USA > Ohio > Franklin County > History of Franklin County [Ohio]: > Part 2
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The Refugee Tract, (of which Montgomery and Truro Townships are a part,) is a narrow strip of country four and a half miles broad from north to south, and extend-
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13
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
ing eastward from the Scioto River forty-eight miles. This tract was so called, from the circumstance that it was appropriated by Congress for the benefit of certain individuals from Canada and Nova Scotia, who espoused the cause of the American Colonies in the Revolutionary War. The lands in this tract were originally surveyed for Government into sections of six hundred and forty acres each, and numbered, by John Matthews and Ebe- nezer Buckingham, of Muskingum County, in 1799, but was subsequently divided into half sections, by Elnathan Scofield, of Fairfield County, in 1801, and re-numbered, and patents issued to the claimants for half sections, by these latter numbers. After satisfying all these refugee claims, the balance of these lands were sold as other Congress Lands, by the original numbers. Hence, in conveyances, they are sometimes designated as part of section No. - , (giving the number,) sometimes as part of half section No. - , (an entirely different number,) and sometimes both numberings are given in the same conveyance.
The Congress Lands (of which Hamilton and Madison Townships are a part) are so called, because they have not been set apart for any particular purpose, and they are sold to purchasers by the immediate officers of Goy- ernment, pursuant to the laws of Congress. These lands were surveyed by Government into townships of
14
HISTORY OF
six miles square, and then divided into sections of one mile square each, containing six hundred and forty acres, and then again these sections were subdivided into quarter sections or lots, of one hundred and sixty acres each. Although the territory is thus surveyed into townships, (so called,) yet in the formation of townships for civil or governmental purposes, the County Commis- sioners are not governed by these surveys, further than in their opinion public convenience may require. Hence, the organized civil townships are in many cases quite different in boundaries from the original surveyed town- ships, as in the two townships of Hamilton and Madison, the southern limits of each of which extend two miles, that is, two tiers of sections, farther south than the original surveyed townships of which they are princi- pally composed. These townships were originally sur- veyed into sections, by Matthews and Buckingham, in 1799.
Prior to 1820, the government price of the public land was two dollars per acre, in payments. Since then, it has been established at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, payable on the entry of the land.
For seven or eight years after the first settlement of Franklinton, there was no post office nearer than Chilli- cothe, and when other opportunities did not offer, the people of the village would occasionally raise by con-
15
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
tribution the means, and employ a man to go to the post office, (45 miles,) to carry letters to be mailed for their distant friends, and to bring back such letters or papers as might be in the office for any of the Franklintonians. Col. Andrew McElvain, now of Logan County, Illinois, but for many years a prominent citizen of this county, was, when but a boy, the first mail carrier between Chil- licothe and Franklinton. The following interesting letter from the Colonel, is written with a clear recollec- tion on that subject, and it also covers nearly the whole ground of the first settlement of the county. It is dated " West Point Grove, Logan County, Illinois, Nov. 30, 1856." He says :
" I emigrated with my father to Ohio (from Kentucky) in the spring of 1797. We remained at Chillicothe that summer. The fall or will- ter of 1797-8, a family by the name of Dixon, was the first white family settled at Franklinton, then called the Forks of Scioto. That winter several others arrived there - Armstrongs, Skidmores, Dear- durfs, Dunkin, Stokes and Balentine ; early in the spring, McElvains, Hunters, Stevens, Browns, Cowgills, and Benjamin White. The first meal-making establishment in Franklinton, was erected by Samuel MeElvain -that was a hominy block - a hole burned in a stump, with a sweep so fixed that two men could pound corn into meal; the sifter was a deer skin stretched over a hoop, with small holes made therein by a small hot iron ; and that block mill supplied the first settlement of Franklin County. Our family helped to raise the first corn raised in the county by the whites. Next was a hand mill erected by Rogers. The first water mill was erected by Robert Balentine, on a small stream near Hayden's Factory, on the town plat of Columbus. There was also a small distillery erected near Ridgway's Foundry, by one White, where the first rot-gut whiskey was distilled. The same Benjamin
