Union County, Ohio - Chapter 29: Claibourne Township and Richwood, 1915

Chapter 29: Claibourne Township and Richwood

Tliis township has formed a part of numerous sub-divisions of Union county. In 1825, soon after the first settlement was effected here, it became a part of the new township of Leesburg. In 1829, at the formation of Jackson township, most of its territory was embraced in that, and so it remained until the organization of Claibourne in 1834.

The county commissioners' records show the following concerning the township for which this chapter is especially written : "This day Cyprian Lee presented a petition for dividing the township of Jackson into two townships, the southern part to lie called Claibourne, and the northern part to retain the name of Jackson; whereupon the commissioners order that said township of Claibourne be laid off from said township of Jackson, beginning at the fourth mile-tree southwardly from the northeasterly corner of said Jackson township ; thence parallel with the north line thereof."'

March 5, 1833 - "This day it was ordered by the commissioners that Levi IMielps proceed to lay off the township of Claibourne, beginning at the fourth mile-tree southwardly from the northeast corner of the township of Jackson ; thence running westwardly, parallel with the north line of Jackson township to the division line between the township of Liberty ; to be done as soon as convenient."'

For some unknown reason the new township was not laid off as directed. The next entry in the commissioners" journal reads as follows : "March 5, 1834 - This is the day it was ordered by the commissioners - on the application of various individuals - that a new township be called Claibourne, to commence on the east boundary' of the county of Union at the first mile-tree south of the Indian boundary line; thence west parallel with the boundary of said countv to the east boundar}^ of York, to be laid off; to be run by Levi Phelps, prior to the next June session."

The first election for state and county officers was held October 14, 1834. The following nineteen men voted: Absalom Carney, X'athaniel Wilson, George Clark, John T. l^xans. John Carney, William Price, Nathaniel Wilson, J. P. Brookins, Philip Plummer, William Phillips, George

Politically, this township was at first strongly Democratic, but at the above named election it was Whig and so remained until the ushering in of the Republican party, since which date it has been largely of the same political complexion.

This is situated in the northeastern portion of Union county. It is bounded on the north by Jackson township, on the east by Marion and Delaware counties, on the south by Leesburg and Taylor townships and on the west by York township. It is one of the largest townships in the county and ranks second in population, Richwood, the second largest town, being situated within this township. It tooks its name from the Buller-Claibourne survey. This was the largest survey in Union county and at its date contained nearl}- all the settlers then within the limits. Fulton creek is the principal watercourse. It is related that this stream took its name from the Mr. Fulton, an employee of the sur\-eying party, then surveying the lands in that part of this county. While attempting to cross the creek on a log one cold winter day he slipped and fell info the water. The stream was high and it was with difficulty that he was rescued by his surveyor comrades. The soil is argillaceous : the surface generally level and in places slightly rolling. A heavy growth of timber covered the township originally, as will be observed lay the following paragraph :

"Daniel Swartz, residing just north of Richwood, on going to mill at Milh'ille, thirteen miles distant, directed Mrs. Swartz to watch the cattle and not permit them to stray far from home. After a while, not seeing them, she climbed on an old log that had fallen partly to the ground, not far from the cabin door, and on looking around discovered the cows only a few rods away, almost at her feet, in the thick brush that had obscured her view from below. This shows the level country and the dense underbrush growth then growing there."

by the presence of white men after the settlement of pioneers in other parts of the state. It Hes adjoining the Greenville Treaty line, the territory north of which had been reserved by treaty for the exclusive use of the red men. Within the township were some favorite hunting grounds. The site of Richvvood elevated slightly alx)ve the surrounding country was rich not only with an abundant growth of plants and forest trees, but in game as well. That the Indians often tented on these grounds has been handed down bytradition and is established by the many relics that have been found in the vicinity. Knives, fragments of Indian saddles, broaches, tomahawks and all the accoutrements of camp life ha\e been brought to light in the preparation of the soil for agriculture. In a gravel pit situated just north of Richwood numerous skeletons have been exposed.

