History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 32

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559

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The spring on the premises, now owned by Robert Pryor and formerly by Judge Curry, was discovered by Peter Fleming about sixty years ago. He was digging a well for the purpose of securing water to be used in the process of making brick, and a very few feet below the surface tapped a small stream of water which has flowed continuously ever since, although of late years its volume has been considerably diminished. The water flowing from this spring, and the others in the neighborhood, if confined in pipes, will rise to a considerable height, an evidence, though not a conclusive one, that it has its source in a higher level than that at which the springs occur. Beside the spring on the Pryor place, there are others of almost exactly similar nature, at Nathaniel Haywood's at the home of Jonathan Flora, upon the Chambers lot, and one farther east. At Mr. Flora's a handsome stone fountain and basin has been con- structed, and it is there that the water can most conveni- ently be examined and partaken of. Dr. Michael fur- nishes the following analysis of the waters which flow from the spring upon the Chambers lot, which is exactly like that at the Flora spring about four rods distant:

A pint of water contains

GRAINS.

Bricabonate of lime.

3.30 Bicarbonate of magnesia .31

Iron compound

Bicarbonate of iron .75

Chloride of sodium 1.OI

Sulphur compound .25

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

This township occupies the central part of Preble county, and is the largest of the twelve townships in the county. It is bounded on the north by Monroe town- ship, on the east by Twin and Lanier, on the south by Gasper, and on the west by Dixon and Jackson. Be- sides being of the regulation width of six miles, it has a length of eight miles, being two miles longer than any other township in the county. This extra length it gains at the expense of Gasper township on the south, the latter being only four miles in extent from north to south. Washington township extended originally from Monroe to Somers, a distance of twelve miles, but at the time of the organization of Gasper township the lower portion, four miles from Somers township line, was severed to form this new township. The reason for mak- ing the new township smaller than the rest was that had Gasper been made six miles in extent from north to south, that part of Eaton, south of Main street, would be in Gasper, and the citizens residing there would have been obliged to go three miles to attend the township elections. For this reason the township was made smaller, to accommodate these citizens and those resid- ing in the vicinity of Eaton, on the south.

The appearance of the township is that of a pros- perous and well managed one. Good pike roads extend from Eaton as a center in all directions, rendering com- munication with the several townships a comparatively easy matter. The soil of the townships is good, although not equal to that of some of the other townships. By a continued system of thorough cultivation the agricultural- ists have succeeded in giving to their farms a prosperous and pleasing appearance. The greater part of the land has been cleared, although extensive woods are still found. Beech is the prevailing growth, the primitive growth of poplar and walnut having almost entirely dis- appeared.

Several large streams flow through the township, the prevailing course being somewhat east of south. Of these the most noteworthy are Banta's fork of Twin and Seven Mile. The latter skirts the western edge of Eaton, and is noted for the excellence of the stone which is quar- ried from the bed of the stream.

The history of Eaton, which is given at length, em- braces almost everything that can be said of the township. Being the only place of any importance in the township it is there that the history of the several businesses of the ecclesiastical and educational interests will be found.

CIVIL HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP.

Originally the whole of the second range of townships in Preble county was constituted for civil and judicial purpose. One township was given the name of Somers.

Washington township was established by order of the county commissioners, May 7, 1809, but not as now constituted. It contained ninety-six square miles of land, originally, that is in addition to its present terri- tory, all of Monroe township, and the northern half of the present township of Gasper, being sixteen miles in length from north to south. It was ordered that the

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first election should be held at the house of Samuel Hawkins, esq., in Eaton.

On June 5, 1815, Washington township was enlarged to include all of the territory now in Gasper, Somers be- ing curtailed to its present size. As then constituted, Washington township was eighteen miles in length, and contained one hundred and eight square miles.

In 1817 this township was diminished by the estab- lishment of Monroe. It was then twelve miles in length, and contained seventy-two square miles.

Subsequently the township of Washington was re- duced to its present limits by the establishment of Gas- per. It is now eight miles in length from north to south, and contains two tiers of sections, or twelve square miles more of land than the other townships of the county.

