History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 103

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Ohio > Licking County > History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present > Part 103

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The settlers of 1813 were Thomas Spellman and Amos Carpenter, with their families, from Granville. who settled on the Worthington road; and Elijat Adams, Asa Plummer, and William Mills, on the Delaware road. Mr. Spellman settled on the farm

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HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

ice owned by S. Smith, and died in his seventy- tth year; Mr. Carpenter settled on the farm since ned by L. B. Stark, and died in his seventy-first ar; Mr. Adams settled on the Cornell farm; Mr. ummer made the first improvement on Blood ill, and opened the first house of entertainment 1813 or 1814, but sold out, shortly, to Willliam ills, who still continued to keep the house of Itertainment until Frederick Blood purchased e farm, and opened the first hotel in 1816 or 317.

The first election was held in the fall of this ear (1813) at the house of S. Carpenter, sr,; the rst trustees elected were Isaiah Beaumont, Peter Stephens and David Drake; the first clerk was oble Landon, who named the township after his ative place, St. Albans, Franklin county, Ver- iont. This privilege was accorded him in consid- ration of furnishing four gallons of whiskey to le seventeen electors present

During the year 1814. Helon Rose, Chauncey helps, William Clemons, John Lockwood, Joel hilbrook, Sewel Wilson, Hiel Williams, and San- ord Converse settled in the township; and in 815 came Jonathan Atwood, Knowles Linnel, William Hastings, Isaac Longwell, Aaron Park, osiah Eastman, David Wright, J. R. Curtis, Ste- hen Emerson, John McCreary, Thomas Munsell, Daniel Vail, Japhet Sherman, and Abram Mayfield. `he first military company was organized this year ith the following officers: Captain, Sanford Con- erse; Lieutenant, Archibald Cornell; Ensign, imos Carpenter.

In 1816, the arriving settlers were Alpheus Baker, William Gailor, Harry Clemons, William Munsell, Peter Hird, Thomas Munsell, jr., Daniel jailor, Jonathan Derby, Benjamin Linnel, and ames Scott. Settlers increased rapidly after this ear, and space cannot be allowed for following hem further.

Miss Jerusha Baker taught the first school in he township, in the summer of 1812, in an old abin belonging to the Cornells. Levi Phelps as the first male teacher, and taught his first chool in the winter of 1813-14, in a cabin belong- ng to Benjamin Carpenter which had been some- what remodelled for this purpose. The first school- louse erected in the township was of log, built in

November, 1816, and stood north of where the Kirkersville road intersects the Worthington, on land then owned by Thomas Spellman. It was also used for elections and township meetings. The first school in it was in the winter of 1816-17, and was kept by Martin Mazervy. The first Sab- bath-school was organized in this building, proba- bly, in 1818, in which the people of the commu- nity united, without regard to denominational views, and Deacon Oren Barnes was the first superintendent.

The first building for church purposes was the old brick school-house on the Worthington road, a mile south of Alexandria. It was erected in 1824, and was sufficiently large for church pur- poses. It was a log building with a large fire-place in each end, and was for years a place of meeting whether for political or religious purposes. After Alexandria was laid out, it was no longer used as it formerly had been; the old building was torn down, and one erected expressly for school pur- poses. In it lived the first physician in the town- ship, his family occupying half the building, a temporary partition having been been erected. He was both physician and teacher, his name being Kirkham, said to have been the brother of the author of Kirkham's grammar. He remained but a short time.

Dr. Henry V. Owen, was the first permanent physician. He came in 1834, intending to remain only over night, but, at the urgent solicitation of the citizens, made this his permanent home. He was from Cayuga county, New York, graduated in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and died in March, 1864.

The first grist-mill was Mower's, near the old mill property known as Gilbert's mill. It was started in 1818.

The first saw-mill was the Clemon's mill, now owned by L. M. Spellman. It was started the same year.

The first distillery was that of Helon Rose, situ- atuated south of the present residence of Lyman Carter. It was started about 1818, but Mr. Carter did not run it long before he sold out to Dr. Enos Nichols.

The first frame house was Jonathan Atwood's, built in 1820 or 1821, and is still standing, being part of the dwelling of William Green.

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The first cabinet shop was built by B. F. Hillier, in 1822, near where stands the residence of William Beaumont. It was almost exclusively of buckeye logs, roofed with boards, and the joints covered with slabs.

