History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 79

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 79

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HISTORY FO LICKING COUNTY.

our late civil war, was depressed in all its interests almost to despair. The faculty were without any visible means of sup- port, except the tuition fees of the scanty number of students, and that number was constantly decreasing by enlistment in the volunteer armies of the Government. In this state of affairs the trustees resolved to petition the Baptist convention of the State of Ohio, to recommend to the friends of the college to raise some endowment for the support of its faculty. This petition was presented to the convention at its annual meeting in October, 1863, and the convention resolved to recommend the raising of a special endowment of one hundred thousand dollars. This undertaking was assumed by a few individuals in manner as set forth in the following plan:

' "The undersigned residents in the State of Ohio propose to raise the full sum of one hundred thousand dollars, to be held as a permanent fund, the annual income of which only may be expended in sustaining the faculty of instruction in Denison university, at Granville, Ohio.

'"To secure this object, we, the undersigned, agree to pay the several sums set opposite our respective names to William P. Huffman, of Dayton, Hubbard Colby, of Mansfield, and George F. Davis, of Cincinnati, or either of them, to be held by them in trust, and invested in such form as they may deem best, until with the accrued interest, the entire sum of one hundred thousand dollars shall have been secured, when they shall call a meeting of the centributors at Granville, Ohio, by sending a written notice to each, and publishing it at least two weeks in the Journal and Messenger, or the denominational paper, to determine whether the money shall be paid over to the trustees of Denison university, or to a separate board of trustees of endowment fund, to be then incorporated under the act passed March 12, 1853. At this meeting a majority of the persons present, representing in person or by proxy the sums contrib- uted, shall be a quorum to transact business, each one hundred dollars contributed entitling the person representing it to one vote, and a majority of the votes determining to which body the funds shall be entrusted. In no event, however, shall any part of the principal be used, but the annual income only shall be appropriated as aforesaid.'

"This endowment was consummated in 1867. At a meeting of the subscribers to this fund held in Granville, June 27, 1867, it was ascertained that the full amount of reliable subscription somewhat exceeded one hundred thousand dollars, and it was resolved to pay over to the trustees of Denison university the full amount of this subscription in trust, for the object for which the funds were given with the specifications and restrictions attached thereto. This trust was accepted by the college at a meeting of its trustees, held in Granville on the same day, as above specified, and is known on our records as the hundred thousand dollars fund.

"Thus it will be seen thatjthe university holds in trust a spe- cial fund of one hundred thousand dollars, limited in its appli- cation to the support of the faculty, the annual income of which only can be expended. In 1872 and 1873, seventy-five thousand dollars were raised, known as the twenty-five thousand dollar subscription and the fifty thousand dollar subscription. These distinctions were caused by a proposition, in 1872, by Mr. E. E. Barney, a trustee, to give ten thousand dollars upon condition that the full sum of twenty-five thousand dollars could be raised, and by a proposal of the same, in 1873, to give twenty-five thousand dollars, provided the full sum of fifty usand dollars could be raised. These conditions were ful-

filled, and the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars was raised. These funds were given to meet the current wants of the uni- versity, without limitation, except that no part of the principal should ever be used, nor any more than six per cent. of the in- come in any one year. The fifty thousand dollar subscription was accepted by the trustees under very heavy penalties of for- feiture, provided any part of the principal or any more than six per cent. of the income should ever be used, or any part of the principal or more than six per cent. of the income of any other funds belonging to the university, then known to the sub- scribers.

"In addition to the foregoing, the university has interest- bearing securities amounting to sixteen thousand seven hundred and seventy-five dollars. This amount is made up of the fol- lowing items:

The presidential and theological fund. $12,000 A memorial fund, given by Mr. M. E. Gray. a trustee, in 1876, as a token of respect to his deceased father, Andrew Gray. 500

The centennial endowment fund, consisting of one thousand dollars, given by Mr. J. B. Trevor, of New York, and sundry small sums, called "the dollar roll," collected in 1876 by Rev. T. J. Sheppard, amounting in all to 2,275

