Chester Township

Chester Township

During these years, the elections were held at such places as the Trustees could provide, and, in a majority of instances, in private houses, as the following listwill show: From 1829 to 1834, inclusive, at the residence of James Dakin (for many years known as the Dakin Corner); from 1835 to 1839, inclusive, at the tavern of John Mclntire (where M. W. Shidaker owns); from 1839 to 1842, inclusive, at the residence of William T. Elmore, or where Manly Oglesbee owns, being the old Hurley farm; in 1842, at the schoolhouse on the farm of Isaac Collett, in Survey 2,280- and from 1843 to 1846, inclusive, at the " Township House. "

At a meeting of the Trustees held at the residence of James Dakin, on Saturday, the 18th day of April, 1829, a tax of three-eighths of one mill was levied for township purposes, and the roads of the township were redistricted. At an extra session of the Trustees, in June, 1829, the schools were redistricted . "agreeably to the provisions of a law passed February 10, 1829." This was but four years after " a general law establishing a school system and levying a tax for its support,'' was passed, and I cannot refrain from adding to this article, at this time, the list of householders, as they follow by districts, in this record, even though it be at the expense of casting out something else farther on; for it expresses, in so many words, the heads of families in our township at that time, and calls up to the older portions of our citizens a list of those who have long since gone to " the undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveler returns."

District No. 1 : Beginning where the W aynesville road crosses the east line of the township ; thence to the oil-mill, including it ; thence to John Harvey, excludinghim; thence to Preserved Dakin, including him; thence to William Dakin, including him; thence to Wright Haynes, excluding him; thence to Rachel Reese, including her; thence to Job Jeffries, including him; thence east to the township line; and thence to the place of beginning. Householders- -Henry Dakin, Joseph Haynes, Gideon Edwards, Moses Reese, Isaac Carpenter, Preserved Dakin, Davi Cleaver, James Dakin, Job Jeffries, Jonathan Mauker, John Wall, Joseph B. Gorham, John Greene, John Rockhill, Elias Dakin, Akin Dakin, Barnabas Howland, Richard Van Tress, Beebe Treusdell, John Hempsted, Peter Walker, Phoebe Fallis, Lydia Fallis, Robert Gather, Isabel Adsit, Benjamin Howland, Hiram Dakin, William Connet, William Dakin, William Van Tress, Rachel Reese, Michael Pepper, Perry Dakin, William Garrison, Joseph Connet, Jacob Carpenter.

to Wright Haynes, excluding him; thence to Jonah Farquhar, excluding him; thence to Aaron Collett, including him; thence to Robert Marshall, excluding him; thence to Daniel Huffman, excluding him; thence to Samuel Hollingsworth, including him; thence to Josiah McMillan, including him; thence to Ezekiel Kirk, including him; thence with line to beginning. Householders - David Mason, Jane McMillan, Archibald Van Tress, Thomas Kirk, Gideon Wakeman, Ezekiel Underwood, Amos Davis, Sarah McMillan, Samuel Cox,

District No. 9 contains the names of some of the earliest pioneers - Eli Maden, Jacob Hale, Joshua Nickerson, Artemas Nickerson, Caleb Harvey, Solomon Maden, John Moore, John Harvey and Joshua Harvey.

It was while the elections were held at the residence- of William Elmore that the campaign of 1840 "went off," and at Elmore's place were hold some of the largest meetings that ever gathered in the township. But the people, wearied of throwing open their houses and yards to the public on election days, the women more especially, and the time came when they saw that it was necessary to provide a suitable place for assembling twice a year to exercise their rights of citizenship.

