The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 65

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081

USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 65

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In 1806, Gaines and Philip Goode, Benjamin Hopkins, Jonathan Wright, Isaac Cook, David Suffrins, Hezekiah Sanders, Jonah Wright, Joel Wright, Israel Wright, George Phillips, John Wright, Samuel Gause and their families.

In 1807, David Faulkner, Isaac Haskit, Edward Thomas, Jonathan Cris- pin, Nathan and Richard Goodwin. Also previous to 1810, Joseph Chenoweth, Burwell Goode, Thomas Clark, Alexander Stewart, Robert Sale, Allen Clutch, Cornelius Morford and John Craft were here. I might here mention that pre- vious to 1820, John Satterthwaite, Obediah Smith, David Morgan, George Isham, Benjamin Jones, James Boyd, Jesse Palmer, Samuel Boyd, Joshua Merryman, Thomas Hall, Elias Hollingsworth, Aquilla West, Philip Ped- rick, Luther Ball, Eli Cook, Abram Elliott, Francis Cunningham, William Hendley, Thomas Holloway, Henry Clark, Enoch Gardner, Jesse Johnson. Wright Cook, Moses Martindale, Joseph Rogers, Sr., Joseph Rogers, Sam- uel Rogers, William Bunting, Thomas and John Bunting, Isaac Keys, James Holland, Thomas Bispham, Ezra Adams, William Barton, Elias

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Cabe, Daniel Antram, John Clements, Benjamin Barnhart, Joshua Jones, John Worrell, Thomas Swift, Isaac Brazetton, John Everhart, John Archer. John Pool, Jack Brown. Jacob Mintle, Israel Williams, Jacob Clark, Ray, Samuel Cornell, Thomas Ricket, William Moore, James Smith. Joseph Mannington, William Wilkerson, Robert Cummins, Isaac Johns. Samuel Welch, Abraham Bowman, William Martindale, Elias Cabe and many others that do not now occur to me were residents.

William James came here in 1801, and settled on Section 3. Town 3, Range 5; he was elected as one of eight members of the Legislature from Ham- ilton County in the first general election under the constitution of 1802, and was a member at the time of the formation of Warren County, and was elected one of the first Associate Judges of the county, and assisted in dividing the county into townships. In 1804, he rode horseback to Columbia to attend a Baptist association, of which order he was an active member, and was injured in the ride and died at Columbia and was buried there.

Intemperance and other follies gave trouble to the Friends; occasionally some of their members would be addicted to them, but it can be said of them as a class that they always bore testimony against those follies, and always exercised a fraternal watchfulness and care over their members.

In 1812, Ezekiel Cleaver rode horseback from here to Baltimore to attend a Yearly Meeting of the Friends; his daughter Abigail, then about sixteen years of age, made the trip with him.

MILLS.

The first settlers had, of course, no mills, and the nearest milling point was at what has since been known as Buckingham's, down the Miami about or near where Miamiville now is, until about the year 1803, when Mr. Highway built the first mill in the township on the creek below Waynesville, on what is now known as Newman's Run; it was then called Highway's Run. The mill was built of logs, and the mill stones used were what were called "raccoon buhrs." It afterward became the property of Jonathan Newman. He attached a saw-mill and carding machine, which were burned down and not rebuilt.

Newman afterward built a good frame mill-house and continued the busi- ness, but other mills were built, the water-power became weak and the mill ceased to be used. The last use made of the power there was by James Throckmorton, about 1844. for a distillery.

Highway also built a grist-mill and saw-mill on the power, now owned and used by Clement's mill, formerly Taylor's, but lower down than the present one. At what date I cannot state, only that I know that in the winter of 1823 -24, it was a very old mill. all open and exposed to the weather with but little shelter overhead, and was used by Samuel Highway, Jr., to grind corn and feed. The power was afterward improved by Thomas Evans and James Smith by erecting the present mill-house-about 1831.

About 1827, a grist-mill was built on the power below by ---- Cooper, and shortly after, the power below where John K. Spencer now lives. by Thomas Hall, by putting in a saw-mill. A long and vexatious law-suit was carried on between Cooper and Hall about back-water.

