The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 82

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

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The following is an extract from the journal ing an account of the first sermon by a regularly or preached in Warren County : W.

In the afternoon, rode some miles up the Miami River field, where I suppose there might reside ten or fifteen fa invited into a house to see a sick man, whom I found to b pray with him and his family. He said "No." Reasoned propriety of prayer, and enforced the words of St. James-" but he would hear no reason, said he was raised among the pray. Had with me a letter of introduction to a man who supposed would receive the Gospel in his house. When treated both the message and messenger with utter conte place for preaching. Here I went from house to house mak the man above mentioned had a son living in the place, an Methodist-hastened on to the son's house, but found tha before me, and given them their charge, by using his utmost door and heart against me. Indeed, this son had sent word if any of our preachers came through these borders, he wishe Finally I heard of a Baptist in the place to whom I applied his name was Sutton. Lord grant that he and his family mr "when I was a stranger he took me in, hungry and he fed drink." Next day, at an early hour, his house was filled w I shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God. Rode on at 4 o'clock at a Mr. C.'s. The place was called Turtle Creek s delivered his message with life and energy, and although God and the power of God, yet this company was hard, unt the speaker, "surely I have labored in vain, and spent m: vain, yet my judgment is with the Lord and my work is wit ing in retirement, and some hours in solemn, fervent prayt gift of His Holy Spirit.

THE STITES FAMILY.

This family was prominent in the early settlem the Miami Valley. The name occurs in the history region between the Miamis; in the establishment of

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settlers north of the Ohio, below Marietta, and in the history of the pioneer Baptist Churches of Ohio. The Stiteses were the original proprietors of the land on which Deerfield was laid out, and owned large tracts of land in the region about that place. The following account of the family is taken chiefly from a paper in the possession of Hezekiah S. Stites, of Warren County:

John Stites was born in England, A. D. 1595. Tradition says he emi- grated from London to New England in the time of Oliver Cromwell. He finally settled on Long Island, and died there in 1717, aged one hundred and twenty-two years.

Richard Stites, son of John, was born in 1640; he lived at Hempstead, Long Island, and died in 1702, aged sixty-two years.

William Stites, son of Richard, was born at Hempstead, Long Island, in 1676. He removed to Springfield, N. J., and died there in 1727, aged fifty-one years. He had seven children, six sons and one daughter.

Benjamin Stites, youngest son of William, lived at Scotch Plains, N. J., and died there in 1802, in the eighty-first year of his age. He was the father of three sons, who were the early settlers at Columbia. His sons were Benjamin, known as Maj. Benjamin Stites, Henry, Elijah, Hezekiah and Isaiah.

Henry Stites, son of Benjamin, died in the Red Stone Country, Pennsyl- vania, leaving children named Nehemiah, Jonathan, Stephen and Martha, all of whom came down the Ohio. Nehemiah was killed by the Indians near Limestone, Ky. Jonathan came with his uncle to Columbia, had a fam- ily, and died in Indiana. Stephen and Martha also came to Columbia at an early day, and both had families.

Benjamin, Elijah and Hezekiah, sons of Benjamin, of Scotch Plains, emigrated to the Miami country in 1788, and made at Columbia, the first set- tlement northwest of the Ohio between Marietta and the Falls of the Ohio.

Elijah Stites was born at Scotch Plains, March 22, 1758; he served in the Revolutionary war and was at the battle of Monmouth. In 1780, he was mar- ried to Rhoda Brown. He emigrated to Columbia in 1788, where he remained until about the year 1809, when he moved to Warren County, and settled one mile west of Freeport. He and his wife were the first persons to join the Baptist Church at Columbia, the first church in the Miami country. They were baptized by Rev. Stephen Gano January 21, 1790. Elijah Stites died January 6, 1843, in his eighty-sixth year; his wife died August 7, 1828, aged sixty-four years. Their children were fourteen in number, of whom the eldest, who arrived at maturity, was Elder Hezekiah Stites, long pastor of the Bethel and Lebanon Baptist Churches.

Maj. Benjamin Stites, who is mentioned in the history of the exploration and early settlement of the Miami Valley, died in 1804. He was three times married and had nine children, of whom Benjamin, the eldest son, was a Baptist preacher.

MILLS.

The first mill in the near vicinity of Deerfield was built by Capt. Stites on Turtle Creek, west of the site of the town. The date of its erection is unknown, but it was in existence early in the present century. It was a small mill and known as a "corn-cracker." The building long ago disappeared, but traces of the old mill race are still discernible.

