USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 76
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John Lewman was born in 1802 in North Carolina, and came to Utica township in 1819 with his father's family, settling near where Peter H. Bottorff now lives. He assisted his father in clearing off the land, and in many other ways aided in successful business enterprises. In this family there were four brothers and three sis- ters. Mr. Lewman was married September 11, 1829, to Miss Mary Grisamore, the issue being nine children, six of whom are living. In Jan- uary, 1866, he was married the second time to Catharine Howard. Mr. Lewman is a success- ful farmer, and is the possessor of a handsome competency, gained by hard labor.
Hezekiah Robertson was born in Maryland, and came with his father's family to this town- ship when fifteen years of age. In the family there were six brothers and two sisters. They immediately began the work of clearing, living here the most of their lives. Fletcher Robert- son, one of the oldest citizens of the township, was the sixth child, moving here in 1843, when twenty-four years of age. He married Malinda
Carr in 1843, a relative of the Carrs, General John, Colonels John and Thomas Carr being her uncles. Mr. Robertson is a successful far- mer, residing within one mile and a half of Uti- ca, on the Charlestown turnpike. He is sur- rounded by all things temporal and spiritual which tend to make man happy and respected.
John and Elizabeth Schwartz came from Penn- sylvania in 1802, with a family of four children, and settled five and a half miles above Jefferson- ville. His vocation was farming. In Indian wars he took an active part, but on account of his age did no fighting. His death was caused by an accident in June, 1824. Mrs. Schwartz lived to be over seventy years of age. George Schwartz, one of the good men of the county, resides near the old homestead. He associates with the Methodist church, and stands high as a successful farmer and business man in the com- munity.
The Bottorffs settled in Utica township about the year 1815. In all affairs of the township they took a prominent part, and are now among the substantial people of the county. One of the notable events in the family history is that Mrs. Bottorff melted bullets for her husband, when he was preparing to fight the Indians at Tippecanoe, while the wolves howled around the cabin door. There are at least three hundred voters of this family alone in the county at pres- ent.
The original family of Lutzes was from North Carolina. David Lutz was father of this very ex- tensive generation. They are now scattered over the county in considerable numbers. All · are respected and cultured citizens.
REMARKABLE EVENTS.
In 1800 the seventeen-year locusts made their appearance in Utica in such numbers that the proprietors conjectured a plague similar to that of Egypt. But they soon passed away, doing no damage save killing the small branches of forest trees where they had deposited their eggs.
In 18or immense numbers of squirrels crossed the Ohio from Kentucky to Indiana Territory. To protect crops from the little animals, hunts were instituted on a large scale, and prizes were awarded to the person killing the greatest num- bers. In order that foul means should not be employed, every hunter was required to produce at night the head of each squirrel taken.
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Early in September, 1811, a comet passed over Utica from northeast to southwest, causing much consternation among the people of the village.
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The first steamboat passed by Utica, between nine and ten o'clock at night, in October, 1811, creating great alarm. After it had passed, the re- ality appeared more like a dream. On its arri- val off Louisville, about twelve o'clock, the boat in letting off steam brought many people from their beds to witness the novel sight. The general im- pression was that a comet had fallen from the heavens into the Ohio.
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December 16, 181 1, occurred the first of a mem- orable series of earthquakes, which affected the entire Missisippi valley, They were preceded by a rumbling noise, resembling that of distant can- nonading followed by its echo. These interrup- tions continued up to the Ist of March, 1812. Judge Wood says, "We were much startled. I arose and went out of doors, and observed the branches of the trees waving as if put in motion by a heavy wind." In the house dishes, cups, saucers, and cupboard-ware were generally shaken from their places, and some broken. The cor- ners of our log houses creaked, and everything indicated a terrible ordeal going on within the earth. Boatmen from the Falls, who were in the vicinity of New Madrid, declared their boats were carried up stream several miles in conse- quence of the upheaval of the Mississippi." These remarkable facts are none the less strange because happening in a pioneer age. To us to- day they would be as startling. Many things are likely to happen in a new country, which to a pioneer people seem unexplainable with their superficial education; and, in many instances, a touch of the mysterious has much to do with their conception of the real. It can be truly said, however, of the people who settled here near one hundred years ago, that they were pos- sessed of many admirable qualities. The luster which gathers around them is undying ; we hope the future will be as glorious as the past.
