Burlington Township

Burlington Township

THIS township was organized in 1817. It lies on the northern border, adjoining Knox county, between Bennington on the west, Washington on the east, and McKean on the south.

It is said that Colonel Wait Wright treated the "boys" to two gallons of whiskey for the privilege of naming the township, and thereupon called it after his native place in Vermont.

It is well watered - Otter creek and the North fork, about equal in size, uniting a little above the residence of Justus Taylor, near the village of Homer, the latter taking an easterly course to Washington township. Lake fork rises in Bennington and flows east nearly through the center of Burlington. The surface is gently undulating, except in the district known as "Egypt," in the southeast, which is somewhat hilly. The soil of the larger portion partakes of yellow clay, and is adapted to the growth of wheat and other small grains, which, taken in connection with the alluvial, corn producing bottom land, skirting the streams, creates that variety of soil calculated to invite the agriculturalist. No portion of it is so broken as to prevent cultivation. Within the limits of Burlington are, or were, seven or more of those mysterious mounds for which the county is noted, and which continue to puzzle the antiquarian. One is on the farm formerly owned by Robert Fulton, one mile west of Homer; another on the farm owned by the heirs of John Butcher; and two on the farm formerly owned by Robert Hunter. Mr. Hunter is dead, and the farm is now owned by Jacob Yocum. There were three mounds here, but one of them was plowed away and leveled in the preparation of the ground upon which to build the house, so that two only remain upon this place.

Under the center of one of these was discovered, some years since, a circular building of stone, about ten feet in diameter and three feet in height, regularly built, dome shaped, and having on the top as a keystone a large stone familiarly knpwn as a "nigger head." Much curiosity was excited as to its contents, but when opened it was found to contain nothing of value. There is another mound on the farm formerly owned by McKnight, one mile west of Utica, which is eight or ten feet in height and twenty-five or thirty feet in diameter at the base. The farm upon which it is located is now owned by James Hanger; but the largest and most entire is at the village of Homer, on the farm and close to the residence of Edwin Williams, esq.; this has recently been measured and found to be about thirty rods in circumference at the base, and nearly thirty feet in height, having, as is usual, a hollow place at the summit, about twenty-five feet across. Perhaps fifty years ago, a party of five or six settlers agreed to examine this mound in search of curiosities. They dug down about fifteen feet, but found nothing of value.

A mound of ordinary size not long ago had an existence on the farm of Mr. Woodruff, threefourths of a mile west of Homer. This mound has been graded down, but near it yet remains the depression or "sink" from which it is believed the dirt was taken for this mound. This place is overgrown with bushes, and is sometimes filled with water.

the Homer cemetery, a very large human skeleton was found. It is stated that the jaw-bone would go over the face of the largest man present, with two hands placed between. This might have been some pre-historical Indian chief, and if he wielded influence and power in proportion to his size, he was a mighty man among the red men.

In 1815, while digging a mill-race on the western line of the township, some enormous bones were unearthed; among others, a rib over fiye feet in length; another bone as large around as a wagon hub, and a tooth two and one-half inches broad, one and a half inches thick, and five or six inches in length, doubtless the remains of some antediluvian animaL Mr. William Spencer, speak* ingin 1876, of the earthwork last mentioned, says it is on the farm of Mr. Joseph Conard, and is a regular circle about eighty-five feet in diameter, with the ditch on the inside of the embankment. It is only twelve or fifteen inches in height, with a gate, or entrance, twelve feet wide, facing the east. The mound in the center of this embankment is at least thirty feet in diameter, thirty inches high, and seems to have always been higher than the circular wall. A few oak trees stand on the embankment, from eighteen inches to two and a half feet in diameter. No other works are connected with this, so far as can be seen. This earthwork evidently belongs to the same class of works as the "Old Fort" near Newark, and known as "Sacred Inclosures."

One of the most important events in the history of this county was the occurrence of what is known as "The Burlington Storm." Its effects were more severely felt in this township than any other, hence its name; and its history may properly be written here. It occurred on the eighteenth of May, 1825, and was one of the most violent tornadoes ever known in Ohio. The following description of it is from "Howe's Historical Collections," and the account is believed to be authentic.

