History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 72

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 72

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

After the Indians left the country the spring very mysteriously disappeared, and not a sin- gle trace of it can now be found. Perhaps as late as the year 1830 there was a settlement on the east side of the township, made by the Skidmores. E. C. Hathaway came to the township in 1831, from Bristol County, Mass. Ile settled on the farm where he now lives. on Bokes Creek about a mile and a half north of West Mansfield. He purchased the farm he now owns for $2 an acre. Jacob Keller settled in 1839 near where the town of West Mansfield now stands. Scranton, Gardner, Lewi -. Bates, Fred. Keller, Robert and David Ray, and James Hatcher, all settled here be- tween the years 1830 and 1810. The terri- tory north of the treaty line, and near the con're of the township, was not settled till after the year IS10. Felix Thornton > Atled here in the year 1812: William Luffel in 1814; Archibald Wilson in 1841: also the same year Henry Williams, William Furrow and Jacob Green settled in 1845. The last mentioned settlers paid &I am Here for their land. Be- tween the years 1835 and 1845 the following persons settled on Rush Crock. in this town- ship: Sammel Higgins, Andrew Wilson, E. Stiles, William Richards, John Ramsey. J. Lyz1 01, Win. Wetcraft and John Wilk- Los. The last mentioned purchased land at

509

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

$1.25 an acre. We, no doubt, have omitted a few names, but the above are all we have been able to obtain by close and thorough in- quiry. There is not a single pioneer, per- haps, who would not live over again his carly days, and vainly sighs --

"O, give me back my cabin home, Within the forest wild."

Those were days when men were not wrapped up in a cloak of self, but they were neighbors in the full sense of the word. The young men would go from five to ten miles on horseback to a corn-husking or a dance. People very often went to East Liberty and Zanesfield to get their small stock of supplies, and to get their corn ground; for in those days they lived on corn bread, hominy, wild honey, and venison. Skins were used as legal tender; coon skins sokl for from fifty cents to one dollar, or were traded among the settlers according to their esti- mated values. Hunting secured the first em- ployment. They "treed" coons day and night. Some would "tree " coons and mark the trees in the forenoon, and cut the trees down in the afternoon. They would catch as high as ten sometimes in one day. Very often they would obtain great quantities of wild honey from trees cut down for coons. They killed as high as four deer a day, and their hides sold for from five to ten dollars. The principal stock raised was the hog. Wm. Calla- han sold fifty heal of hogs at an average of 125 pounds each, at seventy-five cents a hun- dred, being weighed with steelyards. Maple sugar was extensively produced, and like hides, was regarded as a legal tender. Farm- ing was slowly begun. The pioneers first cleared small patches for corn to feed their stock. Ilunting, was, however, more profit- able, and the land was at first slowly im- proved.

The first birth in the township was that of

Jeremiah llill, a brother of John IIill, and took place in 1827. The first marriage in the township was about the year 1840, when Isaac Chine and Miss Elizabeth IIill were united in holy wedlock by Rev. Steven Ilol- land, one of the pioneer preachers. The see- ond marriage was that of Christopher Cline and Lida Bushaw. The father of Lida Bu- shaw was a Frenchman, and was taken pris- oner by.the Americans at Perry's victory on Lake Erie, Ile was a sailor on a British ship, and when the Americans jumped on board his vessel, and demanded his sword and pis- tols, Bushaw stuck the point of his sword downward in the deck, broke it in three pieces, and threw his pistols overboard. He finally espoused the American cause, and died at Chillicothe. Lida came to this county with relatives. The first death in the town- ship was a little girl of the name of Stilts. Her grave was dug by John Hill, on the cor- ner of his own farm. There were afterwards ten persons buried at this spot, and it was the first graveyard in Bokes Creek Township. It is now abandoned, the present burying- ground being at the Good Hope schoolhouse. The first grave in the Bokes Creek graveyard, on the farm of E. C. Hathaway, was made in 1846, when a son of Mr. Hathaway was killed by a melancholy accident. He was riding on a wagon loaded with a saw log, and was thrown off, when the log, which also fell from the wagon, rolled over him, killing him al- most instantly. Two more deaths by acci- clent occurred soon after the one just re- corded, and two more unfortunate boys were laid there. One of these youths was kicked by a horse, which caused his death, and the other fell into a kettle of boiling sugar-water.

