History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 80

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 80

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The following regarding the attempt to establish an Episcopal church in Hanover is from an his- torical sermon by Rev. William Bower, delivered at Trinity church, Newark, January 20, 1869:

"The places in the county at which the Episcopal church has held her ministrations, giving them in the reverse order of their importance, are Hanover, Utica, Granville and Newark. There has been occasional preaching by our ministers in other places, but not the organization of any church. In these four places parishes were organized, and reports concerning them are pre- served in our church records.

"The parish at Hanover was organized about the year 1830, by some missionary from Gambier, whose name I have been unable to ascertain. 'Probably Messrs. Rose and Putnam, as above stated.] It was very weak from the first, and very short lived. It depended for existence mainly upon the inter- est and support of the family of Mr. John Hollister, at whose house the services were usually held. After the Newark church was built, Mr. Hollister and family, in 1837, became members of that parish, and services at Hanover ceased. As far as I can learn the only two ministers who went with any regularity to Hanover (in addition to Drs. Sparrow, Wing, and others from Gambier,) were the Rev. R. T. Rogers and Rev. G. Deni- son; Mr. Rogers only for two months, Mr. Denison nearly two years. One short item from Mr. Denison respecting Hanover at that time, and I will pass on to another parish. From this item, those who are interested in temperance reform will be able to see, as far as that portion of Licking county is concerned, whether, respecting the use of liquor, we are going backwards or forwards. Mr. Denison writes of Hanover in the year 1830: 'Distillation of ardent spirits, once carried on exten- sively, is entirely stopped in this township, and one of the church officers said to me, I do not know of a single individual within a circuit of two miles, who has used a drop this harvest. Some of us, however, will suspect that while the church officer who volunteered this information, knew a great deal, there were some things going on among his neighbors of which he was ig- norant. If not, it surely was a model township.

Jacob Winter, esq., gives the following brief his- tory of the "Brushy Fork congregation," or Disci- ple church, located on Brushy fork, in the southern part of this township:

"The first preaching here was by Jesse B. Ferguson about 1837, and afterwards by William Hathaway, Albert Law, Ziba Brown, Dr. William Hayes, J. H. Jones, Asbury Gardner and William Atherton. This congregation was organized in the latter part of 1837, with Artemas Baker, his wife, one son and two daughters, Robert Wills and wife, John Oatman and wife, Jacob Palmer and wife, John Palmer and son, Ezekiel Skinner and wife, William Coomes and wife, and John Perry and wife, as first members. Artemas Baker, Jacob Palmer and John Perry, were its first elders.

"Their church edifice is a substantial stone structure, and was erected in 1838. It is situated about two and a half miles southeast of Clay Lick station, on the Central Ohio rail- road, on the road across the Flint ridge to Zanesville, some- times called the Mount Sterling road. The whole number of members enrolled from the commencement to the present time. (about 1870,) is about three hundred. Many of the original members have died, and many others removed west, leaving the present number about seventy-five or eighty."

There are three villages within the limits of this township-Boston (not the Hub) Hanover and Toboso. The first named, and of the least in size and importance, was first started. It was about 1832 that John Hoyt put up a little shanty, and opened a grocery. He did a thriving business, and soon other buildings were erected, and the place promised to become an important point; but the railroads changed the course of trade, and the little village may now safely say, "Non sum qualis eram."

Three years later, Mr. Hoyt started a grocery on the flat, on Rocky fork near the grist-mill, and thus became the founder of the village of Han- over. This was in 1835, but no town was laid out until 1849.

William Wells, of Glastonbury, Connecticut, was the original owner of the quarter township upon which Hanover is situated. He divided this land (four thousand acres) among his relatives, among whom were Chester Wells and John Hollister; the latter received twelve hundred acres, and upon it laid out the town November 26 and 27, 1849 It was first called "Fleming" after John M. Flem- ing, who had become part owner of the land, but was changed to Hanover after the post office was established, that being the name of the office. David Wyrick was the surveyor of the town plat. and laid it out on the east side of Rocky fork; it now extends to the west side of that stream. Chester Wells was the first postmaster, and kept the office in Hollister's mill. George Hollister was the second postmaster, and has retained the office continuously until the present time. He now keeps a store in the village, and the old mill is yet in successful operation, having ground the staff of life for seventy-two years for the people of that part of the county. A saw-mill has always been attached to it. John Hoyt's grocery was in exist- ence many years before the town was laid out, but

