The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 71

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

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HALE TOWNSHIP.

years. He was the father of the following children: Cyrus J., Munson, Asher, Wade, Emily, Isaac, Marion, Phebe, Jane and Stephen. Amos was the last of the four brothers to settle here. Soon after his brother Abram came here, he influenced Amos to come, and in 1834-35, he settled here on the Thomas McCall place, but remained only a few years and moved away, and died in Logan County August 3, 1845. His children were Martha Newton, Cephas, Sarah, Hannah, Amy Jane and Zenas.

Samuel Leonard settled here on land now owned by John Wagner, about 1834 or 1835, but resided here only a short time and moved away.

Thomas Dunson, a native of Logan County, Ohio, settled on the place- where he still resides, in 1835. Here he opened out right in the woods, and has now a fine cultivated farm, with good buildings and im- provements. Mr. Dunson is a quiet, unassuming man, a good neighbor and a worthy citizen. He was been twice married; first to Miss Beulah Tharp, of Logan County; she died April 19, 1856, aged fifty-four years. By her he had nine children -- Lewis, Eliza, Nancy, Anna; Lenora, Joseph, Emanuel, Mary and Temperance. He married, for his second wife, Mary Haney, by whom he bas two children-William and Jonathan.

Abner Snoddy, a native of Kentucky, became an early settler of Logan County, Ohio, where he married Hannah King. He served in that county as an Associate Judge for several years About 1840, he became a resident of Hale Township, settling in the southwest part on land now owned by E. S. Butler, where he resided till his death, which occurred October 9, 1865, aged eighty-two years. His wife died October 21, 1860, aged sixty- five years. Mr. Snoddy was a prominent and useful citizen. He served as Treasurer for many years, and as Trustee and in other offices of trust and use- fulness. His children were Jacob, John, William, Abner, David, George, James, Joseph, Hannah and Priscilla.

Harvey Buckmister was born in Stratford County, Vt., November 13, 1800. He emigrated to Tioga County, Penn., where he married, and, in February, 1828, came to Hardin County and located in a cabin south of Judge P. Wheeler's farm, near the Scioto River, in Dudley Township. He drove stage five years over the old Sandusky road, which was then the chief route of travel from Cincinnati to Sandusky City. There were then but three cabins between Judge Wheeler's farm and Bellefontaine, the whole route being through a dense forest. In 1838, he removed to Hale Town- ship and opened a hotel at Grassy Point, where he continued for three years; then he purchased a farm in Buck Township, where he carried on the hotel business for thirteen years. After some years' residence here, he sold his farm and removed to Kenton, where he now resides. On July 7, 1868, his wife was taken sick, and on July 14, just seven days after, she died, having been a faithful and devoted wife through forty years of mar- ried life, the greater portion of that time being spent in the wilds of this new country, sharing with her husband all the hardships and privations of pioneer life. She bore him three children. Mr. Buckmister is now eighty- three years of age, and still quite sprightly and robust, and seems to enjoy life well.

Daniel Baldwin, a native of Tennessee, emigrated to Champaign County, Ohio, while a young single man, and there married Hannah Williams. Subsequently he removed to Logan County, and in April, 1835, came to this township and settled on land now owned by Charles Allen, where he resided thirty-six years, when he sold out and removed back to Logan County, where he died. He served as Associate Judge several years, and

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filled most of the offices of his township. He was a Justice of the Peace for many years.

Jonathan Marsh, a native of Maryland, emigrated to Ohio, a young, sin- gle man, first locating in Harrison County; thence he went to Fairfield County, where he married Eleanor Pugh; thence he removed to Cham- paign County, then to Logan County, and, about 1835, he came to Hale Township and settled northeast of Mount Victory, on land now owned by J. W. Price, on Survey 6,440. Subsequently he purchased land south of Mount Victory, where he resided several years; thence he moved to Iowa, where he died, February 12, 1869, aged sixty-eight years. His wife died February 23, 1858, aged fifty-six years. Mr. Jones' body was brought back to this county and interred at Mount Victory in the Dille Cemetery beside that of his wife. Their children were Ananias, Ezerias, Margaret, Daniel, Michael, Thomas, Isaiah, Martha, Louisa and Almira. Peter Marsh came here from near Tiffin, Ohio, and settled in the eastern part of this township about 1842. He was a good citizen, and served as County Commissioner from 1859 to 1865, inclusive.

Among others who came here from 1835 to 1845, we mention Harrison Lake, Simon Schurtzer, Christopher Richardson, John Richardson, Barnet Richardson, John Robinson, Uriah Baldwin and C. Copp.

