USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 76
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"In 1823 there was a Methodist revival in the neigh- borhood, after which the society was visited by a delega-
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
tion of Shakers from Union village, near Lebanon, Ohio,. who opened their testimony of Christ's second coming without sin unto salvation. It was joyfully received, and many of the people united with the same. In 1824 they purchased forty acres of land, for which they paid two hundred dollars, and commenced to live in joint interest, having all things in common, as was the case of the Pen- tecostal church of Christ's first coming.
"The society is situated on the Dry fork of the White- water, one mile from the village of New Haven, and six miles northeast of Harrison. It commenced its history by purchasing forty acres of land and building at first some log cabins. About eighteen in number were the brethren and sisters at that time. In 1825 they were re- plenished to about forty men, women and children, by a company of New Lights, as they were called-a religious body of people who received the same testimony and had removed from the Derby plains in northern Ohio-form- ing one body. So from time to time, as they had money saved by their joint labor, and as opportunity offered, they bought lands, built brick and good frame houses, and increased in numbers to the present time, now own- ing about twelve hundred acres, assessed at about sixty dollars per acre.
"The testimony of the society has always been against wars and fighting; against learning the art of war. There were some trials in the matter of militia musters, which members not attending, they were fined and their prop- erty sold to pay for the same.
"In 1846 there came from Cincinnati and other places, about seventy men, women and children, commonly known as Millerites or Second Adventists. Hearing and believing, they became members. Many having deceased, some remain to the present time. The present leading members of the society are, as elders, Stephen W. Ball, Henry B. Bear, Charles Feaday; as elderesses, Amanda Reubust, Nancy McKee, E. Gass, Julia Ann Bear, Edith Dennis. Our numbers at the present time are about fifty members."
The first trustees of the society were Ezra Sherman and Ebenezer Rice; the present trustees are Mr. Sher- man and Henry B. Bear. The first elders were Calvin Morrell and Jacob Holloway. The elderesses were Mary Beadle and Phebe Seeley. The original deacon- esses were Sarepta Hinman and Ann Hall; the present deaconess is Eliza McGuire.
Formerly this society engaged somewhat in manufac- turing and in the raising of garden seeds, but of late years they have devoted their attention and labors exclu- sively to farming. In September, 1857, the colony was visited by a travelling correspondent of The Cincinnatus, an agricultural magazine published at College Hill, who included the following notice of the Shaker settlement in his next contribution to that periodical :
While in the neighborhood of Harrison, I visited the celebrated Shaker farm in Crosby township, which consists of about fourteen hundred acres. It is a fine specimen of scientific agriculture and horti- culture. Peculiar religious tenets aside, the society gives ample evidence of true knowledge in farming and gardening. Their community con- sists of three families, in all two hundred persons, including the chil- dren placed to their care. Their chief business is the raising of fine
stock, seeds, and brooms. They have abont fifty acres appropriated to garden seeds, yielding a profit of three thousand dollars per year. They have also seventy-five milch cows, one imported Durham bull, and twenty calves. Of the last there were six specimens taken to our State fair. Extreme cleanliness is everywhere manifest. The barn and stables are arranged with remarkable taste and convenience. They have the Osage orange and quickset hedges grown and growing to per- fection, and on either side the main road the additional ornament of fine black locust trces the entire length of their farm, the whole of which is assessed at seventy-five thousand dollars.
The following story of this community is related in Judge Carter's Reminiscences of the Old Court House:
It is well known that a large family of the pure and innocent Shakers have a long time existed out at the Whitewater village, in the northwest portion of Hamilton county, even for a period of over fifty years. When they first settled there, being regarded by orthodox people as children of the devil, and by others as religious lunatics, it was the en- deavor of all the neighborhood in Whitewater, Crosby, and Miami townships, to get rid of them and their peaceful settlement; and all manner of stories were circulated about their devilish ways all over the country, and sometimes a mob of farmers was talked of, to drive them clear out of the county and country. At last some vindictive scoun- drels in the neighborhood got two little Shaker boys, who were anxious to run away from the strict and restraining care of the Shakers, to make up a horrid and outrageous charge against the whole Shaker commu- nity of Whitewater.
