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 19
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ent varieties of oak, sugar, walnut, poplar, hickory, elm and linn; with a heavy growth of hazel and spice wood. In the central and southern part the beech almost entirely disappears, but oaks, walnut, maples, hickory, elm, linn and poplar are found. Along the streams buckeye were abundant: the past tense is used he- canse there is but little more timber left that can be spared. The township is ad- mirably watered. Mad River along the entire southern border; Donnel's Creek and its branches in the east; Jackson Creek in the middle, both running quite across the township; Honey and Mud Creeks in the west. These with their lateral branches furnish abundant water for all farm purposes, as well as the power needed for milling. On Section 23 is a chain of lakelets, four in number. filled with pure fresh water, well stocked with our common fish. One of these lakes has recently been appropriated by a stock company for the purpose of propagating the more valuable sorts of fish. This series of lakes are evidently the remains of a mighty river, that once rushed through the valley in which they are situated.
Bethel Township is somewhat classic in the history of the State as well as the county. She stands at the head of the list of townships in being the first set- tled in the county, if not the home of the first white man settled in the Miami Valley north of Cincinnati. On the farm now owned by L. Baker was the Indian village of Piqua, which has become famous as the birthplace of the noted Indian chief Tecumseh. At this same place was fought the battle between the whites under Gen. Clarke, and the Shawnee Indians in August, 17SO. On the farm now owned by Mrs. Sarah Smith of Section 34, stood the ancient Indian village of Chinchima.
The date of the first settlement of Bethel Township is somewhat obscure, but from indubitable evidence we are able to say that John Paul was living at the forks of Honey Creek in 1790, and that same evidence points just as clearly to an earlier period. Relatives still remember well of hearing Mr. Paul speak of crossing the Ohio River at the point where Cincinnati now stands, before any settlement was made there; that his father was killed by the Indians soon after crossing the river. The remainder of the family escaped. The same night Mr. Paul went back, found the body of his father (which had been scalped) and buried it. Mr. Paul wandered on with the rest of the family, himself the eldest, a brother and a sister, and made their final stop on what is now part of Section 29. Mr. Paul died in 1853, aged ninety years. The older citizens well remember that the habits of caution and care necessarily acquired in the dangerous times, followed him as long as he lived.
David Lowry was the next settler in the township. He was born in Penn- sylvania in 1767, and, in 1795, he settled in Section 3, Bethel Township. He afterward bought the whole of Section 14, which he sold and then entered land in Section 9, where R. M. Lowry now lives. He was married in 1801 to Sarah Hammer, of Miami County, Ohio, who died in 1810, leaving four children, viz., Sarah, Nancy, Susan and Elizabeth. All are now dead but Susan, the wife of John Leffel. In 1811. he married Mrs. Jane Hodge, whose maiden name was Wright, by whom he bad four children -- Martha S .. David W., Robert M. and Sarah R., all now living. He died September 9, 1839, and his widow followed him August 15, 1567. He was a robust, enterprising Christian pioneer, and did mach toward the growth and civilization of his adopted county.
Jonathan Donnels, a native of Lycoming County. Pen., was the compan- ion of David Lowry, and, was a surveyor, He settled on Section 33. where Leander Baker now lives, in 1795. In 1797, he returned to Pennsylvania, bought out his brother James, who was then but eight years old, but was a great help to him in his cabin. Jonathan married and was the father of five children, viz., John, who removed to Oregon, where he died: Jonathan, who is living in
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
Iowa; Elizabeth. who married George Layton; and Incinda, who married and moved to Michigan. Mr. Donnels last years were embittered by family troub- les, and, in a fit of temporary insanity, he ling himself on the Holcomb lime- kiln farm in Springhell Towaship, whither he had moved after selling his old home. He was a man of sterling traits of character, generous and whole-souled, and was very well read for those early days, and was indeed one of the noblest of Clark County's pioneers. His brother, James Donnels, who came in 1797, grew up under his care and married Mary Hopkins, settling where John Leffel now lives. He had eight children, but three of whom are living, viz., Susan, the wife of Jesse Boyd; Eliza, the wife of Lewis Huffman; and Jonathan. Mr. Donnels moved to the northeast corner of Springfield Township; thence to the farm where Jesse Boyd lives in Harmony Township, and finally to the farm where his son Jonathan now resides, where he and his wife died.
