USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne county, Ohio, from the days of the pioneers and the first settlers to the present time > Part 52
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January 9, 1844, the wife of Elijah Tasker was again joined in marriage to Thomas Marshall, a native of Beaver county, Pa., and who removed to Wayne county and settled in Mt. Eaton, in March, 1842.
MT. EATON.
Mt. Eaton, formerly known as Paintville, was laid out as early as 1813 by William Vaughn and James Galbraith. Elijah Carr is
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said to have built the first cabin in the village, and Samuel Shull kept the first tavern. The first preacher in the village was Archi- bald Hanna (Presbyterian), who conducted religious services for several years in a tent in the woods.
In 1829, through the concerted action of Jacob Beam and James Galbraith, the name of the village was changed from Paintville to Mt. Eaton. The first election held in Mt. Eaton, under the order of incorporation for special purposes, was on April 4, 1870, three Trustees being elected, and which resulted as follows: J. B. Westcott, John Schlafly and James Huston, forty-two votes being polled. At a meeting of the Trustees April 5, 1870, order being called, on motion of J. B. Westcott, James Huston was nominated as Chairman and Secretary.
The first order of business was the election of officers, which was determined by lot, the term of service of each Trustee being as follows: John Schlafly for three years, J. B. Westcott for two years, and James Huston for one year. On motion of J. B. West- cott, James Huston was elected Clerk and Treasurer, and Charles Contris, Marshal and Supervisor. Present Trustees are John Schlafly, J. B. Westcott and Florian Schafter.
In 1861 Mt. Eaton Fire Company No. I was organized.
In 1823 James Morrow ran a carding machine by horse-power in Paintville. In 1827 Messrs. Weed & Jones, of Paintville, had an iron foundry in operation. In 1827-8 Joseph H. White pub- lished the anti-Masonic Mirror, a weekly newspaper, in Paintville, which soon expired for want of patronage. In 1828 Mrs. Waxler was killed by lightning, the electric fluid descending the chimney. In 1831 Colonel William Goudy built the first steam grist-mill, at Mt. Eaton, which was burned down in 1836, rebuilt in 1838, and destroyed in 1839 by the explosion of her boilers. The result of this catastrophe was the sudden killing of John Murphy, the scald- ing and mangling of John McDonnel, and the scalding of James Bradly and Jeremiah Nelson, who survived but a day or two. Joseph Austin was seriously injured but recovered. One of the boilers was flung fifty yards up a hill, splitting a saw-log in its course, and gashing the frozen earth.
In 1833 the cholera made its appearance in Mt. Eaton, the contagion having been brought there by Benedict Beaverstine, a Frenchman, who, with his family, were emigrants, and who had a dead child-a cholera victim-with them when they arrived. The contagion assumed a malignant form at once. David Boyd, an
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
intoxicated man, with courage engendered of "benzine," strutted up to the wagon to see how a cholera victim would look, was soon attacked and died that evening. In four weeks twenty-six persons fell victims to the devastating scourge. It made its appearance about the middle of August. Drs. Hall and Barber did all they could to stay its ravages, yet the fatality stood as one to ten of the entire population. James Galbraith was the last victim. During the prevalence of the epidemic the citizens fled from the village.
In 1835-6 Madison H. White published the People's Advocate, a weekly issue, in Mt. Eaton, which, like the Mirror, died for want of support.
The Dutch War. - In 1844 a riot occurred in Mt. Eaton, at Stinebruner's grocery, where a French and Dutch dance was in pro- gress. The English, it seems, were the aggressors in this so-called Dutch war. Windows were smashed in and knocked out, teeth were violently jarred from unwilling jaws, many were badly bruised and wounded, and some shooting was done. The civil authorities were invoked, and order was restored without loss of life.
Postmasters. - The following is a list of Postmasters of Mt. Eaton, from 1822 :
* James Galbraith, from 1822 to 1836; Jacob Beam, from 1836 to 1841 ; George Phouts, from 1841 to 1842 ; A. Henderson, from 1842 to 1843; Anthony Knoble, from 1843 to 1850; John Pinkerton, from 1850 to 1851 ; Joseph Wickidall, from 1851 to 1862 ; L. A. Desvoignes, from 1862 to 1868; James Huston,-August Des- voignes,-Frederick Ruch, from 1875.
James D. Westcott, M. D., was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, January 6, 1817. His father was a ship carpenter, whom the son assisted in various ways, and with whom he remained until he was seventeen years old. He read medicine with Dr. J. Welsh, of Waynesburg, Stark county, Ohio, with whom he staid five years, and then went to the Ohio Medical College-old school-under Dr. John Mussey.
