USA > Ohio > Morgan County > History of Morgan County, Ohio, with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 60
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MEIGSVILLE.
J., now reside. His pioneer life in Morgan County was attended with many struggles and privations, but by perseverance and economy he won a home for his children. He died in 1882. His son, Goodsell, occupies a part of the old homestead.
In 1835 Hugh and Margaret Porter came from Jefferson County, O., to Meigsville Township, and in the follow ing year, 1836, William and Mary Ten- nant emigrated from the same county. Mr. Tennant purchased a new farm and erected a cabin in the woods and began the construction of a home, sharing with the neighbors the hardships and privations incident to life in a new country. In connection with the devel- opment of his farm, Mr. Tennant worked at his trade, that of a cooper. Mr. Porter was a weaver and a stonemason. Mr. Tennant was a Presbyterian, and was identified with the organization of the first church of that faith in the township. He was also an ardent friend of public schools. William M. Tennant was born in 1848, is a ruling elder in the Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church and for some years was engaged in teaching. His grandparents were na- tives of Ireland ; his father, of Dauphin County, Pa., and emigrated to Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1817. Hugh Porter died in 1873, his wife in 1876 in her nine- tieth year. William Tennant died in 1880.
J. P. Jett came to the county in the spring of 1830. Ile was a native of Virginia, whence he went to Louisiana, and from the latter state to Ohio. His dislike of slavery caused his re- moval north. Mr. Jett was prominent among the early abolitionists of the county.
Abraham Barnes came from Phila-
delphia in 1843. IIe was poor. having previously been an employé in a cotton- mill. After coming to Morgan County he took jobs of any kind that were offered until he had saved enough to buy a farm of forty acres, the same on which William Scott now resides. In 1846, Mr. Barnes married Margaret Welch, by whom he has six children. He is a Presbyterian and a democrat.
John O. Day, Esq., present justice of the peace and merchant at Mill Grove. was born in Front Royal, Va., January 26, 1848. He came to Morgan County in 1871, and was married to a grand- daughter of John Taylor, one of the pioneers of the township. Mr. Day located at Mill Grove in 1881.
John Robinson was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and came to America in 1867. Ile settled in Meigsville Township, where he secured employ- ment in , making shingles for Jolm Thompson. From this insignificant beginning he has become one of the prosperous farmers of the township.
Unionville is a pleasant little hamlet situated in the eastern part of the town- ship. It has two general stores and the necessary appointments of an interior village.
Neelyville was laid out by Robert Neely, one of the early settlers. It was originally known as Newcastle, but on the establishment of a postoffice, the name was changed to Neelyville. in honor of its founder. It has one store kept by Thomas J. Neely, a grand- child of the original proprietor of the village.
CHURCHES.
Me Kendrie M. E. Church. -- This organization is one of the oldest Meth- odist societies in Morgan County. The
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
first class was formed at the house of Philip Kahler about 1823, and con- sisted of sixteen members: Philip Kahler and wife, James Patterson, William Harman, Diana Harman, Ann Harman, Jane Dickson, Sarah Rut- ledge. Susan Rutledge, John Hughes, Esther Hughes, Rebecca T. Hughes, Tacy McCarty, Matthew Elliott and Joseph Kirk and wife. Philip Kahler was class-leader, succeeded by Benja- min Hammond, John I. Smith and others. First regular meetings were held at John Harman's. In 1828 a log meetinghouse was erected, 30x40 feet, which served until the present edifice- a neat frame structure-was built in 1858. In early years the membership was large, this being the only M. E. Church in the county east of the river. Revs. Thomas McCleary and Thomas Taylor were on the circuit when the first class was formed.
Unionville M. E. Church .- We have been unable to correctly ascertain the date of the organization of this soci- ety. Reason Ong was the first class- leader, and among the original mem- bers were Mrs. Ong, Solomon King and wife, Mrs. Mattie Betts and her two daughters, Albert Crossman and wife, Mrs. Flora Thomas, Mrs. Hetty Kidd and others. Among the early pastors were: Revs. A. D. McCor- mick, Smith, Ward, Waters, Hol- lister, Knowles, Huston, Edwards, Knowles, Grimes, Webster, Cummings, Marsh, and others. The first class was organized in about the year [849, and was held in a schoolhouse until the year 1868, when the members and the order of I. O. O. F. jointly built a church, which they now occupy. The cost of the structure was about $1,500. The present membership is 29, with a Sabbath-school of 35 pupils.
CHAPTER XXV.
BRISTOL.