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after that, Messrs. Francis H. and Christopher Woodbridge who kept store in Newark, and were nephews of Mr. Hollister, established a branch store here. John Hoyt erected and conducted the first hotel in the place. There are, at present, two stores in the place, beside that of Mr. Hollister, kept by E. P. Stone and C. P. Arnold; a foundry conducted by Mr. Hollister, where stoves are cast, and general repairing done; two wagon and carri- age shops, two hotels, a basket factory, about sixty- five dwellings, three hundred inhabitants, two churches, a town hall and a large brick unionschool building. In this latter building, which cost about six thousand dollars, three teachers are employed, and about one hundred pupils are in attendance.

The churches of the village are the Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian. The first is an off- shoot from the old church established by Joseph Thrap, the early meetings of which were held at Zachariah Carlisle's cabin about two and a half miles east of Hanover. Part of this congregation living in and near the town, built this church about 1852. It is a comfortable frame building, worth about two thousand five hundred dollars. The membership is thirty-five.

A union Sunday-school has been maintained nearly ever since the town was laid out; but in the fall of 1872 this church established one of its own, which has been well sustained, the membership be- ing at present about sixty.

In the fall of 1867, Rev. Daniel Tenny, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church of Newark, began preaching in the Methodist Episcopal church, of Hanover, once in two weeks, upon the invitation of Messrs. L. P. Coman, George Hol- lister, W. D. Evans, O. Z. Hillery, G. J. Hagerty, A. F. Hall, N. C. Fleming, John F. Williams, Henry Montgomery, P. R. Denman, and others. Levi P. Coman, Martha A. Coman, Martha Sey- mour, and W. S. Coman, were the only members of the Presbyterian church who were living here at the time of the first communion service in 1869. At this time the following persons united with the church: Charles C. and Ruth R. Hayes, from the Methodist Episcopal church of Granville; Darwin C. Wilhelm, from the Presby- terian church, at Duncan's Falls; Elizabeth Wil- helm, from the Congregational church of Gran-

ville. February 20, 1871, a series of meetings were commenced, at which the following persons joined this church: George Hollister, Amanda Hollister, Laura Hollister, George G. Warman, Catharine Hagerty, Catharine Fleming, Charles W. Coman, Susan E. Coman, and Sarah E. Wood. The first prayer meeting was held at George Hollister's house, and was continued at various places until about June Ist, when permis- sion was granted to occupy the town hall.

In March, 1871, Mr. Tenny resigned his pastor- ate in Newark, which necessitated his bidding adieu to the congregation here. He had preached every alternate Sabbath in the afternoon. During a portion of 1871 meetings were held in the town hall while the Methodist Episcopal church was undergoing repairs; it was also during this year that the Methodists refused the further use of their church to the Presbyterians. Steps were immedi- ately taken to erect a new church, and a meeting of the citizens, to take the matter into considera- ation, was called November 6, 1871, at the town hall. One thousand dollars were subscribed at this meeting, and a committee appointed consisted of G. J. Hagerty, J. Coon, D. T. Enyart, G. Hollis- ter, and L. P. Coman, to solicit subscriptions. This committee reported December 4, 1871, that two thousand and ten dollars had been subscribed, five hundred and ten dollars of which were received in Newark. The church was organized December 30, 1871, with thirty-five members. Of the first elders, L. P. Coman was elected for three years, Allen T. Hall two years, and George Hollister one year. A. T. Hall and George Hollister were regu- larly ordained by Rev. Howard Kingsbury, of Newark. Mr. Coman had been ordained, having served as elder in the Second Presbyterian church of Newark. The first communion service was held July 14, 1872. The church is a fine brick edifice, erected in 1872, and was paid for in cash upon completion, costing four thousand seven hun- dred dollars.

A union Sabbath school was organized March I, 1868, which is still continued, and is in a flourish- ing condition.

