History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 88

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

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approached the fire, and met John Jones, Benon Benjamin, Phineas and Freeerick Ford, all broth- ers-in-law. Mr. Stadden remained all night wit this party, and soon ascertained that Jones and himself had been schoolmates in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, that they all liked the valley. and had determined to locate there-they were then on a prospecting tour. These people all fe- turned with their families late in the winter or early in the spring of 1801, and Jones planted com it thesame field with her husband and his brother, ca the Warden prairie.

In 1802 Jacob Nelson became the owner of a large tract of land upon which he settled, a mile and a half below Newark, in this township. After a few years residence he built a mill, and then sold out.

In 1803 John Simpson, Robert Church, William Scammahorn, Richard Jewell, Edward Crouch William and John Moore, Thomas Seymour, and William O'Banon settled within the present limits of this township. O'Banon became a somewhat prominent citizen: He was a successful farmer and stock-raiser, and became a large land-holder in the county before his death, which occurred in his seventy-third year. Judge O'Banon was one of the early justices of the peace of Madi- dison township, and served as associate judge of the common pleas court of this county from 1825 to 1839, and discharged his judicial duties with fidelity and ability.

John Channel, a great hunter, Thomas Deweese and Henry Smith, were pioneers of this township in 1804. They were Virginians. Smith was one of the early magistrates of the township, also asso- ciate judge of the common pleas court from 1800 to 1823.

John Channel was a somewhat remarkable pic- neer, on account of his hunting exploits, a recita! of which would make a volume. Some idea may be gleaned of his prowess in this direction by the single statement that he once informed Mr. Thomas Taylor that he killed nine bears one day before noon. These animals were very plenty on the bluffs lining the Licking valley. Channel had been raised among the Indians; was tall, straight as an Indian, black hair and swarthy complexion; indeed, looked and acted more like an Indian

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than a white man. He raised quite a family and his boys were mostly hunters.

One of the block-houses erected in this county was in this township. It was on the Bowling Green, near the cabins of Hughes and Ratliff. It was occupied by the few pioneer families on the Licking, only for a few days, having been erected immediately upon the return of Hughes, Rat- lift, and Bland from their expedition into Knox county after Indians that had stolen their horses, an account of which appears elsewhere.

Madison township was organized in 1812. Prior to the organization, and while it was part of Licking township, Fairfield county, Isaac Stadden, John Warden, and Abraham Wright acted as jus- tices of the peace. The former was commissioned in 1802.

Probably the first school in this township was taught, or, rather, kept in a cabin that had been built for a dwelling, which stood on land now owned by George A. Wilson, and a few rods north of the present township house. A Mr. Tunis Cole was the teacher. He was a cooper by trade, and knew little about school teaching. It is related of him that he once undertook to give out the word "phlegm " to his spelling class, but after studying over the word sometime, spelling it slowly to him- self, he was unable to give it any better pronounci- ation than "pe-lem;" as the future sovereigns did not understand the pronounciation or the word, they failed to spell it correctly, and the "master" thereupon took his hickory from its place behind the jam, and flogged the entire class. He was notorious for using a very long "hickory gad," and frequently, while using it vigorously over the scholar, it would wrap so far around as to reach his own legs, upon which he would lay it on more furiously than ever.

The first school-house-a hewed log -- was built on the farm now owned by W. R. Seymour.

The first mill in the township was erected by J. Nelson, and for many years went by the name of Nelson's mill. It was on the south bank of Licking, on the Rowe farm. It was a log mill at first and erected about 1810; afterwards a frame was put up. Nelson owned one thousand acres of land around this mill, subsequently purchased by Messrs. Brice and Stanbery. Mr. John Hasel

now owns the land where the mill stood. The second mill was erected by Judge Henry Smith in a bend of the Licking, about three miles below Newark. Saw-mills were connected with these mills; they have long since disappeared, as have, also, many other mills erected in an early day in this township. The Licking furnished good water power. The only grist-mill at present within the limits of the township is the Hickey mill, at Clay lick. This town, if it can be called a town, is the only one in the township, and even this is partly in Hanover township. A mill was built there many years ago, and about thirty years ago Evan Stone started a store and succeeded in get- ting a post office, which has been retained ever since. The town contains, beside the mill and store, a blacksmith shop and a few dwellings, and is a very pleasant village.

