USA > Ohio > Noble County > History of Noble County, Ohio: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 37
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Samuel Caldwell
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS B L
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The latter resides on the farm where he was born in 1843. Ile married Miss Melissa, daughter of Jefferson Glidden, one of the pioneers of Olive Township.
Samuel Caldwell was in his life- time one of the most active, prom- inent and best-known citizens of the county. He was born near Lower Salem, Washington County, Ohio, in 1800, came to Olive Township with his parents, and passed the re- mainder of his days on the farm entered by his father. Brought up as a pioneer farmer's son and sub- jected to the rigid discipline of that life, he had few educational advan- tages, though, perhaps, more than many of the youth of that day en- joyed. He attended school for one term in Marietta, and soon afterward finished his education in the pioneer * Hannah (Belford) in Toledo.
legislature from Morgan County, but his party was defeated and he failed of an election, although he ran in advance of his ticket. Ile was a member of no church, but was a strictly honest, just, God-fearing man, who was universally respected. He died in 1869. He was married in 1827 to Sarah Brownrigg, who was born in Westmoreland County, England, in 1801, and came to this country with her parents about 1817. Of this union ten children were born : William B., Jane (Ogle). Joseph (deceased), Fulton, Mary, who died young; Sarah (McKee) and Mary (Young), twins; Happy (Mc- Kee), John W. and Ilannah (Bel- ford). All live in Noble County, except William B. and John W., who are located in western Dakota, and
William B. Caldwell, the oldest of
schools of the township. He was active, as a young man, in all the ! the children of Samuel Caldwell, sports of the early days. He held . was born on the homestead, and re- some offices in the State militia, and . sided in the county until about 1880. : For twenty years he was probably the most extensive dealer in live stock in the county.
was widely known as "Colonel," though he never attained to that rank. Ile followed farming and stock-raising and was successful in Fulton Caldwell, now a prosperous farmer and a leading citizen, was born on the Caldwell homestead in 1833. Ile was brought up a farmer, and has followed that occupation 1 principally. ITis educational train- ' ing was such as other youth of his day obtained while attending at the old log school-house and its suc- cessor, "the old red school-house." Ile was engaged in mercantile busi- ness four or five years, and for about two years was a stock-buyer and those pursuits. He was one of the leading citizens in advocating the formation of Noble County and in ; securing the county seat at Caldwell. For the latter purpose he donated several acres of ground to the county. He may justly be regarded as the founder of the town, which was named after him. He was a prom- inent member of the Democratic party, but never sought or held any important office. Ile was once a candidate for representative to the ; drover. With these exceptions he
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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
has devoted his time and attention to farming. stock-raising and dairy- ing. For ten years he has been en- gaged in the dairy business. keeping an average of fifty cows and raising Jersey stock of high grade. He was married in 1860, to Ruth E., daugh- ter of Robert Mckee. They have but one child, Charles C. Mr. C'ald- well is a member of the Masonic order. He was among the first oil operators in the Duck Creek field.
terprises as any other man in the county. He has also been identified with many other important under- takings calculated to advance the . interests of the town and county. Ile is enterprising and public-spirited and bears an honorable name in the community, where he has always resided. In connection with his brother. J. W. Caldwell, he has an interest in western land and in a stock ranch. These brothers sent to and, as is elsewhere shown, was the ' the Black Hills in 1876 the first steam sawmill ever operated in that region. This mill was set up at
means of bringing this field to the attention of oil men. Ile took a prominent part in securing the two Deadwood, and it was but a brief railroads of Noble County, probably time before it had many competi- doing as much to forward those en- . tors.
CHAPTER XVII.
OLIVE.
