History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 20

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207

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William Wilson, a native of Pennsylvania, located in about 1820 in the northern part of the township and erected a grist- and saw-mill where the Wood mill stood. Wilson ran the mill for several years, when he sold out to John Kious. After running the mill several years, he tore it down and rebuilt and improved it with a much larger capacity. He was succeeded by Michael Sullivan, who was afterward succeeded by William Wood, and he by his son, Courtney Wood.

A tannery was built in or near Mt. Sterling in about 1830 by George Puckett and carried on quite an extensive business for nearly twenty years. At that time leather tanning was an important and reasonably profitable business. There were then no rail- roads or other shipping facilities by which they could get either leather or shoes from

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the East, or, if they could get them by the slow process of being hauled through by wagon, it made their cost prohibitive to the pioneers. In those days, the quick process of tanning leather by chemical means was unknown and the operation required weeks and months. Neither had they machinery for making shoes, by which men could make several pairs a day, but everything must be done by slow hand processes. Therefore, a tannery in this country at that time was a great convenience to the people of the community and a source of great profit to its owner.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

As this township was among the first to be settled, it is not surprising to also find that one of the earliest school buildings in the county was erected within its limits. As the first settlements were made on Deer creek, in the eastern part of the township, so here we find, in the Alkire neighborhood, a primitive log school house erected in about 1812. These early log school houses have been described elsewhere and this one was no exception to the rule. The first teacher in this building was Adam Alkire. The building has long since disappeared.

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CHAPTER XIV. RANGE TOWNSHIP.

Range township occupies a central position in the extreme southern tiers of town- ships in the county, being bounded on the west by Stokes township, on the north by Paint and Oak Run townships, on the east by Pleasant township and on the south by Fayette county. This township was not one of the first townships organized immediately after the organization of the county, but was early erected and put into working order. Among the commissioners' records the following is found under date of December 7, 1812 :

"At a meeting of the commissioners of Madison county (on petition), ordered that the following bounds compose a new township, which shall be hereafter known and desig- nated by the name of Range township, viz :

"Beginning ou the county of Fayette at the crossing of the North fork of Paint creek; thence to the eight-mile tree on Langham's road; thence with said line to the southwest corner of Judge Baskerville's survey; and then from the aforesaid place of beginning, west with Fayette county line, to a point one mile east from the crossing of Main Paint; thence northerly to the southeast corner of Judge Baskerville's survey aforesaid."

The geographical position of this township and the natural quality of its soil are such as to attract early settlement. William M. Linton was probably the first actual settler on the territory that was later to be erected into Range township. He was born in England about 1753, emigrated to Virginia, there married Mary Williams and settled in Hardy county. About 1797 they emigrated to Ohio and settled in Ross county. In 1800-01 they .removed from thence to Madison county, settling a short distance south of where Sedalia is now situated, and resided there until his death, in 1835. All his life he devoted himself to the pursuit of farming. He was the father of eight children, Maria, George, Sarah, Susan, Hannah, Nancy, Betsey and Peggy. Maria married Cyrus Ward, Sarah married Archibald Stewart, Susan married Joseph Pancake, Nancy mar- ried William Davis, Hannah married Benjamin Walker and Peggy married Lockhart Biggs.

David Dye, a native of New Jersey, probably came to Ohio a single man, and set- tled on land just east of William Linton a few years later, and, about 1810, married Betsey Linton. She died about 1835. He married, for his second wife, Nancy Wingate, by whom he had two children. They remained in this township until about 1867, when they removed to Yellow Springs, Ohio, where his wife died in 1879, and he in 1880, aged ninety-five years. He was a blacksmith by trade and followed it in connection with farming throughout his life. Peter Moneyhorn settled in this township in about 1806. Little is known of him, except that he was an eccentric character and indulged a great deal in writing poetry or making rhymes and funny expressions, to the great amusement of those about him. It is thought that, after a few years' residence here, he moved away. Archibald Stewart settled just south of William Linton, probably in 1806-08, and married Sarah Linton. He was a very energetic, good business man, and became an extensive stock dealer and a large landowner. He finally moved to Bloomingsburg, Fayette county, where he died.

