USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. I > Part 32
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Then on March 9, 1825, the lines were changed again, as follows: "The township of Hilliar shall be composed of the fifth township in the fifteenth range."
As thus formed the territory embraced sixteen thousand acres, owned by four individuals, and was divided into four equal parts. The names of the owners were, "Rathbone," "Dayton," "Hilliar" and "Parker" sections. The Hilliar section was the first to come into the market, and it was where the first settlement was made, hence the newly formed township was named in honor of Dr. Richard Hilliar, one of the four original proprietors.
The land in this township is level, or gently rolling and not rough, as in many parts of Knox county. The north fork of Licking traverses this township from northwest to southeast, passing near the enterprising town of Centerburg. Dry creek drains the northeast corner of the town- ship, while numerous smaller streamlets are found in different parts of the territory. Originally, this township had a heavy growth of fine sugar maple and walnut, but much of it was ruthlessly destroyed before the country at large knew how valuable it would soon become. Ash, white oak and elm also abounded in large quantities, all first class timber, save the last named. In the early eighties large quantities were being shipped by rail to distant parts of the country for manufacturing purposes. Here, as elsewhere in Knox county, coal is not a commodity of home production, but is shipped in when needed.
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There are but two Indian or prehistoric mounds within Hilliar. The population of the township in 1910, including the town of Centerburg, was 1,359, about the same as ten years previous.
The settlement in this township dates from the time when Dr. Richard Hilliar, a native of England, came to Zanesville, in 1805, and the following season came into what is now Hilliar township, one-fourth of which he purchased from Jonas Stanbery, of Newark, Ohio. The year 1806 he built his log cabin in the southwest part of the tract now called after him. His family then moved into the new house and the settlement was indeed opened.
The next settlement was effected by Messrs. Joseph Jennings, Jacob Houck, James Houck. Joseph Kerr and George Hinton with their families, who located on lands purchased of Dr. Hilliar.
The third little colony that came in for permanent settlement consisted of William Russell, William Reynolds, John Borden and Elijah Dowell, when the woods began to resound with the axe and nature was beginning to be tamed by civilized hands and intelligent brains.
The Indians were friendly at first, but matters changed some in con- sequence of the coming on of the war of 1812-14, at which time a pioneer seldom ventured outside his own cabin home without taking his trusty old rifle. Yet much of this was imaginary, for there were no real Indian out- breaks here.
The matter of milling was of much importance to the people in Hilliar township, and they decided to petition the county commissioners to build a road to Mt. Vernon for them. It was finally surveyed, but the authorities decided it would be too expensive to cut a road through the forests at that (late and so notified the people of the township. However, they were not to be beaten that way, but put their combined strength and forces together and made the highway themselves. Before then they had been compelled to go to Zanesville for their milling.
EARLY-DAY INCIDENTS.
Good men were plentiful in those days, and some of them, conscious of their muscular superiority. were not a little quarrelsome, but the best man among them never picked a fight and was never whipped, and that person was Stephen Sutton.
Early agriculture was pursued with much difficulty. The first plows were designated "go-devils:" some called them "bull-plows." The Jethroe wood plows were a great improvement over all others before known. That
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plow had an iron shear, secured by a bolt and nut. Thomas Hinton owned one of these plows, which was the wonder of the neighborhood. Phil- ander Bailey was hired to run the new implement and at first it worked well, but not long before it refused to remain in the soil, so stones were piled upon the beam to weight it down. Mr. Hinton soon appeared on the scene and upon examination found that they had lost off the iron shear and had actually plowed several rounds without it being on!
When grain was raised it was usually threshed by horses treading over it, going round in a circle. It was then winnowed on a sheet and large wooden fan. Sickles were used in reaping in those first days of agriculture in Knox county. In 1820 William Reynolds constructed a "grip" cradle, which was soon followed by the true type of grain cradle which laid the grain in a smooth swathe ready to be taken up in order by the man who raked and bound it into bundles.
The first wind mill was introduced in 1825 by a Mr. Matthews, and the first grass cutting mower by George Jones. The first threshing machine in Hilliar township was operated by "Brad" Follett.
At the presidential election in 1820, only twelve votes were cast for presidential electors, Jeremiah Morrow had twelve and John Mclaughlin twelve. In 1824 the Adams electors received fifteen votes each, while the Clay votes only numbered two.
Dr. Richard Hilliar was the first settler and also was the first person to die within the township named for him.