After the earliest pioneers had taken possession of the countiy the forest was ranged by hunters from both races for many years. The Indians would not tolerate the presence of white men north of the Greenville line, but frecjuently hunted south of the line. The best state of feelings did not exist between the Indians and the settlers, though amicable relations were usually maintained, ^\'hether the red or white men were the first aggressors is not now known, but if either committed a wrong, however slight, retaliation would surely ensue. The Indians, either in a spirit of retaliation or from an innate proneness to evil, would occasionally shoot the settlers' hogs as they were feeding in the woods and commit other depredations. In bee-hunting it was a custom sacred among the pioneers, engaged in this pursuit, to mark a bee-tree when found by one of them with the finder's initials. It at once became his property, to be relieved of its honey at the hunter's leisure and for another to abstract the honey was regarded as detestable a crime as to steal a horse. The Indians were not affected by any such scruples and when one of them discovered the home of a swarm of bees he rifled it of its treasure whether or not a prior badge of ownership had been stamped upon the tree. Such proceedings naturally incensed the settlers. The principal game was deer, but the practice of the Indians while hunting on the white man's hunting ground were such as to drive the game from the vicinity. They would crouch low in the tall grass and imitating the bleeting of a fawn, attracted the doe to the spot where they were concealed. They would then kill and skin it, leaving the young to perish. The stench arising from the decaying;- carcasses would drive the deer to other grounds. An old hunter counted in one Indian camp between Fulton and Boke's creek the hides of sixty deer that had been killed in this wav. Yet a friendlv relation was maintained. The Indians would call at the

The tradition prevails that Henry Swartz and Ned Williams, two of the first settlers of Claibourne, killed two Indians on Peacock run in the southern part of the township. The fact was never established, but the missing Indians were never heard of again. And circumstances pointed strongly to their removal from this world by these two backwoodsmen. Mr. Swartz possessed an irascible temper, which would often vent itself on the heads of the sa\ages. On one occasion he beat one of them with the ramrod of his gun. He would steal into their camps while they were off hunting and there plav annoying tricks. The Indians sought Swartz and wanted a reconciliation. He gave them no satisfaction. They then set up sticks with bullets on the ends of arrows around their camp to indicate war. Soon after two Indians who had gone hunting did not return. Their comrades searched diligently for them, but without any result. Suspecting foul play, they carefully examined brush heaps and thickets and wandered excitedly along the banks of the creeks, peering intently into their depths, but no trace of the lost men was found. They had traced them to Peacock run, but there found no further indication of their presence. Captain Henry Swartz and Ned Williams had been clearing land and burning brush in this vicinity and the Indians suspected them. The}- visited the Swartz cabin ; he was apparently unconcerned but watchful. They wished to be friendly, they said ; wanted to shoot at a mark with him, to borrow his gun, but he refused every request. One day an old Indian hunter came to him and proposed a hunt, to which Ca]jtain Swartz at length agreed. The Indian desired Swartz to lead, but the latter declined. They hunted for a long time, watching each other more closelv than for game. Finally the Indian brave proposed that they divide. "\'ou take this side and I this." "No," replied Swartz. "you take this and I that." He chose the side toward home. They separated and when Swartz supposed he had left the Indian out of sight, he turned and hastened rapidly home. The Indian soon followed and in great rage exclaimed, "You lie, you no hunt!" But as a charge remained in the rifle of Captain Swartz, the Indian made no further demonstration and they parted speedily. Mr. Swartz was afterwards very cautious and vigilant when he believed the Indians were near him. They soon afterwards withdrew permanently from the region.

Captain Swartz, when asked about this affair later, would never commit himself one wa}' nor the other. He neither denied or admitted that he killed or knew of the death of the Indians. But "Neddy"' Williams, when he was made somewhat indiflerent to consequences by a few drinks of liquor, loved to boast that he knew where there were two good rifles in the hollow sycamore tree, and said they were put in by climbing a slender tree by the side of the sycamore and dropping them in an opening in the tree made by the breaking off of the upper part of the trunk. There was a wellbeaten path along Peacock run by the side of which stood an old sycamore from which had fallen a large limb, sinking deep into the ground. This was near the place where Swartz had ]xen with Williams clearing and around the limb a large fire had been made. After a fall of snow, Mr. Zach Stephens, a ])rother-in-la\v of Henry Swartz, while hunting for some lost cattle, stepped into the hole made by the limb. He fell, and upon withdrawing" his foot found the lower jaw bone of a human being clinging to the heel of his boot. Suspecting the manner in which it had been placed there, he took it with him to Swartz's cabin and, holding it before the proprietor of the domicile, said: "Henry, do you know anything about this?" Swartz grew pale but made no response. It was airrently believed that he and Williams had killed the Indians and buried their remains. The above was published in the annals of "Ohio Indian Occupancy," many years ago.