ITS ORGANIZATION AS A TOWNSHIP OF MORGAN COUNTY, 1819 - REORGANIZATION IN 1851 - DESCRIPTION OF ITS BOUNDARIES - NAMES OF TAX-PAYERS IN 1826 - VALUATION AND TAX OF THE TOWNSHIP IN THAT YEAR - NEW ENGLAND SETTLERS - THE PIONEERS - THEIR NAMES, NATIVITIES, AND CHARACTERISTICS - ROBERT CALDWELL AND OTHERS - SAMUEL ALLEN, THE PIONEER MILLER OF THE VALLEY - JUDGE CLARK - CAPTAIN BLAKE - SQUIRE FREE - EARLY AND PROMINENT FAMILIES - WILL- IAM MILLER, THE OLDEST MASON IN THE COUNTRY - EARLY INDUSTRIES - DISTIL- LERIES - OLD-TIME FARMING IMPLEMENTS - REMINISCENCES OF AN EARLY SETTLER - AN EARLY SCHOOL - OLIVE, THE OLDEST VILLAGE - ITS ORIGIN, GROWTH AND DE- (LINE - OTHER VILLAGES -- " SOCUM," MOUNDSVILLE, SOUTH OLIVE AND DUDLEY - CHURCHES.
( LIVE was organized as a town- ' corner of section 36, in township ship of Morgan County in 1819. In 1851 the commissioners of Noble County altered and established its boundaries. making them as follows: number 6 of range 9; thence north to the northeast corner of said town- ship number 6 of range 9; thence west along said township line to the " Commencing at the southeast . northwest corner of the east half of
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section 5 in said township number 6 and range 9; thence south through the center of sections number 5, 8, 17, 20, 29 and 32 to the southwest corner of the east half of section 32 in said township number 6 and range 9; thence along said township line to the place of beginning - con- taining twenty-seven sections."
"Olive Township, Guernsey Coun- ty, was organized June 3, 1816, from a part of Buffalo Township, which was erected in 1810. The Guernsey County line, prior to the erection of Morgan County in 1819, ran east and west through the center of what is now Olive Township. The orig- inal Olive Township probably ex- . tended westwardly and northwardly several miles. No description of its boundaries can be found.
Hatch. James Hughes' heirs, Will- iam Jacobs, Hollis James, James Kyle, Lewis Keith, Samuel Long, Jonathan Long, Joseph Matheny's- heirs, David McGarry, William Mil- ler, Samuel Mc Williams, John Noble, William Ogle, James Ogle, Edward Parrish, Edward Perkins, William Perkins, George Padgett, John Pid- cock, John Rhodes, JJames Rainer, Israel Spencer, Michael Shriver, Shubal Smith, Lewis Shirley, John Shirley, George Shirley, Elisha Spen- cer, John Smoot, Lewis Smoot, Sam- uel Shaw, Peter Shackle, William Scoggan, Thorla & McKee, James Tuttle, Mary Tuttle, William Tilton, Hebron Tilton, Benjamin Tilton, Jo- seph Tilton, Jr., Davis Tilton, Eliza- beth Wagoner, John Wiley (of Bel- mont), Thomas Wiley, James Webber, James S. Warren, William Warren, John Wiley, Benjamin Wickham, John Wickham, Jr., Frederick Yerian. Number of acres, 9,5323 ; value, $10,- 973; total tax on land and houses, $109.73. Included in the foregoing list were the inhabitants of six half- sections and six full sections now be- longing to Sharon Township.
