Berne Township

Berne Township

It is said that Berne Township was named in honor of the Canton of Berne, in Switzerland, by Samuel Carpenter, at the time of its organization, a citizen. There are two post-offices in the township - Sugar Grove, eight miles below Lancaster,

Some of the first settlers were four brothers, Reams, Henry Hansel, James Harrod, William Brandon, George Beery, David Carpenter, and others.

George Reams built the first grist-mill. Daniel Reams built the first saw-mill. The township is at present credited with ten churches and prosperous Sunday-schools.

John A. Collins is remembered as an early 'Squire. Mr. Collins was favorably known, and lived to a ripe old age. He was Justice of the Peace fully thirty years.

Judge Joseph Stukey built a grist-mill on Rush Creek, just at the foot of what is now Sugar Grove, at a very early period. Mr. Stukey will be remembered as having been one of the Associate Common Pleas Judges for Fairfield County. He served a number of years, embracing the year 1840. He died several years ago.

Source changes here: from Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield County, Ohio, by Wiseman, C. M. L. (Charles Milton Lewis), published 1901; 211 words in this source stream.

Berne Township

BERNE township was first settled by the Carpenters, Emanuel, Samuel and John. They were soon followed by the Shallenbergers and Abraham Ream and his sons. The Carpenters, vShallenbergers and Reams built the first mills and were prominent and useful citizens.

Joseph Stukey and two brothers were early settlers and reared large families. Stukey built a good mill at the mouth of Rush creek. Joseph Stukey was a prominent man and an associate judge for this county for one or two terms. He was appointed by the Court of Common Pleas one of the receivers of the Lancaster bank, when it was wound up in 1842. Levi jMoore and Asa Spurgeon were among the first to settle below Lancaster.

One of the very first settlers in Berne township was Gen. Jonathan Lynch, as early as 1798 or 1799. He lived on what is now the Baldwin farm. He operated a small tan-yard, the first in the county. Here a son was born, December, 1799; one of the first, at least the second, to be born in the county. Gen. Lynch was a very prominent man. He commanded a brigade in the war of 1812. He spent his small fortune in caring for his men, and his children state that he was never

Source changes here: from History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, by Miller, Charles Christian, published 1912; 1,946 words in this source stream.

Berne Township

Berne Township is bounded on the north by Pleasant Township, on the east by Rush Creek Township and by Hocking County, on the south by Hocking County, and on the west by Madison and Hocking townships. This township was christened Berne by Samuel Carpenter, one of its earliest settlers, in honor of the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, the home of his ancestry. It is one of the largest townships of Fairfield County, comprising all of Township 14, Range 18, except one and one-half sections from the northwest comer, which belongs to Lancaster township, and two tiers of sections, from i to 12, inclu-

And Representative Citizens

The township Hes in the southeastern part of the county. Hocking River enters from the northwest, and, passing through the entire length of the township, flows into Hocking County on the south. Its principal tributaries are Rush Creek and Pleasant Run. The surface is rough and hilly, except in the narrow valleys which skirt the streams. Most of the soil is rather poor, being of a gravelly nature.

The Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad and the Hocking Canal cross the township along the Hocking River valley. The Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Road passes east and west through the northern part of the township.

The Carpenters are credited with being the earliest settlers in the township. The first land entered was that in the Hocking valley nearest Lancaster. Succeeding pioneers occupied the lands down the stream until they were all appropriated. Then the valleys of the tributaries were settled, and finally the hills.

It was in 1798 that William, David, Samuel and John Carpenter, with their father, emigrated from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and settled in Sections 7 and 8, in the Hocking valley, just below Lancaster. Below them were the Shellenberger boys, Samuel and Henry. Their father, Henry, traveled here from Pennsylvania, and entered the land. He returned to his old home and left the boys in possession here, George Eckert, another Pennsylvanian, being next and below them. Abraham Ream came also from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1798, and entered Sections 27, 28, 33, 34 and part of 35, on Rush Creek, becoming the most extensive resident landholder in the township. Joseph Stukey entered still further down the river.