The third town laid out in the township was Toboso. William Stanberry owned some land there, and when the Central Ohio railroad was

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completed he thought this and the Ohio canal might together make a town on his land at the lower end .of the "Narrows;" it was accordingly laid out on the south side of the Licking in 1852. Mr. Crumel Fairbanks built the first house and started a grocery and saloon. After the comple- tion of the railroad a post office was established and E. Hickey was the first postmaster. Mr. Hickey now keeps store there, and J. V. Levings- ton a grocery. There is a warehouse kept by Mr. Oden, and about a dozen dwellings.

The Methodists organized a class here and erected the present church edifice soon after the town was laid out. Rev. J. Hooper was influ- ential in the early stages of this church organiza- tion, and preached for the Methodists in this vicin- ity before the church was built, holding services usually at the house of John Hahn. Mr. John

Hahn was one of the first members, as were also Jonathan Simpson and John Simpson. The membership is, at present, forty or fifty. A flour- ishing Sunday-school is in operation, having been organized about the date of the church organization.

The location of the village is not considered a healthy one, which fact has, perhaps, somewhat re- tarded its growth.

Mr. B. C. Woodward, who furnishes much of the history of this township, thus writes regarding pioneer times in this township:

"Dirt floors were universal. The chimneys were seldom built higher than the jambs, but the fireplaces were large enough to contain a great deal of wood. Around the fire made in them the sons of labor gathered and enjoyed them- selves with as keen a relish as though their homes were palattai It was in 1807 that puncheons were first used for floors, and in the same year Daniel Ward split a black-walnut tree and made the first table used 'on the waters of the Licking.""

CHAPTER LIV.

HARTFORD TOWNSHIP.

LOCATION-TOPOGRAPHY-MOUNDS -INDIANS -FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLMENTS-ORGANIZATION-FIRST ELECTION-A NUMBER OF FIRST THINGS-CHURCHES-TORNADOES-JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-HALCYON ACADEMY-A. B. CLARK ON THE ABOLITION RIOTS AND THINGS IN GENERAL.

HA TARTFORD township is in the northwestern corner of the county, and is known in the or- iginal survey as township four in the fifteenth range of townships in the United States military lands. It lies near the head-waters of all the principal streams forming Licking river, and has been ascer- tained by actual survey to occupy the most elevated position of any land between Cleveland and Colum- bus.

The Otter fork of the Licking heads about two miles from the north line of the township, passing diagonally through, and leaving it about the center of the east side. This is the main stream in the township. Generally there is no marked difference between the quality of the soil along this stream and that of the land more remote. The native forest consisted of sugar, beech, white and black ash, white and black oak, hickory, black and white

walnut, wild cherry, hackberry, and elm. The un- dergrowth was water beech, dogwood, and an. abundance of spice bush, which has become en- tirely extinct. The face of the country is gently rolling. About a mile and a half northwest of the village of Hartford, an elevation of land, covering some thirty or forty acres, may have a claim to a hill. The land is rich, and renders no obstruction to cultivation; at least three-fourths of it may be considered equal in fertility to any in the county, perhaps in the State. There is little or no waste land by swamps. Surface stone are very scarce; and a stone quarry is unknown within the township limits. It is well adapted to pasturage, and has a local notoriety for its wool product. A little boy ore is all the mineral the township can boast of.

Very few of the Mound Builders' works, if they were ever numerous, have survived the ravages o

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time. About the center of the northeast quarter of the township, on the land of Mr. C. L. Graves, is a slight elevation, which encircles about ten acres.

There is little or no Indian history connected with the township; but evidences of their occupa- tion are not wanting. Numerous flint arrow points, stone hatchets, and other relics are found.

The west half of the township was originally school land. The east half was entered under an old law, requiring a whole military section of four thousand acres to be entered in a body. The south- east quarter was entered by Jonathan and Elias B. Dayton; the northeast quarter by Dr. Jonas Stan- berry, who sold it to the Granville company. Their land in this township was surveyed into one hun- dred acre lots by James Coe, and they ratified this survey in all their deeds.

Daniel Poppleton was the first settler in the town- ship. He came in April, 1812, and was soon fol- lowed by C. L. Graves, Strong Clark, Daniel Wright, Enoch Whipple, Clark Cooley, Ezekiel Wells and Adam Kite, all of whom settled on the northeast quarter, and by Mr. Shaw, and Titus S. Hopkins, who settled on the school land.