The Licking valley of to-day is one of the most beautiful in the State; the farms are well fenced and kept; the farmers are all in comfortable cir- cumstances, and one could not conceive of homes more pleasant and happy than those found in this valley. These houses have most of them received appropriate names, such as "Locust Hill," "Ben- well" (the home of J. A. Taylor, from their na- tive town in England), "Green Wood," "Willow Springs," "Oak Wood," "Pleasant Valley," "Cedar Grove," "Ever Green Farm," "Brooklyn," "Shaw- nee Run Farm," "Mound Farm"(owned by Thomas O'Bannon, having the large mound upon it), "Lynn Wood" (farm of the late P. N. O'Bannon), "Spring Valley," "Deer Lick," etc., etc., all going to show a pride in home, and a desire to build up a beauti- ful dwelling place.

The first preaching in this township, and indeed in the county, was probably at the hut of Samuel Elliott, about a mile east of Newark, by a Presby- terian, Rev. McDonald. He preached two ser- mons at the time of this visit (1802), one in the cabin of John Ratliff, near the mouth of Bowling Green run, about four miles below Newark. Half a dozen families, more or less, then occupied the Licking valley, and were all the inhabitants of the county. Mrs. Isaac Stadden remembered these sermons. Rev. McDonald was on his way to Franklinton, and Isaac Stadden accompanied him in the capacity of pilot after leaving here, some ten

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miles up the South Fork road, the latter being then but an obscure trail. Mr. McDonald carried pis- tols for his protection on this journey. He was pre-eminently the pioneer preacher of Licking val- ley. This was, probably, Mr. McDonald's first and last visit to this territory.

The Methodists were, probably, the first to or- ganize a church within the limits of the township, though this did not occur until 1810 or 1811 : prior to this, however, many sermons had been preached to the settlers in their cabins. The set- tlers in this valley being on the great highway from Zanesville west, were more frequently visited by all sorts of travelers than those of any other part of the county. It is not unlikely that all the early preachers, who necessarily passed through the valley and stopped frequently at the cabins of the settlers, and often held religious services. Among these were the Revs. Asa Shinn and James Quinn, two of the earliest preachers of the Methodist pursua- sion. This frequent passing of preachers through the valley and the holding of religious services in the cabins, barns, and open air, probably culmi- nated in a determination of the settlers to erect a building for religious purposes. This was accom- plished about the date above mentioned (1810 or 1811), the building being a hewed log structure which stood near the Bowling Green prairie, and on the lot now occupied by the Methodist church. A graveyard was established here very early, and this has always been known as the "Bowling Green" church. This log church was built by the settlers, without regard to religious belief, and was consid- ered free to all denominations, but the Methodists occupied it most of the time, and from this fact rather claimed to control it, and did control it many years, though it was frequently occupied by other denominations. A preacher by the name of Newell came along in an early day, and held a series of meetings in this church, and organized a New Light society. After their organization the New Lights continued to hold meetings in this church, which, after a time, created some strife between this society and the Methodists, which, in time, very nearly broke up both societies. Fre- quently both churches wished to hold services at the same hour, and it was not unusual to see two congregations, one holding services in the building

and the other in the church-yard. The New Lights finally withdrew, and were instrumental in estab- lishing what is known as "Union Chapel," in the northern part of the township.

Among the original members of this Methodist church were William Moody and wife, John Chan- nel and wife, Thomas Taylor and wife, William Montgomery and wife, and others, whose names are forgotten. No records of the church have been preserved. Prior to the erection of the church, services were frequently held at the cabins of William Moody and John Channel. Revs. Noah Fidler and James B. Finley were among the earlier preachers to this class. Mr. Thomas Taylor was a leader in the first Methodist church organiztion in Newark.

The old log church building was in use about thirty years, but, in 1841 or 1842, the second church building, a frame, was erected, near the old one. The Methodists by this time had secured the ground, and, as this church was built entirely by this society, there was no further strife as to the occupancy.

The third, and present church edifice, was erected in 1858 or 1859, cost about twelve hun- dred dollars, and is thirty-four by fifty-six feet The membership reached, at one time, one hun- dred and twelve, but, at present, it is not more than forty.

