The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 66

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

USA > Ohio > Tuscarawas County > The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio > Part 66

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The next settlers were John Wilson. Ephraim Sears, John Sharron and Samuel Boston. John Wilson hailed from the Emerald Isle; owned the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 19. He died on the farm in old age. Ephraim Sears emigrated from Lancaster County, Penn. He owned 141 acres in the southeast quarter of Section 14, was a prominent man, an early Justice of the Peace, and migrated to Missouri. Joseph Sharron also came from Pennsylvania and died on his farm. Samuel Boston was a native of Scotland, and lived in Perry Township from the time he entered until he died.

In 1820, the following residents, in addition to several of the above, were paying taxes on real estate in this township: Elias Brewer, six acres in south. east quarter of Section 20, at Westchester; Robert Johnson, three acres in the same quarter section; Thomas McCready, two acres in the same quarter sec- tion; Samuel Maires, 118 acres in the southeast quarter of Section 19; Thomas Shannon, who entered and owned the northwest quarter of Section 17; Israel Wilson, two acres in the southeast quarter of Section 20; John Williams, who entered and then owned the southeast quarter of Section 21; Edward Ware, fifteen acres, and Jacob Yantis, eighteen acres, in the southeast quarter of Section 20.

The tax duplicate for 1826 exhibits the following as owners of land in that year. As Congress land was not taxable until five years after entry, this prop- erty was all entered in 1821 or prior thereto. The land mentioned above is omitted here. Nathaniel Ayres, part of the southwest quarter of Section 11 and the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 20, 212 acres; Samuel Boston, the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 13; William Barcus, the southwest quarter of Section 14; David Burgess, the east half of the south- west quarter of Section 16; Joshua Swain, the northwest quarter of Section 21; William and Hugh Conley, the southwest quarter of Section 15; John Carver's heirs, the southeast quarter of Section 17; John Cook. two acres in Westchester; Thomas Carver, the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 21; Jacob Gitchell, 113 acres in Section 20; Samuel Gilpin's heirs, the south. west quarter of 17; John Gibben, fifty acres in the northeast quarter of 24: Thomas Holliday, part of the southeast quarter of 20; Evan Hurford. the northwest quarter of 10; Lewis T. Hankinson, 110 acres, part of the north- east quarter of 24; William Hensel, 155 acres, part of the southeast quarter of 7; Israel Jenkinson, the northeast quarter of 20; Elisha Keach, southeast quarter of 16; Alexander Logan, south west quarter of 23; Jacob Millison, southwest quarter of 21; Jacob Miller, southeast quarter of Section 22; Neal Morris, east half of the northwest quarter of 16; William Morrison. eight acres in Section 8; Ephraim Morrison, five acres in Section 7; Thomas Pearce, the northwest quarter of 25; John Shotwell, the northeast quarter of 9 and the southwest quarter of 19; Elisha Spooner, forty acres in the northwest quarter of 17; Samuel Schooly, the east half of the southwest quarter of 24; Thomas Taylor, the north half of 23; Amos Townsend, the west half of the northeast quarter of 21; William Wilson, two acres at Westchester; Robert Wilson, forty-two acres in the southeast quarter of 19; Peter Williams, 295

Digitized by Google

Miram Eckman .

Digitized by Google

Google

Digitized by

623

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

acres in the southern part of 8; Thomas Young's heirs, three acres at West- chester. Many of the above proprietors were doubtless non-residents of the township. Jacob Miller came in 1816 from Maryland, bringing all his world- ly effects on two old horses, besides a cow, a heifer, a calf, a rifle and a dog. His son John still lives on the home place. Neal Morris hailed from Lon- doun County, Va .; came to Belmont County, Ohio, about 1805, and to Perry Township about 1820, where he died, leaving a large family.

In 1830, when John Dearth came to the township, but nine families lived north of Philip's Fork and Laurel Creek, as follows: James Wright, Isaac Buffington, John Parks, Joseph Dawson, Robert McCoy, Samuel Schooly, Ja- cob Livergood, Thomas Linden and Thomas McGuire. Many of the early settlers were superstitious and firm believers in witchcraft. It was a long time until the township was entirely settled. Many of the buildings are yet the primitive structures.

