USA > Ohio > Union County > The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record; > Part 132
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HENRY SHIRK, farmer, P. O. Peoria, was born in Taylor Township August 22, 1828, and raised on a farmi half a mile southeast of where he now resides. About 1848, he purchased his present farm of sixty acres, to which he has added eighty- five acres, and in addition he owns ninety-two acres in Liberty Township. On March 24, 1860, he married Elizabeth Myers at New- ton, this county ; she was born in Union County, Dover Township, August 5, 1838, and is a daughter of Jacob and Catharine (Stiner) Myers, the former a native of Licking County and the latter of Madison County. Mr. and Mrs. Shirk have had six children, viz .: Marion M., born November 20, 1860; Della, born March 3, 1862, wife of John Keckley , J. sie, born July 23, 1863; Owen, born December 17, 1866; Alva, born January 31, 1870; and Homer, born October 21, 1875. Mr. Shirk is a Republican in politics. His wife is a member of Union Christian - Church. His parents were Adam and Anna (Dox) Shirk, the former a native of Virginia, who died in 1876, aged over fourscore years. His wife died in 1859, aged about sixty years. They came to Ohio about 1820, and had a large family, of whom five boys and three girls survive.
ISAAC N. SKIDMORE, farmer, P. O. Raymond, son of Joseph and Rebecca (Goward) Skidmore, was born in Logan County, Ohio, August 19, 1828. He is the third child of a family of six children. He was reared to manhood in his native place, and educated in the common district schools. His early life he spent with his uncle, Jacob U. Skidmore, in clearing up the farm. December 28, 1850, he was married to Sarah A., daughter of David and Eliza Reyner. Mrs. Skidmore was born near Philadelphia, Penn., March 18, 1828. Of four children by this marriage, three are living-David M., born April 21, 1853; Edwin A., born March 9, 1857, and Edward S., born March 19, 1861 ; Ann E., born October 26, 1851, and died May 7, 1856. Mr. Skidmore resided in Logan County till 1854, when he removed to his farm in York Township. He cleared up his farm, which contains sixty-eight and one-half acres in York Township, and in 1879 took charge of his father-in-law's farm. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
J. Q. SOUTHARD, M. D., physician, P. O. Raymond, was born in Licking County, Ohio, No- vember 28, 1829. He is a son of Isaiah and Elizabeth Southard, the former a native of Wash- ington County, Penn., and the latter of Baltimore, Md. His father was born April 21, 1801, and his mother in 1807. His grandfather, Abraham Southard, was born at Bosking Ridge, Somerset County, N. J., and removed to Washington County, Penn., where he married Eliza-
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
beth Hull, a sister to Capt. Hull, who was murdered by the Indians on the Ohio River, an incident mentioned of in United States history. Mr. Southard removed to Licking County, Ohio, in 1805. James Parnell, the maternal grandfather of Dr. Southard, was born in Mary- land, and married Ackline Stockdale. In 1809, he removed to Licking County. His father was born in the North of Ireland, and came to America before the Revolutionary war. Sam- uel L. and IIenry Southard, cousins to Abraham Southard, were men prominent in political life. Henry was United States Senator a term of years. Isaiah and Elizabeth Southard were the pareuts of six children, five of whom are now living, viz .: James M , M. D., of Marysville ; J. Q., M. D., Newton ; Anna MI., wife of Ulysses Hall, Newark, Ohio; Milton I., graduated from Dennison University, Granville, in 1861 ; read law and acted as Prosecuting Attorney of Muskingum County from 1867 to 1873; member of Congress of Thirteenth District, 1873 to 1879, and now a member of the law firm of Ewing & Southard, New York City ; Frank H. grad- uated from the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1864, and is a member of the firm of Southard & Southard, attorneys of Zanesville, and is one of the leading lawyers of the State. Dr. South- ard, the subject of this sketch, was reared to manhood on a farm, and received his literary education in the common schools. When eighteen years of age, he engaged in teaching, which he followed four years. In 1851, he began reading medicine, and after pursuing his studies one and a half years, he attended the Cleveland Medical College, graduating in March, 1855. He then located at Frazeysburg, and in 1857 he came and established himself at Newton, where he has been uninterruptedly engaged in the practice of his profession ever since. Dr. South- ard came to Newton with but $40 in money, but by close application to his profession, has ac- quired a large and successful practice. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge and Chapter, and is connected with the County and State Medical Associations. He owns, besides his town property in Newton, abont a section of well-improved land. In November, 1861, he was mar- ried to Miss Lucinda M., daughter of Theodore and Eliza (Stuart) Green, by whom he has had five children, three of whom are living-Frank S., Homer and Harry G. Henry B. and Otto M. are deceased. Mrs. Southard's maternal grandfather, Nathaniel Stuart, was the only son of Capt. Joseph Stuart, an officer in the Revolutionary war. He was born in New York, and of Scotch ancestry. Nathaniel Stewart was born in New York December 11, 1786. He married Keziah Toby, and in 1836, with a family of twelve children, emigrated to Union County. Mr. Stewart died October 12, 1872. Mrs. Southard's father, Theodore Green, was born in New York January 26, 1797, and married Eliza Stuart, who was born June 3, 1811. Mr. Green departed this life in October, 1875.
