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 92

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 92

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).

Mr. Snyder was a soldier of the Revolution, and lived to the age of ninety-three.

The township sustains a lively and flourish- ing little city, called Loudonville, situated on the line of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chi- cago Railroad. It was laid out August 6, 1814, by Stephen Butler and James Loudon Priest ; the latter gentleman purchasing the northwest quarter of Section 1. upon which Londonville stands. The first sale of lots was made Sep- tember 14, 1814.

There was one cabin on the site of London- ville before it was laid out, owned by Stephen Butler. It had but one room, but was used as a hotel, and therefore the first hotel in the town which was laid out around it. Mr. Caleb Chappel, who settled near the town site in 1814, was Mr. Butler's nearest neighbor, and it ap- pears that the latter was the only citizen of the place during that year. He was at that time a Justice of the Peace. Priest lived five miles east, and Mr. Oliver five miles west.

Loudonville, at one time, like all other towns in the new country, expected to be a place of note, and aspired to become the county seat. The " Walhonding Canal" was the thing that was going to make it a city, and although it excited great expectations, they were of short duration. as the project failed for want of proper finan- cial support. Mr. Butler was the first Justice of the Peace, and the only business man in the township for a number of years. Later, Mr.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Haskell was, perhaps, the most public-spirited citizen. He early laid out an addition to the place. He erected, at his own expense, a brick building known as "Haskell's Academy," em- ployed teachers, and by his influence and en- ergy, kept it going for several years. He started the first bank here in 1868, which after his death was continued by his nephew, George C. Haskell: When the latter died in 1876, the business was continued by the Lou- donville Banking Company, consisting of George Schauweker, William Garrett, J. W. Bull, William Campbell, J. L. Quick, J. H. San- born and J. W. Stacher. It is not a national bank.

One of the earliest mills in the township was that of Thomas MeMacken on Clear Creek, erected in 1834.

A. A. Taylor, of Loudonville, is now the owner of one of the largest mills in that part of the country. It is capable of turning out about two hundred and fifty barrels of flour daily, and is located in one of the best wheat- growing regions in the State. In order to ereet this mill, Mr. Taylor was compelled to demolish one of the first mills of the county, which had been erected about 1819, by Alexander Skinner.

Thomas HI. Stewart, yet living in Loudon- ville, was one of the first Associate Judges of Richland County, and his wife, yet living, is the only one of the first pioneers yet remaining in the township. She was the daughter of Caleb Chappel.

The population of Loudonville, at present, is about two thousand. There are four dry-goods stores kept by William Fisher & Co., J. W. Stacher, Adam Ullman, and Frederick Arnold ; three clothing stores, by Wise & Co., C. Open- heimer, and Steitzel & Co .; five grocery stores, by Jacob Buckheisen, Lewis McMahon, Samuel Hess, Joseph Yuncker and John Redd. There are two hotels, two butter and egg packers, a very extensive tannery by Godfrey Schawaker ; two foundries doing a small business; three

drug stores, by P. Ullman & Co., Leopold & Co., and M. Clough ; two hardware stores by Hartupee & Reed, and Priest & Frankheiser ; three stove and tin stores by Henry Pippet. G. G. Leopold and Daniel Prutzman ; three boot and shoe establishments by C. Petot, John Long and A. Barker; two newspapers, the Democrat and the Loudonville Advocate.

In addition to the above, there are many other small business institutions of different kinds, and the usual number of mechanics and laborers.

The secret and benevolent institutions are the Hanover Lodge, No. 115, A., F. & A. M., organized in 1843; the I. O. O. F., instituted April 20, 1854; the Knights of Pythias and Knights of Honor. The charter members of the first society mentioned were George II. Stewart. Adolph Clem. A. Haskell, John Ewalt. William Cullen, P. B. Griffith, E. B. Fuller and Jacob Boothe; and of the I. O. O. F., John Taylor, D. E. Stockman, A. P. Mather, C. Hildebrand and A. Yarnell.