"It commenced between the hours of one and two p. M., in the southeast part of Delaware county. After passing a few miles upon the surface of the ground, in an easterly direction, it appeared to rise so high from the earth that the tallest trees were not affected. It then again descended to the earth, and with greatly increased violence and force, proceeded through the townships of Bennington and Burlington, in Licking county,

"It crossed the road from Newark to Mt. Vernon, a short distance above Utica, where its violence was such as to prostrate nearly all the trees, large and small, that stood in its track, which was several hundred yards wide. Its general course was a little north of east. For force and violence of wind this storm has rarely been surpassed in any country in the same latitude. Forests and orchards were completely uprooted and leveled ; buildings blown down, scattered in every direction, and carried by the force of the wind many miles distant; cattle were taken from the ground and carried one hundred rods or more. The creek, which had been swollen by recent rains, had but little water in its bed after the storm passed. The roods and fields recently plowed were quite muddy from recent rains; but, after the storm passed by, both roads and fields were dean and dry. Its track through Licking county was from one-third to three-fifths of a mile wide, but became wider as it advanced to the eastward. Those who were so fortunate as to be witnesses of its progress, without being victims of its fury, represent the appearance of fragments of trees, buildings and limbs, high in the air, to resemble large numbers of birds, such as buzzards and ravens.

"The ground also seemed to tremble, as is asserted by many credible persons, who were at the time a mile from the track of the tornado. The roar of the wind, the trembling of the ground, and the crash of falling timbers and buildings, are represented by all who were witnesses as being peculiarly dreadful."

Colonel Wright, and others who witnessed its progress, think it advanced at the rate of a mfle per minute, aud did not last more than a minute and a half or two minutes. The cloud was exceedingly black, and sometimes bore hard upon the ground, and at others seemed to rise a little above the surface. One peculiarity was that the fallen timber lay in every direction, so that the course of the storm could not be determined from the position of the fallen trees.

Many incidents are related by the inhabitants, calculated to illustrate the power and terrors of the storm. A chain, three or four feet long, of the size of a plow-chain, was taken from the ground near the house of John McClintock, carried about half a mile, and lodged in the top of a sugar-tree stub about twenty-five feet from the ground.

An ox belonging to Colonel Wait Wright, was carried about eighty rods, and left unhurt, although surrounded by fallen timber so that it required several hours chopping to release him. A cow, also, was taken from the same field, carried about forty rods, and lodged in the top of a tree, which was blown down, and when found, was dead, and about eight feet from the ground. Whether the cow was blown against the tree-top after it fell, or was lodged in it before, could not be determined. A heavy ox-cart was taken from the yard of Colonel Wright, carried about forty rods, and struck the ground with such force as to break the axle, and entirely demolish one wheel.

A son of Colonel Wright, upwards of fourteen years of age, was standing in the house, holding the door. The house which was built of logs, was torn to pieces, and the lad thrown with such violence across the room as to kill him instantly. A coat hanging in the same room, was found the following November in Coshocton . county, more than forty miles distant, and was afterward brought to Burlington and identified by Colonel Wright's family. Other articles, such as shingles, pieces of timber and furniture, were carried twenty and thirty miles. Miss Sarah Robb, about twelve years of age, was taken from her father's house, and carried some distance. She could not tell how far; but when consciousness returned, found herself about forty rods from the house, and walking toward it She was much bruised, but not very greatly injured. The family of a Mr. Vance, on seeing the storm approaching, fled from the house to the orchard adjoining. The upper part of the house was blown off and through the orchard, the lower part remaining. Two sons of Mr. Vance were killed, one immediately, and the other died in a day or two from wounds ; these and the son of Colonel Wright were all the lives known to have been lost in the storm. A house built of large logs, in which was a family, and which a number of workmen had entered for shelter from the storm, was raised up on one side, and rolled off the spot where it stood, without injuring any one. A yoke of oxen belonging to William H. Cooley, were standing in the field, and after the storm, were found completely enclosed and covered with fallen timber, so that they were not released until the next day, but were not essentially injured.

A black walnut tree, two and a half feet in diameter, which had lain on the ground many years, and become embedded in the earth to nearly one-half its size, was taken from its bed, carried across the creek, and left about thirty rods from its former location.

