USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 39
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Judiah Smith, of Vermont, settled on the Post road in 1812. He was an early justice of the peace and died in Jerome township in 1856.
James Russell, from Loudoun county, Virginia, came here among the first lot of early settlers, locating in the southern part of the township.
Josiah Harrington, of Vermont, located in 1814 along the post road and there farmed until his death.
James Snodgrass emigrated from Pennsylvania in 1815, settling on Robinson's Run, in the lower part of Survey No. 3.687. He died about 1825.
Just to the south of Unionville, in 1812, located James Marquis. He was both a farmer and Methodist preacher ; later he moved to Illinois.
James Boal, as early as 181I, settled in survey No. 2,671, later owned by John Knock. He was a Seceder Presbyterian in religious faith.
North Carolina sent forth some few settlers to this community, includ- ing John Jolly, a Quaker, who left his home state on account of his hatred of human slavery. He located in survey No. 7,218. He farmed and fol- lowed shoe-making to some extent. He became an earnest supporter of the Methodist church. He died in 1860, at Unionville, aged seventy-eight years.
John W. Robinson was among the foremost citizens in the township. He was a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, born 1803. In the autumn of 1808, his father, Rev. James Robinson, of the Presbyterian church, removed with his family to Pickaway county, and in 1821 to near Milford Center. to accept the pastorship of Lower and Upper Liberty churches. He lived on his farm and raised much fancy stock and after a useful career died of typhoid fever in 1853. his wife surviving him many years.
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Other pioneers in this township were Gideon B. Cutler, Garrett Harris, Thomas Parr, William Orr, Thomas Andrew, Thomas Ally, John Bartholo- mew, William Cooperider, John W. Goldberry, John S. Irwin, Stephen John- ston. Jacob King, William Leeper, Robert Maze and Samuel Patch.
GREAT EPIDEMIC OF 1822-23.
The sickly seasons of 1822-23 visited Darby Plains and scarcely a family escaped its ravages. As the greater portion of the plains lay in Madison county, the loss there was greater, but Union county suffered its full share in proportion to its area of prairie land. To Dr. Jeremiah Converse, of Madison county, is due the following account of the dread disease. "There was scarcely a family but what had its sick or dying. The few who were not prostrated with the disease were soon down with constant watching, yet these messengers of mercy visited each day all the sick that were assigned to their division. No tongue can describe nor pen portray the scenes of suffering witnessed and experienced by these early settlers. All business transactions ceased, gloom brooded over the minds of the people, and many a stout heart was made to tremble over the impending doom which seemed to await them. Men and women who were not prostrated with disease were busy night and day, administering to the wants of the needy, mitigating the suffering of the sick and consoling the bereaved. There were a few instances where the father was compelled to construct a rude coffin, dig the grave and deposit beneath the clods of the valley the loved form of his child. The territory invaded by this epidemic extended from a short distance east of Big Darby to perhaps the same distance west of Little Darby."
The cause of the disease was supposed to arise from the decomposition of vegetable matter and the malaria which would ensue. The tall, luxurious growth of grass on the prairie lands was at first burned every autumn, but after the settlers began to occupy this land, this habit was abandoned through fear of setting fire to the grain and buildings of the pioneers. During the few years that then elapsed before the land was mostly occupied and culti- vated, this rank native growth of grasses became a wet mass of decay and breeded the germs of disease. The symptoms of the disease were various. Usually, a general lassitude, nausea and thirst would continue several days, when the disease would be announced by a severe rigor or chill. The skin would become livid and purple : the pulse quick and feeble; the respiration accelerated. Subsequently severe heat would ensue, the pulse becoming full and frequent, accompanied by thirst, severe headaches, nausea and vomiting,
ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, DARBY TOWNSHIP.
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and sometimes delirium. In children there were convulsions generally. The patient would sink into an inflammatory type of fever, which ran its course from seven to fifteen days; most frequently death occurred about the eighth day of the inflammatory stage.
OLDEST CEMETERY IN THE COUNTY.
On the old Mitchell farm, on the north side of Big Darby creek, is found the earliest burying ground in Union county. It is now one hundred and fourteen years old. There had been an Indian burying ground at this point many years before it was used by white men. Samuel Mccullough was buried there in the spring of 1800. There were no boards to be had, and of course no coffins in reasonable reach of the settlement, so this pioneer was buried within a casket made by cutting down a black walnut tree and making from it slabs by splitting as if one were going to make puncheon for a floor. From this the coffin was fashioned. This is known as Mitchell's cemetery and in it were buried most of the early settlers of Darby township.