The Indians were always on friendly terms with the whites. John Hill says he has engaged in many a hunt with them; has been to their camps, where he has seen as many as forty red deer skins, stretched around on the

510

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

trees and the sides of the camp. On one Saturday evening, he and several more hunters passed an Indian camp, where they were met by Indian dogs. Their master halloved "sie, sie, sic," which so seared the hunters that they cocked their rifles, but the dogs understand " sie " in a different way to what the pale face's dogs did, and they were immediately quelled. Mr. Hill and his band approached the camp, where an Indian met hun, and said, "You no hunt on Sunday?" to which Mr. Hill replied, "No." The Indian then answered, "Me no hunt on Sunday either." lle saw there an Indian squaw kneading bread on a bear skin, " shortening " it with bear oil. Often when deer were shot they would fall into the water and strangle before the hunter could get to them. the water in the swamps being so deep. "Old Archy " Wilson used to say, he had told the Lord if he would get him away from Bokes Creck he would never ask anything of him again. The carly settlers were so honest that they would go clear to Rushsylvania to put in their two days work on the roads. John Ilill went as far as Rushsylvania to find hands to help him raise his first cabin. Such were the privations the early pioneers endured to open to future generations the unexplored and unknown lands of the West.

In the southwest part of the township, there is an extensive colored settlement, called the Flat Woods. The first colored man who settled here was Christopher Williams, who came from Fayette County, Ohio, in 1:51. Others have since settled there, both

before and since the war. They purchased their lands from Jerry Dawson, General Tay- lor's Agent in Kentucky. They erected a schoolhouse about the year 1564. Among the first tea chers was Solomon Day. A Baptist meeting-house was created about the same tim .; this was a log building. There is now a frame church, built the year Is;9, used by

both Baptists and Methodists. This settle- ment is noted for its camp-meetings and revivals.

There were no taverns previous to the year 1848. There was little need for ary, as there were then few carly travelers, and no coach or mail rontes. The first saw-mill was operated perhaps as early as the year 1830, by Alexander Ramsey, on the banks of Rush Creek, near where Squire Callahan now lives. lle also ran a "corn cracker" in connection with his saw-mill. These mills were run by water, and had overshot wheels. About the year 1840, Andy Murdock had a saw-mill near where he now lives. There was also a saw-mill at a very early day, where West Mansfield now stands, perhaps as early as 1845.

There were few early stores within the pres- ent bounds of the township. Alexander Ramsey kopt a small stock of goods, consist- ing of two or three good cart-loals; at any rate, the stock, large or small. almost broke the proprietor up. As we have already stated, trading was done chiefly at West Liberty or Zanesfieldl, and as the settlements grew older, and roads were opened, much of it was done at Rushsylvania.

The first blazed road in the township led from the " fallen timber" to West Liberty. A man by the name of Sumpters went ahead, winding around hills and swamps, and blew a horn to direct others who followed him blazing the trees and clearing away logs and brush. The road was cleared wide enough for a man to ride along on horseback. and if he carried his grist in a bag to mill with ends projected too far from the side of the horse, wor to that bag when its ends were dashed against a tree on each side of the road. In such cases, the man was left growling on the ground be- hind the horse. The Painter Creek road was also opened in the same manner. In the year 1×35, John Boll and Henry Boll, his son, suc- eroded in obtaining a grant for the first State

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

511

road. This was run from West Liberty to the Sandusky road. The trees were out in the month of June by the settlers; the water was then so high over the ground that the logs were easily floated out. On this road was built the first pike in the township in 18:4, and is a double track. In 1840, the Jerusa- lem and Bellefontaine road was laid out; for some time before it was a blazed road. The trees were cut and cleared by the settlers. The same year the Bookes Creek and East Liberty road, crossing the Jerusalem and Bellefontaine road at West Mansfield, was cleared. It had been twice before laid out, and in two different directions, one running to the Skidmore settlement and the other to the Bates settlement. It now runs from Mt. Vic- tory to East Liberty. As the different por- tions of the township were settled, other roads were blazed and the trees ent ont. The Belle- fontaine and Jerusalem road was piked in the year 18;7. There is now in construction a pike leading from the llardin County line to East Liberty. In this section the pike enter- prise is raging, as it is all over the county.

