The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 68

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

USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 68

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ernment upon certain conditions, one of which was that, in case certain other lands south of the Ohio River were insufficient for the legal bounties for her troops, the deficiency should be made up from lands north of the Ohio, between the Rivers Scioto and Little Miami. In 1783, the Legislature of Virginia authorized the officers of their respective lines to appoint superintendents to regulate the survey of the bounty lands promised.

An office for the reception of locations and surveys was opened at Louis- ville, Ky., August 1, 1784, and on the 1st of August, 1787, the said office was open for the reception of surveys and locations on the north side of the Ohio.

Land warrants calling for from one hundred to five hundred acres were issued to various. individuals, who located them in such places and shapes as best suited them, and this fact accounts for the irregularity of surveys, lines, roads, etc., throughout the township. The whole territory was then in the possession of the Indians.

The first warrant located within the present limits of the township was No. 520, in the extreme northeastern part of the township, and embraces the farms of Capt. Donally, Dr. Roach, Thomas, Joseph, and Levi Baker and Will- iam Ditmas. Those acquainted with the lands would doubtless say that it was a good selection. This entry was made by Lieut. William McGuire, August 21, 1787-number of acres, 1.000. It was surveyed by Nathaniel Massie, District Surveyor, January 29, 1793; Matthew Hart and Jonathan Stout, chain carriers; Thomas Massie, marker.

No. 1546 --- The records do not show by whom this entry was made. Sur- veyed by William Lytle, District Surveyor, April 12, 1792 ; Robert Campbell and Martin Varner, chain carriers; Henry Ball, marker.

No. 1496 was entered August 21, 1787, by John Bemis (assignee); num- ber of acres, 1,500. Surveyed October 6, 1792, by Nathaniel Massie ; Josiah Wade and Matthew Hart, chain carriers ; Thomas Massie, marker.

No. 1497 was entered by James McIlhaney and six others, August 21, 1787, number of acres, 800. Surveyed October 17, 1796, by William Lytle ; John Donel and Peter Clawson, chain carriers ; Thomas Paxton, marker.

No. 825 was entered by Lieut. Thomas Martin, August 23, 1787. Number of acres, 1,000. Surveyed by William Lytle, District Surveyor, October 17, 1796; John Donel and Peter Clawson, chain carriers ; Thomas Paxton, marker. Entry No. 1547-By Elisha King (assignee), August 24, 1787. Number of acres, 1,333}. Surveyed April 12, 1792 ; William Lytle, District Surveyor; Robert Campbell and Martin Varner, chain carriers ; Henry Ball, marker.

Entry No. 1548-By Elisha King (assignee), August 24. 1787. Number of acres, 1,533}. Surveyed April 13, 1792; William Lytle, District Surveyor ; Robert Campbell and Henry Ball, chain carriers; Martin Varner, marker.

Entry No. 1549-By Sackville King, August 24, 1787. Number of acres, 1,000. Surveyed April 14, 1792; William Lytle, District Surveyor; Robert Campbell and Henry Ball, chain carriers; Martin Varner, marker.

Entry No. 2192-By William Nall, May 26, 1792. Number of acres, 1,000. Surveyed April 15, 1793; William Lytle, District Surveyor; Robert Campbell and Henry Ball, chain carriers; Martin Varner, marker.

Entry No. 4239-By Francis Taylor, June 7, 1802. Number of acres, 700. Surveyed March 18, 1804; William Lytle, District Surveyor; John Donel and Thomas Paxton, chain carriers; Daniel Ertles, marker.

Entry No. 3791-No entry or survey on record.

Entry 3790-By James Taylor, William Lytle and Robert Underwood (assignees), February 8, 1800. Number of acres, 1,766§. Surveyed February 20, 1800; David Miller and Jacob Snyder, chain carriers; Abraham Miller, marker.

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Entry No. 2956-By Richard Stark, March 23, 1797. Number of acres, 6664. Surveyed by William Lytle, October 1, 1798; James Taylor and John Donels, chain carriers; John Lytle, marker.

Entry No. 3334-By William Lytle (assignee), August 9, 1798. Number of acres, 333. Surveyed October 1, 1798, by William Lytle; John Taylor and John Donels, chain carriers; John Lytle, marker.

Entry No. 3802-By James Taylor, February 8, 1800. Number of acres, 666j. Surveyed March 3, 1803, by William Lytle; John Donels and David Miller, chain carriers.

