USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 38
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
FIRST ELECTION.
The first election in Union township after the organization of Union county was held at the house of John Mathers, in Milford, October 10, 1820.
THE TOWN OF MIL FORD CENTER.
The origin of the name Milford is rather queer and probably few now living know its real origin. In the first few years of the nineteenth century a number of brave frontiersmen located on both sides of Big Darby creek, and, desiring to cross with their teams and wagons in the interest of their business and social intercourse, they cleared out the brush and trees from the stream, and this place was then known as a ford. So the stranger and settler used to talk about crossing at Darby Ford. A little later on came George Reed and erected a mill, hence the name was changed to Mill-ford, and when the town sprang up it became natural that it should be called Millford, and in time one "1" was dropped, leaving it Milford. The place got a postoffice in 1809 and Aaron Watson was made postmaster. Then, along in the twenties, the place was looked upon as the town of the county, and aspired to be the county seat. It was then that it put on more dignity and was called "Milford Center."
When the postoffice was established here letter postage was twenty-five cents; now it is two. At first there were no stamps, but all had to be paid in advance and letters marked "Paid" at sending place. There were no en- velopes used in the world then, and so paper was neatly folded and it was then held together by means of a sealing wax wafer. Vast the changes in Union county and also in postal facilities since that long-ago period.
This town was laid out and platted by George Reed on land then situated in Delaware county, near Reed's Mill, in Survey No. 3016. The plat is recorded in Vol. III, pages 492-03, and the date thereof was April 9, 1816. It appears that a postoffice was established at this point in 1809, with Aaron Watson as postmaster. It so remained until 1829. when the office was changed in name to Milford Center, with William Gabriel as postmaster. From July. 1865, to January, 1866. it was called Flint ( that is, the postoffice was). then changed back to Milford Center, same as today.
In 1837 the Ohio Gasette, published at Columbus, gave the following account of Milford: "A post town of Union county, situated near the cen- ter of Union township, on the south bank of Big Darby creek, five miles southwest of Marysville, thirty-two miles northwest of Columbus, and
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twenty-two southeast of Bellefontaine, on mail route No. 1,616, carried on horse back once a week from Columbus through the place to Bellefontaine and back. The name of the postoffice is Milford Center. The town con- tains thirty dwelling houses, three stores, one tavern, one grist mill, one saw mill, one physician, two meeting houses-Presbyterian and Methodist-and several mechanics' shops."
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
Milford was incorporated as a village in 1853. as the result of the petition of F. Garwood, E. L. Reynolds and forty others, praying to the county com- missioners for such an incorporation. For a time this village government went forward, but when the Civil War came on, and many went to the front in defense of their country, the corporation was at a standstill until 1866, when it was re-incorporated.
The following have served as mayors of Milford Center : David Burn- ham, 1838-41 ; Andrew Keys, 18.41-43: David Burnham, 1843-44; Andrew Keys, 1844-47: J. F. Mann, 1853-54: Charles Sawyer, 1855-57: Wilson Reed, 1857-58; William Winget. 1858; James H. Neal, 1866-71; William Winget, 1871-75: S. D. Elliott, 1875-77: Jeff G. Turner, 1877-79; Allison Amrine, 1879-1881; Jeff G. Turner, 1881-83; William C. Bennett, 1883-87; Jeff G. Turner, 1887-88; Turner was elected county recorder, and Spencer Garwood was appointed in his stead; A. H. Goodwin, 1889-93: Goodwin was elected county recorder and Spencer Garwood served from 1893 to 1895; William C. Bennett, 1895-96 (resigned ) : Charles Rice, 1896-97; Orlando McAdow, 1897-1901 ; John A. Kennington, 1901-03; Charles F. Monroe, 1903-05: M. M. Connor, 1905 ; he died before taking his office and Frank G. Fullington was chosen until 1907: Frank G. Fullington, 1907-13; Harry L. Agner. 1914-16.
The 1914 town officials are as follows: Dr. W. H. Wills, H. E. Mc- Connell, Frank Brigler, Lewis F. Erb (chairman), Edward Mackan and Charles S. Haines, members of the council. Edward H. Morgan, clerk ; A. J. Huffer, treasurer; Oscar Miller, marshal : police justice, John A. Ken- nington : deputy marshal, Fred Stoll.
POSTOFFICE IIISTORY.
