History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 19

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923

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Pleasant Grove M. E. Church, located at Five Points, was formerly attached to the London Circuit but is now in charge of the Mount Sterling Circuit, Rev. S. A. Crosby being pastor. The first meeting was held in 1849 by Rev. James Marshall at the house of John C. Berry, where a class of 11 members was formed. In 1852 a meeting-house was erected at a cost of $800. This was removed to Five Points in 1871, and was used until a new church edifice was built, in 1894, at a cost of $2,500. Soon after the formation of the church, a Sunday-school was organized which still continues, with an average attend- ance of about 50 at the present time. Adam Hanson has recently become superintendent, succeeding George W. Winfough, who retired after holding the position for 17 years.

The Yankeetown M. E. Church has a mem- bership of 86. The Sunday-school, at which there is an average attendance of about 100, is under the superintendence of C. C. McCafferty. Rev. J. H. Mindling, of Derby, has charge of this church. The church property is valued at $2,000, of which amount $1,500 is represented

in the frame church building, erected about five years ago.

Clark's Run Christian Church. - This church which is no longer active was one of the first formed in Monroe township, as early as 1822. Meetings were held in a small log build- ing that had been erected for school purposes. In 1844 a hewed-log meeting-house was erected, which was replaced in 1868 by a com- modious and substantial building. The minis- ters of the Williamsport Christian Church con- ducted services at this station. At one time this church had a membership of over 100 mem- bers and a good-sized Sunday-school.

The Christian Church at Five Points was formed by Rev. Caleb Morris in 1864. Meet- ings were first held at the homes of Pleasant and John Southward. In 1866 a church build- ing was completed at a cost of $1,300. The church now has a membership of 125 members, and Rev. H. J. Duckworth, of Mount Sterl- ing, is pastor. The Sunday-school was estab- listed contemporaneous with the church and now has an average attendance of about 50. J. T. Davis is superintendent.

The Renick Church in Derby township was removed about two years ago to the vicinity of Deer Creek, in Monroe township, where it is now used by the Holiness Church.

SCHOOLS.

The township has 14 school districts and all except one have brick school buildings. The members of the township Board of Education, elected in the fall of 1904, are as follows: R. T. Dennis, W. H. Robison and B. O. Lewis- four years; Adam Bailey and John Bailey- two' years. The clerk of the board is C. E. Dick. The school at Five Points, which has a high school department, of the second grade, is under the superintendence of John P. Ad- kins, who is assisted by Elizabeth Clarridge. The enrollment at the Five Points school is about 50, 30 being in the lower room and 20 in the upper. Monroe township is noted for the number of young men and women it has put into the teaching field.

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FIVE POINTS AND DEER CREEK.

Five Points is a settlement several miles southwest of Darbyville. The first store in the township was established here by William Leach in 1849. A few years later M. Tim- mons opened another store here. The town had a population of 176 in 1900. In 1851 a postoffice was established here with John Long as postmaster. On January 1, 1906, the post- office was discontinued; the residents now get their mail by rural free delivery, from Wil- liamsport and Mount Sterling. Simon Mich-

els and John Caudy operate tile factories, the latter also running a sawmill. George Win- fough, John Koch and Edward Davis conduct general stores; David & Parkinson, a meat market; George Dennis, an implement store, also selling wagons, carriages, etc. There are two blacksmiths, D. B. Leach and Frank Por- ter, who also runs a feed stable.

At Deer Creek, a small cross-roads settle- ment of this township, Lawson S. Baker has a general store, while John Porter conducts a blacksmith shop.

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CHAPTER XI

MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP

This township was erected December 8, 1830, being formed from portions of Jackson township on the south and east, Scioto on the north and east, Darby on the north and west and Monroe on the south and west. It is next to the smallest township in the county in area and the third smallest in population, which was 918 in 1900. The first survey for a township was made by Judge William Florence in 1826 or 1827. It was afterward again surveyed by Mr. Nesbeth, of Ross County. A change was made in its boundaries in 1851. Darby Creek flows from northwest to southeast through the center of the township. This is the only stream of any size that can be found here. It rises near the head-waters of the Scioto River and runs in a course nearly parallel with that stream, into which it empties near Circleville. The name "river" would more nearly describe its size. At times of high water, it overflows a large area of bottom land, where it is not pro- tected by levees. Its banks in some sections are quite high. It derives its name from an old Indian chief who lived on its banks at an early day. There are also two small streams, known as Dry Run and George's Run.

