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 47
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John Peelle, son of Reuben and Rhoda Peelle, was born in Wayne County, . N. C., near Contentna Meeting-House, June 2, 1781. He remained with his parents until his twenty-fourth year, engaged in the occupations common to the farmers of that day and State. At that age, he first began to master the mysteries of the English alphabet and the other rudiments of an education, of which he acquired sufficient knowledge to onable him to read printed matter roadily. About this time ho wont into Grayson County, Va., where he ro- mainod one year. Ho then undortook what in those days was thought to be a long and perilous journey to the "far West," traveling through Ohio and into the Territory of Indiana as far as the place where Richmond is now situated. The writer has often heard him describe the site of that city as being then covered with the greatest amount of fallen timber he ever saw. He supposed that section of country had been devastated by a terrible cyclone similar to those so ' common farther west, at the present time. He returned to North Carolina from this trip well pleased with the appearance of the Western country.
He remained at the place of his birth but a short time before the " Western fever" seized him with such a strong grip that he bade the "Old North State" a final adieu, and set his face toward the new El Dorado. His first tarrying-place was in Belmont County, Ohio, where he fell a victim to the darts of Cupid, and on the 2d of December, 1807, was married to Lydia Bundy, "- according to the ceremony of the Society of Friends, of which they were both members. As a matter of information in regard to the method in use in that society, we here insert a copy of the marriage certificate, taken from the original copy, still in existence.
WHEREAS, John Peelle, son of Reuben Peelle and Rhoda, his wife, of the County Gray- son, and the State of Virginia, and Lydia Bundy, daughter of William Bundy and Mary, his wife, of the county of Belmont, and State of Ohio, having declared their intentions of marriage with each other, before a monthly meeting of the religious society of Friends, held at Concord, in the county of Belmont, according to the good order used among them, and having consent of parents, their said proposal of marriage was allowed by said meet- ing. Now, these are to certify whom it may concern, that for the full accomplishment of their said intentions, this 2d day of the 12th month in the year of our Lord 1807, they, the said John Peelle and Lydia Bundy, appeared in a public meeting of said people, held at Stillwater, in the county of Belmont, and State of Ohio, and the said John Peelle, taking the said Lydia Bundy by the hand, did openly declare that he took her, the said Lydia Bundy, to be his wife, promising with Divine assistance to be unto her a loving and faith- ful husband until death should separate thein; and then in the same assembly the said Lydia Bundy did in like manner declare that she took him, the said John Peelle, to be her husband, promising with Divine assistance to be unto him a loving and faithful wife until death should separate them, or words to that import; and moreover they, the said John Peelle and Lydia Bundy, she, according to the custom of marriage, assuming the name of her husband, did as a further confirmation thereof then and thereto these presents set their hands.
JOHN PEELLE. LYDIA PEELLE.
And we whose names are also hereunto subscribed, being present at the solemnization of the said marriage and subscription, have as witnesses thereto set our hands the day and the year above written:
Thomas Bundy, William Boswell, Amos Lundy, Joseph Arnold, William Bailey, Richard Edgerton, Joseph Middleton, William Patten, Isaac Hall, Demsey Boswell, Will- iam Hodgin, Carmon Thomas, Mary Bundy, Ruth Boswell, Mary Bundy, Phenina Bos- well, Mary Williams, Rebeckah Todd, Sayrah Dowdna, Rachel Patten, Rebeckah Dood, Sarah Arnold, Ellin Strahl, Ann Vernon, George Starbuck, David Smith, Jethro Starbuck, IIenry Newby, Knowis Dowdna, Zames Edgerton, Mary Strahl, Mary Dood, Agnis Hod- gin.
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832
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Very soon after their marriage they moved to Fall Creek, where they lived till 1811; in that year, they moved and settled near the place at present occu- pied by Bowerville. Greene Co., Ohio. At this place they only remained two years, moving on the 1st day of March, 1813, to the northwest side of Call's Survey, No. 887, building a cabin and making other improvements on land now owned by Mrs. Rosa T. Denver. While living here, they made a trip on horseback to the old home in Belmont County, a distance of more than one hundred and fifty miles, carrying their third child, a babe of twelve months, by turns in their arms. Few women of the present day would have the brav- ery to undertake such a journey through an almost uninhabited wilderness, fording creeks and rivers and with few or no conveniences and comforts of life by the way. Yet our worthy pioneers met and overcame such obstacles, gath- . ering renewed strength from each new difficulty for further triumphs. While living on Call's Survey, he made his first purchase of land in Ohio, buying fifty acres in Draffin's Survey, No. 830. Had no intention at first of ever making his home on that survey, but secured the land for the purpose of mak- ing sugar from the fine grove of maples growing there. Having bought more land joining his "sugar orchard," he concluded to make that his home, which he did in 1820, building and moving into the hewed-log house still standing on the farm, which is now owned by his son, Mark Peelle.
