USA > Ohio > Morgan County > History of Morgan County, Ohio, with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 55
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* Tradition states that the great-grandfather of Jesse and Thomas B. Lane on their mother's side, was the second man of the New England colonists to step ashore at Point Harmar in April, 1788, and that he inau- gurated the work of clearing by felling the first tree. The tree, being a buckeye, the name of the " Buckeye State" is believed by some to have originated from this ineident.
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J.D Jane
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WINDSOR.
Jesse D. Lane was born in Wesley Township, Washington County, Ohio, January 3, 1834. He was reared on the farm and followed farming as his chief occupation until thirty-four years of age. He received a common school education, and at the age of twenty-one began teaching, following that occupa- tion in winter for about seven years, in the meantime attending a select school for a few terms. October 26, 1865, he was married to Miss Linnie A. Pierrot, a native of Morgan County, daughter of Joseph Pierrot, who was born in Switzerland and served as a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte. They have no children. After his mar- riage Mr. Lane continued farming until 1867. He then bought a portable saw-mill which he operated for a year ; then conceiving a novel project he built a boat upon which the mill was placed, and thus converted the whole into a floating steam saw-mill-the first known instance of an invention which has since become quite common. Mr. Lane continued to operate his mill, upon the Muskingum and the Ohio, until July 15th, 1870, when he became the owner of one-third of the Windsor Flouring Mill, and a member of the firm Pierrot & Lane, operating the same. Mr. Lane's business qualifications have made him successful, while his agreeable social qualities, his public spirit and friendli- ness toward every worthy object, have won for him an enviable reputation and a prominent place among the business inen of Morgan County. At the age of twenty-two he became a member of the Masonic fraternity, and for ten years he has served as secretary of Webb Lodge. Politically he is a democrat. In 1883 he was a candidate for the of- fice of county commissioner, though
the nomination was entirely unsought, and a large vote was cast for him, espec- ially in Windsor Township. In 1885 he was nominated for representative to the General Assembly, but his party was as usual unsuccessful in Morgan County.
THOMAS B. LANE.
The subject of this notice, a repre- sentative businesss man of Morgan County, was born in Wesley Township, Washington County, Ohio, October 11, 1844, the son of Hiram Lane and a de- scendant of one of the oldest families in Southeastern Ohio. Thomas B. Lane was reared on his father's farm and received a common school educa- tion. Making good use of his time and opportunities, at the age of seventeen he engaged in teaching, which occupa- tion he followed successfully until he at- tained his majority. He then com- pleted his school education with a course at the Iron City business college in Pittsburgh. In 1866 he engaged in the lumber business which he followed with good success until 1872. He then located at Stockport and engaged in general mercantile business. He has since been thus engaged, and is now carrying on a prosperous business. Mr. Lane is a good business man, upright, fair and honest. He is also a public- spirited citizen, taking a commendable interest and pride in promoting the welfare of his town and county. In politics he is a democrat.
Hle was married in 1874 to Miss Dovie M. Roland, daughter of Jacob and Cynthia (West) Roland, of Me- Connelsville. To them five children have been born-Gertrude M., Hiram II., Helen E. (deceased), Goldie T. and Elsie D.
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
JUSTUS CHADWICK.
Justus Chadwick, a prominent farmer and a leading citizen of Windsor town- ship, was born near Amesville, Athens County, Ohio, March 28, 1815. His parents, Levi and Mary (McKee) Chad- wick, originally from the state of Del- aware, were among the pioneer settlers of Athens County. They were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and very worthy people. In the early days their home was the resort for all the Methodists for miles around. Jus- tus was reared on his father's farm until sixteen years of age. He was then apprenticed to Samuel Mellor, of Malta Township, to learn the cooper's trade. He lived with Mr. Mellor until twenty-two years of age, then, starting for himself, followed his vocation sev- eral years. As a result he bought with his savings 100 acres of land in Watertown Township, Washington County. In 1846 he disposed of this farm and bought 100 acres-a part of his present farm of 490 acres. The land was to a great extent unimproved; but diligent labor and careful economy brought success, and he is now ranked among the largest and most successful farmers in Morgan County. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has hield some official position for thirty-two years, serving as class-leader, steward, etc. He is an earnest supporter of the church and every other good cause. He has been connected with all the promi- nent temperance work in the county. He was a strong anti-slavery man, and has been a member of the republican party since its organization.
