The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 73

Author: Brown, Robert C; W.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Ohio > Madison County > The history of Madison County, Ohio > Part 73

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Lancisco, Gideon and George Peck, sons of Gideon Peek, of Ross County, Ohio, settled on a tract of land in the west part of Union Township, which was purchased by their father. They settled here about 1828. Gideon has since died. and George removed to Illinois. Lancisco still resides on the home place, where he has resided more than half a century, a very honest, upright man, and a prosperous farmer. Of other early settlers of whom we did not

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succeed in obtaining any special account, yet were known to have settled here about 1812-15, were John and George Sutherland, John and James Beatty, Henry Ward and an only son, Joseph. The above, we think, will embrace a reasonably thorough account of most of the first settlers of Union Township, as its boundaries now exist. Some early settlers have no doubt been omitted, not intentionally, but from an impossibility, with the limited resources now left us after a lapse of more than three-quarters of a century, to gain in- formation of every one. Neither do we claim no mistakes in what we have given, but we have endeavored to gather as carefully and correctly as was possible.

SURFACE, SOIL, ETC.

The surface of this township is generally level, and considerable portions of it were originally oak openings and prairies. Along the streams and creeks, the surface is rolling. and, in a few localities, somewhat hilly. The principal streams are Glade Run and Deer Creek, in the eastern part of the township, crossing it from north to south; Oak Run, which rises in the northwest part of the township, flows eastward, and thence southeast through London and the central portion of the township, and on through Oak Run Township and is a branch of Walnut Run, which rises a little south of the source of Oak Run, and courses in a southeast direction into Paint Township, leaving this township on the Elijah Peterson farm. The southern neck of this township is crossed from west to east by Walnut Run, a distance of about two and one-half miles. The southwest and western portions of the township are quite level. On the tributary of Walnut Run, and the head-waters of Oak Run, the surface is rolling; between said tributary and Oak Run is a large extent of very level and beautiful country, and also the same condition between Oak Run and Deer Creek. The most uneven and hilly locality, and in fact about the only portion which can with propriety be called hilly, is the southern portion, along Oak Run and Walnut Run. The entire township possesses a rich, strong, and productive soil. The more level portions generally consist of a black loam, with here and there a small admixture of clay. The rolling and hilly portions are a clay and loam soil. Almost the entire township is especially adapted to grazing and the raising of stock, which has ever been a leading business with the most prominent farmers. Where the farmers have given attention to tiling and draining their land, it produces abundant crops of wheat and corn, and during the last few years much attention has been given to draining the lands, and it is greatly increasing the productiveness and value of farms. From the above description of the course of the streams, it will be clearly visible that the west and northwest portions of the township have the greatest eleva- tion. In the building of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad. which passes in a northeasterly or southwesterly course through the center of the township, it was said that the highest altitude between Columbus and Cincin- nati, is just west of William Cryder's residence. The Township is well watered, and good wells, with lasting water, are obtained from fifteen to forty feet below the surface. At the County Infirmary, which is located on this land above spoken of, possessing such a high altitude they have flowing wells, and the water is impregnated very strongly with iron, and perhaps other minerals. Therefore, there must be extensive subterranean courses, which are supplied with water from some distant source of very high elevation, and this source, or somewhere along the subterranean course, before it reaches the surface at the infirmary, must be abundantly supplied with iron. The water appears to be of excellent quality and, without doubt, conducive to health. The variety of timber is about the same as in other portions of the county. On the more level portions, and in the oak openings, burr oak predominates, with some hickory and elm; in some wet portions elm rather predominates. In some

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places, and along the the creek bottoms, were formerly found considerable walnut. On the more elevated lands, with clay soil, were white, black and red oak, hickory and ash, as the prevailing species. The prairies, as first occupied by the pioneers, were found with an exuberant growth of grass, which formed excellent pasturage for their stock, the grass often growing seven and eight feet in height. But late in the season, when it became very dry, it became as dangerous an element as in the early part of the season it was beneficial to the settler ; for, often the grass would be set on fire, and burn and destroy every- thing of a destructible nature which lay in its course, and, when once started, with a brisk wind it would travel at railroad speed, and many a farmer had his buildings, grain and everything swept away by the burning element in a few minutes of time. Sometimes, by a combination of neighbors making a hard and continued fight with the fire, before it reached too near their homes, they would succeed in saving their property. But in the fall of the year it required a continued watchfulness and care on the part of the settlers to guard against these destructive fires.

