The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 169

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 169

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).

John Dysert was among the first to settle on Rush Creek. He was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, moved to Ross County, then to Mill Creek, several miles below Marysville, whence he came here in 1836. He was a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church and was reputed to possess an excellent character. He owned no land and his tastes led him to follow hunting as a pursuit. Only three families had settled on Rush Creek in this township when he came. He remained here about nine years, then removed to Ross County. His wife was Mary Wheeler, and his family consisted of twelve children, four of whom now reside in Jackson Township.

The Titsworths came about 1834. They consisted of Isaac Titsworth, his wife and two sons-Hiram and Lemuel-and several daughters. They had formerly resided for many years in Logan County. They settled in the south- western part of Survey 9,917, about a mile northeast from Byhalia, on the Es- sex road. Hiram was the first Justice of the Peace in the township. But little legal erudition was then requisite as a qualification for election to this office and legal forms were not very closely observed at first. Hiram afterward sold his place of 126 acres in Survey 9,917, and removed to Missouri. Isaac and his wife died in the township, and Lemuel moved to Richland County, near Mansfield, after disposing of his farm in this township.

James Foster was a good specimen of the rough backwoodsman. He owned ninety-one acres in Survey 9,917, but remained here only a few years.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

He hailed originally from the South, and moved with a large family to near Middlebury, Logan County.

Jonathan Haynes was one of the foremost pioneers. He owned and, oc- cupied a 100-acre farm on Rush Creek in the northeast corner of Survey 9, - 917, since known as the H. W. Minuh place. Mr. Haynes removed to Mt. Victory, Ohio, where he kept hotel for awhile. He died in that village.

John Johnson came about 1837. He was raised in Logan County, mar- ried Ann Southworth and purchased a portion of Survey 13,320, just north- west of Byhalia. He was industrious and accumulated some property. He returned to Logan County and is still living near Pickerill, that county. His son, Hosea, lived for a short time on Rocky Fork, then removed to Logan County.

Jeremiah Lingrel came in 1837 from Logan County. He was a native of Virginia and in Logan County married Ellen Ragan, by whom he had thir- teen children. For many years after he came to Washington Township he owned no land. He built his first cabin north of Byhalia, and when the Marysville & Kenton road was opened the cabin stood in the way and had to be removed. He then lived in the Harriman place in the southwest part of Survey 9,916; he afterward moved to the western part of the township.

Marquis Osborn came in 1837. He was an Eastern man, but prior to his residence here lived a while near Urbana. He had a small family and died at his place on Rush Creek-Survey 13,427, later known as the Burnside farm.

In the same year, Moses Redford was making shoes on Rocky Fork. He owned no land and remained in the township but a short time.

Jesse Thornton settled in the township about 1835, purchasing 150 acres in Survey 13,320, northwest from Byhalia. He was originally from South Carolina, but had lived in Virginia and Tennessee before emigrating to Ohio. He first located in Champaign County and then lived in Logan County eleven years before coming here. He engaged in shoe-making and coopering before settling in Washington Township, but here he devoted his attention entirely to farming. He had married Nancy Richardson and raised a large family. His children were James, Boyd, Jacob, Aaron, Jesse, Mary, Sallie, wife of Levin Wright, Lucinda, the wife of Solomon Shirtzler, Rachel, wife of John Harriman, and Nancy, wife of Joshua Harriman. Mr. Thornton was born in 1777, and died in Washington Township March 31, 1857.

Southworth Mather settled on Rocky Fork at an early day. He came from the East somewhere, and was a local Methodist preacher. Like many others, he was a squatter at first, but afterward purchased land. He removed to Paulding County.

John W. Basard, in 1837-38, located in the extreme eastern part of the township on Rush Creek. He hailed from Logan County, and devoted his time and attention for awhile to farming. He then opened a little grocery store on Rush Creek and sold a considerable amount of goods to his neigh- bors. Christopher Richards was one of the earliest occupants of the land on Rocky Fork.

David Cunningham changed his residence from near West Liberty, Logan County, to a home in the wilderness, about two miles north of Byhalia prior to 1840, but afterward sold out his worldly possessions here and went West. When last heard of he was still living.

In 1838, or earlier, Jacob Collins was living just north of what is now Byhalia, engaged in blacksmithing. He remained but a few years and removed farther west

Joshua Hatcher was an early farmer in the township. His farm was situated about two miles west from Byhalia. He came from Logan County,

661

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

and after a residence of a few years in Washington Township he returned thither. His brother, Isaac Hatcher, was also an early settler. James P. Scott was an early resident on Rush Creek. He moved here from Champaign County and afterward lived on Rocky Fork. He died in this township and his family moved West.