About the year 1806, John Haines, from Virginia. built a mill at Waynes- ville on the power now owned by Wright. It was of framed timber and stood about where the saw-mill now is. The dam was a few hundred yards above the mill and abutted the land owned by Abel Satterthwaite, which has since. by means of a channel on the east side, become an island. Haines failed to secure an abutment on the east side of the river, and the dam causing the frequent overflow of the land, became obnoxious to the owner. He cut round the dam

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and destroyed the power, about the year 1809. A long litigation ensued and the case was finally decided in the Supreme Court against Haines.

John Jennings came to the township in 1810, and bought the mill and se- cured an abutment on the east side against the rugged bank, for $200, and contracted with David Brown to extend the race for $300. Brown completed the race, but lost heavily on the contract. The mill was idle about six years. during which time the principal milling of the neighborhood was done at New- man's mill on the Run, and Highway's mill on the Miami. A saw-mill and a fulling-mill were there at an early day and carding and fulling done there until about 1850.

The brick mill was built in 1825 by John Jennings, and, about 1832, was sold by him to Stephen Cook and Jason Evans. Evans became the sole owner, and, in 1840, sold the mills with the lands, lots, dwellings, etc., to William Oliphant, of New Jersey, for $14,000. It was regarded as a good sale at the time Oliphant died, and his sons sold out and settled up and returned to New Jersey.

In the year 1831, James Elliott built a grist-mill immediately below Waynesville; he also built a saw-mill and woolen-mill, in which carding, spin- ning and fulling were done. The premises were sold to Asa Trahern, about 1842. for $5,000; it passed through various hands, and, in 1860, became the property of Sidwell Taylor, who built the present mill.

There have been long law-suits at different times with Elliott and Taylor by the owners of the upper mills for damages on account of back-water. Cook & Evans prosecuted Elliott for damages on account of back-water, and, after a long litigation, obtained a judgment against him, probably in 1838, for $109.

The mill-power at Mount Holly was first improved by Joseph Chenoweth. who came from Virginia about the year 1815, by putting in a dam and saw- mill. A grist-mill was built there by John Satterthwaite about 1818. Mills have been kept up there ever since. There is evidence to show that Banes improved this power very early in the present century.

About 1816, Joseph Chenoweth built a grist and saw mill on Middle Run, some distance below where the turnpike crosses; they were only used 8 few years and were abandoned for the purposes for which they were built

The Hisey mill property, on Caesar's Creek, was first improved by Benjamin Butterworth, by building a saw-mill there about 1822. Israel Woodruff after- ward became the owner and built a grist-mill there about 1834. The mills afterward became the property of C. Hisey, but have long since ceased to be used.

I am unable to state who first improved the property on the creek at a point called New Baltimore, but Joshua Canby was the owner in 1835, and did a large business there with a grist and saw mill. The power is only used now for a saw-mill, by John Stanfield, who has been in possession for the past fifteen years. Saw-mills have otherwise been built, one by Isaac Ward, on Newman's Run, near the crossing of the Upper Springboro road, in 1816; one by Evans & Elliott on the same stream, near the Lebanon pike, about 1848; one by Sam- uel Butterworth on the west branch of the same stream, in 1850; one by Joseph Rogers, Sr., on Middle Run, about 1818, and one by his son Joseph, near the same place, about 1823.

OFFICERS.

There are no records that can be found of township officers previous to 1816. Early Justices of the Peace, so far as I can learn them, were as follows: John Buckels in 1803; I think he was a Justice under the Territorial ornaniza- tion; he settled and lived on Section 26, Town 3, Range 5; David Pugh, 1805; Jonathan Newman, 1807; John Satterthwaite, most of the time from

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Um. Butterworth

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1813 to 1833; Martin Robinson, 1816; Benjamin Barnhart, 1818; George C. Ward, 1825; Ellis Stokes, 1830; Samuel Rogers, 1835; also John Walcott, 1814; Gaines Goode, 1819; Burwell Goode, from about 1818 to 1830, and John W. Smith, 1824.

Constables. Thomas Biggs, 1813; Reason Reagan, 1814; Richard Cun- ningham, 1815; Joshua Carman, 1816; Samuel Rogers, most of the time from 1820 to 1835, and Jesse Ware, 1824.

