History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c., Part 62

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968

USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c. > Part 62

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

The Rainbow and Repository was the first newspaper published in Bellville. Its publi- cation was commenced in Fredericktown, and, in 1849, was removed to Bellville. It was a five-column folio, and was published by A. Lau- back, at $1 per year. It existed only a few months.

The first number of the Bellville Weekly was issued February 28, 1872, bearing the name of Bellville Dollar Weekly, and was printed on a Ramage press, half platen, with a wooden frame. In one and a half years from its com- mencement, it was enlarged from a six to a seven column folio, received its present name, and its subscription price was advanced to $1.25. J. C. Potts and Thomas Faus were its proprietors, which relation, with a few intervals, has continued to this time.

The Richland Star was started by the Garber Bros., who purchased a small press in the fall of 1875, and commenced to print cards at their country home, five miles south of Bellville. During 1876, they issued a small monthly, a little larger than two hands. It was continued in 1877, and, in September, 1877, moved to Bellville ; and Saturday, October 6, the first num- ber of The Star was published. The work was commenced without a single subscriber, and, when the matter for the first number was about half in type, B. L. Garber and Aaron A. Leedy voluntarily headed the subscription list, and soon a large circulation was obtained. It is a five-column quarto, and published every Thurs- day morning.

The Exchange Bank was organized June 18, 1872, with Frederick Fitting, H. Alexander and John and David Zent, as stockholders. At the end of eleven months, Mr. Fitting retired, and a re-organization took place, but no change was made in the officers. H. Alexander is Presi- dent and David Zent, Cashier. It commenced with a capital stock of $12,000, with a deposit of from $12,000 to $15,000. The safe weighs 8,800 pounds, and cost $1,400.

Bangor is a small cluster of houses, located on the southwest quarter of Section 30. Several families of Yankees from the vicinity of Ban- gor, Me., settled there, from which the place derived the name. William Moore built a foun- dry there in 1847, and for two years did a flourishing business in the manufacture of thrashing machines, plows, stoves, and in cus- tom work and casting mill gearing. It was burnt down in 1850 by an incendiary, it is be- lieved, and this took away the life of the vil- lage. In 1850, Abraham Farquhar opened a sort of dry-goods store. remaining a short time. At this date, the place contains no industry other than a few ordinary shops.

The first school in the township was taught by Samuel McCluer. in his own cabin. during the winter of 1816-17. and in the same build- ing by William Spears the following winter. The first schoolhouse was built on the south- west quarter of Section 15, near where the Honey Creek House now stands, in 1818, and Timothy Evarts taught the first term of school in it, supported by country subscription at the rate of $1.50 per pupil for a term of three months, payable in any kind of provisions, clothing or work. This house was of primitive log-cabin style. 16x18 feet ; one end contained the fire- place, the other the door ; a log was taken out of each side for windows, and greased paper pasted over the opening to keep out cold and admit light ; the floor, seats and writing tables were of the inevitable . puncheon." and. although the house was romantic, the school was well patronized and a success. Young men rode five and six miles, bringing the noon feed for their horses with them: to have the young idea taught how to shoot. A similar schoolhouse was built on the southeast quarter of Section 35 soon after, to which children from Knox as well as from Richland County went for learning.

The propagation of religion commences with almost the first settlements of the township. The Dutch, who settled west of Bellville. were

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

usually communicants of some one of the Lutheran societies ; and the first church in Jef- ferson Township, before it was reduced to its present limits, was built by two branches of this church about 1825. As early as 1814-15, Charles Waddle and James Smith, Methodists, came to Bellville and organized a church. The Revs. Gowell, Ashley and Marvin, of the Dis- ciples, came a few years later.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Bellville, was organized by Rev. Charles Waddle, Will- iam Oldfield, father of Jonathan and Richard Oldfield, who was the oldest member of the first society, and his two sons, Samuel and Jonathan, and Robert Bell, were the most effi- cient workers of the infant church. The first house of worship was built on the site of the present one, by Lewis Potts, in 1835 ; its di- mensions were 30x40 feet ; and his statement of account ran something like this : “ To get- ting out timber, framing, putting on shingles and making frames and ten windows. $90.11." The house was furnished in 1836, and used for services about eighteen years. This was the first church erected in the Jefferson Township of 1880. In April. 1854, the building com- mittee was authorized to sell the old house, and in the same month a resolution was passed to build a new house 40x55, 16-feet story, in the clear, with a lobby of 9 feet. In May, Judge Jackson proposed to build the house for $1.660. and his offer was accepted. The new house was completed in October, 1855. Rev. W. T. Lewis was Pastor of the church in 1879-80. The contributions for all purposes amount to $650 a year. It is not known when the first Sabbath school was organized, but was prob- ably about 1845. M. L. Bonar was Superin- tendent in 1879, and the membership was 249; contributions $67. The church membership, March, 1880, was about one hundred and forty.