And two thousand dollars presented by Mr. J. D. Rock- efeller, a trustee, one thousand dollars at the annual meeting of trustees in June, 1878, and one thousand dollars at a special meeting held October 24th, of the same year .... 2,000

$16,775

"The committee recommend that the above small sums, amounting to sixteen thousand seven hundred and seventy-five dollars, all of which are now applicable, in their annual income, to the current expenses of the university, be added, for the sake of convenience in keeping accounts, to the seventy-five thousand dollar fund; and that this sum, when both funds are united, be known as the consolidated endowment fund, amount- ing to ninety-one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five dollars; and that the expenditure of interest from this fund and the one hundred thousand dollar fund, agreeably to sundry obligations assumed by the trustees, as before stated, be re- stricted to a sum not exceeding six per cent. annually.

"In addition to the above, there have been added to the en- dowment of the university, since 1863, the new brick edifice, estimated at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars, in which is a commodious chapel, completed in the fall of 1871; the library building, estimated at a cost of ten thousand dollars, presented to the university by Mr. W. H. Doane, a trustee; and sundry additions made to the library, philosophical apparatus, etc., estimated at a cost of ten thousand dollars.

"The entire endowments of the university then stand thus:

Estimated endowment in 1863 $ 50,000

One hundred thousand dollar endowment 100,000

Consolidated endowment fund. 91,775

New building. 35,000

Library building.

10,000

Additions to library, etc. 10,000

$296,775

" Besides the above, the university holds in trust three thous- and two hundred dollars given for the benefit of Mrs. Mary E.

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Talbot, widow of the late president, Samson Talbot, the annual income of which is to be paid to her quarterly for fifteen years from the date of the first payment to Mrs. Talbot, or, in the event of her marriage or death, for the benefit of her children, until the youngest is eighteen years of age, when said fund be- comes the property of the university, and its annual income becomes applicable to its ordinary annual expenditures. Also the Mary Arnold Stevens fund of five hundred dollars, given by Professor William A. Stevens, to perpetuate the memory of his honored mother, the annual income of which is to be appro- priated, under the advice of the faculty, to deserving students."

It will be observed from the above that this institution is, financially, on a solid foundation.

"The whole life and administration of the college without being sectarian, is pronounced and positive in favor of the Christian religion. The exercises of each day begin with pray- ers in the college chapel. This service the students are required to attend. They are also required to attend church twice each Sunday. A regular weekly prayer meeting is sustained in the

college. Students are made welcome in the various Sunday. schools of the village. In the Baptist Sunday-school, several classes, taught by college instructors, are intended expressly for students.

"It is the desire of the trustees and faculty, to conserve, and as far as possible, advance, the honorable reputation already ac- corded to this college, for thoroughness, and other excellencies of mental discipline. The aim is to build, fashion, and develop young men, in the most earnest and successful manner possible. intellectually and morally, for the higher vocations and duties of life. Every possible resource and effort is, and will be, em- ployed in furtherance of this end.

"Many considerations particularly recommend Denison uni- versity as a place for acquiring liberal learning. Its courses of study are thorough and comprehensive; students in it are pecu- liarly free from incentives to dissipation ; they are constantly subject to a strong Christian influence; the location of the uni- versity is beautiful and salubrious; means of living are obtaina- ble at a low price, and the intellectual life of the college com- munity is quickened by the presence of other schools."

CHAPTER LIII. HANOVER TOWNSHIP.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL FEATURES-MOUND BUILDERS-INDIANS-TOPOGRAPHY-FIRST WHITE MEN-THE PIONEERS THE DENMANS-THE WELLSES AND HOLLISTERS-TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION-RELIGION-REV. JOSEPH THRAP- FIRST CHURCH-OTHER CHURCHES-BOSTON-HANOVER VILLAGE-TOROSO-THE FIRST TABLE IN LICKING VALLEY.

T THIS township occupies an important position in the early history of the county, situated as it is on the eastern line of the county, and upon the great highway of westward-bound emigrants. The larger part of the first and probably subsequent settlers of the county and of other counties west and north passed across this township up the valley of the Licking.

