The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 87

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 87

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The first burial-place in Fairfield Township, and. in fact one of the first in Madison County, was the Fitzgerald or Opossum Run Cemetery. This was first used as a family and neighborhood burying-ground, when the tract of land was owned by John Phebis. It was dedicated by receiving the body of a man, name now unknown, who came here from Chillicothe to settle. and, while cutting down timber to build his house, was killed by a falling tree. This it is believed occurred about 1808. The next to receive burial here, as shown by the tombstone, was Isaac Woods, who died October 16, 1812, aged twenty-five years. He was a soldier, and had been with the troops out toward Sandusky, and they were returning home, having had a successful and prosperous trip, were rejoicing over their successes, when he was accidenally shot and killed. Another pioneer deposited here was James Blair, who died September 20 1816, aged thirty-six years. Some others, prior to 1825, were Joannah, wife of John Clark. died May 31, 1819, aged thirty-six years. David Dennison died October 1, 1823, and Richard New- land died May 11. 1825, aged thirty years. From this time forward, this was a general burying-place for the neighborhood, and accessions to this

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FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.

" city of the dead" were frequent and numerous. After Judge E. O. Fitz- gerald became the owner of this tract of land, he set apart and fenced in one acre of ground devoted to burial purposes, which remained thus till in the spring of 1880 the Trustees of the township received and took charge of it and purchased three-fourths of an acre more and added to it, and the township now has a deed for one and three-fourths acres of ground, which. is high and dry and well adapted to cemetery purposes.

Dennison Chapel Cemetery .- This burying-ground immediately join# on the west side the lot upon which the church is built, and was appropriated to the burial of the dead at a much later date. It is well inclosed and pre- served, and within its inclosure are evergreens and shrubbery, giving it an appearance of care. It has received many of the dead of this church and neighborhood. The first person to be buried here was Cyrus Nichols.

The Thomas Cemetery .- This is located a little east of California and just east of the schoolhouse, and was appropriated for this purpose by Rob. ert Thomas, who owned that tract of land and was dedicated by the recep tion of his body, who died August 9, 1831. since which it has received the bodies of many of the early settlers and people of the neighborhood. These embrace all the burying-places that are preserved, and now have a visible existence within the territory of Fairfield Township.

SCHOOLS.

The education of the children of the early settlers of Fairfield Town. ship received their prompt attention, and, although like all new settlements. they labored under great disadvantages, yet they did what they could, an 1 we find them early establishing schools, and, though the first schoolhouses were rude structures, and the qualifications of their teachers, and the privi- leges generally very limited yet they served as a beginning: and the ear- nest efforts of the people, the sacrifices and self-denials they made in that early day to give their children the much needed instructions, deserve the admiration and gratitude of their descendants and all lovers of learning and progress.

The first schoolhouse built within the limits of this township was erect ed in the southeast corner. on Opossum Run. It was a rude structure- round-log cabin, puncheon floor, slab-seats and greased paper for windows. This was built about 1811. The first teacher was Thomas McCafferty, who was crippled by one nseless arm. One of his pupils was John F. Cheno- weth, who still survives and now resides in London. This cabin served for school purposes several years. About 1836. a good hewed-log house was erected twenty feet square, with shingle roof. large and commodious, on the ground now embraced in the Fitzgerald Cemetery. There was also another of those primitive log schoolhouses, chinked and mudded, built very early, where Mrs. S. Bowers now lives, where some of the children of the early pioneers obtained some of the first rudiments of an education. One of the first teachers in this cabin was Judathan Waldo. a Yankee, who had a very limited ability. His qualifications would not at the present day be consid. ered sufficient for a Road Supervisor. These early schools were supported by subscriptions, and generally the teacher was paid from $8 to $10 per month. Abont 1867, the present frame schoolhouse was built, and has con- tinued in use to the present time. This now constitutes District No. 7. known as the Cartmill District. The enumeration is now about forty-five scholars. Teachers' wages in summer. $25 to $30: in winter. $40 to $45.

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per month. The present Board of Directors. Alfred Cartmill, Edward Fitz- gerald and J. W. Puckett.

