History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 71

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 71

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CHAPTER XLVII. ETNA TOWNSHIP.

LOCATION-TOPOGRAPHY-FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS-ORGANIZATION-TOWNSHIP OFFICERS-ETNA-WAGRAM- THE CHURCHES.

ETNA township is located in the southwestern corner of the county, and wholly in what was known as the "Refugee Lands."

This is a township of good farming land, and is drained by the tributaries of the South fork of Licking and of the Scioto river. The former stream passes across the northeast corner and sends its branches through the eastern part of the township, nearly to its center. The western part is well watered by the head-waters of Black Lick creek and Sycamore creek, the latter passing en- tirely across the township, flowing south into the Little Walnut, whose waters join with those of the Scioto a few miles above Circleville. The tribu- taries of the Black Lick in this township bear to the southeast, and the waters find their way through the Big Walnut to the Scioto. Beyond the town of Etna is a ridge passing diagonally across the township from northwest to southeast, dividing the waters of the Scioto and Licking.

There are no railroads in the township, but the National road passes through it from east to west, and upon this are located two towns-Wagram and Etna-within the township limits.

This territory, lying as it did far from the usual route of pioneer travel, was not settled untill 1815. About that date John Williams settled on what has since been known as the Matthews farm. Several families of the Nelsons; John Crouch; Jacob, Peter and George Houser; Messrs. Parkin- son, Bergman, Heffner, Denison, Gary, Drake, and John and David Herron, all began clearing

the land before :816. Isaac Essex was a settler of 1816.

Settlers continued to come in slowly until 1833, when the township was organized-being the last township organized in the county-and the first election held at the house of John Henthorn, in Etna, June 22d of that year. R. O. Baldwin, John Nelson and Benjamin Grable were elected the first trustees; John Henthorn, clerk; N. R. Usher, treasurer; William Smith and George Wells, constables; Richard Lamson, George Wells, William Moore and Hiram Sinsabaugh, supervi- sors; Thomas M. Donahue and Isaac Essex, over- seers of the poor, and Henry Spangler, Jonathan Grable and Dennis Smoke, fence viewers. These were all prominent and influential men in the township during their lives.

As originally laid out, Etna was nine and a half miles long from east to west and two and a half miles wide; but some time after . 1850, one-half mile was taken off the east end and added to Har- rison township.

By the township records, it appears that the trustees divided the township into five school dis- tricts, and into four road districts, March 3, 1834. At that time the United States government was constructing the National road. John Henthorn was then acting justice of the peace; Ambrose Meeker, Benjamin Grable and Jonathan Glen- denning, township trustees; Robert Clum, clerk; Tracy Scott, treasurer, and Henry Niswander, Hiram Buell and John Murphy fence viewers.

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Buell was a doctor, and "Jack" Murphy was a "man-of-wars-man" and a noted character in his day.

Continuing the examination of the township records, the following entry is found':

"May 30, 1834.

"We, the trustees of Etna township, found a vacancy in the office of overseer of the poor of said township; have met, and do appoint Thomas Marshall to fill said vacancy.

Given under our hands the day and year above written.

BENJAMIN GRABLE, AMBROSE MEEKER,

Trustees.

Served by reading.

Fees, ten cents.

JOHN SNIDER, Constable.

June 5, 1834."

The charges of Constable Snider, compared with those of the present day, are somewhat aston- ishing.

"September 22nd, the trustees met at the office of John Hen- thorn to appoint a constable to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of John Snider, and the doctor, Hiram Buell, received the appointment.

"November rith of the same year, Moses Cheney was ap- pointed constable as successor to Dr. Buell, who, through sick- ness or inability, was unable to perform the duties of the office.

"On the sixth of April, 1835, the following civil officers were elected in this township: Henry Spangler, Richard Lamson and Benjamin Grable, trustees; Robert Clum, clerk; Tracy Scott, treasurer ; Moses Cheney and Thomas H. Stewart, constables. The supervisors were, No. 1, Adam Egolf ; No. 2, Basil Brown; No. 3, Moses Cheney ; No. 4, Richard Lamson; No. 5. Henry Niswander. The overseers of the poor were John Hen- thorn and Thomas Marshall, and the fence viewers were. William Mitchell, jr., George Maxfield and Jacob Shaff."