CHAPTER VIII.
LEESBURG TOWNSHIP.
L' EESBURG TOWNSHIP occupies a position in the eastern part of Union County. It is bounded on the east by Delaware County; on the north is Claibourne Township; on the west by Taylor, and on the south by Dover and Paris. Its outlines are broken, owing to the irregular manner in which the original surveys were made, whose bounds the township lines foliow.
"The topography of the township does not differ from that of the remainder of the county. The surface is level, and somewhat low. It is drained mainly by Boke's Creek, Blues Creek and Grassy Run. The first-mentioned stream enters the township across the northern part of the western line, and pursues a winding, easterly course, passing into Delaware County. Blue's Creek crosses the southwestern corner of the township, in a southeasterly direction. Grassy Run rises in the southern part of the township, and flows south. The highest land is along the borders of the streams, and the first settlements were formed here. Away from the streams, the land was regarded as too low and wet for cultivation, and it was believed by the first comers that many years must elapse before settlers would attempt to farm it. Since it has been cleared and drained, however, it has proved to be the best land in the township. During the last few years, tiling has been laid very extensively, and the in- crease in productiveness thus obtained has amply repaid the cost of drainage. The soil is clayey throughout, with a slight admixture of sand in places.
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LEESBURG TOWNSHIP.
The swale lands have a surface soil of black clay, underlaid with a substratum of blue clay. Springs are not abundant, but the water found is of excellent quality, and some are strongly impregnated with minerals. A thrifty growth of timber covered the township when the first settlers came, and considerable underbrush was found. On the creek bottoms, white and black walnut grew profusely; on the uplands were beech, sugar, hickory, white oak, white ash, burr oak, red oak, red elm and other varieties; and in the swale lands black ash, hickory, maple, elm, burr oak and other types prevailed.
ORGANIZATION AND ELECTIONS.
Leesburg was the seventh township organized in Union County. The date of its erection was 1825. The records of the County Commissioners do not contain its exact date, nor the original boundaries, which, however, in- cluded the territory now embraced within Claibourne and Jackson Town- ships.
