USA > Ohio > Perry County > History of Perry County, Ohio > Part 6
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
tending from the Scioto on the west, toward the Mus- kingum on the east, as far as necessary to contain the number of acres in the appropriation. There was some discussion in Congress as to where it should be located. It was a question whether it should be taken ofit of the Military Bounty or Congress Lands. It was finally compromised by taking a part out of cach. The location was therefore made along the line be- tween these two tracts. The northern boundary of Perry county is that line. Two miles of the Refugee Land is in Perry and two and one-half miles in Lick- ing. On the east the Refugee Tract extended a short distance into Muskingum County. The four north- western sections of Madison township fall within the limit. As far as we are able to learn none of the patents issued to these claimants were ever located in Perry County. Only 65,280 acres were needed to sat- isfy the claims. To this must be added 5,000 acres more for school purposes. About 30,000 acres re- verted to the government.
Heroes of the Forest.
Our county had been traversed by white hunters for some years before actual settlements were made. In the year 1773, a Baptist missionary accompanied by a trader named Duncan, is said to have traveled over the path taken by Christopher Gist. Lewis Wetsell and Simon Girty, famous hunters and traders, visited the Indian town at Lancaster. To reach that place, it would be necessary to follow some of the various Indian trails through our county.
We are quite sure that traders stopped within our borders for purposes of barter. In the eastern part of Bearfield Township, near the Morgan County line,
PETER OVERMYER.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
is evidence of a trading post. Only a few years ago, there was found at this place, a Spanish coin of the eighteenth century, some bits of iron and vermillion. The latter, evidently, was to sell to the Indians for decorative purposes.
The surveying of the land and the opening of Zane's Trace had the effect of opening the land to settlement.
Perry County had the advantage of some of the other counties in that its hills were more healthful than the flat lands of Fairfield and Pickaway. Who the first permanent settler in our county was is not definitely known. It is not probable that there were any before the year 1800. I11 1801, however, we know positively, of several. A man by the name of George Arnold had entered some land in Reading Township, where the town of New Reading now is. He did not settle on the land, but sold it to Christian Binckley, the great-grandfather of Capt. T. D. Binckley, present Representative from this county. He thus became the first permanent settler, as far as known. He came from Washington County, Maryland.
In 1802, several additions were made to the popu- lation of our county. Among the first to arrive was Peter Overmeyer, who came with his family from Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. It might be interesting to note that he, too, was the great-grand- father of our own Capt. Binckley, of New Lexington. Peter Overmeyer was the father of the Peter Over- meyer who died but a few years since, and grand- father of J. B. Overmeyer, ex-treasurer of this county. The younger Peter Overmeyer was three years of age when he came to Perry County. Living to a ripe old age. he had seen the growth of the entire county. He
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
had experienced the hardships of pioneer days, had received his education in the crude way in which it was to be got at that time, and no man was more able to narrate the early experiences in the woods of Perry County than he. His name deserves to go on the list of the "Heroes of the Forest."
In the same year that Peter Overmeyer came to Reading, other settlements were made in the vicinity. Robert Colborn settled east of Somerset. Frederick Heck came to the neighborhood of Otterbein and George Bowman took up his residence on west Rush- creek. From this time the settlements were made more rapidly. Fink and Miller, the proprietors of Somerset, came in 1803. Soon small clearings began to appear in the woods, the settlers' cabin was being built and the smoke curled from the stick chimney.
The Pioneers had come mostly from the states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and New York. The Pennsylvania Germans and the Virginians pre- dominated. The method of bringing families and household goods was by wagon or horseback. Often the head of the family had come on ahead and liad the cabin ready for occupancy. If such was not the case, the wagon in which they came served as their home till the trees could be felled for the house.
These homes were made of round logs. The roof was clapboards, held in place by long poles. The floors were logs hewed on one side. Greased paper served for windows. One end of the house was utilized for the fire-place. The hearth consisted of flat stones. Here the cooking was done with utensils few and simple. A pot and skillet were deemed sufficient, and the family that owned a "Dutch Oven" was considered fortunate.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
The clothing was spun and woven by the women from flax raised in the clearing. Linsey-wolsey was a common fabric. It was a mixture of wool and cotton.