Richard Lamson was commissioned a justice of the peace, October 19, 1835, which office he held, in connection with that of postmaster, with credit to himself and the community, until the infirmities of age obliged him to relinquish them; probably about 1848.

The town of Carthage-since called Etna-was laid out by Lyman Terrell, its original proprietor, in 1832. The National road was then in process of construction, and it was laid out upon its propos- ed line, it being finished to this point in 1833-4. Like many other towns laid out upon this great thoroughfare it had "great expectations," which, however, as in the case of most other towns upon the road, were not realized. Settlers followed the line of the road rapidly, and soon filled up the towns and townships along the line. It required a large amount of money to build the road, and no

inconsiderable portion of this was spent among the inhabitants, and was considered almost a God- send, that article being extremely scarce in those days.

Great impetus was given to building in the small towns, and from the fact that it was supposed that travel would immediately become so great as to require unlimited accommodations, in Etna nearly every other house was designed for a "tavern." It was expected much would be realized from the sale of lots, etc., the desire for money-making and speculation being about the same as that created by the new railroads of the present day.

In 1834 this little town was visited by the chol- era, which made sad havoc, nearly or quite depop- ulating the place. Among its victims were Daniel Warner, who was then keeping store; O. R. Bald- win, also a merchant; Dr. Buell, Mr. Smith, and others. The towns along this road, on account of the great travel by all classes, nations, and condi- tions of people, were more liable to be visited by contagious diseases than those away from the line of the road. Etna received another terrible visita- tion in 1845, at this time from the small-pox, the treatment of which, at that time, was not as well understood as at the present day. Much suffering and a number of deaths resulted. It was much to the credit of Jacob Shaff and Henry Warner that they exerted themselves with considerable success in relieving this suffering.

The coming of the railroad stopped the growth of Etna and all other towns along the National road. It now has something less than three hun- dred inhabitants.

Wagram, first called Cumberland, was laid out by Jerry Armstrong about the same time Etna came into existence, or a little before. He tried hard to make something out of it by leading roads from many directions into it, but failed. A few dwellings, a store and post office, were about the sum of what was accomplished toward building a town.

A respectful deference has always been paid to the subject of religion; harmony and good will always exisiting between the different denomina- tions, and reasonable support given to each. In fact, the township, for its size, is better supplied with churches than most others in the county

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there being five at present within its limits, viz .: Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren, Disciple, Reformed, and Albright.

The Methodists were the earliest to hold ser- vices in this township, as in most other townships in the county. It is believed that the first religious services in the township were held by this denomi- nation in the cabin of Mr. Jacob Conine, about 1819 or 1820. A society was organized here, which continued its meetings, mostly in Mr. Co- nine's cabin, until Etna was laid out in 1832, when the meeting place was transferred to the school- house in that place. Mr. Conine's cabin stood near to and on the south side of the South fork of Lick- ing, and in the northern part of the township.

Among the first members of this organization were Thomas Donahue, Esquire Swain, Jacob Co- nine, wife and daughter, Sarah Herron, and a few others. From this small beginning sprang the present Methodist church of Etna village. The old frame church in the village, in which meetings were held more than thirty-five years, was erected about 1835, or not long, at least, after the town was laid out. The present church, a fine brick edifice, was erected in 1871, and cost about seven thous- and five hundred dollars. At present the mem- bership of this church is about thirty-five. Mr. Jacob F. Conine thus writes regarding this church. He probably refers to the first organization in the town of Etna.

"The Methodist Episcopal church must have had a society formed here as early as 1830. I find minutes of a first organi- zation in July 13, 1836, when Thomas Donahue, Jonathan Grable, and Edward Brown, a majority of the old board pres- ent, and Uriah Heath, jr., preacher, being present by appoint- ment of the preacher in charge. At this meeting John D. Shank, David Anderson, Lyman Terrel, Amos Hart, and Edwin Adams, were nominated and approved trustees of the Methodist Episcopal meeting house lot ; and Dr. David An- derson was appointed as secretary to the board, or recording trustee. At the same meeting Thomas Donahue, Lyman Ter- rel, and Amos Hart were appointed a building committee. On the eleventh of July following, at a meeting of the trustees it was moved and seconded, 'That any two of the trustees of this meeting-house shall have power to grant the liberty of the house to any minister of the gospel, of good and regular standing in his own church, who holds to the divinity of Jesus Christ and the direct influence of the Holy Spirit, and only to the commonly received Bible as the revelation of God, and who believes in future rewards and punishments, at such time as there is no Methodist appointment.' Lyman Terrel was the author of this resolution, and it was carried by a unanimous vote."