One of the oldest mills in Warren County on the Little Miami was built on the north side of the river in this township, midway between the mouths of Todd's Fork and Turtle Creek, by Jabish Phillips. Tradition holds that work on the dam and race of the mill was commenced in 1798 and it is believed that grinding was commenced in 1801. This mill passed into the ownership of

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Samuel McCray; later it was owned and operated t had emigrated from Georgia, in 1804, and first built . at Mill Grove. From Isaac Stubbs, Sr., it passed i: and has long been known as the Zimri Stubbs' Mill. A grist-mill was built by the Fox family probat England, on Turtle Creek, about one and one-half n has been for several years past the only water-power The fine mill built by Joseph Whitehill on the ' in this township. On the abandonment of the cane operated.

CHURCHES.

There are but two churches in the township. Church at Deerfield is built upon ground donated t Heaton in 1827. The trustees of the society, at the the deed of gift by William and Rachel Heaton, wer iam Vannote, George Wager, George Foglesong, Jai Brice Worley, John Shephard and Ephraim Ludlum ship is about one hundred.

Fellowship Christian Church was built about members were Ann Spencer, Rebecca Sargeant, Sara Andrew aud Catherine Lytle, William and Mary Bor Covert. The churchyard is a burying-ground, the 1 in it about the time of the erection of the church.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Before the organization of this township, severa its present limits were commissioned Justices of the be found in the history of Deerfield Township. The Justices of the Peace of Union Township and the d Daniel McFarland, March 22, 1815. Joseph Smith

Andrew Guthrey, March 22, 1815.

Thaddeus D.

Nathan Kelly, March 22, 1815. Robert Hays, December, 1816. Nathan Kelly, April 14, 1818. Daniel McFarland, April 14, 1818.

Abraham Bra

James S. Tot:

Thaddeus D.

Abraham Bra

James S. Toti

Franklin T. ]

.Joseph D. H&

James S. Tot

Thaddeus D.

Abraham Bra

Nathan Kelly, October 31, 1825.

James T. Scott, October 31, 1825. James Benham, January 1, 1827.

Abraham Bra Thaddeus D. Samuel Murp John W. H.

John T. Jack, October 31, 1828.

Abraham Bra Samuel Mur

James T. Scott, November 1, 1828. Daniel M. Morris, January 12, 1830. Joseph Mckinney, March 16, 1831. James T. Scott, October 10, 1831. William M. Lightfoot, March 10, 1832. John L. Watkins, November 19, 1832. James St. John, November 7, 1833. Joseph Smithers, May 24, 1834. John L. Armstrong, June 30, 1835. Abraham Brant, October 20, 1836. Joseph Smithers, May 15, 1837. Thaddeus Morris, April 3, 1839. Joseph Smithers, May 15, 1840. Thaddeus D. Morris, April 25, 1842. Abraham Brant, October 8, 1842.

J. C. Newpor John D. Min Samuel Murr T. D. Morris Reading Dot: Samuel Murr B. Cavolt, O. John W. H. : Bethuel Cav John Seamar B. Cavolt, O John M. Sno B. Cavolt, O

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Coulson Payne, November 22, 1819. Nathan Kelly, March 26, 1821.

Daniel McFarland, March 26, 1821.

Charles Fox, November 12, 1821.

Coulson Payne, November 16, 1821. James Benham, November 3, 1823. Henry Foster, March 15, 1824.

Jesse Simpson

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ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS AND MOUNDS.

Dr. S. S. Scoville, of Lebanon, who has given considerable attention to the archeology of Warren County, writes as follows :

