USA > Ohio > Clinton County > The history of Clinton County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory, Volume 2 > Part 15
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This list contains the names of such trees as are indigenous to the locality :
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
FAMILY NAME.
Common Name.
. Classical Name.
Elm
Red or slippery elm.
Ulmus fulva.
Elm
White elm.
U. Americana.
Elm
Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis.
Dogwood.
Dogwood
Cornus florida.
Dogwood
Black gum.
Nyssa multiflora.
Fig ..
Mulberry.
Morus Rubra.
Laurel.
Sassafras
S. officinale.
Linden
Linden or Basswood.
Tilia Americanus.
Oak.
Burr oak.
Quercus macrocarpa.
Oak
White oak
Q. alba.
Oak
Red oak ..
Q. rubra.
Oak.
Horn-beam or iron wood.
Carpinus.
Maple.
Sugar maple.
Acer saccharinum.
Maple.
Swamp maple ..
A. rubrum.
Plane tree.
Sycamore or buttonwood.
Plantarus occidentalis.
Pulse
Locust
Robina pseudacacia.
Walnut.
White walnut or butternut. . Juglans cinerea.
Walnut.
Shellbark hickory.
Carya Sulcata.
Walnut ..
Brown or pignut hickory
C. porcina.
Soapberry
Buckeye or horse-chestnut ..
Aesculus.
Willow.
Common willow
Salix cordata.
Willow.
Black willow.
S. nigra.
Willow
Yellow poplar.
Populus grandidentata.
Willow
American aspen.
P. tremuloides.
Oak.
Beech.
Fagus ferruginea.
Olive.
White ash.
Fraxinus Americana.
Olive.
Blue ash.
F. quadrangulata.
Pear
Wild cherry.
Prunus Serotina.
FORMATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.
The territory now embraced in the township was originally a part of Chester and Vernon Townships. The first official act of the first Board of County Commissioners of the then new county of Clinton, was to divide the county, then but recently established, into three townships-Chester, Richland and Vernon. Richland absorbed the territory that had been sliced off from Highland County, and the two others, that taken from Warren. The line be- tween the two counties ran in a due north and south direction, immediately east of where the original town of Wilmington was afterward laid out. Grant street is now at or near the old line. Lytle's Creek was the line between the two townships of Chester and Vernon, beginning where the creek crossed the former line of the two counties mentioned, and continuing to the point where it unites its waters with those of Todd's Fork, and from their junction the line ran due west to the Warren County line. This order was made on the 6th of April, 1810, by George McManis, James Birdsall and Henry Babb, who had been elected to office but a few days before.
The boundary line between Chester and Vernon Townships remained the same as established by this order until August 21, 1813, when at a special meeting of the Commissioners, the line was moved farther north, changing it , to the State road leading from Wilmington to Lebanon, Union Township be- ing established at the same time, and absorbing portions of both townships. It seems that this order was not understood by all, and it was reiterated at the June session, 1830, as will be shown by the following entry:
JUNE SESSION, A. D. 1830.
CHESTER AND VERNON Alteration.
TOWNSHIPS,
At the present session of the Commissioners of Clinton County, to wit: the stated session of June, 1830, held by Joseph Roberds, John Lewis and James Sherman, Commis-
Honey locust.
S. oficinale.
Black walnut.
J. nigra.
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sioners, a petition signed by divers citizens of the county, praying for a restoration to Vernon Township, of that part of Chester which formerly belonged to Vernon, that is, that the Lebanon State road be the line between said townships; whereupon the Commission- ers aforesaid, being of opinion that said alteration is necessary, adjudge and order that the said alteration be made, and that the road aforesaid be hereafter taken and esteemed to be the line between said townships.