PIKES AND ROADS.

Two railroads pass through this township, the Pittsburg. Cincinnati & St. Louis, and the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western (formerly Springfield & Columbus Short Line). The township is well supplied with pikes, or good gravel roads, radiating in all directions from London, the only town in the township ; the principal of which are, the Somerford pike, the Springfield pike, the south Charleston pike, the pike leading to Newport and Midway, the Mount Sterling pike, the Lilly Chapel & Georgesville pike, the Jefferson pike, the Lafayette pike, and now building, the Beach Road pike, all of which add greatly to the business interests of London, and to the comfort and convenience of the peo- ple throughout the entire country. Besides these pikes above mentioned, many of the cross and connecting roads have been more or less graveled, and made nearly as good as pikes, so that we may say that this township has su- perior roads and facilities for travel, comfort and convenience.

CHURCHIES.

It is probable, in fact we may say very certain, that the first church or- ganization in Union Township was on Glade Run, and is known as the Lower Glade Methodist Episcopal Church. About 1808-9, several persons met at a log house on the farm now owned by Preston Adair, situated between what is known as the Lower Glade and the Upper Glade, and here, by Rev. Mr. Pavey, a class was organized consisting of the following persons : John MeDonald, James McDonald, Charles Ewing, Samuel Ewing, John Ewing, Jacob Sidener, John Adair, James Wright, Eliza Wright, William Erwin and his mother, Charles Melvin, John Melvin, Benjamin Melvin, Joseph Melvin. and their wives, Isaac Wright, James Wright, William Ragan, Abby Melvin, Schuyler McDonald, Phebe Melvin, Henry Coon and wife and Polly McDonald. While they continued to hold their meetings at this log house, they were adminis- tered to by the Revs. Pavey, Smith, Bacon, Robert Findley. James Findley, William Sutton and William Simmons. About 1812, by mutual agreement, for the convenience of the members, the class was divided, those who lived in the vicinity of the Upper Glade, forming a class, which was the nucleus of the McDonald Church, or the Upper Glade Methodist Episcopal Church, and those who resided in the vicinity of the Lower Glade constituted a class, and the beginning of the church of which we here give a history. This class con- sisted of the following : James McDonald, William Erwin and his mother, Schuyler MeDonakl, Charles Melvin, John Melvin, Benjamin Melvin, Joseph Melvin, Henry Coon, and their wives, Abby Melvin, Phebe Melvin, Adam Ben- nett and wife, Jacob MeCuen, Samuel Adair and wife, and John Harrison and

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY.