It is an undisputed question that the first settler in Claibourne township was Cyprian Lee. He was the heir to one-third of the Buller-Claibourne survey of 4,267, and for his portion took the southern third of the tract. This settlement is in question, l)ut all concede that it was effected between the years 1820 and 1825. Mr. Lee was from Delaware. He first came to these parts of Ohio in 1820 to see his land; he was unmarried at that date. He returned to Delaware, married and brought his young bride out to this county. By trade he was a shoemaker, and he followed this some in this township. His was the first cabin built west of the Scioto river in this region. It stood several miles south of Richwood, on the south bank of Fulton creek. When his cabin was finished it was proposed by the men who helped to raise it, that the settlement should be styled "Leesburg.'' This came about by reason of John L. Swartz, a jolly German, who said, "Boys, ketch Lee.'' Lee eluded their grasp for some time, but finally submitted with good grace to the ordinance of christening. The ceremony was performed by Mr. Swartz, who took a flask of whisky, and pouring the contents on the uncovered head of Lee, exclaimed with all the solemnity he could assume, "Veil, ve calls it Leesburg." The new township later received the same name. Mr. Lee was only there a few years when he was elected county treasurer. He then moved to Marysville, where he became a prominent factor in the building up of the countv seat.

The ne.xt settlers were Edward Williams, Robert Cotrell and Henry Swartz. Each purchased a farm from Mr. Lee and settled near him. Of this number "Ned" Lee, as he was always called, was the first to arrive in 1822. He was a hard-working farmer and was a good hunter. He was addicted to too frequent use of the product of the still. He died suddenly while on his way with a load of wheat to Portland on Lake Erie.

The third settler was Robert Cotrell. who came in 1823. He was a native of Virginia, but had emigrated to Ohio, living two or more \-ears in Delaware county. He died in the place he had settled in Claibourne township. He was fond of telling big yarns, and when first he came in told many stories of the large amount of stock and other property he held in this and other parts of the countr)-. He related all this to a stranger, who turned out to be the county assessor. This official taxed him much higher than he would have done otherwise. This taught him a lesson which he never forgot. He was, however, an uj^right and industrious citizen.

Henry Swartz was born in Pennsylvania and emigrated with his father, John L. Swartz, to Highland county. Ohio, and later lived in Delaware county. He bought his land in Claibourne from Cyprian Lee, just north of the Sidle Methodist Protestant church, and erected his cabin northeast of Fulton creek. He was a tall, strong and wiry man; had been in the War of 1812 and understood the Indian character to perfection and had no use for a red man. He was a great hunter, killing from sixty to eighty deers each year for a number of years after efi'ecting his settlement in this county. He also felled some seventy bee-trees. He finally sold his first farm and settled north of Richwood, where he resided many years. For a short time he was engaged in business at Richwood. Later, he removed to Defiance, Ohio, where he died.

Probably the next settlement in Claibourne township was made bv the four Clark brothers, James, George, Henry and John. The first three became the owners of one thousand six hundred and seventy-three acres in the north part of the Buller-Claibourne tract, just east of Richwood. Thev settled there in 1826. They were from Amherst county. Virginia, and in 1822 emigrated to Miami count}', Ohio, and from there remo\ed to Delaware county, then on to I'nion county. George came in first. He was a single man and died on his place here aged eighty years. Henry, his brother, a married man, resided here a few years, then sold and moved to Illinois. James sold out and returned to Delaware county, where he subsequently died. John Clark came from the east to Ohio in 1816 and to Union county in i8jS. He died in Delaware county in 1850, aged seventy-se^'en years.

^Irs. Sarah Touguet, a sister of the Clarks, and a widow, came with her eight children to Claibourne township in 1826 and made the cabin of her bachelor brother, George Clark, her home.

