History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 102

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096


USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 102


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Rev. James Scott, of the Presbyterian church, was the pioneer preacher in the vicinity of Clinton. As there were no churches in those early days, meetings for religious purposes were held in James Loveridge's frame barn until a house of worship could be built; hence that structure became known for miles around as "God's barn," verifying the adage that "the use sanctifies the place."


In 1814 the Presbyterians built a frame church on a lot in Clinton, where J. Blackstone Banning's barn now stands. This building was never finished as a church, and in 1820 it was moved to James Loveridge's orchard, and turned into a cider-press, the first of the kind in the county. Rev. Scott, at the time referred to, lived about one-half mile west of Loveridge's tannery. He subsequently moved to Mt. Vernon, where he died September 18, 1850, in the seventy-ninth year of his age.


About the year 1830, under the auspices of Rev. William Thrift, of the Baptist denomination, a frame church was built on the Fredericktown road, two miles north of Clinton. For a time this con- gregation grew and flourished, but the vicissitudes of time and fortune have left scarcely a trace of its history.


A third church was built as a non-sectarian edi- fice, and was called the Morris Union chapel. It is a neat frame structure, situated four miles north- east of Mt. Vernon, on the old Greentown road, and was erected about 1870. It is free for all de- nominations, but is principally used by the Meth- odist Episcopal church, that persuasion being the more numerous in that locality.


As heretofore stated, the mill of William Doug- lass was the first built in the township. In 1830, Douglass sold out to Anthony Banning, and he in 1835 sold to his son, James S. Banning, who re- modelled and repaired the same. These mills did good business until 185r, when the close proximity of the Newark & Sandusky railroad rendered them useless for custom work. A few years after this a freshet destroyed the dam, and the mills were abandoned.


About the year 1835, B. H. Taylor built a simi- lar establishment to that of Douglass, near Freder- icktown. Still later, Henry Cooper and John


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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY


Duyer built saw-mills on Owl creek, and about the year 1832 James Turner built a flouring-mill on the same stream, two and a half miles north of Mt. Vernon. This mill contained three runs of buhrs, and was subsequently owned by Eli Miller, Elias Boudinot, George W. Brown and Uriah Walker. It ceased running in 1862.


In 1825, Aaron Jackson built a saw-mill on the south fork of Owl creek, and in 1836 James Walker purchased the property and erected a grist- mill, which was subsequently owned by N. M. Jackson, William Parrish, States Williams, Elias Butler, John Horner, and J. Stump. It ceased operations about 1875.


As before stated, James Loveridge was the first tanner in Morris township. He was succeeded by Samuel H. Smith, Benjamin Corwin, John Mc- Mahon, Hugh McMahon, James S. Banning, and others.


James Miller dressed deerskins and manufac- tured them into all kinds of buckskin goods. He was succeeded by Joseph Rickey, who added a preliminary department to the business-that of killing the deer. Mr. Riley still survives, and re- sides with his son-in-law, Mr. Cramer, of Liberty township. He is now in the ninety-fifth year of his age.


The pioneer blacksmith in Morris township was John Sawyer. His shop stood about eighty rods southwest of Thompson Coopers-where Mr. Ban- ning now lives. Sawyer was followed by Abel Cook and others.


John Wheeler was the first carpenter, followed by John Johnson, the Woodruffs, Bartletts, and others.


The first stone cutter in the neighborhood was a Welchman by the name of William George, from Chester township. It was he who cut the stone for the foundation of James Loveridge's brick house.


William Douglass employed William McCloud to build the first stone house in the township.


Daniel Zerrick came to Morris township in 1814, and brought with him a machine for weaving stock- ings. He died in 1851 aged eighty-six. His daugh- ter Patsey married John Miller and is still living on the Mansfield road, north of the former site of Clinton.


A chair factory was at one time carried on in Clinton by John Barney.