Perry Township embraces some of what were once the best hunting grounds in this part of the State, in the valleys of Laurel and Fallen Timber and the adjacent hills. The hillsides were rough, rocky, and mantled with dense thickets of laurel, while the ravines were covered with a mass of thick under- brush, almost impenetrable. Game could be found here when it had disap- peared from the surrounding country. A number of noted hunters dwelt here, chief among whom was Joseph Huff. His adventures with Indians and wild animals would fill a volume. He had hunted with Lewis Wetzel, and was a wonderful marksman. Huff came to the township from Harrison County in 1837, and remained until his death in 1844. He had been a frontiersman in the eastern part of the State, and his brother was killed by the Indians. This made him an inveterate foe to the red race, and in the border warfare he brought low with his unerring rifle many a skulking savage Though eccen- tric, he was a big-hearted man and a good neighbor, a fast friend to his friends, but the unforgiving enemy of the Indians. He had often ranged the hills of Perry before they were settled, and in several instances narrowly escaped de- struction from infuriated wild animals.

The town of Westchester was laid out by John Cadwallader, Jr., in Sep- tember, 1814, on the south half of Section 20, Township 5, Range 1. The original plat was in the form of a parallelogram, containing 94 lots. The lots are 66 feet wide and 198 feet deep. Market and High streets extend due east and west; Gay, Philadelphia and Marietta streets, north and south. High is 80 feet wide, Market and Gay 66, and Philadelphia and Marietta 60 feet. Two lots on the east side of Gay. between High and Market, were donated to the public. The town was started while the country about it was yet an al- most unbroken wilderness. Remote from river, canal or railroad, its opper- tunities for extended growth have been very slight. In early times one of the principal western thoroughfares, the Coshocton road, passed through the vil- lage, and the place was then bustling with activity. Robert Johnson was prob- ably the first tavern-keeper at Westchester. He first took out a license for this purpose in October, 1816. David Cadwallader and Joshua Cory were other early tavern-keepers. It would not be uncommon in early times for the two or three taverns here to be filled to overflowing with emigrants seeking homes in this Western land. William Boyd and Benona P. Evans were early mer- chants; also James McMath and Mr. Jenkins. Benjamin Parsons commenced business here in 1830. Frederick Butters was the first to attempt the practice of medicine in this locality, and soon learned that his services were not in de- mand. Dr. Isaac H. Kurtz, now of New Philadelphia, practiced here success- fully for many years.

As early as 1830, an effort was made by the people of Westchester and

Digitized by Google

6:24

HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

vicinity to procure the erection of a new county from territory of present Tus- carawas, Harrison and Guernsey Counties. The project was agitated from time to time, and in 1850 efforts were renewed to establish Chester County. with Westchester as the county seat. For the purpose of booming the scheme. the Westchester Times was ushered into being, its first issue bearing date May 11, 1850, with Charles N. Allen and J. F. McGaw, editors. It was a six-col umn folio, and survived about one year. At present the village of Westchester contains three dry goods stores, one drug store, two blacksmith shops. one shoe shop, an undertaking establishment, a graded school, and three churches-the Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren and Presbyterian. It contained in 1870 a population of 198; in 1880, of 216. It was recently incorporated, and in 1882 G. W. Reese was elected Mayor. The post office is called Cadwallader.

The first cooper in the township was Isaac Wells; the first blacksmith, Ja- cob Yantis; David Cadwallader was the first Justice of the Peace (while this territory was yet in Oxford Township); Joseph Cadwallader was the first min- ister; he was a Quaker, but advocated Armenian doctrine. John McAdow was the first school teacher; he taught a subscription school for 50 cents a scholar per month, and had eleven scholars. Charles Clauts was the first tailor; John S. Rank, the first shoe-maker; Isaac Shafer, the first carpenter; Samuel Hoo- ver, the first saddler; John Buthler, the first wagon-maker; John Hines, the first cabinet maker; Thomas Wilkin, the first tanner (on Section 21); Jacob Balsel, the first hatter; Isaac N. Roberts, the first plow maker; and Enoch Creppin. the first tinner. Mr. Rentoul and Joseph Galbraith were among the earliest teachers. The latter was a graduate of Cannonsburg (Penn. ) College, and was a noted and excellent teacher.

Wilmington was laid out on the southeast quarter of Section 14, by Ephraim Sears, September 14, 1815. It consisted of forty-eight lots in the form of a square, with two streets, Coshocton and Market, crossing at right angles in the center. The plat was vacated in 1860, by Charles Galbraith. The village existed only in name, and even that was scarcely known beyond the farm upon which it was platted.

The first grist mill in the township was a horse mill, started by Hugh Mc- Adow about 1830. It was afterward converted into a carding mill, which was owned by Chrisly Swatz, and operated by John Cory. James Wright built the first water grist mill in 1831, in Section 4, on Fallen Timbers. It was at first a round-log structure, was twice rebuilt, last owned by Silas Gray, and ceased to exist about 1860. The next mill built in the same valley was owned by Joseph Dicks. Mr. Porter built the third on Laurel Creek in Sec- tion 18. Joseph McCue still owns and operates it occasionally. James Mc- Cue built another just below. Bazil Longsworth erected one in the southeast corner of the township. and Zachariah Shannon now has one in Section 18. The first saw mill was built by Disbury Johnson on Section 12. About ten have since been operated in the township.