Moses Kennedy was born in Adams County, Penn., in 1822; came to Wyandot County in 1838, and, in 1842, married Nancy Kendrick. In 1844, he settled in this township at his present place of residence on Panther Creek. He has been an active citizen in promoting the growth and im- provements of this county, and has been closely identified with the civil and religious institutions thereof. He has filled most of the important offices of his township, has been serving as County Commissioner for several years, and is one of the prominent and trustworthy citizens of Hale Township.

Thomas McCall was born in Washington County, Penn., December 10, 1811, and is a son of William and Elizabeth McCall. The grandfather, John McCall, was one of the pioneers of said Washington County, and served as teamster, being pressed into the service of Braddock's army, and was with that General when he was defeated by the British and Indians. At this time, John McCall was a lad of sixteen years, and subsequently mar- ried Sarah Hutton. He settled on a farm about twenty miles from the place of Braddock's defeat. where he resided through life. He raised four sons-Thomas, Joseph, William and John, and four daughters -- Ruth, Mary, Sarah and Elizabeth. Of these, William married Elizabeth Elliott and settled in his native county, where he resided till 1827. He removed to Portage County, Ohio, where he died about 1840, aged fifty-six years; subsequently his widow, with her family, removed to Logan County, where she died, aged sixty-six years. Thomas married Judith Bloomfield, a na- tive of Crawford County, Penn., and, in January, 1842, settled in Hale Township on the place where he still lives and has resided for a period of forty-one years. At the time he settled here, there was not a settler or im- provement on the road from Mount Victory to Kenton. Here he performed .a large share of pioneer work; has cleared over 150 acres right from the heavy forests, and now owns 311 acres of good land, with good improve- ments. He started in life with very little capital, but by his own labor and industry has accumulated little by little, until now he is possessed of a com- petency, and is one of the independent and reliable farmers of Hardin Coun- ty, and a much esteemed and respected citizen. He is the father of fifteen

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children; eight of whom now survive-Malissa, Lucinda, Susan, Lewis B., William, Thomas M., Matilda Jane and Salmon P. Chase.

MILLS.

Moses Kennedy erected a saw mill on Panther Creek, just above where Lick Run empties into it, about 1838 or 1840, which, it is said, was the first mill ever in Hale Township. This mill sawed the lumber for the first frame buildings of this neighborhood. Soon after, Mr. Kennedy attached a "corn cracker," which was the first mill for grinding corn in the township. - This mill ran for several years, but as the steam mills came into use, his went out of use. Another early mill was erected by James Smith, on the South Branch of Panther Creek, about 1849, which continued to do busi- ness for about twelve or fourteen years. About 1864, F. W. Miller erected a steam saw-mill on his farm in the southeast part of the township, which continued to do quite a large business until about 1879, since which time it has remained out of use. There have been several portable mills in var- ious portions of the township, located temporarily, and moved from one lo- cality to another as demand required. In the villages of Ridgeway and Mount. Victory there have been several mills erected, the history of which will be given respectively in the histories of those towns.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in this township was held in a cabin near James Andrews', which was opened December 1, 1839, by Enos Baldwin. Not more than two or three years later, a round-log house was built where the cattle pens are now located at Mount Victory, and the first teacher was either John Elder or Enos Baldwin. These were the real, rough, primitive school- houses, so often described in other pages of this work. From this time, as the settlements increased, more schools were established, and as the country improved, better buildings were erected for school purposes, and an abundance of wealth enabled them to have better teachers and more com- fort and convenience, until the report of the Board of Education, in Sep- tember, 1882, rendered to the Auditor of the county the following statis- tics: Total receipts for school purposes, $4,183.22; total expenditures, $4,180.05; balance on hand September 1, 1882, $3.17; total number of sub- school districts, 9; number of schoolhouses, 9; number of schoolrooms, 12; number of teachers necessary to supply the schools, 12; average wages paid per month, males, $36, females, $24; average number of weeks the schools were in session, 30; total valuation of school property, $10,000; total enrollment of scholars, boys, 257, girls, 202; total, 459.

A further report of the schools of Ridgeway and Mount Victory will be given in the history of those towns respectively.

CEMETERIES.

