USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio > Part 21
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pastors. W. M. Faulkner offered his serv- ices to keep the church in order gratis dur- ing his continuance in Xenia. Truly this was a day of small things. Yet faithful men of God served the church. Great and pow- erful revivals followed year after year, and many were added to the church. In 1821 Revs. John Strange and W. T. Taylor, pas- tors ; in 1822, J. Strange and John Brooke; in 1823, Arthur W. Elliot and J. Brooke; in 1824. Rev. John Collin, presiding elder, and A. W. Elliot and Burrous Westlake, pastors. At this period the congregation had become so large that the trustees found it necessary to enlarge the church by build- ing an addition, fifty feet long and twenty- eight feet wide, taking out one end of the church, making the addition in the form of a T. Here we find recorded : Trustees em- ployed Reuben Hixon to keep the church for one year for ninety bushels of corn and six dollars and eighty-seven and a half cents in money. In 1825. Revs. Russell Bigelow and Burrous Westlake and Thomas Beach- am, pastors : in 1820, Charles Waddle, John Sale and William B. Christy, pastors; in 1827. W. 11. Raper, G. W. Maley and G. W. Walker, pastors; in 1828, W. 11. Raper, G. W. Maley and J. W. Clark, pastors; in 1829, Augustus Eddy and Joshua Boucher, pastors ; in 1830, I. F. Wright, of precious memory, was presiding elder, Augustus Eddy and W. P. Taylor, pastors; in 1831, Francis Wilson and Ebenezer Owen, pas- tors; in 1832, Francis Wilson and Daniel D. Davidson, pastors. During this last year the tallow candle became a thing of the past. Trustees ordered that one and one-half gal- lons of sperm oil be purchased for the use of the church, and a committee be appointed for said purpose. We find also recorded, May 16, 1832: Trustees decided to build a
belfry on the east end of the church, to be ten feet above the comb of the roof, eight feet in the clear, eight feet square, a dome and wooden ball of proportional size; the ball to be painted chrome yellow; the roof of pine shingles painted brown; the body painted white ; at a cost of one hundred and sixteen dollars. A bell was placed in this belfry that has called the people together for more than half a century. The old bell still rings, and may continue to ring for a century to come. In 1832 and 1833 James Law and Dr. Samuel Latta were pastors. During this year one of the most wonderful revivals of religion that we have on record occurred. It commenced before the holi- days and continued until late in the spring. Between three and four hundred were con- verted and united with the church. People came a distance of twenty and thirty miles to attend the meetings. During this won- derful outpouring of the Spirit many be- lievers received the blessing of sanctifica- tion. In 1834 and 1835 Alfred K. Lorain. Stephen Ilolland and Alexander Morrow were pastors. This year it was decided that the interest of the church demanded a change. As the congregation had become sufficiently strong to support a preacher, the conference granted the change, and in 1836 Rev. A. Brown was appointed stationed preacher, Rev. W. II. Raper, presiding elder ; in 183;, Rev. L. White, pastor, Rev. O. Spencer, presiding elder; in 1838, Solo- mon Howard, pastor; in 1839. William Young, pastor; in 1840 and 1841. J. J. Hill, pastor, and Rev. James B. Finley, pre- siding elder. During the last two years there was a gracious outpouring of the Spirit upon the church, sinners were con- verted, believers sanctified and many added to the church of such as shall be saved. lu
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1842 Rev. I. W. White was pastor ; in 1844, W. H. Tyffe, pastor, and the beloved W. H. Raper again presiding elder. During the second year of Brother Tyffe's pastorate the old church was taken down to give place to a new one. The congregation worshiped during this time in the Methodist Protest- ant church on Church street. In 1845 Rev. J. G. Dimmett was pastor; in 1846 and 1847, Rev. William Herr, pastor, Rev. George W. Walker, presiding elder. In De- cember, soon after the arrival of Brother Herr, the new church was dedicated by Bishop Morris. Immediately following the dedication of the church was a great re- vival, and many united with the church, some of whom are efficient members at this time. In 1848 Rev. W. H. Raper has again been appointed as pastor, having served this church four different times during a period of twenty-one years. In 1849 Rev. Charles Elliot was pastor. This was a year of great affliction. Thai fearful scourge, cholera, prevailed. No doubt many will remember that faithful servant of the church, Rev. Elliot, as he went from house to house caring for the sick and dying. He, too, above all others, was ever keeping the in- terest of the missionary cause before his congregation, and was most ardent in his prayers that the gospel might be preached in the city of Rome. His prayers are an- swered: his son-in-law, Rev. L. M. Vernou, is at this time a missionary in that city. In 1850. Augustus Eddy was pastor : in 1851, Asbury Lowry; in 1853, Rev. Cyrus Brooks: in 1855. Granville Moody; Rev. William Simmons was presiding elder; in 1857, Charles Adams: in 1858: Moses Smith: in 1860. W. H. Sutherland; in 1862. W. I. Fee. pastor. These years were noted as a crisis in the history of the church.