David Field, a colored man, recei\ed one hundred acres of land from Cyprian Lee for two years' labor and settled on it about 1826. He was born a slave, given his freedom and brought to Delaware county when a boy by John Mark. He was a strong, muscular man and would not stand for any insult. For a time has was very industrious, but through sickness his farm became involved and finally he lost it. He never regained property and died in an adjoining county as a pauper.

Nathaniel Wilson came from Ross count)', Ohio, about 1830 and settled on the Lee farm. He was Scotch-Irish and affiliated with the Presbyterians.

"Buffalo Smith," John Smith, was a large, rough character, rough in exterior but possessed of a kind heart. He took a squatter's claim on one hundred acres in the Lee settlement. Later he moved to another county.

The Henry Swartz place, three miles to the south of Richwood, was purchased by Henry Shisler, a German who came to the township from Licking county. Ohio, about 1832.

Basil Bridge, in 1834, bought a farm of one hundred and fourteen acres just southwest of Richwood, from one of the Clark brothers, and settled there with his large family of sons and daughters. He was then in a dense wilderness. He was a native of Canada, but in 1812 moved to New York State, and there enlisted in the American army though then but sixteen years of age. He married in 1814 and in 1815 moved to Ohio, settling in Athens county. Later he went to Delaware county, and on to Claibourne township, L'nion county, in 1834.

In the fall of 1832 Zarah Lindsley removed to this township from Delaware countv. At that time fifty acres of land sold for one horse and the labor of splitting one thousand rails. He later settled in Richwood.

John Dilsaver settled on a farm in 1835, which he still owned in the eighties, two miles south of Richwood. He came in December, having been married the Jul}- preceding to Jane Bridge. John Dilsa\er working out for others at tirst and later moved on his own land. He was reared on the frontier and in his youth wore deerskin breeches and jacket, the customary garments for hunters and backwoodsmen. He saved his earnings and paid in full for his land and became a highly respected citizen of this township.

Another settler of 1S35 was Adam Imbody, who located three miles south of Richwood, north of Fulton creek. He was a German who had emigrated from Xew York state. Later he moved to INIarion county, where he died.

It will be obser\'ed that most of the settlers so far mentioned were on the Buller-Claibourne survey, as none other had yet been placed in market. Betwen 1835 and 1S40 the settlements became more scattered, finally dotting the entire township. The Grahams made the most important settlements. Samuel Graham, son of John and Jane Graham, was born in Jefferson county in 1800. The family removed to Carroll county and then to White Eyes township, Coshocton county. He was married in 1821 and followed farming there until i8'36. In June of that year he purchased one hundred acres just north of Richwood from Henry Swartz and in the following September moved his family there. He resided there until his death in 1864. He had occasion to \'isit Marion. The railroad was then being constructed and he received permission to travel on the construction train. On his return trip the weather was severe and the car upon which he was riding was an open one. He was walking back and forth from one car to another in order to keep warm. A sudden jerk of the cars threw him beneath the wheels and he was instantlx' crushed. He had been an upright citizen and had lieen a member cif the Methodist church f(3r thirt\-eight years. He was the father of twelve children.

In 1837 John and Jane Graham, parents of Samuel, settled on a farm of one hundred acres in the woods about one mile west of Richwood. He was born in Penns_\-lvania of Scotch-Irish descent. He died about 1848.

Another settler from Coshocton county was Samuel Livingston, who located in 1839 on a small farm a fourth of a mile southwest of Richwood, where he attained a ripe old age. He was both a farmer and blacksmith. Mr. Livingston furnished five sons for the Union army during the Ci\"il War and all returned uninjured.

his wife and several cliildren, settling a half mile west of Richwood. At one time he was a minister in the New Light church, later became a Methodist Protestant and still later in life a member of the Disciple church.

John Cahill was one of the early settlers in the western part of this township. He there accumulated a large fortune and was looked upon as a leading spirit in the northern part of Union county.