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As a relaxation from the severe toil incident to opening a new farm, he occasionally gave himself up to the arts of Nimrod, as well as Izaak Walton, taking great delight in the pleasures of gun and rod, with each of which he was very successful. The nearest Friends' meeting when he first settled here was at Dover, seven miles distant, yet he was often to be found among the worshipers there, going on foot, hunting by the way, bringing down with his unerring rifle one or more deer, which perhaps he would suspend from some friendly sapling until his return from meeting, when he would carry his game home and replenish the family larder with some choice venison. After he had passed fourscore years, he was often seen in the early morning hours making his way on foot at a rapid pace across farms and fences, with rod on shoulder, in a " bee-line" for the place he well knew to be the resort of cat or perch, invariably returning with a " good mess." Hunting and fishing were his amusements and not his business; in the latter, he was also successful, accumulating sufficient of this world's goods to render him comfortable in his old age and some to spare at any time to aid the worthy poor. He was through his whole life an active, consistent member of the Society of Friends, being made much use of in the various business meetings, and often, during the latter years of his life had a few words of counsel, admonition or entreaty to give forth in the meetings for worship. December 2, 1856, after forty-nine years of wedded happiness, he was called upon to give up his wife, who was nearly seventy-three years of age. Thirteen years later, lacking one day, his summons came to cross the silent river and join his companion in the Spirit World, aged eighty-eight years and six months Their family of three boys and four girls are all living near the old homestead, except the youngest, a daughter, who is deceased.
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William Gallemore was born in GuilfordCounty, N. C., November 5, 1776, where he remained until his marriage with Mary Stanley, near the year 1801. Leaving North Carolina, the young couple went to Grayson County, Va., where they made their first home, remaining about nine years, after which time they set their faces westward, making their home for he three following years in Highland County, Ohio. On his arrival, he found his capital all told to con- sist of himself, wife, five children, two old horses, one wagon and $2 in money. Leaving that county, they went to Greene Conuty, Ohio, and took a squatter's
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833
WILSON TOWNSHIP.
claim and worked on it till 1815, when they were dispossessed. Moving to Clinton County, they settled in Draffin's Survey, No. 830, where they passed the remainder of their lives, bringing up a family of ten children, five boys and five girls, all of whom grew up and married. In the year 1841, the wife of his youth was laid in the silent tomb. In 1843, he married Jane Oren, by whom he had but one child. In the latter part of October, 1856, he was pros- trated by a stroke of palsy, which resulted in death on his birthday, November 5, aged eighty years.
Of Benjamin Bentley there has been no record preserved. From various sources the information is gleaned that he was born in Wayne County, N. C., on the eve of the Revolutionary war. In commemoralion of the great sorrow that came to his mother at the moment of his birth, in the loss of her husband by death, she named him Benoni, which in after years he changed to Benja- min. Under the old English law, his eldest brother inherited all of the pa- rental estate, so that he was compelled from an early age to make his own way in the world. During his youth and early manhood, his home was with Ren- ben Peelle. Marrying Rebecca Pearson, he moved to Quaker Bottoms, on the Ohio River, where he remained but a short time; then removing into Highland County, made his home there for a few years, and from there he went to Clin- ton County, about 1812, settling in G. Carrington's Survey, No. 935. Here, in 1816, he buried his wife. The grave is yet pointed out in the yard of what is known as the Carlyle Williams house. The year following, he married Catharine Jessup. In 1822, he moved to Draffin's Survey, No. 830, and began improving the farm now owned by the heirs of W. P. Gallemore, where he lived till his death at a ripe old age. Of Mr. Bentley's family of twelve chil- dren, eleven grew up and married, of whom six are yet living. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, whose natural talents were developed by the needs of the pioneers, so that, as occasion required, he could leave his busi- ness of farming and perform successfully the duties of carpenter, wheelwright, dentist or surgeon.
