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 46
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and eleven days; Jane, his wife, died December 22, 1859, aged seventy-five years and ten days. Solomon Sharp died March 20, 1845, aged seventy-nine years five months and ten days; Rebecca, his wife, died November 3, 1836, aged eighty years nine months and eighteen days. William Sharp died June 13, 1860, aged seventy years and five days. Rev. William Newcomb was born August 6, 1777, and died April 15, 1868, aged eighty-nine years seven months and nine days; Rev. William Newcomb was licensed to solemnize marriage by the Court of Common Pleas of Clinton County at December term, 1820; Anna, his wife, died April 21, 1853, aged seventy-one years and five days. Robert . West died July 12, 1848, aged seventy-two years nine months and fifteen days; Henrietta, his wife, died December 17, 1854, aged seventy-eight years ten months and nineteen days. David Stokesberry died May 11, 1841, aged sixty. three years; Sarah, his wife, died August 25, 1853, aged sixty-five years three months twenty-two days. David Mourton died December 20, 1860, aged sixty years and one month; he was married to Elizabeth Elliott on the 22d of July, 1823, by Samuel Rood, Justice of the Peace.
GROVE GRAVEYARD.
"Joseph Bennett died the 30th day of the 10th month, 1865, aged eighty- four years two months and fifteen days; Ann. his wife, died 2d month 17th, 1857, aged eighty-four years six months. Jesse Bennett died 10th month 8th, 1846, aged forty-six years four months. Jesse Mckay died November 3, 1864, aged eighty-three years three months twenty-five days. Ann Adams died No- vember 1, 1864, aged forty-four years. Peter Adams died December 4, 1858, in the seventy-second year of his age; Polly, his wife, died May 30, 1869, aged seventy-seven years four months twenty days. Mary Lutterall, wife of Robert Lutterall, died December 5, 1857, aged fifty-six years and twenty-three days. Ice and Snow died April 29, 1860, aged seventy-nine years two months sixteen days; Mary, wife of Ice and Snow, died July 8, 1864, aged seventy- three years four months and four days. David Grove died February, 1855, in seventy-third year of his age. Harrison Geffs was born February 11, 1814, died November 25, 1844, aged thirty years nine months and fourteen days. Richard Crawford died April 3, 1856, aged fifty-three years three months and thirteen days; Esther, mother of Richard Crawford, and widow of James, of Pennsylvania, died November 13, 1845, aged seventy-seven years five months and eight days. George R. Doggett died November 8, 1865, aged seventy years seven months seven days. Levin Hubbard died June 19, 1849, aged eighty years. Henry Grove died October 19, 1849, aged thirty years and four days.
LUTTERALL GRAVEYARD.
" Jacob Grove died November 15, 1860, aged eighty-six years and eight days; Catharine, his wife, died December 2, 1862, aged ninety-one years and twenty-nine days. David Grove died April 16, 1863, aged fifty-five years eleven months and eighteen days. Sarah, wife of Edmund McVey, died Jan- uary 3, 1850, aged thirty-six years two months and twenty-six days. Mary Car- ter died February 7, 1873, aged eighty-six years six months six days. Rich- ard Lutterall died March 23, 1848, aged fifty years seven months eight days."
ELLIOTT GRAVEYARD.
" James McVey died April 21, 1859, aged seventy-two years eleven months and twenty-seven days; Keziah McVey, his wife, died June 23, 1860, aged seventy-three years one month and twenty-six days. Jane Elliott Pierce died January 14, 1872, aged seventy years eight months and twenty-eight days. William Elliott died September 28, 1839, aged sixty-five years nine months
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and three days; Elizabeth, his wife, died April 13, 1860, aged seventy-seven years seven months and sixteen days. Stephen Martin died April 28, 1844, aged forty-five years. Michael Fry, the rail-splitter, died April 13, 1866, aged seventy-one years three months thirteen days. His wife, Jane, died May 4, 1867, aged sixty four years. Edward Curtis died November 3, 1843, in the eighty-third year of his age.