The first white man to enter the county must have placed his foot first upon the soil of Hanover township. Its physical aspects are also deeply in- teresting; containing, as it does, some of the grand- est scenery in this part of the State.

Few evidences of the Mound Builders yet re- main within its limits, enough, however, to prove beyond doubt that its soil was pressed by the foot of this mysterious people. Centuries ago human beings, or beings in human form, perhaps, swarm-

ed in its beautiful valleys and over its hills; built their huts, their mounds, sang their songs, cultivated the lands, played their national games, worshiped their gods, and perchance were filled with the pas- sions, hopes and fears of man, loved, married, died and have been swept from the face of the earth, leaving only these little hillocks as "Footprints on the sands of time."

If the savage white man would let these mounds alone they might stand forever, but he will not do that. To satiate his rapacious appetite for gold he drives his savage plowshare through them, and whittles them away piecemeal, until even the "footprints" are no more. A few of them are yet visible in this township, but none are worthy of particular mention; none are prominent, being gen- erally of small size. There is one on the farm of John H. Hughes, between the canal and the Lick-

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ing river. It has been plowed over for years and greatly lowered and worn away, but is yet about eight feet high and thirty feet in diameter at the base. It was opened last winter by some curiosity hunters, and a quantity of human bones, in a more or less decayed condition, exhumed, but nothing was found of particular importance. There is also a small mound on the farm of P. R. Den- man, in the north part of the township, about ten rods west of his house. It is a little larger around than the other, being, perhaps, forty feet in diame- ter at the base, but is only about five feet in height.

No Indian history of consequence is connected with the township. No permanent camps of these red sons of the forest had an existence here in his- toric times, though it was used by the Bowling Green Indians as a hunting ground.

The northern and southern portions of the town- ship incline toward its center,'through which passes the main Licking river. The scenery along this stream is magnificent, but as it has been particular- ly referred to in another chapter will not receive attention here. The main tributary of this stream is the Rocky fork, which enters the township near the northwest corner, and passing a little east of south, enters the Licking river a mile or more from the west line of the township. Two or three smaller streams cross the northern part of the township, running south into the Licking. From the south the main stream is the Brushy fork, which, in an early day, was lined with underbrush and obstructed by drift wood-hence the name. The land along the Licking bottom is of the same quality as that of Madison, and needs no descrip- tion. There is, however, less of it than in Madison. In the latter township there is a broad expanse of beautiful, level bottom land, the hills receding some distance from the stream. In this township they hug the river more closely, until at "Black Hand" the massive rocks shake hands, as it were, over the dark abyss through which the river finds an outlet. Much of the township is therefore hill or upland, and well adapted to grazing and the raising of wheat and other small grains.

The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis and the Central Ohio railroads, and the Ohio canal, pass across the township from east to west, the two latter following the valley of the Licking, and the former

entering the township at the northeast corner and traversing it in a southwesterly direction, enters the Licking valley in Madison township. The Licking river was first used for transportation, and many a canoe and skiff, loaded with pioneers, their families and effects, and many others with the product of the woods, passed up and down this stream in pio- neer days. After 1830 the canal-boat took the place of the skiff and pirogue, and soon after 1850 the railroad, that wonderful human civilizing ma- chine, came to crown all other means of transpor- tation.

Christopher Gist was the first white man known to history, to press the soil of Hanover township. This was one hundred and twenty-nine years ago. His story is told in another chapter of this work. Chaplain Jones passed through the valley in 1 772, and was the second. He was accompanied by a trader named David Duncan. William . Dragoo was probably the third white man to pass up this valley. This was in 1786.

The father of the late Benjamin Elliott was the fourth, about 1790, and Captain Samuel Brady the fifth, about 1792 or 1793. Captain Brady, how- ever, had with him a party of scouts. This com- prises the list of white men who entered this valley, as far as known, until the coming of Messrs. Hughes and Ratliff, the first white settlers of the county.