The first graveyard in the township was the land donated by James Houck, and the next one was established at Centerburg by the Baptist people.
The earliest mills were built on the north fork of the Licking creek, one by Jacob Houck in 1835, and another by Samuel Hupp. At these mills white walnut timber was worked into fine finishing lumber, while black walnut was made into clapboard lumber and sold in large quantities.
Lewis Rinehart built a tannery near Rich Hill in 1835 and in 1847 Gideon Sutton and Daniel Wolfe built a carding machine and fulling mill in the town of Centerburg. A steam grist mill was set in operation at this point in 1874 and was a paying enterprise many years.
For the history of the churches and schools, see general chapters, where all are treated at length.
In passing, it should be added that Jacob Houck conducted a hotel a mile and a half from Centerburg, and there William Houck worked at the black- smithing trade.
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The matter of roads was much agitated by the people in this part of Knox county, but not until 1830 was any action taken toward making a real highway for public use to Mt. Vernon. This was done by an act of the Ohio Legislature in 1829, making a state road from Mt. Vernon to Columbus. The road finally took the old roadway cut out by the pioneers before mentioned as making their own road through the forest.
Colonel B. Barney established a line of stage coaches, and in the fall of 1831 Neil & Moore were awarded the contract for carrying the mail. Horses were changed three times between Mt. Vernon and Columbus. Will- iam Houck and Benjamin Jennings were the original stage drivers there. Later, another-an opposition line-was put on by Walker & Company.
As to the growth of population in Hilliar township, the following may be of interest to the reader: In 1820 it had sixty people; in 1830 it had 200; in 1840, it had 1,012; in 1850, it had 1, 141 ; in 1870, its population had decreased to 931; in 1880 it had 1,101; in 1890, it enumerated 1,296; in 1900 it reached 1.341; in 1910, the last United States census gives the township 1,359. This includes Centerburg, which was placed at 723.
The following statement was made many years since by the pioneer, James Houck, then residing in Goldfield, Iowa: "Will say regarding the founder of Hilliar township, Dr. Richard Hilliar, that I knew him well. He was a good looking man, full of ambition and of medium size. He would never transact any business with a man who had once deceived or lied to him. When he came to this township he lived in a pole house, and had seven acres of land cleared ; the work was done by a man named Hyatt Will- iamson. Dr. Hilliar was affected with consumption and dropsy, but boast- ed that he lived eighteen years in spite of death. Before his death he broke down some brush near a cherry tree in the woods, about thirty rods south- west of the forks of the Sunbury road, and directed that he be buried there and his grave left unmarked, and he wanted no man to say, 'Here lies old Doctor Hilliar.' His orders were obeyed, and no man knoweth of his grave to this day.'" .
VILLAGES OF CENTERBURG AND HILLIAR.
One of the most important places in Knox county, aside from Mt. Vernon, is the enterprising village of Centerburg, which was platted into lots in October, 1830, by Edson Harkness, surveyor, and it appears to have been recorded December 24, 1834, by Stephen Sutton and Jacob Houck, owners of the land. They called it Centerburg as it is near the center of Hilliar township. The first house was erected on lot No. 35. by Harvey
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Jones, who also kept the first tavern and opened the first dry goods store in 1835. At that time the entire travel from the lake region to Columbus . passed through Centerburg, and great offers were made by rival stage lines to secure the greatest number of passengers and make the best time, as by these means they hoped to secure the mail contracts. Hence the horseflesh was not spared and the driver who could drive up in front of Jones' tavern with the most passengers, ahead of the other driver, was thought to be a knight of the road sure!
But these things all changed with the coming of the Newark & San- dusky railroad in 1851, when the trains carried both mail and passengers, leaving the stage coaches to be sold and sent on to the far western country that had not yet heard the neigh of the iron horse. At about the same time the proposed line of railway called the Springfield, Mt. Vernon & Pittsburg, was surveyed through the township and it ran via of what has since been known as Rich Hill. In August, 1852, Aaron D. Rinehart laid out a town and named it in honor of Dr. Hilliar. Here, the first house was built in 1853 by Richard Shackleford. John Miller built a steam grist mill, and Michael Ross kept a general store. Hilliar bid fair to be a lively rival for Centerburg, but as the road failed to materialize it went into decay. In 1880 it went by the name of Rich Hill and had one store, a few shops and the postoffice. Over about the same route, however, was built the Toledo & Ohio railroad through the township in 1880, which greatly increased the business of Centerburg.
