USA > Ohio > Clark County > The history of Clark County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, V. 2 > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72
This society sustains a Sabbath school. Previous to the year 1871, the par- sonage of the circuit was at Vienna, but since that date the Pastor's residence has been at Catawba.
Since the origin of the church at Vienna, the following named ministers have been in charge: Rev. McDowell. Pearl Ingles, C. W. Swain, Estell, Phillip Nation, W. N. Williams, Elijah H. Field, John Vance, W. I. Ellsworth, W. B. Jackson, W. J. Thurber, E. F. Hill, Jonathan Verity, D. R. Baker, G. J. Conner.
VIENNA LODGE, NO. 345, I. O. O. F.
This lodge of Odd Fellows was "chartered May 10, 1839; instituted June 15, 1859. The charter members were James Sprague, George Johnson, Will- iam Simpson, Nathan T. Brooks, James Wallingford, A. H. Spencer, Joseph Wallingford. George F. Marshall. M. W. G. M.
The original officers were: James Sprague, N. G .: William Simpson, V. G .; James Wallingford, Permanent Secretary; Joseph Wallingford, Recording Se retary; A. H. Spencer. Treasurer. The official list for 1880 was: Charles Hodge, N. G .; William Morris, V. G .; F. V. Hartman, Permanent Secretary; John Harrison, Treasurer; E. H. Smith, Recording Secretary.
-
654
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
HARMONY IN THE WAR.
The men of Harmony Township bore an honorable part in the great strug- gle against secession in the years of the rebellion of 1861-65. They served to the number of more than two hundred and shared in common with the troops of Ohio the casualties of the war. In victory and defeat, in camp and field, in the bivouac or on the march, at the cannon's mouth or at the quiet camp fire, they were worthy sons of worthy sires and every man was of himself a host. Of those who slumber in unknown and unmarked graves beside the still waters of the South, are the sons of Harmony Township. There they await the reveille of the heroic. But they have left the memory of heroic deeds impressed upon the hearts of a grateful people, who will, to the latest generation, call them blessed.
They served in the Forty-fifth, One Hundred and Tenth, Forty-fourth, Thirty-first, Ninety-fourth, One Hundred and Fifty-second, Sixtieth, Sixty-sixth, Thirteenth and Twenty-seventh Regiments of Ohio Infantry; in the Eighth and Eleventh regiments of cavalry; in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Ohio Batter- ies, and in the First Kentucky Infantry.
SCHOOLS OF HARMONY TOWNSHIP.
Many of the early settlers felt keenly the lack of an education, and were therefore not slow in providing ways and means to provide their children with opportunities of gaining a practical education. To this end they built houses by volunteer labor and subscribed money for the pay of teachers. The boy of that day was clothed in homespun, home-woven and home-made clothing. The teacher was a character. He must be a man of muscle as well as brain, for the insubordinate pupil must be made to feel the power of the first as well as the last. The books used were Daball's Arithmetic, Webster's Speller, English Reader, American Preceptor, Lindley Murray's Grammar, Kirkham's Grammar, Olney's Atlas and Geography.
The schoolhouse was a rude structure of logs, and was not built on a pre- tentious plan. It had a huge fire-place, slab seats, puncheon floor, and roof of clap-boards held on by weight-poles.
One of the first school houses of the township was at Lisbon, about the year 1815. Another stood near the old Foreman Tannory, three iniles west of Platts- burg; another in the Turner settlement, in the eastern part of the township. These were of the kind described. In later years the people began to build better schoolhouses. The first brick schoolhouse of the township was built about the year 1524 at Plattsburg. It served a number of years, and then gave place to the one which now stands on the same site.
The first schoolhouse of Vienna was built in the year 1835. It was a frame, and stood near the residence of F. V. Hartman. It was succeeded by a brick north of the village, built in 1845. In 1856, the village school district was divided and a frame house was built cast of the village. In 1866, the two dis- tricts were made one and the present brick house, thirty-two by forty feet, was built, and a graded school established.
The early teachers were Joseph Morris, William Rogers, Charles Cheney, William Webb, Thomas C. Busbey, Lemuel Brooks, Hugh King, Joshua Judy, John Hogg, Samuel Shellabarger, B. C. Hathaway, Simon B. Steers, Michael Rooney, Mary Busbey and many others.
