USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the State of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
THEFTS.
Any petty theft was punished with all the infamy that could be heaped upon the offender. A man on a campaign stole from his comrade a cake out of the ashes, in which it was baking. He was immediately named "the bread rounds." This epithet of reproach was bandied about in this way: When he came in sight of a group of men, one of them would call, "Who goes there?" Another would answer, " The bread rounds." If any one meant to be more serious about the matter, he would call out, " Who stole a cake out of the ashes?" Another replied by giving the name of the man in full. To this a third would give confirmation by exclaiming, " That is true, and no lie." This kind of "tongue lashing" he was doomed to bear for the rest of the campaign, as well as for years after his return home.
If a theft was detected in any of the frontier settlements, a sum- mary mode of punishment was always resorted to. The first set- tlers had a kind of innate or hereditary detestation of the crime of theft in any shape or degree, and their maxim was that a "thief must be whipped." If the theft was of something of some value, a kind of jury of the neighborhood, after hearing the testimony, would condemn the culprit to Moses' law, that is, to forty stripes, save one. If the theft was of some small article, the offender was doomed to carry on his back a flag of the United States, which then consisted of thirteen stripes. In either case, some able hands were selected to execute the sentence, so that the stripes were sure to be well laid on. This punishment was followed by a sentence of exile. He was then informed that he must decamp in so many days, and be seen there no more, on penalty of having his stripes doubled.
CHARACTERISTICS.
With all their rudeness, these people were given to hospitality, and freely divided their rough fare with a neighbor or stranger, and would have been offended at the offer of pay. In their settle- ments and forts they lived, they worked, they fought and feasted, or suffered together, in cordial harmony .. They were warm and constant in their friendships. On the other hand, they were re-
269
PIONEER HABITS AND CUSTOMS.
vengeful in their resentments, and the point of honor sometimes led to personal combats. If one man called another a liar, he was considered as having given a challenge, which the person who re- ceived it must accept or be deemed a coward, and the charge was generally answered on the spot with a blow. If the injured per- son was decidedly unable to fight the aggressor, he might get a friend to do it for him. The same thing took place on a charge of cowardice, or any other dishonorable action. A battle must follow, and the person who made the charge must fight either the person against whom he made the charge, or any champion who chose to espouse his cause. Thus circumstanced, our people in early times were much more cautious of speaking evil of their neighbors than they are at present.
DISPUTES.
Sometimes pitched battles occurred, in which time, place, and seconds were appointed beforehand. A writer remembers having seen one of those pitched battles in his father's fort, when a boy. One of the young men knew very well beforehand that he should get the worst of the battle, and no doubt repented the engagement to fight, but there was no getting over it. The point of honor de- manded the risk of battle. He got his whipping. They then shook hands, and were good friends afterward.
The mode of single combat in those days was dangerous in the extreme. Although no weapons were used, fists, teeth, and feet were employed at will, but above all, the detestable practice of gouging, by which eyes were sometimes put out, rendered this mode of fighting frightful indeed. It was not, however, so de- structive as the stiletto of an Italian, the knife of a Spaniard, the small-sword of a Frenchman, or the pistol of the American or En- glish duelist.
MORALITY.
Instances of seduction and bastardy did not frequently happen in our early times. An instance of the former is remembered, in which the life of the man was put in jeopardy by the resentment of the family to which the girl belonged. Indeed, considering the chivalrous temper of our people, this crime could not then take
270
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
place without great personal danger from the brothers or other re- lations of the victims of seduction, family honor being then esti- mated at a high rate.
Profane language was not more prevalent in early times than at present. There was no other vestige of the Christian religion than a faint observation of Sunday, and that merely as a day of rest for the aged, and a play day for the young.
TATTLING.
If a woman was given to tattling and slandering her neighbors, she was furnished, by common consent, with a kind of patent- right to say whatever she pleased without being believed. Her tongue was then said to be harmless, or to be no scandal.
ORIGINAL TOWNSHIPS.
The county was originally divided into six townships : Jeffer- son, Green, Wayne, Madison, Paint and Union.