There are seven churches in the town.

The Methodist was organized in the spring of 1834 by Rev. Ehore Yocum, in Thomas McMahon's warehouse. The early meetings were held at the houses of Joseph White and James Martin, and in the old Plank School- house. The first church building was erected in 1836. It was briek and cost about $500. In 1856, a frame was erected at a cost of $1.500.

The Baptist Church was organized in May, 1839. Isaac Wolf and John Neptine were Deacons. Revs. Wilson, Stearns and William Leete were the early Pastors. A frame building was erected in 1843 at a cost of $1,250.

The German Reformed and Lutheran Evan- gelical denominations erected a church for joint use in Loudonville in 1846. This building was destroyed by fire in 1860. These societies then erected separate frame churches. The Reformed and Lutheran Societies also erected a church in

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

the southern part of the township in 1846. The congregations were organized seven years be- fore the church was erected.

A Catholic society was organized in 1868 in Loudonville, and a brick church erected about the same time.

The Presbyterians had for many years a small society here, but were not able to erect a church until 1873, at which time they erected the pres- ent brick edifice.

An English Lutheran Church was organized in 1878, and the present brick building erected in 1879.

But little can be said in favor of the London- ville schools. Mr. Haskell's academy was, unfortunately, allowed to go down after his death, and there seems -to be at present, an opening for the Loudonville people to exercise their public spirit in this direction.

The Loudonville Advocate was started March 20, 1873, being the fourth paper established in Loudonville. It was a stock concern, and edited by J. H. Ruth, formerly of Ashland ; continued

in that position until December, 1877, when the office was disposed of to Messrs. Stauffer & Miller, of Quakerstown, Bucks Co., Penn. In December, 1869, Mr. Miller retired and Peter H. Stauffer became sole proprietor. The paper is neutral in politics.

The Loudonville Democrat was established in this place by J. G. Herzog, a native of the State of New York, February 28, 1879, and has just closed the first year of its publication. Its circulation is over eight hundred. It is neatly printed, and in a prosperous and healthy condi- tion.

The town was incorporated in 1850, and the following is a list of the Mayors : William Hook, John McCormick (twice re-elected), A. L. Scott, John Strong, Jesse Hayes, A. L. Scott (four times re-elected), William Larwill (re- elected), A. L. Scott, D. Rust (re-elected), A. L. Scott, John Strong, John B. Long, Robert Hill (re-elected), John B. Long (twice re-elected), John W. Bull and C. S. Deyarmond, the pres- ent incumbent.

CHAPTER LXX.

MILTON TOWNSIIIP .*

ORGANIZATION, BOUNDARIES, ETC .- SPRINGS-SURVEYED-SOIL AND TIMBER-HUNTING-GROUNDS-AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT-EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.

M. ILTON TOWNSHIP was organized June - 4, 1816, out of Mifflin, being at that date twelve miles long from north to south, and six miles wide. It remained in this shape until October 15, 1818, when Clear Creek was formed out of the north half, leaving Milton six miles square in Richland County. When Ashland County was formed, in 1846, its four tiers of sections on the east were transferred to that county. The two tiers of sections remaining in Richland were enlarged and called Weller, the four in Ashland being called Milton. Its * Now in Ashland County, formerly in Richland.

dimensions are, therefore, four by six miles, with. Montgomery on the east and Mifflin on the south.

No streams of consequence are found in this township, but there are many beautiful springs, one of the strongest in the county being found near the " Short farm."

It was surveyed in November, 1806, by Gen. James Hedges. Like other townships in the county, it was densely timbered with oak, beech, hickory and other hardwood. The south- ern part is described as hilly and the soil of in- ferior quality. The eastern part is generally level and the soil good ; over the remainder of

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

the township, the ascents and descents are reg- ular, in places level, the soil generally fair for farming purposes, but clayey. It must have been a good hunting-ground for the Indians, as large quantities of their hunting implements and war weapons are found-stone axes, stone wedges, arrow-points, etc. Some of these evince great skill in workmanship.

