The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 156

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254

USA > Ohio > Union County > The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record; > Part 156

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The ladies of the church keep up an efficient working organization for the promotion of "Foreign Missions." The officers of this society are: Presi- dent- Mrs. J. Tucker; Vice President-Mrs. B. C. Hamilton; Treasurer- Mrs. Marion Hamilton, now deceased; Secretary-Miss E. Simpson.

As near as I can now ascertain, some time in the year 1848 Rev. John B. Peats organized a society of Methodist Protestants two and one-half miles south of Richwood, in Claibourne Township, and named the organization "Bethlehem Church." The names of the members who went into this organiza- tion were-Rev. J. C. Sidle, Elizabeth Sidle, David Burns, Mary Burns, Mich- ael and Permelia Brown, John and Mary Swartz, Jacob Wilds, Allen Wynegar. This organization soon increased in numbers until nearly sixty persons were ac- cepted as communicants. They worshiped for a time in the schoolhouse and such other places as could be temporarily obtained. As soon as their financial circumstances would justify them in doing so, they proceeded to erect for themselves a comfortable frame meeting house, near the east bank of Fulton Creek, on some two acres of ground, donated by Rev. J. C. Sidle, as a site for the church and burying ground for the dead. This church was erected in 1855, is still used by the society as their place of worship, is worth some $1,400, and is known as Bethlehem Church. A. Sunday school is usually kept up in it. The present pastor of this church is Rev. Mr. Cramer.

The Claibourne Church of this denomination is situated near the south- west corner of the township. It was built in 1880, under the pastoral labors of Rev. Mr. Elliott. It is a neat frame house, and has in it an energetic, en- terprising organization of worshipers. This church is the outgrowth of what was known as the Stires' Society of pioneer days.

Christian Church .- The Christian Church has an organization and a house of worship in the southeast corner of Claibourne Township, which is known on the records of the denomination as the Thompson Church. It was originally located in Thompson Township, in Delaware County, but its house of worship in that place being burned down some thirteen years ago, the congregation built their house on its present site. This house is worth $1,000, and has in it as worshipers about seventy communicants. Its present pastor is Rev. A. C. Carras.

The Church of the Disciples was established in Richwood during the first years of the existence of the town: but so far as I can find there are no records of its early history preserved. My personal acquaintance with its doings be- gan in the latter months of 1836; and between this date. and 1840, the follow- ing-named persons were known as members of this church: Rev. Isaac Cade and Mrs. Cade, Charles Cade, Aaron Beem, Mrs. Beem, Benjamin Beem, B. Bridge, Mrs. Bridge, T. Warner Bridge, Charles Morse, Elvira Morse, Ira Morse, Mrs. Morse, Isaac Headly, Nancy Headly, Eveline Headly. Angeline Headly, Henry Swartz, Nancy Swartz, R. Elder Swartz. John P. Graham, Eliza Gra- ham, Peter¿ Grace, Nancy Grace, Mrs. John Dilsaver. These twenty-seven

582

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

persons. to whom not long afterward were added Jacob Reed and Mrs. Reed, Joseph Cameron and Mrs. Cameron and Jesse Reed, constituted the pioneer church of this denomination. Rev. Isaac Cade was their recognized minister for many years. I think he received no stated salary. He was a man of good character, honest and upright. He was a man of not much learning, but read his Bible carefully, and was ready in quoting its contents. There were other ministers who often assisted Mr. Cade in the services of the church, but they were mostly traveling evangelists, whose names I cannot now recall. The meetings of this church for a number of years were held mostly in the little log schoolhouse which stood near the northeast corner of the town. As near as I can now as- certain, the first house of worship erected by this denomination in Richwood was built about 1850 or 1852. It was a small frame building worth about $800, and is still occupied as their place of worship. They have, however, recently purchased a very eligible lot on which they contemplate erecting in the near future, a commodious house to be dedicated to the worship of God. The number of communicants in this church is now about eighty. Their present pastor's name is W. L. Neal.

The officers of this church are: Elders-George W. Taylor, Thomas Prosser: Deacons-W. H. Moses, E. Collier; Trustees-L. H. Stephenson, I. H. Graham, W. H. Moses; Clerk-W. H. Moses.

This church has a living, working Sunday school, which meets each Lord's Day at 9:30 o'clock, A. M. Number in attendance average about fifty.

The ladies of this church are organized into a "Society of Christian Workers," whose object is to look after and help the poor, and to raise funds to pay for furnishing of the new church when it shall be ready to receive its furniture. They meet weekly. The officers are: President-Mrs. M. B. Col- lier; Vice President -- Mrs. T. E. McGee: Treasurer - Mrs. M. M. Marriot.