JEFFERSON
Began at the north part of survey number 1093 on Paint Creek, and followed its present boundary to the northwest corner of Jas- per; thence south along the present western boundary of Jasper to the southwest corner of the same; thence east five miles to the northeast corner of Clinton County; thence northwest to the north part of survey 899, to Sugar Creek; thence with its present boun- dary to the beginning, including, as will be seen, the principal part of the present territory of Jasper.
GREEN.
Beginning at Henry Snyder's mill on Sugar Creek, thence up said creek with its meanderings to the line of Jefferson, northern part survey 899; thence southwest with said line to the northeast corner of Clinton County; thence south with the county line to the southwest corner of Fayette County ; thence east with county line to Lemuel Hand's. Thence to Alexander Beatty's survey 3713; thence north, bearing west to Samuel Edward's, northern part sur- vey 660 ; thence to beginning, including about three-fourths of the present territory of Perry, all of Concord, and about a quarter of Jasper.
It appears that about 1818, Green was reduced in territory by the formation of Concord, whose boundaries we have no means of knowing until March 3, 1828, when its lines are given. Green at that time was limited on the north and west by a line beginning at the mouth of Hankin's Run, on Sugar Creek, at the lower bend, eastern part survey 626, and running southwest to Samuel Stook-
271
272
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
ey's, a little north and east of Staunton; thence following very near- ly its present limits to the county line.
When Perry was first formed, it further reduced Green to its present limits, save that portion north of a line extending from near Buena Vista, to the mouth of Sugar Creek, thence up Sugar Creek to Hankin's Run, the western portion of which was subse- quently-March 3, 1849-joined to Concord, and the eastern to Perry, thus leaving it in its present shape in 1849.
WAYNE.
Wayne originally included on the west, all that territory not ta- ken from Green in the formation of Perry, and with her other lines nearly as they are now, except on the southeast corner of Union at the mouth of Sugar, where we infer from the language used, the line followed the creek (Paint).
MADISON.
Madison originally included all the territory now embraced in Madison and Marion until June, 1840, when it was divided, and the southern portion called Marion, and the northern retained the original name.
PAINT.
This also was one of the original townships and has not been al- tered in its boundaries.
UNION.
This has preserved its original lines with the exception of a few slight changes near the old Snyder mill, on Sugar, and extending a little farther into Wayne so as to touch the corner of Bernard sur- vey 739, and following the meanderings of Paint Creek above the Brannon farm.
PRESENT TOWNSHIPS.
JASPER.
March 5, 1845, William Rankin presented a petition to the com- missioners for a new township to be taken from Jefferson and Con- cord, beginning in the northwest corner of R. Claborn's survey 889, and following the present boundaries of Jasper until it strikes the southwest corner of Jefferson on Sugar Creek; thence northeast following the present line of Jefferson and Union to Paint Creek ; thence up Paint Creek to the dividing line of the Trent and White surveys, numbers respectively 942 and 1205; thence west to begin- ning, including, as will be seen, the southern point of Jefferson.
On the second day of December, 1845, by petition of Joseph J. Parrott, Jasper was reduced to her present limits, and electors as- sembled April 7th, at the house of John Andrews, to elect officers.
CONCORD.
The following record gives the date of the organization of Con- cord :
Friday, May 1, 1818. It appearing to the court that a new town- ship has been set off by the commissioners, called Concord, it is ordered that there be one justice of the peace elected in this town- ship, the electors to meet at the house of Edward Figgins, on the third Monday of the present month for this purpose.
The boundaries at this date are not given. In 1828, its bounds were defined as beginning on the east, at Hankins' Run, (vid. seq.) and following the line of Green to the northeast corner of Clinton County ; thence northwest to Sugar Creek, and down Sugar to be- ginning. In 1848, the line was run between Concord and Green, beginning at Hankins' Run, thence south 36°, 26' west, 3 miles and 120 poles, crossing said run to a stake one-half pole on northwest side of a pile of clay, the remains of the chimney of John Draper's
I8
273
274
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
house; thence south 63º, 4' west, 3 miles and 160 poles to a road near Jerry McFlay's house, crossing Rattlesnake at 40 poles, Lee's Creek at 2 miles and 52 poles; thence continuing same course, south 3° 4', west 1 mile and 48 poles to line of Clinton and Fayette counties, which distance, 8 miles and 14 poles, is well marked with a hand ax, with three hacks on a side. March 3, 1849, this line was so altered as to run from the banks of Sugar Creek where the lines of Concord and Green join, thence with said line to the state road running from Washington to Leesburg ; thence north 85°, east to Perry Township line; thence north with Perry and Green to Sugar Creek ; thence up the creek to beginning, which portion was added to Concord for the convenience of schools and working the roads.