The men of the Shaker colony, fifteen or twenty in num- ber, were consequently brought to Cincinnati and con- fined in the county jail. Intense feeling was aroused against them by their enemies and accusers, and there was imminent danger that they would be taken from the jail and lynched. By the efforts of leading citizens, how- ever, the mob was stayed from violence. The Shakers, placing their simple trust in the Lord, offered no defence, either in the magistrate's court at New Haven, or when brought before the court of common pleas; but a medi- cal examination of the boys, made by order of the judges, demonstrated that no such outrage as had been alleged could have been committed upon them, and the patient non-resistants were accordingly and promptly freed. Judge Carter adds:
And so it was, the innocent Shakers were honorably discharged, and amidst applause and hnzzas, went from the court house to their peaceful homes; and the city, and the county and the country, were relieved from the foul consequences of one of the most wicked conspiracies against innocent and harmless men, because of their religion, that ever was known. But the matter, wicked as it was, redounded to the great credit of the Shakers of Whitewater village. Pronounced, by the court in full bench, entirely innocent, and honorably discharged on the testimony of the expert surgeons, they were ever after, from sympathy and fellow-feeling, taken into the good graces and warm friendship of the neighborhood, and have lived in peace with all mankind and hope of bliss beyond the grave, ever since their fortunate and deserved es- cape from conspiracy. They have never since been molested by any- body, from anywhere.
In 1870 the village or settlement contained one hun- dred and twenty-three inhabitants. It has no post office, the inhabitants generally relying upon New Haven (or Preston) for their postal facilities.
NEW BALTIMORE.
This place is situated on the Great Miami, in the southeastern part of the township, two and a half miles south of the county line, and about five miles south of east from New Haven. Its town-plat was recorded in the Hamilion county land records March 8, 1819, by Samuel Pottinger. It is celebrated in local history as one of the places where John Morgan's forces crossed the
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
river, in the rebel raid of July, 1863, across Hamilton county and southern Ohio. In 1830 it had eighty-nine inhabitants, in 1850 one hundred and four, in 1870 nine- six.
POPULATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.
By the census of 1880 Crosby township had one thou- sand two hundred and fourteen inhabitants-an increase of one hundred and seventeen since the last census was taken.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
THE SATER FAMILY
is of an old Maryland descent. Henry Sater came from England in 1709 and settled for a time at Jamestown, Virginia, and finally at Chestnut Ridge, near Baltimore, Maryland. His wife's maiden name was Dorcas Gossage. They were parents of Joseph Sater, who was born De- cember 25, 1753, the youngest child of the family, soon after which his father died. He emigrated from Balti- more county, near the city of that name, in 1811, to the Miami country. His wife's maiden name was Hannah Levering, born January 16, 1764, and died April 9, 1854, aged ninety years, two months and twenty-four days. She was of French and German descent, daughter of Colonel Levering, one of the prominent heroes of the Revolution. They brought the surviving members of their family with them-three sons and three daughters. They landed at Cincinnati, and pushed their way across the country to the fertile Congress lands beyond the Great Miami, where he first settled among friends near Harrison, and then, in 1812, he farmed a place at Round Bottom, in the Little Miami valley. . In 1813 he bought a tract of about three hundred acres from Captain Jacob White, occupied by his son, Providence White, at ten dollars per acre, having declined to purchase in the Mill Creek valley, where Cum- minsville now stands, on the ground that it was too high. The original Sater tract is now in part the property of John and Jacob Schwing, adjoining the farm of Thomas E. Sater, and in part is owned by the Shaker society. Here Joseph Sater made his pioneer improvements, and re- mained until his death, which occurred October 27, 1833, at the age of seventy-nine years, two months and two days. Among his children was Thomas Sater, fifth son, who is the only survivor of the family in his generation. He resides near Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in his eighty-first year. The second son was William Sater, who was born September 17, 1793, in Maryland, occupied a portion of the home place in Crosby township, after his father's death, built the brick mansion in which his son Thomas now lives, in 1831 and died there January 30, 1849. His wife was Miss Nancy Jones, of Welsh and Scotch stock, daughter of a pioneer from Maryland, John Jones, who was born March 4, 1754, and immigrated to the valley of the Whitewater in 1809, died in July, 1820.
