History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions, Part 49

Author: Curry, W. L. (William Leontes), b. 1839
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1322

USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 49

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At various points along Mill creek, cabins were erected and small clear- ings made by squatters, who held the land only temporarily. This was almost all the settlement for a number of years after the first few pioneers named came to Paris township. It is stated that these roaming squatters, hunters and trappers, were universally of the Democratic faith and in re- ligion-well, that did not bother them much.

In the fall of 1819, Levin Gibson settled just northeast of Marysville. He was a Virginian. He farmed all his life, but, strange to say. he never owned land of his own.

Joel Hinkle, about 1818, brought a drove of hogs from Clark county to range along Mill creek. He built a cabin on the Robinson place, north- east of Marysville, and remained about one year. Then Elijah Holloway took possession of the cabin, remained a few months, but tired of the coun- try, he went to Ross county. The cabin was next occupied by Lemuel God- frey, who after a brief sojourn, left for Iowa. William Shelpman settled in 1819 on Mill creek and died there. John Streets lived for a while in the bend of the creek just north of Marysville. Sampson Hubbel lived from 1820 for a few years, two and a half miles west of Marysville. Joseph Bell built a cabin on the Robert Belt farm, northeast of Marysville. George Cline, from Madison county, settled about 1821 on the Daniel Longbrake farm. The place was called "Cline's Bottoms" for many years. When the land was finally sold to an actual settler, he moved to Madison county. A Methodist preacher, James Bradley, came from Ross county in 1819 and occupied an old squatter's cabin in the eastern part of the township, but never purchased land.

In survey No. 4,074, in 1818, John Barker settled, three or four miles northwest from Marysville. He was from Virginia. Later, he sold one hundred acres north of Mill creek to Samuel Westlake and removed to the Armine tract.

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Another highly respected citizen was Jonathan Brooks. He owned no land in this township, but resided in the Armine settlement. He was an earnest Methodist church worker.

George Westlake, a native of Maryland, came here from Belmont county, Ohio, in 1821. He was well advanced in life at the date of his coming and was the father of a large family of sons and daughters. Both he and his estimable wife were faithful members of the Methodist Episco- pal church, and both attained an extreme old age.

John and George Howser were among the first settlers in Paris town- ship. They were brothers and emigrated from Licking county, and located on survey No. 5,138, north of the Armine settlement. After a number of years they removed to Hardin county and purchased land on which the town of Kenton now stands.

Lemuel, Joseph and William Wilmuth, three brothers, emigrated from Ross county, Ohio, to Paris township, either in 1820 or 1821, settling on Mill creek, northeast of Marysville. William farmed, but owned no land here. His wife was Susan Carr and she bore him a large family.

Adam Wolford settled north of Marysville in 1821 at a point where the county fair grounds are now located. He was a carpenter, and died here in 1863, aged sixty-five years.

Tobias Bigler arrived in Paris township in 1825. He was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, born in 1805. of German parentage. In 1809 he emigrated to Licking county, Ohio. He bought one hundred acres of land northwest of Marysville when it was all heavily covered with timber.

A settler in 1828 was John Elliott, born in Maryland, who had resided in Belmont and Adams counties, Ohio, before coming here. Soon after coming here he bought two hundred acres in the northwest part of Paris township, where he ended his days. In early life he was a very zealous Methodist, but later was one of the prime movers in the organization of the United Brethren church. Politically, he was a Democrat. IIe was twice married and had a large family.

William Gregg settled in Paris township in 1827. purchasing a small farm in survey No. 1.913. He died at Marysville.

Others early pioneers were James Richey, John Sovereign, Coats Thorn- ton, William Wells and William Youst. This completes the list of as many early settlers as can now be traced out. There were no doubt a few others.

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THE BLOCK HOUSE.

The only fort Union county ever had was the block house erected on the Powers place, in survey No. 5.736, in 1812, by the settlers in the south- ern part of what is now Union county and those over in Madison, as a defense against threatened invasions by the Indians from the north. It stood east of Edward Powers residence, near the west bank of Mill creek. The block house was made of hewn logs, and its dimensions were about fifteen by twenty-four feet. It was two stories in height, and on all sides there were port-holes about four inches square. For about two weeks after this means of defense was hastily constructed, it was strongly garrisoned by settlers from below, as it was expected that the Indian attack would be made by the way of the Indian trail on which the building stood. Soon a report reached the garrison that the savages were to come in from the south, and the occupants of the little improvised fort left it and returned to their defenseless families. No hostile Indians, however, ever appeared in this vicinity. The block house was afterward used as a dwelling.