MARION.
In June, 1840, a petition, signed by the householders of Madison Township, praying for a division of the same, so as to form two separate townships, was presented to the county commissioners, in pursuance of which the board appointed Jacob Creamer, county surveyor, to ascertain whether there was territory sufficient to war- rant a division, and if so, to run a line through the center of the same, so as to make an equal division. The surveyor, upon finding sufficient territory, proceeded to divide the township as per instruc- tions. The board being satisfied that the interest of the citizens of the aforesaid township required a division, ordered the report of the surveyor to be placed on record, and said townships established as laid down in said plat.
The northern part of the division shall be known as the original township of Madison, and the southern part shall be known by the name of Marion. That the electors of Marion Township assemble, on July 18, 1840, at the house of John McArthur, on the Circle- ville road, to elect township officials, who shall continue in office until the next annual spring election.
PERRY.
On the 4th of June, 1844, a petition was presented to the com- missioners by N. Rush, as attorney, praying for a new township to be taken from Green and Wayne, which was refused on account of a remonstrance by L. V. Willard.
275
PRESENT TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES.
June 4th, 1845, a petition was presented by Robert Eyre, and the new township was granted, called Perry. Beginning at a point where the state road leading from Washington to Leesburg crosses Rattlesnake Creek; thence on a straight line to Samuel Brigg's mill (near the mouth of Sugar Creek); thence down Paint Creek to the Highland County line; thence west with said line to Rattle- snake ; thence up said creek to beginning, thus including a part of Wayne and Green. These limits, as will be observed, left out that portion north of the line extending from near Buena Vista to the mouth of Sugar.
June 14, 1845, a petition was presented signed by Wayman Staf- ford and a number of others, protesting against the decision of the commissioners in forming a new township, and finally an appeal bond was filed, in the sum of five hundred dollars, with James Larkins and Anderson Rowe securities, and notice given of an ap- peal to the court of common pleas. Subsequently a decision was rendered favorable to its organization, and that portion annexed north of the line from Buena Vista to Briggs' mill.
PRESENT BOUNDARIES.
JEFFERSON.
Beginning at the north part, survey number 1093, on Paint Creek; thence west, with the county line, to the Greene County line, northwest corner, survey number 5993; thence south, with said line, to east part, survey number 1079; thenee east, bearing south, to northwest part, survey number 1253; thence east, crossing Rattlesnake Creek, to the northwest corner, survey number 1379; thence south to the southeast corner of survey number 1379; thence east to Sugar Creek; thence down said creek, to the Union Township line, in southwest part, survey number 5866; thence northeast, with said line, to Paint Creek, near crossing of Jeffer- sonville pike; thence up Paint to beginning.
JASPER.
Beginning at the northeast corner of survey number 1342, run- ning west to the northwest part, survey number 1253; thence west,
276
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
bearing north, to the county east part survey number 1079; thence south with said, to the line of Clinton County, west part of survey number 841; thence east five miles, with said line, crossing Rattle- snake; thence south, with said line, to Concord Township line, west part survey number 907; thence northeast, with said line, to Rat- tlesnake Creek; thence northeast, with the - road, to Sugar Creek, southwest part survey number 8408; thence up said creek to the northeast corner, survey number 1411; thence west to south- west corner, survey number 1379; thence north to the beginning.
CONCORD.
Beginning at Sugar Creek, south part survey number 8408; thence southwest, with - - pike, crossing Rattlesnake, to the county line, west part survey 907; thence south, with the county line, to west part survey 1039; thence northeast, with Green Town- ship line, to the old Draper house, north part survey 5348; thence northeast, with said line, to south part survey 802; thence east to Perry Township line, survey 896; thence north to Sugar Creek, north part survey 896; thence along Sugar Creek to beginning.