Presbyterian Church .- As a proper introduction to the following history of the Presbyterian Church it should be recorded that the second minister who preached in Richwood was Rev. Mr. Perigreen, a Welsh Presbyterian, from Delaware County. He commenced visiting the place soon after the town began to be settled, and preached for a time, but did not organize a church. After him, in 1837 to 1840, a Rev. Mr. Smith, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Marysville, preached occasionally in Richwood; also Rev. Mr. Galbraith, who was then preaching at Milford, this county. But no organiza- tion was attempted till the one accounted for below

Presbyterian Church of Richwood organized June 20, 1874, by Rev. H. Shedd, assisted by visiting ministers. Rev. W. G. Marck and Rev. D. D. Waugh, and Elder A. McNeal, of York Church. The members that went into the first organization were: John Landen, James Landen, Rebecca Landen, Elizabeth Long. Milton M. Shipley, Ann Shipley. Mary Jane Best, Essay Ann Best, Rachel E. Rowe. Ransler Parsons, Samuel M. Landen, Mary E. Landen, Abbica Landen, W. L. Curry, M. J. Curry. J. Dennons.

The following-named persons were elected to fill the offices of the church, viz. : Elders-M. M. Shiple and John Landen; Trustees-W. L. Curry, John Landen, and Ransler Parsons: Secretary-W. L. Curry; Treasurer-James Landen.

The following ministers have served the church since its organization- Rev. H. Shedd, Rev. Charles S. Wood, Rev. C. W. Torrey, Rev. R. C. Col- mery. Rev. John McDowell.

For the first six years of its organization this church worshiped in Burg- ner's Hall. From that time to the present, a period of three years, in Cants' Hall. During these years there were received into the church as communi- cants, seventy-seven. There have been dismissed from the church by remov-

583

CLAIBOURNE TOWNSHIP.

als, deaths, etc., twenty-two, leaving the present number of communicants, fifty-five.

Soon after the organization of the church, this congregation organized a Sabbath school, which has been reglarly maintained ever since. It now num- bers-officers and teachers, twelve; scholars, seventy-five. The school is now, and has been from the first, a great source of spiritual strength to the church.

There has been no marked periods of revival in the history of this church, but its growth has been gradual and constant -- the result of patient and con- tinuous effort. Financially, the church is now out of debt, and, spiritually, it is in the most hopeful condition.

CEMETERIES.

The earliest place of interment within the township was the one now most extensively used-at the Sidle Methodist Protestant Church, two miles south of Richwood. It is on the land which formerly belonged to Henry Swartz, and burials were commenced while the place was yet in the midst of a deep wilderness. Henry Swartz buried two small children here, and the de- ceased of his neighbors' families found their "eternal resting place" in the same secluded spot. The burials of Mr. Garner, John Logue, Mrs. Ira Ben- nett and Mrs. Rose were among the first. When Jacob C. Sidle became the proprietor of this farm, he donated an acre for a cemetery. Afterward it came within the charge of the Township Trustees, and they made additions to its limits. The grounds are located on rising land, and now receive the remains of " the departed " from Richwood and the surrounding country.

The old graveyard, in Richwood, is no longer used for burial purposes.

At the Lenox Schoolhouse, one and a fourth miles northwest of Richwood, William Hamilton donated a lot for a cemetery, which is still used to some extent.

Another small graveyard, now abandoned, was situated on the Graham farm, just northwest of Richwood.

At Stony Point, in the western part of the township, is a graveyard, where the dead of that vicinity are interred.

CLAIBOURNE.

Claibourne is the newest village in the county, and, though yet in its in- fancy, bids fair to surpass, in size and prosperity, some of the earlier settled villages. It is situated in the extreme southwestern part of Claibourne Town- ship, on the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad. The plat was sur- veyed March 14, 1881, by Frederick J. Sager, and contains ten and three-' fourths acres, divided into thirty-nine lots. William Jolliff, Jr, was the pro- prietor. He made an addition of five lots, March 4, 1882. G. M. Warner was the first resident of the place who anticipated the location of a village. He was appointed Postmaster in August, 1879, a position which he yet retains, and in September of the same year opened a stock of general merchandise in a building which he had just erected. Through his exertions and representa- tions, the railroad company laid a side-track, and during the winter of 1880- 81 built and opened a station. The first dwellings were erected in 1881. About fifteen families compose the population. One physician, Dr. T. F. Wurtsbaugh, is in practice here. The village contains a saw mill, owned by Bell & Shearer, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, one hotel, a millinery store and two general stores. A neat brick school building has just been erected, and a Methodist Protestant Church is close by. The village is six miles dis- tant from Richwood.