The village of Sligo having grown into a considerable town previous to 1849, although unincorporated, part of the village being in Chester Township and part in Vernon, there was a movement begun by its citizens and others of the vicinity, to form a new township of which it should be the business center and voting place. Accordingly, on the 5th day of March, 1849, a petition for a new township was presented to the County Commissioners, signed by John , H. Moore, Simon Harvey, and others, praying for the formation of a new town- ship out of the territory therein described, and which included parts of Ches- ter, Vernon and Union Townships. Hiram Maden was appointed by the Commissioners to make the survey and ascertain the number of square miles in the proposed territory, which he afterward did. Having ascertained that it did not include sufficient territory required by law to constitute a new town- ship, leave was asked to withdraw the petition and papers, which was granted. Another petition was immediately put in circulation for the same purpose, which was on the 1st day of May, 1849, presented to the Commissioners at a special session, asking for the formation of a township, the survey this time including more territory than before.
COPY OF THE PETITION.
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO :
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Your petitioners, citizens of Clinton County, Ohio, respectfully represent that we labor under great inconvenience on account of our very remote situation from the place of holding elections, and from the place where other township business is transacted, in con- sequence of which we respectfully, but most earnestly, ask you to establish a township to be taken out of Union, Chester and Vernon Townships.
[Here follows a description of the Territory the same as in the survey.]
We, your petitioners, now claim it is an act of justice, as there is left in each of the townships from which the proposed new township is to be taken, ample amount of terri- tory to still constitute a constitutional township, that our petition be granted as now asked for, and which is signed by citizens and voters in the district included in the boundary of the new township.
NAMES OF PETITIONERS.
Jeremiah Kimbrough, Daniel Shank,
Abel Thornberry,
Jabez II. Hadley,
John H. Moore, Adam Osborn, Uriah W. Hunt, John Crosson,
Chalkley Albertson, Ezekiel Hornaday,
Joel Mckinney, John R. Jobe, George Carter,
Jehu Pyle, William Cooper, Samuel J. Cleland, James M. Davis, Eden Andrew, William Ballard, -
David Harlan,
Eli Kimbrough, John Hadley, Jr., William B. Andrew, John B. Davis, George Maden, Lewis F. Davis,
George Slack, Esq.,
Egbert K. Howland, James H. Elkins, Alden Jenks, John Townsend,
William Henson, John Pyle, Clinton Parks, Eli Hadley, Levi Stratton,, Simon Hadley, Levi N. Miller, David Jenks,
William Osborn, David F. Harlan, Samuel Andrew, Reed Ferris, E. F. Curl, Micajah Stratton, Hiram Maden, Eli Harvey, John Daugherty, Thomas Kimbrough, John Cleland,
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Henry Harvey, William W. Sheppard, ,John P. Black Elihu Hambleton,
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William Vandervoort, David Pyle, Micajah Moore, Harlan Maden, William Bennett, Henry Hazard, David S. Pyle, John H. Elkins, Ezekiel Conklin, Samuel Moore. Aaron Howell, William S. Riley, Alfred Black, Joshua Clark, Joseph Thatcher, Stacy Haines, Daniel Smith,
Benjamin Brackney,
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
S. Lindley,
Lorenzo Clark,
Ira Ferris,
John Kimbrough,' B. F. DeLaplane,
Samuel Omerman,
John B. Smith,
Cyrus E. Carter,
DeLos Ferris,
Lorenzo Jenks,
Calvin Andrew,
Samuel Mart,
James Black,
Joseph W. Slack,
Nathan M. Evritt,
Joshua Moore,
John J. Anson,
Artemas Nickerson,
William A. Glover, Asa Green,
Moses Izard,
Seneca Wildman,
William P. Harvey,
John Hornaday,
John Maden,
Isaac Hornaday,
Simon Harvey,
Isaac Schooley,
Jesse Thatcher,
Joseph Wingfield,
Eli Maden,
J. H. Longshore,
John Fallis,
Mahlon Stratton,
Alfred Hollcraft,
Amos Haines,
Armoni Hale,
Alexander Bowen,
Jonathan D. Hadley,
Edward S. Davis,
David Curl,
Ezra Moon,
Alexander Harlan,
Jacob Hadley,
William Daniels,
Isaac Harvey,
Gideon Truss,
William Moore,
David Thatcher,
Alexander Cleland,
Augustus Buck,
Enoch Carter.
Joseph Moore,
John B. Carter,
Thomas J. Daugherty,
Thomas J. Cast,
SURVEY OF ADAMS TOWNSHIP.