The record as sent from Washington, D. C. (especially for this work) gives the following list of postmasters for this office, with the various changes
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
in names : Office established June 27, 1809; first postmaster, Aaron Wat- son: the next commissioned was William Gabriel, August 4, 1823: name changed from Milford to Milford Center, July 20, 1829, with William Gabriel as postmaster ; Norman Chipman, September 10, 1832; David Burn- ham, February 4, 1842: O. C. Kennedy, July 23, 1845; name changed to Flint, July, 1865, and so continued until January, 1866, then changed back to Milford Center. with O. C. Kennady as postmaster : Dwight Webb, Janu- ary 24, 1870: Larkin Smith, July 26, 1871 : William M. Snodgrass. Septem- ber 29. 1873: J. W. Fleming, December 11, 1885; Charles Rice, December 13, 1886; John B. Cranston, June 20, 1889; George F. Bennett, October 14, 1893; E. R. Hathaway, September 24, 1807: Louis C. Burnham, August 25. 190.1. There are now two rural delivery routes from this office.
MILLS AND FACTORIES.
Between about 1810 and 1812, George Reed erected a log mill on the Big Darby at Milford. This was about the first mill in the county-the one at Plain City being built about this date, some say a few years before the one at Milford. It was destroyed by fire in 1818 but rebuilt by Mr. Reed, who immediately constructed a frame mill on its site. Other owners of this mill property were William Parkinson. Jacob Fairfield, Standish Colver, Timothy and John Elwell, who added a carding machine to the grist-mill. Later. James Reed, then Moore & Weller, who were succeeded by Weller & Neal. who in 1870 erected a better mill in front of the old one. They were suc- ceeded by Price & Waldron, who sold to S. D. Elliott, who owned the prop- erty in 1883. It has long since gone the way of most of the mills in Ohio in the smaller towns-to ruin and decay. The milling industry has ma- terially changed and is now controlled and centralized in larger cities by great milling syndicates. In connection with the pioneer grist-mill, Mr. Reed also had a saw mill which cut much of the early lumber in this section.
At an early day there were several distilleries in this township. These were run on a small scale and after a few years went out of business. Among these was the one operated by Richard Gabriel on his farm: also one by Harvey and David Burnham, near Milford.
About 1815. Joel Frankelberger started his tannery, which he sold to George Reed in 1818. Warren Rose carried it on until too old and feeble to further undertake the work. For many years this tannery was operated to its full capacity and supplied leather for Urbana and many surrounding
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towns, with fine saddle skirtings and other leathers. Two other tanneries were started in the township and run a few years each.
About 1845, Childs & Colver erected a building at Milford for the manu- facture of fine carriages and wagons. It was carried on until 1855, when Charles Erb succeeded them. He made a large addition to the first buildings and ran on a large scale many years. After his death the work was carried on by his sons, who turned their special attention to heavy farm wagons. This, like other industries, has changed with the time and larger factories in great centers make most of the wagons produced in the country.
BUSINESS INTERESTS OF 1914.
In November, 1914, the following business and professional interests were represented at Milford Center. The population was about seven hun- dred and fifty :
Attorney-F. G. Fullington.
Agricultural Implements-Robinson, Richter Company.
Banks-Milford Center Bank, Farmers & Merchants Bank.,
Barber Shops-"Citizens," William Bonham, E. T. Evans, J. F. Snyder. Blacksmith Shops-Olie Wright, D. E. Wade.
Bakery-Mrs. C. F. Goetz.
Cement Works-Milford Center Lumber and Supply Company.
Drugs-George Lyons.
Dray Lines-Pearl Woodson, Henry Woodson.
Dentist-George L. Coe.
Elevator-Ohio Elevator & Grain Company.
Furniture -- E. E. Gabriel.
Grocers-N. C. Madden, W. M. Snodgrass, A. J. Huffer, Arthur & Gansheimer.
Harness-C. S. Haynes.
Hardware-Robinson, Richter Company, C. S. Haynes, John Whitiner.
Hotel-"Richter," John Richter, proprietor.
Insurance Agency -- John A. Kennington & Son.
Jeweler-George Ryan.
Lumber -- Milford Center Lumber and Supply Company.
Livery-Fred Stoll.
Millinery -- Mrs. Mary Snodgrass.
Meat Market-Olin Carter, D. C. Black.