16
HISTORY OF
White was the first appointed sheriff of said county. Afterward, a man by the name of Rush, erected a mill on the Seioto, below the present dam of the Sullivant Mill. The salt used by the village, was manufactured at a salt spring three or four miles below the village - perhaps on the White farm-and I think Deardurf was the salt maker- but not proving profitable, it was soon abandoned. In the summer of 1805, the first mail contract was taken by Adam Hosac-he being Contractor and Postmaster. The route then was on the west side of the Scioto. A weekly mail left Franklinton each Friday, stayed over night at Markly's Mill, on Darby Creek, next day made Chillicothe, and returned to Thompson's, on Deer Creek, thence home on Sunday. When the route was first established, there was no post office between Franklinton and Chillicothe, but during the first winter, there was one established at Westfall, now in Pickaway County, afterward one at Markly's Mill, about that time changed to Hall's Mill. I was the first appointed carrier, and did carry the first mail to Franklinton, and was employed in that business about one year, during the winter and spring having twice to swim Darby and Deer Creek, carrying the small mail bag on my shoulders. . I commenced carrying the mail at . thirteen years old. There was not a house but William Brown's, on Big Run, between Franklinton and Darby, and but a eabin at Westfall and Deer Creek, to Chillicothe. It was rather a lonesome route for a boy. There was no regular mail to Worthington, but their mail matter was taken up by a young man employed as clerk in a store - I think Mr. Matthews. Truly yours,
"W. T. MARTIN, EsQ.
A. McELVAIN."
By an act passed April 16, 1803, it was made the duty of the Associate Judges to lay out their counties into townships, and perform various other duties that are now performed by the County Commissioners, and to appoint certain officers that are now elected by the people. The records of these proceedings, on a few unbound sheets of paper, now thrown aside with the
17
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
rubbish of the office, are in the handwriting of Lucas Sullivant ; and being interesting as part of our early history, are therefore copied verbatim.
The regular courts for several years were held in hired rooms, until the Franklinton Court House was erected, in 1807-8 - Lucas Sullivant, contractor. A jail was sooner provided, as will be seen by the following minutes. The first jail was a small log building near where Captain White now lives. It was a temporary concern, and remained but a few years. About the same time that the court house was erected, a new brick jail was also erected, a few rods north-east from the court house - Arthur O'Harra, contractor. These build- ings remained in use until the county seat was removed to Columbus, in 1824. The court house is still stand- ing, and used for a school house.
" COURT JOURNAL.
" At a meeting of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, of Franklin County, at the temporary Seat of Justice of said county, in Franklinton, on Tuesday, the 10th day of May, 1803,- present, the Hon. John Dill, Chief Judge, David Jamison, and Joseph Foos, Esqrs., Associate Judges of the court aforesaid. Who, having taken their official seats, were attended by Lucas Sullivant, Clerk of the said Court of Common Pleas, and they then proceeded to lay off the said County of Franklin into townships, as required by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, entitled ' An act to regu- late the election of Justices of the Peace, and for other purposes,' in the following manner, to wit:
2
..
18
HISTORY OF
" Ordered, that all that part of Franklin County contained within the following limits, to wit : Beginning at the forks of Darby Creek, that is, at the junction of what is called Treacles. Creek with Darby Creek, running thence south to the line between the counties of Ross and Franklin ; thence east with said line until it intersects the Scioto River ; thenee up the same till it comes to a point one mile, on a straight line, above the mouth of Roaring Run ; and from thence to the point of beginning, do make and constitute the first township in Franklin County, and be called Franklin Township.
" Ordered, that all that tract or part of Franklin County contained within the following limits and boundaries, to wit : Beginning on the west bank of the Scioto River, one mile, on a direct line, above the mouth of Roaring Run ; from thenee, on a direct line, to the junction of Treacles Creek with Darby Creek, which is frequently called the forks of Darby ; thence south unto the line between the counties of Ross and Franklin; thence west with said line until it intersects the county line of Greene ; thence with the last mentioned line north, and from the point of beginning, up the Scioto to the northern boundaries of Franklin County, do make and constitute the second township in said county, and be called Darby Township.