The location and survey of these lands were attended with great hardships and much danger from the Indians, especially so during a period of some three or four years prior to 1794, as they had become, owing to a dispute about the conditions of some of their treaties, very hostile, and remained in a state of war up to their defeat by Gen. Wayne, August, 1794. The treaty of Green- ville, July 30, 1795, brought an end to the Indian troubles in Ohio.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

Many Virginians having land warrants had, prior to this time, come down the Ohio to possess their lands, but the hostile attitude of the savages induced them to settle temporarily at Columbia, White's Station, and other points near Cincinnati. The treaty of Greenville, by giving assurance of permanent peace, opened the way for settlers, and emigrants came rapidly to the Miami country.

Probably the very first settlement in the county south of the Little Miami River was within the present bounds of Hamilton Township. Seemingly well authenticated tradition says that William Mounts and five other families settled on lands now owned by his grandson, William P. Mounts, in October, 1795, and built their cabins in a circle around a spring, a few rods west of where the residence now stands. It was then called Mounts' Station.

The names of the families thus early locating in the unbroken forests of Hamilton Township were, as remembered, William Mounts, wife and six chil- dren; Thomas Forsha, wife and children; Thomas Leonard, wife and six chil- dren; Thomas Watson and family.

These lands were purchased of Robert Todd, by William Mounts and Mar- tin Varner.

The following is a copy of the obligation of purchase-omitting the description of two tracts not situated in the county, to wit:

This shall oblige me, my heirs, etc., to convey by decd, with a general warrantee, to Martin Varner and William Mounts, as tenants in common, the quantity of 1,200 acres of land, on the Little Miami River, in three tracts-a tract of nine hundred acres-that lies about three miles and a half below Todd's Fork, of the L. M. R., which 900 acres is to contain a better bottom than any of the three next below O'Bannon's Creek. For the performance of this, my obligation, I do bind myself, my heirs, etc., to the said Martin Varner and William Mounts and their heirs, in the penal sum of five hundred pounds, lawful money of Pennsylvania. As witness my hand and seal, this day of October, 1791.

ROBERT TODD.

Witness : S JOHN MCCABE,

JAMES GRAHAM.

[SEAL.]

The extreme northern and extreme southern parts of the township were earliest settled, while the central part was not opened up until a later date. Their is some uncertainty as to the year in which the first settlement was made in the south, but there seems to be no doubt that the first settler in this section was Theophilus Simonton, who with his wife and two children, came from North Carolina and settled near the Clermont County line, and on the farm now owned by Dr. Donough. The time of Simonton's arrival at this place is fixed, by tradition, in the fall of 1796. At that time he had no neighbors within the present limits of the township: save those at the Mounts' settlement, and an

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unbroken forest of many miles lay between them. In 1797, Simonton was favored with a nearer neighbor, in the person of Joseph Hill; who settled about forty rods south of the Hill Graveyard, and near Clinton's farm. In the year 1799, Samuel Hill settled on the Gillispie farm, now owned by Henry Peachy. About the same time, Daniel Ertel located near the Little Miami river, where the family of Solomon Ertel now resides.

These probably were the only settlers in the southern part of the township prior to 1800. We have no reliable information of any settlers, except those already mentioned at Mounts' Station in the northern or southern part of the township, before the year 1800.

A full list of the names of later settlers-say down to 1810-would doubt- less be of much interest, but, after a lapse of seventy years, only a few can be given.

In the fall of 1800, Philip and Benjamin Hill, of North Carolina, came to and settled in southern Hamilton, the latter where the old stone house now stands, a half mile east of Loveland, and near the Murdoch pike. The former settled a little further east, on what has been known as the old Phillip Hill farm. The cabin in which he first settled stood some twenty rods north of the present brick building, on the farm owned owned by Daniel Shields.