The following is a list of the hold- ers of real estate in Olive Township in 1826, taken from the Morgan County tax duplicate for that year : Theodocius Armstrong, Samuel Al- len, John Allen, James Archibald, William Boon, Thomas Boyd's heirs, William Boyd, William Bell, Israel Blake, Benjamin Blake, Simeon Blake, Robert Caldwell, John Caldwell. Very few names on the foregoing list are those of non-residents. The township was much larger in territory then than at present. This list may be regarded as an authentic record of the pioneer settlers of Olive Town- i ship in the year 1826. By far the Isaac Cunningham, Sherebiah Clark, Aurelius Clark, Joseph L. Clark, Isaac Devore, Levi Davis, Joseph Davis, Charles Davis, William Free, Matthew Grimes' heirs, Jefferson Glidden, Dennis Gibbs, John Glid- den's heirs, William Glidden, Alex- ' greater number of families came ander Greenlee, Isaac Hill, Elisha- from New England, chiefly from Harris' heirs, David Hutchins, Steph- Maine. A few came before the war en Hutchins' heirs, Joseph Hutch- of 1812, and the rest immediately ins. Jr., Hollis Hutchins, Daniel , after its close. They were nearly all Ilutchins, David Ilussey, James i poor, but generally intelligent, hon-
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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
orable and honest. Few of the families moved directly to Duck Creek from New England, but most of them came here after spending a few years with- in the present limits of Washington County. No part of Noble County had worthier and better citizens among its early settlers than the Township of Olive. The population was also permanent, and the present inhabitants of the township are mainly the descendants of the pio- neers whose names are given above and of those who moved in a few years later. Nearly all of the first settlers located along the West Fork of Duck Creek, and that part of the township was considerably improved before much land was taken up else- where.
Robert Caldwell, a Pennsylvanian, came from Washington County, Ohio, and in 1809 settled upon the farm on which the town of Cald- well is built. Ile was one of the very first settlers in Olive Township, and the name of Caldwell has been conspicuous in the annals of Duck Creek Valley ever since he settled here.
Joseph Caldwell, son of Robert, now living in the village of Cald- well, was born on Duck Creek, mn Washington County, near where Caywood now is, in 1798, and has spent his long life in this valley. Ile is now the oldest resident of Olive Township. Ile has a number of relics of the olden time, among which is a carpenter's vise which his father obtained when a wagoner in Pennsylvania during the time of the Revolutionary War. Mr. Cald-
well stopped at a tavern for the night, and during the night the Hessian troops were passing con- tinually. In the morning when he arose he saw a couple of Hessians sitting upon a log, eating their breakfast. Mr. Caldwell and two other men went toward them, but the Hessians immediately ran, in their haste leaving behind the vise, which he secured, and which has since been kept in the family.
Samuel Allen, the pioneer miller . of the valley, was the next settler below Wiley. Joseph Matheny, who came from the vicinity of Marietta, settled near Allen. Others who lived further down the creek were Joseph Chapman, Richard and Gil- lias Doane and the Hutchinses, all of whom came before 1812.
Sherebiah Clark was one of the most prominent early settlers of the valley. He came from Kennebec County. Me., where he had pre- viously served as a representative to the Massachusetts Legislature before Maine became a State. He was a man of wide views and good intel- lect. In religion he was a Universal- ist. He came here with a family of grown up children, in 1818. His sons, Joseph and Aurelius, resided in the township. On the organization of Morgan County in 1819, Shere- biah Clark became one of the asso- ciate judges of that county, in which office he served for three years. Judge Clark died in 1852 and his wife in 1853. Their children were Aurelius, Joseph. Zipporah, Louisa, Elvira and Polly.
Ilollis IJutchins, from Maine, was
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a Revolutionary soldier, and was among the first settlers. His sons were John, Hollis, David, Joseph and Daniel, all of whom lived in the county and reared families.
Captain Simeon Blake was one of the earliest settlers in the valley. He was a native of Maine, and one of the early immigrants to the West. IIe served in General Wayne's expe- dition against the Indians in 1794-5. He lived near where Dudley now is.
The earliest mill in the township, and in all probability the earliest in the county, was erected at the local- ity since known as Socum, as early as 1812, by Samuel Allen, assisted by the few scattering settlers then in the valley. Although the mill was usually inactive a part of the year, owing to scarcity of water, it was a great convenience to the set- tlers, and for many years did a good business. A sawmill was also in operation at the same place, erected about the same time with the grist- mill. A few years later William Free put in brush, and by the aid of the drift easily constructed a dam a short distance above Allen's mill. Ilis mill was in operation only a few years, and "never amounted to much."
