USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 43
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The tax valuations in 1825 of personal property returned in Leesburg township consisted of six horses and twenty-seven cattle. A majority of this property was found in the territory now included in Claibourne township. By 1830 the property had increased to thirty-three horses, one hundred and fifteen cattle; total valuation, $2,240, upon which the tax levied was only $22.40. There were 22,975 acres of land, valued at $24,550, and taxed at $227.99. In 1840 the total valuation was $42,848, taxed at $728.42. In 1850 it had increased to a land measure of 19,217 acres, valued at $76.326; town property, $857; chattels, $18,000. The total valuation, of $95,000, was taxed for $1.469. The total valuation in 1860 of real estate $257.849, and taxes were $2,665. In 1870 the value of the 19,000 acres of taxable land was $425,000, with value of buildings, $24,425. In 1880 it had reached a land value of $457,000; buildings, $31,000; town property, $8,699; chat- tels, $172,484. For the present statistics on the township's valuations see table including all townships of the county.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT.
Clark county, Ohio, furnished a majority of the first settlers for this township. Some of these pioneers came for the purpose of hunting, while others came to establish homes. Deer was the principal game sought for at that early day in this portion of the county. Honey bees swarmed every- where in the forests and wild honey was found on the table of all pioneers. Bee hunting was the chief occupation of many of the first-comers to this township. The bee-hunter was generally supplied with a trusty pocket com- pass to note the course in which the bees were flying. Bees were attracted to a spot by the scent arising from honey-comb burnt by the hunter between two heated stones. Honey, mixed with anise seed, was sprinkled near, and when the bees alighted they soon became surfeited. After circulating around for a few times, they would fly away in a "bee line" (hence the common term) for their home. By getting the course of two bees of the same swarm from two localities, the swarm would be found in the tree at the intersection of the two lines. When a bee tree was once found, the hunter would cut his initials on the bark of the tree, and by universal consent it became his individual property, to be cut down and the honey extracted therefrom at his
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leisure. The Indian method of honey gathering was to climb a tree and cut out the honey. In a three-weeks' hunt an early settler in Leesburg township found twenty-five trees and from two hives in one of them, procured ten gallons of fine honey.
The original settlement in this township was effected on Blue's creek. It is impossible to determine who made this settlement, or the exact date, as all the records concerning such settlement have long since been lost. The first squatters, as these persons probably were, are sometimes called "first settlers." They came here for the purpose of hunting and gathering honey, and this was a long time before any actual settler came with the view of locating permanently. It is known that a small colony came in from Clark county in 1820. In this company was one leading character, Simon Gates. He was highly esteemed in those rough pioneer times. He did not remain long after the township began to develop. but moved on to newer and wilder conquests. His father, Simon Gates, Sr., owned sixty-one acres in Survey No. 5.506, and died soon after coming to the township.
Hale Winchester was among the sturdy and first settlers. He, too, was from Clark county, Ohio, and occupied land on Blue's creek as a squatter, but later bought land. Finally, he went to the west. David Gallant. George Anthony. Nelson Emery and Henry Hulse were probably among the very earliest settlers on the Blue's creek. These all came in from Clark county. and a few years after their coming purchased land.
Culwell Williamson, of Lynchburg, Virginia, early in the nineteenth century, purchased a thousand acres in survey No. 3.694. Of the tract two hundred acres were reserved for two local preachers from the Old Dominion state. These men were Revs. Munson and Denton. In 1811 Mr. William- son visited the land, riding horseback from Virginia. No white settlers were then near, but the forests were full of Indians. He soon returned to Virginia, and made two more trips before finally emigrating. In 1824 he collected his belongings at his old Virginia home, placed them in his four- horse wagon, bade farewell to his native state and, with his sister. Mrs. Jane Martin, a widow, her three children-Samuel, Culwell and Ann-and James and Nancy Oglesbie, a young nephew and niece, began a long, wearisome journey to Ohio. Eight weeks were consumed on this trip. Upon his arrival he procured assistance from the Scioto river, the men coming before seven in the morning and working like beavers till late at night. In the one day the cabin was raised, clapboarded, roofed, a doorway sawed out and a door hung in place. That night, for the first time since they left their old Virginia home, it rained: but there was a shelter over head, and the pattering rain
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drops on the newly made roof were but sweet music to their ears. This con- stituted the first real settlement in the upper part of the township. The cabin stood on what was later known as the O. Jewett farm, one mile up Boke's creek from the Magnetic springs. Mr. Williamson was an old bache- lor, and by trade a house carpenter. He surveyed his land into small tracts and sold much of it to incoming settlers. Thomas Tunks, Joseph Brannon, Henry Hulse and Isaac White each bought one hundred acres from him. Richard Hoskins bought the Rev. Denton hundred-acre tract above mentioned, while William Wells bought the Munson hundred acres. Mr. Williamson died in 1828, having laid well the foundation stones of what has come to be one of Union county's prosperous and wealthy townships.