The first election was held October 11, 1825, at which there were ten voters-Robert Cotrell, Culwell Williamson, Henry Swartz, Samuel Gardner, Samuel Martin, Simon Gates, Sr., Simon Gates, Jr., Cyprian Lee, Edward Williams and Thomas Tunks. Four of these-Cotrell, Swartz, Lee and Will- iams -- lived in what is now Claibourne Township. James Curry received the entire ten votes for Representative, and Matthias Collins ten votes for Commis- sioner. The vote of the township for Governor has since been as follows: 1826. Allen Trimble, 6, John Biggar, 1, Alexander Campbell, 15; 1828, Allen Trimble, 2, John W. Campbell, 19; 1830, Robert Lucas, 15, Duncan Mc- Arthur, 12; 1832, Robert Lucas, 18, Darius Lyman, 17; 1834, Robert Lucas, 9, James Finley, 31; 1836, Joseph Vance, 51, Eli Baldwin, 25; 1838, Joseph Vance, 45, Wilson Shannon, 33; 1840, Thomas Corwin, 72, Wilson Shan-
non. 45; 1842, Thomas Corwin, 52; Wilson Shannon, 45: 1844, Mordecai Bartley, 61, David Tod, 48; 1846, William Bebb, 60, David Tod, 40; 1848, Seabury Ford, 73, John B. Weller, 57; 1850, William Johnson, 68. Reuben Wood, 35; 1851, Samuel F. Vinton, 67. Reuben Wood, 38; 1853, Nel- son Barrere, '93, William Medill, 60. Samuel Lewis, 3; 1855, Salmon P. Chase, 60, William Medill, 55, Allen Trimble, 15; 1857, Salmon P. Chase, 50, Henry P. Payne, 63, P. Van Trump, 27; 1859, William Duncan, 56, Rufus P. Ranney, 76 .; 1861, David Tod, 133, H. J. Jewett, 74; 1863, John Brough, 154, C. L. Vallandigham, 118; 1865, J. D. Cox, 132, George W. Morgan, 100; 1867, R. B. Hayes, 133, Allen G. Thurman, 128; 1869, R. B. Hayes, 128, George H. Pendleton, 113; 1871, E. F. Noyes, 123, George W. McCook, 103, G. L. Stewart, 1; 1873, E. F. Noyes, 112, William Allen, 102, G. T. Stewart, 7, J. C. Collins, 1; 1875, William Allen, 130, R. B. Hayes, 162; 1877, William H. West, 166, R. M. Bishop, 128; 1879, Charles Foster, 193, Thomas Ewing, 154, G. T. Stewart, 6, A. Sanders Piatt, 5: 1881, Charles Foster, 184, John W. Bookwalter, 121, A. R. Ludlow, 13.
The following is a list of the Township Magistrates, with dates of election: Simon Gates, 1825; Cyprian Lee, 1825; Henry Swartz, 1827; David Gallant, 1828; David Gallant, 1831; William Gladhill, 1835; John Gamble, 1837; Abijah Gandy, 1838; Abijah Gandy, 1841; Alexander McAlister, 1843; Abijah Gandy, 1844; Alexander McAlister, 1846; Abijah Gandy, 1847; John Bon- nett, 1849; Abijah Gandy, 1850; John Bonnett, 1852; J. O. Jewett, 1853; Othneil Jewett, 1855; William Foster, 1856; Othneil Jewett, 1858; William Foster, 1859; Moses Thompson, 1861; John Maskell, 1862; Othneil Jewett. 1864; Allen Hickock, 1865; Othneil Jewett, 1867; L. B. White, 1868; Othneil Jewett, 1870; L. B. White, 1871; Othneil Jewett, 1873; Henry High- bargain, 1874; J. R. Taylor, 1876; Henry Highbargain, 1877; J. R. Taylor,
416
HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
1879; Henry Highbargain, 1880; O. B. Martin, 1882. £ Samuel Lafferty was also an early Justice, but his name does not appear on the county record of oaths administered, from which the above list is taken.
SURVEYS.
