History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 81

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

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is divided into eight school districts, and there are nine school-houses, there being two buildings in New Lexing- ton. The present handsome and commodious two-story brick building, at Lexington, was put up in 1873. It is a credit to the place, and is a proof of the deep interest which is taken in educational matters.

MILLS.

Twin and its largest tributary, Price's creek, have al- ways offered excellent water-power to those wishing to locate mills, and from the earliest days of the settlement, Twin township's saw and flouring-mills, have been in operation.

The first mill was built on the right bank of Twin, near New Lexington, the center of the first settlement. It was erected in February, 1805, by James I. Nisbit, the founder of Lexington, and its early enterprise. Here the first wheat raised in the township was ground, and the first timber was sawed.

The first saw-mill was built soon after this on Twin, just north of Lexington, by John Van Winkle. This mill was afterwards bought by John Mumma, and then by Solomon Meckley. It is now a steam mill, owned by Henry Wick, and John Winkleman.

Prior to Judge Nisbit's death he sold the mill at Lex- ington to John Mumma, who tore the old building down, and erected the building that is still standing. The privilege of this mill was afterwards purchased by Stotler, Gale, and Glander, who, in 1861, built the flouring-mill at West Alexandria, in Twin township. The mill was operated by this firm until the death of Mr. Gale, which occurred in 18-, when his interest was purchased by the surviving members of the firm. A few years ago Mr. Stotler became sole proprietor, and in the spring of 1880, sold the mill to J. M. Kinsel & Company.

The second grist and saw-mill in the township, and the first on Price's creek, was built at an early day by Henry Price. It is situated in section five, about a mile and a half above the Eaton & Lewisburgh road, and is now operated by Andrew Clemmer.

About the year 1828, Isaac Enoch built a grist-mill in section eight, and soon afterwards built a second one, which is now operated by the heirs of Borlace Whipple, after whom it is called, Whipple's mill. It is now a steam, and water-mill. The upper mill has always been run by water-power.

WOOLLEN MILL.

The branch flowing from the Mammoth spring, with its strong stream of pure water, affords excellent ad- vantages for milling purposes, and accordingly, in 1830, a woollen-mill was erected on the left bank of the branch, not far from its entrance into Price's creek. Isaac Enoch, and his son Henry, were the first proprietors. It is a large three-story frame building, and ever since its founding it has been doing an extensive business. There is but one other woollen-mill in Preble county. Enoch & Son sold out to Joseph B. Shaw, who is the present proprietor.

In the early times Simeon Van Winkle carried on a distillery on the farm now owned by John Bare, near

West Alexandria, and Samuel Robertson had a still in section twenty-two.

CHURCHES.

In the early settlement of this county, a glance at the history proves that the settlers had correct principles concerning the necessity of maintaining a high standard of moral and intellectual excellence. In the country from which each emigrated, were the little school-houses and churches.

Though many brought their denominational religious beliefs with them, it was a strange thing to see a bigot.

In Twin township it was especially to be noticed that a spirit of liberality and religious tolerance prevailed among the first settlers. Yet they did not neglect their religious culture.

The first school-house was used as a meeting-house, whenever they were so fortunate as to secure the services of some passing preacher.

Deprivation of religious privileges only increased the eager desire for them.

Among the first settlers of the township there were representatives of two denonimations-the Presbyterians and the Baptists. For a number of years these people united in their meetings, holding them in the little school- house near where the Presbyterian church now stands.

About the year 1828 a difference of opinion arose con- cerning the propriety of allowing a Universalist minister to preach in the school house church, and though there was no bitter quarrel, the end was the establishment of the two most strongly represented churches-the Pres- byterian and Regular Baptist.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH

was the weaker of the two in point of numbers, and na- turally enough in trying to establish their church, formed an alliance with those whose religious beliefs were unde. fined by denominational lines.

After mutual conference it was decided to build a church on the most liberal basis, although it was to be called the Regular Baptist church. It was agreed that those who subscribed, should have charge of the build- ing, and have full control of the business of the congre- gation.

Prominent among the Baptists was Simeon Van Winkle, and the leader of the outsiders was Squire Nathaniel Benjamin.

Simeon Van Winkle donated the half acre on which the church now stands, in the midst of the graveyard that grew around it.