Her natal day was August 3, 1790. She was married to Mr. Sater in September, 1813, and died September 3, 1871. Their children were:
John Jones, born June 10, 1814; married Nancy Lar- rison February 19, 1834; died April 3, 1864. Had thir- teen children-eleven sons and two danghters.
Hannah, born July 16, 1816, died in infancy.
Eliza Ann, born January 8, 1818; married to William B. Hill in June, 1843; resides in Springfield township, two and one half miles north of Mount Pleasant. They have two sons and three daughters.
Sarah, born December 19, 1819; married James Gwalt- ney, February 7, 1843; resides in Butler county, Morgan township; has nine children-three sons and six daugh- ters.
William, born September 2, 1822 ; married in the spring of 1844, Sarah Jane Skillman; had two sons and two daughters; resided in Butler county, near his sister, and died April 4, 1852.
Joseph, who is noticed at length below.
Oliver, born June 20, 1829; married Maria Foster, March 30, 1852 ; had five children- all sons-two living; occupied the cabin built by his grandfather at the old home until about 1858, when he built a larger house on the same premises, and died there November 7, 1860.
Thomas E., who is noticed in a biography elsewhere.
JOSEPH SATER.
Joseph Sater was born at the old home in Crosby town- ship, November 20, 1824; spent his earlier years in the pursuits of the farm, and attending the district schools until the winter of 1844-5, when he was a student at Cary's academy, at College hill. Returning to the farm, he was married, as noted below, in 1849, to Miss Eliza A. Hedges, of Colerain township, and occupied his pres- ent place, adjoining his brother Thomas' farm, about one and one-half miles northeast of New Haven, where he has since resided, engaged in the peaceful pursuits of the successful farmer. In 1857 he was elected township trus- tee, and served three terms, and is now serving his twenty- fifth year as a member of the school board. In 1859, and in 1870, he was chosen real estate assessor for the township; in 1860 he was elected township treasurer, and served about eleven years, when he was elected county commis- sioner and declined to serve longer. In 1863 and 1867 he was nominated for the legistature on the Democratic ticket, the first nomination being unanimous, and the second practically so, and was defeated with his ticket- his party being then greatly in the minority. He was chosen twice to the commissionership, in 1871 and again in 1874, both times ori minority tickets, being nominated by the Democrats the first time, and running indepen- dently the second time, but taken up by the Republicans. He was first elected when the majority of the Republican ticket was more than seventeen hundred, and Mr. Sater's majority was two thousand seven hundred and ninety- nine, a vote ahead of his ticket of more than four thou- sand five hundred. At the second election he ran as an
,
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
independent candidate, when he defeated the regular Democratic nominee by about six hundred, the Repub- lican ticket being also defeated by four thousand seven hundred votes-a gain for him of about five thousand three hundred. He was a very active, energetic, and fearless member of the board. As a result of some of the inquiries and agitations started by him while in this office the law for the board of control was procured from the State legislature. He would recognize no legislation by the board which was transacted in beer saloons or any- where else than in the rightful place of meeting, and at last succeeded in breaking up the practice of signing bills or records that were not regularly before the board in its own room in the court house. Repeatedly he filed his protest againts the payment of illegal claims, and gener- ally succeeded in checking or preventing payments. Several resolutions were introduced by him, and carried, to lop off superfluous officials, and otherwise economize the expenditure of the public funds. The signal impres- sion produced by his service during the first term, upon the tax-payers and voters of the county, is shown by the triumphant success of his second canvass for the same office, made in opposition to a regular nominee. At the close of his second term, November 30, 1877, after serv- ing six years and one month, a complimentary dinner was tendered at the St. Nicholas in Cincinnati, to "Honest Joe Sater," as his friends were wont to call him. It was attended by many county officers and other prominent personages, and presided over by Governor-elect R. M. Bishop, who said, in his introductory remarks:
I feel highly complimented in being called on to preside on the pres- ent occasion, which is intended by the friends of Mr. Sater as a com- pliment to a man who has filled a position for the past six years, not only with credit to himself, but with credit to the county which he has had the honor to represent.
