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 29

Author: Durant, Pliny A. ed; Beers (W.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1410

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 29

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SURFACE.

The surface is gently undulating for the most part, some of it very level. Probably not an acre of the surface but what is plowable, except the beds of. the several little streams, natural and artificial, whose little curves pass over various parts of its surface.

BOIL.

The soil is excellent; none better may be found in the county. The lar- ger part is a black loam of great depth, and is very productive. In its natural condition, parts of the township were vory swampy. Many supposed it never could be delivered and made available for farming; but improvement has shown the contrary. The formerly rejected swamps are now the best lands-most valuable and most productive.

WATER.

There are no large streams of water in the township. East Fork of Little Miami, Cowan's Creek, another branch of the Miami, and Lee's Creek, or the waters of Paint, are the only streams of any note in the township, and these are comparatively small streams. There are few if any springs in it, yet but a few feet below the surface abundance of water can be obtained. It would re- quire but little labor to secure a supply of water sufficient to run machinery, to an unlimited extent.

VIRGIN CONDITION.

At the close of the nineteenth century, this township, like the adjacent country, was an unbroken wilderness. The bear, deer, wolf, raccoon, opossum and other wild game were abundant. The wild, uncultured Indian, "who sees God in the clouds, or hears Him in the wind," roamed through its forests in quest of game, or to execute his murderous work of savage warfare. Few white men had dared to pass through its "tangled copses." .

APPEARANCE OF THE WHITE MAN.

The exact time of the white man's appearance as a permanent fixture is now and probably will remain forever in doubt. The first settlers are all gone. Few if any of the second generation live to inform us of the early settlements. Hence, we are compelled to depend chiefly on the third and fourth genera- tions for our information. Through these we can obtain many facts, but not

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

their chronology. Hence, all that can be done is to approximate the time of events.

From the best evidence in our reach, it is believed that 1800 marks the year of the coming of the first settler in the township. In the history of Clin- ton County. compiled by Lake. Griffing & Stevenson. published in 1876. may be found the following statement: "Among the early settlers of the (Greene) Township were Joseph Anthony, from Virginia, on the land now occupied by Henry Nordyke; Abner Van Meter and Samuel Clevenger, on the land now owned by Isaac Pongate; Morgan Van Meter, a native of Morgantown, Va., settled in the vicinity of Snow Hill in the year 1800, on the land now owned by Zephaniah Spears." "Van Meter's purchase was 200 acres of land, on which he erected a double log cabin, the first of the kind in the township." This statement agrees very nearly with those made by the oldest and most reli- able of our citizens now living. Some slight discrepancies in regard to names . and dates appear, but these are few and trivial. Hence, we may be assured that about the year A. D. 1800, the first settlement was made in Greene Town- ship.

PLACES OF SETTLEMENT.

The first settlement was made a little southwest of the center of the town- ship, on the East Fork of the Little Miami. Shortly after this, probably in 1804, Micajah Nordyke, a native of North Carolina, settled in the vicinity of . Van Meter and Clevenger, who had preceded him three or four years. In the same year, Israel Nordyke settled on the farm now occupied by Michael John- son.

In the autumn of 1800, Micajah Nordyke, having sold his former claim, bought and settled the land now occupied by John Malone. The Nordyke brothers were natives of North Carolina, but quite early in life moved from their native State to South Carolina, where they remained but a short time, and then removed to Tennessee, on a stream called Lost Creek. From this place they again took up their journey, and found a lodgment in Greene Township, Clinton County, Ohio, where they remained upon the lands above named until they journeyed to the country beyond the vale of this life. They bought their land of Col. A. Buford, who then owned a large tract in this re- gion. They paid $2.50 per acre for their land.

This small settlement in the far-off wilderness became the nucleus around which many others gathered. In 1806 or 1807, Joshua and Stephen Hussey emigrated from North Carolina, their native State, and bought land, a portion of which is included within the present limits of the town of New Vienna. It extended eastward and included the farm now owned by Charles Good. The first house built by these brothers was situated very near the present site of Frank Woodmansee.