In 1841 Mr. Chadwick was married to Sarah E. Cook, who was born in Bar- low Township (now Palmer Township),
Washington County. Her father was Salmon N. Cook, who settled in Wash- ington County in 1814. He was an officer in a Vermont regiment of in- fantry during the war of 1812, and was one of the early justices of the peace in Washington County. He died in 1823 at the age of thirty-eight. To Mr. and Mrs. Chadwick seven children have been born,-Augusta A. (Browning), Martha M. (Wetherell), Earl C., Laura B. (Wetherell), Willard L., Alice R. (Athey), and Horace G.
ANDREW J. DONOVAN.
Henry Williams, one of the pioneers of Morgan County, was born in Wales in 1744, and came to this country in 1760, and settled in Ohio County, West Virginia. He married Miss Rebecca Mills, and in 1819 came to Morgan County and located in Center Town- ship, where he died in 1827 at the age of eighty-three. His wife attained the remarkable age of one hundred and four. Rebecca Williams, a daughter, married Daniel Donovan in 1797. He was born in Ohio County in 1776, was educated in Baltimore, where he be- came prominent. He filled several positions of trust and responsibility, among them that of high sheriff. He was a relative of the Zanes, the found- ers of Zanesville. At the age of four- teen he assisted them in their removal to that place, their goods being packed upon horses. He remained with them but a short time, and in company with another young man he started for Wheeling in a canoe which they had made for the purpose. On reaching the present site of McConnelsville, they stopped for the night; but discovering the presence of Indians they betook themselves to their canoe and did not
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again stop until they considered them- selves out of danger. He eventually became a resident of the county. While living in Virginia he followed teaching for a livelihood, and for a time was the overseer of Alex Campbell's sheep farm. He was above the average men in ability and attainments and lived an eventful life. He reared a family of five sons, none of whom ever used tobacco or intoxicants. He died in 1869, his wife in 1846. He was of Irish descent. His father was born in Ireland in 1728, and came to America with his parents in 1832, and settled in Maryland. He was a moulder of iron.
A. J. Donovan, one of the largest and most prominent farmers of Wind- sor, was born in Ohio County, West Virginia, shortly after the battle of New Orleans, February 19, 1815, and
was named in honor of the hero of that battle. The Donovars have an en- viable record in military affairs. Dan- iel, Sr., was a soldier of the Revolution. Daniel, Jr., was in the war of 1812-15. He served under General Jackson, and was at the battle of New Orleans. He settled in Centre Township, Morgan County, in October of 1816. Mark Donovan, eldest son of Daniel, Jr., was one of the command of General Taylor, and served through the Mexican war. Two sons of A. J. Donovan, William and Walter, served in the War of the Rebellion, one of whom, William, gave up his life in the battle of the Wilder- ness. Besides the two sons he had seven nephews and one brother in dif- ferent commands. Mr. Donovan mar- ried in 1841 Miss Mary, daughter of Walter Langley, who settled in Bristol in 1827.
CHAPTER XXII.
MARION.
A PART OF ATHENS COUNTY UNTIL 1845-ITS ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES-A PROSPEROUS AND WELL- IMPROVED TOWNSHIP-AN INDUSTRIOUS AND THRIFTY POPULATION-THE EARLY SETTLERS- THIE INFLUENCE OF THE FRIENDS-CAPTAIN LOVELL'S EXPERIENCES-OTHER PIONEERS-PRIMI- TIVE ELECTION METHODS-EARLY JUSTICES-SCARCITY OF MONEY-THE VILLAGE OF CHESTER HILL-ITS ORIGIN-EARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR OCCUPATION-THE TOWN IN THE WOODS BECOMES WEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, LODGES, ETC .- PERSONAL MENTION.
M ARION Township, which became a part of Morgan County in 1845, is the eighth township of the twelfth range of congressional townships, and was included in the lands sold by the United States government to the Ohio Company. The present boundaries of the township are those of the original survey, with the exception that half of the northeast corner section has been set off to Windsor Township.
In 1805 all of Athens County was divided into four townships. Ames Township included both of the present townships of Homer and Marion. Homer Township, organized in Athens County prior to 1820, included part if not all of what is now Marion Township. In 1820, Homer had a population of 201; in 1830, 636. Marion first ap- pears on the census enumeration in 1840, and then had 1,079 inhabitants. The eastern boundary line of the town- ship has been several times changed. February 18, 1807, the eastern tier of sections of township 8, range 12, was attached to Washington County. Feb-
ruary 10, 1814, sections 11 and 12 of the same township were also added to Washington County. After the an- nexation of Homer and Marion to Mor- gan County (March 11, 1885), the east- ern boundary line of Marion Township becoming as it now stands.