The only ancient works of defense in Union Township, so far as is known, are situated adjacent to the village of Deerfield, on the farm of Mr. D. Hufford. As seen at the early settlement of the country, theyconsisted of two circular inclosures. The Lebanon and Deerfield road passes through the smaller circle, where portions of the embankment are still visible. A little to the west of these works are two mounds. They are some thirty rods apart ; both have been explored, but nothing found in them worthy of note. East of Deerfield, on the farm of J. M. Hayner, there is a small mound. On the west side of Turtle Creek, about one and a half miles from its mouth, there is quite a large mound. Fifty years ago, it was some twelve feet in height, and thirty-five feet in diameter. It is now only about seven feet high. Many years ago, Mr. John Randolph made an excavation in one side of it, and found human bones and several copper rings. In 1879, Dr. D. D. T. Dyche, and the writer, explored this mound, and found the skeleton of a child. It was situated at the center of the mound, on a level with the original ground. The bones were. most of them, in an advanced state of decay, although the situation and character of the mound were very favorable to the preservation of such remains, it being situated on an elevation which slopes off in every direction, while the upper part consists of burnt clay, thus rendering it impervious to water. Near the northern boundary of the township, on the farm of James White, and about half a mile west of the Lebanon and Deerfield road, there is a mound of considerable size. There is another situated on the east part of J. S. Totten's farm, about half a mile east of the road just mentioned. It was explored some thirty years ago, and some copper rings and fragments of pottery were found.

THE ROOSA MURDER.

On December 26, 1864, near the hour of midnight, at the residence of John W. Roosa, one mile from Deerfield, was committed one of the most hor- rible murders in the annals of crime. It was followed with the only case of capital punishment in the history of Warren County. The occupants of the Roosa house on the fatal night were Mrs. Roosa, three young daughters, an in- fant at the breast, and an old man hired upon the farm, named Jesse Couzens. Alice Belle, aged fifteen; Francis, a younger sister; the infant by its mother's side, and Jesse Couzens, were all killed with the same hatchet, and Mrs. Roosa, with her head horribly gashed, was left as dead by the murderer. Little Jean- nette, aged about seven years, was the only person in the house unhurt, and she remained with the dead and dying until daylight, when she went to a neigh- bors for assistance. John W. Roosa, the father, was at this time an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum at Dayton, where he had voluntarily gone on account of monthly attacks of lunacy, in the intervals of which he was sane. He was a respected farmer, and was Treasurer of Union Township. He had recently written to his wife to sell their barley crop of eight hundred bushels, and to keep the money in the house for the purpose of paying orders on the township treasury. This letter, committed by Mrs. Roosa to a friend, had been read in a store at Deerfield, in the presence of a number of persons. The publicity, innocently given to this letter is believed to have been the cause of the murder, by arousing the cupidity of the perpetrator of the crime, robbery and not mur- der, undoubtedly, being the purpose with which the house was entered. Only about $20 however, were found and carried away.

The horrors witnessed by the neighbors, who, on Tuesday morning, Dec- ember 27, first arrived at the scene of the tragedy, need not here be described. Three persons lay dead; Francis was still living, but unable to give any ac- count of the crime, and not long after died; Mrs Roosa was found with many marks of the murderer's hatchet, and from her face the blood had spurted to the ceiling. Serious as were her wounds, she finally recovered. No clew of the murderer was found, except a red silk handkerchief, picked up on the walk near the house, and prints of a horse's feet by the hitching-post. The bloody

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hatchet belonged to the house. Dispatches from D sent from Lebanon stated that Mr. Roosa was still i absent at the time of the murder. The excitement tense. Volunteer detectives swarmed in from all di: were arrested, and no evidence being found against charged.

Immediately after the discharge of one who had and held for preliminary examination, Samuel Coov sought an interview with the Prosecuting Attorney. dletown to Deerfield, his former home, a few days af mained at his old home until the time of the inter knew the murderer; that David Hicks, of Cincinnati commission of the crime. George R. Sage, now, a the Cincinnati bar, was then Prosecuting Attorney ( carefully listening to the story of the stranger, and 1 picion arose in the lawyer's mind that the narrator h edge of the crime. The story of the confession was in giving the details of the alleged confession, the scribed so minutely and circumstantially, that it seem description could all be fabricated. The informer w make oath to a declaration charging David Hicks wit was sent for, and steps also taken to secure the arre charge of perjury. Hicks, on coming to Lebanon h: that he was in Cincinnati, at the time of the murde Coovert the guilt of perjury. Of this offense, Coo guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment in the peniten

