History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 37

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 37

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These wagons did most of the carrying trade for the country. The merchant who wished to pur- chase goods in the east sent his order and received his goods by these wagons, and in order to pay for the same often intrusted large sums of money to the teamsters. The products of the country, re- ceived by the merchant in exchange for goods, con- sisting mostly of wheat, whiskey, furs, etc., were also shipped by these wagons, going, generally, to the lake, where they were sold or shipped on a ves- sel for some point east, and months would often elapse before returns could be received.

Another source of out-let for the produce of the country was by the water-courses, which were then untrammelled by mills or bridges ; and, by reason of

the swampy condition of the country and conse- quent abundance of water, were navigable for small boats to points which would seem incredible at this time. Flat-boats were built, carrying from twenty to fifty tons. These were loaded with pork, flour, whiskey, the products of the chase, etc., and taken down the Kokosing, Walhonding, Muskingum, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, where the cargo and boat were sold, and the pioneer, with his money in his pocket, would return across the country, walking, perhaps, the entire distance, or may be, purchasing a mule or horse by the way, or taking occasional advantage of the wellremember- ed stage coach for short distances. In this primi- tive way the pioneers of Knox communicated with the outside world. About forty years elapsed from the time of the first settlement before these means of transportation were superseded by that great civilizer-the railroad.

The products of the country, for want of a mar- ket, brought very low prices-the average for wheat being thirty-five cents per bushel; oats twelve cents; corn twenty cents; whiskey fifteen cents per gal- lon; pork one dollar and fifty cents per hundred weight; cows eight to ten dollars each, and horses from thirty to forty dollars each. Coffee brought from seventy-five cents to one dollar per pound; salt from four to six dollars per barrel; calicoes from fifty cents to one dollar per yard, etc. Money was the exception, traffic and trade the rule. The great wagons carried the produce to Portland (now Sandusky city) and returned with salt, fish, etc.

In trading with the Indians Gilman Bryant used to set a bottle of whiskey on each end of the coun- ter in order to facilitate business. Cabins for the purpose of trade and traffic sprang up all along the new roads, and were occupied by some pioneer family, who procured a living partly by hunting, partly by working the "truck patch," partly by trad- ing whiskey, tobacco, knives, blankets, tomakawks and trinkets with the Indians and settlers, and as travel on the roads increased, by keeping travellers over night, finally converting the cabin into a tav- ern. Frequently these taverns were the means of starting a town, which grew and prospered, or be- came extinct, according to circumstances. Estab- lishing a town was like investing in a lottery ticket, which might draw a prize or a blank. Nothing now

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

remains to mark the site of many early towns plat- ted on the soil of Knox; others are marked by small clusters of partially deserted houses.

Mills were of prime necessity to the pioneers. Norton speaks as follows of the first mill in the county :

The first grist mill in this county was of a decidedly primi- tive character. It was in the Hains, or Ten Mile settlement, and constructed without the sound of the hammer upon iron. It was the joint work of Ebenezer and Abner Brown, assisted by the mechanical skill of the whole neighborhood, and was built on what was called by the early settlers "Big run," though in later times it is spoken of as the little lake, through which the road to Granville has since been laid out. The water has al- most disappeared - having been in its appearance greatly changed by ditching, and in some parts obliterated by filling up the hollow. The mill stood where Isaac Beam's house now is, and the dam was where the bridge now stands in the lane. It was all of wood-a sugar trough made its meal trough-a little box its hopper-the stones were about two feet through, and hooped with elm bark for want of iron. It cracked corn pretty well with a good head on, but the stream was generally dry, and the mill was only able to run when big showers of rain came. The building was about ten feet square, of rough logs-not a nail or a bit of iron could be had when it was made. The stones of this ancient mill are certainly a curiosity; they are yet to be seen, being the property of Moses Farquhar, of Ber- lin, who since that day has attempted experiments with them. Robert Richards at one time took a grist to this original mill and had it ground. He was then about seventeen years old, and not much acquainted with the milling business, but he was greatly impressed with its mechanism, and ready to exclaim, with our old friend Hadley : " The works of God are wonder- ful, but the works of man are wonderfuller!" He thought that it worked first rate, though Henry Haines at that time had got a little hand-mill which he claimed was a great improvement on the little wooden mill.