The history of churches, schools and lodges in Paris township will be found in separate chapters on these topics elsewhere in this volume.

ELECTIONS.

The first election held in Paris township was for the selection of a justice of the peace, September 29, 1821. Thirteen votes were cast, of which William Wilmuth received nine and Mathias Collins four. From that day to this the two dominant parties have been the Democratic and Republican, usually about equally divided, though more generally the Re- publicans have been successful.

In 1910 the United States census gave Paris township, outside the city of Marysville, a population of 1,112. Combined with the city the popula- tion was placed at 4,688.

CITY OF MARYSVILLE.

Whatever might have been the appearance of this part of Union coun- ty in 1819, when the place was platted as a village, when all was natural forest, it is certain today that there are but few prettier town sites within the bounds of the commonwealth than Marysville. Its well paved streets. its thousands of broad and spreading shade trees, its miles of cement and

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stone sidewalks, its fine churches and magnificent school buildings, its court- house, city buildings, private residences and substantial business houses, one and all proclaim Marysville to be a modern municipality, peopled by a pros- perous and contented populace, whose loyalty to county, state and nation has been well attested on many a hard fought battlefield more than a half century ago. The windings of pretty Mill creek are seen through the northern part of the city, and several bridges, including one of pioneer type -- the old covered bridge northwest of the city proper-furnish easy access to the busy streets. In 1910 it had a population of 3,576, which is now in- creased materially. Its streets are well lighted by electricity, and the rail- road and shipping facilities are good. for here one finds the busy yards of three railroads-the Big Four, the Toledo & Ohio Central and the St. Mary's branch of the latter named system.

THE BEGINNING.

The original plat of Marysville was executed August 10, 1819. nearly ninety-six years ago. Union was then included in Delaware county, and a transcript from the records of the last named county shows the following description of the place :

"Plat of the town of Marysville, which is situated on Mill creek, a branch of the West fork of the Scioto river, in Delaware county, Ohio, which was surveyed and laid out. agreeable to the above plat, for Samuel W. Culbertson [the initial letter "W" was possibly by oversight, left out] Esq .. proprietor of said town, as laid out to the cardinal points of the com- pass. The streets and alleys all at right angles; the lots are five perches in front, or north and south, and eight perches back, east and west; the lots contain one-fourth part of an acre each, except the fractional parts of lots which join the public square are less ; the streets are all four perches wide, except the two streets running north and south, one of which being on the east side of the public square and the other on the west side, are thirty- three feet wide each: the alleys are all sixteen and one-half feet wide each, all of which is full delineated on the above plat.

"August 10. A.D. 1819. CHARLES ROBERTS, Surveyor."

The lots in this plat were numbered from one to ninety-six; the public square was in the shape of a diamond. The land included in this plat is a part of the Edward Dowse's survey No. 3,351. surveyed for him in 1798,

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by Nathaniel Massie, D.S., on certain military warrants held by Dowse. Stephen Thompson Mason, of Loudoun county, Virginia, purchased the warrants and received a patent from the United States government, May 7, 1800, for the whole survey, 1,087 acres, "situate lying and being between the Little Miami and Scioto rivers, northwest of the River Ohio." March 21, 1801, Mason sold it to Joseph Scott, of Philadelphia, for five shillings and the latter, on the 22d of September in the same year, disposed of it to Francis Bailey, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, for the sum of $187. Bailey, who owned a printing establishment in Philadelphia, on the 15th of March, 1813, conveyed the land to Margaret Bailey, "a single woman," for one dollar. July 10, 1817, Miss Bailey sold the west one-third part of her purchase to Samuel W. Culbertson, also for one dollar. By this Mr. Culbertson became the owner of what a subsequent survey proved to be four hundred and fifty acres of land. The landmarks were then trees as will be seen by the following description in his deed: "Beginning on the bank of Mill creek, in Delaware county, Ohio, above where the present road passes from Delaware to Urbana, at two sugar trees and linn, the northeast corner Edward Dowse's survey, No. 3.351; thence seventy and one-half east 152 poles to a hickory, sugar tree and ash in the line of said Dowse's survey, at one-third of the whole distance-456 poles; thence south ten east 436 poles to a post in the south boundary of said Dowse's survey, crossing the creek at a hundred and eighty poles; thence south eighty west 152 poles with said south boundary to a large white oak and three sugar trees southwest corner to said Dowse's survey ; thence north ten west 436 poles along the west boundary of said Dowse's survey, crossing the creek to the beginning."