John Williams came from Logan County about 1838, and settled in the northwestern part of the township. His sojourn here was short. After re- turning to Logan County, he emigrated to the West. George McElfish was an early settler on Rush Creek. William Tomlinson lived for a short time in pioneer days in the eastern portion of the township.

James Bird was perhaps the first settler in the western part of the town- ship. He came to it in June, 1839. He had purchased 400 acres in Survey 12,105 and had to cut a road to the place. His nearest neighbor, when he ar- rived, was Jeremiah Lingrel, who lived two and a half miles east, a short dis- tance northwest from what is now Byhalia. Mr. Bird was born in New York, and while in that State served in the war of 1812 a short time. He removed to Cuyahoga County ¿Ohio, and thence to Logan County, where in addition to his farm labors he preached the Gospel to his neighbors and also practiced the " Thompsonian" system of medicine. But after his removal to Washington Township all his energies were given to the development of his farm. He brought with him five children-Gorum, William, Albert, James and Olive (Ennis). He was born June 8, 1798, and died March 24, 1882.

William Green, of Logan County, purchased land on Bokes Creek in the southwestern corner of the township, and his sons, George, Henry and John, cleared and afterward settled upon it, while the country around them was yet covered with one dense forest. After the Greens, Matthew Williams came from Logan County and settled in that vicinity. He died and was buried on the place.

David Irwin, in 1836 or soon after, came from Logan County and opened a blacksmith shop near the Titsworth place on the Essex and Rush Creek road. He also carried on farming to a limited extent. He afterward removed with his family to Missouri.

In 1840, the township was very sparsely settled. Land was then worth from $3 to $8 per acre. During the next twenty years, the township steadily increased in population and the land was gradually cleared and placed under cultivation. In 1855, Matthew Lingrell purchased his farm in and north of Byhalia for $7 per acre. He has recently refused $80 per acre for it. With- in the last two or three years the land has increased greatly in value. Its average market value exceeds $50 per acre, while but a few years ago it was not valued at more than $30 or $35 on an average. The tax duplicates reveal the material increase of wealth, both of personal and real property in the township. In 1837, the year after the township was organized, the total tax- able personal property consisted of twenty-seven horses and thirty-seven cattle, with a valuation of $1,376, and tax of $18.23. The real estate was returned 15,157 acres; valuation, $14,266; tax, $188.48. In 1840, there were 20,015 acres, valued at $20,015, and town lots at $223; personal property-thirty-two horses, $1,280, sixty-eight cattle, $544, moneys, $100, total valuation, $22, - 163; taxes, $332,45, of whichi $149,64 was delinquent. In 1850, the acreage was 16,768, valuation, $40,748; chattels, $6,951; total, $47,699; taxes, $855.90. In 1860, the acreage was 17,087, valuation, $146,971, tax,

$1,660.78. In 1870, 17,280 acres, valuation, $287,681 tax, $10,400. In 1880, 17,819 acres, valuation, $319,591; buildings, $12,310; chattels, $83,268. Washington Township has been distinctively rural in its character. Its people have pursued the even tenor of an agricultural life, and neither built up

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

villages in their midst nor engaged in extensive industrial pursuits. There are or have been no grist mills within the limits of the township, except a tread horse mill owned by David Miller nearly forty years ago. It was a very rude and imperfect affair and only patronized to any considerable extent when very muddy roads or very dry weather rendered it impossible to get grists ground elsewhere. East Liberty, seventeen miles distant from Byhalia, was the principal milling point in early times. The timber has been cleared large- ly from the land since the introduction of portable saw mills and the early saw mill has had no place here. Timber was regarded as valueless by those who first occupied the township as permanent settlers. It was viewed only as an encumbrance to the cultivation of the soil to be annihilated in the easiest and most rapid manner possible. The usual way of first deadening the tim- ber by cutting a ring around the tree through the bark and afterward felling, was in many cases deemed too slow an operation, and the timber was cut in the green. A number of the earlier settlers owned little asheries on their places and manufactured "black salts" from the ashes produced by the rapid clearing of their farms. The salts found a ready sale in Marysville and else- where, and from the money received from it they easily supplied themselves with the necessaries of life until their crops were harvested. Ed Blacock had an ashery on his place in the western part of the township-the E. O. Ste- venson farm, southwestern corner of Survey 10,971. Elisha and James Wright, the Ellises and others in the northwestern portion of the township also possessed them.