CHAPTER XXVI. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
ORGANIZATION.
The county commissioners met at Charles- town in the spring of 1816 and proceeded to separate the northeastern part of the Grant, and that portion of territory which had been annexed to it, into four townships, one of which was Washington. The following are the boundaries established by the commissioners, and found in the minutes which they kept:
For the second and back township, commencing at the mouth of Poke run and running thence with the dividing line between Poke run and Flag run, until it strikes the divid- ing ridge between Fourteen-mile creek and Camp creek; thence with said ridge to the upper line of the county, which shall compose the back township, to be called by the name of Washington.
First dividing lines were to a great extent im- aginary. It was not till after the township be- came filled up tolerably well that the boundaries were fixed definitely. Early settlers often, dur- ing the first few years of preparation for farming, care little for anything except the real necessities of life. The gun supplies both want of food and pleasure. After land begins to reach some degree of value, they find out that deeds and legal papers are a necessity.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Washington township possesses no remarkable features. The surface is slightly broken along the streams. On the dividing ridges, from which the headwaters of the creeks flow, the land is level, sometimes even to wetness. Between Poke run and Flag run, a distance of two to three miles, the surface gently slopes toward each stream, though only enough to cause the water to flow in either direction. In the vicinity of New Washington village the drainage of the country is excellent. This part of the township is not far from the summit of the corniferous formation of limestone, so common in this , part of the county. The East and West forks of Fourteen-mile creek give the northwestern part of the township a surface of various kinds ; farms are generally tillable and often remarkably well provided with springs and streams, which supply an abundance of water for stock. There is a dividing ridge in the eastern part of the town- ship, from which flow the streams that enter the Ohio without becoming tributaries to larger ones
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and those which empty into the East fork of Fourteen-mile creek. It is elevated and well adapted for grazing purposes, but not specially productive in the grains.
The surface of the township had much to do with its boundaries. Lines were drawn easier by following up streams or along the dividing ridges from which they took their course. These circumstances combine to give the town- ship a very irregular shape. It is composed mainly of sections, except one tier of the Grant tracts, which lie along the south side and which extend up into Scott county for perhaps a half- mile. There are in the township 22,690 acres. Total valuation of property about $450,000. The township is bounded as follows: On the north by Scott and Jefferson counties; on the east by Bethlehem township and Jefferson county; on the south by Oregon and Owen town- ship; and on the west by Oregon township. "A few miles back from the headwaters of Campcreek the lands are wet, the soil is light-colored clay that holds water." The northern side of the township is well adapted to grazing, the soil pro- ducing good varieties of grass. " In the vicinity of New Washington, the soil is light-colored clay and sand, and has a better drainage than the lands last mentioned. The line of the drift reaches but a few miles south of the road from New Washington to Knabb's Station, on the Ver- non branch of the Ohio & Mississippi railroad, at the line of Scott county. An occasional bowlder is seen as far south as the Charlestown and Henryville road. The land about New Washington is well adapted for wheat, and in some localities excellent corn is grown."
Camp creek, which skirts the eastern side of the township, and which derived its name from the fact that many of the traveling bands of In- dians encamped near its mouth, in what is now Bethlehem township, flows slowly out into the Ohio river. As it approaches the river it begins to pass through a sort of chute, which no doubt was formed during the glacial epoch. It is in Bethlehem township, however, that the line of drift appears most striking. Camp creek heads in Jefferson county.
Flag run takes its name from an aquatic plant which formerly grew in great abundance along its bottoms. Many of the early settlers used these plants for chair-bottoms, matting, and some-
times for a rope or halter. For the latter it was of little service. This stream flows in a westerly course and empties into Fourteen-mile below the junction of the East and West fork.
Poke run drains the southern part of the town- ship, through only in a very limited way.
