USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794 > Part 95
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105
[The data for the foregoing was kindly furn- ished by B. R. Cowen. ]
The following is the muster roll of Company "E." Ninety-first Battalion, Ohio State Militia, which was organized in Blue Rock township, September 5th, 1863 :
Officers-Henry S. Finley, Captain ; John Craps, First Lieutenant ; Joseph W. Frazier, Second Lieutenant.
Privates-Austin, Jonathan D .; Barr, Geo. ; Bird, J. W .; Betz, Costen; Butler, J. C .; Bowers, William ; Bird, M. B. : Bird, Josiah ; Barr, John J. ; Crawford, Matthew; Colman, Moses ; Clapper, George H. ; Colman, Samuel ; Coverdale, L. N .; Close, H. M .; Chilcoat, Robert ; Carlow, J. J. : Dempster, Albert ; Dutro, Francis M. ; Davis. George; Dover, John W. ; Dutro, John F. ; Dutro, Samuel ; Dover, Hanni- bal ; Dingey, Elijah; Dover, Elias H. ; Echel- berry, Davis ; Echelbery, Geo ; Frame, Elisha H. ; Frame, Elijah J. ; Finney, Andrew ; Finney, Wm ; Frame, John ; Fox, Wm. O. ; Frazier, Cassius C. ; Gossage, William F. ; Gander, Thomas ; Gay, William S .; Harlan, J. H. ; Harlan, J. M. ; Hyser, Jefferson D. : Homman, Wm. ; Haworth, Stephen L. ; Harlan, Enoch ; Herbert, James ; Hartman, John ; Hall, C. H. ; James, Andrew ; Jones, Franklin ; Kirk, Lewis ; Lee, Joseph ; Logan, William L .; Larue, William; Legg, George ; McRoberts, Hugh ; McLees, Thomas ; McLees, Josiah ; Monroe, Peter; McCann. Thomas ; Miller, William A .; McLees, J. S .; Morrison, Samuel C. ; Mitchell, James ; Mohler, John W. ; Mawhorter, Israel ; McClain, Perry ; McDonald, James ; Neff, Benjamin ; Osborn, Frederick ; Osborn, Joseph ; Osborn, Samuel : Osborn, Hamilton ; Peyton, John Q. ; Peyton, Riley ; Peden, J. T. ; Peyton, Torrence ; Pile, I. N. ; Reed, Davis ; Reed, Moses ; Reed, Johnson ; Reed, G. S .; Starrett, John B. ; Smith, James E. ; Sigearz, Alfred ; Shilling, James ; Starrett, Charles ; Scott, Eli : Taylor, John B .; Trimble John ; Trimble, S. H. ; Taylor, John C. ; Taylor, W. W .; Wallace, Hamilton ; White, William W. ; White, Isaiah M .; White, Michael E .; White, George E. ; White, Samuel T.
The following is the muster roll of Captain Henry S. Finley, Company "I," One Hundred and Sixtieth O. N. G., which was Mustered at Zanesville, Ohio, for one hundred days.
Officers-Henry S. Finley, Captain, (wounded at Maryland Heights, July 7th, 1864) ; Henry Dillinger, First Lieutenant ; Stewart Speer, Second Lieutenant.
Sergeants-Peter Monroe, First Sergeant ; Davis Reed, Second Sergeant : Eli Scott, Third Sergeant : Lemuel Coverdale, Fourth Sergeant.
Corporals-Riley Peyton, George W. Echel- berry, John Trimble, John C. Taylor, Isaiah M. White, (died July 5th, 1864, at Frederick City, ) William W. Taylor, Joseph Osborn, Isaac HI. Harlan.