At the spring election of 1842, held at the schoolhouse on the farm of Isaac Collett, it was left for the people to say whether the Trustees should or should not provide a house and lot for township purposes, and the decision there rendered was that they should do so. One acre of land was purchased of Benjamin Hawes for a consideration of $25, and "at a special meeting of the Trustees held for the purpose of letting out a job for the building of a house for the purpose of holding elections, a full board was present. Upon examination of several bills presented to the Trustees, it was decided that John Arnold, Sr., shall have the building thereof, which the said John Arnold, Sr., proposes to build for $147. " The bid having been accepted, an article of agreement follows, and the next record thereafter reads as follows: "October 12, A. D. 1842. - The above described building has been finished and accepted by the Trustees. C. Pyle, Clerk." Since that year all elections have been held therein. This building is situated on the New Burlington and Dakin Corner Turnpike, about three miles south of the former, and necessitates the citizens of that village going there to vote.

Oakland is situated on the road leading from Wilmington to Waynesville, in the southeast corner of the township, in " Gates 2,230," and is undoubtedly one of the oldest in the county. The original village plat, laid out by James Birdsall, was designed for the county seat, and contained upward of fifty acres. John Leonard says in his recollections: " The points on the route that were then well known, and which we had to pass on our way from Cincinnati to our home (1805) on the creek (Todd's Fork) were Waynesville and Oakland."

As I said, it was thought, at the organization of the county, in 1810, that it would be the county seat, and especially so by the owner and projector. But Wilmington became the possessor of the prize. It grew very slowly after this fact became known, and, in 1816, but few houses had been erected therein, or more properly speaking, along the road, among them Daniel Hindman, on the pres ent James Campboll place; James Carpenter, in the brick house yet standing just east of the village, and erected in 1807 by James Birdsall, the first brick house erected in the county. Daniol Birdsall lived where Archibald llaynos did for many years. The village derived its name from the many giant trees of oak that stood thickly on the grounds in that locality.

In February, 1838, William Birdaall (a first cousin of James and David) came to this township, accompanied by his wife and seven children. He purchased two of the farms formerly owned by James Birdsall, and settled in the brick house before mentioned. He laid out the present village of Oakland, on the west side of the original town plat. The village is and has been for years a post office town, and in its best days contained, among other industries, two stores. Though not recognized by the census department in 1870,* yet upward of forty souls reside therein.

New Burlington

New Burlington, the second village of the township, is situated in the northwest corner of both Clinton County and Chester Township, with a portion of its northern part extending into Greene County. It is located in Gallatin 570, and, at the death of the original purchaser, Aaron Jenkins, the land upon which the village stands descended to his son Baldwin, by will. About 1820, he (Baldwin) sold 100 acres of his lands to Edward Powers, and the latter built the same year a log house, where the brick house, now occupied by John Kay, Jr., stands.

James Jay was a native of Newberry District, South Carolina, and a member of Bush River Monthly Meeting of Friends. He married while yet in that State, and at a very early day, Jemima, a daughter of John Mills, Sr., and sister to the wife of his brother, Layton Jay. They had, among other children born to them, a son, Alexander, who had arrived at manhood and married before leaving that State. They came to Ohio and settled upon the lands of George Arnold, in Survey 571, Arnold's wife being an aunt to James Jay's wife. Arnold erected a house for James, just west of his, or between the dwelling of Peter De Haven and the spring. Alex, settled north of the road leading by the house. The latter remained here some years and then emigrated to Indiana, where his wife died in a few years. He then returned with his children to Buck Run, and shortly purchased of Edward Powers the 100 acres last mentioned. The " Bullskin" road, as laid out in 1807, passed through these lands from south to north, and the road leading to Mt. Holly and the Jenkins Mill from east to west.

In 1829, Jay erected in the northwest quarter of his lands (as subdivided by these roads), a story- and- a-half frame dwelling, and when done occupied it. In 1831, Griswold B. Hawes rented it of Jay, converted part of it into a business room and occupied it the same year as a dwelling and store. In the spring of 1833, Jacob Peirson, Sr., Jacob Peirson, Jr., John Grant and John Morford, these doing business in Mt. Holly under the firm name of Peirson, Grant & Co., came here, purchased the stock of Hawes and opened a branch under the management of John Grant. They also purchased of Jay the lot last mentioned and Lot No. 1 in the northeast "square." The former had a frontage on the "Bullskin" of thirty feet and was twenty feet deep. The latter contained fifty-nine square rods. The consideration was $100, including the house.