584

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

RICHWOOD.

Richwood, the second town in size and importance in Union County, is located in the central part of Claibourne Township. It is a wide-awake, busi- ness place, with an enterprising, public-spirited class of citizens, and for many years has competed successfully in trade with larger towns in surrounding counties. Its streets are broad and regularly laid out. Substantial and spacious business blocks are being constantly added to the number already erect- ed, and the indications of a prosperous, active town are everywhere manifest. It has just completed its first half-century of existence. For thirty years its growth was slow; during the last two decades, it has been more rapid. Its success is due, principally, to the building of the railroad through the place. A fine agricultural region surrounds the town, and the facilities for commerce, which the railroad afforded, made it at once the center of a large and widely- extended trade. The population in 1840 was 99; in 1870, mainly through the growth of the last few years. it had reached 436; in 1880, it was 1,317, a ratio of increase rarely attained.

Philip Plummer was the proprietor of Richwood. He had come into possession of the William Pelham Survey, No. 6,307, of 1,200 acres, or the greater part of it, and in the summer of 1832 visited it, from Mount Vernon, Ohio, with his brother, Thomas Plummer, Elisha Merriot and Dr. John P. Brookins, a physician in search of a good location for practice. They traveled in a large two-horse wagon, and stopped on the way overnight at Daniel Swartz's house on the Scioto River. The village was surveyed and platted in the midst of a dense wilderness, August 8, 9 and 10, 1832, by Thomas G. Plum- mer, Special Deputy Surveyor, under the direction of the County Surveyor, Levi Phelps; and the plat was acknowledged before Ira Wood, Justice of the Peace, August 20, 1832. They all returned to Mount Vernon, and soon after Philip Plummer and Dr. Brookins returned to Richwood.

The original plat contains a full description of the location; stating that it is situated in a tract of land known as " Richwoods," about four miles west of the Scioto River, at the head-waters of Ottaway Run, on a broad and beau- tiful knob of table-land, unsurpassed in fertility. The distances from many towns and cities are minutely given, and it is said that " the signs, by timber, of the fertility of the soil in the Richwoods are beech, blue ash, gray ash, black aslı, hackberry or hoop ash, mulberry, wild cherry, black walnut, white walnut, white oak, red oak, buckeye, honey locust, lyden tree, coffee tree, a species of mahogany, hickory, red elm, white elm, sugar or hard maple, soft maple, box elder and dogwood, with a copse wood of spice brush and prickly ash, burning bush, grape vine, bladder bush and bramble. The herbage is principally maiden hair, pea vine, yellow root, ginseng, Indian and madder, etc. The soil is of the richest loam, mixed in a small proportion of sand; the sub- stratum is limestone and gravel, mixed with clay. The town plat is at an ele- vation of from fifteen to twenty feet above the bottom."

The plat covered an area of 41.78S, acres, was 84 poles and 1 foot square, bearing north 172 degrees west, or south 173 degrees east, and north 72 degrees east, or south 72} degrees west. The principal street, north and south, was Franklin, 100 feet wide, with Fulton and Clinton streets, each five poles wide, parallel with it, the former west and the latter east of it. The three streets east and west were Blagrove, Ottaway and Bomford; Ottaway, one hundred feet wide, the other two five poles. There were four alleys run- ning each way. each one pole wide. The lots on Franklin and Ottaway streets, Nos. 1 to 112 inclusive, were each eight poles long and two wide; the lots on the other streets, Nos. 113 to 152 inclusive, were eight by four poles in

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CLAIBOURNE TOWNSHIP.

size. Besides these, there were sixteen outlots, each eight poles square, four at each corner of the plat.

A reservation was made of timber not exceeding one foot in diameter that stood fifteen feet in front of the line of lots on Franklin and Ottaway streets as shade trees, and all timber of the same size that stood twelve feet in front of the line of lots on Bomford, Blagrove, Fulton and Clinton streets.

The following donations of lots for public purposes were made: Lots 13 and 69, on Franklin street, to the first and second fire companies that might be organized, to consist of fifty or more persons each. and own engine and hose, or buckets and ladders; Lot 44, to the town for a public library, when it would appoint trustees and own 200 volumes of useful and miscellaneous pub- lications; Lot 100, to the town for a museum, as soon as a council of fifteen members would be legally organized and appoint a naturalist to take charge of it; Lots 117 and 118, to the Mayor and Town Council as soon as the town was chartered; Lots 137 and 138, for a market-place for the town and country peo- ple; Lots 122, 123, 142 and 143, for common schools; Outlot 5, for a place of worship for the people of town of all denominations together, to be man- aged and regulated and organized on the 4th of July and at Christmas by the whole people together; Outlot 14, a botanical garden, to the literary, scien- tific and medical men when they would form a society of one hundred or more members, the lots to be completely under the control of the Town Conncil, when properly organized, or a majority of the whole people, composing a num- ber of two hundred or more. By an act of the State Legislature, passed a number of years before Richwood was incorporated, the ownership of all these lots was restored to Philip Plummer and his heirs.