In 1810, Charles Harris, father of Elisha Harris, of Snow Hill, bought the land now owned by Jonathan Leeka, and settled upon it, and commenced the work of improving it. About the same time, the land now owned by Carey Clark and Hezekiah Hildebrant was settled by Thomas Cox, grandfather of Vincent Cox, blacksmith of New Vienna; and Joseph Anthony settled the land now owned by Messrs. Levi Miller, Dr. E. M. Woodberry and Henry Nordyke. William Noble, Sr., settled south of the Harris farm, and Aaron Cox where William Elliott now lives. Elisha Noble settled the Thomas Nor- dyke farm. Charles Harris built the "Snow Hill House," and opened a tavern ' there, probably the first in the county. His brother-in-law, Samuel Wasson, Dear the same time, built a house near where Cyrus King now lives, and com- menced to entertain travelers.

The north and northwestern' parts of the township were not settled quite

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so early as the south and southeastern parts, the parts just described. The means of knowing precisely the time of the settlement in that part of the town- ship are not within our reach at present; but the principal names of the early settlers there are Vandevort, Bashore, Hodgson, Rogers, Gregory, Hulse, Cash- man, Mckenzie, Walker, and perhaps others. The land of this region was held originally in large tracts, which Congress had bestowed for military serv- ices rendered in our Revolutionary struggle, or in repelling the attacks of the savage aborigines of the country. The first settlers purchased their lands of those original patentees. The pioneers of this region, like the pioneers of all countries, were brave, large-hearted, truthful, generous and kind. They ; left the civilization of their early homes and industriously sought their fortunes in the wilds of the Mississippi Valley. The first thing those brave men did when they found the lands they had bought, was to erect a rude structure called a cabin, for the protection of those for whom they were ready to sacrifice even their lives. When they found suitable sites wheroupon to erect their cabins, they at once began the work of construction, and in a marvelously short timo there would riso in the woods those ombryo homes, where the loving housewives and playful children were afterward to share the love and caresses of their noble husbands and sires. The houses were usually small, containing but a single room, of probably sixteen or eighteen by twenty feet in the square, eight or nine feet high, made of unhewn logs of moderate size, covered with clapboards three or four feet long, six to ten inches broad, laid in layers and held to their places by poles of sufficient size to accomplish what was desired. The spaces between the logs were filled with timber and covered with mortar made of clay and water. The floor was rough, made of puncheons or slabs split from the trunks of trees, of suitable size, and one side hewed. This hewn side was placed upward, and constituted the floor. The chimneys of these homely but hospitable palaces were constructed by cutting away three or four of the lower logs, at one end of the building, and removing them three or four feet out from the wall, then building them to the house again, by attaching pieces between the ends of the logs removed and the parts still remaining in the building. Against these logs and timbers stones were built, against which the fire was to be placed. This was called the back-wall; from the top of this back-wall the chimney was constructed by building together small pieces of timber and plastering these within and without with clay mortar. Such is a brief description of the first houses erected in this region. The dress of the people corresponded to their houses. The people had not then learned the refinements (?) of modern aristocracy. Their clothes were made, both fabric and form, by the labor of their own hands. Industry, economy and thrift were marks of that time. Under such a regime it took but a com- paratively short time until in place of forests, fields full of grain, with peace and plenty, appeared.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

The township was organized while it was yet within the territory of High- land County. Clinton County was organized in 1810, from territory which belonged to Highland and Warren Counties; but Greene Township had been organized prior to this date. This is evinced from the following record taken from one of the township books:

"(1.) October 28, 1809, William Noble's ear mark of his hogs, sheep and cattle is a crop and under-slit in the right ear and a hole in the left."

"(2.) December 4, 1809, Thomas Cox's ear mark of his hogs, sheep and cattle is a swallow-fork and under-bit in the left ear, and a crop and slit in the right ear.".

Further evidence is found in the fact that citizens of the township paid

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tax as citizens of Greene Township, Highland County, as early as 1807 to 1809. Here follow two receipts:

" Tax receipt, October 6, 1807. Received of Micajah Nordyke $2.65 of land and county tax for the year. Received by B. W. Johnson."

" November 9, 1809. Received of Micajah Nordyke his State and county tax; State tax, $2.25, county tax, 45 cents; 300 acres of land, No. 4,397."

