USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory etc > Part 57
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In the war of the rebellion, in 1861, Concord furnished her full comple- ment of volunteer soldiers. These were principally in the gallant 66th Regi- ment, though other regiments were represented. We regret very much that we have not a complete list of all those who enlisted in behalf of the American Flag. Such names as we append are given only from recollection and may not be com- plete : Thomas H. Gibbs, Robert H. Russell, Darius Comer, David Comer, Luke W. Bryant, Madison B. Bryant, John W. Russell, Wallace Downs, John R. Wilson, William W. Wilson, Michael Walker, William P. Haines, Benjamin H. Haines, John W. Haines, James A. Kizer, George C. Wallace, David F. Johnson, A. M. Longfellow, James O. Neer, Thomas J. Johnson, David Compton, Llewellyn Niles, Samuel J. Barger, Phil- ander R. Barger, Joseph H. Loudenback, John Boswell, Evan Jenkins,
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
Jerome B. Miller, Edward Mitchel, Smith Mitchel, William A. Neer, William R. Arrowsmith, Anthony Schimmel, Robert J. Stewart, Flemon Hall, John P. Neer. Of this number, William A. Neer was killed near the village of Glencoe, Belmont County, while on the way to the battlefield, and his remains were in- terred at Concord Cemetery. Darius Comer died at Plaquemine, La., and his remains were brought home and buried at Concord Cemetery with the honors of war, surrounded by more people than ever congregated on that spot before or since. David Comer came home, a wonderfully emaciated being, and died in a few days after his return. George C. Wallace died in a hospital at Alex- andria, Va., and was buried at the Alexandria National Cemetery. Luke W. Bryant died at Acquia Creek, on the eastern shore of Maryland, and his remains were brought home and now rest in Concord Cemetery. Michael Walker was killed near Cassville, Ga., while on picket duty. Thomas J. Johnson was a member of the 45th O. V. I., and was killed at Knoxville, Tenn. David Comp- ton was killed at Fort Donaldson. Smith Mitchel died on the grand march of Sherman, and was buried in a National Cemetery at Wilmington, N. C. Will- iam R. Arrowsmith was starved to death by the Southern chivalry in Ander- sonville Prison. Anthony Schimmel was mortally wounded at Utoy Creek, Ga. Robert J. Stewart died in the service in Tennessee. Flemon Hall was captured by the rebels at Winchester, Va., and died in prison, at Lynchburg, Va., and was buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, near Petersburg, Va. Samuel J. Barger was severely wounded at the battle of Antietam, but survived and is now an honored citizen of Cumberland County, Ill. John P. Neer was shot through the body in some engagement, and is now one of our leading men. The remainder of the "boys in blue " are scattered far and wide, each filling his place with acceptability in society.
In the call for one-hundred-day men, a company was organized under the humorous Captain Miles Wilson, with James R. McFarland as First Lieutenant. The most of this company were from Concord Township, and are almost too numerous to mention.
In connection with the above, we may mention the names of Henry C. Gibbs and Simon Kenton, who were valiant soldiers of the 45th O. V. I. The last name, Mr. Kenton, bears the full name of the pioneer Simon Kenton, and is closely connected with him. He now resides in Kansas, and his name will be to the loyal people of the country in the future, what the name of the old Gen- eral has been in the past.
This concludes our history of the township. We have endeavored to give it as nearly correct as was possible. If any errors have been committed, it was unintentional. It will be handed down to generations yet unborn, and will be read by them long after the writer shall have passed from the stage of action.
SALEM TOWNSHIP.
BY DR. THOMAS COWGILL.