The first interment in the old graveyard adjoin- ing the new cemetery was June 20, 1838. The village of Alexandria having been laid ont, the pro- prietor, Alexander Devilblis, in the spring of 1838, gave the lot for burial purposes. David Patterson, originally from Pennsylvania, coming to the town- ship from Guernsey county in the spring of 1818, died in April, 1830, and was buried on the Biggs' lot, just west of Alexandria. Mrs. Patterson died in June, 1838, and as the ground was secured and accepted for burial purposes, she requested, before her death, that they remove her husband's remains and bury both in the then new cemetery; and, on the twentieth of June, 1838, they were interred, side by side, in the same grave. The child of Asahel Craw had been buried before this, as they supposed on the ground given for burial purposes, but when run out it was beyond the boundary, and, upon the death of another child soon after, it was removed, and both buried in one grave.

Probably the warmest and most exciting election ever held in the township was the one for a justice in the year 1816, when S. Carpenter, sr., was elect- ed. The strife seems to have been between the Bray section and the Worthington road, and the contest was not only warm but bitter and determined, re- sulting in three elections and as many contests; and it is safe to say the defeated party is still dissatis- fied.

The person who has lived longest on the same farm or in the same location is Walter B. Mc- Creary, having made his home where he now lives, in 1816.

In the spring of 1830, Alexander Devilblis laid out the village of Alexandria, and the same year a . frame dwelling was put up by Riley Parker on the lot now occupied by L. S. Chadwick for a grocery. The following year Stiles Parker built the first building erected expressly for a store, on the lot upon which stands the store-house of D. S. Owen, the lot being a present from Devilblis to Parker, if he would erect such a building.

About 1833, a post office was established in the

village, and the first captain in the township (San- ford Converse) was also the first postmaster.

The village contained in 1870, three hundred and three inhabitants, and the township one thou- sand one hundred and ten. In 1800 the township had one thousand one hundred and forty-eight in- habitants.

There are five houses of worship in the township, three located in Alexandria-the Methodist Epis- copal, the Congregationalist and the Baptist. On the road from Granville to Columbus, and two miles southeast of Alexandria, is located the house belonging to the Methodist Episcopal church, known as the Gaffield meeting-house, and three miles south of Alexandria, and on the township line road, is located the Wesleyan Methodist chap- el. The Methodist Episcopal church was organiz- ed first, probably in 1811 or 1812; the Congrega- tionalist next in order, in 1820 or 1821; the Baptist in 1826, and the Wesleyan Methodist church in. 1844.

The Methodists erected the first building exclu- sively for church purposes in 1830, which has been spoken of as the Gaffield meeting-house. They erected the old church in Alexandria in 1838, and the present building in 1863-4.

The Baptists built the first church in Alexandria. probably in 1834. It was moved on the land now owned by David Buxton when the present ed- ifice was erected, and is now used for a barn. The present house was built in 1839.

The pastor is Rev. A. Y. Yale, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work. In addition to his pastoral labors he is now conducting a very neat periodical called the Church and Home. The first number made its appearance in October, 1880. It is published by A. W. Yale, pastor of the Bap- tist church in the village, and is a very neat and excellently prepared serial. It will be monthly in its issues and will be a valuable volume, when bound, for the library shelves. The editor, Rev. Yale, has had considerable experience as an editor and publisher, and is a practical printer. He at tended college about three years preparing himself for his labors as a religious teacher. Among his newspapers have been the Wichita (Kansas) In une, of which he was the originator. He started this paper when Wichita was a town of only os

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ousand persons; now it is a city, and the paper s a large circulation. Rev. Yale also conducted e McPherson Messenger and other similar papers. ne Church and Home is printed at the Times fice in Granville, and makes its appearance about e fifteenth of each month.

The Congregationalists still worship in the house ey first erected in the year 1839.

St. Albans Congregational Church .- Monday, agust 23, 1880, at half past ten A. M., an ecclesias- :al council convened at the Christian Union urch, three miles north of Alexandria, to con- der the expediency of organizing a Congregation- church at that place.

The council was composed of Rev. Samuel Wol- tt, D). D., of Cleveland, Rev. E. I. Jones and braham Flory, of Plymouth Congregational urch of Newark, Rev. D. S. Jones and Newton ırker, of the Congregational church of Alexan- ia, and Rev. John McKean and Deacon James ollett, of the Congregational church of Hartford. Doctor Wolcutt read the letter missive calling the uncil, after which he was chosen moderator and ev. John McKean, scribe.