The founder of the town of Clinton entertained a laudable ambition to make that town the perma- nent seat of justice for Knox county, and to all appearance Clinton's advantages were far superior to either of the other competing towns. Popula- tion, improvement, wealth and intelligence appar- ently preponderated in Clinton, but-


" The best laid schemes of mice and men Gang aft aglee."


and Mt. Vernon won the prize. Clinton made a gallant fight, but fate was against her, and the once flourishing town-with tanneries, mill, distilleries, shops, hotels, stores, a printing press-on which was printed the first book ever issued in the county -- and other business enterprises went into a de- cline. One by one her business men deserted the sinking ship. The legal existence of Clinton was terminated on the seventeenth of April, 1818, when the court heard the petition of Samuel H. Smith, Ichabod Marshall, Elihu S. Webster, Lathrop Shurt- liff, John P. McArdle, Benjamin Barney and Rich- ard Ayres for a vacation of a part of the town of Clinton, and granted the prayer. The Clinton post- office, established in 1810, was the first in the county. Its successive postmasters were Samuel H. Smith, Richard Fishback, Ichabod Marshall and S. H. Smith. The last known of it, Andrew Clark was acting as deputy postmaster, in 1819.


Daniel Norton bought Samuel H. Smith's inter- est in the real estate of Clinton, but was dispos- sessed in a suit at law by Hosmer Curtis. J. S. Banning bought fifty-six acres of it and Uriah Walker the residue.


On the second day of March, 1812, upon peti- tion of several citizens this township was laid off, and an order issued for an election, to be held at the house of Benjamin Rush, for township officers. A majority of the early settlers being natives of Morris county, New Jersey, caused the name of Morris to be selected. The officers of the election this year were William Douglass, Daniel Cooper and William Thrift, judges; James Trimble and John Wheeler, clerks. The township was listed by N. C. Boalse, who received a six dollar county order for his services.


At a special meeting of the associate judges, March 14, 1812, three justices were allowed to this township. At the election ordered by the county


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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.


commissioners there were fifty voters. James Trimble was chosen township clerk, Scott Dnrbin and James Miller constables, and James Loveridge treasurer.


The following is a list of the justices of the peace of Morris township: John Trimble, Benjamin Barney and Joseph Coleman, 1812 ; William Doug- lass and Joseph Coleman, 1816; James Dickson, William Douglass and Joseph Coleman, 1819; Al- fred Manning, 1820; Carey Cooper, 1822; Uzziel Ball and John Trimble, 1823 and 1826; James Adams, 1830; B. H. Taylor, 1831; Uzziel Ball, 1832; James Adams, 1833; B. H. Taylor, 1835; James Adams and Thompson Cooper, 1836; B. H. Taylor, 1838; Ceorge Irwin, 1837; Thompson Cooper, 1839; George Irwin and John Durbin, 1840; B. H. Taylor, 1841; Thompson Cooper, 1842; Alexander McGrew, 1844; Thompson Cooper, 1845; B. H. Taylor, 1847; John H. Win- terbotham and William Bonar, 1848; Benjamin B. Brown, 1850; Thompson Cooper, 1851; Uzziel Ball, 1853; John McIntyie, 1854; B. T. Smith, 1855; Allen Scott and Uzziel Ball, 1856; John Mc- Intyre, 1857; I. L. Jackson, 1859; John McIn- tyre, 1861; I. L. Jackson, 1862; John McIntyre, 1863; Adam Rinehart, 1865; John McIntyre and Isaac L. Jackson, 1866; E. J. Mendenhall and Edward Burson, 1869; Isaac L. Jackson, 1871; James Steele, 1872; Isaac L. Jackson, 1874; Da- vid Cosner, 1875; Thomas Banning, 1877; Ed- ward Burson and Isaac L. Jackson, 1878.


CHAPTER LXIII.


PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.


SITUATION-BOUNDARIES-TOPOGRAPHY-PIONEERS-MILLS -BREWERIES-ROADS-CHURCHES-FIRST THINGS- OR- GANIZATION-PRESENT OFFICERS-MT. VERNON NURSERY -POPULATION AND PRODUCTION-JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.


DLEASANT township is situated directly south- east of Mt. Vernon, and its original bonndaries are set forth in the following order of the county commissioners, bearing date March 9, 1825.


"Pleasant township shall be composed of the sixth township in the twelfth range."