At the first election Asa W. Malloy, of Eaton, Nathaniel Benjamin and George Ivens were appointed trustees. George Ivens was the only one of the three belonging to the church.

Rev. Poyner and Rev. John Day effected the organiza- tion in 1829, during which year a substantial, though small and plain brick building was put up. Rev. Ander- son Adams, a son-in-law of John Van Winkle, Rev. James Sanford, Rev. William Williams, the pioneer Baptist preacher, Rev. James Eaton, a missionary from New York, and others occasionally preached, though

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during a great part of the time the church had no settled pastor.

About the year 1831 a preacher by the name of Bur- net, from Cincinnati, a strong believer in the doctrines taught by Alexander Campbell, came to the Lexington church, and in a short time brought all of the Baptists over to his side, except George Ivens, and a petition was sent to the Baptist association asking for dismission from the church. The petition was granted, and the church, though still liberal, was called the Campbellite church. Preaching continued there from time to time until about fifteen years ago, since which time the church has been deserted. Until 1879, the building was in a tumble-down condition, and Squire Benjamin, the only surviving trus- tee, was about to sell it to Peter Van Ausdal for eighty dollars. But the people of the neighborhood rallied, and a subscription was raised, which was used to repair the building. The United Brethren have been holding services in it since July, 1879.

PRESBYTERIAN.

At the time of the separation of the two denomina- tions there was a regularly organized society of Presby- terians, consisting of about thirty members. Rev. Sam- uel J. Miller, a Presbyterian minister who took charge of the congregrtion in 1828, was the first regular pastor. At this time C. Van Doren and B. Aten were the elders. In the winter of 1828 there was an interesting revival of religion, which resulted in an accession of forty persons to the church. The next summer the little brick church, which is still standing in Lexington, was built. It is still in its primitive state, with its old fashioned windows, high backed benches, and high pulpit towering in the center. In October, 1829, Mr. Miller was ordained and installed pastor of the church, which office he filled faithfully un- til the fall of 1836, when he resigned and took charge of the Pleasant Ridge church. During his ministry in the church at Lexington the following persons were ordained and installed as ruling elders: Isaac Pierson, Ebenezer B. Ayers and George Miller.

Rev. Miller was followed by Revs. John Crabb, Rich- ard Badau and John C. Mitchell, who was the last regu- lar minister.

When regular preaching was discontinued, about twenty years ago, there were not more than half a dozen mem- bers left, so quickly had emigration and death reduced the ranks. Robert Davidson and Phebe Ayers are the only members living in the vicinity. The aged pastor, Rev. S. J. Miller, is still living at Washington court house, Ohio.

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

" This church is a branch of the Lutheran church at Lewisburgh, and was organized about 1847, by Rev. Ja- cob Gruber, who preached there for some time after- wards. It is a little frame building, located in the extreme northeastern corner of Twin township, on the Syler farm. Michael Hoerner, John Chambers, and Christopher Syler were among the first officers of the church. Rev. George Baughman, of Eaton; Rev. G. W. Busby, Rev. George Baughman, jr., and Rev. Schroyer

have been among the preachers they have had. Rev. G. W. Busby is the present pastor.

About the time of the organization of the church, this people got into a religious controversy with the members of the New School Lutherans, who worshipped at the Shilolf meeting house. At that time Rev. Andrew Hen- kle, of Germantown, frequently came up and fought the battles of his church, and it is said that he was a very successful debater. Rev. William C. Barnet, now of Kentucky, occasionally took part in the discussions.

THE SHILOH CHURCH,

situated in the southeast part of section twelve, was or- ganized about 1840, by Rev. Thomas H. Wentworth, of the German Reformed church. He was the pastor when the house was built, and continued to preach until about 1850, when he left, and the church went down.

It was about this time that the party known as the New School Lutherans branched off from the Lewisburgh Evangelical Lutheran church.

At the time that the Old School branch built the St. John's church, the New School brethren decided to have a church of their own, and hence secured Shiloh church, where they at present have a very flourishing congrega- tion.

Rev. Abraham Recks was the first pastor, and it was he who engaged in discussion with the brethren of the Old School. He preached there for two or three years, and was followed by Revs. Barnet, Geiger, Helwig, and the present pastor, Mr. Graugh.

