Irwin, Ohio

The surface of the greater portion of this township is remarkably level; a small portion in the eastern part and along the Big Darby is rolling and slightly hilly, while the central and southern portions are a part of the celebrated "Darby Plains," noted for their level surface, and deep, rich soil, consisting of black vegetable mold. Originally, as the first settlers found these plains, they consisted of prairie and oak openings, the former covered with an exuberance of grass, which in some portions grew to an enormous height; some of the settlers testifying that, as they rode through it on horseback, they could grasp a handful on each side of the horse, and tie them together over the rider's head. This is an excellent grazing and stock country, and from its first settlement, the people have devoted much of their time and attention to the stock business. During a few years of recent date, they have given attention to ditching, tiling and draining these lands, which are thus rendered excellent for corn and wheat. Here, as elsewhere, the first settlers sought the higher and more rolling lands, along the streams, upon which they located, considering the prairies on those plains as worthless; too flat and wet to ever admit of cultivation, or even to be habitable. But early in the settlement of this township, colonies from the New England States came here, and, appreciating the true value of these rich lands, with true sagacity and sound judgrpent selected and located upon them; and although, for some years, they endured sickness, and inconvenience attendant upon the work of first improvement, and caused largely by decaying vegetation, yet now they are possessed of as fine farms as can be found in the State. When these prairies were first taken up, they were pu,rchased for about one-half the price of the higher and more rolling lands, a lai-ge area being bought for 60 to 75 cents per aci'e, now they are worth about tAvice as much per acre as the hilly clay lands. This, township is well watered. The Big and Little Darby, with their many tributaries, drain almost every part of the township. The Big Darby enters this township in its northwestern portion, and courses in a southeastern direction, leaving the township on its eastern border, about midway between the northern and southern boundaries. In its course, commencing in the northwest corner of the township, it receives from the southwest the following tributaries: Watson Run, Hay Run and Prairie Run; from the north or east side it receives Buck Run, which cou.rses entirely through the northeastern portion of the township in a southeastern course, emptying into the Darby at the east boundary line. The Little Darby enters this township near its southwest corner, from Madison County, courses northeast until it receives Treacle Creek, thence flows southeast and leaves the township at its extreme southeast corner. Treacle Creek is its principal tributary, and enters from Champaign Connty, near the southwest corner of the township, about one-half mile west of L^win Station. It courses northward about two and one half miles, thence east one and a half miles, thence south to the Little Dai-by, inclosing with the latter a large tract of probably 3,000 acres of land, and almost making an island of it, there being only an isthmus in the northwest corner of the township, between the head-waters of Treacle Creek and Little Darby, of about one-half mile in width.

Passage source: The History of Union County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Townships, Towns ... Military Record;, published 1883.

John Irwin was born in York County, Penn., and was the son of William and Eleanor (Brisband) Irwin, he a native of Ireland and she of Scotland. He married Anna Steel, of Ohio County, Va., in 1791. In 1806, he settled in Union County, Union Township, on a farm in the southwest corner of said township, where he resided till his death in 1830, aged about sis.ty years. His death was caused by injuries received from being thrown from a young, spirited horse, soon after which he died upon the farm upon which he first settled in Union County. Mr. Irwin served as a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church of Upper Liberty (now Mi If ord Center), and was the leader of singing in the church; was a teacher of vocal music, and had in his library a large book of tunes of his own composition with pen and ink. He organized the first Sabbath school ever constituted in Union Township, which was conducted for some time in his own house. He sought earnestly the spiritual as well as the temporal welfare of his household, and lived to see all his children (except one, who united with another denomination) become members of the church he helped to organize afte)- he came to Union County. Mr, Irwin was an excellent farmer, and also well versed in the mechanical arts Politically, he was a pure Jacksonian Democrat, and kept himself well acquainted with the political condition of the various governments of the world. He served as a Justice of the Peace of Union Township for several years. Anna Steel, his wife, was born in York County, Penn., a daughter of James and Mary (Harper) Steel; Harper's Ferry taking its name in honor of her father, James Harper. Miss Steel was seven }'ears of age when the Revolutionary war commenced, and was in the fort or block bouse most of her time during that sanguinary struggle. Her father was one of the minutemen of the army, and kept bis knapsack on his gun near the door readj to start at a minu.te's warning. Her ancestors were from Ireland. She died in 1854, from infirmities of old age.

Passage source: The History of Union County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Townships, Towns ... Military Record;, published 1883.

John Steel Irwin, eldest son of John and Anna Irwin, was born, in Ohio County, Va., about 17W3. About 1816. he married Betsey Kilpatrick, daughter of Samuel Kilpatrick, who resided on a farm three miles below Milford Center, on the north bank of Big Darby, where he died about 1844, of consumption. Mr. Irwin served in the war of 1812 as a teamster; was a farmer and teamster by occupation, and in those days of no railroads the latter occupation took much of his attention, in hauling goods for the merchants. He was a stanch Democrat, and served as a Justice of the Peace in Darby Township, and as a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church at Milford Center, He had six sons and two daughters. Archibald Steel Irwin, his fourth son, served in the army in the war of the rebellion, and was killed in Memphis at the time Forrest made a raid upon that town.

Passage source: The History of Union County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Townships, Towns ... Military Record;, published 1883.

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 Union Township - it names this place 66 more 66 times.