Hugh Wallace was born in Kentucky August 14, 1778; came to Bethel Township about 1795, and began working for David Lowry, with whom he staved several years. He was married to Margaret Smith, who died in 1814, and he then married Eleanor Richison, who was born in the Northwest Terri- tory in 1793, and had nine children, seven yet living. He was in the war of 1812, and died in 1864. His widow died in 1875.
Justin Tauman was born in Virginia in 1770, and his wife Rebecca in North Carolina in 1772. They came to Brown County, Ohio, in 1798, and, in 1501, to this township. He was appointed Associate Judge after the county was organized, and held that office several years. He was also a member of the Legislature. They had thirteen children. He died in 1827, and his wife in 1864.
Jacob Huffman, a native of Pennsylvania, settled in the eastern corner of the township in 1802. He died December 1, 1542, aged seventy-two years, and his wife Catharine, died in August, 1866, aged eighty years. They had ten children who grew up- five yet living, viz., Henry, Reuben, Martha, Rachael and Samuel. He built a fine stone house which is yet standing.
George Croft was born in Pennsylvania in 1771, and was married in Vir- ginia, in 1799, to Mary Critz, of that State. In 1804, they came to Bethel Township with two children, and seven were born to them afterward. Mrs. Croft died i: February, 1546, and her husband after re-marrying died in Octo- ber, 1855.
Thomas Cory was born in Esses County, N. J. in 1738. He came to Ohio in a very early day, and settled in Warren County, whence he came to Bethel Township, this county, in 1803, bringing his son Elnathan, with whom he lived until his death in IS13.
Elnathan Cory was born in Essex County, N. J., January, 1776. He came to this township with his father in 1803. and entered the northwest quarter of Section 34. During the war of 1812. he was an extensive contractor with the Government for army supplies. He married Hannah Jennings in June, 1800, and by her had eleven children, of whom eight lived to adult age and three died in infancy. Four are now living, viz., Judge David J. Cory, Eliza Miller, Rhoda W. Cross and Sarah Smith. Mrs. Cory died August 20, 1834, and her husband June S. 1842.
Abraham Brooks Rall was born in Essex County, N. J., September 9, 1776, and. at the age of eleven years, ran away from home with an expedition that went to Western Pennsylvania. In 1789, he went to Cincinnati, where he worked with his uncle in a mill for three years, when he commenced learning the brick-layer's trade. In 1795, he returned to his Eastern home, where he married Elizabeth Lambert. In October, 1504. he again came to Cincinnati with his wife and one child, and, in the December following, came to this town-
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ship, where he entered the northwest quarter of Section 33. He continued to work at his trade during the summer months until 1825, when he retired to the (mint of his farm. He had eleven children, nine of whom lived to be married. He died April 20, 1864, and his wife March 28, 1844.
William Layton, with.a large family of children-Joseph, Robert, Arthur, John, William, Jr., Polly, Sally and Betsey-came to this township in 1803. settling in Section 2, on Mad River, not far from the mouth of Donnels Creek. He was a Pennsylvanian, and died on that farm. The descendants of this fam- ily are among the most prominent people of the county, Joseph having been Judge of the court, John being one of the first Clerks of the county and a County Commissioner, and John E., the son of John, was Sheriff from 1856 to 1860.
Henry Williams and his wife Elizabeth came from Virginia with four chil- dren in 1805, and settled on the land now occupied by their son Rev. Henry Williams. They had nine children-five born after they came to this county. Mr. Williams was a soldier in 1812, and died in 1845, his wife having died in 1829.
George Keifer was born in Maryland in 1769, and there married, in 1799, In Margaret Hivner, a native of that State, born in 1772. They came to this township in 1812, and bought a large tract of land which was the birthplace of Tecumseh, the noted Indian chief. They had five children. - Mary, Sarah, John. Catharine and George, who all grew up on this farm, and here the parents died leaving descendants, who have since become prominent in county, State and national affairs.
John McPherson came about 1800, and settled on Section 21. John Forgy. James Forgy, Stewart Forgy and Presly Forgy came in 1806. Their father John Forgy came much earlier, and settled in Mad River Township. Samuel Mckinney came about the same time; he was a prominent music teacher in the early times. In about 1803, came John Wallace, Sr., from Kentucky; he was the father of James Wallace, many years a prominent merchant. and Dr. Joseph Wallace, late of Springfield. Leonard Hains, Reuben Wallace, John and James Lamme, John Crane, Sr., came first to the county in 1502, settled on Bethel in 1806. George Lowman came in 1810; the next year built the "stone house" which for many years was a wonder, and the only house other than wood in the western part of the county. Joseph Reyburn, William Holmes: John Crue, Abraham Keever, Joseph Butler, Edward Riggs, Oliver Walker, William McCoy, Jacob Bingerman, Benjamin Pursell, John Jackson, Jacob Loofborow, John Whalen, Ezekiel Paramee, all came to Bethel prior to 1810. This list is doubtless incomplete, as at this late day it is impossible to get the best account of the early times.