The same year (1833), John Grant erected on the latter the substantial two-story dwelling and store building yet standing. Mr. Grant had, before coming here, or in 1830, married Eliza, a daughter of Charles and Lydia Jenkins Mann. The same year (1833), Jay erected the two-story frame, now owned and occupied by John Oglesbee. Joel Conger, the same year, erected a hewed-log house, on the lot now owned by William Huffman; William Ogborn a log house where George Miller lives; William Hurley, a one-story frame where Dr. Creighton owns and lives; Jordan Whitson, where Samuel Weaver

In this year, Jay married Miss Margaret Irvin (who yet survives him), and moved into his new house; in the same fall- Mr. Grant occupied his.

And now, as the history of our village opens, it is in order to mention one who had more to do with it in the forty years of its existence than any twelve men who have lived in it.

James Grant, the father of John Grant, was born in Philadelphia in December, 1767. His wife Elizabeth was a daughter of John and Nancy Young. They were married about the year 1790, and remained in Pennsylvania until three children were born to them, viz., Nancy, February 28, 1792; Susan, October 3, 1793; Tillah, June 15, 1795. They then removed to Frederick County, Ya. (and were neighbors to Moses McKay), near Winchester, where they continued to reside for many years. While here, four more children were added to the family - Elizabeth, May 26, 1798; William, September 3, 1800; John, August 29, 1803, and Charity, October 26, 1806. About the year 1807, he left Frederick County and settled in St. Clairsville, Belmont Co. , Ohio, where he remained some years, removing from there to Lebanon, and thence to Wayne Township, in Warren, and settled on lands owned by Moses McKay.

The year 1834 was a prosperous one to the new village. More lots were sold and more settlers came in. Ezra Smith came from Mt. Holly, purchased Lot No. 2, northeast square, and erected thereon a one-story frame dwelling and shoeshop. Samuel Weaver, a native of Hampshire- County, Ya., came here the same year, purchased Lot No. 3 in northeast square; the consideration was $25, the amount of land one-half acre. He was a tailor by trade; had come to Greene County in 1831; married a daughter of Joel Ellis. He erected the same year the house now owned and occupied by James Haydook, and used it for dwelling and shop. The same year, Aaron Hendley purchased Lot No. 4, in the same square, the upper (northern) half extending into Greene County. William Hendley, accompanied by his son, John M., and their families, came here the same year. The latter purchased all of the lands north of Lot No. 4, to the line north of lot now belonging to Lewis Smith; the former, all of the lands belonging to Jay north of the village plat, namely 51^ acres. In the lands of John M. Hendle}7' there were about four acres, upon which he immediately erected a tannery, that being his trade. Aaron Hendley was a lawyer. In 1833, the first school was opened in the village, and that in the log house then but recently occupied by Arza Gage. Sarah Hollingsworth was the instructor. Isel Ellis pui-chased of Jay, February 13, 1834, for a consideration of $30, Lot No. 2, in northwest square, and in a few years thereafter erected the substantial two-story frame building now standing on that lot. In the year 1834, Mr. Grant was doing a large business, and among the many names to be found upon an examination of his store ledger of that year, we will make mention of the following, of whom not one is living to-day: Charles Mann, Asa Fisher, Henry Mann, Sr., Bellfield Jenkins, William Hurley, David Gaskill, Francis McKay, William Ogborn, James Smith, Solomon Whitson, James Grant, David Mann, John Sanders, Aaron Collett, James Jonkins, John Arnold, Frederick Lucas, Joel Ellis, Samuel Spray, Benjamin Hawes, Burgess Morgan, Alex. Jay, Aaron Jenkins, Zebulon Dakin, William Arnold, Jordan Whitson, Jacob Ellis, Jacob Peterson, John Spray, Robert Kelley, Joseph Michner, Daniel H. Collett, Allen Linton, John Wilson, Isaiah Quinby, James Hawkins, Sr., Solomon Van Meter, Arza Gage, Henry Fletcher, Stephen Buckley, George Arnold.