"Christian Barger was born in Montgomery County, Va., August 8, 1776. He died on board the steamboat Lancet, at Birmingham, at the mouth of Ap- ple Creek, Perry County, Mo., December 24, 1844. Martha Price, his wife, was born in Augusta County, Va., October 1, 1781. She died in 1847, in Cass County, Ind., north of Logansport. Barger and wife were married in Montgomery County, Va., January 22, 1801. Thomas Barger was born in Montgomery County, Va., May 7, 1802, died in Warren County, Ohio, January 7, 1804. Elizabeth Barger was born in Warren County, Ohio, May 30, 1806. William P. Barger was born at the Pope Mill March 12, 180 -. Christian Barger was born in Highland County, Ohio, April 25, 1815. He died in Fayette County, Ohio, July 1, 1830. Philip Barger, older than Christian, came to Lee's Creek before Christian- not long, however. Christian Barger was living on the Thomas Conner farm in the fall of 1806, and was a squatter there. He is sup- posed to have come to Lee's Creek that year."
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
WILSON TOWNSHIP. BY R. R. PEELLE.
F OR a person who wishes to examine a subject fully, closely, carefully and truthfully, there is no portion so interesting as its genesis. Of history this is specially true. Given a reliable starting-point, and a few authentic data along the line of march, and it becomes a comparatively easy task for the historian to construct the narrative of the people or country he wishes to describe.
When we were assigned the pleasant task of writing a sketch of the early settlement and progress of the youngest of the thirteen fair daughters that compose the happy, peaceful, prosperous family of Clinton, we little thought to find evidence that within her borders was made the first improvement in our county. On the best of testimony we make the statement that as early as 1796 or 1797, while Ohio was still a part of the Northwest Territory, a family moved here, made permanent improvements, and, with little intermission, wero residents here for more than half a century. A biography of Amos Wilson, the father of the family, will be almost a history in itself of our township." He was born in New Jersey April 7, 1770; moved with his parents to Kon- tucky in 1784, where he lived for seven years. On the 22d of June, 1791, he · married Ann Mills. In 1795, he moved to Ohio, settling in Warren County, near Waynesville, where he lived for one or two years. In 1796 or 1797, he bought 200 acres of land of Joshua Carmen, situated in Taylor's Survey, No. 736. Placing his family of wife and two children on a sled drawn by one horse, and with two young men to clear a path through the dense, unbroken forest, he started to find his new purchase and make himself a home. His di- rections were to travel due northeast from the Deserted Camp till he had crossed Anderson's Prairie and ontered the white oak timber. By the aid of a pocket compass, ho traced his way, crossed the prairie, found the white oak timber, and, supposing he was on his own land, built a cabin and began a home. This was on what is now known as the Hinkson farm, in R. Egglos. ton's Survey, No. 886. As his arrival was too late in the season to clear tho ground and plant a crop, he concluded to break a piece of the prairie near by for corn. He did so, doubting all the time about the venture being profitable, as there were many ponies grazing in the prairie, belonging to a band of In- dians who were camped on the creek near where it is now crossed by the Cin- cinnati & Muskingum Valley Railroad. Mr. Wilson often related in aftor years that he never saw even the track of a pony on the land he had plowed; that some of the squaws and young Indians were constantly on the alert koop- ing the ponies away from his corn, so that in the autumn he gathered a good crop.
Finding that he was not on his own land, he moved onto the next survey, which afterward proved to be Lindsey's Survey, No. 732. The place choson this time is now known as the Cyrus Reed farm, owned by Miss Martha Doug. las. Here he built a house, planted an orchard and cleared several acres of land. What he called his "flax patch" -- a lot containing from five to eight acres-which was "cleared smooth," has been allowed to grow up in timbor again, much of it being now two feet and over in diameter. Here he remained until 1802 before discovering that he was again improving another's property,
1 and not his own. In that year, Joshua Carmen came from Kentucky to look after the survey of land that he owned, bringing with him Mr. Wilson's
* See notice of Amos Wilson in Chapter V.
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brother-in-law, James Mills. When Mr. Wilson was told that he was not on his own land, he became so discouraged at the prospect of receiving no benefit from the large amount of hard labor he had performed, and having to begin anew, that he announced his intention of quitting the place and going back to the older settlements. Mr. Carmen persuaded him to give up the idea, and, as part compensation for his repeated failures, made him a present of fifty acres adjoining his original purchase, on the west side. This fifty acres is now owned by James Ritchie.
