The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 37

Author: Warner, Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

USA > Ohio > Tuscarawas County > The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio > Part 37

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Gustavus Fox, of Gnadenhutten, was next introduced. He was seventy- six years old, and came to the county with his parents in 1815. . Will- iam Hamilton, of Clay Township, born there in 1808, followed. Among other recollections, he told that once at school he and his chum, Mr. Fox, had been detected in mischief, and when called up for punishment the forbearing master offered him his choice between the ferule and wearing the bearskin spectacles. In ignorance of its nature, he chose the ferule, which, to his dis- may, was well laid on. Dr. Hiram Eckman first came to Tuscarawas County in 1830, with $2.25 in his pocket. Jonas Warner, of Warwick, was born in that township in 1821, and has witnessed marvelous changes wrought in the

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county. Upton Deardorff gave interesting reminiscences of his father's early settlement. Richard McClelland, of Warren Township, who came with his parents to the county in 1836, recounted many customs of pioneer days-the kicking frolics, flax scutchings, etc. Jesse Winkelpleck, of Sugar Creek Township, was born there sixty-three years ago. His father selected a farm among the hills of that township in 1807. Edward Cunning, now of Tren- ton, was born in 1804, and came to Ohio in 1812. Michael Hummell, who was born in 1811; Christian Weible, of Dover Township; Joseph Shull, of York; John Andreas and Hugh Russell, of Sandy Township, each made re- marks on pioneer times. The officers selected for the ensuing year were John Hildt, of Dover Township, President; S. Harmount, Secretary; and a Vice President from each township. The society adjourned to meet at the same place August 10, 1884.

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Peter Hoopingannen

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CHAPTER VIII.

OFFICIAL AND STATISTICAL.

ORGANIZATION OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY-FORMATION OF TOWNSHIPS -- THE FIRST COMMISSIONERS' PROCEEDINGS-COUNTY BUILDINGS -- COUNTY OFFICERS-

STATE AND NATIONAL OFFICERS -- PRESIDENTIAL AND GU- BERNATORIAL VOTE - POPULATION - VALUATION AND TAXATION-CHURCHES.

THE first county established under the Territorial Government of the North - west was Washington. It was created, July 27, 1788, by proclamation of Gov. St. Clair, and embraced within its limits perhaps one half the present State of Ohio. The following were its boundaries: Beginning on the bank of the Ohio River, where the western boundary line of the State of Pennsylvania crosses it, running with that line to Lake Erie; thence along the shore of the lake to the mouth of Cuyahoga River; thence up the river to the portage, be- tween that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum River; thence down the branch to the forks at the crossing place above Fort Laurens; thence with a line to be drawn westerly to the portage of that branch of the Big Miami- on which the fort stood that was taken by the French in 1752-until it meets the road from the lower Shawnee town to the Saudusky; thence south to the Scioto River; thence down that river to the mouth; thence up the Ohio River to the place of beginning.

Marietta was the county seat, and the settlers in what now constitutes Tus- carawas County were obliged to pay taxes, attend courts, settle estates, etc., at that town until 1804. An act to establish Muskingum County was passed January 7, of that year, to take effect March 1. Muskingum County included all that part of Tuscarawas which lies within the United States Military Dis- trict.

Tuscarawas County was established from the territory of Muskingum by an act of the State Legislature, passed February 13, 1808. The following is the full text of the act:

Be it enacted, etc., That all that part of the county of Muskingum, lying within the following boundaries, viz .: Beginning at the northeast corner of the United States Mili- tary Lands; thence west with the north boundary of said tract to its intersection with the late Indian boundary line; thence westwardly with said line to the west boundary of the fourth range, in said military tract; thence south along the west boundary of said fourth range to the southwest corner of the township therein; thence east between the fourth and and fifth townships, in the third, second and first ranges, to the east boundary of the said United States Military Tract; thence north with said boundary to the beginning, shall be erected into a county by the name of Tuscarawas.

SEC. 2. That from and after the fifteenth day of March next, the said county of Tus- carawas shall be vested with all the powers, privileges and immunities of a separate and distinct county; Provided, That all suits and actions, of what nature soever, which shall have been commenced before the said fifteenth day of March, shall be prosecuted to final I

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judgment and execution; all taxes, fines and penalties, which shall be due previous to said day, shall be collected in the same manner as if this act had not passed.

