The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 100

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214

USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county > Part 100

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The German Evangelical Church society was organized in 1844 or 1845. al among the first members were the families of Henry Klauer, Henry Erber, Federick Shaeffer and M. Kronemiller, and the first pastors were Revs. Peter Cetz, G. Wolpert and John Honecker. Preaching was done at the residences o the members until the building of the present one-story brick church, in 153. It was dedicated in the spring of 1854; sermon by Rev. A. Shaeffer. B7. Jacob Miller is the present pastor; membership, about twelve.

Lutheran Church, erected in 1864, is a one-story brick, with cupola and bl. The society formerly was a part of the membership of the old Lutheran Circh before mentioned, and, in 1858, withdrew for convenience, and effected aorganization under the pastorate of Rev. Jacob Shower, and, up to the erec- tii of the building at Vandalia. worshiped occasionally in the United Brethren Circh there. The following families were among those constituting the or- g ization: Ryders, Kunkles. Stoffers, Tobias, Ratcliffs, Randals and Alspachs. R's. A. S. Sink, Solomon Wiles, D. W. Smith, J. J. Welch, Sanders, D. Shers, Ritz, E. D. Smith, W. M. Smith and A. M. Barrett, the present in- ''bent, have served the charge. Present membership, about fifty. The Irch was dedicated in October, 1864, by Rev. T. T. Titus, of Springfield.

The graveyard is as old as the village, the proprietor of which, having leled to the Trustees of the United Brethren Church two-thirds of an acre of A'und for burial purposes, but not to be used exclusively by that denomination. Et as never thought to be a very choice place of burial. However, it has been ity well filled, but it is now abandoned, and the new cemetery used. This is sted Poplar Hill Cemetery, and is comprised of eight acres of ground, lying about bæe-quarters of a mile south of the village, on the Miami and Montgomery road, nphased of John Farrell at a cost of $652. The association was formed and or nized in March, 1874, and the following Trustees elected: Henry Kunkle, C.V. Eby, D. J. Brandenburg, W. C. Randal and J. D. Kenney, with R. L. Ucman as Clerk. The grounds are regularly laid out into lots, leading to wish are walks and avenues. Trees and shrubbery are being planted, and the dla is not far distant when it will become a beautiful spot.

114

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

As was stated under the head of schools, Vandalia is an independe school district, in which is located a two-story brick building, erected in 180 costing $3,300. The teachers now employed are J. P. Nine and Lizzie Wel and have enrolled (in January, 1882) thirty-six and forty-six scholars respe. ively. The common, along with some of the higher branches, are taug] There are located here two lodges of the I. O. O. F. - Vandalia Lodge, N 657, instituted August 25, 1876, with twelve charter members, under the f lowing officers: John B. Fagor, N. G .; John Kunkle, V. G .; Michael Be nerd. R. S .; George C. Waymire, F. S .; and Isaac Brandenburg, Treasur The lodge now numbers eighty-one. The present officers are: George Kind ner, N. G .; Joseph H. Taylor, V. G. ; John V. North, R. S. ; Charles Maxte F. S. Eden Lodge, No. 123, was instituted July 20, 1880, with twenty-o charter members, and the following officers elected: George C. Waymire, G .; Anna Jackson, V. G .; Kate Dabler, R. S .; Mollie Sinks, F. S .; prese membership, sixty; and officers elect are: Hettie Wells, N. G .; Mollie Sin V. G .; Mary Anderson, R. S .; Sarah Altermer, F. S .; and Cynthia Nor Treasurer.

The physicians of to-day are Drs. Corbin and Patton. There are two ! tels, namely, Eagle House, kept by La Fayette Westerman, and the Emery, J. M. Agenbrond. Two carriage shops are carried on, one by J. & T. Nor and the other by D. J. Brandenburg, and a wagon shop carried on by Richt Krewson. Other business interests are as follows: A grocery and dry goo by North & Briggs; a steam saw-mill, by J. I. Anderson; a boot and shoe sto by Alexander Jordan; a grocery and store, by Davis Brothers; blacksmithin, by J. W. Wells; drug store, by H. W. Emrick; grocery, by La Fayette We erman; meat store, by Henry Reuss; another, by John Kees; custom work boot and shoe line, by E. Surrell; merchant tailoring, by J. Eschbach; a barbering by the tonsorial artist, Henry Garrison.