Joseph Pancake was born in Virginia, December 19, 1789; emigrated to Ohio, first

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to Ross county, thence, in 1806, to- Madison county, Range township, and. was employed by William M. Linton to work on his farm; he married Susan Linton and soon . after- ward settled on land west of Sedalia. He served in the War of 1812, for which service he later received a land warrant: His wife died and he married a Miss Corbitt. She lived for only one year and he married. Mrs. Jane Dugan, nee Wilson, a native of Penn- sylvania and the widow of Jesse Dugan, one of the early settlers of Range .township. He lived with her until his death, in Sedalia, September 15, 1853. His wife died on July 30, 1863. He was the father of four children by his first wife and of three by : his last wife. Mr. Pancake devoted his life to farming and at the time of his death had lived nearly half a century in Range township, having been one of her earliest settlers, and passed through the varied trails, dangers and hardships of those times. - And not only was he a pioneer in secular affairs, but also in the Methodist Episcopal church, having been a member of the first class organized in this township and one of its leaders. He served a long and devoted life in the church, and died esteemed and respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Jesse Dugan, of Scotch descent, was a native of Pennsylvania; he married Jane Wilson, also a native of that state, and, about 1807, emigrated to Obio and settled in Range township, on Bradford's creek, where he resided until his death; in 1824. He was the father of eight children .. He spent his life as a farmer and knew the full force of pioneer life. He was a devoted member of the Christian church, and, soon after his settling here, he caused preaching to be held at his house. A society was organized about 1814, embracing himself, David Kingery, William Hall and others.' Some of the early ministers who preached here were Rev. Forgus Graham, George Alkire, and the Rev. Barton Stone, of Kentucky. Mr. 'Dugan was the main pillar in this society and served as an exhorter for several years. The organization was kept up and services held at his house until after his death, after which they ceased, his funeral sermon being the last 'one ever preached there.

Joseph Burris; a native of Maryland, settled in Range township about 1807 .. Little can be ascertained of his life, except that he was the father of seven children, John, Samuel, Joseph, Robert; James, Betsey and Margaret, most of whom moved west ....

Levin Willoughby, another of the earliest settlers, settled here probably as early as 1807. William Vincent was a brother-in-law of Levin Willoughby, and settled in the same neighborhood about the same date. Mr. Willoughby was born on Sharp's Island, in Chesapeake bay, and was the son of Job and Mary (Mills) Willoughby. - His grand- father, Job Willoughby, was a native of Wales ... Levin's parents soon moved into Mary- land and settled near'Cambridge, where they died. Their children were: Levin, Sally, John, Andrew, Amelia and Job. "Levin married 'Elizabeth Levy, and soon afterward, with his family and some of his brothers and sisters, emigrated to 'Ohio' and settled near Chillicothe, on the Governor Worthington farm. After a short residence there, "he removed to Madison county and settled in Range township, about 1807, remaining there until his death. He was a farmer by occupation and held many offices of trust in 'this township. He was the father of five children, one of whom died in infancy: Martha married Benjamin Badger, Nancy married Jacob Hull, David married Elizabeth Kinney, and Levin married; it is believed, a Miss Gray ...

Burton Blizzard, a native of Virginia, first settled in Ross county, where he married Millie Willoughby, and, about 1806-07, settled in Range township, Madison county, on Tand he purchased of William Dunlap, at one dollar an acre, and here he spent the remainder of his life. From time to time he purchased more land and at the time of his death he was the owner of nine hundred fine acres. He was somewhat of a carpenter and was often called upon by the new settlers to come and hew puncheons for the floors of their new cabins. He was one of the most prominent and best-liked men of his day.

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He assisted Patrick McLene in much of his surveying, and is said to have helped to lay out the town of London. He served as a justice of the peace for thirty years and as a commissioner of Madison county from 1816 to 1839, inclusive. He was largely identified with the establishment, growth and prosperity of Madison county; a man of more than ordinary ability, firm in character and integrity, he was one of the men for pioneer times and his efforts were crowned with success and esteem. His wife survived him for several years and died at the advanced age of. ninety-four.