On section thirty-six the East and West fork of Fourteen-mile unite, forming the main creek. The West fork is much smaller than the East fork. It rises altogether in Clark county. Its tributaries are few and small, fed generally by springs, which are very common in this vicinity. The East fork takes its rise in Jefferson county and flows diagonally through the township until it reaches the junction. It has a number of tributaries, one of the largest of which is Dry run, which also heads in the upper country. Both these creeks have a good supply of water during the fall and winter months. During the months of May, Juhe, July, and August they are almost dry. This was especially true during the sum- mer of 188r, when vegetation'and stock suffered so much on account of the drouth. Years ago, before the timber was cut away, mills on the East fork ran all the year round. It was only after a quarter of a century, when the settlers be- gan to consume the timber in various ways and prevent the water from standing in ponds and settling through the leaves, did these streams fail to supply a plentiful quantity of water for milling purposes. They are now only made useful by dams and races. The bed of these creeks is made up mostly of the crinoidal and corniferous formation of limestone. Wells are from fifteen to fifty feet in depth. The water is pure, crystal- like in appearance, and has a delicious taste. Springs often gush forth from the limestone, which is frequently of a cement character, and supply families and stock with a drink as cool and refreshing as any in the county.
"The growth of the timber in the eastern part of the township is beech and white oak." Camp creek is noted for its buckeye trees. On the low, narrow bottom, sycamore and sugar-trees are found from two to three feet in diameter. In the region of New Washington village white oak, beech, and in some localities most excellent poplar, are found. "The latter timber is more abundant to the south, where the land becomes rolling and the limestone begins to show." There was never a dense undergrowth. The swampy
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· nature of the soil prevented a luxuriant growth of vegetation. Pea-vines were never peculiar to this township. Thousands of hoop-poles are cut yearly and turned into a paying business close at home. Railroad ties are also taken in large numbers, hewed from the best trees, and often sacrificed to agents and speculators at a poor, little sum.
CAVES.
New Washington cave, more commonly known as Copple's cave, is situated on the east fork of Fourteen-mile creek, lying within a farm owned by David Copple. The opening is about 6 x 20 feet, and narrows down 'rapidly until a passage between shelves and rocks is reached, where a stream of water makes exploration unpleasant. There are no stalagmites or stalactites to amount to anything, but calcareous deposits are found on the rocks in the form of flowing drapery. One hundred and fifty yards from the entrance the ceiling rises to some height, and climbing up one sees upon the left a large chamber not more than three feet high. In this sort of basin large, rocky pendants make exploration difficult and somewhat dangerous. Here are bear-wallows, evidently made when the red man traversed this scope of country. Farther along one comes upon a sink-hole obstructed by rocks. It has never been opened, and may communicate with a larger cave below. Following the course of the cave, one presently comes to a larger low opening, similar to the first. The floor is of clay, and in it are numerous bear-wallows, other marks of the animals being plainly visible on the low ceilings. This chamber has never been fully explored, on account of the low ceiling. Standing here, one can see on either side to the distance of thirty feet. Soundings made by Professor Elsom, of Pennsylvania, show that there are other passages, but as yet no one has ventured to make decisive explorations.
Close to Copple's cave is Spring cave. It was discovered by a dog crawling into the ground many years ago. The ground was dug away and a fine cavern for spring-house purposes was thus disclosed. This cave is not very large, but there are two or three bear-wallows in it. The en- trance is a room about fifty feet high and fifteen feet wide, with a stream of water passing through it. An open sink-hole at the end communicates
with some other passage below; but it has never been fully followed out.
On the Taylor farm is another cave, closely resembling Spring cave. About thirty yards in is a dome-like opening in the ceiling. The hole is about five feet in diameter and ten feet in height. At the end of this cave are more bear- wallows. There is still another cave on the same farm, but the opening is covered with rubbish.