First a great revival and large ingathering ; more than two hundred joined the church. Next the division of the congregation and the organization of Trinity church in 1864. The first pastor after the division was Rev. James L. Grover, followed by Rev. Thomas Collett, who rendered efficient service in re- modeling the audience room and building the valuable addition of lecture rooms and class rooms in the rear of the church. In 1868 W. L. Hypes was pastor; in 1871, J. F. Marley; in 1874. M. A. Richards ; in 1877. Lucian Clark: in 1880, E. T. Wells; in 1882, Rev. William Runyan, who was successful in raising funds to refrescoe, paint and carpet the entire church, leaving it for his successor in perfect order. In 1885. Dr. J. F. Marley, after an absence of eleven years, was returned, much to the gratification of old friends.
In the seventy-three years past this church has been served by more than sixty ministers, as pastors and presiding elders, the best talent in the conference, noble men of God. and eloquent. The annual confer- ence has been entertained in this church four times: In 1836, Bishop Roberts presiding : in 1853. Bishop James presiding; in 1864. Bishop Baker presiding, and in 1877. Bishop Haven presiding.
DEPOSITIONS OF SOME OLD PIONEERS.
Among the many old cases at law that are yet found in our court records are many that bring to light history that has been forgotten. One case we will recall, a chan- cery case, or suit of ejectment, brought by Peter and Jesse Vandolah against Major John Stevenson. It had been a long time in court and June 15. 1818, notice had been given by Thomas R. Ross, attorney for
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plaintiff, to Hon. John Alexander, for the de- fendant, and acknowledged by him, that on the roth day of June, 1818, they would meet at Old Chillicothe, or Oldtown, at the house of AAbner Reid (house still standing in 1900), and proceed to take depositions be- fore the master commissioner, Josiah Grover, to be used in the case before the su- preme court, which was soon to meet. Court was called to order and they proceeded to take deposition of David Laughead and others.
Ques. Mr. Langhead, how long have you been acquainted with Old Chillicothe, Greene county, Ohio, where you now are?
Ans. On an expedition from Kentucky 1 was attached to a troop of horse under the command of General Clarke and arrived at Old Chillicothe on the 5th day of AAu- gust, 1780.
Ques. Was this a place of notoriety at that time?
Ans. Yes, I know it to be a strong In- dian town by the name of Chillicothe, and it was generally said to be such in Kentucky before we left it.
Ques. How long have you known John Jamison's entry and survey, which is said to have been made at the lower point of an island, opposite Old Chillicothe on the Lit- tle Miami river ?
Ans. I knew the officers met at the falls of the Ohio in the year 1784 or 1785 and appointed Richard C. Anderson as their surveyor. In the year 1786 or 1787 I was informed that John Jamison had made his entry near Old Chillicothe on the Little Miami river.
Ques. How long have you known the island in the Little Miami river opposite Old Chillicothe ?
Ans. I knew it to be there from in- formation as far back as the 7th day of August, 1780.
Ques. Was it generally talked of as an island at Old Chillicothe at that time?
Ans. I knew it to be an island from in- formation gained at Old Chillicothe at that time. The way that I was informed that it was an island was on the 7th day of August, 1780, on the return of the troops from Mad river to Old Chillicothe: about fifty men were ordered out to cut down a lot of corn on the opposite side of the Little Miami and one of the men had a sore foot and his messmates took him across the river to the island, supposing he was across the river, and set him down : and the lame man had to get them to come back and take him across the other part of the river, which cir- cuinstance was generally spoken of by the troops on their return from Old Chilli- cothe.
Ques. How long is it since you first saw the island ?
Ans. I think it is about five years since 1 first went to examine the island.