Daniel Counts was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, November 30, 1779; he emigrated to Ohio, stopping first in Ross county, where he married Elizabeth Walker, and thence, about 1808, come to Range township, this county, where he spent a long and useful life, devoted to farming and stock raising. He started in life at the verge of poverty, and at first lived in a tent until he could afford a better home. He was very successful from the start, being economical and industrious, accumulated property rapidly, and, at the time of his death, owned two thousand five hundred acres of land in Range township, besides a large amount of Western land and personal property. He lived in this township for over sixty years, and died on January 22, 1873, at the age of ninety-four years. He was a very eccentric man and the old residents of the township still tell many stories of his peculiarities. He was the father of thirteen children. Peter Counts came here from Ross county and herded cattle in 1812; he purchased land and remained as a settler, engaging largely in farming and stock raising, and also became quite wealthy. Septimus Stuthard, a native of Virginia, settled early in this township and remained here for many years. His last years were spent in Fayette county, where he died in 1857. His second wife was Lovey Salmon. He was a good neighbor and worthy citizen, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Caleb Ramey, a brother-in-law of Mr. Stuthard, probably settled in the township about the same time. Thomas Baldwin, a native of Virginia also, settled a little east of Range about 1811-12. He married Mary Cookus, and lived here several years, during which time his wife died and he subsequently moved away. He was a good neighbor and a substantial citizen. He served as a justice of the peace for several years. James Whitesides settled where the village of Range is now located, and was one of the early teachers of the township. He also served as a justice of the peace.

John McClimans, who emigrated to Ross county, Ohio, thence, about 1812, removed to Range township, Madison county, was a native of Pennsylvania, where he married Mary Creverston. They spent the remainder of their lives in this township. He was a devoted Christian and a life-long member of the Presbyterian church. They were the parents of ten children, nine of whom grew to maturity: Margaret, who married William Johnson; William, who married Nancy Pearson; George and John never mar- ried; Sarah married Isaac Housman; Samuel married Rachel Pearson; Isaac married, first, Mary Parker, and his second wife was Elizabeth Clearage; David married Eliza Parker. John Housman, a native of Virginia, married Martha Frost; emigrated to Ohio and settled in Ross county ; thence, about 1813, removed to Madison county and settled in Range township. They were the parents of nine children, Margaret, William, Isaac, Jacob, Abraham, Samuel, Francis, Mary, Hannah and Martha.

William Johnston, a native of Pennsylvania. married Margaret McClimans, a native of the same state; emigrated to Ohio and settled in Ross county, near Chillicothe, about 1804-05, where they resided until the fall of 1813, when they removed to. Madison county and located in Range township, on Mud run. Here, and on adjoining land which he sub- sequently purchased, they remained until his death, in the fall of 1861. They had eight children, who grew to maturity: John, Nancy, who died unmarried; William, who married Philista Hall, and on Wednesday, September 27, 1882, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary : George, who married Barbara Beam and settled in this township;

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Margaret married William Nelson, and, soon after, settled in De Witt county, Illinois; Henry married and settled in the same county in Illinois; Hannah married Dr. Joseph Bryant, and lived in the same county ; and Joseph, the youngest child, married and also settled in the same county. Mr. Johnston was one of the pioneers of Range township. At the time of his settlement here there were but few neighbors, as the country was sparsely settled, and he endured his full share of the hardships and dangers of the pioneers' life. He was a man of firm character and principles, and of undoubted integrity, possessing the full confidence of the community in which he lived. He filled the office of justice of the peace for several years. John, the eldest son of William Johnston, was · born in Ross county, March 13, 1806, and was in his seventh year when, with his father and mother, they located in Range township. Here he grew to manhood, married and settled, reared a large family of children, and here resided until his death, July 29, 1882, in his seventy-seventh year, having been a resident of the township for almost sixty-nine years. He was a man of high moral character, a kind neighbor and a most worthy citizen, and was held in very high esteem in the community where he had lived so long.