In 1802, Samuel B. Walker and Isaac Spence settled within the present limits of the township, but this was not Walker's first visit to the wilds of Ohio. Early in the spring of 1798, Walker, then about twenty years old, in company with John Mahard started from Loudentown, Penn., and turning their faces westward traveled on foot to Pittsburgh, a distance of 150 miles. At that time there was no wagon road over the mountains of Western Pennsylvania, only a pathway traversed by pack horses; this trail they followed. On arriving at Pittsburgh they secured passage to Columbia on a flat-boat, agreeing to assist in the work as compensation for their passage. In due time, they landed at Cincinnati, and here they parted. Walker found his way out to Gen. Lud- low's place, and engaged in his service. He was possessed of a good practical education, including the theory and practice of surveying. This enabled him to be of great service to Ludlow, who took him with him, in the summer of 1798, on a surveying expedition up the Little Miami to Yellow Springs, thence across to and down the Big Miami, occupying some two months' time; after which he worked some six months on the farm of Gen. Ludlow. In March, 1799, Walker went up to Williamsburg in Clermont County, to make his home with William Hunter, whom he had known in Pennsylvania. Here he met Gen. W. Lytle, and was employed by him to assist in pointing out and subdividing various bodies of land (owned by Lytle) to suit purchasers. In this capacity he was through our township when there was not a solitary settlement between Deerfield and the extreme southern part. The writer copied the following from a small memorandum book in possession of T. D. Walker.

"Came to William Hunters on Friday, 29th of March, 1799. My horse was stolen by Indians on Wednesday night, the 22d of May, 1799; also Robert Dickey's stolen the same night." On the same book we found the following: "Robert Dickey's horse returned on Saturday, September, 1799." His own was returned at a later date. Walker, while living, related that these horses, with many others, were returned by the Indians, in response to a proclamation by the Territorial Governor offering a reward for the return of stolen horses.

Previous to this time his father, Samuel Walker, of Pennsylvania, had con- tracted with Gen. Lytle for eleven hundred acres of land, to be selected from a tract near Williamsburg, in Clermont County, or if these lands on view were not satisfactory, then was Walker to have his choice out of some three or :our other tracts.

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In the spring of 1799, the father came on to see the lands and to consum- mate the purchase. In company with his son, he met Gen. Lytle, at Squire Hunter's, and being dissatisfied with the tracts in Clermont County, he, after some hesitation, accepted a deed for eleven hundred acres, situated in southern Hamilton Township, and upon which his son Samuel B. Walker-as has been already stated-settled in 1802. The consideration named in the deed was $2 per acre.

This tract embraced farms now owned by A. J. Walker, Mrs. Foster. William Merrill, Mr. Kay, Ellon Walker, heirs of M. Ertel, Daniel Shields, James Swank, Mr. Skillman, Milton Spence, O. R. Reeves, T. D. Walker and some other smaller lots.

Soon after completing the land purchase, Mr. Walker, the father, went back to Pennsylvania. The son also went back some time in 1800, to return in 1802 and take up a permanent residence. The first cabin occupied by Walker stood some thirty rods northwest of Christian Stock's house. In 1804, he com- menced the building of a hewed-log house, situated on lands now owned by Thomas D. Walker. This house was not finished until some years later, and still stands a landmark of early days.

In 1803, Colen Spence moved from Pennsylvania, and settled in the township, on the farm now owned by Mrs. Foster, near Bethel Graveyard.

William Spence and mother settled, in 1802 or 1803, near Cozaddale, on the farm now owned by Samuel Spence.

Isaac Clinton came from Kentucky and settled in the year 1807 on the farm now owned by John Clinton.

Alex. Hall, from Kentucky, settled, in the year 1807, where James Hall now lives.

William Newel came from Pennsylvania and settled in the year 1807 in the same neighborhood.

John Creamer came from Kentucky in 1805 and settled on the old Creamer farm, one mile north of Cozaddale.

Adam Snell came from Kentucky in 1805 and settled on the farm now owned by Capt. Wiley, near Cozaddale.

In about 1803 or 1804, Gabriel Morgan bought a tract of land, where Thomson Spence now owns, and moved into a cabin on it. In 1802, Francis Eltzroth, of Maryland, settled on the farm now owned by Benj. Eltzroth, near Camargo. In 1808 or 1809, Elijah Mounts came from New Jersey and settled near Camargo. Among the very early settlers we omitted to mention in the proper place. was William Burton, who came from North Carolina, and settled near the Phillip Hill farm, in the year 1802. In 1806, John Gilles settled near Salt Springs. In 1804, Abraham Haney came from Pennsylvania and settled in the northern part of the township, near Hopkinsville. In the same year (1804), James Hopkins came from Kentucky and settled on the old Hop- kins' place a little south of the village. Judge Michael H. Johnson, at an early date. settled on the Grandin farm. Robert Shields came from Pennsylvania in 1810, and settled below Hopkinsville, and in 1811 moved into a cabin on the farm now owned by Mrs. William Ertel. The Bakers, Kibbys, Kellys, Rosses, Roats, Stevens, Ludlums, were also among the early settlers, and they and their posterity are closely identified with the affairs of the township. Many other names of early settlers deserve honorable mention, but want of informa- tion of details forbids the attempt.

GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE.

The geological structure of Hamilton Township belongs almost entirely to the Cincinnati Group. The only exception to this is the alluvial land in

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the valley of the Little Miami River. The system of rocks denominated "The Cincinnati Group" is a formation of blue limestone, partially stratified, and has an aggregate thickness of nearly eight hundred feet. It was undoubtedly a ridge cast up at the close of the Lower Silurian age, and extended from near Nashville, Tenn., through Kentucky, and far into the State of Ohio. This great ridge separated depressed areas during the whole of the Upper Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous ages. The Cincinnati group contains many of the characteristic fossils of the Hudson River group and the Trenton lime- stone of New York. The blue limestone floor of Hamilton Township is cov- ered by a blue glacial clay. Above this clay lies an ocherous deposit of from four to seven feet in thickness. On this ocher rests a light vegetable mold of surface soil. The land is very productive when properly cultivated. Building stone of excellent quality is abundant. The township is well watered. The principal streams are the Conococheague Creek, (so named by Samuel B. Walker, a Government surveyor, who emigrated from the banks of the fa- mous Conococheague Creek in Pennsylvania, in 1798, and located a large tract of land on this stream) Hen Run, Salt Run (so named on account of a salt lick and spring on its bank), Bear. Run and Mounts' Run. These streams all abound in the romains of extinct life so characteristic of the Cincinnati group. The Lower Silurian brachiopods and Upper Silurian trilobites and ptilodic- tya are numerously found along the bed of the Conococheague Creek, on the farm of A. J. Walker. There is a hill just below the old saw-mill on Mr. Walker's farm that abounds in fine specimens of the Orthis plicatella, one of the most interesting forms of ancient life.

The bed and banks of Salt Run are strewn with specimens of the well-known Orthoceras and the Atrypa type of the the Devonian brachopods. Some beau. tiful specimens of the Orthis biforata have been found in Hen Run on the farm of Henry Burton, and along the Conococheague Creek below the Camar- go Schoolhouse.

Striated rocks, those strange, mute witnesses of one of the stupendous glaciers that brought them from their Northern home and cast them out along its broad and icy path, are scattered all over this township.

Here, too, are strewn the stone implements and weapons-both nealithic and paleolithic-of the Mound Builders. Indeed a rude manufactory of those implements was discovered in the early part of this century, near the Conoco- cheague Creek, on the farm of James Hall, Esq.

Their great highway of commerce and war, which extended from the old copper mines of Lake Superior, to Florida, ran through this township, and we believe is yet traceable on the farm of the late James Ford near Zoar.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The surface of the township, in the Southwest and North, is somewhat broken, but the hills are neither high nor precipitous, and most all the lands admit of easy cultivation. In the east and central part of the township, the land is more level, but sufficiently rolling to insure good drainage.

Numerous springs of excellent water abound in different parts of the town- ship ; water is obtained by digging to the depth of from twelve to forty feet.

At the time white settlers first appeared, the land was covered with a heavy growth of timber, consisting of oak, hickory. walnut, ash, maple, sugar, elm and other varieties of small growth.

ROADS.

The Cincinnati, Montgomery & Hopkinsville pike, passing through the Northern part of the township via Hopkinsville and Zoar, was graded in the

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year 1835, and was the first pike built in the township. The township is traversed by three gravel roads, constructed under the "Free Pike" law. The Maineville & Foster's Crossing road, extending from the latter place to the eastern line of the township, the Murdoch pike, extending from Love- land, via Murdoch, to a point one mile east of Murdoch, and the Foster's Crossing and Loveland road connecting those two points.

SCHOOL8.

