USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 45
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A stationary steam saw mill was constructed at the village of Essex by John B. Stout. Later, it was sold to Sprague & Haynes, who added a dis- tillery.
In 1838 Jacob Collins operated a small horse mill three miles west of Essex. It ground corn only.
William Callihan owned and operated a saw and grist mill in Essex for a period of twelve years.
ESSEX.
At what is now styled Rush Creek postoffice, in the central portion of Jackson township, once flourished the little village of Essex. It was sur- veyed September 2. 1836, by William C. Lawrence, deputy surveyor, for John Cheney, the proprietor. There were but forty lots platted. At that
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date it was hoped by the citizens of that section that a new county might be organized and Essex hoped to be named the county seat. The first cabin was erected by Dr. David Welch in 1838. Tabor Randall was the first post- master, the office being called Rush Creek. M. P. Camp succeeded him as postmaster. Other postmasters there were Sidney Hogden, John A. Peasley. Richard Davis, S. E. Williams and Richard Davis for a second term. The office has been discontinued and mail is received over the rural free delivery route out from Richwood. The village now has a population of about one hundred. It is a small trading point.
The first store at Essex was the stock put in by L. H. Hastings, then a merchant at Richwood. Thomas Cheney operated it for a year or two for its owner. Other merchants were James Stout, Jacob Reed, William Wurl, Camp & Search and possibly a few others. A flour and saw mill was oper- ated in 1881 by W. A. Hall & Son. At one time Lewis Hack, son-in-law of Dr. Welch, operated a potash factory there.
WOODLAND.
This postoffice village is in the eastern part of the township. It is a station on the old New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio railroad line. As early as 1882 it contained a large planing mill, operated by Henry Hazen. A store was started about 1866 and run several years by Ed. Hazen. The vil- lage has a population of about one hundred and twenty-five and is nicely situated.
The following postmasters have served at this point: Henry Hazen, appointed April 27, 1869: E. E. Hazen, July 7, 1873 ; W. E. Hazen, April 4, 1876; E. E. Hazen. August 23. 1878; J. W. Kirts, April 13, 1891 ; J. J. Lewis, January 16, 1899; T. N. Henderson, December 20, 1901 ; E. E. Butz, March 18, 1902: William A. Berry. June 17, 1906; the office was discon- tinued October 22, 1907, since which time mail has been received from the Prospect postoffice.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
YORK TOWNSHIP.
On the west line of Union county and in the second tier of civil town- ships is found York. The organization of this township was completed by the election of its first township officers April 7, 1834. This election was held at the house of Aaron Shirk and he was therefore permitted to cast the first vote at this the first township election. The election resulted in the election of the following officers: Trustees, Herman Tobey, Joseph Miller and Harmon Patrick : overseers of the poor, Charles Miller and John Coons ; fence viewers, George Coons, Jonathan Miller and Charles Bennett; treas- urer. William Tobey; constable, Aaron Shirk; clerk, William Hartford; supervisors, John Stamates, Hiram Parker and Jonathan Shirk. The trustees met at Mr. Tobey's, April 15, 1834, and divided the township into road distriets. Jonathan Miller was elected the first justice of the peace at the fall election in 1834.
The York township of today is not the same in form and size as the one originally planned or even as was originally ordered laid out, as will be seen by the transcript of county records which shows the following proceed- ings :
"December 3. 1833-The board of commissioners ordered that a new township be laid off on the north end of Liberty township, to be called York ; commencing on the east boundary of said township of Liberty, five miles north of the southeast corner thereof ; thence west, parallel to the south boundary of said Liberty township, to the west boundary thereof ; all north thereof to the north boundary of Union county to be considered York town- ship, to be surveyed by Levi Phelps, when it may suit his convenience, previ- ous to March session next.
"March 4, 1834-The board took into consideration the report of Levi Phelps, surveyor, on his proceedings on laying off the township of York, and its appearing to said board that it would be more convenient to the townships of both Liberty and York to remove the line as now run one mile farther north ; it is therefore ordered that the said Phelps, at sometime prior to the next June session, re-survey the said township of York, commencing on the
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east line of the township of Liberty at the six-mile tree being six miles north of the southeast corner of the township of Liberty, as originally established; thence to run west with the southern boundary thereof to the western bound- ary of the county : all north to be considered as the township of York.