Among the old settlers who came later than the above, mention might be made of the following and their places of settlement: John Husted, who set- tled on Donnel's Creek, Section 9; Jacob Funderburg, on Section 9; John Rich- inson, on Section 9: and Jacob Leffel, who settled on Section 17 about 1817. He was a native of Virginia, and had a large family, two of whom, John and Peter, now reside in Bethel Township, and James in Springfield. Jacob had the following brothers: Samuel, Daniel, Anthony. John. JJames P. and Thomas. who have all left descendants in this county, who are well known and respected : in fact "the Leffels" is a name that is a household word throughout the State. having gained a world- wide celebrity from the invention of the turbine water- wheel by James Leffel, who was long a resident of Springfield, but died a few years ago.
In educational matters Bethel Township seems at the first settlement as well asnow to have occupied the front rank. As early as 1805, a schoolhouse
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
was erected on the farm of Capt. McPherson. about the same time another was erected on the farm owned by George Lowman, both of which were long known as landmarks, and used as points of reference by the early settlers. Those schools were of course supported by subscription, as there was no State provis- ion for schools until 1821. The writer has before him the ledger of a teacher who taught at the Lowman Schoolhouse in 1810. The book is so much mutil- ated it gives no clue as to who he was. The teacher was a man well adapted to to those pioneer times. and therefore made himself generally useful as will be seen farther on. The charges for tuition and style of payment would astonish the teacher of the present day. Charges and credits like the following are found in the ledger mentioned:
1810. April 16. William Holmes, to one quarter's teaching 3 scholars $4 50
July 18. To one quarter's teaching 3 scholars. 4 50
Nov. 7. To one quarter's teaching 3 scholars. 4 50
1811.
Mich 11. To cash loaned .. 1 00
May 10. To making plow beam. 50
May 11. To hoeing corn one day. 50
Aug. 24. To making plow. 1 50
Oct. 10. To each nared
75
Nov. y. To 2 days' husking corn, 1 days' loading do. 1 20
Nov. 13. To 2 days' pulling corn. 1 00
1810. The credits are as follows :
Jan. 17. By 1 bushel corn. 25
M'ch 17. By a house at appraisement. 20 00
Feb. S. By 26 pounds pork. 2 30
June 30. By 1 bushel shelled corn. 25
June 30. By 16 sheets of paper. 47
July 4. By 1 gallon whisky. 1 00
Dec. 27. By 1 pattern deer-skin for breeches. 1 00
The account amounts to fifty odd dollars, and was all paid in "trade" as were nearly all others found in the book. The teacher of those times was usu- ally a middle-aged or elderly man (we mean in the new settlements) with but little education himself, and higher aspirations than his neighbors, feeling keenly his own needs, devoted himself and his good sense to improving the minds of hi neighbors children, although the schoolhouse and the teacher offered but few advantages by which an education might beobtained. yet "burly chiefs and clever Lizzies, were reared in sie a way as this is." The ledger shows that many of the patrons of the school were residents of the adjoining townships, and some from a considerable distance, proving the teacher to have been trust- worthy. Bethel Township is organized into eleven school districts; all have substantial buildings; six districts have two-story buildings for graded schools. The Board of Education have always been well up to needs of the times, and supplied each schoolhouse amply with all the furniture and apparatus necessary for successful teaching.
Bethel Township has three villages. The Rev. Archibald Steel settled on part of Section 19, Township 3, Range 9, in 1807; soon after built a grist-mill, which formed the nucleus of the town of Medway. It is situ- ated on the Valley Pike, nearly midway between Dayton and Springfield. The last census gave 211 inhabitants. Medway is surrounded by one of the finest farming districts in the world -- which, however, is the character of the whole of the Mad River Valley. Medway has one dry goods store, and one grocery and provision store, a carriage-factory, wagon and blacksmith shops, a mill for the reduction of wood to pulp for the manufacture of paper; this estab- lishment employs a number of hands, and will soon be increased to more than double its present products. The Woodbury touring-mills, adjoining Medway.