This view is sustained by the testimony of Stephen Hussey and Henry Nordyke, two of the oldest citizens of the township. Both of these men, now noaring fourscore years of age, testify that they believe the township was or- ganized about the year 1809. Snow Hill was made the voting place from the organization of the township until about 1858; then it was divided into two precincts. New Vienna' was made the voting place of the southeast precinct, and New Antioch of the northwest precinct.

INCIDENTS, ANECDOTES AND AMUSEMENTS.

Micajah Nordyko roachod his land too lato in the autumn of 1806 to com- ploto his rough cabin for the use of his family before the winter stopped his work. In this half-finished house, with no chimney, warmed, by a fire built in the center of the house, he and his family wintered. Here, in the midst of the forest, the wife of Mr. Nordyke often sat through the night season in the absence of her husband, with her little children around her, and listened to the howl of the wolf, whose desire for food often led him even to the door. Here, also, she often cooked food for the straggling Indian. ,Henry Nordyke says he remembers an old chief by the name of John Coldwater, who often visited those early settlers and enjoyed their hospitalities. Upon the knee of this old savage he often sat while his mother prepared his meals. This friend. liness of the white and red men had grown up in this region because each re- spected the other's rights.

Hunting the wild hog in the fall and early winter was quite an amuse- ment, but often rather' dangerous. ' The wide forest, through which the swine could range, caused them to grow wild and sometimes ferocious. They could only be taken by strategy. A little corn, of which his hogship is very fond, would be scattered along a line in the woods toward an inclosure purposely prepared, and then a quantity would be thrown out in the field, and the gap in the fence left open and carefully watched until the swine would get well in- to the field; then a rush upon the gap was made to close it. After this, help was obtained, and as many hogs as were thought necessary were slain.

The first death among these pioneers was a child of Abner Van Meter. This cast a gloom over the thinly settled community, but their souls were stayed on the word of Him who said, "Suffer the little ones to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

DEVELOPMENT.

Seventy-five years ago the territory of this township was nearly without inhabitants; the most part of it low, flat and swampy, and all of it heavily timbered. It then had few houses, few settlers, no roads, no schoolhouses, and no churches. Now, it is delivered from this condition. The forest is nearly all gone, the low and flat lands are cleared off and well drained. Swamps have disappeared, and timber is scarce. The whole territory is thickly settled; inhabitants are numbered by thousands; schoolhouses and churches are plenty. For several years after the coming of the first settlers and tho first sounds of civilization, progress was slow. Emigrants from the East and South moved in gradually. By 1820, however, population had so increased as to occupy most of the lands of the township. Then the work of clearing and fencing the wild lands and subduing them to the interests of the settlers went

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forward rapidly. Soon thousands of acres were under cultivation, and covered with flocks and herds and golden grain, rich reward to the honest, earnest and industrious noblemen who settled here. Through those years of development the people were sociable, benevolent and kind, and though without many books, they were not without learning. Their minds were trained to think They reasoned for themselves, solved their own problems, and acted as individuals. True, they were rough in dress, and often lacked the refinements (?) of our modern aristocracy; still, they possessed the elements of a true, noble and in- dependent manhood. The pioneer came to this forest home without money and without machinery; hence, his struggle was protracted, and his victory slow but sure. The log cabin has given way to the stately mansion; wealth has taken the place of poverty; the forests have vanished and orchards of richest fruits fill their places. Population is now numbered by thousands; the house-raisings, log-rollings, flax-pullings, corn-huskings, spinnings, quiltings and singing-schools have given place to others, and it is thought, more refined(?) amusements, such as pools, cards, the dance, base ball, croquet, etc. In refer- ence to these changes it may be questioned whether the progress has been for- ward or backward, upward or downward.

SCHOOLS.