Among the earliest settlers on Rush Creek were Peter Stinespring, Henry Inesell, Henry Swartz, from Pennsylvania, and Christian and John Beery, from Virginia. Most of the first settlers came from Pennsylvania, chiefly from Lancaster and Berks counties. Some few emigrated from Virginia. William Collins, the father of John A. Collins, an early squire' and prominent citizen, Daniel and Abraham Moyer, Felta Pratz, and others, settled in the northeast part of the township. Walter Applegate, from Virginia, also settled very early in the northeastern corner of the township. John Baldwin, a bachelor, who lived and died here, and Peter Sturgeon, from the same state ; John Bibler and Michael Hansel, from Pennsylvania, and William Bryan, were early figures in the township's history.

William Jackson, from Frederick County, Maryland, in 1805 came to the township. He found an empty cabin on Pleasant Run with twelve acres of cleared land surrounding it, and moved in it in December, remaining two years. He afterwards leased and purchased other lands in the township, and died here in 1850. William Cook, from Henry County, Virginia, in 1805, settled about two miles southeast of Lancaster. He was probably the first justice of the township. He served in the war of 1 812 as major, was sheriff of the county and died in this township about 1855. His six brothers, and his father, Ephraim, preceded him here a short time, all living in the same neighborhood. Jacob Iric, from Maryland, and George See, settled in the township about 1805. John Pennebaker came in 1806 from Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is impossible to even mention the names of all the early settlers. During the first years of

Sugar Grove is the only town of note. It is situated in the Southern part of the township at junction of the Hocking River and Rush Creek. It received its name from a heavy growth of sugar timber which had occupied its site. An Indian encampment had formerly stood at this place, and a large burying-ground close by. Numerous skeletons have been unearthed and many other evidences of savage occupation have been revealed. The village was laid out by Mrs. Elizabeth Rudolph. It was incorporated more than fifty years ago. Its population is nearly four hundred.

The first house in Sugar Grove was built about 1835, by Samuel White. It was a log cabin long since removed. It stood on the lot opposite Dennis's hotel. The first store comprised a small stock of goods, brought to the place by Christian Krebs, and Jefferson Meeks. It was located in the upper end of town where the tanyard now stands.

Sugar Grove

One of Ohio's interesting and prosperous villages is Sugar Grove, located in the southeastern part of the county. This village is so situated that both nature and human enterprise contribute their utmost to its beauty, scientific interest and prosperity. Located exactly in the glacial gap through which the romantic Hocking flows, the changing seasons present most beautiful and contrasted pictures. In summer the landscape is mostly made up of beautiful, dome-shaped hills of most regular contour; but when the frost has plucked away the green covering from the hills, majestic clififs of rock usurp the prospect, and in the presence of their stern beauty, the denuded trees that had so lately ridden them away seem to sink into the background, leaving scattered here and there the spruce and pine trees, like great green banners waving over a gigantic fortress.

In former ages a glacial spur must have plowed its way through this gap, leaving its sides so abrupt that the rocks still stand bare to a perpendicular height of many feet above the talus that has formed over half way to their summit. On either side the smaller streams have eroded deep and abrupt glens, which, being newer, are surrounded by more lofty ledges than those along the main valley. One of these has been reserved as a national park under the name of Crystal Springs, to which hundreds of excursionists come every year, particularly in the summer. Just northeast of the village stands "The Round Knob," the most wonderful of the many natural formations to be found in the vicinity. This is a hill of equal altitude with the others, but has been cut from the other elevations apparently in opposition to all the laws of nature. It was originally a spur extending from a chain of hills that followed the left bank of Rus Creek. This stream was forced to change its course by an ice dam and has cut a narrow channel through the heart of the hill and it now preversely leaves its older and wider valley and follows its narrow course through the hill.

