The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 57

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

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The first settlements in the township were made in the Tuscarawas Valley. The three earliest pioneers were Gideon Jennings, Aaron Reeves and Abel Williams, all of whom came before 1807. Of these, Gideon Jennings proba -

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bly came first. He entered the east half of Section 5 and the northwest quarter of Section 4. 480 acres. and built his cabin soon after the opening of the present century near the mouth of One Leg Creek. When he arrived, the Indians roved in large bands through the country, while the cabins of the white men could be found only at intervals of many miles along the river. His house was on a trail from the lakes to the Ohio, and hunting parties often passed. The Indians were friendly. but troublesome at times and fond of a joke. A large party visited the cabin of Mr. Jennings on one occasion, and proved quite annoying in importuning victuals. Mrs. Jennings gave them a piece of her mind, at which they became enraged and threatened to kill her. On another occasion, two Indians sprang from a thicket and seized the bonnets from the heads of her two little daughters, who were hoeing corn in the field. Then rushing toward the house, they brandished the bonnets in the air and frightened Mrs. Jennings with the fear that they had killed the little girls. Mr. Jennings was a fearless man and possessed unusual powers of endurance, well fitting him for the life of a pioneer.

Aaron Reeves entered and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 4. He was a hunter and a trapper, and spent most of his time in the forest. He was once suspected by the Indians of shooting a favorite dog. A party of them visited his cabin soon after, when only Mrs. Reeves and her child were present. Seeing them approach, Mrs. Reeves fled, leaving her child in the house. Aaron Reeves was not far distant, however, and learning of the presence of the angry savages at his cabin, hastened home. He found it thronged with the excited red men, who made their accusations and seemed disposed to make trouble. His gun was hanging above the door, and could not be reached for the Indians. Nothing daunted, the backwoodsman deter. mined to assert his supremacy in his own household, and, seizing a split- bottomed chair, he tore a post from it and ordered the Indians to leave. Re- alizing that he was not the kind of man to meddle with, they at once vacated the premises. Mr. Reeves died about 1830; his wife survived until 1842.

Abel Williams remained in the township until his death. He had several daughters and seven sons, whose names were Thomas, Benjamin, Levi, Aaron, Silas, John and Moses. Three of the sons, Thomas, Levi and Benjamin, served in the war of 1812. Most of the children settled in Fairfield Town- ship. In 1820, Benjamin owned the southwest quarter of Section 11, which he had entered, and Thomas occupied the southeast quarter of Section 3.

John McCreary was one of the first pioneers of the county. He was a Virginian by birth, of Irish extraction, and first settled in what is now War- ren 'Township about 1806. A few years later he entered the southeast quarter of Section 2, of Fairfield Township, and removed to it, residing there till his death in 1857, at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife, Margaret (Slutts), whom he married in 1810, died in 1877, aged eighty-nine years. Mr. McCreary had a family of ten children. Two sons still reside in this town- ship.

George Kollar, a native of York County, Penn., emigrated to the eastern part of Ohio in 1802. In 1808, he entered the north half of Section 9, of Fairfield Township, and two years later took up his residence there, where he continued until his decease, occurring in 1850, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. His wife died eight years later, aged eighty six years. Their children were Jacob, Andrew, George, Adam, Margaret, Catherine, Michael and Joseph.

Samuel Waltz emigrated with his family from Maryland to Tuscarawas County in 1812, and in 1813 settled in what is now Fairfield Township, re. maining a life-long resident. His children entered land and settled around him, and many of the family name are still citizens of the township:

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Among other early settlers were William Slutts, Israel Sell, Philip Ports, Nathan McGrew, Joseph Hayes, Henry Davy, Thomas Cordery, Daniel, George and Jonathan Custard and John Cryder. William Slutts was one of the earliest pioneers, and came to the township from Maryland probably as early as 1808. He entered the southwest quarter of Section 3 and lived in the township through life. Israel Sell owned and occupied the northeast quarter of Section 2. He afterward removed to Owen, Ind. Philip Ports entered and settled on the northeast quarter of Section 13. Nathan McGrew was the original pur- chaser and resident of the south west quarter of Section 2. Joseph Hayes en- tered the southeast quarter of Section 9. Henry Davy entered the north west quarter of Section 2; he was a brother to John Davy, of Warren Township, and emigrated from Maryland in 1808. Thomas Cordery came in 1810 from Maryland. He entered the northwest quarter of Section 19 and lived and died there. Daniel Custard entered the northwest quarter of Section 10; his brother George, the southeast quarter of Section 13 and the southeast quarter of Section 11. John Cryder was the first purchaser of the southwest quarter of Section 10.