The following are the original proprietors of the surveys, comprised with- in what is now Leesburg Township. with the dates of survey and surveyors: William Semple, No. 803, 1,000 acres, located in the central-western part of the township, surveyed November 17, 1809, by Duncan McArthur; Francis Smith, No. 1,139, 750 acres, located in the northwestern corner of the town- ship, surveyed November 25, 18OS, by Duncan McArthur; Falvery Frazier, the representative of William Frazier, deceased, Nos. 3,692 and 3,693, 1,000 acres each, on Boke's Creek, northwestern part of township, surveyed September 16, 1799, by Lucas Sullivant; Thomas Frazier, heir to Falvery Frazier, Nos. 3,694 and 3,696, a corner of the latter in Delaware County. 1,000 acres each, on Boke's Creek, in eastern part of township, surveyed September 16 and 17, 1799, by Lucas Sullivant: Andrew Meade, assignee, No. 5,506, 1,796 acres, in southwestern corner of township, surveyed November 8. 1807, by James Gal- loway; Robert Means, assignee, No. 5586, 1,000 acres, northern part of town- ship, surveyed November 25, 1807. by James Galloway; Thomas M. Bailey, as- signee, No. 5,613, 1,000 acres, on Blue's Creek, southwestern part of township, surveyed January 10, 1808, by James Galloway; Robert Means, assignee, Nos. 5,630 and 6.510, 900 acres. in western part of township, surveyed No- vember 11, 1811, by Duncan McArthur; William B. Bunting's representa- tives, No. 5,870, 1,000 acres in southern part of township, surveyed June 2, 1SOS, by James Galloway; Benjamin W. Ladd, No. 6,010, 711 acres, in south- western part of township, surveyed October 10, 1808, by James Galloway; Edward Dromgoole. assignee, No. 6,031, 1,500 acres, partly in Delaware County, surveyed October 10, 1808, by James Galloway; John Baird, as- signee, No. 6,033. 1,000 acres, in northern part of township, surveyed April 14, 1809, by James Galloway; John Baird, assignee, No. 6,199, 400 acres, corner in Delaware County, surveyed April 14, 1809, by James Galloway; James Barnett, assignee, No. 6,211, 840 acres, in northeast corner of township, sur- veyed by James Galloway, March 29, 1810; Samuel Hyde Saunders. No. 13,066, 100 acres, in northern part of township, surveyed February 5, 1830. by Cadwallader Wallace; Frances T. Short, widow of Wiley Short, deceased, and Martha P. Williams, wife of William Williams, the two daughters and heirs of Capt. Cuthbert Harrison, Nos. 13.592 and 15,941, 6663 acres, in southeastern part of township, surveyed October 18, 1834, by Cadwallader Wallace. Besides the above, there are, in the northeastern part of the township, small fractions of the following four surveys, which lie mostly in Delaware County: Joseph Tag- gert and others, Nos. 6,540 and 6, 889, 418 acres, surveyed by John Kerr, October 20, 1810; H. Bedinger, No. 1,931, 800 acres, surveyed by John Kerr, November 6, 1809; Cadwallader Wallace, No. 15,056, 83 acres, surveyed by Cadwal- lader Wallace, December 26, 1847; John Barrell, No. 3,402, 500 acres, sur- veyed November 24, 1807, by James Galloway. As will be seen from the fore- going. the greater part of the township was surveyed from 1807 to 1810. Only the four Frazier surveys, including all the land in the township that lies on Boke's Creek, were surveyed prior to this time; and they were surveyed in 1799. A majority of the surveys that lie wholly in the township are of 1,000 acres each, and the average size reaches almost that amount. The division lines between Leesburg and the bordering townships in Union County, do not cross any surveys. The actual amount of land within a survey often exceeds considerably the area for which it was surveyed.
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LEESBURG TOWNSHIP.
TAX VALUATIONS.
In 1825, the personal property, returned in Leesburg Township, consisted of six horses and twenty-seven cattle. Of these, two horses and thirteen cattle belonged to what is now Claibourne Township. Jeremiah Gardner owned one horse; Simon Gates, Sr., four cattle; Simon Gates, Jr., four cattle; Culwell Williamson, two horses and four cattle; Hale Winchester, one horse and two cattle. Horses and cattle were the only kinds of personal property then taxed. The former were valued at $40 each; the latter at $S. In 1830, there were in the township 33 horses. 115 cattle; total valuation, $2,240; tax, $22.40. There were 22,975 acres of land, valved at $24,557, and taxed for $227.99.
In 1840, the acreage was 25,86S, value $33,835; horses, 172, value, $6,880; cattle, 255, value, $2,040; money at interest, $100; total valuation, $42,848; total tax, $728.42, of which $186.92 was delinquent.
In 1850, there were 19,217 acres, valued at $76,326; to valnation of town property, $857; valuation of chattels, $18, 100; total valuation, $95,283; total tax, $1,469.89.