District No. 1, Byers Schoolhouse. - The first school building was a log of the most primitive kind, as described above. erected about 1830. This was succeeded by a comfortable frame house, erected about 1853. In 1878, the present neat and comfortable brick house was erected. Enumera- tion, sixty scholars. Teachers' wages, summer, $30 to $33; in winter, $45 to $50. Board of Directors, Joel M. Byers, Samuel Truitt and J. C. Byers. District No. 2. Bales Schoolhouse-The first house was a small frame, built about 1825. and the next built was the present house. District No. 3, No- land School, organized in the fall of 1836. First house, a hewed log, built by D. C. Freeman in 1837. The first school opened January 1, 1838. The first teacher, D. Wald; the second was D. C. Freeman. This house was used about twenty years, and was also used by the Methodist and Christian denominations for preaching. The second house was a frame, erected on the same ground of the first, about 1857. Then, in 1879, the present large brick was built. District No. 4. Lilly Chapel-The first schoolhouse in this vicinity was a rude log of the most primitive style. and stood on land now owned by William Durflinger. This was in an early day, and was the first schoolhouse in the northern part of the township. This was suc- ceeded by another log house, erected on the ground of the present frame house, just east of the village of Lilly Chapel. Then this was succeeded by a small frame house, and this again by the present frame that is now in use. But by the rapid growth of the village of Lilly Chapel, and the con- sequent increase of the number of school children, this house soon became inadequate to accommodate all the scholars, and, in the fall of 1881. they began the erection of a good brick house just east of the frame, on the same lot, which is now (July, 1882) being completed. The frame house is to remain for the primary department, and the new brick used for the more

advanced scholars. This district now enumerates about one hundred and thirty. Board of Directors, S. H. Edwards, George Durflinger and Albert Lilly. District No. 5. Pringle School, situated on the California & Lilly Chapel pike. The first schoolhouse here was a rude log house, and, being lo- cated near the center of the township, the first township elections were held at this schoolhouse. About 1850, a good comfortable frame house was built. Then, in 1877, the present brick house was erected. Enumeration of schol- ars, thirty-two. Board of Directors, A. J. Henkle, H. Gilliland and J. A Prin- gle. District No. 6, Dennison Chapel-First, a log house located on Lem- nel Lawrence's land, which was probably built about 1847. Next. about 1858, a frame house was erected on the same lot where the church now stands. Then, in 1880, the present large and commodious brick house was erected. Enumeration of scholars, about seventy. Teachers' wages, $45. Board of Directors, Allen Dennison, William Strain and Lemuel Lawrence. District No. 8, California-This district was formed from Dis- tricts No. 2 and 3, and was organized in 1854, and the same year a frame honse was erected. First Board of Directors were J. H. Gardner, Dr. Simmerman and Henry Watrous. The present brick house was built in 1879. Enumeration of scholars in the district, sixty-five. Teachers' wages. $30 to $45. Present Board of Directors, Dr. C. W. Higgins, W. H. Hill and George Corder. District No. 9-The last erected, was organized about 1868-70. and was formed from territory taken from Districts No. 3 and 5: a frame building erected. which is still occupied for school purposes. Thus it is seen that Fairfield Township now supports nine schools, but, as stated

Taw, Lutzqualo

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FAERFIELD TOWNSHIP.

above, there being no books or records of this township to be found, we are very much limited in means by which to give official statistics of either po- litical or educational matters. The latest enumeration of scholars in pos- session of the Township Clerk is that of 1878, when the total of the town- ship was 556. Educational funds, $4,500. Tax levy in the spring of 1882: For township purposes, 2-10 mill, $93.20; for road purposes, 1 mill, $807.25; for poor fund, 1-4 mill, $116.86.

MILLS.

There is not now, and, we believe, never has been, a grist or flour mill within the boundaries of Fairfield Township, and but few saw mills. One of the first saw-mills we gain a record of was built by Daniel Thompson, on Opossum Run. located near the Thomas Chapel. This was first a sta- tionary mill and run by water-power. Subsequently, it was run by steam power, and finally was converted into a portable mill, and moved from place to place as occasion required. It is now located on Judge E. O. Fitzgerald's farm. There is also another portable mill on the same farm, owned by Dickinson & Bowers. The other mills are located at the villages of Cali- fornia and Lilly Chapel, and are fully mentioned in the history of those towns.

PIKES,

About 1870 to 1572, the pike from London to California and Mt. Ster- ling was built. This was the first pike built in this township. The next built was the London & Lilly Chapel pike, and the third was the Mt. Ster- ling & Jefferson pike. These constitute the main business roads of the township, those upon which are the most travel and heavy hauling. They embrace eighteen to twenty miles, and are a valued improvement. This summer (1882) they are building a pike on the Jackson road, which, when completed, will make this township well supplied with good roads and thoroughfares.

TOWNS.