In 1832, but three families settled in the new, forest-covered village; those of Philip Plummer, John P. Brookins and Absalom Carney. Philip Plummer was born in Maryland, and emigrated from that State to Mount Ver- non, Ohio. Some time after he came to Richwood, he became a Methodist minister, and preached for a number of years at Richwood and elsewhere. He afterward returned to Mount Vernon with his family, and there died. He was a man of moral principles and temperate habits, but did not possess that kind of nature to accumulate and retain property. His character is differently estimated by persons who knew him. Mr. William Philips, one of the earliest pioneers of Richwood, thus speaks of him: " Mr. Plummer was a man of taste and refinement, and loved good society, so, while the better class of peo- ple appreciated him, there were those who disliked him. He was kind and obliging; ready to do anything in his power to help along new comers. He made it a point to go from one cabin to another to encourage them and recon- cile them to the privation that must be endured by the pioneer. In this he seldom failed. He was an excellent talker. He was a thorough temperance man, and, selling lots, he would sell to none who would sell whisky, believing that it would injure the property of the town and community. In this most of the new settlers encouraged him, and consequently log-rollings, house-raisings and the like were done on temperance principles, and never distinguished by ruffianism. An orderly community grew up, and its good example and correct principles are felt to-day in the society of our village."

Dr. John P. Brookins was one of the leading citizens of Richwood during its primitive days. He was born at Shippensburg, Penn., March 1, 1801, and emigrated to Ohio, settling first at Mount Vernon, and engaging in his profes- sion-medicine. He there became acquainted with Mr. Plummer, and decided to cast his lot with the little village to be founded on Mr. Plummer's land. He moved, with his wife, Margaret (McClay), and two children, Mary Jane and William C., and erected the first cabin on the village site. It stood on

586

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

Lot 97, at the southwest corner of Franklin and Ottawa streets, where Mil- ler's store now is. The first sad event in the village was the accidental burn- ing of the Doctor's little daughter, Mary Jane, a promising child, which occurred in August, 1833. While playing near a log-burning in the street, her clothes took fire, and she was so badly burned that death ensued the next day. In his family, also, occurred the first birth and the first marriage. The bride was Miss Jane Coffee, the Doctor's niece. Dr. Brookins was a very small, spare man, physically, but very jovial. He was a social, genial spirit, and possessed an uncommon fund of good humor. He always had a good story to tell, and usually kept a crowd in a roar of laughter. He was Justice of the Peace for many years, and also Postmaster. He was the first physician in the township, and pursued the practice of his profession here successfully until 1847, when he removed to Eaton, Ohio, where he died January 20, 1878. His son, William, is now a resident of that village.

Absalom Carney was a blacksmith, and built his shop on Lot 144, east Bumford street. He did not remain many years, but removed West. It was reported that he and all his family, except one daughter, were killed by In- dians in Missouri.

In September, 1833, William Phillips, with his wife Isabella (Woods), emigrated from Shippensburg, Penn., and settled on Lot 48, southeast corner of Franklin and Blagrove streets. He had a family of eight children -- Will- iam J., who died in Pennsylvania; Jane Elizabeth, wife of Edwin Bruck; John A .; Alfred G., killed at Atlanta July 22, 1863; Sarah W., wife of Har- vey S. Wood, of Marysville; Mary H., wife of Joseph Swartz (deceased); William Fletcher (deceased), and Isabel W., wife of Austin G. Converse, of Carroll, Ohio. Mr. Phillips was highly esteemed as a citizen, and was identi- fied with all the movements to elevate and improve his fellow-men. He was a thorough temperance advocate. He died January 15, 1880, at Marysville, where he had removed two years previously. By trade and occupation, for many years, he was a potter. For about twenty-five years after he came to Rich- wood, he was engaged in the manufacture of pottery. The following items, taken from his account book, furnish the market value of a number of com- modities in those times :

May 17, 1834, John Woods, Dr. to making vest. $ 50

May 17, 1834, James Scott, Dr. to one gun .. 12 00

May 17, 1834, James Scott, Dr. to 84 yards muslin 1 26

May 17, 1834, Thomas Cheney, Dr. to one wagon 45 00

June 18, 1834, Philip Plummer, to 15 bushels ashes at 64.