Of Mark Pearson, who came from North Carolina in 1812, his brother Isaac from the same State in 1815, Thomas Greer, from Ireland, and the Babb brothers-Peter, Jasper and Thomas-little is known, except that they made improvements here before 1820, which for this township has been chosen as the latest date for claiming the honor of being a pioneer settler. For some persons and events, more space has been occupied in this imperfect sketch than for others equally worthy, for the simple reason that definite records have been preserved of them. Gladly would the same amount of particulars have been given of each if it had been possible.
During the next thirty years, the population increased so rapidly that the inhabitants began to feel the great inconvenience of having no organization for the transaction of legal business. The Board of County Commissioners at the close of that time acted upon and granted the prayer of the petitioners, which is here inserted:
Special session, August 20, 1850. This day the Commissioners met pursuant to ad journment. Present: Joseph Hoskins, Azel Walker, Enos L. Lacy.
This day a petition was presented to the Commissioners of the county praying for a new township, to be taken from the townships of Richland, Union and Liberty, as set forth in a petition signed by a majority of the householders residing within the boundaries of the proposed new township, of which the following is a copy, to wit:
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF CLINTON COUNTY: Your petition rs, 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 the other township business is transacted, in consequence of which we respectfully but most earnestly ask you to establish a township to be taken out of Union. Richland and Liberty Townships, to be bounded as follows, to wit:
P
834
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Beginning at the Fayette and Clinton County line, where said line crosses the south cast line of A. Belmain's Survey, No. 927; thence southwesterly with the line of said survey to the east corner of Edward Dow's Survey, No. 880; thence with the southeast line of said survey to the cast corner of Thomas Shaw's Survey, No. 841; thence with the southeast line of said survey to the corner of Edward Dow's Survey, No. 749; thence with the south - easterly line of said survey to the cast corner of William Taylor's Survey, No. 736; thence with the southeast line of said survey to its south corner, and cast corner of William Lindsey's Survey, No. 732; thence westwardly across said survey to its west corner, and east corner of Thomas Bland's Survey, No. 885; thence northwardly with the northeasterly line of snid Bland's Survey to its north corner, and the cast corner of William White's Sur- vey, No. 3,714, In Union Township; thence northwardly and with the northeast line of said Survey No. 2, 714 to the west corner of Richard Call's Survey, No. 887, and at ornear the line of Union and Liberty Townships; thence in a northeasterly direction to the north- east corner of Liberty and northwest corner of Richland Townships, in the Greene County line; thence eastwardly with the north line of Clinton County to the place of beginning, which limits as here prescribed contain the amount of territory required by law to consti- tute a township.
We, your petitioners, now claim it as an act of justice, inasmuch as there is left in each of the townships from which the proposed new township is to be taken ample amount of territory 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 limits of the new township, July 13, 1850.
Signed by Edmund Thorp, John G. Coulter, Edwin Raleigh, Harvey H. Hankins, James W. Fannon, John Hinkson. Jr., William G. Brown, John Oliver, Jr., Absalom Douglass, John Coulter, M. A. Douglass, S. A. Douglass, Jeremiah Sturgeon, Franklin Jones, J. B. Degroot, Isaac Turner, Robert Jones, William Reed, Robert Sturgeon, William Rhine- hart. Anthony Brown, William Jacks, Floyd Ferris, Jesse Carter, Joseph Robinson, G. H. Washington, Reuben Peelle, Mark Peelle, Benjamin Bentley, Isaac Pierson, Jonathan Mills, Amos Wilson, James R. Mills, B. R. Washington, Mills Johnson, Elbert Chance, William Story, Benjamin Barnes, Abi Oliver, Everett Oliver, Isaac Lamb, Reuben Mills, Eri Lamb, James Fannon, George Jay, E. Daugherty, S. A. Bowermaster, William Greer, Jolin Lyon, John S. Oliver, John Carter, Andrew J. Jay, Wilson Carter, Samuel Leming, James T. Bryant, Joshua Thorp, Jesse Walker, Josephi C. Girard, I. C. Williams, II. II. Bruce, Isaac Gerard. John Sturgeon, J. A. Bragg, Robert S. Eastham, Jesse C. Everest, Miler Podell, Elihu Tichnor, I. P. Lenue, John