ELECTIONS.

In 1836, when the township was organized, there are said to have been sixteen voters here-Benjamin Davis, Isaac Titsworth, George McElfish, Le- muel Titsworth, William Southard, Stephen Davis, William E. Curl, James Fos- ter, Joseph Davis, Hiram Titsworth, Jonathan Haynes, John V. Streeter, John Dysert and Edward Southard. At gubernatorial election of that year, however, only eleven votes were cast, all for Joseph Vance. Since then the votes of Washington Township for Governor have been as follows: 1838, Jo- seph Vance, 12, Wilson Shannon, 5; 1840, Thomas Corwin, 22, Wilson Shan- non, 3; 1842, Thomas Corwin, 12, Wilson Shannon, 5; 1844, Mordecai Bart- ley, 22, David Tod, 4; 1846, William Bebb, 26, David Tod, 3; 1848, Seabury Ford, 28, John B. Weller, 15, scallering, 1: 1850, William Johnson, 26, Reu- ben Wood, 12; 1851, Samuel F. Vinton, 28, Reuben Wood, 13, Samuel Lewis, 6; 1853, Nelson Barrere, 27, William Medill, 18, Samuel Lewis, 20; 1855, Salmon P. Chase, 42, William Medill, 16, Allen Trimble, 5; 1857, Salmon P. Chase, 47, H. P. Payne, 13, P. Van Trump, 2; 1859, William Dennison, 58, R. P. Ranney, 7; 1861, David Tod, 72, H. J. Jewett, 12; 1863, John Brough, 119, C. L. Vallandigham, 16, 1865, J. D. Cox, 93, George W. Morgan, 18; 1867, R. B. Hayes, 109, Allen G. Thurman, 30; 1869, R. B. Hayes, 122, George H. Pendleton, 22; 1871, E. F. Noyes, 124, George W. McCook, 18; 1873, E. F. Noyes, 132, William Allen, 29, Gideon T. Stewart, 3; 1875, R. B. Hayes, 160, William Allen, 45; 1877, William H. West, 133, R. M. Bishop, 52; 1879, Charles Foster, 195, Thomas Ewing, 56; 1881, Charles Foster, 193, John W. Bookwalter, 49, A. R. Ludlow, 1.

As will be seen, the township has been uniformly and heavily Whig and Republican in its political complexion since the organization of the township except in 1853. In 1840, at the Presidential election there were but three Democratic voters in the township, and they, preferring to cast their votes in a more congenial clime, voted in an adjoining township, the election laws then permitting a citizen of a county to vote for President at any precinct in the county.

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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

The Justices of the Peace for Washington, with the dates of election, are as follows: Hiram Titsworth, 1836; Hiram Titsworth, 1842; Joshua B. Haynes, 1845; Nathan Hemin, 1848; Rees Miller. 1851; Nathan Heming, 1851; Hiram Titsworth, 1854, resigned in 1856; Nathan Heming, 1854; William Williams, 1856; Walter Allyn, 1857; Gorum Bira, 1857; Walter Allyn, 1860; William Ballinger, 1860; William Spack, 1862; William W. Ballinger, 1863; William Spack, 1865; John Rea, 1865; Matthew Lingrell, 1868; Milton Southard, 1868; Matthew Lingrell, 1871; Milton Southard, 1871; Gorum Bird, 1874; Matthew Lingrell, 1874; Aaron Coleman, 1877, resigned 1878; Matthew Lingrell, 1877; George Miller, 1878, resigned 1879; N. M. Baldwin, 1879; S. S. Sherwood, 1880; N. M. Baldwin, 1882.

The first election was held at the house of Stephen Davis and after his decease at the residence of his son, Ebenezer Davis. When the schoolhouse was erected just north of the Methodist Church above Byhalia, it became the voting place. In 1882, a neat township house was erected in Byhalia.

VILLAGES.

Byhalia, comprising probably a dozen houses and a few stores, is a busy little trading point and the only approach to a village in the township. It is situated in the southern part of the township at the crossing of the Marysville & Kenton and Rush Creek & Essex Gravel Roads, and is a growth of but two or three years. In the earlier days of the township, two attempts were made to establish a village, but each met with a signal failure.