Ques. Was it generally spoken of as an island as early as the year 1780?
Ans. Yes, by part of the army.
Ques. Did the army burn the town on the 7th day of Angust. 1780?
.Ans. They set fire to it but we did not wait to see it all consumed.
Ques. How long have you known George Gray's entry and survey No. 603? Ans. Fifteen or sixteen years this sum- mer.
Ques. Was that survey generally known in the neighborhood at that time? Ans. It was generally known at that time.
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ROBINSON'S HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Ques. Was John Fowler's entry and survey generally known at that time? Ans. Yes.
DEPOSITION OF JAMES GALLOWAY, SR.
At the same time and place James Gallo- way, Sr., was sworn and saith :
Ques. Mr. Galloway, how long have you known Old Chillicothe on the Little Miami river, where you now are?
Ans. I have known it since the month of October or November, 1782. It was at that time and continued to be a place of pub- lic notoriety in the Miami country.
Ques. How long have you known an island in the Little Miami river opposite the said Chillicothe at the point which it is said John Jamison's entry was made?
Ans. I have known it from November, 1782; it was at that time and continued to be generally known as an island in the neighborhood.
Ques. How long have you known George Gray's entry ?
Ans. Eighteen or twenty years, and it was generally known by those I conversed with.
Ques. Were there any more islands in view with the island above mentioned from the place called Old Chillicothe where we now are?
Ans. None as visible as that one ; there is one small one below it, not more than one hundred poles below it.
Ques. Is there anything to obstruct the view between where you now sit and the island first mentioned and the last one men- tioned more than the distance to each island where you sit?
Ans. Nothing but the distance.
Ques. What is the difference in the distance from where you now sit?
Ans. About eight rods.
Ques. Are you now sitting at the place called Old Chillicothe ?
Ans. I am now sitting within the bounds where the pickets were.
Ques. Is the island which you have last spoken of directly opposite the Old Chilli- cothe ?
Ans. It is not.
Ques. Which of the islands is the larger, and please describe the difference in their size?
Ans. The island first spoken of is a great deal the larger, more than three times the size of the other.
Ques. Is the ground you have described as the lower island encompassed by the waters of the Little Miami when the Miami is at its common height ?
.Ans. At the time of low water it is not, but at the time of high water it is, from about the latter part of June till the fall the water does not run around it in com- mon, and that has been the situation ever since I knew the island, which has been twenty years. The island spoken of is about ten or twelve rods long and from two to three rods in breadth at its widest place.
Ques. If you were directed by the su- preme court to find a point directly opposite the Old Chillicothe what would be the point you would fix on?
Ans. ] would fix it between west and northwest.
Ques. If you were directed to go to the lower point of an island directly opposite the Old Chillicothe would you go to the island first spoken of or to the island last spoken of?
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ROBINSON'S HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Ans. I would go to the upper one first spoken of about sixty rods below the mouth of Massies creek.
Ques. Is there not a very large, exten- sive prairie between the Old Chillicothe where we now sit and both the islands be- fore mentioned ?
Ans. Yes, and the distance to the upper island, the first spoken of. is, I suppose, eighty rods, and the lower island, the last spoken of, I suppose to be one hundred and forty rods.
JAMES GALLOWAY, JR.'S, DEPOSITION.
The deposition of James Galloway. Jr., taken at the same time at the house of the Messrs. Reid at Chillicothe, who says :
Some time in the winter of 1806, in a conversation with Joseph Vandolah re- specting a survey of one hundred acres of land which himself and brothers, James and Peter, claimed near the Old Chillicothe town on the Little Miami river, said de- ponent informed said Joseph of that date and manner in which their said entry was made, and of the surveys which it interfered with, and he thinks, but is not certain, showed him copies of the said entries and surveys. The said Vandolah appeared con- vinced that their claim to the four hundred acres aforesaid was such that they must lose the land, and talked of petitioning con- gress for leave to withdraw their entry and have it located elsewhere, requesting his aid in endeavoring to get their land secured to them and to make inquiry and do some- thing for them, promising him a com- pensation if he could do anything to secure them their land, with their warrants that would be clear of dispute. On or about the 20th day of March, 1807, said deponent
became acquainted with the law of the United States which authorized persons losing lands by interference with prior claims, although such claims might be pat- ented, to withdraw the part of the claim so lost and enter the same elsewhere. Said de- ponent, upon asserting the proper method to procced, did, on or about the 20th of March, 1807, withdraw the said Vandolah entry of four hundred acres aforesaid, and entered the same elsewhere. Some time afterward this deponent, meeting with James Vandolah, informed him of what he had done with his said claim, who expressed himself satisfied therewith, and desired said deponent to give him notice when he would be going into the neighborhood of where his land had been entered, by said deponent, and he would accompany him and see it and have it surveyed. Said deponent did ac- cordingly send word to said Vandolah a short time before he set out on a tour to the woods but he did not attend. Some time after said deponent, returning from the woods, again met with said James Vandolah, who expressed some concern at his being disappointed. In going to see the land and upon inquiry finding that his land had not been surveyed, he wished again to have notice when it would be convenient for said ,deponent to survey it and he would accompany him. Notice was given him the second time by said deponent that at such a time he might attend and accompany said deponent on another tour, when the land might be surveyed, but said Vandolah did not attend.