The first Sunday-school in this neighborhood was organized about the time the canal was in pro- cess of construction. This date is fixed from the fact that during this time the contractors who were building this part of it, having a large contract, and having to build two locks, concluded to estab- lish a store for the purpose of supplying their work- men. For this purpose they erected a building near Isaac Stadden's dwelling, and, after complet- ing the contract, they abandoned the building, moving their store to Newark. In this building a union Sabbath-school was established, and children of all denominations attended, though it was gen- erally managed by the Presbyterians. James Reeder, Mr. O'Bannon, and Philip Seiler were in- fluential in establishing it, the first named being the first superintendent. It was kept up here four or five years, when Mr. Stadden secured the building, which he occupied in part for a dwelling. The

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school was then removed to what was known as "Smith's school-house," where it was continued as a union Sunday-school until the Methodists organ- ized their Sunday-school in their frame church, about 1845. Andrew Taylor was the first superin- tendent of this Methodist school, and it has been kept up during the summer months ever since. It now numbers thirty or forty pupils and teachers.

About two miles below Newark, on the valley road, is located a long, low building used as a black- smith and wagon shop; the township house and a few dwellings are also near the place, and the peo- ple have nicknamed it "Hammertown." At this point what is known as the "Old Furnace road" branches off northward in the direction of the old furnace in Mary Ann township. It was cut out in an early day for the purpose of reaching that re- nowned furnace. On this road, in the northern central part of the township, is located Union chapel, the church that was established by the New Lights when they could no longer agree with their Methodist brethren on the Bowling Green. Several of the old Methodist church congregation, among whom were William Moody and wife and Mrs. Isaac Stadden, had accepted the new doc- trine, and were early members of this organization. They call themselves Bible Christians. The or- ganization of this society dates back to about 1815, the Rev. Newell, as before stated, assisted by Rev. Britton, were the chief persons in perfect- ing it. The New Lights were assisted in building this church by the United Brethren, and by the people generally, and it was called Union chapel, being free to all denominations; however, it was generally occupied by the two above named denominations, and subsequently by the New Lights alone, as the United Brethren erected a church of their own over the line, in Mary Ann township. It is a hewed log building, and was erected about 1843. It is seldom occupied now for any religious service. A union Sabbath-school was established and kept up some years, but it has been abandoned.

The little church located on Clay Lick creek, in the southern and central part of the township, called Madison chapel, is an offshoot from the old Bowling Green church, and was organized about 1830. The church was erected about 1855. Rev.

James Hooper was then on the circuit. William Barrick and wife, George Colvin and wife, Z. Win- ters and wife (both of whom were killed a few weeks ago by the cars, while crossing the track), Lewis Lake and wife, and a few others, came to the conclusion that the Bowling Green church was a little too far away, and that they were able in that neighborhood to build and support a new church. Mr. Lake gave the ground upon which the building was erected, with the proviso that the society should have it so long as it was used for the purposes of a Methodist church. Other- wise, the land was to revert to the original owner or his heirs. At present the congregation is small, numbering not over a dozen members. It has generally sustained a Sunday-school during the summer.

About fifty years ago, just below the site of the above mentioned church, on Clay Lick creek, a Protestant Methodist church was erected. It was a hewed log building, and J. B. W. Haines, Will- iam Swern, Lewis Miller, Mr. Montgomery and wite, and some others, were among the original mem- bers. Mr. Haines preached for them. When the church became old and unfit for use they erected a new one, about 1850 or 1855, further south, on a branch of Clay Lick creek, at Pleasant Ville, a cross-road place, where there is a blacksmith shop and two or three dwellings. This church is pretty well sustained, having now a good congregation as to numbers, and a flourishing Sunday-school.

The Christian Union church is located in the · western part of the township, near where the high- way crosses Shawnee run. Its organization was the result of political complications during the war, and was made up of those who opposed the war and the abolition of the slaves. Benjamin Green and the Arhertons were leaders in the movement. They held meetings some years in the school-house and township house, but erected a church about 1875. Benjamin Green, Augustine Atherton and his father, John Atherton, W. Shaw, George Gut- ridge, and a few others, were the earliest members, and the two first named preached for the congre- gation. The church is a small frame, about twenty- four by thirty feet. The present minister is Rev. Duckworth. The Sabbath-school is in a flourish- ing condition.