The food was necessarily coarse and plain. Hom- iny was a staple diet. For meats they depended in part upon the animals of the forest. But hogs were soon raised and "hog and hominy" became popular.
These were the "Good old times" about which we hear so much. To old people who live in the past, this may be true. But they were hard times, never- theless, in more ways than one. It was an experience that few care to repeat.
In spite of the hardships and many disadvantages, our pioneer fathers extracted their share of life's enjoy- ment. People helped each other more then than now. There were log-rollings and barn-raisings and corn- huskings. These were always made social affairs.
The settler's cabin had no newspaper and few books. The Bible was one of these and its contents was read and re-read, till it was committed to memory. The long winter evenings were passed in work of vari- ous kinds. The pioneer knew very little beside labor. During the day, mother and daughters often helped in the fields. In the evening. wool and flax were to be spun, stockings knitted, clothes made, brooms from hickory splints manufactured, harness mended, corn shelled and dozens of other duties, then to go to bed and sleep during the long winter nights and awake in the morning, and find on the bed covers, a thin layer of snow, which had sifted in through the clapboard roof.
The men and women who came to the woods of Perry County, cleared its forests, built for themselves 6 H. P. C.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
and families their rude homes, extracted from the land by dint of hard labor, food and clothing, and then left to succeeding generations a heritage of material wealth, independence of mind, and above all a high type of manhood and womanhood, certainly may be called "Heroes of the Forest."
Their work is done. The third and fourth genera- tions now occupy the land they conquered. They now sleep in the soil, wrested from the hands of untamed Nature and around their narrow beds can be heard the hum and buzz of the industry of a newer time for which they laid the foundation.
"Careless crowds go daily past you, Where their future fate has cast you, Leaving not a sigh or tear; And your wonder works outlast you - Brave old pioneer ! Little care the selfish throng Where your heart is hid, Though they thrive upon the strong, Resolute work it did.
But our memory-eyes have found you, And we hold you grandly dear;
With no work-day woes to wound you - With the peace of God around you - Sleep, old pioneer !" - Will Carleton.
.+
The Evolution of Perry County.
On July 27, 1788, Arthur St. Clair established the County of Washington, with Marietta as the seat of government. Washington County comprised the whole eastern part of the state. Its western boundary line began with the Cuyahoga River, which it followed to its source, thence by the portage between that river and the Tuscarawas to the forks of the latter with the Muskingum. From this point a line was drawn
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
to the source of the Scioto, then along that river to its mouth. Perry County was wholly in Washington County ..
On the ninth of December, 1800, the county of Fairfield was organized. A part of Washington was used in the erection of the new county. The present townships of Thorn, Hopewell, Madison, Reading, Clayton, Jackson, Pike, Mondaycreek, Saltlick, Coal, the four western sections of Pleasant and the four western sections of Harrison, were incorporated in Fairfield, while Monroe, Bearfield, the twelve eastern sections of Pleasant and the eighteen eastern sections of Harrison remained with Washington.
The county of Muskingum was established January 7, 1804. It was formed from Fairfield and Washing- ton. The Perry County townships, taken from Fair- field were Madison, Clayton and the four western sec- tions of Harrison. The remainder of Harrison, which belonged to Washington was also added to Muskin- gum. It will be seen that the present county of Perry. was divided among three counties - Fairfield, Mus- kingum and Washington. Fairfield had Thorn, Hope- well, Reading, Pike, Jackson, Saltlick, Mondaycreek, Coal and the four western sections of Pleasant. Mus- kingum had Madison, Clayton and Harrison. Wash- ington had Bearfield, Monroe and the twelve eastern sections of Pleasant.
December 26, 1817, is the date of the organization of Perry County. It was fifty-second in order of for- mation and was erected from the counties of Washing- ton, Muskingum and Fairfield. With but one exception the present boundaries of the county were then estab- lished. The house of Thomas Mains in Somerset was designated as the place for holding court. The excep-
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
tion alluded to in the foregoing refers to the attaching of a part of Licking to Perry. Most of the maps do not show this. The northern boundary of Perry is usually considered as a straight east and west line. On Feb- ruary twentieth, 1837, the following act was passed by the Ohio Legislature : "That the south half of sections seventeen and eighteen, in township number seventeen of range number seventeen, refugee, be, and the same is hereby attached to Thorn township, in the county of Perry, and shall from henceforth, be considered for all purposes whatever, a part of said county."
