USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 30
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public offices and stood high among his fellow men. He had in his home a gun which was placed in a spring when Ohio was yet known as the North- west territory.
EARLY TAVERNS.
At a very early date this township had no public stopping place for the weary travelers. So any settler's cabin must be sought out for a resting place during the night. All were open to well-disposed men and women. Later, but still before the advent of the railroad through the place, the State road travel became large and some place like a country inn, or hotel, was almost a necessity to the times and to the traveling public. Finally Noah Hukill was induced to open such a tavern at his homestead place, on the Washington and Chillicothe pike. It soon got great name and fame. It was always orderly and clean and good beds and meals were always "set up" to those passing through who wished entertainment. He sold liquor, and his first sign-board read "Whiskey and Oats." The next sign flung to the breeze read, "Inn by N. Hukill." The third and last of which there is any record, and which hung at the side of the house, at the sport of the wind many years, bore this inscription, "Independence. Please and Plenty." As high as twenty teamsters frequently stopped there in a single night. The township had no further attempts at hotels until the building of the railroad through Good Hope.
INDIAN HORRORS.
One need not go to the far-off-West, or read cheap literature, giving harrowing accounts of Indian savagery, for right here in Ohio, and in Ross and Fayette counties, there were events and crimes committed by the Indians that make the published stories in dime novels sink into littleness. These are true stories of happenings right here at home. The following is vouched for by Mrs. Scott, a granddaughter of pioneer George Scott. It was given through a request of an historian more than thirty years since, and runs as follows :
By birth Heath was a Virginian, his grandfather having participated at Valley Forge with the American armies during the Revolutionary strug- gle : his wife was engaged in attending to the wounded after the battle. They had three children ; one was killed by Indians while engaged in plowing.
George came to Kentucky as a scout during the Revolution, and at the age of twenty-one married Anna Wright, who lived near the Ohio river, in Kentucky. During the last years of the eighteenth century the young couple
(21)
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crossed the Ohio river, coming to this county, settling on Indian creek, in Wayne township, on land later owned by William Rodgers. They had ten children. The Davises, Wrights, Hills, Brannons and Clousers afterwards located in the same neighorhood, some of them on the opposite side of Paint creek. Heath participated in the War of 1812; in what capacity is not known now.
The Miamis had a camping ground near the mouth of Indian creek, about four hundred yards from the humble home of the Heaths. During the winter from five to six hundred red-skins were encamped here-generally peaceful, though apparently very quick tempered at times. When Deborah Heath, the mother of our informant, was twelve years of age, a white man named Harrod shot and killed an Indian while out on a hunting expedition, and covered him up with logs of the forest. In the morning after the killing of the savage, Heath departed for Frankfort, leaving his family unprotected. The Indians instituted search for their missing companion and, upon dis- covering his dead body, very naturally concluded that the deed had been committed by a pale face. They became very much excited, and one of their companions, who went by the sobriquet of "Wild Duck," an ugly and fero- cious looking savage, came to the Heath cabin and inquired for the head of the family. He was told that the man had gone to Frankfort. He did not de- part readily upon receiving this information, but continued to inquire for Heath, at the same time brandishing his huge knife in a threatening manner, but was finally induced to depart and the terrible suspense of the family was relieved. On the morning following the Indian made a second call, meet- ing Heath a short distance from the house. For more than an hour angry words and threats passed between the two, finally, however, they dropped their weapons in token of peace. As Heath's brother had been massacred by the Indians, his hostility to the latter was avowed and known to them, hence he was suspected of being the murderer of their late companion. Presum- ably he gave a satisfactory account of himself, at all events he was not molested. The entire settlement was much alarmed and feared an attack from their savage neighbors. To ensure safety, the Heaths took up a tem- porary abode at Frankfort, Mrs. Heath having buried her tableware in the garden before departing. Harrod was captured by the Indians in Ross county, and burned to death at the stake, near what is known now as Har- rod's creek. Seven white men lay in ambush and witnessed the terrible exe- cution, but were either too cowardly or had no inclination to attempt a rescue. Apparently the savages were fully revenged by the death of Harrod, as they made no further attempt to disturb the little settlement.