The first Sabbath-school in Etna was a union school, organized in Etna village. Children of all denominations attended it, but, about 1841, the Methodists organized a school of their own, which has been continued ever since. This school is ac- tive and vigorous at present, with a membership of fifty or more.

Although there is no Presbyterian church in this township, Presbyterianism had a start here soon after Etna was laid out. Rev. Timothy W. Howe, who was for many years a resident of this township, in his paper upon the Presbyterian churches in this part of the county, thus writes of early Presbyterianism in this township:

"Rev. C. Putnam, of Jersey, preached in Carthage (Etna), November 18, 1832, in a hewed log house a few rods north of the village. This was unquestionably the first sermon by a Presbyterian ın Etna. Rev. Jacob Tuttle came from New Jer- sey in 1832, and commenced preaching in Lima, Harrison and Etna in the spring of 1833, and continued to do so more or less regularly until the spring of 1837. He was highly esteemed, and his memory is cherished by his neighbors and friends.

"From Mr. Putnam's diary, I learn that March 10, 1833, he preached at Lima in the morning and at Etna in the evening. Again, September 2, 1834, Mr. Putnam attended the funeral of Messrs. Daniel Warner and Oliver K. Baldwin, in Etna, of the irm of Warner, Baldwin & Co., who died the day previous within twelve hours of each other, and were buried at the same *ime.

"Another note, under date of January 26, 1835, says: 'Funer- al at Etna of Freeman Howe; aged twenty-four; sick nine days; friends all in New Hampshire. His made the twenty- seventh grave in a yard where there were only three graves be- fore the burial of Messrs. Warner and Baldwin, in September previous.' That was the year in which the cholera swept off so many in Etna.

"October 14, 1838, Rev. T. W. Howe commenced his labors in the South Fork church. No house of worship was owned by the Presbyterians at that time; only one family connected with the Presbyterian church at that time lived in a frame dwelling house; the others lived in cabins. The meetings were held the first year in the Methodist Episcopal church in Etna, in the frame school-house at the northwest corner of Kirkers- ville, and at the log school-house near Mr. S. D.Alward's. After the first year in Etna, Presbyterians used the house built by the United Brethren, because the Presbyterians assisted them in building it. For eleven years it was thus occupied every other Sabbath in the afternoon.

"The Presbyterians and United Brethren in Christ, in 1842, formed a union Sabbath-school in Etna. The first year that school averaged seventy-five pupils the year round. The school continued in a very prosperous state for nine years, while the Presbyterians preached in the United Brethren church. This school is still sustained."

Presbyterians, however, did not get a sufficient hold in Etna to enable them to erect a church or continue their organization within its limits. Gen-

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HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

erally, the few Presbyterians followed Mr. Howe over to the South Fork church. Mr. Howe is still living in Pataskala, having retired from ministerial labor. He is much respected by the community.

The United Brethren church, of which Mr. Howe speaks, is located in Etna. It is a frame building and was erected in 1838, by the united efforts of the United Brethren and Presbyterians. The latter, however, owned no share in it, but had the use of it by contract when not in use by the United Brethren. Rev. David Edwards was prob- ably the first minister to preach in this church for the United Brethren, and Samuel Hively, Daniel Snyder, and James and Ebenezer Drake and their mother, Mrs. Drake, were among the first mem. bers of this church.

The Sunday-school in this church, as mentioned by Mr. Howe, was organized in 1842, and still continues in a prosperous condition.

The Reformed church of Etna is located on what is known as the "Basil road," in the southern part of the township, about three miles southwest of Kirkersville, and the same distance southeast of Etna village.

Prior to 1834, the few members of this denom- ination, mostly Germans, held meetings in their houses, but sometime during that year, the Rev. David Wise came into the neighborhood, and, assisted by Jacob Reef, Jacob Shearer, David Keller and a few others, organized a church. Jacob Reef and Jacob Shearer were the first elders. In the fall of this year the society erected a log church upon the site of the present building, and the dedicatory sermon was preached by Mr. Wise, who continued as pastor of this church until 1854. The old church was taken away and the present comfortable building erected in 1869. The pres ent membership of this society is about seventy. The Sunday-school was organized in 1840, and is yet sustained, with a membership of forty-five.