The early pioneers of this section were generally men of sterling charac- ter, who endured the dangers and trials of a new country, not solely for their own sakes, but for their children, and notwithstanding the settlements were sparse, and the people, as the pioneers of all new countries are, were poor and lacked the means of paying teachers and procuring books, yet we find that at a very early date in the settlement, schoolhouses were built and schools opened in various neighborhoods as occasion made necessary. The houses were not built by subscription in money, but by contributions of labor. On a given day the neighbors assembled at some place previously agreed upon, and with their axes cut the necessary logs and then raised the walls. The roof was made of clapboards, kept in place by heavy poles reaching the length of the house. The door made of clapboards, was hung on wooden hinges; the latch of wood, and raised by a string. The floor was of trees, split, with the face and edge dressed with the ax .. The crevices between the logs were filled with chinks and daubed with mud. The fire-place was of huge dimen- sions, built on the outside of the house, usually cf stone to the throat of the flue, and the remainder of the chimney of split sticks of wood, daubed with clay. The windows consisted of an opening, made by cutting out one of the logs for almost the entire width of the building. In the winter, this opening was covered with paper saturated with grease, to keep out the cold as well 88 to admit the light. The furniture corresponded with the house. The writing desk was constructed by boring auger holes in one of the logs below the win- dow, and in these strong wooden pins were driven, on which a wooden slab was placed, which served as a writing desk for the whole school. The seats were hewed slabs supported by wooden pins or legs. These seats had no support for the back. These were indeed rude structures, but the wonder is not that they did not build better houses, and have better facilities for learn- ing, but that they, laboring under so many disadvantages, had any schools whatever. Those who can remember back for a period of fifty or more years will recognize this general description as applicable to all school buildings in the township. From the best available information, the writer concludes that the first of these rude structures built in the township, was located on the present site of Bethel Graveyard. The exact year when this house was built cannot be given, but there seems to be no doubt that it was as early as 1804. James Coghlan was the first teacher. Alexander Hall, Samuel Gillispie, Sam- uel B. Walker and John Hill were among the early teachers. After some years, a new log schoolhouse was erected a short distance south of the old one, and in turn this was replaced by a stone structure, situated a little fur- ther south and near the Run. In 1850, the old stone building gave place to a more modern brick one, and the site was changed to the south side of the Run and on top of the hill. This served its time and was replaced by the present house. Another of these early educational landmarks was located on the southwestern part of the township and a half-mile west of the Hill Grave- yard. Some years later, this was replaced by a larger and more tasty log house, the logs being hewed, windows with glass lights, etc. The early teach- ers, as remembered, were John Clinton, Alexander Hall, Benjamin Tufts,

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James Clinton, Margaret Coddington and Elizabeth Gaskin. In 1840, a brick house was completed and the log building was for many years thereafter used for a meeting house. The new building was known as the Butterworth Schoolhouse. It was situated a mile or more north of the old one, and on a lot obtained from Mormon Butterworth. This house was in turn replaced by the present one, situated three-fourths of a mile west, and on the banks of the same creek, near Robert Smith's farm. About the year 1818, a rude stone school building was erected at Zoar, in the northern part of the township. This was, if not the first building for school purposes in that part of the township, among the first. About 1849, it was replaced by a brick building, located a few feet east of the present Zoar Church ; and again this building gave way to the present one, which was built about the year 1870. The early teachers at Zoar were Joseph Patton, Benjamin Ludlum and Joseph Keever. Dr. Mounts taught at a later date. Many of the boys who went to school to Jo. Keever, doubtless still have a vivid recollection of him, as it is said he had the peculiar faculty of leaving a lasting impression on the mind, of those who were so unfortunate as to incur his displeasure in the schoolroom.

As early as 1812, there was a school taught at Hopkinsville, the house was a log one standing some few rods north of the present building.

In a like manner, these rude seminaries of learning were planted through- out the township to be replaced in time by better ones.

The township at present is divided into eight subdistricts and three special ones, provided with neat, comfortable buildings and modern furniture. The following contract, copied from the original, is appended to show the remuneration teachers received for their services in early times :

ARTICLES OF AN AGREEMENT, made and entered into by and between Samuel B. Walker, of Warren County, and State of Ohio, of the one part, and the underwritten sub- scribers of the county and State aforesaid, of the other part, Witnesseth, that the said Samuel B. Walker, doth agree to teach such children as may be placed under his tuition, reading, writing and arithmetic, according to their respective capacities, for the term of three months to come, as soon as twenty-four scholars are subscribed for, and a house pre- pared suitable for the business. The underwritten subscribers do, for their part, agree to fix a house fit for teaching in, and each subscriber to furnish a sufficient quantity of fire- wood, in proportion to the number of scholars annexed to their names, and to pay unto the said Samuel B. Walker, at the expiration of said term, the sum of one and one half dollars per scholar, one-third to be paid in cash, and two-thirds in either wheat, rye, corn, oats, sugar, flax, linen or wool, at the market price.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 68

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