He entered upon practice at Magnolia, Stark county, where he remained a year, removing in March, 1837, to Mt. Eaton, where he has continued to the present time. He was married March 12, 1845, to Amanda Lash, of Stark county, and has had eight children.
# During the incumbency of James Galbraith, and about 1829, the name of the office was changed from Paintville to Mt. Eaton.
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Charles C. Roth, M. D., was born in the kingdom of Wertem- berg, October 6, 1827, and emigrated to America in 1853, land- ing at New York after a voyage of forty-five days. He remained in the city in one of the hospitals for eighteen months, upon a small salary, when he removed to Winesburg, Holmes county, Ohio, and began practice with Dr. Peters. He removed to Mt. Eaton in 1856, which has since been his home.
Dr. Roth studied his profession in Tiibingen, in Wertemberg, and Heidelburg, in Baden, graduating at Tiibingen. He was in the naval academy at this latter place; was in the Schleswig- Holstein war of 1847, and the Revolution of 1848, and has in his possession a medal awarded him for bravery at Baden, by the Duke of Baden. He was married May 7, 1857, to Magdalene Miller, of Louisville, Stark county, and has had six children. The Doctor is a member of the Reformed church of Mt. Eaton.
William Lucas, a native of Northamptonshire, England, immi- grated to America in 1832, the same year settling in Mt. Eaton. Three years thereafter he married Ruth Geiger, who was the first woman he saw in Paint township ; had six children, two sons and four daughters. He began keeping hotel in 1836 in Mt. Eaton, and, with the exception of nine years similarly spent at other places, he has been in the hotel business in this village. His wife, so well and favorably known as "Mother Lucas," died in January, 1873. Robert A. Lucas and wife have charge of the hotel.
George Mathoit, a native of South France, removed to Paint township and settled in Mt. Eaton in 1837. He was married to Cecelia Dodez, of Paint township, and died April 20, 1872. He engaged in the furniture business after his arrival, and continued therein until his death. A. C. Mathoit, his son, was born Sep- tember 23, 1842, and, with David Ketterer, conduct and are pro- prietors of the steam furniture works of Mt. Eaton.
Gustave Schaffter was born in Berne, Switzerland, June 10, 1837, and came to America in 1858, his brother, Florian Schaffter, accompanying him. They removed to Mt. Eaton in 1864, and became partners in the manufacture, of wagons and buggies.
James Y. Pinkerton was born in Somerset county, Pa., April I, 1802. He removed to Wayne county and settled near Mt. Eaton in 1823, and ever after lived an honored, worthy and esteemed
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citizen of Wayne county. , He was well and popularly known throughout his township and the county; was elected at different times Justice of the Peace of his township and served in the ca- pacity of County Commissioner to the satisfaction and approval of the public. He was married to Lydia Beam, with whom he lived for nearly 44 years, and had been an active, ardent and faithful member of the Methodist church for nearly 43 years preceding his death. Whether as Justice of the Peace, as Surveyor or Commis- sioner, he endeavored to perform the trusts committed to him with impartiality, fairness and fidelity. He was identified with the im- provements and local interests of his neighborhood all his life. He died at his residence, near Mt. Eaton, September 22, 1875. His son, Van Buren Pinkerton, occupies the old homestead and is an honorable and influential citizen of the township.
Matthew Pinkerton was born in Somerset county, Pa., May 30, 1817, and removed with his father to Wayne county April 17, 1823. His father died in September, 1860, aged 86 years. His occupa- tion was that of farmer and stock-dealer, living on the farm for 44 years. He has held nearly all the offices attainable in Paint town- ship. He was six years a merchant in Mt. Eaton, has held the office of County Treasurer for two terms, was a stockholder in the old Commercial Bank of Wooster, to which city he removed in March, 1867. He issued the currency known as the "Pinkerton Checks" during the war.
George Kimmel was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1811. His father was a farmer, and immigrated to Stark county, Ohio, in 1815, settling on the Steubenville road, two miles east of Waynesburg. The subject of this notice spent his early years with his father, laboring on the farm, going to Canton afterward and learning the trade of tailoring.
He was married in November, 1832, to Miss Eliza Beals, of Paint township, the same year having removed to Mt. Eaton. He has had seven children, one son and six daughters, all save two of the daughters dead. Josephine, wife of David McQuillet, lives with her husband in St. Louis, and Lucy Ann, wife of Samuel Yates, with her husband, resides in Sedalia, Missouri. When Mr. Kimmel came to Mt. Eaton there were but four Frenchmen in the village, to wit : Emanuel Nicolet, Isaac Banly, Louis ~Dodez and a Mr. Perrott. Its population then consisted of Pennsylvanians and
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a few Virginians. Mr. Kimmel is a farmer, a good citizen, a mem- ber of the Methodist church of Mt. Eaton, joining the same in 1834.