The following is a copy of the survey that accompanied the petition, and, having been adopted as the boundary of the township at its formation, and not having since been changed, it still remains the boundary line:
"Beginning at a point opposite Jonathan Hadley's, at a stake in Warren County line, in A. Branstrator's field; thence east 118 poles to Jonathan Had- ley's, excluding him; thence to Isaac Hawkins' farm south 68° 20' east, cross- ing Todd's Fork at one mile and 194 poles, to the turnpike road at one mile and 290 poles, whole distance, two miles and 40 poles, to a stake, including the said Hawkins; thence to the land line of John Osborn, south 58° east two miles and 102 poles, to a beech and two small mulberries; thence east 116 poles to the west line of Union Township, to a stake and three beeches; thence south 1º west 44 poles, to the southwest corner of Union Township, to a dead beech and white oak; thence sonth 1º east 320 poles to a stake in said line in Peter Osborn's field; thence north 7º west, crossing Cincinnati State Road at one mile and 60 poles, the county road at Joshua Moore's at one mile, 312 poles, the county road at Haines Moore's at two miles and 140 poles, Lytle's Creek at two miles and 170 poles, the turnpike road at three miles and 102 poles, Todd's Fork at four miles and 280 poles, Waynesville road at five miles and 60 poles (whole distance five miles and 71 poles), to a stake; thence west 81 poles, crossing Waynesville road at 11 poles to a stake, where Union Town- ship line crosses the county road leading from Clarksville to Centre Meeting- House; thence to Daniel Collett's, Esq., south 86' 48' west, three miles and 165 poles, crossing Miller's Creek at 205 poles, excluding said Collett; thence west to the Warren County line, one mile and 159 poles to a stake in said line; thence with the Warren County line, south 1º west two miles and 571 poles . to the beginning, crossing the Lebanon road and line of Chester and Vernon Townships at two miles and 46 poles, containing twenty-two and one-quarter square miles."
This survey was made by Hiram Maden, a man of much experience as & surveyor, and a resident of Adams Township after its formation, until his death a few years ago. Of the territory within the lines of this survey Ches- ter Township contributed ten and one-half square miles; Vernon Township contributed eight and one-quarter square miles; and Union Township con- tributed three and one-quarter square miles. On the 1st day of May, 1849, the matter was considered by the Commissioners, and the order made by them establishing the township.
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William Simms,
Jeremiah Kimbrough,
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ADAMS TOWNSHIP.
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COMMISSIONERS ORDER AN ELECTION.
On the same day, the Commissioners directed that an election should be held for said township on Saturday, May 12, 1849, and gave notice of the same, directing the legal voters to meet at the shop of John H. Moore, in Sligo, on that day, and then and there proceed, as required by law, to the election of the township officers of said township, to wit: Three Trustees, one Clerk, one Treasurer, one Assessor, and one Constable. The County Commissioners at this time were Azel Walker, Joseph Hoskins and Jesse Doan. Thus was Adams Township established. Thirty-three years have since elapsed-a third of a century. The length of time that marks a generation has passed away. This flight of time has widely separated and scattered the actors of that day. Of the 130 that signed the petition, less than thirty are now residents of the township. The tide of emigration carried many westward. A few are resi- dents of other townships of the county. Probably fully one-half have paid the debt of nature and been gathered to their fathers.
FIRST ELECTION IN THE TOWNSHIP.
This was on the 12th of May, 1849. It was held at the shop of John H. Moore. Henry Harvey, David Jenks and W. B. Andrew were the Judges. The following officers were elected:
Trustees, Jeremiah Kimbrough, David Jenks and Peter Osborn; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Assessor, Dr. W. W. Sheppard; Treasurer, Simon Har- vey; Constable, James H. Elkins. On the 10th of October, in the same year, Henry Hazard was elected Justice of the Peace.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The following is a complete list, including these above, of the township officers elected each year, up to the present time:
1850-Trustees, David Jenks, Thomas Kimbrough, W. B. Andrew; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer. Simon Harvey; Assessor, Eden Andrew; Con- stable, James H. Elkins.
