The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 79

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

USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 79

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The settlement at Mather's Mill, on the Miami, on the Lebanon & Wil- mington road, was earlier than 1807, David Van Schoyck and Lewis Rees being there before that time. Lewis Rees built the mill in 1807, when it was dis- posed of to Richard Mather, who settled there the same year. George Zentmire settled the same year some distance below the mill, and built the dam for Mather. His cabin was by a spring below the mill. In addition to the mill,

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Richard Mather set up a store and smith shop; he brought with him Jacob Ashmead and Richard Taylor as millers. Jacob Horn, blacksmith; Jacob Long- streth, storekeeper; Samuel Couden, an Irishman; John Frazee and others came the same season. George Zentmire was a Virginian of German descent, spoke the German language fluently and was a Revolutionary soldier.

In 1806, David Farris removed from Virginia with a large family. on pack- horses, and settled first on the Little East Fork, near the fort in Tribbey's bottom, and, in 1808, purchased 400 acres, mostly in Warren County, and set- tled on the Bull Skin road. He was a chair-maker and furnished the settlers with chairs, some of which are still in use or kept as relics of early and honest workmanship. Prior to this, or about the same time, George McManis settled one mile south of Farris, and James Garrison and Jeremiah Brackney farther south on the same road at the farms now occupied by John Cleaver and Thomas McCray. George Shin also settled at about the same time near by. on the Goshen pike. William Nickerson came from North Carolina to Kentucky. thence to Ohio, and, in 1809, settled on Todd's Fork, about three miles below Smalleys. In 1814, he and a daughter, aged fourteen, died of the cold plague; both were buried in the same grave. Thomas Emily settled prior to 1810, near where there is now a graveyard on Emily's Run. Elisha Cast set- tled about the same time on Todd's Fork, below Smalley's, south of the Chilli- cothe road, now the Penquite farm; he was from North Carolina. About 1812, the settlers began to encroach on the swamps, there being roads leading through them, making their settlement more convenient. There were some four or five families who squatted at Springhill-Hester and Solomon Reel only being remembered.

James Wilkerson, who was a Revolutionary soldier, was born in Virginia November 29, 1758, and there married Sarah Moore. He moved to Kentucky from Virginia, and, in 1805, came to Ohio; he settled on the College Township road (which was laid out in 1804) in a field now owned by Jesse Urton; he brought a family of nine children, three sons and six daughters. About 1809 or 1810, he gave his farm to his daughters and purchased land on "The Knobs," on the west brow of the hill, on the Lebanon & Wilmington road. He built a distillery at the foot of the hill, which was operated for many years, making mostly peach and apple brandy. This gave place, in 1860, to a steam saw-mill, built by his son John and grandson James H. His three sons, Will- iam, John and James, located on lands near his distillery about the time of his settlement there. In a religious meeting, held in Flat Fork Schoolhouse, about 1827, the aged father, James Wilkerson, arose and said he could no longer con- scienciously carry on a distillery. He died December 4, 1834, his wife dying July 17, 1841; his son William had a distillery near where George H. Wilker- son now lives, but it was discontinued in 1820. John erected a distillery for making apple brandy near the present residence of William Reynolds, in 1841. which was continued but a few years. John died January 24, 1868, his wife, Elizabeth (Farris) Wilkerson, dying in July, 1870. One daughter, Mrs. Perry G. Mills, and a grandson, Horace B., and his sister Melissa, wife of Bayless N. Settlemire, are all that remain in the township.

About 1812, James Farris settled on the Clarksville road, the place now being owned by Dr. Z. T. Garland. John and William White settled on the same road farther southeast, in 1815.

John Barkley, Jr., built a cabin in the spring of 1816 near where William Villars now lives. The farm now occupied by Paul Williams was bought, about 1812, by John Hadley, of North Carolina, and leased. Afterward, about 1825, Thomas Daugherty owned it; afterward Israel Dennison, and still later. Samuel Williams, father of the present occupant.

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It will not be improper to state in this place that the Flat Fork at this farm was formerly spanned by a rude bridge more than twenty rods long, with puncheon floor. Some years after, it was replaced by another, 135 feet in length, by Samuel Louden and John L. Williams, at the expense of the county. At present, a bridge of twenty-feet span answers all purposes and the land is cultivated up to it, where water once stood two or three feet or more in depth. This will suffice for the Springhill settlement.