The Atlantic & Great Western Railroad passes diagonally through the township, the di- rection being northeast and southwest.

The following extract from the official record of the organization of Milton is given as some- what of a curiosity, being a little out of the usual way of performing that operation :

" Now, it came to pass when men began to multiply on this side of the river westward to- ward the lake, even the great Lake Erie, and the inhabitants of Milton Township became numerous and strong, that they said one to an- other, Go to. let us separate ourselves from Mifflin Township, to which we aforetime had been attached ; for why should we be oppressed by our brethren, and costs multiplied on us in carrying us before strangers ?

" Let us select a goodly number from among our brethren that shall bear rule over us. And they prayed the court at Mansfield, and their request was granted. Milton was formed, and became a free and independent township. This happened in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen."

This eurious document was signed by Robert Nelson, one of the township pioneers.

The earliest settlers came in 1814, mostly from Pennsylvania. In that year, Mr. Alexander Reed settled on land adjoining the old Hope- well Church, Section 13. His farm contained 80 acres, which he sold, in 1821, to Joseph Marklay for 550 gallons of whisky.

James Andrews came in 1816. He was a man of superior ability and influence, having served in the war of 1812 as Captain in the Ohio militia, and was afterward Justice of the Peace in Milton for twenty-seven years. Abra- ham Doty also came in 1816; William Loek- hart, in 1818; John Woodburn, in 1825. Other early settlers were Peter Brubaker, Joseph Bechtel, Joseph Charles. John Clay, John Hazlett, Henry Keever, John Neal and Michael Smettzer.

This is essentially a farming community, no town existing within its limits. Before it be- came a part of Ashland County, Olivesburg belonged to it. Its early reminiscences are similar to those of other townships whose history has already been written, and need not be repeated. The same may be said of the struggles and triumph of its early set- tlers, who came to it a wilderness, and have, after years of toil, hardship and danger. dressed it in the garb of civilization. Its earliest set- tlers worshiped at the old Hopewell Church, erected in 1819, but organized several years be- fore. This church stood very near the line be- tween Milton and Montgomery. Its history is noticed in the history of the latter township.

664

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER LXXI.

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP .*

SURVEY - FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS - ESQUIRE NEWELL -CHURCHES -OLD HOPEWELL-ASHLAND-ITS EARLY SETTLERS, ETC .- FIRST CARRIAGE-FRANCIS GRAHAM'S RECOLLECTIONS-POST OFFICE-SCHOOLS- THE ASHLAND COLLEGE-THE CHURCHES OF ASHLAND-THE BUSINESS OF ASHLAND-THE NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS.

SINCE the erection of Ashland County, Montgomery has assumed a position of importance, being near the center of the county geographically, and including the county seat within its limits. It was surveyed in October, 1806, by Maxfield Ludlow. In running the south boundary going west, seventeen chains and twenty links from the third mile stake, he came to a well-marked Indian trail running southeast and northwest. This is the well- known path of the Wyandots, which was fol- lowed by Maj. Robert Rogers in 1761, in his route to the forks of the Muskingum, on his return to Fort Du Quesne, as well as by Gen. Beall, on his expedition to Sandusky. This trail passed over the farm known as the late residence of John MeCammon, thence across the Ryal farm, in Milton Township, into Richland County, in a northwesterly direction through Blooming Grove Township. The east boundary of the township is noted as flat and marshy, with bottoms subject to overflow ; the timber, elm, maple, sugar, swamp-oak and alder bush.