1851-Trustees, Thomas Kimbrough, W. B. Andrew, and W. S. Riley; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, John Cle- land; Constable, John Cleland.
1852-Trustees, Thomas Kimbrough, William B. Andrew, and Lewis N. Miller; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Will- iam W. Sheppard; Constable, James M. Longshore.
1853-Trustees, Thomas Kimbrough, W. B. Andrew and Jonathan Had- ley; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, William Hadley; Constable, John McBryant.
1854-Trustees, W. B. Andrew, Jonathan Hadley and John Hadley, Jr .; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Eden An- drew; Constable, William A. Oyler.
1855 -- Trustees, W. B. Andrew, Abel Thornberry and Ephraim Urton; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Hiram Ma- den; Constable, Samuel Holmes.
1856 -- Trustees, Abel Thornberry, Ephraim Urton and David Curl; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, W. B. Andrew; Con- stable, Charles P. Oyler.
1857-Trustees, Ephraim Urton, David Curl and Thomas Kimbrough; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Thomas Kimbrough; Constable, Allen Dakin.
1858-Trustees, Ephraim Urton, Joseph T. Coate and Harlan Maden;
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Clerk, W. B. Andrew; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Hiram Maden; Constable, A. F. Dakin.
1859-Trustees, Ephraim Urton, Joseph T. Coate and Hiram Maden; Clerk, W. B. Andrew; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Alexander B. Har- lan; Constable, Allen F. Dakin.
1860-Trustees, Ephraim Urton, Joseph T. Coate, Joseph W. Slack; Clerk, Jonathan D. Hadley; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Isaac Schooley; Con- stable, Isaac Schooley.
1861-Trustees, Joseph T. Coate, Joseph W. Slack and Ephraim Urton; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Isaac Schooley; Constable, Isaac Schooley.
1862-Trustees, J. W. Slack, A. T. Moore and Adam Osborn; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Isaac Schooley; Constable, Isaac Schooley.
1863-Trustoos, Adam Osborn, A. T. Moore and Goorge Maddon; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, J. M. Brazil; Constable, J. M. Brazil.
1864-Trustees, Georgo Madden, Adam Osborn and H. H. Hadley; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, I. W. Quinby; Constable, Robert Hazard.
1865-Trustees, H. H. Hadley, George Madden and Adam Osborn; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, Amos Huffman; Constable, Jobe Southard.
1866-Trustees, George Madden, H. H. Hadley and J. W. Slack; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvey; Assessor, A. M. Haney; Constable, A. J. Pennington.
1867-Trustees, H. H. Hadley, George Madden and J. W. Slack; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, Simon Harvev; Assessor, --; Constable, A. J. Pennington.
1868-Trustees, John H. Moore, Samuel Pyle and J. W. Hadley; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, D. H. Ogborn; Constable, Jobe Southard.
1869-Trustees, John H. Moore, Samuel Pyle and I. H. Osborn; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, D. H. Ogborn; Constable, Jobe Southard.
1870-Trustees, Samuel Pyle, I. H. Osborn and J. C. Green; Clerk, A. M. Haney; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, Elwood Curl; Constable, J. R. Southard.
1871 -- Trustees, Hiram Coate, John C. Green and I. H. Osborn; Clerk, Franklin Spencer; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, D. H. Ogborn; Consta- ble, Jobe R. Southard
1872 -- Trustees, Hiram Coate, William Hale and Joseph Anson; Clerk, Albert Stratton; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, D. H. Ogborn; Constable, A. J. Pennington.
1873-Trustees, Hiram Coate, W. Hale and Joseph Anson; Clerk, Albert Stratton: Treasurer, J. W. Slack, Assessor, Eden Andrew; Constable, Ira An- drew.
1874-Trustees, Hiram Coate, William Hale and Joseph Anson; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer; J. W. Slack; Assessor, S. G. Green; Constable, Samuel W. Baker.
1875-Trustees, Hiram Coate, William Hale and Joseph Anson; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer, Joseph W. Slack; Assessor, William H. Yeo; Con- stable, William M. Sumner. 1
1876-Trustees, James Whetsel, Joseph Anson and Hiram Coate; Clerk,
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S. McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, D. S. Pyle; Constable, W. M. Sumner.
