History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 108

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 108

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A Methodist Episcopal church was built on the southwest quarter of section ten, about 1845. An organization had been effected some years previous to the erection of the church, and the members held their meetings in the school-house. David Guthrie donated the land and most of the timber for the church, which was built of hewed logs.

John Cochran and wife, Eli Dickerson and wife, John Ruby and M. Truckle and wives were of the first members.

Revs. John Scoles, John McNabb, and Absalom Waddle were among the first pastors.

The organization was dissolved about 1856, the members uniting with the Methodist church at Amity and North Liberty. There was a cemetery attached to this church, which was laid out many years before the church was built. David Guthrie was the first person buried in the cemetery. John Cochran, one of the first members, was buried here in August, 1835.

A union church is now being erected, which is free for all denominations to worship in, but will be known as the Pike Cumberland Presbyterian church.

Rev. William Gilbreath preached in the vicinity

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of North Liberty in 1846, and formed a Lutheran class, amongst whom were Henry Boven and wife, Jacob Gower and wife, William Worley and wife, and Adam Stump and wife.

In 1860 the congregation had become large enough to need a church building, and a neat brick edifice, thirty-six by forty-six feet square, was erect- ed in the town of North Liberty.

The following is a list of communicants in De- cember, 1862: George Stahl, jr., Elizabeth Stahl, Margaret Stahl, Mary M. Stern, Margaret Stern, Jacob Gower, Mary Gower, Samuel Gower, Eliza- beth Gower, William H. Stahl, Amy Stahl, Nancy Stahl, John Wohlfort, Catharine Wohlfort, Joshua Kneffer, Elizabeth Kneffer, John H. Kneffer, Mary J. Loney, Jacob Myers, Elizabeth Myers, Julian Smith, Allen Smith, Racina Smith, Abraham C. Shawton, David Whorley, Elizabeth Whorley, Mary A. Phillips, David Porch, Catharine Porch, Adam Stump, Rebecca Stump, Lovina Reeps, Jacob Bowman, Melchior Krise, Mary Krise, Sarah Stahl, Eliza Knarr, Elizabeth Myers, Mary J. Myers, Louisa Myers, Elmira Arnold, Andrew Balliet, Mary Semly, Eli F. Pond, Sarah Pond, John Bishop, Eliza Loney, Michael Crunkleton, and Caroline Crunkleton.

The successive pastors have been William Won- ders, 1852; A. S. Miller, 1856; George Leider, 1860; D. I. Faust, 1862; - - Sensabaugh, 1864; William Gilbreath, 1866; S. Ritz, 1872; G. Z. Coachill, 1873: and James Williams, 1879.

Amity is situated in the southeast corner of Pike township. It is a neat and and orderly village, having a population of about one hundred and fifty. It was laid out in 1832 by David Jackson, who owned the land on which the village was loca- ted. It was originally called Emmettsville, but the name was changed from that to Amity about 1837. The town was on the line of the old stage route leading from Wooster to Columbus, and in an early day was a place of considerable business. Lewis Strong was the first merchant in the village. His successors were Scott Gilchrist, Mackey Ma- teer, Joseph Mateer, Frank Popham, Dr. Wright, and Isaac Cline, nnder the firm name of Wright & Cline. About 1840 John Collins started another store in the village, which he carried on for about two years, when he sold his stock of goods to D. P.

and E. R. Wright. The firm of D. P. & E. R. Wright was dissolved in 1844, and a new firm, D. P. & C. W. Wright, commenced business, con- tinuing about a year, when D. P. Wright pur- chased his partner's interest in the establishment. D. P. Wright was in turn succeeded by Dowds & Barber, who are still doing business.