The name Pleasant was given to the new town- ship by John Kerr, a prominent citizen of the same, on account of its pleasant scenery. December 7, 1838, the county commissioners ordered that "the first quarter of Pleasant township be struck off into a separate township." That was accordingly done, and the new township named College-in honor of Kenyon college. Pleasant township was thus re- duced to its present size. The northern portion of the township is traversed by Vernon, or Kokosing river, consequently is somewhat bluffy and rough, but the southern portion, drained by Big run, is comparatively smooth and presents excellent facili- ties for farming operations, the average crop of wheat being twenty bushels to the acre.


The general surface of Pleasant is somewhat higher than the surrounding townships, conse- quently the deposit of glacial drift is not so deep, and in many places is entirely wanting. White oak, ash, maple, white and black walnut, hickory, elm and beech, are the varieties of timber that formerly covered the soil. No mounds are found in this township.


At this date it cannot be determined who the first inhabitant of Pleasant township was. Amongst the earliest settlers was James Colville. He came from Washington county, Pennsylvania to Knox county about 1803-4. In 1804 he purchased one hundred acres of land, east of Mt. Vernon, in Pleasant township, cleared some land, planted an orchard, and raised a crop in 1805. The same year he built a small log house, and in 1806 he got married and moved into it. This was setting an example worthy of imitation, which others were not slow to follow.


Jonathan Hunt, born in Somerset county, New Jersey, October 23, 1780, married Honor Wells, of West Virginia, and moved to Knox county, Ohio, in 1806. In company with his father, Jona- than Hunt, sr., he located in what is now the south- west corner of Pleasant township. Being a gun- smith he was often employed to repair guns for the Indians, previous to the War of 1812. Mr. Hunt was present at Mt. Vernon on the twenty-eighth of March, 1808, when the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice for Knox county ar- rived, and volunteered to work on that memorable occasion. His name appears on the panel of the


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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.


first grand jury for Knox county, May 2, 1808, and at an election held in Sychamore township, September 13, 1815, he was elected trustee. Dur- ing the War of 1812 he served under Major Krat- zer, and was a part of the time employed in re- pairing guns, for which he received one dollar per day extra pay. License was granted to him to keep tavern in 1815. Hunt's Station perpetuates his memory.


Silas Brown came about 1806, and located near the line between Pleasant and Clinton townships, north of Hunt's Station, on land now owned by the Schnebley family. At the first election held in Knox county, April 4, 1808, Mr. Brown was elected sheriff, commissioned by Acting Governor Thomas Kirker June 6th, and reelected October 11, 1808. During his first term of office William Hedrick was sentenced to be publicly whipped-an account of which will be found elsewhere-and Sheriff Brown performed his duty by executing the sen- tence. Mr. Brown was also justice of the peace for Pleasant township in 1832, and was re-elected in 1835.


James Parks and William Patrick were early set- tlers, who located near James Colville, and prob- ably came at the same time. Mr. Parks was jus- tice of the peace in 1832. His son, Joseph V. Parks, was elected justice in 1857, and held the office till 1875.


Daniel Applegate settled near where the election- house now stands, but little is known of him at this time.


William Harrod was one of the pioneers, and used to boast that he had killed more than two hundred deers sitting on old baldy's back.


William Buckingham lived on the Martinsburgh road, near where George Hughes now lives, and John Steinmetz on the same road, near the place now occupied by William Hyatt.


Philip Smith lived on Big run, in the southeast part of the township, and George Crouse resided further down the run, north of the present Hope- well Methodist church.


The Grahams, Veatches, Beatys, Crawfords, and Rohrers, were reckoned amongst the pioneers of Pleasant township, but time has almost obliterated their history. The most of them were located along the Mt. Vernon & Martinsburgh road. Fred-


erick Rohrer was justice of the peace in 1825, and Robert Graham in 1835.