The first religious society was of the Methodist Protestant persuasion. After worshiping in private houses, the class about 1838, built on Henry Gardner's place, in the southwest quarter of Section 12, a small log meeting house, known as the High Hill Church. It had a mud-daubed interior, seats made of split chestnut poles, no pulpit, but a platform instead, withal a typical pioneer structure. Among the early members were David and Jolin Gardner and Nathan Meeks, Sr. The society did not attain a great numerical strength. and in a few years perished.

Hoagland's Chapel is the only Methodist Protestant Church now existing in the township. It stands near the center of Section 8, was erected about ten years ago, and named in honor of Rev. Hoagland, who was preaching on

-----

Digitized by Google

625

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

this circuit at the time of its construction. A former church was built by the same society about 1840, on James Boals' farm in Section 9. It was called Amity Church. The society was organized a few years previous. The early membership included I. N. Roberts, Joseph Lanning, Hugh S. Smith, John Meddles, John Parks, Hugh Boals, William Gray and others. After the old building became dilapidated, meetings were continued in Lanning's School- house until the present structure was reared. The membership is now prob- ably forty, and the pastor in charge is Rev. Oliver H. Louther.

In the western part of Section 17, stands the Grove Methodist Episcopal Church. It is a frame structure, built about 1865, and superseding a former frame edifice which occupied the same site, and was destroyed by fire. The society is quite an old one, and numbered among its pioneer members Job Gilpin, Samuel Gilpin, Elisha Spooner, Jonathan Roberts and Zachariah Shannon. It belongs to the Mineralsville Circuit, which includes this and the Westchester Churches in this township, Newton and West Union in Wash- ington Township, and one in Guernsey County. The present membership of the Grove society is about fifty. Rev. John Knight is pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal society at Westchester is in a flourishing condi- tion, and is now in possession of its second house of worship, a substantial frame structure, built about twelve years ago. Its predecessor was also a frame building, aud the first church built in Westchester. Early leading members were John McGuire, William Fleming, Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Hart and others.

In the northern part of Section 3, the Perry Presbyterian Church flourished a few years ago. The building was erected about 1848. The society was or- ganized and has held services some time before in private houses, at William Mccullough's (the northwest quarter of Section 5), and elsewhere. The early membership included in its list Robert McCoy, Richard Parker, Richard Moore, Henry Linard and Alexander Parker. Rev. Neely of Uhrichsville and Rev. Samuel Patterson, of Deerville, Harrison County, were the regular pas- tors. Services were discontinued about 1875, through loss in membership by death and removal.

About the time that meetings were suspended at the Perry Church, a Pres- byterian Church congregation was organized at Westchester, and a neat frame building soon after erected. It is still in a prosperous condition.

The United Brethren Churches of this towuship owe their origin to a camp meeting, conducted, about 1835, by Rev. James McGaw. From that time serv- ices were regularly held at the house of John Dicks, on Laurel Creek, until 1837, when the Mount Carmel United Brethren Church was built in the east- ern part of the township. It is a frame structure, 30x44 feet in size. The early members here were John Dicks, Imes. Dicks, Mr. Moore and Mr. Hin- ton. Zera Davidson is the only member now living who was cotemporaneous with these founders of the church. The early ministers were Revs. Sewell Briggs, the McGaws, Samuel Long, Jacob Brill, Abram Lemasters, Asbery and William Simpkins, Revs. Paxton, Sherman and others. The society re- mains active and flourishing.

The society at Westchester was organized with fourteen members, at the house of John Paulls, in 1851 or 1852. Services were held at Mr. Milleson's, and in 1853 the house which is used to-day was built at a cost of $400 in money and additional work. Bishop J. Weaver, D. D., their Presiding Elder in the Muskingum Annual Conference, preached the dedicatory sermon. The pastors have been the same as have ministered at Mount Carmel, except Rev. J. R. Shipler, who was pastor in charge at the time of dedication. Early members were John Miller, Daniel Swain, who still survive, and Thomas

Digitized by Google

626

HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

Horn, deceased. The parsonage, a neat frame building, stands in West- chester.