ORGANIZATION-TOPOGRAPHY-NATIVITY OF THE FIRST SETTLERS-DAVID STEVENS, THE PIONEER- SOCIAL GATHERINGS - LOG-ROLLINGS. - RAISINGS- CORN-SHUCKINGS- QUILTINGS - DANCES- ARTHUR AND WILLIAM JENKINS-THE FORDYCES-BENJ. W. TALBOT-LAND-SHARKS-EX- PERIENCE OF AN EARLY SETTLER-MATTHEW WILSON-EXPERIENCE OF AN EARLY MAIL CAR- RIER-INITIAL EVENTS-LIST OF EARLY SETTLERS-THE "OLD BRISTOL MEETING-HOUSE"- PIONEER MINISTERS-JOHNNY APPLESEED-ADRIAL HUZZEY, THE SHOEMAKER AND PREACHER- LATER SETTLERS-NEW BRISTOL-CHURCHES.
T HIS township came into existence as one of the subdivisions of Mor- gan County, July 7th, 1819, at which time the court issued the following order :
"Whereas, As it appears that our commissioners of Morgan County have set off a new township by the name of Bristol,
"Ordered, That said township be en- titled to two justices of the peace ; and
"Whereas, It appears that there is now one acting justice of the peace within said township,
"Ordered, That the qualified electors be authorized to assemble at the house of Mr. Merwin, in said township, on the 24th inst., for the purpose of electing one other justice of the peace."
The justice referred to by the court was David Stevens. His first commis- sion was dated July 8, 1815. June 18, 1818 he was reappointed. Both com- missions are signed by Thomas Worth- ington, then Governor of the State.
Bristol is situated in the northeast part of the county, and is one of the most fertile and prosperous agricultural
sections in this part of the state. The township is well watered by the branches of Meigs Creek, together with Horse Run, a branch of Dye's Fork of Meigs Creek. The west branch is called " Mann's Fork," and the east branch, which is the middle branch of the creek, is called "Beal's Fork." These branches are so called after two of the first settlers upon their waters. The bottoms of these creeks are ex- ceedingly rich and productive in all the cereals, while the hills produce an abundance of rich and nutritions grasses that make the region a very desirable one for wool-growing, which is one of the most important industries of the township. The inhabitants area thrifty and energetic people, and have done much in giving the township the prom- inent position it occupies among the other townships of the county. Judge Gaylord says " that perhaps no people in the pioneer days enjoyed themselves more rationally and actively than did the people of Old Bristol. The Maine Yankees and the Pennsylvania and Virginia "Corn Crackers." coming
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
together and commingling at their | blockhouse at Waterford, and for ten social gatherings, backwoods fashion, made to themselves lively times." Numerous laughable anecdotes and in- teresting scenes are related as taking place among the old pioneers.
Benj. W. Talbot, John Kirk. Job Armstrong. Deveraux, Zera Patterson, the Jenkinses, Devols, Fordyces. Law- rences, Fontses, Stevenses, Wellses, and others were all prominent characters at that day. Young and musenlar, they were all active in all enterprises, ath- letic exercises, and social gatherings, such as house-raisings, log-rollings, corn- shuckings, balls, quiltings and dances. and then, too, they were prominent at church, weddings and funerals. While under the "stated preachings" of Rev. Elder Adrial Muzzey at "Old Bristol" Meeting-House (the only place of wor- ship in the township for many years), the people were mildly reproved for their transgressions and timely advised as to how they should conduct them- selves in order to make themselves acceptable to that " Divinity who shapes our ends. rough hew them how we will."
The first entry of Government land within the present boundaries of the township was made in 1804 by David Stevens on the northeast quarter of section 36. He leased the land to one Abel Gallant, who remained on it until 1808, when Mr. Stevens took possession. Here he kept tavern until 1839, when he removed to Muskingum County. He was a typical pioneer and undoubt- edly the first settler in the township. He was born in Stamford, Conn., Feb- ruary 22, 1769. From Stamford the family came to Washington County, Pa., in 1781, and from there to Marietta, Ohio, in 1790. He helped build the
years was an aid to Gen. Rufus Put- nam in surveying public lands. He as- sisted in opening the road from Wheel- ing, W. Va., to Maysville, Ky., and in the year 1800 he helped cut the Water- ford and Zanesville trail. His name is connected with many of the initial events in the history of this part of the state. In 1801 he was engaged at the Chandlersville Salt-Works. Salt at this time was sold at five dollars per bushel. He was married in 1802 to Eleanor Bentley. His son Elijah, now living in Zanesville, was born in 1804. After entering Ins land in Bristol Township, which was at that time a part of Meigsville Township, Washing- ton County, he moved to the Hammond farm, near Iligh Hill, Muskingum County. Ilere he erected a log cabin over a large chestnut stump. This stump was used by the family for many years as a table. In this cabin Mr. Stevens " kept tavern" for many years and had the honor of entertaining Gen. Lewis Cass, Gov. Meigs, Bishop Asbury, and other noted men of that day, all of whom dined from off the chestnut stump. Mr. Stevens was a remarkable man in many respects. Like most of the pioneers, he was a great hunter, and it is said that he killed over two hundred bears, besides wolves, deer and other game. He had three brothers, all men of powerful physique. James was a physician and settled in Washington County, Pa .; Samuel at Chandlersville, Ohio. David died in 1861.