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"Wild Duck's" squaw was a daughter of the chief of the tribe, and dur- ing one of his fits of anger he took her life, which caused much grief and indignation among the rest. A number came to Heath's cabin and requested Mrs Heath to dress the corpse for burial as was the custom of the whites. Next day her body was deposited in a rude grave, a handful of dirt thrown on the same during war whoops, the grave being filled with cedar midst frequent whoops.
Immediately after the ceremony the old chief and another warrior tied "Wild Duck," who had been secured in the meantime, to a pony and started up the creek for the "Cedar Hole," and shortly returned with the pony, though minus a rider. Heath enquired of the chief what disposition had been made of the wife-murderer. The wily old chief shook his fist under Heath's nose and said: "No white man's business."
With the tribe was a white woman who had been captured, with her little brother, in childhood; the latter was killed because he was a burden, being too. young and delicate to walk. The girl grew to womanhood, became ac- customed to the habits of her captors, and married the chief's son. She fre- quently came to the Heath cabin to bake bread at the fire place. When ques- tioned as to her early life, she stated that she knew nothing except that her name was Sallie and that she had come a great distance.
VILLAGE OF GOOD HOPE.
Good Hope, the chief village within the bounds of Wayne township, is situated on the east bank of Indian creek, at the crossing of the Ohio South- ern railroad (now the D. T. & I. line). and Wabash and Good Hope pike. south of Washington C. H. Its present population is about two hundred and fifty. It was surveyed November 1, 1849, by Benjamin Nelson and John L. Burnett, at the instance of Robert Harper and James Sargent, pro- prietors, says the county records. Thirty lots were platted at that date, Number I beginning at a point on North street, running thence north eighty- seven degrees and thirty minutes south, seven poles and two links, to a stake on the line of said street : thence south two and a half degrees east, with West street twenty poles and two and a half feet to a stake. Thence with the Greenfield road twenty-four poles to the beginning, containing an area of seventy poles, two and a half feet.
It should be remembered that while this platting was not executed until 1849, there had been quite a village there for a number of years before that
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date. About 1830 Isaac Smith bought of William Rodgers five acres, in- cluding part of Lot I, giving as pay a rifle. Then Smith presented his son- in-law, William Merchant, who erected a blacksmith's shop thereon, with the same. In 1838 Isaac Smith opened a little store in the building in which the shop had been kept, after remodeling it somewhat. A few years later James Smith, a cousin, started what we now would term a saloon and sold much of the desired fire-water.
Ira Yoeman had a wagon shop there about that date and Robert Mc- Elwaine kept a tan-yard. He furnished leather made up on shares, and people then hired a shoemaker to come in and take their measure and make their boots and shoes. Some were calf and some were cow-hide stock. Mc- Elwaine died and John C. Jones ran the tannery until 1850, when he was appointed sheriff ( a better job), and thus the tannery went down, with some unfinished stock on hand in the deep vats.
Doctor Coffman, later of Washington C. H., was the first permanent physician of the village. He remained ten years and sold to Doctor Golds- bury. Doctor Harlow, later a druggist in the county seat, also practiced medicine at Good Hope.
The present commercial affairs at Good Hope are as follows :
Good Hope postoffice is a fourth-class office, and there have been but few postmasters in charge. N. A. Divines was commissioned in 1881 and served for the exceptionally long period of thirty-three years and up to April IO. 1914, when I. O. Fountain was commissioned. There is one free rural delivery route out from this point, a distance of sixteen miles.
There is a large, two-story frame town building, in which is a public hall and the postoffice has been kept in the corner room of the first story since June, 1914.
The merchants, professions and tradesmen of Good Hope are now : Banking, Farmers Bank of Good Hope (sce banking chapter) ; blacksmiths, Willis Boyer ; barbers, C. C. Fountain ; broom factory, J. B. York, president ; elevators, grain and coal. Moore & Black; feed stable, W. F. Black : general dealers, F. M. Kisling. W. H. Miller, N. F. McCallister, who also handles hardware; hotel, Mrs. Mattie Walker; jewelry, J. J. Parker ; lumber, A. W. Rife; meats, A. M. Murry; pool halls (with restaurants), O. E. Harper, J. J. Parker ; stock dealers, Free & Steers, Hugh Rodgers, T. O. Smalley : veterinary surgeon, O. A. Divines; physicians, S. E. Boggs, A. E. Stemler.