We will now return to the Mather settlement on the river, then return east- ward along the Wilmington road. The Mather family have removed to various parts, one son, Joseph, living on the Wilmington road, in Clinton County. George Zentmire purchased a farm on the river below Freeport, where he died May 20, 1836; his wife, Elizabeth Dunn, died February 18, 1854. Their fam- ily, four sons and four daughters, are scattered, one son, Rev. Samuel Zentmire, living at Morrow. The river at this time was amply stocked with fish; brush drags were made to be used as seines, and great quantities were obtained. Fif- teen or more deer in one herd was a common sight. Many of the oldest in- habitants assert with great earnestness, that a fight with Indians on the Zent- mire farm, and also a short distance above Freeport, tock place some time previous to the first settlement, but no direct evidence of such events can be obtained. On the hill east of the river. Joel Drake settled, in 1815, where John Wilkerson now lives; he was from Southampton County, Va, and was a soldier of the Revolution, taking part at Yorktown and witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis; he and his brother, Jordan Drake, left Virginia in 1807, and encountered a terrible tornado after crossing the Ohio. They arrived at Ander- son's Fork (they supposed at the time), in Clinton County, now Snowhill; but milk sickness prevailing, they disposed of their property and removed to War- ren County and settled on the head of Olive Branch in 1815, Jordan Drake settling near by where Samuel Craig now lives. Jordan Drake raised a large family, his daughter in law, Mrs. John W. Drake, and his grandson, Henry M. Drake, remaining in this township. Joel Drake was an active and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; his death occurred in 1841.

About the same time, 1815, Jonathan Friar, William Friar and Thomas Friar settled in the vicinity, and, not long after, Asa Burge, John Hall, Adam Barnes and -- McFall; and farther east, in 1814, William Chenoweth set- tled where Amos Warwick now lives. On the opposite side of the road Johu Weeks settled, in 1818, on part of Chenoweth's land, now owned by the heirs of William Wilson and George H. Thomas.

Who first settled where David Farris now lives, I am not informed; he is the son of David Farris, who settled in 1808 in the eastern part of the town- ship, and moved to the present site in 1828, opening a large farm; he is now in his eighty-third year, hale and hearty.

David Robertson settled prior to Farris on the farm now occupied by his son, Ezra Robertson. Henry and Jonathan Sherwood moved to the township in 1833; Samuel French settled in 1820, and built a stone house. in 1832, since owned by Nathan Clark, now by John Van Horn. William Murray, from Maryland, settled on the west side of the Miami in 1815, where Michael Maher now resides; he moved to this township in 1832, where Alexander Harlan now lives. Himself and George Rankins, on the 26th of December, cut and carried the logs, built a house and moved in the next day; he was foreman at the card- ing-mill while it was in operation at Freeport; shoemaker, farmer and soldier in the war of 1812; two of his sons reside on farms on the hills east of Free- port.

We return to the settlement on Todd's Fork and the Montgomery road to mention a few settlers who located there subsequent to 1812.

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Thomas Kephart was born in Loudoun County, his wife, Mary Skinner. was born September 4. 1788; 1 5. 1808. came to Ohio in 1812, and settled on Todd's line of the township; he was a farmer and miller, and ran the Stubbs' mill, at Millgrove; he retired to his May 10, 1861; his wife died January 16, 1873.

Richard Riley settled south of the creek in this from North Carolina; they packed their goods on or the horse and carrying the baby. For some years the v and lambs. Mr. Riley was born December 5. 1792, his wife, now the widow of Capt. James Humphreys, :

The McCray family, from Virginia. settled in the were seven brothers-Hugh, Daniel, Christy, Joseph, William, the latter coming some years previous. I points southeast of the creek and were industrious and .James Humphreys was born on the Delaware Ri to Centerville in 1815. and. in the same year, to th where Charles Urton now lives; he was a farmer and prior to 1826. he went to New Orleans with Capt. T. dence of the people and held various minor offices Salem Rifle Guards, a volunteer company, for several 9. 1879, in the eighty-seventh year of his age.

James Penquite. of Culpeper County, Va .. was came down the Ohio in a flat-boat. in 1817. and sett] road; he died December 5, 1835.