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are among the best in the Mad River Valley and doing a large business, having a never-failing supply of water, and is never stopped by the coldest weather. The buildings in Medway are generally better than are usually found in a vil- lage of its size. it contains a graded school and two churches- - the Methodist and a new Mennonite; a large proportion of the people in the vicinity are mem- bers of the latter church, and are noted as agriculturists of the most thorough sort.
New Carlisle was laid out in 1810, by Willlam Reyburn; the first location was about eighty rods west of the present town, and was called York. In 1512, the pres- ent plat was laid out. and called Monroe. In 182S. the name was changed to New Carlisle, and the census of 1850 gives it 872 inhabitants. The village is located on the west bank of Honey Creek. about twelve miles west of Springfield. and about sixteen miles northeast of Dayton: the streets are at right angles. and the free use of gravel. which is abundant and easily obtained, has made them first-class. The buildings are generally good, among them some very fine and comfortable residences. The town hall, Odd Fellows' and Masonic buildings, and the churches, five in number. are good, substantial structures. The village was incor- porated in 1832. Though remote from railroads, Carlisle has a very fair gen- eral trade; there are two fine stocks of dry goods, two drug stores, five grocery and provision stres, one general stock of hardware and qucensware, one mer- chant tailor and clothing establishment. a bakery and confectionery, two harness- shops, two tin and stove stores. two furniture and cabinet shops, two hotels, one carriage-factory, one wagon-shop, five blacksmith-shops, one cooper, one shoe store, two shoo manufactories, two livery and feed stables, one agricultural implement warehouse, two millinery establishments, one notion store. two meat markets and two nurseries. New Carlisle is surrounded by one of the most fertile grain-growing districts in the world. Some statistics, recently collected, show an almost incredible amount of wheat, corn. rye, barley, flax-seed, potatoes, hay, beef, pork, sheep. grass seeds, produced in an area of four miles around the village. The soil is also well adapted to the growth of fruit trees, as is shown at the nurseries that adjoin the village, hundreds of thousands of which are shipped every year from this place and distributed all over the country, to both wholesale dealers and agents.
Donnelsville was laid out about 1832 by Capt. Abram Smith. The census of 18SO gave it 232 inhabitants; who support one dry-goods store, two grocery and provision stores, a wagon and blacksmith shop, two shoe-shops. Donnels- ville is situated on the National road, seven miles west of Springfield, and con- tains two churches. The Methodist Episcopal Church was formed of a class, that in 1819 met at the house of Leffel, the father of Jeremiah Leffel, who lived about two miles north of the village. to which it was removed about the time the town was laid out. The church building is of brick, substantial and commodious. Membership. seventy-five. The Lutheran Church was or- ganized about 1530, and met for a number of years at the house of Jacob Sny- der. Later, a house of worship was built and occupied on the Valley Pike. known as " Croft Church." on the farm of George Croft, who was the main in- strument in its erection and support. A few years since, the interest was re- moved to Donnelsville, where a substantial and commodious house had been built for the accommodation of the congregation.
Donnelsville has some very tasteful and pleasant private residences. A graded district school is held in a good and substantial two-story brick house.