On Arbuckle's and Robinson's farms are two more caves, of which Robinson's has been ex- plored several hundred yards. The passage is a narrow aisle, with a running stream of water in its bottom. In it are numerous red lizards. Arbuckle's has a stream also, and a large cham- ber, from which a devious passage leads further. The mouth of this cave was used for shelter by the Indians. Marks of encampment are yet plainly visible. In this region are springs which issue from rocks, run a short distance, long enough to afford splendid water, and then disap- pear. To "Bart," of the Jeffersonville Daily Evening News, we are indebted for much of the above information.
SETTLEMENTS.
The pioneers of Washington township settled promiscuously. Among the first settlements was that of the Robinson neighborhood, on the east Fork of Fourteen-mile, about two miles above where it unites with the West Fork and forms the main branch. It was here that a mill was early set in operation. About it the people naturally gathered and began clearing. After New Washington village was laid out in 1815, settlers generally located so as to be within a few miles of the place. Roads were established to connect with Charlestown, the Ohio river, and the counties of Scott and Jefferson. The early traveler went to Louisville from the counties lying above on the tributaries of the Wabash and White rivers, by way of New Washington. Most of the emigrants took the same route. They passed through the village on what was known as the Charlestown road, or else, crossing the Ohio at Westport landing, took a different road, but passed through the same village after leaving the county. People migrated thus for various reasons. Southern people changed their homes mostly on account of soil, climatic influences, and slavery, and these emigrants were, in most
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cases, from the South. The Westport road was the first in the township. In passing through the country it pronged to different settlements, which acted as a kind of feeders. It ran from the Ohio river to Pervine's mill.
A few years afterwards a road was laid out con- necting with Charlestown at Work's mill, on Fourteen-mile creek, in Charlestown township. Another road made connection with Bethlehem, on the Ohio. As the township gradually increased in number of inhabitants, new roads were estab- lished to meet the wants of the people. From a few dozen in 1800 it has risen to about fourteen hundred in 1881. The crossing of the Charles- town and Westport roads, about two miles and a half from New Washington, was the stopping- place during the night for many of the emigrants before the little village beyond supported a tav- ern. Flag run flows immediately over the cross- ing of the two roads. A little bottom on the northeast corner made a good camping-ground, and the stream supplied teams with water and the women for cooking purposes. The road-track is but little worn, as it passes over the hard lime- stone, which in many places forms the only pro- tection against mud, and a good protection it is too. These roads are used much, and are in tol- erably good condition. The sandy soil absorbs the water in this vicinity, and for this reason roadways have little grading. During the sum- mer months they are even better than turnpikes; when winter and spring comes they are frequently impassable, except on horseback. The guide- board at the Charleston and Westport crossing reads: "Charlestown, ten miles; Westport land- ing, six miles."
Washington township is cut by the Ohio & Mississippi branch so as to throw nearly a mile of railroad within her boundary lines. Knabb's Station is in the very extreme part of the town- ship. From it many of the stock-growers ship their cattle. As the station is small, it presents little matter of importance. The county line really cuts the place into very uneven parts, by far the larger of which lies in Scott county.
As all townships are subject to excitement on questions of public concern, so is Washington. The fall of 1881 found the people much inter- ested in a proposed railroad from Cincinnati to New Albany. It is to be built probably by some Fastern capitalists. The indications are that it
will pass through the township in the country about New Washington, on the level upland, or lower down, in the bottoms of the Ohio. A connecting line between these two points, the link of a great thoroughfare, would give such life and business to Washington township as would startle the opponents of public enterprises.
MILLS.
As has been said, the first road in the town- ship ran from Pervine's mill on Fourteen-mile creek to Westport landing, ont he Ohio. William Pervine, who was next to John Work in the mill- ing business, settled on tract number one hundred and ninety-eight of the Grant, as early as 1808. He erected a grist-mill on the present site of Walker's mills, below the junction of the East and West fork. This was four years before the Indians threw the country into such excitement by their massacre at Pigeon Roost. Pervine carried on his business successfully for a number of years, in the meantime adding to his establish- ment an overshot carding manufactory. The site was well adapted for the business. Many of the New Washington and New Market people came here to get their grists ground. Custom work was then the only kind. Such a thing as buying grain and grinding it into flour or meal was unknown. Shipments were consequently small. A consignment of goods was sometimes made later in the century.