The persons mentioned above first pro- claimed the tenets of the Disciple denomina- tion, and John Moody embraced the doctrine

and became the effective power of the first organ- ization. Mr. Moody entered the ministry, and for some time preached in private houses. In 1830, he built a mill in Bellville, and, in that early day, the demand for breadstuffs kept the mills running almost night and day, week-days and Sundays. On the sacred day, he would preach in his mill to those hungering for the bread of eternal life, while his mill ground wheat to sustain the natural life. He built a church where the grain elevator now stands, in Bellville, which remained there till 1850, when it was moved some distance south, to accom- modate the railroad. In July, 1864, the church purchased a half-interest in the church erected by the Cumberland Presbyterians in 1855, and the remainder in 1871. The. membership, March, 1880, was forty-one. A Bible school was held in the old church house, and a Sab- bath school proper was organized in 1865, with T. M. Yearian as Superintendent. J. W. Kelly was Superintendent in 1879, and the school numbered sixty pupils.

The first appearance of a society for the dis- semination of the Universalists' faith was at Lexington, in the house of Amariah Watson, September 10, 1822, under the appellation of the General Convention of Universalists of the State of Ohio. A little later, a society was formed under the name of the Richland Associ- ation of Universalists, and a meeting was held in Fredericktown, Ohio, August 28, 1822. At a meeting of the Association held in Mount Vernon in September, 1846, Samuel Cutting and Richard Oldfield applied for admittance, and in 1847. the society met at Bellville, when the church of the place numbered sixteen. It was organized by George R. Brown, and Tru- man Strong and P. A. Smead, who were the first subsequent ministers. Samuel Cutting, Silas Cross, Richard Oldfield, Joseph Ford and Jolın Merril were the principal members. A house of worship was erected in Bellville in 1850, and dedicated in March, 1851, by Rev.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Dolittle. The constitution used by the first society was not recorded as the rules of the church required, and, in 1854, a few members drafted a new constitution, and had it recorded, unknown to the majority of the old members. This annulled their right of membership, and only a few ever subscribed to the new consti- tution, which greatly impaired the prosperity of the church. The present membership is about eighty. The Sabbath school was organ- ized in 1846, by Rev. Smead ; Samuel Cutting was its Superintendent.

At a meeting of the Presbytery, at Frederick- town, Ohio, April 18, 1838, application was made by citizens of Bellville. to form a Pres- byterian Church, and James Rowland was ap- pointed to exercise authority, at discretion. A church was organized, in the month of May, 1838. Those known to be among the original members were Enoch French, Matthew Geary, John Lafferty, Andrew Linn, Philip Traxler and their companions. Messrs. French and Geary were ordained Ruling Elders, and Rev. Robinson was their minister. The church flourished several years, and from 1842 till 1844, Thomas Smith preached regularly. About this time, several of the leading members passed away, and other ones moved away, which weakened the flock so much that it passed under a elond in 1845 ; its name disappeared from the roll-book, and a blank was made in its history. In 1851, the matter came before the Presbytery, at Mount Vernon, and from that date appeared to have new life. In 1853-54, a house of worship was built, which has been occupied since. Rev. W. W. Anderson assumed the duties of the charge, January 7, 1877, and is still the Pastor. The membership. February, 1880, was 110; contri- butions for home purposes, $800 ; missionary, $50 ; membership of the Sabbath school, 125 ; contributions, $45.

In 1866, Elders Van Horn and Laurence, of the Seventh-Day Adventists, pitched a tent ou the public square, in Bellville, and commeneed

to preach the views of this denomination. The tent was taken away in August, and further meetings were held in the Universalist Church and in private houses. An organization was effected December 20, 1866. A house of wor- ship was built in 1867, and the first services were held in it January 29, 1868. There were fifteen persons in the first society. Member- ship, February, 1880, was thirty-three. A Sab- bath school was organized when the church was, and its number of pupils, at this time, is forty-five.