Privates -- Ayers, Lycurgus C. W. ; Brown, Abram L. ; Barr, George ; Bird, Isaac W. ; Betz, Casten ; Barrett, Joseph ; Chandler, Wesley I .; Coverdale, John; Christy, Perry L .; Dutro, John F., (died June 20th, 1864, at Martinsburg, Va. ; ) Dutro, Francis M. ; Davis, George E. ; Dover, John W .; Dingey, Elijah; Doherty, Wesley ; Echelberry, Perry ; Echelberry, Wm. ; Echelberry, Joseph ; Frame, Elijah J. ; Finney. Andrew ; Gander, Thomas ; Gillogly, Henry H. ;
ยท
431
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
Gay, John C. ; Hammond, William ; Haworth, Stephen L. ; Hall, Caleb H. ; Huffman, Jacob ; Heistand, John ; James, Andrew ; Kraps, Wm. ; Leap, Nicholas ; Lee, Joseph ; Lyons, William ; Lepaye, Thomas ; Legg, George W. ; Miller, William A. ; Morrison, Samuel C. ; Mawhorter, Samuel C .; Mawhorter, Israel ; McLees, Thomas M. ; McLees, Josiah, (killed July 7th, 1864, at Maryland Heights ;) Moore, William ; McConaghey, John ; Neff, Benjamin ; Osborn, Samuel ; Osborn, Hamilton ; Pierce, David ; Pierce, Jesse ; Pierce, Manly ; Rittenhouse, William; Reed, Johnson; Reed, George S .; Smith, David U. ; Smith, Nathan L. ; Smitley, Horace; Starrett, Charles; Smith, James E. ; Smith, Charles W. ; Smith, Thomas S. ; Taylor, John B. ; Trimble, Samuel H. ; Whitesel, Phillips ; Williamson, Abram R .; Woodburn, James ; White, George E. ; Swartz, John R. ; Soliday, Isaac; Shoemaker, John; Looker, William ; Lines, R. D. ; Whitesel, Washington.
I certify, on honor, that this muster roll is cor- rect, and that the men have been duly mustered in accordance with the mustering regulations, for the period of one hundred days.
Signed : H. E. HAZEN, Second Lieutenant Eighth Infantry, Mustering Officer. Zanesville, O., May 13, 1864. IMPROVED STOCK.
For many years the farmers of Blue Rock township paid their chief attention to the culture of wheat, as the staple article of export, but be- gan to give some attention to improved breeds of stock. The first thoroughbreds were a pair of Durham cattle, introduced by John Trimble, in 1828. This was a diversion, however. and slowly followed. Mr. Trimble was followed by S. McCune, and their joint efforts soon made a de- cided impression on the improved stock of the township. James McCune (son of Samuel) now possesses one of the finest herds of thoroughbred stock to be seen in southeastern Ohio.
WOOL GROWING.
Wool growing, however, is the principal busi- ness, all other interests giving way to it. The improvement in sheep commenced about 1845. by Messrs. Talley, Trimble, and others, intro- ducing French Merinos from Vermont ; they brought fifty head. J. B. Millhouse, and others, introduced the Spanish Merinos, and from these efforts a great revolution has taken place. Wilkes E. Bozeman has given the wool growing interest a fresh impetus by his zeal and success in the business.
FRUIT.
The principal fruit growers in the township are : Jesse D. Hall, Joseph Starrett. Thomas Mc- Lees, and Isaac Gander.
AGRICULTURAL RETROSPECT.
The high standpoint among the enterprising farmers of to-day, renders the retrospect to the
time of wooden mould-board plows, instead of a few short years, a vast period of time : indeed. it seems almost incredible that the pioneers of this region had to depend on such rude implements. when now every device for the most successful agriculture, with the least outlay of force, is avail- able by every one. The important strides of improvement caused the farmer to unite with his neighbor, for fear his neighbor would know the most, and hence, to secure this, they formed the Agricultural Society, in the year 1858. E. J. Trimble was President, and E. H. Talley, Sec- retary and Treasurer. They held the first fair on the grounds of W. T. Talley. The second fair was held on James Trimble's place ; and the third at James Findley's. on the river bottom.
These fairs were eminently successful, doing much to stimulate a spirit of improvement. The outbreak of the rebellion, however, caused a cessation of their labor during the period of the war. and such havoc was made that some of the hitherto inspiring spirits have not rallied to this standard again.
BETHLEHEM M. E. CHURCH.