Culbertson resided at Zanesville, Ohio, June 28, 1820, his wife, Mary [all other places given as Nancy] Culbertson, granted him a power of at -. torney to convey for her the interest she owned in any lands in Union county which he wished to sell. July 25, 1822, power of attorney was granted to Silas G. Strong of Marysville, by Culbertson and wife, the sale of these lands being solely in Strong's hands.

The county seat having been fixed at Marysville, David Comer was, on the 10th of July, 1820, appointed director of said town, with Thomas McDonald and George Harris as his bondsmen. On the day following it was ordered by the court, "That David Comer. the director of the town of Marysville, be governed in his proceedings by the following rules, to-wit : That he select the grounds and lots; that he receive deeds for the county ;

E.F. SOUTHARD'S RESIDENCE

OAKLAND MOTEL

SOUTH COURT STREET

BIRD'S EYE VIEW FROM COURT HOUSE LOOKING N.E.

HIGH SCHOOL

COURT HOUSE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

M. E. CHURCH

JOHN WILDI EVAPORATED MILK CO.

VIEWS IN MARYSVILLE.

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that he sell the lots at public sale, giving first thirty days' notice in the neighborhood papers; that he sell for one-tenth in hand and the balance in four equal annual payments ; that he lay out the land in lots (either in or out-lots as the ground may best suit ) ; that he make any alterations in lay- ing out the town which Culbertson and himself may think expedient ; that he take bond, with security, from purchasers. After the public sale he may sell at private sale, and clear off the ground before the sales and make such other improvements as may be advantageous to the county."

April 18, 1821, a plat of Marysville was placed on record in Union county, having a total of one hundred and forty-four lots; this was laid out by Mr. Comer, as director, the lots from ninety-eight to one hundred and forty-four, inclusive, having been donated by Mr. Culbertson for the use of the county. The space between Center and North streets, extending east the width of one lot beyond Water street, was called "Military Square," which has since been laid out into lots.

Mr. and Mrs. Culbertson, upon the establishment of the seat of justice at Marysville, deeded to David Comer, in trust for the county, all of the even numbered lots in the original plat and the twenty-four acres adjoin- ing on the east in which were the forty-eight additional lots and the "Mili- tary Square." This deed was made December 16, 1820, in order that the commissioners might be enabled to erect public buildings at Marysville. The "Military Square" was laid out June 29, 1825.

David Comer, director, resigned in 1824, and Stephen McLain was appointed in his stead. Comer died in 1825, and his will was admitted to probate June 27 of that year. Before his resignation, he had sold for Union county, the following lots in Marysville :

No. 4-to George Harris, April 20, 1821, price $81.

No. 28-to Mathias Collins, May 21, 1821, price $75.

No. 26-to Mathias Collins, June 29. 1821, price $55.

No. 58-to Philip Jarboe, June 29, 1821, price $96.

No. 70-to Thomas Collins, December 3. 1822, price $54.

No. 38-to T. L. Woods and Stephen McLain, September 27, 1824, price $1.00.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

It is generally believed by those best informed in the pioneer history of Marysville that a Quaker, named Jonathan Summers, had the distinction of erecting the first cabin on the site of the town. The date of the raising of this rude abode was 1816. After the town had been platted the first

