History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 91

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 91

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On one occasion, during an apple-bee at Jacob Houck's, a "scap" of bees mysteriously disappeared, and suspicion rested on one Ferdinand McLain, who indignantly denied it, and challenged young James Houck to seftle the matter according to the frontier code, i. e. take it back or take a whipping.

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Houck chose the latter horn of the dilemma, and took the beating, but when it was over he said: "Of course you can whip a sick man, but I'll see you about this next election day." Accordingly on election day they met, and Houck struck McLain with such force that he was rendered insensible, and it was with much difficulty that his friends resuscitated him. This should have ended the matter, and probably would, but whiskey got the better of them, and the difficulty was only settled after eight more bloody battles had been fought. That was regarded as very fair amusement for one day.

Good men were plenty in those days, and some of them, conscious of their muscular superiority, were quarrelsome, but the best man amongst them never picked a fight, and never was whipped. That man was Stephen Sutton.

One day while Ebenezer Bordon was passing through the woods he spied an old she bear and two cubs up a tree. One of the cubs being near the root of the tree he appropriated it, and started towards the settlement, but the old bear did not appear to relish his interference with her domestic affairs, and quickly descending gave chase, and Mr. Borden was reluctantly obliged to drop his prize and flee for his life. He proceeded to Houck's and securing re-enforcements returned to the sport, and succeeded in securing not only the cubs, but Mrs. Bruin also.

The following extract is taken from the statement of James Houck, one of the original settlers of Hilliar township. He resides at present in Iowa; is ninety-nine years of age, in good health, active in body, and his mental faculties unimpaired. He is a ready and fluent talker, and takes great delight in narrating the adventures of his early days.

In the spring of 1802, accompanied by five young men from the head waters of the Juniata, in Pennsylvania, I made the tour of central Ohio on horseback. Zanesville then contained six log cabins and one hewed log house. In the winter of r803, in company with a party of young men on a bear hunt we camped at the mouth of Dry creek, near where Hughes' tavern now stands. In company with Jacob Houck and James Jen- nings, I followed Dr. Hilliar to Knox county, Ohio, the doctor having preceded us about three years. There were then four or five families in the new settlement, and our nearest neighbors were the widow Perfect and her six sons, five miles west of us. Our next nearest neighbors were Higgins, seven miles northeast of us, and the Hardesties and Yoakams beyond.

During the winter of 1812, I went to Zanesville, purchased

one hundred bushels of oats at twenty-five cents per bushel, hauled the same to Upper Sandusky and sold it to the army quartered there at two dollars per bushel. It was there that I made the acquaintance of Simon Girty. When the Indians be- came troublesome the settlers took refuge in the Perfect block house.

In 18rr, the Wooster, Mt. Vernon & Columbus road was laid out. I met the viewers and surveyors at Mt. Vernon, and volunteered to pilot them through. My services were accepted and I led them to the northeast corner of my brother Jacob's land ; thence due west along our north lines, laying the road all on Stanbery's land, north of us. Having passed our lands I again turned to the southwest, and led them to Zoar-now Galena. I cut the timber and brush from the road, from Hig- gins' to Zoar. Commissioner Mitchell gave me the contract. I knew Dr. Richard Hilliar. He was a good looking, ambitious man of medium size. He would never transact any business with a man who told him a falsehood. When we came to Hil- liar township he lived in a pole house and had seven acres of land cleared ; the work was done by a man named Hyatt Willi- son, from the settlement ten miles north. Dr. Hilliar was affect- ed with consumption and dropsy, but boasted that he lived eighteen years in spite of death. Before his death he broke down some brush near a cherry tree in the woods, about thirty rods southwest of the forks of the Sunbury road, and directed that he be buried there and his grave be left unmarked, and he wanted no man to say, "Here lies old doctor Hilliar." His orders were obeyed, and "no man knoweth of his grave to this day."

