History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 71

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798

USA > Ohio > Logan County > History of Logan County and Ohio > Part 71

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their own hands could supply, was entirely dispensed with, or supplied in a meager man- ner. The consequence was that the wardrobe of the ladies comported but miserably with their patient and untiring industry. Still all toiled patiently on, looking hopefully forward to a future, when the wild surroundings, the rude log cabins, and the privations of pioneer life should be replaced by the cultivated fields, the substantial homes, the church and the school. That this dream has been fully real- ized is apparent to even the .chance visitant.

Bloomfield is composed of parts of Congres- sional Townships numbers 2 and 4 south, ranges ? and S cast. Its location, the ex- treme west of the county. Its boundaries : north by Stokes; south by Pleasant; east by Washington, and west by Jackson and Shelby, in Shelby county. The Big Miami River passes southward along the eastern line of the township, and into this flow a number of small streams of no importance, save as affording drainage to the soil. In the north we find the Muchinippi Creek, next the Four Mile and Brandywine, and in the extrame south Rum Creek, names which sound odd in the extreme, in a township inhabited by peo- ple among whom intemperaner is unknown. The surface is undulating, alternate slight elevations, gentle slopes, and low level plains go to make up a whole which presents many attractive features. The soil is a clay, light- ly mixed with gravel on the higher lands, and a black loam interveining, strong and fertile. Corn and grass are the principal crops, though the present season large quantities of wheat have been harvested with satisfactory results

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

The timb r originally covering the surface of the land consisted largely of ork, beach and ish. with occasionally maple, walnut and wild-cherry. Deer and the smaller kinds of fine was plenty, while the wolves, with which the woods fairly swarmed, were an in- t lerable annoyance, not only destroying the lesser domestic animals whenever opportunity afforded, but attacking travelers when caught abroad after dark. Mr. Dillon relates an in- vident in which he was personally interested. In the year 1533 he had occasion to visit the Government land offic . at Wapakonatta. It was a long journey, yet by the aid of a f et lors . he hoped to accomplish it and return the same day; the trip out was made without ifcident, and in good time. At the office the press of business detained him until nearly night, and he was advised to remain until morning as a storm was coming on, and the road is a difficult one to follow even by daylight. (It was an old army trail, winding about amongst the trees, italy impassable for teuns.) However, the desire to reach liver proved greater than the arguments of his friends, and after tightening the sad lle- wirth and making everything as secure as ¡ ssible, he started on the return trip. For a few miles ho traveled at a rapid pier, but at last the darkness avertook him, and, as predicted, a furio is storm ensued, the war was lost, and after some tim . vainly but in trying to regain it, he dismant . to wait for the e sssation of the storm an I the rise of the moon. The situation was not a gonfalone-lost in the dense woods, miles f m a human habitation, and surrounded by will 1 n ts. However, the solitude of the comeendivers was soon reli ved by the hoarse The sounds came rapidly - t'il . that enb. he await . I the Aby ti . lomme vi itor . It was 1 Viborgare they were upon him. Viz Sla I findly .. . inst a huge tre,

he struck out at the nearest pair of fiery eyes. A yell, and a sudden retreat of the owner of the eyes, gave proof of the correctness of his aim. This was repeated whenever a wolf cine within reach, and in this somewhat live- ly manner did Mr. Dillon while away the hours, which otherwise would have been weary ones, until the rising of the moon, when, remounting his horse, the path was found and the homeward journey resumed. the wolves the while closely following he- hind, filling the dim echoes of the woods with their hair-lifting melody(?). They kept close upon the heels of his horse to his very cabin door, which was reached as the first faint streaks of light began to show above the tops of the trees in the past.

The settlement of the township was begun in the southwest corner, on Rum Crock. Along this stream were some small Indian int- provements, and upon these two farmers, named Keith an 1 Stewart, removed with their families, not far from the year 1830. As none of the pioneers, who first located in the town- ship, now live here, the writer has depended upon those who came next for the data from which this history is written. Mr. JJames Dil- lon and Henry Hone are entitled to our thanks for many items of interest. Mr. Dil- lon built his log cabin upon the farm he still occupies during the fallof 1833. At this date the following families were living in the town- ship : William Rogers and William Campbell had small improvements in the northeast part. Mr. Campbell lived on the farm now ownet by the Huber heirs, his log cabin was near the river, where he kept a rude ferry. In the south- cast corner of the township, along Rum Creek, livre Isaac Stockwell, Benjamin Nichols and William Smith. To the west ward lived Rich- Und and Isaac Dillon, Thomas Tong, E lward Timmons, Jacob and William Keith, David and William Ashbrook, William and John haler, William Moore and Caleb Wright.