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CHAPTER LXII.

MARY ANN TOWNSHIP.

ANCIENT MOUNDS -- PRIMITIVE CONDITION-LOCATION-NAME-INDIANS-TOPOGRAPHY-THE PIONEERS-FIRST ToW. SHIP OFFICERS-JAMES MAXWELL'S ADVENTURE-MARY ANN FURNACE-COUNTERFEITERS ARRESTED-THE HEI- MIT-WILKINS' CORNERS-ROCKY FORK POST OFFICE-CHURCHES.

F Mound Builders works ever existed to any I great extent in this- township they have disap- peared, with a few unimportant exceptions, though the ground has not been thoroughly examined with a view to the existence of mounds, or to lo- cating such as may exist.

There is one on what is known as the Fisk farm, a farm formerly owned by Levi Miller. It has been plowed over for years, and is, of course, greatly reduced in height, but is yet about ten feet above the surface of the surrounding field; this field being a level one. It is not exactly cir- cular in form.

In its primitive condition Mary Ann township presented a wild and rugged appearance, and was the home of every species of wild animal known to the woods of Ohio, as well as venomous rep- tiles and other creeping things. It was a paradise for the red and white hunter, and was roamed over by the Indians and white men on hunting ex- peditions, long after its first settlement, and after game had largely disappeared from other portions of the county. Its deep, dark ravines, vast thick- ets, rocky fastenesses and cavernous hills furnished secure hiding places for wild animals, and they sought shelter in these when driven from the more open country.

Mary Ann corners with Newark township on the northeast, and derived its name from a furnace erected within its limits, which will be noticed in its place.

No Indian history has been preserved, except the fact that this territory was extensively used by the Indians on the Bowling Green as a hunting ground.

Topographically it is broken and hilly and well 510

. watered by numerons springs, and by the Rocky fork and its tributaries. Its surface and soil do not differ greatly from Eden, elsewhere described The entire surface is interspersed with granite boulders, known in rustic vernacular as "nigger- heads." The southeast quarter contained consid- erable quantities of iron-ore, which was mined and smelted in the old Mary Ann furnace. The so .. of the valleys is rich, yielding heavy crops of com and grass. The up-land, which largely predomi- nates, is of a thin clay soil, underlaid with clav shale. It yields a superior article of wheat, and is well adapted to all small grains.

Coal crops out along the Rocky fork in places. but is not in sufficient quantities to pay the ex. pense of mining at present. It is upon the ex treme edge of the great coal fields.

The Rocky fork enters the township near its- northeastern corner, and running generally south, leaves the township near its southeast corner, in its passage, making a bend toward the center ci the township. Its principal tributary is Lost run. which rises in Eden township; its general course being south to Wilkins' corners, where it makes a bend eastward, which direction it keeps until it enters the Rocky fork. These two streams contain clear, sparkling spring water, which tumbles down from among the rocks and hills, and flows swiftly over rocky beds. Numberless smaller streams en- ter them from various directions.

The scenery along the Rocky fork, in this town- ship, is grand, and during certain seasons of the year, very beautiful; the hills approaching young mountains in their ruggedness and altitude.

The earlier settlers of this interesting region were from Virginia.

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A Mr. Bush emigrated from Hardy county, Vir- ginia, in 1809, and built a cabin on the land of Jacob Miller, since owned by Leonel Miller. Bush died in 1811, leaving a widow, two daugh- ters and three sons. The oldest daughter married Lewis Farmer. This was probably the first mar- riage in the township.

After Bush died the widow removed from the township, and in the spring of 1812, Hugh Doran, originally from Ireland, but more recently from Frederick county, Virginia, moved into the Bush cabin. In 1814, Doran completed and moved into a cabin on his own land; and Charles Barnes, who had removed from Frederick county, Virginia, three years pevious, loca- ting temporarily in Newark township, removed to the Bush cabin. By fall of the same year Barnes had completed a cabin on his own pur- chase, adjoining the Miller tract; and in the spring of 1815, Stephen Giffin came into the Bush cabin; his son James, father of C. B. Giffin, lo- cating one mile northeast of said cabin. . Thus it will be observed that all the earliest settlers lived at one time or another in the Bush cabin, the first cabin in the township.