In every new country, one of the earliest necessities is a burial place for the dead, and here it was no exception to that rule, for, in a very few months after the first settlers located in the west part of this township, sickness and death visited them and several of their number, from the in- fant to those of more mature years. The first one who died in Hale Township was a Mrs. Jennings, about the first of February, 1832. On the 4th of February, her oldest child died. On the 4th of March, of the same year, Isaac Jennings, the husband and father of the above, died; and on the 27th of the same month, his brother,

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

Cornelius Jennings, died. Oh, how ruthless was death to those two fami- lies! Only about four months previous to the death of the last mentioned, those families had entered this then wilderness with strong arms and radi- ant hopes, happy hearts, animated with the pleasant prospects of future homes and a competency, with the comforts and conveniences that such can produce. Alas, in so short a time four of the loved ones were consigned to their graves! Also in March of the same year (1830), John Andrews, a brother of the well-known old pioneer, James Andrews, died and was bur- ied. These all passed away before any cemetery or burial place was estab lished, and were interred upon their own private lands, with probably now nothing to mark their quiet resting places. John Wolf is said to have made the first coffins. It is believed that the Eddy Cemetery was the first established burial place, and was first dedicated to use by the reception of the body of a child of James McConnel, about 1837, since which time, about one acre of ground was donated and set apart for this purpose, and in which many of the dead of this neighborhood have since been interred. And what appeared sad to the writer, as he walked among their silent graves, a large portion of them had no " head-stone" to tell one word as to who rests beneath the sod.

The second burial ground established was the Dille Cemetery at Mount Victory, which was donated for that purpose by Cyrus Dille, and the first body deposited here was a child of the donor. The first adult person in- terred here was a Mr. Monjar, and the second, Christopher Richardson. The latter died February 1, 1841, aged seventy five years. This cemetery probably contains a little more than one acre of ground, and is now nearly filled with the remains of the departed. Ridgeway Cemetery consists of two and one-half acres of ground, situated about one and one-quarter miles northeast of the town, on the South Branch of Panther Creek, and was do- nated for the purpose by Samuel McCulloch about 1850, and for which, in 1860, a deed was duly made and executed, conveying the same to the incor- porated village of West Ridgeway. In the east part of the township, by the Church of God, is a burial place, consisting of one-half acre, which was deeded by Hannah Schertzer to the " West Ohio Eldership of the Church of God," as a permanent burying ground. The last established cemetery is located west of Mount Victory, on the south side of the pike, near the West Branch of Panther Creek, and was purchased, in 1881, by the Township Trustees, and duly fenced in and laid out into lots, walks and driveways, as a public burial place for the township. This is centrally located, and will doubtless become the general burial place of the township. The Ridgeway Cemetery above mentioned is beautifully located on an ele- vated piece of ground, and is a very suitable and appropriate resting place for the dead.

TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

Ridgeway is located on the Logan County line, near the southwest cor- ner of the township, the extreme south part of the village lying in Logan County; the latter is located in about the geographical center of the town- ship, both villages being situated on the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad. Ridgeway was surveyed and laid out into lots, streets and alleys by R. D. Millar, County Surveyor, for William Boggs and Samuel McCulloch, proprietors, May 20, 1851. In August and Sep . tember of the same year, an extension was made of outlots. On December 7, 1858, on petition of forty-eight resident voters, the village was incorpo- rated under the name of West Ridgeway. This village received its name

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HALE TOWNSHIP.