The Salem Lutheran Church is located two and a half miles west of Bellville. The first preaching in the locality that was fruitful to- ward establishing a church was done in private houses, by .Solomon Ritz. Adam Shafer, a wealthy farmer of the locality, and earnest in spiritual matters, formed a sort of standard, around which the nucleus of the present church gathered. Rev. Ritz organized the first society, and in 1838, a house of worship was built, near where the present one stands. A few of the original members were Adam Shafer, Joseph Border, Jacob Beckley, Samuel Hoff, Christian Craymer, Jacob Shafer, Christian Russel, James Selby and their wives. Revs. Lane and G. Liter held the first protracted meeting in the new house, which resulted in a large number of accessions. The German Reformed Society assisted in building the house. and also wor- shiped in it. Some trouble developed between the two parties, in regard to the use of the house, and in 1860 the Lutherans built a briek structure, on ground outside of the lot donated for church purposes. Rev. G. M. Heindel was Pastor. in 1879-80. The membership, March. 1880, was eighty ; contributions, for all pur- poses, $450. The Sabbath school was organized in May, 1846.

The Pleasant Hill United Brethren Church is located on the southeast corner of Section 18. This church was organized by Jacob George in 1843 or 1844. James Niman, a

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

member and minister of this denomination, came from Pennsylvania in 1837, and settled in the neighborhood of the church, and he has since been one of the most faithful. The early meetings were held in his and other houses for a number of years after the first society was organized. The house was built, probably, in 1855 or 1856. The society is weak at this date (1880), and regular services are not held.

The Mt. Carmel Evangelical Church is lo- cated on land donated for the purpose by John F. Kanga, a part of the southwest quarter of Section 26. The first Evangelical meetings were held in a schoolhouse. The church was erected in 1864, at a cost of $1,200, about half of which was paid by Mr. Kanga. The mem- bership is thirty-nine, and Mr. Meissee is Pas- tor. The Sabbath school was commenced in 1865, with J. F. Kanaga as Superintendent. Joseph Kanaga filled the office in 1879, and the school numbered about sixty.

Bellville Lodge, No. 306, I. O. O. F .. was or- ganized by Charles B. Stickney. The charter was granted June 20, 1856. The charter mem- bers were H. Alexander, William Walker, S. W. Eels, James Oaks, Miles Moore, George M. Simpson, Abraham R. Kanaga, W. P. Crain and Charles Crain. Membership, January, 1880. seventy-two.

October 17, 1866, Thomas Sparrow, Grand Master of Masons in Ohio, issued a dispensa- tion to Joseph Hildreth, A. I. Beach, William H. Elston, Solomon Wagener, A. J. Markey, John McCune, William Lyne, William Menzie and Andrew Gerhart, to congregate themselves into a lodge of Masons, and appointed the fol- lowing officers : Joseph Hildreth, W. Master ; William Lyne, S. Warden; A. I. Beach, J. Warden.

On October 17, 1867, the society was char- tered, and named Bellville Lodge, No. 376, Free and Accepted Masons.

The Jefferson Grange, No. 251, of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized at the Honey

Creek Schoolhouse, about one mile south of Bell- ville, December 9, 1873, and received its char- ter March 24, 1874. The charter members were Aaron A. Leedy, John Garber, Samuel Shaffer, Benton Garber, Abner Oldfield, Theodore Gar- ber, James Lee, John Garber, Amos Fry, Lewis Garber, Simon Young, Samuel K. Garber, Lewis Young, J. W. Howard, Jehu Durbin and four- teen females. Regular meetings were first held in a building rented of George Aungst. After Jefferson Hall was completed, they moved from the Odd Fellows' Hall, which they occupied some months previous, to the room in the third story of the new building, designed for the pur- pose. The society has wended its way against fierce opposition, is prosperous, and numbers among its members some of the most success- ful farmers and best citizens of the township.

A. M. Collins organized the Bellville Divis- ion of the Sons of Temperance, No. 146. Its charter was issued July 22, 1874. There were twenty-four charter members. The males were J. W. Kelly, Thomas Fans, H. Faus, H. Kinton, W. C. Hamilton, W. T. Cole, W. Porter, E. Mar- shall, H. Howard, A. H. Potts and C. Brown. The society held regular meetings in 1879.