Philip Barrack was, probably, the first perma- nent settler of this township. He was a native of Maryland, and early determined to make his home in Ohio. Accordingly, with his trusty rifle on his shoulder, his wife mounted on a two year old filly, and a few articles of clothing bound to the back of a two year old heifer, he started for Marietta, and after a tedious journey of some weeks, reached that place. Not liking the locality, he ascended the Muskingum river in a canoe, and finally the Licking river. This was in 1798. He squatted near where the Claypool mills now are until the spring of 1801 (some accounts say 1802), when he removed six or eight miles further up the valley, settling near the Licking narrows. He was a man of energy, industry, enterprise, influence, conduct- ing successfully his farm, together with a tavern and a distillery. His daughter, Millie, was pro- bably the first white child born "on the waters of

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the Licking." His first cabin, or dwelling, in this township was built near the spacious brick he afterward erected, and consisted of merely a pen of round logs, with but three sides, the fourth being left open for the fire, something after the style of a sugar camp house. He was a man of considerable tact, and fertile in those expedients, by which he was enabled to conduct his business without the aid of those tools which made indus- trial pursuits comparatively easy at a later day. Much is yet told of his leatherwood traces, willow bark gears, husk collars, etc. .

In 1803, Jesse James and Jesse Haines squatted on the Thompson section. The former put up his cabin a short distance south of Barrick's house, and the latter squatted near Stump's saw-mill. In 1804, John Stateler began to clear land on Wood- bridge's bottom, near the "ore landing." Matthias Denman came in the same year, and erected a cabin on the Woodbridge land. He was from New Jersey. The Denmans were powerful men and delighted in feats of strength. It is related of Philip and Hathaway Denman, sons of Matthias, that in a mauling frolic with John Stateler, they split two hundred rails in the morning before breakfast. At another time Philip Denman cut the timber and split five hundred rails by two o'clock P. M., on the Camp farm, and at another time his two brothers made four hundred rails in six hours. Two hundred rails were considered a day's work for two men.

Daniel Thompson, the largest land proprietor in the township, came in 1804. He owned four thousand acres, and built his cabin near the road leading from Boston to Toboso. He seems to have been unfitted for a frontiersman; his large estate was soon frittered away in small tracts, for labor, stock, or anything which suited his fancy, and he soon left the county.

Rufus Enyart came soon after Thompson. He was the latter's son-in-law, settled on four hundred acres of land given him by Thompson, and erected a hewed log house, since occupied by his son, Daniel Enyart.

In 1806 Chester Wells and John Hollister came. They pitched a tent on the Rocky fork, a few rods north of Martin's house, in which they lived until they cleared a "truck" patch and planted corn and

potatoes. They then built a cabin with two rooms and a space between, Shortly afterward Captain Elisha Wells came and moved into the same house with Wells and Hollister, and the three conjointir erected, in 1808, a grist-mill where its successor > still running.

They, with others of the same family, became own .- ers of a section, or quarter township. Chester Welk had the east side of the section, and erected a frame house, and, a few years later, the brick house sinte occupied by Mr. Stump. Captain Wells owned the west side of the section, and John Hollister the middle. The latter erected a frame house on his part, since occupied by Captain Coman. Thex were energetic, public spirited men, who did much to advance the interests of the township.

From 1806 to 1809 there was a large addition of immigrants. Among them were Daniel Shadley, Samuel Varner, George Learson, Michael Stateler, Peter Barrick, John Ratliff, James Johnson, and Zachariah Carlisle.

The township was organized April 19, 1808, being the third organized in the county. It em- braced all the territory east of Newark township. Records of the early doings in the township are lost. Among the early justices of the peace, how- ever, was Zachariah Carlisle. His administration of justice was somewhat unique. He was alto- gether untrammeled by verbose forms and legal learning. His own ideas of right and wrong gov- erned him in deciding a case, and this often in- volved him in difficulties with litigants. He rarely stopped to write subpoenas, but gave his order, ver- bally, to George Learson, the constable, who could neither read nor write, to "bring the defendant forthwith."

Religion received early attention in this town- ship. Joseph Thrap was the first, and, for a long time, the only preacher. . He was a Methodist, and a zealous, earnest man, and much esteemed by all who knew him.