William Free, who lived above Socum, was one of the early justices of the peace in the township. Ile was a smart man, but unscrupulous, it is said that he was sent to the penitentiary for stealing; and that when a resident of Washington County he was once publicly whipped at Marietta for some of- fense, before the whipping-post had
been abolished. It is also said that Free was not his name, but Ilamil- ton ; and that after he received his whipping, he shouted, " I'm free ! I'm free!" and called himself Free ever after.
Joseph Tilton and his sons, Joseph W., Benjamin and Davis, all lived together on a half-section in the western part of the township. Ilebron Tilton, a relative, lived on a quarter-section ajoining. Ilis chil- dren were Matthew, Alden D., Freeman, Smith, Rufus, Eliza, Re- becca and Diadema.
William Tilton was born in Ken- nebec County, Me., July 14, 1790. and is now living in Jefferson Township, past ninety six years of age. Ile is probably the oldest man in Noble County. Mr. Tilton settled in Olive Township with his family soon after the war of 1812, and resided here until recently.
Simeon Tuttle was an early set- tler on the west side of the creek, and died here in 1816. IIis family remained in the township, and some of the name are still here.
In 1812 Charles Davis and his sons, Charles, Joseph, Levi, and Enoch, and his daughters, Sarah (Cunningham), and Rhoda (Morris), came from Maine and settled in the southern part of the township. All lived here and reared families, and their descendants are still numerous in the county. Enoch moved to the northern part of the State. Mrs. Cunningham is still living, in Kan- sas. The Davises were all leading members of the Baptist Church, and good citizens.
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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.
John Glidden, a native of Maine, : February 8, 1882, aged ninety-eight came from Washington County, years. He came to America in 1812. Ohio, and settled on Duck Creek , and to Ohio in 1818, settling first in about 1814, where he died a few years later. He was a doctor, hav- ing studied medicine under Dr. Jett, at Marietta, but it is not known that he practiced his profession after coming here. Ile was the father of Sidney and John Glidden, still living in this township.
Silas Thorla, from Massachusetts, brought his family to his new home, where Olive now is, in 1816. Ile ' had been here for about two years previously, engaged in salt-making. Mr. Thorla was a man of good gen- eral information, and by profession a surveyor. He was one of the early justices of the peace, and served also as county surveyor of Morgan County. His son, Benjamin Thorla. ! who came into the Duck Creek Val- ley when a small boy, is still living at Olive, and has a vivid recollection of pioneer times.
dler were all New Englanders, and resided on section 16 in early years.
William Miller, noted as being at the time of his death the oldest Mason in the United States, settled early on the farm where the Cald- well Fair Grounds now are. Ile ! came from County Antrim, Ireland, and was a worthy man. His children were Jane, Ann, James, William. Mary and Margaret. James lives on part of the old place. William Mil- ler was born in County Antrim, Ireland, June 6, 1783. and died at the home of his son, near Caldwell,
Columbiana County and afterward on the farm where he died. He married Mary Reed, of New Jersey. Ile was a weaver by trade, but fol- lowed farming after coming to Ohio. In religion he was a Presbyterian. Mr. Miller was made a Master Mason in 1801, a Royal Areh Mason in 1804. and a Knight Templar later.
The Ogles were another Irish family. William, James, Robert and George were brothers. All were early settlers and good citizens.
The Perkinses, Edward and Will- iam, lived on Duck Creek, and were worthy representatives of the uni- versal " Yankee nation." Edward removed to West Virginia, but Will- iam remained in the township until · his death.
George Padgett, Edward Wheeler, Allen Woodford, and Charles Chan- | tled where South Olive now is. The
In 1818 James Webber, from Vienna, Me., moved to the town- ship with his family, consisting of I his wife and eight children, and set- | journey was made with a wagon and occupied eight weeks. The family moved into a log cabin, surrounded by a small clearing, which had been made by a former occupant. Mr. Webber died here about thirteen years later. He was the father of eleven children. William, the eldest, lives in this township. Robert and John are also living in the West. William Webber was born in 1806. and well remembers the journey across the mountains from New England to the Ohio wilderness. Mr. Webber states that at the time of
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his arrival a road had been cut out through the township from the Olive salt works to Marietta, but had not been improved.