Near the above church is located the Albright, or "The Emanuel Church of the Evangelic Order." This church was organized in 1875, by Rev. S. E. Rife, in a school-house on the same road upon which the church building stands. The following are among the original members of this organiza- tion: John Hoffer and wife, John N. Born and

wife, Samuel Ammon and wife, Miss Susan Am- mon and Miss Pauline Ammon, Jacob Scheidge. and wife, Father Switzer, Mrs. Phipps and two daughters, and a few others. Prior to the erection of the church, meetings were held in the Rees school-house every four weeks. The present er- cellent church edifice was erected during the sum mer and fall of 1875, at a cost of two thousand dollars; and was dedicated by Bishop Yost, No- vember 21, 1875. Rev. Rife continued to hold services until the spring of 1877, when he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Hankey, who, in turn, was succeeded, in 1879, by the present pastor, Res. Mohn. The present membership of this church is about fifty-four. The Sunday-school was organized in the spring of 1876, with about seventy pupils It has been continued since, and now averages about seventy members. Jacob Smoke is super- intendent.

The Campbellite or Disciple church is located on what is called York street, two-and-a-half miles east of Kirkersville, near the northern line of the township, on the South fork. In May, 1853, the congregation was organized by William Hayes and John C. Winter; it consisted of sixteen mem- bers, who met every Sabbath in the "Pine school- house," on York street. The members of this organization were Jacob and Eliza Winter, Abra- ham and Jane Morrow, Jacob and Isabella Stoolfire, Noah and Mary Morrow, Nathan and Mary Mc- Vay, John and Eliza Crow, Daniel Stoolfire, Cath- arine McVay, Elizabeth Hoyt and Hannah Crow. The officers chosen for this organization were Jacob Winter and Abraham Morrow, elders; Jacob Stoolfire and Noah Morrow, deacons, and, April 15, 1854, Nathan McVay, Jacob Stoolfire and David Stoolfire, trustees. The present church edifice was erected in the spring of 1855, and in September of the same year the building was dedi- cated by Alexander Campbell.

The first preaching in this vicinity by a Disciple was by the Rev. A. E. Myers, a graduate of Beth- any college, Virginia, in August, 1852. The pres- ent membership| of this church is about sixty-five. The society supports an active Sunday-school, with a membership, at present, of fifty-five.

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CHAPTER XLVIII.

FALLSBURY TOWNSHIP.

LOCATION-STREAMS, TIMBER AND SOIL-TOPOGRAPHY-"RENT ROCKS "-PRIMITIVE CONDITION-MOUND BUILDERS AND INDIANS-FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS-FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS-PROMINENT POLITICIANS-FALLS- BURY-POSTMASTERS-MILLS-CHURCHES.

THIS township is situated in the northeastern I part of the county, and is composed, princi- pally, of rough, hilly, almost mountainous land, which is less productive perhaps than any other in the county, not excepting even the lands of Eden. It is very well adapted to pasturage and grazing, and there are a few narrow valleys where the soil is deep and rich; but it is an exceedingly rough township, comparatively little first-class farming land within its limits, and much of it cannot be cultivated at all, being covered with immovable rocks. The different varieties of oak have always been the prevailing timber. It is watered by the Wakatomika and its tributaries in its northern and eastern part, and Painter's run, a tributary of the Rocky fork, in its western part. The Wakatomika, which empties into the Muskingum at Dresden, is the principal stream, and affords some water power, which has been used to a limited extent, several mill privileges having been improved upon it within the limits of Fallsbury.

The region of the Wakatomika rivals that of the Rocky fork in the picturesqueness and beauty of its scenery, wildness and rugged, mountainous aspect of its general surface. The traveler along the narrow, winding road that skirts the stream will be filled with wonder and admiration at the great upheaval that has apparently taken place in this region. All along the stream the hills are elevated almost to the altitude of mountains, and immense rocks lie piled in every conceivable direction upon their surfaces, and protrude in every conceivable manner from their sides. At a point not far from Grigg's mill is a place of especial interest called "Rent Rocks." It would seem as if an immense rock had been thrown down with such force as to

break it in several pieces. These pieces are lying at various distances from each other; some of them far enough apart to admit the passage of a pedestrian or even an equestrian. They are of im- mense size, and from their appearance and position have evidently, at some period of time formed one solid rock. There are many other places of especial interest along this stream.