'This township is situated immediately north of Urbana. Its southern bound- ary, at the center, is the northern limit of the city corporation. The town- ship is eight miles long, from south to north, and six miles wide, from east to west. It is bounded on the north by Logan County, on the east by Union and Wayne Townships, and on the west by Concord and Harrison Townships. It contains forty-eight square miles, equal to thirty thousand seven hundred and
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
twenty acres of land, about four thousand acres of this land lies east of Ludlow's line, and is in the Virginia Military District ; the balance is Congress land, and is laid off in sections of one mile square, containing six hundred and forty acres each, except some fractional sections, on the west side of and adjoining Ludlow's line, which are of various sizes. Mad River runs south, and passes through the northwest and southwest parts of the township. The south branch of King's Creek has its source in Wayne Township, and the north branch has its source in Logan County, the two branches join together near Kingston. The streams run westwardly, across Salem, and enter Mad River near the west- ern boundary of the township. Macacheek, a tributary of Mad River, passes through the northern part of the township. All these are permanent, never- failing streams, of pure, clear water. They have never been known to go dry in summer, and always furnish an ample supply of water for milling purposes throughout the year. The land is mostly level, or rolling, dry prairie, and " barrens," as it was once called, and the ridges dividing the streams and prairie are covered with timber, mostly oak and hickory. In the southeast corner of the township there is a large, low and once wet prairie, known by the name of Dugan Prairie; it contains several thousand acres of land, and receives the drainage of the country surrounding it, equal to an area of six miles square.
When the country was first settled by the whites, this prairie was mostly covered with water the greater part of the year, having the appearance of a lake, with here and there a small island thickly covered with timber, mostly oak and hickory. The barrens and dry prairies were covered with wild grass, which, in summer, grew to an incredible height, and furnished fine pasture for thousands of buffalo, elk and deer before the intrusion of the white man upon their rich domain. After this grass became dead ripe, or was killed by the frost in the fall of the year, and became dry enough to burn, the Indians, at a time agreed upon by their chiefs, would place themselves with their guns upon the high timbered land adjoining that upon which the grass grew, and at a signal given by the Captain, the squad would set fire to the grass, and the wild ani- mals of all kinds, which lay there concealed, would be suddenly aroused from their quiet slumbers and run for safety to the high ground, and there meet death by the rifle and the red man. Great numbers of deer were killed in this way by the Indians, even after the commencement of the settlement of the country by the whites. The Indians would invariably give the white settlers at least a week's notice of their intention to burn the grass at a certain time, so they could protect their fences and cabins by plowing a few fresh furrows around them.
According to reliable information, the settlement of that part of the town- 1 ship which lies in the King's Creek valley, was commenced in the year 1802 or 1803. Samuel and William Stewart came to this township with their father, Matthew Stewart, who settled on King's Creek in the spring of 1804. At that time William Powell was living near the place where Albert Jackson now lives, having settled there about a year before. William Wood, a Baptist preacher, from Kentucky, and father of Christopher Wood, who distinguished himself in the War of 1812, and is remembered by all the old settlers, then lived where the Kingston Mills now are, having settled there about a year before. Arthur Thomas, who was afterward killed by the Indians, then lived at the mouth of King's Creek, where he soon after built a grist-mill, which was probably the first mill of the kind ever erected in this county. Joseph Petty then lived on King's Creek, on the place where his grandson, Hiram Petty, now lives, where he built a water-mill soon after.
Come truly
JOHNSON TOWNSHIP
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
The following-named persons came to the county about the same time, or soon after : David Parkison, James Turner, John Guthridge, Abner Barrett, William Johnson, George and Jacob Leonard. A majority of the first settlers came from Kentucky and Virginia. Matthew Stewart and John McAdams came from Pennsylvania at an early day, and lived a short time at Columbia, on the Ohio River, above Cincinnati ; from there they came to this place, and settled on King's Creek, in 1804. John Taylor came from Virginia and set- tled on King's Creek in 1806, at the place where the village of Kingston now is. He purchased 640 acres of land from Isaac Zane, for which he paid four dollars per acre. This land, together with two other sections of the same size, was given to Isaac Zane by the United States Government in consideration of services rendered the army under the command of General Wayne, in 1794. In 1810, John Taylor erected a grist-mill, now (in 1880) owned by Henry Wolfe & Sons. In the same year the citizens who then lived in the vicinity erected two block-houses near the mill, as a protection against the attacks of the Indians. To these houses, which were enclosed by tall pickets, the settlers would flee in times of danger. But the Indians never disturbed them there ; great numbers of them, mostly squaws, were to be seen every day coming to and returning from the mill, with their little buckskin sacks filled with corn, and thrown across the naked backs of their bob-tailed ponies, upon which the squaws rode astride, some of them with their papooses fastened to a board and strapped upon their backs. On dismounting, the squaw would place the board to which the baby was tied against the wall of the mill, in an erect position, then take off and carry in her sack of corn, and immediately return and feed her papoose. The late Judge Edward L. Morgan relates that he once saw a squaw in a great hurry accidentally place her child upon the board wrong end up.