M. Wood, William Thorp, E. A. Spencer, James Glover, William Oliver, Elisha Gallemore, James Greer, Enos Johnson, M. H. None, Mark Pierson, Harvey Jackson, Etheldred Woodward, Anderson Horney, John B. Oliver, Richard Edwards, John Carter, Jr., James Lyons, Bassele Bailey, John D. Halson, Talbot Johnson, William Peelle, William Small, Malcomb Mckennie, James T. Johnson, John Hoover, John B. Spencer. W. D. Bryant, Daniel Furnace, Isom Lamb, Joseph Lamb, William Watson, Isaac Sheim, Joshua Gallon, C. R. Spencer, John Haines, Stephen Car- roll, Israel Early, Jesse Moore, Jolin Fannon, William Williams, John Williams, Matthias Brewer, Joseph Oliver, J. T. F. Johnson, John Mills, Malen Griffin, Ezekiel Everest, Will- iam Everest, John Umphlett, H. S. Moorman, G. K. Dawson, Moses S. Hunt, William M. Shein, Lewis Hunt, Joshua Joiner, Ozaias Goodson, William Bentley, C. W. Watson, Samuel Davidson, James Richey, Alfred Sheinn, Bennett B. Arnold, D. A. Harper, James Rooner, James Ellis, R. Clements, William Nevergall, William McPherson, Alfred Coul- ter, Edward Shein, Isaac Telfair, David J. Mills, Christopher Ellis, Henry Miller. William Miller, Tate Wright, Samuel Jackson, William Bloom, Aaron !Bloom, John Rhinchart, Thomas Sturgeon, John C. Dowden.
And being satisfied that thirty days' previous notice of such intended application had first been given by advertising in three public places within the boundaries of said pro- posed new township, the Commissioners being also satisfied that it is necessary to erect a new township as prayed for by said petitioners, and as fully set forth by a plat and survey. made by Hiram Madden, surveyor, and this day presented by said petitioners to the County Commissioners, by which they are satisfied that the said proposed new township embraces a territory of more than twenty-two square miles Thereupon, the Commissioners granted the prayer of said petitioners, and direct that a township shall be laid off and established according to the boundaries described in said petition, plat and survey, by the name of Wilson Township; and direct that the boundaries as set forth in such plat and survey be recorded as required by law, together with the proceedings had by the Board in relation thereto.
. At the same meeting of the County Commissioners, they made the follow- ing allowance for platting and surveying the township:
To Hiram Madden, surveyor. 9 days at $1.50. $13 50
To Edwin Raleigh, chain-carrier, 6 days at 75 cents. 4 50
To James Glover, chain-carrier, 6 days at 75 cents 4 50
To Edmund Thorp, marker, 6 days at 75 cents. 4 50
835
WILSON TOWNSHIP.
As a final act in the creation of the new township, the Commissioners ordered an olection held for said township of Wilson, on Saturday, the 7th day of September, 1850, at the tavern of H. H. Bruce, in the town of Lewis- ville, for officers of said township, to wit: Three Township Trustees; one Township Clerk; ono Township Treasurer; one Township Assessor; one Town- ship Constable. From the township records we take the following account of the first election, held September 7, 1850:
"Between the hours of 8 and 10 o'clock A. M., a lawful number of the voters of Wilson Township being present in the town of Bloomington, pro- ceeded to nominate Edmund Thorp, Samuel Furnace and Elisha Gallemore, Judges of Election, and Jesse Everest and H. T. Moorman, Clerks. Proceeded to the election of three Trustees, one Clerk, one Treasurer, one Assessor and one Constable for Wilson Township. On examining the votes given, the fol- lowing persons were declared duly elected: Trustees, Anderson Horney, H. H. Hankins, John G. Coulter; Clerk, Absalom Douglass; Treasurer, William Peelle; Constable, Isaac Turner; Assessor, Isaac Turner."
They were all duly qualified and assumed the duties of their respective offices on the 10th day of September, 1850.
At the same time and place, and with the same Judges and Clerks, an election was held for Justice of the Peace, which resulted in Seymour A. Doug- lass being chosen for the place. His commission bears date September 14, 1850, was sworn into office September 21, 1850, and gave bond in the penal sum of $1,000, with William Reed and Absalom Douglass for sureties, Sep- tember 27, 1850.
The first settlement by the Township Trustees is recorded as follows, March 3, 1851:
Order No. 1, To Anderson Horney, township funds. $ 2 25
Order No. 2, To HI. H. Hankins, township funds. 2 25
Order No. 3, To J. G. Coulter. township funds .. 2 25
Order No. 4, To A. Douglass, Township Clerk, township funds. 4 80
Order No. 5, To I. C. Williams, poor funds. 3 10
Order No. 6, To Elisha Gallemore, township funds.