Richard Gosslee was born in Sussex county, Delaware, May 19, 1781. He married Elizabeth Brown, February 11, 1803, and in 1804 emigrated to Ohio, and as did most of the other early settlers of this township, he becoming the first settler in Ross county. In 1816 he settled on the well-known Gosslee farm, about eight miles south of London, in Range township, where he remained until 1856, when he removed to London, where he died on November 20, 1872, at the ripe old age of ninety-one years and six months. His wife had died many years previously. He afterwards married a Mra. Martin, of Circle- ville, Ohio, who lived but a few years. In 1847 he was married to Mrs. McFeely, of Circleville, Ohio. By his first wife, he was the father of eight sons and four daughters. Mr. Gosslee was a stanch supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church and was one of the founders of the Concord church, in Range township. He joined the Methodist church in 1801. Immediately after his marriage, he commenced to hold family worship, morning and evening, which custom he continued throughout his long life until within a few days of his death. Over seventy years of his life .were spent in the service of God, in com- munion with the church of his choice. Very soon after he settled on his farm in this township, he was active in the organization of a class at his home, and there preaching was held for many years, until the erection of a church building in 1836-37.

Cornelius Johnson, a native of Maryland, married Sarah Andrews, and, in 1803, with his family, emigrated to Ohio, settling first in Ross county. About 1817-18 he removed to Madison county and settled on the Suver farm, in Range county, but, prior to his death, he returned to Ross county, where he died. He was twice married, and by the two wives was the father of twenty children. Thomas Athey, a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, emigrated to Bourbon county, Kentucky, where he lived for several years, and was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church; thence he removed to Chillicothe, Ohio, and married Diana Abrams, a daughter of Judge Henry Adams, and, about 1801-02 removed to Fairfield county; then, in the fall of 1818, settled in Range township, Madison county. He later became a resident of Union township, one and a half miles south of London. He was born on November 18, 1780, and died on October 26, 1861. His wife was born on June 8, 1777, and died October 8, 1863. They had eleven children. William King was among the early settlers, and was one of the first justices of the peace of Range township, serving in 1813 with Burton Blizzard. Others who were early settlers and who have been prominently identified and associated with the growth and progress of Range township are James Foster, Joseph Gillespie, Benjamin Harrison and Richard Ayers. John Fisher was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in November. 1776. He married Elizabeth Byers, in April, 1797, and removed to Ross county, Ohio, in 1809, and, about 1819, settled in Range township, Madison county, where he resided until his death, at the age of ninety-three. He served in the War of 1812; was the founder

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of the. Bethel society of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was the first class leader, the class being organized at his house, which served as the first preaching place of this society. Mr. Fisher was leader, trustee and steward of this society until near the time of. his death. He was an honored citizen and a devoted Christian.

SURFACE, SOIL AND STREAMS.

The surface of Range township is remarkably level. there being only small portions of it along the streams that are undulating. It was, when the first settlers discovered it, possessed of. large oak openings and prairies, with some portions, especially. along the creeks, heavily timbered. The varieties of timber consisted principally of burr, white and red oak, hickory, walnut, elm and maple,. the first two mentioned varieties predom- inating and the burr . oak growing to a large size and probably exceeding. all other varieties of timber. In some localities there was an abundance of fine walnut timber, which, in an early day, was cut down and burned on the ground in order to get the land cleared and ready for cultivation. Most of the timber of this section of the county was perfectly cleared from any brush or undergrowth when. the first settlers came, con- stituting some beautiful. oak groves. This condition was undoubtedly brought about by the effects of the annual fires, which were. set off in the grass by the Indians, and the entire country burned over in every direction for miles.

The soil is very rich and very, productive, the flat and more level. portions being composed of a vegetable deposit, very deep, rich and black; the rolling and elevated portions are a strong loam and clay soll, excellent for wheat and grain. The. township is abundantly watered by numerous creeks and streams, fed by springs, and, with a clay and disintegrated limestone subsoil, is almost proof against common or ordinary droughts. Bradford creek is the principal stream. The heads of its branches rise in Paint and .Oak Run townships, and, uniting on the north boundary of Range township, flow in a southeasterly direction, forming the boundary line between Range and Oak Run. town- ships for about a mile and a half, then passes into Oak Run township, then again enters this township, passing through its northeast corner and enters Pleasant township. In its course it receives a tributary which is formed by two branches, which water all the northern portion of the township, their various branches penetrating it in numerous directions. In the center of the township rises Mud run, which flows southeast into Pleasant township. The North fork of Paint creek is formed by two branches, which rise a little northeast of Sedalia, form a junction just north. of the village of Range and flow southeast into Fayette county. The general direction of all of these streams and their branches is east, southeast and south, showing distinctly that the northwest portion of the township has the greatest elevation.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