Bethlehem M. E. Church is situated on George Stewart's land, who gave also a beautiful site for a graveyard. The graveyard was inaugurated before the church, by the burial of Mrs. Catha- rine Wear, who died in 1828. The church was not built until 1830. The members at this time were : Jeremiah Argo, and wife, Samuel Nich- olson, and wife, Roderick Oston, and wife, John Coverdale, and wife, Michael E. White, and wife, " Father " Winrod, and wife. Jeremiah Argo was a licensed class-leader. and exhorter. Levi Reeves was the first local preacher. This society moved to Rural Dale, and grew into its present proportions.
RADICAL METHODIST CHURCH.
This was the third church formed in the town- ship, and located on land owned by William Betts. The prominent members were William Betts, and wife. Dr. Coverdale, and wife, Peter Clapper, and wife. Hiram Sherman, and wife. Ilenry Crawford, and wife. Margaret Barber. and daughter, and Elizabeth Gibbons. Dr. Cov- erdale was exhorter, and William Betts was class- leader. The first regular preachers, were : Rev's. Linder and Whitney. This church was moved to a site on Henry Crawford's land. and a good frame church erected : this house is there vet.
TEMPERANCE LECTURER.
John W. Bear was the first temperance lee- turer in Bhuie Rock. His early education had been neglected. and his youth spent at the forge : with such opportunities, we do not find the power derived from mental culture associated ; and vet he had a spark of nature's fire that made him a power on the platform, which he soon discovered. and forsook his anvil for the forum. As a tem- perance lecturer he was very successful, that is. in drawing houses, but not being himself tem-
432
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
perate he weakened his efforts by his inconsis- tency. Although he was styled a temperance lecturer, his attention was mainly drawn to poli- tics, and, as " a stumper," the Buckeye Black- smith was sought after by oflice seekers. He was born in Pennsylvania, and came here in an early day and worked at his trade, at which he was counted a skilled workman. It is said of him, after he took the platform. that he believed in " moral suasion." and a favoite saying with him was, "wean the calves and the cows will go dry themselves." Politically, he was a Demo- crat, until after hearing noted speakers at the convention that met at Columbus, in 1840, and nominated William Henry Harrison as the Whig candidate for President of the United States, at which time he became a Whig, and to illustrate his change of mind he turned his coat inside out, and appeared on the platform, declaring his change in political sentiment, and it is said he made one of the ablest speeches of the Conven- tion. " He told them why the West should nominate General Harrison for President, and elect him, and they believed him ; he told them he was the celebrated Buckeye Blacksmith from ' Blue Rock,' and he was loudly cheered. And after stumping the State of Ohio, under appoint- ment of the Central Committee, he was sent to Pennsylvania, his native State, where immense crowds gathered to hear him, and so great was his power of oratory that his opponents said, ' this is no illiterate man, but a well educated man passing himself off for a Buckeye Black- smith ;' whereupon, Bear replied, 'to-morrow, at the town I speak at, bring on my stand or forum, a full set of blacksmith's tools, such as a good blacksmith would use, and I will turn and finish a complete horse shoe at one heat, ready for driving, which generally takes two heats, or more.' The crowds came the next day to see the Buckeye Blacksmith, who was on hand, and completed the shoe with one heat, as he had said, and cast it down before them to look at, while it was still red hot ! "
The tide in the affairs of men is not always to the haven of prosperity and safety, and John Bear, through intemperance, passed into obscu- rity.
REPRESENTATIVE MEN.
This might include almost every man who has lived in Blue Rock township, but the caption is used to designate those who served in Legisla- tive Halls.
Major Davis John was a Representative in the Legislature of the State of Ohio in 1842, and made an enviable record.
John Trimble was a member of the House of Representatives in 1844, and also won to himself a good name.
E. J. Trimble, son of John Trimble, was a member of the House of Representatives in 1859, and did honor to his sire.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
John Thompson, after two terms of acceptable
service, was promoted to be County Commis- sioner, which responsible position he held two terms. He was succeeded by Jonathan B. Mill- house, who served as Commissioner two terms, and was succeeded by Robert Silvey, Jr., who served two terms, and passed into the Treasurer's office, which he held two terms. There were no "third termers" among them.
POSTMASTER.