93ª

November 17, 1834, John T. Evans, Dr. to one calf-skin.

2 50

November 17, 1834, William Surpliss, Cr. by 4250 brick at $4.25. 18 06} 41

December 5, 1834, John P. Brookins, Dr. to ware.

18ª

April 20, 1835, David Hawk, Cr. by one-fourth pound tea.

July 16, 1835, John Calloway, Dr. to two jugs.

September 21, 1835, William Barkdull, Cr. by a pound tea ..

October 17. 1835, Mortimore Bentley. Dr. to four bushels potatoes. 1 00

31}

February 13, 1836, Nathan F. Woodruff, Cr. by one day's labor. .

February 13, 1836, Samuel D. Beall, Cr. by one day's labor. 50

April 9, 1836, Joseph Murphy, Dr. to recording of ear mark. 25

June 16, 1836, Joseph Wilson, Dr. to one palm hat .. 31ł

November 1, 1836. Jacob Delsaver, Cr. by 36 pounds buckwheat .. 90

November 12, 1836, Ira Bennett, Cr. by 42 pounds lard. .

November 12, 1836, Ira Bennett, Cr. by 6 pounds pork. 37}

February 16, 1837, Christian Dowell, Dr. to two bushels corn. 75

November 5, 1837. John Darling, Dr. to one ax. . 2 00

January 4, 1838, Starret Irwin, Dr. to six lights of glass. 25

October 24, 1834, Philip Plummer, to making roundabout. ~5

November 14, 1834, Henry Swartz, Cr. by 1} gallons honey.

April 15, 1835, David Hawk, Cr. by one pound coffee.

June 22, 1835, William Lockhart, Cr. by four pounds butter. 25

December 23, 1835, Ira Bennett, Cr. by two turkeys.

587

CLAIBOURNE TOWNSHIP.

June 2, 1838, Philip Plummer, Dr. to one pair shoes. 44

June 2, 1838, Philip Plummer, Dr. to five pounds coffee .. 1 00

June 2, 1838, Philip Plummer, Dr. to 4 elementary spelling books 50 September 27, 1838, Abraham Decker, Cr. by twelve chickens .... 974

John Woods, born December 9, 1799, emigrated from Shippensburg, Cumberland Co., Penn., to Richwood, in July, 1833. He purchased 112 acres of land just north of the original plat, but now included within the corpora- tion. He was a tailor, and, in connection with clearing and cultivating his farm, he followed his trade. His wife was Sarah (Brookins), and a son, George Woods, now resides in Richwood. Mr. Woods died on the home place May 12, 1874.

William Sirpless settled in the village in 1833, coming from the Scioto River, in Delaware County. He built his cabin on Lot 119, just south of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He performed rough carpenter work while stay- ing here, which was only a few years. He then went West.

John Wilson, a son of Nathaniel Wilson, in 1833 moved to Richwood, and resided on Outlots 9 or 10, opposite Canan's grist mill. He, too, came from the Scioto River, to Delaware County; was a laborer, and assisted in the erection of cabins. His first wife was Mary Dilsaver; his second, Elizabeth Atwood; his third, Mrs. Butts. He removed to Hancock County, and, when last heard from, he had buried his fourth wife.

John Carney, the father of Absalom Carney, arrived at Richwood in 1833. He was quite old and feeble at the time, and did not survive many years. He was a Baptist minister, and occasionally held services in the village. The only other settler in Richwood in 1833, besides Messrs. Burdick and Calloway, was Mortimer Bentley. He was a carpenter, or cabinet-maker, and stayed only a few years.

In 1834, there were a number of accessions, including Christian Goul, Nathan Richardson, Adam Burge, William Price, John T. Evans and Henry Sayer.

Adam Burge was a " Thomsonian " or " steam " doctor, and practiced among the few believers of his school in this vicinity. His house and office was on Lot 105, Franklin street, where the residence of Dr. King now stands. The Doctor remained at Richwood only a short time, as his practice was not very remunerative. Nathan Richardson was a carpenter. He came from Champaign County, and about 1840 returned there. Christian Goul was a shoe-maker, from near Mechanicsburg, and his stay was also of brief duration. John T. Evans was also a manufacturer of boots and shoes. His bench was in Burdick & Calloway's store. He was unmarried, and a skillful workman, but the settlement was too sparse to furnish him with steady employment, and at the expiration of a year he sought a new field of labor. Henry Sager was a brother-in-law to Absalom Carney; built a cabin on Franklin street, but before it was furnished with door, floor or window he took his departure for the West.

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The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 156

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1254

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254