USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 63
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Walter Johnson settled in Anderson township in 1804, where his death occurred eighteen years after. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1782. He was a leading farmer, and was several times a member of the board of trustees of the school board. His wife was Anna Bridges. The surviving members of his family are Rebecca Cox, W. W. H. Johnson, Franklin Johnson, Hannah Cord, Charles Johnson, Walter R. Johnson, Anna Johnson, and Sallie Norton. Charles Johnson's birth is dated in the year 1820. He has filled several township offices. He mar- ried Rebecca Corbley, and their children are John C., Walter R., Van R., and Leonidas.
Francis H. Jewett is the son of David Jewett. His mother's name was Eunice Rider. The father, who was born in Maine, emigrated from New York to Cincinnati in the year 1835. In the last named place, in 1840, the son was born. At the age of twenty-seven he was mar- ried to Catharine Henn. Three years later he began the dairy business in Covington, Kentucky, where he remained up to the year 1876, when he removed to his present place in Anderson township. He is said to possess ex- cellent business qualifications-in fact is the successful owner and manager of the largest dairy in the township.
David Jones, and his wife, Mary S. Jones, emigrated from Virginia to the State of Ohio, and were among the first settlers in Anderson township, where the former died in
1872. Abner Jones, grandson of the preceding, was born in 1816. In 1849 he was married to Miss Emily Bennett, daughter of Samuel D. Bennett, of the same township. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and for twenty-four years has held the office of justice of the peace.
Mr. John Webb was taken to Cincinnati with his fam- ily early in 1790. He was born in Monmouth, New Jer- sey, four years previous to this time. His death occurred in Newtown, in 1857. His wife's maiden name was Han- nah Frost. She was one year her husband's senior; her death occurred in 1857. The surviving members of the family are Sidney Webb, of Delta, Ohio, and L. A. Webb. of Anderson township. The last named son in 1840 married the daughter of John Frost, of Hamilton coun- ty. Ten years later he built the house in which he now resides, the site of which is said to be the highest eleva- tion of land in Hamilton county. Among the leading farmers of the county the subject of our sketch holds a prominent position.
Michael Lawyer emigrated from New Jersey to Ham- ilton county in 1815, and thence to Clermont county. in 1819. He was born in that State in 1771, married Nancy Martin, and remained in New Jersey about ten years after marriage, when he took his family across the mountains into Pennsylvania and settled in Green county, where they lived fourteen years. In 1815 they removed to the west, coming down the Ohio on a flat- boat, commonly called a "family boat," and stopped at the mouth of the Little Miami. They resided in this valley four years, and then removed to Clermont county, where the father died in 1835, and the mother ten years afterwards. The surviving children are Catharine Paul, Isabella Becker, and Michael Lawyer. The last-named was born in 1812, and was consequently but three years old when his people landed in the Miami country. In . 1839 he married Cynthia Robinson, daughter of John Robinson, and ten years thereafter removed from Cler- mont county to the farm he now occupies in Anderson township, where, in 1859, he built the fine residence in which he makes his home.
Winfield S. Durham was born in 1817. His marriage occurred in 1844. The same year he built the home where he now lives in comfort, having secured a fine competence in the business of farming. His mother was Narcissa Wilmington, the daughter of Joseph Wil- mington, of Clermont county. The parents of Mr. Dur- ham first settled near the mouth of the Little Miami. They have six children living at the present time.
Isaac Edwards, born in New Jersey in the year 1800, was a settler of Clermont county, where he died in 1855. His wife's name was Alice Sawyer. They have three children now living, of whom William Edwards, jr., was born in 1830. He was married in May, 1863, to Miss Ellen Dole, of Olive Branch, in the same county, by whom he has nine children, all living. The next spring after his marriage he removed to the fine place he now occupies, immediately adjoining the Edwards station on the Cincinnati & Eastern railroad, in a handsome house upon the farm of his uncle, William Edwards, sr. Here
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
he has devoted himself closely to his legitimate business of farming, without any turn for speculation or public life. He is now hard upon fifty years old, but is still in the prime of his powers, a strong man and an excellent farmer.
Samuel Johnson, father of James O. Johnson, was among the first who settled on Clough creek, where he remained during the rest of his lifetime. He was born in Virginia, from which State he emigrated to Ohio, and was a leading resident of Anderson township. His wife's name was Nancy Estel.