Early agriculture was pursued with difficulty. The first plows used were of a very primitive kind, familliarly designated as "go devils" and "bull plows." The Wood's plow was an improvement on the latter, and had an iron share, secured by a bolt and nut. Thomas Hinton was the happy possessor of one of these improved plows, and hired Philan- der Bailey to use it. After plowing a few rounds the new plow became unruly, and refused to pene- trate the ground. Not to be outdone, the boy piled stones upon it until the weight kept it in the furrow. Mr. Hinton now appeared on the scene, and discovering the kind of work done, examined into the difficulty, and found that Bailey had lost the share off the plow, and had actually plowed sev- eral rounds without it.

Grain, when raised, had to be threshed with the flail, or trodden out by horses, and then cleaned by winnowing with a sheet or a large wooden "fan." Sickles were the tools used to cut the grain, until William Reynolds, in 1820, constructed a "grip" cradle. This was not much of an improvement on the sickle, and was soon superseded by the grain cradle, which laid the grain in regular swaths to be taken up with the rake. The first windmill was

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introduced by a Mr. Matthews, about 1825, and the first mower by George Jones.

"Brad." Follett, who introduced threshing ma- chines, was noted for his recklessness in running the same; and while threshing at Gideon Sutton's, the cylinder bursted with a loud report. Follett coolly remarked, "I wish I had been astraddle of that."

An election for township officers was ordered to be held on the fifteenth of September, 1818, at the house of Thomas Merrill; at which James Pell, James Houck and Jacob Houck officiated as judges; and John Borden and Joseph Jennings as clerks. There were eighteen voters, namely: James Houck, James Pell, Aaron Hill, John Davis, Benja- min F. Hilliar, John Pell, James Severe, Joseph Jennings, Samuel Sickle, James Bell and John Donelson.

The following officers were elected: James Houck, Joseph Jennings and James Pell, trustees; John Severe and James Bell, overseers; James Se- vere and William Houck, fenceviewers; Jacob Houck, lister; James Pell, appraiser; William Rus- sell, constable; James Houck, treasurer; James Severe, supervisor.

At the Presidential election, November 3, 1820, only twelve votes were cast for electors. The vote stood-Jeremiah Morrow twelve, and John Mc- Laughlin twelve.

At the Presidential election held on the twenty- ninth of October, 1824, the Adams electors re- ceived fifteen votes each, and the Clay electors two votes each.

Justices of the peace for Hilliar township were elected in the following order : In 1819, Jacob Houck; 1822, William Reynolds; 1824, Jacob Houck; 1827 to 1833, John Borden; 1835, Har- vey Jones ; 1836, Daniel Nofsinger; 1838, Harvey Jones; 1839, Ferdinand McLain; 1841, Gideon Sut- ton; 1845, Daniel Wolfe; 1847, N. Borden; 1848, Daniel Wolfe; 1850, N. Borden; 1851, David F. Halsey and Dr. E. Nichols,-the latter serving until 1870; 1854, D. S. Lyon ; 1857, T. M. Owen; 1860, Simon Schaffer; 1863, Elisha Marriott; 1866, George M. Acherman and Abraham C. Camp; 1868, Thomas H. Vankirk and Cassett Levering; 1870, Emanuel Yough ; 1871, W. L. Mills; 1872, George Peardon; 1874, W. L. Mills; 1875, R. J.

Pumphrey; 1876, William A. Dumbauld; 1878, J. M. Roberts; 1879, George Peardon; 1880, George B. Hubbell.

The present board of township officers is consti- tuted as follows: George Peardon and G. B. Hub- bell, justices of the peace; Henry Capell and Sam- uel Hopkins, constables; D. A. Sutton, William Annett and J. T. Robertson, trustees; A. M. Mur- phy, clerk; Edward Lyon, assessor; Reuben Jen- nings, treasurer; T. J. Wolf, land appraiser; W. L. Woodruff, Lewis Kitzenberg, Samuel Sutton, S. H. Grant, D. Bricker and W. T. Barnes, board of education.

Since Centreburgh became the central point in Hilliar township, elections have been held at that place.