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

These were all the settlers in the township in the year 1833. William Dillon and family. consisting of a wife and five children. arrived in 1834, and made a beginning on the farm now owned by M. Smith. The entire north- western portion of the township was at this time an unbroken forest. Henry llone purchased lands in the township in December. 1835 : cleared a small piece and built a log cabin dur- ing the summer of 1836, andin March, 183 ;. moved his family into it. Mr: Hone still lives on this property. The forest bas, however. disappeared, and by well-directed efforts. broad fields, rich in their wealth of waving grain, have taken its place. The additional settlers who arrived prior to 1836 wore: Ed- ward Wren, whose lands adjoined Hone's on the northwest. Immediately south of Cimp- bell's, on the river, lived William Donaldson and Joseph Danielson. John Price occupied the James Spellman farmt; John Woodfield and Philip Hoy lived near. John Ellis. George Wolf, the Archers and the Downings. had located near the Rum Creek settlement. William MeKinnon subsequently purchased the Campbell farm. Mr. Hone states that when he reached the Miami R'ver, he found it very high, and no other means of crossing than the trunk of a fallen tree; the prospect of reaching the other shore was not particularly Hattering. On the bank were a few huts, in which lived a number of half-breed Indians, who came out, but manifested no interest until, on inquiry. they learned that Mr. Hone had a small quantity of spirits in the wagon; this being produced, they assisted readily in effecting a crossing. The goods were un- loaded and carried over, the horses swam across, and tieing a bed-cord to the end of the wagon-tongue, it was pulled through, the goods reloaded, and the journey resumed. No charge was made, except a few drinks of of the " whisk," as they termed it. At this tinte there were no roads, each settler cutting

his own, and being governed by the condition of the land, it may be imagined that little at- tention was paid to the points of the compass. The first duly authorized road was from Belle- fontaine to Muchinippi, passing through the northern part of the township. Now well- graded and graveled pikes traverse the township in all directions. The citizens of Bloomfield have depended upon the surround- ing country for mills and other needed in- tlustries until a recent date. The steam flouring-mill, at Bloom Center, was built by A. Connelly, in 1828. It has two run of stone and is furnished with all the modern appliances. A tile manufactory, at the same point, owned by Bayer & Brother, completes the list of manufac- tories. As early as 1840, Jonah MeFarling, began merchandising, in a little log hut, standing about one mile to the westward of the present hamlet, known as Bloom Center. The stock in trade was mainly whisky, tobac- co and tea. A few years subsequent, he erected a small frame building, near the site of the log cabin, and putting in a respecta- ble stock. soon acquired a large patronage. Since this period, the township has not been without a store of some kind. Quite a settlement sprung up at this point. The location of a postoffice was secured over which John Freeman presided. The location was inconvenient, and yet nothing was done toward a better until the fall of 1858, when Andrew Halboth purchased lands and creetel the buildings he now occupi's as a store and dwelling. Others built ncar, and Bloom Center became a certainty. At this time it embraces a general store, drug store, two blacksmith shops, flouring mill, tile manufac- tory, two churches, a school, and three physi- cians. The present Postmaster is Dr. William MeK. Houseman, a rising young physician of the place. Bloom Center Lodge, No. G?1, | 1. O.O. F., which is located here, began work

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

under Dispensation in the summer of 1875, with S. P. Wood. A. Halboth, G. M. Shafer, W. 11. Watkins, J. G. Smith and C. W. Davis, as charter members, who became the first officers. The present membership is small. Twa societies of the order known as Patrons of Husbandry, er Grangers, have had an ex- istence in the township, but of these the writer has no dato.