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In 1814 William and Hannah Warren came to Marietta from Massachusetts, and a few years later settled on Warren's Run, near South Olive. William Warren was a de- scendant of General Joseph War- ren, who fell at the battle of Bunker Hill. His sons who came here were William, now a resident of Marietta; A. I., now in Iowa; and James S., who died in Olive Township in 1886, at the age of eighty-one years. His daughters were Sophia, Priscilla, Nancy and Caroline. Caroline (Web- ber) lives in this township and Sophia in Indiana.
Silas Thorla and Dennis Gibbs were the first justices of the peace in Olive Township, Morgan County. They were commissioned August 18, : 1819. Thorla resigned September +, 1821; Gibbs served until the expira- tion of his term. The early township elections were held at Gibbs' house, near the present site of Dudley.
Dennis Gibbs was among the ear- liest settlers and most prominent citizens of the township. In 1819 he was justice of the peace, and from 1821 to 1826 he was one of the com- missioners of Morgan County. IIe was a native of Cape Cod, Mass., and came to Olive Township in 1814, set- tling three miles south of Caldwell. He was a carpenter by trade, and coming to Ohio without means, was obliged to leave his wife and two small children alone at home and go to distant points to work at his trade
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to obtain money with which to pay for his land. His industry and good management enabled him to secure a competency, in spite of many draw- backs and hardships. His wife was Mary Dudley, who was born in Maine, of Quaker parentage. Of their children, only two are now liv- ing in Noble County - Mrs Julia Tilton and Judge Dennis S. Gibbs. Dennis Gibbs removed to Lowell, Washington County, where he died in 1872, at the age of eighty-two. Hle was originally a Whig, but be- came a zealous abolitionist and one of the projectors and managers of the Underground railroad. In relig- ion he was first a Methodist; and af- terwards became a member of the Christian church and a preacher of that denomination. His house was the meeting-place for the early Meth- odists of the township. Dennis Gibbs built and operated the first carding mill in this section. In com- pany with others he helped to build the first school-house in the neighbor- hood.
Judge Gilman Dudley was one of the earliest settlers and foremost cit- izens. Ile was born in Maine in 1793, settled in Ohio in 1815, and resided in the State until his death. December 6, 1875. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1823 he mar- ried Mrs. Glidden. He was not only a pioneer as regards settlement, but also in all the reforms of the day, always for the right and against wrong. He was capable and honest and filled many positions of trust and honor. He reared an unusually bright and intelligent family, most
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of whom were school-teachers. The children were Erwin G., Edwin, James, Mary, Ruth and Maria. The family trace their ancestry back to the Dudleys of Dudley Castle, Staf- fordshire, England.
Israel Spencer and his brother Elisha, William Waggoner and Michael Shriver were early settlers in the same neighborhood. The Spen- carried on distilling for some years. ' Elisha moved west. William Wag- : goner died here about 1830. Michael Shriver operated a still. Whisky . making was one of the most profit- able of the early industries, and many engaged in it. In 1830 five distilleries are known to have been i in operation in the township, the two already mentioned and those of Is- ! rael Blake, Isaac Devore and Will- | iam Free. Nehemiah Spear soon afterward engaged in the same bus- iness.
cers came from Pennsylvania. Israel ' and entered Into by David Gorby of
A well-known old settler was Eben- ezer Cunningham, who died in 1851. at the age of sixty-one years. Ile was a soldier of the war of 1812, and as is stated on his tombstone, " one of the survivors of the flagship Law- ence, under Commodore Perry, at the battle of Lake Erie, September 10, 1813."
