USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 66
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1818-Trustees, James Wills, Thomas Venard, William Crosley ; Treas- urer, Jacob Eulass; Clerk, William Blair; Constables, Daniel Crane, J. R. Blackford; Justices of the Peace, Lewis Woodard, Thomas Venard, Jeremiah Black.
1823 -- Trustees, William Crossley, Harman Aughee, Henry King; Treas- urer, Daniel Crane; Clerk, Seneca Ball; Constables, Noah Bunnell, James Mullen; Justices of the Peace, Thomas Venard, William Sawyer, William Blair.
1825-Trustees, Harman Aughee, Henry King, James Wills; Treasurer, Moses Crosley; Clerks, Joseph Merritt, Thomas Morrow; Constables, David Wills, John Comer: Justices of the Peace, Thomas Venard, Daniel Crane, James E. Dearth.
1826-Trustees, Harman Aughee, James Wills, Robert E. Lafetra; Treas- urer, Joshua Carter; Clerk, Joseph Merritt; Constables, David Wills, John Comer; Justices of the Peace, Thomas Venard, Daniel Crane, James E. Dearth.
1827-Trustees, Harman Aughee, James Wills, Robert E. Lafetra; Clerk, Joseph Merritt; Constables, David Wills, John Tresslar; Justices of the Peace, Daniel Crane, John Comer, Jacob Pence.
1828-Trustees. Robert Lafetra, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence; Clerk, J. S. Williamson; Constable, Joseph Merritt; Treasurer, Joshua Carter; Justices of the Peace, Daniel Crane, John Comer, Jacob Pence.
1829-Trustees, Jacob Pence, George C. Smith, Amos Kelsey; Treasurer, John C. Brooke; Clerk, Joseph S. Williamson; Constable, John Tresslar; Jus- tices of the Peace, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence, Amos Kelsey.
1830-Trustees, Daniel Crane, Robert Lafetra, Jarvis Stokes: Treasurer, Joshua Carter; Clerk, John Clymer; Constable, Jeremiah Earnhart; Justices of the Peace, Jacob Pence, Daniel Crane, Amos Kelsey, J. S. Williamson.
1831-Trustees, Daniel Crane, Jarvis Stokes, Robert Lafetra; Treasurer, William Crosley; Clerk, C. A. Richardson; Constable, J. R. Blackford; Justices of the Peace, Jacob Pence, Daniel Crane, Amos Kelsey, J. S. Williamson.
1832-Trustees, Daniel Crane, Jarvis Stokes, Robert Lafetra; Treasurer, William Crosley; Clerk, C. A. Richardson; Constable, Levi Clymer; Justices of the Peace, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence, George Harlan.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
1833-Trustees, Daniel Crane, Jarvis Stokes, David Wills; Treasurer, William Crosley; Clerk, John Clymer; Constable, Levi Clymer; Justices of the Peace, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence, George Harlan.
1834 --- Trustees, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence, Aaron Harlan; Treasurer, William Crosley; Clerk, Edmund Robinson; Constable, Andrew Patton; Jus- tices of the Peace, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence, George Harlan.
1835-Trustees, Daniel Crane, Jacob Pence, Aaron Harlan; Treasurer, William Crosley; Clerk, Edward Noble; Constables, C. P. Russum, Moses Har- lan; Justices of the Peace. Jacob Pence, George Harlan, Edward Noble.
1836-Trustees, Jacob Pence, Aaron Harlan, Thomas Johns; Treasurer, Nathaniel McLean; Clerk, Israel Hibbard; Constable, Thomas B. Venable; Justices of the Peace, George Harlan, Edward Noble, Jacob Fox.
1837-Trustees, Jacob Pence, Aaron Harlan, Thomas Johns; Treasurer, C. P. Russum; Clerk. Israel Hibbard; Constable, William Wheaton; Justices of the Peace, George Harlan, Edward Noble, Jacob Fox.
1838 -Trustees, Jacob Pence, Thomas Johns, Moses Harlan; Treasurer, C. P. Russum; Clerk, John J. Janney; Constable, John Sexton; Justices of the Peace, George Harlan, Edward Noble, C. P. Russum.