Joseph Martin settled in Anderson township as early as 1799, He was born in Bedford, Pennsylvania, whence he emigrated to Ohio. His death occurred in the same township in the year 1846. He was in the old block- house at Gerard Station. His wife was Miss Rebecca Gerard. Four children are still living, of whom their son, Gano Martin, was born in 181I. At the age of twenty-nine, he was married to Elizabeth Curry, the daughter of Colonel William Curry. They still live on the old homestead. Mr. Martin has always been in pol- itics a Republican. Since 1840 he has been an active member of the Baptist church of Newtown, in which he has always taken great interest, and for the support of which his contributions have been no small part.
W. H. Markley was born in 1827, at the place where he now resides. He married Catharine Silvers, with whom, surrounded by a large circle of friends, he enjoys his large farm and beautiful home. His father, Jacob Markley, first settled in Anderson township in 1814. He was born in West Maryland in 1803, but emigrated from Virginia to Ohio. He died in this township in the year 1879. He was a large land-owner, and also followed the business of boating on the river to New Orleans. His wife's maiden name was Emeline Martin. There are five children living at the present date.
Thomas Mears, a native of London, England, came to America and became a resident of Philadelphia about the year 1794. From this city he removed to Cincinnati at a very early date, where he practiced law. His brother John was a coppersmith, at which trade he amassed a large fortune. Some branches of the family still remain in Cincinnati. In 1858 he was killed by be- ing thrown from a carriage. His father, a physician, was a man of remarkable bravery. He died in the West In- dies from yellow fever, where he was practicing at the time. He was a great traveller, and when the country was new is said to have driven from New Orleans to Cin- cinnati in a gig. The wife of Thomas Mears was Polly S. McCormick, daughter of Rev. Francis McCormick, one of the founders of Methodism in the west. The children of this marriage were William E. Mears; Fran- cis Mears, of Clermont county; John Mears, of Ander- son township; and Eliza C. Mears, now Mrs. Stoms, also of Anderson township; Esther Mears, afterwards Mrs. Whetstone, deceased; Isaac Mears, now in Colorado; and Patsy, who died in infancy. William was born in Columbia in 1835. Previous to 1875 he was a merchant a large part of the time. At that date he became a member of the postal corps, where he remains at the present. His wife was Miss Hannah A. Sutton.
Robert Martin was born in Ireland in 1772. He settled in Sycamore township in 1820, and died in Symmes township in the year 1850. He was educated for the ministry, but was a teacher the greater part of his life. His wife was Jane Luckey. The surviving mem- bers of the family are Belinda Clemmens, Jonathan T. Martin, and Dr. J. S. Martin. The last-named is a grad- uate of the Eclectic Medical institute, of Cincinnati, of the class of 1849. Since that time he has been practic- ing in the town of Mount Washington, with the excep- tion of three or four years spent in the south and west. His present wife was Julia C. Bishop, of Anderson town- ship. The have two children, Matilda Elms and Olive May Martin.
Absalom H. Mattox first settled in Springfield, Ohio, in 1840. Before this time he was one of the early set- tlers of central Ohio, serving as sheriff of Clark county from 1825 to 1830. He came to Cincinnati in 1865, and died ten years later. His business was that of a merchant. His wife was Drusilla Haskell, and the mem- bers of his family now living are Absalom H. Mattox and F. G. Mattox, the latter a lawyer by profession, and at present clerk of the United States court at Columbus. Absalom H. became associated with the editorial corps in 1872, where he still remains, and since 1865 he has been connected with the Cincinnati Gas Light company.
Isaac Turner was born in Virginia in the year 1780, but emigrated from Green county, Pennsylvania, to Ohio. He settled in Columbia township as early as 1816. His death occurred in Anderson township in July, 1833. He was considered a leading farmer at that time, and had a decided reputation for industry. His wife, Sarah Turner, died in 1848. The surviving children are Electa High- land, Rachel Martin, Michael Turner, and Syrena Light. Michael Turner was born in 1809. At twenty-six years of age he was married to Nancy Flinn. They have six children living: Isaac D., J. J., George W., Anna E., John W., and E. J. He has remained on the old home- stead and followed the business of farming the greater part of his life. At one time he was extensively engaged in pork-packing, in which he secured a fine competence.