In 1815 John Kerr resided at Nashport, in Muskingum county, but having lived in Knox county, he determined to return to the vicinity of Mt. Vernon, and purchasing a tract of land on the Kokosing river, two miles below the town, he em- ployed Solomon Geller to build a dam and erect a saw-mill, for which he paid him one thousand dollars. Early in 1817 Mr. Kerr moved to his new purchase and erected a grist-mill, fulling-mill and carding machine. In 1819 he erected the first brick house in Pleasant township, and in 1825 he built a distillery. This last building was of stone, thirty feet square, and for a while did a flourishing business, but


"Change is written on all things earthly,"


and this one soon joined the long procession of distilleries gone before to the limbo of the past. Mr. Kerr removed to Missouri in 1837, and the prop- erty came into the hands of his son Benjamin, who sold out to John and James Morrison, from Eng- land. In the course of a few years the property came into the possession of Robert Miller, who added a new saw-mill and greatly improved the grist-mill. This mill, together with a large amount of grain stored in it, was totally destroyed by fire on the night of August 11, 1880.


A brewery was erected on the Gambier road in 1835, by Jacob Kurtz, and by him sold to George Pfeifer. About 1850 it came into the possession of John Bechtel, who operated it till the "Crusa- ders" depreciated his business and the brewery was abandoned. Frederick Rohrer, who lived on the Martinsburgh road in 1825, kept a tavern and conducted a brewery at the same time.


Hurford's steam grist-mill is situated on Big run, in the northeast corner of the township. This was originally a small water-mill, built by a man named Hurford, afterwards owned by a Mr. Wyant. It then became the property of Mr. Simon Dud- geon, who added steam to the motive power, put in an extra pair of buhrs, and still operates it.


Warmon's steam grist- and saw-mills are located near the Martinsburgh road, on the old Graham farm, five miles southeast of Mt. Vernon. The origi- nal structure was a Mulay saw-mill, built by the Bell Brothers, in 1850, and operated by them a few


J.D.M. Kissen Del


RESIDENCE OF (DANVILLE. P.O. ) K


J.A.COLOPY. IX COUNTY. OHIO.


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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.


years. The Bells sold the mill to Mr. Graham, who sold it to John Warman, sr., in 1860. Mr. Warman operated it until 1865, when the present proprietor, John Warman, jr., purchased it from his father. The original mill was burnt down in 1866. After the erection of the new mill Mr. Warman put in a circular saw, which he operated a few years, and then put in a feed chopper. In 1876 he added a pair of wheat buhrs.


One of the first, if not the first, public road sur- veyed through Pleasant township, was the Mt. Vernon and Newark road. A petition was pre- sented to the county commissioners August 5, 1808, by John Dunlap, Samuel Dunlap, sr., Abra- ham Sperry, John Nash, Joseph Conrad, Joseph Harris, Alexander Walker, William Brown, Gil- man Bryant, James Walker, Andrew Craig, Thomas Brown, James Craig, Jesse Severe, William Doug- lass, Jabez Beers, Calvin Shepherd, Samuel Krat- zer, William Critchfield, John Lewis, Nathaniel Critchfield, and Samuel Baxter, praying for the establishment of the road. William Gass, Henry Haines, and James Colville were appointed view- ers, and John Dunlap, surveyor. The road was accordingly viewed, and the return made to the county commissioners on the twenty-second of Sep- tember, 1808.


On petition of John Kerr and others, James Mc- Gibney, John Hawn, jr., and John Mefford were appointed, June 1, 1818, viewers, and William Y. Farquhar, surveyor, to lay out a county road from Mt. Vernon to John Kerr's mill, in Pleasant town- ship. The road was confirmed July 16, 1818.


The Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road was also laid out in an early day, but it was not until the winter of 1823-4 that the legislature appointed commissioners to survey the present State road. A copy of their survey was filed in the office of the commissioners of Knox county, November 25, 1824. The Gambier road was also made a State road at the same time.