UNION.
Beginning at south part of survey number 8357; thence south- west, through surveys 3702, 6377, 7850, 7052, 7053, and 6003, to Paint Creek, northeast part survey 3020; thence southwest, through survey 2069, to Sugar Creek ; thence down said creek to its mouth ; thence north, with road, one mile; thence east, bearing north, to Paint Creek, east part survey 663, crossing same about a mile north of Pone Creek; thence northeast, through survey 870, to - - road, southeast part survey 1852; thence east, bearing north, to C. & M. V. R. R .; thence northwest, one mile; thence west one-half mile; thence, with -- road, northwest to central part survey number 8493; thence north to beginning.
GREEN.
Beginning at a point near the old Draper house, north part sur- vey number 5348, near Rattlesnake Creek; thence northeastwardly to the southern part survey number 802, near the Leesburg road ;
277
PRESENT TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES.
thence east to the southern part survey number 896; thence south to the southern part of survey number 5431; thence southwest, crossing survey number 3434, to Rattlesnake Creek; thence, with the meanders of said creek, to the county line, southern part sur- vey number 1840; thence west, with county line, to southern part survey number 1089; thence, with the line of Fayette and Clinton, to western survey number 1039; thence northeast, crossing surveys 2717, 3991, 5849, and 5880, to the beginning.
PERRY.
Beginning at Sugar Creek, northwest corner survey 896; thence east, with the meanders of said creek, to its mouth ; thence south- east, with the meanders of Paint Creek, to the county line; thence west, with the county line, to Rattlesnake Creek; thence north, with Rattlesnake, to western part survey number 3434; thence northeast, with the Green Township line, to the southern part sur- vey number 5431 ; thence north, with said township line, to the be- ginning.
WAYNE.
Beginning at a point in the northern part of survey number 9074, near the C. & M. V. R. R .; thence southwesterly, along the line of Union Township, to Paint Creek; the ncedown Paint to the mouth of Sugar Creek ; thence down Paint to the county line, survey 4132; thence northwest to - road, survey number 628; thence, with said road, to the beginning.
MARION.
Beginning at the Pickaway County line, southeastern part sur- vey number 470; thence west to center of survey 8190; thence south to survey number 8493, on the Federal road; thence south- east, along said road, to the west part survey number 5537; thence southeast, with the Wayne Township line, to the county line, east part survey number 4132; thence north, with the county line, to the beginning.
MADISON.
Beginning at the northeast corner of Fayette County, northern
278
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
part survey number 471; thence west, with the county line, to the northern part survey number 6908; thence southeast to the Marion Township line, center of survey number 8190; thence east, with said line to the Pickaway County line, east part survey number 470; thence north, with said line, to place of beginning.
PAINT.
Beginning at the northeast corner of survey number 6908; thence west,with the county line, to Paint Creek, northwest part survey num- ber 1093; thence south, down said creek, with the meanders there- of, to the Union Township line, west part survey number 6003; thence northeast, with said line, to Marion Township line, east part survey number 8357; thence north, with said line, to the corner of Madison Township, east part survey number 8190; thence north, bearing west, to beginning.
MILLS AND MILLING.
To the pioneer in the wilderness, remote from civilization, with all its attendant mechanical appliances, the conversion of the pro- duct of the soil was one of the most serious difficulties to be met. While the forest supplied abundance of game, with which his larder could with but little exertion be kept well filled; this, however, without the accompaniment of bread, was notin the highest degree palatable, especially when fatigued by the constant exertion which the pioneer was compelled to undergo, from morning till night, in clear- ing out the forests which surrounded him on all sides. To meet this want machines were constructed, though extremely rude and simple, yet fully accomplishing the purposes for which they were intended.
The first step in this direction was
THE BLOCK AND PESTLE.
A block of hard wood was selected, and by means of boring, hacking, and burning, a depression was made capable of holding sometimes nearly a peck of corn. To work in this, an instrument having a large end nearly the size of the depression in the block, and whose convexity corresponded roughly to its concavity, the upper part of which was shaven down to a diameter of one or two inches, so as to be grasped by the hand, was made.