"December 4, 1834-A petition was presented by William Hartford, praying for a re-consideration of their order, for running the line between the townships of Liberty and York, and an alteration; whereupon, it is ordered by the board that the said line shall begin five miles north of the southeast corner of the township of Liberty, on the east line thereof; thence running west parallel to the south line thereof three and one-half miles; thence north, parallel with the east line of said township one mile, and two hundred forty-two poles; thence west parallel to the south line of the town- ship, to the western boundary of the county."
In 1836 York township was divided and Washington formed from the northern division. It is useless to try to follow the various changes that have from time to time been made in the lines of York township. As at pres- ent constituted its northern and western boundary is regular. The western boundary is the county line. On the east is Claibourne township and Taylor and on the south is Liberty and Taylor. September 11, 1799, the first sur- vey was made of government lands in what is now known as York township.
The principal stream of the township is Bokes creek, which is formed by the confluence of several streams in the western part of the territory. It flows southeasterly. Fulton creek crosses the northeastern part of the town- ship. The surface of the land is usually level or slightly undulating. Origi- nally there was found much good timber, including the beech, sugar, elm, hickory, oak and other less valuable varieties. The present population, ac- cording to the 1910 United States census, was one thousand four hundred and ninety-eight.
PIONEER SETTLERS.
Among the first to claim land here was Joseph Miller, who was born in Saratoga county, New York ; married in 1801 and reared three sons and one daughter. In 1817, he removed with his family to Ohio and bought land in Franklin county along the Scioto river. After making many improvements, he lost his land by reason of a defective title. He then located on land he claimed in the very northeast corner of York township, Union county. Mr. Miller and his son Jonathan came out ahead of the remainder of the family about February, 1828. There was then no road to guide them to their new home west of the site of present Richwood, and Henry Swartz, of Claibourne
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township, who had hunted over the territory, was familiar with it and piloted them, by hacking trees here and there, along a direct course to the land they had claimed as theirs. This trail was the first "road" ever cut from out the dense forest, leading from Richwood to the west. His cabin was soon reared on the spot where in later years stood the brick house of Benjamin Thomas, west of the Presbyterian church. The Millers brought with them two teams and a scanty lot of household goods, with a few sheep, hogs and cows. The sheep were soon all found missing and were probably devoured by the hungry wolves. Mr. Miller was a modest, kind-hearted man and made many friends among the newcomers. He was a Methodist, but in the absence of his church, communed with the Presbyterians. He died in York township. August 31. 1866, aged ninety-two years and almost eight months. The son, James C. Miller, came to the township in 1830.
Among the next earliest settlements in York township was the one effected on the John Brown surveys, near Somerville. Harmon Patrick is believed to have been the first here. He came in from Hardy county, Vir- ginia, indirectly, but directly here from Ross county, Ohio. He came about the date the Millers came in. He occupied a farm on survey No. 3,470, a mile south of the village. He was a splendid man, and remained here many years, finally going to Marion county.
Caleb Arahood, also of Ross county, Ohio, was next to invade the new section ; he claimed land in survey No. 3.469. He was born in Hardy county, Virginia. He was a real backwoodsman, rude and uncouth, but clever and kind-hearted. As a marksman and expert hunter he had few equals. He sold his farm to David Davis a few years later and settled in Coles county, Illinois. He died in that county soon after moving there.
William Hartford was a Canadian by birth. When the War of 1812 came on his sympathies were all with the American cause. With his father, he came to the United States and was soon enlisted in the service of this country. At the close of the war he returned to Canada and was imprisoned for bearing arms against his country. He effected a release in some manner and came back to the United States, settling in Muskingum county, Ohio. From there he emigrated to York township, Union county, about 1830. He settled in the southwest corner of survey No. 3.470. His nature was im- pulsive and positive. At first he was intensely Democratic, but later in his life was a strong party Republican. He was well liked, notwithstanding his hot temper. He finally sold and moved to Illinois, invested in land and became very wealthy. Still later he moved to Iowa.