The youngster soon discovered the mistake, and, though a wild savage, its cries and screams precisely resembled those of a white child.
Salem Township was organized in 1805, the same year that the county was created. The civil jurisdiction of the county then extended from the southern boundary of the tenth range, near Springfield, to the shore of Lake Erie on the north, including a territory almost as large as some of the old States. If the census had been taken at that time, it would have shown that for every white person within its bounds, there were at least one hundred Indians. From the township record-book of 1805, it appears that Christopher Wood and Daniel Mckinney were the first Trustees, and William Davis first Constable, George Johnson was the first house appraiser and lister of taxable property.
It also appears from this record, that William Johnson was the first Treas- urer, Abner Barret first Clerk of this township.
By the record of 1806, it appears that Joseph Petty, Thomas Pearce and William Parkison were elected Trustees, and David Parkison, Clerk for that year. The Trustees allowed William Powel's account for keeping a poor woman and child. Who the poor women and child were, is not known. The follow- ing is copied from the township record of 1808.
" Agreeable to the squirrel law, the Trustees of this township have laid on each taxable citizen, ten squirrel scalps, and one scalp for each and every twelve and a half cents his tax amounts to. Done the 23d day of April, 1808. Attest, David Parkison, T. C."
In early times it was customary for the squirrels to travel from North to South in countless numbers about once in ten years. They made their journey in the fall of the year, about the time that corn began to ripen.
Q
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
They appeared in such vast numbers, as apparently to cover the earth for miles, and if not well guarded, they would clear the corn-fields as they went along. They would suffer death rather than turn from their course ; and would pass over houses and swim lakes, ponds and water-courses. They traveled due south, until they would reach the Ohio River, into which they would plunge and attempt to swim over ; here an immense number would lose their lives by drowning in the river, and those that got over alive would crawl upon the bank, and, after resting a short time, would resume the journey southward. This accounts for the necessity of levying a squirrel scalp tax.
Capt. Alexander Black, Moses McIlvain and others from Kentucky, settled on Macacheek and Mad River, in the northern part of Salem, in the spring of 1809; at that time James McPherson, called "Squalicee " by the Indians, (which means the red-faced man), was then living on Mad River, at or near the Kavanaugh farm, and there were several Indian families there at the time ; among others, Capt. John Lewis. A chief had in his family a white woman, named Molly Kiser, who was taken prisoner when young, and raised with the Indians. She was highly esteemed by the whites, sixty years ago. The writer several times saw Molly Kiser riding through the woods or along a path in Salem Township, with several ponies and dogs along with her.
Molly Kiser was married to an Indian and had two half-Indian daughters. She stayed one night at the house of Col. John Thomas, and next day traded horses with Daniel Corwin near the head of North Fork of Kings Creek ; some time afterward, she came along with the horse she traded for ; it had been out in a hail-storm, and had a considerable part of the hair cut off its back. Alex- ander Black was a soldier and served in the army of Gen. Wayne, at the battle with the Indians on the 20th of August, 1794; he was an officer and served in the war of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. John Enock came to Salem Township with his father's family in 1812; he was then ten years of age, having been born at Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, in the early part of 1802; he is therefore somewhat older than the State of Ohio. Abram Smith built the first cabin, and was the first white settler in what was then called the "barrens," between the settlements on King's Creek and Macacheek. This cabin was raised in 1813, and stood a short distance east of the State road and not far from the residence of Joseph Miller ; a few old apple-trees, I believe, still remain to mark the place where it stood. Abram Smith was a prominent and worthy citizen, and filled some of the most important township offices for several years before his death ; he had a wife and two children ; the whole family died of " milk sickness " within a few days of each other, about the year 1821. William Copes settled at the place adjoining Jonathan Parke's farm on the State road, between Urbana and West Liberty, in the spring of 1814; here he purchased 160 acres of land from the United States at $2 per acre, erected a cabin and made a small improvement, but, like many others at that time, he came to the conclusion that the country was well named, and that it was really a barren and worthless place. He accordingly sold his farm for the same price that he gave, and bought 160 acres in another part of the township without improvements, for which he paid $4 per acre ; this land to day is worth one-fifth as much per acre as that on the State road, and probably no more. Thomas Thomas pur- chased the farm of William Copes, and when the State road became a highway of some importance and was traveled by drovers, teamsters, movers, etc., after putting up a pretty good house, kept entertainment for travelers. Thomas Thomas had several children by his first wife, and after her death he married a