In 1860, there were 18,933 acres, with a valuation of $253,111; value of town property, $4,738: total valuation of real estate, $257,849; tax, $2,655.85.
In 1870, 18,907 acres, value $425,839; value of buildings, $24,425.
In 1880, 18,676 acres, value $457,711; value of buildings, $30,972; value of town property, $8,699; value of chattels, $172,493.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The early settlers were largely from Clark County. In the northwestern part of the township particularly, the majority hailed from that locality, and over the rest of the township was a fair representation from the same place. Some of the earliest settlers were lured hitherto by the game which frequented the forests, while others came for the purpose of engaging exclusively in agri- cultural pursuits. Deer was the principal game that was sought for, swarms of bees were plentiful in the woods, and wild honey was found on every pioneer's table. Bee-hunting consumed much of the time of the first settlers. The honey did not possess a great commercial value and was little in demand, for nearly every one supplied himself with the article, though some became much more expert in procuring it than others. The bee-hunter was usually supplied with pocket compass, to note and follow the course the bees would take when freighted with honey. Bees were attracted to a spot by the scent arising from honeycomb burnt by the hunter between two heated stones. Honey, or, better yet, honey mixed with extract of anise seed, was sprinkled near, and when the bees that alighted were surfeited, after circling around for a few times, they would fly away in a " bee line" for home. By getting the courses of two bees of the same swarm from two localities, the swarm would be found in the tree at the intersection of these two lines. When a bee tree was once found. the hunter would cut his initials on the bark of the tree, and by universal consent it became his individual property, to be cut down and the honey extracted therefrom at his leisure. The Indian plan of honey gather- ing was to climb a tree and cut out the honey. In a three weeks' hunt, an early settler in Leesburg Township found twenty-five trees, and from two hives in one of them, an ash on the farm where William Bonnett now lives on Grassy Rnn, procured ten gallons of honey.
The first settlement was made in the southwestern part. on Blues Creek. The exact date at which it was formed, and the pioneer who first pitched his camp there, it is impossible now to discover, as these pioneers have all re- moved to other counties or died long since. They were mostly squatters, who
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY
came into the midst of a deep solitude for the purpose of hunting, long before the proprietors of the land could find ready purchasers for it. A cluster of settlers from Clark County settled here before 1820, and the central and most prominent figure in the group was Simon Gates He was a man highly es- teemed in those days of rough frontier life, but did not stay long after the country around him began to be thickly settled. His father, Simon Gates, Sr., owned sixty-one acres in Survey 5,506, and departed this life a few years after he immigrated to the township.
Hale Winchester was one of these primitive pioneers. He, too, hailed from Clark County. His wife was Sybil Gates, ¿ daughter of Simon Gates, Sr. He first occupied land on Blues Creek as a squatter, but afterward pur- chased a small place and finally emigrated to the West. David Gallant, George Anthony, Nelson Emery and Henry Hulse were also among the earliest settlers on Blues Creek. They were all from Clark County, and some years after they came to the township purchased land here. David Gallant married Phoebe, a daughter of Henry Gandy, raised a family, and then moved to the West. The wife of George Anthony was Mrs. Polly Shepherd, also a daugh- ter of Henry Gandy. Mr. Anthony went West when hunting became poor in this vicinity. Emery Wilson married Selinda Brooks, and brought his family to Leesburg Township. He died here, and his family removed to the West. The wife of Henry Hulse was a sister to Emery Wilson.