Mr. Roberts recollects of having at one time packed a bag of corn from Tom Butler's down on Whitewoman home, and thence to a mill near Newark, and back home again, less a heavy toll. While at the mill he saw Hughes, and from his own lips had a true account about the killing of Indian horse thieves, whom Jack Ratliff and himself had pursued into the Owl creek country and killed as they came upon them in the bottom just below where Fredericktown now stands.

In 1804, William Douglass, of Morris township, built a flouring-mill in connection with a saw-mill, and a few years later put up a carding and fulling mill, greatly to the benefit of the pioneer settlers, enabling them to convert the product of their small flocks into material to clothe their families. In 1807, John Kerr built a grist- and saw-mill at Fred- ericktown. About the same time Jacob Young built mills four miles west of that place, and Samuel Gregg one about one and a half miles south. In the eastern part of the county Hibbitt's mills,

on the Mohican, and Shrimplin's and Dial's on Owl creek, made their appearance about the same time. In 1816 Henry Davis purchased a flouring- and saw-mill in the southern suburbs of Mount Vernon, erected about the year 1810. From that time onward mills sprang up rapidly all over the county, until Knox was regarded as one of the most favored counties in the State, on account of the number and excellence of her mills, and dura- bility of her streams. The Miller mill in Pleasant township was erected by Mr. John Kerr, in 1815.

Time, however, has worked a marvellous change. The mill-streams are not what they once were; and now there are mills all over the county, that were once a benefit to their respective neighborhoods, and a source of profit to their owners, rapidly going to decay, and steam is taking the place of water-power. The fact is, that since timber has been cleared away and the swamps drained, the volume of water has been greatly lessened, and streams that were considered good mill streams in an early day, became, subsequently, very insignifi- cant.

Five years after the first settlement of this terri- tory, the county was created. January 30, 1808, the legislature passed an act establishing Licking and Knox counties. The act relating to Knox reads as follows:

SECTION 2. Be it further enacted, that all that tract of country included in the following boundaries be, and the same is hereby laid off into a separate county, which shall be known by the name of KNOX : beginning at the southeast corner of the fifth (5) township of said tenth (10) range; thence west along the northern boundary line of said county of Licking, to the line between the fifteenth (15) and sixteenth (16) range afore- said; thence north to the northern boundary of the military land aforesaid; thence westwardly along said northern bound- ary line to the western boundary of the twentieth (20) range of the lands of the United States, lying north of said military lands; thence north on said western boundary line to the north- west corner of the seventeenth (17) township in said range; thence east until it intersects the said north boundary line of the military land; thence eastwardly along said northern boundary line to the east boundary of said tenth (10) range in the mili- tary lands; from thence south along said range line to the place of beginning.

SECTION 3. Be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for the coroner, sheriff, and constables of said county of Fairfield, and all collectors of the county of Fairfield, to make distress for all dues and officers' fees, unpaid by the inhabitants of said new counties, at the time said division shall take place, and they shall be accountable in like manner as if this act had not been passed, and the court of Fairfield county shall have jurisdiction

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

in all actions and suits pending therein at the time of such di- vision; and they shall try and determine the same, issue pro- cesses, and award execution thereof.

SECTION 4. Be it further enacted, that the temporary seat of justice in the county of Licking shall be at the house of Levi Hays, and the temporary seat of justice in the county of Knox shall be at the town of Mount Vernon in said county.

SECTION 5. Be it further enacted, that the inhabitants of said new counties shall assemble in their respective counties on the first Monday in April next, at the usual place of holding elections in said counties, and proceed to elect a sheriff, coro- ner, and commissioners, for their respective counties, who shall continue in office until the next annual election, and until suc- cessors are chosen and qualified.

SECTION 6. Be it further enacted, that all justices of the peace and township officers in said counties, shall continue to exercise the duties of their respective offices until successors are chosen and duly qualified.

SECTION 7. And be it further enacted, that all that tract of country lying north of the aforesaid county of Knox, and south of the Connecticut Western Reserve, and so far east as the line between the fifteenth (15) and sixteenth (16) ranges of Congress lands, shall be, and is hereby, erected into a separate county, by the name of RICHLAND, and shall be under the jurisdiction of the county of Knox, until the legislature may think proper to organize the same.

This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the first day of March next.

[Signed]

P. BEECHER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. JOHN BIGGER, Speaker pro tem of the Senate.

January 30, 1808.