The light of religion was probably first shed in what'is now Fairfield Town- ship, in 1809, by Rev. J. B. Finley, a Methodist minister, whose circuit was included within a circumference of over 400 miles. In his autobiography this pioneer missionary thus describes the first religious services held in this vicinity: "At the mouth of One Leg Creek there lived a hunter and trapper (Aaron Reeves). He spent the most of his time in the woods and mingled but little with society. He was looked upon by the neighbors as rather an object of dread than otherwise. As I had a long ride between my appointments, I concluded one day to take his cabin in my route and try to do him some good. I rode up to his rude habitation and asked if I could get something for myself and horse to eat. He cast a sour look at me and replied, 'I suppose you can.' I dismounted, and while his wife was preparing a meal I saw his rifle upon the hooks over the door. Said I to him, 'You have a good looking gun.' He replied, 'Yes.' 'Are you a good shot, Mr. Reeves?' ' I count myself among the best,' was his reply. 'Do you think that you can beat me?' 'Yes, with all ease, or any other man.' 'I have some doubts on that subject.' 'You can soon settle that matter after you eat your dinner.' After dinner was over he had his rifle ready; we walked out, stepped off the distance and fixed the tar- get. He said, 'The first shot is yours.' The first round I beat him; the sec- ond he had slightly the advantage; the third was mine. He insisted on try- ing it over, but I declined, got permission to call back in four weeks and said he might call his neighbors together and have preaching. When I came round, I found the neighbors, old and young, gathered to hear the preaching. It was a time of deep solemnity. After preaching, Mr. Reeves excused him- self and said he was going to set his traps. but I wished to go with him; to this he assented. I stayed all night, prayed with the family in the morning and left. On my next visit the trapper and his family were converted. A class was formed; Reeves was appointed leader and a flourishing society that has continued until the present day was the result of the visit to the hunter's cabin." It was the parent of a number of neighboring congregations. The meetings were held for many years at Reeve's cabin, and when the members felt able, an excellent log church, for those times, was built in the One Leg bottoms, near the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 4, on ground so low that during freshets the water frequently entered the windows. The leading early members were Thomas Williams and family, the Reeves, James Newman and John Slutts. The present frame church, standing on the hill, near the northeast corner of Section 4, superseded the old log structure in

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1861. The present membership is about twenty. Rev. Weaver, the pastor, preaches also at Mineral City, Pleasant Valley (Sandy Township) and New Cumberland.

In the western part of the township, near the north line of Section 14. stands the Bisel, or "Furnace United Brethren Church." It is the first and only church structure of the society, and was built about 1850. A class had been organized a few years before that date. and worshiped at private houses. The present membership is small.

St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, located in the northwest corner of Section 19, was built in 1837, and repaired and enlarged in 1872 or 1873 at a cost of $1,300. It is a frame building, and the lot upon which it is located was donated to the congregation by Silas Williams. The first min- ister was Rev. Emanuel Greenwold, of New Philadelphia, who held services in the cabin and barn of Adam Ranesberger, an early member, at the cabin of Samuel Waltz, another early member, and elsewhere till the church was built. Other early Lutherans of this society were William Stevens and John and David Weaver. The present church membership is about forty. This church is connected with the Dover charge and Rev. H. H. Hall is the present min- ister.

Mount Zion and Tuscarawas Valley German Baptist, or Dunkard, Church, situated on the road, a short distance south of the Lutheran Church, was built in 1870, at a cost of about $4,000. At that time the members who worshiped here were connected with the Stark County and Tuscarawas Church, and so continued until about 1877, when the Mount Zion and Tuscarawas Valley Church was organized. A branch meeting house is in New Philadelphia. Early preaching was held in Fairfield Township at dwelling houses. Rev. George V. Kollar has preached here for twenty-three years. Besides him at present Revs. Peter Kollar and Edward Loomis minister to this congregation, the numerical strength of which is about fifty.

The village of Fairfield was laid out by Samuel and Worthington Slutts in 1854, and is located in the northwest quarter of Section 4. The original plat contained thirty lots. Broadway, Fair and Conotton were the streets. It is situated on the line of the Tuscarawas branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad, but has never attained a larger size than a few houses and a store. The station and post office is now called Zoar Station. The store here is the the property of the Zoar society, and has been operated since 1863 by Charles H. Ehlers. Mr. Ehlers has also been Postmaster since 1867.

