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 62
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LEONARD BUSH.
Leonard Bush was born in Pendleton County, Virginia, Decem- ber 4, 1778, and came to Ross County, this state, in 1809, locating near what is now known as Convenience Station, on the D. & S. E. Railroad. He was married in Virginia, to Catharine Powers, in 1803, and four children were born to them prior to their leaving that state. He remained only two years in Ross County, when in the spring of 1811, he removed to Jasper, locating on land now owned by James Beatty.
Mr. Bush bought one hundred acres of land from his father in Jasper, on which, in March, 1811, he erected a round log cabin, which he occupied without a floor till June of the same year. With incessant labor, he cleared fifteen acres of land the first spring, which he planted in corn, breaking the ground with the old fashioned wooden mould board plow. After this, having built a shop soon after his arrival, he followed his trade of wheelwright for seventeen years in connection with his farming, when his son,
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
Jacob, on whom the management of the farming until now had largely devolved, marrying, he was compelled to devote his whole attention to his farm, which had then increased to three hundred acres.
JACOB BUSH.
Jacob Bush, the oldest child of Leonard Bush, was born in Pen- dleton County, Virginia, in 1804, and accompanied his father to this township from that state. He remained with him till 1828, when he married Catherine Bond, of Union Township, who died, in 1838. A little more than a year afterwards, he was again married, to Lucy Leach, of Brown County, who is still living. By these marriages Mr. Bush became the father of eleven children; two of which are living with their father at Jasper Mills.
Mr. Bush at one time owned an extensive farm in Jasper Town- ship, but a few years since he divided his property among his chil- dren ; reserving only a small homestead at Jasper Mills, which he is spending his declining years in improving and beautifying.
JONES BROOKS.
Jones Brooks, a Methodist Episcopal minister, in 1811 came from Virginia to Jasper Township. His time was occupied for several years in preaching and farming.
JACOB A. RANKIN.
Jacob A. Rankin came from Virginia in 1800, and settled on Salt Creek, in Ross County, where he remained two years, and then removed to near where Bloomingburg now stands. In 1821 he married Miss Carr, and removed to what is known as the John L. Persinger farm, near Plymouth. He afterwards purchased land adjoining the Smith Rankin farm, where he died in 1876.
JOHN COONS.
The following was contributed to the Herald by Dr. Mason, of Milledgeville, and embraces the chief points in the life of a well known pioneer :
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"One by one the old pioneers are dropping off. He who opened up and cleared the way for their future generations to reap the boundless benefits of progress and wealth, has laid down his armor of labor and taken on the garb of those long gone before. Hard- ly an issue of our county papers but gives instances of a similar kind. In a few short years, few indeed, will be left to gather their grandchildren around them, and tell the tale of Fayette County's early pioneer life, when the wild woods alone gave echo to his ax, and falling trees the answer to the 'meal-time hallo!' But such must be the constant march of years, fraught with the many changes of the past, surrounding us. Not long hence can we look upon one of those gray and frosted fathers of early life, and listen to the tales of hardships and deprivations passed through, that the prairie might blossom, and the dense woods yield her now verdant fields of promising crops, to those that are left to occupy and further improve. Those that will follow after can only appreciate the merits of our early pioneers.
" John Coons, or 'Uncle Johnny,' as he was familiarly called, has gone. He died June 6th, after a short illness, leaving a family of three children beyond the age of fifty years-a daughter at Athens, O., one daughter at Allentown, O., and a son living in Illi- nois-all blessed with plenty of this world's goods to make them comfortable through life.
" Uncle John was born at Fredericksburg, Virginia, in October, 1792, and his life of teens was spent in welding the old flint. lock musket barrels at a government shop at Fredericksburg. He afterwards enlisted in the war of 1812, and served until peace was declared, when he remained a pensioner until death.
"He was married to Miss Hannah Jones, in 1820, and started for the 'Far West,' as it was then called, travelling in a wagon, through an almost impassable wilderness, with no one to share his lonely and perilous undertaking, save his newly made wife of but a few days. With due honor to her, we must say she proved to him to be a faithful helpmate and sheet-anchor in times of adver- sity and prosperity, until five years since she was called to prepare the way for waiting ones below, at the age of ninety-four, being ten years his senior.