Aside from the business furnished by the agricultural interests immediately surrounding the village, the chief industrial life is connected with the transportation of fuel. The immense quantities of coal handled by the Hocking Valley Railroad contributes moderately to the prosperity of the place, but it is situated in the centre of gas transportation for a great portion of the state. Just outside the village are the "Northwestern" and the Logan Natural Gas and Fuel Co.'s pumping stations; within a radius of three miles are three other such compression plants. These stations by the use of ponderous engines, place the gas under pressure ranging from 200 to 300 pounds per square inch in order to transport it to the various cities supplied by them. This extensive industry is the outgrowth of the rich gas field which was here a few years ago. According to the statements of the oldest residents of the vicinity, the first settlement was made about 1792. About that time Daniel Stuckey took a claim of 1200 acres; on this allotment the village has been built. The village was incorporated by a special act of the legislature in 185 1, and was organized March 25, 185 1, with William Fisher, mayor. The following is a list of the citizens who have officiated as mayor since that time: 1852, Daniel Rudolph; 1853, I. A. Ream; 1854-55, E. A. McFadden; 1856, D. R. Elder; 1857, A. J. Schrader; 1858-59 and 1S61-63, James Sharp; i860, J. E. Wonn; 1864-71 and 1875-76, E. R. Brown; 1872-73 and 1884, Eli Dennis; 1885, W. W. Kraft; 1886-93, G. R. Wachter; 1894-95, J. H. Sharp; 1896-97, S. D. Hansley; 1898-99, S. Fulton; 1900, J. V. Sharp; 1902, 1906-07, G. W. Johnston; 1903-04, E. V. Crampton ; 1908, L. S. Sharp; 1909, H. T. Holland; 1910-11, B. F. Snyder.

Fraternal Orders

members: J. H. Arney, James Foster, S. W. Solinberger, James Solinberger, William H. Elder, William Hamilton, Peter Daubenmyer, W. M. Rudolph, E. P. Jackson, J. S. Matheny, Daniel Snider, G. F. Hummel, S. Renshaw, J. W. Ricketts, Sam Byerley. Of these, J. H. Arney, the two Solinbergers, W. H. Elder, Peter Daubenmyer and J. W. Ricketts are still living, though not all members of this post at present.

The lodge of the Modern Brotherhood of America was organized July 3, 191 1, with a charter membership of sixteen. The present membership is eighteen.

Dr. C. H. Hamilton was born at Yellow Springs, Ohio, and was graduated from the high school there in 190 1. He attended Antioch College for three years - 1901 to 1904, and was graduated from Starling (Ohio) Medical College in May, 1908. He served as interne at the Protestant Hospital at Columbus, O., from May, 1908 to May, 1909 and located at Sugar Grove, Ohio, May 4, 1909, where he has practiced his profession ever since. He was married July 29, 191 1, to Miss Claire Miller, of Sugar Grove, O..

Dr. F. O. Hunt was born in Sidney, la., in 1869 and graduated from Northwestern Medical College in 1891. He afterwards practiced medicine in Toledo, Ohio, and was demonstrator of anatomy in the Toledo Medical College from 1894 to 1896. Dr. Hunt was married in 1892 to Miss Mary Lehman. To this union have been born four sons and two daughters. Dr. Hunt came to Sugar Grove in October, 1910, and has been enjoying a very successful practice since that time.

Bank Of Sugar Grove

The Bank of Sugar Grove, with Mr. John R. Bowen as cashier, is a very prosperous institution and adds much to the business convenience of the village.

Public Schools

The records of the school show that Miss Anna Seidner taught for fourteen years ; Miss Rebeckah Robinson taught the Primary Department six years. In the Grammar Department, Miss Mabel Mason taught two years and was succeeded by Garence Hughes, who served one year, and E. L. Fauble, the present incumbent, now teaching his second year.

Mr. Charles T. Buell was the first principal of the High School, beginning in January, 1910, and serving until the present year, when he was succeeded by the present principal, E. C. A\^ilker.

The schools have an enrollment of 120, including the high school, which is a recognized high school of the second grade. The superintendents who have served the schools in the past are Bruce Rowe, William Walter, Meredith Kindler, Otis Garner, H. E. Kuhn and G. E. Wagner.

Berne postoffice is a station on the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley Railroad. It is situated in the northeast corner of the township and contains a store, two or three shops and about five or six houses.

Cranfis Collegiate Institute, which is also called Berne Township High School, is situated in Berne Township and is described in Chapter XIV.