About a fourth mile farther north, near the junction of the Lake Erie & Wheeling and the Valley Railroads with the Tuscarawas branch, and on the line between Fairfield and Sandy Townships, the Separatists of Zoar in Oc- tober, 1882, laid off a town of twenty eight lots, and named it Valley City. An addition of thirteen lots in Sandy Township was made in March, 1883. A small grocery, several houses and a commodious depot and eating house com- pose the infant, village.

Savana was the title of a town plat which was surveyed by Thomas King, surveyor, for Edward Ogden, David McConnell and Israel S. Lappin, the pro- prietors, June 12, 1834. It was located west of the river near the Ohio Canal. The plat contained thirty nine lots, regularly and systematically laid out, with streets and alleys intervening, but it came to naught.

In the southern part of Fairfield. near the northern line of School Lot 17, in former days was a brisk little settlement called Mount Tabor. Samuel C. Wright first settled here in 1830. The following year, Christian Brown built a cabin, and in a few years the place contained a store, kept by Mr. Dempster, a grocery, a schoolhouse, a post office and a half dozen or more dwelling

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houses. When the Tuscarawas branch was built, the post office was removed, and the impromptu hamlet gradually lost its inhabitants. Several houses still remain to indicate the spot.

John Knisely once innocently created a panic among the few scattering settlers during the war of 1812. He was cautiously approaching a deer lick to hunt deer, and was seen from afar skulking from tree to tree, and mistaken for an Indian. The neighborhood was quickly aroused by the report that a large force of hostile savages were close at hand. The people gathered in at Finton's, where Nathaniel McCreary now resides, and spent a night of anxiety and dreadful expectation. The next morning, the source of the rumor was learned, and the pioneers returned to their labors.

Among the early teachers in the township, were Thomas C. Wright, Lydia Wilson, Elliott Hayes, John Finton, John Scott, William Scott and Boyd Kerr. Lydia Wilson organized the first Sunday school in the township about 1829.

The following citizens of the township have served as Justices of the Peace: Thomas Williams, 1818; Nathan McGrew, 1818; Thomas Williams, 1820; James Finton, 1820; Samuel Miller, 1823; Nathan McGrew, 1824; James Finton, 1825; Samuel Miller, 1826; James Finton, 1828; Samuel Miller, 1829; James Finton, 1831; Samuel Miller, 1832; Joseph Hathaway, 1833; James Finton, 1834; John Hixon, 1836; Robert McKee, 1837; Samuel C. Wright, 1839; John Hixon, 1839; John A. Reilly, 1842; William Holmes, 1845; John A. Reilly, 1845; William Holmes, 1848; John A. Reilly, 1848: Elias Waltz, 1850; John A. Reilly, 1851; Joseph Kollar, 1851; Elias Waltz, 1853; William Min- nis, 1854; Thomas Holmes, 1856; William Minnis, 1857; Elias Waltz, 1858; Elias Waltz, 1861; Moses Wright, 1861; James D. Boon, 1862; Joseph Jun- kins, 1864; John Waddington, 1864; Joseph Junkins, 1867; Robert D. Ready, 1867; Joseph Junkins, 1871; Moses Wright, 1874; Joseph Junkins, 1874; John L. Kennedy, 1877; John Bontrager, 1877; John L. Kennedy, 1880; Christian C. Siber, 1880; John S. Kollar, 1882.

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CHAPTER VII.

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION-SIZE-MAGISTRATES-SUGAR CREEK VALLEY-SOIL-FIRST SETTLERS-FIRST SCHOOL-MILLS-SUGAR CREEK FALLS-MIL- TON-STRASBURG-FIRST PREACHING-CHURCHES.

THE last township organized within Tuscarawas County was Franklin, which dates its origin to December 6, 1854. It was taken from the ter- ritory of Wayne, and its original limits, as given below, coincide, except in one slight instance, with the present boundaries: Beginning at the southeast corner of Wayne Township, thence along the south boundary of that township to the south west corner of Lot 22 of the second quarter of Township 9, Range 3; thence north to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of Section 14, Township 10, Range 3; thence west to the southwest corner of Lot 8 in the second quarter of Township 10, Range 3; thence north to the north line of the township. thence eastward along the north line of the county to the north- east corner of Wayne; thence south to the place of beginning. Its northern boundary is the Greenville treaty line, north of which is Stark County. Franklin is three and one half miles in width, east and west, and its average length is about six and one-half miles. It is principally Congress land, but in the southwest portion are ten Western Reserve school lots, and in the north- eru part are thirty five military lots.