Mills ( Feed )-Ohio Elevator & Grain Company. Newspaper-"The Ohioan," H. L. Anger, editor.
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
Physicians -- Baylor & Baylor, W. H. Wills. B. E. Baker.
Restaurants-Fred Richter, C. S. Lawson.
Stock Buyer-John Clemans. General Merchandise-Ed. C. Madden.
Shoe Repairing-Joseph Upchurch.
The lodges of the town are the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias fraternities. The churches are the Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian. Christian. Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal. There has been a Baptist church, but of late it has discontinued services.
IRWIN STATION.
This little village now has about one hundred and twenty-five residents. It was made a station on the Big Four railroad, as now known, and is situated five miles southwest of Milford Center. It was named in honor of a very early settler, who became a prominent citizen in the township. The first house erected here was that of James Miller ; the first store was owned by John Parkinson : the pioneer blacksmith was William Phelps ; David Clem- ents was the first postmaster. In the eighties this was a great hay and straw shipping point : also an extensive business was done in buying and selling wood. In 1880 a large brick school building was erected at a cost of six thousand dollars. This place has not grown to be one of any great importance. but has the usual number of small shops and stores found in villages of its size. It is particularly noted for soldiers' reunions each year, with free din- ners furnished to all-numbering thousands-by its citizens.
HOMER.
Homer was another hamlet in this township and at one time was a sprightly business point, but with the passage of years it went down. The county records say "Surveyed, October 10. 1834, for Elisha Reynolds, Sur- veys No. 7.780 and 4,946, on the waters of Little Darby creek. Filed and recorded November 1, 1834, F. B. Smith, recorder." In 1880, there were only a half dozen tumble-down houses left within the village, where at an early date there was a good saw mill propelled by the waters of Little Darby, a large general store, a furniture factory, a wagon and carriage shop (first in Union county for the making of buggies), one cabinet shop, a shoe shop and a woolen and carding mill with a spinning jenny. In 1840 it was at the zenith of its glory.
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CHAPTER XX.
DARBY TOWNSHIP.
This was one of the three original sub-divisions of Union county. Its territory covered a large extent of the domain now found within Union county. It derived its name from Darby creek. It may also be stated that Darby is the oldest township in the county. It was at first formed as a part of Franklin county, May 10. 1803, and took in a large scope of territory. After its organization as a part of Union county in 1820, the first election was held October 10, for state and county officials. Frederick Sager, Samuel Robinson and James Boal were the judges; forty-nine votes were cast ; James Ewing received forty-seven for sheriff: James Kennedy, forty-two for coroner ; Robert Nelson, forty-four for commissioner ; Ethan Brown, forty- four for governor, and Joseph Vance, thirty-one for Congress.
The outlines of this township are very irregular, conforming as they do to the topography of the country contained within its borders. The Pitts- burg, Cincinnati & St. Louis railroad traverses the township from northwest to southeast. South of the Big Darby creek in this township, most of the land is a part of the famous Darby Plains, which extends far down into Madison county, and were so named from the scanty growth of forest trees. Probably one half of its surface was originally covered with small burr oak and hickory groves. Among the wild fruits here found and enjoyed by the pioneers were the luscious plums. The openings, or prairie lands, were con- sidered almost worthless by early settlers, hence were the last to be entered and improved. Today these lands are of the most value for agricultural purposes. As time passed and other lands became scarce, the settlers ven- tured out onto the plains where the land was wet, black and impregnated with the dread malaria. They commenced to ditch and drain and within a few years it became known that the possessors of these lands had a veritable gold mine in this rich soil, which, when properly drained, produces all crops com- mon to this latitude. Lands here only sold at from forty cents to two dollars per acre, while north of the river or creek, in the same township, they sold at about three dollars and sometimes five per acre. The northern portion of the township was originally heavily covered with timber, including sugar
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
maple, white ash, ehm, walnut, white oak, hickory, and a profuse growth of underbrush, iron and dog wood, with some sassafras, hazel, etc. Here the soil is a limestone clay. and the topography is usually level, except near the streams where it is but slightly broken.
LAST OF THE INDIANS.