David Jackson kept the first hotel. His suc- cessors in the hotel business were Muncie, Willet & Paxon, Benjamin P. Wright, Joseph Popham, Scott Gilchrist, John Riddle, - Jones, D. P. Wright, E. W. Douds, and John Weirick. John Britton was the first blacksmith. - Johnson was the first physician: Drs. Mire and Stinger were also early physicians. A post office was established a short time after the village was laid, and named Democracy. William Gordon was the first post- master; he was succeeded by Henry Yarrick, James Gilchrist, D. P. Wright, Jerrod Parrish, and C. C. Barber, the present incumbent. The first school-house, a log building, was erected about 1833; it was situated in the south part of the vil- lage. - McDermott taught the first school in this edifice, and Jesse Cain the second one. This structure was burned about two years after its erec- tion, and the village school was taught for some years afterwards in an old log cabin outside of the town. This log building, that was destroyed by fire, was replaced by a neat frame school-house, built within the village limits about 1842.

At present the village contains two dry goods stores, owned by. M. A. Barber and son and J. A. Wright; one hotel, kept by John Weirick; one steam tannery and saw-mill combined, owned and operated by Charles Fletcher; two blacksmith shops by C. Doup, jr., and C. C. Clements; one wagon maker, S. D. Parrish; one shoemaker, James Westcott; one undertaker, D. P. Wright; one physician, J. L. Black; two lodges of secret societies, Odd Fellows, and Knights of Honor; and two churches, Methodist Episcopal and Bap- tist.

Amity Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, was organized October 23, 1879, with a membership of ten, viz: J. L. Black, C. W. Wright, James McGinley, Jeremiah Belt, L. G. Mavis, L. A. Wright, James Reed, Ziba Leonard, H. W. Phillips, and J. Hetrick. The first officers were:

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

L. A. Wright, N. G .; H. W. Phillips, V. G .; Ziba Leonard, R. S., and J. L. Black, treasurer. L. A. Wright, the first noble grand, died before the ex- piration of his term of office, and by a special dis- pensation of E. K. Wilson, grand master, J. L. Black was elected to fill the vacant chair as noble grand for the remainder of the term. This lodge is known as Bartholo Lodge No. 692, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is the last lodge instituted within the county up to the present date. It has not yet had an opportunity to make for it- self a history, but being located in a wealthy and intelligent community, its future is bright and full of encouragement. There has been but one death since its organization. The present membership is twenty-nine. The officers at this time are: H. W. Phillips, N. G .; Ziba Leonard, V. G .; J. L. Black, secretary, and James McGinley, treasurer. The lodge holds its regular meetings on each Satur- day evening.

Amity Lodge No. III, Knights of Honor, was instituted May 20, 1875. Its charter members were: William Loney, Curtis Fletcher, S. D. Parrish, Henry Davis, J. L. Graves, George Mc- Clurg, Miles Dakins, Henry Snyder, Samuel Har- din and J. B. Lybarger. The first officers were: C. Fletcher, dictator; Miles Dakins, reporter; William Loney, treasurer; S. D. Parrish, past dictator; George McClurg, assistant dictator ; Henry Snyder, guide, and Henry Davis, sentinel. The present officials are : Miles Dakins, dictator; Curtis Fletcher, reporter; William Loney, treasurer; George McClurg, past dictator; William Loney, guide; Samuel Hoag, assistant dictator; Thomas Berry, sentinel; J. B. Lybarger, financial reporter. The present membership of this lodge is seventeen. The regular meetings are held the first and third Saturday evenings of each month.

The Amity Methodist Episcopal church, organ- ized about 1834, was the first in the village. The early members of this organization were, Rev. Francis Popham and wife, Samuel Britton and wife, Albert Grubb, Absalom Waddle, - McNear, and Henry Oram and wife. Two of the prominent members of this society were also licensed local preachers, viz: Absalom Waddle and Francis Pop- ham, who frequently preached to this church. The meetings were at first held in the houses of the

