The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 87

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 87

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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The denomination which embraces the largest number of members in the wnship is the Methodist Episcopal. but, owing to the fact that they have ver kept an official record, their history is somewhat curtailed in this work.

The following facts, however, we are enabled to lay before our readers rough the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Abner Harris, who are members of the urch of long standing. and were acquainted with many of the earliest Meth- lists of the township. Mr. Harris himself is a native of the township and rs. Harris removed here from Kentucky in 1806.

The first Methodist in the township was Henry Opdyke, whose cabin pod on the farm now owned by Mrs. Eleazer Williamson, three miles north- st of Centerville. At his cabin, in 1809, Rev. John Collins preached the st Methodist sermon in the township. He also organized a class-meeting, e first leader of which was Aaron Nutt, Jr. In this cabin Mr. Harris says witnessed a more exciting love feast than he has ever seen since. The eetings were held here until Mr. Opdyke donated a lot to the congregation, on which their ready hands and keen axes soon put up a log church. This is used for several years for public worship, but finally was permitted to be en down, and was never rebuilt.

The next church put up was a log building on land donated by Mathias arson, about three miles south of Centerville, on the present Dayton & Leba- n pike. The date given to this church is 1813 or 1814, and the appointment is called Rehobeth. There was a good congregation here for those days, and. long the members we note the following: Mathias Pearson, John Roberts. tomas Swift, -- Rhodes, - Conley. The old log building was used for veral years, when it was torn down and a neat brick church erected in its vad. This church was continued to within the last few years, when it shared te same fate as its more humble predecessor. At present. there is no building the lot.

Shortly after the establishment of Rehobeth appointment, David Watkins nated a lot for church purposes on the farm now owned by George Sears. out three miles southeast of Centerville, on Sugar Creek. A log church was so erected here and the appropriate name of Hopewell given to the appoint- ent. It is worthy of note that, with the exception of the Presbyterians, every nomination has begun its evangelical work in this township in log build- gs. Hopewell, like Rehobeth, enjoyed several years of prosperity, but, like 12 church at Opdyke's, never passed into a second existence. The following i some of the members: David Watkins, Daniel Watkins. Jonathan Watkins, borge Watkins, James Proud and Jeremiah Ailen.

At the time of the establishment of the church in this township, Miami (cuit was under the control of the conference in Kentucky, by whom. in 10, the circuit was divided, the northern division retaining the old name of . ami, while the southern was called Union Circuit. At this time, services 're held at the various appointments only once in every five or six weeks. ] 1811, Union and Miami Circuits were joined together, but this arrangement Y's only continued until October 1, 1812. when Union was again set off by 1 conference at Chillicothe.

The early Methodists were not wealthy, and. although they gave what try could to maintain the ministry, yet the remuneration was scarcely suffi- ('nt to support these apostles of Christ. That their pastorate was no sinesure ul be seen by the following collections, taken at nine appointments in 1811: Tion, $31.95; Xenia, $8.50; Campbell, $3; Baumgardner's, $2; Widow cith's, $3.373 ; Lebanon, $32.25: Dyche's, $1.183 ; Hasberger's, $3.75: oud's, $3.40; total, $89.31}.

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

We are unable to give a complete list of the varions ministers who ha been on this circuit, but some of the following names are yet familiar in may Methodist households: Solomon Langdon, first Presiding Elder; Marcus Lin sey, Joseph Tatman, Moses Crume and Jacob Miller, regularly ordained min: ters, and Bennet Maxey, helper, in 1813 and 1814; Amos Sparks and Robe Burns, local preachers in 1816 and 1817. Among other names are the follo ing: John Strange, John Sale, John P. Durbin (afterward a Bishop), Russ Biglow, William Dixon, Arthur Elliott, Albert Goddard, George Maly, Micha Marley. -- Hardy, --- Parson, Sullivan. Brook.

Previons to 1833, there was no church in Centerville, and their services ; to that time were held in the schoolhouse and the Baptist Church, In t. summer of that year, a stone building was erected, which continued to be us for divine services until 1867, when a brick building, costing $12,000, was p up in its stead. Since then, a fine two-story frame parsonage has been erect on the church lot.

At present, the church is in a flourishing condition, and under the spirity guidance of Rev. Reuben K. Deem.