Major W. S. Harlan, having served his coun- try during the Rebellion, has since been the ac- ceptable Postmaster at Zanesville.
ROCKVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH.
Rockville Baptist Church was organized on the thirteenth day of August. 1844, under the shade of a large forest oak, on the summit of the hill south of Rockville, near where the present meeting-house stands.
The members composing the Council called for its organization, were from Blue Rock, Wind- sor, Rich Hill, Bristol, and Four Mile, churches. The sermon was preached by Rev. William Stone, of Columbiana county, Ohio, from Dan- iel xliv, 22, after which sixteen persons with let- ters of dismissal from Blue Rock Church, were duly organized into a separate church.
The names of these members were as follows : James and Elizabeth Burris, John and Lorenzo Gossage, George Bird, Jesse and Joanna John, Sarah Scott, Letitia John, Eleanor Burris, Maria Scott, Sarah Harlan, Phebe Briggs, Rebecca Frame, and Hannah Bird.
Abel Johnson was chosen first pastor, and Jesse John, Clerk ; George Bird, first Deacon, ordained October 20th, 1844.
Rev. Abel Johnson concluded his ministry the first Sabbath in October, 1850. During his pas- torate, the church attained its maximum mem- bership-one hundred and nineteen.
Rev. J. Chambers acted as a supply for a short time, and, on the 6th of April, 1851, Rev. T. M. Erwin was called to the pastorate, and officiated until May 15th, 1857, when Rev. J. Herbert was called, who continued until June 25th, 1859.
On the 23d of July, 1859, Kev. Lewis Mad- den was called to the care of the church, and remained one year.
In January, 1861, Rev. E. W. Daniels took charge of the church, and ministered to the con- gregation until March 4th, 1870.
June 25th. 1870, Rev. J. Herbert was called, as a supply, and remained until June 24th, 1871, when Rev. W. A. Robinson was called to the pastorate, and resigned, February 25th, 1873.
Rev. J. W. Dunn was called to the care of the church, June Ist, 1873, and resigned, December 26th, 1874.
Rev. H. H. Mclaughlin became pastor in April, 1875, and resigned, August 21st, 1875.
Rev. J. Herbert was again called, February 26th, 1876, and his resignation took place May 26th, 1879.
October 25th, 1879, Rev. J. P. Hunter, the present pastor, was installed.
-to
J. D. M. Kisson Dily
THE Weekly Times and the Daily Morning Times are printed and published by the firm of Sullivan & Parsons, who also conduct a large business in printing, book binding, blank book making, and are general stationers, at No. 25 Maginnis Block, Zanesville. Having been established in business fifteen years, and grown from small proportions to their present large business, they have no need to boast. Their newspapers speak for themselves, and they presume their patrons in their other lines of business would not deal with them if they were not satisfied with their manner of treating them. Their friends are always welcome at the above mentioned location, and they can rest assured of honorable and fair treatment, and of obtaining value received for whatever they may invest with them.
1
+33
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
The pastors of this church are all living at the present time, except Lewis Madden.
Eight Deacons have been chosen, as follows : Caleb Hall, George Bird, Thompson Robinson, Isaac Peairs, James Trimble, William Roberts, and T. L. Elwell. The four latter are the pres- ent Deacons. C. H. Trimble is Clerk, and James Trimble, Treasurer. T. L. Elwell has been licensed to preach, and is the present Su- perintendent of the Sabbath School.
Present membership of the Church is seventy.
SONS OF TEMPERANCE.
Rockville Division of Sons of Temperance, No. 585, was organized at Rockville, May Ist, 1849, by William Logan, J. P. Smith, Samuel Harlan, A. Hoopes, and D. T. Johnson. The Division continued until 1852 in a prosperous condition, when it began to decline, and closed its labors in December of that year.
RURAL DALE.
This village is situated on the southwest quar- ter of section twenty-six, on land owned by Sam- uel Millhouse in 1828, and was laid out by J. B. Millhouse in 1854, most of the houses having been built previously, the first one by George Gibbons as long ago as 1816. This building is still there. .