There is a burying-ground near the church.

KELLEY'S CHAPEL

was an old Methodist church, and was named after Rev. George Kelley, who organized the church, and is now pastor of the Wesley chapel in Cincinnati. The church was built of logs in 1835, on the farm of Frederick Hart- man, in section fourteen. The church had a small mem- bership, and soon went down, and there is scarcely a vestige of the ruins of the building.

GRAVEYARDS.

The graveyard at the Presbyterian church in New Lex- ington is the oldest in Twin township. The first burial in the township was that of Grandfather William Nisbit, who died June 7, 1809, aged seventy-five. His grave is just back of the church. If there was any earlier burial there is no recollection of it. In this place are also buried Dr. Robert Patterson Nisbit, who died in 1862, aged fifty-four; Dr. John Jackson Nisbit, June 28, 1864, aged forty-nine; Dr .. John Nisbit, their cousin, died in 1839, aged twenty-five; Frederick Miller, 1835, aged seventy-four; Elizabeth, his wife, 1835, aged seventy- three; Sarah Davidson, their daughter, July 1, 1880, aged about eighty; William Longstreet, 1858, aged fifty- eight; Thomas Nisbit; Judge James I. Nisbit. 1830; and others of the earliest settlers.

In the cemetery adjoining the Baptist church are buried Simeon Van Wrinkle, died in 1831, aged sixty- three; his mother, Phebe, who died September 12, 1866, aged ninety-nine years, eleven months and nine days;

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George Ivens, 1868, aged seventy-five; his wife, Rachel, 1873, aged seventy-nine; and others.

There is a general burying-ground near the Shiloh church, which is much used.

The St. John's cemetery is in low marshy ground, and is not generally used. Here is buried Christopher Syler, the man on whose ground the church is built.

There is a cemetery near Brennersville, in section seventeen, on the farm of J. A. Bantz. The first grave was dug there in 1812. Here are buried Isaac Enoch, Peter Warren, Mr. McGriff, and others whose names cannot be ascertained.

A number of graves in both cemeteries are marked with rough stones, simply bearing the initials of the de- ceased, and many old graves have no mark by which they can be identified.

The Dunkers have an old graveyard in section sixteen on John Hart's place. It is located away from the road, and is overgrown with bushes. Many prominent mem- bers of the German Baptist church are buried here. John Hart and wife, Jacob Bare and his son Jacob, and others sleep here.

There is a deserted little burying-ground in the south- east quarter of section fourteen, in which Timothy Pier- son and members of his family, and several others are buried. There is no sign of a graveyard there now.

Henry Hapner came to Twin township in the fall of 1811, but he could not forget his old home, and in the spring of 1812 died of home sickness, or "home sieges," as it was then called. He is buried on the Hapner place, in section four, a little north of the house.

QUARRIES

are found all along Price's creek and Banta's fork, though many good localities have not yet been worked. Price's creek abounds in good limestone, which is used for building purposes. The most extensive quarry is known as the Twin Valley Stone Works, owned by J. O. Deem. These quarries yield an unusually fine quality of flagging stone, the stone lying in very even courses of suitable thickness.

NEW LEXINGTON.

The plat of this little town has never been recorded, but investigation proves that this is the oldest town in Preble county, and for some time rivaled its sister town of Eaton in importance.

A short time prior to the founding of Eaton by Will- iam Bruce, in 1806, James I. Nisbit, who, since his settlement in 1805, had lived on a farm in section twenty-seven, laid out part of his farm into town lots, and announced that his new town was to be called New Lexington, after Lexington, Kentucky, whence he had emigrated. Mr. Nisbit built the first house, a log cabin, in New Lexington. It was situated where he afterwards built his brick house, in the eastern part of the village. A number of houses were soon afterwards put up, and the enterprising and enthusiastic founder of the little town saw, or thought he saw, in Lexington an embryo city. At the time of the organization of the county, when it became necessary to select a capital, this village