CONCLUSION.

Many changes have taken place in the township since its first settlemes and especially within the last few years, the spirit of progress has taken po session of the people. The old log huts of our pioneer forefathers have lo: been torn down; the buildings erected in their stead have also been supe seded; moderately good houses have been remodeled and refitted, and to-d: attractive and even elegant dwellings adorn and beautify every road. The of log stables and rail corn-pens have passed from sight, and in their steady find that commodious barns and well-arranged granaries have sprung up as by magic on every farm. And not these conveniences alone has the farmer c tained, which serve to make life pleasant and agreeable when indoors, but keeps fully up with the spirit of the age in the matter of machinery to light labor. The old sickle has been hung up, the cradle has been laid away al the most improved self-binder is seen ready oiled in the barn of every farme Everything is done with neatness and dispatch, and, as a consequence, he h more time to attend to those little matters of improvement which make up t! grand total of our development.

These things show no place more plainly in the relative valuation of lar now and seventy or eighty years ago. In 1804, Aaron Nutt paid, on the 19 acres of the north end of his half-section of land, a tax of 50 cents. A fe years later, he sold the land for $4 per acre. The present owner of the sar land. Benjamin Davis, paid $140 per acre for it, and his tax for 1880 amount to $70.04.

Not only private but public improvement is rife among her citizens. T churches have been overhauled, repainted, refitted or rebuilt without exceptie in the last few years. The Methodists led off in this line by putting up a fi brick building in 1867. Since then, both Baptist Churches have follow their example, and the New School have added also a parsonage.

In 1879, the Trustees of the township submitted the question of a toy hall to the voters, and, with an overwhelming majority, they responded " Yes The building was erected in 1880, and is quite a model for neatness and sen: ble arrangement.

The T., D. & B. R. R. passes through the township one mile east of Ce terville, and a side track has been graded from this road to the stone quarry John E. Allen. This quarry has been leased to a Xenia man, and it is e pected to take out 400 perch of stone daily as soon as the road is in successf operation.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Statement of Mr. Joseph Manuel as to the quality and quantity of stone in ashington Township. He is at present and has been a worker in stone for a riod of forty-five years; he has worked in many different quarries, so that his inion is a valuable one. He says the basis of our limestone is the Hudson lift, or blue limestone. The next is the Clinton formation, or coral rock, I.med in salt water. The next is the Niagara group. Our stone, he says, is a superior quality to any limestone formation, and the reason why, its base ( formation is the crystal of lime, formed by pressure and heats. As to its lauty, it is susceptible of the finest polish; the color is a bright gray; it will ¡lish like glass. For durability, no superior. To resist pressure, it cannot i, battered. It will resist all the effects of frost or water. The above stone ¿ here, not merely by the load or perch, but by the acre. The stripping is Pht compared with other quarries in the county, generally from two to six ft stone are then taken out of any desirable thickness or length. Mr. Manuel >/s there are 5,600 perch to the acre. Upon his lot, about one-half an acre ( which he is quarrying stone from, in the last twenty years, with his labor · ded, he has sold not less than $5,000 worth of stone.

The following statement from W. H. Lamme, M. D .: The situation of lashington Township is generally elevated, except the southwest corner, where t tributaries of Hole's Creek take their rise, and a small strip of the western pet of the township, which lies alongside of Hole's Creek, which creek trav- tjes the entire length of that part of the township. The summit land between t, Great and Little Miami Rivers, is in the center of the township, about vere the town of Centerville lies. From the absence of large streams, we are rt subject to fogs, as they are upon the river bottoms; nor are we subject to t: ague,' although fevers of a malarious and epidemic character often prevail cring the autumn season of the year. What is known as goitre, or enlarge- Int of the thyroid glands of the neck, commonly called big neck by the peo- ₣, seems to prevail to an unusual extent in this township. No cause has ever den assigned for this. The temperature, both winter and summer, does not n terially differ from that of the river bottoms, although vegetation is usual- I two weeks or more later here than they are there -- a circumstance which i nore attributable to soil than location. We have a subsoil of clay, while t'y have one of gravel.

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

GERMAN TOWNSHIP.