The name of the village was originally Rock- ville, but was changed to Rural Dale at the time the postoffice was established there. The first store at this place was opened by Briggs & Kearns in 1836, and the first tavern about the same time, by William Kirk. The village con- tains two stores, one wagon shop, one black- smith shop, one shoe shop, one saloon, a church, a postoffice, and one hundred and ten inhab- itants.
KIEFER.
This beautiful hamlet is situated on the north- east quarter of section eleven. When it was laid out it was called Ridgeway, and bore that name until the Postmaster General found the in- habitants wanted a postoffice, and, in order to avoid confusion in mail matters, he recommend- ed them to change the name. The postoffice being inaugurated, the name was changed to its present name, in honor of General Kiefer; and it is altogether likely that it will prove worthy of the promotion to postal honors, and of the new name. "Great oaks from little acorns grow."
OIL DEVELOPMENT.
Mr. J. J. Starrett informs us that the spring to which the early settlers resorted, for oil, was on William Smith's land, on Kent's run. They se- cured the oil, which floated on the surface of the water, by brushing it into a vessel, with a feath- er. This oil was obtained for home use. It was in this run that Benjamin Crane & Co. first bored for oil, in 1860. They struck oil, but got their tools fast, and had to leave them, and they are there to this day.
The oil excitement on Man's Fork creek was in 1866. Here, also, was the famous Woodbury well, yielding, it is said, a hundred barrels per day. There were other wells-the Gray Eagle, Coquette, Pee Wee, California, and Clover Creek-yielding from twenty-five to seventy-five barrels of oil per day. Prices for land were wild. The Border farm sold for fifty thousand dollars. Father Peyton sold fourteen acres of ground for fourteen thousand dollars, in cash. Business points sprang into existence ; trade was lively ; work, abundant ; wages, good ; and mon- ey, plenty. A thousand men scattered over our hills and dales, and the ring of a hundred drills could be heard at once. A large, wooden tavern was built, for the accommodation of boarders ; a saloon and a grocery were opened, and every- thing seemed moving. But the bubble burst when the oil was found to be too light to pay for getting and preparing for use, and the excite- ment died out, as the trade failed. There are, however, several companies operating for oil at this time, on Kent's run and Man's Fork creek- the Carr Bros., Gorby, Tally & Co., Maher & Co., and others. Abram Linn has never aban- doned his oil well, but pumped it. and made it pay, and, more than anyone else, has kept the oil trade alive.
William M. Carr submits the following infor- mation in regard to oil :
"As early as 1819, oil was taken from a spring by Martin Smith, on his farm, located in the northeast corner of Blue Rock township. in quantities of a gallon at a time, daily. It was then used for medical purposes, and people came from a distance to get it. This was the first nat- ural oil spring discovered in America. The first oil well drilled in this country was on Smith's farm, in 1861, and was located near the oil spring alluded to. The second development was made in January, 1866, on the farm now known as Nathaniel McDonald's, situated forty-five de- grees west of south from Smith's spring (in this township) ; here oil was struck at a depth of one hundred and eighteen feet, that produced sixty barrels per day for six months. This was known as the Woodberry well. A short time after this, a well was located a half a mile north, and east of this, on the Rees Fox farm, and after being drilled seventy-eight feet, a column of oil and water, four and one-half inches in diameter gush- ed forth, spurting into the air in a column seven- ty-five feet high, which continued with great force, and a noise that could be heard half a mile distant, for many days : this was known as the Cagua well.
"The next important well was on the Fred. Shaver farm, three-quarters of a mile northeast from the Cagua well. Oil was found at the depth of one hundred feet, and the pumps put to work. which, to the surprise of the owners, yielded two hundred and forty barrels per day.