April 4, 1808, the first election under the act .creating the county was held. The officers of the election were Ebenezer Brown, Jabez Beers, and Samuel Kratzer, judges; William Gass and Robert Anderson, clerks. The voters were here from the most remote parts of the county, as well as from the vicinity of Mt. Vernon. The election of the first officers in a new county brings out everybody. The officers were elected by the following vote: For commissioners, John Lewis received fifty-six votes, John Herrod, fifty-two, and Joseph Walker, forty-eight. Silas Brown was elected sheriff. For coroner, Jonathan Craig had forty-five votes, and Francis Hardesty, one vote. For trustees, George Downs had forty-one votes, Henry Roberts, thirty- six, and Joseph Coleman, thirty-six. For overseers of the poor, Moses Craig received twenty-two votes, James Walker, two, and Alexander Walker twelve. The candidates for supervisor were Samuel Kratzer and Peter Baxter-Baxter received thirty-six votes and Kratzer thirty-five. The candidates for fence- viewers, were George Zin, Michael Click and Jesse

Severe. For "house praisers," Archibald Gardner and James Craig, each had twelve votes. For constables, Gabriel Wilkins received thirty votes, Philip Walker, twenty-one, Jonathan Hunt, jr., fifteen, and David Miller, three. For treasurer, Benjamin Butler received twelve votes, and James Walker, jr., two. None of these parties are now living.

Joseph Walker, John Harrod, and John Lewis, commissioners, on the second day of May, 1808, entered on their record the official proceedings dividing Knox county into four townships. These townships were Wayne, Clinton, Morgan and Un- ion.

They embraced the whole county, and to more particularly show their extent the following state- ment may be necessary :

Wayne township embraced all of the present townships of Franklin and Chester, now in Morrow county-and Middlebury, Berlin, Wayne, and the north half of Morris.

Clinton township included Bloomfield, now in Morrow county; Liberty, the north half of Pleas- ant, Monroe, Pike, and the south half of Morris.

Union township embraced Brown, Jefferson, Union, Howard, Butler, Jackson, three-fourths of Harrison, and the east half of Clay.

Morgan township embraced the west half of Clay, southwest quarter of Harrison, south half of Pleasant, and all of Morgan, Miller, Milford, and Hilliar.

These townships remained intact until 1812. The commissioners in the meantime, June 9, 1809, created Madison township in Richland county, which embraced the whole county, Richland, being up to 1813, under the supervision of Knox county. The boundaries of the different townships were changed from time to time as the increased popu- lation demanded. The names of the original four, with some of their former territory attached, still remain.

The following interesting items are from the ear- liest records of the commissioners of the county:

A board of commissioners for the county of Knox was seated at Mt. Vernon, on Monday, the twenty-fourth day of October, I808.

Present: Gentlemen, Henry Markley, Matthew Merritt, and William Douglass, commissioners, who, at their first meeting, proceeded to the appointment of a clerk, and James - was

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

duly elected clerk, and qualified accordingly; then, according to law, proceeded to cast lots relative to their ceasing to continue in the office, and it is by them declared that Henry Markley continue in said office three years, Matthew Merritt two years, and William Douglass one year. Ordered, that this board do adjourn until next Friday.

Thus simply and concisely are given the proceed- ings of the first meeting of the commissioners of Knox county of which there is any record. On Friday, the twenty-eighth of October, the following business was transacted :

Ordered, that the Clerk issue an order on the County Treas- urer of the county for the sum of one dollar and fifty cents tor killing one wolf, proven before William Y. Farquhar, esq., in favor of James Durbin.

Ordered, that an order issue in favor of James Smith for the sum of two dollars, for carrying returns of the annual election to the town of Newark.

P. S .- The above meeting was intended for the purpose of ex- amining and regulating the papers and books relative to the Commissioners.

Ordered, that this Board do adjourn until the first Monday in December next, unless occasion Require a sooner meetin of this Board.

"Occasion" did "require" a "sooner meeting,"' for wolves had been killed, and it was a "case of emergency," justifying an extranrdinary meeting of the board of commissioners at Mount Vernon, on the very next day. Here is the journal entry :

Ordered, that an order do issue to the county treasurer of this county, in favor of Jesse Morgan, for the sum of three dollars, for killing two grown wolves.

Ordered, that an order do issue to the treasurer of this county, in favor of Jonathan Morgan, for the sum of three dollars, for killing two grown wolves.