The Patron's Mutual Relief Association may be regarded as an outgrowth of the co-opera- tive principles studied by the Patrons of Hus- bandry. The matter of establishing a mutual insurance society was agitated in the County Council of the order. A constitution was drafted, and an election of officers held February 24, 1876, at Mansfield, resulting as follows : Aaron A. Leedy, President; Jehu Garber, Secretary; W. H. Shoup, Treasurer, and Levi Ross, H. S. Mosier and Amos Fry, Surveyors. In March, 1877, a bill to incorporate associations for the mutual protection of its members against loss by fire, passed the General Assembly of Ohio, and, June 16. 1877, the body re-organized, adopted a new constitution and was incorpo- rated. The business office was fixed at Bell- ville, and the new officers were : R. M. Coulter,

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

President ; Jehu Garber, Secretary; Aaron A. Leedy, Treasurer, and Thos. Poland, R. W. Has- lette and Simon Tucker, Directors. Valuation of property insured March, 1880, over $600,000.

The first orchards in the township were trans- planted from Johnny Appleseed's nurseries by Jonathan Oldfield, George Aungst and Scott Durbin. A few of the trees in these orchards are living.

John Leedy set up the first distillery in 1812, at his home, near the center of Section 35. The first year, and for a time thereafter. the whisky sold for $1 per gallon. Distilleries soon became plenty, and, at one time, there were five in the township, and whisky sold for 20 cents a gallon. The last one suspended operations in 1862.

The first birth in the township was that of Mary McCluer. Jonathan Oldfield and Eliza- beth MeCluer were married by Esquire Coffen- bury February 11, 1812, probably the first in the county. Mr. Coffinbury had no form of ceremony, and, to meet the emergency, he sent to a friend in the region of Wheeling, Va., for one. The first deaths were those of Ludwic Strong and Stephen Dodge. Mr. Strong died in 1815, and was buried at the west side of the Frederick road, in a field belonging to Heze- kiah Armstrong. He was visiting his brother, Charles Strong, at the time. The latter was the first person buried in the Bellville cemetery. His grave is lost.

Old settlers say the Clear Fork was three and four times as large (so much more water), when they first knew it, as it is at present. The mills on this stream in the Jefferson Township of 1815, were Shauck's, built in 1830 ; Phillips', built in 1833; Ebyo Perry, built in 1837; Herron, built in 1812; Zent, built in 1813; Stumps built in -; Moody, built in 1831; Johnston, built in 1828; and Greenwood, in 1833. A Mr. Cornell built a mill on Honey Creek, a short distance east of the State road, in 1821, but it went down in a short time.

In the summer of 1808, a furious tornado swept diagonally across Jefferson Township. It entered near the northwest, and passed out near the southeast, corner, almost stripping the hills of timber. On the land now owned by R. Evarts (part of Section 16), there is a space of about thirty aeres, on which there was not a tree left standing. Its width was about one- fourth of a mile, and its track can yet be traced through the township. The timber which for- merly stood on the ground now covered with a beautiful growth of young chestnut, owned by Jacob Burkholder and Casper Swank, was de- stroyed by this storm. L. K. Leedy remembers when he was taller than this timber. This was, undoubtedly, the severest tornado that ever visited the county. The only white persons in Jefferson Township at that time were the two young men who had just finished the first log cabin.

In the fall of 1812, Jonathan Oldfield and his young brother Richard, set a trap at a hol- low of a tree, where they deposited the remains of a deer, which they presumed a wolf had killed the previous night. They did this in the evening, and early the next morning Jonathan took his gun, and Richard followed after, carry- ing the bridles to catch the horses. When they arrived at the tree the trap was gone, but the hook-like device attached made a trail, which they followed. After going a short distance. they heard a ery as the cry of a child. They walked a short distance further, and, just in front of them, in the dim light of the morning. the face of a huge bear appeared above the brush and nettles. Jonathan instantly took aim and fired ; the ball penetrated the bear's nostril, entered the brain, and she fell dead. A cub was in the trap, and the grapnel had fast- ened on a root and it could not get away. Two more cubs were upon trees and were shot ; the captive was taken home alive. The mother thought her young one in the trap was sick, and she had gathered a great pile of leaves about it.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

The pain the trap gave it caused it to make the pitiful cries.

John Robinson came to the township at an early day, and settled about a mile east of Bell- ville. Late one fall, when he and his sons were (ligging potatoes, about the dusk of evening, the boys heard a hog squealing in the high nettles below his house. No attention was given to this, but the hog squealed again. Mr. Robinson started for his gun ; it was empty, and he had one bullet, which had the neck on. This was soon put in the gun, and, as he started, a young boy at the house told his father that he saw a man with a black coat carrying a hog away. Mr. Robinson was soon near the bear, and it scented him and raised upright, standing on its prey, when it received the rifle ball. The knife was used to dispatch him. The hog the bear had belonged to George Yearian, of Bellville, and the bear had eaten the flesh from along one side of its backbone from its shoulder to the hips. Mr. Yearian dressed the wound with tar, and it lived and raised a litter of pigs. It died the next summer. The bear was seven feet long.