STATIONS.

On the Dayton & Michigan Railroad are two stations, namely, Tado and Johnson's. At the former is kept one store, which serves as depot and p office. There is also at this station a grain elevator. At Johnson's is one st.

There is another post office at a place known as Spankertown. In neighborhood of twenty-five years ago, Branston Hutchins established a c riage shop a little east of Little York. Here were manufactured what w known some years ago as the "Spanker " wagons, hence the name which cluster of houses afterward built at this point received. The office was est. lished here April 14, 1880, with Isaac Brandenburg, Postmaster, who, shor after Mr. Hutchins was established, became his successor, and has since carr on the business. The merchant of this place is Peter Fetters.

115

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

DO write the history of a single township may to some appear like a matter of small moment, while to others it is considered very desirable that some te should do so in each township of the whole United States. How else are te names, memories and deeds of our early settlers and friends to be preserved ? ad who is there that would not be pleased to look back, or to have his chil- en look, upon some record of his early days, and of departed friends? And lw else should strangers settling in a township so readily obtain knowledge ( its affairs as by some such local publication? Many historical facts, of al importance to our people, are now living only in the memories of a few our early settlers, who are drawing near the evening of life; their race will sın be run, and after they have passed from among us, these facts will be bur- i in the oblivion of the past, unless rescued now by the pages of history. Je object of the following pages is to preserve for the people of Perry Iwnship an imperishable record of these facts, and although they may not nv realize the full importance of this step, their children and their children's cildren will fully appreciate the value of this work, which alone preserves to t.m an account of the customs and early days of their ancestors and the c ntry they wrested from the savage grasp of the red man, when the " star of pire" reached this State in its westward flight. This township in form is p fectly square, being six miles on either side, containing thirty-six square nes, and is the full Congressional Township 5, Range 4. It was formed fim the townships of Jackson and Madison in 1820, the order being issued b the County Commissioners March 7, and was named in honor of Com. Pry of Lake Erie fame. It is bounded on the north by Clay Township, on tl east by Madison, on the south by Jackson, and on the west by Preble 'inty. In appearance its land was not the most inviting to the pioneer who sight land suitable for immediate cultivation, as they seldom, if ever, brought ur'e than barely enough provisions to sustain them until a crop could be " ed. There was very little ground here that would suit them, consequently, 1 major part of the township was not settled until all the side-hill land in I neighboring territory had been entered. The most of the country was el. and accordingly very wet, water standing in some places all the year, in the southeastern part and along the eastern line there was rolling and si-hill land, which was early and eagerly taken by prospecting settlers. The ( consists of a sandy clay on the higher ground, while in the flats it is a i black alluvial, composed of the decayed matter of the forest. Underlying h most of the soil there is a thick strata of good brown limestone, very use- u for building purposes. This has been quarried to some extent by citizens s \ variable success. About fifty years ago, Shank's Quarry at Amity was jed, and some good stone obtained, but it was not worked deeper than fif- e feet, as the water at that depth became a barrier to further proceedings. Il; stopped them just as they had reached the best of the stone. Another mury was opened by Frederick Muhl shortly after this. His experience was it'it as Shank's, and his enterprise was blocked by the same unwelcome ele- mit. A ready market was found in the surrounding country for all the stone bined, and large quantities of it might have been disposed of in the same ne hborhood for a reasonable price, as the demand was good. The timber of th part of the county is that usually found throughout Southern Ohio, viz .:

116

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

On the high ground sugar, beech, hickory, walnut, ash and others, and in th lower land swamp maple, scrub oak, prickly ash, etc. The whole of the towr ship was originally a dense forest, only broken by the channels of the creeks These are quite numerous, and from their beds large quantities of gravel ar obtained for macadamizing the highways. They also furnish a few very goo mill-sites, some of which were early occupied by saw-mills. Along the bank of these creeks in early days a dense undergrowth of willow, prickly ash an spicewood flourished, making it almost impossible to cross only in the patt kept open by the wild animals as they came to drink. The name-bearin creeks are Wolf Creek, running across the northeast corner of the townshij Bear Creek, running from the center to the southeastern corner; Little Twil running from north to south, west of the center; Tom's Run, in the south we corner, and Leslie's Run, which was so named because a man bearing the nam of Leslie was drowned in it. These each have numerous branches, but ( course they bear no names and play a very unimportant part in the township history. The D., U. & W. Railway runs across the northeastern corner, and is tl only railroad in the township. But with turnpike roads it is well supplied Of these, the first one was the Eaton Pike, built in 1840. It is a part of or continuous pike extending from Cumberland, Md., to Indianapolis, Ind., ar forms the southern boundary of the township. The next was the Wolf Cred Pike, built in 1848-49, and running from Brookville, in Clay Township, Dayton. The first road in Pyrmont was the "old Sled road," built in tl spring of 1812. The above dates are those of piking these roads; some them were established before the township was formed. We see by the o records that the Dayton and Eaton road was established in 1805; a road fro Salem south seventeen miles to Germantown in 1808, and others in 1811, 181 1815 and 1819, until, now, the country is almost a network of roads.

Perry Township in politics is slightly Democratic, the vote being 235 R publican and 315 Democratic, thus giving to the Democrats a majority eighty votes. There is but one voting precinct, "Election Schoolhouse," as is called. This township began to be settled ten or twelve years before it w made a separate body politic, mostly by people of German descent, from Pen sylvania, and a better class of people cannot be found. They are plain, fran honest and religious, and the embodiment of health, strength and energy. I deed, just such people as are best capable of coping with the many obstacl encountered in subduing a wilderness. If they had to fight, they fought. they met obstacles they overcame them, and the more and greater the barrier the more determined they seemed to press on until they reached the land th sought, and now many of them who came here penniless, have, by industry aj frugality, left their children large, cultivated farms, furnished with all mode improvements. Little do we, the children of civilized prosperity, realizo t manifold hardships overcome by our fathers when they planted their standa in the forest of the Miami Valley, and reared their primitive cabin in t haunts of savage men and beasts. The first death and burial was that of Ma House. The first grist-mill in Perry Township was built by Andrew Clemm on Tom's Creek, in Section 32, which was erected about 1816. The first blac smith was Samuel Rodeheffer. He had a small shop, and did work for himse principally, but worked for others when they wanted it. The first schoolhou was a small, unchinked log cabin, in the northern part of Section 29. It w taught by a German named Miller. It was at that time in Jackson Townshi none other being in that section of the country, and thither the youth of t surrounding settlements would come for twelve or thirteen weeks in the ye It was kept up by subscription, $2 being paid by parents for each schol: This was paid in money, produce or board, as Mr. Miller had to " board round