1877-Trustees, James Whetsel, Joseph Anson and William Hale; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, J. C. Davis; Constable, W. M. Sumner.
1878-Trustees, Joseph Anson, William Hale and James Whetsel; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, Joseph H. Smith; Constable, W. M. Sumner.
1879-Trustees, Joseph Anson, William Hale and James Whetsel; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, Clark Moore; Constable, W. M. Sumner.
1880-Trustees, Joseph B. Carson, James Whetsel and William Hale; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, J. C. Davis; Consta- ble, W. M. Sumner.
1881-Trustees, J. B. Carson, William Hale and James Whetsel; Clerk, S. McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, Clark Moore; Constable, Henry Turner.
1882-Trustees, J. B. Carson, Harlan H. Hadley and Harlan Maden; Clerk, Samuel McFadden; Treasurer, J. W. Slack; Assessor, Frank Howard; Constable,
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE OF ADAMS TOWNSHIP, AND WHEN ELECTED.
Henry Hazard, October 9, 1849; John H. Moore, March 23, 1850; John H. Moore, October 9, 1852; Ira Kimbrough, April 4, 1853; Jabez H. Hadley, April 7, 1856; Robert M. Harlan, April 7, 1856; W. W. Sheppard, April 4, 1859; Robert M. Harlan, April 4, 1859; Robert M. Harlan, April 7, 1862; W. W. Sheppard, April 7, 1862; William McCune, April 3, 1865; I. W. Quinby, * April 3, 1865; H. M. Reese, April 2, 1866; Joseph Anson, April 1, 1867 (re- signed); William McCune, April 7, 1868; Aaron Harvey, April 7, 1868; David H. Ogborn, April -, 1809; Samuel Trimmer, October 11, 1870; D. H. Ogborn, April 3, 1872; Rodney Jenks, April 10, 1874; O. C. McCune, April 5, 1875; Levi Stratton, April 2, 1877; O. C. McCune, April 1, 1878; Levi Stratton, April 5, 1880; O. C. McCune, April 4, 1881.
ROADWAYS.
What may be termed the first road in the township was along Todd's Fork, the early immigrants following the water-courses, and cutting out the brush and logs as best it could be done. There were bridle-ways for horseback travel, and blazed ways from house to house of the early settlers, but nothing worthy the name of roads until after 1810. Soon after Wilmington was laid out, there was a road established from Wilmington to Lebanon, passing for some miles through what is now Adams Township. It is still known as the Lebanon road. Under an order of the County Commissioners, George Rich- ards, William Butler and Joseph Roberds, Viewers, with Nathan Linton, Sur- veyor, laid out a road from Centre Meeting-House down Todd's Fork, by Fallis' Mill, Eli Maden's, Jacob Hale's and Joshua Nickerson's, near John Hadley's Mill, to intersect the road leading down Todd's Fork, near William Hadley's. Their report was made April 3, 1819, afterward approved, and the road ordered opened. September 27, 1819, under order of Commissioners, Robert Eachus, Mahlon Haworth, Viewers, with Nathan Linton, Surveyor, proceeded to lay out a road from John Shields' Mill, on Cowan's Creek, by the way of Joshua Moore's Mill and Lytle's Creek Meeting-House, to Fallis' Mill. They reported October 19, 1819. The length of the road was five miles and 310 poles.