There are three villages within the limits of this township. The first was laid out in the spring of 1549, by Thomas Chappel, Robert Thomas and William D. Pringle. This was about the time of the great excitement over the discovery of the rich gold mines in California, and this town was laid out in the midst of a very rich country, possessed of an excellent soil, and they gave it the suggestive name of California. Near this town were the large prairies known as the " Big Plains," and in establishing the post office of this town, as there was an office elsewhere called California. they gave this the name of Big Plains. Dr Holmes erected the first house in the place, and was the first Postmaster and also the first physician located in the town. Prior, however, to the laying-out of the town there was a Dr. Davis, a practicing physician, located about three miles northeast of Cali- fornia, who was, perhaps. the first physician resident in the township, al- though it is said that he never had a very extensive practice. Peter Trout is said to have built the second house. The first store was kept by James Parks. William Riley was the first blacksmith. This town for a time grew rapidly, and there was quite an extensive business carried on here, and. in fact, from that day to the present time, there has been an active mercantile trade here for a village of its size, as it is surrounded by a beautiful coun- try and a wealthy and thriving class of people. It now has three good gen- eral stores, three blacksmiths. three physicians, one steam tile factory and

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY.

saw-mill combined. one church- - Methodist-a good brick schoolhouse and a good brick town house, erected in 1877.

Warnersville .- At the south line of Fairfield, bordering on Pleasant Township. is a small village known as Warnersville, receiving such name from the fact that the tract of land was owned by Mr. Warner. where a cluster of eight or ten houses now stand, embracing a population of forty

to fifty persons. About 1867. David Lane, a huckster by occupation, opened a small store here, which. in 1872. he sold to R. Watrous, who continued trade here till 1881, when, in January, of that year, he sold out to J. S. Bowers. He carried on business one year, and sold to William Watrous & Bro., who are now conducting a general merchandise trade. In the fall of 1874. a post office was established here by the same name of the

village, with R. Watrous as Postmaster.

This office existed until 1879. when, as it was not self-supporting, it was discontinued. But again, in the spring of 1881, it was re-established under the name of Kiousville, with J. S. Bowers as Postmaster.

In January, 1882, William Watrous became Postmaster, and is now its present incumbent. Jesse S. Bowers built the first house and was the first blacksmith in the village. He was succeeded by Henry Bowers, who is the present incumbent.

Gilroy or Lilly Chapel .- In 1871 and 1872, the Short-Line Railroad, from Springfield to Columbus, appeared in prospect, and. in the latter year. Mr. Thomas Durflinger opened a store here in anticipation of the railroad and the establishing of a station at this point. In 1850, the Methodist Church was erected here on land owned by Wesley Lilly, which was given the name of " Lilly Chapel." In 1873, the railroad was completed and a station established and called Lilly Chapel. In 1874, Henry Gilroy and Henry Lilly laid out the town, which was named Gilroy, in honor of Mr. Gilroy. But as the station and locality had previously been designated as Lilly Chapel, in consequence of the church erected here and given that name, and as, in 1873, Henry Lilly originated a petition for a post office under the name of Lilly Chapel. which was granted by the Department on the establishing of a postal route over the railroad, the town has ever been known and recognized by the name of Lilly Chapel. The first Postmaster was Thomas Horn. He was succeeded by C. L. Bales, and he by George Leiter, the present incumbent. Thomas Horn built the first house after the laying-out of the town, and engaged in inercantile trade, and was the first local agent of the railroad company. David Wright was the first black- smith: he opened a shop in a house built by Henry Lilly. The first phy- sician was Dr. Taggart, who located here in 1880, but remained only a few months. In the spring of 1881, Dr. Schofield located here. who has since remained the practicing physician of the place. The town now contains over two hundred inhabitants, and is rapidly growing and increasing in business. There are now three general stores, one grocery, two blacksmith shops, employing four workmen, with a wagon and buggy shop combined with them. There are two steam saw-mills, one of which runs two engines and is doing a large business, saws a large amount of material for the manufacture of buggies and wagons. But the largest and most attract- ive business of the place is carried on by two grain elevators, one built by Pringle Bros .. in the fall of 1877. and the other by the " Farmers' Associa- tion." which is now conducted by J. C. Byers & Co., both of which are do- ing a large business. In 1876. prior to the erection of these elevators, four farmers. Henry Lilly, John Horn, Thomas Horn and Thomas Gorby, erected a corn-sheller and elevator for a neighborhood convenience, for shelling and

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shipping corn. This proved so successful and beneficial in it operations that it resulted in the building of the above-mentioned elevators. These now receive grain from a large scope of country, in some directions from fifteen to twenty miles distant, and are a great convenience and source of profit to this section of country.