Conrad Haverstock, a native of Switzerland, came to America with his parents, who settled in the State of New York, subse- quently removing to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1812, and to Paint township in 1817, settling on the farm now owned by Daniel Haverstock, where he lived and died in his 75th year, 1830. He entered the farm from the Government. He was married to Mar- garet Richard, of Bedford county, Pa., and had ten children, all of whom are dead but Daniel, who now lives upon and owns the old farm. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and is buried in Mt. Eaton. Daniel Haverstock, only remaining son of Conrad, was born in Bedford county, Pa., August 27, 1806; came to Paint township, with his father, and has pursued the vocation of farmer all his life. He was married to Rebecca Kiser, of Paint township, and has had ten children, three of whom are dead. His wife died May 13, 1868.
Henry Lash was born in New Jersey, February 1I, 1801, in Sussex county, near Newton, the county-seat. His father was a farmer, and of German descent, with whom he remained till the attainment of his majority, when he married Miss Nancy Craven, of Pennsylvania. He continued with his father, working upon the farm, for about three years after his marriage, when he accepted Greeley's advice and went West, settling first in the woods in Paint township, about two and a half miles from Mt. Eaton, bring- ing with him his wife and two small children.
His father, David Lash, had purchased the quarter section, prior to Henry's removal, from Mr. Miller, who had entered it. In the spring of 1825 it was that Mr. Lash arrived at his home in in the woods, destitute of every evidence of civilization, save a log shanty, which he had partly built the fall before. Before his wife and children could get into it, he had to cut out a door, the win- dows even not being opened. The cabin was 18x18 feet, of round logs, clap-board roof, puncheon or split log floor, one window and one door. Fortunately he had a sash for the window, which he had brought along from New Jersey.
His father " moved " him, in a one-horse wagon, all the way from old Sussex, transporting for the youthful pioneer a bureau, bed, etc., and driving two cows. When his father left him, his son
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counted in his private exchequer five dollars. Mr. Lash now went to work to open up daylight around his cabin, and the first season cleared up ten acres of land, although for two or three years he made little or no money. The first year he could not raise two dol- lars and a half to pay his taxes, and had to send home to his father for the money.
He has had seven children, all, save one, of whom are living, and all having left the paternal mansion. Mr. Lash, though past seventy seven years, is yet in good health, and says that notwith- standing their exposure and the abuses they suffered sixty years ago in the wilderness, they had good health and enjoyed them- selves. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Mt. Eaton, in charge of Rev. Milton Brown, uniting within Rev. Hanna's pastorate, of which organization he has been a member for fifty-five years.
When he removed to Paint township there were no French inhabitants in Mt. Eaton, the county being settled by Pennsyl- vanians, etc., etc. His neighbors were the three Dobbins families, Isaac Peppard, Leonard Craven, and chiefly Presbyterians. His first wife dying, he was married again to Lucinda Dorland, Sep- tember 25, 1872.
CHURCHES.
Presbyterian Church .- The church of Paintville-now Mt. Eaton-was organ- zed June 20, 1818, with thirteen members. The Rev. James Adams officiated at the organization. To date of June 20, 1872, the church has had five pastors and nineteen ruling elders. The membership at present numbers seventy-eight. The entire number of members received into the church of Mt. Eaton, from its or- ganization to July 4, 1876, is as follows : On examination, 243; on certificate, 166 ; a total of 409.
Ministers-Archibald Hanna, from May 25, 1820, to 1832; Nathaniel Cobb, from 1837 to 1840; Philo M. Semple, from 1844 to 1858; Jeremiah Gillem, from 1860 to 1868; Milton W. Brown, from 1871 to the present time.
Ruling Elders-William Hunter, June 20, 1818; William Kilgore, June 20, 1818; Rowland Armstrong, June 20, 1818; Alexander Culbertson, June 3, 1824; William D. Pennel, June 3, 1824; Isaac Peppard, June 3, 1824; Matthew Derlim, William Johnson, no date; Christopher Harrold, November 2, 1837; John Edgar, November 2, 1837; Jeremiah Rockwell, no date; David Lash, November 2, 1837; Joseph Teeple, 1840; David Kilgore; Alexander Thompson, March 11, 1855; Hen- ry S. Lash, March 11, 1855; Jacob Hudson, November, 1868; George Beam, No- vember, 1868; William M. Johnston, 1868.