1839-Trustees, Jacob Pence, Thomas Johns, Moses Harlan; Treasurer, C. P. Russum; Clerk, John J. Janney; Constable, John Sexton; Justices of the Peace, George Harlan, Edward Noble, C P. Russum.
1840-Trustees, Moses Harlan, William Gregg, David Wills; Treasurer, C. P. Russum; Clerk, Jonathan Munger; Constable, Alex H. Lewis; Justices of the Peace, George Harlan, Edward Noble, C. P. Russum.
1841-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Thomas Johns; Treasurer, C. P. Russum; Clerk, Israel Hibbard; Constable, John Sexton; Justices of the Peace, C. P. Russum, Jeremiah Stansell, Joel A. Stokes.
1842-Trustees. David Wills, Moses Harlan, Thomas Johns; Treasurer, C. P. Russum; Clerk, Israel Hibbard; Constable, M. M. Tresslar; Justices of the Peace, Jeremiah Stansell, Joel A. Stokes, C. P. Russum.
1843-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, J. D. Thomas; Treasurer, Thomas Johns; Clerk, John J. Janney; Constables, Hanson Thomas, Joseph C. Thorne; Justices of the Peace, J. Stansell, Joel A. Stokes, C. P. Russum. 1844-Trustees, David Wills, J. D. Thomas, Hugh Allen ; Treasurer, Thomas Johns: Clerk, John J. Janney; Constables, W. P. Peebles, Joseph C. Thorne; Justices of the Peace, Samuel Dearth, John S. Todd, William Eulass. 1845-Trustees, David Wills, J. D. Thomas, Moses Harlan; Treasurer, Thomas Johns; Clerk, John J. Janney; Constable, Hanson Thomas; Justices of the Peace, John S. Todd, William Eulass, William Gregg.
1846 -- Trustees, David Wills, J. D. Thomas, Moses Harlan; Treasurer, Thomas Johns; Clerk, John J. Janney; Constable, Hanson Thomas; Justices of the Peace, William Eulass, William Gregg, Moses Harlan.
1847-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, Thomas John; Clerk, John J. Janney; Constable, Hanson Thomas; Justices of the Peace, Moses Harlan, William Gregg, Joel A. Stokes.
1848-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan. Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, Thomas Johns; Clerk, E. M. Mulford; Constable, Hanson Thomas; Justices of the Peace, Moses Harlan, William Gregg, Joel A. Stokes.
1849-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, M. M. Tresslar; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, W. P. Peebles; Justices . of the Peace, Moses Harlan, William Gregg, Joel A. Stokes.
1850-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, M. M. Tresslar; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, Perry Lukins; Justices of the Peace, Moses Harlan, William Gregg, Joel A. Stokes.
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CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
1851-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, M. M. Tresslar; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, William F. Hayner; Jus- tices of the l'eace, Moses Harlan, William Gregg, William P. Peebles.
1852-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, M. M. Tresslar; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, William H. Morgan; Jus- tices of the Peace, Joel A. Stokes, William P. Peebles, B. A. Stokes.
1853-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, Richard Lackey; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, William Langsdon; Jus- tices of the Peace, Joel A. Stokes, William P. Peebles, B. A. Stokes.
1854 -- Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, Richard Lackey; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, William F. Hayner; Jus- tices of the Peace, William P. Peebles, B. A. Stokes.
1855-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, Mahlon Wright; Treasurer, Richard Lackey; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, William Langsdon; Jus- tices of the Peace, William P. Peebles. B. A. Stokes.
The township records from 1855 to 1865 have been lost, and I am able to give the names of Treasurer and Clerk only. Richard Lackey was Treasurer continuously until 1865. Samuel Graham was Clerk until 1857; John Fye from that time until 1862; Samuel Graham one year; J. J. Baner from 1863 till 1865.
1865-Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, Peter Sellers; Constable, Elias Vick- ers; Justices of the Peace, W. P. Peebles, J. T. Earnhart.