The first election held within the present territory of Washington township was in 1808, while it was an in- tegral portion of Somers. The officers elected that year and in the year following we give below. The an- nexed extract is from the township record :

"Be it remembered that on the fourth day of April, in the year of Christ, one thousand eight hundred and eight, the following persons were returned as having been duly elected as township officers in this township, to-wit : Daniel Heaton, clerk ; Isaac Enoch, John Mills, and Abraham Heaton, trustees ; John Spacht and James Black, constables ; James Brannon, Dennis Pottenger, John Goldsmith and Henry John- ston, supervisors of the highway ; William Bruce, treasurer ; Moses Dooley and John Ward, overseers of the poor ; Joseph C. Hawkins, hster; William Sellers, appraiser; George Harlan and Samuel Holliday, fence viewers.

Very little business was transacted the first year be- sides the division of the township into road districts and ordering a township tax levy for the purpose of opening and keeping in order the necessary roads; said levy to be equal to that imposed for county purposes.

In 1809 the officers elected were as follows : Daniel Heaton, clerk; David Sherer, Samuel Holliday, and Samuel Pogue, constables; William Steele, William Sel- lers, and George Shidler, trustees ; John Spacht, lister; William Steele, appraiser ; John Aukerman and John Spacht, fence viewers ; Moses Dooley and John Ward, overseers of the poor; Andrew House, treasurer; John Banfill, Dewalt Bonebrake, Alexander C. Lanier, George Harlan, and Silas Dooley,

Andrew House resigned the office of treasurer, and John Spacht was appointed to fill the vacancy. Daniel Hea- ton resigned and William Shippin was appointed clerk in his place. This year three justices of the peace were also elected, viz .: Jacob Roman, James Crawford, and George Shidler. David E. Hendricks was qualified as justice of the peace January 25, 1810. The next justice of the peace elected was Alexander Mitchell. His term, and that of David E. Hendricks having expired, Moses Dooley, and Joseph Wasson were elected in 1813 to fill their places-James Butler was elected in 1814. Later than this date the names of justices are not regularly made a matter of record, and rather than give a very in- complete list we refrain from mentioning them. When the election of all the minor officers is each year made a matter of record, and considerable space taken to chron- icle the fact that Little Berry Blackley is appointed con-

stable, Peter so-and-so, and Moses such a one, and Aaron somebody, elected fence viewers or supervisors, it is difficult to tell why the election of magistrates should not be mentioned, but such is the fact.

The number of voters at the first election in Washing- ton township is not recorded, but the poll book of the election of 1814 is given, and it may be a matter of in- terest to some readers to know who and how many were the electors at that time in the township, or at least how many cast votes. Just forty votes were cast this year, and the names which appear upon the record are the following: Thomas Ramsey, George Hardy, Alexander Mitchell, John Day, Richard Leeson, John Stevens, An- drew Frick, Abner Dooley, Nathan Sellers, James Craw- ford, Robert Rhea, Moses Dooley, Elisha Sutton, David Stevens, George Crous, George Maxwell, James White, William Custer, Phillip Largue, Thomas Harris, James C. McCamey, Walter Buell, Charles Hand, Daniel Was- ham, John Spacht, William Crane, William Sellers, AI- exander C. Lanier, James Crawford, Daniel McCoy, William Salle, James Cuttler, John Hawkins, Jonathan Lyons, Samuel Ward, Jonathan Deniston and John Ward.

EARLY SETTLEMENT OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

The first settlement in what is now Washington town- ship was made in the year 1805. Several entries of land were made the year previous, but no permanent settlements were made until that year. In 1804 there were no buildings standing within the limits of the town- ship. Entries had been made, but the owners of these had not yet arrived. In 1805 several settlers arrived and proceeded to erect cabins. William Bruce, the proprietor of Eaton, a sketch of whose life and settle- ment will be found in the history of that city, is be- lieved to have built the first house. In the same year, 1805, John Goldsmith emigrated into the township and settled on the northwestern quarter of section four, township seven.

John Meroney, a North Carolinaan, came into the county and settled on section thirty-four, in the same year that Bruce built. Both Goldsmith and Meroney, however, were later settlers than Bruce.

In the following year, 1806, as many as twenty cabins were built in different parts of the township. Several entries had been made in the year previous, and their owners came in 1806. A few of those whose names can be ascertained are given below.

George and Andrew Dooley emigrated from Ken- tucky in 1806, and came to Ohio. George entered land in section eight, of township seven.

Joseph, William and Nathan Sellers, Kentuckyans, settled either in section nine or ten, of township seven.

John Ward and his son Samuel came to Ohio from New Jersey in 1806, and settled in Washington town- ship. Samuel entered land on the east side of Rocky creek. His wife was Phoebe Sutton, originally from New Jersey, who had moved to Pennsylvania, and from there to Ohio. Nine children were born to him, of whom four survive, viz: Elizabeth (Sellers), in Indiana;

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Jane (Pottenger), in Camden; Sarah (Bennett) and Garvin, in Indiana.