Although Daniel Poppleton was the pioneer set- tler of Hartford, there were several small improve- ments made before he came, by Roswell Graves, Ezekiel Wells and Lester Case, neither of whom, however, then settled their families here. Rumors of a contemplated Indian raid, toward the close of 1812, induced Mr. Poppleton to leave the township for a few months for protection. C. L. Graves and Clark Cooley, before mentioned, were emigrants of 1813.

When Monroe township was organized it included Liberty, Bennington and Hartford townships. Under this organization Esquire Moses Foster was the first justice of the peace, and C. L. Graves first constable.

About 1816 Bennington and Hartford townships were set off under the name of Bennington. Under this organization Michael Trout and Daniel Pop- , pleton were elected justices of the peace, Elisha Harris constable on the Hartford side, and Strong Clark township clerk. In September, 1819, Hart- ford was erected into a separate township. Strong Clark did the business and named the township.

Previous to this the school land was being rapidly settled under fictitious temporary leases. It is worthy of record that during all the arrangements for securing legal claims to these lands, in no in- stance was an attempt made to supplant or derange the affairs of actual settlers.

The first election in the township was held in a log school-house on the town-plat in September, 1819. The number of votes cast was forty-eight. Elijah Durfey was elected justice of the peace; Daniel I. Durfey, township clerk; and Leonard Bushnel, treasurer.

The first frame building in the township was John McInturf's saw-mill, on Otter fork, erected in 1817. The first frame house was that of Elijah Durfey, erected on the site of the village of Hart- ford in 1818. The first frame barn was that of Asa Cooley, on the farm afterward owned by Dan- iel Warner, in 1819. The first building raised without whiskey was Ezekiel Scovell's barn, in 1830. The first marriage was that of Enoch Whipple to Kate Shaw, in 1815; the first child born was Michel Cooley, June 3, 1813; the first official act of R. Everett, a justice of the peace, was to marry Miss Cooley and William McCrarey; the first death was that of Widow McInturf, in 1819; the first sermon preached by a Congregational minister was by Rev. Timothy Harris, of Granville, in 1817; the first convert to Christianity was Ezekiel Scovel, in 1817; the first church society formed was the Congregational, August, 1818; the first infant baptized was by Rev. James N. Wright, in August, 1818; the first sermon by the Christian denomination was by Rev. Mr. Burge, in 1819; the first sermon by a Baptist minister was preached by Rev. Mr. Evans, in 1819; the first male teacher of a district school was Mr. Mountain Everett, in 1817; the first female teacher was Miss Julia Ev- erett, afterward Mrs. Thurston, in the summer of 1818; the first Sabbath-school was organized Au- gust 13, 1826; the first resident minister of the Gospel was Samuel W. Rose, in 1829; the first resident physician was Dr. Kirkham, in 1832; the first merchant was R. Everett, in 1824; the first post office was established in 1830; the first meet- ing-houses were erected in 1832, one for the Con- gregational, and one for the Christian society, in the village; the first postmaster was J. W. Sey-

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mour, who was followed by I. K. Beem, W. Win- slow, T. G. Moore and P. H. Graves.

The Congregational was the pioneer church of Hartford, being organized August 8, 1818. At that time, the Rev. James N. Wright performed the rite of baptism for the first time in the town- ship .. Soon after the first settlement of the town- ship, the citizens erected a small log building, principally for school purposes, but it was intended for and used as a public building, and for some years was the only public building in this section. In it the early preachers of every denomination were invited to preach; the elections were also held here, and all public business, which was not extensive, transacted.

In this building the Congregational church was organized by Rev. Timothy Harris, of Granville, and Rev. Ebenezer Washburn, of Genoa. Mr. Washburn died in Blendon, Franklin county, Ohio, in 1873, aged eighty-four years. He was one of the first pastors of this church, giving it half of his time for several years. The members of this first organization were Leonard Bushnel, Ezekiel Scovel, Claudius I. Graves, Elijah Durfey, Ruth Wright, Rachel Scovel, and Electa Graves.

The old school-house was burned in 1827, but another was immediately erected and the church continued its meetings here until 1832. It is said that from the date of its organization to that time services had been held every Sabbath but one, and that was when the small-pox was raging.