wife, numbering twenty-six members in all. They hell services in the house of James MeDonald, and the houses of others, and in the schoolhouse until about 1831, when they erected the old log meeting house, which at that time was considered a fine structure, and it was probably dedicated the following year by Rev. William Simmons. The people worshiped in this log house for some time without a floor, the minister preaching to the people from a platform of boards laid upon some of the hewed joists. Many years afterward, this log building was weather-boarded and repaired, and made to take on quite an improved appearance. Thus fitted up, this house continued to serve the peo- ple till 1881, when arrangements were perfected to ereet upon the same site a substantial brick edifice, which was built by Mr. James Self, of London, and is a fine specimen of workmanship. The house is thirty-two by fifty-four feet, with an eight feet square tower projecting in front, making the extreme length sixty-two feet. In the interior, the house is neatly and tastefully furnished ; the arrangements for lighting the church are, perhaps, unsurpassed by any church of its size, and presents a very pleasing appearance. The seats which are of heavy ash wood, trimmed with walnut, were furnished by the Excelsior School and Church Furniture Company of Cincinnati. Probably, no church in the county is better seated. The whole cost of the building is a little over $2,700. The house was dedicated to service June 11, 1882, by the Presiding Elder of this district, Rev. J. F. King. The sermon was delivered on Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock from the text, " We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple" (Psalm lxv, 4th verse). There were present two of the former pastors, Rev. A. M. Alexander and Rev. B. Tressen- rider, also the Rev. J. W. Peters, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at London, all of whom participated in the services. At the close of the dis- course, a financial exhibit was made by the pastor, and the congregation were asked for $625, the amount necessary to liquidate the indebtedness of the church. The response made to the call by the Elder was both generous and general, and in a half hour or so, the membership and friends had contributed about $810. Several friends who were not present had remembered the church, and had sent subscriptions. This liberality had enabled the church to pay all its indebtedness, and to provide itself with a good bell. After the subscrip- tion, the church was presented on the part of the Trustees, by Brother .J. J. Melvin, and was then formerly dedicated to God as a house of worship, ac- cording to the ritual of the church. The Trustees at the present time (1882) are Thomas Peddicord, J. J. Melvin. Andrew Rupert, Josiah Melvin and Da- vid Rupert. The class leader is John J. Melvin. The present pastor is Rev. John W. Waite.

The above is the only church in Union Township, outside of the limits of London, except a German Baptist Church, situated a little north of Roberts' Mill, which was recently built, and consequently its history would be but brief. and of which we have few facts or data.

CEMETERIES.

The first burial-places were usually upon the land where they lived, or that of some neighbor at no great distance, as it was many years before regular interment grounds or cemeteries were established. The first to re- ceive interment within the present limits of Union Township were, probably, two infant children of Thomas Melvin, on Glade Run, who died in the summer of 1808, and were buried on his land, which has since become a regular burial- place for that neighborhood and vicinity, and is known as the Lower Glade Cemetery. The first adult person to be interred was Thomas Melvin, the father of the above-mentioned children. who died in the fall of 1808. In 1811. the body of John McDonald, Sr., was deposited in the same piece of ground.

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And from this time deaths and burials became quite frequent, as the neighbor- hood of the Glade filled up with settlers, and for many years much sickness prevailed, and many a family tie was sundered by the "grim messenger, Death." Subsequently, after the death of Thomas Melvin, this land came into the ownership of Charles Melvin, who fenced around about an acre of ground and donated it for cemetery purposes. It has now been used for nearly seven- ty-five years, and contains a large concourse of the dead. A few persons have been buried in other places, but nearly all who were interred in the castern portion of the township were buried in the above cemetery. In the extreme western part of the township. many of the pioneers were buried in the " Turner Burying-Ground." just in the edge of Clark County. Also, a few per sons were interred on the James Garrard farm, which was, in the early days. known as the Sutherland Burying-Ground. But it is now all an open pasture. and not a mark left to show who were buried there. In the southern and southwestern portions of the township, many of the early dead were interred in the Watson Cemetery. At London there were two burying-places quite early established-one in the north part of the town, usually known as the Methodist, and the other west of the town, known as the Presbyterian. These were used for many years, and until the purchase and establishment of the present beautiful grounds known as Oak Hill and Kirkwood Cemeteries. These were both established by associations, organized under the laws of the State. as follows :