in honor of the Ridgeway Company, from whom Samuel McCulloch pur- chased the land. When the town was laid out, there was one log cabin standing on the lot where Dr. Crow's residence now stands, which had been erected by Judge A. Snoddy. After the town was laid out, Gorham Bunk. er erected the first house, a small frame, which is now occupied by Alonzo Bailey. W. P. Hews opened the first store and Robert Stevenson the first hotel and first blacksmith shop in 1852. Dr. D. C. Wooley was the first physician. The post office was established in 1851 or 1852, with Michael Printz as Postmaster. The first improvement, however, that was made in Ridgeway was the erection of a saw mill by William Callahan, on property" now owned by R. P. Lukens, in the west part of the town, just south of the railroad. Mr. Callahan purchased four acres of land from Samuel Mc- Culloch and erected the above mentioned mill in the spring of 1851, and soon after built himself a house. Subsequently he purchased three acres more of land adjoining his first purchases. This mill was run for several years and sawed all the lumber for the first houses of the town and vicin- ity, then went out of use. In 1859, Mr. Callahan purchased a saw mill which had been erected by Van Deuser & Headly a short time previous. Soon after, Mr. Callahan put in two run of buhrs and machinery for a grist mill and took in a partner in the person of William R. Watson. This was a good mill and did good work. About 1863, Messrs. Campbell & Howe erected a third saw mill and a stave factory combined, which was located on the ground where the present saw mill stands, and Mr. Callahan went in as a partner. This mill and factory did a large business several years, but finally went out of use; subsequently the property was purchased by Jacob Rumer, who rebuilt the saw mill, which is still in use, and is doing a good business. The grist mill above mentioned is now owned by Charles Rush, and although it is now old and quite dilapidated, yet it still does some business. The public school was organized and a small frame house built for school purposes 'in 1853. This was succeeded, in 1866-67, by a new union school brick building, consisting of two departments, which served the purpose until the increase of scholars demanded more room, and, in 1880, the present large and fine brick building was erected, containing four rooms, at a cost of about $5,000. The Board of Education of West Ridgeway returned to the County Auditor the following report: Total re- ceipts for school purposes, $2,451.06; total expenditures, $1,756; balance on hand September 1, 1882, $695.06; number of school rooms, 2; number of teachers employed, 2; average wages per month, male, $45, female, $25; number of weeks the schools were in session, 28; number of scholars enrolled, primary, boys, 28, girls, 26; high, boys, 15, girls, 24; total 93. The town now embraces the following businesses: Two general stores, one by R. McElhaney and one by Moffat & Fisher; one grocery, by John Limes; one hardware, by Sarah Davis; one drug store, by A. D. Bailey; one bak- ery, by James Lake; one saddlery and harness shop, by R. J. Williams; one millinery store, by Mrs. Davis; one livery, by C. M. Kennedy; four blacksmiths, M. Ormsby, John Printz, L. Stevenson and J. L. Rumer; and four physicians, Drs. E. B. Crow, R. Edwards, W. C. Hodges and J. H. Crow; also one hotel, by Mrs. Culbertson.

Mount Victory .- This town was surveyed and laid out by R. D. Millar, for Ezra Dille, August 23, 1851. In May, 1856, an addition of outlots was made by M. Converse. Abner Snoddy made an addition April 3, 1868, and on June 10, 1872, Peter S. Howe made an addition. The name of the town came in this manner: The land upon which the town was laid out

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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.

belonged to the estate of Cyrus Dille, and was soon to be sold at adminis- trator's sale. Samuel McCulloch had just laid out the town of Ridgeway, and for the interests of that village, he desired to prevent the starting of another town here; therefore he made an effort at the public sale of said land to outbid all others, purchase the land and turn it into a pasture. But Ezra Dille was on the alert; he bid off the land and returned home rejoic- ing. He was met by Thomas McCall, who inquired who succeeded in buy- ing the land? Mr. Dille replied, " We did," and Mr. McCall immediately exclaimed "Victory! Victory! its name shall be Mount Victory." And the name was adopted by the proprietor of the town, and by that name it has ever since been known. Before the town was laid out, a cabin had been built on the ground where the Mount Victory Hotel now stands, by Thomas Manley. He moved away, and the cabin was occupied by Stephen Strick- land; then Ezra Dille, the proprietor of the town, occupied it for a time. After the town was laid out, the first building erected was a small frame, built close by the above-mentioned cabin by Daniel Stone, which was occupied by Frank Seaman, who put in a small stock of goods, which was the first store for the new town; this was in the fall of 1851. In 1852, Seaman and Dille erected the long frame building, just south of the rail- road, now occupied as a billiard room and a residence. In this building, Mr. Seaman and his brother George, put in a general stock of merchandise, and for several years carried quite an extensive trade. The next store was opened by David Ellis and Elihu Curl, and about this time (1853-54), the post office was established, with David Ellis as Postmaster. Russell & Elliott were the first blacksmiths. The first physician was Dr. Converse. The first hotel was kept by Jefferson Babcock, who was succeeded by Lewis Cowgill, and this was a part of the building now known as the Mount Vic- tory Hotel. In 1852-53, Ezra Dille erected the large warehouse by the railroad, which is now a warehouse and grist mill. The first child born in Mount Victory was Lafayette W. Dille, and the first born in the township was Blair Dille, in the spring of 1832. The first saw mill in the vil- lage was erected by Jeremiah Elliot, about 1851; it was run by steam power and sawed large quantities of ties for the railroad, whose track was then being laid through the place. He was succeeded in the ownership of the mill, about 1854, by Joseph and Eli James, who continued to run it many years, but it went into decay and out of use. The grist mill was erected in the warehouse, in 1881, by Carter & Howe. The present popula tion of the town is about 500, and has the following business interests now represented: Five general stores, Peter S. Howe, M. S. Elder & Co., Henry Williams, Shepherd Humphrey and J. W. Gregg; two groceries, William Bloomer (died in March, 1883), and Adam Allen; one drug store, R. L. Titsworth; one harness shop, Jefferson Boyd; one dealer in agricult- ural implements, Smithston & Co .; three boot and shoe shops, W. H. H. Fleck, T. B. Sampson and James McDonald; one wagon maker, Frank Schmidt; one livery, Rosebrook & Bro .; three blacksmiths, S. T Reams, Wooley & Son and Gustavus Garwood; one grist mill and warehouse, Burke, Greathouse & Monegar; one saw mill and handle factory, Boyd Bros. & Co .; one tile factory, Stewart Bros .; two millinery and fancy stores, M. C. Allen and Mrs. Euseba Overshiner; one hotel, L. M. Beebe; one attorney at law, Brice Williams; two physicians, Drs. D. H. Le Van