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Samuel Hyde, who had a slight acquaintance with General McArthur, was offered land by the latter in this township. He was born in Pennsyl- vania, but married and settled in Harrison county, Ohio. In the spring of 1832, in a lumber wagon drawn by a yoke of big oxen. he set forth toward the setting sun and traveled till he had reached the small settlement, just south of present Somerville. Here he was satisfied, and at once built a rude cabin in the midst of a wilderness. He cleared eight acres. fenced it in from the surrounding forest, planted it in corn and returned home by a tedious journey. In the fall he again visited the locality in company with his son, Jolin B. Hyde. They harvested their little crop of corn. Mr. Hyde and wife had eight children, one son and seven daughters. On his trip back to the new found home, with members of his family, in 1833, Mr. Hyde was taken ill with what proved to be lung fever at Berkshire, Delaware county. He believed he would be able to master the disease, and directed that the family proceed to the new home in the township of York. The daughter, Rebecca, soon returned to her father in Delaware county, but upon her arrival was told of the death and burial of her father. John B., the son, was then only seventeen years of age. His father had not as yet contracted for the land he had squatted upon. John B., in his own name, in a short time bought one hundred acres, paying the government price of two dollars and twenty- five cents per acre. He lived there many years and was known as a man of sterling traits of character. He was first a Whig and later a Republican. The family were of the Methodist faith.
Eli Jolinson came to York township in the early autumn of 1833 and settled near Somerville. He reared a large family ; served a short time in the War of 1812; taught several of the pioneer schools and was highly respected. He died at a ripe old age in 1865.
Charles Bennett settled in this township in 1833. Later he sold and moved to Illinois and still later found a home in Missouri.
In the same fall John Sterling located here. He was born in Ireland, came to America and settled in Tuscarawas county. From that county he wended his way to this county and purchased a hundred-acre tract in the wilderness south of Somerville, later known as the Fulton farm. He sold his farm, attended school at Delaware, returned a Methodist minister and was faithful in that calling until his death.
John Johnson came in with his family from Harrison county, Ohio, in 1834, settling near Somerville. Before emigrating to this township he had traveled on a circuit as a Methodist minister in the Pittsburg conference and
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also in New York, but in Union county he served only as a local preacher. He was one of the original proprietors of the village of Somerville. He farmed and also engaged in a small general merchandise business at the town he helped to found. In 1844 he moved to Marysville, having been elected county auditor. At the expiration of two terms he opened a drug store at the county seat. It did not suit his health and he returned to farm life in York township in 1855, there passing the remainder of his days. At Somer- ville he taught the first term of school at eight dollars per month and boarded himself. He did more than any other person to build up the Methodist Epis- copal church at Somerville. He died in July, 1873, aged seventy-three years ; his wife survived until 1882.
David Davis, a native of Pennsylvania, came from Harrison county, Ohio, to what is now York township in 1833, settling a half mile south of Somerville, on Bokes creek. He added tract to tract until his land holdings in the township were large. Early in life he was a Methodist, but later united with the United Brethren society. For a time he preached on one of the circuits of the church last named. He died in 1878, aged eighty-two years.
Washington G .. Elza and Amon S. Davis, three younger brothers of David Davis, settled in this township in 1837. Amon S. settled at Somer- ville and worked at carpentering three years, at the same time reading medi- cine under Dr. Hamilton, of East Liberty. He entered into medical practice at Somerville, continuing until 1866 and then moved to Decatur. Indiana. where he died of milk sickness in 1874.
James R. Smith, another of the original proprietors of the village of Somerville, was born in Maryland in 1794 and emigrated to Ohio when a young man. He came to York township in 1834. He was by trade a shoe- maker and in connection with clearing up his land, he followed his trade. He became a justice of the peace and served as an associate judge in Union county eight years. For six years he was engaged selling goods at Somer- ville. He was then elected probate judge of this county and served for ten years. He then returned to York township and carried on a small garden and flower farm. He was a leading factor in the township and lived to attain the advanced age of eighty-three years, dying suddenly of heart disease in 1877. He had served a short time in the War of 1812.
Thomas R. Price, a Pennsylvanian by birth, came to this township in 1836 and settled at Somerville. He was variously engaged-hotel keeping. selling goods, running a boot and shoe shop, etc., until his health failed in 1865. He was long an invalid, dying in March, 1877.
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William Kirk, reared near Alexandria, Maryland, settled in York town- ship about 1834. He purchased a small farm and besides tending that, he made shoes, tailored, and for a few years was a local minister of the Meth- odist denomination. He lived to a good old age, dying in 1874.