Oak Hill Cemetery Association was organized at a called meeting of the citizens of London and vicinity, on August 6, 1860, with the following mem bers : Richard Cowling, Toland Jones. Jeriah Swetland. James Q. Lotspeich. A. A. Hume, Richard A. Harrison. A. Shanklin, Oliver P. Crabb, Henry. W. Smith and Benjamin F. Clark. Of these, Alexander A. Hume, Richard A Harrison and Jeriah Swetland, were duly elected Trustees ; and Henry W. Smith; Clerk. On August 9, 1860, Richard Cowling, Esq., and his wife, Mary Cowling, conveyed by deed to said Oak Hill Association, eight acres and ninety- six poles of land. This land lies north of London, where said cemetery is located. and was a donation by said grantors. The ground was laid out in three divisions : Division No. 1, contains sixty-eight lots ; Division No. 2. con- tains sixty-nine lots; and Division No. 3. contains fifty-three lots. The Soldiers Monument is in Division No. 1, and was donated by Richard Cowling, Esq The donor is buried near the Soldiers' Monument. Richard Cowling. Esq .. in his last will and testament, devised to said Oak Hill Cemetery Association fifty-four and three-fifths acres of land adjoining the eight acres and ninety- six poles of land first donated. The following persons have been the Trustees of said Association : Richard A. Harrison, Alexander A. Hume, and Jeriah Swetland, from the organization, August 6th. 1860. to August 3. 1868 ; at the latter date the following persons were elected Trustees : R. Cowling, JJ. Swet- land. and A. A. Hume, who continued as Trustees till August 4. 1873. when R. Cowling, S. H. Cartzdafner and A. A. Hume were elected Trustees. October 3, 1873. R. Cowling, Esq., died. On June 14, 1875, Jeriah Swetland was ap- pointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of R. Cowling, Esq. August 16. 1875. Peter Peetrey. E. R. Watts and S. H. Cartzdafner, were elected Trustees. August 7, 1876. S. H. Cartzdafner. E. R. Watts and JJohn Kinney. were elected Trustees. August 6. 1879, the following persons were elected Trustees : Benjamin F. Clark. Samuel P. Davidson and Preston Adair. H. W. Smith, Esq., was elected Clerk and Secretary. August 6, 1860, and has been continued by re-election to the present time. A. Shanklin was elected Treasurer, August 6, 1860, and continued to hold said office until August 8, 1877, when he died, and is buried in said cemetery. August 17, 1877, the Trustees appointed Thomas J. Bolds Treasurer. who qualified and held said office till August 6.

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1879 ; when John Jones, Esq., was elected Treasurer. Every lot owner is a member of said association. The Trustees have planted the avenues with shade trees, graded and graveled the avenues, fenced, ditched and otherwise improved the ground. In 1876, they completed the erection of a nice brick house in the cemetery for the Sexton, have dug a well and cistern, and made other improvements. The cemetery is in a pleasant location, neatly and taste- fully laid out, and is a beautiful place for the burial of the dead. There are several fine monuments in the cemetery ; and that of the soldiers will ever com- memorate its donor.

St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery .- This cemetery is located southeast of London. It consists of four acres of ground, which was purchased of Dr. Tol- and for $400, and for which a deed was executed in favor of Archbishop Purcell, and the same duly recorded in London, April 7, 1865. The grounds were laid out in lots under the superintendence of Father Conway, and the cemetery duly consecrated to the purpose intended ; since which many inter- ments have been made there. Prior to the purchase of this cemetery, most of the deceased of the Catholic families were interred at Springfield, Clark County. Since the purchase of the above cemetery, many bodies have been removed from Springfield and interred in this burial-ground. This cemetery is handsomely located, and the land is well adapted for burial purposes. Many nice monu- ments have been erected, and in a few years, when the shade trees have grown, it will doubtless add much to the beauty of its location.