Long before the year 1880, the Sager cemetery at Unionville was being properly cared for by the township authorities. Brown's cemetery in the northeastern part of the township has many years since been entirely aband- oned. Two large Lutheran cemeteries were later established in the northern part of the township.
NORTH LIBERTY.
The first town platted within what is now known as Union county, was North Liberty. It may also be recorded that it ranked among the very earliest plattings in Ohio, for it was laid out by Lucas Sullivant in 1797. Sullivant was a young Kentuckian surveyor who was engaged in surveying lands and locating warrants in the Virginia military district. He believed that the locating of a town site in Darby would be well received and no doubt saw some good money in corner lots, so he platted his town here. It will be also remembered that he claimed the Big Darby a navigable stream as far north as his town site. He then changed his mind and laid out Franklinton on the opposite side of the river from Columbus. No one has ever claimed that North Liberty had more than three buildings, all occupied by the Ewings who bought lots of the "Town-site" Sullivant.
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UNIONVILLE CENTER.
Platted as Unionville, but since the establishment of the postoffice in 1848, known as "Unionville Center," this is the largest village in Darby town- ship. It is nicely situated on the south bank of Big Darby, and was laid out February 8, 1847, by William B. Irwin, county surveyor, for John B., Fred- erick and David Sager. Originally, the plat only had fifteen lots and two streets, Main and Cross. The public square, twelve poles and twelve feet square. was in the northeast corner of the platting. An addition, however. was made to the platting in 1852 by Christian, Frederick, John and David Sager.
In 1879. when the citizens desired to incorporate, the petition asked that the name be changed from Unionville to Unionville Center and the petition also declared that there were two hundred and twenty-nine persons residing within the proposed territory to be incorporated.
The first building there was erected several years before the platting of the village. It was built by Benjamin Cutler, a shoemaker who followed his useful trade there. He also kept a small supply of necessities for the households of the community. That he had a very limited stock may be inferred from the fact that in filling an order for a small piece of indigo bluing to a man who wore a "biled shirt" sometimes, he desired the purchaser to go easy with him and not take but half as much as he had asked for, saying that he did not care to "break his stock."
Really, the prime mover in the town at an early day was John Sager. who built a two-story frame building and conducted a good country store there for several years and became the first postmaster. A tannery was put in operation and successfully operated several years by John and Jeremiah Jolly. John and Frederick Sager built a saw mill on Big Darby about 1835 and a few years later added a corn-cracker. In 1881, a steam flouring mill plant was erected at this point and a saw mill and tile factory were then running full blast. All factories have suspended operations at this time and one views only the windowless and doorless mill buildings and the old flume through which for many years ran the waters of the Darby in propelling the various machinery of the place.
The business houses in 1882 in Unionville Center included a dry goods store by William B. Dunfee, and three groceries conducted by L. A. Dockum, Wetzel & Ferguson and Joseph E. Fouke, respectively. There was then in
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operation a good carriage and wagon factory owned by Harper & Son, and two blacksmiths shops.
The following have served as mayors in Unionville Center : Dr. Matoon, John Dunfee, S. W. Dunfee, W. E. Cooperider, F. B. Davin, S. W. Dunfee, W. E. Cooperider, W. M. Goff, N. P. Gilliland, W. E. Cooperider, tenth and present incumbent, elected in 1913.
The town officials of November, 1914, are as follows: Mayor, W. E. Cooperider ; J. P. Kritline, treasurer, who has served ever since the town was incorporated in 1879, and has been township clerk twenty-five years and never asked for the nomination for either office. The town clerk, Benjamin Pen- rose, is the station agent : marshal. F. A. Covenger; councilmen, S. Preston, A. J. Peters, N. P. Gilliland, W. P. Hompsher, G. E. Brown and J. A. Clark.
POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
The department at Washington has furnished the following list of post- masters for this place: John Sager, appointed September 8, 1848; A. J. Ferguson, March 13, 1856: Isaac N. Hamilton, June 18, 1861; A. D. Doo- little, August 12, 1863 : D. R. Harper, May 7, 1866; William Harris, Novem- ber 2, 1868; M. M. Stimmel. December 13, 1871 ; John Dunfee, May 22, 1884; C. A. Ferguson, December 14, 1886; A. K. Minthorn, November 2, 1887; H. H. Marshall, August 4, 1888; William J. Dunfee, July 10, 1889; Ethie Stinson, April 11, 1893; D. F. Beaver, July 26, 1895; William E. Cooperider, May 26, 1898; N. P. Gilliland, December 17, 1902; J. F. Hind- erer, July II, 1904: L. G. Harper, June 13, 1905: Carrie E. Clark, October 7. 1912; Ella Yealey, July 8, 191.4.
The present church organizations are the Methodist Episcopal. served by Reverend Rogers of Plain City, and the United Brethren, who have no regular pastor at this writing.
The Improved Order of Red Men is the only secret order in the town. It has a membership of about forty.
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS IN 1914.
Blacksmith Shops-William Reed, A. L. Cunningham.
Barber Shop-Lewis Page. Bakery-Claude Wentzel. Coal Dealer-WV. K. Bailey. Dray Line-M. E. Pyers.
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Elevator-H. E. Gunnet.
Furniture and Hardware-N. T. Henders.
General Merchandise-W. J. Dunfee, W. H. Willis. Harness-N. P. Gilliland.
Hotel-Mrs. Louis Wetzel, R. W. Myers.
Physician-Dr. James L. Davis.
Postmaster-Ella Yealey. Restaurant- L. Page. Stock Dealer-Frank M. Andrews.
Shoe Repairs-A. N. Dunfee. Tobacco and Cigars-Charles Knock.
Tile Manufactory-M. W. Horn.
Saw Mill-M. W. Horn.
The tile works of Mr. Horn are very extensive. He secures the clay from his own land near the depot and has immense kilns, doing a very large annual business in the making of a superior drain tile for farm use. His steam saw mill cuts thousands of logs, brought to him by the surrounding farmers.
CHAPTER XXL.
JEROME TOWNSHIP.
March 12, 1821-ninety-four years ago-Jerome township was organ- ized, its first election being held on May 10th of that year. It was then that Clark Provin received the entire fifteen votes for the office of justice of the peace. The judges of the election were James Ewing, Frederick Sager and Simon Hager, with John Taylor and John McCune as clerks.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
Beyond any doubt the first to become permanent settlers in this town- ship, as well as in the county of Union, were two brothers, Joshua and James Ewing, who settled in this township in 1798 and erected the first cabin of the township and county. A town had been laid out the year previous by Lucas Sullivant, who named his town North Liberty. This town never materialized, not even a house being erected by its proprietor. Then, all was wild and Indians roamed at will along Darby creek. The pioneer band of this township were remarkable men in many ways. They were temperate, intelligent, educated and a God-fearing people. It is to their credit that a saloon has never cursed their fair domain and none of them or their descend- ants have ever been convicted of a felony. Many of the first settlers emi- grated from Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and some one of the New England states. Many were from Revolutionary War ancestors and others had served in that struggle for independence. Among others was Colonel James Curry, who received a thousand acres of land in part payment for his services in that war. He was an officer for seven long years during that conflict, belonging to the Virginia Continental line. Henry Shover, a settler of 1800 was also a soldier of the Revolution. Some of the land granted to Colonel Curry is still held by members of the Curry family.
The greater part of the original settlers in the township were stanch Presbyterians and Seceders, the latter now known as the United Presbyterian church. This was, indeed, good stock from which to erect a prosperous division of the county. It was James Ewing who established the first store
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and kept the first postoffice within the limits of the township, and it was also the first in Union county. It was kept on his own farm.