Pleasant Hill Christian church was organized at Pleasant grove on the Mt. Vernon and Martins- burgh road, by Rev. Isaac N. Walter, September 24, 1832. The original members were: William Buckingham, James K. Litzenberg, Jane Litzen- berg, Mary Staggers, Margaret Price, Dorcas Carey, Elizabeth Smith, Rhoda Harrod, Sarah Seaborn,


Sarah Price, Elizabeth Harrod, Nancy Buckingham, John Mahanna, John Graham, Mercy Graham, Elizabeth Kisor, Morgan Litzenberg, Mary Wise, Christina Kisor, and James Hartsock. January 21, 1835, Samuel Price, Abraham Wise, and James R. Litzenberg were elected trustees. The same year William Buckingham donated three-fourths of an acre of ground near the junction of the Gambier road with the Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road, for church purposes, and a frame building thirty by forty-five feet was erected thereon. February 8, 1845, Levi Harrod and D. M. Carey were elect- . ed trustees. August 10, 1845, Elder James Hose was employed as pastor for one year. A Sunday- school was organized May 9, 1846, with W. H. Stevens and D. M. Carey as superintendents. Au- gust 20, 1846, Elder James W. Maroni became pastor. March 9, 1853, Isaac Lefever was elected trustee, and Mills Harrod clerk. June 24, 1854, Isaac Lefever, sr., Levi Harrod, and Thomas Boyle were elected trustees, and Mills Harrod and Levi Harrod deacons. August 1, 1862, Elder Mills Harrod was employed as pastor for one year.


In 1854 a new frame church was built near W. T. Hyatt's, and the name changed from Pleasant grove to Pleasant hill. April 22, 1876, James Bell, J. W. Marvin, and W. T. Hyatt were elected trus- tees, and May 27th Elder J. W. Wright, F. S. Ulery, and James Bell were elected deacons, and W. T. Hyatt clerk. No regular services are held at this time.


St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church .- As early as 1820 Rev. Jacob Bovee preached in the neighborhood. He was succeeded by Rev. - Baughey, but no church was organized until June 4, 1853, when Rev. William M. Gilbreath preached at Crawford's school-house on the Martinsburgh road. The following persons were members of the first class: George Beckley, Nancy Beckley; Wil- liam Morgan, Maria Morgan, Martin Bechtel, Sophia Bechtel, John Sensal, Catharine Sensal, David Dean and his daughter, Laurensa, David Stecher, Anna M. Stecher, Henry Smith, Catharine Smith, and George Koutz.


In 1854 a subscription was taken up to build a church, and Benjamin Kerr appointed treasurer. A frame church thirty-six by forty feet was erected one-half mile south of Kerr's mill, on the Martins-


25


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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.


burgh road, and dedicated July 1, 1855, by Rev. J. W. Sloan.


August 23, 1857, Rev. J. L. Gilbreath, who had labored jointly with Rev. W. M. Gilbreath from September, 1854, was elected and installed pastor. He continued his ministrations until 1875, when his connection with the church ceased. The con- .gregation was without a regular pastor until Janu- . ary 12, 1879, when Rev. J. K. Booher, the present incumbent, took charge.


The following is a list of elders: George Beck- ley and David Dean, 1853 ; George Beckley and Martin Bechtel, 1855; Martin Bechtel and Henry Heefer, 1857 to 1861 ; Henry Heefer and George Stinnet, 1863; John Senzal and John Hammond, 1865; Jonathan Wentling, 1868; Martin Bechtel and John Wentling, 1875; David Stecher and Henry Mills, 1870; George Bechtel, 1880. Dea- cons: David Stecher arid William Morgan, 1853; David Stecher and Lemuel Beckley, 1855; David Stecher and Henry Mills, 1857 to 1861; Martin Bechtel and David Stecher, 1863 ; Henry Mills and Martin Bechtel, 1865 to 1875; Henry Mills and Burr Shaffer, 1875; John Taylor and John Sensal, 1879. Trustees: George Beckley, Henry Mills, and Burr Shaffer. The present number of mem- bers is fifty-six. A small Sunday-school is con- nected with the church, of which Daniel Steam is superintendent.