So som as the little colony on Rum Creek had provided themselves with comfortable habitations, their attention was directed to the formation of a school, the result of which was the erection of a log building of quite respect- able proportions, and a teacher being found, school duly convened. Two or three years later a second schoolhouse was built in the township. This stood on lands now owned by James Spellman. Eber Hodge taught a number of terms in this building. At last the territory was divided into school districts, and a better class of buildings creet d. The re- port of the Board of Education for the school year ending August 31, Isto, gives the fo]- lowing data:

Whole number of children. .309

Whole amount paid frachery $1,000,58

Whole Bunchog of schoolhar. ....

Valle, with grounds $1.500.00

In the little log schoolhouse first mentioned, late in the fall of the year 1532. a n is-a nary of that faith who are, as a rule, the advane . guard if C'luistanity in all new countries Moth- alism hold the first religious service in the township. The families of David and Wil- Fam Ashbrook. William Keith and Mrs. Tim- soon after united in the formation of a des In about 1856 a howed log meeting- Fois was leult, and this was ocenpied until the completion of the prosent frame building in 199. He Methodist Episcopal Church at Blan Center was formed early in the settle - 1 t. T members comp sing the first class Mal. I Rawdon and wife, William

Rawdon and wife, George Wolf and wife, Poter Schule and wife, and - Hendricks and wife. This society met in schoolhouses for several years, eventually erecting the frame church building just west of Bloom Centre, now unused. The society, we learn, have in contemplation the crection of a larger house of worship at an early day.

Early in the year 1851, Rev. Adam Stump, of the German R.formed Church, began a series of meetings at the dwellings of the settlers west of Bloom Center, and about one year subsequent the following persons united in the formation of a church of this denemi- nation: Peter Bruner and family, Houry Smith and wife, Abraham Griffey and wife, John Wagoner and wife. Solomon trar- ling, and wife and JJ. M. Smith and wife: two years later they united in the erection of the church edifice at Bloom Centre. This has been recently rofitte 1. The membership of this society now numbers forty. A Sabbath School was organized some years since in con- nection with this church. This has now a goodly attendance. Some years subsequent to James Dillon's arrival in Bloomfield Township, a hewed log schoolhouse was built on the south- west corner of his farm, and in this, a few years later, the settlers of the different Bap- tist and Christian denominations, residing in the vicinity, inaugurated a series of mion meetings. These were continued for a num- ber of years with a gradually increasing membership. In about 1854, all united in the erection of a meeting-house in the north- east part of the township on the Muchinippi. For a time the society flourished and the umembership gradually increased, but of late, from various causes, the interest has abated, and at this time the society has but a small vi mbership and no regular Pastor, local tident occupying the pulpit.

The writer has been unable to secure any data of the organization of the township or

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

505

its early history, the records having been de- stroyed. The growth, though slow, has been a healthy one.

The following account of one of those thrillingly sad incidents so common in all pioneer settlements. is from Joshua Antrim's history of Champaign and Logan Counties: "About two miles directly west of Lewis- town, on the farm now owned by the heirs of Manassas Huber, in Bloomfield Township, lived Ilarrison and Christiana Hopkins. Their son, aged about five years, was lost on November 13, 1838.

" Heaven to all men hides the book of fate,

And blindness to the future has kindly given." * Everything passed off pleasantly till about two o'clock, when Mrs. Hopkins started with her little son to visit a neighbor, a Mr. Rogers, living about a half mile dis- tant. She had to pass by a new house, being bu.It by Charles Cherry, an uncle to the boy. Arriving there, they stopped for a few minutes, and as the boy wished to remain here, the mother passed on. Soon the boy became tired of playing about the house and started to re- join his mother. As only a dim path led through the intervening timber, Mrs. Ch r: cautioned the little fellow to be careful, and not get lost. A little way into the woods, and he sang out: " I can go it now; I have found

the path." These were the last words he was ever heard to say. * Mrs. Hopkins soon after returned, and enquired for the boy, and learned, to her surprise and terror, that he had followed her. Immediate search was made by the frantic mother and father, and Mr. Cherry, going first to Mr. Rogers' and to another neighbor living but a short distance from him, but no tidings coul l be had of him. They could see the tracks of his bare feet in the path near the house. Soon the alarm spread far and near, and people collect- ed from all parts of the country to hunt for the child. There were at times over a thous- and people engaged in the search, which was continued for three weeks. Every foot of ground for three miles around was scanned. Even the Maimi river was dragged for miles. but in vain-not a trace of him-not even a shred of his clothing could be found any- where, and to-day his fate remains a profound and melancholy mystery. The opinion gen- orally prevails, however, that the child was stolen by the Indians. Mr. Cherry states that an Indian, wno, for many years, had been in the vicinity, engaged in trapping, disappeared about this time and never returned. He was afterwards found, and accused of the abdue- tion of the child, but he resolutely denied all knowledge of the matter.