" The land he spent his last days upon was bought by him over fifty years ago for about $3 per acre, and now the timber upon some of it could not be bought for $100 per acre; and by his
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
economy and strict sense of honor he accumulated a fortune of at least $75,000.
" He never connected himself with any church, but whenever sickness or affliction fell upon any within his neighborhood or reach, his hand and purse were always open to aid, and his presence · at the sick bed was a friend indeed, watching through the long hours of night in the most contagious diseases ; he felt it a duty when others lacked the courage to give their services. His last moments were peaceful, and life seemed to gradually sift out as the sand of the hour glass, or the flickering light of a dying taper, and those who watched at the bedside could not but exclaim, 'All is peace !' and one monument of byegone days less.
" Too much can not be said in credit to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Rosa Coons. With more than childlike care and tenderness has she made his decline a path of comfort and ease, and no one will miss the vacant chair and grandfather's cane more than she."
SOLOMON SMITH.
Solomon Smith was born in Pendleton County, Virginia, in 1802, and immigrated to Jasper in the early settlement of the territory, renting land from Henry Coile. He is still living in the township. Although eighty years of age, he is serving as constable, having filled that office almost continuously for thirty-three years.
WILLIAMSON FURGESON.
Williamson Furgeson was the pioneer settler of the Center neigh- borhood, in the southwestern portion of the township. In 1842, he purchased a tract of land from General James Taylor, of Ken- tucky, and removed to it the same year. Other settlers soon fol- lowed, and this section is fast developing into one of the most cul- tivated and flourishing of the township.
STEPHEN MITCHELL IRVIN.
Stephen Mitchell Irvin was among the pioneers of Jasper Town- ship. Captain William Palmer preceded him a few months. He settled in the southwestern corner of the county. His farm em- braced portions of Clinton, Greene, and Fayette counties, which
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made it inconvenient in tax paying, as he had to pay in three coun- ties.
In the year 1812, or 1813, Mr. Irvin, Captain Palmer, Burwel B. Mills, and Griffith Foos, left Bourbon County, Kentucky, to seek a home in Ohio. They found the spot where the three first named parties settled, which they supposed was in Clinton County. They were pleased with the fertility of the soil, which they found covered with a dense forest. The timber was black walnut, oak, hickory, ash, and sugar maple, and in the more swampy land, elm and maple. Mr. Foos, not liking so much timber, went to Clarke' County, bought a tract of land, started a hotel, which he called " Travelers' Home," and laid out a village, which he called Springfield.
Mr. Irvin had been married two or three years when he came to Ohio, having married Jane Whitsett, a native of Kentucky, March 16, 1809. She was one of nine sisters, who had an ondy brother, and they all lived to be heads of families.
Mr. Irvin's grandfather came from Ireland. He had two sons- Andrew and William. At the ages of six and eight, the parents died, and the boys were separated. William went to Pennsylvania, Andrew remained in Virginia. The two brothers never met again.
Andrew, when he was grown to manhood, married Elizabeth Mitchell. They lived together for sixty-one years, and had a fam- ily of six sons and four daughters. Robert, their oldest son, died in infancy. Stephen M., the subject of this sketch, was the next oldest. The other boys were named John, William, Caleb, and Joshua.
Andrew Irvin served in the war of 1812, and was in the battle of Oldtown. IIe died in 1830. His wife survived him thirteen years, and died at the age of ninety-three.
When Stephen was eight years of age, his father emigrated to Kentucky, the family traveling all the way in a cart drawn by a single horse. This was in the fall of 1788. For many years they suffered the privations of pioneer life. Having no schools, the ed- ucation of the family depended upon the parents. Fortunately, Mrs. Irvin was a good scholar for those times, and she undertook the education of the family, both in science and religion. Every Sunday evening was spent in reading the Bible and catechising the children. They were rigid Calvinists, and adopted the Presbyte- rian confession of faith and mode of worship. They were very strict in their religious observances, and labored hard to instill these
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
. principles into the minds of their children. In the case of Stephen they failed. He early became convinced of the sinfulness of human creeds, and protested earnestly against them. His mother wept over his apostacy. Soon, however, the creed was laid aside, and the Bible took its place.