In 1848, Levi Southard laid out the town of West Mansfield, and began the sale of lots. He was an enterprising farmer, and enlisted as a soldier in the late war, and died in the hospital in 1861. Mr. Southard, at the time he laid out the town, had a son one year old whom he called Mansfield; he named the town West Mansfield, whether to honor his son, or the town, is not known. The town, however, is no disgrace to the young gentle- man, neither is he a disgrace to the town, but he is a jolly, sociable little man, known to all by the name of Mansfield Southard. The hereafter will decide whether Mansfield Southard perpetuates the fame of the town of West Mansfield, or the town of West Mansfield perpetuates the name of Mansfield Southard. The village, however, often re- ceives the appellation of "Fip Town." This

name was given to it in its early days, when a company of surveyors called at its only store for a lunch of crackers and cheese, which de- mand the storekeeper could not supply. " Well," said one of them, " we will call this place Fip Town," and to-day Fip Town is known where the title of West Mansfield would be understood as referring to some far- off place. The first house was built by Bliss Danforth, near where Susan Keller now lives. It was of round logs eighteen by twenty, one story, and covered with clapboards. This house was built the same year the village was laid out; two others were soon afterwards built by Ellis and Henry Baldwin. The first tavern was kept by John Cousins; this was a frame building thirty by twenty, and one and a half stories high, and stood where George Harshfickt's house now stands. The first store was kept by Samuel Danforth and William Keller; this store was a log building about sixteen by eighteen feet. Notions of all kinds and groceries were here sold. The first shoe shop was kept by James Wilgus. The first blacksmith shops were operated by Mark Austin and John Cousins. The first postoffice was kept by John Robinson. At present it is kept by J. T. Robinson, and the mail is brought every day by hack from Bellefontaine.

A paper contributed by Dr. Skidmore gives the history and standing of the Odd Fellows' lodge as follows: "White Lodge, No. 576, I. O. O. F., was instituted June 23, 18:4. The names of charter members were W. S. Akey, J. R. Baldwin, Edwin Bates, A. C. Bayliss, David Logan, C. L. Hathaway, Ebenexer, Hathaway, W. E. Powers, J. S. Rea, James Rhenen. First officers installe I were Edwin Bates, N. G .; Eben flathaway, V. G .; J. S. Rea, Rec. Sec .; A. C. Bayliss, Per Sec .; W. S. Akey, Treas ; R. S. N. G., David Logan; L. S. N. G., R. W. Sonthard; R. S. V. G., D. IT. HIar- riman; L. S. V. G., J. Dickinson; Warden,

512

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

W. E. Powers; Conductor, J. R. Baldwin; R. S. S .. David Rea; L. S. S. P. Smith; (. G .: James Rhouten. The names of the pres- ent oficers are C. C. Meter, N. G .: T. B. Harriman, V. G .; E. D. Vance, Rec. Sec .: U. 1 .. Mann, Per Spe .; G. H. Dowell, Treas .; Warden, L. E. Laving ; Conductor, Ira Gwynn; R. S. N. G., William Reams: R. S. V. G., George Bates; O). G., T. B. Wilgus; J. (., Walter Painter."

The first religions denomination was the Wesleyan Methodist, which, in 1843, held divine service in the old schoolhouse on the farm now owned by Robert Southard. They had few adherents, and did not hold out longer than three years. Their preachers were Cooley and Glading. The United Breth- ren, as early as 1845, held divine services in the old schoolhouse. They built the first church in West Mansfeld in 1852. It was a fram . builling. about thirty by forty foot, and occupied the same site on which now stands their new church. They then had about thirty members, and their first preacher was Rov. F. Hendricks. In ISE7, they built their present house of worship, which is a comfortable building, about forty by thirty feet. Their membership has not increased any of late years. Their present pastor is Rev. J. Mulholland. The Methodist Epis- copal denomination organized a church in 1869, when they built the house in which tluy now worship. This is a commodions building, sixty by forty foot. Their member- ship is about forty persons, and their first minister was Rov. E. Mollugh; their present pastor is Rev. C. J. Wells.

The present schoolhouse is a two-story frame building, forty by twenty-eight feet, and was built in 1513. There are two hotels in the village, kept by Henry Hathaway and V. Southard, respectively; two dry-goods stopps, .I. T. Ribbon, and Marsh, Skidmore & Co .; one drug store, by Caram Bros; one notion

store, by Newton Reans; one hardware store, by Harriman Bros .; one wagon shop, by Painter & Son: two blacksmith shops; one shoe shop. by Win. Ballinger; one harness shop, by Rufus Deider: one saw-mill, by Wmn. Bushong & Ham Me Donald.