From the time of the first settlement until 1804, the post office was at Cin- cinnati. Residents relied more for their letters and news on emigrants than they did on the mail. Samuel Highway was the first Postmaster; he was ap- pointed April 1, 1804, and held the office until January 1, 1814, when David Pugh was appointed; he held until January 1, 1817, when Noah Haines was appointed; he held the office until the time of his death, which occurred, I think, in 1833. John M. Hadden was then appointed, and held the office for many years. The mail was carried on horseback. I have not the route for those early years, but in 1817, Waynesville was on the route from Cincin- nati to Detroit. It was carried in that manner until 1827, when the first, line of stages was put on from Cincinnati to Springfield by John Satterth- · waite, of Waynesville, and William Worden, of Springfield. When the weather was pleasant and the roads were good, the regular stage was used; when not, a long square wagon, which received the name of "Black Hawk" was used. Many amusing incidents were related by travelers about having to get out and pry the vehicle out of mud-holes with rails, and the drivers in- structing them to hold on to their rails, as there were other mud-holes ahead. Many of the travelers declared they did not mind walking, but were opposed to carrying a rail.

In 1838, the first turnpike road was made through the township -- the Cin- cinnati, Lebanon & Springfield.

Although the citizens of the township have always taken a lively interest in politics, they have never been politicians as generally understood by that term. Allen Wright was first elected Auditor, while a citizen of this township, in 1824, and held the office until 1843; Burwell Goode was elected Commis- sioner in 1824, and held the office until 1836; Noah Haines, from 1831 to 1833; David Evans, from 1841 to 1844.

Allen Wright was County Surveyor from 1803 to 1823. I will not name the county officers further as the county history gives them.

The following persons, raised in the township, have been members of the Legislature, viz., Hon. George J. Smith, from this county; John Q. Smith, a member of both branches, from Clinton County, and also a member of Con- gress; Thomas J. Keys, of Stockton City, Cal., both branches; Hon. Seth S. Haines is the only one residing in the township that ever was elected a member of that body.

TOWNS.

The following towns have been laid out in Wayne Township as it was and is: Waynesville, by Highway,, Smith & Banes, February, 1796; ac- knowledged and recorded, 1802; Oakland, by James Murray, December, 1806; contained seventy-two lots; Freeport, by Ignatius Brown and Nebo Gant, No- vember, 1816; contained twenty-seven lots; Crosswicks, by James Jennings, July, 1821; contained twelve lots; Harveysburg, by William Harvey, January, 1829; contained forty-seven lots; Mount Holly, by Jacob Pearson, July, 1833; contained twenty-five lots; Raysville, by M. Mills & Bro. and others, November, 1855; contained twenty-two lots; it had a name long before it was platted; Corwin, about 1844, by John Johnson and Joel W. Johnson.

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CONCLUDING NOTES.

Highway & Co. failed to realize out of their purchase what they expected. and were involved in a number of law suits, which continued for a number of years, in reference to the titles of land sold by them, and, as I shall probably not refer to them again, I will observe that Mr. Highway was born in Shrop- shire, England, and emigrated to the United States in 1791, with an ample fortune of goods and money. He was about six feet, six inches in height and weighed 300 pounds. He removed from here to Cincinnati in the latter part of 1813, and there died in 1817.

The first newspaper was the Miami Visitor, in 1850, by Jesse W. Elliott. Mrs. Sarah Keys, now in her ninety-fourth year, and Joseph Rogers, now in his ninety-third, and Charlotte Dutterow, about the same age, and Rebecca Stewart, I believe are the oldest persons in the township.

The citizens have generally sympathized with the oppressed, and were generally anti-slavery. In the winter of 1837-38, two negroes ran away from near Lexington, Ky. They traveled together to Lebanon, and there separated: one took the road to Dayton and the other came this way. They were pursued by two men traveling by stage who, about midnight, discovered one of the slaves, an old man named Hazard, near Genntown, arrested him and brought him to this place. In the early morning, the citizens discovered the negro tied by a rope above the elbows. When the natural inquiry was made as to the cause, they were informed he was a runaway "nigger." The citizens de- manded that he be untied, which was done. The negro was very penitent, was sorry he had run away, was coaxed away, had a good master, etc. The agents were informed that they could not take Hazard unless they could produce nec- essary authority to do so. It was finally agreed to leave the negro in charge of some persons (Reeve Holland was one), and one of the citizens was to go with one of the agents to Lebanon and take counsel of Judge Smith as to their authority. On the return of the party in the evening, the citizens were advised that the agents had no authority. Hazard was then given his choice-the citizens informed him if he wanted to go back he could do so; if not, he should not be taken by force. Hazard brightened up and said he preferred to resume his journey. His little property was demanded and given to him, and a citizen. a few days after, informed me he saw Hazard nine miles on the road north, and some time after both got through to Canada.