One of the early schools of this township was in the David Dye school house, on land later owned by a Mr. Ford. This was a hewed-log house. Frank Flood was the first teacher. The next school house, which succeeded this, was the two-story frame house in Sedalia.

MILLS.

Since most of the streams of the township were ill adapted to the supplying of water power for the operation of mills, there is very little to be said on. the subject of early mills in Range township. There were many portable and temporary mills in the early days, but it is quite impossible to obtain, at this late date, any trace or record of them. At quite an early date. probably about 1835,. William Holt erected a steam-mill in Midway- now called Sedalia-on the Armstrong lot, which was perhaps the first steam-mill in the county. This mill was run a few years and then removed to Newport, and there run several years.

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CHAPTER XV. SOMERFORD TOWNSHIP.

Somerford township lies along the western border of Madison county, second from the northern border. It is bounded . on the north by Pike and Monroe townships, on the east by Monroe and Deer Creeks townships, on the south by Union township and on the west by Champaign county and Clark county. The following was taken from the record books of the county commissioners; dated March 4, 1839: "Ordered, by the commission- ers, that the following boundaries, which have heretofore been a part of Deer Creek town- ship, be organized as a new township, to be known and designated by the name of Somerford, to wit: Beginning at the southwest corner of Pike township, in the line of Champaign county; thence with the sald line south three miles and two hundred poles to the corner between the county of Champaign and Clark, thence with the Clark county line south ten degrees west, six and a half miles to the north bank of Deer creek, on Daniel Wilson's land; thence north seventy-seven degrees east, four iniles and one hun- dred eighty poles, crossing the Urbana road and Glade run to two black oaks and two burr oaks near where George Frederick formerly lived, on A. Toland's land; thence north to the line of Monroe and Pike townships north forty-six degrees west five miles to the beginning." The next and last record we find concerning the boundary line of Somerford township is in the record book, dated March 20, 1840, and is as follows: "Ordered, by the commissioners of Madison county, that the line between the townships of Union and Somerford' be so altered as to include Daniel Wilson's and the land upon which he now lives into Union township."

SURFACE, SOIL AND TIMBER.

Throughout Madison county, there is much of uniformity in the surface and soil of the different townships, and, to a greater or less extent, the description of one will. cover that of all the. different townships, and, with a slight variation as to the presence of creek land, etc., will be a representation ,of any other. Therefore, when we say that the surface of this township is level, as has been said of all other townships in Madison county, is merely repeating a statement that has been made. The western portion of this township possesses the greatest altitude, as shown by its streams and creeks all flowing towards its eastern border; yet even this portion is level or slightly undulating.

The soil is very rich. and productive, and, suitable to, the raising of all kinds of grains, cereals and grasses, the exuberance of the latter making it an excellent stock .country, Along, the creeks and the more flat portions of the township, the soil consists of a deep black loam, and the more undulating lands are a mixture of loam and clay. The township is well watered by the creeks, which also prove invaluable for drainage and which are fed by great numbers of beautiful springs. These springs dot the farms from one extreme to the other of the limited domain. Deer creek, with its numerous branches, penetrate all portions of the territory. George's creek, the largest branch. heads near the northwest corner of the township, and, coursing in a southeast direction. empties into the main creek, near the eastern border of the township. With all the beautiful springs and creeks, forming an ever-gushing supply of water, together with the subsoil of clay, this township is proof against danger to its crops from an ordinary drought. Somerford township, unlike many others of Madison county, was originally well timbered, having no prairies entirely destitute of trees; and it might be stated that

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History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 20

Author: Chester E. Bryan Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1207

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207