"Ordered, that all that tract or part of Franklin County contained in the following meets and boundaries, to wit : Beginning on the east bank of the Scioto River, at the point where the sectional line between the sections number eight and seventeen, in township four, and range twenty-two intersects the Scioto River ; thence east with the said see- tional line until it intersects the line between the counties of Fairfield and Franklin ; thence south with the same to the line between the counties of Ross and Franklin ; thence west with the same until it intersects the Scioto River ; thence up the river to the point of begin- ning, to make and constitute the third township in Franklin County, and be called Harrison Township.
" Ordered, that all that part of Franklin County contained within the following limits and boundaries, to wit: Beginning on the east bank of the Scioto River, at the intersection of the sectional line between the sections number eight and seventeen, in the fourth township and twenty- second range; running thence with the said sectional line east, to the line between the counties of Fairfield and Franklin ; thenee north with
19
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
said line, and from the point of beginning, with the Scioto, to the northerly boundary of Franklin County, do constitute and make the fourth Township in Franklin County, and be called Liberty Township.
" Ordered, that in Franklin Township there be elected two Justices of the Peace, and that the elcetors hold their election for that purpose at the temporary place of holding courts for the county of Franklin, in Franklinton, on the twenty-first day of June next, as provided by law.
" Ordered, that in Darby Township there be elected one Justice of the Peace, and that the electors in said township hold their election for that purpose at the house of David Mitchell, in said township, on the twenty-first day of June next, as provided by law.
" Ordered, that there be clected in Harrison Township one Justice of the Peace, and that the electors in said township hold their election for that purpose at the house of Alexander Laughferty, on one Thomas Renixes' farm, in their said township, on the twenty-first day of June next, as provided by law.
" Ordered, that there be elected in Liberty Township two Justices of the Peace, and that the electors hold their election for that purpose at the house of John Beaty, in said township, on the twenty-first day of June next, as provided by law.
" Ordered, that this court be adjourned without day.
" Test, LUCAS SULLIVANT, Clerk."
Thus, this extensive county was originally divided into four townships, Franklin and Darby on the west side of the river, and divided by a line from a point a little south of Dublin, to the mouth of Treacles Creek ; and Harrison and Liberty on the east side, divided by an east and west line through near the middle of what is now Hamilton Township.
At the elections above provided for, the following persons were elected the first Justices of the Peace in Franklin County, to wit: In Franklin Township, Zach-
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HISTORY OF
ariah Stephen and James Marshal; in Darby, Joshua Ewing; in Harrison, William Bennett; and in Liberty, Joseph Hunter and Ezra Brown.
On the same day, an election was held for a Repre- sentative in Congress, being the first election for a mem- ber of Congress ever held in the State, the State being then entitled to but one member, and his term was to commence from the fourth of March preceding his elec- tion. Jeremiah Morrow was elected.
The following are copies of the certificates and ab- stract of the votes in Franklin County, to wit :
" On Monday, the 27th of June, 1803, in conformity to the 26th section of an act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, enti- tled ' An act to regulate elections,' I called to my assistance David Jamison and Joseph Foos, Esqrs., two of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, and proceeded to open and examine the poll-books returned to me as clerk of said county, from the different townships therein contained, and for a Representative in Congress, find the votes as thus stated, to wit :
Franklin
Township.
Darby
Township.
Harrison
Township.
Liberty
Township.
Total.
Michael Baldwin,
27
-
2
21
50
William McMillan,
5
22
7
34
Elias Langham, -
25
-
19
-
44
Jeremiah Morrow,
2
-
-
-
2
" In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
affixed the seal of the county aforesaid, this, the day and year above written.
" LUCAS SULLIVANT, C. F. C.
" We do hereby certify that the above statement of the election held on the 21st of this instant, in the County of Franklin, is a correct state- ment, as appears from the returns made to the clerk's office, from the several townships in our said county.
" Given under our hands this 27th of June, 1803.
" DAVID JAMISON, "JOSEPH FOOS."
Previous to our reduction of territory, in 1808, by the creation of Delaware County, the number of town- ships had increased to nine, but by the organization of Delaware County the number was reduced to the five following, to wit: Franklin, Sharon, Pleasant, Mont- gomery, and Hamilton-which have been divided and sub-divided until they now number eighteen - the names and dates of the establishment of which are as follows :
Blendon, established 6th of March, 1815.
Clinton,
Ist of July, 1811.