The first settlers in the township, as nearly as can now be ascertained, were James Dunlap, Cornelius Vanausdal, Henry Oldacre, Nathan Conard, John Johnson, Jonathan Beaty, Hugh McKindley, Adam Patterson, John Dixon and Thomas Dixon in 1806; David Wallace, J. Helphry, Jesse Van Fossen, John Chonner, James Butcher, James Dickey and Jesse Smith in 1808; George McCrary, Timothy Chapman, James, John and Abner Mc- Lain, Thomas Scott and Henry McKindley about 1810; and a little later Wait Wright, Samuel Edmon, Adam Patterson, Van Simmons, Thomas Bare and Ezra Mead.

In 1810 the settlers erected a block-house as a defence against the Indians. It was on "Indian path," near the Dunlap residence, on the road from Utica to Johnstown.

The village of Homer was-originally called Burlington; but when the post office was established it was found necessary to change its name, and the present name was chosen. It was laid out by John Chonner in 1816, and now contains about three hundred inhabitants; has a large school-house, three churches, two dry goods stores, kept by S. L. Blue and Elmer Scott, two hotels, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one cabinet shop, and the usual number of mechanical establishments.

The Congregational church (now Presbyterian) was organized May 5, 1828, by Rev. Jacob Little, of Granville. The examining com mitte were Deacon Amasa Howe, of Granville, Deacon Orin Barnes, of St. Albans, Deacon Eliseus Fowler, of Hartford, and Samuel W. Rose, of Granville, a licentiate of Lancaster presbytery, who was its first minister. They have a good membership, a flourishing Sabbath-school, and a neat, commodious house of worship. This church is not strong, the present membership being twenty or more. Their first church building stood where the Union schoolhouse now stands. It was then Old School Presbyterian. Subsequently it united with the new j school, and they erected the present building.

The Baptist church edifice was finished July 9, 1832, and dedicated July 21, 1832, by Rev. Owen Owens. They formerly had a large membership, but many families have removed, and their places have not been filled; they are now comparatively few in number. The original members of this church organization were John Esthell, Titus Knox, Benjamin Warner, Lewis Hatch, Mabel Thrall, Mariah Smith, Mary Woods, Ruth Warner, Mary Emerson, Mary Pugh, Susannah Hatch, Peggy A. Knox, Elizabeth Galer, Peter Galer, Leonard Woods, Barbara Wheeler, Jacob Galer, Daniel Galer, Eliza Hard, Mary Esthell, Ann Tellis, Elizabeth Tellis, Elizabeth Warner, Howard Phillips, Elizabeth Phillips, and David Brown. The first church building was erected soon after the church was organized. It was a frame building, and was occasionally added to and repaired. It is yet standing, and is used for a carpenter shop. The present building, a frame, was erected about thirty years ago. It has recently been repaired and painted. Services are held here every two weeks. The membership is about thirty three. This is what is known as New School Baptist, which admits the Sunday school as part of their religious worship. A school of this kind was early established, and is yet maintained.

The Methodists held their early meetings in the \ cabins of the members, and afterward in the log school-houses that began, soon after the first settlement, to spring up here and there all over the country. Their first church edifice in this township was erected about 1834, and cost about one thousand dollars. This building was in use nearly thirty-five years. The congregation began the erection of the present church in 1868, and it was dedicated June 25, 1871, by Rev. M. Collyer. It is a substantial structure, large, handsome, well finished, and furnished in the most approved modern style, and cost about twenty-five hundred dollars. They have a membership of seventy-five, a good Sabbath-school, numbering one hundred pupils, and the church is in a prosperous condition.

For many years the preachers to this class were the itinerant ministers sent out by the church conference, who had regular preaching places in various parts of this and other counties. Among the original members of the class were Thomas Callihan, Benjamin Belt, David Weiant, Solomon Wheeler, Nathan Conard, Isaac Vanosdoll, David Watson, Henry Overholt, and James Houck.

Homer was the native place of Major General William S. Rosecranz, his father residing here as farmer, merchant and tavern keeper. It is also the home of the venerable William Knowles, a poet of considerable ability.