The names of the first thirteen organizing members are as follows : James Kilgore, Margaret Kilgore, Jane Mckinney, William Kilgore, Isabella Kilgore, William Hunter, Mary Hunter, Rowland Armstrong, Jane Armstrong, John Ander- son, Agnes Anderson, James Galbraith and Sarah Galbraith.
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The first church was a log structure, situated in the present cemetery grounds, and was built about 1820.
Milton W. Brown, the present pastor of the Mt. Eaton Presbyterian church, was born in East Union township, May 20, 1821, and is a son of John J. Brown. His father was a farmer, with whom he remained laboring and going to school until he was twenty-five years of age, when he entered Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pa., where he graduated. He attended the Theological Seminary at Allegheny City, and was licensed to preach in the spring of 1851. His first congregations were at Hopewell and Nashville, Holmes county, coming to Mt. Eaton in 1871. He was married December 23, 1851, to Sarah Finney, of Hopewell.
Evangelical Lutheran Church .- The first record of this congregation goes back to 1832, the church being built, however, many years prior to this date, a log house, its site near where the present St. Paul's church now stands. The mem- bers (about twelve families) were mostly Pennsylvania Germans. Rev. E. Greene- wald took charge in 1832. In May, 1836, he was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Reck, who was in turn relieved in the summer of 1843 by Rev. Edwin Melsheimer, con- tinuing pastor until October, 1846, when Rev. William B. Rally, pastor of St. Paul's church, Mt. Eaton, supplied the church pro tempore. Here the record of the church closes.
St. Paul's Church .- This congregation of the Reformed Lutheran church origi- nally attended the Evangelical Lutheran. In the summer of 1842 the new church was built, the pastor, Rev. A. L. W. Begemann, and Rev. David Kammerer officiating at laying its corner-stone. It was finished in 1846. In March, 1845, Rev. Robert Kochler became minister of St. Paul's, serving one year. Rev. W. B. Rally was his successor, continuing until 1851. The congregation separated into two, a German and French, the former electing Rev. Johann Ackeret for its pastor, while the latter recalled Rev. Kochler. The congregations retained their common property, creed and name. Rev. Ackeret served the German congrega- tion until 1868. Rev. Philip Decker was his successor. He resigned in 1876, and was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. H. Nau.
Jacob Fraze was born in New Jersey 1772, and was a mill- wright by trade. From New Jersey he removed to Westmoreland county, Pa., thence to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and thence to Paint township, Wayne county, 1822, to where his son George now lives. He had visited the county prior to this, however, and in 1821 had built what was known as Grable's grist and saw mill, for which he received 105 acres of land, and on which he settled April 1, 1822. When he took possession of the farm its whole improvement consisted of an unchunked, undaubed, unfinished cabin, scarcely a tree felled, and not a root or grub taken out. On this farm, Mr. Fraze remained, cultivating it, and by turns working at his trade, until his death, in February, 1833. He was a capital mill-wright and master of his craft, and was known far and wide, and was often known to hide when persons would call at his house to get him to repair their mills. He was of German origin, and
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an excellent German as well as English scholar. He was mar- ried in 1827 to Rachael Willard, of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and had three children.
George Fraze, the only son of Jacob Fraze, was born April I, 1821, at Putnam's Mill, Stark county, Ohio, and came to Paint township with his father, where, with the exception of three years, which he spent in acquiring the trade of wheelwright and chair- making, he has since resided. He was married March 4, 1846, to Sarah Adams, of Paint township, and has had eleven children, nine of whom are living. His son John is a graduate of Mt. Union, and of the Law College at Ann Arbor, and is practicing law at Akron, Ohio. Mr. Fraze is one of the most intelligent men of his township, progressive and enlightened in his opinions, and characterized by his ready co-operation in useful and important en- terprises. He possesses a cool, calculating mind, is stern in his convictions, and has the ability to fortify and defend them.
Eli Brown was born on Brandywine creek, Lancaster county, Pa., and was of Quaker, Dutch and Irish parentage. He emi- grated to Sugarcreek township, Wayne county, in 1810. He was a school teacher and surveyor, and for ten or twelve years gave attention to surveying, meantime entering six quarter sections of land in Paint township. So, preferring the farm to the compass, he settled on the premises now owned by Mrs. Sarah Brown, mother of Charles H. Brown. He died April 28, 1839, having had six children, two sons and four daughters.
Charles H. Brown was born April 22, 1825, and was early in- troduced to the monotony and drudgery of the farm life. He went to school to his father, and after his death the principal over- sight of the farm devolved upon him. He remained with his mother until 1850, having the entire disposition and management of the place upon him, when, on the 22d of October of this year, he was joined in wedlock, by Rev. Archibald Hanna, to Nercissa Galbraith. Mr. Brown has three children -one son and two daughters. He is a stirring, wide-awake business man, full of ac- tivity, and in the prime of life. He is a farmer, stock-dealer, spec- ulator, according to circumstances, a man of honor, character and reputation.