SCHOOL STATISTICS
of Harmony Township for the year ending August 31, 1880:
Total receipts for the year, $8,626.97; paid teachers, $4.501; for fuel and contingent expenses, $404.27; total expense for the year, $1,905.27; balance on
----
الشريده الهاد ئفة
655
HARMONY TOWNSHIP.
hand, $3,721.70. Number of subdistricts, 11; number of schoolhouses, 12; number of school rooms, 14; value of school property, $11,000; number of teachers employed, 14; average wages of teachers --- gentlemen, $41; ladies, $32. Rate of taxation (mills) 3.1; pupils enrolled within the year -- boys, 241; girls, 190; total, 431: average daily attendance -- boys, 130; girls, 116; total, 246; number enrolled between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one years-boys, 31; girls, 11; total, 45.
Number of pupils in each study taught:
Alphabet, 60; reading, 355; spelling, 865; writing, 308; arithmetic, 315; geography, 125; English Grammar, 70; oral lessons, 47; composition, 15; draw- ing, 20; map drawing, 4; United States History, 7.
RURAL HOTELS. 1
In the year 1836 and 1837, George Jones built a large two-story brick build- ing on the National road, two miles west of Vienna. on the north side of said road, and where the township road crosses it. In 1848, this property was pur- chased by Philip Weaber, and by him fitted up as a hotel. This was in the days of yore, when railroad travel had not become universal. Mr. Weaber conducted the Loud business bore for eight years and then abandoned it. The building has been since used as a residence, and is now owned by heirs of Levi Baird.
In the year 1836. Richard Wallingsford built a two-story frame house on the opposite side of the road from the one above mentioned. Mr. Wallingsford kept a hotel here for a number of years It is now the property of his son, Joseph Wallingsford.
SAW-MILLS.
The first saw-mill was built about 1830 by James Haney, on Section 11, which was run by water from Beaver Creek, and was operated for about thirty- five years.
In 1839, Thomas Goodfellow and Zephania Sexton built a saw-mill on Beaver Creek, Section 23, one mile south of the National road. This mill was operated with success for a number of years, but for many years past had done very little business. . It is now owned by Erastus Bennett.
In 1845, Robert Smith built a saw-mill on Beaver Creek, a mile west, or down stream from the Goodfellow Mill, on Section 29, and south of the National road. This mill is still in operation and is owned by W. D. Baird.
THE EARLY ELECTIONS-POLITICS AND REMINISCENCES.
The first elections held in Harmony Township took place at the house of Henry Storms near the center of the township. In those days the indigent poor of the township who had become a public charge, were taken to the polls on the first Monday in April and there publicly sold to the lowest responsible bidder. The purchaser was required to obligate himself to furnish food, clothing and proper care to the person or persons so purchased for the amount of his bid, the agree- ment terminating with the first Monday in April of the next year.
This custom prevailed for many years, probably until the county infirmary was erected.
Elections were next held at a log schoolhouse near the old Foreman tan yard. In 1933, by and through the efforts of several public-spirited citizens, a township house was erceted on the lands of Hamilton Busboy, west of Platts- burg. The site was donated by Mr. Busbey and the building erected there- on was of brick, thirty by forty feet in size. It was also used as a house of worship by all who chose to occupy it for that purpose. On the night of
-
656
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
February 28, 1850, this house was damaged by a tornado and was thereafter abandoned. Vienna was then made the voting place and continued to be so until the year 1854: Plattsburg has been the voting place since that year.
The politics of Harmony may be clearly shown by reference to the vote in the three most hotly contested campaigns of the past, namely, 1840, 1863 and 1890. In the Presidential vote for 1840, the Whigs cast 266 votes for William Henry Harrison; the Democrats cast 48 votes for Martin Van Buren. Total vote, 314; the Harrison electors received 84.7 per cent of the entire vote; the Van Buren electors 15.3. The vote for Governor October 13, 1863, was John Brough, Republican, 357: Clement L. Vallandigham (Democrat) 34; total, 391. In this vote the Republican vote was 91.3 per cent of the entire vote; the Democratic, S.7 per cent.
At the election of November 2, ISSO, this township cast 4.43 per cent of the vote of the county.
The vote of Harmony was as follows: Garfield (Republican), 322; Han- cock (Democrat), 132; Dow (Prohibitionist), 14; total, 46S. The total vote of the county was 10,566. Garfield received a majority over all of 1.892.
A valuable reminiscence of the campaign of 1840 as furnished by Thomas C. Busbey, one of the only two surviving members of the party, deserves a place here:
POLITICAL REMINISCENCE -- AN INCIDENT IN THE CAMPAIGN OF 1810.