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

CHAPTER XIX .*

BOKES CREEK TOWNSHIP-DESCRIPTIVE-THE WHITES-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-VILLAGES- ETC.

F IFTY years ago Bokes Creek Township was almost unknown. The present for- tile felis were one dense forest, where roamed the deer, the bear, the wolf and other savage animals, undisturbed save by their savage enemy-the American aborigines. Bellefontaine was already a growing village, with stores, churches and schools: almost every other township in Logan County had been settled, and legally organized before a white man reared his humble cabin upon Bokes Creek soil. Probably no settlement would then have been made, but for the open- ing effected by the great wind-storm of 1825, which assisted materially in preparing the way for the pioneer by leveling the timber for a broad space through the entire town- ship. In this belt of " fallen timber" the first white man in Bokes Crock made his claim. The lowlands of the township were, from October until June, most of the time covered by water, from one to three fost drop. These deep marshes almost wholly de- find the hand of cultivation. Across the northern part of the township. from the Best side and passing out at the northeast corner, nearly describing a circle, courses Rush Crock on its way to the Scioto River. From its on- trance into the township to where it leaves, it is most all the way a marshy stream, with und banks and beds, and sides overgrown with rank weels and shrubs.

Mill Creek flows through the southwest for- ner on its course from Ruch Creek Township into Perry Town hip. Bokes Creek rises in this township from two so lens The Forth-

ern and principal stream rises in the western part, on the farm of Martin MeAdams, and runs in a southeastorly direction into Union County. The second rises on the farm of C. Bell, in the southwestern part of the town- ship. and curving south and west, it joins the northern branch in Union County. This stream is one of the tributaries of the Scioto River, and, like Rush Creek, is a sluggish stream. In some places it is almost impossi- ble to find the main current. Attempts have been made to secure its drainage at public expense, but so far such efforts have resulted in failure, and it still remains the same marshy, sluggish stream it was forty-five years ago. There are several important drains, hower r. in the eastern part of the township, which have been constructed by the enterprise of the farmers, and have been very beneficial to the localties through which they pass. Their average width is about fifteen feet and their depth from four to ten feet. The streams and their tributaries constitute the principal drainage of the township. Much has been done, and to great advantage, in artificial drainage, but much more can be done in this line of improvement with equally good results to the land. The country is low and marshy. There are few hills in the whole township, and it might almost be called a plain. The soil is black and rich, suitable for all kinds of grain, and the township, with the proper draining, might be made one of the finest farming districts in the county. There is little of the yellow clay soil. The black soit is from three to eight feet in depth. The tinder is of every variety and size to

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

be found in this section of the country, oak, walnut, sugar-maple, beech, elin and lynn, being the principal kinds. The greater part of the land lies north of the Greenville Treaty line, which runs through the township some two or three miles from the line between Bokes Creek and Perry townships. North of this line the roads are principally laid out parallel with the Treaty line road, while those south of the line were run according to the convenience and fancy of the carly settlers.

About the year 1834, the territory now known as Bokes Creek Township, was struck off from Rush Creek, and called Perry, to- gether with the present township of that name. Mardin County bounded it on the north, Union on the past, Zane Township on the south, and Jefferson and Rush Creek Town- ships on the west. Early in the year 183%, Carlisle Lewiston carried the surveyor's chain between Perry and Bookes Creek, and the same year Bokes Creek was legally organized with its present boundaries, which are the same as above given except on the south, where it is now bounded by Perry Township. It receives its name from Bokes Creek, a stream that has already been described. As to how this creek received its name reports differ. Some persons claim that there was a white man lost near it of the name of Bogy. Others say that an Indian was lost in the channel, and his friends, after searching in vain for him, gave the name Bogy to the creek, from the Indian word boque, meaning lost. We are inclined to believe the latter, as it is the opinion of the oldest settler of the township. At any rate, the creek was once called Bogy. and was changed to Bokes to suit the euphony of the English language. An old Yankee named Emberson, a few years after the township was organized, made an effort to have it called Salem Township. John Hill also contended that it should have its first name, and got the better of his Yan-