It was not long after the settlement effected by the Ewings was made until a goodly company came in and cast their lots with the little handful of settlers who had already set the stakes and commenced operations as home builders. Among those who came to the township and county within the next few years may be mentioned the Taylors, Robinsons, Mitchells, Kents, Currys, Cones, Mcculloughs, Bucks, Provins, Notemans, McCunes, Sagers, Shovers, McClungs and Conners. A little later came in the families of the Wises, McCampbells, Liggetts, Robinsons, Beards, Woodburns, Hawns, M. C. Crory, Flecks, Ketches, Ruehlens, Dorts, Crottingers, Nonnemakers, Beaches, Colliers, Bishops, Hudsons, Kiles, Stones, Donaldsons, Dodges, Pattersons, McKittricks, Frys, Norris, Jacksons, Laugheads, Evans, Stewarts, Magill, Biggers, Moss, Rickards, Roneys, Adams, Herriotts, Hensels, Chapmans, Kilburys, Brinkerhoofs, Hagers, Morrisons, Wells, Cooks, Arnolds, Channels, Warners, Bethards, Cramers, Hills, Hoberts, Greens, McCunes, Bowersmiths, Cases. Herringtons and Wagners, all being considered settlers of an early date.
When the pioneer band first came here to make homes for themselves, Jerome township, especially along the banks of Darby creek, was a favorite hunting ground of the Indians. The marks left by their peculiar customs, their trails and wigwams, were all in evidence. The country was also full of wild game and beasts, including bears, deer, wolves, panthers and small game. Just to the north of Plain City, the Indians had a town or village where they lived in large numbers, in wigwams covered with bark, until about the year 1800.
On the old Kent farm on Sugar run was a sugar camp where the Indi- ans made maple syrup. Parties from Chillicothe frequently came here for the purpose of trading with the Indians, exchanging goods for their raccoon skins and other valuable furs. The Indians had by that date become quite friendly to the whites.
Pioneer James Ewing brought the first sheep to Jerome township. He kept them in a high pen built of logs to keep the wolves from killing them. On a certain day a number of Indians called at his cabin and one of their dogs jumped into the pen and attacked the sheep, whereupon Mr. Ewing took his rifle and killed the dog. Over this incident the Indians were enraged and some trouble arose in the settlement, but Jonathan Alder, who had been among the Indians many years and fully understood their ways, interposed and peace was established between the red-skins and the pale faces.
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In this connection it is well to state that Jonathan Alder resided on the west side of the Darby, just north of Plain City. He was taken prisoner by the Indians in Virginia when but a small lad and lived with them until he reached manhood. In Jerome township he lived with a squaw wife. He then talked the Indian dialect, but soon learned .the English. He subsequently parted from his squaw, she accompanying her tribe to the far north. He then married a white woman, but always feared that his first wife might make him serions trouble. On one occasion she did return during his absence and destroyed his white wife's clothing. She then left the settlement and never returned. The following inscription is on the tombstone marking the resting place of Jonathan Alder :
"Jonathan Alder. born September 17, 1773. Taken prisoner by the Indians in 1781. Died January 30, 1849."
He is buried in Madison county, between Plain City and West Jefferson.
At the beginning of the War of 1812, it was feared that serious trouble would ensue in this section of the state, but the Indians remained friendly to the settlement. Some of the rougher class of pioneer settlers would join in the feasts and frolics with the Indians and this made the savages feel that the whites in this section, at least, were friendly toward them-hence peace prevailed. But there were numerous scares and threats enough to greatly alarm the whites. Many families were panic stricken and fled farther south. Finally, a party of settlers went to the Indian village to learn for themselves, if possible, the attitude held by the Indians toward the settlement. They found them engaged in a council, but after remaining all night they concluded it did not refer to an invasion or destruction of the white settle- ment but to other matters. This was reported at home and things soon quieted down. Among the number who went on this scouting trip was Moses Mitchell, then a lad of sixteen summers. It took much bravery and courage for a small band of whites to enter an Indian camp when war was going on, as it was at that day, but all ended well.
In the history of Jerome township published in 1913, Col. W. L. Curry wrote as follows: "James Robinson had one of the earliest orchards in the vicinity, and after the trees approached the age of bearing he was greatly annoyed by the birds that had a strong liking for his choice fruit and mani- fested the design of indulging their appetites before it was ripe enough to pluck. Some Indian lads belonging to several families near by were very
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expert in shooting birds with small bows and arrows, and Mr. Robinson agreed with them, by means of signs, that for each bird they killed in the orchard he would give an apple. It happened the following day was Sunday and as Mr. Robinson, who was a God-fearing Presbyterian, was engaged in the usual morning prayers, the Indian lads rushed in with a bird they had killed. The conscientious pioneer could not tolerate the idea of profaning the Sabbath by this unhallowed sport and by shaking his head and gesticulat- ing intimated to them that they must not engage in it that day. They de- parted highly incensed, thinking he had withdrawn from his agreement, and after the old folks had gone to church that day, the Indian youths amused themselves by pointing their weapons at the children left at home, who fled to the house for protection and remained within bolted doors till their parents returned."
