Farmersville, Ohio

To write the history of the early settlement of a township is a matter more difficult accomplishment than would at first be supposed. Although settlers were few, yet they knew little, if anything, of their fellow-pionef who might be living within six or seven miles of them. And when asked v[ the first settler in the township was, they invariably tell you who was the t in their immediate neighborhood, possibly not knowing that long prior to t some dauntless frontiersman had, with his family, settled in the same towns! four or five miles through an almost impenetrable forest from him. Such 1 the case in this township. Settlements were made along the extreme north and also along the extreme southern borders; which of these was first can o: be known by the accounts of the pioneers or of their children. In either c; we are dependent upon the memory of man. So far as can now be learn three families, named severally, Stoner, Oldfather and Pfoutz, were the firs' b ak the solitude of the present township of Jackson and war with the savage lasts and not less savage men for a home in their midst. They all came from Flnsylvania, bringing large families with them, and were here a short time bore 1801, but whether they came together, or if not, which one came first, ciinot now be learned. The most diligent research and inquiry fail to disoer anything further of them than that they all settled together in what was apward known as the " Swartzell Settlement" near the site of the present ivn of Farmersville.

Passage source: The History of Montgomery County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County;, published 1882.

The next to follow these intrepid Pennsylvanians was Abraham Swartzell, a o a son of the Keystone State. He left his home in the East in 1801, and, bcompaay with his brother Henry and a man named Boomershine, came to this tcnship and entered 360 acres of land, where Farmersville now stands. He a family consisting of his wife and four children, viz., Anna, Matthias, Pilip and Elizabeth. He built a small cabin of round logs, with three sides, 1 front being open. The fire was built in front and the only heat received he cabin was from this fire, which was kept overnight, from day to day, in i irge iron kettle. In these days of matches, we cannot realize what a terrible -amity it was to our forefathers to have their fire go out. But. yet these Tidy settlers were "happy as larks," and their children were born, raised, and idly of them died, without knowing of any other than this primitive mode of i|. Here, in this rude and to us seeming uncomfortable hut, Abraham Swart - < had born to him nine children, all of them healthy and robust as the trees Jiind them. They were named severally John, Sarah, Abraham, Polly, Jury, Daniel, Joshua, Susan and Enos. The father, immediately after his an was built, commenced felling trees, girdling others and clearing away and biting the underbrush preparatory to sowing a crop from which his little :a ily were to derive their sustenance. He thus cleared some four or five bis of land, and, after turning the soil by his personal labor, as was then the u om, he planted the first crop on his new and primitive farm. He was trabled some by wolves, which were then thick, but they did no damage Ur than an occasional scare to some member of his family. No sooner was i farm in shape than he commenced lending his aid to the improvement and ping of the country around him by assisting other settlers in raising their a ns, clearing their land, rolling logs and in other ways which were custom r in that early day. His children all grew up to manhood and womanhood, Pried and scattered over the United States. He died in 1840, at the age of ' W-six years. His son John, the oldest of the children, bom in the open an spoken of above, is still living ; he was boim in 1807. When large nigh, he attended a subscription school in a little log schoolhouse near his ei''s farm, where the neighbors, all being of German extraction, were having Orman school taught by a man named Johns. He afterward married, and aicontinued to reside in this township during the whole of his life, now being Hn seventy-five years of age. He lives with one of his children in Farmersi. Henry Swartzell and Mr. Boomershine, the men who came with Abraham v rtzell, both brought very large families and settled near Abraham, on land ' ining his. They all entered land from the Government. Apropos to lubove, mention might be made of the singular fact that very few of the ay settlers had small families. And it reflects greater credit on them, that,

Passage source: The History of Montgomery County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County;, published 1882.

This township does not boast of having as many towns as some of neighbors, but, in point of size and beauty, they compare favorably with th of any township in the county. There are but three of them, viz., Fir mi ville, one and a half miles south of the center of the township, in Section and Johnsville and New Lebanon, both on the extreme northern border, these, the largest is Farmersville. It was laid out by Oliver Dalrymple, Am 30, 1832, and so named on account of his selling the lots to farmers. He been keeping a store there for some years, before having himself built the house in 1822, which is still standing and occupied by his widow. The c dren went to school in a little schoolhouse, where Jacob Aulbach now lives 1830. Then to a brick schoolhouse just below the German Reformed Chui There is now a large two-story brick schoolhouse, employing three teachers furnishing educational advantages for all the children of the town. The physician was Dr. Livengood, in 1833, while the town was still a mere ban The first liquor sold in the town was in 1822, by Mr. Dalrymple, who, in dition to his store, had a quasi tavern. In March, 1849, A bill was introdr in the Legislature and passed, incorporating the town under its original m The following is the first board of officers: Mayor, Jonathan Burz; Recor J. Zehring; Council, Manassel Coolman, James Archer, O. Wysong, S. H and J. H. Butt, the first election being held on the 14th of April, 1849. T are several fine stores in town, including groceries, drug, hardware and goods stores, two hotels, two carriage manufactories, which make about vehicles per annum, barber-shops, blacksmith-shops, etc. The first ck built was the United Brethren. The society was organized in 183.1, and meetings in the houses of Jacob Crider and John Reel until 1841, when bought a half acre of ground of Dalrymple, for $36, and built a churcl $700. The first pastor was Frederick Bauubreak. The present pastor is Bowey. The church is a station in the circuit and numbers twenty-five n bers. The German Reformed, the next in order, was organized iu March, 1 with thirty members. The organization was the direct result of a difdcul' the Slifer Church. The new organization employed Rev. George Long, held services in the United Brethren Church until 1841, when Lots 40 an were purchased of Elizabeth Hollenbach for $70, and an $800 church, 31 feet, built in 1848, by W. Wysong, the contractor. It was dedicated Mi 1848, by Rev. Henry Crow, in German, and Henry Milliard, in English. A church was jirojected in 1869, on account of the incapacity of the old buik The corner-stone was laid with impressing ceremony, May 12, 1870. an< church formally dedicated, Sunday, Jan. 1, 1871, by Rev. D.VanHorn, of Da It is an imposing one-story brick structure, costing $4,500; it has a ga across one end, a belfry and bell, and a capacity for seating 400 people, chiu'ch now has a membership of 175. The following is a list of the pa in the order of service: George Long, W. K. Le Fever, J. H. Reiter, Comfort, Levi Rike and M. F. Frank, the present incumbent of the paste j The church also owns a pleasant two -story frame parsonage of seven roj adjoining the church, which was built at a cost of $1,300. The St. And Lutheran Church is a branch of the old Staver Church, formed in 185( the purpose of giving the town members a convenient place of worship wight a lot of Mr. Hollenbach. and built a small, one-story brick, where they v,rshiped until 1872, when a new lot was procured and a large two-story brick j commenced, which was completed and dedicated June 7, 1874, by (1. W. iphling. It is the most imposing building in town; it cost $10,000, has a cilacity to seat 500, with an organ, gallery, belfry and 940-pound bell; the amber ship now numbers 150. Some of the preachers were Andrew Bowman, i k'ew Hinkle, Revs. Stairwalt, Hinkle and Amos Poorman, the present pastor. 1? Methodist Episcopal, generally the pioneer of all churches, was not here anized until 1840, and, until 1861, the little band of worshipers held .stings in their private houses and in other churches. But in that year, C Leslie donated a lot, and the church built a one-storv brick for $800.

Passage source: The History of Montgomery County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County;, 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 Jackson Township - it names this place 21 more 21 times.