When the first settlements were made in this township, the pioneers found the face of the land covered with a heavy growth of tim- ber. In the western part of the township and · adjoining townships were found small tracts of land without timber, covered with a luxu- riant growth of wild grass that would some- times reach to the height of a man's shoulders when mounted on horseback. These tracts

were given the name of "prairies." The bottom lands were covered with great forests of wal- nut, maple, ash, elm, honey-locust and syca- more trees, while on the uplands grew many oaks. The land was cleared in the most ex- peditious manner possible-either by felling the trees and burning the logs, or by girdling and thus destroying theni. This was done in order to get the land under cultivation without the waste of time. At a later date mills were es- tablished along Darby Creek and considerable lumber was produced; as a consequence but little timber suitable for first-class lumber is to be found at this day in the township.

In the bottom lands the soil is for the most part a black loam mixed with some gravel and is very productive, raising large crops of corn and wheat. On the uplands is found a clay soil which is nearly as productive as the black soil of the lowlands, though it requires a greater effort to produce a crop. In order to protect the land along Darby Creek from over- flow in times of flood, levees have been built along the creek by the owners of these lands. Great quantities of corn are raised in this town- ship: Until some 30 or 40 years ago the land was mostly owned in large tracts by a few persons. Even now there are a number of very large farms.

It is thought that the first election in Muh- lenberg township was that held in the spring of 1831, a few months after the township's erection. William Hill, Sr., was the first jus- tice of the peace. In 1875 a town house was erected on the main street in Darbyville at a

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cost of $1,200, the lower story being built by the township and corporation and the upper story jointly by the Good Templars organiza- tion and Good Samaritan Grange. The town- ship officers for 1906 are as follows: Trustees -R. C. Hill, William Graham and E. F. Kneisley ; clerk, Jonathan M. Grabill; treas- urer, W. S. Carpenter; assessor, Milton Ful- len; justices of the peace-Henry B. Darst and Jacob Bennett.

When Virginia ceded this portion of Ohio to the general government, the lands west of the Scioto River were reserved by the State of Virginia for her soldiers of the Revolutionary War as a reward for their services. Of these military lands, Gen. Peter Muhlenberg owned some 1,700 acres; Henry Baldwin, 1,200; Henry Massie, 1,200; while Carter, Copeland and others owned large tracts. Gen. Peter Muhlenberg was one of the most ardent patriots of the Revolutionary War. At the time the war broke out, he was a minister; he immediately transformed himself into a sol- dier and did valiant service in behalf of the revolting colonists. The township of Muhlen- berg is named after his youngest son, Francis, who settled here in 1820.

INDIANS.

This section was the home of the Shawnee Indians. At an early day small bands of these Indians lived in various parts of the township; even after the country was partially settled, the Indians returned annually early in the spring for the purpose of making maple sugar. In the fall of the year they proceeded north to- ward Lake Erie. On the opposite side of the creek, a short distance above Darbyville, a large burying ground was located, in the rear of the old camp of the band to which the chief Darby belonged. At an early day in the his- tory of the township, an Indian duel took place just below Darbyville where there was an In- dian camp.

EARLY SETTLERS.

The early history of the township is more like a history of a neighborhood than of atown- town; until 1830, it was not known as a town-

ship, being included in Jackson, Scioto. Darby and Monroe townships. The names and dates of arrivals of many of the first settlers have been lost, and the information given here can be considered as only fragmentary. The first settlement of which we have any record was made about 1805 or 1806. It is thought that John Rush and family lived here prior to 1805, as at that time they owned 50 acres of land on Darby Creek. In 1806 a Mr. Galbreath and a Mr. Swank came to Muhlenberg. John Stude- baker, Edward Pritchard and Judge William Florence also came to this township in 1806. The last named, who was a Virginian, arrived April 9, 1806. After occupying a cabin on John Renick's place for a short time, he bought 100 acres of the Muhlenberg tract. He after- ward purchased more land until he owned some 1,700 or 1,800 acres. Judge Florence was twice elected to the State Legislature and served two terms as associate judge. He died in 1870, aged 96 years. He left a decided im- press on the life of his time and section. About 1807 Isaac Van Meter, John and David Shep- herd and Parnick George came to this township. In 1808 Judge William Seymour came here from Ross County. He was one of the early as- sociate judges of the Common Pleas Court, to which office he was elected by the Legislature in 1810. George Rowe came into the country about 1812 and bought land on Dry Run, which he came near losing, as the title proved defective. The Hill family, one of the most widely represented in the township, was estab- lished here about 1815, when William Hill with his family, consisting of a wife and eight children, came here; at the same time his broth- ers, Leroy and Robert Hill, also settled here. These two brothers afterward removed to other sections of Ohio. John Mckinley came from Virginia in 1819 and settled about three miles above Darbyville.