There are churches, Methodist Episcopal and Baptist, each having brick edifices ( see chapter on churches). The lodges are confined to the Modern
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Woodmen of America and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, with the ladies auxiliary.
There is an extensive tile factory which produces a vast amount of superior drain tiling annually. With it is coupled a saw-mill for cutting native lumber. This plant is owned by J. W. Rife & Son, and was estab- lished about 1906.
OTHER HAMLETS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
Besides Good Hope, there are, or have been, in this township towns as follows: Rockville or Rock Mills, in survey No. 2925. This place has a history running back almost a century. The mills and a store and small shops made up the sum total. Stephen Yoeman was first to locate there in 1815. He built the mill and constructed the dam.
Convenience is the name of another hamlet. It is a station on the rail- road and was once embraced in the farm of W. R. Hukill. This, too, is a platted village. There are also flag stations on the railroad line of the Ohio Southern system, known as Bogus Road and Ghormley. None of these are places of much commercial importance today.
CHAPTER XXVI.
MARION TOWNSHIP.
Marion is one of the three townships bordering on the eastern line of Fayette county. It was originally a part of Madison, from which it was separated July 18, 1840. On its north is Madison township, on the east is Pickaway county, on the south is Union and Wayne and on the west is Union. Wayne and Paint townships. Its population is now about eight hun- dred, not including that portion of the village of New Holland within this county.
Coming directly to the first settlement of Marion township, it should be stated that it occurred thirty odd years prior to the township's organiza- tion. Among the earliest in the vanguard of pioneers in this part of Fayette county was John Uriah Blue, who came in from Virginia in 1804 and settled on North fork of Paint creek, on land later owned by Charles McRea. He remained there until his death in 1820.
Either that year or in 1805 came William Curry, a celebrated counter- feiter, who was also from the Old Dominion state, and who squatted on land afterwards owned by Smith and Jonathan Chaffin. Curry belonged to an organized band of counterfeiters and horse thieves, of which the Funk family were members, with their headquarters at Curry's house. Curry was finally arrested and sent to the Ohio penitentiary for fifteen years.
As early as 1808, possibly a year earlier, came John McCarty from near Frankfort, Ross county, settling on land bought of General McArthur, and there he resided until called by death in November, 1844. In 1810 Edward Wilcox located where Smith Chaffin later lived. He was a worthy citizen and resided here until 1832, then removed to Illinois. Nathaniel and Will- iam Newman emigrated from Virginia in 1810, and also held part of the land subsequently owned by Smith Chaffin. In 1810 another settler named Peter Blue came from Virginia. He was another excellent addition to the pioneers and died in 1848.
Jonathan Shepherd, born in Hardy county, Virginia, in 1787, emigrated at the age of fifteen years with his father's family to Ross county, one-half mile from Frankfort. In 1810 he came to Marion township, purchasing a
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four-year lease of one John Dixon. In 1815 he bought three hundred acres of land, in Quarrell's survey No. 607, of Cadwallader Wallace, where he immediately made settlement and lived there until his death in April, 1862, at the advanced age of seventy-two. He was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Salem chapel.
Daniel Grubs, a Virginian, emigrated to Kentucky, then to Marion town- ship in 1812, locating in G. Reinch's survey No. 6522. He spent much time in hunting and many were the panthers, bears, wolves and deer killed in his hunting exploits. He died in 1838.
A Pennsylvanian named Adam Turner came into Marion township from Ross county in 1814, locating on military survey No. 628, consisting of one thousand acres, purchased from John Johnson, a Revolutionary soldier, a part of which land was in Wayne township. He remained until 1835 and removed to Indiana. His public spirit did much towards developing Wayne and Marion townships.
George Bohrer, of Hagerstown, Pennsylvania, born in 1776, accom- panied his father's family to Berkeley county, Virginia, where he lived until 1799, when, with his bride, he located near Steubenville, Ohio, remained until 1814, then moved to Marion township, this county, buying land of Uriah Blue, in survey No. 6941. He moved to Washington C. H. in 1827 and there engaged in the dry goods and millinery business with James Woods, continuing until 1829, then moved to New Holland and set up in a similar trade there. He continued there until overtaken by death, in October, 1832. He was the father of eleven children, all of whom grew to be men and women of importance in Fayette county. He was zealous in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, and donated the lot on which the Salem church was erected.