The same time that Doran occupied the Bush cabin, James Riley erected a cabin on what is known as the Scotland farm. He was succeeded the next year by Duncan Campbell, a Scotchman from whom the farm received its title.

About this time James Thompson, Robert Con- cley and James Maxwell located on the school lands in the northeast part of the township.

Jacob Benner occupied and raised a field of corn on the Daniel Wilkins farm during the sum- mer of 1811.

It will be observed that the pioneers came into the township in about the following order:

1809, Bush; 1811, Doran and Benner; 1812, Riley and Campbell; 1814, Barnes, Thompson, Concley and Maxwell; 1815, Stephen Giffin, sr., Stephen Giffin, jr., James and John Giffin. Fol- lowing closely upon the heels of this pioneer band came Jacob Miller, Henry Wilkins, Daniel Wil- kins, William McIlvain, Seth Carver, Nehemiah Harris and William Grey.

The death of Bush was probably the first in the township of a white person; he was buried in

what was known as Jacob Miller's burying-ground. Charles Barnes died in 1815, and was buried on top of the ridge just west of Wilkins' corners. This spot of ground is now known as the Mary Ann cemetery, and is a beautiful one. It is incor- porated under a State law, and receives much care and attention.

This township, originally a portion of Madison, was subsequently attached to Newton and then to Newark, and was finally organized as a township in 1817. The first trustees were William Grey, Joseph Moore and James Giffin. The first jus- tices were Samuel Stewart and Samuel Davidson. The first clerk was Samuel Stewart, the. second, Stephen Giffin. The first constable was Duncan Campbell, of the Scotland farm.

One of the pioneers of this township, James Maxwell, was the first constable in Licking county, entering upon the discharge of his duties in 1802, when this county was a township in Fair- field county.

On one occasion he went on foot to Owl creek (Mt. Vernon) to serve a summons on some delin- quent pioneer, who was sued in Esquire Stadden's court; and on his return became lost in the woods, and, night overtaking him, he went into bivouac, near Wilkins' corners.

He must have survived the rigorous official duty, however, for as late as 1830 he retained sufficient mental and physical vigor (and it required an abundance of the latter in those days) to teach a county school and "board round."

The erection of the Mary Ann furnace was an era in the history of this region deserving of more than a passing notice, as it contributed largely to the developement and settlement of this portion of the county. Iron ore of a superior quality being discovered in the southeast quarter of the township, David Moore, a respected pioneer, and father of a large family, with an energy worthy of the times in which he lived, determined upon the erection of a smelting furnace, and as an initiatory step, erected a saw-mill in 1815. Soon after, he began the erection of a furnace, under the supervision of Stephen Cooper and Lilburn Wilson. Almost simultaneously with this enter- prise, Mr. Moore erected a grist-mill. The mill- wright, in this case, was the somewhat eccentric,

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but well known pioneer, James King, an active participant in the Irish rebellion of 1798. He was captured by the British soldiery, tried, and condemned as a rebel, but escaped a short time before the day fixed for his execution, through some weakness of the sentinel at his prison, and sailed for America.

These extensive improvements progressed rapidly under the general supervision of Robert Patterson, and were completed early in the year 1817.

When completed, the proprietor assembled a few neighbors from the sparsely settled region to celebrate the occasion with appropriate dedicatory services.

The furnace must have a name, and they wisely concluded to bestow that honor upon that noble matron, Mary Ann, wife of David Moore. The impressive ceremony of this christening con- sisted in the hurling of a flask of whiskey against he huge stone stack, by Abraham C. Wilson.

The township being organized later in the same year, received its name from the furnace.

The enterprise was a successful one, not only to the proprietor, but to an immense section of coun- try, furnishing the pioneers with much iron-ware of which they stood sadly in need. Hundreds, to- day living, will remember the old May Ann seven- plate stove, that stood upon a square box of brick and mortar in the center of hundreds of log cabin school-houses, in this and the adjoining counties; and in every bar-room it was the center of steady streams of tobacco juice. The sides were elabor- ately embellished with two nude figures supporting a wreath of rudely carved flowers, on which sat a Cupid, showing conclusively that that little mis- chief-maker was as well known in those days as at present.

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 88

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