Thomas Urton, a Revolutionary soldier, came Va., in 1818, to where Thomas McCray now lives on t William Penquite, of Culpeper County, Va., St road in 1818, and improved the farm where John Clea Robert Cree was born in Greene County, Penn. Ohio in 1811 and married Eleanor Barkley November 2' Ephraim Castello now owns, set up a blacksmith shop flat-boating. wagoning and smithing. In 1828, he ren road. where James Stanfield now lives. His wife di and he married Ann Mitchell; he was enterprising and

John Grey settled where Lydia Morrow now lives, William Morrow, born in Vermont in 1794, came in 1816; married Susan Nickerson in 1819, and settle near where Miles Hadley now lives; he moved to the J. Church in 1829, and died in 1861; he was a soldier o participated in the battle of Plattsburg. After comi teaching school for some years, afterward farming a His wife, Lydia (Williams) Morrow, resides on the

Timothy Titus, spoken of previously as an early se trips to New Orleans with flat-boats, and died in Mis fever in 1826; he served two campaigns in the war of 1 Justice of the Peace from the organization of the town: William Guttery moved to Turtle Creek Township in 1814 or 1815. and settled where his son Benjamin n Samuel Bowman, from Kentucky. served in the we in 1816, married Mary Skinner September 1, 1817, 1 seventy three. His widow lives on the homestead on t her eighty-ninth year.

John Cowden settled in 1822 on the old Montgom ern boundary of the township; he was killed by the fa

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The settling of the swampy space along the College Township road, which extends from Robert Cree's to Fort Ancient, is next in order, going westward.

In 1804, Smalley's and Trotter's were the only dwellings in this locality. Charles D. Hampton, M. D., appears to have been the first west of Crees', but at what date he came is not known. He was from Pennsylvania, and, probably, settled in 1814, near where E. T. M. Williams now lives, but afterward settled on the road where Alfred Van Doren resides; he moved to Clarksville in 1819, and was its first physician; he with his family and some others left, in 1825, and joined the Shakers at Union Village.

John L. Williams, of Bucks County, Penn., settled on the Hampton place in 1822; the lands are now occupied by his sons, E. T. M. and Lewellyn.

James Morrow, a native of Vermont, came to New Jersey, and thence to Ohio, in 1818. and settled on this road, but went to Clarksville a few years after.

John Vandoren, of New Jersey. moved to Cincinnati in 1814, and settled where William Vandoren now lives, in 1818; he was a carpenter by trade, and kept a tavern; he died December 4, 1826.

In the midst of the swamp, in 1818, Zachariah and James Ward, from Loudoun County, Va., settled, the former on the road, the latter where Amos Dunn resides; they were coopers, and, the land being heavily timbered with fine oaks, they were enabled, by patience and perseverance, to clear the land, which is now of more than average quality. Several of their descendants are in the vicinity.

Thomas Dunn, of Virginia, of German descent, born June 11, 1772, came to Portsmouth in 1803. and settled east of Fort Ancient in 1812; he was a wheelwright and farmer and had five sons and seven daughters. .

There were other old settlers in the vicinity, of whom little can be learned. Among them are Daniel Williams, James Frazee, Mr. Miller and others.

Jeremiah Mills, a son of a Revolutionary soldier of the same name, was a native of Essex County, Va .; he served three months in the Revolution and also aided in suppressing the whisky insurrection in Pennsylvania; he married Abigail Bryant. and, in 1802, came to Cincinnati; in 1810, he moved to Day- ton, and, during the war of 1812, wagoned supplies to the army. He afterward engaged as a pioneer in clearing land and making brick, and, in 1818, moved to Washington Township, where he settled on land at the head of Stony Run; he erected a distillery below Trotter's, which was operated but for a few years; he died December 11, 1860; his son, Jere Mills, Esq., of Freeport, is the only one of his four daughters and one son that remain in the township.

Daniel Swallow, of Dutch and English descent, from Bucks County, Penn., came to Butler County, in 1813, and to Washington Township in 1815; he settled on the head of Lick Run, one-third of a mile east of William H. Strout's farm. He planted the first, and probably the only, nursery ever planted in the township, and did much to improve the quality of the fruit in this locality; he moved to Montgomery County, Ill., in 1832.

William B. Strout, of English descent, came from Portland, Me., to Cin- cinnati, in 1816, and thence to this township; he studied medicine with Charles D. Hampton about 1822, and married a daughter of Daniel Swallow; he was a practical farmer and a good physician until his death, in April, 1871.