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settlers were Matthias Collins, Samuel Miller and John Leeper. George Snodgrass, the oldest living settler of Union county in 1882, was residing at Urbana, Ohio, and furnished the following as his best recollections of Marysville, as a young village. His words are these: "When I came to Marysville to live in February, 1824, there were but four families living on the town plat; it was literally in the woods. Silas G. Strong had just moved in a new log house, just where the house of Judge Woods, deceased, now stands, opposite the jail, on land he had purchased at three dollars and fifty cents per acre. Daniel Miller, a brother-in-law of David Comer, lived in an old log cabin probably erected by a squatter. He had four children. He was a brickmaker by trade, and died here after a few years; his widow removed from the place. Matthias Collins was here when I came. He had two children. His wife died at an early date. Collins was a carpenter and built a little one-story house on East Center street, just on the east side of the branch. Later Dr. Henderson owned the site. Collins got married in 1830, moved on a farin, lived a few years and died there. The fourth family was that of Stephen McLain. He was raised in Champaign county, Ohio, married in the fall of 1823, moved to Marysville, and was jailer, liv- ing in the jail when I went there in February, 1824. Those were the citi- zens of Marysville then.

"Between that date and the fall of 1827, two families located in the place-George Minturn and wife, from Champaign county, and Newton Hicks and wife. Minturn was a wheelwright by trade and had made little and big spinning wheels. People at that time made their own wearing apparel. Newton Hicks was a tanner. I built the first two-story house. a frame building. to live in that was put up in Marysville. I think I am safe in saying that I taught the first school that had any scholars, in the corporation or town plat.

"I recollect David Comer distinctly. He was a man of considerable ability, and a gentleman. He was our captain : I have mustered under him. He was elected commissioner of Union county at an early date. He owned a good farm three miles west of Milford, and died about 1830. [Another account says and proves it, that he died in 1825.] Some years after that his widow married Ralph Cherry. As regards Clark Provin, I can say but little. My recollection is that he was appointed clerk of the courts until one could be elected.

"Silas G. Strong was an Eastern man. He had a good education and was smart, shrewd and capable of filling any office in the county or state.

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He came to Marysville soon after the organization of the county. He was of the Presbyterian order. When I came to live with him he was clerk of the courts, county and township recorder, justice of the peace and post- master. He was a good surveyor, was agent for a good many tracts of land, and his having no family except his wife, was the reason I went to live with him; he wanted someone to assist him in his business. I was to stay with him three years. When I was not engaged for him, he was to educate me in his own house. He was to give me thirty-three dollars the first year, sixty-six dollars the second and one hundred dollars the third year, and board me and do my washing. I was to furnish my own cloth- ing. I lived with him three years, then got married, rented his house, and kept tavern, Strong and his wife boarding with me. He always treated me well, never a cross word passed between us. During that time I taught school nine months, in one place, a mile and a half from Marysville, at twelve dollars and fifty cents per month.

"Amos A. Williams was then sheriff of the county. He was a car- penter by trade. The business of his office did not keep him constantly employed. He made me his deputy and left the entire business with me. I was then twenty years of age. He was elected to a second term, and I still remained with him, making three years altogether, to the satisfaction of all concerned."

It is learned that Mr. Snodgrass was the son of Robert Snodgrass, who came from Pennsylvania in 1800 and settled at Milford with five or six other families besides his people. The family mustered ten persons, of whom four were born in Union county. He was born June 8, 1805. The son who wrote the above reminiscence was one of the chain-men who was authorized to assist the surveyor to lay out the Marion and Newton roads. In running the line from the south to the north part of this county, they passed but two or three cabins, one being in the valley of Boke's creek, just north of Pharisburg, and another on Fulton creek. The latter was then occupied by Cyprian Lee.

About 1835, or possibly a few years later, Silas G. Strong changed his religious belief and with his wife went with the Shakers. After one year he became dissatisfied and returned to Marysville. He then embraced the doctrine of the Second-Day Adventists. It was said of him by his near neighbors that he had his "ascension robe" ready on several occasions. At one time he took a man's cow and team of horses as balance payment on a farm. The man returned afterward and wanted the cow back, saying that his family was nearly starving. Strong told him it made no difference-

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the people would all be "called up" in a few days anyway-referring to the predicted end of the world. After a number of years Strong went to Nau- voo, Illinois, and there joined the Mormons, and there he died. As a re- ligionist, he was a peculiar man, but outside of that he was an able, intelli- gent and highly upright citizen.