THIS rich and populous district is situated in the southwest corner of Mon gomery County. It adjoins on its west side Preble County, on its sou side Butler and Warren Counties, on the east Miami Township, and on th north Jackson and Jefferson Townships. It embraces a territory of thirt seven sections and a fraction of a section, and, according to the last offici census. contains a population of 3,451. In the spring of 1803, shortly aft the law took effect by which Montgomery County was formed, the Associa Judges of the County Court established the four original townships of t] county -Washington, German, Dayton and Elizabeth.

German Township included all of the territory west of the Miami River the State line. parallel to and two or three miles south of the present southel boundary of Miami County. On the 10th day of June, 1805, the records rea "German Township, bounded at present by the Miami River on the east, Butl County on the south, the line east of third range on the west, and the nor side of first tier of sections in south side of third township, fifth range, ar fourth township, fourth range, as the north boundary line, elections to be he at Philip Gunckel's Mill. on Twin Creek." At a session of the County Cor missioners, February 3, 1806, it was ordered that two tiers of sections on tl south side of Jefferson Township be attached to German on the north. Mard 7, 1809, a portion of German was added to Jefferson; and upon the erection Jackson Township, December 7, 1814, the lines were again changed, and part of German used in the formation of that township. Thus the lines on th north, south and west have remained up to the present; but, March 7, 183 about ten full sections were cut off its eastern portion to form a part of Mia). Township, and the section line between Sections 4 and 5, Township 2, Hang 5, became its eastern boundary.

Big Twin Creek divides German Township into two nearly equal part passing across its territory from northwest to southeast. It has two classes lands-uplands and bottom lands. The latter are situated in the valleys of th streams, and constitute about one-third of its soil, while the former lie on th elevated parts of the township, are less productive, and hence also less va uab than the bottom lands. The average value of uplands is $50 per acre; that bottom lands, $100. The surface of the uplands is rolling, and their soil yellow-brown clay, producing all the cereals, fruit and tobacco. The botto lands are level, their soil a black alluvial mold of vegetable origin and ver productive. This township is well watered, having many fine springs and number of good streams, among which are the two Twins, Shawnee Creel Dry Run and Mud Lick. Timber is still sufficiently abundant, consisting mainly of maple, oak, beech and poplar. A great deal of fine walnut existe here at one time, but it has now almost entirely disappeared. Thousands tall, smooth trees of it have been felled, cut up for firewood, split into fenc rails, or appropriated to other similar purposes.

TWIN VALLEY.

Twin Valley derives its name from two streams, one of which is calle Big Twin, and the other Little Twin, and the junction of these streams into or *The history of German Township was prepared by the publishers, from an elaborate manuscript furnished hy til Rev. J. P. Hentz, of Germantown, Obio.

GERMAN TOWNSHIP.

a Germantown has given them the name of Twins. From Germantown, the u ted stream continues in its course southward for the distance of about six Ires, and then empties into the Miami River. Taking the mouth of the Twin ache starting-point, and proceeding along its course to Germantown, thence a ut two miles more along both of its branches, we pass through the entire Tin Valley and reach its northern terminus. The valley itself is formed of il bottoms contiguous to the Twins and the hills by which they are inclosed. al is from one to two miles in width. Underneath the outer soil of this val- there is found a deposit of gravel from one to three feet in thickness which ofrates as an underdrainer, as well as furnishing cheap material for making vod roads. In addition to their natural fertility, these bottom lands possess ch advantage, that they do not suffer as much as other lands from a want or a rerabundance of rain, and produce whether the summer season be wet or dry -Avantages seldom found combined, and which give these lands their chief die. Two miles south of Germantown, upon a high bluff overlooking tlie aey, are found the remains of an ancient fort, covering a space of abont wity-five acres. The trees that but recently grew on it have been cut down. r its site forms a part of a well-cultivated farm. By means of the plow and aow, its embankments have been reduced to a level with the adjoining sur- a, so that, to the eye of the casual observer, not much remains to be seen of h once vast inclosure, yet there is enough left to trace all its outlines. "Ire are many similar works in Southwestern Ohio, but who were their build- r's what use and purpose did they subserve? and what is their age? are ques- cs which are difficult-perhaps impossible-of solution. The geology of h valley is likewise highly interesting. Beneath its soil, on the hillsides, is hestone rock of animal origin and a marine deposit. It is simply a con- ›l'ation of shell animals (Mollusks) that live in the ocean. The shells in hifossil rock are as well and clearly defined in form and outline as any shell e y thrown up by the waves from the ocean bottom. There is the greatest ul ty of species of them, and one may count a dozen or two varieties in a rock e size of a man's hand. The gravel deposit of this valley affords no less ut est than its fossil rock, a handful of its sand or pebbles containing at least den different kinds of rocks, coming from formations which are far removed o one another. These pebbles are rounded off to almost the regularity and n thness of marbles, giving evidence of having been subjected to friction, in ps by being carried great distances by some unknown process or catastro- and large bowlders are found lying on the outside surface, which have brought here from great distances. Here, then, in this valley, upon Its 1 des and fields and by its streamlets, both the antiquarian and the geolo- s vill find a promising field of research and study.