117

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

nong the neighboring settlers. Speaking of "neighboring, " reminds us that hat word had a different meaning seventy years ago from the meaning of to- ty. When John was told to go to neighbor -- 's to borrow his iron oven, ' to get some salt, it meant generally for him to go from six to ten miles rough forests and over creeks, guided only by his idea of the direction. nd one old father tells us that the boys did not grumble then when sent miles 1 an errand half as much as they do now when they only have to cross one Id to get to the neighbors. The next schoolhouse was built in 1814, about ree-quarters of a mile west of the present residence of Jacob Shank. This as to have been built on land adjoining Mr. Shank's farm, the logs were tuled and the house partly built when some dissatisfied neighbors objected, id had it moved up the creek. A schoolhouse was built in Section 36, about quarter of a mile east of New Lebanon. Jacob Diehl went to school there early as about 1823. Teachers, Robert Scatton, John H. Holsmiller (a Ger- an). These subscription schools continued regardless of the various school ws enacted in the State from time to time, nor did they disappear until the w law became a fixed fact, the township districted and houses put up by the ate. At present there are eight school districts, with a schoolhouse in each, id two in District No. 6. The house in Pyrmont has four rooms, and cost. .,000. The other eight cost in the aggregate $14,000. They are all brick, th one exception, which is a frame in District No. 6. There is from eight 1| nine months of school held in each per annum. When we see an old man th no education we pity him, for we think of the very few advantages avail- ile in his day; but when our children see any of us uneducated, what will ley think of us when they see by the pages of history that every hillside in er fair land is dotted with schoolhouses, and learning is free as the air we leathe?

The first church of which we can find any record was organized about 24. It was called the Presbyterian and Lutheran Congregation. In 1825, 'illiam McCormick gave nearly two acres of ground in Section 11, to be used l' them as a burying ground and churchyard, and shortly afterward a church vs built thereon by the congregation, numbering in all about thirty-five mem- les. The first Trustees were: John Cox, John Venus and Obediah Reinhart. They were also among the first members. In October, 1838. another church Is commenced in Section 2. It was of the German Baptist denomination, ¿ still exists. The ground was donated by Peter Berst, who gave a little er an acre and a half. Some of the first members were Peter Berst, Eliza- Ith Berst, Samuel Muncy, David Kreider and John Munich. The two latter, th Mr. Berst, were the first Trustees. In the same year Samuel Muncy do- red another piece of land in the same Section to them. In 1841, D. A. Rig- , D. Spellman and Hezekiah Tobey, acting as the first Board of Trustees of t Bethel Congregation, received a lot from Michael Tobey on which to build a hurch, which was done in the year following. In 1850, the Lutherans, Tited Brethren and Methodists built a little frame church on Bixler and "ank's farms. There were about fifty of them in all. This church was in Ction 13. In 1860, the Lutherans bought a lot of Bixler's heirs and built a rick church at a cost of $2,000, in which they still worship. There are now senty-five members. In 1880, they bought six and twelve one hundredths acres elground for $612 (across from the church), of Adam Harmon, which they con- v ted into a graveyard. But few bodies have as yet been interred there, the first brial being that of a daughter of Rev. Graws, a Lutheran minister at Brook- ve. In 1872, a German Baptist Church was built on the Eversole farm in Sition 35, for the accommodation of a few of the older members of the neighbor- hod who could not travel so far to church, the ground being donated by Mr. Ever-

118

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

sole. There are other churches in the township, built recently, with no regula preaching, of which we give no history. Of those in Pyrmont we will treat unde that head.

EARLY SETTLERS.

Who the very first settler in this township was it would be dift cult, if not utterly impossible, to say, as men would sometimes settle withi. what is now the limits of the township, and not being perfectly satisfied, woul move a little in the direction of some settlement without those who had after ward moved into the township knowing anything of their having resided ther

