The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 65

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076

USA > Ohio > Hardin County > The history of Hardin county, Ohio > Part 65

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Seventh-Day Advent Church was organized, May 18, 1879, by Elder G. G. Rupert, consisting of the following members: I. W. Martin, Sarah

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Martin, Ida Martin, J. J. Myers and wife, Cordelia Woodruff, Elizabeth Heightsman, Betsey Boegle, Rachel Shone, A. T. Williams, Calvin Packer and wife, A. S. Stradley and wife Elsie, Jennie Stradley and Agnes Strad- ley. They have held services in Woodruff's Hall since their organization. Ministers who have served the society since its formation are Elders G. G. Rupert, R. A. Underwood, D. M. Canright, H. A. St. John, and O. F. Guilford, their present pastor. Present membership, twenty-two. Several who were formerly members have moved away, thus leaving the present membership much smaller than formerly.

Wesleyan Methodist Church .- This society was organized December 7, 1877, by Rev. S. Rice, of Ada, Ohio, with the following members, viz .: A. S. Stradley, Eslie Stradley, I. B. Mahon, J. K. T. Ferrell, Henry Ger- shan, Madina Gershan, Fred Ballard, Alice Ballard, A. T. Williams, Lucy Devore, Jennie Stradley, Cornelius Friedly, Michael Friedly, Callie C. Friedly, Elizabeth Friedly, John Houseman, Sarah E. Mahon, Cordelia Woodruff, Elizabeth Gottier, Ulrich Gottier, Callie Holverstott, Sarah Downing. Callie Close, Lucy Mahon, Sarah Williams, Lizzie B. Boegle, Rev. S. Rice, W. R. Mathews, Mary Mathews, Clara Mathews, Rebecca Mathews, Mrs. Riley, Rebecca Hively, Richard Williams and James Pres- ton, with I. B. Mahon and John Houseman as Class Leaders. Trustees, I. B. Mahon, John Houseman, F. Ballard, Ulrich Gottier and Michael Friedly. The following were appointed a Building Committee: John Houseman, I. B. Mahon and J. K. P. Ferrell. A frame house was erected in the fall of 1878, size 30x40 feet, at a cost of about $1,100, and the same was dedicated that fall by Rev. Thomas K. Doty, of Cleveland, Ohio. The society has had the following ministers: Revs. Guthrie, M. Friedly (two years) and Charles Rowley, who is the present pastor. Class Leaders, F. Ballard, John McKee; and F. Ballard and J. Houseman are now serving in that office.

German Baptist Church of Dunkirk .- This society was organized in September, 1881, and erected their house of worship the same fall on West Wayne street-a frame building, 36x54 feet, and 18 feet high. The ded- icatory sermon was preached by Bishop R. H. Miller, of Ashland, Ohio, October 1, 1881. The society, as organized, consisted of forty members, with Bishop S. T. Bosserman as pastor and Michael Bosserman and Adam M. Bowers as Deacons. Members, Michael Bosserman, E. J. Bosserman, Catharine Bosler, Mary Black, John Baughman, L. M. Baughman, Amos Clingman, Sarah Clingman, Emma Dowling, Mary Hoppy, Christian Hough, Elizabeth Hough, Sarah Frederick, John Keifer, George Kinsey, Jane Kinsey, Edward Kinsey, James M. Kinsey, Flora Kinsey, George King, Lydia King, Eunice King, Samuel Musser, Lizzie Musser, Milton Smith, Joseph Shira, John Shannon, Phoebe Shannon, George Underwood, Kate Underwood, Jonas Rodabaugh, Kate Rodabaugh, Viola Rodabaugh, George H. Warren, Hattie Warren, Michael Zeigler, Jerry Zeigler and Hattie Zeigler.

United Brethren Church, Dunkirk .- This society was organized January 6, 1860, by Rev. L. S. Farber, in the schoolhouse which stood where the Methodist Episcopal Church is now located, with forty-five members, some of whom were as follows: John Houseman, Mary Houseman, John Watters, Mar- anda Watters, C. T. Jones, John Jones and wife, David C. Phillips, wife and three daughters, John Siegley, Lovina Siegley, Benjamin Johnson, George Beem, Hiram Marquis, A. Zuba Edgar, Ruth A. Rush. Charity Rush, William Koontz, Samuel Rush, Elizabeth Packer, Milton Johnsou,