The Whig party of Harmony Township took a lively interest in the cam- paign of 1840. Preparatory to the convention of February 22 which nominated Tom Corwin for Governor, a large cance was constructed at Vienna. It was made from the trunk of a huge cottonwood tree which grew on the outskirts of the village. Caleb Barnett, Emanuel Mayne, Thomas C. Busbey, Dr. J. B. Lin gle, William Osborn, Col. William Foreman, Daniel Waddle, S. Bennett, Uriah Blue, William Golden, Nelson Norton, Z. Tuttle, John Brown, Anson Hammond and Asa Rice composed the party of preparation. The canoe was thirty-four feet long, and wide enough to seat two persons comfortably on the cross seats. Ephraim Davidson was employed to prepare the craft, and he spent two weeks in getting it in readiness for the trip. When it was placed on a large wagon, and the best team of the whole country was then attached John McClintock, as skillful a teamster as ever straddled a sadille-horse, was assigned to the position of driver. and his eight bay horses were such a team as could be matched for beauty and power nowhere west of the Alleghanies. Each horse was gaily caparisoned, bells sounded harmonious music from every hame, and the sight was one that charmed and pleased.
The trip to Columbus began on the morning of the 20th of February. Nearly forty persons, mostly voters, took passage. Flags were unfurled, banners floated proudly to the breeze, the campaign songs echoed through the valleys along the way. The party took the National road, and, after driving eighteen miles. reached West Jefferson, where a halt was made for the night, and where they were joined by a large delegation from Marysville, under the leadership of Otway Curry, author of the "Buckeye Cabin Song." Some hours later another delegation " The Mad River Trappers," arrived. These were from Springfield and had with them a fine, large log cabin, constructed on a wagon. On the knots of the logs of this cabin were hung the skins of wild animals, and on the roof were several live coons. On the morning of the 21st, the procession formed, and was soon moving on its joyous way. By this time the crowd had grown to a vast throng; men women and children of every age and condition of life had joined the line of march, and if a more jolly party than this ever traveled the National road, the fact is nowhere recorded. As they neared the capital they
657
HARMONY TOWNSHIP.
were met by. a large party of reception, accompanied by bands of music, and the vast throng, now numbered by thousands, entered Columbus, amid the cheers of the multitude, forming a scene neither to be imagined nor described. The day was as fine and bright as Nature could make. The grand parade took place in the principal streets; banners, that no man could number, starred, striped and mottoed, met the eye; scores of wagons loaded with excited, shouting people, blocked the streets, gorgeously dressed cavaliers, mounted on caparisoned steeds, galloped hither and thither; military commanders shouted their orders, and their battalions obeyed with reckless promptitude; the deep-mouthed cannon spoke in tones of thunder, and the sulphur smoke of party enthusiasm scented the peaceful air. That the city of Columbus ever witnessed a day so full of enthusiasm before or since is a matter of doubt. In one part of the procession, perched upon the roof of a cabin, sat Charles Anthony, a prominent lawyer and politician of Springfield, holding in one hand a mug of cider and in the other a huge chunk of corn bread. As the procession moved be nibbled the bread and quaffed the cider, attracting much attention.
After the nominations were made the crowds of people began to disperse, and the Harmony Township delegation started homeward in time to reach Pos- the's Hotel. nine miles distant, before night came on. Here they spent the night in singing, shouting and other tumultuous ways. When the morning dawned the homeward march was begun, and late in the evening terminated. It is fitting to remark, that after a lapse of more than forty years, there remains but two of all that jolly throng, who, on that bright February morning marched out, full of lusty life.
Wagon, horses, canoe, men and all have passed away-except T. C. Busbey and Z. Tuttle; and these are
"Only waiting till the shadows Are a little longer grown. Only waiting till the glimmer Of the day's last beam is flown. " Till the night of earth is faded From the heart once full of day, Till the stars of heaven are breaking Thro' the twilight soft and gray."
The canoe which figured in this account was afterward taken to other great meetings of the Presidential campaign of that year, and having done duty as an emblem of principles in politics, it was presented to William Osborn, in whose possession it remained many years, serving as a water trough.
The "Log Cabin Song" which figured so prominently in the campaign of 1840, was the following:
CABIN SONG. Tune-Highland Laddie.
Oh where, tell me where was your buckeye cabin made ? Oh where, tell me where was your buckeye cabin made ? 'Twas built among the merry boys that wield the plow and spade, Where the log cabins stand in the bonnie buckeye shade. 'Twas built, etc.