1866-Trustees, E. L. Cleaver, David Wills, Moses Harlan; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, Peter Sellers; Constable, Elias Vickers; Justices, W. P. Peebles, J. T. Earnhart.
1867-Trustees, David Wills, Moses Harlan, William F. Hayner; Treas- urer, J. J Baner; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, Elias Vickers; Justices, W. P. Peebles, J. T. Earnhart, John Fye.
1868-Trustees, David Wills, Josiah Hough, W. S. Earnhart; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, Samuel Graham; Constable, George Archdeacon; Justices, W. P. Peebles, John Fye, C. H. Eulass.
1869-Trustees, W. S. Earnhart, Josiah Hough, C. H. Eulass; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, George Archdeacon; Justices, W. P. Peebles, John Fye, C. H. Eulass.
1870-Trustees, Moses Harlan, Simpson Nutt, Ira Thomas; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, George Archdeacon; Justices, W. P. Peebles, John Fye, C. H. Eulass.
1871-Trustees, Ira Thomas, Simpson Nutt, William F. Hayner; Treas- urer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, George Archdeacon; Jus- tices, W. P. Peebles, John Fye, Richard Lackey.
1872-Trustees, Simpson Nutt, Richard Lackey, William F. Hayner; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, George Archdeacon; Justices, John Fye, Richard Lackey, William F. Hayner.
1873-Trustees, Richard Lackey, William F. Hayner, Peter Sellers; Treas- urer, J. J. Baner; Clerk. W. B. Thacker; Constable, Elias Vickers; Justices, Richard Lackey, William F. Hayner, Lawrence Furlong.
1874-Trustees, William F. Hayner, Peter Sellers, Simpson Nutt; Treas- urer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, Elias Vickers; Justices, W. F. Hayner, Richard Lackey, Lawrence Furlong.
1875-Trustees, Richard Lackey, Perry Lukens, C. H. Eulass; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, Elias Vickers; Justices, R. Lackay, W. F. Hayner, Lawrence Furlong.
1876-Trustees, R. Lackey, C. H. Eulass, W. F. Hayner: Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, Charles Unglesbee; Justices, R. Lackey, W. F. Hayner, W. H. Ballard.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
1877-Trustees, R. Lackey, C. H. Eulass, Ira Thomas; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, Charles Unglesbee; Justices, W. F. Hayner. W. H. Ballard, M. F. Busseer.
1878-Trustees, R. Lackey, C. H. Eulass, Ira Thomas; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, Charles Unglesbee; Justices, M. F. Busseer, Alex Boxwell, J. J. Baner.
1879-Trustees, R. Lackey, C. H. Eulass; Ira Thomas; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, Charles Unglesbee; Justices, Alex Boxwell, J. J. Baner, S. J. Witteman.
1880 -- Trustees, R. Lackey, C. H. Eulass, Ira Thomas; Treasurer, J. J. Baner; Clerk, W. B. Thacker; Constable, John Fox; Justices, Alex Boxwell. J. J. Baner. S. J. Witteman.
1881-Trustees, R. Lackey, Ira Thomas, N. E. Lupton; Treasurer, J. J. Baner: Clerk, John E. Robinson; Constable, John Fox; Justices, Alex Boxwell. Samuel J. Witteman, A. F. Peebles.
List of jurors returned by township trustees for the five years beginning with 1816:
1816-Paul Lewis, William Sawyer, Col. John McDannell, Moses Harlan, William Crosley, Thomas Venard, Peter Kesling, John Gordon, Daniel Kelsey. William Blair. Jonathan Wright, Adam Miller, William Sweney, Peter Proud.
1817-Henry King, Samuel Gustin, James Kelsey, Joseph Davis, John Blair, Jacob Pence, Jesse Wilson, Jeremiah Gustin. William Patton, Thomas McLean.
1818-Moses Crosley, William Sweney, George Harlan, James Wills. Daniel Bradstreet, William Edwards, Col. John McDannell, Charles Fox. Richard Lackey, Thomas Venard. Nathan Marchant, Jacob Hampton, Natha- niel Blackford, Henry Clymer.