Pleasant Hill Presbyterian church was the result of the labors of Rev. Henry Hervey, who preached a number of years in the southern portion of Pleas- ant township. The date of the first organization is not positively known, but may be set down as about 1845. The original members, as near as can be ascertained, were Robert Graham, Martha Graham, Matthew McKibben, Jane Mckibben, Enoch Bebout, Eliza Bebout, John Allen, Martha Allen, Charles McLain, Ruth McLain, James Mar- quis, Nancy Marquis, Charles Swaney, Ann Swaney, Henry Barnes, Gracie Ann Barnes, Henry Graham, Martha Graham, and Mrs. John McLain. In 1850 a neat frame church thirty-five by forty feet was built on the Martinsburgh road, about one mile from the south line of the township, which is still used by the congregation as a house of worship. The following pastors have had charge of the con- gregation: Rev. James Anderson, Henry Hervey,


James Read, Rev. Helfride, Rev. Walkinshaw, Dwight Hervey, O. H. Newton, and John Watt, the present incumbent. The elders are John Warman, Charles McLain, jr., and Ebenezer Be- bout, and the clerk is Charles McLain, sr. The present number of members is forty.


Hopewell Methodist Episcopal church is situated on the East Union road, one mile west of the east line of the township. Its history cannot be ob- tained. The following facts are all that can be as- certained in reference to it. The present struct- ure-a frame thirty-six by forty feet-was built under the auspices of Rev. Allen Moffat, in 1855. The present number of members is forty-three. The class-leaders are William Smith and David B. Kerr. A Sunday-school of thirty-five scholars is attached to this church. Michael Noon is super- intendent.


To each of the above churches a cemetery is at- tached, the date of the establishment of which is coeval with the building of the churches. Besides these, there are a few burying-grounds separate from any church building-the oldest of which is that situated about a mile and a half east of Hunt's Station.


William Marquis was the pioneer pedagogue. He taught the first school in this section, in a log cabin on the property of James Colville, about the year 1825. This school was not different in its character from others of the period, and needs no special mention. Pleasant township has at the present time six fine brick school-houses. Good teachers are employed and a high standard of qualification maintained.


There are no villages in the township, and but one railroad station - Hunt's. A store was opened and a post office established at this point soon after the opening of the Newark & Sandusky railroad, in 1851. William Beech was the first proprietor; then came John Graham, Homer Stoughton, Hiram Coleman, William Platt, and W. H. Tucker, the present postmaster and ticket agent.


About 1870 A. W. Mavis opened a small store at Hurford's mill, in the northeast corner of the township, and is still engaged in merchandising at that point. Martha Colville was born August 25, 1807, and is believed to be the first white child born within the present bounds of Pleasant town-


549


HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.


ship. The first blacksmith was Jonathan Hunt. His shop was on the Newark road, just east of the present railroad station. Dr. Eggleston, who prac- ticed medicine between 1860 and 1870, was the only resident physician. Dr. Augustus Marvine commenced the practice of dentistry in 1860, and still pursues that calling. James Morrison was the first to import thoroughbred short-horn Durham cattle into the township; he having in 1838 brought thirteen head from England. The first thresher and separater was introduced from Pennsylvania by Thomas Anderson. The first election for town- ship officers was held at Frederick Rohrer's tavern, on the Martinsburgh road, in 1825. No records of the proceedings have been preserved, conse- quently the original board of officers cannot be given.


The following is a list of the justices of the peace : David Ash and Frederick Rohrer, 1825; Harvey Brown, 1827; Frederick Rohrer, 1828; James Parks and Silas Brown, 1832; Robert Gra- ham and Silas Brown, 1835; Alvin Foote, 1837; Robert Graham and James D. Porter, 1839 to 1845 ; Robert Graham and Richard Hunt, 1845 to 1854; Robert Graham and John Colville, 1854; Joseph V. Parks and Henry McLain, 1857 to 1867; Joseph V. Parks and W. H. McLain, 1869 to 1873; Thomas Colville, 1875; A. W. Mavis, 1877; Thomas Colville, 1878; Francis M. Lha- man, 1880. The other township officers are as fol- lows: Josiah Hutchinson and Samuel Beeman, constables; G. W. Glenn, assessor; Abraham Bar- ber, treasurer; Joseph Ulery, A. F. Hilliar, and T. B. Gorsuch, trustees; Alexander Debolt, clerk; J. W. Forry, William Morgan, J. V. Parks, William Smith, Abraham Barber, and William Houck, board of education; J. K. Schnebley, land appraiser.




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