The Christian Church in New Carlisle is perhaps the very first of any kind planted in the whole region north of Dayton. Unfortunately. the earliest records of the church were lost many years ago. What evidence we have, clearly shows that it is among the first formed after the great revival at Cane Ridge, in Ken-
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
tucky, in 179S, at which time the denomination first took the form of a distinct- ive church. A letter before us, written by Judge David J. Cory, of Findlay. Hancock Co., Ohio, says, " As to the date of the organization of the Christian Church in New Carlisle, I am unable to say. The first I recollect of it was in 1805, when I was about four years old; meeting was held in our cabin. I re- member going to bed at dark, after getting a good nap, then be waked up by the singing, and lay in bed listening, and well remember how badly I felt." The Judge then says that he well remembers hearing his mother speak of incidents connected with the church that warrants the belief that the church was organ- ized as early as 1799, or 1500 at the latest. After a time. the cabin on the Cory farm became too small to accommodate the people; a cabin church was built op- posite the cemetery, on the Crawford farm, west of the Cory farm, where they worshiped for a number of years. The church building in the village was erected about 1527; later, it was remodeled into its present condition -- that of a substantial, comfortable place of worship. Among the earlier Pastors of this church were Stackhouse, Worley, Purviance, the Elder McCoy, Potter, the Elder Simonton, Baker and Reeder, and others who are held in reverence as earnest. self-denying men of their times. The church has maintained its organization ander the times of depression and through all the various vicissitudes it has been called to pass through. More recently, its membership has been increased un- der the labors of the present Pastor, Rev. T. C. Diltz. The Presbyterian Church, or the Honey Creek Church, as it was formerly called, is also one of the ancient landmarks of the Miami Valley. The first record of this church is found in the minutes of the Transylvania Presbytery, whose bounds are thus described in said minutes: "On the north by Cherokee Creek, on the east by the Alleghany Mountains, on the west by sunset, on the south by Tennessee." Rev. William Robinson was Pastor of the Mount Pleasant and Indian Creek Churches in Kentucky; salary, $110; resigned in 1802, and became Pastor of the Presby- terian Church in Dayton, Ohio, who worshiped in a log meeting-house that stood on the same lot now occupied by the court house. Mr. Robinson in the same year preached to a congregation on Honey Creek. The Rev. John Thompson, who was then known as the "Miami Joshua," preached to Presbyterian congre- gations in the Miami Valley in 1800, one of which was on the Mad River at Decker and Lreb's Indian Station, near Boston. Mr. Robinson and Rev. James Welsh visited Honey Creek occasionally until 1804, when Mr. Robinson organi- ized Honey Creek Church and supplied it with preaching occasionally until 1507, when the Rev. Archibald Steel came to the county and settled where Med- way now stands. Mr. Steel preached as a licentiate until : 1815, when we tiud the following minute in the record of the Miami Presbytery: "A. Steel was ex- amined in Latin, Greek, history, philosophy and theology, as parts of trial for ordination. The examination was sustained." And thereupon the candidate was ordained in the log schoolhouse at Springfield, on Buck Creek. in Cham- paign County, June 22, 1815. The first meeting-house of Honey Creek Church was built of logs, in the cemetery south of Carlisle, about the time Mr. Steel be- gan to preach to the church. The first Ruling Elders were Adam McPherson. Sr., John H. Crawford and Joseph Robinson, who were " set apart according to the book " by the Pastor, William Robinson, when the church was organized in 1804. The congregation continued to worship in the log church until 1525. when the present building was erected in the village. We will say here, the building was remodeled to its present appearance in 1966. Rev. A. Steel was Pastor from 1807 until his death, which occurred in 1831. Rev. William Gray succeeded Mr. Steel, and was Pastor from May 12, 1532, to April, 1911. Rev. E. R. Johnson. as a licentiate, was stated supply from February 28, 1541. to May 15, 1842, when he was ordained and installed Pastor (Dr. Lyman Beecher
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Mr B Jenkins MAD RIVER TP.
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preached the ordination sermon), and continued to serve the church until his death, which occured September 6, 1862. His pastorate extended over twenty vers. Mr. Johnson was succeeded by the Rev. Lusk, he by Rev. G. Beaty, he by Rev. B. Graves, he by Rev. Thomas, then Rev. G. M. Hair, lastly Rev. H. P. Cory. The church is now without a Pastor. Number of members, 150. We find in the records of Honey Creek Church the names of many of the earlier settlers: among them were John Steel, the father of Rev. A. Steel, who died in ISIS; John Forgy, Adam McPherson, Sr., Adam McPherson, Jr., Samuel McKinney. James Forgy, John Paul, John Wallace, Joseph Stafford, John Clengan. Stewart Forgy, William Holmes, John Ainsworth, John Montgomery, Abner Kelley. Eze- kiel Paramee, who were among the solid men of the times, and did their share in "learing up the country, as well as sustaining the church.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of New Carlisle has the same misfortune of many of the earlier churches in the loss of the first records. The first inti- mation hadof its existence is about 1812, when tradition has it a class had been formed and met at the house of Giles Thomas, who was its leader; the class met for a few years at the same place, when a small church was built on the southwest corner of Pike and Jackson streets. Many of the early Pastors of this elenaab scava among the noted men of the times. Lorenzo Dow preached a ser- mon to this church: William Raper, James Findley. George Maley, Joshua Boncher, William Simmons and Joseph Laws were among the earlier Pastors. The present meeting-house was built in 1853, improved in 1869, and is among the best found in the rural districts: the interior is unusually good, and speaks well for the enterprise of the congregation. Membership, 200. The church owns a comfortable parsonage, occupied by Rev. J. McK. Shutz, the Pastor.
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