In 1840 or 1841, some Virginians were moving through to Missouri with their slaves. It was claimed by slave-owners that they had a right to cross the State with their slaves for the purpose of business, or removal, when their des- tination was another Slave State. This was denied by the anti-slavery people of Ohio. A warrant was sworn out before Jonathan Clark, a Justice of the Peace here, by Dr. Brooks, and the slave-owners were arrested between this place and Franklin, and brought back and tried here. Judge George J. Smith and Robert G. Corwin were counsel for the prosecution, and Charles Anderson. of Dayton, for the defendants. After hearing the case, Squire Clark discharged the defendants. Some persons about Springboro and vicinity spirited away the slaves, or a part of them; they were afterward indicted by the grand jury. and tried, I believe, before Judge Hinkson in the Warren County Court of Common Pleas, convicted and sentenced to fine and imprisonment in the dun- geon. The Supreme Court was in session at Cincinnati, a writ of error obtained therefrom, and the defendants were released from imprisonment. The case finally came before the Supreme Court of the State, when the question was set- tled definitely, as claimed by the anti-slavery party.

In conclusion, I have to say that the names of many persons no doubt

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have been omitted that should have appeared. Their descendants will excuse the omission. When it is remembered that our early settlers are gone and no record of them could be found, it will readily occur to the reader that it is not to be wondered at that some names are omitted. I only claim that I have used the best evidence I could obtain. On many points no doubt many will differ with me. They must remember that they rely on their memory, while I have relied not only on memory but on evidence in all cases where the same was obtainable.

CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.

BY W. B. THACKER.

Perhaps a more interesting, if not more accurate, history of this township could have been written a few years since, than can be given now, owing to the fact that during the past fifteen or twenty years so many of the old settlers have passed away and with them much valuable information pertaining to pioneer life in the township. This is a serious loss and one greatly to be re- gretted, for a record of the experience of the pioneers of our country would cer- tainly contain a wealth of incident and anecdote illustrative of life on the frontier, that can be obtained from no other source.

We, who are now enjoying the fruits of their labor, can scarcely realize the hardships and privations to which they were subject, nor can we understand how they endured such a ceaseless round of toil and poverty; and yet, many of them reach a " green old age," exempt from most of the ills to which we are heir. The secret lies in the fact that they accepted with equanimity whatever favors fortune deigned to bestow. They pursued the " even tenor of their way," not continually striving after the unattainable; in a word, they did not worry.

Clear Creek Township is located in the northern part of the county, and is bounded as follows: On the north, by Montgomery County; on the east, by Wayne Township; on the south, by Turtle Creek Township, and, on the west, by Franklin Township. The township is six miles wide from east to west, and nearly seven miles long from north to south, containing a fraction less than forty-two square miles, or about 26,800 acres. The greater part of the town- ship is sufficiently rolling to insure ample drainage, and but little of it is so broken that it is not susceptible of tillage.

The soil of the township is generally fertile and easy of cultivation; it will compare favorably with the other townships of the county. Wheat. corn, barley, tobacco and hogs are the staple productions. Oats, hay and potatoes are also quite extensively grown, but generally not more than enough for home consumption. In favorable seasons, large quantities of fruit of various kinds are produced-chiefly apples and pears.

Owing to there being no convenient market for small fruits, but little at. tention is paid to their cultivation. In former years, apples were almost a certain crop in the township, but now they are a very uncertain crop.

When the first settlers came here. a dense growth of forest trees covered the land, principally oak, ash, hickory, walnut, hard and soft maple and elm.

In many parts of the township, large quantities of maple molasses and sngar were made, but now the sugar camps have nearly all disappeared, and most of the farms are denuded of all except the most inferior quality of tim- ber, many of them not possessing even that. Formerly, there was a great deal of fine walnut timber in most parts of the township, of which the owners were very prodigal, using it without stint for all purposes for which such timber was

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suitable. A few of the monarchs, however, were left standing, but, a great de- mand for walnut lumber springing up, even they were sacrificed, and now a few diminutive specimens are about all that are left to tell that such trees ever existed in the township.