There were others here of whom we can say no more than that they were her and about the time they came. With this understanding that we give, generall speaking, the first settlers, without committing ourselves as to the very first, w. proceed. Among the first to enter here were four families named severall Widenbicht, Cumright, Spitler and Swank. They came from Pennsylvania and each of them entered a quarter section of land in the eastern part of th township, near the center. They were men of family and brought their fam lies with them. They reared their little three-sided log huts within neighbor ing distances of each other, and while clearing the land for the future crop lived principally on venison and wild turkey, with which the forest abounder Especially was it so with the deer, which were so tame that they would com up to the cabins and gaze in innocent wonder at its occupants, but the gul of the woodman soon taught them a lesson that seemed to effectually satisf their curiosity, as they began to seek the deeper solitude of the forest, shortl after he made his appearance. In 1805, John and Christian Wogoman, native of Pennsylvania, settled in the southeast part of Perry Township. John wife died in 1835, after which he went to reside with his son John, in Mad son Township, where he died about 1844. The latter was but eight years ol when his parents came to this county, having been born in Pennsylvania i 1797 ; he grew up and married Mary Burkett August 13, 1818, who bore hij seven children, six of whom are now living. She died March 2, 1881. age eighty-seven. He died on his farm in Madison Township March 13, 1882, i his eighty-fifth year. Christian Wogoman died on his farm in Perry Town ship, he also leaving a son John, who was a small boy when his father cam to Ohio. Here he grew to manhood and married Sarah Weidner, of Virginia and daughter of David and Mary Weidner, also early settlers of Montgomer County, where both died. Of this union nine children were born, the wrothe dying about 1842. He was again married to Mrs. Susanna Bilheimer. wh also died, when he took for his third wife Mrs. Catherine Barks. He move in an early day to Madison Township, but about 1850 returned to Perry, agai removing about 1871 to Jefferson Township, where he and wife now reside

Henry Shank, Sr., was the next on the ground. He came in 1807 from Vi: ginia, and entered a half section of land just west of the present farm of hi grandson, Jacob, upon which he built a cabin sufficiently large to accommodate his family of six boys and six girls. Three of the boys died, and the rest ( the children married and settled around the neighborhood. Jacob Shank, gran( son of Henry, Sr., was born in Virginia, February, 1784, and in 1808 cau with his father to Perry Township, who purchased part of the half sectio originally entered by Henry, Sr. They came over the mountains from Carro County, Va., in big wagons, in the fall of the year, and occupied the cabi built by the elder Henry the year previous. In 1810, Jacob married Eliza beth Noffsinger, a native of Pennsylvania, whose parents were pioneers Madison Township, and by her had twelve children, seven of whom are living viz .: Daniel, Samuel, Susanna, Henry, Eliza, Catherine and Elizabeth. Hi wife died January 10, 1862. He was drafted into the war of 1812, but b

119

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

mne means escaped from going. He is still living and is the oldest man in e township, and probably in the county, but he has almost reached the goal human existence. His form is bent, his breath short and his vitality nearly ne. It was with the greatest difficulty he could give the writer hereof the ove facts, and ere these pages reach the reader's eye, he may have entered at last long sleep, which knows no waking in this life. About the time he me here, another man and family, named Heeter, arrived. They also came om Pennsylvania, and entered land three miles southwest of Shank's. Peter vigg had come a year previous, and settled one mile due west of Shank's farm. iese men all brought families of no small size, as they ranged from six to teen in number. They built rude, half comfortable cabins, and commenced once their battle with the monarchs of the forest, which every pioneer had fell and clear from off the soil before planting his small crop, after which 'e birds and squirrels would have to be continually watched to prevent the (struction of the winter's bread. George Brumbaugh, of Pennsylvania, came 1. Montgomery County about 1807, bought a farm in Section 36, Perry Town- ip, which had about six acres cleared. He was married in 1815, to Eliza- Ith Vaniman, daughter of John Vaniman, of Madison Township, who bore Im two children --- Samuel and Catherine, the former of whom lives on the old imestead. George Brumbaugh was in the war of 1812, and died in 1848. 13 wife surviving him and dying in 1871, aged eighty-two. John Granger, no was born in New Jersey in 1766, removed to Maryland, where he married iss Barbara Redman, by whom he had eleven children, five now living. Mr. (anger and family settled in Perry Township in 1809, where his wife died i 1847. She was born in Maryland in 1769. After his wife's death, he nved into Clay Township, where he died in 1853. His son, George, was born i Perry Township, September 5, 1810, and is now a resident of Clay Township, cither he removed after his marrage with Elizabeth Reichard, of Preble (unty, Ohio. Jacob Wysong, of Virginia, came to this township prior to the sr of 1812, and here he died ; his son, Valentine, was born in Perry during tit struggle against English oppression, and spent most of his life close to ls birthplace, dying in Miami County in 1876. He married Lydia Barnhart, (ighter of David Barnhart, of Maryland, who was also a pioneer of this (inty. Of this union seven children were born, five now living. John Diehl, ¿other early comer, was born in Pennsylvania in November, 1789, and came t this county in 1806 with his father, Jacob, who settled in Jefferson Town- s p. In 1813, John married Susanna Miller, daughter of Isaac Miller, and r ved to a quarter section of land in Section 35, Perry Township, which his f her had entered, which he cleared up and lived upon until his death, August 2 1874, aged eighty-five. He was the father of ten children, viz .: Aaron, Job, Samuel, Abraham, John, Eli, Noah, Adam, Elizabeth and Hannah. I ring the war of 1812, when he was but twenty-two years old, he left home al engaged in transporting provisions and munitions of war from Cincinnati t the different military stations in the North and West. Andrew Clemmer, a Dive of Pennsylvania, who was married in Virginia to Salome Black, of that te, settled in Section 32 in the fall of 1814, and there his son, George L., ws born in June, 1815, who is now residing in Miami City. Andrew erected t first mill in Perry Township, and lived and died in this subdivision, leav- if many descendants, who are worthy citizens. John King, with his wife dry, natives of the " Old Dominion," settled in Section 20, in the year 1815. ginia again responded in the persons of John and Susanna Venus, who che about this time. They had nine children. six of whom are now living- Ezabeth, Margaret, Sarah, Susan, Harvey and Lavina. Mrs. Venus died in Ny, 1861, aged seventy-nine, and her husband, September 6, 1862, in his e hty-first year.