The site of the first schoolhouse in this township is somewhat uncertain. Lako, Griffing & Stevenson, in their Historical Atlas of Clinton County, say it was on the land now occupied by Henry Swingley. Stephen Hussey locates it near the site of his present residence, within the village of New Vienna. We have no means of settling this dispute, and must leave it to those whose tastes may lead them to further inquiry. It was built about the year 1812. In this house one Robert Peggin was employed to teach, but his intemperate habits caused his dismissal. After this, another man by the name of James Savage was employed, but he in his habits was but little better than Peggin; hence, he remained but a short while. This was the beginning of the schools of the township. Now there are nine subdistricts, one special and one village dis- trict. At first the schools seldom ran longer than three months in the year; now they average about eight months. The special district is at New Antioch, in the northwest part of the township; the village school in the southern part, at New Vienna. The special district has a good brick house, two stories, and two schools under the charge of Prof. -- - Sewell and Miss Katie Mitchell. This district was organized about eight years ago, or in 1874. James Dodd, a graduate of Bethany, W. Va., was the first Principal. Since he left, Profs. Laymon, L. D. Wysong and ---- Sewell have taken charge of the work. The school has done good service, and is still prospering. The district has furnished many thoughtful men and women, and several teachers, who have been eminently successful in school work. It may be interesting to note a few facts in reference to some of the sub-districts of the township, showing popula- tion, term of schools, wages paid, etc. . I shall have to transcribe a few things from the records of the Township Clerk:

Report of District No. 1 :- September 25, 1838. Our school commenced October 20, 1837, and expired April 20, 1838; the term of six months. There was $120 paid by sub- scription. No school tax. The number of pupils that attended school, fifty-eight. The branches taught-common reading, writing, arithmetic and geography. No building; no repairing. We find on a settlement with the Treasurer, that there remains, after paying the Clerk for taking and returning the number of youths for 1837, $1.50, and leaves in his hand $17.86. After proposing to the meeting repairing schoolhouse, proceeded to business. WILLIAM LUPTON, ABRAHAM FRASER,

JOHN B. CLARK, Olerk.

The above is a verbatim copy of the report.

BENJAMIN CLARK, School Directors. Z

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Report of District No. 2 :- September 21, 1838. The number of schools the past year is one for three months; the number of scholars in attendance, boys thirty-three, girls thirty; average attendance, thirty and a half. The branches taught were reading, writing, arithmetic and English grammar. The amount of public funds made use of this year was $15; the balance was raised by subscription. Amount raised by tax, none. We have received no school funds from the County Treasurer since the proportion of 1837. The balance remaining in the hands of the Treasurer is $38.85}.

JOHN HODSON, Clerk.

Such are mere samples of early reports of the public schools of the town. ship. It will be seen that wages were low, time of schools short, attendance small, and, it may be added, qualifications of teachers very moderate at best. At present there are nine subdistricts in the township; eight months, average length of schools; attendance, good; wages average $35 per month; teachers' qualifications, fair. The teachers in the subdistricts are generally energetic and worthy of the trust committed to them. Subdistrict schools, or as they nro more generally styled, common schools, are doing more in promoting in- telligenco among the massos and giving permanency to our Republican institu- tions than are our graded schools. They develop more thought, more intellect, less form, loss style than do tho graded schools. This tendency of our graded schools to inculcate mere form and style, with little thought, is the bane of these schools, and must, sooner or later, if not abated, prove their disgrace, perhaps their destruction. * The township may be proud of the general intelli- gence of her population.

POPULATION.

In the census of 1880, the population numbered about two thousand seven hundred. This population is chiefly permanent, made up of land-owners, mechanics, merchants, professional men and laborers. The most part of all have homes, and are well to do.

ROADS.

The roads of the township are good. Most of the highways are now gravel pikes. It is now pleasant traveling at any time of the year, so far as the roads aro concerned. It would be difficult to describe the difference between the swamp and mud roads of twenty and fifty years ago with the solid pike of to-day. These roads have cost a great deal of money, yet few, if any, would have them removed if the money they cost was paid back with heavy interest.

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad passes through the southern part of the township. This road does an immense business. It furnishes a good outlet for all exports and inlet for all imports. The road is in good condition and ably conducted. Two other railroads are now in prospect-one from Mays- ville to Columbus, and the other from Cincinnati to the Hocking Valley coal fields. If these roads are evor built, they will open up ample competition for the advantage of shippers who live in this region. They will cross the town- ship at right angles to each other, the one east and west, the other north and south. The Cincinnati & Marietta would pass through the center north and south, and the Cincinnati & Hamilton through the southern part. Nearly all crossings of streams are bridged; hence, weather can have little to do with travel. None are detained on account of lack of facilities, roads, bridges, etc.