Richard Hoskins, born in Franklin, Franklin county, Ohio, in 1804, first moved to Delaware county, and in 1827 settled in Leesburg township, Union county, on the hundred-acre tract, later known as the Doctor Skidmore farm, about one mile up Boke's creek from Magnetic Springs. There, in the deep, dark forest, he set to work clearing up a farm. He was married in 1827 to Ann H. Martin, and she bore him ten children, all becoming respected citizens of Union county. The father died in 1870, highly respected for his true and honorable career as a pioneer of the township and county.
Thomas Tunks settled in the township in 1825. The same year came in Joseph and Benjamin White and Arad and William Franklin, from Clark county. The company had but one horse between them. Arad Franklin was just recovering from a sick spell and Joseph White was an aged man. The two rode the horse alternately, while the others walked. They reached New- ton and remained there over one night and then traveled northward till they reached Blue's creek, eight miles above Pharisburg, from which point Joseph White returned to Newton with the horse. The other three con- tinued down stream until they had reached the place purchased by Thomas Tunks. That pioneer was there with his sons building a cabin. They re- mained that night with them and the next day. returned. They were pleased with the country and decided to locate here. Isaac White came out first in February, 1826. He died of typhoid fever a few years later.
Henry Gandy, "the Yankee from New Jersey," had originally located in Darby Plains, but came to Leesburg township in 1827, settling up the creek two miles from Pharisburg, on the south side of the stream. in survey No. 3.692, where he bought two hundred acres. He was an old man when he arrived here, and had a family of grown sons and daughters.
Ephraim Carey emigrated from Washington county, Pennsylvania, to near Marietta. Ohio, in 1796, and in 1801 settled near Plain City. Ohio. He
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came to Leesburg township in 1826, and there spent the remainder of his life, dying at the age of eighty-nine years, in 1878.
About 1827 came John Woods and Alexander Elliott from Clark county. He had contracted the disease known as "milk sickness" before coming to this township. He overworked here in clearing up land and build- ing rude cabins. took a relapse and died at the home of Abijah Gandy. His family later removed to the place he had sought so hard to improve.
Joseph Brannon came from Clark county and settled on the south side of Boke's creek, below Pharisburg.
David Bacon came from Clark county prior to 1830. He died in the township.
Alexander Cowgill was a very early settler on the present site of Min- eral Springs. He was from Delaware county, where he served as a scout in the War of 1812. He only remained a short time, selling his holdings to Samuel Barcus, and crossing the line over into Claibourne township, where he died. He had one son. George, and a large number of daughters.
In 1830 the following settlers had commenced operations in the town- ship: Abraham Elifritz, Thomas Foreman. Pierce Lamphere, William Mc- Intire, John Price, David Price, Ira Phelps, John Sovereign and Samuel Simpson.
Deliverance Brown built a cabin and lived with his family on Boke's creek, two miles above Pharisburg. He was called one of the best hunters in Union county, and was occupied most of his time in his favorite pursuit. For a number of years this one man killed from seventy-five to one hundred deer annually. He finally left for the west, having thinned out the game so it was hard work to make a successful business of it.
Coming down to a somewhat later period the settlement was increased by the advent of the following: Stephen Davis, Henry Goodrich, Samuel Lafferty, Samuel Meek and Robert Maskill. John Newhouse located just north of the site of Magnetic Springs in 1824. He remained on the old farm until 1881 and then removed to Magnetic Springs. Robert Pharis purchased survey No. 3.693, of one thousand acres. in 1835. He was a shrewd Yankee. In 1833 Joseph Bellville, of Belmont county, effected his settlement. He died in 1863. Dane
One of the earliest schools taught in the township was taught in a log house a half mile south of Pharisburg by Samuel Pharis. (See Educational chapter.)