On the third mile going north, a plain, much- traveled Indian trail, leading northwest, was seen. This passed by the old Newell farm, thence to near the covered bridge on the Wooster road, where it divided, one branch leading up the Catataway, and the other near the bridge on the Harrisburg road, by the old residence of Daniel Carter, Sr., subsequently known as the John Mason farm. The lands of Montgomery on the east are described as level

and rich ; in the middle and west part of the township as rolling and of good quality ; the timber, ash, walnut, oak, hickory, cherry, sugar and maple, with considerable undergrowth, and a number of glades. The subdivision into sec- tions was surveyed by Jonathan Cox, in No- vember, 1806. Mr. Cox found an ancient earthwork north of Ashland, which is referred to in another chapter of this work.

Montgomery was organized June 6, 1815, out of the north two-thirds of Vermillion, being then twelve miles long from north to south, and six miles wide. June 3, 1816, this territory was divided, and Orange created out of the north half, leaving Montgomery in its present shape-six miles square.

Montgomery, lying back from the principal streams, was not settled as early as the other parts of the county, no settlers being found within its limits for several years after the set- tlement at Greentown. Robert Newell was, without doubt, the first settler in the township. Ile came from White Eyes Plains (Newcom- erstown), Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, to Mont- gomery' in 1811, settling on the land afterward occupied by Hugh McGuire. He seems also to be the only settler until the spring of 1812, when Samuel Carter came. April 1, 1814, Henry Baughman, with his wife and one child, settled on Section 3. Samuel Burns also came early in the spring of 1814, from Guernsey County, Ohio, settling on land adjoining that of Mr. Newell. He brought his family by water in a pirogue. He was fourteen days coming up

* Now in Ashland County, formeriy in Richland.

IHISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

665

the Muskingum, Walhonding, Mohican and Je- rome Fork. Following there were Henry Gam- ble, March, 1815 ; Francis Graham, 1821; Jacob Grubb, November, 1823 ; Sage Kellogg, October, 1818; John lough, 1823; James Kuykendall, March, 1815, Section 6 : Henry Maize, June 23. 1828 ; Joseph Markley, March,

1815, Section 17 ; John McNaull, 1815; Chris- topher Mykrants. April, 1823 ; Andrew Proud- fit, December, 1817 ; Michael Riddle, spring of 1819, Section 2; Joseph Sheets, November, 1817; William Skilling, June. 1817; Peter Swineford, 1819 ; Elias Slocumb, 1817 ; Mich- ael Springer, 1815 ; Daniel Vantilburg, 1816 : Alanson Walker, March, 1822. The following settlers and their families were here in 1814 : Jacob Crouse, Daniel Mickey, Widow Treckle, John Carr, Benjamin Cuppy, Daniel Carter, William Montgomery, John Heller, Conrad Kline and John Smith.

Of these settlers. Daniel Carter, one of the earliest, cut the first road in the township, set- tling one mile northeast of the present town of Ashland. It was January when he arrived, and his shelter, until his cabin could be erected, was an open-ended tent. These pioneers must have had stout hearts to thus settle in the dense woods. in mid-winter, with no shelter from the snow, cold, wolves, bears, etc., but a tent. He cut and hauled the logs for his cabin as quickly as possible, but could not raise it without help, and traveled sixteen miles through the forest to get the fourth man for that purpose. He cut away the timber and planted seven acres of corn that same spring, but when Ilull surren- dered, fearing a general Indian massacre. Mr. Carter deserted his new home and went to New Philadelphia, Ohio, returning the following year and finding their premises unmolested, save that their corn had been partially taken by the wild animals. When informed of the murders on the Black Fork, by the Indians, the family fled to the block-house.

Mr. Gamble was a soldier of the war of 1812.