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
young woman of the neighborhood, by whom he had other children. This as usual caused trouble and strife in the family, which was carried to such an ex- tent that his son William, by his first wife, became a desperate maniac, and had to be confined either in a cell or in irons. While in this condition, the family moved to one of the new States of the West. Here as before the young man was left confined in a small house built for the purpose a short distance from the dwelling of the family. By some means he one night made his escape from his hut, got an ax, broke open the door of the dwelling-house and entered the sleeping-room of his father and step-mother. On hearing the noise they both sprang up from bed, when, after a short struggle, he succeeded in splitting his mother's skull and slightly wounding his father while endeavoring to protect, his wife. Some of the neighbors on going to the house next morning, found the maniac in quiet possession of the house, and both parents dead upon the floor. On being questioned, he said he intended to kill his step-mother but not; his father ; that he had at first accidentally wounded his father but slightly, but; fearing it might become troublesome and painful to his aged parent, he con- cluded to kill him at once and put him out of his misery. Charles MoClay settled in the fall of 1814, at the farm afterward owned by Joel Funk. Charles McClay was brother-in-law to Abram Smith, the first resident in the barrens ; he died many years ago and left several children. Archibald Stewart, Robert. Latta and John Williams settled on the highland east of the State road in 1814 or 1815. William Mayse, father of Archibald R. and George Mayse, and David Fulwider's wife, came to this township at an early day and settled at the place where his son Archibald now lives. He lived awhile in the prairie on land now owned by heirs of Levi Cowgill, where his wife was bitten by a rattle -. snake. William Mayse was a prominent, worthy and useful citizen in his time .. Col. John Thomas settled on King's Creek in 1809; he was a native of Charles County, Md., where he was born June 7, 1779. Sixty years ago, the writer saw the remains of a block-house standing on Col. Thomas' farm, about twelve rods south of where the mansion of his sons Ivon B. and F. M. Thomas now stand. An addition has been built to the west end, so that it formed a double log barn. Col. Thomas was peculiarly fitted for pioneer life, having a strong and vigorous constitution and enjoying good health. He was endowed with a. large measure of patience and fortitude that enabled him to successfully battle with the perils and discouragements incident to backwoods life. He was a, quiet and unassuming in his manners, possessing a warm social nature, and was noted for his propriety of conduct and his kindness and benevolence to the poor and unfortunate. James Turner settled at the place where I. C. Yoder lately lived-in 1808 or 1809. This farm, I believe, is now owned by the Stewart brothers. James Turner's wife, Ann Turner, was the first person buried in the graveyard at Kingston ; her grave was dug by Thomas Stewart, Isaac McAdams and Edward L. Morgan. Joseph Vance, who afterward filled many important offices in the civil and military departments of the United States and State Governments, came to this township with his father's family in 1805. Gov. Vance was born at Washington, Washington Co., Penn., March 21, 1786, and died on the 24th of July, 1852, on his farm in Salem Township, two and a half miles north of Urbana, and is buried in Oakdale Cemetery, near Urbana Gov. Vance was the architect of his own character and fortune, commencing business in life as a wood-chopper at the salt works when a mere boy, and by his industry and economy procuring means to pur- chase an ox team, with which he was accustomed to haul and distribute salt to
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN CNUNTY.
the scattered settlers of Kentucky; and he still followed the occupation of an ox driver after he removed to Salem Township, occasionally making trips to the salt works. Sometimes at night his camp was so beset by wolves and other wild beasts as to compel him to keep up a fire and watch his team through the entire night. In 1818, Gov. Vance built a merchant mill on King's Creek, about a mile above where it empties into Mad River. The mill had four run of buhrs, and all the improvements of that time. He owned this and a saw-mill and other fixtures connected with them until 1848. The writer inserts the following letter from his old and honored Democratic friend, B. B. Leonard, M. D., believing it is eminently suitable in this place :
WEST LIBERTY, July 19, 1880.