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

James M. Bradbury and wife, Miss Lynch, Daniel R. Timmons, John Woods, Elizabeth Reed and a few others to the number of forty-five. Dur- ing the following summer (1860), they erected their present church build- ing, and the same was dedicated in November of the same year. The church cost about $2,000. Bishop David Edwards preached the dedicatory sermon. The ministers who have served the church since its organization are as follows: Revs. L. S. Farber (two years), S. Fairfield (two years), George and P. B. Holden (one year), Jacob McBride (not quite two years -- died of consumption, and L. Johnson was appointed by the Presiding Elder to take the charge of the work until the next meeting of Confer- ence), D. R. Miller (one year), William Maginnis (three months and re- signed); then the Presiding Elder sent to the charge a local preacher, by name of J. F. T. J. Mckinney, which proved very disastrous to the society. He was succeeded by Rev. A. W. Holden, R. Wilgus, W. S. Fields, Merrit Miller, Rev. Johnston, J. P. Stewart and Rev. J. W. Lower, who is now serving the church. The Class Leaders bave been as follows: John Houseman, John Watters, J. M. Bradbury, J. J. Ripley and A. D. Jones. The first Trustees of the Church after its organization, and who conducted the building of the church in the summer of 1860, were William Koonts, C. T. Jones, D. C. Phillips, John Watters and John Houseman. This class has furnished three ministers to the Gospel work, viz., John Houseman, who was licensed by the quarterly conference in the year 1861, as a quar- terly conference preacher, James M. Bradbury was licensed, in 1862, and removed to Illinois, where he died, in 1864, and John Watters, who was licensed, in 1863, by the quarterly conference and, in 1865, by the annual conference, and, in 1869, was ordained a regular minister of the church, and still holds that relation. The present membership of the church is sixty- one, with Rev. J. Park as Class Leader.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Dunkirk .- This society was organized by Rev. Andrew Kinnear, in June, 1835, at the cabin of David H. Edgar, Esq., consisting of the following four members: John R. Davis, Mary Davis, David H. Edgar and Azuba Edgar, with John R. Davis as Class Leader. Mr. Davis died in December, 1835, and Robert Wiles, an old- fashioned Methodist, who had come from the State of New York and settled here, was appointed Class Leader. In October, 1835, conference sent them their first minister, Alanson Fleming, whose circuit embraced all of Hardin County with a part of Hancock County. In 1836, F. P. Waugh was pastor; in 1837, Revs. Nielse and W. H. Cole; in 1838, Zephaniah Bell and Samuel Hagerman; in 1840, Robert Armstrong and E. Williams; in 1841, Revs. Wareham and Samuel Hagerman; in 1846, Hubbard Ward and J. Wykes; in 1847, W. J. Wells and Elder J. Holmes: in 1848, J. M. Holmes, J. Wykes, H. M. Close and S. B. Maltbee; in 1849, E. H. Holmes and W. J. Peck; in 1850, H. M. Close, H. J. Bigley, Samuel Hagerman and W. J. Peck; in 1851, J. Good, F. J. Mathew and I. M. Smith; 1862-63, William Goodman and J. C. Carter; 1869, Frank Plumb; 1870-71, J. C. Miller; then I. N. Smith served three years; J. M. Longfellow, three years; Joseph Wykes, three years: W. W. Lantz, one year; then came Rev. Leonard O. Cook, who is the present pastor. The present membership is 175. Thus, from a small beginning, with four members, the "leaven" has been at work until the "whole has become leavened." The society, which began in the log cabin, has now a good and substantial church edifce, and now, with 175 live, working members, what a vast amount of good should be accom- plished in the next half-century.

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Catholic Church *- Dunkirk has been a regular mission for the Catholic priest of Hardin County for over fifteen years. The highest number of Catholic families in this place never exceeded fourteen, whilst at present there are only nine. The periodical demand for laborers in the large stone quarry operated by the railroad company at Dunkirk would frequently increase the little band of Catholics, but as the work in the quarry would slacken, some of the people would be compelled to leave again. From 1866 to 1869, Rev. Nicholas Raymond Young, pastor of Kenton, visited this mission. Since 1871, Rev. Anthony S. Siebenfoercher, from Kenton, bet- ter known as " Father Anthony," has had charge of Dunkirk, with but a short interruption in 1881, when it was attached to the Logan County mis- sions. In these many years, Father Anthony often attended this place, and so did his assistants, Fathers Joseph M. Quatman, Alfred D. Dexter, Andrew Ebert, William B. Migeel and F. X. Losance. During 1879, mass was celebrated in the large hall owned by Mr. Woodruff, but since then, generally once a month, in private houses.

DUDLEY TOWNSHIP.