Louis Drake was among the pioneers of Columbia township. Born in New Jersey, he emigrated from that State to Ohio, where he died in 1832. He was in the War of 1812, and at different times filled several town- ship offices. His wife's name was Elizabeth Kennedy. They had eleven children, only four of whom are now alive. T. T. Drake was born in Columbia in 1818. He has followed the business of farming in a large way, and, having secured a good property, has now retired from ac- tive life. His present residence is in Newtown. His wife was Lydia Mills, and there are two children, Louis D. Drake and Ordelia L. McGill, both of whom are also residents of Newtown.
Martin Hess was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1803, from which State he emigrated. to Ander- son township in 1828, when he took immediate charge of the Turpin mills. He continued in his position, re- spected by all, for twenty-five years, and died in 1855. His wife-Eliza Flint previous to her marriage-was born
32
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
in 1806, and is still living, at the advanced age of seven- ty-four. The children are Sarah Muchmore, Martin V. Hess, G. W. Hess, Lottie Searles, and Amanda Hess. Mr. M. V. Hess was elected township clerk in 1868. Two years later he became township treasurer, which of- fice he has since held, with the exception of two years. He is the present incumbent.
Isaac Edwards emigrated from New Jersey to Ohio, and settled in Clermont county about 1805. Two years afterward he came to Anderson township, where he died in 1827, being a leading man of his time. His wife was Hannah Martin. She died in 1837. The surviving chil- dren are William Edwards, of Anderson; Rebecca Horn, of Knox county; Elizabeth Day, of Van Buren county ; Samuel and Edward Edwards, both of Anderson town- ship. Edward Edwards was born in 1812, on the old homestead, where he yet lives. The farm consists of two hundred and ninety-six acres of rich bottom lands. His wife's name was Eliza Glansey. The children are Euphe- mia Jones, Laura Jewett, Harry Edwards, Melvin Ed- wards, and Clara Hammel, all living at the present time in Hamilton county.
William H. Ayres was born in the year 1849. Leaving school at the age of nineteen, he entered the employ of Mr. W. R. McGill, and still holds his position, respected by all who know him. The first representative of his family in Ohio was his grandfather, John Jones, whose wife was Hattie Durham before her marriage.
R. W. Hibben first settled in Anderson township in 1839. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and came from that city to Ohio. He died in 1844. His wife's name was Rebecca E. Goodman, and they have seven children living. Duke G. Hibben, the son of the preceding, was born in South Carolina in 1829. At the age of ten he came to Anderson township, and still re- mains on the old homestead, surrounded by many friends.
Samuel Shaw settled at Newtown in 1828. He was a Pennsylvanian by birth, but emigrated from there to Ohio, where he lived until the time of his death in the year 1848. He was the proprietor of a hotel for thirty-one years. His wife was Isabel Jefferies. Five children are living. The son, Moses Shaw, was born in 1833. In 1861 he was married to the daughter of Jacob Ross. He has always followed the business of farming.
Elisha Miller settled in Anderson township in 1812. He followed the business of blacksmithing and farming, and has given the art of wood carving a deal of attention, receiving a diploma for the finest carving on exhibition at the tri-State fair of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. He was married, in 183-, to Hester J. Hopper, daughter of Abraham, who is noticed elsewhere with the Hopper fan- ily. He is a man respected by all.
The oldest house remaining in the township is a hewed log house near the site of Gerard's station, which was built in 1805 by Josiah and Samuel Holley. It is much in repute as a veritable relie of the olden time, and one of the most venerable dwellings in Hamilton county.
The first mill in the county was Wickersham's (some say Coleman's), upon, or rather in front of Nathaniel
Wilson's survey No. 2,204, at the rapids of the Little Miami, about two miles from its mouth and below the mouth of Clough creek, not far from the present site of Union bridge. Colonel Taylor says his father, General James Taylor, was at the mill in 1792 ; and further :
He went with a servant with two bags of corn to have it ground. The mill, he said, was a rough affair, constructed out of two Ken- tncky flat-boats, which made meal of a very coarse character. He said travelling to that spot at that day was not considered very safe, as In- dians had been seen a few days before on the trail leading to the mill from Fort Washington, and in fact had killed a man. Philip Turpin, who settled on Crittenden's survey No. 410, about 1795, subsequently built a flouring-mill near the spot where Wickersham built his mill. Said mill stood there until within the last ten years, when (1870) it was torn down by his heirs.