members, and in the village school-house. About 1840, a frame church was erected at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. One of the earliest ministers was Bishop W. L. Harris. His minis- terial labors were greatly blessed, and during his pastorate a remarkable revival occurred, and one hundred and seven members were added to the church. The following ministers have officiated as pastors of this church since 1848. 1849-50, E. . Raymond, assisted by O. Mitchell and William M. Conant; 1851, John McNabb; 1852-3, Leonard Parker, assisted by John K. Ford and Baruch Jones; 1854-5, Joseph Wolf, assisted by Albert Cochran and Daniel M. Conant; 1856-7, Philip Plummer, assisted by Benjamin F. Heskitt; 1858-9, D. Lambert, assisted by Benjamin Heskitt; 1860- 61-62, Chilton Craven and William Hudson; 1863, Daniel M. Conant; 1864, Daniel Lambert; 1865, . supplied; 1866, Joseph McBarnes; 1867-8, sup- plied; 1869-70, William Kepler; 1871-2, Thomas G. Roberts; 1873, S. Z. Kauffman; 1874, G. E. Scott; 1875, W. W. Smith; 1876-7-8, A. S. Mof- fitt; 1879-80, J. W. Thompson. In 1871 a new church edifice was erected at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars, and in 1874 a parsonage was built at a cost of about one thousand dollars. The present membership is fifty-three, thirty-two being in full membership, and twenty-one probationers. The present officers are: class-leaders, J. W. Rock- well and J. W. Simmons; stewards, Michael Mc- Ginney and J. W. Simmons; trustees, Frank Cun- ningham, Martin Fletcher, J. W. Rockwell, and J. W. Simmons.

The second church organized in the town was the Amity church of Disciples of Christ. This society was organized about 1840, by Elder John Gordon. Its early members were, Joseph Gordon, Jacob, Esther, and Eleanor Pealer, William Gordon, Samuel Pealer, Elias Pealer and their wives, Rigdon Gordon, John Gordon and wife, Elizabeth Gordon, Catharine Gordon, O. Quimby and wife, John Rid- dle and wife, Mrs. Ball, John Quimby, Jesse Ed- gar, Amos Nichols, William Hartgrove, John Pond, James Harrison and their wives, and - Latta. Elder - Sanders was the first stated pastor, and remained in that relation several years. - John Stannard and Monroe Simons were also of the first ministers. The church depended principally on

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

supplies from other societies for its preaching. This society held their meetings in private houses until 1850, when a frame edifice was erected, in which the members worshipped until 1880, when it was torn down. On account of removals, deaths of members, and dissensions in the church, the or- ganization was disbanded several years since.

The Amity Baptist church was organized June 21, 1847, under the auspices of Rev. James Sey- mour. The original members were William Wright, Daniel Hardin, Joel Odors, Mary Wright, Eliza- beth Hardin, Mrs. Odors, Marion Daniels, Jane Vian, Jane Daymude and Sarah Hicks. Prior to the organization, and about the year 1845, Elders Stoors, and David Thomas, of Mt. Vernon, occa- sionally preached in the village, and by their earn- est labors laid the foundation for the organization of this society. Rev. Daniel Thomas was the first stated pastor. His successors in the pastorate were Elders Reason Lockheart, James Fry, Benja- min George, James Seymour, Rev. Tullison, Ben- jamin Tulloss, Benjamin Morrison. This church enjoyed a high degree of prosperity for several years after its organization, but in course of time several of the members having emigrated to the west, and a large number dying, the society be- came weak, and they were without a regular pastor for several years. In 1880 Rev. J. A. Davis took ministerial charge of the church, and the church has now regular preaching. The society worships in a frame edifice erected by the Presbyterians, but subsequently purchased by this society. The present offices are: C. W. Wright, deacon; B. F. Vian, clerk.