GERMANTOWN.

Germantown is situated in the Twin Valley, with Little Twin Creek on its s ide, and Big Twin on its west and south sides, being in the forks of these rens. It was laid out by Philip Gunckel, who, on the 4th day of October. 1 certified that the plat as recorded was correct. The first sale of lots oc- url October 21, 1814, and the second sale November 15, 1815. It was Il Germantown because the people who built up the town and lived around The Germans. Howe, in his " Historical Collections of Ohio," says " Ger- arown was named from Germantown, Penn.," but in this he is mistaken; the uan was given for the reason just stated. Its site, as well as its sur- i t'ings, are in a high degree beautiful. The valley immediately around the jwn is on almost all sides inclosed by hills, which are in large part cov- wedby trees, forming a forest-crowned wall, presenting a very pleasing pict-

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

ure. The town is regularly laid out; its streets are wide, well graded and m adamized. The climate is most salubrious, the drainage admirable, malari diseases unknown, and the health of the people excellent. The post office v established in October, 1818, Peter Shaeffer being the first Postmaster. G mantown has no railroad, but has, nevertheless, good railroad facilities means of omnibus lines to the C., H. & D. and C., C., C. & I., at Carlisle a Miamisburg, which points are each but four miles distant. The town posses good public buildings ; the schoolhouse is a very substantial, three-stor structure. overlooking the valley, containing twelve rooms, four on each flo the Town Hall is an edifice that would do credit to a much larger town; & the armory, originally built for an academy, engine house and prison, are quite new, capacious and attractive. There are four churches of good are tectural style, some of them finished and furnished with taste and elegan The town also has what many large places lack-a public park, contain about five acres of ground, which has been but recently laid out. Germanto has at present three dry goods stores, four grocery stores, two hardware, t furniture, two tin and stove stores, a number of other mercantile establishme possessed by such towns, three hotels and one banking house. The Exchar Bank was established by Col. John Stump. and did business a few years, wl it was merged into the First National Bank of Germantown, which was org ized July 18, 1863, by Christian Rohrer, William Gunckel, John Stump, Jo F. Kern and others, beginning business September 1 of that year, with a ca tal of $50,000, which has since been increased to $75,000. John F. Kern elected President, and John Stump, Cashier; the former serving as Presid of the bank until January 10, 1882, when he resigned, and was succeeded Joseph W. Shank. Col .. Stump was succeeded as Cashier by J. H. Cross, v was elected January 16. 1869; began his duties February 1 of that year, wh! position of trust and confidence he has filled up to the present. During ma years, the German was the only language spoken among the people of 1. town, but the English language has almost entirely supplanted it as a medi of social and business intercourse.

SUNSBURY.

Sunsbury is but a small village of about forty dwellings; is separa from Germantown by a space of about a quarter of a mile, and is located rectly south of the latter town, on the Carlisle & Germantown piko. It very old place, being the first point settled in German Township, and fo number of years was the only village or place of business in the Twin Val It was not, however, platted until March 18, 1825, according to the cou records. Its people form, to some extent, a community by themselves, yet tit interests are largely identified with those of the people of Germantown. & though small in size and population, some of the most prominent men in. township have lived here, such as the Emericks, Catrows and Liggets. It never given much prospect of growth, and to-day has no more houses tha had forty years ago, and is beginning to show its age by its external apps ance.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

German Township has had two classes of settlers, who have succeeded another, the first of whom were the squatters, who remained but a few ve and the second the pioneers, who stayed and became the permanent occup. of the soil. The squatter period begins with the year 1798, and ends with year 1804. Previous to the former period, the Indians held undisputed s in the Twin Valley, and lingered here with fond attachments even after croaching civilization had robbed them of their means of support. As lat: 1804, the Shawnees had a town on Shawnee Creek, on land now adjoint

GERMAN TOWNSHIP.