DR. THOMAS COWGILL-My Dear Sir : Your request has been duly considered, and I hasten to comply. My father, George Leonard, was born in Jefferson County, Va., April 26, 1777, and -came to Champaign County, Ohio, in the fall of 1805, and settled near Kingston, on King's Creek. My uncle, Jacob Leonard, came to the same place in 1806, and died in 1835. My father died in December, 1868, having been a citizen of the county for sixty-three years.
The first schoolhouse that I remember was a little brick one, built on the south bank of King's Creek, a half-mile west of where Kingston now is. The first teacher was Edward L. Mor- gan. This house was also used as a place of worship. Before its erection, religious services were held in private houses, and, when the weather admitted, at barns. I have often heard my mother say that the first time I was ever taken from home she carried me to the barn of Benja- min Byers to hear Rev. George W. Walker preach one of his first sermons. There was no Meth- odist Church building in the neighborhood at that time, nor until 1834, when the old brick «church was built on the north bank of King's Creek, near the residence of Mr. Benjamin Byers, and on the land of Samuel Taylor, and near the schoolhouse referred to. Abraham Wademan, Joel Funk, John Mast and my father were on the building committee, all of whom, except one, have been gathered as ripe sheaves into the garner of the Master they loved and served, and he, John Mast, still continues as a mark connecting the past with the present. There is a little financial circumstance connected with the erection of that church, which I often think of with " pleasure. Mr. John Mast had a meadow near my father's house, and had a man named Ellis mowing with a scythe. I was then a very small boy, and was employed by the owner of the meadow to spread the grass, at a compensation of 12} cents a day. I worked a day and a half, to his entire satisfaction, and received 182 cents. The church committee were going to inspect a kiln of brick which had just been burned for the building. My father suggested that it would be a good investment if I would contribute to the purchase of the church brick. In went my 18 cents, the first money I had ever received for labor. That contribution, or rather investment, has been at compound interest ever since, and has yielded a " hundred fold " in its influence on mind and heart.
The first Sabbath school ever in the neighborhood was held at the schoolhouse referred to, and Joel Funk and others of his age were the leading managers. It must have been as early as 1829 or 1830. The first time I went to the Sunday school, Mr. Funk gave me a blue ticket, and, placing his large hand on my head, he read it to me with a comment. I was too young to read, and my mother read it for me until it was so fixed in my mind that it has stood out before me all my subsequent life, the first clause of which I had engraved at the top of the monument at the grave of my sainted mother : " For the Lord God is a sun and shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will He withhold from them who walk uprightly."
A debating society was organized, and continued in this " Little Brick," as it was called, which was well attended, and attracted general interest. Among the disputants who entered into the war of words, I remember Thomas Parker, Peter Walker (afterward an eminent phy- sician), his brother, Moses B. Walker (who studied law, and was subsequently a State Senator, entered the army in 1861, and rose to the rank of Brigadier General, and, after the war was «closed, to the Supreme Bench in a neighboring State), Jesse Leonard, T. A. Gifford, Joseph Wademan, Russel B. Spain, I. P. Leonard, James Tolman and others, who will be remembered by «the older citizens as prominent young men of 1836 and 1837.
I have hastily put the inclosed together, and therefrom you may be able to glean something tto suit your purpose. Very truly, etc., B. B. LEONARD.
The late Duncan M. Vance, M. D., and his sister, Mary Corwin, children sof Gov. Vance, when small children, attended school at the Little Brick spoken of in Dr. Leonard's letter. They walked two miles evening and morning to and from school, across the fields and woods. James C. Tolman, mentioned in
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
Dr. Leonard's letter, is now a citizen of Oregon, and was lately Republican candidate for Governor. He was defeated by a few votes, there being a Demo- cratic majority in Oregon.
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