Ollie's Tavern

Black graveyard. For a few years immediately following the coming of the above-mentioned pioneers, we have little knowledge of settlements made, and of those making of them. William Simms and Samuel Brandenburg, the latter from Kentucky, entering land in Section 13, were early settlers of Pike, but as the dates of their coming and further knowledge of them we have been unable to obtain. In the year 1811, the little colony was inereased by the arrival of Thomas Stafford and family. They, too, hailed from the State late known as the * Mother of Presidents," coming from Giles County, Va., and entering the northwest quarter of Section 31, and there beginning the work of the pioneer. Mr. Stafford was a native of Ireland, and, at the age of teu years, arrived in Virginia, in whieh State he married Catharine Williams, a native thereof. This couple, with three children - Peggie, Nancy and George W. - emigrated to this vieinity on horseback, making the journey in twelve days. In after years, there were born to the parents the following children: Elizabeth, James, Melinda, Thomas, Susan, John, Henry, Joseph, Catharine, William and Lucinda. The father reached the age of eighty-two years, and the mother fifty-four. They lived and died on the homestead, and are buried in Miami County. The former served as a scout in the war of 1812. Ralph Stafford, a brother of Thomas, accompanied the latter, but entered land in Miami County and in later years came to Pike Township and here died. During this same year (1811), came from Virginia James and John Black, brothers of Andrew and Samuel Black above mentioned. James made a temporary stay with his brother Andrew; then entered the southeast quarter of Section 20, on which land he resided until his death, in the year 1853. He was born August 17. 1789. His wife's name was Catharine. "They were the parents of ten children, all of whom were born in Pike Township, namely, Mary, Matthew, Susannah, Catharine, Dorcas, Joseph, Samuel, James, Julia and John A. John was united in marriage with Elizabeth Ross, and they were blessed with eight children, five of whom are now living. He entered the northwest quarter of Section 19, and there lived and died. A little later came William Black, Sr., and uncle of the Blacks just spoken of. He was from the same part of Virginia - was quite an old man when he came out. He entered the northwest quarter of Section 13, and there ended his days. About the year 1813, another of the Stafford brothers, George by name, came from the Stafford neighborhood in Virginia, and entered the west half of Section 3l. His wife was Catharine Fair. They reared a large family of children. This same year (1813), James Fuller with his family left Montgomery County,,Va., stopping one year in Kentucky, thence proceeding to the vicinity of New Carlisle, in Bethel Township, where he remained about two years, and thence into Pike Township, entering the west half of Section 21, for which he paid $2 per acre. His children were Ellen, Sarah, James C., Moses, Bradley and Rhoda, of whom James C. is now residing on the old bomestead. The mother died in 1844, and the father in February, 1552, the latter in his eighty-fourth year. Both are buried in the Black graveyard. Northrup Fuller, the father of James, settled in Section 22, a little later entering the southeast quarter. Besides the son mentioned there were the following children: John, Moses, Obadiah, William, Robert and Sarah, all settled in Clark County, and the greater part of them in this township. In the year 1512, Benjamin Carmin and family came from the State of Maryland and entered land in what is now Pike Township, where he resided until his death, which occurred in the year 1827. Mr. Carmin was a native of Blackford County. Md., and his wife of Virginia. About the year 1816, Jacob Frantz settled in Section 7, the northeast quarter of which had been entered by one Hanline, at least the patent was granted to Mr. Frantz as the assignee of the Hanline heirs. At any rate, the person entering it was not able to meet the payments, and the land was purchased by Mr. Frantz, and the grant given as aforesaid. Louis Ray and family emigrated from the State of Virginia in the year 1812, stopping at Cincinnati, where they remained one year; then came to Clark County, locating near Springfield, and four years later purchased land in the vicinity of North Hampton, Pike Township. He married Elizabeth Zigler, and raised a family of ten children, six of whom are now living. The southwest quarter of Section 3 was entered about the year 1815 or 1816, by George Overpack, another Virginian. His wife was Martha Currene, both natives of that State, which they left in the year 1807, going to Miami County on Indian Creek, thence to Springfield Township, and up into Pike as aforesaid. They were Methodists, and their house served as the place of worship for years. Mr. Overpack raised a large family, consisting of the following named children: Mary, Susan, Margaret, Ruth, William, Elizabeth, Maria, Samuel, Isaae, Phebe and George, two of whom still reside in the township. Father died in January, 1846, and the mother in January, 1866. Both were buried in Asbury graveyard. William Spence and family settled in the vicinity of North Hampton in the year 1818, they having emigrated from England in 1816,:stopping in Cincinnati two years. There were thirteen children born to the parents. The Bixlers, Basingers, Forgys and Leffels were also early settlers. The Basingers were from Virginia. The southeast quarter of Section 9 was entered by Obediah Lippincott, who with his wife Margaret Reed came from New Jersey about the year 1810, first stopping in Warren County; thence going to Greene County and to Pike Township. They were born in the years 1786 and 1787 respectively. Both are buried in Asbury graveyard. The Priests were early settlers, too. John in an early day emigrated to Kentucky (from Virginia); and thence to this vicinity, entering the northwest quarter of Section 27.

Passage source: The History of Clark County Ohio,, 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 Pike Township - 19,254 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.