In 1878, a large tile factory run by steam power was erected, and is doing a large and prosperous business, and is probably one of the best in Madison County. This town is just in its infancy, having seen but eight summers since its natal day. It is the only railroad station and shipping point within the township, and is located in the midst of a rich and pro- ductive country, and must necessarily become an extensive shipping point.

During the year 1881. the following number of full car loads of prod- ucts were shipped from this section, viz .: 232 cars of corn; 44 cars of hogs: 15 cars of logs; 18 cars of cattle; 2 cars of staves; 2 cars of spokes; 167 cars of wheat; 19 cars of sheep; 11 cars of wool; 5 cars of lumber; 2 cars of hoop poles and 1 car of tile; total number of cars, 508.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

Lilly Chapel Grange. No. 583 .- Was instituted February 14, 1874, un- der the supervision of Mr. Creamer, Deputy Master, with the following twenty-six charter members: J. Hardwick. A. Jackson, H. Lilly, T. Dur- flinger, T. Horn, Jr., William Sidner. James Lilly, J. Fogle, J. H. Gard- ner. William Culumber, Benjamin Thacker. H. Kennedy, Calvin Durfling- er. John Byers, Thomas Gorby, Albert Lilly, Lewis Sidner, T. Horn, Sr .. T. R. George, M. A. Lilly, Josie Byers, Rebecca Hardwick, William Ken- nedy, Mrs. A. Jackson. Catharine Sidner and Wall Moler, and were officered as follows: J. Hardwick, W. M .: H. Lilly. W. L .: T. Horn, Jr., W. A. S .; J. Lilly, W. T .; B. Thacker, W. G. K .; M. A. Lilly, W. P .: A. Jack- son. W. O .: J. H. Gardner, W. S .; T. Gorby, W. C .; A. Lilly, W. Secre- tary: Rebecca Hardwick, W. C .; W. R. Kennedy, W F .. and Josie Byers, W. L. A. S. This society continues in a good, flourishing condition, and now numbers --- members. Present officers (July 1, 1882) as follows: A. Durflinger, W. M .; D. C. Postle, W. L .; Henry O. Bryan, W. A. S .; Henry Lilly, W. T. : Robert Fullerton, W. G. K. ; Mary Durflinger, W. P. ; George Durflinger, W. O .; F. V. Durflinger, W. S .; Jennie Durfling- er, W. C .; Jennie Fullerton, W. Secretary; Laura Sidner, W. C .; Ella Ful- lerton, W. F., and Ella Durflinger, W. L. A. S.

Gilroy Lodge, No. 695, I. O. O. F -Was instituted July 8, 1880, by H. P. Gravatt, M. W. G. Master, with the following fifteen charter mem- bers: G. A. Ogden, George Gardner, A. Harst, C. L. Bales, T. J. Clifton. W. Gardner. J. Truitt, T. W. Preston, A. Jackson, D. W. Byram, W. H. Bailey, J. R. D. Bennett, H. Lilly, G. A. Bostwick and W. Peddicord, with the following officers: W. A. Ogden, N. G .: Thomas Preston, V. G .; G. A. Bostwick, Secretary, and J. R. D. Bennett, Treasurer. The lodge is in a flourishing condition, and now (July 1, 1882) has fifty-nine members. The present elective officers are: G. A. Bostwick, N. G .; C. L. Bales, V. G .; J. H. Gardner, Recording Secretary; John Shaffer, Permanent Secretary, and George Leiter, Treasurer.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY.

CHAPTER XII.

SOMERFORD TOWNSHIP.

T HIS township is bounded on the north by Pike and Monroe Townships, on the east by Monroe and Deer Creek, south by Union, and on the west by Champaign County. March 4, 1839, " ordered, by the Commission- ers, that the following boundaries, which have heretofore been a part of Deer Creek Township, be organized as a new township, to be known and desig- nated by the name of Somerford, to wit: Beginning at the southwest cor- ner of Pike Township, in the line of Champaign County, thence with said line south three miles and two hundred poles to the corner between the county of Champaign and Clark, thence with the Clark County line south . ten degrees west, six and a half miles to the north bank of Deer Creek, on Daniel Wilson's land; thence north seventy-seven degrees east, two and a half miles, crossing the creek and the Xenia road to a small jack oak and large burr oak on Chrisman's land: thence north sixty-eight degrees east, four miles and one hundred and eighty poles, crossing the Urbana road and Glade Run to two black oaks and two burr oaks near where George Frederick formerly lived, on A. Toland's land; thence north to the line of Monroe Township, on Schuyler Lewis' land; thence with the line of Mouroe and Pike Townships north forty-six degrees west five miles to the beginning." March 20, 1840, "ordered, by the Commissioners of Madison County, that the line between the townships of Union and Somerford be so altered as to include Daniel Wilson and the land upon which he now lives into Union Township."