The detectives continued in the work of ferretir County Commissioners offered a reward of $1,000 fo viction of the perpetrator of the crime. Many we The Prosecuting Attorney had become convinced dastardly sought by perjury to fasten the crime t the murderer of the Roosa family. There were, h way of this theory. Samuel Coovert, though a nativ field, and well aquainted with the Roosa premises, w der living in Middletown; where he worked in a saw he had been seen in Middletown, on the evening of t der was committed, and also early the next morning, in the saw-mill the day before, and the day after th between Middletown and the Roosa farm, by turnpi. horse's tracks had been seen near the Roosa house, murder. Had the murderer rode on horseback thi robbery and murdered four persons, in the hours ( tween days both passed in hard labor? Link after dence, which seemed to establish this theory was was indicted for murder. The Legislature passed authorizing the removal of a convict in the penitent dictment for felony is pending, for trial in the count was found. Coovert was brought from the penitenti trial on the charge of murder commenced at Lebanon George J. Smith presided on the bench; the prose George R. Sage and David Allen, the latter having : Prosecuting Attorney; the attorneys assigned by the the accused were J. Kelly O'Neall, J. M. Smith a] The trial continued for several days and resulted in :

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der in the first degree. It is worthy of note that eleven members of the jury, which agreed to this verdict, had stated in their examination that they were on principle opposed to capital punishment, but that they believed that their views would not prevent them from rendering a verdict in accordance with the law and the testimony. A new trial was granted the defendant, on the ground that one of the jurors had expressed an opinion as to the guilt of the defendant before the trial. The second trial commenced on June 6. 1866, continued five days, and also resulted in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. The briefest summary of the evidence by which the guilt of the defendant was proved to the satisfaction of two juries, is all that can here be given.

Mrs. Roosa and Jeannette, the sole survivors of the tragedy, gave, on the witness stand, their recollections of the horrible scene. The former testified that she had been awakened by a blow on the head, and became unconscious; afterward she saw the murderer standing in the door, with a light in his right hand and a hatchet in his left hand; he came toward her, and, as she thought, struck her again. She described him as a tall man. with a light moustache and pretty long hair. When told to look at the prisoner. she said: " He looks like the man; his eyes look to me like the man's; they have the same staring look; I notice it every time I look at him." Jeannette described the man as tall, with light hair and a red moustache, white shirt and black pants. She said the prisoner looked like the man. She had escaped with her life by hiding under the bed; she had heard her sister pleading with the murderer that he would not kill her, and his reply that he did not want to kill her, but he would have to.

The testimony of several witnesses was introduced to show that a horse kept in a stable not far from the saw-mill in which Coovert worked was found covered with mud on the morning after the murder. A man on horseback had been seen on the Shaker Hill, going in the direction of Lebanon and Deerfield early in the night of December 26; and one going in the opposite direction had been met by a party of four young men about 3 o'clock the next morning.

The handkerchief found near the Roosa house was shown to be like the one Coovert had used in the saw-mill, and there was on it the smell of oil, such as is used in lubricating machinery.

It was shown that Coovert was left-handed, or ambidextrous, and a phy- sician gave it as his opinion that the blows on Mrs. Roosa's head had probably been struck with the left hand.

Monday, the 26th of December, had been observed as Christmas, and a ball in Middletown on that night enabled many witnesses from that place to fix definitely the time of events concerning which they testified. Perhaps the strongest evidence of the guilt of the defendant was that which showed that both Coovert and the family of Harrison McNeal, his brother-in-law, knew of the murder in Midddletown on the morning after it occurred. Miss Mary Shaffer, who lived in Middletown with her step-father, who kept a hotel, tes- tified that she was at the ball; the next morning, after breakfast, went to the house of Harrison McNeal; Mrs. McNeal and the children were in; afterward Samuel Coovert came in, and his sister said: "Sam, how did you say that murder was last night?" Sam said it was the awfulest murder that ever was; that there was an old man killed, and a woman and a young lady; that the young lady threw up her hands and begged not to be killed; that the hatchet was so dull that when it struck Mrs. Roosa's face, it glanced off. Wit- ness asked him how he heard it, and he said a man had told him about it. Put- ting his hands to his hips, he said he felt pretty stiff; that he had been at a party the night before, and rode there on horseback.

A drayman testified that on the morning after the ball, Coovert had said:

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" You will hear by the papers to-day or this evening at Deerfield, being murdered." Another witness, on heard of the murder from Harrison McNeal. An acqua living at Middletown testified that on Saturday night ( was going to the ball. The witness was at the ball, bi afterward, told witness that he had business at other had a conversation with Coovert about the murder on occurred." He said the man who committed the murd ward, or have had a dull hatchet, as he struck Mrs. Rc killed the child accidentally. He said the Doctor to the conclusion that the murder was done by a lef were keeping it a secret in order to find out the murde:

The defense in the first trial was an alibi. The ] and sister both testified that he was at home in bed c der. This testimony was found to have so little weigl duced on the second trial.