In its primitive condition this was an excellent locality for the hunter and trapper, and game con- tinued to be plenty here after it had disappeared from the valleys, where the settlements first occur- red. Fallsbury retained, its primitive appearance longer than most other parts of the county, and, in fact, in many parts yet has the appearance of a new country; being in places heavily timbered, and having many log cabins yet within its limits used as dwellings.

Few, if any, traces of the Mound Builders re- main in this township; and it is probable that few of their works were erected here.

No special Indian history has been preserved, though the first settlers found them occupying this territory. Mr. John Evans, whose father brought him to the Wakatomika, a few miles below the Fallsburgh line in 1808, remembers that for sev- eral years his playmates were Shawanee Indian boys. There was an encampment of these Indi- ans on Shawanee run, which empties into the Licking, and no doubt they used all the country around, including this township, for their hunting ground.

David Bright was the first settler, building his cabin, in 1818, in the woods upon land since owned by Mrs. Botts. It was among the last set- tled sections of the county, from the fact of its

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HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

being away from the regular routes of travel and the undesirable quality of the land. The settlers that immediately succeeded Bright were Hezekiah Blount, William Wilson, Paul, William and James VanWinkle. Settlers continued to come in rapid- ly after the first settlement. The census of 1850 ' shows a population of over twelve hundred; since that, however, it has steadily declined for some reason. Probably but little more than half of this population remains. Most of these settlers were from Virginia.

The township was organized in 1826, and the first election was held at the house of Samuel Varner. William Wilson was elected justice of the peace, and continued to hold the office fifteen years. Joseph Frost was the second, and William V. Hall the third. Minor McQueen, Levi Baugh- man, Lofland Hall, Dawson McQueen, James Colville, John Frampton, William Hall and others were later magistrates of this township.

The first 'trustees were Samuel Varner, William Wilson and Joseph Frost; first constable, William Hall; first clerk, Samuel Varner. John Evans was the second constable.

The township has no very extensively traveled thoroughfare, no turnpike, canal, telegraph or rail- road, and nothing to attract emigrants, but in edu- cational, moral and religious matters, it is fully up to the average.

Noah Reed, Silas Bland, Moses Priest and Mi- nor McQueen are now remembered as among the most prominent and active politicians of the ear- lier days of Fallsburgh. Mr. Reed was elected to the legislature in 1849.

Silas Bland was a son of the Mr. Bland who removed from Pendleton county, Virginia, to the mouth of Licking in 1798, and who, with Hughes and Ratliff, pursused and shot the Indians who had stolen their horses. Silas was born in the sugar camp, and rocked in a sugar trough. He subsequently removed to Perry township.

Fallsbury is a small post-town, situated near the center of the township. It was laid out on lands belonging to Silas Bland. This land was first settled by Thomas Meeks and one or two of the McQueens. Minor McQueen was from Virginia, and purchased about two hundred acres of land in the vicinity of the present village.

Fallsbury was never laid out; it grew, or seemed to grow naturally, like a mushroom. No especial reason can be given why the town should exist at all, or should have made a start in its presen: location, except, perhaps, that a few unimportant roads seemed to converge rather irregularly in that vicinity, and it was about the center of a settle ment. John Arnold built the first house; he was a farmer. The second house was built by Jesse Riley. These were both log dwellings, and the latter is yet standing. They were built about 1835 or 1840. Thomas Meeks erected the first black- smith shop, soon after these cabins were built. George came a little later and started a saloon and grocery, the first mercantile business in the town He erected a small frame building for a store room, afterward used as a shoe shop. The place never supported more than one store at a time until within the last ten years, when there have been two the greater portion of the time.

Messrs. Robinson, Shake, and Christopher John- son are now the store keepers. C. Hull now keeps a wagon shop, and there are two blacksmith shops and a few other small establishments of various kinds. Messrs. Thomas Holmes & Sons conduct a general workshop, where articles of various kinds requiring mechanical skill are manufactured. They are also the owners of a steam engine, which fur- nishes the power for a planing-mill, saw-mill and grist-mill, the latter grinding only corn, however. Their business was started about 1869. There are three doctors; about 'twenty dwellings, and perhaps one hundred people in the place. The village has rather a dilapidated, tumble-down look, as if it was not overwhelmed with thrift, and the fact that it is built on very rough ground does not add to its ap- pearance.

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 71

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