1819-John Ripley, John Roberts, Asher Brown, William B. Seaman. Fergus McLean, Joel Wright, Isaac Mullen, James McDannell, Henry J. Key. Stephen Bunnell, Joseph Kirby, Adam Surface, Bazil Death, Martin Proud George Keever, William Garwood.
1820-Jonathan Garwood, Job Throckmorton, John Penington, William Wilgus, William Miltenberger, John Kelsey, John Blackford, Nathaniel Mc- Lean, Francis Lucas, Samuel Harlan, Aaron Harlan, Gabriel Drullinger, Har- man Aughee, Daniel Alexander.
Presidential electors for 1816-Abram Looker, Allen Shepherd, Benjamin Hough, Aaron Wheeler, John G. Young, Joseph Vance. William Skinner. John Patterson, had each thirty-three votes.
In 1824. Jackson received 32 votes; Adams, 99 votes and Clay, 17 votes.
In 1832. Jackson received 205 votes; Clay and others, 325 votes.
In 1840. Harrison received 356 votes; Van Buren, 168 votes.
In 1844, Clay received 362 votes; Polk, 198.
In 1848, Taylor received 244 votes; Cass, 195 votes; Van Buren, 95 votes
In 1852, Scott received 261 votes; Pierce, 227 votes; Hale, 44 votes.
In 1868. Grant received 395 votes; Seymour, 239 votes.
In 1872, Grant received 385 votes; Greeley, 248 votes.
In 1876, Hayes received 363 votes; Tilden, 290 votes.
In 1880, Garfield received 442 votes; Hancock, 318 votes.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the vote increased from 210, in 1816, to 760, in 1880.
Since 1840, the township has given a uniform majority of about 22 per cent for the Whig and Republican parties.
Comparing the vote and census of the township for 1880, we find that the voters constituted about 25 per cent of the population; on that basis, the popu- lation in 1815 was about 840.
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CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
We have endeavored to ascertain the population of the township at each census since its organization, but have not been able to procure any reports antedating the sixth census, or 1840. At that time the population was 2,821: in 1850, it was 2,770; in 1860, 2,785; in 1870, 2,605: in 1880, 2,789.
The population of Springloro in 1840 was 417: in 1850, it was 454; in 1860, 502; in 1870, 477; in 1880, 553.
Springboro is the only incorporated village in the township, the others --- Red Lion, Ridgeville, Utica and Pekin-being mere hamlets. Ridgeville was laid out in 1814 by Fergus McLean, father of Judge John McLean, formerly of the United States Supreme Court.
Springboro was laid out in 1816 by Jonathan Wright. When the time came to select a name for the place, some one suggested that it be called Wrightstown, in honor of the founder, but he objected and proposed the name of Springboro, which was adopted. One condition imposed on all who pur- chased lots in the village, was, that no liquor was to be sold on the premises for ten years, and I am informed that no saloon has ever been kept in that part of the town. But an addition, called Job Carr's Addition, was made to the village, and, as no such restrictions were placed on the sale of lots there, liquor- sellers were not slow to take advantage of the opportunity to engage in the nefarious business, and Springboro, in a measure, lost her good name.
In 1817, Abner Crane laid out the village of Westfield, now called Red Lion. Soon after, a man by the name of Holly opened a hotel there, and had painted on his sign a red lion rampant: from this the village probably derived its present name.
SCHOOLS.
The early settlers of this township were, perhaps, as much alive to the ed- ucational interests of their children as the people of the present day are, but the school laws, if any had been enacted, were very crude, and free public schools as they exist at the present time were unknown. The school terms were necessarily of short duration, because of the limited means of most of the citizens. The usual method of proceeding in most cases was about as follows: Whenever a dozen or more families had settled in one locality, and a locality would frequently embrace a scope of country many miles in extent, a substan- tial hewn-log house would be built, which generally answered the double pur- pose of church and schoolhouse. When, however, a house was designed for school purposes only, a very simple structure was deemed sufficient, for as no school districts had been established, and no one was limited to any special terri- tory in the matter of school privileges, and, as the " center of population" was often changing, owing to the influx of new settlers. the school site was as often changed and a new house erected; therefore, as the houses were intended merely for a temporary purpose, no especial pains were taken in their construction.