The third settlement in this township was made by George Coons on survey No. 5,289, two miles north of York Center, in the fall of 1829. During that following winter he brought out several loads of goods and in the spring following came his family, arriving April 1, 1834. Being a farmer, he spent the remainder of his years there. He died in October, 1856, aged seventy-eight years. His wife survived him twenty years and died at the age of ninety-three years.
Nathaniel Brooks settled in the Coons settlement in 1832. He was from New York, a Methodist class-leader, politically a strong Whig. He died in 1836, leaving four sons.
Levin Wright came from Fairfield county about 1835, settling in the Coons settlement. He remained a lifelong resident of the township.
Herman Tobey removed from Saratoga county, New York, in 1831, and purchased the survey of one thousand acres in which York Center is now located. He paid one thousand dollars for the tract. He utilized some for himself and sons and sold the remainder to other incoming pioneer set- tlers. He was a shrewd, honest Yankee and a member of the Baptist church. He died while on a visit to one of his children, aged sixty-four years.
Gregory Storms moved in 1833 from Orleans county, New York, to a farm just north of York Center. He purchased the land of Henry Tobey at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. It is now worth at least one hundred times that amount. He was a Whig in politics and a zealous Meth- odist in church faith. He helped to organize a class which met at his house for some time. He died at the age of seventy-four years on the farm he had cleared up.
One of the first trustees of the township was Hiram Parker, who came about 1833 and settled three-quarters of a mile from York Center. Later, he removed from the county.
Aaron Shirk, a native of Hardy county, Virginia, when he was eight years of age, with his father, Aaron Shirk, moved to Ross county, Ohio, in 1816, crossing the mountains with a five-horse team and consuming six weeks on the journey. After a two-years' sojourn in Ross county the Shirks moved to Liberty township, Union county. Here the son grew to
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manhood and spent his time in assisting his father clear up the land and hunting. Aaron Shirk, Jr., was married in 1833, to Rosanna Tobey. He immediately commenced improving a farm of one hundred and forty-five acres which cost him a dollar and a half per acre. His house was of hewed logs of superior finish for those times. He secured the services of competent workmen and the cabin boasted of a good board floor and three twelve- light windows, an unheard-of extravagance then. Most of the pioneer cabins had but four or six panes of glass or more likely were content with deer skin or oiled paper for window-panes. For many years Mr. Shirk made brick, burned lime and followed shoemaking when not engaged at farm duties. He also hunted much. He estimated that he had killed more than five hundred deer in this and adjoining counties.
The election of this township in 1840 showed eighty-four voters and prior to that date the above, together with the following, were residents of York township:
James Bennett ( 1835), Simon Coder ( 1834), Thomas Butterfield, John Barkdale, Hiram Beal. Joseph Cahill. John Cork, William Ennis, Jacob Echard, David Fulton, Daniel Gould, James McCrea, David Master, Hartwell Munger, William Sigler (a Marylander), Adam Winters, B. P. Wilkins, James Whitaker, Ephraim Varington, Emmet Southworth, Andrew McNeil, Robert Mellroy, William Henson and James Seran.
The first settlers arrived at the township only a few years before the Indians had departed from this neighborhood forever; but while here they hunted in common with the whites. The Indians would, whenever a favor- able opportunity presented, steal raccoons and other game from the traps of the pioneers and in return the latter paid little regard to the rights of their savage acquaintances. One of the foremost settlers discovered an Indian robbing his traps and at almost the same instant the Indian espied him and sprang behind a tree. To the demand of the hunter to come forth, the red man made no response for a while, but afterward pled the lateness of the hour of the day and the necessity of reaching his camp immediately. He sped away fleetly, leaving the trapper indignant but in possession of his game. The next morning with his brother he started through the woods in search of the camp of the Indians. It was discovered in the lower part of Washington township, but the Indians were not there. After searching in the vicinity for them they returned to the camp, placed the combustible mat- ter it contained in the center and applied a torch. They lingered about until the camp was reduced to ashes and then returned home. The Indians were
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never seen or heard of afterward. Another pioneer missing game from his traps, cut in the bark of a beech tree the figure of an Indian, bound and lashed by a white man. Soon after an Indian drew the figure of a white man on a tree, with a bullet hole through the arm. On the same tree the original artist later sketched a dusky savage pierced through the heart with a rifle ball. This was the last of the series and the Indians avoided that vicinity thereafter.