William Hamilton, another sturdy pioneer of this township, resided here more than thirty years. He was born near Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1789, when that state was still a part of the Old Dominion. In 1807 he emigrated with his father, William Hamilton, Sr., to ^luskingum county, Ohio, arriving there the day he was eighteen years of age. Here he aided in clearing up a farm from out the great timbered section. By 1837 he had acquired a large property and then sold out and expected to push on farther west. He finally decided to settle in this township and purchased one thousand acres of the Cadwallader Wallace survey, northwest of Richwood, paying three thousand six hundred dollars for it. He reached Claibourne township April 30, 1838. The sur\-ey was afterwards found to contain nearly fourteen hundred acres. He settled there and there died. W'hen he took this land there was no kind of improvements upon it. He set about clearing up his land and making a splendid farm home for himself and family. Though uncultured, he was thoroughly honest and full of genuine public spirit. He had a fashion of scathingly denouncing a person who was caught at any mean, low, contemptible trick. He belonged to the Methodist Protestant church and was a local preacher for nearly forty years. He was a Whig in politics and later a stalwart Republican. He was county commissioner both in ^Muskingum and Union counties. This county owes it to him that the infirmary farm was purchased at so early a date and the necessary buildings erected thereon. He died in 1867. He had been twice married and left a large family.

Other pioneer settlers in Claibourne township were Richard Ward, Peter Jackson (1835), Jacob Beem (1834), Alexander and George Cowgill, Michiel Cramer, .'\braham Decker, Benjamin Fisher, Isaac Gearheart, Sylvester Grindle, Elisha Higbee, Isaac Headley, Joseph Murphy (1834), Charles Morse, Samuel Moses (1835), Isaac D. Stewart, William H. Sherman, William and John Wynegar (1837). Tobias Robinson (1838), John W'arner (1837), Martin Walters and A))raham Taylor, brothers-in-law (1838).

and south through Richwood. In 1825 Cyprian Lee and Henry Swartz took the contract for cutting this road from the southern to tiie northern hne of the township. They only cleared away the underbrush and smaller trees, leaving many obstacles in the shape of larger trees. The road was made fifteen feet wide.

Here, as well as in every new countr)-, the matter of getting milling facilities early as possible was one of great interest to the pioneer band who here sought to build for themselves homes. For sex'eral weeks the family of Henry Swartz ground, in a hand coffee mill, all the meal the famil\- used. John Swartz, of the Scioto river country, possessed a hand mill upon which [)y terrible struggles in the course of a few hours one could produce a fairly good cpiality of corn meal. Robert Cotrell and other settlers of Claibourne township frequently took advantage of this mill and, when not in use liy Swartz, would keep it going for themseh-es.

.V horse mill was constructed In- Adam Dilssver a short distance from Richwood. His custiiniers had to furnish their own jiorse-power and as three or four horses were necessary to propel the cumliersonie machinery, several would sometimes arrange to be there at the same time. So slow was the process that it had to be running nearly all the time anil many a farmer had to leave home at two o'clock in the morning in order to be on hand to take his turn. Occasional!)-, this hnrse-mill was obliged to run all night.

Richard Trwin. one and a half miles east of Richwood, also had a similar mill. Some of the farmers preferred going forty miles to a real water mil! than to use their horses on these horse-power mills. .\ large four-horse load was once taken to a mill on Mad river in Champaign county, where the press of business was so great that several weeks elapsed before the hungry settlers in this township obtained grists. A mill on Owl creek, in Knox county, was also sometimes patronized, but usually the mills on Darby creek were available. No water grist-mills are known to have been erected in Claibourne township

John Dilsaver operated a small tannery for a few years on his farm south of Rich\^-ood. .Another was operated a long time at Richwood by the sons of John Graham.

Burying Grounds

At the Sidle ALethodist Protestant church, two miles south of Richwood, the earliest burials were made, and this came to be the leading cemetery in Claibourne township. Here, on lands formerly belonging to Henry Swartz, burials were commenced while the country was still an unbroken forest. The first burials were probably the two small children of Henry Swartz and wife. Among the early burials were those of Mr. Garner, John Logue, Mrs. Ira Bennett and Mrs. Rose. When Jacoli Sidle became owner of this tract he generously donated an acre for cemetery purposes. Later it came into the hands of the township authorities and was cared for by the township, which made se\-eral additions thereto.

At the old Lenox schoolhouse, a quarter of a mile northwest of Richwood, there was also another early burj'ing place. At Stony Point in the western part of the township is another cemetery.