SURFACE, SOIL, ETC.

Throughout Madison County, there is much of a uniformity in the sur- face and soil of the different townships, and to a great extent the descrip- tion of one is, with little variation, a representation of any other. Therefore, when we say the surface of this township is level, it is just what we have said. of other townships The western portion of the' township possesses the greatest altitude, as shown by its streams or creeks all flowing toward its eastern border, yet even this portion is level or slightly undulating. The soil is very rich and productive, and suitable to the raising of all kinds of grains, cereals and grass, the exuberance of the latter constituting it an ex- cellent stock country. Along the creeks and the more flat portions of the township, the soil consists of a deep black loam, and the more undulating lands are a mixture of loam and clay. The township is well watered by the creeks, which are fed by great numbers of beautiful springs, which dot the farms from one extreme to the other of the limited domain. Deer Creek, with its numerous branches, penetrates nearly all portions of the territory ; George's Creek being the largest, which heads near the northwest cor- ner of the township, and, coursing in a southeast direction, empties into the main creek, near the eastern border of the township. With all these beautiful springs and creeks, forming an ever-gushing supply of water, to- gether with its subsoil of clay, renders it proof against danger to its crops from an ordinary drought. This township, unlike many others of Madison

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County, was originally well timbered, having no prairies entirely destitute of trees; and it had a remarkable variety of timber, consisting of white, black, red and burr oak, elm, maple, locust, cherry, hickory, walnut and beech, of which the white and red oak were beautiful; and the cherry and walnut, of which, in an early day, vast quantities were cut down and burned in clearing up the land, if now in possession of the owners of the lands, would be a fortune to them. But the ruthless ax of the pioneer and the merciless torch have nearly obliterated those species from the face of her domain. It is evident, from the small streams, that we find no water power of value, and the mills that now exist, or have existed in this township, have been run by steam power, and that the great efforts and interests of the people, with the natural advantages they possessed as above described, have been in agricultural pursuits.

PIONEERS.

To particularize the individual who first entered the vast wilderness that once existed in what now comprises the territory of Somerford Town- ship is at this late day very difficult to do, but we have succeeded in obtain- ing the names of nearly fifty of the early settlers, and, as is usually the case in most new countries, we find they canie in companies of several to- gether, or at least several were found settled in the same neighborhood at about the same time.

The first settlement in this township was made in the eastern part, on or near Deer Creek, between the years of 1802 and 1805. In 1803-04, there came from Kentucky two brothers, Robert and John Scott, who prob- ably located on what is now either the Richmond or Gwynne land, but of them we learn but little. Also, at about the same date, and from the same State, came Tobias Shields and two sons, John and Andrew, and located in the same vicinity. There were probably more of the family than these two sons, but if so, of them we learn nothing. After the organization of Mad- ison County and of Deer Creek Township-the latter embracing a large scope of territory, including Somerford -we find John and Andrew Shields holding various offices of the township for several years. Tobias, the fa- ther, was a true backwoodsman, rough in his habits and nature; and was blind for thirty years before his death. About the same date, Charles Atch. ison, also from Kentucky, settled here, and proved a most worthy and use- ful citizen, and was probably the first Treasurer of the township after its erection. He also filled many other offices of the township. Daniel Ross was another pioneer settler of the same date. He had a large family, of whom we find record of the following sons: Angus, David, John and Al- exander. who were all more or less in the various offices of the township until 1836. And it is believed that, about that time or soon after, they left this county, emigrating to the West. In 1805 came JJohn Wilson, from Greenbrier County, Va .. who. with John Arbuckle, erected a double log house, in which they both resided for some time. He was one of the first Trustees. which office he filled four years in succession. About 1808-10, Gabriel Markle, a native of Maryland. emigrated to Ohio and settled in this township. on the place now owned by George Prugh, one mile north of the village of Somerford, on Deer Creek. Here he remained through life, and died about 1825. nearly eighty years of age. He was of German descent, a good, industrious man and a worthy citizen. He had four sons and nine daughters. who grew up and became worthy citizens, but are now all deceased. About 1811, Samuel Dickerson. a native of Virginia, settled here. He was a noted hunter, a good farmer and a respected citizen.

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The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 87

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