75
Order No. 7. To Edmund Thorp, township funds.
75
Order No. 9, To Samuel Furnace, township funds.
75
Order No. 10, To J. C. Everest, township funds ..
75
Order No. 11, To Treasurer Richland Township, township funds.
19 50
Order No. 12, To Treasurer Richland Township, poor funds.
10 50
Order No. 13, To Isaac Turner, township funds.
1 75
Order No. 14, To A. Douglass, township funds. 3 25
Order No. 15, To John N. Wood, township funds
5 00
Order No. 16, To H. H. Hankins, township funds
75
A comparison of the above with the settlement day of the present year will be proof enough that we have made progress in the amount of money required to carry on the business of the township. On the same day, the Trustees " laid off" the township into six school districts, which number is still retained. They also levied a poor tax of 1 mill on the dollar and a town- ship tax of the same amount.
At the second township election, held April 7, 1851, there was no change in the officers elected, except in Trustees. William Reed was chosen in the place of H. H. Hankins. At this election Supervisors were also chosen, as follows: District No. 1, Adam Long; District No. 2, James Ritchie; District No. 3, Reuben Peelle; District No. 4, Eri Lamb; District No. 5, John D. Hol- son; District No. 6, Benjamin Barnes. A school tax of 2 mills to the dollar was voted on, on the grand levy, and resulted in ninety-three votes being cast for the school tax and forty-six votes against it, which shows that the people of the township were very much in favor of educational privileges for the. youth.
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75
Order No. 8, To Isaac Turner, township funds.
836
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
At the same election, the question of Clinton County subscribing $200,000 to aid in constructing the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville Railroad was submitted to the electors of the township, with the result of 141 votes being cast in favor of the subscription and only 12 in opposition.
Having thus hastily sketched the progress of the township from the first settlement to its complete organization, and given the number of votes for and against the tax for the support of common schools and internal improvements, showing our section of the county to be heartily in favor of them, we leave this part of our subject by saying that we would gladly have given the roster of the brave boys who nobly weut forth in the "dark days of the rebellion" at their country's call, but as we have no means of giving a complete list we for- bear, lest injustice be done.
LEWISVILLE.
Lewisville, the only village in the township, was "laid out" in 1842 by the County Surveyor, Peyton West, for James Degroot. It began small, and has bravely held its own. By the census of 1880, it contained a population of 169. It contains two dry goods and grocery stores, one drug store, two shoe shops, two blacksmith shops, one general repair shop, two carpenter shops, one wheelwright, two physicians, two church organizations, a flourishing Sabbath school and a post office by the name of Bloomington. It is situated on the Urbana road, four miles north of Reesville, on the C. & M. V. R. R., and the same distance south of Bowersville, on the Cincinnati, Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad.
TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES.
The surface of the township is either level or gently undulating, with sufficient natural fall to admit of easy drainage. It is divided into two nearly equal portions by the water-shed between the Scioto and Little Miami Rivers, which here runs in a nearly north and south direction. On the western side the descent is quite abrupt to Anderson's prairie, which occupies the larger part of that side, and is drained by a creek of the same name. On the eastern side the land slopes off much more gradually to the beds of Wilson's Creek and Little Rattlesnake. These three streams are the natural outlets for the surplus water. No springs of water are found here. Wells and cisterns are depended on to furnish water for all purposes. The soil is a rich, black loam, or a yellow clay of excellent quality, easily tilled, and producing abundant crops of all kinds of grain and grass grown in this latitude. Of the 15,753 acres included in its limits not a single one is classed as waste land.
TIMBER.
When first settled, the township, except Anderson's Prairie, was covered with a heavy growth of timber of the best quality, consisting of the various kinds of oak, but chiefly white and burr, black walnut, several varieties of ash, elm, maple, hickory, and numerous sugar orchards. The latter furnished an . abundant supply of sugar and molasses for the pioneers. The timber supply of the township is still plentiful. When first settled, the woods were almost free from underbrush, which sprang up so thickly in after years.
OCCUPATIONS.
From the very first this has been almost exclusively an agricultural and stock-raising community. There have been no attempts at manufacturing be- yond the common necessaries of life. For many years after it was first settled, the inhabitants depended on the mills along the Miami and Mad Rivers for a supply of breadstuffs. About 1825, Samuel Williams built a grist-mill on the
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