As has been related, Aaron Shirk in his youth was a great hunter, and on one occasion it is recorded that he shot at a buck with what he sup- posed was a full charge. It happened that his brother had loaded the gun for squirrels and hence it had but half a charge in it. He hit the buck in the neck, but only stunned him. Not having time to reload, he caught the animal by the horns and tried to cut his throat with his butcher knife. The fight continued for a full hour. Once the young man, despairing of winning out, released his hold on the animal's horns and sprang behind a tree. His dog, however, which had been with him in the terrible encounter, sprang at the buck, caught him by the throat and caused him to stumble, whereupon Aaron again entered the lists. In the contest he had lost his knife, but when the struggling of the animal became feebler through exhaustion, Mr. Shirk suc- ceeded in opening his pocket knife with his teeth and severing an artery in the neck of the buck. It was fully two weeks before the plucky hunter re- covered from his contest.
SOMERVILLE.
On Boke's creek in the eastern part of York township is located the quaint old village of Somerville. It was laid out in the southern part of survey No. 3.468. This survey was purchased by James R. Smith, John Johnson and William Summers, who were the townsite proprietors. Mr. . Summers was a Methodist minister at Leesburg and never lived in York township, but the other two proprietors did. This platting was surveyed by Levi Phelps and recorded August 11, 1835. It comprised forty-eight lots. When surveyed the land was not yet cleared of its heavy timber and thick underbrush. Thomas Price built the first cabin there. John John- son had had an ashery at this point and he was the first merchant of the newly platted village in the forest. At first he bought his goods at Colum- bus and sold them from his cabin home. His stock consisted mostly of groceries with a few dry goods. John Price, son of Thomas Price, moved to the village soon after it was platted and followed carpentering. William Kirk, a Methodist minister, was an early arrival. He came from Carroll
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county and started a tailor shop. He later moved to his farm near the hamlet and there died in 1874, respected by the entire community.
The Union Gasette of Marysville. published January 28, 1842, had the following notice concerning this town :
"Sale of land and town lots-The subscriber will offer at public sale on Friday, the 25th of February next, lots in the town of Summersville and adjoining thereto. These will be laid off in tracts of various sizes, say from three to ten acres each, fronting on State roads, so as to suit mechanics and tradesmen, several of whom would meet with good employment in this new and growing community. \ blacksmith, gunsmith, carpenter and joiner. cabinet-maker, wheelwright, cooper, saddler, etc .. are much needed. There are at present in the village one tannery, one boot and shoe-maker, two chair and bedstead factories and one wagon shop; also a good saw-mill within one-half mile. Terms: One-third in hand or to be paid on the first of April, and the balance in two equal payments annually."
"Summersville, January 28, 1842.
JOHN JOHNSON, Agent."
The first shoemaker was Charles Bennett ; the first tannery was operated by John Thomas, and John Price ran the bedstead factory. The first physician of the place was Dr. Charles Morrow, who came from eastern Ohio in 1837. He was an herb doctor. He later removed to Delaware in order to give his children a college education. (See Medical Chapter.)
When mud roads prevailed this town was a good trading point, but in 1882 it was little better than in that early time. At one date it boasted of two good stores and an excellent hotel. In 1882 the only store was con- ducted by A. M. Crawford: there were then two blacksmith shops, two churches, a good school and about one hundred and fifty people, with James Darling as postmaster. The postoffice was known as Bokes Creek. The department at Washington, D. C., gives the following list of its postmasters : Amos S. Davis, April 26, 1854: William G. Elliott, December 21, 1863; R. J. Thompson, March 23, 1865; Sylvanius Taylor, May 14, 1866; J. M. Darling, January 10, 1867; L. W. Smith, January 16, 1873; J. M. Darling. March 16, 1874; George W. Westlake, January 29, 1884: Albi Colver, January 28, 1889: Thomas Mulcahy, July 17, 1983: B. C. Bolenbaugh, December 28, 1897. Discontinued June 30, 1904. Mail is now received by rural free delivery from Peoria.
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