The Flat Fork swamps north and west of Springhill remained a solitude until about 1840, when the Harrises, John Hadley and John Wilkerson opened up their lands, and, in 1844, Lukens, Hatten, the Warwicks, William Thompson and others made improvements, and now this section will compare favorably with any other part of the township.

There are many worthy men that, for a number of years, were useful and Z

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respected citizens of the township, whom it would gi Some moved to other parts or retired from active life iam H. Hamilton, for nine years County Commission who held the same office eighteen years-the former non, the latter of Waynesville. Both were Townshi while here.

INCIDENTS.

Hunting was a favorite pastime with the early se had regularly organized bear and deer hunts. The c day the hunt was to take place, and of the different £ tlement would meet. The hunters would form a circ center, driving the game before them by making a horns, shouts, etc. At a preconcerted signal, a gener a brisk firing began, which usually resulted in more

Another favorite pastime was the squirrel hunt. upon, a meeting was called, Captains elected. Judg count, and the men divided into two companies. A about a month ahead, on which they would meet to intervening time, each man would hunt as much, and possible. The hunters usually staked a bushel of cor prowess, and, when the scalps were counted, the w grain wagered. The squirrel scalps included both ea one; ha'ks and owls each counted two, and others bi

Another favorite and successful mode of killing which were moist or boggy places and sometimes sp saline qualities. To these places game of all kinds w the salty banks, and the hunter, lying in ambush, ( pleasure.

Wild turkeys were trapped in well-baited pens, with a neatly constructed trap-door in the bottom.

The social games of the pioneers were such as profit. Among these were the log-rollings, for which 1 two sections, and each tried to excel the other in the rolled from the land. The last one of these held in on the farm of the writer, at Springhill. For this t ready cut into lengths of from twelve to sixteen fee and young, worked faithfully and cheerfully, though uncomfortable. Not finishing the clearing on the firs men returned the next day and completed the work. tain a grateful remembrance of the kindness of his n

In pioneer days, there being no inclosed fields raising crops, the domestic animals were allowed to 1 on the mast of the forest and fattened rapidly. Wher around, the settlers, with employed help, would hunt in the woods, drag or haul them home, and there scal( for winter use.

An account is given us of two children, aged five : lost at different times, about 1808 or 1809. Both w settlements and making an organized search. One of Burns; the other was a child of Nebo Gaunt's.

Many of the emigrants from Virginia had full when the writer was quite a small boy, he listened to operations of witches at Wizzard Clip until his hair to them for protection. A respectable old settler was

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his fun-loving neighbors as to believe that his premises were haunted, and even requested Capt. James Harris, of Clinton County, to call out the militia for his protection from the evil spirits. The Captain volunteered his personal services, but declined to call out a military guard.

In the early settlements there were but few regularly educated physicians, and the settlers relied, to a great extent, on those versed in the medical proper- ties of roots and herbs. Bleeding was thought to be efficacious in almost every case, and quite a number who were not physicians or surgeons were initiated into the art of phlebotomy.

SKETCH OF WILLIAM SMALLEY.

On account of the eventful career of Wm. Smalley, and the fact that he was the first settler of Washington Township and played a prominent part in the history of its settlement, we give him this extended notice.

Opinions differ as to the date and place of his birth, but the most probable account obtained by much research, is, that he was born in New Jersey about the year 1759 or 1760, and lived with his father's family in that State until 1764, when they moved to Western Pennsylvania, where a number of families had settled near Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh). When the time came for planting and cultivating the crops, in the sixteenth year of his age, he and the aged men, women and boys of the fort were placed as pickets to notify the settlers work- ing in the fields of any approaching danger from the Indians, who were then very hostile. Despite their watchfulness, the savages crept between the fort and the laborers, and, in the excitement that followed, young Smalley and others were captured by the Delaware Indians. He was made to witness the most horrible and revolting scenes; he saw his father cruelly tomahawked by an Indian, and most of the prisoners taken ruthlessly butchered. He, with a few others, was retained and carried into captivity. They were taken to the Indian town on the Maumee River, and there confined in a hut built for the purpose on the outskirts of the village. They were afterward taken into the town and forced to "run the gauntlet," through which young Smalley passed alive. His ears were bored, cut and otherwise lacerated until they hung in strips as marks of cruelty which he carried to his grave, being well remembered by many of the old citizens now living. He remained with the Indians five years, in that time learning to speak their langnage with great fluency. After the unfortunate battle of the Indians with Col. Crawford, in which the whites were routed and many taken captives, he witnessed the burning of Col. Crawford and the torture and death of others. At this time, the Indians were unable to dispose of their furs and other articles of trade, on account of their violation of their treaty with the French, and, being anxious to renew their intercourse with the whites, they deputed Smalley (who spoke English and French, as well as Indian) to visit the French post and negotiate terms of peace, promising him his liberty if he succeeded. He undertook the mission, in which he was suc- cessful, and immediately thereafter returned to his people in Pennsylvania, where he soon afterward married Prudence Hoel. While with the Indians, he saw several prisoners burned, and, on one occasion, saw an infant snatched from its mother's breast and thrown into the flames.