The object of this transfer was on account of cer- tain lands that lay north of the township line and south of Buckeye Lake. Because of the body of water between this land and the main part of Licking County, as a matter of convenience to the owners, it was given to Perry.
Village Settlements.
Lack of space precludes anything but a brief state- ment of the village settlements in our county. The dates here given are the official dates of the platting of the towns. The villages usually existed before the plat was made. Their growth was generally slow and the several additions were made as the times demanded. It is only in western states that the town is built on paper first. Our mining towns have been of rapid growth and some of them have declined quite as rapidly.
The nucleus of our villages was generally a country store, a ford in a stream, or a grist-mill. Then would come the blacksmith, the cabinetmaker and shoemaker. The store often served as tavern. Liquid refreshments were handed out over the same counter with calico an
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
nails. There were many such settlements throughout the county, with such dignified names as "Beanville," "X Roads," "Dogtown," "Hard Scrabble," etc., that were never platted.
New Reading, in Reading Township, is in reality the oldest town in the county. It was not laid out until 1805 and thereby lost its distinction of official priority for Hanover was platted by Jacob Ditto in 1804. Its life was short. One of the first acts of the Common Pleas Court, upon the organization of the county, was the annulment of the Hanover town plat. New Read- ino was originally called Obermeyersettle, or, in Eng- lish, Overmeyertown, from its founder, Peter Over- meyer, who was among the first settlers in the county. The town received its name from Reading, Penns? I- vania, the home of many of its first citizens. When the county was organized in 1817 New Reading was a competitor for the county seat. It is said that this is the reason for the two rows of sections being taken off of Richland Township, Fairfield County, and given to Reading, thus making the latter a 48-square mile town- ship. The town was so near the edge of the surveyed township that it was thought to be detrimental to New Reading's ambition.
At the end of the first decade, Reading Township possessed the entire trio of Perry County villages. Somerset dates from 1810. It was settled about six years previously by Fink and Miller, who were Penn- sylvania Germans. Fink's Tavern afterward became famous for it was a mid-way stop between Zanesville and Lancaster. On account of this fact the town was at first called Middletown. The tavern stood near the site of the present school building. The town was named for Somerset, Pennsylvania. When the county
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
was organized in 1817, Somerset was one of the four towns asking to be the capital. Because of its central position to the majority of the people, it was selected.
Thornville became a town in 1811. Its originator was Joseph McMullen. It too enjoys its second name. At first the poetic name of Lebanon was given to it but on account of another Lebanon in Ohio, it took upon itself French airs, followed the English custom, and christened itself with the plebeian name of Thorn- ville. It has however made up for the deficiency in its name, by being the most beautiful village in Perry County. It verifies the sayings-"What's in a name?" "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," etc.
The word Rehoboth means roominess. The orig- inator of the Perry County Rehoboth, evidently had that in mind when he platted the village. To this day can be seen the public square, which was one of the characteristics of the first towns. But there was an- other motive for making the square in Rehoboth, be- side that of being artistic. When that town was laid out in 1815 by John and Eli Gardner, with prophetic eye they saw the time when a new county would be erected. That new county would need a capital, and the capital would need a court house, and a court house would not look well unless it fronted a public square. True to its purpose it became a formidable rival to Somerset. They were worsted in the contest and their public square serves as a reminder of the ambition of the thrifty citizens. When tobacco became the staple crop of the county, Rehoboth was the center for this trade. Had the county been organized twenty years later, Rehoboth would to-day be the county seat of Perry County.
CORREA
A SCENE IN NEW LEXINGTON, 1873.