When the house was completed, some one who felt himself competent to "wield the birch "-often a " tramp pedagogue" -would apply for the position of teacher, the amount of his wages depending upon the number of his patrons.
We have heard cases instanced in which the teacher received but $12 per month, he paying his board out of that sum-not a very princely income. surely. The customary plan, however, was for the teacher to "board round," usually boarding a week with each family.
When and where the first schoolhouse in the township was built is not positively known, but from the best data I can obtain, one of the first, if not the very first, was built on the farm now owned by Ephraim Barnhart, in Section 18. If not the first, it possessed all the "advantages " of that day- - such as a puncheon floor, greased paper for windows in lieu of glass, a clapboard door, a slab, smoothed on one side, for a writing-desk, etc.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
These were the only schools in the township until about the year 1816, when Francis Glass, a classical scholar, opened a school in Springboro, and was followed by Richard Way and Noah Leads. Good private schools were maintained there until the passage of a general State school law.
At present, Springboro, with the addition of some adjacent territory, out- side of the corporate limits, constitutes a special school district. They employ a Principal. with three assistant teachers. The present enrollment is about 200. The curriculum embraces the common English branches, together with the higher mathematics, the sciences and Latin. There is also within the cor- poration a school for colored youth. with an enrollment of about twenty.
The township, outside of Springboro, constitutes one school district, which .is divided into eleven subdistricts, with an enumeration of about 750. The schoolhouses in the township are all substantial brick buildings, and are well supplied with outline maps, globes, etc. The schools are usually continued nine months each year. The average wages of teachers is $42 per month for males, and $38 for females. Subdistrict No. 1, or Red Lion, has two teachers; the others have one each. The patrons of the schools in most of the districts manifest considerable interest in their welfare, and, we think, the schools of the township, taken as a whole, will compare favorably with country schools in general. The Miami Valley College is situated near Springboro. It was established in 1870 by a party of liberal-minded persons, chiefly of the Society of Friends, with the intention of testing, or rather demonstrating, the practica- bility of combining mental with physical instruction in the education of both sexes.
There is a farm of about sixty acres connected with the school; also a me- chanical hall and all male students-except those who board outside of the college -- are required to devote a portion of each day to manual labor, either in farming, gardening or mechanics; the females in household duties, each class under a competent instructor. The faculty consists at present of five teachers. The attendance is about sixty.
CHURCHES.
If judged by the number of churches, the citizens of this township are de- cidedly a church-going people, there being no less than thirteen churches within its bounds. viz., one United Brethren Church, at Utica; one Methodist, at Mer- rittstown: one Universalist and one Baptist, at Ridgeville; one Methodist and one New-Light (or Christian), at Red Lion, and one Methodist, one Univer- salist, one German Reformed, one United Brethren, one colored and two Friends, at Springboro. The first church established in the township was un- questionably the Baptist Church, at or near Ridgeville, known as the Clear Creek Church. It was established in 1797. Rev. James Sutton being the first pastor.
In the spring of 1798, a branch of this church was organized in Turtle Creek Township, and Elder Daniel Clark served as pastor of both churches and of the latter until near his death, which occurred in 1840, in his ninetieth year. The Clear Creek Church is claimed to have been the first church organized in the county.
About the year 1800, the Associate Reformed Church was organized, and a house of worship erected on the ground now occupied by the cemetery at Springboro. Rev. David Risk was the first pastor. The house was built of hewn logs and was considered a very commodious and substantial structure for those times. In the year 1818, a brick house was erected in its stead. Rev. S. P. McGaw was the pastor then. Among the early members of the church may be mentioned William Sawyer, Robert Bradford, Alexander Woods, James and Alex Johnson, James F. Russell, the McCords and James and John Patterson.