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MILLS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
Milling in early settlements is always an interesting feature of pioneer life. Every member of the household looks forward to the opening of such enterprises with delight. The small boy watches the process of damming up the waters of a creek or river ; then watches the men carry up the frame of the building; if a saw-mill. he watches the men put in the old-fashioned upright saw and turn on the water for the first time. The first slab that comes off from the first log sawed is really a prized piece of lumber in the community. If it be a grist-mill, then the small boy watches the millwright place the elevator and see the corn meal or flour drop into the sack, and hurries home to tell the family that they can now have biscuit for dinner.
Nathan Meek, about 1832-33, constructed a mill known as a "corn- cracker." on Boke's creek, a mile below Pharisburg, which had a capacity of forty bushels of corn a day. The mill-stones, about twenty inches in diam- eter, were still in use at Pharisburg in the early eighties. An upright saw was attached to the mill and both of these mills were duly appreciated by the pioneer band. This mill stood on the farm of Samuel Martin. After selling his mill, Mr. Meek built another on the farm of John Woods, a little less than two miles from Pharisburg. He sold to Jolin Warner, and in a few years it was abandoned. Still later, up the creek, there was erected a saw-mill by Ingham Woods and John Elliott. A long race was dug, but by a mistake of the millwright, a fall of only three feet was obtained where nine had been expected, and the mill project had to be abandoned.
In early days the Scioto and Darby creek mills, and one on Buck creek, in Champaign county, were largely patronized by the early residents of the township.
CEMETERIES.
The first cemetery in Leesburg township was on the farm of Joseph Brannon, one-half mile east of Pharisburg. Among the goodly number of the pioneers buried there was Alexander Elliott. Before that. the burials took place at the Decker burying ground in Delaware county. The Hopewell church also had an early burying ground. The McAllister graveyard at Union Chapel, though not so large, also holds the dust of many pioneers. Close to the old log Presbyterian church, located in the southwestern part of the township, was a cemetery, which has also ceased to be used. Another, south of Blue's creek, on the farm of William Scott, was known as Scott's
die there. har graveyard.
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VILLAGE OF MAGNETIC SPRINGS.
This village, of less than two hundred population, is situated in the northern part of survey No. 3,696, in a bend on the south side of Boke's creek. It came into existence on account of the accidental discovery of the medicinal qualities of the water from springs there which have became famous over a large scope of this country. Until about 1864, most of the land on which the place is situated was covered with large forest trees. J. W. Hoskins then built a cabin here, and cleared up a great portion of the timber land. In 1872 J. E. Newhouse, having purchased the site of the springs, started a nursery and garden, which supplied the surrounding farm- ers for many miles with grape vines and other nursery stock. There was a great travel on the roads up this way, and in wet weather the highways were next to impassable. He petitioned the county commissioners for a pike road. and offered to donate the gravel for two miles of the road, from a fine gravel bed on his place. The gravel road was constructed. Intent on utiliz- ing the cavity left where the gravel had been excavated, here he decided to make a fish-pond. For the purpose of supplying the pond with water, in April, 1879, he sunk a well sixty-eight feet deep without reaching the rock and was about to abandon the enterprise, when the water gushed in from the opening, forming a beautiful fountain. The sight was indeed a novel one and many came to view it, and very naturally drank of the spring water. Several were afflicted with kidney troubles and they received much relief. It was not long before wonderful stories were being circulated of the healing properties of these waters, and it was then carried off in a score of ways. In the autumn of 1878 M. F. Langstaff had become a partner of Mr. New- house in the nursery business, and after the fountain had created much public notice they erected a bath-house near the fountain for the benefit of those who wished its use. A number of persons desired lots and for their accom- modation, November 24 and 25. 1879. fifty lots, known as "in-lots," and five blocks were surveyed by F. A. Gartner for J. E. Newhouse and Duncan and Matilda McLean, the latter two having bought Mr. Langstaff's interest. Since then there have been numerous additions made to the original plat. Among these may be noted Degood's addition, Degood's second addition, Hoskin's addition and McBride's addition.