Reasons for the proposed organization were ven by D. C. Brooks and Rev. R. W. Graham, view of which the council voted unanimously in vor of the organization.

The following programme was then observed:

Invocation and reading the scriptures by Rev. ohn Mckean, of Hartford.

Sermon by Rev. E. I. Jones, of Newark.

Reading the confession of faith, and covenant r the assent of the church, and prayer of conse- ation, by the moderator.

Address expressing the fellowship of the churches,

i Rev. D. S. Jones, of Alexandria.

Prayer by Rev. Mr. Yale, pastor of the regular aptist church of Alexandria.

Benediction by Rev. Mr. Vaughn, pastor of the ree Will Baptist church of Concord.

The new organization contains fifty-three mem- ers, of which forty-two were members of the hristian Union church, ten of the Free Will Bap- it church, and one of the Methodist Episcopal urch.

They have entered into the organization heartily, id it promises well for the future.

Rev. R. W. Graham, who has been their pastor for years, and who is now a member of the new organization, will doubtless be chosen their pastor.

The Wesleyan Methodist Connection organized a class at the brick school-house in 1844, and in the winter of 1847-8 organized at the present loca- tion and built a house of worship on the township line road, but in Harrison township, in the year 1848. They built their present house on the op- posite side of the road, or in St. Albans in 1866.

In 1819 a Mr. Smith, agent for some persons in Granville, supposed to be Sawyer, Mower & Co., came into the township and erected a small plank house near the Clemons (now Spelman's) mill, and opened a small store, keeping a few things, and was engaged in boring for salt during the fall and winter of 1819, and winter and spring of 1820.

A well was sunk in the bed of Mootz run, near Spelman's mill, to the depth of five hundred and fifty feet, and another near Gilbert's mills about four hundred and fifty feet deep, when from some cause the efforts for salt were discontinued.

In boring the well near Mr. Palmerton's they passed through a vein of coal from ten to fifteen feet in thickness, between the third and fourth hundred feet in depth. Both wells afford a con- stant supply of water, but at what depth they be- came artesian wells has not been ascertained.

In 1825 Knowles Linnell, esq., of Granville, then a resident of St. Albans, built a clock factory on his farm and near the brick school-house. The building now stands east of Lyman Carter's resi- dence, and is used by him for a hay and sheep barn. One Charles Lewis was to do the work when the factory was built, but he proving a fail- ure was soon dismissed, and in the spring of 1826 William Munsell, esq., went for Charles French, a clock maker then residing in Delaware county, and secured his services for Linnell. He removed the same spring and worked in the factory during the spring and summer. In the fall William H. Brace, a brother-in-law of French, came from the east and worked the remainder of that year and also during the year 1827. In the spring of 1828 French and Brace moved to Granville to follow their trade. They were sons-in-law of Elder Wild- man, who organized the Baptist church of St. Albans in 1826.

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There were made in the factory about eleven hundred clocks, which were sold in this and the adjoining counties.

William Munsell, esq., was salesman or clock peddler, as they were usually called, for the manu- facturers.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

MOUNDS AND MOUND BUILDERS-TOPOGRAPHY-PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS-MANUFACTORIES-THE FIRST CANAL-BOAT-DES TILLERIES-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL TEACHERS-THE PIONEERS-BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE PIO NEERS -- WOLF AND SQUIRREL HUNTS-MR. PARK'S GRANDMOTHER.

"Go cross their wilds as I have done, From snowy crest to sleeping vales, And you will find on every one Enough to swell a thousand tales."

-Joaquin Miller.

TN a very interesting article on "American Anti- I quities" Samuel Park, esq., of Marshall, III- inois, a former resident of Union township in this county, writes regarding mounds in this township:

"Having been quite familiar, in early life, with the location of several fine mounds in the northeast part of Union, as well as a few in Granville township, and knowing that some of them afforded a fine prospect of Licking valley, I determined to ascend to the top of one on my old farm (now the Licking County Infirmary farm), and look for something to write about. "When I reached the summit of the mound, I was astonished at the change that had taken place since I last visited that elevation, some twenty years ago. Much of the timber had been removed from the surrounding country, especially to the west, which had greatly extended the view from this point. While sitting on this elevated tumulus and contemplating the beauty of the scenery, I began to call to mind the several mounds with which I had been familiar in other years, within a radius of two or three miles, and being well acquainted with the topog- raphy of the surrounding country, I was astonished to see that they occupied so nearly a common level on the hill-tops, and that, with a little more timber removed, all were in plain view from the position I then occupied; and further, that of some ten or more that I could then call to mind on a territory of some twenty-five or thirty square miles, nearly if not quite all of them could be seen from each and all the others; and further, that while there was an extensive common view to all of them, yet each mound overlooked a valley or plain, more or less of which could not be seen from any other one.