The conviction of the murderer was due largely with which the prosecution was conducted by George ] the trial a thorough acquaintance with all known facts sion of the crime and a deep conviction of the guilt of maintained that he was innocent until the last, and all fession of his guilt were unavailing. His sister, Mr his innocence, and continued in her efforts to save h executed. The testimony was sufficient to satisfy the of the county of his guilt, and in the sixteen years w the trial, no new fact has been discovered to throw : of the verdict.

A scaffold for the execution of Coovert was erected The execution took place August 24, 1866. At 12 o was taken to the scaffold. He seemed very weak, but on the trap door soon to fall beneath him, with only a him and eternity, in response to the Sheriff's questi remarks to make, he said in a steady voice:

"Gentlemen, I am about to leave this world. H trials. I have been treated justly so far as I know, as to as to the witnesses, I cannot say that they were just. W. God to witness that I never murdered that innocent f dence of my speaking of it on Tuesday, I hope I never it till the Thursday following. I hope that we may a That is all I have to say."

He sat down and Rev. J. E. Snowden, of the Metl his spiritual advisor, approaching him, said:

" In the awful realities of this hour, are you ready "I am."

"Jesus is your friend-do you trust in Him?" " I do, indeed."

Mr Snowden then made a short, prayer, saying:

"Oh, thou Searcher of all hearts, we beseech Thee tender mercy, in this awful moment. A soul is about nity-prepared or unprepared, Thou alone knowest. mercy upon that soul.\ His declarations of innocence are Thou alone knowest his heart. We commend his soul God who gave it to him. We pray that Thou will . spirit, and give him strength for this awful crisis. A

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Coovert -- "Amen, amen."

Rising from his knees, Mr. Snowden said:

" And now may the blessing of God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost rest upon you. Samuel Maud Coovert. Amen."

Coovert -"Ainen."

Mr. Snowden then said: "Good-bye, Sam. I will meet you at the judg- ment seat. and then all hearts will be known."

To which Coovert responded: " Good-bye."

After this, the Sheriff, John Butler, ordered Coovert to rise. He obeyed with quiet resignation. His death warrant was then read to him. He listened to it attentively and manifested no emotion. The Sheriff then passed around to the other side and while fixing the noose, Coovert's eye caught that of David Hicks, of Cincinnati. the man against whom he had sworn out a warrant for the murder of the Roosa family, on which ground he had been sent to the penitentiary on the charge of perjury, and he said in clear and distinct tones: "Dave Hicks, you will forgive me?"

Hicks responded: "Yes, Sam. I bear no malice in the world against you." The black cap was drawn over his face, and just as the cord was being attached to the hook above, he said:

" An innocent man, gentlemen, I am."

"God bless you, Sam Coovert; good-bye," said the Sheriff.

"Good bye," responded Coovert.

Then the lever was moved, the door fell, and Samuel Coovert was in eternity.

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PART V.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

TURTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP.

LUTHER BABBITT, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in the State of Pennsylvania February 11, 1808; he is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Craft) Babbitt, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Massachusetts, and both of English descent. They emigrated with their family of ten children to the West in 1817, and located in Warren County, Ohio. Our subject received a good education in the schools of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and early learned the carpenter trade, at which he worked five years; but, preferring the life of a farmer, he gave up his trade and turned his whole attention to farming. He was married in 1840 to Miss Mary W. Duckworth, a native of Warren County, and daughter of George Duckworth, Esq. Of this marriage, two children were born, viz., George and James, the latter being a druggist by profession and the former a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Babbitt are members of the M. E. Church. He is a Republican in politics, and for ten years was a School Director in his district. He has lived most of his life in Warren County, and is one of the county's most reliable and trustworthy gentlemen.

AMOS BABBITT and ISAAC BEALS, Union Village; Deacon and Elder. The above named gentlemen represent the North Family of Shakers at Union Vil- lage. Mr. Beal was born in Knox County, East Tenn., May 1, 1804; his parents were William and Patience Beal, of North Carolina, and were both raised as Quakers. His father was a hunter and farmer, and died on his way to Union Village. Isaac attended school in Turtle Creek Township and learned the brick-mason's trade, which he follows still when occasion offers. In 1868, he was appointed Secon 1 Elder of the North Family, and since then has been promoted to the Eldership.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 82

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