Francis Muhlenberg came here about 1820 and for a number of years lived in the family of Judge William Florence. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1823 and several years later was elected to Congress, but would only serve the first year of his term. Alexan- der Mckinley and Charles Bell came here about 1825. Jacob Yoakum settled here in

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

1822. William Fullen came to Pickaway County in 1827, and about seven years later purchased and moved upon land near Darby- ville. Abel Seymour, a son of Judge William Seymour, came to Ohio in 1827 and settled on a part of his father's tract. Jacob Thorn set- tled in Muhlenberg township about 1834; Isaac Seymour, in 1835; Baldwin C. Carpen- ter, in 1837; William A. Miller, in 1840; George W. Bolin, in 1841, and Joseph A. Pritchard in 1844. Henry Darst settled in Circleville about 1835 or 1836, kept hotel there three years and then came to Muhlenberg township. Other early settlers in this town- ship were: John and David Martin, Mrs. Bur- get, the Poulson brothers (mention of whom is made in the history of Darby township), and Arthur Whiteside.

WHIPPING A POLE-CAT.

"It was no very unusual thing for the new settlers in a wilderness of timber to become somewhat dazed and lost when they had occa- sion to traverse the timber out of some path or well-known course. Where the settlements were several miles distant from each other and the interval a dense and almost impenetrable forest, this is not to be wondered at. On one occasion, Isaac Van Meter, then well along in years, mounted his horse and rode into the woods to gather in some of his hogs that had been fattening on 'shack,' as acorns and beech- nuts were called. He was gone much longer than was expected and his family became alarmed and instituted a search for him. The neighbors were called on and after some time found him about three miles from home near what is now known as Robtown. He had dis- mounted and tied his horse to a bush and was engaged in whipping a pole-cat around with a little switch. When asked what he was doing that for, he replied that 'he became so very cold in riding that he had to do something to keep warm and it occurred to him that if he whipped that pole-cat about for a while he would get warmed up.' The general verdict of the searching party was that he had become pretty well 'warmed up' as they returned home, carefully keeping the windward side of him."

SOME FIRST EVENTS.

It is not known who was the first white per- son born in the township, but it is thought there were births in the families of some of the squatters before the actual settlers came in and took possession of the land. The first death that occurred in the neighborhood was that of a child of Jonathan Renick, named Seymour, in 1805. An infant daughter of Judge Florence, deceased in November, 1806, was the first per- son buried in the Florence burial-ground. The first marriage that can be recalled was that of Anthony Hall and Polly Wood in 1806. The early settlers obtained flour and meal from a mill on Darby Creek in Jackson township, about seven miles from the present town of Darbyville or from a mill on the upper part of the same stream, in Franklin County. The first of these mills was built about 1802 or 1803, and the other a little later. The first orchard planted in Muhlenberg township was set out on the place of Isaac Van Meter about 1808. About this time Eleazar Smith estab- lished a blacksmith shop on Darby Creek be- low Darbyville. A sawmill was built on the farm of Francis Hill, a little below Darbyville, about 1820; in 1831 it was equipped for grind- ing purposes. In 1835, after the death of Mr. Hill, Jonathan Blue rented the property and bought a wool-carding machine. It was sub- sequently rented by others and finally sold to Jacob Measy about 1844. This old mill was torn down on the completion of the mill in Darbyville, in 1877. A tannery, established by John Shepherd in 1819, was conducted by him until his death and then by his son, Abram, until 1838. James Magill also operated a tan- nery at an early date.

CHURCHES.

A Baptist Church was established here about 1820 or 1825, but it finally went into decay.

A branch of the Presbyterian Church was organized here about 1825. Services were held in private houses in the neighborhood dur- ing the winter season and in the summer, a pleasant grove was selected, logs being rolled

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HIGH WATER ON DEER CREEK

SCENE IN THE SALT CREEK VALLEY South of Tarlton.