The township magistrates of Perry have been as follows: Robert Johnson. 1818; David Cadwallader, 1820; Ephraim Sears, 1823; David Cadwallader, 1823; Hugh McAdoo, 1826; William Sharron, 1828; Joshua Cory, 1828: Ephraim Sears, 1830; Benoni P. Evans, 1831; Joshua Cory, 1832; Isaac N. Roberts, 1833; Ephraim Sears, 1835; Isaac N. Roberts, 1836; Benjamin P. Ferguson, 1836; William Boyd, 1836; Joseph Lanning, 1839; Ephraim Sears, 1839; Joseph Sharron, 1840; John O. Cory, 1842; Thomas McGuire, 1842; Joseph Sharron, 1843; William Boyd. 1844; James McCue, 1845; Thomas McGuire, 1845; Joseph Sharron, 1846; James McMath, 1847; Thomas Mc- Guire, 1848; Joseph Sharron, 1849; James McMath, 1850; Thomas McGuire. 1851; Joseph Sharron, 1852; Thomas Horn, 1853; Clark Conwell, 1853: Thomas McGuire, 1854; Adam Timmerman, 1854; Thomas Horn, 1856; Thomas McGuire, 1857; Benjamin Wright, 1857; Thomas Horn, 1859; Thomas McGuire, 1860; Benjamin Wright, 1860; Thomas Horn, 1862; Thomas Mc- Guire, 1863; Isaac G. Spech, 1865; John M. Parks, 1867; Thendas Randall, 1868; Harrison Miller, 1870; George Bear, 1871; Harrison Miller, 1873: George Bear, 1874; J. M. Parks, 1875: John C. Donahey, 1877; T. J. Murphy, 1878; J. C. Donahey, 1880; Francis R. Berkshire, 1881; George Bear, 1881; George Bear, 1883.

Digitized by

Google

627

RUSH TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER XIII.

RUSH TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION-PHYSICAL FEATURES -- FIRST SETTLEMENTS-EARLY TEACHERS -- THE SCREAM OF THE IRON HORSE-LIMA -- POST OFFICES-CHURCHES-JUSTICES.

R USH TOWNSHIP was constituted by the Board of Commissioners Decem U ber 1, 1828, with the following boundaries: Beginning at the northwest cor- ner of Township 6, Range 1, adjoining Lot 21 in the Gnadenhutten tract; thence south to the southeast corner of Lot 22 in that tract; thence west to the line between Ranges 1 and 2; thence south to the line between Townships 5 and 6; thence east to the southeast corner of Township 6, Range 1; thence north to the northeast corner of the same township, and west to the place of beginning. Its boundaries have since been changed and enlarged principally by accessions of territory on the east. As it exists at present, Rush includes all of Township 6, Range 1, save one and one-fourth sections in the northeast corner, now a part of Mill, and the slight inroad which the Gnadenhutten tract made in the northwest corner, several hundred acres. It also embraces six sections east of this, a part of Township 13,;Range 7, of the seven ranges. Of Township 6, Range 1, all is Congress land except the second or northwest quarter, which was surveyed into thirty-eight 100-acre military lots. At the suggestion of Judge Patrick, the township was named in honor of Dr. Benja- min Rush, of Philadelphia.

Stillwater Creek meanders through the eastern section of the township from Harrison County on the south, to Mill Township on the north. It is met by Laurel Creek, which also enters from Harrison. Crooked Run flows from northwest to southeast across the township, and is joined by Watson's Fork, which has a general easterly course. There are other streamlets threading the surface in various directions, but none of any size. The land is a succession of hill ranges, rough and continuous, save where they break away into little meadow lands along the streams. The valley of the Stillwater is broad and fertile, and here are found some excellent farming lands, the best in the town- ship.

It was here in the valley of the Stillwater that the first settlement in the township was made. The six sections which form the eastern part of Rush, 19, 20, 25, 26, 31, and 32 of Township 13, Range 7, like those in Mill Town- ship, are a portion of the Dohrman tract. It began to be settled about 1808, and in 1820 the following settlers resided here and owned property: Thomas Archbold, the east half of Section 19; Nathan Adams, the northeast quarter of Section 20; Peter Bennett, the southwest quarter of Section 19; Patrick Ben- nett, the northwest quarter of Section 31; Richard French, the northeast quar- ter of Section 31; Charles Foster, the southwest quarter of Section 32; William Lyons and James Martin, the south half of Section 31; Hugh Nelson, the northwest quarter of Section 32; John Niblack, the northeast quarter of Sec. tion 25; Levi Porter, the southwest quarter of Section 20; Andrew Sewell, the southeast quarter of Section 25; William Wilson, the northeast quarter of Section 32.