The cabin of Robert Newell was burnt by the Indians in 1812. Mr. Newell was a very illit- erate man, being unable to read or write, as were many of the pioneers, through no fault of their own perhaps ; but Newell was neverthe- less a man of integrity, a good citizen, and pos- sessed of good judgment. He was elected by his neighbors Justice of the Peace, and, of course, could not keep a docket or issue a sum- mons. So satisfactorily, however, and with such an even hand, did he dispense justice upon principles of strict equity rather than law, that his official acts were indorsed by a re-election. Eloyd Eddy, his son-in-law, and Jacob Kline, elected as constables, were also equally illiter- ate. In most cases, Squire Newell would refuse absolutely to issue summons. fixing up and en- forcing on summary but equitable terms of set- tlement issues among his neighbors ; but this could not always be done. In one instance, Andrew Clark demanded summons on Martin Mason for balance of pay claimed for construct- ing a mill-race, and the Squire. after protracted efforts to bring the parties to settlement, was unable longer to defer an issue of summons. Accordingly he called upon Constable Kline, and presenting that funetionary with a strong buckeye club. informed him that was his author- ity for bringing Mason. dead or alive. into "court." to call upon said defendant, and if he showed any symptoms of unwillingness to obey the summons, to make vigorous use of the club. Mason readily obeyed the summons, however, and the litigants appeared before his honor.

The Squire demanded first of the plaintiff, then of the defendant. a full statement of the matter at issue, which demand having been complied with, he rendered judgment as fol- lows : " Mason shall pay to Clark two bushels of corn ; Clark being a poor man, and having no horse, you. Mason, shall deliver the corn at his house. Forever after this, you are to be good friends and neighbors, and if either of you shall fail in the least particular to obey this

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

order, I will have the offender before me and whip him within an inch of his life. As for myself, I charge no fees. Not so with Consta- ble Kline, his charge being a quart of whisky, which plaintiff and defendant will see is brought into court as promptly as possible for the use of all present."

The Squire was quite an important man, as he owned 1,000 acres of land, and was considered in other respects in comfortable circumstances.

After the war of 1812, this township, in com- mon with all others in the county, began to fill up quite rapidly, and its pioneer history is not different from that already written of other townships. As soon as the settlers could get a clearing about their cabins, and provide for their immediate wants, they began to think about schools, churches, etc.

The first church erected in this part of the county was "Old Hopewell," called "Old" perhaps from the fact that it was abandoned for another of the same name, afterward erected in Ashland. This church was erected (of logs) one mile west of Ashland in 1819, by the Pres- byterians. In the first settlement in this neigh- borhood were several Presbyterian families, viz., those of Robert Nelson, Abraham Doty, David McKinney, William Huston. David Pol- lock, Abel Montgomery and others. These formed a society in 1817, which they called " Montgomery." The Montgomerys were prom- inent among the early settlers, hence the name of this church and the township. Rev. Joshua Beer and Rev. William Mathews were their first ministers. Thirty-four persons constituted the first society ; the first Elders were Robert Nelson and Abraham Doty. The congregation worshiped in the cabins of the members until 1819. The old church was a square log, sub- stantial and comfortable for that day. Its name was changed to Hopewell in 1820. One of the earliest ministers in this church was Rev. Robert Lee, from Westmoreland County, Penn. Mr. Lee afterward went further svest,

and settled in Crawford County, near the little village of Leesville, which was named for him. He was a well-known preacher in that part of the country, and a very excellent man. Old Hopewell was the "mother" of all the Presbyterian churches in this part of the country. In 1833, twenty-one members were dismissed to form a society in Clear Creek Township; on the 5th of August in the same year, nineteen members were dismissed to form a church at Orange, five miles east of Ashland ; in April, 1834, thirty-nine mem- bers were dismissed to organize a church at Olivesburg. Thus, in less than a year, seventy-nine members were dismissed, showing how wide-spread was the influence of Old Hope- well. People went a long distance to church in those days, but those were not the days of news- papers, telegraphs and railroads. After send- ing out these three colonies, sixty-five members were yet left in Hopewell. In 1836, the old log church was abandoned for a better one, in the village of Ashland.

In the township outside the town of Ashland, two churches were erected ; one, the Evangeli- cal Lutheran, on the east line of the township, in 1838 ; Rev. Mr. Wolf was first Pastor. The other, the German Baptist, or Brethren, three miles south of town. The latter have three churches, known as the " Ashland District," and the church is better known as the Dunkers, or Dunkards, (properly Tunkers), which name was given them in Germany, and still clings to them in this country, though they repudiate it.