North Liberty is situated in the northern part of Pike township, and was laid out by Francis Blake- ley, William Johnson, Daniel Grubb, and J. Nel- son Dean, in 1838. The first house on the new town plat was built on the northwest corner of the principal street crossings, by Daniel Grubb, for a dwelling house. A store room now occupies the corner owned by James K. P. Mishey. The first frame house was built by Daniel Grubb for a tav- ern and store room, and was situated on the south- east corner of the street crossing. David Grubb dug the public well, assisted by the most public spirited citizens of the new town. The store room on the southwest corner of the crossing was not

built till 1849, by Jacob Smith. The first store in the village was kept by a man named Doolittle, in the store room built by Daniel Grubb. His suc- cessors were Henry Reichart, Jacob Smith, Israel and Miller Moody, Charles Hedges, Philip Fred- erick, William Arnold, and his brother Philip, James Pearce, Samuel Bishop, and Christian Mishey, Jacob Myers, M. L. Lane, Truman Mix, and James Mishey. Mr. Mix died and Daniel Beal became Mr. Mishey's partner, remaining in business with him about two years, since which time Mr. Mishey has carried on the business him- self. Mr. Christian Mishey also kept a grocery in the post office corner, where Albert Mishey now keeps a grocery. J. N. Ruby also kept a grange store from 1875 till 1880.

Daniel Grubb kept the first tavern in the house built by him for that purpose. His successors were Jacob Myers, Samuel and George Black, George Sickles, John Bishop, Lloyd Meeks, Henry Westonhaver, John Fry, William Armstrong, Samuel Shyers, Jacob Beal, John Hammett, and Dr. Charles Mahaffey.

The post office was first established at Jonathan Smith's, in the northwest corner of Pike township, in 1848, with Jonathan Smith as postmaster, but in 1850 it was moved to North Liberty, and Henry Taney appointed postmaster. His successors were Levi Ponds, Joshua Kneffer, Robert Sweeney, Christopher Mishey, Seymour Hunter, and Albert Mishey, who was appointed January 1, 1880.

The practicing physicians of North Liberty have been Drs. John Waddell, Robert Mclaughlin, Edward Booth, T. Jefferson Young, George Shira, and Charles Mahaffey, the latter of whom is the present practitioner.

The first blacksmith was James Huston; then Jacob Lautz, Hugh Beach, David Kenig, James Ward, Samuel Brown, Wilson Turney, and John Shanton.

North Liberty at present consists of one post office and grocery, Albert Mishey, postmaster ; one dry goods store, J. K. P. Mishey, proprietor; two churches, Methodist and Lutheran; one cabinet- shop, William Loose, proprietor; one wagon shop, Caleb Brokaw, proprietor; two blacksmith shops, thirty-five dwellings, and one hundred and fourteen inhabitants.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

NOTE .- All matter contained in these sketches has been obtained directly from families or individuals cognizant of the facts contained in them. Being thus written, those furnishing the information are alone responsible for the facts and dates written.

ABBOTT, JOHN.S., farmer, was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1826. In 1855 he emigrated to Knox county, Ohio, locating in Mt. Vernon. In the fall of the same year he purchased the farm on which he is now living, in Clin- ton township, located on the Granville road, two miles from Mt. Vernon, and has since made farming his occupation. February 15, 1865, he married Miss Mary E. Johnston, born in Clinton township, Knox county, Ohio, March 11, 1842, daughter of James and Mary J. Johnson. They moved on his farm, where they are now living. Their union resulted in one child, a daugh- ter.

ACKERMAN, 1 .. B., insurance agent, Fredericktown, was born in Knox county, Ohio, August 17, 1839, and was married September 20, 1871, to Ella Cook, who was born in Wayne county, June 12, 1848. They have four children, viz: Ida C., born July 8, 1872; William A., December 26, 1873; Ernest Lee, March 13, 1875, and Edith E., March 31, 1879. Mr. Acker- man received a liberal education and has been engaged in teaching, having taught school twenty-three years. He was principal of the Fredericktown union schools during the years 1877 and 1878, and has the reputation of being one of the ablest instructors of Knox county. He is at present engaged in the in- surance and collecting business. He has been a citizen of Fredericktown for three years, and is one of the intelligent and enterprising men of this township, and has done much to pro- mote the standard of education in Knox county. He has also taken quite an active part in political matters.