* I. W. Quinby, being about to remove to Wilmington, resigned after serving one year.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The road from Columbus to Cincinnati, known as the State road, was sur- veyed in October, 1822, under a resolution adopted by the General Assembly of Ohio, February, 1822. The resolution named John Matson, of Hamilton County, and Joseph Brown, of Knox County, as Commissioners for that pur- pose, who selected R. G. W. Howe as surveyor. The direction from Wilming- ton toward Cincinnati for the first eight miles was south 53º west. The whole length of the road was 101 miles. This road was never opened all the way. The high bluff south of Cowan's Crook prevented travol on it from that point south for several miles. Its location was not satisfactory to the people of Clinton and Fayette Counties. Accordingly, on the 27th of January, 1823, an act of the Legislature was passed naming Joseph Doan, of Wilmington, JOHO Millikan, of Washington Court House, as Commissioners to resurvey the State rond from Columbus to Cincinnati, and authorizing them to view the route by Washington, Wilmington, Clarksville, mouth of Todd's Fork and Hopkinsville to Cincinnati, and to compare as much of said route as lay be- twoon Wilmington and Cincinnati, with the route located by John Matson and Joseph Brown, and determine which of said routes would be of the most general and public utility. The survey was made in October, 1823. They reported in favor of the route surveyed by themselves by the way of Washing- ton Court House, Wilmington, Clarksville, mouth of Todd's Fork, Hopkins- ville and Montgomery to Cincinnati. Jesse Millikan was the surveyor from Washington to Cincinnati. The bearings on this road changed frequently, the line being mainly on the divide between Todd's Fork and Lytle's Creek. It was on better ground, and through a much more populated locality, and was of easy access from the settlements along both streams. The whole length of this route was 105 miles.
In March, 1827, a road was laid out and established from College Town- ship road to Holaday's Mill on Lytle's Creek, from near where Villars' Chapel now stands. It ran by or near where the following-named persons now resido: Eden Andrew, Joseph Carson, Mahlon Stratton, Joseph Anson and Mary Tur- ner. From Anson's, it ran on that line between Jenks and Howell to Hola- day's line; thence between Holaday and Jenks nearly north to Gaskill; thence between Gaskill and Jenks west about forty rods to the corner of what is now known as the Hale farm.
In 1828, a road was established from Pyle's Mill, in a northerly direction to the Lebanon State road by Branstrator's; distance, two and one-half miles, less than a mile of which lies in Adams Township.
In 1838, the road from the State road, near Peter Osborn's, in a northerly direction along the line between Benjamin Howell and John Osborn, across Holaday's land, afterward Isaiah Quinby's, between Conrad Smith and Caleb Moore, and past Hiram Maden's, was established.
Space will not permit an allusion to the location of all the roads of the township Suffice it to say that by the year 1840 the roads of the township `had generally boon established.
In the year 1835, a charter was granted by the Legislature for building the Goshen, Columbus & Wilmington pike. Work was begun on the south- west end of it the following year. The portion in Clinton County was built mainly in 1839, but not completed until 1840. It was never completed the whole distance, that part in Clinton County stopping two miles east of Wil- mington. The line from Clarksville to Wilmington was in the main built on the route of a road laid out by Doan and Millikan in 1823, but on a more direct line, cutting off many of the angles. The building of this pike was 1 looked upon at the time by the people of Clinton County, and especially those residing along the line, as an event of great importance in the history of the
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county. It facilitated travel and gave the farmers a broad, macadamized high- way over which to trasport their grain and produce to market at Cincinnati. It shortened the time of the trip fully one-half. It gave the people of Adams Township, and indeed of the whole county, the benefit of a stage line, with daily coaches each way; also greatly increased mail facilities. A line of tele- graph was established along the pike, which remained until the C., W. & Z. Railroad was built. This was the first pike in the county. Toll-gatos were erected at various points, and tolls taken. A toll-gate house was built at the half-way point between Wilmington and Clarksville, which might be termed the nucleus of the village of Sligo.
In 1867, the Legislature passed two different acts giving the County Commissioners authority to order the construction of free pikos, and to let out the grading and graveling of the same in sections, to the lowest bidder. They became known as the free pike laws. One authorized the construction of the same on a petition of a majority of the resident land-owners residing within the boundary of the road improvement. The tax to raise the construction fund was levied upon real estate only, according to the supposed benefits received, within two miles on either side of the line. This was known as the two-mile law. The other taxed both realty and personalty within one mile on either side of the same, and was known as the one-mile law. Under these acts, vari- ous lines of free pikes were established and built, until all the principal roads in the township had been widened, straightened to some extent, graded and graveled. It has made a very marked improvement in the roadways, and greatly facilitated public travel. This free pike system revolutionized road making. Nature has been generous and provided an abundant supply of gravel and stone for the purpose, generally easy of access.
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