Samuel Ward was third sheriff of this county, and was at one time county treasurer. He moved to Indi- ana in 1829, and died in Logansport, of that State, in the year 1856.

John Shipin settled in Eaton on what is now Main street. His cabin was built near the banks of Deven- mill, on the north side of the road.

In the following year, 1807, Christian Shuey settled in this township. The land he entered was in section twen- ty-seven, where the county infirmary now stands.

Robert and John Day emigrated from Maryland early in 1808, and settled on section twenty-four.

Henry Whitesell, a North Carolinaan, came to Preble in 1805, and settled in Twin township. After two years' stay he moved to Eaton, where he lived for one year, and finally, in 1808, he removed to section seventeen.

John Aukerman settled on the farm where Jacob Gid- eon now lives, east of Eaton, in 1806. He was born in Frederick county, Maryland, and about the year 1789 removed with his parents from Virginia to the vicinity of Columbia, Hamilton county, Ohio. About ten years afterwards the family settled in Montgomery county, near Williamsburgh. There, in 1801, John was married to Mary Hole, and in 1804 came to what is now Lanier township, Preble county, and settle on the stream since called Aukerman creek. He resided there two years, and in 1806 sold out to Samuel Teal, and moved to the place before mentioned, near Eaton. Here he resided more than sixty years and until his death in 1867. He had the first "corn cracker mill," a hand concern, in this vicinity, and farmers came for several miles around to get their corn ground. Of his family of thirteen chil- dren, only three are now living, viz .: Frederick, in Darke county; Solomon, in Indiana, and John on a part of the old homestead, near Eaton. John was born on this farm in 1818. He has been twice married; first to Mary Overholzer, and after her death to Hannah Wysong, who is still living.

John J. Sherer was born in Pennsylvania in 1760. He afterwards moved to North Carolina, where he married Catharine Smith, born in 1762. She died in the year 1826. Ten children were born to them, of whom Jesse is the only survivor. John J. Sherer died in 1845. Jesse Sherer, sr., son of the above, was born in North Carolina in the year 1799. He came to Ohio with his parents in 1806, and settled on section seven. In the year 1824 he married Mary Jane, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Strader, born in 1804. The Straders came to Ohio in 1809, and settled on section eighteen. In 1830 Mr. Jesse Sherer moved to the farm he now owns, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres. Mrs. Sherer died in 1873, leaving six children -- Jacob, who lives in Washing- ton township; Elizabeth (Irick), in Illinois; Mary Jane (Pense), in Monroe township; David, in Jefferson town- ship; Amanda (Harshman), in Washington township, and Jesse in Jackson township. Jesse Sherer owns thirty acres in section six of Washington township. Jacob Sherer, eldest son of Jesse, was born in 1825. In 1847

he married Rosa Ann Gephart, who was born in Jackson township in 1827. They have had ten children, four of whom still survive. Mr. Sherer owns a fine farm of some seven hundred acres.

David Bloomfield came from Kentucky to Ohio in 1806, and settled in Butler county in the spring of that year. After raising one crop he left, and in the fall of the same year settled in Preble county, on the farm now owned by his son, Reuben. His wife was Rachel Bar- clay. He had seven children when he came to this State. On his entrance into this county he entered one hundred and fifty-four acres, in conjunction with James Westerfield, whom he afterwards bought out, and, at the time of his (Mr. Bloomfield's) death, he was the sole owner of the farm. Nine children were born to him, two of whom survive, viz .: David, who is living in Illinois, and Reuben. The latter was born in Preble county in the year 1809, and in 1832 married Ann M., daughter of Elihu Hopkins, born in 1808. He had four children by this marriage-Sylvester B., Edmund M., John W., and Ann (Plummer). His first wife died in 1845, and in the following year he married Amanda, daughter of Andrew Harbison ; she was born in 1822. He had five children by his second marriage, all of whom are now living. Mr. Bloomfield owns a farm of one hundred and thirty-nine acres. His three sons were in the war of the Rebellion, Sylvester and Edmund in the hundred days' service, and John W. during the entire war.