This is the second largest incorporation within the limits of Union county. Its population in 1910 was 1,729 and it has been making a steady growth ever since. It is beautifully situated and has more than three miles of brick pa\ed streets. Perhaps there is not another town of its size in the commonwealth with as much paving and general excellent improvements as Richwood has today. In 1840 it had a population of 99; in 1870 it had increased to 436; in 1880 it had reached 1,317 - a wonderful increase.

To acquaint the reader of today with the first events of this sprightly little citv, Marysville's only rival, it may be stated that it is located in the central portion of Claibourne township. It has a history running back four score and two years, for it was platted in August, 1832, by Philip Plummer, proprietor. He had come into the possession of the William Pelham sur- \ev. No. 6,307, of twehe hundred acres, and during the summer of 1832 first came from Mt. \'ern(5n, Knox county, with his brother, Thomas Plummer. Eli.sha Merriot and Dr. John P. Rrookins, a physician in search of a good location in which to practice his profession. The village was platted by Thomas (). Plummer, deputy county sun'eyor, under direction of Surveyor Levi Phelps, and the plat was acknowledged before Ira Woods, justice of the ]>«ace, August 20, 1832. The party all returned to Mt. Vernon and soon after Philip Plummer and Dr. Pirookins returned to Richwood.

The original plat contains a full description of the location, stating that it is situated in a tract of land known as "Richwoods," about four miles west of the Scioto river, at the headcpiarters of Ottaway Run on a broad and beautiful knob of table-land unsurpassed in fertility. The distances from many towns and villages are minutely given, and it is said that "the trees in the Richwoods are beech, blue ash, gray ash, black ash, hackberr_\- or hoop ash, mulberry, wild cherry, black walnut, white walnut, white oak, buckeye, honeylocust, lynden tree, sugar or hard maple, soft maple, box elder, dog-wood, coffee tree, hickory, red elm. white elm, with a copse wood of spice brush, prickly ash. burning bush, grape \ine, bladiler bush and bramble. The herbage is principalh- maiden hair. i)ea \ine, \ell(jw root, ginseng. Indian and madder, etc. The soil is of the richest loam, mixed with a small prcijjortion of sand ; the sub-stratum is limestone and gravel, mixed with claw The town plat is on an elevation of from fifteen to twenty feet from the bottom."

This original platting covered an area of almost forty-five acres. The principal street north and south was Franklin, one hundred feet wide, with Fulton and Clinton streets, parallel with it. The three streets east and west were Blagrove, Ottaway and Bomford.

In 1832 but three families settled in the new forest-covered village, Philip Plummer, John P. Brookins and Al)salom Carney. Philip Plummer was born in Maryland and emigrated to Mt. X'ernon, Ohio. Sometime after he came to Richwood he became a Methodist minister, preaching there and elsewhere. Later in life he returned to Mt. Vernon and died there.

William Philips was one of the early settlers at Richwood and he speaks of Mr. Plummer as follows : "He was a man of taste and refinement and good societv. so while the better class of people appreciated him there were those who disliked him. tie was kind and obliging and ready to do anything in his power for the new comers. He was an excellent talker. He was a thorough temperance man, and, selling lots, he would sell to none who would sell whisky, believing that it would injure the property of the town and community. In this most of the earl)- settlers encouraged him. and consequently log-rollings, house-raisings, etc.. were done on temperance principles. An orderly community grew u]) and its good example and correct principles are felt today in the society of the village."

Absalom Carney was a blacksmith and built his shop on lot Xo. 148, on Fast Bomford street. He only remained a few years and moved to Missouri,

In September, 1833, William I'hillips and wife, Isabella (Woods), emigrated from Shippensburg, Pennsyhania, and settled on lot 48, at the southeast corner of Franklin and Blagro\e streets. He had a family of eight children, including a son, Alfred G., who was killed at the battle of .Atlanta in 1863. The senior Phillips died January 15, 1880. at Marysville. By trade he was a potter anil followed that for many years, at least a c|uarter of a century, at Richwood.

John Woods, born in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, in 1799, arrived at Richvvood in July, 1833, and purchased one hundred and twelve acres just north of the original plat. He was a tailor and followed this trade besides attending to his farming interests.

John Carney, an old Baptist minister, arri\'ed in 1833, and preached at times, but did not survive long. Tn 1834 Christian Goul, Nathan Richardson. Adam Burge, William Price, John T. Evans and Henry Sayer located in the \illage.