In 1832 their first church edifice was erected, costing only one hundred and seventeen dollars, as much voluntary labor was performed on it. In 1853 the second, and present edifice, was erected, costing fifteen hundred dollars. It was dedicated October 12th of the same year.

The ministers who followed Mr. Washburne were Revs. Samuel W. Rose, from 1828 to 1831; H. O. Higley, from 1831 to 1837; Samuel Matti- son, from 1837 to 1841; W. B. Brown, from 1841 to 1845; H. M. Parmlee, from 1845 to 1850; David Wurt, from 1850 to 1851; James Harrison, from 1852 to 1855; H. Y. Booth, Hugh Carlisle, Barks Jenkin, and E. Thompson, from 1856 to 1867; L. R. Royce, I. B. Dawson, A. N. Hamlin, Isaac C. Kingsley, D. F. Harris, and D. Sebastian Jones, from 1867 to 1879. The present pastor,

Rev. John McKean, took charge in May, 1879 The present membership of this church is about sixty, and the children of the members generally attend the union Sabbath-school.

There are two Methodist churches in this town- ship; one in the village of Hartford and one in the southern part of the township. The latter is known as the Wesley chapel. Mr. James Wright, yet living in the neighborhood of the church, was probably more influential than any other person in organizing this class. Mr. Wright became a local minister and preached for this society many years. The organization was effected, probably, at Wins- low's school-house, and their meetings were held here several years prior to the erection of the church. Among the first members were James Wright, E. Thrall, Horace Winslow, and a few others. The church edifice was erected about 1848, near the above named school-house. The present membership is forty or fifty.

The Sabbath-school connected with the church was probably organized about the time the church .was erected, and has been kept up generally dur- ing the summer months to the present time.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Hartford was organized fifty years ago or more. Its early records are not in existence, but it was one of the . earliest church societies in the town, the Congre- tional only, probably, preceding it. Its first meet- ings were held in the cabins of the settlers, and in the log building before mentioned as one of the first buildings erected in the town for church and school purposes.

Rev. James Wheeler was an itinerant minister of the church in those days, and was probably more influential than any other person in this or- ganization.

In 1832, the Christians, or New Lights, erected a church building, they having previously organ- ized a society here. This Christian .organization subsequently became extinct, and their church be- came the property of this Methodist society, and its first church edifice. This old church edifice is yet standing and in use as a warehouse.

The Methodist church grew quite rapidly in numbers and influence, and in its most prosperous days numbered about one hundred . members. This was about 1845, at which time they erected

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their present frame church building, located on Main street. A few of the first and leading mem- bers of the class were Willis Clarke, John Bryan, Nason Durfey, and Robert Dolan. Rev. . George West was also an early preacher in this church.

It seems to have been on the decline in later years, and now numbers about twenty-five mem- bers.

The children of the members of this church generally attend the Union Sabbath school in the Congregational church.

The church located in the northwestern part of the township on the land of Zimri Webb, is now owned by the Christians, better known as New Lights. The Universalists, however, were proba- bly influential in erecting the building. This Uni- versalist church was organized about 1850, by Rev. Truman Strong; the first members being John Ross, David Ross, Samuel Ross, Mr. Styer, John Bell, William Yearly, and others. Mr. Yearly gave the land for the church edifice. It was not used entirely by the Universalists, other denominations using it whenever convenient and desirable. It was mostly used, however, by the Universalists, Christians and Baptists; quite a number of the lat- ter denomination had settled in this part of the township, and frequently held services in this church. They subsequently erected a church building of their own, just over the line, in Dela- ware county.

After a time the Universalist organization dis- banded, and about 1865 the church came into the possession of the New Lights.

The earlier and more influential members of this organization were the Webbs, the Potters, and some others. William Webb was a local preacher, and served the society in this capacity some years.

The society is not now a strong one. A Sab- bath-school was organized there many years ago, and has been kept up with considerable regularity during the summer season until the present time.

The Disciple church of Hartford village was or- ganized in March, 1850, by Elder William Hays, its original members being Anson Clark, Israel Hoover, Mrs. Emeline Wilson, J. H. Buel, Henry Tracy, Miss C. A. Weaver, Samuel Martin, C. E. Lincoln, John . Williams, Mrs. Sarah J. Williams, Mrs. C. J. Hoover, and Joshua Buel. A. Burns,

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 80

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