A former writer on the annals of Union county gives the following con- cerning the last of the Indian and the first of the white race in this part of the county :
"At the time the earliest settlers took possession of their farms in this region Indians were numerous. They lived farther north and only descended the Big Darby to engage in hunting and fishing. They encamped here and often remained for several months at a time. The site of North Liberty was one of their favorite tenting grounds. When the War of 1812 opened apprehensions of trouble with these Indians were entertained, but they remain- ed friendly and no hostilities arose to mar their peaceful relations. Some of the rougher class of settlers were on intimate terms with the Indians and would go to their camps and join in the feasts that were held there. The children of the earliest pioneer were for a time in mortal dread of them and it required a long time before they could be accustomed to their presence.
"James Robinson had one of the earliest orchards in this part of the county, and an interesting incident is related of him in the township history of Jerome, to which the reader is referred.
"When the troubles of 1812 had commenced. it was several times rumored that the Indians had taken up arms and were preparing to make a raid on the settlement. Many families, panic-stricken, deserted their homes and fled to the south. At one time a party of the settlers, including Moses Mitchell, then a lad of sixteen years, fearlessly marched to the Indian villages, far to the north, to ascertain if they had concluded to put on the war paint and make the rumored attack. They found the Indians sitting in council but with no hostile intent. The band of whites remained with them all night, then returned to the settlement and quieted their every fear. Game abounded in the forests for many years after the work of clearing and tilling farms began. A favorite mode of hunting deer was as follows : In the low country along the Big Darby, mosquitoes were as great a pest to beast as to man, and in warm weather to escape them the deer descended into the water after night fall, and remained there for hours at a time with only their noses above the water. The hunter approached in a canoe, a torch or candle fastened to
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his hat. and by the use of bark lighted up the surrounding gloom, but con- cealed himself and his canoe from sight. He thus approached within a few feet of the deer, dazed by the light and easily killed it.
EARLY SETTLERS.
To have been a pioneer in this township, meant much of heroism and hardship for the fathers and mothers who came in here from the older com- munities in the Southern and Eastern states. These immigrants came chiefly from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, and settled in the valley of the Big Darby. These settlements commenced about 1798 and continued until about 1812. The plains to the south, extending over into Madison county, were settled first by people emigrating from New England, mostly from Ver- mont. They began to arrive about 1810, continuing until 1820. In the north part of the township the rougher, more rolling lands were occupied largely by a class of squatters and hunters, who depended on their guns for the support of themselves and their families. Shortly before 1840, the Ger- man element got a foothold and within a few years held nearly the entire northern half of Darby township.
The first settlement in this township was made in 1798 by James and Joshua Ewing on the site of the village of North Liberty. It was of short duration, however. Joshua Ewing purchased a lot in the new village plat, built a log cabin, and with his brother, James, resided there for a short period. As no effort was made by the proprietor of the village to further improve the place, the Ewings soon tired of the community and left, settling in Jerome township.
The next settlement in Darby township was made by the Mitchells in 1799. This consisted of an aged farmer and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Mitchell, their two sons and two daughters and David Mitchell, Samuel Mc- Cullough and Samuel Kirkpatrick. This colony bought the Lucas Sullivant tract of one thousand acres, survey No. 2,879, north and bordering on the Big Darby, in the western part of the township. This little colony all came in from Pennsylvania. At first they set out to settle in Kentucky, but after sending men (younger of the party) on in advance, they came back and re- ported unfavorable, hence they headed for Ohio and finally selected this township as their future home. They fell in company with the paper-town man Sullivant, who gave them favorable accounts of his country and town site operations. They then visited the spot in the summer of 1799 and put in a small amount of corn, returned home in the autumn time and brought
UNIONVILLE SCHOOL BUILDING.
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
their families on. Their belongings were all stowed away in three large lumber wagons, and from Deer creek to Darby they were obliged to cut a roadway through the thick tangled forest.
Pioneer David Mitchell was not only among the first but among the most influential citizens of the township. He was a life-long Presbyterian. served the township as justice of the peace many terms and was an associate judge under the old Constitution of Ohio. He was well educated and enter- prising and was always known as Judge Mitchell.
Samuel Kirkpatrick died in 1824; Samuel MeCollough died in the spring of 1800 and neither saw much pioneer life in this township.