On the fourth of July, 1815, John Leedy went to Fredericktown to participate in a cele- bration. His family remained at home, and about noon the old pig announced the usual alarm. Mrs. Leedy seized the old rifle, and her eldest son Lewis, the ax, and at once marched to the field of battle, a few hundred yards from the cabin. The dog, Old Sign, accompanied them, and when within a few rods of the spot, her restraint gave way to her eagerness for fight and she bounded at the bear. Bruin left without ceremony, with Old Sign at his side. Mrs. Leedy brought the old flint-lock in line and sent a bullet after him, but she was not familiar with shooting on the wing, and the race went on. A few days after, the pig gave the alarm again, and this time Mr. Leedy took down the gun, and when he arrived near the fight, the bear stood upright on the pig and eyed his ene-

my some time, apparently in a study whether to contest the ownership of the property in his possession or not. He swung his big fists back and forth a few times, but uttered not a word. Mr. Leedy knew the enemy ; he had seen him before. He was the " old one," a chief among bears. The gun was fired ; the bear leaped in the air, fell on his prey, howled, sprang forward toward his assailant, and, after hesitating a mo- ment, moved off. It was followed, but darkness ended the chase. The bear was wounded near the heart and bled freely, yet he lived. The next fall or winter he came in contact with William Simmons, who then lived where Inde- pendence now is, and, after receiving two balls from his rifle, he invited Mr. Simmons to a rough and tumble fight, which equaled some of Davy Crockett's best. Seven-some say, eleven -balls were taken from his carcass, a number of which were returned to their owners. Mr. Leedy received the ball he shot.

Rachel Gatton went to Mansfield one time with a web of linen, to trade it for kitchen utensils. She went on horseback and alone, her steed being a rapid traveler. After doing her business, she started home and when about half-way she discovered that a pack of wolves were pursuing her. She made the best of the time, but the ravenous creatures came up with her finally. The brutes jumped at the horse and bit him in the side, which made him kick, plunge and stamp, but he kept faithfully on his course, and his rider clung to his back for life. They finally arrived at the cabin, where all were eagerly awaiting her return, and the beasts were driven off.

L. K. Leedy and two of his brothers went on a coon hunt one night, and when a short distance from home, the dogs announced that game was brought to bay. The three hastened to where the "dogs were, and, in coming near, they saw a white object, which, in the extreme darkness of the night, they were unable to name. The dogs ceased barking and snuffed

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

the air, not daring to venture an attack. The object appeared stone still and like a naked child to the hunters. Lewis, being full of pio- neer bravery, ventured up to it, and still it ap- peared to be a nude child. He grasped the object, and, as he felt its long wool, his fright can better be imagined than described. The ghost proved to be a pet lamb that had wan- dered away from home, and when the dogs came about, it sat up, as a child.

Samuel Bushong came from Pennsylvania in 1837, and purchased land-thirty-five acres of Section 26. He paid $400 down, and secured the remaining $400 by giving a mortgage. He failed to meet the obligation, and, in the sum- mer of 1840, a judgment was obtained against him and the Sheriff advertised the homestead for sale. Mr. Bushong had made diligent efforts among his friends to procure money and have the property saved, but without success. On the 3d of October, 1840, he attended the election at Bellville, and no one noticed any peculiarity of conduct on his part.

the girls were, and were partially awakened by the disturbance. The moon was shining through the window, and they soon observed the deadly ax descending toward the head of the younger brother, who lay next the wall.

He dodged, and both brothers caught the ax-handle and held to it, and were dragged ont of bed on the floor, where a life-and-death struggle ensued between the sons and the father. They proved his superior in the fight, and finally wrenched the ax from his murder- ons hands. The oldest boy was severely wounded in the arm, and the younger was hit with the poll on the head. The murderer then seized his razor and renewed the attack ; but the weapon was taken from him and cast away. Thereupon he started for the woods near by. and was soon after captured by the neighbors. The scene in the house was most ghastly, and the murderer was carried through the house and compelled to view his horrible doings. His wife was lying in a pool of blood, mingled with her brains, and the daughters lay upon their bed, in the greatest agony.

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Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co. Number of Pages: 968

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968