DEPOSITION OF GEN. BENJAMIN WHITEMAN.
Benjamin Whiteman, sworn at the same time and place.
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ROBINSON'S HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Ques. At what time did you become acquainted with the Old Chillicothe on the Little Miami river?
Ans. In the month of October in the year 1790.
Ques. Have you heard of the contro- versy existing between the complainants and defendant in this case and how long?
Ans. I have heard of the controversy existing between the complainants and de- fendant five or six years and have under- stood that one question in that controversy depended on the entry of John Jameson, but the point where that entry begins I have no knowledge only from hearsay. I have understood that it is on an island near Old Chillicothe, and my impression was that that island was formed by a tongue of land between the Little Miami and Massies creek, which is a little above Old Chilli- cothe. The reason of my impression was that, from viewing the situation of the Lit- tle Miami from a point near the place where James Galloway now lives and from the direction that the river runs and the appear- ance of the ground at that place, my con- clusions, with others generally as far as I have heard it spoken of, were that it was an island. In the year 1792, 1, together with the detachment of militia from Ken- tucky, encamped on this tongue of land. and it was spoken of as an island generally among us, and I always believed it to be an island until after I became a resident of the county, which was in the year 1799, and about one year after I settled in this county I had occasion to go to the falls of the Little Miami, and on traveling up between the Little Miami and Massies creek I found them to be separate streams, and as to the island below the mouth of Massies creek. at which I have since understood Jameson's
entry commenced, I have no knowledge of nor ever heard of such an one until several years after I settled in this county. 1 first settled on Beaver creek about six miles from Old Chillicothe. in what is now the bounds of Greene county, and there was no settle- ment above Davis's mill on Beaver creek except three families on the Little Miami, in the limits of what is now Greene county, and the settlement where I then lived on Beaver creek did not exceed six or eiglut families.
Ques. If you had been directed to make an entry at the lower point of an island op- posite Old Chillicothe on the Little Miami what point would you have made?
Ans. I would have searched for an island lower down than the mouth of Mas- sies creek if I could have found one, and my reasons for so doing would have been because I did not believe the mouth of Massies creek to be directly opposite the Ok Chillicothe.
Ques. Do you believe the island where Jameson's entry is made directly opposite the Old Chillicothe?
.Ans. I think it is.
Ques. By what rule would you ascer- tain one point to be opposite another point ?
Ans. Because it is neither above nor below, but immediately opposite.
Ques. Do you say that the island in the Little Miami river at the lower point of which it is said John Jameson's entry is made is directly opposite Old Chillicothe because it is neither lower down the river noi higher up the river than the extremities of Okdl Chillicothe ?
.Ans. Yes.
Ques. Did you in the year 1792. when you, with the detachments of militia from Kentucky before spoken of, encamp on the
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tongue of land before described as being formed by Massies creek and the Little Miami river, undertake to ascertain from actual examination whether that tongue of land was an island or not ?
.Ans. I did not.
Ques. Was it the first time you dis- covered that that tongue of land was not an island when you left home to go to the falls of the Little Miami before spoken of ? .Ans. It was.
Ques. How far is it from Old Chilli- cothe to the Little Miami river ?
.Ans. I suppose the distance to be near half a mile.
WILLIAM STEVENSON'S DEPOSITION.
William Stevenson's deposition was taken at the same time and place.