Arbela was a village plat laid out by Marquis L. Osborne, July 25, 1838. It was situated in the eastern part of the township, north of and near Rush Creek, on Survey 13,427, the N. Burnside place. John W. Basard kept a gro- cery and followed gunsmithing, and Stacy Smith lived and taught school here for a short time, and this is the extent of the known human habitation of the place. The utmost endeavors of its founder failed to make it a metropolis or an emporium of trade. The plat consisted of forty-five lots, a public square and two streets-Main and Osborne. The lots were 4x12 poles in size; their courses, north 12° west and north 78° east. There are now two small country stores in the eastern part of the township.

In the spirit of a generous rivalry, it is said, Haynesville was laid out by Jonathan Haynes September 4, 1838, about one mile up Rush Creek from Ar- bela and on the southern banks of the stream. It was of more modest dimen- sions than its established rival, containing but twenty-one lots and a public square. This attempt at town-making proved more abortive than the other, for so far as known it remained in utter solitude. Its streets were Main and Rush Creek.

In striking contrast with these two unsuccessful efforts Byhalia has be- come the seat for a prosperous little town by the process of natural selection without any boosting from interested parties. It has never been laid out; its lots have been sold by metes and bounds by the owners of the land as fast as they were required. Rees Miller opened a little store about thirty years ago on the Jehu Gray farm,a short distance north of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On application, a post office was established at the store, with Mr. Miller as Postmaster, and named Byhalia. The store was maintained here for about twenty years and passed through the hands of quite a number of owners. Jehu Gray became Mr. Miller's partner after awhile, and they were succeeded by Nathan Moffat, William Davis, Walter Allyn, who left in 1861, Joshua B. Haynes, Robert Dodds, James Eaton, Moffat and Gray and P. Allen. The last mentioned closed business here about 1870. At the cross roads or what

664

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

is now Byhalia, there stood at this time three farmhouses, belonging to and occupied by Matthew Lingrell, Orson Allen and Horace Pinney. William Moffat purchased a corner lot off the Pinney farm, built a store-room and there offered a general stock of goods for sale to the public. Except one year, when Logan & Coleman operated the store, Mr. Moffat has been in possession of the store ever since. When Mr. Moffat returned and took possession again about four years ago, Logan & Coleman erected a store building and opened the second store in the place. They sold general merchandise for three years, then in November, 1881, sold to G. J. & N. M. Baldwin, who are the present owners. In May, 1881, J. W. Mehaffey opened a drug store, and in March, 1882, Alfred Davis brought to the village a stock of hardware, notions and groceries; both these stores are still operated by their founders. Jefferson Severe erected a hotel a few years ago and was its first proprietor; he subse- quently rented it to T. W. Tolman, then sold it to Marion Flickinger. G. J. Baldwin purchased from Mr. Flickinger in March, 1881, and about nine months later disposed of it to the present proprietor. Z. R. Thornton.

Dr. Hiram Myers was the first practicing physician at Byhalia. He opened an office about thirty years ago and practiced ten or twelve years. Dr. William Breese succeeded him, but remained only a short time. Dr. Gustavus Skidmore then became the physician of this vicinity, but several years later he removed to Essex and subsequently to Pharisburg. Dr. Emanuel Whittaker also practiced here for a time, then moved West. The two physicians now lo- cated here are Drs. B. A. Martin and George Martin; both have been here for a number of years and have won a good, established practice.

During the past year there have been more buildings erected than at any time previous. About fifteen families now reside here. There are two black- smith shops. In 1879, the lines of the adjacent school districts were changed so as to give Byhalia a school, and it now has a substantial frame schoolhouse. G. J. Baldwin is the present Postmaster. The office was transmitted from one merchant to another at the store where it was first established until the seat of business shifted to the site of Byhalia, and it has since been held by William Moffat, Aaron Coleman and G. J. Baldwin successively.

CEMETERIES.

The township cemetery is situated on an elevated lot of ground on the Boyd Thornton farm, northwest from Byhalia. It was first used as a private burial ground and since about 1854 the learthly! remains of most of Washington Township's deceased have reposed beneath its sod. The lot originally included a half acre, but recently another half acre has been added. The first grave- yard in the township was on the Titsworth place, northeast of Byhalia, and many of the earliest settlers have been interred here. For about thirty years, however, it has ceased to subserve this sacred purpose, and a more neglected spot could scarcely now be found. Many of the remains have been removed to other cemeteries. It lies so close to the channel of Rocky Fork that the graves are in danger of being despoiled of their hallowed trusts by the treacherous current, and it is said that skeletons have already been washed away by its waters. Another small cemetery is situated in the eastern part of the township on the Nathan Burnside place. It has been in use for many years.