Franklin, 66 10th of May, 1803.
Hamilton, 9th of March, 1807.
Jackson, 66
6th of March, 1815.
Jefferson, 66
6th of September, 1816.
Madison, 66 4th of March, 1810.
Mifflin,
66 2d of September, 1811.
Montgomery,
9th of March, 1807.
Norwich, 66 7th of December, 1813.
.
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HISTORY OF
Perry, established 27th of June, 1820.
Plain,
4th of March, 1810.
Pleasant, 66 Ist of July, 1807.
Prairie, 66 28th of December, 1819.
Sharon, 66
4th of March, 1816.
Truro,
4th of March, 1810.
Washington, 66 4th of March, 1810.
Brown, 66
3d of March, 1830.
Further extracts from the Court Records :
" At a meeting of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, on the 8th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three, present the Honorable John Dill, Esq., first Associate, and David Jamison, Esq., second Asso- ciate Judges of said Court. Ordered, that the rates of Tavern License in Franklinton be four dollars per annum.
" Ordered, that a license be granted William Domigan, Sr., to keep tavern in his own house in Franklinton until the next Court of Com- mon Pleas for Franklin County, and afterward, until he can renew his license.
" Ordered that license be granted Joseph Foos to keep a tavern at the house occupied by him in Franklinton for the accommodation of travelers until the next Court of Common Pleas for Franklin County, and afterward until the license can be renewed.
" Adjourned without day. " Test, LUCAS SULLIVANT, Clerk."
" At a session of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Franklin County, at the place of holding courts in Franklin- ton for the county aforesaid, on Thursday, the 8th of September, 1803, it being the first judicial day after the adjournment of the Court of Com- mon Pleas of the said County of Franklin-present John Dill, David Jamison and Joseph Foos, Gentlemen Associate Judges, aforesaid, who having assumed their official seats, and were attended by Lucas Sullivant, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said county, the fol-
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FRANKLIN COUNTY.
lowing proceedings were had, to wit: On the prayer of a petition signed by a number of signers as required by law, and who were eiti- zens of this county, praying for a view of a road leading from the public square in Franklinton, out of said town on the Pickaway road, thence the nearest and best way to Lancaster, in Fairfield County, until it intersects the line between the counties aforesaid. Ordered, that the prayer of said petition be granted, and that John Brickell, Joseph Dickson and Joseph Hunter be appointed viewers of said road, who, or any two of them, shall view the ground aforesaid in this county and act in conjunction with the viewers that may be appointed by the Court of Common Pleas of Fairfield County, on what point said road will cross the line between the counties aforesaid, to be on the nearest and best ground to be had from Franklinton to Lancaster. It is further ordered that Joseph Vance be appointed surveyor to attend the said viewers on the above described road, and that he make a survey and report thereof to our next January term. *
" On the prayer of a petition signed by a number of freeholders and citizens of Franklin County, praying for a view of a road to lead from the north-east end of Gift street, in Franklinton, on as straight a direction as the situation of the ground will admit of a road, towards the town of Newark, in Fairfield County, so far as the line between the Counties of Franklin and Fairfield. The prayer aforesaid granted ; and ordered that Samuel McElvain, Elijah Fulton and Joseph Parks be appointed viewers, who, or any two of them, shall view said road in this county, and act in conjunction with viewers that may be appointed by the Court of Common Pleas of Fairfield County, at what point on the line between said counties the road aforesaid shall cross, to be on the nearest and best ground from the point of beginning as aforesaid to the termination thereof. It is further ordered, that Samuel Smith be appointed surveyor to attend the said viewers and make a correct sur- vey of said road, and report the same to our next January term.
* This road was made to cross the Scioto at the old ford below the canal dam, and pass through the bottom fields, (then woods,) to intersect what is now the Chillicothe road south of Stewart's Grove; and continued to be the traveled road until atter Columbus was laid out. Jacob Armitage kept the ferry over the river.
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HISTORY OF
" Ordered, that there be paid unto Jeremiah McLene,* who was appointed by the Legislature of the State of Ohio as one of the com- missioners to fix the permanent seat of justice in this county, (Frank- lin,) the sum of fifteen dollars. It being a compensation for his services as aforesaid six days, and his additional service in writing and circulating the notices as required by law.