The \illage did not grow \'er}- rapidly, as by 1840 it only had about twenty families. During that year it is known that the following were residents: David Houk, a wagon-maker; Sterrett Irwin, a carpenter; Hugh Thompson, a farmer, who died soon after; L, H. Hastings; J. B. W. Haynes, who came in 1840, from Virginia, an earnest Abolitionist and a dealer in real estate; Samuel Jenkins, a Ial)orer; \\'illiam Sirpliss ; William Price, who later operated a .grist mill here; Dr. Brookins; Ziba Fisher, a farmer who had been in the Indian ser\ice under General Anthony \\'ayne, who died at the advanced age of one hundred and one years. There were possibly a half dozen others in the village in some one role or another.

The first store was opened in Richwood by Bnrdick & Calloway, in August, 1S33, in a log building on lot Xo. 102. Hezekiah Burdick was a local Methodist Episcopal minister and had farmed southeast of Marysville on Mill creek. John Calloway was born at the Scioto salt works in Jackson county, Ohio, in [802. where his father was engaged in making salt. He had made and lost a fortune l^efore coming to Richwood, \\here the stock of goods owned by him and his partner were all crated from Marvs\"ille in a wagon. This store was not a success and did not thri\-e very long.

The second mercantile ^-enture was that of Cyprian Lee and Mains Wasson. They brought in their stock in 1835 and the management of the store was left to L. H. Hastings. About a year later it was sold to Henry Swartz and Ddctor Brookins. In 1840 the onlv store in the village was that conducted by Mr. Hastings. No other man had so much mercantile experience at Richwood as did L. H. Hastings, who was thus engaged in the place for more than forty years. He died at Richwood in 1882.

Merchandising then was a hard proposition to solve. Money was scarce and produce hard to get to market and brought a very low price on the (32) market. Eggs were usually quoted at three cents a dozen. Nearly every family kept a cow and made butter. However, these articles were given to the dealer in exchange for goods and then sent by traveling wagons to markets at Columbus and other far-away points. The money scarcity made credit almost necessary and this broke up many a worthy merchant. Coon and deer skins, maple sugar, pork, honey and saddles of venison were the most current articles' of exchange. Venison sold at from fifty to seventyfive cents a saddle and these were packed and taken to Columbus. Alany times the merchant lost even by these operations.

The churches of Richwood at this date (T914) are the ]\Iethodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Church of Christ, Baptist, African Baptist and Presbyterian, all of which are mentioned at length in the chapter on churches in this volume. The lodges of the town are the Odd Fellows, Masons and Knights of Pythias orders, all treated in detail in a separate chapter.

The present town officials are : mayor, A. B. Conkright ; clerk, Paul B. Van Winkle; treasurer, E. E. Moore; police, C. W. Sloop; health officer, John .'Mien; council. ,A. R. Klipstine. Jonah Blue, E. J. Fissel, George Hunt. John IMoore and J. M. Wilkins.

ten thousand dollars, in which are the fire department, council chambers. opera house and jail. The town now owns and is protected from fire by a late pattern of a motor truck costing about seven thousand fi\'e hundred dollars. The town is an exception to most small towns in that it has expended upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in well paved brick streets. Tliis impro\'ement was commenced in 1907 and now amounts to o\'er three and one-half miles in length. Street wells sunk in clusters here and there furnish the town with ample water supply though there is no regular waterworks system.

The electric light plant is a private concern and was established Octolser 19, 1898. The 1914 report to the auditor of state shows the town had a bonded debt of about one hundred and twenty-four thousand dollars, running at four per cent, interest per annum.

The principal industry of Richwood is the great tile industrv, established about ten years ago by the Richwood Clay Manufacturing Company, which plant has come to be very extensive and pr(^fitable to the town and its owners.

Postoffice History

This is now a third-class office and has six rural free delivery routes extending out into the country. Dr. J. P. Brookins was the first postmaster and retained the office until his departure from the town in 1847. ^^ his day mails were very irregular and scant, but it is related that he would never let the mail bags leave without something" in them. \i there was no mail to send he himself would hastily write a communication to some friend, open the empty sack, insert it and then lock it up again !