This township is composed of both the Virginia military and Congress lands, the largest portion, however, embracing all within its boundaries lying south of the Scioto River, belongs to the first class of lands, and that portion north of said river belongs to the Congress lands. This territory was somewhat noted as a resort of the Wyandot and Shawnee Indians, they frequently camping on the north bank of the Scioto, near the residence of what is known as the Judge Wheeler farm. The ancient Shawnee trail, leading from the Shawnee towns on Mad River, in Logan County, to their towns on the Tymochee, passed through this township, on the track of which the old State road was laid out from Bellefontaine to Upper Sandusky; it crossed the Scioto near the Judge Wheeler residence, and was kuown as the Shawnee Ford. On the north bank of this river, near said ford, tradition says that Dr. John Knight, of the Crawford expedition in 1782, made his escape from the Delaware guard. John Latimore, a soldier in the war of 1812, with Gen. Shelby, and subsequently an early settler in this township, states that he readily recognized this trail as the course of Gen. Shelby's troops, and the Shawnee Ford as their crossing place on their march to Up- per Sandusky and to the lakes. Near this ford, on the north bank of the river, is also the noted spot of one of the last encampments of a band of the Wyandots, in 1843, just before their removal to the " far West." Here Mr. Walker, their half-breed chief, made an affecting farewell speech to their many white friends among the early settlers of this section, who had congregated to see them and bid them a last adieu. Among the whites who paid them this last visit at their camp, was Joshua Cope, now the eld- est surviving pioneer of Dudley Township. He tells us that he had long been acquainted with the above inentioned chief-William Walker; that he made a very touching and affecting speech, declaring that he had ex- pected that he had made his last speech in the vernacular tongue of his tribe, as they were then so reduced in numbers and so scattered and inter- mingled with other tribes that the original language of his tribe had be-

* By Rev. A. S. Siebenfoercher.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

come nearly obsolete. Mr. Cope and his lady, who also listened to Mr. Walker's speech, say they shall never forget the touching pathos of this noble Indian chief's address; its powerful portraying of his memory of their joys and sorrows, now forever past, were touching in the extreme. Mr. Cope was also well acquainted with others of their chiefs, as Holy Cross, Lump-on-the-head, Grey Eyes and Peacock. Whatever may be said of the rights of the white settler, or the great advantages in the ad- vance of civilization attending our race, there is something melancholy in the fate of the Indian, notwithstanding his rudeness of life and charac- ter, which awaken our heartfelt sympathy, for they possessed many excel- lent and strong points of character which made them abiding and true friends to all who were kind to them, and they were long remembered with a sympathizing kindness by many of our noble pioneers who had reason to know them best.

Having written the above interesting incidents and reminiscences of the territory now comprising the township of Dudley, we will proceed to speak of its erection as a township, and its more recent history. It was organ- ized in 1833, although, as stated in the history of other townships, the offi cial records of the County Commissioners setting forth the erection of the townships, were destroyed, yet persons are still living who were residents here at the time of its organization, also the election returns show that an election was held in October, 1833. As originally constituted, it embraced much more territory than at present, embracing, it is believed, a part of what is now Hale and Buck Townships, but finally, upon the erection of those two townships, became circumscribed to its present limits, and of it as such we shall now speak. It is bounded north by Goshen Township, east by Marion County, south by Hale Township, and east by Hale, Buck and Pleasant Townships, and contains about thirty-seven square miles, or 23,680 acres.

STREAMS, SURFACE, SOIL, PRODUCTS AND TIMBER.

The principal stream of the township and the largest of the county is the Scioto River, which enters this township from its western boundary, about one mile and a half south of the north west corner of the same, and takes a course a little south of east, passing into Marion County, leav- ing this township about midway from its northern and southern bounda- ries. A peculiarity of this stream is that its course lies so close to the south side of the great and natural "dividing ridge" of this and other coun- ties, which divides the waters that flow south into the Ohio River from those that flow north into the lakes, that it does not receive in its course through this township a single tributary of dimensions sufficient to be rec- ognized by a name, while from the south from the west border of the township it receives Wolf Creek, which empties into it about one mile east of the west line of the township; then, about one mile further down, it receives Jim Creek; two miles further down the stream, and a little east of the center of the township, it receives Panther Creek, quite a large tribu- tary, and soon after leaving the township it receives Wild Cat Run, which courses about five miles through the southeast portion of Dudley Township. These tributaries, which it receives from the south, all have a general northeast course, so that we have the fact thus plainly established that the surface of the southern and south western portions of the township have a greater alti- tude, and gradually slope toward the Scioto, while north of this stream, for about two or three miles, we may term the surface a kind of table-land, although

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considerably undulating; and on this elevated portion there are no streams, as it is the " dividing ridge" above mentioned, and just north of this in Goshen Township, creeks begin to form and flow northward toward the lakes. South of the Scioto, the surface is generally level or slightly undu- lating, except along the above-mentioned creeks, where it is more undulat- ing just in their immediate vicinity.