ACKERMAN, HARVEY, Middlebury township, farmer, post office, Levering, born in Middlebury township, July 14, 1850; married in 1872 to Ara Smith, who was born in Coshoc- ton county, Ohio, in 1852. They have two children-Blanche, born January 10, 1874, and Carle, born July 2, 1877. Mrs. Ara Ackerman died April 2, 1878. Mr. Ackerman has been engaged in teaching school about ten years.

ADAMS, JAMES, Monroe township, deceased, son of John and Ann Adams, was born in Frederick county, Virginia, No- . vember 22, 1792. He accompanied his parents to this county in 18II, who located near Mt. Vernon, where they deceased- Mrs. Adams in 1827, and Mr. Adams in 1829. James Adams was reared on a farm, and followed farming as his vocation through life. October 10, 1815, he married Miss Eleanor Newell, daughter of Hugh and Margaret Newell, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 27, 1798, and came to Knox county with her sister Mary, wife of Judge McGibeney, :

in 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Adams settled on a farm in Monroe township, known as the Hunt farm, and remained until 1836. They then moved on farm in the same township, located on Schenck's creek, now owned by their son, Allison Adams, where he deceased April 1, 1838. His companion survives him at the age of eighty-two years, and is living on the home farm with her son Allison. He served in the War of 1812. He filled the office of justice of the peace in Monroe township about ten years. He was the father of three children: John, born August 5, 1816: Allison, born November 6, 1818; and Mary J., born November 12, 1820. John and Mary J. have deceased. Alli- son Adams married Miss Phebe A. Paige, of Monroe township, who deceased October 10, 1854. He was then united in marri- age with Miss Elizabeth E. Dowds, in November, 1855; born December 27, 1834; daughter of Elijah Dowds, deceased. They settled on the Adams homestead, where they are now liv- ing. They have a family of six children-three sons and three . daughters. He has made farming and stock raising his voca- tion. He owns a large farm in Monroe township. He enlisted in company H, of the Sixty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served about ten months in the war of 1861. He was in the battle of Stone River December 31, 1862. He has served the people of Monroe township as justice of the peace since Octo- ber, 1865.

ADAMS, GEORGE, deceased, was born in Redgrave, a vil- lage in Suffolk county, England, March 16, 1797. He came to America in 1853, first settling in Gambier, where he lived one year, and then removed to Mt. Vernon, where he resided up to the time of his death, which occurred about noon on Thursday, December 4, 1879, in the eighty-third year of his age. Mr. Adams was twice married. By his first wife he had thirteen children, seven of whom are still living-five sons and two daughters-Mr. Adam Adams, of the firm of Adams & Rogers, hardware merchants, being the eldest. Besides these, he leaves twenty-four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Mr. Adams' death was sudden. He had been engaged in wheeling tanbark from the street in to his lot, and at dinner time his wife found him in the front yard, lying on his back, dead. Apo- plexy is supposed to have been the cause of his death.

ADAMS, JACOB, Berlin township, farmer, post office, Fred- ericktown, was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, in 1822, came to Ohio when fourteen years of age, and was married in 1850 to Sabra Brown, who was born in this township in 1830. They have six children, viz: Annetta, born in 1854; Alice M., in 1856; Sabie C., in 1858; Mary E., in 1860; Duddie, in 1863, and John E., in 1866. Mr. Adams is a prosperous farmer, and a careful, judicious financier.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY

ADAMS, ARTHUR, blacksmith and horseshoer, Mulberry street, between High and Vine streets, Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Arthur Adams is a native of Mt. Vernon, and was born No- vember 6, 1848, and received his education in the public schools of the city. He learned his trade, blacksmithing, with his father, Mr. Adam Adams. Serving three years as an appren- tice, he worked one year after instructions in his father's establishment. He then opened a shop in Fredericktown and worked two years. He then returned to Mt. Vernon and entered into partnership with his father for some two years, and then took charge of the shop for himself, which he still conducts. The business amounts to about two thousand dollars per year. Horseshoeing is a specialty, he having a thorough knowledge of the theory of shoeing truck and draft horses, and of all de- partments of shoeing. He took the first premium at the Knox County Agricultural society's fair in 1873. His father, with whom he learned his trade, also took a first premium from the State Board of Agriculture at the fair held at Cleveland some years ago. He does all kinds of repairing on short notice, and for reasonable terms. All his work is warranted to be first- class. Mr. Adams in 1863 enlisted in company R, One Hun- dred and Twenty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, in which he served until the close of the war. M. Adams has represented his ward in the city council.