Oh what, tell me what will be your cabin's fate ? Oh what, tell me what will be your cabin's fate ? We'll wheel it to the capital, and place it there clate, For a token and a sign of the bonnie buckeye State. We'll wheel, etc.
w
-
4.58
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
Oh why, tell me why, does your buckeye cabin go ? Oh why, tell me why, does your buckeye cabin go ? It goes against the spoilsmen, for well its builders know. It was HARRISON that fought for the cabins long ago. It goes, etc.
Oh who fell before him in battle, tell me who ? Oh who fell before him in battle, tell me who ?
He drove the savage legions, and British armies too.
At the Rapids and the Thames, and old Tippecanoe. He drove, etc.
With whom, jolly cabin boys, with whom will you sail? With whom, jolly cabin boys, with whom will you sail? With the crafty little demagogue, who veers to every gale? Or the poor old honest farmer that wields the ax and tlail? With the crafty, etc.
By whom, tell me whom, will the battle next be won ? By whom, tell me whom, will the battle next be won ? The spoilsmen and leg-treasurers will soon begin to run, And the log-cabin candidate will march to Washington. The spoilsmen, etc.
Oh what, tell me what, then, will little Martin do ? Oh what, tell me what, then, will little Martin do ?
He'll "follow in the footsteps" of Price and Swartwout, too,
While the log cabins ring again with Tippecanoe. He'll follow, etc.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
BY JAMES ARBORGAST.
This township is situated in the northeastern part of Clark County, the northern boundary separating it from Champaign County, and the eastern being the boundary between it and Madison.
The eastern and southern portions are comparatively level. In the northern and northwestern parts, the surface is diversified by hills and narrow valleys.
The principal streams are Sinking Creek, in the southwest, and Buck Creek in the northwest. The latter flows through a narrow, but exceedingly fertile valley, bounded on either side by a range of hills. The only water-power of any special importance to the miller or manufacturer is afforded by this stream.
The soil, especially in the valleys, is generally fertile, directing attention chiefly to agricultural pursuits, which, from our earliest history, have formed the chief basis of prosperity and wealth. The principal products are wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, fruit, etc.
Manufacturing thus far, has received but little attention.
The area of timber land, although somewhat reduced each preceding year, is sufficiently large to supply almost all local demands. The several kinds of oak, hickory, maple, ash and walnut are the most important varieties of tim- ber.
The lands of this township are known by one or the other of the two his- torie names of the "grants," comprised in part within its limtis.
These grants are the following: Congress Land and the Virginia Military. The former comprises the western part of the township, and the latter, situated to the east of this, from which it is separated by Ludlow's line, was appropri ated to the claims of Virginia soldiery in the war of the Revolution.
-
659
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
" In consequence of an option to the holder of a warrant to situate it where he chose, if not previously located, the survey of these lands present a field of irregularity perplexing to the surveyors, and a fertile source of litigation for the Loldlers of aflyerso titlos."
The C., C., C. & J. R. R .-- the only one in this township-extends across the nortwestern part for an inconsiderable distance ..
The survey of this township was made, and its present limits established in the year 1818; and its organization was effected soon after.
In 1802, Joseh Coffey, then living in the State of Pennsylvania, becoming dissatisfied with the prospect presented to himself and family in the rough region where he lived, determined to remove to the then almost uninhabited, but to him, inviting West.
He accordingly pursued his journey westward to a point about nine miles north of Cincinnati, where he remained during the year; but, as malarial dis- eases were alarmingly prevalent in that locality, he made successful prepara- tions for a second removal.
Loading into an ox cart such articles as the necessity of pioneer life required, he, together with the other members of his family, consisting of his wife and two sons, Tatom and Joseph, commenced the tedious, and we may safely all, porilons journey toward the North.
He bad conceived the idea that he might find a more healthy location near the source of the Little Miami, or some one of its tributaries.
The journey was pursued for several days through the unbroken forest infested by Indians, until he reached what seemed to be the object of his search, May 6, 1803.
Here near an Indian camp he halted upon the summit of a hill overlooking a rich valley, through which a stream of water coursed its way.
At the base of this hill, gushed forth the cool waters of a beautiful spring. This is the place where the first pioneer of Pleasant Township settled, and is now the site of the residence of this pioneer's only surviving son, William Coffey. The first morning after the arrival of this family-May 7 -- it was discoy- ered that a snow several inches deep had fallen.
A sort of rude tent was hastily constructed, and in this the first few months of the family life were spent.