While this territory was yet a portion of Wayne Township, a number of its settlers were elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, and since the or- ganization of Franklin its magistrates have been as follows: John M. Shelter, 1855; Christian Swartz, 1855; Christian Swartz, 1858; George Beck, 1858; Thomas C. Ayres, 1858; William I. Wright, 1860; Christian Swartz, 1861; Amos Woodling, 1861; Christian Swartz, 1864; Amos Woodling, 1864; E. R. Benfer, 1865; Henry F. Krantz, 1866; Amos Woodling, 1867; Henry F. Krantz, 1869; Philip. A Garver, 1869; Joseph Hartline, 1870; Amos Wood- ling, 1871; Philip A. Garver, 1872; Amos Woodling, 1874; Philip A. Gar- ver, 1875; Philip A. Garver, 1878; Daniel Haas, 1880; Philip A. Garver, 1881; Daniel Haas, 1883.

Sugar Creek is the main feature of Franklin's topography. It enters the township at the northwest, and by a bending course from northeast to south- east reaches the southeast part of the township, where it makes its exit, cross- ing into Dover. A broad valley, ranging from one to two miles in width, follows its meanderings, and gives shape to a large portion of the surface of Franklin. The valley proper was densely timbered with sugar-maple, which gave the stream its name. Rising above this thirty or forty feet were the second bottoms, or plains. The forest growth here was scant. A few sturdy scattered white oaks and sparse thickets of ground oak and underbrush comprised it all. The soil was sandy and gravelly, unlike that in the first bottoms below, which was loamy and of rich productiveness. Back from the plains the surface is rolling, in some few places broken, but the amount of land in the township that is not easily tillable is slight. The plains were avoided by the earliest settlers, who were accustomed to judge the fertility of the soil by the density of its timber. They chose to locate among the distant hills rather than try to

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farm the scrubby plains. Time has proved that they were mistaken. The plains, though at first somewhat deficient in yielding generous harvests, are now considered to be lands of the richest and most valuable kind. No stone is found on the surface back of the first range of hills. The types of timber most abundant in early days were white and black oak, chestnut, walnut and hickory. Some poplar was found, and in the little valleys some beech existed. The hills are rich in coal and mountain iron ore, but they have been little devel- oped.

Several archaeological remains of considerable magnitude have recently existed in this township, but the ravages of the plow are rapidly effacing all traces of them. About sixty rods above Sugar Creek Falls, on the north side of the stream, a raised earthwork extended across the plains. The embank. ment may yet be clearly traced where the land has not yet been cleared. A large white oak, standing on the top of the elevation near the north end, at. tests the antiquity of the works. About three-fourths of a mile south of Strasburg, on the Hartline farm, near the edge of the plains, is a fort, inclosing about a half acre. The embankment in early days was three or four feet in height. On the east side in one corner, was a gateway or entrance.

The earliest white settlers of Franklin Township were not land owners. A few squatters built temporary cabins on the plains and tilled a little soil, but hunted and trapped principally for a living, and the school lots in the south- west part of the township were leased and occupied before much, if any, land was entered and settled. It is impossible to state with any degree of certainty the name of the first pioneer. John Burris is said to have been here more than eighty years ago. He came from Maryland, was a noted hunter and In- dian fighter, and participated in the war of 1812. More than one Indian is said to have fallen beneath the aim of his rifle. Burris was of a roving dis. position, leased a school lot for a time, owned no property, and died in the township. William Smoyer is accredited by some with being the first settler. He was an old bachelor and a squatter. He cleared a little patch of ground on the Zeltman farm, a half mile north, of Strasburg, lived there for some time in a little cabin, then encamped farther up the stream on the Zimmerman farm, southeast quarter of Section 13. In his old age, he shook the dust of Tuscarawas County from his feet and departed for a wilder, more western habitation.