Upon the same occasion, Thomas B. Paxton, county solicitor, expressed the opinion "that Mr. Sater had saved this county one hundred thousand dollars per year, to the great disgust of certain small contractors." Many complimentary remarks were also made by Governor Thomas L. Young, and others, in letters conveying re- grets. B. F. Brannan, for example, in a letter, said he had "for the period of three years occasion to closely watch the manner in which Mr. Sater performed the du- ties of his office. In all that time there could not be discovered the slightest divergence from the strict and just path of duty. His course was invariably marked by an austere devotion to the economic interests of Ham- ilton county, and his record was found true and clean- a record that will stand on the pages of the history of Hamilton county bright and shining as 'the old silver dollar of the fathers' fresh from the mint, stamped with the figure of that noble bird which is the emblem of the Republic, symbolizing a character that at life's end will soar to the skies and beyond to receive the just reward due to the faithful public servant." Murat Halstead, esq., editor of the Commercial, said in excusing his absence, "I would with sincerity join in the recognition proposed of the faithful and valuable public service of Mr. Joseph Sater, whose name is identified in this community with vigilance and integrity in the discharge of the duties of
a position of responsibility." Judge M. F. Force (letter) said, "Mr. Sater has well earned the compliment by his valuable public service." Richard Smith said, "I have no doubt that Mr. Sater feels much better to-night to go out of that very responsible office which he has very faithfully filled, with the reputation which he has, than with a half-million of dollars stolen. Money will perish. His reputation for honesty will never perish. It will live when the grass shall grow green over his grave." I. J. Miller said, he "had not only been an honest officer, but a capable one. He had shown himself better acquainted with the laws governing his office than any member of the bar of Hamilton county." Judge Longworth said, "It was better to have written on Mr. Sater's record, as it was now written, than on the tomb, the tribute to his honesty and capability."
Mr. Sater was, by the joint action of the judges of the common pleas and superior courts of Hamilton county, in April, 1881, appointed one of three jury commissioners to select a list of six thousand names from which the juries for said courts will be drawn. Mr. Sater has also settled a large number of estates with a fidelity and accuracy that have justified the confidence reposed in him by widows and orphans. He has not thought it necessary to belong to any religious or secret order, but has always liberally contributed to the support of different religious organiza- tions.
Eliza A. (Hedges) was second daughter of Anthony Ludlow and Hannah A. (Johnson) Hedges, or Colerain township. The Hedges and Johnson families of the next previous generation came together from New Jersey (Hedges in 1805, Johnson in 1809), at a very early day, and settled in Colerain, near the site of the famous ancient work at Dunlap's Station, which is now in posses- sion of the Johnson descendants. Hannah A. Johnson was born January 12, 1805, and is still living on the old place, as Mrs. Marsh, she having been a second time married. Mr. Hedges died in September, 1831. Upon this farm was born Eliza Ann, January 11, 1826. Her formal education was received solely in the public schools, and she remained at home with her parents until her marriage to Mr. Sater, March 29, 1849. Since that time she has shared the toils and struggles, the joys and sor- rows of her husband, with little personal history apart from his. They have had four children, of whom one survives. The record is as follows:
Hannah Jane, born March 30, 1850; died July 28th, of the same year.
William, born January 5, 1852; died April 1, 1856.
George Ludlow, born August 20, 1853; died Decem- ber 22, 1853.
May Eliza, born December 30, 1856; married July 29, 1874, to John Lowry Wakefield, of the old pioneer fam- ily of that name in Crosby township; resides with her husband at her father's home. They have two children.
Mr. Sater is not only the most prominent man of his township, but one of the leading and substantial citizens of the county. He enjoys the esteem and respect of all the better elements to be found in both political parties of the present day. His integrity, honesty, and wise
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
counsels have secured for him a reputation which few men are permitted to enjoy. His home is one of the finest in the township.
Hospitable, generous, respected by all, he is a living ex- ample of what honesty and fair-dealing will earn for a man who possesses all these qualities, as does honest Jo Sater.
DELHI.
SOUTH BEND TOWNSHIP.
