Brush Creek, Ohio

The first settler, in modern parlance, was George Swingle, a native of Saxony, in Germany. He was born July 4, 1756, and at the age "of sixteen entered the armj , in which he served eight years, and during which period his parents died. When his term of service was ended, he sailed for America, and located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in shoemaking, which he seems to have taken up, without learning the art from a master. Here he married Mary Magdalene Dietrich, and continued to reside there until 18 10, when, accompanied by his son, Nicholas, he started for "the northwest country,'" and halted in the region now known as Brush Creek township, where he concluded to settle, on the farm now occupied by Solomon Swingle. After selecting this place, he left his son to prepare a shelter for them, whilst he returned to Pennsylvania for the remainder of the family ; and Nicholas, with the neighbors' help, erected a cabin, into which the family domiciled soon after. The journey thither was through the wilderness, then inhabited by savages and wild beasts, and it is anindi- cation of the heroism that characterized Mr. Swingle and the pioneers of tliat day, that they braved these dangers and attained not only the mastery over both, but converted these wild lands into productive fields, and gardens. Those were the days that tried men's souls in the most literal sense, for they had to create all the means of the comfort they enjoyed : and to contend with the ravages of the raccoon and squirrel, who wantonly appropriated their corn, as if it had been planted for them. Mr. Swingle never became discouraged, however ; during his first year he made a barrel of maple sugar, and a barrel of molasses ; for coffee they substituted parched corn, and for tea they used sassafras root bark. During the second year, they built a hewed log house, the first in the township, and they abandoned the one built by Nicholas ; they also built a barn and set out* an orchard, atid planted wheat. George Swingle died on this place, October 28th, 1844, honored and beloved by all who knew him. His wife survived him two years. The only surviving members of his family, are: Samuel, who lives in Harrison - township, and Elizabeth Willis, who lives in Clark county, Illinois - the latter in her eight)'- second year.

Passage source: 1794. History of Muskingum County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1882.

The first salt well was bored by Thomas Moorehead in the year 1818, on the farm now owned by Martha and Joshua McConnell. This proved a success, and the business of salt making has been a prominent industry in the township for many years.

Passage source: 1794. History of Muskingum County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1882.

Lutheran Church. - The Rev. William Foster, an Evangelical Lutheran clergyman, visited from house to house in Brush Creek township, from 1812 to 1818, holding rehgious services. . These visitations and services were conducted during 1818 by Rev. Andrew Hinkle and his brother, Charles. In 1819, Rev. Andrew Hinkle, assisted by Rev. Lewis Shite, organized a circuit, consisting of four or more congregations ; one near Deavertown, in Morgan county, known as the Jerusalem Church ; one in Brush Creek township, denominated St. John's Evangelical Church ; one in Roseville, and one in Fultonham, the latter three being in Muskingum county. In 1819, the Church of St. John erected a church, two miles ;south of the village of Stovertown. The spot where this primitive log church stood is now marked by a graveyard, where many of the pioneers have been laid. The first person buried there was Miss Phebe J. Swingle, daughter of -George Swingle, who died early in the year 181 2. She was identified with the church while jet in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and died triumphant in the faith. There was no Lutheran minister in this region at that time, and Rev. John Goshen, of Putnam, Muskingum county, a minister of the Metlu)dist Episcopal Church, conducted the funeral services. The next pastor was Rev. Samuel Kammerer, who began his ministerial work in 1820. and continued to serve them for sixteen years.

Passage source: 1794. History of Muskingum County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1882.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Brush Creek Township - it names this place 15 more 15 times.