Dr. Richard Hilliar who was the first physician in the new settlement was the first on the list of mortality. He died in September 1811, and was buried on his own property.

The first public graveyard was laid out on land donated by James Houck, for that purpose adjoin- ing his homestead. The next graveyard was laid out at the Baptist church, southeast of Centreburgh.

The first marriage on record is that of John Westbrook to Mary Houck, daughter of Jacob Houck.

The earliest mills were built on the north fork of Licking creek: One by Jacob Houck in 1835, situ- uated just north of the town of Centreburgh About the same time-or as some assert before- Samuel Hupp built a saw-mill on the creek, near the present residence of Harmon Debolt. John Vandeberg built one above Houck's, and John Rinehart another, followed by David F. Halsey. John Mahanna also built a saw-mill on the farm now owned by Rollins Long, which did a good business. White walnut logs were manufactured into finishing lumber and black walnut into weath- erboarding. Lewis Rinehart built a tannery near Rich Hill, about 1835, and in 1847 Gideon Sutton and Daniel Wolfe built a carding and fulling-mill in the town of Centerburgh. None of above named mills are now in operation. Smith and Hopkins built a steam grist-mill in Centreburgh in 1874, which is still doing a good business.

The Methodist preacher, mounted on his trusty horse, with his heart full of missionary spirit, and

HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

483

his saddle-bags containing a Bible, hymn-book, and a change of linen, was generally the first to pene- trate the western wilds and raise the standard of the cross. Several of these pioneers of the gospel visited Hilliar township, and preached at various times and places, but no class was formed till 1834, when the Rev. - Morrow organized one at the log school house near Rich Hill.

The original members were: John Rinehart, Harriet Rinehart, Samuel Degood, Julia Degood, Ferdinand McLain, Mary McLain, William Bor- den, Margaret Borden, and Daniel Chadwick and his wife. Ferdinand McLain was leader. Services were held in the school-house about one year; after that in the house of John Rinehart for several years, or until the place of meeting was moved to Centreburg in 1840, when the society assumed the name of the Centreburgh Methodist Episcopal church. In 1841 a frame meeting-house, thirty by forty feet square, was built just east of the public square, which was used as a house of worship until 1843, when a new frame church was erected, on lot fifty-five; size, forty by fifty feet; cost, two thousand, seven hundred dollars. The present membership is ninety-five. The class leaders are George Peardon and William Smith; the preacher in charge is Rev. Joseph McK. Barnes. A Sunday- school of ninety scholars is connected with this church, William Smith superintendent.

The Free-will Baptist church, of Centreburgh, is the result of the labor of the Rev. George W. Baker, a zealous preacher whose labors in the vi- cinity of Centreburgh finally culminated in the organization of a regular church in 1839, at the house of Absalom Debolt, three-fourths of a mile southeast of Centreburgh. The original members were: Philip Barnes, Tirzah Barnes, Laban Mess- more, Mary Messmore, Jacob Wise, Harriet Wise, Elizabeth Debolt, David Marshall, Moses Horn- beck, and Sarah Reynolds.

The meetings were held in private houses, barns, and log school-houses, until 1842, when a frame building, thirty-six by forty feet in size, was erected, one-half mile east of the town of Centreburgh, still used as a house of worship by the congrega- tion. Elder George W. Boker was pastor from 1839 till 1860, when he was succeeded by Elder Kendall Higgins. Elder Wilford Whittaker came

in 1863, and was succeeded by Elder O. J. Moore, after whose term of service Elder Kendall Hig- gins again became pastor. Elder A. H. Whittaker followed Higgins, and was succeeded by the pres- ent pastor, Elder S. D. Bates. The first deacon was Philip Messmore, and the present deacons are Harvey Messmore and W. T. Debolt. Mr. Debolt is also clerk. The present membership is ninety. The Sunday-school numbers fifty scholars. Lo- renzo Barnes is superintendent.