The year 1800 was one of great religious interest in the part of Kentucky in which they lived. Barton W. Stone, the eminent re- vivalist of that country, and of those times, held a great meeting at Cane Ridge, and the Irvin family all became identified with that movement. They afterward fell in with the reformatory movement, led by Alexander Campbell, and were all prominently connected with the Christian Church, known now as Disciples of Christ. Four of the five boys became preachers.
Stephen M. Irvin left Kentucky to seek his fortune in Ohio, where slavery was prohibited by law. He shuddered at the thought of raising a family where slavery existed. Determined to breathe the air of a free country, he came to Ohio, and in 1813 erected a cabin on his tract of woodland. He at first cleared a garden spot, and then went to work to change his wood land into a farm. He, in common with all the pioneers, suffered many privations. Set- tlers were very few in that part of the state. Log cabins were the only houses. When one was to be raised, all the people for miles away were invited to the " house raising." Here Mr. Irvin became familiar a second time with the hardships common to a new coun- try. The trials he had known in Kentucky were repeated here.
Mills were very scarce and distant. This made it necessary to make hominy for food. This was done by hollowing out the end of a solid block of wood. Into this a portion of corn was placed, and beat with a pestle. This was usually made by inserting an iron wedge in the pestle, which was made of wood. This hominy was a great luxury, and was very healthful food.
The nearest trading point was Hillsboro, Highland County, thir- ty miles away. Here they purchased salt, groceries, and dry goods.
In the year 1833, on the 9th of May, Mr. Irvin was called to mourn the loss of his wife, Mrs. Jane Irvin, in the forty-third year of her age. She died as she had lived, a Christian. The stroke was severe, but he bore it with resignation and humble submission to the Divine will. He was married April 16, 1835, to Mrs. Eliza- beth Barrere. With her he lived the remainder of his life. He died July 25, 1852, in his seventy-second year.
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JASPER TOWNSHIP.
He was a man of extraordinary patience and temper, and was hard to excite to impatience. Ile never allowed himself to become angry. He was identified with the educational and religious in terests of the neighborhood. During the latter part of his life he devoted much time to the subject of religion. He preached almost every Sunday, and was much devoted to the church. He never sought for public favor or notoriety. Ilis aim was to do good. When death came, it came suddenly, but it found him ready. When told by Dr. I. C. Williams, his attending physician, that he could live but a short time, he replied : "I did not think death was so near; but if it is God's will, it is mine." The doctor said to one of his sons: "Your father is a remarkable man. Ilis hopes are brighter to-day than mine."
BURWELL B. MILLS.
Burwell B. Mills was also a very early settler. He was twice married, and lived until his death in the corner of Fayette County. He was an excellent man, and a good citizen. We have not been able to gather many of the incidents of his life.
SCHOOLS.
The pioneers of Jasper enjoyed few educational advantages, and it was not till 1816 that the first school house was built in the town- ship. This was a round log structure, with puncheon seats and greased paper window lights. It was built by the settlers, and was situated in the woods, on land belonging to Richard Ayres, in the Coil-Bush neighborhood.
Thomas Powell was the first teacher of the township, occupying this building in 1816, receiving a mere pittance for his services, compared with the present wages of teachers.
This building, however, was used only a short time for school purposes, when another, of similar architecture, but more conven- iently located, was built about one mile east, on what is now the Richard Smith farm, then belonging to Abraham Bush.
John S. Burnett, afterward auditor of Fayette County, taught the first school in this building, in 1818.
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
Another school house was built on the Coons property, one mile south of Milledgeville, early in the settlement of Jasper, but we have been unable to get the date of its erection. This was occu- pied till 1837, when the educational wants of the neighborhood be- came so pressing as to require a more commodious structure; and accordingly, in this year, a meeting of the citizens was called at the school house, to provide for this emergency. A division of opinion as to the proper place for locating the new building arose, resulting in the erection of two buildings, one being located on what is now known as the John Rankin farm.
Joel Starbuck, of Clinton County, was the first teacher that oc- cupied this building, teaching a subscription school during the win- ter of 1837.
The other was situated three miles south, on the old State road, now the Washington and Jamestown pike, on land belonging to Joseph Straley.
But prior to these, in 1828, a school house was built on land now in the possession of John L. Persinger. This was built of round logs, with desks running along each side, which were occupied by the pupils in writing.
John T. Powell, son of Thomas Powell, taught the first school in this building, receiving a compensation of ten dollars per month in produce for his services.