and C. W. Morrow, and one veterinary surgeon, Dr. Robert Stewart. The schools of Mount Victory should, perhaps, receive a special notice. The first schoolhouse was a small frame, erected soon after the laying-out of

SAMUEL WILSON

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the town, on a lot now owned by William Boyd. This was succeeded by a large frame building with two rooms, which is now occupied as a drug store. This house served for school purposes till 1875, when the present large and commodious brick house was erected, with four rooms, at a cost of $5,200. In 1876, through a desire of many citizens and some members of the Board of Directors, by earnest and diligent efforts of one or two of the Directors especially, the high school department of the school was made a township school. open and free to all in Hale Township. This gives a privilege to large and more advanced scholars throughout the township, which cannot but be appreciated more and more from year to year. The Board have also manifested great taste, and desire to render the school not only efficient and beneficial, but to make it " home-like" and pleasant for the scholars by grading the play grounds, setting out shade trees, and other- wise beautifying the premises.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

Coleman Asbury Post, No. 257, G. A. R., was instituted August 25, 1882, by Col. W. P. Anderson, of Marysville, Union Co., Ohio, with the following charter members, viz .: J. W. Jones, W. H. H. Fleck, John H. Kemper, Levi E. Hager, Horton Park, George W. Peaver, E. L. Sea- bring, J. D. Henson, J. N. Richardson, John H. Shirk, William S. Carson, S. G. Humphrey, W. W. McFadden, W. Moniz, Eli M. Golden, Milton Southard, Aaron Koplin, Henry Williams, C. W. Morrow and Adam Al- len, and officered as follows: P. C., Henry Williams; S. V. C., W. W. Will- iamson; J. V. C., Aaron Koplin; Adjt., W. H. H. Fleck; Q. M., J. N. Rich- ardson; Surg., C. W. Morrow; Chap., Levi E. Hager; O. D., John H. Shirk; O. G., J. W. Jones; S. M., E. L. Seabing; Q. M. S., William S. Carson. Present membership is twenty-eight, and officered as follows: P. C., Henry Williams; S. V. C., W. W. McFadden; J. V. C., R. A Powelson; Adjt., W. H. H. Fleck; Q. M., S. G. Humphrey; Surg., C. W. Morrow; Chap., Milton Southard; O. D., William Montz; O. G., Isaac H. Wilson; S. M., J. W. Jones; Q. M. S., William D. F. Matthews. The post meets every first and third Friday evenings, in Howe's Hall, at Mount Victory.

Grassy Point Grange, No. 165, was instituted November 16, 1872, by Deputy Swinnerton, of Marion County, Ohio, in the schoolhouse at Grassy Point, consisting of the following charter members: John Robinson, Ira Baker, Munsou Dille, Park Snodgrass, Alfred Snodgrass, George Frame, Rebecca Robinson, Rebecca Baker, Nancy Ann Dille, Mary Robinson, Thomas Dunson, Mary Dunson, Isaiah Brugler, Nancy Brugler, George McDonald and W. H. Baldwin, with John Robinson, M. and Ira Baker, O. The present membership is sixty-five, with officers as follows: Walter Bald- win, M .; Brinton Peditt, O .; John C. Johnson, Chap .; W. H. Baldwin, L .; Daniel Baldwin, Secretary; and William Rule, Treasurer. Soon after its institution, they purchased the old schoolhouse property and erected an addition to said building, so that the house consists of three rooms-ante- room, hall and store room-at a cost of about $200.

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The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 71

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