CENTERBURG POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
Harvey Jones was the first postmaster at Centerburg in 1834 or 1835 and received mails over the stage line. He was succeeded by Nimrod Bishop, Edward Gant, Chester Heldt, Smith Hadley, J. Scott, Enoch Nichols, Daniel Wolfe, Robert Woods, Enoch Nichols (again), Robert Jackson, Charles Gregory, Charles Jennings, 1880, M. F. Hasson, C. J. Updike, Maurice Welsh, Frank Mercer, and the present incumbent, C. H. Bishop.
No. I rural route was established December 15, 1900; Nos. 2, 3 and 4, February 1, 1902.
The amount of business in this postoffice (outside money order work) was three thousand and forty dollars and forty-four cents.
October 3, 1901, the office was robbed, the safe blown open and a large sum in stamps and cash taken; one of the thieves was captured and sent to prison from Knox county.
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INCORPORATION HISTORY.
The date of incorporation was September 14, 1875, as shown by county records. The present municipal officers are: Mayor, Dr. S. Robert Best; clerk, A. W. Brown; treasurer, R. B. Ramey ; marshal, L. B. Evans ; council, C. W. Stinemates, Homer Smith, C. B. Smith, O. B. Messmore, L. M. Dally, R. B. Bishop. A system of water works, under the lease plan, is being at- tended to this year ( 1911). It will cost about twenty-five thousand dollars. The village uses the old brick township building for offices, etc. It was erected in 1893.
As near as can be learned now, the following have served as mayors of Centerburg : D. C. Oberholtzer. C. J. Updike, F. W. Cotton, A. A. Higgins, L. M. Bell, C. L. Bowers, M. L. Messmore, H. C. Fickle and Dr. S. Robert Best, the present mayor
The only means of fighting fire in the village now is by the street cistern supply of water and the hand engines, used by a volunteer company of about two dozen men.
BUSINESS INTERESTS IN 19II.
Farm implements, E. E. McGuire; hardware, C. W. Stinewates, E. D. Updike, C. L. Bowers ; hotels, "Park," by R. E. Glaze; furniture, Kasson & Grubb; dry goods, Miller & Tuttle; grocers, C. L. Willis, Baker & Payne, C. B. Smith; clothing, Jesse Spira; boots and shoes, Homer C. Smith, E. E. McGuire; millinery, Miss Maude Foster. Mrs. Ella Hess; mills, Burrer & Sons: lumber and coal, Fred C. Bishop; coal and hay, A. W. Rizor; grain, T. W. Updike & Son: stock dealers, Smoots & Jacobs, T. W. Updike; produce houses, Homer C. Smith and E. E. McGuire ; bar- bers, E. R. Brown, R. E. Baker, C. C. Ash; undertaker, D. H. Purdy : tin shop, Swetland & Hewitt; insurance, Bishop, Bishop & Darling. Holman & Dally : harness, W. A. Barnard; blacksmiths, Elmer Borden, F. W. Cotton; restaurant. J. W. Truex; creamery, Westerville Creamery Company ; cement blocks, F. C. Bishop: jewelry, D. C. Oberholtzer : photographs, G. W. Stine- wates ; monuments, W. M. Kasson ; livery, Fouts Bros. ; banking, Centerburg Savings Bank, First National Bank ; building and loan, C. H. Bishop, secre- tary ; newspaper, Gazette, by L. M. Bell ; physicians, Drs. S. Robert Best. W. B. Merriman, S. O. Gantt, W. O. Phillips; dentists, A. W. Brown, J. B. Wilson & Son ; drugs, E. B. Walter, Hulse & Henry ; hoop and stave works, W. T. Leatherman ; tile factory, Landrun & Landrun.
CHAPTER XXX.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
In March, 1829, Jefferson township was organized by the county con- missioners of Knox county. It is located in the northeast corner of the county ; bounded on the north by Ashland county and a part of Holmes ; south by Union township; east by Holmes county ; west by Brown township, Knox county. At the election held in 1832 at the house of Frederick Rice the following were elected: Trustees, Alexander Greer, Josiah Frost, John Hib- betts ; constables, Alvin Critchfield and Jesse Casteel; Robert McMillen, fence viewer.
This township was named, as might naturally be supposed, for Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States. In 1876 a strip one mile wide was taken from the south side of the township and annexed to Union.
