock was carried until 1852, when Perdue sold to Z. Adams, and he removed the stock to Leesburg.
In 1846 Trustin Adams started in the Buck building, and was succeeded by Edward Lanum in 1850.
Robinson & Siolcott, of Washington C. H., opened a general merchandise store here in 1869, placing Jacob Perdue in management of the same. It was sold three years later to Welsheimer & Ellis, which firm later was changed to Ellis & Son.
Dr. J. S. Jones bought the stock that had been sold by R. L. Williams.
The blacksmiths have been numerous. Those pounding at the anvil from the first down to 1880 were James Mckinney, 1833: Jacob Gallinger in 1834 and remained many years; William Wasson lighted his glowing forge in 1841 and wielded the sledge until 1861 ; Isaac Smith came in 1865.
The pioneer wagon shop was opened by Llewellyn Griffith in 1834; James Ellis in 1840; William Fishback carried on a shop from 1843 to 1855 ; William Barrett opened a carriage and wagon shop in 1868, continuing until 1874. In 1880 William Barrett was carrying on a shop in connection with the undertaking business.
The hotel business was in the hands of Llewellyn Griffith from 1834 to 1838. John Lucas kept a hotel from 1878 to 1880.
A tannery was established in 1848 by Thomas Saunders, connected with his harness trade, and continued for ten years. In 1853 James Ellis started a tannery, continuing six years.
The first shoe shop was that opened by David Jones.
Undertaking was carried on by David Barrett and Reese Binegar, each having an establishment in 1870 and were there many years.
Thomas Fishback started a saw-mill in 1845 and the same mill was being operated by him forty years later.
A carding mill and oil works were put in operation at Martinsburg in
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1839 by Thomas Fishback. He did an extensive business a number of years.
The present commercial interests at New Martinsburg are confined to a few stores, and the village, with many other inland places, a few years ago was bereft of postoffice advantages by being placed on the rural free delivery route from Washington C. H. The churches and schools will be mentioned in general chapters on these topics.
CHAPTER XXV.
WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
From the fact that Wayne township, the southeastern in this county, was next to Ross county, and that several of the Ross county pioneers moved across the border at a very early date, Wayne can boast truthfully of being the first township in Fayette county where the first white men settled and remained permanently. A man named Wolf, from Virginia, located on the North fork of Paint creek, near the Ross county line, in 1796, hence was first of all to invade the wilds of Fayette county. This tract of land was, in the seventies and eighties, owned by John H. Bryant, who remembers of seeing the figures "1800" on the mud chimney of the original cabin on the place, and he is confident that it was built at least three and possibly four years after the settlement was made by Wolf. On this land was discovered a perpetual. clear and very cold spring of water, which no doubt induced that early settler to locate as he did. Wolf was described, by those who remember him, as a tall, powerful man, who made hunting, trapping and killing Indians his occu- pation. He died here and was buried near White Oak, on Hamilton's run. The family moved west and some of them were heard of in Indiana in 1860. The old Bryant homestead, later owned by Mr. Speakman, was settled in about 1815 by Philip Louderman, a relative of pioneer Wolf, from Virginia. Another relative of Wolf settled on the opposite side of North fork of Paint creek, on what was later known as the Dr. Judy place. The man referred to was one Alexander Hamilton, probably Wolf's cousin. He died and was also buried at White Oak cemetery.
In 1803 came William Harper, who was born in Berkeley county, Vir- ginia. He was accompanied by his wife and eight children and settled on lands which, thirty years ago, were in the ownership of Robert Harper. The elder Harpers were members of the Presbyterian church, but later united with the Baptists.
Benjamin Davis was another noted pioneer, born in South Carolina. moved to North Carolina, and in 1802 settled in Highland county, Ohio. He remained there till 1807, then took possession of three hundred acres which was a part of the Griffith survey, No. 738. He built a cabin and there
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lived many years. He was fond of books and paid as high as forty-five dollars for one book he owned, and he wrote on its fly-leaf, "Don't steal this book for fear of shame, for above there appears the owner's name." Davis died in 1837, when his son Jacob bought off the remainder of the heirs to his estate and thus secured the old homestead.
Samuel Sollers, a native of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, born in 1784, left that section in 1808 and immigrated to Ohio, having been land seeking the year before, and selected a tract in present Highland county. He brought his wife and one child the entire distance in a wagon, drawn over the rough roads and heavy forests by three horses. It will be understood that at that date Fayette county had not yet been organized, hence they settled in Ross county, but at present it is wholly in Wayne township and is known as the C. Wallace survey. No. 7577. The part selected by Sollers contained four hundred and fifty acres. It was bought from Wallace, who surveyed it for the government.
Hamilton Rogers, wife and eight children removed to this township in 1808 from Kentucky. They were natives of Pennsylvania. They located at the mouth of Indian creek. There were no signs of any improvements about them and Indians abounded all about them; their huts could easily be seen in almost every direction one might look from his cabin. They seemed friendly, but they expected the white men to respect them and their rights.
Another son of old Virginia wended his way to this township in 1821 and worked for farmers several years. This was none other than Aquilla Jones, a native of Bradley county, Virginia, born 1798, the son of English parents. After being here about ten years, he returned to Virginia, stayed there a year or so, then came back to this his adopted country. He did not locate on his own land in this township until 1831, when he married Eliza- beth Garinger, who bore him seven children. He lost his wife, married a second time and by this latter union reared two beautiful daughters, Maria and Laura. He had a son who made a patriotic record during the Civil War.
John Kule, son of John Kule, Sr., should not be omitted from that sturdy band of home builders who braved the dangers of a wilderness a cen- tury ago, for the object of making for himself and worthy family a comfort- able abiding place. He was born in 1808 in Virginia, and moved when quite small with the family to Ross county, Ohio, settling in Concord township in 1817. He obtained his education in a log school house at Greenfield, which was also used as a store and public tavern. Year by year he prospered until he finally possessed more than five hundred acres of land. He held many.
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