Madison County, Ohio - Chapter 10: Oak Run Township, 1915

Chapter 10: Oak Run Township

Oak Run was the last township erected in Madison county, and is also one of the smallest in the territory. It is the most irregular in its contour and boundary lines and is'one of the three townships that is bounded wholly by other townships in the county. It is purely a rural township, as Chrisman, the only town within the limits of the township, was never platted and is at present only a small hamlet. A petition was presented to the commissioners of Madison county on March 5, 1856, signed by Robert C. Amos. and others, asking for the erection of a new township, to be composed of parts of the townships of Range, Pleasant, Fairfield and Union. The boundaries were erected as follow: "Beginning at the southeast corner of the land of John Dun, in Pleasant township; thence northeasterly with his line crossing Deer creek to his corner; thence with his northerly boundaries to the James Innis surveys; thence with the James Innis surveys to Deer creek; thence up Deer creek with the Fairfield township line to the north line of the land formerly owned by John Harrison, deceased; thence westerly with the line of said Harrison to the John Jones road; thence westerly with said road to the Lafayette road; from thence a 'southwesterly course to the northwesterly corner of Jesse Rea's land and corner with Maxwell Murry; from thence southwesterly with Jesse Rea's line crossing the land of Robert Armstrong to Levi Springer's northeast corner; thence with Springer's southeast line to the Yankeetown road; thence southeasterly with said road to the southeast line of the lands of David and Isaac McClimans, and with the west line of Joseph Morgan's; from thence to the beginning. Wherefore, it is hereby ordered by the, commissioners of Madison county that the foregoing described territory be and is hereby established a township; and be it further ordered that Henry Alder, surveyor of the county of Madison, and Edward Fitzgerald meet at said Fitzgerald's on March 24, 1856, and proceed to survey and establish the lines and boundaries of said township, erecting monuments at the several corners thereof. Ordered by the commissioners that the legal voters within the territory heretofore described meet at Harvey's mills on Monday, the 7th day of April next, that being the first Monday of said month, and then and there proceed, as provided by the statutes in such cases, to elect all necessary officers for such township." .

On June 2, 1856, a petition by citizens of Oak Run township was presented to and granted by the commissioners, changing the west line of Oak Run township, as follows: "Down the London and Yankeetown road to the line of William Johnson, Sr., and William Johnson, Jr.; thence with their line to a branch of Bradford's; thence with the meanderings of said branch to the line of Thomas Foster, and thence with the line of him and James McClimans to the west line of John Foster, bounding with I. and W. McClimans; thence with their line to John Foster's southwest corner, being two black oaks; thence in a direct line to the northwest corner of James W. Robinson and corner to land bought of said Robinson by I. and D. McClimans, near Bradford's run; thence with the line of said Robinson and I. and D. McClimans to their corner in the line of Joseph Morgan. -

There is also this record: "Oak Run township, April 17, 1856 - In pursuance of notice, the qualified electors of Oak Run township, Madison county, Ohio, met and organized by calling Jonathan Harvey to the chair, and Jeremiah Rea as secretary, and then viva voce declaring Jeremiah Thomas, Jonathan Harvey and Robert C. Amos,

MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. 131 judges of election; Jeremiah Rea and Mitchell Lane, clerks of election. The above officers being qualified according to law, the poll book was then opened, and the electors of said township proceeded to elect by ballot the following officers, to wit: John Foster. Jonathan Harvey and Robert C. Amos, trustees; Jeremiah Thomas, treasurer; Jeremiah Rea, clerk; David Lewis, constable; Mitchell Lane and Jonathan Farrar, supervisors. and Dr. D. Warner, justice of the peace.''. The township was now in complete order, the boundary lines of its territory definitely and satisfactori'y, and all necessary officers duly elected and qualified for the duties that might develop upon them during the year 1856. The above election was, in accordance with the orders of the commissioners, held at Harvey's mills. From the record books of this township we find that elections have been regularly held each year since 1856, at Harvey's mills, until 1881, when there was erected a good township house at the corner of Robert Rea's land, where the Harvey mill road strikes the London and Mt. Sterling pike, since which time the elections have been held at the township house.

Surface, Soil And Streams

The surface of Oak Run township is generally level, the western and aati portions being particularly fiat and uniform, while the northern and eastern portions are undulating and, in some localities, especially along the creeks,-rather hilly.. The principal streams are Deer creek and Oak run, from which the township took its name, and Bradford's fork, with their small tributaries. The. former passes through the northeast portion of the township, in a southeasterly course, entering the township from Union by passing through the farm, originally,. of Joseph Bell and striking in its. course the boundary line of Fairfield township, there it takes a south course and for some distance forms the boundary line between Oak Run and Fairfield townships, then again enters Oak Run township through the Chenoweth farm and reaching the north line of the Jesse Rea farm, turns east, reaching the Dun tract.of land again takes a south course and passes into Pleasant township. In its course through this township, it receives its first tributary in what is called Nigger run; then its next tributary. is Glade: run, which enters the northeast corner of the township, passes through. several farms, and-empties into Deer creek, as above mentioned. The next tributary is Oak run; which enters the township and flows southeasterly, receiving in its course Walnut run.. Turkey run also forms one of the tributaries of Oak run and empties inta.it a little below. where Oak run empties into Deer creek. In the south part of the township, and. forming for a considerable distance the boundary line between Oak Run and Range townships, is Bradferd's fork, the main stream having a general southeastern direction, receiving as its tributaries North fork and Barron run. These numerous streams and their. tributaries furnish-an abundant supply of water to all portions of the township and also furnish excellent drainage for the township. The west and south portions of 'the township possess. a. very deep, rich soil, principally a black loam, and, as originally found by the white settlers. consisted mainly of oak openings and prairies, upon which grew a sedge.so.tall that-a man riding through it on horseback could take the grass from either side and:tie the tops together over his horse's back. The northern and eastern portions and along the creeks, where the surface is undulating and hilly, possess principally a Jeam and lay soil, and, although some small portions of it is a thin soil, yet the larger i a is strong and productive, and is excellent for either grass or grain.