120

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Another of Perry's adopted children was Daniel Mundhenk, who wi born in Germany in 1777, emigrating to this country in 1807, and landir in Philadelphia, after a stormy voyage of three months' duration. E came to this State and township in 1817, and entered 160 acres of land in Se tion 5, upon which he built his cabin. He was one of those sturdy, energet Germans who have done so much in building up and developing the great Wes Mr. Mundhenk was married three times, the first time in Germany, agai in Philadelphia, and again in the Western country. By these marriage he became the father of the following children : Augustus and Lavisca by tì first wife ; Daniel, Henry, Frederick, John, Mary Ann, Michael, Joseph an Charles by the second, and Caroline by the third. These children are marrie and settled in the neighborhood. In 1834, Mr. Mundhenk built the first stea saw-mill in the township. It was run by Frederick, as engineer, and stor on what is now Lucy Johnston's place. In 1846-47, they put up a steam gris mill on the present site of James King's farm. This mill is being run no in Clay Township, to which place it was moved in 1863, having been sold to man named Wortz. Mr. Mundhenk died in March, 1859, leaving a large far ily of children behind to mourn his loss. His son, John, was the only c1 of his boys who served in the war of the rebellion. He enlisted as a volu: teer private, and it is said valorously fought for the cause of his country al the people's government. Henry Snyder, a son of the Empire State, came 1815, and entered a small piece of land where Johnsville now stands, or ne the present site of that town. In the year following, to-wit, 1816, Abraha King, a native of Ohio, moved to Section 21, where he commenced cuttir down and burning the timber, then so plenty, now so scarce. The people the did not trouble themselves with the query of to-day, "what shall we do f fuel when the woods disappear?" We have now arrived at a period in tl history of this township when settlements were comparatively easy, with roads c and cultivated farms adorning almost every section ; yet it was several yea afterward that all the wet land had been drained and put under cultivation We might go on and give other names of men of a later day, but our pen mu stop somewhere, and we will make that place just after the following list later settlers : Araham Neff settled on Section 38 in 1818 ; Joshua Mills, New Jersey, in Section 8, in 1819 ; George Bowser in Section 34, in 181 Mathias Earnst, of Maryland, in 1823 ; a man named Replogel in 1815, ar Andrew Simmons three miles north of Johnsville.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 100

Author: W.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1214

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214