In those early days there did not, however, appear to be any religious sects or political parties. It was emphatically an "era of good- feeling." When it was known that a man was to preach in the neighborhood, everybody, for miles around, came to the meeting ; it mattered little what denomination he belonged to, he was welcome. Most of the clergymen visiting this part of the country were, however, Presbyterians and Baptists.

667

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Ashland, the seat of justice for the county, was originally known as Uniontown, and was laid out July 28, 1815, by William Montgom- ery, who gave it the name of Uniontown in honor of his native town of that name in Penn- sylvania. When he laid out the town, it was all woods, and deer, bears and wolves roamed unmolested. There was not a cabin or build- ing of any kind upon its site. Henry Gamble and John Smith were in the neighborhood, and were the nearest settlers. Mr. Montgomery erected the first cabin on the site for his own use. James Kuykendall assisted in its erec- tion. It was of hewed logs, and occupied the lot upon which Treace's tavern was afterward erected. Mr. Montgomery kept tavern in it and entertained the travelers on the road be- tween Wooster and Mansfield. He was also engaged, at this time, in distilling whisky, which was looked upon as a respectable employment in those days. He was also proprietor of a tannery, which he subsequently sold to George Sweineford. and which occupied the premises afterward occupied by David Whiting.

In 1817, Joseph Sheets. William Montgom- ery, David Markley and John Croft, with their families. constituted the population of the town. Markley was engaged in selling gro- ceries, whisky, etc .. and had the first store in the town. It was on the lot where the town hall was afterward erected. Samuel Urie came in shortly afterward and started the first black- smith-shop. Nicholas Shaffer soon arrived. He was a carpenter by trade, but found nothing to do except hew out door and window frames. as there was no frame houses being erected. and no mills to make lumber. John Antibus manu- factured hats. Croft conducted the tannery.

The first vehicle in the form of a carriage made its appearance in the new town in 1821. Its springs were of wood, and, excepting the tires upon the wheels, there had not been twenty pounds of iron used in its manufacture. It was manufactured in Connecticut, and was

brought here by Dr. Luther, who was probably the first physician in the place. In 1821, Fran- cis Graham came to Uniontown and brought with him a stock of dry goods and groceries. He says at that time it was a village of four- teen or fifteen families, two distilleries, one saw- mill, one small tannery, one wheelwright shop for the manufacture of wheels for flax-spin- ning ; one blacksmith-shop, kept by Samuel Urie, and one physician-Dr. Joel Luther. David Markley, as before mentioned, was the first storekeeper, but he had no more than a one-horse wagon load of goods, and did not replenish his stock, so he soon ran out. Joseph Sheets kept the next store. He brought a small stock of goods from Steubenville, Ohio, in 1819. He did not replenish this stock. and soon sold out. There were so few people, and their wants were so simple, that store-keeping did not pay. Mr. Graham may, therefore, be considered the first store-keeper who carried a general stock and started a permanent store. The other two stores had disappeared, and he rented a room of Mr. Sheets, on Main street, and also engaged board of him at something less than $1 per week. Sheets was keeping a tavern at the time, the second one started in the place. In 1822, John Hull, the wheel- wright, opened the third tavern in a small build- ing which was, some years after, moved back to give place to the Slocum House, where the town hall was afterward erected. Graham found his goods in demand, but no money in the country to pay for them, and was com- pelled to part with them in exchange for prod- uce of various kinds, for which he found no market. Wheat was worth about 25 cents per bushel, but no one wanted to buy it for family use. and. as there was no market outside the immediate neighborhood, but little was raised. Oats were traded off at 12 to 15 cents per bushel ; corn was in better demand, and brought, in goods. from 15 to 20 cents per bushel. and became almost lawful tender, because it

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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