Marion is one of the best-improved and most prosperous townships of Mor- gan County. The surface is generally uneven, but there is little land that is untillable. Wolf Creek and several smaller streams furnish drainage. The soil is well adapted to fruits and cere- als. Well-kept farms, good farm build- ings and pastures teeming with live stock, all indicate that the farmers of Marion are well " up with the times " and prosperous. The mineral resources of the township are also of considerable importance. The coal found here is of good quality, and though at present only mined for local use, the time will doubtless come when in will be found valuable. Marion contains the village of Chester Hill, elsewhere described; a part of the small hamlet of Plantsville,
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on the southern line of the township ; and a part of Joy, a small village lying in Homer and Marion.
The early settlers were mainly mem- bers of the Society of Friends and their upright lives and thrifty habits have had and still have, a good influence upon the morals of the people. It would be difficult to find any commu- nity whose average in intelligence, morality and character for sobriety and honesty is better than that of the in- habitants of Marion.
Most of the present inhabitants of the township are descendants of the early settlers, and many are living on the same farms which their fathers or grandfathers cleared and improved. The population is in no wise unstable or migratory. The pioneers came from various parts of the country ; but Bel- mont County in this state furnished a larger number of permanent settlers than any other section. From that county came most of the Friends, many of whom were of North Carolina origin.
Just when settlement began, it is impossible to ascertain at this late day. There is no reason why this township should not have had white inhabitants as early as almost any part of the county, and probably such was the case. But the settlement grew but slowly. In 1834, when Chester Mill was founded, the clearings in the township were few in number and small in extent. Nearly all the settlers lived on or near the creeks.
Two of the earliest pioneers whose names have been handed down to us were Sharp and Champlin. The former was probably in the township as early as 1800, and Sharp's Fork, a branch of Federal Creek, perpetuates his name. Champlin came a few years later.
Among those who may properly be classed as early settlers of Marion were Captain Lowell, Selah Hart, Timothy Hopkins, Elijah Rude, Benjamin Lukens, Samuel Briggs, the Newhouses, Edmund Parker, Isaac Schwab, Henderson Rude, Aaron Fall, William Bowles, Jesse Hiatt, Ephraim Ellis, Rial and Peter Cheadle, the Binghams and Kings, the Huffmans, Andrew and Reuben McVey, Byron, the hunter, John Brewster, Aaron Thomas, Samuel Hollowell, George Woolman, John Dougherty, Joseph and John Hamilton, the Thomp- sons, Jehu H. Kinsey, Jonas Bye, Elijah Fawcett, Abner Lambert, John Edger- ton, Wm. Smith, David Smith, Jere- miah Patterson, Jesse Worthington, John II. Livezey, Joseph Kennard, John Strahl, Joseph Cole, and many others, of whom more extended mention is elsewhere made.
Aaron Fall was a Revolutionary sol- dier who came from New England. Instead of purchasing land, or taking advantage of the law favoring those who had been in military service, he took a lease of school land and made his clearing and improvement upon it. IIis son Moses lived and died in the township, and his descendants are still here.
Timothy Hopkins and his sons, James, a prominent minister, George and Stew- art, were early settlers on Wolf Creek. Timothy was justice of the peace and a prominent man in the settlement.
Samuel Briggs kept a small store for a time not far from the mouth of Goshen Run. Edmund Parker was much opposed to the laying out of Chesterfield, because he thought the location of a town there would inter- fere with the pasturage of his cattle, which roamed at will through the
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
woods, with only now and then a fence to keep them out of some small wheat field.
Jack Byron and William Bowles were genuine backwoodsmen. Byron was a river boatman for some years. It is said the wife of Bowles lived for some years among the Indians, being taken captive by them when a young girl.
At the mouth of Goshen Run, on the present farm of W. Hamilton Smith, there is a disused and neglected grave- yard, in which repose the bones of some of the early settlers. Ilere were buried several members of the Briggs and Newhouse families, as well as others whose names are not even remembered.