Sec. 3. That all Justices of the Peace residing in said county of Tuscarawas shall hold their commissions during the time for which they shall have been elected Justices of the Peace in Muskingum County, and their jurisdiction shall extend throughout the whole of said county of Tuscarawas, until the same shall be divided into townships, and the nec- essary number of Justices of the Peace for each township, chosen and qualified, and shall also have power to appoint constables to serve until others are chosen and qualified.

SEC. 4. That the seat of justice for the said county of Tuscarawas shall be at New Philadelphia, until a permanent seat of justice shall be established by law.

As thus established, Tuscarawas County was twenty miles wide, east and west, and thirty north and south along the eastern line, though several miles shorter along its western line, in consequence of the southwesterly course of the Greenville treaty line, part of its northern boundary. It embraced in the main nearly the same territory that now composes it.

By act of the Legislature, passed February 11, 1809, it was enacted " That so much of the county of Jefferson as lies west of the fifth range be and the same is hereby annexed to and made a part of the county of Tuscarawas."

This large accession of land was twelve miles in width east and west, and twenty-seven in length, being the northern half of Township 10 and Town- ships 11, 12, 13 and 14, of Range 6, and the northern half of Township 11 and Townships 12, 13, 14 and 15, of Range 7, comprising what is now the western portions of Carroll and Harrison Counties, and the western portions of Warren. Union, Mill and Rush Townships, Tuscarawas County. Of this territory, the part which yet remains a portion of Tuscarawas County formed a part of Wash- ington County until January 31, 1807, when it was annexed to Jefferson, and there continued till attached to Tuscarawas two years later.

The first territorial loss sustained by Tuscarawas County was in conse- quence of the erection of Coshocton County January 31,.1810, and an act providing for its organization, which passed January 22, 1811. By this act, a tract tive miles wide and ten in length was taken from the southwest corner of Tuscarawas, and annexed to Coshocton. It now comprises Oxford and . Adams Townships of that county.

January 2. 1813, Harrison County was erected, and by this act Tuscarawas lost the northern half of Township 11 and Township 12, Range 7; and the northern half of Township 10, Townships 11 and 12, and the eastern halves of Townships 13 and 14, of Range 6.

Holmes County was erected January 20, 1824, and organized January 4, 1825, from Coshocton, Wayne and Tuscarawas Counties. The part taken from Tuscarawas was two miles in width and about twelve in length, extend- ing from the south line of Township 8 to the northern boundary of the county, the territory thus detached being off the west side of Range 4, ex- tending through Townships 8, 9 and 10.

Carroll County was formed December 25, 1832, as now constituted, and all the territory that is now included in it which formerly belonged to Tuscara- was County, consequently at this date passed from the jurisdiction of Tusca- rawas; by the same act, all that territory now belonging to Harrison, which had theretofore formed a part of Tuscarawas, was annexed to Harrison, and Tuscarawas County assumed its present shape and boundaries.

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In 1847, while Dr. A. I. Bennett, of Bolivar, was State Representative, by act of Legislature the land in the bend of the Tuscarawas River, north of the Greenville treaty line, was detached from Stark and annexed to Tuscara- was County. It comprises about 500 acres.

FORMATION OF TOWNSHIPS.

The duty that first received the attention of the first Board of Commis- sioners for Tuscarawas County was the division of the county into townships. At the first meeting, held April 16, 1808, it was ordered that the county be divided into four townships, to wit : Lawrence, Goshen, Salem and Oxford. Their bounds were established as follows:

Lawrence .-- Beginning at the northeast corner of Township 10, Range 1 of the United States Military District (now the northeast corner of Tuscarawas County); thence west to the northwest corner of Township 10, Range 4 (ex. tending into Paint Township, Holmes County); thence south to the southwest corner of the second section in Township 9, Range 4 (into what is now Walnut Creek Township, Holmes County); thence east to the southeast corner of Sec- tion 1, Township 9, Range 1 (in the northwest part of what is now Warren Township); thence north to the place of beginning. As thus constituted, Lawrence Township was about twenty miles wide east and west, and seven and one half miles north and south, and, besides a portion of Holmes County, comprehended Wayne, Franklin, Lawrence and Sandy Townships entire, and the northern parts of Dover, Fairfield and Warren.