Culwell Williamson, of Lynchburg, Va., early in this century purchased Survey 3,694, of 1,000 acres, 200 acres being reserved by the grantor for two Virginian local preachers-Revs. Munson and Denton-the reservation to be surveyed by Mr. Williamson. In 1811, he visited the land, riding horseback from Virginia. No white settlers were then near, but the woods were full of Indians. Mr. Williamson soon returned to Virgin a, and twice again came to see the land before emigrating. In 1824, he gathered together his effects, and. placing them in a four-horse wagon, bade farewell to Old Virginia, and. with his sister, Mrs. Jane Martin, a widow, her three children-Samuel, Cul- well and Ann-and James and Nancy Oglesbie, a young nephew and niece, began a wearisome journey to Ohio. Eight weeks Fre consumed on the trip. Procuring assistance from the Scioto River, t'y men coming before 7 o'clock in the morning and working till late, in the one day the cabin was raised, clapboard roof placed over it and a door sa el out and hung in place. That night, for the first time since they left Virgil
it rained: but there was shelter overhead. and the pattering rain-drops on t . roof were music to their ears. This was the first settlement in the upper p + of the township. The cabin stood on the farm now owned by O. Jewett, about one mile up Boke's Creek, from Magnetic Springs. Mr. Williamson was an old bachelor. By trade he was a carpenter. He surveyed his land 'nto small tracts, and sold much of it to incoming settlers. Thomas Tuuks purchased 100 acres soon after, in the southwest corner of the survey. Jose h Brannon, Henry Hulse and Isaac White each obtained 100 acres, and Joseph White and Arad Frank- lin also became purchasers. Richard Hoskins bought the Rev. Denton 100- acre tract, and William Wells the Munson tract. Mr Williamson died in 1828.
Culwell Martin died in 1828. He had married Sophia McCune in that year. Their only child, Culwell, is now living in Michigan. Sul nel Martin married Sarah Pugh, of Marion County, and settled on 100 acres of the Will- iamson land. He remained on the farm through life, for a time operated a mill on Bokes Creek, and died in 1854. His children were nine in number --- Elizabeth, wife of Emery Newhouse; Ann, married to Levi Skeels, and resid- ing in Kentucky; James; Thomas; Richard, deceased; Samuel. a lawyer at Eureka, Kan. ; John, deceased; Llewellyn and Oliver B.
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LEESBURG TOWNSHIP.
Richard Hoskins was born in Franklin, Franklin Co., Ohio, in 1804; re- moved to Delaware County, and, in 1827, settled in Leesburg Township, on the 100 acre farm which Dr. Skidmore now owns, about a mile up Boke's Creek from Magnetic Springs. There was no clearing on the place when he settled there. and the remainder of his life was spent upon this home farm, to which he became deeply attached. He was well respected by his neighbors and his judgment and advice was always held in high esteem. In 1827, he married Ann H. Martin. Their marriage was blessed with a family of ten children, only four of whom survive, viz .: James M., proprietor of the Hos- kins House, Magnetic Springs; Culwell; Ellen, wife of Ephraim D. Pitts; and Ann, the wife of James Leeper. Mr. Hoskins died in 1870.
James Oglesbie was raised on the Williamson place. He married Ann Wells, the daughter of William Wells, and for a time engaged in farming in this township. He then sold out, and removed to Marysville, where he died. Nancy Oglesbie married William McAllister, and lived and died in Leesburg Township.
Thomas Tunks settled in the township in 1825. He had formerly been a resident of Clark County. He first came out and built a cabin, living in the meantime in a rudely built camp. He then brought his family to his new wilderness home. Mr. Tunks was a farmer by education and occupation, and tilled the soil upon the place he first settled in this township for the remainder of his life. His wife was Ann Wallingsford; his children-Rachel, wife of Levi Spencer, a Missouri farmer; Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Will- iam McAllister; Allen, Levi, William, Thomas and Samuel.
In 1825, Joseph White, Benjamin White, Arad Franklin and William Franklin started from their homes in Clark County to visit Bokes Creek, forty miles away, with the intention of settling there if a desirable location was found. They had but one horse. Arad Franklin was just recovering from a spell of sickness, and Joseph White was aged. These two alternately rode, while the others walked. They reached Newton, and remained there over- night. The next morning they traveled northward till they reached Bokes Creek, about eight miles above Pharisburg. From that point Joseph White returned to Newton with the horse. The other three continued down the streanı, threading their way, as best they could, through the rough thickets, until they reached the place Thomas Tunks had purchased. He was there, with his boys, building a cabin. They stopped that night with him, and the next day started on their return journey. They were pleased with the coun- try, and determined to locate here. Isaac White came out first, in February,
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