CHURCHES.

Churches in this township, outside the villages, are two in number; one, the Methodist Episcopal Church near Snow Hill, on the New Vienna & Wil- mington pike, was built twenty-eight years ago, or about 1854. Like most other churches, this one has seen both prosperity and adversity. At present, however, it is without regular service. The other church belongs to the

*What would be the result if the graded, or higher schools, were abolished ?- P. A. D.

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Friends, and is situated on the pike leading from Lexington to New Antioch, about five miles southeast of the latter. It is a comparatively new house, hav- ing been built about twelve yoars. The house is a good one, and the church in good condition. The other churches of the township will be noticed in the history of the villages where they are located.

VILLAGES. -

The first village laid out in the township was called Morgantown, and was situated on the farm now owned by Washington Spears, near Snow Hill. There were but a few houses built here. It remained a town but a short time, and was then vacated, and became a part of the farm above mentioned.

The second village was New Vienna, now a pleasant town of about a thousand inhabitants, situated about the middle of the southeast boundary of the township.

Now Vienna was laid out by Thomas Hussey, in 1827. Jonathan Haworth was the first settler in the town after it was laid out. He settled the lot now owned by Thomas L. Rogers, and on the back part of the lot he and Thomas Reese erected a carding machine.

About the same time, Thomas and Joshua Hussey built a tread mill on the lot now occupied by Rev. C. C. Lazenby. This was afterward changed to a steam mill, and a sawing department added. This mill was built in the woods. It was a haunt for squirrels. The frisky little animals generally shared with the miller the toll of the grain, and for their thievish conduct many of them suffered capitally. The deadly rifle of the early settler was daily used upon them with terrible effect to the poor squirrels. The squirrel hunt was frequent, and an occasion of much merriment to both old and young.

About this time James Johnson and Ellis Nordyke, both then but mere boys, wrote a poem which has been preserved, and I here transcribe. John. son wrote four lines, then Nordyke four. It is headed "The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness," and roads as follows:

"Come ye mechanics from afar, And lend a helping hand. From selling we will not debar; Come settle fertile land. 1

"Yea, Buzzard's Glory is the place Where happiness doth reign; Come, come mechanics, don't delay! We invite you again.

"The invitation is to all, Ye sons of Freedom, come! If you pass this way, I hope you'll call And make this place your home.

"Where oil doth run so clear and bright, And the steam engine plays, If you were once to see the sight, Our noble works you'd praise."

This poem was written when lots were being laid out for the village of New Vienna, called in the poem " Buzzard's Glory." Reasons for this name we cannot give. No doubt there was some cause for the name, but none seem to know the reason now.

To return. In 1828, Stephen Hussey, Jr., and William Reese put up a building on the property now owned and occupied by Mr. Wooddell, and opened a store of groceries and dry goods. This was the first store in the vil- lage. In 1827 or 1828, Stephen Hussey started a tannery just north of the property now owned by W. D. Moore. This property passed into the hands of Samuel Myers about 1835, who did a considerable business in his line. He

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secured the help of a colored man by the name of William Gullifer. Gulli- fer was a good workman. He had a small family. This was the first colored person who had found a lodgment in the village or even settlement; hence, it created no small stir. Though he was a good citizen, yet the people said in suppressed tones, "The darkies are settling among us!"

The family at first lived on Main street, between First and Third streets, then moved into a little log house on the corner of Main and First south side. Mr. Myers lived at this time noar where Stephen Hussey now lives. One evening, after Myers and family had gone to bed, a few men and boys got to- gether at the store of Mr. Thornburg, successor of Stephen Hussey and Mr. Reese, and entered into an agreement binding all to secrecy, to build a house of brick from the kiln of Mr. Myers, high enough for a boy to stand straight in, say four feet high, which they did that night; and, after covering it with boards, they wrote and fastened to the door the following: "Please take this colored family over to Canada and relieve the village of them." . In this way the northeastern part of the village has ever since been called Canada. Noth- ing further, however, rosultod from this projudice of race; but the community has long been strongly opposed to slavery in all its forms.

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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 29

Author: Durant, Pliny A. ed; Beers (W.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : W. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1410

Author: Durant, Pliny A. ed; Beers (W.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1410