he is the first of whom any record can be obtained, as settling within the present limits of this township. He came to this county from Kentucky and settled south of the moypth of Glade run, about 1805. He purchased two hundred acres of land, on which he resided until his death. Mr. Jamison became quite a prominent and prosperous farmer of that day. He was married to Ann Brown, of Brown county, Ohio, by whom he had three sons and three daughters, namely : Ira, who became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church, and died in Hancock county, Ohio; the second son died while young; William. the youngest son, emigrated west after reaching his majority and resided at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The three daughters were: Zelah, who married Mr. Ferguson; Cynthia, who matried Levi Poulston, and the third daughter, whose name it has been impossible to obtain, married a Mr. Foster.

John Simpkins, a native of Maryland, came to this county about the same time as the Gwynnes, as early as 1808. He purchased land in Oak Run township, on Walnut and Oak runs, and settled here. He improved his land and became quite an active man in the secular affairs of the township and county; served as treasurer of the county in 1816; collector in 1817; held the office of associate judge and later was elected justice of the peace, which latter office he held for several years. He finally moved to Missouri, remaining there but a short time, when he returned to this township and entered upon the mercantile business, which he followed through the greater part of the remaining years of his life. He had two brothers, James and Thomas; the latter was stabbed and killed on the streets of London; the former subsequently returned to his native state, Maryland.

Elias and Van De Lashmut, two brothers, natives of Maryland, came to Madison county, it is thought, as early as 1810. They purchased land on Deer creek, on the boundary line between Fairfield and Oak Run townships, At the same time there came to this township John De Lashmut, a cousin of the above; also two brothers, Otho and Nelson De Lashmut, the latter a brick-maker by trade. Elias was the principal active man among them; was sheriff of Franklin county in 1807-09, and it seems owned the greater part of the land purchased by the brothers. After a few years he entered upon the mereantile business, and was one of the early merchants of London, where he carried on 'his business for a number of years. John De Lashmut subsequently moved west, and settled on the Red river. J

John Jones came from Franklin county and settled on Oak run, one mile above its mouth, about the year 1808; he resided here some eight or ten years, opened up the farm and made considerable improvements, and then moved west. Thomas Nash, a native of Kentucky, settled near the mouth of Oak run about 1812; after residing there for a few years he removed to Indiana. William Sly settled on. Turkey run, on surveys No. 10,904 and 12,364, at an early day, and was becoming somewhat prominent as an active, energetic man,.when he moved to Sandusky and died a short time later. John Lindsay. a Virginian, settled on Oak run, one mile above its mouth, on the land first settled and improved by John Jones, about 1818. He resided here about six or eight years; was quite active and energetic, gained some wealth and moved to Sandusky, where he purchased some land and later died, leaving a large estate.

Montgomery Wilson was one of the early settlers of the township; but little is known of his ancestors or his early life, except that he was a blacksmith by trade and located temporarily where his business or inclination led him.

Joseph Rea was born in Pennsylvania in 1754; on January 16, 17838, he married Elizabeth Conn, who was born January 27, 1762. They first emigrated to Virginia ; thence, in 1810, to Ross county, Ohio; and thence to Madison county, about 1818. and settled on Oak run, where they died about 1829. They raised a family of nine children, all reaching the age of maturity. Their son, Matthew, who was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1793, became a resident of London in 1818. He married Ann Amos, who was born in Maryland, November 15, 1802, the marriage being performed in London by Patrick McLene, Esq. In 1835 they settled in Oak Run township, where he became a successful farmer and stock raiser and accumulated a goodly portion of the worldly goods. Matthew died in 1873 and his wife died in 1857.

James Foster came from Ross county .and settled on the north side of Bradley's fork, about 1820; a few years later his brother. John, came to this township and <ettied near him. 'They married sisters by the name of Bougher. They both became prosperous farmers and large landowners; active in business interests and filled many offices of trust in the county and township, James serving as county commissioner for a number of years. :

Jonathan Farrar was a native of England, but became a settier in Oak Run township about the year 1825. Mr. Farrar was an excellent man and a great admirer and fancier of thoroughbred stock. He, with Charles Phellis, Esq., and Mr. Browning, were appointed a committee by the Stock Breeders' Association of Madison county to go to England and purchase a quantity of fine blooded stock. John C. Robinson, an Englishman by birth, possessed of a good education and a teacher in his younger days, came from Pennsylvania to Madison county and, about 1831-32, located in Oak Run township. He erected a saw-mill on Oak run, since known as the Harvey mill and Gregg mill. He sold the mill to Jonathan Harvey, and thence removed to Kentucky, where he entered upon the teaching profession, and while engaged in this profession was stabbed and killed by one of his scholars.