Among the better known and larger families which came and remained permanent settlers was the Robinson family. They made a temporary settle- ment in 1800, though it was five years before they became really located as a family of sturdy pioneers in this and adjoining townships. Samuel and James Robinson, sons of James Robinson, were born and reared on their father's farm consisting of several hundred acres. in York county. Pennsyl- vania. James was a cooper and Samnel was a carpenter and joiner. They went west to seek their fortune. They were sturdy and daring men, in the prime of their young manhood when they reached Tennessee where they met Lucas Sullivant. He was a surveyor and induced them to join his surveying party, James as a chain carrier and Samnel as marker, and they wended their way to Ohio. The party consisted of five men, one of whose sole busi- ness it was to provide game for the remainder of the company. For six weeks they were busily engaged surveying and during all that period saw no other men but Indians. The Robinson boys selected the Samuel Robinson survey of six hundred acres, No. 2.977, located in the southeastern part of Darby township, and early in the spring of 1800 cleared up a small piece of ground and planted corn thereon. Both were unmarried, and in the fall they returned to York county. Pennsylvania, but both soon after married and brought their brides to this township. They divided the land above named between them, James taking the northwestern half. Upon his arrival. James erected a comfortable log cabin in which he died in 1823. aged forty-nine years. A family of eight children survived him: Ann, wife of James Reed ; Sarah, wife of Stephenson Curry : William M., of Marysville : Eleanor, wife of Robert Snodgrass; James, of Jerome township; Jane, wife of Thomas Reed; Samuel, of the old homestead : and Nancy, wife of Perry Buck. The various members of the several generations of this branch of the Robinson family were foremost in developing this township and this part of Union
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county. They were of the Presbyterian faith and most of them strong, rad- ical Abolitionists, voting the Whig and later the Republican ticket.
The Sager settlement was very early, the Sager family coming here about 1805. The family was one of the earliest and also the largest in this township. It consisted of George Sager. Sr., and his children, George, Christian, Frederick, Jacob, Henry, Samuel, Abraham and Barbara. All were grown and several married when the family came to this locality. With- in a few years there were cabin homes in Darby, Union and Jerome town- ships. all containing families from this stock of pioneers. They were Ger- mans from Loudoun county, Virginia. The farm on which they first settled was survey No. 3.272, on the south bank of the Darby, about a mile and a half below Unionville. While their first cabin was being erected the large family remained at the home of James Robinson across the creek. In early days these Sagers were all voters of the Jacksonian ticket.
George Sager. Jr., settled in the western part of the township; Christian settled on the present site of Unionville : Samuel Sager settled on a farm east of Unionville, where he died after a long and very useful career ; Jacob settled in the south corner of the township, where he farmed and operated a still- house : Abraham, Frederick and Henry settled in Jerome township; Barbara. the only daughter, was married several times.
The Post road crosses the township. east to west, near its southern line. This was so called from the fact that it was over this highway that were transported the military stores to Ft. Defiance on the Maumee from Franklin- ton, then a small military post. The plains on the other side of this road were occupied largely by Yankees.
Dudley Bridges, of Vermont, came about 1815, remained until 1830 then removed to Illinois. Another pioneer on the plains was Elihu Knall from Vermont. He purchased land in survey No. 10,793, about one mile south of Unionville. This was some time previous to 1810. Besides farm- ing he carried on the shoe-making business. Another Vermont immigrant was Ahira. who came in 1814. Later he moved on to Indiana. Clark Provin was a Yankee who shifted from one location to another. He served as justice of the peace in this township and at Plain City conducted a hotel. or inn as then styled. He taught school a good portion of his time, and was well versed in law. Later, he removed to Illinois.
Charles McCloud, another genuine Yankee, settled in 1814 in the south- west corner of the township. He was born in New Hampshire in 1769. immigrating to Darby township in 1810. He was an exhorter in the Meth-
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
odist church. He removed to Michigan in 1831, returned to Madison county, Ohio, in 1843, and died the following spring.
Samuel Tyler, a Pennsylvania German, located on a small tract, in survey No. 12.075, a mile southwest from Unionville; he died at an advanced age.
Benjamin Tinkham, from Connecticut, born 1795, came to Ohio in 1817 and lived in Franklin county for a time. He came to this township a year or two later, and took the contract for making the brick with which the house of Samuel Robinson was constructed-this being the first brick house in Union county. He bought a place on the plains in the south part of the township, and there spent the remainder of his days, dying at the age of eighty-five years. He married and was the father of twelve children. He was a man of many good traits and was odd in a way. Ile wrote his own funeral sermon and invented many curious machines, including a so-called perpetual motion machine.
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