The Turpin mill, which was a very fine one for its day, and did excellent service for two generations, was built about 1805. In the same year the first ferry over the Little Miami was established in the vicinity by the Hol- leys before mentioned, which they leased for one hun- dred dollars in cash and one hundred gallons of whis- key. This beverage was then made in considerable quantity at a large distillery half a mile from Turpin's mill, upon or near the site of the old block-house.
All ferries across the river in this region have long since been superseded by bridges, the finest of which is the Union bridge, between Mount Washington and Lin- wood, so-called from the former union of Hamilton and Clermont counties in sustaining the expense of the con- struction of a bridge built in 1836, at the old Flinn's ford, about a mile below the present site of the bridge. It was a plain wooden structure, which was removed in 1875; and in that year and the next the fine suspension bridge now used was erected upon its more eligible site by the Cincinnati Iron Bridge company. Its expense, seventy-nine thousand eight hundred dollars, was sus- tained by Hamilton county alone, a bonded indebted- ness being created therefor, upon authority granted by the legislature. It is three hundred and fifty-three feet long, and every way a substantial and graceful structure. The river, on the Miami front of Anderson township, is also spanned by two railway bridges, erected for the Cin- cinnati & Eastern and the Cincinnati & Portsmouth nar- row-gauge railroads. There is also a wagon bridge for the turnpike near the mouth of the Little Miami, and another across the river at Plainville, from which a plank sidewalk connects it with Newtown-an improvement made by the enterprise and liberality of the citizens of the latter village.
EARLY RELIGION.
The Miami Island church, the second church of the Miami association in order of time (afterwards Little Mi- ami Island church, and finally simply Miami), on one of the islands in the river of that name, was formed about 1795, by settlers of the Baptist faith removing from Co- lumbia, and was served at first by Elder John Smith, of the latter place, who had then or a few years afterwards a mill at the island, about eight miles from Columbia. He was also pastor from 1801 to 1804. Elder James Lee was pastor from 1799 to 1801. Elder John Corbly, who had settled a few miles below Milford, preached here for some time afterwards. In 1808 Moses Frazer was
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
called as pastor, and was still with the church when it was dismissed in 1816, with eight others, to form the East Fork Baptist association. James Jones was pastor in 1816. In 1799 the membership here was reported to the Miami association as sixty-two, nearly twice the number of any other church in that body, and almost ex- actly one-third of the entire membership of the associ- ation, although it then consisted of six churches. Wil- liam Milner was a lay-delegate from this church to the meetings in 1797-8, to organize the association, and was on the committee to draft its "principles of faith, prac- tice and decorum."
The association met with the Island church October 20, 1798, when the rules were adopted, and so the asso- ciation was fully constituted.
The venerated name of Rev. Philip Gatch will ever be associated with the records of pioneer settlement and early religious movements in Hamilton and Clermont counties. He was one of the most remarkable men of his time in the Little Miami valley. Mr. Gatch was born near Baltimore, Maryland, March 2, 1751, of Prussian stock on his father's side and Burgundian on his mother's. He was converted under Methodist influences in 1772 ; be- gan to speak as an exhorter in the same year; the next year was sent into New Jersey as the first itinerant of the church ever sent into the State. He and the Rev. Mr. Walters, then laboring in Virginia and Delaware, were, indeed, the first preachers recruited for the Methodist itinerancy in this country. At the conference of 1774, held in Philadelphia, he was one of five received into full connection. January 14, 1788, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Smith, of Powhatan county, Virginia. After much laborious and able service at the east, part of the time under severe persecution, being often threatened, once dangerously assaulted, and once plastered with tar, he engaged in farming for a time; emancipated his slaves in December, 1780, removed to Buckingham, Virginia, and improved a large farm. In 1798 he resolved to emi- grate to the Northwest Territory, and set out for the land of hope October 11th, of that year, with his brother-in-law, the Rev. James Smith, and family, and a near friend, Mr. Ambrose Ransom and his family. Thirty-six persons, white and colored, were in the colony. After many tribulations, by land and water, they reached the Little Miami valley. Says Mr. Gatch in his journal:
From Williamsburgh we passed on to Newtown, and for some days pitched our tents in Turpin's bottom, and there, with those who were with me, were accommodated with a small shop used by a mechanic. On Sunday morning after our arrival the boats landed. My heart was dissolved into love and gratitude to God for his care over us on our journey, and bringing us safely into this desirable and distant land. I rented a house in Newtown, and we were treated kindly by the people, though they cared little for religion. The land which I had taken in ex- change for my farm in Virginia did not answer for a settlement, so I purchased a tract in the forks of the Little Miami river.