The Stevens farm on section 36 was thought to be a desirable location for the county seat. One of the advan- tages claimed for it by those who urged its selection was that it was nearest
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BRISTOL.
the "geographical center" of the county. The location of the seat of county gov- ernment was a question that seriously agitated the people of the county for a time, a full account of which is given in the general chapters.
In 1804 John Wilson and Henry Nichols were living near Dye's Fork, but whether in Bristol or in the territory now embraced by Manchester is not known.
Arthur and Richard Jenkins came from Marietta and settled on Bear Run, on section twenty-eight in the spring of 1816. The Jenkinses were Welsh people. They emigrated to this country in 1801, and were in every way well qualified for the ordeal through which they had to pass. Arthur was a man of family, which he brought with him : there were three boys, Thomas, Richard and David. But few men were more largely identi- fied with the township in the early days than Arthur Jenkins. He was a man of unquestioned honesty, an in- dustrious and thrifty farmer and in every sense a worthy citizen.
William Fordyce was not only one of the early pioneers of the township, but was connected with many of the events in its history. Ile was one of the early justices and said to be the first clerk of the township after it be- came one of the subdivisions of Morgan County. It is stated on what seems to be good authority that he was a res- ident as early as 1804, but family tra- dition and the statement of the oldest native-born resident of the township, Mr. David L. Jenkins, places his set- tlement ten years later. He was of Canadian birth, and first settled near Marietta, whence he removed to Bris- tol in 1814. With him came his family, consisting of his wife and two children,
Nelson and Patience. His decease oc- curred in 1862.
The year succeeding the arrival of Mr. Jenkins, Benjamin W. Talbot set- tled in the vicinity of the Cotton farm. He came from Westmoreland County. Pa. Stanton Fordyce, John Kirk. Joseph Deveraux. Arphaxed Devol, and Job Armstrong were his neighbors. For many years he kept a tavern on the Barnesville Road.
Nearly all of the pioneers were men in very limited circunstances and not infrequently they had barely money enough to locate them in their new homes and obtain subsistence for their families for a limited period. They would " squat" upon a piece of land, erect a cabin and make a clearing before they had entered the land, trusting to fortune for the money necessary to make the purchase of the goverment. In many cases mercenary speculators. or "land-sharks," as they were com- monly known, would enter the land and then bring a snit of ejectment if they were not disposed to leave peace- ably. A case of this kind occurred in the vicinity of Bone's Mill about 1820. The pioneer had erected a comfortable cabin and had cleared ten acres, and with his hoe had cultivated a crop of corn. A speculator, learning that the land had not been entered, went to the land-office at Zanesville and purchased it. Returning, he informed the ocen- pant that the land was his and peremp- torily commanded him to leave. There was a strong bond of unity existing between the carly settlers, and their isolated positions made them feel strongly their dependence upon one another and they would protect each other in any emergency. On learning of the action taken by the speculator
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
they hastily collected together, and har- vested his crop, which they took to a place of safety. They then placed the rails in piles and put some combustible matter in the cabin and set fire to both rails and cabin, then started the report that they had been struck by lightning.
Matthew Wilson was one of the prominent characters in the early his- tory of Bristol ; he came in the spring of 1822. IIe was a soldier of the Rev- olution and participated in the battles of Germantown, Brandywine, Mon- mouth and many other decisive engage- ments of that sanguinary struggle. After the war he entered the service of the state of Pennsylvania as an Indian scout, and was thus employed for seven years. For a long time he carried the mail from Pittsburgh to Presque Isle (Erie), when the entire distance was a dense wilderness. After he had become incapacitated by age the state of Penn- sylvania gave him a pension of thirty- six dollars a year, and the general gov- emment also made him a pensioner, pay- ing him ninety-six dollars per year. It is said that he would live upon his pension from the state and use his pension from the general goverment for the relief of his impecunious neighbors, many of whom would have lost their homes had it not been for his timely aid. He was universally esteemed for his kindness of heart. He died in 1844, aged eighty- nine years.