Jonas Bair, from Westmoreland County, Penn., in 1807, settled near Win- field. He lived there sixty-three years. then moved to Dover, where he died in 1879. Leonard Bair, Sr., is said to have come to the township in 1808. His son, Leonard Bair, Jr., in 1817, leased school Lot 17, and lived there till his death. John Zigler resided in the township before 1809. He was a Mary. lander, and prior to settling in Franklin, had dwelt in Dover, where his son Daniel was born in 1807. John Zigler married a sister of Isaac Deardorff. leased school Lot 6, and died in the township at a good old age. John France and his father came early from Pennsylvania and leased school Lot 11. Mr. Knistrick, father of John Knistrick, was amongst the earliest settlers. He hailed from Maryland, and leased school Lot 16. John Cummins, an Irishman, who was equally noted as an imbiber of whisky and a wood chopper, came early in the settlement of the county, but late in life, and alone. He remained but a short time in one locality. The school lands were sold in 1831, and the lessees, who had cleared much of the land, were rarely the purchasers. They were as a rule, a worthy class of people, but their means were few, and their position did not enable them to accumulate money sufficient to purchase land.

Among the earliest land holding pioneers of Franklin. were William Bacher and Isaac Deardorff, both of whom were residents of the county before 1809. 8

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Mr. Bacher was a Pennsylvanian, had leased and occupied a school lot in Dover Township, and at the expiration of his lease, probably in 1818, settled in Franklin, on the southwest quarter of Section 21, which he had entered. Isaac Deardorff owned 320 acres, the northeast quarter of Section 18, and the north- west quarter of Section 19, the latter of which he entered. He was a cousin of Judge Christian Deardorff of Dover Township, was an early Justice of the Peace. and an excellent and life-long citizen of Franklin Township.

Other pioneers were Abraham Brenninger, John Casebeer, Henry Duncan, Abraham Forney, Walter Griffith, Benjamin Gundy, Christian Gnagy, Michael Kohr, Philip Knappenberger, Jonas Kline, Jr., David Porter, Thomas Lap- pington, Jehiel Savidge and George Wallick.

Abraham Brenninger came from Pennsylvania about 1809, and settled on Military Lot 13, in the northern part of the township. He was a respected citizen, and remained here through life. Henry Duncan owned and occupied Lots 16 and 17 in the extreme northern part of the township. John Casebeer entered and settled on the northwest quarter of Section 12, in the southern line of the township. He subsequently moved West. Abraham Forney emigrated from Somerset County, Penn., to Dover Township about 1809, and entered a farm on Crooked Run, which he sold to Michael Welty, and in 1814 came to Franklin and settled on the northewest quarter of Section 2. He was a local minister of the United Brethren Church, and preached a great deal, at first in his own neighborhood, but later on the circuit. He died about 1825, aged forty-one years. Two of his eight children still reside in Franklin. Walter Griffith entered the southeast quarter of Section 13, and settled here about 1816. After his death his family removed West. Benjamin Gundy was the. owner and occupant of the southwest quarter of Section 20, prior to 1820. Originally from Pennsylvania he had lived in Harrison County for awhile, and after a residence for a time in Franklin Township, he returned to Harri- son County. Again changing his place of abode, he sojourned in Wood County for a brief season, then returned to this county and died here. Chris- tian Gnagy came from Pennsylvania about 1818, and purchased the southwest quarter of Section 19. He was a noted local minister of the United Brethren persuasion, and in his old age removed to Wood County, where he died. Michael Kohr was one of the earliest pioneers, and also one of the largest land- holders. In 1811, he came from Maryland, and settled on the east half of Section 8, which he had entered. He first came out alone, boarded at Knis- trick's, built a cabin and cleared and planted about two acres, hired Mr. Noft- zinger, of Dover Township, to tend it. then returned East for his family. He lived in this township till old age, then re-married and removed to near Navarre, Stark County, where he died. Philip Knappenberger was born in Northampton County, Penn., in 1783. Attaining his majority, he made a trip West, entered the east half of Section 9, in his father's name, and the north- west quarter of the section in his own name. Returning, he married and brought his wife to the new country. In the face of the Indian troubles, dur- ing the war of 1812, he returned East, and at the termination of hostilities, again took up his residence in Franklin. He was a Justice of the Peace, a gun-smith and a farmer; he was a disbeliever in the Bible, and wrote and pub- lished a book expressive of his views. Mr. Knappenberger was twice married and died in this township. Jonas Kline emigrated from Pennsylvania before 1820, and settled about two miles west of Strasburg. He afterward went West. David Porter owned a little place, and lived for a time in the northern part of the township. Thomas Lappingtqn originally from Maryland, emi- grated to Stark County, there married Mary Shutt, and entered and removed to the southwest quarter of Section 9, Franklin Township. He died here

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The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 57

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

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