The following exhibit of the agricultural products of the township for the year 1880 is, perhaps, not strictly correct, a portion at least being mere " guess- work." But it is probably as accurate a report as could be easily obtained, being taken from the Assessor's returns. I make the report for the precincts separately :

East Precinct -- Corn, 108,245 bushels; wheat, 29,090 bushels; barley. 22,215 bushels; tobacco, 337,050 pounds ; pork, 637,000 pounds. West Pre- cinct-Corn, 145,415 bushels; wheat, 35,867 bushels; barley, 19,689 bushels; tobacco, 398.016 pounds; pork, 623,000 pounds.

I also give the valuation of the property in the township at the last ap- praisement; that in the Springboro Special School District separately, and that in the township, including the above district: Springboro District, $377,804: total township, $2,241.242.

Clear Creek, from which the township derives its name, is the largest stream- in the township; all the others are mere rivulets. Clear Creek passes almost entirely across the township from east to west, and discharges its waters in the Great Miami about one mile below Franklin.

The greater part of the water from the township flows west, or toward the Great Miami, while the remainder flows east and south toward the Little Miami.

The absence of large streams, though perhaps a detriment in some ways, is an advantage in this respect. We thus have less broken land and fewer com- paratively worthless bluffs. such as are usually found along the larger streams and rivers.

Except in time of an excessive drought, an ample supply of good water for all ordinary agricultural purposes is found by digging from ten to forty feet deep. It is generally hard or limestone water. There are but few springs of any considerable size in the township. Some fine springs near Springboro are, however. an exception, they will be noticed hereafter.

The township contains parts of four original surveyed townships, viz, Town 2, Range 5; Town 3, Range 5; Town 3, Range 4, and Town 4, Range 4. Prior to October 17, 1815, this was a part of Franklin and Wayne Town- ships, two-thirds belonging to Franklin. The following is the action taken by the County Commissioners in the matter of the establishment of the township:

It having been made to appear to the satisfaction of the Commissioners that it is necessary to make over and set off a new township in the county of Warren, by taking a part of the township of Franklin, and a part of the township of Wayne. Therefore agreed and ordered, that all that part of the townships of Franklin and Wayne hereafter desig- nated and described, be erected and set off, and made into a new township with the boun- daries and lines following, to wit : Beginning at southeast corner of Section 21, Township 4, Range 4, and thence north with the line of the sections to the county line, thence west with the county line to the northwest corner of Section 15, Township 2, Range 5, thence south with the line of the sections to the southwest corner of Section 15, Township 3, Range 4, to the line of Turtle Creek Township, thence east with the line of Turtle Creek Township to the place of beginning. The same shall be erected and set off into a new and separate township, and shall be designated and known by the name of Clear Creek Town- ship.

ICHABOD B. HALSEY, AARON HARLAN, ENOS WILLIAMS, Commissioners.

October 17, 1815.

The township remained as organized. with the voting-place at Ridgeville, until the year 1855, when it was divided into two election precincts, a little more than half of the Territory being set off to Springboro Precinct. D. N. Thomas and George Denise were two of the Commissioners appointed to make the division.

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We here give as complete a list of the township officers from the organi- zation of the township to the present time, together with the result of the Presidential elections, as is possible to obtain, owing to the incomplete records of the elections in the early history of the township.

The first election of which we have any record was held on the 8th day of October, 1816. It was for State and county officers and for Representative in Congress. There were 210 votes polled, of which Thomas Worthington had, for Governor, 193; James Dunlap, 17; William H. Harrison, for Congress, 134; Thomas R. Ross, 76; Aaron Harlan, for Commissioner, 118; all others, 92; David Sutton, for Representative in Legislature, 139; all others, for Represen- tative in Legislature, 71.

There were several candidates for Congress and the Legislature, who re- ceived from two to twenty-five votes each. . The first township election recorded was held April 7, 1817. although John Blair was Clerk and Lewis Woodward. John Blair and Thomas Venard were commissioned as Justices of the Peace in 1815. The following is a list of town- ship officers:

1817-Trustees, William Crossley, Henry King, Samuel Gustin; Treas- urer, Jacob Eulass; Clerk, William Blair; Constables, J. R. Blackford, Charles. Burroughs; Justices of the Peace. Lewis Woodard, Thomas Venard, Jeremiah Black.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 65

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1081

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081