Kirkwood Cemetery Association .-- At a meeting of the citizens of London and vicinity, at the law office of R. A. Harrison, in London, on December 26, 1868, the following persons subscribed their names as members of said associ- ation : Mathew Rea, Jesse Rea, Maxwell Murray, Toland Jones, Fulton Arm- strong. Joshua T. Rankin, Joseph Rea, Owen Thomas. Jeremiah Rea, Robert Rea, Richard A. Harrison, A. S. Jones, Robert Boyd. Jonathan Farrar, James Rankin, C. Pancake and Harford Toland. The officers of the association have been as follows : Trustees-Toland Jones served 1868-77 ; Robert Boyd, 1868-72 ; Jeremiah Rea, 1868-71 ; Owen Thomas, 1868-73; Jonathan Far- rar. 1868-71 ; William Riddle, 1871 --; Fulton Armstrong, 1871-77 ; James Rankin, 1872-77; William Curtain, 1873-76 ; Joseph Rea, 1873 -; Robert Rea, 1872-77 ; Daniel T. Fox, 1876-77. Presidents-Toland Jones, 1868-72; William Curtain, 1873 --; Fulton Armstrong, 1874-77. Treasurers-Har- ford Toland, 1868-77 ; Robert Rea, 1873. Clerks-R. A. Harrison, 1868-70 ; Noah Thomas, 1871-77. Toland Jones, Jeremiah Rea, Richard A. Harrison and others having, on November 7, 1868, purchased of Eli G. Warner twenty- four and a half acres of land for cemetery purposes, the Trustees of Kirkwood Cemetery Association, at a special meeting of said association, held September 18, 1869, were instructed to purchase said twenty-four and a half acres of land of said Jeremiah Rea and others, for the use of said association ; which was accordingly done. The said land lies in a southwesterly direction from Lon- don, and the grounds were laid out by George Wiltz, of Circleville, Ohio, an accomplished architect and engineer, and were appropriately dedicated on July 3, 1869. The Trustees have erected a neat brick house on the grounds for the sexton. On June 26, 1874, they appointed Green Roberts as watchman of said cemetery grounds, who was sworn to perform all the duties required and authorized by the State law enacted for the protection of cemeteries, during his continuance as watchman. In 1882, a morgue was built, under the super- intendence of Fulton Armstrong and Auburn Smith, at a cost of about $3,300, and is a beautiful and spacious structure for the purpose for which it was erected. In October, 1882, Auburn Smith died, and was the first person to be laid in the morgue, in the construction of which he had been a superintendent, and had but a short time previous to his death completed the work. This

Luther Lane

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cemetery has a beautiful location, high and dry, and a soil well adapted to the purpose. The laying out of the grounds is artistically done, and avenues and shade trees so arranged as to give a very pleasing appearance, and it appears to be all that could be desired as a final resting-place for the dead.

SCHOOLS.

This township is divided into seven subdistricts, with enumeration of scholars as follows, in the year 1881 : Subdistrict No. 1, male, 34; female, 29; total, 63; Subdistrict No. 2, male 24 ; female. 23 ; total, 47 ; Subdistrict No. 3, male, 25; female, 23; total, 48; Subdistrict No. 4, male, 13; female, 15; total, 28 ; Subdistrict No. 5, male, 21 ; female, 14 ; total, 35 ; Subdistrict No. 6, małe, 25; female, 20 ; total, 54 ; Subdistrict No. 7, male, 10; female, 13; total, 23. Total, male, 152; female, 146; total. 298. The present Board of Education is : Subdistrict No. 1. S. D. Sweet ; No. 2, Nehemiah Nedds; No. 3, John Galla- gher ; No. 4, J. W. Durflinger ; No. 5. Robert Richmon ; No. 6. John Stickley ; and No. 7, George Cornwell.

MILLS.

About 1829. Jacob Garrard erected a grist mill on Oak Run, a little above where Roberts' mill is now located. This mill was constructed from hewed logs, and was run by water-power. Soon after he erected a small distillery connected with the mill ; these he run till about 1840. when he sold the grist mill to Charles Roberts, who refused to purchase the distillery, and it then went into disuse and decay. Soon after the mill came into Mr. Roberts' ownership, he erected a new mill on the present site of the Roberts' Mill. This mill has been run by Mr. Roberts and his heirs ever since its erection, or at least has been run under their ownership, and at one time it did quite an extensive business for that day.