In the year 18;1. Lering & Co. erected a steam mill at the south end of town. This was afterwards purchased by the firm of Wil- gus & Robinson, who, in 1876 sold it to J. N. Wilgus & Son. the present owners. It is a large two-story building, and has two run of burrs. The town was incorporat xl in 1829, and the following officers elected: Wm. Bal- linger, Mayor; Dr. Skidmore, Clerk; Dr. Maris, Treasurer; Ham MeDonald, Marshal; and J. T. Robinson, F. Carson. J. N. Wil- gus, Councilmen. The first physician was D ... Roberts, who came to the township in 1853, and left in the year 1856. The next was Dr. Ruimes, who came to West Mans- field in 1834; Dr. Skidmore also came in 1814; Dr. Sevan came in 1866; Dr. Maris. in 18;1, and Dr. Whitaker in 18;9. The pres- ent physicians are Drs. Reames, Skidmore, Maris, and Whitaker.

Considering its lack of advantages, such as railroads, West Mansfield outstrips every rival. Situated as it is, in a long neglected corner of the county and township, ten miles from a railroad, indepen lent of its far-away competitors, who called it in derision, "Fip Town," it has held its own in a manner that deserves commendation.

A short sketch may be here given of Ridge- way. as a part of the village lies in Bokes Crock Township, and there is a faint proba- bility of its being, at some future time, a village of Logan County and Bokes Crock Township, instead of astrid . the line as it is now. In May, 1852, the town was laid out by Sammel Met'ulloch and a man of the name of Bar-, and on the 20th day of the same month there was a sale of lots, at which

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

515

ahont eighty lots were disposed of. The town was named Ridgeway in honor of a man by that name who lived in Liverpool, England, and owned 2,000 acres of land. and the spot upon which the town was laid off was in this tract. The highest lots sold for $100; the lowest at from fifteen to twenty dollars. Dr. Wooley erected the first building, which was a one-story frame house. The second was erected by Robert Stephenson who kept the first hotel in the village. He still keeps tavern in the same building, which is a two- story frame house. The first dry goods store was kept by W. P. Hughes. Benjamin Gin kept the first postoffice. Michael Printz the first blacksmith shop. The Methodists built the first church, which was a little frame building 22x26 feet. Henry Snell was the first preacher. The schoolhouse was a frame building 22x26 feet. The town was incor- porated in 1860. The following is a list of the business men, furnished by Lee Pash:

Stephenson & Co .- Flouring Mills.

Kopland & Rumer-Saw-mill, and lumber dealers. T. J. Cottrell, Merchant-Dry goods and groceries. J. W. Culbertson, 66

R. MeElhany, 6

11. Varington, 77

J. Lake,

J. Lime, Grocery.

L. Pash, Merchant-Hardware, stoves and tinware. John Davis, "

R. J. William, Merchant-llarness.

A. D. Bailey, 12 -Drug store.

J. Printz -- Blacksmith shop.

L. Stephenson,

M. Ormsly, ..

C. Rourch-Pump factory.

Robert Stephenson-Hotel.

John Ewing-Restaurant.

C. B. Crowe-M. D.

R. Edwards-M. D.

J. Sieg-Justice of the Peace

W. M. Newill-Mayor.

J. Endsley-t'lerk.

Town Councilmen-E. B. Crowe, II. L. Pash, J. M. Thomas, R. J. Williams, W. W. Riley, John Williams.

There was a lodge of the I. O. O. F. organ- ized June 29, 1880, by Peter Kautzman. There are two fine village churches, belong- ing to the Presbyterians and Methodists.

The school building is a two-story brick. They have, however, bargained for a fine new school building, to be finished at the cost of $5.000. The village is on the C., C., C. & I. Railway, about thirteen miles from Kenton and sixteen miles from Bellefontaine.

The first divine services in Bokes Creek Township were held by the Methodists at the cabin of John Ilill, which was used as a preaching place for seven years. There was a society formed of that denomination in that section of the township. Andy Wilson was their elass leader. Rev. Steven Holland was one of the first preachers. Doctor Green also frequently preached at Mr. Hill's house. About the year 1840 a man by the name of AAllen held the first revival in the Rush Creek settlement. At the close of the revival he went to Grassy Point where he eloped with another man's wife. After this circumstance he was called the "corn-stalk preacher" by settlers. But what signification the name has in connection with the erring evangelist we cannot say. Services were held for some time in the old brick schoolhouse. There is still a small society of about a dozen mem- bers in this locality. They now use the old White Swan schoolhouse as a place of wor- ship. In 184; there was a society of Metho- dists organized in Bokes Creek. The first meetings were held in Thomas Simpson's house. The same year there was an old fashioned schoolhouse built, sixteen by eighteen feet in which they organized. Wm. Furrow was appointed class leader which office he has held for thirty years. William Knapp and William Wareham were the first l'astors. Here they worshiped for ten years, and during the time had one of the most spirited revivals ever known in the back- woods. The number of membership was in- creased from about ten to sixty-two. In 1858 a new frame church was built on the banks of Bokes Creek, forty-five by thirty-five feet.