Horatio Walker. Daniel Beats, Samuel Coover, George Slaughter, Joseph and Jonathan Bryan, were all early settlers in Marion township. Walker came from Virginia. Beates was from New Jersey, originally, but emigrated from Virginia to this county. Slaughter was from Delaware. Coover was a Pennsylvanian, who arrived here from Kentucky in 1812. He was a tailor and worked at his trade ; later he became known as an extensive land speculator and materially aided many to secure homes in Marion town- ship. He died in 1830 with a fortune, honestly accumulated. Bryan settled on Paint creek, where he spent a long and very useful life as both farmer and stock raiser.
As early as 1818 came Charles Beatty from Virginia, settling on land bought of Samuel Drew, later owned by William Clark.
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James Murray, a Pennsylvanian, came to Ross county, Ohio, when twelve years old, with his father, James H., who settled four miles west of Chillicothe. He helped lay out that place and was the first representative from Ross county. During the War of 1812 he served as general, while his son was a major of militia, which guarded the frontier. Immediately after the marriage of young Murray, he settled on a farm in Marion town- ship, while the parents of his young wife settled on an adjoining tract of land. Murray was elected associate judge. He was an original member of the Bloomingburg Presbyterian church.
Thomas Cook, Sr., was born in Delaware and came to Ohio in about 1808, settling in Ross county. He later moved into Marion township, this county, located on a tract of land subsequently owned by Hezekiah Brown. He then removed to Indiana and died. He was probably another soldier in the War of 1812.
Moses Thompson, an Englishman by birth, moved to Delaware in 1720. He served in the Revolutionary War under Washington. His sons, John, Moses, Jesse, Thomas and Joshua, all emigrated to Ohio in 1805. The son, Thomas, was born in Delaware in 1771. He finally located in Marion town- ship, this county, was twice married and had numerous children. He settled on Compton's creek. He was a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, and his house was the stopping place for all the ministers who chanced to come that way. He died on his farm in 1847.
The Hawkins family was another of the early arrivals in the township. They came from Virginia. In 1827 came Elihu D. Scott, from Ross county. He located on land purchased of William Newman, and remained there until 1847, moved to Van Wert county and there died.
Benjamin Glaze accompanied his father's family to Union township in 1805, remained at home until he attained man's estate, married, lived on his father-in-law's farm until 1829, then bought two hundred and fifty acres of wild land, of Thomas Carey, in the Ladd and Newell survey No. 9128.
Perhaps no better citizen ever lived within Marion township than pioneer William Strope, who was justice of the peace thirty-eight years and who died in 1881. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1805, and died in New Holland, this county. He had lived in Ohio since boyhood. He was a bright Freemason, but never professed religion or held a membership in any church.
The history of schools, churches, etc., will be found in the general chap- ters of this volume, with those of all other sections of Fayette county.
Concerning early milling, it should be said that Adam Turner built a
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grist-mill and saw-mill on his own land in 1818. This was the first water- mill in Marion township and was operated more than twenty years. He finally moved to Indiana, after which this mill was run by John Cooper, and later by William Lucas.
A postoffice (only one in the township), was established at the tannery of Armor Lloyd in 1851, but was discontinued after one year.
The tanneries in this township were that of John Myers in about 1820 and one run by Amor Lloyd in 1845. The last named was built near the Otterbein church, and was operated ten years, then sold to Thomas Thomp- son, who closed it shortly afterwards.
The first election in Marion, after the township's organization, was held at the house of John McArthur, July 18, 1840.
VILLAGES.
The only villages in this township are Manara, a mere hamlet, and a part of New Holland, the greater portion of which is situated in Pickaway county. The Pennsylvania railroad runs through this township from Wash- ington C. H. to the northeast, with New Holland as a station point, on the county line. Manara is situated on the Bloomingburg and New Holland pike.