ADAMS, REV. MORTON D., pastor of the Disciple church, was born at Vincennes, Indiana, May 24, 1856, and received his preparatory education there, and at Butler university, Indian- polis, and completed at Vincennes university, from which he graduated in 1875. In 1876 he entered upon pastoral duty at Vandalia, Illinois, where he remained one year, and then went to Massillion, Ohio, and served the church there one year. In 1879 he came to Mt. Vernon and took charge of the Disciple church of this place, in which he has served with acceptance to the present, and during which the church has been greatly re- vived and built up, having had forty additions during his pas- torate.

ALER, CHARLES E., travelling agent, post office, ¿Freder- icktown. He was born in Virginia in 1850, and came to Ohio in 1877. He was married in 1875 to Eugenia B. Linfield, who was born in North Carolina in 1855. They have two children: Margaret V. was born in 1877, and Claudia I. in 1879. Mr. Aler has been a very successful book agent, and is still engaged at that business.

ALLEN, ASAHEL, farmer, was born in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, November 18, 1803. In February, 1804, his parents, Asahel and Rhoda Allen, nee Fillson, moved to Benson, Rutland county, Vermont, where he was reared to manhood. In September, 1833, he, in company with two sisters, Salome C. and Rhoda A., and his father and mother, emigrated to Knox county, Ohio, located in Mt. Vernon for the following winter, and in the spring of 1834 they purchased and moved on the farm now owned by him, one and a half miles southwest of Mt. Vernon, on the Columbus road, in Clinton township. There was a log cabin on the farm, which served them as an abode until 1835, when he erected the brick dwelling, which is now used as a tenant house. Rhoda Allen deceased June 19, 1848 His father, Asahel Allen, died April 22, 1850, aged eighty years' Rhoda, wife of Asahel Allen, and mother of Mr. Allen, jr., departed this life December 1, 1857, aged eighty-six years and six months.

On the eighteenth day of February, 1841, Asahel Allen, jr.,

married Miss Content Wing, daughter of John and Phebe Wing. Miss Wing was born in Queensbury, Warren county, New York, November 10, 1812, and emigrated with her parents to Mt. Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, in 1817. After the mar- riage of Mr. Allen to Miss Wing they settled on the Allen homestead, where they are now living. In 1843 he erected their present residence, which is a frame structure.

They reared a family of four children, Belinda E., Alice A., Charles R., and Henry A. who are all living. He has followed farming and stock-raising as his vocation. His sister, Salome C., married, and is now living at Mt. Vernon.

ALLEN, W. P., was born in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, March 7, 1817, where he remained until twenty-three years old ; was reared on a farm and was educated at the dis- trict schools. In 1840 he came to Ohio and settled in Pleasant township, Knox county, where he followed farming for twelve years, when he traded his farm for another in Clay township, where he remained for five years. In the spring of 1857 he moved to Martinsburgh and dealt in stock until the fall of 1865. In the spring he commenced dealing in agricultural implements in which he has since been engaged. He came from Martins- burgh in the spring of 1871 to Mt. Vernon, where he now lives, and has been engaged in his present business for fifteen years, and has done a business of ten thousand dollars per year. He at present represents Whitely, Fassler, & Kelley, of Springfield, manufacturers of reapers and mowers; J. A. Case & Co., of Racine, Wisconsin, manufacturers of engines and separators, and a number of other prominent manufacturing firms in his line.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 108

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

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