"To make this more clear, let me specify a few cases, to-wit: From the position we now occupied we had a delightful pros- pect of the country for many miles around us, extending west into Harrison township, north into Granville, and to the east and southeast the whole Licking valley was spread out before

us. Looking over the numerous hill-tops of Hog run and Up-

per Clay lick, the sight was lost in the hill-tops beautifully deka- eated on the horizon, extending in a semi-circle from the hills of the Rocky fork to the coal hills of Perry county, while the spec- ial view from this mound, and not to be seen from any other, lies to the northwest. Three or four mounds on a ridge along the line between Union and Granville townships command the view, respectively, of deep valleys lying on the north and south sides of this ridge, while one on Stephen Gill's farm, and others on the farms of Aaron Hillbrant, Mrs. Owens, Mr. Jones and John Haynes, south of Auter creek, and others on the lands df F. Dunlevy, Wesley Belt, Henry Lytle and others north of the railroad, each and all have their special views, not to be seen. from any other mound, and still are all in plain view from ux mound above Union station, on the infirmary farm. Those mounds are all situated on high hills, but we have found since that there are many other mounds on the same territory, gene- ally situated on slight elevations at the head of ravines, on the banks of streams, etc.

"The discovery of these peculiarities began to open a De» train of thoughts on the mound question, and begat a desire for further investigation. We next visited some of the hiks north of the Raccoon valley, among which was Fort hill so called. This is one of the highest elevations belonging to this range of hills, and over looks a considerable district to the north- east, as well as an extensive portion of the Raccoon valley. Ot the top of this hill we found a fort enclosing some fourteen or sixteen acres of land, and in the middle of it another, with a deep moat inside of the wall, less than one hundred feet in dt- ameter. The inside of this is considerably elevated, but ap- pears to have been dug down by some person seeking for treas. ure or curiosities. We have often been surprized at the vain hopes of some persons that they might find a fortune in somxe of these mounds. Can any sane person for a moment indugt the thought that there ever was a people or nation so ignorant as to erect such conspicuous piles to secrete treasure, with auf hope of its safety? Nor since silver and gold have been used by man as the representative of wealth, have we any account of any nation or tribe that buried with their dead any considerabe amount of the precious metals, or anything else of lasty value. It is all lost labor to seek in such places for treasure a valuable jewels, for they are not there. These works wot raised for no such purpose. There may be found a few trinkde

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placed there with their dead, a thousand years since the erection of the mounds, by some of the wandering tribes of our native Indians; but, beyond this, you might as well seek for the treas- ures of Babylon in its ruins, or for the gold of Solomon's tem- ple, that so dazzled the eyes and astonished the rich Queen of Sheba, or that excited the covetousness of the Assyrian hosts, bv a search among the rubbish of that ruined pile, as to seek among these monuments for the treasures of these ancient Americans. We must find some other use for these works more in harmony with the human mind, or of its conception of the nature and relation of things, than that of treasure tombs or military works, or acknowledge that we knew nothing about them. We shall assume that they are the monuments of a civil government, with but little of the military or mortuary character about them, and will try our theory by the works themselves, and leave to others to judge of its plausibility.

"We next visited "Alligator Hill." Here we found quite a curiosity. It is a pretty fair artificial representation of the alli- gator, or great American crocodile. We did not measure this singular tumulus, but would suppose it to be about two hundred feet long, and the length of its legs from forty-five to fifty feet each. Its tail is curled to one side, and its length from the juncture of the legs is some one hundred feet. It is situated on a high hill' and affords a fine prospect of the surrounding coun- try. This animal-shaped tumulus has probably been eight or ten feet high, and may have been a represention of the tribal en- sign or coat of arms. Some have thought that it was an object of worship, but there is nothing in the surroundings that will justify such a theory. There may have been, and probably was, a small temple of worship on Fort Hill, but not here.

"I think several of the mounds in Union might be seen from this position if the timber were removed from the hills south of the Raccoon valley. From this point we selected several other distant elevations, on which, we thought, there ought to be some kind of artificial works to justify the theory we were about to adopt, Some of these we have since visited and found mounds of greater or less magnitude at each point.