In strength and quality of soil, this township is excelled by but few others in the township. Along the valleys of the streams and the more flat and level portions, it is a rich black loam, and the balance is a strong clay soil. It stands drought well, and rarely fails to yield abundant crops of wheat, corn, oats and hay. This country, as the first settlers originally found it, was very heavily timbered, and required a large amount of labor to clear it up and bring it into a state of easy cultivation; the timber, much of it being very large, left large stumps and roots, which took years of pa- tient waiting for the forces of nature to decay and dissolve into the soil, so as to be no obstacle in the way of plowing and cultivation.

The principal varieties of timber were the various species of oak, hick- ory, maple, elm, beech, ash and, along the streams, large quantities of wal- nut and some sycamore. Of the sugar tree, oak and ash, there was some remarkably fine timber. Some rare specimens of walnut were found along the Scioto bottoms. Mr. Joshua Cope informs us that he cut down one walnut tree on his place which measured twenty-one feet in circumference, measurement being made more than two feet above the ground. This val- uable tree he made into hundreds of rails, many of which are still in exist- ence on his farm. This tree, if now in his possession, would be worth several hundred dollars. Thousands of fine walnut, oak and ash logs, worth many thousands of dollars, were rolled into log-heaps and burned by the first settlers, to get them off the land so as they could plow and cul- tivate it.

EARLY SETTLERS.

Difficulties which arose in many instances in the first settlement of the Virginia military lands, and, in fact, difficulties which have continued more or less down to the present time, in securing undisputed titles to the lands, caused a great preference among the permanent settlers to locate upon the Congress lands, where the danger of such troubles did not exist. In the settlement of this township, this principle was verified, as here were both military and Congress lands, all north of the Scioto River being of the latter class, and all south of it of the former class. The lands north of the river were settled first, with no other reason for it ex- cept that these were Congress lands, for which there were no uncertain titles; therefore in this portion of the township we find the first settle- ments.

Moses Dudley, a native of Maine, if not the first settler, was one of the first, and has been recognized as such, and, upon the erection of the town- ship, it was named in honor of him. He settled on land now owned by Robert Morrison, on Section 7, about 1830 or 1831, remaining a resident of this township a few years. He removed into Wyandot County, and sub- sequently to Kenton, Hardin County, where he died. Of his children, only one now survives-Mrs. Sarah Cary, of Kenton.

Jacob Dick was perhaps about the first settler of this township, coming in 1829-30. He located on land now owned by Mrs. Maria Wheeler, on Section 9. He resided here perhaps six or eight years, then moved away.

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

George Elzy, a native of Virginia, settled on the southwest corner of Section 8. Soon after, Mr. Dick settled here, either the same year or ear ly in the next. He remained here but a few years and moved away. John G. Marks came here from near Marietta, Ohio, about 1830 or 1831, and set- tled on land now owned by Mr. A. Burkhart, on Section 7, where he opened out in the dense forest and where he resided for twenty years; thence he removed to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he still remains a resident. He had a family of several children, who all moved West with their father. Mr. Marks served as the first Justice of the Peace of Dudley Township.

Solomon Goss settled on land now owned by Mrs. Nancy McLain, in Section 10, about 1831 or 1832, and after residing here about ten years he moved to Iowa. Mr. Goss was a man of character and integrity, of firm and established religious principles, and one of the organizers of the Pis- gah Methodist Episcopal Church.

William Salmon, a native of Delaware State, settled here on Jand now owned by Joseph Morrison, on Section 6, about 1832. He resided here several years, then moved to Missouri. Of his children, were Jacob, Love, Betsey and Robert -- who all moved West.

Asa Davis came here from Muskingum County and settled on the Rob- ert Morrison place, on Section 7, in 1832; after several years' residence, removed to Iowa, where he and his wife died, but their remains were brought back to Ohio and both interred in Marion County. Mr. Davis was one of the Trustees at the first election, in the fall of 1834.