David Witter, the third sheriff of this county, was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1786. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and participated in the battle at Queenstown Heights, Canada. He settled on Darby Plains in 1814, and improved a large farm. At the public sale of lots in Marys- ville, Mr. Witter bought a number of lots, among others the lot on which the old American House later stood. He built that structure in 1829. It was one of the best hotels in this section of Ohio-Springfield, Delaware and Columbus, having none superior. He owned three hundred acres of land adjoining Marysville on the east. It is now immensely valuable, but he disposed of it before it had taken on much value. In 1840 Mr. Witter engaged in buying hogs and cattle and sustained large losses. He sold out, paid his debts, and in 1845 removed to Logan county, Illinois, where he had entered a thousand acres of land in 1835. He remained there until 1857, then sold and removed to Pike county, Illinois, where he died in 1857. He was thrice married and reared a large family.

Adam Wolford, Sr., came to Union county soon after his marriage in 1821, and settled at Marysville on land near the present fair ground. He was a carpenter and did most of the wood work on the old courthouse.

Richard Bancroft, born in England in 1797. came to America when nineteen years of age and about 1822 located in Marysville, where he re- sided over fifty years. He died in Iowa in 1880.

Thomas Snodgrass was born in this county and spent most all his life in Marysville, dying in 1880, aged seventy-three years. He established the first Methodist Sunday school in the place. He connected himself with that church in 1828, became class leader, and led the singing until 1859. He was a man of great strength of character and highly beloved by all.

Cyprian Lee was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1792. Through an uncle's large estate, which he helped to settle after the uncle's death, he came into possession of about two thousand acres of land in Claibourne township along Fulton creek. He first visited Ohio in 1820, remained a time in Delaware, and in 1822 located on his land in this county. He sold a small tract of land to a man who agreed to aid him in making settlement. The first work was to open up a roadway for about four miles through the

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dense timber, so that teams might cross to and from the land he possessed. The cabin was then reared of logs and a part of the land cleared for cul- tivation. But the exposure and work was too much for his strength, and in 1825 he moved to Marysville and there kept hotel for a time. He never allowed any of the rough element to insult him or trespass on his rights, and many a man who thought he was a better man received a hard flogging at this pioneer's hands. He was in no wise quarrelsome, but knew his rights and stood manfully for them. He served as captain in the militia many years. He soon left the hotel business and embarked in merchandising at Marysville. He continued in trade and also with partners, until his death in 1854. He was county treasurer from 1845 to 1851 ; was also coroner and was elected mayor, but refused to serve. In religious faith, he was first a Christian, but later became a member of the Presbyterian church at Marysville. He was also president of the County Bible Society.

Other settlers at Marysville were Tobias Beightler, from Fairfield county, Ohio, who came in from that county in 1825, when twenty-one years of age. According to his article in the Marysville Tribune in 1880, when he arrived here these were the only ones residing here. Matthias Collins, Thomas Collins, Eli Lundy, George H. Houser, Hezekiah Bates (a black- smith, who had a shop where stands the Peoples Bank), Samuel Osborn (who had a small tannery which stood where the city building now stands ) and Silas G. Strong.

In 1829 came Charles 1. Mullin, who died in 1882. He carried the first brick and mortar in the construction of the original courthouse. Calvin Winget came here in 1820 from Milford Center, having arrived in Union county among the earliest immigrants. He conducted a hotel here for some years. In 1831 this building and two others were burned by the hand of an incendiary. Suspects were arrested, fried and sent to the peni- tentiary-two white men and a colored man. Calvin Winget died of milk sickness in 1840. Squire William M. Winget was his son, and he had for years in his possession the original seal of Union county. It was made of brass and had upon its face the state coat of arms and the words "Common Pleas of the County of Union," and the date, 1820. The impression was made by placing its face over the instrument to be sealed and striking the back side with a hammer, and it showed many a dent from the heavy blows inflicted.

Rev. James Ryan, who was born 1791, joined the Methodist church in 1813: moved to Ohio in 1836 and located in Marysville, where he died

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in 1868. He was a typical Methodist minister and had to do with the or- ganization of several classes and churches in Union county, including Mt. Harmon, originally known as Dunn's Run church.

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History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions, Part 49

Author: Curry, W. L. (William Leontes), b. 1839 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1322

Author: Curry, W. L. (William Leontes), b. 1839
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind., B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1322