James and Archie McCollum were early settlers on the southeast quarter of section twenty-eight. They were Scotchmen and came to the county previous to 1819, as their names are re- corded in the poll-book of the first election held on the 24th of July, 1819.
Lovit Bishop was the first blacksmith. Ilis shop was on the farm now owned
by Robt. Evans. He welded the log chains of his neighbors, sharpened their plowshares, shod the horses of those who were fortunate enough to have them, and received his compensation in chopping, log-rolling, or other farm work.
Jared Andrews was one of the early settlers on Mann's Fork. He was a Yankee, and a very benevolent and ec- centric man. On one occasion one of his neighbors, a poor man by the name of Atwell, was dangerously ill, and some of his friends thought it best to hold a prayer-meeting at his house. One of them in passing Mr. Andrews' home, invited him to go. His response to the invitation was, "Neighbors, I can't leave hum to-night, but if you will take it I'll send some prayers."
On receiving an affirmative answer he went to the house and brought out a large ham and a pillow-case of flour, which they took with them. ITis re- sponse to a salutation was invariably this : "I am not so well as I was yes- terday, but much better than I was the day before."
Lemen Fouts was from Brook County, Virginia, and the pioneer on the Cotton farm. He was a very agile and muscu- lar man, and no complement of men at a log-rolling or raising was consid- ered complete without him. His son, Lemen, Jr., became one of the most prominent citizens of the county. He was colonel of the 1st Regiment Ohio militia, and afterwards served his fel- low-citizens as Probate Judge.
Asher Allen, a Maine Yankee, was an early settler on Mann's Fork.
One of the prominent pioneer fami- lies was that of John D. Parmiter. He came from Hancock County, Maine, with his family, which consisted of hAN
John Pasmiter-
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BRISTOL.
wife and six children. The entire jour- ney was made with a one-horse wagon. He had intended to settle on the Scioto, but learning that it was an unhealthy locality he changed his intention. He settled in the south part of Bristol. He was prominent in the early affairs of the township and died in Bristol at an advanced age.
William Rowland came from Penn- sylvania in 1816, and entered three hun- dred and twenty acres on sections four and five. But little is now known of his history further than that he was un- married. But although he was not the head of a family. his coming brought quite an accession to the township's population, as with him came his brothers and their families, numbering thirteen in all. Robert Rowland mar- ried Esther Hiatt, daughter of Ezekiel Hyett, of Brooke County, Virginia. The Rowlands were men of unspotted reputation. Their honesty became pro- verbial.
George Herring was also a Pennsyl- vanian. He settled on the northeast quarter of section nine. He was a frontiersman in every sense of the term. He built his cabin on the east side of the creek and for many years devoted himself to hunting and trapping, and it is said that he paid for his lands from the products of his hunting expeditions.
John Carlin came to Bristol in 1817, and settled on section five, where he purchased one hundred and sixty-four acres of land, on which he resided un- til his decease, which occurred in 1835.
fairs. For twelve years he was a mag- istrate and for a long time a deacon in the Baptist Church. He had a full share of pioneer experiences. On his arrival in the township he built a cabin of bark, in which he lived until the erection of a log house, like other pio- neers. He went to Zanesville to mill with an ox team, following a blazed trail. He died in 1865. His wife, née Miss Phebe Napier, was born in Hud- son, N. Y., in 1784; died in 1864.
John Ryan was one of the early pio- neers of Ohio. He was born in York County, Pa., in 1782. When seventeen years of age lie came to Belmont Coun- ty, whence he emigrated to Bris- tol in 1837. He married Miss Gerretta Mercer in 1827. She was born in Penn- sylvania in 1795, and died in 1867; her husband in 1869. A son, Jesse Ryan, is one of the prominent farmers of the county, and resides in Bloom Township.
