Sycamore, Ohio

Symmes is one of the later and smaller townships. It was created between 1820 and 1826, solely from the eastern part of Sycamore, to which were added two tiers of sections on the west which had formerly belonged to Springfield township. It is bounded on the south by Columbia township, on the west by Sycamore, on the north by Warren county, and on the east by the Little Miami, which follows a tortuous course of nearly twelve miles along the eastern front of Symmes. When about midway of its course here, it deeply indents the township, reducing its width from the extreme breadth of a little more than four miles on a line a short distance north of West Loveland, to a trifle over a mile in the latitude of Remington, about two and one-half miles from the south line of the township. Below this point the width of the township is no where greater than three and a quarter miles on the section line next north of Camp Dennison. The length of the township on the western border and for more than a mile eastvyard is the same as that of Springfield and Sycamore townships - seven miles, dwindling down to nothing in the bends north and south of the great bend of the Miami.

Passage source: History of Hamilton County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, published 1881.

Symmes township lies almost wholly in the valley of the Little Miami, and partakes of its general character. At some distance back from the river, however, especially in the northwestern part, the hill country infringes upon the territory of the township, and variegates its topography, and to some extent its capacity of production. It is abundantly watered by several small streams, which mostly take their rise in Warren county and Springfield township, and flow into the Little Miami. Across this river are several fine bridges crossing from Symmes township - as a large iron one at Loveland, and a long bridge above Miamiville. One of the finest bridges in southern Ohio is that between Branch Hill and Symmes' Station - places respectively in Clermont and Hamilton counties, and on the little Miami and Marietta & Cincinnati railroads. It is a suspension bridge three hundred and fifteen feet long, built at the joint expense of the two counties connected by it, and costing seventy thousand dollars. It was formally dedicated and

Passage source: 1789 History of Hamilton County Ohio with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, published 1881.

village, and two and one-half miles northwest of Symmes station, in this township. A Presbyterian church was organized here very early, sometime before October, 1 80 1, when the Rev. James Kemper was giving one-third of his preaching services to it. A year from that time he was appointed by the presbytery to give his whole time to this and the Duck creek (now Pleasant Ridge) churches for one year. This appointment was renewed in October, 1803, when the name Sycamore was changed to Hopewell. He was invited to the pastorate of the two churches at the expiration of this year, and was installed in the Hopewell church April 4, 1805, the Rev. David Rice, his old Kentucky tutor in theology, preaching the installation sermon. In April, 1807, Mr. Kemper applied for a dissolution of the pastoral relation, against the remonstrance of his people, who declared their financial ability and desire to retain him. He was, however, released from the pastorate in October, and served as stated supply for six months, after which he went into Kentucky and labored there for a season. He was succeeded at Sycamore (or Hopewell), by the Rev. Daniel Hayden, who was ordained and installed at the Duck Creek church, November 17, i8io. He served the Hopewell church until April 8, 181 9, and the other society from that time till his death, August 27, 1835. Some further notice of him has been given in the history of Columbia township.

Passage source: History of Hamilton County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, published 1881.

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 Symmes Township.