"We next visited an elevation about a mile south of Union Station, on the old farm of Henry Hillbrant. Here is a double-walled fort, about seventy-five rods in diameter, with two mounds inside of it. The walls, with the ditch between them, have occupied a base of some fifty-feet. There are some forty rods of the circumvallation that is in the timber and has not been ploughed, but the balance of it has been in cultivation about forty years, and is in many places nearly effaced so that t is at present difficult to determine how many or where the openings were, but from appearances I think there have been gates, or openings, to the north, the east and the southeast, oward three fine springs that are some thirty or forty rods distant, at the base of the hill. From the present appearance ne, if not all of these springs, may have at some former period roken out of the hill-side near to it, if not within the line of he works, but at present they are all at the base of the hill. The prospect from this elevation is very fine, and embraces early the same territory as that from the mound on the Infirm- ry farm, with a fine additional view to the south, and a view of . portion of Cherry valley, that is intercepted by hills from hose mounds north of the railroad. The fine mound near the ite of the old Twining mill, on the Raccoon branch of Licking iver, the mounds in the upper part of Cherry valley, and those the Auter creek valley, near the old English mill, as well as he works at the fair grounds, and others on the Cherry valley,

all would come under the view from this elevation, though from five to seven miles distant. From this point the hills south of Newark appear to be in a valley, while those farther east appear to loom up above them. From this elevation I selected some seven or eight objective points of elevation, lying to the south and southwest, and ranging from one to six miles distant from this point of observation, on which I thought there should be mounds or watch-towers to effect a complete view of the whole face of the country, especially to overlook the great valley of the Pataskala river above Hebron, but on none of which did I know of the existence of any artificial works.

"I was sufficiently well acquainted with the country to know in what particular neighborhood each of these elevations was situated, and to satisfy myself on this point, I obtained a horse and started to examine the several locations. On the first I found a fort (so-called), about two hundred feet in diameter, and a mound in the middle of it. This is on the farm of Aaron Hillbrant, and has been in cultivation for many years, but still is well defined. The second point was a ridge on the old John Ruffner farm, about one and a half miles northeast from Lick- ing church. On the west end of the ridge I found a fine mound some ten to fifteen feet high, and about forty rods east of it is an oblong, oval fort one hundred and fifty by two hundred feet in diameter, and on the east end of the ridge, and about a half mile from the former, is another fine mound, and the remains of an artificial pool near to it. This pool has been about one hundred feet in diameter, and the bank thrown up to form the pool well defined, but has at one point been swept away, so as to nearly drain the pool. The top of the ridge where this is situated is so narrow that the water falls off to the north and south from the banks of the pool. With the broken part re- stored, this pool would still be some six feet deep. These works are all in the timber, and have not been disturbed by the plow. My fourth point was a high hill, a half mile west of Licking church, on James Black's land. Here, too, is a fine mound that has recently been opened in search of treasure. My fifth point was on Thomas Stone's farm. Here, too, is a mound that can be seen in some directions for several miles. My sixth was a ridge lying between the residence of William Moore and that of Joseph Rhodes. On the east end of this ridge have been two small mounds, that have been nearly blown away by the winds, and near the west end there is another small mound. The seventh was on the lands of Mr. H. Kagy, near to the former residence of the late Colonel W. W. Gault. Here, too, is a mound; but the last three or four mounds have the appear- ance of never having been finished. My next point was on the high lands, in the vicinity of Nelson Buckland's. This point I did not visit, but was informed by Christopher Winters, esq., that there is one on his farm, which joins that of Mr. Buckland. I put up over night with my old friend and associate of my youth, James Wells, esq., who with his excellent wife were pio- neer children, and enter fully into the spirit of these pioneer resurrections. My next point was on the west line of the town- ship, and south of the Central Ohio railroad, in the vicinity of where Asa Brown lives. This is usually called a low, wet, beech country, but is in reality an elevated plain or ridge, that marks itself clearly on the horizon, when viewed from other dis- tant elevations. I started for Mr. Brown's and traveled up the Pataskala or south branch of Licking river, to the town line. Near the banks of the river I found several small mounds, but I found my principal observatory, or signal mound, on the farm of Mr. Clark, a half mile south of Mr. Brown's. I again

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 103

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr. Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages: 826

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826