Ordered, that this board do adjourn until the next meeting in course.

At the December term, 1808, the board was in session two days. On the fifth an order for seventy-five cents was granted Philip Walker, con- stable, for one day's attendance on the grand jury at the May term; to William Y. Farquhar, esq., four dollars and fifty cents for one day's attendance on a called court, on an indictment of the grand jury, in the case of M. Brown; to John Mills, three dol- lars for the same; to William Gass, three dollars for the same; and the following wolf orders: To John Simpkins, one dollar and fifty cents for killing one grown wolf, proven before Samuel Kratzer, justice of the peace; to John Butler, three dollars for killing two grown wolves, proven before Abra- ham Darling, justice of the peace. On the sixth day of December :

Ordered, that the treasurer of this county do pay the follow- ing sums to the following persons: To James Dunlap twenty- two dollars for fixing the county seat of this county; to Isaac Kook twenty-two dollars for the same; to James Armstrong twenty-two dollars for the same.

Ordered, that ten cents be erast off the collector's duplicate, for an error made by the lister, who personally appeared and confessed the same, in favor of Samuel Lewis.

Ordered, that the treasurer of this county do pay to James Smith, clerk, six dollars and sixty-six cents for his services in elections until the said terni, likewise seventy-five cents for blank books.

A petition was handed the board, praying a view of a road from the town of Clinton running to intersect the county line, near the southwest corner of the county ; which review they de- clare inexpedient and rejected.

A petition was handed the board, praying a view of a road from the town of Clinton through the settlement of Skenk's creek to the eastern line of Knox county, and it is declared by the board that the said petition is rejected.

A petition was handed the board, praying a view of a road from Mulberry street, in the town of Mount Vernon, to William Douglass' mill, and they declared the same inexpedient.

Ordered, that the treasurer of this county do pay Archibald Gardner the sum of one dollar and a half for killing one grown wolf, proven before Samuel Kratzer, esq.

Among the orders issued in 1809, were the fol- lowing for wolf scalps:

To John Cook $4.50 for killing three grown wolves, proven before William Y. Farquhar.

To James Black $4 for killing two grown wolves, proven be- fore William Y. Farquhar.

To John Jennings $1.50 for killing one grown wolf, proven before John Green.

To Ephraim McMillen $3 for killing two grown wolves, proven before Abraham Darling.

To Levi Herrod for killing two grown wolves, proven before John Green.

To Francis Hardista $3 for killing two grown wolves, proven before Marthew Merritt.

To John Lash $1. 50 for killing one grown wolf, proven before John Green.

To George Sap $3 for killing two grown wolves, proven before Abraham Darling.

To Joseph Harriss $1.50 for killing one grown wolf, proven before John Green.

To Francis Hardista $3 for killing two grown wolves, proven before M. Merritt.

To George Sap $1.50 for killing one grown wolf, proven be- fore Abraham Darling.

To Joseph Bryant for killing one grown wolf.

To Ephraim McMillen $4.50 for killing three grown wolves.

Ordered, that all persons who shall kill and procure the scalps of grown wolves and panthers within our balawick, and produce a certificate thereof, according to law, after this date, shall be allowed two dollars, and all those who shall kill and procure the same of wolves and panthers of six months and under shall be allowed one dollar.

The first demands made upon the treasury under this act were by John Mitchell and Francis Har-

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

dista, each of whom had killed a grown wolf. For a time these animals had disputed the mastery with the white man. They had neither the fear of the church ecclesiastic or the military power; they frightened the women and children, and hung about the heels of men, setting all law and threats at defiance. One old settler told of his having on a Sabbath day killed a large wolf near God's barn at Clinton, which was making off with one of Sam. Smith's geese, while the people were serving the · Lord; another of his friends having been present with the whole military of the. county parading on general muster day, a fierce black wolf at- tacked one of George Zin's pigs within a stone's throw northeast of the public square, when the army gave pursuit, and it was finally killed by Cap- tain Joe Walker; whereupon a grand spree was taken by the military and citizens of the town, the money for the scalp purchasing the whiskey.

On the fifth of March "a petition was forwarded to the board of commissioners of this county, praying for a road leading from the town of Mansfield in a southeast direction, to inter- sect with the State road, near the fifty-four mile tree, to run in a straight direction as the ground will admit, to intersect the State road, and the board do declare that the same is inexpedi- ent.