Pervine's mill stood on the right bank of Four- teen-mile creek. The dam was made of brush. After Walker came into possession of it, about the year 1845, he changed the dam so as to make it of more service, by using stone instead of brush for an obstruction. There is now both a grist- and a saw-mill combined. During the sum- mer months it is run by steam power. Water supplies the motive power during fall and winter. The site is a good one, and considerable work is done for farmers in this section. The mill is old and has the appearance of age and use. Below Walker's mill a few hundred yards a handsome iron bridge crosses Fourteen-mile creek, on the road leading to New Washington.
Fifty-five years ago, on Camp creek, two miles east of New Washington, Jacob Bear, who came from Virginia, carried on the milling business. His sons, however, built the mill, he coming on after it was erected. The mill was of the over-
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shot style and was used at first for grinding pur- poses only. The old mill site is still used, but the motive power is steam. It is now known as the Hutsell mill, and has been in running order for more than twenty years.
After a few years, in which Mr. Bear supplied the people generally by his Camp Creek mill, another, known as the Robinson Settlement mill, sprang up on the east fork of Fourteen-mile creek, about two miles above the junction. The best authority on milling history in Washington township, Mr. Jacob Taflinger, says that the workmen came from the East several times to assist in mill erection. Mr. Bear probably had control of the Robinson Settlement mill at first, though by various changes it passed out of his possession. Finding out in a year or two that the water supply was irregular, a mill-site was selected further down the stream at the head of Fourteen-mile creek proper. The first mill put up at the junction was built by James Atwood, about 1823 or 1824. Mr. Jacob Taflinger, who was a millwright and carpenter by trade, came into possession of it in 1830, but not before it had passed through several hands successively. The bargain was made so as to include a piece of land. Since 1830 the Taflinger mill has been in operation, though at various times stopped temporarily during the summer months. It is owned by Jacob and Daniel Taflinger jointly, who came here with their father's family many years ago. There is a saw-mill attached to the grist-mill, run in summer by steam-power. Grinding and sawing are done four days each week.
In 1820, one mile and a half south of New Washington village, Fifer's horse-mill did con- siderable custom work. It was larger than most horse-mills of that time. Two, three, or four horses were hitched to a long sweep, and in this way supplied the power for grinding. It was in operation for four or five years.
STILL-HOUSES, ETC.
The distillation of whiskey and brandy was among the first undertakings of the pioneers. Their manufacture was often made profitable by trading with the Indians for furs, who, at this time, belonged to the disaffected tribes in the region of Vincennes and Kaskaskia. Still-houses were always common. Many of the mills had
stills attached to them; they often did much to draw custom. The majority of them were lo- cated on Fourteen-mile and Camp creek, the only streams of any size in the township. Jacob Bear had a still-house, or, at least, manufactured whiskey in connection with milling on Camp creek. Near Walker's mill Fitch and Helter- bridle, though different proprietors, carried on distilling. They were here more than fifty years ago. Samuel Montgomery, William Fisher, and many others engaged in the same business. Ja- cob Cobble manufactured whiskey on Fourteen- mile creek, near New Washington village, at an early day. Jesse Henly, a prominent man in the affairs of township and county organization, had a public still-house. His was of the cold-mash kind, and had from fifteen to twenty tubs. It was used mostly by the country people, who paid a certain per cent for toll. The old site is now marked by what is known as the Cave spring, from which Henly's still-house received its sup- ply of water. In connection with the copper stills he ground wheat and corn for the New Washington people with an overshot water-wheel thirty feet in diameter. Cobble's distillery was also used by the public. Corn at this time pro- duced about three gallons of whiskey per bushel. James Owens, Andrew Bowers, and James Smith were among the first distillers. They were located mostly on Fourteen-mile creek. One of the interesting features of Smith's still-house was a water-wheel with cow-horns attached to it, so as to carry the water up into a trough which car- ried the water to the interior of the house.
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