James B. Finley was the first circuit preacher, and was "a dreadful noisy man."

At present there are six churches in the township -four Methodist (two being Protestant Method- ists), one Presbyterian, and one Disciple.

Rev. Joseph Thrap held the first religious ser- vices in the Licking valley, and was one of the

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most prominent of the early ministers. A short sketch of his life may be interesting in this con- nection.

He was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, in October, 1776. His parents had been members of the Church of England, but, under the ministry of Robert Strawbridge, embraced the Methodist reli- gion. Joseph, in 1796, served six months in the Virginia militia under Captain Dent, and received for this service a land warrant for one hundred and sixty acres. In 1799 he embraced religion, attach- ing himself to the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1803 he married Jemima, daughter of Isaac Van Camp, a pioneer, who occupied five hundred acres of land near Morgantown by virtue of a tomahawk right.

Father Thrap was six feet in height; had an erect, firm, compact frame, and elastic step. He was always very patriotic, but was too old to bear arms in the Union cause in the great Rebellion, but encouraged thirteen of his grandsons to go. They were in many of the hardest fought battles of the war, and all came back but one, who starved to death in Andersonville.

In the Spring of 1805, his father, with several other sons and daughters with families, settled on the Licking, and were soon organized into a Meth- odist society; and in April, 1806, the first quarter- ly meeting ever held in this region of the country was held in his cabin, which stood in the eastern edge of Licking, where the residence of Owen Dorsey now stands. He was there licensed to preach, and, finally, graduated to elders' orders.

In 1829, when the Protestant Methodist church was being oganized, he attached himself to that body, and remained an acceptable member until his death. As a preacher he was up to the me- dium standard, but in prayer he was often eloquent in speech, and overwhelming in power. He died at his residence near Irville, May 12, 1866, at the ripe age of nearly ninety years.

The pioneers of this township, as well as of all other parts of the county, represented almost every phase of religious belief, and were generally deeply imbued with a religious spirit. There were repre- Sentatives of nearly every religious denomination, but they were chiefly Methodists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians. Preachers of the various religious

creeds frequently passed through the valley, and held services in the cabins of the settlers. The earliest Methodist meetings were mainly held at Zachariah Carlisle's cabin, and a little later at the cabin of Joseph Thrap. The first Presbyterian sermon preached in the township was by a colored man, the services being held at the cabin of Chester Wells. At a later date the Rev. Mr. Rose, of Newark, frequently preached. Early Episco- pal services were frequently held at the house of John Hollister, and were generally conducted by Messrs. Rose and Putnam, or other reprentatives of Gambier college. No one denomination, how- ever, felt able, or were strong enough in numbers, to erect a church, yet all felt the need of a build- ing in which to hold religious services. This ne- cessity finally culminated in the erection, about 1815, of a union church, which should be free to all denominations. It was a brick building, and stood on land now owned by Leonard Stump, in the northern central part of the township. The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis railroad now passes near where the church stood. It was in use about thirty years, or more. At some period of its existence it passed into the hands of the Protestant Methodist society. This society, about 1860, or before, erected a new church near the site of the old one, where they continue to hold services. John F. Williams, Samuel Somerville (deceased), and Horace Fairbanks were prominent early members in this Protestant Methodist church. The present membership is, probably, twenty-five or thirty, and an active Sunday-school is main- tained.

The Protestant Methodists were very strong in the Licking valley in an early day, and organized several churches in different parts of the valley; and probably the old Protestant Methodist church down on Brushy fork, in the southern part of the township, was among the earliest. It was estab- lished by Joseph Thrap, and he and the Rev. C. Springer were the earliest preachers here. Among the early members Messrs. Phillips and Skinner were prominent, and were leaders in the organiza- tion. The church-a hewed log-was erected near the main fork of Brushy fork, about 1829 or 1830, and was used until 1852, when the present building was erected. The church building, proba-

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bly, did not cost over four or five hundred dollars, being built mostly by voluntary labor. The pres- ent membership is forty-five; services are held every two weeks, and an active Sunday-school is maintained during the summer.

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 79

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