After two years' occupancy for school purposes, this building was burned, and was never replaced.
In 1845, a school house was built on the land of Williamson Furguson, in the Center neighborhood, Mr. Furguson donating the lot on which the building stood. This building was erected by the settlers, and a Miss Mary Jane Blystone, of Jeffersonville, occupied it first as teacher, the same year it was built, teaching a subscription school.
CHURCHES.
The early settlers of Jasper were pious and devout men and women, who believed in practicing religion rather than theorizing upon the subject. Their lives were of the purest order ; and al- though their creeds were few, and their faith of the simplest char-
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JASPER TOWNSHIP.
acter, yet they recognized the moral effect of a church society in the community, and this led to an organization early in the settle- ment of the township.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
In 1812, James Brooks, a Methodist minister of Virginia, who is mentioned biographically in the above sketches, effected a church organization in the Coile-Bush neighborhood, and for many years served as the minister of the congregation, holding his meetings at the different houses in the community; but it was not till 1843 that the society built a church. This, though a round log building, served the purposes of the people till 1864, when the present church (Mount Carmel), situated about one mile west of Jasper Mills, on the Washington and Wilmington Turnpike, and the same distance east of the old log church, was built. Mount Carmel is a commodious frame building, costing $1,200. The present minister is C. T. Wakefield.
Another Methodist Episcopal church was built in 1840, on what is now known as the Albert Mark land; and in 1843 this was fol- lowed by the erection of a similar structure on the Coons estate, then owned by John Hidy. They were both hewed log houses.
In 1846, another society was organized, which held its meetings in a school house a short distance south of Plymouth, formerly oc- cupied by the Methodist Protestant society, till 1866, when the present brick church was built at Plymouth, E. L. Ford donating the lot on which the church stands, and three hundred and fifty dollars to the society, to aid in its erection. The society at present is not flourishing.
A society was organized in the Center neighborhood, in 1848, and used the log school house on Williamson Furgeson's farm for church purposes till 1851 or 1852. The Methodist Protestants and Campbellites also held services in this school house, but neither de- nomination effected an organization.
In 1851, or 1852, a church was built near the school house, on land now in the possession of J. L. Persinger, then owned by a Mr. Brown.
In 1868, this society built a frame church, costing $2,200, on the Allen pike, one-fourth of a mile from the site of the log building.
In 1878, the Harmony church located six miles west of Wash-
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
ington, on the Palmer Pike. It was built at a cost of about $1,500, L. C. Mallow, William Dice, Zebulon Smith, and others, heading the subscription. Joel Dolby was the first minister, he being suc- ceeded by Jason Hinkle, the present incumbent.
METHODIST PROTESTANT.
In 1845, the Methodist Protestant Church organized a society at Plymouth, which held its meetings at a school house, a short dis- tance south of the village, Robert Dobbins serving as the first, and perhaps only, minister of the organization till its abandonment, in 1846.
Both the Methodist Protestants and Baptists have organized so- cieties at Milledgeville this year (1881), but hold services in the school house near the village.
PLYMOUTH.
Plymouth, situated on the Palmer turnpike, at the terminus of the Merchant pike, is the oldest village of the township, and was laid out, in 1845, by Robert Hague.
The first building was erected by Garland Johnson, in 1845, and occupied the site of the present dwelling of E. L. Ford. Opposite this, Thomas Wright in the same year erected a hewed log dwell- ing, the first of the village, which is still standing in a much dilap- idated condition.
PRESENT CONDITION OF PLYMOUTH.
At present Plymouth has two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, . one store and one church, and contains a population of perhaps fifty or seventy-five inhabitants. The township house is situated here, at which the elections are held, and the business of the board of education and township trustees is transacted ..
STORES.
Garland Johnson kept the first store, in the building above men-
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tioned, opening in 1845, and continuing till the fall of the same year, when he disposed of his stock of goods and building to James Mc Whorter, who, in 1846, sold both his stock of goods and store room to E. L. Ford.
In 1848, Harvey Saunders built a store room, on lot number eight, which he occupied, till about 1849, when E. L. Ford purchas- ed both stock and building, which he still owns and occupies.
BLACKSMITHS.
In 1845, Tate Wright built a shop and carried on business about one year, when he sold out to Thomas Wright, who continued a short time. At present there are two blacksmith shops at Ply- mouth, owned by Joseph Miller and his son, Charles ; both open- ing in 1878.