Goshen-Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 4, Township 9, Range 1 (in Warren Township); thence west to the northwest corner of Section 3, Township 9, Range 4 (in Walnut Creek Township, Holmes County); thence south to the southwest corner of Township 8, Range 4 (the northwest corner of what is now Bucks Township); thence east to the southeast corner of Township 8, Range 1 (in Union Township); thence north to the place of be- ginning. Goshen was similar in size and shape to Lawrence, and situated immediately south of it. It included all of Goshen and Sagar Creek Town ships, as now composed, the greater portions of Dover, Auburn and York, and fractions of Union and Warren.

Salem-Beginning at the northeast corner of Township 7, Range 1 (in Union Township); thence west to the northwest corner of Township 7, Range 4 (the northwest corner of Bucks Township); thence south to the southwest corner of Section 2, Township 6, Range 4 (on the west line of Adams Town- ship, Coshocton County); thence east to the southeast corner of Section 1, Township 6, Range 1 (in Rush Township); thence north to the place of be- ginning. It comprised Bucks, Jefferson and Warwick Townships, and por- tions of Auburn, York. Mill, Union, Rush, Clay and Salem. It, too, was twenty by seven and one-half miles in size.

Oxford-Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 4, Township 6, Range 1 (in the western part of Rush Township); thence west to the northwest corner of Section 3, Township 6, Range 4 (Adams Township, Coshocton

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County); thence south to the southwest corner of Township 5, Range 4 (the southwest corner of Oxford Township, Coshocton County); thence east to the southeast corner of Township 5, Range 1 (the southeast corner of Perry Township and of Tuscarawas County); thence north to the place of beginning. Oxford included, besides all of Oxford and the southern half of Adams Town- ships, Coshocton County, Oxford, Washington and Perry Townships, and the southern portions of Salem, Clay and Rush.

After the act of the Legislature in 1809, annexing to Tuscarawas a por- tion of Jefferson County, the Commissioners proceeded to erect, March 29, 1809, a new township, called One Leg, bounded as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Section 4, Township 10, Range 6; thence north along the line dividing the counties of Jefferson and Tuscarawas to the northeast corner of Township 14, Range 6; thence west to the northwest corner of Township 15. Range 7 (in Warren Township, near its northwest corner); thence south to the southwest corner of Township 14, Range 7 (at Uhrichsville); thence east to the southeast corner of Township 14, Range 7; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 34. Township 10, Range 6; thence east to the place of beginning. One Leg included the southwestern portion of what is now Carroll County, a large share of western Harrison, and the greater part of Warren and Union Townships, with a tract a half mile square of Mill.

The remainder of the newly acquired territory, including the western por- tions of Mill and Rush Townships, and southwestern Harrison County, was attached to Salem Township. It consisted of the north half of Township 11 and Townships 12 and 13 in Range 7.

April 25, 1809, Nottingham Township was formed from Salem and One Leg Townships. It embraced territory which now lies exclusively in the southwestern part of Harrison County.

The next change in township outlines was made February 10, 1810, when Township 13, Range 7, was taken from Salem and appended to One Leg Town- ship.

Two new townships, Wayne and Dover, were erected in March, 1810. Sugar Creek was formed a year later. Various changes were made in town- ship lines from time to time, and March 24, 1817, Dohrman Township was formed from One Leg. It embraced Township 13, Range 7, a tract six miles square, its western half now included in the eastern portion of Rush and Mill Townships, and its eastern half in Harrison County. The first election was ordered to be held at the house of Thomas Archbold.

Lawrenceville was constituted in May, 1817, and embraced the remaining portion of the original Lawrence Township, after a part of its territory had been detached and given to other townships. Fairfield was erected June 2, 1817, and then included all of Township 9, Range 1. The same day Sandy was set off and embraced all of Township 10, Range 1. Perry was formed August 11, 1818, with its present limits, and the eastern part of Washington The next township organized was Warren. It was established March 31, 1819, and most of its original territory is now a part of Carroll County. On

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the following day the County Commissioners erected Warwick and re adjusted the boundaries of Oxford, Salem and Sugar Creek. Salem was reduced to the territory now comprising that township and the greater portion of the present townships of Clay and Rush. Oxford was reduced to the central and eastern portions of Washington and the present Oxford; Township 7, Range 4 (now mostly in Bucks, then belonging to Salem), was attached to Sugar Creek. December 2, 1822, Ross Township was organized from Wayne and Sugar Creek Townships, in the northwest corner of the county, consisting of the greater and western part of what is now Wayne, a narrow strip from north- westeru Sugar Creek and a portion of what is now Holmes County. Its bounds were as follows: Beginning on the north boundary of the county, be. tween Ranges 4 and 5; thence south to the line between Sections 11 and 20 in Township 9, Range 4; thence west to the county line; thence north to the northwest corner of the county, thence along the northern boundary to the place of beginning. The first election was ordered to be held on the first Monday in April. 1823, at the house of Augustus Jennings. This township was short-lived. March 18, 1825. it was dismembered and its territory divided between Wayne and Sugar Creok.