The Hotels Of Richwood

The first man to proxide the weary traveler with lodging and suitable meals at this place was William Sirpless. He made no claiml at conducting a hotel or even an inn, but at his log house he did do the best he could, aided by his good wife, a splendid old-fashioned cook. He was succeeded by David Houk, whose dwelling house also served as his "hotel." This house stood on the west side of Franklin street. After a few years he removed to Easton, Ohio. Jesse Reed later kept hotel at the same place. About 1843 J- B- W. Haynes, at the corner of Franklin and Bomford streets, ran a hotel and later went across the street and ran the old Houk tavern stand. He later built a two-story building on lot No. 97. B. C. Bigelow succeeded him at that point.

About 1849-50 John Aluh'ain erected a hotel where later the Parsons House stood. In the winter of 1854-55 R. W. Weisz, then a merchant, built a hotel, later known as the Beem House, and in June, 1855. he moved into it as landlord. In 1866 he sold to John JMeyer. O. Beem was the next proprietor. J. W. Gaston purchased the property and leased it to A. h'aris & Son. There have been many changes since Faris, and today the only commercial hotel in the town is the Villa, owned by Car! Allgower, who conducts a modern hotel.

Though a small place, there has from an earl\' day been found here the true spirit of fostering home manufacturing plants, .\bout 1842 J. S. (iiil, Sr., commenced the manufacture of wooden bowls on an extensive scale. At first he located on lot No. 36, Clinton street, and later at No. 438 South Fulton street. In 1869 his factory burned, but he rebuilt and continued a year or more longer. He then moved Dver tlie line into Indiana where he still operated his plant successfully.

From the former history of Union county it is learned that the largest establishment at Richwood in 1882 was the saw and planing mill of Beem & Biddle. Mr. Biddle stationed a portable saw mill in 1873 on the site of their present extensive mills and in the fall of that year erected a two-story frame milling plant, using the up]3er stor\- for a carjjenter shop. Later changes were effected in the firm and proprietorship and in December. 1875, Orin

Beem retired and C. N. Biddle became junior member in tbe company, later styled Beem & Biddle. A stationary boiler and engine were placed in the mill and all went well until a fire in June, 1876, caused a loss of $3,000, with no insurance. The mill was rebuilt and run bigger than before. In the fall of 1877 a planing mill was added, thirty by sixty feet in size. It was at about this time that the enterprising firm began to furnish lumber to the great car shops of Barney & Smith, Dayton. The Altman Taylor Company of Mansfield also bought of them large quantities of hickory lumber for finishing threshing machines. In 1880, when hard wood lumber was getting scarce, the\' commenced to make wheelbarrows frc>m elm. They made tra}'s for the Revolving Scraper Company, of Columbus, and entered into a contract in 1882 to furnish 100,000 wheelbarrow sets for forty- four thousand dollars. Over six thousand dollars was spent in securing new machinery for this new work. The lumber was taken from the stump, and to assist in preparing it, a mill was installed in Jackson township. About thirty men were then emploved the year round."

A third of a century ago there was in operation in Richwood a good woolen mill on East Ottaway street. This factory was built in 1869. Five hundred pounds of wool were purchased by these mills annually. Loveless, Howe & Bishop were the proprietors. The large planing mills of S. M. & A. J. Blake, started in 1871, were then running full blast. In 1871 Champ. Lvon & Randall built a large flax mill, costing seven thousand dollars. It operated until fla.x ceased to be one of the good crops here.

This hamlet had a population of one hundred and forty in 1910. It is situated on the Erie Railroad in the southwestern part of the township. It was platted March 14, 1881, by Frederick J. Sager for William Jolliff, Jr., the proprietor. G. W. Warner was the first resident of the place. He was appointed postmaster in 1879 and the same year opened up a stock of merchandise in a Iniilding which he completed in September of that year. Through his inlluence the railroad compau)- laid a side track to the village during the winter ni 1880-81 and establishd a station there. The fir.st dwellings were built in 1881 and by 1882 there were about fifteen families located there. The first doctor to establish himself here was Dr. T. F. Wurtsbaugh. By the close of 1882 the village had a saw mill, a blacksmith shop, a millinery store, two general stores, a shoe shop, a hotel, a neat brick school building and a Methodist Protestant church.