COAL TIPPLE AT CONGO.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
Bristol is located at an interesting point in the county. Situated at the turn of the water-shed, the waters of its vicinity find their way into the Muskin- gum by South Fork, and into the Hocking through Rushcreek, Big Mondaycreek, Little Mondaycreek and Sundaycreek. Besides through its main street ran the old Monongahela Indian Trail, along whose path the Indian braves took their white captives to the Scioto towns. Later the white surveyor stretched his chain from Fort Harmar to Standing Rock and the Lancaster and Marietta Road connected the Muskingum with the plains of Fairfield. Bristol was at first named Burlington. It too was a bidder for the court house. Platted in 1816 it gave evidence of considerable growth. The Commissioners, when they visited the place concluded it was too far south. The town has never recovered from this blow given it in its very in- cipiency.
New Lexington became a town in 1817. James Comley was its founder. The first house in town was built by Jacob Barnthistle, a tanner. This house stood where Kishler's Buggy Shop now stands. Soon other buildings were erected but the growth was slow. The name was given it in honor of the Lexington of Revo- lutionary fame. After an exciting contest, lasting seven weeks, it became the county seat in 1857.
Crossenville dates from 1817. when William Cros- sen laid it out in lots. It was for a number of years quite a thrifty village. carrying on a large tobacco trade.
Wolf Town was a hamlet north of Junction City. It was never platted but it contained a tannery and sev- eral stores. It was sometimes known as "Hard Scrabble."
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
We now pass over a period of eleven years, during which time no new towns were erected in our county. In 1828 Mt. Perry was platted. But Hendrick's Mill around which the town grew was built in 1820.
Millertown, in Monroe Township, can boast of be- ing the oldest village in southern Perry, unless we except Bristol. It was platted in 1834 by Jacob Mil- ler. During the Civil War, John Morgan, the cele- brated Confederate cavalry leader, camped within its precincts.
Straitsville, Saltlick Township, now Coal, was laid out in 1835 by Jacob and Isaac Strait. In its early history it boasted of a few stores and a tavern. Dur- ing the first three years of the Civil War, this town was a recruiting station. Its quiet lanes were aroused by the tocsin of war. Through its streets, companies ot Perry County boys were marched and drilled in the military art. From its station on the hill it looked after the boys in blue as they went toward New Lex- ington, to take the cars for the scene of conflict.
Where is Mount Hope? Jackson Township had but one town, so at the Cross Roads where the Somer- set and Logan Road crosses the Lancaster and Har- mar Road, a town was platted in 1835 and named Mount Hope. But the hopefulness of the place soon vanished and no town was ever built. A postoffice named Asbury existed for a short time. The place is still called Mount Hope by the people of the com- munity.
A town that once bid fair to succeed and enjoyed for a time quite a lucrative trade, was Oakfield. It was platted in 1838 by Job Tharp. It was the social as well as the commercial center of the neighborhood. Oakfield is located on the water-shed.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
When the Ohio Canal was built, and the Licking Reservoir, laying in sight of Thornville, presented a fine expanse of water, the thrifty farmers of Thorn township concluded that a boat way should be cut through the feeder, to the head of the lake, that they might be able to ship their grain. This idea resulted in the laying out of the town of Thornport in 1839. This Canal scheme, like "Eliphalet Chapin's Wed- ding " was not an unalloyed success. It soon ceased operations and the great ware-house, that was bitilt to store their grain, stands now as a monument to these days of yore.
Sego, our "String Town on the Pike," began its official existence in 1846, when William Curry built his blacksmith shop there. It gets its name from a town in Africa. It was near this village that General Ritchie lived, while in Congress and within it Dr. Thompson, President of the Ohio State University, lived when a boy.
Porterville is nearly in Morgan county. Situated on the county divide, it is surrounded by a fine farming community. The town was platted in 1848 by John Porter. It was also for a time called Ruskville, after the family name of Jerry Rusk, who here played when a bare-foot boy.
Saltillo, (properly pronounced Sawl-teel-yo) is a name of Spanish-Mexican origin. Its beginning was a tavern, which for many years served as a stopping- place for travelers. In 1849 it became a town. Its proprietor was F. Bradshaw.
In the same year of the founding of Saltillo, Chapel Hill, Monroe township, originated. This was an Irish community, where in 1850, a Catholic Church was erected, from which fact the town gets its name.
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
It was also called Thompsonville for a time in honor of one of its founders.