The original organization, including the territory now covered by Delhi township, was the now long extinct South Bend township, planted by the court of general quarter sessions of the peace between Cincinnati and Mi- ami townships. It was erected in 1795, among the ear- liest in the county, and was named from the settlement already made under the auspices of Judge Symmes, at the southernmost point on the river in the Miami Pur- chase, which in turn took its name from the great bend in the Ohio, within which it had been settled. The boundaries of the new township were defined about as fol- lows:
Beginning at the second meridian west of Mill creek ; thence down the Ohio six miles and over ; thence north on a meridian to the Big Miami; thence up that stream to the southwest corner of Colerain township; thence east to the meridian first named; thence south to the place of beginning.
These boundaries included nearly or quite the whole of the present territory of Delhi, and so much of the tract covered by Green township as did not belong to Colerain, as defined in a previous chapter;
The first township officers for South Bend were nom- inated by the court as follows:
Clerk-William Powell.
Constable-James Thatcher.
Overseers of the Poor-William Powell, Robert Gowdy.
Supervisor of Highways-Usual Bates.
Viewers of Enclosures and Appraisers of Damages- David Edgar, James Gowdy, Edward Cowan.
The letter C was assigned to the cattle brand for South Bend township.
DELHI TOWNSHIP.
This township, as now constituted (erected between 1810 and 1815), is the smallest in the county, except Spencer on the opposite side of Cincinnati. It has but eight thousand seven hundred and eighty-six acres, or less than fourteen square miles, is bounded on the east by the city; on the south and west by the Ohio river, which divides it from Kentucky; and on the north by the entire breadth of Green township, nearly one mile of Miami, and about as much of the city on the other side. Its lines begin at
the mouth of Bold Face creek, on the Ohio, almost a mile above the "second meridian line" mentioned among the boundaries of South Bend township; and run thence down the river to a point about a mile below the month of Muddy creek, where the old south line of Mill Creek and north line of Cincinnati townships (in part now Liberty street, Cincinnati) and present south line of Green township, extended westward, intersects the Ohio, thence eastward to the second meridian line aforesaid; thence south to the second parallel, the south line of sec- tions five and thirty-five ; and eastward again to the place of beginning. The breadth of the township on its north line is seven miles, very nearly; on its first section line next south, six miles; upon the next, which extends east of the general line of the township, four miles and two- thirds; with a very short southernmost parallel deeper in the bend. The greatest breadth of the township is a little more than three miles; whence it dwindles, by the flow of the river to both sides of the township to a point at each end. The average width is only about two miles. It has eleven full sections and eight fractional sections, lying in fractional range one, township two; and the duplicate section six, at the northwest corner of the town- ship, in fractional range one, of township one.
The surface of Delhi presents as great a variety of topog- raphy as any other part of the county, of equal extent. A comparatively level strip, of uniform width for but short distances, but nowhere extending far inland, except up the valleys, borders the river, and in places, as near Sedamsville, being quite narrow, with lofty, steep hills almost abutting upon the river. West from the city the general character of the country is highland, until the river is approached some miles further to the west ; but intersected, cut down and variegated by an un- common number of small streams for so small a tract. Among the valleys thus created are those of Bold Face creek, the Rapid run, Muddy creek, and at least a dozen minor brooks, all of which find their way to the Ohio, either directly or through creeks to which they are tributary.
The Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis & Chicago railway follows the river through the entire south and west parts of this township; and, on lines generally paral- lel with it the whole way, are the tracks of the older Ohio & Mississippi railroad. Along these are scattered
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO.
numerous suburban villages, for some of which both railroads have stations, making fifteen or twenty in all. Back on the highlands is Warsaw, a village which gives the name to the Warsaw turnpike, connecting it with the city. There are also the Industry and Delhi, the Rapid run, and other turnpike roads intersecting the township.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The following named gentlemen are among those who have served Delhi as justices of the peace: 1819, Peter Williams; 1825-9, Ichabod Palmerton; 1829, George D. Cullum; 1865, H. E. Hopkins, William L. Williams ; 1866, William L. Williams, Cornelius Myers; 1867-74, Cornelius Myers, Richard Paul; 1875-80, Richard Paul, Henry Rauck, jr.
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