Carding Mill .- About 1840, Henry Zinn erected a carding mill, with a saw mill attached, on Oak Run, about one mile north of London, run by water-power. He continued business there about five years, when he sold the property to C. K. Slagle, who continued the business about four years, when he erected a new building, two stories, 30x50 feet, attached to the old building, in which he placed machinery for the manufacture of all kinds of woolen goods. This machinery he ran by steam power, and in 1850 had it in full operation, when he rented the property to William Fish, who was a practical manufacturer. Mr. Slagle then erected a tannery near the woolen mills. Mr. Fish, after conducting busi- ness two years, associated with himself Mr. Dennis Clark, and thus continued two years, when Mr. Fish retired, Mr. Clark purchasing his interest and con- tinuing the business till June 28, 1864, when the whole property was destroyed by fire, caused by sparks falling on the roof from the chimney. This fire also destroyed Mr. Slagle's tannery and all his property. They never rebuilt the mill.

OFFICIALS.

From the absence of any records of the township for the first ten years after the erection of the township, we commence our account with the year 1821, the first which appears on the records:

Trustees .- 1821-George Chappell, William Smith and Patrick McLene; 1822-George Chappell, Amos G. Thompson and John F. Chenoweth; 1823- George Chappell, Thomas Rea and John F. Chenoweth; 1824-James Cessna, John F. Chenoweth and George Chappell; 1825-George Chappell, John Moore and John F. Chenoweth; 1826-Thomas Cessna, John F. Chenoweth and George Chappell; 1827-John Moore, Joseph B. Melvin and George Chappell; 1828-29-John Moore, Jonathan Minshall and J. B. Melvin; 1830-33-Joseph B. Melvin, Nathan Bond and Jonathan Minshall; from 1833 to 1841 no rec-

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY.

ords appear; 1841-43 -- James Rankin, John J. Melvin and Joseph Rayburn 1844-James Smith, James Rankin and Paul Custer; 1845-James Rankin James Smith and Maxwell Murray; 1846-48-Maxwell Murray. David Dunkin and James Rankin; 1849-James Rankin. Joseph Rayburn and Stephen Moore; 1850-51-James Rankin, John C. JJones and Stephen Moore; 1852 - Robert Armstrong. Harvey Fellows and Christian K. Slagle; 1853-54-Harve Fellows, Robert Armstrong and John C. Jones; 1855-56-James Rankin, Max well Murray and Christian K. Slagle; 1857-A. A. Hume, Maxwell Murray an C. K. Slagle; 1858-C. K. Slagle, John Jones and Maxwell Murray; 1859- C. K. Slagle, Maxwell Murray and Peter Pectrey; 1860 -Maxwell Murray James Garrard and Isaae Hornbeck; 1861-62-David M. Pelton, Lemfor Mount and Isaac Hornbeck; 1863- 64-Lemford Mount, E. D. Whitaker an John W. Carr; 1865-John W. Carr, L. Mount and J. F. Chenoweth; 1866- L. Mount, J. W. Carr and Peter Peetrey; 1867-69-L. Mount, J. W. Carr an Samuel Sidener; 1870-James W. Carr. S. Sidener and James Lilly; 1871-7 -Robert Boyd. S. Sidener and S. Watson; 1873-76-Robert Boyd, Williar Farrar and S. Sidener; 1877-78-James Rayburn, A. Stroup and W. H. Chand ler, Jr .; 1879-William H. Chandler, J. R. Hutchinson and Alfred Strou 1880-81-J. R. Hutchinson, W. A. Evans and M. W. Dungan; 1882-Marti W. Dungan, William A. Evans and Jonathan M. Smith.

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The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 73

Author: Brown, Robert C; W.H. Beers & Co., pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, W.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Brown, Robert C; W.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1180