In 1879 the only building west of the pike was that of Mr. Newhouse. In 1880 about a dozen houses were erected and before two years more there were more than a hundred houses. During the first five years of its exist-
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ence, the floating and regular population run from three to five hundred. John Smith was appointed postmaster of the newly created office of Kok- osing, the date of establishment being May 17, 1880. The name was changed January 31, 1881, to Magnetic Springs. The postmasters having served here are John A. Smith, May 17, 1880, to November 13, 1884, when S. S. Merriman was appointed, serving until Francis Merriman took the office, December 14. 1886; William King was appointed May 19, 1892; J. M. Hoskins, February 20, 1894; William King. February 8, 1898; Elmer M. Mackan, January 9. 1914.
The first dry goods store was opened by A. L. Smith & Sons, of Rich- wood, in the early spring of 1881. Other very early dealers were Buffington Lynn and Hill & Jolliff. In 1882 there were also two grocers, L. Roley and John Smith: one hardware store, by Boe & Murphy ; one drug store, by Dr. H. McFadden; one jeweler, Ramsey & Son; a billiard hall, bakery and restaurant ; a photograph gallery, meat market, an extensive livery stable and a blacksmith and shoe shop. There were also three good hotels and a num- ber of good boarding houses. The Fountain House was built by M. F. Langstaff in 1880. He sold to A. Thompson. The Park House was also soon in operation. The Hoskins House was commenced in 1881. W. M. Murphy & Sons, of Cleveland, in 1882, were engaged in sinking an artesian well to a great depth. It had been sunk seven hundred feet in November of that year. The town prospered until 1907, when the heart of the town was destroyed by fire. In 1914 the business interests of the village are as follows : General stores-James McIntire, David Franklin. Alvin Miller.
Restaurants-Mrs. H. M. Fadden, L. M. Copeland.
Hotels-The "Park," Ed. Gunderstaff ; the "Columbus," William King; also some boarding houses, run only in summer.
Grain elevator-WV. H. Perry.
Livery-Albert Hodges.
Blacksmith shop-I. W. McCombs.
Barber shops-Kennuth DeGood, Justin Ballard.
Pool hall-Charles Ferris.
Bath houses-The Sager Sanitarium Bath, "Park" bath.
Mapledale creamery and ice cream plant-James Wright.
Physicians-E. T. Sayres. J. F. Conrad, regular, and J. C. Herman, osteopath.
Churches-Methodist Episcopal and Disciples.
Lodge-Knights of Pythias. Lodge No. 308.
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There are now four strong mineral springs flowing at this point. The postoffice is a fourth-class office and is a money order station. There is one rural free delivery route, with a total length of eighteen miles. It was established in February, 1908.
The village is the center of the centralized school system for three dis- tricts in Union and two in Delaware county. There is being finished a new central school house, made of brick and costing $15,000. Four wagons will transport the pupils to this building.
Magnetic Springs is incorporated and has for its present officers : Mayor, L. M. Copeland: clerk, John A. Sayre: marshal, Cyrus Ilughes ; councilmen, D. F. Koffroth, E. Fields, Murle Shirk, George Erwin and Hiram McCombs. The fire department is volunteer, with the town marshal as chief. Four deep wells furnish the water and a chemical engine, with hook and ladder apparatus, furnish the town with adequate service.
FEATURES OF THE SPRINGS.
The chief characteristic of the waters of the springs is found in the fact of their highly charged magnetic properties. There are also special sulphur springs at this point. So strongly impregnated is the magnetic water that a common pocket knife held in the stream a few moments will cause the blade to be magnetized sufficiently to pick up a nail or other small metallic object. Pins will readily adhere to the blade for weeks at a time. The environments are ideal. Parks and beauty spots charm one on every hand.
VILLAGE OF PHARISBURG.
This hamlet was surveyed by William B. Irvin July 21, 1847, for the proprietor. Allen Pharis, administrator of Robert Pharis, deceased. It con- tained about ten acres. Its location is near the southeast corner of survey No. 3.693, and near the center of the township. It had been known before as Scott's Corners. The residence of Samuel Pharis, a large two-story log house, stood on the plat where the town was laid out. Francis Scott soon after built a frame house west of the road running north and south. Merilla Cameron, a young Kentuckian, sold the first goods here. He brought them before the village was laid out and conducted the store only a year or two. Not long after this Mr. J. Reed opened a general store and did business for some time. Matilda Chuggage taught the first school. Thomas Barcus was
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the first postmaster. Benjamin Welch, Samuel Kirk, S. A. Tunks and A. B. Stricker have served as postmasters.