SCHOOLS.

On the Titsworth place a log schoolhouse was erected through the joint labors of the settlers in that vicinity at an early day. £ It was probably the first building of the kind in the township and stood near the old cemetery.

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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Joseph Carter was one of the first teachers. He taught one or two winters only. David Ellis taught several terms in the same school, and was considered an excellent teacher. For a number of years after, a subscription school was held on the Kenton & Marysville road, some distance north of Byhalia. Stacy Smith was also an early teacher here. The schools were held very irregu- larly before the establishment of the common district schools, and terms were usually of three months' duration. The first school in the western part of the township was held in a log house which stood on the Bird farm. Mary John- son was the first teacher. She received only 75 cents per week and " boarded 'round. " Margaret Johnson afterward taught at the same place. There are now eight school districts within the township, each of which is supplied with a good building, furnished with modern school furniture and appliances.

CHURCHES.

Davis Methodist Protestant Chapel is located on the Essex & Rush Creek road, in the eastern part of the township. The society was organized in 1848 with ten members-Jonathan Fields and wife, Ebenezer Davis and wife, Thomas Miller and wife, Jesse Weatherbee and wife and Jefferson Fields and wife-by the Rev. Cyrus Carter in a log schoolhouse which stood on Lemuel Titsworth's land. The services were held in this schoolhouse for ten or twelve years, when the neat frame church now used as the house of worship was constructed. Ebenezer Davis, Thomas Miller and John McPeck were the largest contributors in the enterprise. The first mentioned donated

the lot upon which the house was erected. Rev. Oliver Stephens was the pas-

The church has been prosperous and now

tor in charge when it was built. contains fifty-seven members. Rev. James Adams has perhaps been the most successful pastor. During the revival services conducted by him, the mem- bership of the church increased to considerably more than one hundred. This church has been a charge in the Richwood Circuit until about a year ago, when it and the Essex church engaged the services of Rev. Cadwallader, who has since administered to them. A Sabbath school is regularly maintained during pleasant weather.

A Methodist Episcopal society was organized about 1840, in a log school- house built in the woods on Rocky Run, near where Southworth Mather then lived, afterward the Hiram Titsworth and now the William Haynes place. The membership was small, and most prominent among the little band were Hiram and Lemuel Titsworth, John Johnson and Southworth Mather. The latter two were local preachers. Services were continued in a log schoolhouse until a new schoolhouse was built on the newly opened Marysville & Kenton road, which stood near the site of present Methodist Church, north of Byhalia. Services were then held in the schoolhouse for a number of years. By the re- moval of members from the neighborhood, the society became very weak numerically and regular preaching was suspended.

About 1872, a class of the Methodist Episcopal Church, consisting of per- haps twelve members, was organized, with Allen Haines as class leader. The society prospered, and in 1876 erected a commodious and handsomely con- structed edifice, 34x48 feet, north of Byhalia half a mile, and close to the schoolhouse, in which the meetings had previously been conducted. Its cost exceeded $2,000. It was dedicated by Rev. David Rutledge, then Presiding Elder of the district to which it was attached. The first steps looking to the erection of the church were taken during the pastorate of Rev. Solomon Lin- sley. His successors as pastors of this church have been Revs. William Shultz, William Dunlap, J. C. Clemmons, David Bowers and John W. Donnan. The last mentioned is now serving his second year. The Byhalia Church was orig-

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

inally included in the Mt. Victory Circuit, composed of four charges-By- halia, Mt. Victory, Wilson Chapel and Reinhart Church. It is now an ele- ment in the York Center Circuit, which comprises four churches-McKendree at York Center, Byhalia, Summersville and Bethel. The present membership is about forty. A Sabbath school was organized subsequent to the erection of the church, and is now working in an active and successful manner. It con- tains ninety-five members, eight classes and is superintended by William Haines.

In the extreme northwestern corner of Washington Township is an or- ganization of the Quakers or Friends, known as Rush Creek Church. Its membership is drawn from Hardin and Logan Counties as well as this town ship. The organization was effected soon after the close of the rebellion in a log schoolhouse. A few years later, through the efforts of Obediah Williams, Bennett Watkins, Isaac Penoc and other early members, a frame structure was erected, which has since served as their meeting house. At the organization of the society, the membership scarcely numbered half a dozen. It is now prob- ably forty. Services are held every Sabbath. A Sabbath school has been maintained for many years.

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The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 169

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