" Ordered, that there be paid unto James Ferguson, who was appointed one of the commissioners to fix the permanent seat of justice in this county, (Franklin, ) the sum of twelve dollars, it being a com- pensation for his services as a commissioner aforesaid six days.
" Ordered that there be paid out of the county treasury of Frank- lin unto William Creighton, who was appointed by the Legislature of the State of Ohio, one of the commissioners to fix and establish the permanent seat of justice in the County of Franklin, the sum of twelve dollars, it being the compensation allowed him by law for six days service as a commissioner aforesaid.
* Gen. Jeremialı McLene died at Washington City on the 19th of March, 1837, aged 70 years. His sickness dated from his attendance at the inaugura- tion of Martin Van Buren, on the 4th of that month. He had just completed his second term in Congress. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and in early life emigrated from that State to the then Territory of Tennessee, where he was an intimate companion of General Andrew Jackson, for whom he always entertained a great partiality. He was subsequently a pioneer to the north-western Territory. In the early part of the present century, he settled in the infant town of Chillicothe, and was, while there, Sheriff of Ross County. Then, there and at Columbus together, he served twenty-one years in suc- cession as Secretary of State, and was a very popular State officer.
He was a surveyor and fond of his compass and the business-was for a number of years county surveyor for Franklin County, and also city surveyor of Columbus. He was a man of remarkable plainness and familiarity of man- ners and character. Although perfectly at ease in any company, he enjoyed himself equally as well in the society of the poorest laborers as with the highest dignitaries. He was emphatically the poor man's friend -always ready to accommodate with the nse of his name or otherwise, and paid more security debts, and with less murmuring, than any one man of his time. As a characteristic of his plainness and economy, when on his dying bed, he called two of his friends to him and gave directions concerning his effects, and his death and burial. "Let my funeral," said he, " be conducted with the strictest economy."
25
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
"On application of Morris Brown, lister of taxable property in Liberty Township, who having proved his service as required by law, it is ordered that he be allowed and paid out of the county treasury five dollars for four days service in taking the list aforesaid, and also two dollars and fifty cents for taking the enumeration, and the further sum of seventy-two cents for traveling to the seat of justice to make said returns.
" Ordered, that a license be granted William Domigan, Sen., to keep a house of public entertainment in Franklinton, he having this day made application for that purpose, and produced a certificate of recom- mendation as required by law, to the satisfaction of the court.
" Ordered, that a license be granted Joseph Foos to keep a house of public entertainment in Franklinton, he having this day made applica- tion for that purpose, and, as appeared to the satisfaction of the court, has been heretofore recommended as required by law.
" Ordered, that there be allowed and paid to Joseph Foos, Esq., as follows : Four dollars expended by him in preparing for the reception of the Court of Common Pleas for Franklin County at September term, 1803 ; also the sum of one dollar and fifty cents expended by him in conveying the election box and a volume of the laws of the State to the house of election in Darby Township prior to the twenty-first of June, as required by law ; also the sum of three dollars paid by him to James Marshall, Esquire, for bringing from the printing office part of the number of volumes of laws of this State, as was allowed by law for Franklin County, and which was brought for the use of the different townships ; also the sum of two dollars which he paid for the election boxes made use of at the past elections in this county.
" Ordered, that there be paid to John Blair, lister of taxable property in Franklin Township, the sum of six dollars and forty-nine cents, it being the compensation in full this day claimed by him before this court for his services in taking the list aforesaid, and also the list of enumeration in said township, and three miles mileage in making said return.
" On the prayer of a petition signed by a number of citizens, house and freeholders of Franklin County, praying for the view of a road to lead from the public square in Franklinton to Springfield, in Greene County, to be on the straightest and nearest direction towards Spring-
26
HISTORY OF
field as the nature of the ground and circumstances will admit of a good road, ordered that Thomas Morehead, Alexander Blair and George Skidmore be appointed viewers of said road, who, or any two of them, shall view the same as far as the line between Franklin and Greene County, and make report to our January term next. It is further ordered that Captain John Blair be appointed surveyor to attend said viewers on the above premises, and survey said road, and return a fair plat or survey thereof as required by law, to our January session next.
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