Joshua Cope, Sr., was born in Virginia in 1781, and moved to Ross County, Ohio, in 1813, where he remained but a few months and moved into Madison where he resided five years, then removed to Big Island Township, in Marion County, in 1819, being the first white settler in the township. In February, 1833, he removed with his family to this township, and settled on the place now owned by Joseph Ward, on Section 11. Mr. Cope served as one of the first Commissioners of Hardin County, he was a man of moral worth and integrity, and one whose experience in pioneer life was surpassed by few, having served several years as such in each of three counties. He died in 1851. He was the father of four sons and three daughters, viz., Charles, Hannab, William, Joshua, Jane, George and Lydia, of whom three now survive, viz., William, who is a practicing physician, now resid- ing in Kansas; Lydia, married to Joseph Lindsey; she is now a widow and resides in Dunkirk, this county, and Joshua, Jr., the only one now a resi- dent of Dudley Township. Joshua Cope, Jr., was united in marriage with Elizabeth Hopkins, in 1836, and has now been a resident of this township half a century, is the oldest pioneer now resident in the township, and has experienced the "true inwardness " of pioneer life. When he first came here with his father's family, there was but one road opened through the forests of this township-the Bellefontaine & Upper Sandusky road-which was opened by the soldiers in the war of 1812. The second road, leading from Kenton to Marion, he assisted in opening out. This is now made into a pike. When he was young, they had to go to Marseilles or Liberty to get their milling done. He remembers driving an ox team with a few bushels of corn or wheat to a mill at Liberty, in Logan County, through the forests, which took four days to go and return, frequently having to camp in the woods all night. As soon as they had their land cleared so as to raise wheat, they had to haul it about eighty miles to find a market, over muddy roads and corduroy bridges. Their market was at the lake, and required a week or more to make the trip. There they purchased their sole leather,

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groceries, and other necessary articles for their families. Some few plain goods were obtainable and purchased at Kenton. These were some of the hardships of these early settlers. Mr. Cope and wife have never been blessed with any offspring, but their loving care and attention have been bountifully bestowed upon the orphan and needy children of others, having raised or partly raised fourteen children, giving them all the care and at- tention of natural parents. For intelligence, industry and unswerving in- tegrity, few stand higher or command, more universally, the respect and es- teem of this neighborhood than Mr. Cope.

Abraham Jones settled on land now owned by A. Burnison on the north- east quarter of Section 2. He was a Trustee at the first, election, but re- sided here only a few years and removed into Delaware County, Ohio.

Portius Wheeler settled on land now owned by John Pfeifer, on the old State road, on the southeast quarter of Section 8, by the old Shawnee ford. Here he erected a log house and kept a " tavern " for more than thirty years. He also served as Associate Judge, one term. He was one of the substantial men of Dudley Township, and accumulated quite an amount of property. When far advanced in years, he removed to Kenton, where he died, Au- gust 28, 1874, aged seventy-eight years. His wife, Jane, died September 5, 1870, aged seventy years. Their children were Joseph, deceased; Amos, deceased; John, Urania, Jane Ann, Nelson, Mahala, deceased, and Edward, none of whom are now residents of this county.

John Henry settled on the place now owned by William Lee, on Sec- tion 9, about 1834, where he resided several years, thence removed to Ken - ton, where he died, August 12, 1863, aged sixty-three years. He donated the land for the Lee Cemetery, in which his remains now rest. His children were Elizabeth, John, Maranda, Lydia, Mary, Ann and Hannah, and one son, whose name we did not ascertain. All the children are either deceased or moved away.

Harvey Chapman settled on land now owned by Gilbert Myers on the northeast quarter of Section 11. in 1833 or 1834. He subsequently re- moved to Iowa, but again returned to this county and died near Kenton. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and integrity, and greatly es- teemed by all his pioneer neighbors His children are now all deceased or moved away, except one son-Harvey-who is a silversmith in Kenton.

Samuel Codner, born in Rhode Island, January 22, 1769, settled here in 1831-32, and died March 30, 1833, aged sixty-four years. He was prob- ably the first person who died in this township, and was the first interred in the Lee Cemetery.

Josiah Roby, a native. of Virginia, married Margret. Elzy, and had two children born to them in that State, one of whom died in infancy. With the other son-Hanson-in 1809, they removed to Ohio, the mother carrying the infant son in her arms on a pack-horse through the entire journey. They settled first near Coshocton, thence removed to near Newark in Licking County, thence into Franklin County. In the spring of 1833, they made a final removal to the forests of Hardin County, where they settled four miles east of Kenton, and where Mr. Roby died. Their children, born in Ohio, were George, deceased, Elizabeth and John, both deceased, Matilda, Mary Ann, Josiah, Henry and Isaac, of whom, Mary Ann, with Hanson, who was born in Virginia, reside in this county. Ma- tilda resides in Hancock County, Ohio, and the balance all reside in the West. Hanson married Eliza A. Johnson in 1839, and settled on the place where he still lives, having made a continued residence here of forty-four

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The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 65

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1076

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076