Clay Township was detached from Salem March 2, 1824. It then in- cluded nearly all of present Rush and Clay, besides small fractions of Salem and Mill. Bucks was taken from Sugar Creek and Warwick March 8, 1825. Washington was organized two years later, on March 5, 1827, from Oxford and Perry, its territorial limits comprising then as now, Township 5, of Range 2. Rush was constituted December 1, 1828, with boundaries somewhat differ. ent from its present ones. York was erected the same day, with a tract of country that is now eastern Jefferson, nearly all of York and small fractions of Goshen and Warwick. March 3, 1833, in consequence of the formation of Carroll County, the boundaries of the townships along the eastern boundary of Tuscarawas were altered, and Union and Mill Townships were organized with limits that closely approximate their present bounds. Jefferson was formed from Bucks and York March 7, 1837, including besides its present ter- ritory, a large share of Auburn. This last- named township was erected next, June 6, 1838, from portions of Bucks, Sugar Creek, Jefferson and Dover. Its boundaries have remained unchanged. Franklin was the last township or- ganized in Tuscarawas County. Its existence dates back to December 6, 1854, when it was formed by a subdivision of Wayne Township.

FIRST COMMISSIONERS' PROCEEDINGS.

The board held its first session Saturday. April 16, 1808. Present, John Junkins, Michael Uhrich and Philip Minnich, Commissioners. Their certifi- cates were read and the oath of office administered to them by Abraham Mosser, Justice of the Peace. Godfrey Haga was then chosen Clerk, and the board proceeded to lay off and divide the county into four townships, Oxford, Goshen, Lawrence and Salem. The Clerk was ordered to post up in three of the most public places in the townships of Oxford and Lawrence, " advertisements as-

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certaining the boundaries of said townships," and notify the electors of Oxford to meet Saturday, April 30, at the house of James Douglass, and the electors of Lawrence at the house of Gideon Jennings, within the respective townships, for the purpose of electing township officers. The board then adjourned.

The next entry in the first Commissioners' journal bears date Monday, June 6, 1808, 9 o'clock, A. M. Present-Michael Uhrich and Philip Minnich.

A petition was presented by Mr. Uhrich signed by fifteen landholders of Salem Township, praying that an order be granted for viewing and opening a road, "beginning at the forks of the Cadiz and Lawrenceville roads; thence along the nearest and best ground in such a manner that as little injury, as the nature of the case may well admit of, be done to private property, striking the river Muskingum at Christopher Demuth's, and crossing Big Stillwater at the fording place of that creek below Uhrich's Mills, to that point of the east- ern boundary line of the county which lies nearest to the Cadiz road aforesaid.

On motion, it was ordered, That John Knisely, Sr., John Bolsley and James Watson be, and the same, or any two of them, are hereby empowered and di- rected to meet on Monday, the 20th day of June, inst., at 9 o'clock, at the forks of the said Cadiz and Lawrenceville roads, and then and there proceed to view said road, agreeably to law, and report accordingly to the next session of the Board of Commissioners: and it was further ordered,

That Joseph Francis be and the same hereby is appointed and directed to attend the said landholders in the capacity of a surveyor as directed by law, and that the same be and hereby is empowered to take to his assistance two chain carriers and one marker, as the law directs, and to do and perform all and every other duty by law enjoined on such surveyor.

Attest: Godfrey Haga, Clerk.

The Viewers reported favorably, and the road was ordered opened Septem- ber 7 following.

Another petition was presented, June 6, by Samuel Smith, praying for a road from his mill on Sugar Creek to Dover, and thence to New Philadelphia. John Knisely. George Stipler and Ludwig Knause were appointed Viewers.