RESIDENCE OF HARRY F. ALKIRE Deer Creek Township.

LOG CABIN BUILT BY MICHAEL ALKIRE IN 1800

RESIDENCE AND BARN OF S. H. RIDGWAY Darby Township.

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together for seats for the congregation. For some years after the completion of the Darby- ville schoolhouse, it was used for religious serv- ices. In 1842 a church was erected in Jackson township near the Muhlenberg township line, where the Presbyterians of this township had services for some time. A Presbyterian Church was finally established at Darbyville. Of late years the society has not been active and the building is not now in use.

Darbyville M. E. Church .- Services con- ducted by laymen of the Methodist denomina- tion were held at an early day in the township. There was preaching at Mr. Mckinley's as early as 1826 and afterward at a schoolhouse in Darbyville. It is not known just when the church was organized. It was at first a charge of the Scioto Circuit and then of the Franklin- ton Circuit. It is now included in the Darby- ville Circuit, which has four appointments : Darbyville, Pherson, Hebron and King's. The membership of the circut is 370 and the church property of the four appointments is valued at $7,000. The number of Sunday-school. pupils in the entire circuit is 480. Rev. F. B. Davis, who is stationed at Darbyville, is in charge of the circuit. The attendance of the Darbyville M. E. Church is about 175. The Sunday- school at Darbyville has an average attendance of about 110; Charles W. Davis is superintend- ent. The church at Darbyville was begun in 1842 and completed in 1844. A parsonage was built here in 1898 at a cost of about $1,500.

The Pherson M. E. Church is one of the appointments of the Darbyville Circuit, with Rev. F. B. Davis as pastor. The church has a membership of 125. The average Sunday attendance is 200. The church building was erected in 1891 at a cost of $1,200. The super- intendent of the Sunday-school is Robert Pher- son.

In the spring of 1878 a branch organiza- tion of the African M. E. Church was perfected at Darbyville. For a number of years services were held at the schoolhouse in the village of Darbyville by John Dickinson. The pulpit was supplied for a time by Rev. R. H. Morris, of Circleville.

CEMETERIES.

At an early day there were several ceme- teries established in the county, most of them being of a family or neighborhood nature. In 1879 there were not less than eight burial places to be found. The first cemetery was on the farm of Judge William Florence, where his infant daughter was buried in 1806. In 1875 the corporation of Darbyville bought five acres of ground just below the town on the pike and opened a general township cemetery.

SCHOOLS.

In 1807 Judge William Florence estab- lished a school in a log cabin on his place, hir- ing Brice Howard as teacher. Sylvester Tip- ton taught school in this log cabin after How- ard; Horatio Keys also taught about the same time. Rev. George Ambrose came to the town- ship about 1820, and taught school on the west side of Darby Creek near Darbyville. He was a Baptist minister and preached in the sur- rounding country. Mr. Abbott taught school about 1816 or 1818; James Rice taught on the Muhlenberg farm about 1817. The township is well provided with schools and the school buildings are of a substantial nature. The Board of Education of Muhlenberg township, elected in the fall of 1904, is as follows: M. F. May, Samuel Ankrom and J. Wilson-four years; J. J. Mclaughlin and W. S. Carpenter -two years. The clerk of the board is Jona- than M. Grabill.

In the early '50's a union school district was set off in the village of Darbyville and a school building was erected at a cost of $1,500. In 1867 a second story was added to the build- ing at an expense of $400. The school has. a high school department, in. addition to the grammar and primary departments. Charles W. Davis is in charge, assisted by Florence Terflinger and Minnie Dennis. The Board of Education of the Darbyville Village School District, elected in November, 1904, is as fol- lows: G. W. Miller, Harry Moore and C. T. Neff-four years; P. C. Thomas and Mrs. Laura Anderson-two years.

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HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY

At one time in the history of Darbyville, a school was kept up by the township for the education of colored children; a building was erected for the purpose in 1872 at a cost of $632.

PHYSICIANS.