Doctor McClaskey, of Pennsylvania, was the pioneer physician. Among the merchants of the village have been A. B. Stricker, A. G. McAdow and William Hayes. Today it is a small trading point and has about one hundred and twenty-five population. It is now on a rural free delivery from Marys- ville.
For an account of lodges, churches and schools see special chapters on these subjects.
CHAPTER XXVI.
ALLEN TOWNSHIP.
Allen was first embraced in Union township. When Liberty township was organized in 1822, Allen was chiefly within that sub-division of Union county. At a board meeting in June, 1827, it was agreed "That a new town- ship be set off to be called Allen township, to be bounded as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Liberty township; thence running with the east line of said township, north six miles ; thence running west to the west line of said Liberty township: thence south to the line between Champaign and Union counties : thence east with the said Liberty township line, three miles to the corner ; thence south with the said line of Liberty township, to the north- west corner of Union township : thence east with the north line of Union town- ship to the beginning." [Levi Phelps, Clerk of the Board of County Com- missioners. ]
The earliest survey was made in this township in October, 1797; the earliest recorded was that of seven hundred and forty acres, June 6, 1813. known as survey No. 102. It was surveyed for Henry Whiting.
SURFACE, STREAMS AND SOIL.
This township, in common with others of Union county, is quite level. Along the numerous streams are level bottom lands ; in the southern portion is a tract formerly known as the Crane swamp. Another in the northeast por- tion was called Bear swamp. These lands, now counted among the rich and valuable land of this goodly county, were originally thickly grown up to under- brush and some trees, so thick that it was impossible to get through on horse- back. These places, once the home of wild beasts and game, have all been ditched and drained out till they have become fields and pastures of great agricultural value to their owners. The Big Darby is the main water course of this township. Buck Run is the only other stream of any great volume or importance within the township. South of Allen Center it makes junction with Bear Swamp run, which rises in Bear swamp. The flat bottom lands are a dark, rich deposit loam and very productive when once drained. In the ex- treme south part of this township, on the farm formerly known as the Nathan
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Howard farm, are what was once known as the "Indian Fields." This was so called because when the first settlers came to the county they found the Indians cultivating corn on these lands. After the Indians left, and before the settlers came in and took the lands once so clear and easily cultivated, they had become covered with thick underbrush and it required much toil to clear them up again fit for general cultivation. When white men first beheld this township, wild game was here in great abundance and gave them a good sup- ply of meat. One locality south of Allen Center, near Bear Swamp run, where it enters into Buck run, was a notable deer lick. The deer there congregated in great droves.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Allen township was the fifth to be organized in Union county. While there were several settlements made in the county prior to those effected in this township. there were some who entered this locality at a very early date. Settlement was made very rapidly after immigration had once set in. The township is located in the southwestern part of the county. While there seems no way, at this late day, to know fully from record, or hearsay. just who was first to settle in this township, as several immigrated thither about the same date. yet there is no question but Henry Vangordon was one if not the very first to settle here. He was from Pennsylvania. He came to Ohio about 1820 and settled on Buck run on land later owned by Jacob Leonard. Later, he moved to Illinois where he died. He reared a large family of sons and daughters who were prominent in their day and generation. Henry Van- gordon was one of thirteen voters at the first township election and one of its early trustees and its fourth treasurer.
Daniel Allen, another son of Pennsylvania, about 1813, married, moved to Ohio and settled in Madison county ; about 1821-22 he came to this town- ship: he was thrown from a load of oats and killed in 1832. The township was named in honor of this unfortunate pioneer. As a man and good citizen he was highly thought of by all the early settlers. He was a devoted Chris- tian, a class leader in the Methodist church ; one of the township's first officials and had he lived would no doubt have succeeded in his newly found home. His brother, Isaac Allen, moved to Ohio in 1811. In 1829 he came to Union county and became a settler in this township, dying in 1863.
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