June 7, David Peter, of Gnadenhutten, was appointed Treasurer for one year, "if he shall so long behave himself well." The prices of tavern licenses were then established-in New Philadelphia, $7; in Lawrenceville, $6; else- where in the county, $4; for ferry licenses, $1.50. The rates of ferriage al- lowed were: A foot person, 6} cents; man and horse, 12} cents; loaded wagon and team, 50 cents; any other four-wheeled carriage or empty wagon and team, 312 cents; loaded cart and team, 25 cents; empty cart, sled or sleigh and team, 183 cents; each horse or head of cattle, 62 cents; each sheep or hog, 1 cent. A petition for a road from the Lawrenceville road to Dover was pre- sented, and Viewers appointed.

June 8, Thomas Hamilton, of Salem Township, was appointed Collector of taxes, and the following rates of taxation ordered: Horses, 30 cents per head; cattle10 cents per head; all other taxable personal property, } per cent of appraised value.

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The total tax assessed .in June, 1808, was $160.13.

The attention of the board was given chiefly to establishing roads through the county. The first of the 100 town lots, granted by the proprietor of New Philadelphia to the county, were sold at public auction August 22 and 23, 1808. The following were the purchasers and prices: No. 37, George Lein- inger, $10; No. 36, John Heckewelder, $9; No. 3S, same, $11; No. 39, same, $10; No. 40, Godfrey Hoff, $15; No. 287, John Williams, $14; No. 286, John Heckewelder, $12; No. 265, Gideon Jennings, $11; No. 312, John Williams, $16.25; No. 313, William Butt, $16.50; No. 238, John Williams, $16.90; No. 234, same, $11; No. 510, George Kuhn, $13.25; No. 309, George Lein- inger, $11; No. 228, Arthur Rewark, $17.30; No. 302, John Williams, $14.25; No. 231, George Leininger, $13.74.

Monday, March 6, 1809, this entry appears: "The freshet having prevented the Commissioners from meeting on the 26th day of December last, according to their adjournment at their last meeting, now met agreeably to law."

The first money received by the county was $1.50, June 10, 1808, from Conrad Westhaeffer, as ferry license. The first tavern license was paid August 19, 1808, by George Leininger, $7; and the first store license, $10, by David Peter, August 30, 1808. The first county levy on personal property, in March. 1809, was $156.35. One of the chief channels of expenditures for a few years was the payment of bounty on wolf scalps. In 1810, the Commissioners fixed the bounty at $1 each for wolves or panthers six months of age or upward, and 50 cents below that age. In 1808, bounty was paid on nine wolf scalps; if 1809, on thirty two wolf and one panther scalps, the latter to John Henry; in 1810, on thirty-seven wolf and one panther scalps; and in 1811, on twenty- two wolf scalps. A State bounty was also paid during these years and long after.

COUNTY BUILDINGS.

The first action by the Commissioners of Tuscarawas County, relative to the erection of public buildings, was taken June 25, 1808. The journal reads: " A plan of a jail being prepared, the Clerk was ordered to write and post up five advertisements in five of the most public places in the county, giving pub- lic notice that the building of said gaol will be sold; at the same time, that the whole or part of the lots granted by the proprietor of New Philadelphia in said town for the use of the county are offered for sale, which sales were ap- pointed to commence on Monday, the 22d day of August next, and to continue by adjournment from day to day so long as to the Commissioners shall appear necessary." The Clerk was further ordered to cause an advertisement of the like purport to be inserted six times in the Greensburgh, Scioto and Steubenville Gazettes, and likewise to copy the plan of the gaol, and have the same ready for inspection at the day of sale.

Wednesday, August 24, 1808, the contract for erecting the gaol was sold to Peter Minnich for $1,500, he being the lowest bidder, and the time for com- pleting the same fixed at eighteen months. There were to be two early pay- ments of $100 each, and the balance, $1,300, in two years, with the provision

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that if the Commissioners could sooner dispose of the land granted to the county for public purposes, it should be paid as soon as the jail was placed under roof, agreeably to contract. The proceeds of the sale of town lots. August 22 and 23, 1808, were appropriated to the first payment.

This jail was a two-story log structure, probably 30x40 feet in size, and stood on the north end of Lot 200, on the site of the Auditor's office, recently destroyed. The lower story of this primitive county prison contained two cells and a large apartment used as a residence by the Sheriff. The upper floor was occupied as a court room.

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The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 37

Author: Warner, Beers & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Warner, Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017