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

516

The membership was then sixty ; the present is about thirty, and R .v. John Graham is the Paster. In the northeast corner of the township is an organization of Quakers, cou- sisting of about forty members. This society was begun about 1860. They first held their meetings in a private house which they pur- chased and changed into a church. About twelve years ago they built the house they now occupy ; it is a small, plain little church, built in old Quaker style, and in it they meet every Sabbath.

Rev. Mr. Moore occasionally preaches for the Disciples in the township. There is, how- over. no organization of that denomination. Mr. Moore is an earnest, eloquent and effective minister. The first sabbath school was hekl in Solomon Smith's house, in the Rush Creek Settlement. It was superintended by James Doby, who was also a common school teacher. Sabbath school was also held in the oldl brick schoolhouse in the same locality. There are now live or six different sabbath schools'in Bokes Creek Township.

The first abolition speeches were made by Chase, Boweher and Emerson. The two for- mer were Methodist Episcopal preachers, and were afterwards silenced. Moses Emerson and Jacob Keller were the first two abolition voters in the township. The cause here at first met few friends and many strong enemies, There never was, however, any violence or in- sult heaped on the carly agitators. There were many threats made of mobbing them, but cool judgment always kept sway. There was a Know Nothing society organized by Doctor Doran in the year 1856. This society was secret, and hold its meetings at private houses, in Bokes Creek Township. It's Presi- dent was J. W. Green; Vice-President. C. H. Thornton; Treasurer, Thomas Simpson; See- rotary, Christ . Williams; Chaplain, William Furrow, The members of this society chim that they ha la grand object in view, and that

they, having gained this object, quietly dis- banded. We know that their motto was " Americans ought to rule America." but what the great object was they achieved is to this day a mystery.

At the beginning of the war the anti-slav- ery spirit and loyalty to the Union cause were at their highest pitch. In 1863 the sympathizers of the Rebellion obtained a spot in the north end of West Mansfield to hold a mass meeting. On the appointed day there was a large, enthusiastic delegation of all the Tories and disloyal roughs Newton could col- lect and form into a line. As they ap- proached the village of West Mansfield one of their marshals rode ahead and inquired of some boys where the grounds were to which he was to condnet his procession. The boys told him on the west side of the town. Hle accordingly led his procession in that direc- tion through the town. until he discovered his mistake. When he had turned his line and 4 was leading it round the corner where J. T. Robinson's store now stands, he found the street blockaded by boys. He rode up to one of them, cocked his pistol and told him to give the road. He was then informed by men on the opposite side that he had better not shoot for there were plenty more to return his fire. After they had arrived at the grounds the boys fired old logs and brush around the stage, which smoked them so badly that the speak- ers grew hoarse and dizzy, and the hearers were so affected (by the smoke) that the tears streamed down their checks. On their way homeward, in passing through the town, they were met by Union boys who blackaded the road and kept them at a stand-still for more than two hours, swearing and threatening, with loaded rifles, revolvers and shot guns cocked, ready for a fight. Finally they were told if they would go peaceably out of town they could go home. These conditions they Were too glad to comply with, and their

517

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

marshals' horses were led to the edge of the village by the citizens, followed by the pro- cession.

The first school teacher in the township was, perhaps, John Doby, who taught school in Solomon Smith's house, as early as 1843. In 1846 Mr. Ilill hewed the logs for the first schoolhouse, which was 20 x 18 feet, and stood on the farm now owned by Trig MeAdams. It had a pole chimney six feet wide. Perry Hughes taught the first school in this house. About ten years after this house was built, there was a brick schoolhouse erected about three hundred yards from where the first stood. In 1820 the Good llope schoolhouse was built, and the old brick and log school- house of other days have disappeared. In 154: a round log schoolhouse was built on Bokes Creck. The first teacher in the house was a lady by the name of MeAdow; the first male teacher was M. Chase. They re- ceived $15 and $25 for their services. In 1856 there was a frame schoolhouse 24 x 18 feet, built on a corner of the farm of William Saffel. This was the schoolhouse for twenty years and in it were held some spirited liter- ary societies, a pastime for which this section of the township, had a taste. In 1876 there was another building erected on the farm of James Crane. As this was built in the C'en- tennial year, the school is called by the same name, " The Centennial."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 72

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