The next year, James Jonkins erected the two-story frame now owned by Mary Jane Jessup (being Lot No. 2, southwest square). John Harrison, a na- tive of England, came here in 1836, and embarked in general merchandising in the building last mentioned. Miller & Bouvey had a store in the same building, but had sold and gone to Bucyrus. Harrison remained here until 1838, when he sold the stock to Harrison, McKay & Co., he being the senior partner. In 1835, James Smith, a resident of Mt. Holly, married Elizabeth Caine, of that village, and came and settled here. He was by trade a blacksmith. He spent his life here and died in 1876, at the age of sixty-five years. He was for many years a partner with Grant, in the manufacture of carriages, wagons, buggies and general blacksmithing. His widow and a large family of children and grandchildren survive him. A?nong others of the early settlers I find the names of Francis Moffett, a blacksmith, James Haydock, from New Jersey, in 1838, and a tanner, W. B. Hamilton, from Maryland, a harness maker and saddler. The post office was established in 1839, under the administration of Martin Yan Buren, and John Grant was appointed Postmaster. David Hollingsworth, who had for some time been engaged with Grant as a clerk, was Deputy. William Burr, a young man, and a nephew of Grant's, was the mail-rider, and the route was from Burlington to Xenia.

The fall of 1840 will always be remembered, and will go down into history as one of the most intensely exciting of any in our country's history, at least up to that time, it being the national campaign of Harrison and Yan Buren. Party feeling ran high; the people abandoned their labors, trades and professions, and gave themselves wholly to the contest; no place in our county, then, as now, could excel this village and the neighborhood around it in a campaign if the people were but aroused, and more so then because the fighting chances in the township were nearer equal. Among the Whigs of the neighborhood, John Grant and Bellfield Jenkins were the leaders. Many others were equally zealous in the cause, but Grant and Jenkins furnished the forcible arguments. On the other hand, among the Democrats, Frederick Lucas, Samuel Lemar and Aaron Hendley held like positions. The village store and the post office especially would naturally be the headquarters. Grant had both, and here they met, and here the excitement ofttimes grew intense. Grant being Postmaster, had access to the papers coming to the office; and more than this, being a fine reader (as the writer personally knows), he never lacked for a crowd. Not content with reading, Grant would comment and also read and comment from the papers of the other side. The latter was the most bitter to the Democrats of all, and, while it furnished fun for the Whigs, the former grew black with rage. The result was a secret caucus, which but three of the followers of Yan Buren were invited to attend, namely: Frederick Lucas, Aaron Hendley and Samuel Lemar (the latter my informant). A letter was sent to Washington, and on a return of it Grant was ex-Postmaster. The office was given to John M. Hendley, a Democrat, who soon tired of its duties, and, Harrison coming in as President, he asked to be relieved. It was then offered to Grant by both parties, but he declined and it passed into the hands of Dr. Sprague. This was in 1841, and the latter, a native of New York State, was a physician and a Democrat of the old school. In 1835, Jay erected the building now occupied by F. W. Moffett as a blacksmith shop, and moved to it the same year. He then leased for five years the building just vacated to Joseph Michner, who opened in it the first tavern in the village. This was on the 2d day of May, 1835.

Passing hastily over the time that has intervened from then until now, I will conclude this by saying that the village to-day contains seventy dwelling houses, two dry goods stores, three groceries, one saw-mill, two churches, one school, one undertaking establishment, one wagon shop, three blacksmith shops, two physicians, one carpenter shop. Population, nearly four hundred.