Henry Duggins was born in 1787, and in 1806 he moved to Ohio. In 1811 he married Jane Sellers, born in 1781. He first settled in Gasper township, and after- wards came to Washington township, where he settled in 1811, the same year as his marriage. His brother, Wil- liam A., came to Ohio in the same year that he did. Mr. Henry Duggins had six children-Cornelius V., John F., Nathan, William, W. P., and Caroline (Miller), who lives in Eaton. The first four of these are deceased. Cor- nelius V. was born in Preble county in 1812. In 1834 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry M. Monfort, of Eaton, born in 1814. Five children were born to them, four of whom are still living. Mr. Duggins died in 1849 on the old homestead where his wife now resides. He left a farm of one hundred and sixteen acres. During his lifetime he had a printing office in Eaton, where the Register office is now located. His son, John F., was in the war, in the Seventy-fifth Ohio volunteer infantry, and while in Florida was taken prisoner and sent to Ander- sonville, where he stayed for six months. W. P. Duggins was born in 1820, and in 1844 married Mary, daughter of Alexander Lugar, born about 1826. He has nine children. His farm contains about sixty-five acres.

Benjamin Neal and wife, Mary (Sellers), came from Bourbon county, Kentucky, to this township in the year 1806, and settled in section two of township seven. After residing here for a few years, he moved to New Lexington where he died in the year 1818. His wife survived him for more than forty years, dying in 1858 at the age of eighty-seven. They had four children born to them in Kentucky, viz: Sarah, Nathan, James and Jane. Of these only Nathan and James survive. After

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

their arrival in this county, their family further was in- creased by the births of Benjamin, John and Mary Ann. Benjamin married Ann Kerlin, now living. He has been associate judge, and has held the office of postmaster at Eaton since the year 1871.

Some time before the War of 1812 Colonel Thomas Woolverton came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and settled near the Shidler farm. He was an officer in the Revolu- tionary war, and became a noted character in his neigh- borhood. He is said to have been a large, blond man, whose weight was close on four hundred. He lived and died in this township; Colonel William Woolverton and others in Jackson township are his descendants.

Adam Frase was born in Preble county, Ohio, in the year 1810, and died in 1838. Hemarried Sarah Williams, born in Kentucky in 1801, and who died in 1872. Five children were born them, three of whom are still living -- Mary, Margaret and Jesse. The latter was born in Preble county in 1830, and in 1857, married Melissa C. Shaw, born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1839. Five chil- dren have been born to them, of whom four are living.

Christian Siler came to Preble county before 1812, from Virginia. His wife was Margaret Groover. Ten children were born them, one only of whom is now liv- ing. Christian Siler, sr., the only surviving child of the above, was born in 1794, and in 1822 he married Hannah, daughter of John Niecum, an early settler of Dixon township. She was born in the year 1801. Eight children were born them, six of whom are now living. Mr. Siler owns a farm of eighty-one acres, about three miles east of Eaton, where he is living at the age of eighty-six years.

John Kincaid came to Ohio from Kentucky about 1812. He was married in 1810 to Mary, daughter of Edmund Moody. Ten children were born them, seven of whom are still living, viz .: Sarah (Gauger) lives in Somers township, Samuel in Israel, Cynthia (Runyon) in California, John M. in Eaton, Mary Kesling in Win- chester, Finley in Kansas, and Barthenia (Fudge) in Gratis. Mr. Kincaid served in the War of 1812. His son John M. was born in Gasper township in the year 1821, and in 1860 married Sarah D., daughter of Wil- liam and Sarah Duggins. He has two children. Mr. J. M. Kincaid owns a farm of two hundred and forty acres, about a mile south of Eaton, which he purchased in 1863. He resides in Eaton.

John Kayler was born in Rockingham county, Vir- ginia, in 1776. In 1799 he married Catharine Haynes, born in 1782. He emigrated to Ohio in 1814. He was almost poverty stricken at the time of his arrival, but by dint of hard labor he acquired six hundred and forty acres. He died in 1859. His wife survived him three years, dying in 1862. Three sons were born to them- - John Frederick, Benjamin and William. John Freder- ick was born in 1801, and married Barbara Christman, a Carolinaan. Two children were born them, Lydia Ann (Clapsaddle) and John A. The latter married a Miss Blin. Fohn F. died in 1849. William, youngest son of John and Catharine Kayler, was born in 1808. He was but six years of age when his parents came to Ohio. In

1837 he married Rebecca Delawter, who had come to Ohio from Maryland in 1822. He died in 1876, on the farm where his widow and three children still live. He has eight children born to him. John J. Kayler, his youngest son, has purchased the principal part of his father's estate. He is the owner of four hun- dred acres. He was born in 1849, and in 1875 married Sarah V. Dalrymple. They have one son, who is the only great-grandson of the pioneer, John Kayler.