The tax on William Douglass' mill is ordered to be taken off, as it is a public benefit.

James Morgan is ordered to be taxed fourfold for refusing to give in five horses to the lister of Union township.

On the seventh of June the commissioners "Ordered," that the license of taverns hereafter obtained for one year in this county shall be as follows: In the town of Mount Vernon, on the public square, and on Market street, shall be rated at six dollars; all taverns in the town of Frederick and in the town of Clinton, and on the road leading from the town of Mount Ver- non to Newark, within the county of Knox, at five dollars; all taverns on roads leading through any part of the county, or Richland county, at four dollars.

The court met with the commissioners for the purpose of set- tling with the court in county charges, etc., which is as follows, to-wit :

County of Knox, Dr., for including from June, 1809, to Sep- tember 6, 1810:

Commissioners of Knox county . $ 138 27

Associate judges 109 44

Elections 48 75

Roads

130 82

3 10

Treasurer

40 46

Boarding and imprisoning negro.

2 75

Coroner

3 50

Iron-negro

5 25

Wolf scalps.

67 50

Collector's fees

102 59.8

Clerk's fees.

41 00

Clerk to commissioners from January, 1808. 87 17

Sheriff's fees

28 0672

Prosecuting attorney .

100 00

Repairs of jail.

9 47

Jury boxes

1 00

Delinquent tax

24 20

Listing townships

73 00

Petit jurors.

15 15

Postage of letters.

Witnesses

4 00

Grand jurors.

60 00

Total

$1,194 4612

Cr. by county levy for 1809. $265 98

By land tax, 1809. 252 52

By draft on district collection İ18 30

By fines, etc.

48 55

By stores and taverns 73 82

Total

$759 67

The white male inhabitants of Knox county above the age of twenty-one in 1820, were one thousand two hundred and ninety, located as fol- lows: Hilliar, twenty-one; Bloomfield, sixty-nine; Morgan, one hundred and fifty-two; Miller, seventy- two; Jackson, one hundred and seventy-eight; Chester, one hundred and twenty-two; Wayne, one hundred and sixty-eight; Morris, one hundred and fifty-seven; Union, one hundred and forty-four, and Clinton, two hundred and seven. The county gave its vote for Ethan Allen Brown, for governor ; John Sloane, for congress; William Gass, for State senator; R. D. Simons, for representative ; William Bevans, for sheriff; Abner Ayres, for commis- sioner; and E. C. Lee, for coroner.

In 1822, the county gave majorities for Daniel S. Norton, for congress; Hosmer Curtis, for repre- sentative; William Bevans, for sheriff; John Kerr, for commissioner; W. Y. Farquhar, for auditor; James McGibeny, for coroner. In 1824, majori- ties were given for Jeremiah Morrow, for governor; Wilson, for congress; Colerick, for sheriff; Stilley, for commissioner; Rigdon, for representative; Runyan, for coroner, and Farquhar, for auditor.

In 1826, the whole number of votes cast was one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, and the county gave majorities for Trimble, for gover- nor; Norton, for congress; Robeson, for repre- sentative; Colerick, for sheriff; Runyan, for coro- ner; Elliott, for auditor; Leonard, for commis- sioner.

At the June session (1826) of the commission-

I 83

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

ers, upon a petition of Francis Wilkins and others, a road was ordered to be opened up Dry creek, be- ginning on the farm of Daniel S. Norton, to inter- sect the old road on the corner of Frederick Carey's orchard. Jonathan Miller, R. D. Simons, and James McGibeny, were appointed viewers, and J. W. Warden, surveyor.

In 1828, majorities were given for Campbell, for governor; Stanbery, for congress; Shaw, for sher- iff; Colerick, for representative; Tracy for auditor; Sprague and Beers, for commissioners; and Neal, for coroner.

In 1829, the population of the county is stated at eight thousand three hundred and twenty-six. There were then eight post-offices, viz .: Danville, Darling's, Martinsburg, Mount Vernon, Miles' Cross Roads, Sandusky Cross Roads, in Chester township, Fredericktown, and Houck's.

In 1830, the county voted for McArthur, for governor; Stanbery, congress; Greer, representa- tive; Neal, sheriff; Tracy, auditor; McFarland, assessor; Lowe, coroner; Wilkins, commissioner. The total vote cast was two thousand and eighty- six.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 37

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