Maxville, the only town of which Mondaycreek can boast, was laid out in 1850 by William McCor- mick, from whom it gets its name-Mc's ville. There had been a store at this place for some years previous. It was owned by Henry Keck.
At the end of the first half century of the county's existence there were within its bounds the following post offices : New Lexington, Somerset, Buckeye Cot- tage (Saltillo), Rehoboth, Thornville, Mt. Perry, Sego, McLuney, Porterville, Whippstown, Oakfield, Max- ville, Crossenville, East Rushcreek (now Junction City) and Straitsville.
Middletown is midway between Somerset and Lo- gan. A tunnel was being made through the hill south of Middletown and this brought quite a number of laborers there. A store was built and the town laid out in 1853.
Clarksville, also in Jackson Township, was estab- lished by Daniel Clark in 1854. St. Patrick's Church is located here.
The building of Junction City, only a mile away, totally and permanently eclipsed the older town, and but for the church, you might pass through the vil- lage and never know it.
Like a great many of our towns. McLuney was a village before it was surveyed into streets and alleys. In 1850, McLuney, already enjoyed the distinction of having a post-office. It was not until 1855 that it was organized. Its name is derived from the creek upon which it is located.
We now pass over a period of fifteen years during which town building in Perry County seemed to be at
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
a standstill. During the Civil War our commercial activity was dormant and it was not till 1870 when the coal and iron fields began to be developed, that there began a period of renewed activity. Our county was taking a new lease of life. There were three periods of growth in the county. The first was the establishment of the pioneer home. The village then existed for the simple wants of the traveler, hunting a new home, and for the pioneer settlement. The second period was a period of growth in which the productions of the soil began to appear more. abundantly than the settler could use for himself. The village now existed to give a market for these super- fluous products. The third period was that in which the mineral wealth was utilized. Villages and towns. now served as convenient homes for the men working in the mines.
Our next period will be one of manufacturing, when our raw material will be converted into the fin- ished article before it leaves us.
Before speaking of the towns built since 1870, it might be interesting to note the following :
A PROPHECY FULFILLED.
Buckeye Blossoms, published in 1871 by Mrs. M. E. Porter, has this to say of Perry County.
" This little county ( Perry) comparatively 1111- known, is destined at no distant day to become a central attraction. Coal and iron are found in abun- dance and of superior excellence; and railroads are being made and companies organized for the purpose of mining these extensively. New Lexington on the Cincinnati and Zanesville Railroad is the county-seat. Oakfield and Somerset are very fine towns."
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
New Straitsville is the pioneer mining town of the county, having been laid out by a mining company in 1870. It had a phenomenal growth.
In 1871. Ferrara, a town with a distinctly Italian name, was laid out between the present locations of Rendville and Corning. Upon the organization of the latter the name Ferrara disappeared.
A town had existed for some time on the present site of Junction City.
The post-office was known as East Rushcreek. Later, George Wolfe laid out on his farm a village and called it by the scriptural name Damascus. Mr. Ed- miston also had an ambition to build a city and on an adjoining farm he began a town, calling it Trio City, because of the three railroads. These towns became rivals and the matter was finally settled by a compro- mise in 1872 and the present cognomen was received. The place had been known as Wolfe's Station after the C. & M. V. R. R. was built.
Shawnee, the metropolis of the county began its existence in 1872. It was laid out by T. J. Davis.
MeCuneville really dates back to 1829 when the original salt works were erected. From that time until its platting in 1873 by the McCunes it received the name of the " Salt Works." When the McCunes built their extensive salt plant here. it was intended to name the town Salina, but there was already one town in the State by that name. Then for a time it was known as Tallyho. Tallyho is the huntsman's cry to urge on his hounds. The fact that the old "salt lick" was a famous hunting ground, made the name quite appropriate. But some man's name had to be per- petuated and the ubiquitous "ville," like Banquo's
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
ghost showed itself and McCuneville was the unfort- unate result.
Glenford, as a town existed for many years before the plat was made. Its mill at the Ford of Jonathan's Creek had long ground the farmer's grain. It was not till the railroads ran through it that it began to grow.
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