To facilitate the operation of this, a hole was fixed in the ground, a rope, piece of bark, or grape vine attached to the upper end bent down and connected to the pestle so as to assist in lifting it up.
In this manner, and by this rude machine, our forefathers ground their corn.
The next step in the way of improvement, was a stone-mill worked by hand.
From a specimen stone, now in the possession of Judge D. Mc-
279
280
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
Lean, said to be the base-stone of the first mill in the county which we examined, we give the following description : Diameter twenty inches, thickness about five, and rudely cut in grooves with a hole in the center, into which a small shaft was introduced, having at- tached to it another stone working upon the lower, which was operated by a crank turned by hand.
CORN-CRACKERS.
The first mill of this kind built in the county, was erected by Jacob Coile, in 1809, in Union Township on Sugar Creek.
The Yeargon horse-mill was put up a little later, and perhaps the second corn-cracker in this county, was put up in 1810, by Isaiah Pancoast, on Deer Creek, about a mile from Waterloo, close to the county line, between Fayette and Pickaway. It was made out of solid boulders with a hole drilled through. This primitive machine was subsequently converted into a mill for grinding wheat, then into a fulling mill, next into a woolen factory, and now is a flouring mill.
This unique structure consisted of an upright beam, or shaft, running on pivots at both ends; passing through this, below at right angles was another shaft, about twenty feet long, at the end of which was attached a team of horses, who walked in a circle as in our modern horse powers. At the top of the upright shaft was attached a large wheel, which communicated its motion by means of a rawhide belt to another wheel, which in turn worked in a cog-wheel attached to the stones.
These burrs, or stones, were made generally out of the native boulders with holes drilled through them, roughly dressed, and running upon each other which ground the corn very coarse, and left it with all the refuse materials accompaning it, which were re- moved by means of a sieve, made by taking the green hide of a deer, removing the hair, stretching it tightly over a hoop and piercing it full of holes. When the pioneers were educated to the luxury -- if luxury it may be called-of wheat bread, mills for grind- ing and bolting this grain were invented.
. Bolting was done by hand, or rather the apparatus, which was a cloth cylinder turned with a crank, which it was expected the man or boy bringing the grist to operate.
281
MILLS AND MILLING.
Before these mills were erected by the early settlers,, according to the county atlas, Springfield, Clifton, and Chillicothe were locali- ties to which they resorted for flour and meal. Several neighbors would unite to make up a four-horse load, take along forage for the teams and provisions for themselves, and make the journey in seven to ten days, during which time their families lived on bacon, hominy, and potatoes, when they had them. Horse-mills were soon established at various points, and hand-mills were constructed, so that most families were able to obtain bread by working for it. The hominy-block was an invention of the times ; it was made by burning a hole into the end of a block of wood. They pounded the corn in these mortars with a pestle, made by inserting an iron wedge in a suitable stick. When the corn was fine enough it was sieved, and the finer portion used for bread and for mush, and the coarser boiled as hominy. Corn-dodgers were in general use, and the children of that day, now grown old, can speedily recall the cir- cumstances connected with their first meal of wheat bread. The mills of early days ground very slowly. The settler went to mill early, and remained late to get his sack of meal. The flour made in the horse-mills was like the brown, unbolted flour of the present. That it should be large in quantity was more to be desired than fine in quality. Thomas Moon, sr., erected the first flour and saw- mill, and the first distillery in the county during the year 1810, upon a good site ten miles south of Washington. The mill is still running.
A third mill was built during the war of 1812, by Asa Davis, on Main Paint, two miles south of the county seat. Many years have passed since its removal.
One McDonald built a water-mill two miles north of town, in 1850, and sold to Stafford.
An effort was made to establish a mill on Main Paint, ten miles northwest of town, by Solomon Salmon; but the dam being estab- lished on a bed of quicksand, continually broke away and prevented its success.
Still another water-mill was erected in Washington Court House by Jesse Millikan. The saw-mill was in operation in 1817, and a year later, 1818, he had a grist-mill running. Millikan died in 1836, and, about 1840, his son Curren Millikan applied steam- power.
A water-mill was built on Sugar Creek, four miles south of town,
282
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
with which a distillery was connected. This mill dates its erection to 1820, at the hands of Adam Caylor.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.