In 1802, we find Mr. Wilson on his own land, now owned by Alfred Coul- ter, with Jamos Mills for a neighbor, on the south. Having made arrange- ments for'"raising" their cabins on the same day, with the aid of help from Cæsar's Creek and the Miami River, they "choso up," and did the work on a race, but so evenly wore they divided, and so skillfully and willingly did each perform his task, that the two gangs of workmen met almost at the middle point in the path between the two cabins, each going to help the other. In the year 1807, the first great sorrow of his life overtook him in the death of his wife. During the year, he was married a second time to Rachel James, with whom he lived till 1818, when she fell a victim to the " Dread Destroyor." His third wife was Mary Coulter, widow of William Coulter. In 1827, he built the first brick house in this part of the county. The house is still used as a dwelling, and is in a good stato of preservation. Having his farm well im- proved, and the country becoming too thickly settled for an old pioneer to breathe freoly, he sold bis possessions to Solomon Madden, and moved to Del. aware County, Ind., in the year 1839. The same year he was again bereft of his companion. In 1843, he was married to Eliza Dowden. Becoming dis- satisfied with his surroundings in Indiana, he moved back to Ohio in 1843, and bought his old home place again, where he remained till 1854, when ho again sold -- this time to John G. Coulter-and moved back to Delaware County, Ind., where he died October 27 in the same year, aged eighty-four yoars six months and twenty days.
One who knew him well says that " Amos Wilson was an honest, indus- trious and Christian man, a bright example, both in faith and works, to all with whom he came in contact." He brought up an interesting family of fif- toen children of his own, and four stop-children of Mary Coulter's. Of the nineteen children, sixteen married, and all but one were professors in some branch of the church. When married, ho was unable to either road or write, but his first wife taught him both. He was a Baptist preacher for many years, and two of his sons, Benoni and William, followed him in that profession. At the time of the Campbell excitement, he joined that sect, but soon left it, went back, and died in the faith and practice of the Baptist Church. His name is remembered in the township by the creek that drains nearly half of its area being called Wilson's Creek. Again in the name of the township; the first book of record has on its title page, "Record of Wilson Township, Clin- ton County, Ohio; organized August 20, 1850; named in honor of Rev. Amos Wilson."
Of James Mills, mentioned above, it can well be said he was an honest, industrious, progressive farmer -- one who was honored and respected by all who knew him. He lived on the farm where he first settled, and which still remains in the possession of his descendants, till his death.
Col. Thomas Hinkson was born in 1772, in Westmoreland County, Penn. His father had emigrated from Ireland in early life; had become an excellent woodsman, and visitod Kentucky at a very early period. He established a station near the junction of Hinkson and Stoner Branches, which together form the South Fork of Licking River. Here the subject of this notice was raised
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
until the age of eighteen years, when in the autumn of 1790, as a volunteer in the Kentucky militia, ho accompanied the expedition of Gen. Harmar. He was in the battle near the Miami villages, under Col. Hardin's command, in front of the town, and witnessed the total overthrow and massacre of the de- tachment under Maj. Wyllis. In this battle he received a slight wound in the left arm, and narrowly escaped with his life. He was afterward in the disastrous defeat of Gen. St. Clair, but amidst the general slaughter escaped unhurt. Hitherto he had served as a private, but was subsequently selected as a Lieutenant in the mounted volunteers from Kentucky who formed a part of the forces of Gen. Wayne against the same Indians in 1794. He was in the battle near the rapids of the Maumee, but never pretended that he had done anything worthy of distinction on that memorable day. During these several campaigns, however, he had formed the acquaintance of most of the leading men of Kentucky, and others of the Northwest Territory, which was highly advantageous to him in after life. Shortly after Wayne's battle, he returned to Kentucky, married and settled on a farm inherited from his father, situated in Harrison County, where he lived until the spring of 1806, when he emi- grated to Ohio, and in 1807 settled on a farm about eight milos east of Wil- mington, in what is now Wilson Township, Clinton County, but then in High- land County. He was soon afterward elected a Justice of the Peace for the latter county, and Captain of the militia company to which he belonged, in which several capacities he served until the organization of Clinton County, in 1810, when, without his knowledge, he was elected by the Legislature one of the Associate Judges for the new county. He made no pretensions to legal knowl- edge, nor will the writer claim anything for him in this respect further than good common sense, which generally provents a man from making a very foolish decision.