Capt. Thomas S. Lovell, a native of Massachusetts, settled in 1814 on Sharp's Fork of Federal Creek. He was a sea- faring man, and had been master of a vessel, trading with Spain and Portu- gal, during the war of 1812. His busi- ness suffering because of the war, he journeyed westward, and on the 18th of November, 1814, with his brother Russell and their families, arrived at the place on which Captain Lovell lived and died. The journey occupied ten weeks. For a time after their arrival both families lived in a small cabin belonging to Job Phillips. They were much annoyed by wolves killing their sheep and other stock, and the captain, having no knowledge of farming, found it very difficult. Elijah Latimer, a neighbor, was a noted hunter. Captain Lovell sold him a piece of land and took his pay in hunting. On this under- standing Latimer furnished the Lovells with venison and kept away the wolves whenever the sheep were threatened by them.
Sugar-making was an important part
of the work of the pioneers. As gro- ceries were high and money scarce, most families made their own sugar or had to do without. Captain Lovell used to relate his first experience in sugar-making, and how his neighbors laughed at it. He tapped hickories, buckeyes and other trees besides the sugar maple, not knowing the differ- ence. To get his milling done he often rode on horseback to Lancaster, carry- ing a bushel of corn. On one occasion when the men were all away from home a bear chased a pig into the door- yard, and it escaped only by crawling under the house, where the bear could not go.
In 1816 Captain Lovell resumed his old life as vessel-master, sailing on the schooner Maria, of fifty tons burden, from Marietta to Baltimore with a cargo of pork. He crossed to Havana, thence to Baltimore, and from that place returned on horseback to his home in the backwoods of Ohio. Captain Lovell lived to a ripe old age, and was well known to many of the present in- habitants of the township. His brother Russell lived on an adjoining farm for several years. He was a painter, and was killed by the kick of a horse, in the Town of Athens. Without moving at all, the Lovells lived in three town- ships and two counties. In 1814 their location was in Ames Township, Athens County ; later, it was in Homer Town- ship; then in Marion, and finally in Morgan County.
John Brewster, a Revolutionary pen- sioner, lived west of Wolf Creek, in the northern part of the township. None of the name are now in the neighbor- hood.
Samuel and George Hollowell, from Pennsylvania, lived in the western part
George W. Huffman
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of the township, and near them Thomas Thorp, an early settler, where his de- scendants afterwards resided.
Jesse Hiatt and wife came to the township in 1834, and attended the first Friends' meeting ever held in Chester- field. The meeting was conducted by Hinchman Haines, from New Jersey, and was held in the woods on the hill back of where the Central Hotel now is. Jesse Hiatt settled on Goshen Run in 1837. Elijah Hiatt settled some- what earlier one mile south of Chester- field.
John and Joseph Hamilton were early settlers. Joseph, especially, was a prom- inent and influential citizen. John Dougherty located in the northwest corner of the township. Joseph B. Thompson's father located early in the same vicinity. Eli Shields, who is still living, was quite an early settler. Jehu II. Kinsey, who was justice of the peace a number of years, lived in the northern part of the township. He removed to the East. His son, James H., is still a resident here. In the southern part of the township John Edgerton, whose descendants are numerous, Elijah Faw- cett, Abner Lambert and Jonas Bye were early settlers. David Smith, from Belmont County, located near Chester- field. The family is still well repre- sented in the township. JJeremiah Pat- terson, on the present Jesse Worthing- ton farm, was a prominent man, dealing some in land, and very active in enconr- aging settlement. John II. Livezey located on Goshen Run. Joseph Ken- nard, an early settler, was accidentally shot on an election day. A boy, play- ing with his gun, discharged it with fatal results.
There were no very important indus- tries in the township in early times.
John Strahl, on Opossum Run, had a saw-mill quite early. Prior to 1840 James Cole put in a brush dam and erected a mill-good for those days- not far from the present site of the Barkhurt mill (formerly Pierpoint's). A round hole in a limestone rock on Henman Run is supposed by some to have been used by the Indians as a mortar in which to grind corn. But this is mere conjecture.
One of the first school-houses in the township stood near the confluence of Goshen and Jonathan's Runs. Lydia Brewster and her son Sherman taught school there, and the township elections were held there until about 1838, since which they have been at Chester Hill. The style of election, as conducted at the old log school-house, is thus described by an old resident. The ballot box was a man's hat held between the knees. There was nothing to prevent ballot-box stuffing, had any person at- tempted it, as the judges and other officers of election were out of doors the most of the time, indulging in such sports as pitching quoits, shooting at a mark, jumping, etc. The polling place was transferred to the village against the most vigorous protests from some of the settlers. Some of the hunting population, to show their anger, came to town on election day, but took pains to let every one know that they would not vote. Jack Byron and William Bowles, especially, in- dulged in some offensive language abont the way the election was conducted and rebelled at having judges who attended to their duties. Neither did they want to hand their ballots through a window into a box, but wanted to see them " go in the hat." But the new ways soon ceased to be distasteful.