WAGON SHOPS.
Daniel Blue started a wagon shop, in 1848, and still continues in business.
DOCTORS.
Dr Hazen came to Plymouth, in 1846, but his sojourn was brief, as it was soon discovered that the woman he passed as his wife bore no such legal relations to him, and the indignant citizens of Plymouth and vicinity, not wishing to compromise the honor and dignity of their village and community, by tolerating the pre- sence of such a citizen, met and notified him to depart forthwith, which he did, fearing the consequence of a longer stay.
Sometime between the years 1863 and 1865, Dr. A. J. Gaskin located at Plymouth, and remained till 1868.
The next physician of Plymouth was Dr. Spangler, who came from Milledgeville, in 1870. He bought property and remained till 1881, when he traded his property for a house and lot at Mil- ledgeville, where he removed March 1st, of the same year.
JASPER MILLS.
Jasper Mills, on the C. & M. V. Railroad, five miles west of
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
Washington, was never legally laid out as a town; but in 1854, shortly after the completion of the railroad, the Bryan Brothers, Samuel, Joseph and John, purchased five acres of land here of Jacob Bush, on which, in the same year, they erected a three story frame grist mill, which proved a nucleus for a cluster of cottages ; known first as " Jasper," but which, in 1858, took its present name from the brand of flour shipped from these mills, and probably to distinguish the postoffice at this place from the name of the town- ship.
The Bryan Brothers operated the Jasper Mills for several years ; in 1859, adding a sash sawing attachment, which subsequently gave place to, the present buzz or circular saw. The changes of owner- ship this property has undergone since its erection have been num- erous; the dates of which we are unable to give, but the following is a list of the names of the different proprietors in their order since passing from the Bryans. Bryans sold to Rodgers, Rodgers to Keller, Keller to Hunt, and Hunt to the present owners, Struble and Company.
Some years ago a corn shelling attachment was added by a Mr. Guthrie, of Baltimore, who shortly afterward sold to Ely, of Washington, who in turn sold to Tolbert & Co., of Washington, who are still operating it and shipping an extensive quantity of grain, both wheat and corn, from this point.
STORES.
In 1859, John S. Burnett and Samuel Bryan opened a store, at Jasper Mills, under the firm name of "Burnett & Bryan," in a building erected by the Bryans, in 1855. Burnett sold his interest, in 1869, to James G. Beatty, and the firm of " Beatty & Bryan" con- tinued business till 1861, when the entire business of these. gentle- men were purchased by Dr. Degroat, who had the misfortune, in 1862, of losing his stock of goods and building by fire.
In 1863, J. L. Mark re-built on the site of the burnt building, and kept dry goods and groceries till 1871, then sold out to J. S. Burnett & A. E. Silcott, who, in 1874, disposed of their interests to Miller & Clark. This firm failed in less than a year, and the build- ing has since then been occupied by Charles L. Bush, the present merchant of Jasper.
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BLACKSMITHS.
In 1857, Joseph Parkison bought a lot on which he built a resi- dence and blacksmith shop, continuing till 1868, then selling to Smith & Jenkins, who carried on business till 1870, when they dis- solved partnership. Smith building another shop, in which he worked till 1878, at this time abandoning the business. In this year C. L. Bush and Charles Duncan erected a shop, which is still in operation.
WAGON SHOPS.
Charles W. Hyer, in 1880, started a wagon shop which he is still carrying on.
SHOE SHOP.
Richard Smith started a shoe shop, in 1880, and is still in busi- ness.
MILLEDGEVILLE.
Milledgeville, a pleasant little village of perhaps two hundred inhabitants, is situated on the Dayton & Southeastern Railroad, at the crossing of the Palmer pike, one mile north of Plymouth. It was laid out by James Hogue in 1855.
It contains one mill, two groceries, one hotel, two physicians, one boot and shoe store, one restaurant, a post-office, and one large store, owned by Lamb & Murphy Brothers, in which is kept a full line of dry goods, groceries, hardware, drugs, boots and shoes, queensware, and agricultural implements.
The town is improving rapidly under the impetus of the early construction of the proposed Columbus & Maysville Railroad, which makes this village a business point; and several buildings are now in course of erection.
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