kee opponent, and Bokes Creek, as a corrup- tion of Bogy, clings to the township. On these black lands are matured the finest har- vests of the husbandman's toil. In the thriving villages are busy mechanics and en- terprising men of basine.s. In the once thick and heavy timbered forests are seen the smoke of saw-mills-a territory now in- habited by 1,613 busy people, where only fifty years ago was seen here and there a savage encampment. Almost every industry of common life is here carried on.

There is but one village in Bokes Creek (Tp.), and it is situated in the southeast corner. It has a population of 383. Part of the town of Ridgeway lies in this township, which is often called West Ridgeway, with a population of perhaps 120. At present, whether Ridgeway belongs to Logan or to Hardin County is a disputed point, and is pending before the courts. Logan County claims the territory for about a quarter of a mile further north than the generally desig- nated line. This suit was begun in 1818. Both sides have offered to compromise the matter, but unfortunately for the residents in the disputed territory, when one side is in the notion the other wants to go the whole hog, or none at all. Should such a compromise be made, Ridgeway would be brought into Logan County and would be the leading vil- lage of Bokes Creek Township. This com- promise wouldl spoil the shape of the town- chip, making it in the form of a trapezoid. At present, however, Hardin County is un- willing to make this con promise, the proposal having last been made by the attorneys for the Logan County side.

As has been already stated, Bokes Creek swung loose from Rush Creek Township about the year 1834, and from Perry in 183%, and became a separate and duly organized town- ship the same year. At that time she had twenty-seven voters and about 120 inhabitants.

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

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The first Trusters of the township were. John B.Al. James R. Carl and William Cline: the first Justice of the Peace was Joseph Roberts; the first Constable, Henry Bell: 11. (. Hathaway was the first Treasurer cloeted. The refused to serve, however, but as there was no money for him to take care of, he was hon- ored by the title of that office till the next (Inction. Meses Emerson was the first t'leik. It was said that Constable Henry Be l having at one time levied on some property, was afraid to approach the premises, having heard that the old woman had a " corn-entter" sharpened for the purpose of cutting him into sausage meat, if he dared to sell a single ar- title of the goods he had levied upon.

Two miles south of Ridgeway, on the Ridge- way and Walnut Grove Turnpike, lives, in pioneer fashion, the " oldest inhabitant," and who claims to be the first settler in "old Birey." John Hill an I his father, Jeremiah Hille m . from Greene Co., Ohio. in 183;, and sett: d in the " Windfall,“ on the farm How owned by Lewis Dickinson. He Has been a resident of this township for fifty-three years, and has watched with great interest its won- derful development. The great tornado had for him, two years before, laid low the trees. thus aiding him in opening a farm. Mr. Hill paid five dollars an aere for his land. This is will be obs road. was more than twice a. it has some of the other settlers pad for their land, and may be accounted for by the fact t. at the fallen timber presented faedities for al arile land which the trick forest did no, there being no tres to cut down. Non

Glined by some to have been the first ami- want to Bokes Creek. Then the Coffe lits :rd City fondThe, and Win. Callahan come, all tworth ettled on the banks of Rush tel. HOW. Over to the me let of Mr. 11 am atto to his land he was

Way , after he lal settled and

improved it. He afterward removed to where he now lives, on the banks of Rush Creek. A short distance from Mr. Ilill's house was an Indian council house, about 30 feet long, made of poles and covered with bark. The remains are still there, and the husbandman has never plowed below the depth of the ashes in its vicinity. There was what was known as the " Indian Spring," on the corner of Mr. Ilill's farm, on the banks of Rush Creek. It was about eighteen inches square, and was walled with poles about six inches in diame- ter, split and sunk into the ground, one above the other.

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History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 71

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin Number of Pages: 798

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798