The Centerburgh Cumberland Presbyterian church was organized August 18, 1840, at Centre- burgh, by Rev. Harrison Thompson. The constit- uent members were as follows: James Huffty, Thomas M. Rusk, David F. Halsey, Thomas Hill, Jacob Waldroff, Annie Bottenfield, Morris Wald- roff, Isaac Waldroff, Rebecca Hill, John Miller, Mary Miller, Lovina Miller, Elizabeth Miller, Aaron Hill, Fanny Rutan, Mehitable Bishop, Phebe Bot- tenfield, Elizabeth Bottenfield, Sarah Haiden, David Haiden, James Hill, Mary Hill, and Pame- lia Huffty.

Meetings were held at various places until 1855, when the congregation was moved to Rich Hill. a frame house thirty-six by forty-six feet erected, and the name of the society changed to Rich Hill Cuin- berland Presbyterian congregation. At this time Daniel Reynolds was clerk. In 1878 the church was moved back to Centreburgh, and assumed the original name A substantial frame building thirty- three by thirty-five feet was erected on lot one hun- dred and twenty, at a cost of eighteen hundred dollars, in which the congregration worship at pres- ent. The succession of pastors was as follows: Harrison Thompson, 1840; James McFarland, 1850; J. W. Cleaver, 1853; Enoch Baird, 1866; James Best, 1867; George W. McWhorter, 1872; D. H. Green, 1875; J. W. Cleaver, 1877; R. N. Grossman, 1878; the latter being the present in- cumbent. The present number of members is sixty- three. The presiding elders are Ira Gearhart, Dan- iel Reynolds, and John K. Haiden. Mr. Haiden is also clerk. The Sunday-school has forty schol- ars. Sylvester S. Best is superintendent and Dr. D. H. Ralston assistant.

The Christian Church of Centreburgh .- Rev. M. Harrod organized this church December 20, 1872, in the town of . Centreburgh, with the following

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

membership: J. A. Willis, P. A. Willis, William Eaton, Matilda Eaton, Anna Arlin, William Wilson, Livonia Wilson, Aaron Gearhart, Sarah Gearhart, John Armstrong, Rebecca Armstrong, and C. D. Pelter. The Free-will Baptist meeting-house was occupied by this congregation the greater part of the time from its organization until 1879, when a neat frame building, thirty-two by thirty-eight feet square, was erected on lot one hundred and nine- teen on the plat of Centerburgh, at a cost of sev- enteen hundred dollars, and dedicated on the sec- ond day of September, 1879, by Rev. A. L. Mckinney. The names of the pastors who had charge of this church, together with the dates of their accession to the pastorate, are as follows: Rev. M. Harrod, 1873; A. C. Hanger, 1874; William A. Dobyns, 1876; S. A. Hutchinson, 1879; G. D. Black, 1880. The present number of members is eighty. The deacons are Theodore Crowel and John Armstrong; clerk, William Eaton ; trustees, William Eaton, Aaron Gearhart, Theo- dore Crowel, John Armstrong, and Oscar Jennings. The attendance at the Sabbath-school is eighty. Hart Ross is superintendent and Charles Bishop assistant.

Miss Fanny Mitchell was the pioneer school- teacher of Hilliar township. William Houck, father of Jacob and James Houck, built a blacksmith shop-the first in the township-on the property of Jacob Houck, on the main road. The aban- doned shop was left standing, and in that Miss Mitchell taught the first school, in 1820. Her successor was Elizabeth Borden, who taught in the same shop.

In 1823 James Houck donated an acre of ground to the public for a graveyard and school-house. On this ground a small log house was built, which served its purpose well, and was the only one in the township for a number of years. As the settle- ment progressed other houses were built in various parts of the township, but the instruction imparted in them was of a rather inferior quality.