Here one finds some of the most interesting geological scenery and for- mations in the county. The general topography is very uneven and hills, al- most like mountain ranges, are seen here and there, with their peaks pointing skywards. In the early days these hills and glens afforded a safe and ready retreat for the vicious, wild animals and snakes which abounded in great numbers. Dens of rattlesnakes were a frequent occurrence. Foxes, coons, opossums and wild turkeys were numerous twenty-eight and thirty years ago.
The principal stream is the Mohican river, crossing the eastern portion of the township from north to south. Interesting relics were dug and plowed up by the pioneers, the same having been made and used by a people superior to our known North American Indians, but who they were and when these people lived here we can but simply guess at. On the old George Bird farm, near Greersville, were several mounds and the early settlers explored them, finding human skeletons, ashes and charcoal. There are also ancient fortifi- cation works and trenches built hundreds and possibly thousands of years ago. In the vicinity of Greersville the peculiar formations of rock are named as in Colorado. There is the Alum rock, over which flows a water impregnated with alum. When exposed to the sunlight much pure crystalized alum is found left on the rock. Many years since this came to be a favorite resort for pleas- ure parties of both young and old, who saw much of the curious as well as beauty in the scenes hereabouts. Whortleberries grow in great abundance on the hills o fthis township and hundreds of bushels are annually gathered by the people of the two counties.
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The population of Jefferson township in 1910 was 802, showing a great loss over former years. In 1900 it stood 1,018 and in 1890 it was placed by the government census at I,OII.
Just who was the first person to effect a settlement in Jefferson township is not easy to determine at this late date in the county's history, and indeed it matters but little who it might have been, as long decades ago he was laid to rest. Among the first, it is quite certain, were Isaac Enlow and Nicholas Helm, who probably came a short time after the close of the war of 1812-14. It is not known or believed that others were here prior to that time. On ac- count of the hilly, rough grade of land found here, other portions of Knox county were taken up long before this was, as it very naturally would have been the last settled. Others who braved the dangers and hardships incident ยท to pioneer life in Jefferson township must not be omitted. John Melton, Aaron Mathene, Andrew McKee. Ephraim McMillen, Jacob Shiner, Elisha Ross, John Dailey, Alexander Darling, James Henderson, John Hibbetts, Josiah Trimbley, Joseph Critchfield and George Greer. The last named family have long been identified with the township and county of which this work is an historical account. During the war of 1812-14 Mr. Greer did much to pro- mote the formation of companies for defending the frontier against the Eng- lish and to ward off the blows being inflicted by Indian tribes. For over forty years some of the Greer family have been justices of the peace.
Robert Greer, a native of Ireland, born in 1806, came to Jefferson town- ship in 1827, after receiving a splendid education in his native country. He farmed, taught school and was justice of the peace. He died in 1865, his only child being Abraham W. Greer.
"Night and Day," as he was known because of his untiring work, another pioneer named Jacob Colopy emigrated from Maryland to Knox county in 1812, first settling three miles south of Mt. Vernon, but in 1825 moved to Jefferson township. Later he retired and lived at the village of Gann.
Absalom Shrimplin, son of John Shrimplin, one of Knox county's ear- liest settlers, was born in Owl creek valley, in 1806, the second white child born in Knox county, while his mother, Elizabeth Shrimplin, nee Morrison, was the second female child born in Ohio, it is said. Mr. Shrimplin entered Jefferson township soon after it was organized.
James Withrow, from Beaver county, Pennsylvania, came to Jefferson township in 1836, settling on section 4. He succeeded in defeating Hon. Columbus Delano for a seat as state representative in 1851, he being elected on the Democratic ticket.
Another interesting character of this township, in an early time, was Samuel Beck, from West Virginia, who married Mary Seaman, of Virginian
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birth. Mrs. Beck resided near Bethany, Virginia, and was intimately ac- quainted with John Doddrige, historian of Virginia and Pennsylvania, and with Alexander Campbell, founder of the Disciples church. She heard him preach his first famous sermon on immersion, at a private house in Bethany. Mr. Beck died in 1844 in Jefferson township. He was a thrifty, enterprising citizen.