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
The early justices of the peace were Timothy Hopkins and Selah Hart. The latter was succeeded by his son, Selah Hart, Jr., and he (probably) by Stewart Hopkins. George G. King succeeded Stewart Hopkins.
Jeremiah Patterson, who lived less than a mile east of the village, on one occasion went to law with Arnold Pat- terson. The amount originally involved in the dispute was but $7.50, but the costs, before final settlement, amounted to over $600,-of which the greater part was paid by the plaintiff.
Elijah Fawcett moved to the southern part of the township, in September, 1841. His neighbors there were Joseph Smith, Jonathan Fawcett, Abner Lam- bert, Jonas Bye and Jonathan Hiatt. Money was then very scarce and most of the trading between farmers and merchants was by barter or exchange. Mrs. Fawcett, trading for the first time at Arnold Patterson's store astonished the proprietor, when she handed him $20 in response to the usual inquiry, " Who shall I charge this to ?"
Jonathan Fawcett settled in the southern part of this township in 1834.
John Edgerton settled near him in 1835, on land previously owned by Absa- lom Joy. In 1879 John Edgerton and wife had children, grand-children and great-grand-children : 177 living, 34 had died, making in all 211.
Abner Lambert and his wife, Eliza- beth, in 1879, had 10 children, 10 chil- dren-in-law, 65 grand-children, 16 grand- children-in-law, 52 great-grand-children, making 153; 121 then living. Ile ! moved to the southern part of the town- ship in 1836, on land that Pearson Vore had owned previously.
Cutler Cheadle says that " one of the first settlers was Asa Briggs, who came
in 1810, and settled at the mouth of Goshen Run on Wolf Creek, where he put up a still. He originated a scheme by which he proposed to sell to his neighbors section 16. He had no title to the land and for some reason the project did not succeed. The first store at that point was kept by Flavis Water- man and John Morris.
Jesse Worthington was born in Cecil County, Maryland, in 1825. In 1828 the family emigrated to this county. They remained but a short time when they went to Muskingum County, where they remained until 1832 when they returned to Morgan County, set- tling in Marion Township. William Worthington, the elder and father of Jesse, married Elizabeth Taylor. To them were born six children-five girls and one boy. Mary, Rebecca, Mildred, Priscilla, Jesse and Eliza A. Mary mar- ried Caleb Engle and died in 1880. Re- becca became the wife of William Pick- ett. Mildred married Joseph Penrose. Priscilla married David Masters. Eliza A. married Thomas Hobson. Jesse mar- ried Rachael Pickett. They have had fourteen children of whom twelve are living. The family are members of the Society of Friends and are highly es- teemed. The children of Jesse and Rachel Worthington are William, Mary, Sarah, Louisa M., Thomas, Ann, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Edwin T., Amanda A., Eliza J., Elma, Frederick and Walter. Thomas and Ann are deceased.
David Smith, one of the early settlers of Marion was born in Behnont County, Ohio, in 1827, came to Marion Town- ship where they resided until their de- cease.
The elder Smith was a Friend and married Ann Todd. They reared a family of nine children,-Mary, David,
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Humphrey, Elihu, Lydia, Rebecca, Amanda J. and William S. David re- sided with his parents until 1852, at which time he married Miss Mary Foulke. Two children were born to them William F. and Eliza A. The latter died in infancy. William married Mary B. Pond. They reside in Barnes- ville, Belmont County, where he is engaged in the practice of his profes- sion.
October 6, 1858, Mrs. Smith (the elder) died, and in March of 1862 Mr. Smith was again married to Hannah Foulke, a sister of his first wife. She died in 1868, and in 1873 he was mar- ried to Mrs. Lydia V. McGrew. Mr. Smith is a member of the Society of Friends. He has taken an interest in the affairs of the county and township, and has held many positions of trust and responsibility. He served his fel- low-citizens in the capacity of county commissioner with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constitu- ents. Mr. Smith was formerly engaged quite extensively in trade but at present is farming and stock-raising.
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