EARLY MILLING AND OTHER INDUSTRIES.
The first ntill erected in the township was by Frederick Sager, who set- tled on Darby creek in the early years after 1800. Before this mill was erected the settlers had to use a pestle and stone mortar. the same as those in use by the Indians. In this manner they would mash the corn and make coarse meal and hominy. At intervals they would place a wooden pack sad- dle on the back of a strong horse and load it up with sacks of shelled corn. The pioneer would mount his horse and start on a long and tedious journey to Lancaster of Chillicothe followed by the pack-horse. This trip would con- sume several days and his return was anxiously awaited by the family and neighbors as he would not only bring the precious meal but the capacious saddle-bags would be filled to full capacity with newspapers and other reading matter which would be liberally distributed among the settlers.
The site of the old mill erected by Frederick Sager is just above the bridge on the California and Plain City road on the east bank near the farm of Samuel H. Ruehlen. The dam was built of logs and brush and this work was very largely done through the volunteer assistance of the settlers. The building was erected in the same manner as they were all intensely interested in this new enterprise.
The first burrs for this mill were chiseled out of a boulder that Mr. Sager found on the farm of John Taylor. After weeks of tedious work the boulder was split open and the stone dressed ready for use. As soon as the mill was in running order there was a great rush by the pioneers and also by the Indians who came both on foot and horse back from many miles around with their sacks of corn.
SCENE AT PLEASANT VALLEY STOCK FARM, JEROME TOWNSHIP.
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For a few years he only ground corn but there was a demand for flour as the farmers began to raise wheat and he installed a flouring bolt. For many years the bolting was done by hand. During the dry season the mill could run but little as there was not sufficient water, but when the creek was not frozen in the winter and spring months, it was a very busy place as farm- ers came with their grain for great distances. When the water power was sufficient the mill ran day and night.
Mr. Sager also erected the first saw mill in this township, attached to his grist-mill and run by the same water thus furnishing the first boards and sawed lumber used in the cabins. Before that date the floors and doors were made of puncheons split out of timber and smoothed by a drawing knife and adz. Mr. F. Hemingway finally purchased this mill and it bore the name of the "Hemingway Mill" for many years until it was finally abandoned for want of water power.
The Kahler boys erected a saw mill in the fifties on Robinson Run just above the bridge on the Plain City and California road which was run by water power and was the last mill in Jerome township operated by water power. They also erected a grist mill near the same site run by steam power which they operated successfully for a number of years.
The above described are the only grist mills that were ever erected in the township although some of the saw mills have had burrs attached for corn grinding.
Many times a boy sent to mill on horseback on a sack of corn would have to wait all day for his grist. If the fishing was good he did not object as he always took his hook and line along. The miller did not exchange ineal and flour for corn and wheat, as was the custom in later years, but took toll out of the grain. He did not have the facilities for weighing the grain and generally took the farmer's word for the amount that the proper toll might be taken out for grinding.
OTHER INDUSTRIES.
In the early days the tanning business was quite extensively carried on in the township. William McCune operated a tan yard for many years just over the line in the township near Plain City. In those days in the spring when the sap was coming up many large white oak trees were cut down and the bark peeled for tanning purposes. Unless the trees were needed for rail timber they were frequently allowed to rot.
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The tan-yard of Asa Converse, located on his farm just west of the David Moss farm, on the California and Unionville road, was perhaps the most extensive tannery of those days. In addition to the tanning business, he ran a boot and shoe manufacturing and repair shop. He employed a num- ber of shoemakers during the winter season and did quite a large and profit- able business.
Arthur Collier for a number of years carried on the tanning business in Jerome. The country tan-yard was so convenient to farmers in either selling hides or having them tanned for their own use, but is now a business of the past and of which the younger generation has little knowledge.
Asheries for the manufacture of black salts and sometimes salteratus were quite common. The proprietors had wagons running all over the coun- try buying up the ashes saved by the housewives or by the boys in the spring- time when burning logs in the clearing, and it was quite a source of revenue.
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