Cunningham was a carpenter and millwright. Ile built and kept in repair many of the pioneer grist-mills that were run by horse-power.
James Lowe was the name of the first settler at or near Olive. Ile was attacked by a fit while crossing the creek, fell into the water and was drowned, in the summer of 1814.
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As a specimen of the manner in which some of the pioneers did busi- ness, the following contract between i Samuel Caldwell and David Gorby, for the construction of a sawmill, is presented. The document, however ; shaky its orthography may appear in these days, was sufficiently strong and binding :
" An article of an agreement made the first part of Noble Township Morgan County Ohio & Samuel C'ald- well of the Second part of Olive Township & County & State afore- said. the Sd Gorby doath on his part agree to build the sd Caldwell A sow Mill and grist mill forebay he is To take the timber from the Stump The timber is to be got out in first rate Stile, The poasts of the Lower part of the Mill to be 12 by 12 inches Squair, he is to Fraim the Mill & put in the running Geers in first rate workmen Like manner Ile further agrees to make a mill that will Saw as fast as anny other man can with the Same head of or if he dont he is to Have nothing for dowing Sd work, the Sd gorby is to have the timber hewed by the 25th of June next & the mill Fraimed by the first day of August next And The mill redy to Saw by the first of Nov. Next
"the Sd Caldwell doath on his part agree to Pay The Sd gorby one hun- dred Dollars As soon as the Mill per- forms as he has Agreed to make her perform the Sd Caldwell is to do all the hawling & to Furnish Plank for The forebay and other uses about the mill allso brases, 2 Shute Pieces tim- ber for Saw gate We have boath here-
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Josefine Caldwell
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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATION
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unto set our Hand and Seals this 9 of May A D 1836
DAVID GORBY (Seal) SAMUEL CALDWELL. (Seal)
Attest
WILLIAM LANAM."
The mill was duly erected and " she performed " satisfactorily to the owner and the millwright.
A paper in the possession of Ful- ton Caldwell records the fact that on the 28th of June, 1828, a school meeting was held at the house of John Rhodes for the second dis- trict. Samuel Caldwell was appointed clerk ; John Wiley, William Miller and Joseph Caldwell, directors, and Hiram Caldwell, treasurer for the district. It was also agreed that a school-house should be built "at the southwest corner of the east half of the northeast quarter of section 4 in township 6 and range 9, said land belonging to Hiram Caldwell." On the same paper are various endorsements showing that corn was used instead of currency in building the school-house. For the year 1827 the directors received from Sherebiah Clark, Joseph Tilton and HI. Hutchins, trustees of section 16 seven bushels, three pecks and four quarts of corn. In 1828 they received from D. F. Harper, J. Scog- gan and H. Hutchins, trustees of the school section, an order for fifteen bushels and twenty four quarts of corn. In 1829 they received an order for $1.90, and $1.98 in a year not mentioned. April 6, 1830, "Received of Joseph Hutchins thirty- eight and one-half bushels of corn." John Wiley and Samuel Caldwell received eight bushels " for drawing
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said corn ;" Samuel Caldwell eight bushels, for cutting school-house logs; John Wiley, six bushels, " for chink- ing and daubing said house," and Joseph Caldwell, six and one-half bushels " for making clapboards for said house."
In 1848 Socum school district (No. 4) in this township had twenty- four families living within its limits who came principally from the State 1 of Maine, and were among the early settlers. The heads of these families* were David McGarry, John Cald- well, Joseph Schofield, John Clymer, Henry Woolf, Zephaniah Zoller, John Camden, Thomas Rogers, Aurelius Hutchins, Francis Blake, Simeon Blake, Dennis Gibbs, Boling Ilatton, Joseph Hutchins, Harrison Kellar, Levi Friel, Michael Kellar, Mrs. Woodford, Mrs. Woodward, Ebenezer Phipps, W. F. McIntyre, Gilman Dudley, and two others.
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