Seeing the need of improvement, Mr. W. H. Stephens, in 1855, organized a select school in a small building near the present Methodist church in Centreburgh. His first class was composed of seven pupils, viz .: Emeline Roberts, John K. Hai- den, Sarah E. Williams, William Goodrich, Moses

Skillen, Pulaski Gear and Mary Annett. This was quite an innovation and required considerable cour- age on the part of Mr. Stephens to inaugurate, but the friends of education rallied around him, and he was ably sustained by such men as Dr. Nichols, Gideon Sutton, John Riley, E. and W. Roberts, Ira Gearhart, George Skillen, James Headington and Ephraim Dally. His school increasing to one hundred and ten, he, in the fall, fitted up two rooms in the Jones hotel, where he taught three or four years. The common branches were taught thoroughly, with the addition of algebra and phi- losophy.

During the year 1860 a joint stock company erected a substantial frame building on the public square in Centreburgh, and in the fall of the same year Mr. Stephens rented the same, procured the services of an assistant, and in addition to his select school taught the children of the village. At the flood tide of his success the tocsin of war sounded and Mr. Stephens, obeying a higher call of duty, enlisted in his country's service.

The building is still owned by the company that built it; the upper part is used for a town hall, and the lower part rented by the school board; but no select school has been taught in the village or township since 1861.

Hilliar township at the present time has six schools, two of which are in the village of Centre- burgh, but controlled by the board of education of the township. The buildings are neat, substantial frames and in good condition.

The Centreburgh Lodge, No. 666, of the Inde. pendent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted at Centreburgh, June 22, 1877, by Henry Hedges, grand master. The charter members were: C. M. Jennings, George W. Granstaff, William A. Dum- bauld, George Peardon, M. F. Hasson, John Burk- holder, Ira Barr, William Mahan, William Crowell, J. E. Easterday, Levi Kile, William Smith, A. M. Murphy, John Miller, J. W. Hopkins, T. O. Free- man, James Headington and W. A. Paul. The original officers were: C. M. Jennings, N. G .; George H. Granstaff, V. G .; J. E. Easterday, R. S .; Levi Kile, P. S .; William Smith, treasurer. This lodge is in a healthy condition, and comprises in its membership the elite of the town and surrounding country; it meets every Saturday night in the

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Brokaw building. The present number of members is forty-five. The present officers are as follows: Henry Capell, N. G .; George Hess, V. G .; C. M. Jennings, R. S .; Sylvester S. Best, P. S .; George Peardon, treasurer.

The early roads in Hilliar township were very in- different in condition, and the bridges were of the primitive type, called corduroy. The principal road extended through the township from the north- east to the southwest corner, and on this the mail was carried on horseback by Thomas Merrill.

Jacob Houck kept tavern about one mile and a half beyond the present site of Centreburgh, and William Houck plied his trade as blacksmith.

In February, 1829, the legislature of Ohio passed an act to establish a State road from Mt. Vernon to Columbus, and appointed James McFarland, of Knox county, Adam Reed, of Franklin county, and John Meyers, of Licking county, commissioners to locate said road. In performing their duties the commissioners, when passing through Hilliar, fol- lowed the route of the road formerly cut out by the citizens of this township, and filed a copy of said survey in the office of county commissioners of Knox, January 10, 1830.

A line of stage coaches was established by Colo- nel B. Barney soon afterward, and in 1831 Neil & Moore had a contract of carrying the mail, and were running a line of coaches on the road. Horses were changed three times between Mt. Vernon and Columbus, viz .: at Blendon Corners, Sunbury, and at Joseph Jennings' tavern in Hilliar township. William Houck and Benjamin Jennings were the original stage drivers on this road. Later, when an opposition line of coaches was established by Walker & Company, Samuel Clawson, John Landis and Reuben Jennings held the reins and plied the whip.

Centreburgh was laid out in October, 1830, by Edson Harkness, surveyor, and the plat recorded December 22, 1834, by Stephen Sutton and Jacob Houck, owners of the land on which the town now stands. They gave the new town the name of Centre- burgh because it was in, the centre of the township, and supposed to be in the centre of the State. The principal part of the plat was located on the north- west side of the State road. The first house was built on lot thirty-five of the town plat by Harvey

Jones, who also kept the first tavern, and opened the first dry goods store in 1835. Mr. Jones was a wide awake, energetic business man, and soon gathered around him a coterie of kindred spirits, who made Centreburgh the centre of attraction for miles around.