New Holland is a good, enterprising business point, with a few acres of platting in its incorporate limits which are situated in Fayette county. There are a number of residences, but no business portion of the town is within Fayette county.
Johnson's Crossing is also within Marion township, about three miles to the southwest from New Holland; here there is simply a country store for the accommodation of the near-by farming community.
CHAPTER XXVII.
PAINT TOWNSHIP.
Paint is the central sub-division of the county, on the northern border, with Madison county at its north, Madison and Marion townships at the east, Union and Jefferson townships at the south and Jefferson township at its west. Its population in 1910 was, including the village of Bloomingburg, two thousand and seventy-nine. Its chief pike is the Bloomingburg and Midway road. It was named from the creek that forms one of its boundaries. It was one of the original townships of Fayette county at its organization. Nature has made this a fertile domain. The wash from Paint creek gives a natural fertilizer for its otherwise naturally rich soil.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
To George Coil must be given the distinction of having been the first white man to enter this township with the intention of becoming a resident. It was in the very early days of the last century-about 1802 -- when this man of push and genuine enterprise came in and erected his cabin and at once set about clearing up land which he might utilize as a farming spot. But little is known of him, where he came from or how many years he remained in the county. But records point to the fact that he must have been the first setler.
In 1803 William Hays emigrated from Kentucky, settling on Big Wal- nut, where he remained until 1805, then moved to this township, settling on a portion of survey No. 1063, on the banks of Paint creek, with his father James and the family, consisting of David, John, James, Jr., Rankin, Benja- min, Jane, Mary, Hannah, Elizabeth and Sarah. William and John served as privates in captain McElwain's military company, which was ordered out to Fort Sandusky, where they assembled and built the fort. At the close of the war they returned home and farmed.
It was also in 1805 when Solomon Salmon, of Delaware, came to Paint creek country, settling on the low lands later owned by his son Perry. In 1880 Perry Salmon had in his possession the military patent for four hun-
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dred acres granted to Solomon Salmon, assignee of John McClain, assignee of Benjamin Parker, assignee of William Johnston, assignee of Samuel Kercheval, assignee of Thomas Jenkins, only living representatives of Joshua Jenkins, a sergeant in the Revolutionary War. The date of survey of said tract was many years prior to the signing of the instrument by James Mon- roé, March 26, 1819, several years after possession had been taken by Solomon Salmon. Perry, a relative of his, accompanied him and settled on land owned later years by Gideon Vezay. In the eighties the old cabin erected by him was still standing where built.
From 1805 on the tide of immigration swept in extensively. Among these men was Solomon Sowers, who erected the first mill on Paint creek ; Samuel Robins, the pioneer school teacher and justice of the peace; Jacob Pursley, the first blacksmith ; John Oliver. the first carpenter ; Joseph Parris, a soldier in the War of 1812, and also of the Revolution; Leonard Parris, of the War of 1812, a farmer and hunter, and stock raiser: Jeremiah Smith, another soldier, and scores of others whose names have long ago been for- gotten.
Nathaniel Tway, of New Jersey ancestry, but born in Ohio, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and saw three years and a half service. At the battle of Brandywine a ball from the enemy's ranks was lodged in his heel, but otherwise he was uninjured. He came to this county in 1810, working for various farmers by the day. In 1812 his father, John Tway, and the family came out here and located in Paint township, near the Mad- ison county line. Nathaniel later bought land of the Funks, the title of which not being clear he was unable to hold the lands.
William Squire, born in New Jersey in 1756, enlisted during the Revolu- tion, when eighteen years old, as a private in his uncle's company, serving with much credit. The family, then consisting of himself, wife and four children, settled first in Ross county, Ohio, but later removed to this town- ship. He paid two dollars and a half per acre for the land he purchased.
There were several settlements on the road leading through Blooming- burg. One Lambert lived on the site of the village grave-yard, and Isaac Boner also lived near him.
Col. James Stewart, mentioned elsewhere, settled here early and the commissioners of the new county of Fayette held their first meeting at his cabin in the spring of 1810, which was before the matter of a county seat had fully been fixed upon. In 1812 he was elected colonel of the Fayette county regiment in the Third Brigade of Ohio militia. He was a Presby- terian and aided in the organization of the church at Washington C. H. and
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