The first physician employed in the town- ship was Dr. Scott, of Chillicothe. This was previous to 1810. In that year Drs. Turney, Webb and Luckey settled in Circleville and ac- quired the business of Muhlenberg township, as they were good physicians and more con- venient of access. In 1828 Dr. Raiff, a French- man, settled at Darbyville, where he remained until his death. Drs. Noble and Wilson came later. About 1833 Dr. James Allen set- tled in Darbyville, where he conducted his prac- tice for some 22 years. Of more recent physi- cians we may mention Dr. Richard H. Tipton who began his practice of medicine at Darby -. ville in 1846; Dr. F. M. Black, who came to Darbyville in 1853 and entered into partnership with Dr. James Allen; Dr. J. T. Kirkendall, who died some 10 or 12 years ago, after an extended practice; and Dr. John E. Miller, de- ceased in 1904, who practiced at Darbyville for many years and was a man of prominence in this section, being a Representative in the General Assembly at the time of his death. Darbyville has at the present time two practic- ing physicians : Dr. Joseph B. Justice, who has been located here since November, 1898; and Dr. Floyd E. Ginder, who came here in 1904.

SOCIETIES.

Good Samaritan Grange, P. of H., was or- ganized in Monroe township in 1874 but was afterward changed to Darbyville. It was long since discontinued. Darbyville has always been strong in temperance sentiment. There was formerly a very flourishing lodge of the Inde- pendent Order of Good Templars here, which was organized under a charter issued in 1875. It finally went out of existence. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union is very well rep- resented at Darbyville, where one of the strong- est societies in the county is active in the good work.

DARBYVILLE.

The corporation of Darbyville was platted July 27, 1826. It was laid out on land form- erly entered, surveyed and patented by Corne- lius Baldwin on the west side of Darby Creek and near the center of the present township of Muhlenberg. A store for the sale of merchan- dise was opened by Samuel Scott in 1826 or 1827. A year later a grocery was opened by George and J. P. Hill. In 1826 a blacksmith shop was run here by Charles McFeters, a mu- latto. The first postoffice was kept in Darby- ville in 1827, Rev. George Ambrose being the first postmaster. Before the office was opened the residents of the town went to Circleville for their mail. The present postmaster is James A. Miller. It has been reported that the postoffice is to be discontinued, on account of rural free delivery. The present officers of the corporation of Darbyville are as follows : Mayor, P. C. Thomas; marshal, Walter Gir- ton; clerk, C. E. Hill; treasurer, Ezra Hill; Council-G. W. Miller, Jacob Bennett, Dr. Joseph B. Justice, Charles W. Davis, S. G. Girton and John Sines. The streets are lighted with six, patent gasoline lamps. The business houses of the village are as follows: George W. Miller, P. C. Thomas, James A. Miller and Davis & Moore, general merchandise; Everett Brown and Millward Gulick, meat markets; Mrs. E. N. Devany, millinery ; Henry Radcliff, hotel; Charles Neff and Marion Stonerock, blacksmiths; Ezra Hill, dealer in agricultural implements of all kinds, wagons, carriages, etc .; S. G. Girton, sawmill (also grinding grain and feed) ; and Bowman & Snyder, un- dertakers (also with an office at Mount Ster- ling). The population of the town in 1900 was 250.

PHERSON

Is a small settlement of about 35 population, located in the southern corner of Muhlenberg township. District School No. I, a brick struc- ture with shingle roof, is located here; also the Pherson M. E. Church. I. A. Pherson con- ducts a general store and John J. Mclaughlin, a blacksmith shop. The latter is also a veteri- nary surgeon.

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CHAPTER XII

PERRY TOWNSHIP

'This township, lying in the southwest cor- ner of Pickaway County, was originally in- cluded in Deer Creek township. It is not defi- nitely known when the township was detached and organized, but it is thought that it was early in the '20's. Deer Creek forms the north- ern boundary of the township, which is also watered by Hay Run and Hamilton Run. In the territory adjacent to Deer Creek, the sur- face is broken and traversed by numerous ra- vines. In the bottom lands of this section great quantities of grain, especially corn are raised. In other sections a black loam is found which is more adapted to the growing of corn than any other cereal. The township is traversed from east to west by the C. & M. V. R. R., which has two stations in Perry, namely : New Holland and Atlanta. The population of the township according to the census of 1900 is 1,865. The township officers for 1906 are as follows : Trustees-J. G. Dick, Douglas Binns, Jr., and W. T. Hoskins ; clerk, F. M. Davis; treasurer, M. S. Batholomew; as- sessor, C. P. Clements; justices of the peace -- J. W. Wright and W. A. Welch.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 19

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 923

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923