was first named as the one to be selected, and for a time it was thought that it would become the county seat. The citizens of Eaton and New Lexington each con- tended sharply for a decision in their favor. Mr. Nisbit worked very hard to secure for his town the name, county seat. The matter was finally decided by the legislature which, in 1808, appointed three commis- sioners and vested in them the authority to decide the question, which to the contesting towns was a question of life or death to them. Lexington had precedence of birth, and as the eldest, claimed the gift of the county seat as a birthright. On the other hand, Eaton was a hamlet of much promise, and, furthermore, it had the advantages of a central location. The commissioners appointed were Aaron Harlon, Ichabod B. Halsey, and Ichabod Corwin. They were to select between the two points, to establish the county seat, and report the same to the court of common pleas for confirmation. After viewing both places they found that as far as the towns themselves were concerned it was "six of one and half a dozen of the other," but in respect of position Eaton had the advantage of central location, and this advantage decided the fate of the two villages. The question of municipal life or death was settled, with the odds against New Lexington, and to-day the only reminder of the once high aspirations of the little village is the tall three- story brick house, which Judge Nisbit built in 1811, and which he had designed for the court house.

Since the decision against it, the village has lacked the spirit of enterprise so necessary to the growth of a town, and at the death of Judge Nisbit, the last hope of Lexington's growth died.

Mr. Nisbit sold goods at his house at a very early day. Lexington was on the direct mail route between Dayton and Richmond, prior to the building of the State road through West Alexandria, at which time the post office was removed from New Lexington to West Alexandria. James I. Nisbit was the first postmaster, and the only one. The mail was at first carried on horseback, and afterwards in a cart drawn by a tandem team.

The first tavern was kept in Lexington by John Haw- kins in a little brick house in the northwestern part of the village.

Nathaniel Benjamin, now living in West Alexandria, kept a public house east of Hawkins.

In 1836 Robert Davidson, of Cincinnati, started a general store in the frame house built by John B. Ayres, where Dr. Hill now resides. Mr. Davidson is now pro- prietor of the village store, which, true to the ideal of a country store, offers to the public everything from a needle to a haystack.

There are a couple of groceries where liquor is sold, a blacksmith's shop, and a shoemaker's shop.

At present the village has about one hundred and twenty-five inhabitants.

Squire Nathan S. Hart and Dr. H. Hill. have offices located here.

From the very first New Lexington has been the vot- ing place of the township. The school building, a hand- some two-story brick, was erected in 1873. The old

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Presbyterian church is east and the Baptist meeting- house north of town.

BRENNERSVILLE

was laid out about 1835 by John Brenner. He never had the plat of the town recorded, but sold lots of an acre each to any desirous of forming the little community. Esom Taylor built the first house, a little cabin in the west part of the hamlet, where the little store was kept and travellers were entertained. There are at present but four houses and a blacksmith shop. The name has gradually degenerated, and to-day the name of Brenners- ville is Sniffletown. It is on the line of the proposed railroad at the southern extremity of section eight.

*WEST ALEXANDRIA.

West Alexandria is pleasantly situated on the west bank of Twin creek, in the midst of the richest agricultural region in the county, and contains about six hundred in- habitants. One-half of the town lies in Lanier and the other half in Twin, the Dayton turnpike, which forms the township line, passing through the center and constituting its principal street. The town is said to be the wealthiest in the State in proportion to the number of inhabitants. It contains three substantial churches, the finest school- building in the county and many handsome residences. The town presents a neat, substantial and thrifty appear- ance. Its people are intelligent, moral and hospitable.

West Alexandria was laid out in August, 1818. Forty lots comprised the original town plat, twenty on the Twin side being laid out by Henry Keisling, and twenty on the Lanier side by William Alexander, for whom the town was named. Keisling was one of the earliest settlers of Twin township, having located just north of where the village now stands, on the farm now owned by George Sauer, as early as 1804. He died in 1835 and is buried in the village cemetery. He never became to any extent identified with the town, and Mr. Alexander, who did, spending his subsequent life here, is regarded as its founder. A brief sketch of him and of his settlement here may properly preface this sketch, the facts for which we get from his widow, who still resides in the town. He was born in Virginia February 27, 1791, and in the spring of 1817, with his wife and one child, a few months old, removed to Ohio. They were four weeks and four days in making the journey to Hamilton, Ohio, where a brother of Mr. Alexander then lived, and it rained every day during the trip but four. Alexander left his family at Hamilton while he went in search of a permanent loca- tion. He came to Twin creek, where his brother-in-law, Jacob Sorber, had moved the year previous, and purchas- ed of Jacob Hell eighty acres of land, a part of which now constitutes the south side of the town. The next spring be brought his family from Hamilton. They found here, where West Alexandria now stands, a little cleared patch of ground and four rude log buildings- the old Reformed church, a school-house and two cabins. One of the cabins stood where the store of J. E. Davis