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CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
The first German Reformed Church in the township was built about the year 1805, on the farm now owned by Robert Eyer, about two and a half miles southeast of Springboro. It was built of logs, as were all the churches of that day. They afterward built a frame house on the farm of Jacob Null, which was replaced about 1863 by the present house in Springboro-a substantial brick edifice.
The New-Lights (or Christians) erected a house of worship near Red Lion in an early day, as early, perhaps, as 1815 or 1816. It in time was replaced by a brick house. Rev. Isaac Dearth was officiating minister there at one time; he was ordained in the year 1820. Although the society has a good brick church at Red Lion, we believe they have no preaching at the present time.
The Methodists held religious services in private houses in different places in the township as early as 1820, or, perhaps, before that, but, from the best information I have been able to obtain, they had no church building prior to 1825. Somewhere near that time they built a church at Ridgeville, which was totally demolished by a hurricane on the night of St. Patrick's Day, in 1868. On the night preceding the storm, the house was crowded with the citizens of Ridgeville and vicinity, the occasion being an exhibition given by the pupils of the Ridgeville School.
We have not been able to ascertain the date when the first United Brethren Church was organized, but it was doubtless quite early.
The Universalist Church at Springboro was built in 1841. There had, however, been occasional sermons preached in that vicinity by Universalist ministers for several years previous.
On the occasion of the dedication of the church, the concourse of people was so great-estimated at 3,000 -- that but a small portion of them could gain admission to the house, and, an adjournment was, therefore, had to an adjacent grove, and the exercises concluded there.
A large portion of the congregation was doubtless attracted thither through motives of curiosity. Universalism being comparatively a new doctrine, they were anxious to hear what could be said from that standpoint on the subject of religion.
In September, 1845, M. H. Keever, Nathaniel McLean and George Cor- nell, directors of School District No. 4, deeded to the Universalist Church at Ridgeville the ground where that church now stands, it being at that time school property.
The first trustees of the church were chosen July 19, 1845, and were as follows: M. H. Keever, William Eulass, Daniel Crane, Charles Montgomery and G. W. Stokes. The house was built in 1846. Rev. George Weaver preached the dedicatory sermon.
The Friends held their first meetings in the township at the house of Jona- than Wright, and, as he did not come to the State until 1814, they had no house of worship probably before the year 1815 at least.
SOCIETIES.
In 1867, a lodge of F. & A. M. was organized at Springboro. The charter members were Robert Hurd, Dr. Moses Smith, Ambrose Taylor, J. S. Thomas, Joseph Warwick, William Langsdon and Jacob S. Hopkins. Robert Hurd was the first Master of the lodge. After maintaining their organization until about two years ago, they surrendered their charter and disbanded, the principal reason being, perhaps, because of their proximity to Franklin, where a strong and flourishing lodge was maintained, which curtailed the territory of the Springboro society, thus rendering it weak from the start and consequently destroying its effectiveness.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
Relief Lodge, No. 148, I. O. O. F., located at Springboro, was instituted by Grand Master Earle, February 27, 1850. The charter members were John Fye, W. B. Linell, Mahlon Wright and Daniel Moon, all of whom, except Mahlon Wright, are living. On the same night, thirteen members were initiated. viz., George Archdeacon, W. P. Peebles, W. F. Hayner, Charles Hughes, John Comer, Ira Thomas, W. M. Bateman, Randolph Robbins, A. S. Thomas, W. W. Brown, Robert Martin, Joshua Anderson and W. H. Ballard, all of whom, except Comer, are still living. Clear Creek Encampment, No. 145, I. O. O. F. was instituted July 6, 1871.
About the year 1870, a secret organization, known as Patrons of Husbandry, sprang up in the West and spread with great rapidity throughout the Western and Southern States. In a few years, it had assumed gigantic proportions, and bid fair to ultimately include in its membership almost the entire agricultural class of the West and South. But dissensions arose, the interest of the mem. bers abated, chiefly, we think, because the idea obtained (whether justly or not. we do not pretend to say), that the members were using the organization for their own personal pecuniary and political benefit, and it declined as rapidly as it had advanced, until now comparatively few societies exist.
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