Soon after his marriage, he removed with the surviving members of his father's family to Columbia, near Fort Washington (now Cincinnati), Ohio. During part of the time prior to the treaty of Greenville, probably about 1788, Smalley was engaged by Gen. Lytle as a hunter and guide to his surveying party, at 75 cents per day. He was also in Harmar's campaign and St. Clair's defeat, in the latter engagement discharging his rifle thirty-five times, twenty- one of which, it is said, took effect. When Col. Truman and Maj. Lynch were

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commissioned by the Government to make peace wit employed as their guide and interpreter. While their way to the Indian country, they met three agreed to camp for the night, the day then being making profession of friendships. The party ha Smalley's. In the night. the treacherous savages r cers, but made no effort to injure Smalley. The ty Smalley forced to dry their scalps before the fire. Smalley, with the three Indians, commenced their where, upon their arrival, Smalley was put on a them a speech and explain his absence from them. and seven months' captivity, he was enabled, with 1 friend. to escape from his second captivity. He lumbia, where he remained but a short time. A gaged with Gen. Wayne as guide and interpreter in Indians. Smalley's knowledge of the paths, roads ; his thorough acquaintance with Indian manners : calculated to act in this capacity. He remained w treaty of Greenville, when the soldiers were discha his home and devoted his remaining years to a life lands on Todd's Fork of the Little Miami River, te the stream, in a survey patented to William Lytle, can McArthur; he and his brother built a double a considerable tract of the finest land in that locali saw-mill and grist-mill about 1805 or 1806; he : At this time the country was sparsely settled, the James Miranda. who lived at the mouth of Todd's village of Morrow is now situated.

Mr. Smalley was the father of ten children-si viz., Benjamin, Freeman, a Baptist minister, Job James, Jesse. Martha and Prudence; all married in for a time, on their father's land, which lies in Wa Rachel married William Nelson and died in. 1824 terred in the graveyard near the depot at Clarksvil at the same place one month later. William di Mary married Zara Stearnes, and moved West; PI ried Jonas Stump, and now lives near Harveysburg The brothers all moved West in or before the yer father, married the widow of Thomas Kelsey, move in Vermillion County. Ill., where he died, in 1840, possessed of a comfortable estate.

ORGANIZATION AND RECORD!

Washington Township was organized in 1818, a part of Salem Township. A part of the territor at its organization was afterward taken off the Township, and a part from the south to form Harl; regular square, containing, in 1881, 21,030.73 acres

The first election was held at William Trotter' road, about one and a half miles east of the Little I June, 1818, and resulted in the election of the follo ther, Joseph Robertson and William Penquite, Trus Ezra Robertson and William Trotter, Overseers of th and Nathaniel Moss, Constables; William McCray &

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Viewers. Nathaniel Moss took the oath of office on the day of his election, and the other officers on the 4th of July following, at which time James Wilkerson gave his bond of $500 as Treasurer, with E. Robertson surety. At this meeting, it was resolved to hold the next election at John A. Vandoren's. William Wil- kerson gave his additional bond of $200, with William Trotter as his surety.

July 4, 1818, summons granted to William Wilkerson, Constable, to notify Henry Reel and Hester, his wife, to depart the township of Washington, by order of the Overseers. Returned duly served.

December 6, 1818, James Wilkerson came forward with his commission as Justice of the Peace, signed by Thomas Worthington, Governor of Ohio, on which was a statement from the Clerk of the Court that he had taken the oath according to law on the 6th of November, 1818.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 79

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