After this appointment, he remained quietly at home engaged in the occupations common to farmers, until the declaration of war in 1812, nor did ho manifest any disposition for actual service until after Hull's surrender. That event cast a gloom over the West. All of Michigan, Northern Ohio, In- diana and Illinois were exposed to savage depredations. Some troops had been hastily assembled at Urbana and other points, to repel invasion. Capt. Hink. son was then in the prime of life, possessing a robust and manly frame seldom equaled, even among pioneers. He was a man of few words, but they were to the point and for the purpose intended. He briefly explained to his family that he believed the time had come for him to serve his country. Taking leave of his family, he immediately set out for headquarters and tendered his services to Gov. Meigs, then at Urbana. The President having made a requisi- tion on the Governor of Ohio for two companies of Rangers to scour the country between the settlements and the enemy, Capt. Hinkson was appointed to command one of those companies, with liberty to choose his own followers. This was soon done, and a company presented to the Governor ready for duty. By this time the Indians had actual possession of the exposed territory, and it was the duty of these companies to hold them in check and keep the army advised of their numbers and position. In performing this duty, many thrilling incidents might be related in the life of our subject, but one or two must suffice. Hav · ing at one time ventured to the Miami of the Lake, to ascertain the condition of the enemy, they found them encamped near the foot of the rapids of that river, with a select company of Rangers, commanded by Capt. Clark, from Canada, numbering in all from three to five hundred, and under the command of the celebrated Tecumseh. The ground on the hill was for miles covered with a thick undergrowth, which enabled Capt. Hinkson and company to ap- proach nearly within gunshot of the enemy without being seen. It was late in
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the afternoon, and while waiting for the approach of night to enable them to withdraw more successfully, the company was quietly drawn up noar the brink of the hill, and directed in whispers to merely take aim at the enemy. This was rather a hazardous display of humor, but as many of his men had never been in battle, Capt. H. thought it an excellent opportunity to try their nerves. While engaged in this sport, they discovered Capt. Clark in the adjacent corn- field below, in hot pursuit after a flock of wild turkeys, which were running toward the place where Capt. H. and men were concealed. Here was a crisis. He must be slain in cold blood or made a prisoner. The latter alternative was adopted. The company was disposed so as to flank the Captain and his turkeys. The turkeys became alarmed and flew into the tree-tops, and, while the Captain was gazing up for his proy, Capt. Hinkson approached and politely requested him to ground arms, upon the pain of instant death in case he gave the least alarm. He at first made signs of resistance, but soon found "discretion the better part of valor," and surrendered himself a prisoner of war. Being at least 100 miles from the army, and in sight of such a force, Capt. Hinkson and company were in a very critical situation. No time was to be lost. A retreat was commenced in the most secret manner, in a southerly direction at right angles from the river. By traveling all night they eluded pursuit and brought their prize safely to camp.
Shortly afterward, Gen. Tupper's brigade arrived near the rapids and en- camped for the night, during which Capt. H. and company acted as picket guard, and in the morning a few were selected to accompany him on a secret reconnaissance down the river. Unluckily, they were met at the summit of a hill by a detachment of the same kind from the enemy. Shots were exchanged, and the alarm now fairly given to both parties. This brought on the skirmish which ensued between that brigade and the Indians. While fighting in the In- dian mode, near William Venard's, Capt. H. saw a dusky figure suddenly rise from the grass. He had a rifle never before known to miss fire. They both presented their pieces, which simultaneously snapped without effect. In prepar - ing for a second trial, it is supposed the Indian was a little ahead of the Cap- tain, when a shot from Daniel Workman (another ranger) sont the Indian to his long home, and probably saved Capt. H.'s life. After this skirmish, the Indians withdrew to Frenchtown, and block-houses wore hastily thrown up noar the spot where Fort Meigs was afterward erected, and where the Ohio troops were encamped when the fatal disaster befel Gen. Winchester at Raisin, January 22, 1813. The news was carried by express, and the main body ro- treated, leaving Capt. H. and company to perform the sorrowful duty of pick- ing up some poor stragglers from that bloody defeat, and burning the block- houses and provisions within twenty-four hours, which was done before it was known that the enemy had retired to Malden. The Ohio brigade, and others from Pennsylvania and Virginia, soon rallied again and formed a junction at the rapids, where they commenced building the fort so renowned for with- standing two sieges in the spring and summer of 1813. During its erection, Capt. Hinkson was attacked with a peculiar fever, then raging in the army, from which he did not recover fit for duty until late in the spring. With a shattered constitution, he returned to his home, and was immediately elected Colonel of the Third Regiment of the Second Brigade and First Division Ohio Militia, which was then a post of honor requiring much patience and discretion in a region rather backward in supporting the war.