S sbury, from which tribe that stream takes its name, and it is said of Tomy ilbuck, who was one of their number, that, for a long time, he utterly refused deave the country. He built nimself a hut on the west side of the Big Twin, uur the site of Conover's Mill, and for years no amount of persuasion could n'e him to abandon the land of his birth and the scenes of his earlier years; L when at last he yielded to the inevitable fate of his race and concluded to ne on westward. he did so with great reluctance only, and left very sad and lected.

The first white settlers came to this township in the year 1798, from Ken- rury, but they were not all natives of that State; perhaps but few of them v. Some were natives of Pennsylvania, others of Maryland, Virginia and Vith Carolina. The names of some of these people have been preserved, and r as follows: Benjamin Smith, James Griffith, John Pauly. William Cutler, a es Hatfield, Robert Hardin, Lickum Hardin, James Hardup, James Porter, l'age Worthington, Samuel Hawkins (who had been a Colonel in the Revo- if mary army, and was a man of superior intelligence ), John Winegardner, Viam Polk, John Bundaker, Richard Brown, John Herman, William East- cl, Eden Hardin, John Cutler. Martin McGrea, Nathaniel Lyon, Conrad Di.e, Anthony Richard and Abraham Hartzel. These people were not actual -eters, but squatters only, but as soon as the land was offered for sale, some ithased. Many were too poor, and had not the means to buy, whilst others ad the means, but were not willing to purchase and to remain. These, as was circumstances permitted or necessity impelled, moved away and made for those who became actual settlers. The land upon which Germantown wsubsequently laid out was entered and owned by James Hatfield and Rob- t fardin, who sold it to Philip Gunckel in the year 1804, at the price of $10 nere.

On the west side of this were two tracts, each of sixty acres. The north- · Done (now the site of the park and armory) was entered by James Porter, Oche southern by Ahraham Hartzel, the latter of whom lived on the spot at wrent occupied by the residence of Lewis Stump. Both these tracts were unased by Leonard Stump and combined into one farm. Porter owned also e act of land to the west of this, which later passed into the possession of ilam Emerick. All west of this last, as far as Twin Creek, was entered by Con- d'isele, George Worthington entering the land north of Germantown, known te as the George Emerick place. John Winegardner never owned any land, t ved on a tract now the property of the Kemps, on the Dayton pike, which long time was called the "Winegarden," in imitation of its first occupant's Anthony Richard lived east of town, on the east side of Little Twin. L Bundaker owned George S. Gebhart's farm on Dry Run, and John Har- o u the farm of Jacob Brunner, on the same run. None of the uplands T entered by these first comers, and not even all the bottom lands were k up by them. Richard Brown lived on the run that now bears his name, odafter whom it was called. Brown's Run was then confined to a narrow a: el, and the bottoms adjoining it were quite as good as those of the Twin 1./; but when the timber along its banks was cut down, the stream began wlen until the rich surface soil of its bottoms was entirely washed away. \ tiniel Lyon is the only one of all these people who remained here perma- ny. He owned the land adjoining Germantown on the northwest, lived in own to the day of his death, and was buried in the Lutheran Grave- Recently, when the workmen were widening the street on which this comery joins, Mr. Lyon's grave fell into the street, and his body was re-in terre in the same burial-place, a marble slab marking the spot where now his remtis repose. These first settlers are said to have been a quiet, orderly and

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

peaceable class of people, and, religiously, were mostly of the Baptist pers sion; at least, the only minister who labored among them, the Rev. Mr. I was a Baptist preacher. They erected a house of worship on the farm 1 owned by Christopher Emerick. It stood in the woods on the hill, was a structure, and was never quite finished. The second class of settlers have so times become the permanent occupants and owners of the soil, and this 1 pened to be the case in German Township. But in many instances, tliese l again sold out, and a third class only have come to remain.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 87

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