Many of these pioneers removed a few years later. Thomas Archbold mi-

Digitized by Google

628

HISTORY OF TUSCARAWAS COUNTY.

grated to Wells County, Ind., and from last accounts was still living. John, Peter and Edward Bennett were brothers, and all lived here for awhile. James Martin died in Harrison County. Hugh Nelson was a noted local Methodist preacher and died in this township. Daniel Turner was another early Methodist local preacher. John Niblack removed to Freeport, Harrison County. The family of Levi Porter went to Martin County, Ind. Andrew Sewell was an irishman and died on his farm.

Thomas Lyons was an early settler, and lived in the southern part'of Section 31. Daniel Enterling was another pioneer. He owned and occupied the northeast quarter of Section 3. in the north part of the township. Henry Grum owned Military Lots 17, 24, 25, 26 and 27, in the northwest part, prior to 1820. Nathan Griffith, at the same time occupied and owned the south half of Military Lot 5, and John Lambright the northeast quarter of Section 2. Abijah Robinett was one of the foremost residents of the township. Casper Warner entered and dwelt for many years upon the west half of Section 2, in Dutch Valley. as it was called. Henry Stahl settled in Stillwater Valley in 1812.

Mr. Houk, the father of Jacob Houk, came with his family from Wellsburg, Va., to the valley of Stillwater in 1807, and located near the site of Newport. He taught an early school, in the winter of 1817-18, in a log schoolhouse which occupied the lot now used as the Dutch Valley Cemetery. Among other early teachers of the township, were Charles Everett, Joseph Whitney, Mr. Finney, Henry Conwell, Thomas Rarkin, Gabriel Watson, Isaac Condon, John Steel, Ephraim Whitney, Robert Ogden, Samuel Lindsay, John F. Hines, Peter Bennett, Bernard Bennett. Abraham Porter, William Spooner. William Crum, William Turner, John W. Lytle and Isaac Blackwell.

The early settlers came chiefly from Pennsylvania. They were mostly unlearned, and many were superstitious. 'Their life among the shaded hills was isolated from the outside world. " When the Pan Handle road was build- ing," says the Tuscarawas Chronicle, " the whistle of construction trains caused consternation in Rush Township. Some thought it was somebody Jost: some thought it was a 'painter,' and others, more superstitious, attributed the unearthly racket to supernatural agencies. One family had lost a son who was killed in felling a tree. They decided that it was Jake's spirit that had come back, and was screaming and screeching through the woods. One morn - ing, the noises became so terrifying that they could stand it no longer. The old man went out to where Jake was killed, to seek an interview with the ghost, and find out, if possible, what caused him to cavort around in such an alarming fashion. A neighbor, who went to the house that morning before the old man returned, found the whole family seated in solemn silence, each holding a book of some sort. There not being enough works of a devotional character to go around, some of the family had almanacs, and every countenance wore a deeply pious look. They felt that the time had come for them to be religious."

The township is, and has always been, without village or town. The near- est approach to one is Lima, a humlet of a few scattering houses near Still- water, on the northwest quarter of Section 25. About 1825, John Tolbert moved from the Quaker settlement at Richmond, near Steubenville, and built a grist mill on Stillwater, about a half-mile south of Lima. In a few years it was washed away during a freshet, and with his two bachelor brothers he rebuilt the mill at Lima, which are now known as the Brainerd Flouring Mills. In early days, an extensive merchant business was transacted here. Wheat was purchased, ground into flour and shipped by boat down the stream to the canal. A few years ago the dam was washed away and has not since been

Digitized by Google

629

RUSH TOWNSHIP.

rebuilt. A saw mill stands on the opposite bank of the creek. In 1833, the first store was started by John Minnich and Jerry Walton. It has been in operation ever since. Lima is on the line of the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheel- ing Railroad, and the station is called Stillwater. The only present post office in the township is here, and is also named Stillwater. P. S. Jones is Post- master. In former years, several country post offices were located in the towuship. Rush Post Office was kept by Lewis Jones, and afterward by Lewis Conwell, near the southeast corner of Township 6, Range 1. A store and tannery were also operated here. Milligan Post Office was in charge of James Milligan, who lived near the present Christian Union Church. Thomas Milli- gan afterward held the office. and kept it about two miles farther up Crooked Run. A post office called Johnson also existed within the township limits.

There are four churches in the township, two Methodist Episcopal, one Presbyterian and one Christian Union. Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal Church is located in the south part of Section 32. The society is quite an old one, the oldest in the township. Hugh Nelson, Mr. Stahl and many others were early members. Preaching was at first held in Mr. Stahl's house, and the society is now occupying its second church edifice, a well-built frame structure. The membership is strong, numerically, and in charge of Rev. J. Beetham.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 66

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

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