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WEST LEBANON.
West Lebanon is a small village, three miles north-east of Mt. Eaton, and was laid out in 1833 by Philip Groff and Rev. William S. Butt. Frederick Bysell, it is claimed, built the first house and kept the first tavern and post-office. Mr. Joseph Harry, who carne to Paint township in 1824, and who now lives in West Leba- non, is of opinion that Isaac Stine built the first cabin, on lot 32, in the village, and that the first Postmaster was Adam Zaring. The office was established, he says, in 1835. Philip Groff, one of the founders of the village, was a native of West Lebanon, Leba- non county, Pa., and hence, in memory of his native town, called it West Lebanon. John Hoke is the present Postmaster, and was appointed January 1, 1868. James Kilgore was the first Postmas- ter in what was called East Lebanon, in Sugarcreek township, in 1833. Michael Hawn, a Revolutionary soldier, born 1741, and died 1844, aged 103 years, is buried in the Lutheran graveyard at West Lebanon.
Evangelical Lutheran Church .- The first church was built in 1831, and prior to this there existed no organization. It was erected under the auspices of the Lutheran and Reformed bodies. The first minister was John Reck ; first members, Matthias Siler, Philip Reihnole, Peter Shilling, Phillip Sidle, etc. Rev. Bordner is the present minister, dispensing the English service. Membership between thirty and forty.
Church of God .- The Church of God in West Lebanon was organized in 1857 by John Oberlin, John Grameling, Moses Grow and others. Rev. John S. McKee was here at the time of the organization, assisted by Rev. Martin Beck. The ser- vices of this body were first held in the Lutheran church, and afterwards in the village school-house until the new church was erected in 1865. Rev. M. Beck, a gentleman of great liberality, and remarkable intellectual ability, donated the ground for the church edifice, and not only that, he actually assumed the role of carpenter and builder, for which service and labor he received but a partial allowance. Rev. Beck became the successor of McKee, and continued in the pas- torate for three years. Rev. Lewis H. Silvy succeeded Mr. Beck ; then came Rev. Alexander Wiley, Rev. Simeon Lilly, Rev. Henry Linn and Rev. A. Long, the present minister.
A. M. McMillen, M. D., was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, near Steubenville, in 1816. His father was a mill-wright and farmer, with whom the subject of this sketch remained during his earlier years. After preparing himself for the school-room he began teaching, and for eight years devoted himself to this em- ployment. He read medicine in Canal Fulton with Dr. Howard, and graduated at the old Medical College of Cleveland. He began
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practice at West Lebanon, in 1849, continuing there until his death, which occurred May 4, 1874. He was married in the spring of 1849 to Rebecca Neeper, of Lancaster county, Pa., by which union there were eight children. He was a member of the Presbyterian church of Mt. Eaton.
D. H. McMillen, M. D., a nephew of Dr. A. M. McMillen, was born in Stark county, Ohio, near Greenville, October 13, 1848; read medicine with his uncle and graduated from the Cin- cinnati College of Medical Surgery in June, 1874. He began practice with his uncle in July, 1874, and continues the same in West Lebanon. He was married January 6, 1876, to Miss J. A. Braden, of Sugarcreek township.
Abraham Bales, father of Jacob Bales and grandfather of Solo- mon, Philip and Daniel Bales, came to Wayne county in the fall of 1811 on horseback, and then seventy-five years old, from Lebanon county, Pa., and entered all the land between Solomon Bales' and West Lebanon-993 acres; buying in addition to this a quar- ter section in Stark county. He died with his son, Caleb Bales, in Wayne county, at the age of eighty-eight. These 993 acres were divided among nine children, Jacob receiving the 145 acres where Daniel Bales now lives.
Jacob Bales was born in Lebanon county, Pa., 1787, and removed to Wayne county in 1812, locating on the farm now owned by his son Daniel. He was married October 5, 1812, to Sada Bowers, of Lebanon county, Pa., and died March 1I, 1871, having had born to him nine children, three sons and six daugh- ters. He had seven brothers and one sister, all of whom are dead. Caleb was his youngest brother, and died in Surgarcreek township during the summer of 1876. Jacob lived fifty-nine years upon the old homestead, and during that time not a death occurred among the members of his family, which was composed of nine children, although three have died since his death. His wife died June 2, 1874, and at the time of his death he had eighty-six grandchildren.
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