In the fall of 1819 Isaac Whitehouse settled at the head of Bear Run, on sixty-eight acres of unimproved land, which he had purchased of Thomas McGraw, one of the pioneers in this part of the township. He was then a young man and unmarried. He had served his country in the war of 1812, and his military experience had fitted him for pioneer life in the wilds of Bristol. He was a native of Angusta, Maine, and a cooper by trade. He fol- lowed his vocation for a livelihood for many years. He married Miss Nancy, daughter of Thomas McGraw, and reared a family of three children- Robert, Eliza A. and Maria J. Robert was born on the old place May 31. 1821, and has been a resident of the township all his life. He married Miss
Simon Merwin was a pioneer of 1819. He was a native of Arlington, Vt., where he was born in 1783. In 1810 he came to Zanesville. From there he went to Marietta, and from there to Bristol. He was prominent in early af- | Sarah Parmiter, daughter of John D.
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
Parmiter, one of the pioneers of the township. She was born in 1822. Three children were the result of this union- Isaac, John and Israel. Isaac is a mer- chant in the village of New Bristol.
George Henderson was from Brooke County, Va., and first settled in Meigs- ville Township about 1824, where he entered eighty acres of land, which he improved and upon which he lived until 1835, when he removed to Bristol and purchased the farm upon which he now resides. He married, in 1823. Miss Cathi- erine Henderson. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1805; he in Virginia 1803. Eight children have been born to them, six of whom are living. The name of Henderson is one familiar in Muskingum County. The parents of Mrs. Henderson were among the early settlers there. Mr. Henderson is a typ- ical pioneer, hardy, resolute and indus- trious. He is now in the winter of his old age. and can take a retrospect with- ont any misgivings.
David Mercer was from Belmont County, and one of the early settlers of Bristol Township. He settled on the farm now owned by James Easlich in 1826. He was a blacksmith and gun- smith. Ile was the anger- and sickle- maker of the county, and for years sup- plied the county people with these im- plements, some of which are still in use. He married Miss Betsy Smith in Bel- mont County. Her father, Alexander Smith, was also a pioneer. He was a very religious man, and in the early days the meetings were held at his honse. He died in Bristol at an ad- vanced age.
David Mercer died at the age of eighty-three on the place where he first settled. He was a man highly respected, and left a family of children: Mary,
now Mrs. Reese; Barkhurst, Mrs. Sarah Argo; Mrs. Nancy Grey, John A., William D., David II. and Mrs. Elzenia E. Hardesty. John A. was born in Bristol in 1831, and moved to Malta in September of 1871. He married Miss Lucinda Kinsey, of Belmont County, in 1857.
Robert Cunningham was born in Lan- caster County, Pa., in 1799. In 1823 he married Miss Sarah A. Cheffey. She was born in Jefferson County, Ohio. about 1804. Soon after their marriage they emigrated to Brooke County, W. Va., where John A., William, and David were born, the former in 1825, the latter in 1829, William in 1827. In 1832 the family came to Morgan County and settled in the township of Bristol. Mr. Cunningham's purchase was on the southwest quarter of section 21, and consisted of eighty acres of unimproved land. On this farm he resided until his decease, which occurred in 1868.
Contemporaneous with the settlement of Mr. Cunningham was that of his brother-in-law, Jesse Cheffey, and his family. He entered a farm adjoining that of Mr. Cunningham on the west. The pioneer lives of these families were replete with hardships. At times they were quite disheartened, and had it not been for their impecunious condition, would undoubtedly have left the conntry; but by indomitable perse- verance they became masters of the sit- uation. The hills were improved and brought abundant crops; and with the advancement of the township came those perquisites that rendered life pleasant and agreeable. Of the sons of Mr. Cunningham, three became residents of the township. William died on the old farm in 1879. David is a resident of Noble County. John A., the eldest
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BRISTOL.
of the family, is one of the prominent farmers of the township.
Samuel Roberts came to Morgan County from Londoun County, Va., about 1827. His first settlement was in Muskingum County. He remained there, however, but a short time, when he made a permanent location in the northeast quarter of the township of Bristol. He was the original settler upon this farm, on which he resided until his death, which took place in 1871. Ile brought into the country a family of nine children. Ephraim and John are the only sons now residing in the township. Ephraim married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel McCune, one of the early settlers of Bloom Township.
Joseph Devereaux was from New England, but emigrated to Morgan from Washington County. He was one of the pioneers and for many years kept a tavern on the Barnesville road on what is now the Cotton farm. His house was the rendezvons for the militia of the county, and the general musters were there held.
Jonathan Van Fossen came from New Market, Md., and settled on sec- tion 18, in the spring of 1829.
James Beatty came from Pennsyl- vania in 1838 with his family of seven children-five boys and two girls. Ile : located on the northeast quarter of section 6. Ile died in 1883.
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