The reader will in this narrative see nothing beyond a simple recital of facts, which is all that the unassuming character requires. He was a plain, gentlemanly individual, of a very mild and even temper, a good husband and, kind fatber, but rather indifferent to his own interest in money matters, by
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which he became seriously involved, lost his property, and removed to Indiana in 1821, where he died in 1824, agod fifty-two years.
John Coulter was born in County Antrim, Ireland, July 18, 1777. He served in the army during the Irish rebellion of 1798. In 1803, while there was an armistice between the contending forces, he came to America, landing at New York, where he remained for a short time, coming thence to Cincinnati, Ohio. An entire stranger to the habits, manners and customs of his new surround- ings, he concluded to consult Judge Symmes in reference to business matters. The Judge advised him to purchase and improve a piece of land near Cincin- nati, as there was a constantly increasing demand for improved property near the city. He was further advised never to carry anything to market that he could sell for a fair price at home. Mr. Coulter followed the advice given him, and the prosperity attending his efforts proved that the Judge was correct in his estimate of business matters. His first purchase of land was on Mill Creek, which he improved and sold to advantage. In 1806, he bought of Jacob Piatt, who owned Walker's Survey, No. 743, the land now belonging to his son, John G. Coulter. He leased a part of his purchase to Oliver Simpson for a term of three years, and the latter came out immediately and began improvements near the place of the present family residence. June 11, 1807, Mr. Coulter married Margaret Gibson, a native of County Fermanagh, Ireland. In December, 1809, they moved to their new home, where they passed the remainder of their long, active and useful lives. They brought up a family of twelve children. Mr. Coulter died in 1857, aged nearly eighty years. His wife survived him nineteen years, when she was called hence at the ripe old age of ninety-two. Mr. C. was noted for his energetic, progressive method of conducting his farm- ing operations, and did much to improve the different breeds of animals, in which he dealt largely, and of which we will speak more at length under another head.
Ramoth Hankins came from Pennsylvania in 1809, on a prospecting tour; liked the appearance of the country so well that he bought 100 acres of land in Walker's Survey, No. 743, and built a cabin on it the same year. He returned to Pennsylvania and spent the following winter. In the spring of 1810, he moved with his family, consisting of wife and two children, to his Western home, reaching their destination the 7th of May. It was not then thought possible to secure a harvest, raise a building, or have a log-rolling without an abundant supply of liquor for the hands. To partially supply this demand, Mr. H. brought from his native State a small copper still, which was used for a few years and then abandoned. This was all the distilling ever done in the limits of the township. None of his family of eight children are living. The old homestead is owned by a grand-daughter. During the latter part of his life, he was much interested in collecting relics and curiosities illustrating the habits and manners of life of the early pioneers.
From Kentucky, in 1810, came Absalom and Cyrus Reed, brothers, and settled on Lindsay's Survey, No. 732. They were extensively engaged in stock-raising, being among the first to introduce improved breeds of cattle.
John Watson, a native of Ireland, moved into this township in 1809, and built his cabin on nearly the same spot of ground selected by the late Dr. Isaac Telfair, many years after, on which to build his residence. When the. Scioto Canal was being built, he moved to that part of the State, where he ro- mained until his death. His family of six children became scattered to differ- ent parts of the country. None of his descendants, so far as known, live in this township at the present time.
William Fannon was born and brought up in Virginia. He moved to this neighborhood before 1810, and bought 200 acres of land in Taylor's Survey,
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No. 736. His original purchase is now owned by C. M. Bosworth, Silas Jacks, and the heirs of A. Douglass. His family of five boys and six girls moved to different parts of the country after they were grown, leaving none of his de- scendants in this vicinity, so that it is impossible to further trace his history. Ho died on the land he had improved, about the year 1844.
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