Adams Township

Adams Township

Adams, which is the central western township in Guernsey county, is hounded on the west by Muskingum county, on the north -by Knox, on the east by Cambridge and on the south by Westland township. It is five miles square, containing twenty-five sections of land. The National pike crosses its extreme southeastern corner, as does also the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. It was organized as a separate sub-division of Guernsey county in 1827. In 1900 it had a population of seven hundred and seventeen. Cassel station and a portion of Mantau are the only village plattings ever made within this township. It is well watered and drained by the numerous small tributaries to Crooked creek, all streams flowing to the southeast. Being close to Cambridge, it makes that place its trading point.

The following, and possibly more, persons were seventy or more years of age and residing in this township in 1876, and they represented many of the pioneer families: Joseph Gleur, Robert Simpson, Samuel Lee and wife, Robert S. Ross and wife, James Sharrard and wife, John Leech, Andrew Hamilton, Samuel Wells, Mrs. J. H. Hammond, John Hammond. Abraham Barnes, Samuel Maxwell, Samuel Patterson. George Estep and wife.

Joseph Guthrie, born in Pennsylvania in 1776, married in 1801. located in Adams township, this county, in 1830. He died in 1855. They had thirteen children and most of them matured into men and women of energy and importance in this county.

Among the settlers of a later date may be mentioned Andrew Hamilton, born in Ireland in 1816, came to Pennsylvania, and in 1863 to this county, locating in Londonderry township, lived there twelve years and then came to Adams township, where he possessed a two-hundred-acre farm.

Thomas Knox, who resided in Washington county, Pennsylvania, born in 1799, accompanied his parents to Ohio and they located in Adams township. The date of his coming here was 181 5 and in 1832 he married Jane Miller, who was born in Ireland in 1800. She had a wonderful history and experience. She was captured by the British in 1812, while on her way to America, and kept at Newfoundland two years. While there her mother died. Later the daughter joined her father, who settled in Pennsylvania, and from there removed to this county and married Mr. Knox. Her husband died here in 1870 and she in 1874.

Robert Boyd was born in Ireland in 1798 and emigrated to America in 1820 and there married Rachel Frame. This worthy couple lived ten years in Highland township, Muskingum county, Ohio, and then made a permanent home in Adams township, this county. He died in 1874, the father of nine children.

James Johnston was a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, born in 1795, and married Jane Mehaffey, who was born in Ireland. They resided in Pennsylvania six years and then removed to this township in 1824 and he died in 1868. He was a farmer and blacksmith. Their son Alexander was sheriff of Guernsey county during the Civil war, with headquarters at Cambridge. He owned a four-hundred-acre farm and was a very influential and enterprising citizen.

John Mehaffey, son of Samuel, was born in Ireland in 1801, emigrated to this county in 1812 and to Guernsey county in 1819. In 1826 John married Nancy Murphy, who died here in 1864. He then moved, with his two daughters, to Cambridge.

William Speer, fifth child of Stewart and Jane Speer, was born in 1818 and in 1841 married Jane McKinney and settled on the old homestead in this township. Their family and descendants are well known in the county today.

Stewart Speer, born in Pennsylvania in 1783, married Jane Scott. They kept hotel and farmed in Adams township from 1808 to 1812. In the war of 1812 he was a lieutenant, and later became an associate judge. He died in 1850 and his good wife in 1866; they had eight children.

John Work was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1785, and after his marriage to Nancy McDoll moved to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1850 and she in 1873. One of their three children, John Work, born in 1834, married Mary Morrison in i860. In 1867 they settled in Spencer township, this county, and after living in Westland township for a number of years, in 1875 went to Adams township.

Alexander Neely was born in Ireland in 1828. He and two sisters and a brother left Ireland in 1849, and settled in Adams township, this county, where he was married in i860. They reared a large and highly respectable family.

John Sunnafrank was a native of the island of Guernsey, off the coast of France, born in 1777. He was of German parentage, and left his home for Virginia, where he remained until 1804, when he moved to near Cam- bridge, this county, where he resided eleven years, after which he bought a farm in Adams township, four miles from Cambridge, on the pike, and there remained until his death in 1850. The children and grandchildren became well-to-do citizens of this county and township.

Alexander Leeper was born in Pennsylvania in 1773 and his wife in 1777; they came to Adams township in 1831, locating on the pike, near Cambridge. Their numerous family are scattered here and there, throughout the United States.

William Calhoun, born in Ireland, in 1796, emigrated to Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 181 8 and four years later moved to Washington county, where he married Ruth Clark. In 1845 tney commenced a five-years residence in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, but in 1850 settled in Adams township, this county, where he died in 1871 and his wife ten years la,ter. They reared and educated a family of eight children.

David Thompson, another early settler in Adams township, was born in Ireland in 1774, and six years after his marriage the man and wife left their native land for America and resided in Allegheny county eighteen years. From there they moved to Muskingum county, Ohio, near New Concord, and from that place went to Adams township, Guernsey count}-, in 1817. The wife died in 1847 and he in 1859. They had five children, all of whom grew up and settled in homes in this county.