"The excitement consequent on these wonder- ful discoveries was intense, and thousands of dol- lars changed hands daily .. Men seemed unable to buy or lease land fast enough, even at the in-
58
434
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
flated price of $1,000 per acre. The royalty to land owners sold for fabulous sums. Shipment was made to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the near- est point for refining, and the report came back that the oil contained so little illuminating prop- erty (only thirty per cent. of carbon oil) that they could not compete with the Pennsylvania oil ; so that all wells producing less than five bar- rels per day were then abandoned ; while large wells were paying handsomely, even at the low price : but their production failed shortly after the abandonment of the small wells ; or rather, the entire business was reduced to two wells, which were operated steadily till the spring of 1878. Why this great flow should cease was an exciting inquiry. The answer is found that the oil being found in "oil sand," was not per- manent, because the sand was not penetrated deep enough, or the oil sand was not deep enough. The theory of oil men, in Pennsyl- vania, is that the oil is the product of what is termed 'oil sand,' in certain quantities. The first wells in Muskingum County penetrated the oil sand but a few inches ; the second wells were drilled standing full of surface water : while the oil wells in Pennsylvania are drilled through the oil sand. The surface water is excluded from the well while drilling, by the use of wrought iron casing, and the torpedoes of nitro-glycerine are exploded in the body of the oil sand. The chief cause of failure in Muskingum county, was the entire absence of a knowledge of oil sand. They believed that they had found the oil in a tight rock, encased in a crevice, and invariably stop- ped drilling when the oil was first reached. It is now settled by practical demonstation, and pre- cedent, that the oil filters through a porous sand rock ; and to produce it in given time, the oil sand must be found in sufficient thickness, drill- ed through, and then properly treated. This theory is sustained by the "Oil City DERRICK," a paper. of well known sagacity and veracity, and devoted to the oil interests ; vide a few quo- tations :
"CLINTONVILLE, PA., March 1, 1879.
Special to Oil City DERRICK by Western Union Telegraph.
"Surrena No. 2 .- We got through the sand this evening ; had eighteen feet of nice sand ; the hole is full of oil; she made one small flow this afternoon ; it has scarcely any third sand gas ; she will probably be a forty barrel well."
"COLE CREEK, PA., September 19, 1879. Special to Oil City DERRICK, by Western Union Telegraph.
"Painter & Tack's well, No. 4, on their lease just south of town, is about thirty feet in the sand. It will make one hundred and fifty barrels."
"BRADFORD, PA., February 19, 1880.
Special to Oil City DERRICK.
"Lockhart & Archibald struck on Rixford's farm, Saturday, and are now forty-seven feet in the sand, and flowing through the casing. It will start at fifty barrels or more."
"And many more of the same kind, showing
that this theory is maintained by statistics. The observations made from the "Derrick" statistics are : "Fifty feet of sand is a deep sand ; twenty- five feet is a medium sand ; fifteen feet of sand produces oil in paying quantities. And where there is less than eleven feet of sand, oil is not produced in paying quantities."
"The second and last reason for the short life of the Blue Rock wells, is found in this. that when the non-paying wells were abandoned, the tubing or pumps were removed in a manner that permitted the surface water to flood them, and thus drive the oil from its original locality to a point not penetrated by the drill ; and the owners of the wells being inexperienced as to the cause of the loss, felt compelled to abandon their wells."
In this abandoned condition the territory re- mained, with the exception of two wells, which yielded steadily in paying quantities for twelve years, when, in 1878, William M. Carr, a gentle- man of nine years experience in the great oil fields of Pennsylvania, visited this region and ex- amined the condition, and came to the conclu- sion that an oil belt one mile wide, and ten miles long, existed in Muskingum County, at about one hundred feet below the earth's surface. So confident was he, that he returned to Pennsyl- vania and formed the company known as "The Carr Oil Company," of Muskingum County, Ohio, composed of William M .. H. B., and F. A. Carr, all practical operators, with William M. Carr as manager. They first secured a small tract of land, and drilled one well in search of the great requisite, "oil sand." which they found equal to any oil sand in Pennsylvania, and of sufficient quantity, if practically treated, to guar- antee a large and lasting production. The com- pany then secured all the territory within their defined lines, within a period of eighteen months, during which, William T. Ford, George W. Beatty, Gilbert Beatty, William Dickinson, F. Maher, William Thatcher, and several other enterprising capitalists, connected them- selves with the enterprise. The company then procured the necessary machinery, including drilling tools, and are engaged in developing the belt, and feel sanguine their wells will produce oil that will attract capitalists from our great cities to Muskingum County. And that the quality of oil will enable them to find a ready sale, at remunerative prices.
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.