Jonathan Rice came into this township from Allegany county, Maryland, in 1831. Soon after his settlement in the township, there was a grand reun- ion of all settlers who participated in a great union hunting expedition, cov- ering the settlements of Jefferson, Brown and Union townships. It is related that more than one thousand persons took part in this hunt. There were but few wolves and bears then, but deer, foxes, wild turkey and smaller game were very abundant. A central point was selected and officers elected to manage the incoming forces. "The lines were formed in a square, enclosing several miles, and the men were all provided with guns, clubs, tin horns. knives, pitchforks, axes, etc. At a given signal the forces advanced toward the center, every man and boy making as much noise as possible. As the ad- vancing columns approached one another, turkeys began flying over; the frightened game rushed from side to side, seeking an avenue of escape, and by reason of mismanagement, a gap in the lines was left open, through which most of the coveted game made its escape. This was the last grand circular hunt in the township."
The first grist mill in the township was constructed by John Greer in 1833, on the Mohican river. He also added a saw mill to the flouring mill. Later, a larger flouring mill plant was erected at Mt. Holly, now called Gann Station.
The schools and churches will be mentioned at length in the chapter on such subjects in this volume.
VILLAGE OF GREERSVILLE.
The only village in Jefferson township is Greersville, located in the eastern part of the territory. It was platted by pioneer Robert Greer in 1836; it is on the Mohican river, four miles north of Gann, and the census of 1880 gave the hamlet a population of seventy people.
Simon Hull erected the first house and James Greer opened the first general store. It grew to a good sized village and today there is a fair trad- ing point there.
CHAPTER XXXI.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
Named in honor of Gen. Andrew Jackson, this sub-division of Knox county was organized from a part of Morgan township, September 4, 1815. This is a rough township, topographically speaking, and in its southern por- tion has numerous large hills. The soil, however, is very productive. Fine springs of pure water are found here and there over the township, which af- ford a good supply of water for man and beast. Several streams course their way through Jackson township, and these include the Wakatomica, that rises in Coshocton county, runs west across the township near the line of Clay township, thence south in a meandering course, passing out of the township into Licking county. In the center of the township rises Jug creek and this runs southeast into Coshocton county. Along the Licking-Coshocton county line there has been found a very superior quality of iron ore, but it has never been mined for commercial uses.
The once heavy timber of this county, embracing this goodly township, with others, has been cut away in the settlement of the county. until only enough remains for home use. In the pioneer years of the township there was a vast amount of wild game and the settlers killed large numbers of deer, bear and other wild animals. Snakes have always been here in too great num- bers to make one feel at ease in warm weather. As late as 1880 John Far- quhar found a black-snake measuring eleven feet in length and not until after a desperate fight was he enabled to kill it. When the township was first inhabited by white men they found large numbers of Indians who visited here from Greentown and Upper Sandusky on semi-annual hunting trips. It had evidently been the hunting grounds of Indians many decades, for numberless relics, including stone implements, hammers, arrow-heads, etc., have from time to time-even are now-picked up in this township. Through this township passed the Greentown and Coshocton Indian trail, which was used by the first settlers for roads, none better then being within the county. Here, too, are evidences of Indian (or some say Mound Builders') works for forti- fication in times of war. One of these was found on the farm owned later by Mrs. I. Kerr. It was a wide trench, encircling a small hill on which her residence was erected. The frequent plowing and washing of the land has about obliterated the mound.
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FIRST SETTLEMENT.
It is supposed that the first white settler to invade this part of Knox county and take up land and make for himself and family a permanent home, was Robert Eaton, who emigrated from Wheeling, West Virginia, in April, 1810. He selected a part of section 7. As a soldier, he had helped suppress the Whisky Insurrection, and had frequently seen Gen. George Washington. After living in Jackson many years, he went west. He had many golden opportunities for getting rich here, but it was not his way-he left a good country with but small means.
The next settler was David Meelick, who located here in August, 1810. He also settled on section 7, purchasing a quarter section of government land at two dollars per acre. He was one of the first two justices of the peace elected after Jackson township was organized. This township was then one dense forest of hard and semi-soft woods. The forest literally swarmed with wild animals and game for eating purposes was plentiful on every hand. He was an expert with a rifle and it is stated that he killed hundreds of deer and other valuable animals in the first few years of his settlement. With the sin- gle exception of Robert Eaton, his only neighbors were the Delaware Indians. When he first plowed ground here he believed that it must certainly be several generations before the township would be settled up and its rich land all subdued, but he lived to see this all accomplished and his descendants are here and there throughout the neighborhood and county in goodly numbers today.
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