The pioneer had, in this time, made arrangements for building a cabin. He was assisted in its erection by Thomas and Jesse Pierce, then living in Champaign County, and by two or three Indians.
This was the first cabin built by a white settler in this township.
. Soon after his arrival, the pioneer, leaving his family alone in the tent, started out in search of food; and, luckily, at the cabin of a neighbor over in Ger- man Township, he obtained a small amount of corn, which, unfortunately, had been somewhat damaged by the early frosts of the preceding autumn.
In possession of his supply of corn he proceeded to Simon Kenton's Mill, where it was ground into meal, with which he returned to his family. The mill of Kenton was on the present site of Lagonda. In the autumn of ISO3, Isaac Agmond and his family came to this township, and built a cabin where Mart Mahar now lives. At this point was another Indian camp, the two being con. nected by an Indian trail. In 1804. Archibaldl McConkey and family accompa- nied by the father of Mrs. McConkey, removed here from Kentucky. The wife and mother performed the journey on horseback, carrying with her the three children --- Alexander, Elizabeth and Daniel- - the wardrobe and lighter effects of the family. The other members of the party traveled on foot. it may not be amiss to state that a cow was also brought from the Kentucky home, and per- haps the only one in the little company of pioneers.
660
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
- Archibald McConkey soon built a cabin a short distance to the east of Joseph Coffey's, on the farm afterward owned by his son-in-law, Mahlon Neer. Three daughters of these parents-Margaret, Nancy and Mary-were born here.
The other families settling here in this year were those of Samuel Lafferty, Henry Dawson, William Hendricks, the father-in-law of Mr. Lafferty, and George Metsker.
Lafferty and Hendricks were the joint owners of the farm on Buck Creek, where they lived, and which they afterward sold to Nathaniel Cartmell, from whom it received its present name "the old Cartmell farm."
The Lafferty family consisted of the parents and one daughter-Catharine. Hendricks and Lafferty were from Virginia. Metsker lived on the farm now owned by William Hunter, and better known as the Loffand farm.
Henry Dawson settled on what to the present day is called the Dawson farm -- now owned by George Runyan. The children of this family were Ellen, George, John, Richard, Harriet and Elizabeth. Henry Dawson, the father, had served in the Revolution as Lieutenant.
He removed to this locality from Kentucky, from which he brought several fruit trees, these having been carried in a Dutch oven, and were the first of their kind to produce fruit in this locality. It may be necessary to state that one or two of those apple trees, once near the Dawson cabin, are still living after the ingen ve buveny-six years.
Solomon Scott came in 1805, from Virginia, as did also Jonathan Hunter, with a large family. The sons and daughters were named respectively Will- iam, George, Jonathan, Jeremiah, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Nancy, Rachel and Sarah.
Jonathan Hunter located upon Section 22, which he purchased soon after.
On the 29th of June, 1805. Constantine, wife of Henry Dawson, died. This was the first death that occurred among the early pioneers. A grave was prepared near the cabin bome, and the little company of neighbors and friends, amid wild forest scenes, performed the humble rites of burial, while the be- reaved family wept the irreparable loss.
It seems especially proper in this connection to note the fact, that on the day following this burial, John, the third son of Joseph Coffey and wife, and first white child born in this township, "first saw the light."
Sarah Coffey now the aged wife of Enos Neer, was born May 29, 1808, - and was the first female born here.
William, the fourth son, was born January 11, 1811.
The first marriage was that of John Gillmore, of Urbana, to Miss Ellen Dawson; this occurred about 1805.
Soon after Jonah Baldwin was married to Sarah, daughter of Solomon Scott.
William Hunter and Blanche Hendricks were married, February 1, 1807.
There is an interval of a few years, during which no accession was made to this early settlement: but, from the year 1SOS to 1812, and about that time, the spirit of enterprise seemed to have prevailed in the older settlements, and a number of fearless men with their families joined the brave and hardy pioneers.
The men who came at this time were Nathaneil Cartmell, Daniel Wren, Peter Arbogast, Andrew Bumgardner, George, Joseph and Abraham Runyan, William Curl. Edmond West, George, Richard and Charles Botkin. Jonathan Jones, W. T. Hunt. Andrew Hodge, Absalom Clark, Thomas and Philip Tunks and George Jones.
David Waltman and Simon Ropp came about 1820.
Nathaniel Cartmell settled on Buek Creek as before mentioned.
Peter Arbogast, Andrew Bumgardner, Andrew Hodge, Abraham, George
Ayours Truly William Tomuet
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.