At this period the entire travel from the lake re- gion to Columbus passed over the road through Centreburgh, and great efforts were made by the rival stage lines to secure the greatest number of passengers, and make the best time, as by these means each party hoped to secure the United States mail subsidy. The price of passage was reduced to a mere nominal figure, the life of a horse was lightly esteemed, and the driver who could rein up to Jones' tavern with the largest load of passengers, ahead of the opposition coach, was prouder than a king.

Centreburgh continued to flourish, houses were built, stores opened, and trade multiplied. Daniel Finch built a brick house on lot 17,-the first in the town and township, now (1881) occupied as a hotel, and known as the Central house. This state of affairs was highly gratifying to the citizens of the village, and continued as long as the mail coaches kept on the road, but

Flowers have their time to fade, And leaves their time to fall,

and when in 1851, the Newark & Sandusky rail- road was finished, and the mail and travel was diverted to that route, the coaches departed to- wards the setting sun.

About this time, too, the construction of a new railroad was commenced, called the Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburgh railway, the survey of which passed through Hilliar township, near Rich Hill. In anticipation of the speedy completion of the new road a town was laid out at that point, by Aaron D. Rinehart, August 11, 1852. To the new town the name of Hilliar was given in honor of Dr. Richard Hilliar.

The first house was built by Richard Shackle- ton, who also kept the first hotel in 1853.

John Miller built a steam grist-mill, and Michael Ross kept a store. Hilliar at this time was quite a thriving village, and from its situation and prospects became a formidable rival to Centreburgh, but the failure of the railroad company-leaving the road

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unfinished, virtually ended Hilliar's dreams of greatness.

The village now goes by the name of Rich Hill, and contains one store, one post-office-Joseph Riggs, postmaster; one grocery, one physician- G. B. Hubbell; one carriage shop and one black- smith shop.

Centreburgh, which had been on the decline since 1851, received a new impetus in 1871. That year a new railroad company was organized, called the "Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Delaware Rail- road Company." The new company bought the right of way of the defunct "Springfield, Mt. Ver- non & Pittsburgh Company," and used the old road-bed as far as the eastern line of Hilliar town- ship. From there they surveyed a new route to Columbus, which brought the road through Cen- treburgh. The new road was completed as early as 1874, and caused Centreburg to spring into new life and activity. Town lots, which in 1860, were not worth more than twenty dollars, are at the present time worth two hundred. Old build- ings were repaired, and many new ones built ; business houses multiplied, and all the modern improvements were introduced. The following directory will give a fair idea of the business of the town :

Two railroad depots, Cleveland, Mt. Vernon and Columbus, and Central Ohio; two express and tel- egraph offices, M. T. Hasson and William Ralston, agents ; one post-office, J. M. Jennings, postmaster; one newspaper, George E. Kalb, editor; four churches, Methodist Episcopal, Freewill Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian and Christian ; one Odd Fellows' lodge ; two schools; one town hall ; one steam grist-mill, Smith & Hopkins, proprietors ; two steam saw-mills, E. B. Cook and James M. Osborn, proprietors ; one warehouse, William Smith, proprietor ; three hotels, William Harrod, Peter Shaffer and S. W. Lyons, proprietors ; four physicians, R. C. M. Lewis, D. H. Ralston, W. B. Merriman and J. R. Moody ; one dentist, J. B. Wilson ; three dry goods stores, John Hopkins, Skillen & Hix Brothers, and M. H. Frost & Co .; one clothing store, George W. Darling; two drug stores, E. C. Vincent and E. C. Emly ; two gro- ceries, J. Hildreth and S. W. Lyons; two hard- ware stores, Jennings & Faraba and A. Oberholtzer;

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 91

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