John Stephens came to Preble county from Kentucky in 1817. He was born in 1790. In 1810 he married Margaret Fisher, who was born in 1792. John Stephens died in 1827. His wife is still living. He was the owner of eighty acres in this township, one hundred and sixty in Gasper, and eighty in Camden. He had nine children, five of whom are living, namely: Thomas, living in Gas- per ; John W., in Eaton; B. M. (Acton) and N. B. also in Eaton; M. F., in Greenville. N. B. Stephens was born in 1825. In 1858 he married Miss R. F. Conger, born in 1838. He is in the grocery business in Eaton, and also owns one hundred and sixty-nine acres. John Stephens, the pioneer, served during the War of 1812, for two terms of six months.

John Risinger moved from Pennsylvania to Kentucky in 1798, and afterwards to Montgomery county. In 1819 he settled in Preble county. His wife was Sarah Ann Pauley, a Pennsylvanian. His death occurred in Lewis- burgh, in the year 1857, having survived his wife one year. Seven children were born to them, only two of whom are living, namely: Catharine (Horr), living in Lewisburgh, and Elizabeth (Sayler), in Indiana. His son Abel was born in 1803, and in 1825 married Eliza- beth Sayler. He had six children, five of whom are now living-Sarah Ann (Taylor), in Washington township, Melinda (Deem), in Eaton, Caroline (Shurkey), in Wash- ington township, Levi, in Eaton, and William in Wash- ington township. Mr. Risinger owned six hundred and sixty-five acres of land in this township. William Ris- inger was born in in 1826. In 1844 he married Lucinda Pense, born in 1821. She was a daughter of Henry Pense. Three children have been born to them. Mr. William Risinger ownes a farm of four hundred acres. He was county commissioner for three terms, from 1861 to 1870. He has lived on his present farm since the year 1848.

William McGriff was born in 1793. He came to Ohio in the year 1820 and settled near Eaton. His wife, Eliz- abeth Hole, was born in 1792, and died in 1875. Four- teen children were born to them, of whom ten are still living, namely: James, Ellen, Lucretia, Mary, Effie Ann, Matilda, Sarah, Margaret, Charles and John R. William, Elizabeth, Catharine and Hannah are deceased.

Levin T. McCabe came to Eaton in 1826, from Mary- land, where he was born in 1807.

George Peters was born in Franklin county, Virginia, in the year 1817, and in 1828 he moved to Ohio and settled in Gasper township on the farm now owned by Aaron Brower. His wife, Sophia, daughter of William Smith, was born in the year 1815; seven children were born to him, all of whom are now living. Mr. Peters is

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the proprietor of a large tile factory, which burns about fifty thousand tile a year.

Lewis Marker came to Preble county in the year 1839. He was born in Maryland in the year 1807. His settle- ment was made in the southwestern part of Twin town- ship, where he purchased two hundred and forty-seven acres of land. His wife, Nancy Curtain, was born in the year 1809. He has had eight children born to him. He is now living on his farm, about two miles east of Eaton, on the Eaton and Dayton pike. Ephraim Marker, his son, was born in 1841 in Twin township. He mar- ried, in 1864, Rebecca J., daughter of John and Mary Craig, born in 1843. Her parents came from Virginia to Preble county in 1837, and settled in Washington township. John Craig died in 1873; his wife is still living and resides with Ephraim Marker. Mr. Marker came to Washington township in 1878. He has had four children born to him; all of whom are living. He has a farm of two hundred and three acres in Washing- ton township, and twenty acres in Twin.

Ezra Creager was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, November 13, 1813, his father having emigrated from Maryland to that county the year previous. In 1834 he married Delilah Ford, who was born in Kentucky, July, 1814, and in March, 1837, moved to Preble and settled on one hundred and twenty-five acres where he now lives. He started in life poor, and his subsequent pros- perity has been due to his industry and prudence. He has raised a family of nine children, six boys and three girls, and it is a somewhat singular circumstance that death has not yet broken the family circle. The chil- dren are Elizabeth Ann (Risinger), residing in Eaton; Lydia Ann (House), Mary Ann (Disher) and Levi A., in Monroe township; John R., Catharine (Fudge), Angeline (Risinger), and Joseph F., in this township, and Sarah Jane (Christman) in Iowa.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 32

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 559

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559