His residence in Anderson township was, therefore, brief, lasting only till the middle of the next February, when his cabin was finished and he moved beyond the East fork into it. His history thenceforth belongs mainly to Clermont county, which he served long and ably in public stations, as justice of the peace, associate judge of the court of common pleas, member of the first
constitutional convention, and otherwise. He remained identified, however, with the religious interests of the lower Miami valley, preaching regularly at Newtown and other places, though not as a circuit preacher until cir- cuits were regularly established and appointments made to them, and frequently preached thereafter. He died in the fullness of years and honors December 28, 1835, and was laid to rest beside his venerable wife, in the burying-ground upon his farm.
In this connection the following recollections of Mr. Gatch, concerning early Methodism on the Little Miami, will be read with interest:
The conference did not appoint a preacher to Miami circuit in 1800. There were at the time four or five local preachers in the Miami coun- try, and they went everywhere preaching the word. They systematized their operations, preached not only on Sabbath, but also on other days, held two-days' meetings, and kept up a routine of quarterly meetings. They were much encouraged in seeing the pleasure of the Lord pros- per in their hands. Those popular meetings were held at different points, but most of them were held in the forks of the Miami, and it was matter of astonishment to see the numbers that attended; women would walk twenty and even thirty miles to attend them. The whole care devolved on three families; each would have frequently to provide for from fifty to a hundred people. The men at night quartered in barns and out-buildings, while the women lodged in the cabins.
It was a striking scene to witness the breaking up of one of these night meetings. The people, though coming from a distance, had no way of returning in the darkness but by dim paths or traces, some of which had been first formed by the tread of wild beasts. To obviate this difficulty they would procure fagots made of bark from the trees or splinters made fine and rendered highly combustible; these would be fired up on starting home, and in every direction they might be seen like so many meteors, bounding amid the thick forest and gilding the foliage of the loftiest trees, while the air would often be made vocal with their songs of rejoicing and praise.
Bishop McKendree, in one of his letters, speaks of a meeting at Mr. Gatch's house in June, 1802, which some women walked thirty miles to attend. A powerful revival occurred at this meeting. Another remarkable service was held in 1805, under an awning in front of Mr. Gatch's cabin, by Bishops Asbury and Whatcoat, and their travelling companion, the Rev. J. Crofford. When each of these had preached at the same service, it was insisted by Bishop Asbury that Mr. Gatch should preach also, which made four sermons in succession. And yet, says Mr. Gatch, "so precious was the word of the Lord in those days that the congregation evinced no uneasi- ness, but paid the greatest attention to all the discourses." He elsewhere writes : "The first circuit that was formed here extended over a tract of country from the Ohio up the Miami rivers to Mad river, and the labors of the preachers who travelled it were great. Now [1827] there are seven circuits within the bounds of the first one." The quarterly meetings were held commonly at the house of Mr. Gatch, when his patient, devoted wife would have to provide for the entertainment of fifty to one hundred persons.
NEWTOWN.
This is the oldest town in the western part of the county, and by far the oldest in Anderson township. A cluster of settlers, as we have seen from Mr. Gatch's narrative, was here as early as 1798; and no great while after that, we may presume safely, the place was almost, if not quite, as populous as in 1830, when it contained one hundred and sixty-one people. It was laid off on
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
General Massie's survey, No. 2,276, in the north part of the township, and on the border of the Little Miami bottoms at the foot of the hills, in 1801, by General James Taylor, and was by him at first called Mercers- burgh, in honor of General Mercer, of Revolutionary fame. The most easterly part of the present site was first built up, and bore the name of Mercersburgh; but afterwards the whole of the site was occupied under the designation of Newtown.
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