Ques. When did you become acquainted with an island in the Little Miami river, op- posite Old Chillicothe, the lower end of which it is said John Jameson's entry is made ?
Ans. In the latter end of November or the beginning of December in the year 1801 we cut timber on both of the islands, the upper and lower one, as much as one horse could cleverly draw. They cut one tree on the upper island which took two men to lift the butt of it on a fork. James Stevenson looked for marked trees on the island to ascertain the corner, but found none. This island is opposite to Old Chillicothe, the other island may be two hundred yards be- low the upper island or may be more, and is below a direct line drawn from Old Chilli- cothe from the river. The upper island was larger than the lower one.
Ques. Would a direct line, as you call
it, from Old Chillicothe to the river strike the upper island ?
Ans. I think it would, because it lies directly opposite.
JESSE VANDOLAHI AND PETER VANDOLAII VS. DAVID LAUGHEAD.
A similar case as that against Major John Stevenson.
DEPOSITION OF BENJAMIN WHITEMAN.
Mr. Whiteman put on the stand, in an- swer to the questions, says :
Ques. Have the beds of those rivers since the year 1790 changed their course from natural or artificial causes at any time since: if so, when and from what cause?
Ans. I do not know that they have changed any at these points at which I then crossed.
Ques. How far above the junction of these creeks did you cross ?
.Ans. That I could not ascertain with- out measurement.
Ques. Had you at different times or in different years been through this country by Old Chillicothe, above named, and how often, and what was the general report and belief as to the point of land formed by the junction of the Little Miami and Massies creek, whether it was called an island, and whether any other island was then known in that neighborhood or near that place and what place ?
Ans. I passed through that point of land three times in three different years, be- tween the years 1790 and 1794, once under the command of Colonel Edwards, with about four hundred volunteers, and twice
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on small scouts. As far as I heard it spoken of it was called an island, and it was fre- quently spoken of, and I believed it to be an island until after I came to reside in this county.
Ques. At the time above alluded to did not you believe that Massies creek put out from the Miami and that the island above alluded to included at least three hundred acres ?
Ans. I did not know of Massies creek, but the branch since called Massies creek I believed to be part of the Little Miami which formed that island.
DEPOSITION OF JAMES COLLIER.
Ques. How long have you resided in this county and how long have you known and been acquainted with the situation of Old Chillicothe on the Little Miami river?
Ans. I have resided in what is now the county of Greene nineteen years last November. I have known Old Chillicothe nineteen years this month or next.
Ques. If you had been directed to make a location of land beginning at the lower point of an island opposite Old Chilli- cothe on the Little Miami what point of land would you have selected for that be- ginning?
Ans. Some time after that I discovered a small island below the mouth of Massies creck. I do not recollect the size of the island at that time, but to the best of my recollections it was small. It has increased since and I would not believe it had been formed more than four or five years from the size of the saplings that were on it. which I think would not exceed two inches in diameter. The last time I noticed them they had grown to tolerably large trees,
some of them were at least forty feet high. mostly sycamores. There are now a good many willows, and when I first saw it I think there were none. I think the first time I saw the island it did not exceed six rods in length at low water mark, with a small streak of bushes on it. I thought it looked more like a sand bar than an island. So at that time I would have been compelled to take that island, knowing of no other oppo- site, or near Old Chillicothe, in making a selection. I.never heard of an island there until I saw that one that I have described. for I thought it too inconsiderable to attract notice.
ABNER READ, OF OLDTOWN.
Abner Read died at his home near Old- town, Greene county, December 27, 1858. He was born in Northbridge, Worcester county. Massachusetts, September 11, 1783. His father was a soldier of the Revolution and his mother was a daughter of Capt. John Brown, who served with distinction in the old French war. was for many years a member of the general court of Massachu- setts, and with nine sons fought in the Revolution. Mr. Read came to Ohio first in 1815 and remained about a year in Cin- cinnati, where he was engaged with an elder brother, Ezra, now of Champaign county, and another brother, Amasa, now deceased, and Thomas Watson in the clock business. He then returned to his native state and in 1816 married Cynthia Adams, of Worcester county, Massachusetts, and two weeks afterward moved with his wife to this county, arriving here in June of that year. being thirty-six days on the road. He and his brothers Ezra and Amasa first bought together the farm where he has ever since
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