now is, and was occupied by a family by the name of Coble, who soon after moved away. The other cabin stood on the site now occupied by the store of Coffman & Block, and had been occupied as a dwelling and blacksmith shop by John Clapp, the first blacksmith in the neighborhood. These two families were mere squat- ters, not owning any land. Alexander, after a short stay with the Sorbers, moved into the Clapp cabin, and not long after, William Sherman arrived, taking possession of the Coble domicile. In the fall of the same year Alex- ander provided more comfortable quarters in which to spend the winter, by the erection of a hewed-log addi- tion to his house, twenty feet square, and in the spring of 1819 Valentine B. Mikesell, who had been living at Nisbet's mill, took up his abode in the part vacated. From this humble beginning has grown up the pleasant and enterprising town of West Alexandria. William Alexander died in April, 1837, and is buried in the ceme- tery in this village. His widow is still living, having reached the remarkable age of ninety-three years. She resides in this village where she settled in the spring of 1818, having had a continuous residence within its cor- porate limits of nearly sixty-three years. She retains her faculties, mental and physical, in a remarkably good state of preservation. She is as spry and active as many peo- ple one-half her age. Before the beginning of the pres- ent century she saw, and shook hands with, General Washington. She was born in Lehigh county, Pennsyl- vania, January 1, 1788, and was married to William Alexander April 24, 1816. She has had nine children, all now deceased but two-Mrs. John Winters, living in Springfield, Ohio, and Perry, in Eaton, Ohio.

TAVERNS.

Early in the spring of 1819, Valentine B. Mikesell commenced the erection of a frame tavern of two rooms, where the Lange house now stands, and shortly after- ward William Alexander put up a larger one, where his dwelling had stood, on the present Coffman & Block corner. The erection of these buildings was quite an event, and settlers with their families gathered from many miles around to assist in the raising, and to take part in the fun that followed. They had a big dance, at which a kind of peach brandy ("peachley cure" Mrs. Alexander says they innocently called it) flowed pretty freely, and resulted in the whole crowd becoming intoxi- cated.

The Mikesell tavern has been owned successively by Michael Klinger, Samuel Fisher, - Miller, Isaac John- son, Fred. Shafer, Henry Weber and Henry Lange, the present proprietor. Mr. Lange bought the property in March, 1879, and has since made extensive improve- ments. Alexander carried on the hotel business on the other corner for some seven years. The property after- ward passed into the hands of Dennis Kelley. It was burned down on the night of July 26, 1863, being the result of a public jollification over the capture of the rebel raider Morgan. The fire was the most disastrous in the history of the town, the whole adjoining block be- ing laid in ashes.

*Our thanks are due Rev. Mr. Herman, Mayor Campbell and O. Shephard, esq., for courtesies extended the writer. The sketch of the Reformed church was prepared by Mr. Herman, and that of the public school by Mr. Sheppard.

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The Twin Valley house, now conducted by Wolf & Co., was established by Jacob Winters who opened the tavern in a frame house, which had previously been oc- cupied as a dwelling by George Loy. Since then, business has been conducted, among others, by widow Hutson, Jacob Feary, Jacob Good, Hiram Burke, John Wysong, John Early, Johnson Brothers, E. P. Galbraith, Wolf Brothers, Teager & Hefflinger, Wolf & Johnson, and Wolf & Co. David Wolf, of the present firm, has been connected with the house, with the exception of a few months, since the spring of 1876.

POST OFFICES.

In April, 1828, the post office was removed from Lex- ington to West Alexandria, and James I. Nisbet who had been postmaster at Lexington, continued to hold the office after its removal, although the business then by no means large, was transacted by a clerk.

A weekly mail was carried from Dayton to Eaton through. Lexington. Among those who have officiated as postmasters since Judge Nisbet's term, were Mr. Kep- ler, Elias Herdman, Esquire Taylor and John H. Gale. The present incumbent is Mrs. Julia Holland.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 81

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

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