Churches And Burial Grounds

Springfield Monthly Meeting. - The fact that this meeting-house and burial grounds were for over forty years within the boundary lines of our township, and more, the fact that many, yea! very many of our early settlers were carried here and laid away forever, and that almost within the entire period I shall embrace in these pages, shall be my excuse (if any needed) for including them here. In 1809, in a log schoolhouse, on the lands then owned by Isaac Harvey, was held the first indulged meeting of Friends in the township. In 1812, ground was donated at the same place for the erection thereon of a meeting-house, also for burial purposes, and upon which a house Was erected the same year. The first person buried here was Lydia, wife of Isaac Harvey, who died 1st, 2d, A. D. 1813, aged forty-six years eight months and twenty five days. But years have passed and gone since then, and -one by one these dear people were carried here by loved hands and loving hearts and laid away "in their quiet sleep" until all were gone. Passing among the silent marble to-day - each pointing to the grave beneath - one reads inscribed thereon names that shall ever remain green in the memory of those who knew them in life. Among others these: copal Methodists organized in 1830, and the house was built upon the lands of FranciB McKay. The leading members at its organization and afterward were Aaron Collett, Spencer Robinson, Thomas C. Steele, Henry Goode, Dudley Robinson, Absalom Robinson, Francis McKay and in all probability others could their names be called to mind. The meetings were held here until about the year 1845, when they were discontinued, and the organization was allowed to go down. The first funeral sermon preached here was in July, 1830 (and that over the wife of Aaron Collett), by George Maley, a minister of that church long since deceased. After its discontinuance, members who desired united with the church at New Burlington. There is yet, as in that day, a burial-place attached, but very few graves are to be found, the principal one being that of Francis McKay, who died March 26, 1871.

In 1833, the Methodist Episcopal Church at New Burlington was organized, though no building was erected in that' year. The congregation assembled at private houses, and a few times at the storeroom of John Grant. Among the prominent members, then and afterward, were John Grant, Enoch Pilcher, James Smith, William Hendley, John M. Hendley, William Hurley and Delany Hurley. In 1835, a frame church building was erected, which was replaced in 1874 by the present building, erected under the pastorate of Henry Stokes.

Chester Meeting-House. - Indulged meetings were held by the Friends of that neighborhood, in a very early day, in a schoolhouse upon the lands of Thomas McMillan, Sr. About 1828 grounds were donated, and the present meeting-house erected and burial grounds attached.

" The Jenkins Graveyard,.'' ' - This is unquestionably the oldest graveyard in the township, if not in the county.* Is situated three-quarters of a mile east of New Burlington, to the left of the pike leading from that village to Lumberton. About one-third of it lies to the north of Greene and Clinton County's line, in the territory of the former, the two-thirds south, or within the limits of the latter. It is upon lands in Survey 571, entered by Albert Gallatin in 1787, and purchased by Aai'on Jenkins in 1799. The first body buried there was that of the latter - Aaron Jenkins - in the year 1807, now Beventy-five years ago. The lands were set apart by him in his lifetime for that purpose, and have since borne his name. It belongs to no sect nor church, but is kept up by the townships of Spring Valley, in Greene, and Chester,- in Clinton. Among those who assembled here at the burial of Jenkins, and who have long Bince followed him, were George A. Mann, Adam Shillinger, Caleb Lucas, Ebenezer Lucas, James Hawkins, Samuel Spray, together with the wives of some of these, and the family of the deceased. Many years have passed and gone since then; many have come, lived out the average age of man, and then, too, gone the way of all the world. Men of to-day who are tot tering under the weight of many winters were then but boys of tender years, and soon they too shall be remembered only with the silent throng.

Henry Mann, died February!, 1858, aged seventy-eight years ten months. Rachel A., wife of Henry Mann, died March 15, 1862, aged seventy-six years eight months and twenty- eight days.

Jonah' s Run Meeting-House is situated in survey No. 770, on the pike leading from Harveysburg, in Warren County, to Wilmington. The church belongs to the Free-Will Baptists, and was organized in 1838. Mercy Collett, a daughter of Daniel and Mary Haines Collett, gave twenty-six acres of land to her executor, in trust for the endowment of the same, so long as the organization was kept up, and when that ceased the proceeds to go to the American Baptist Foreign Missions.

The burial grounds attached are covered by the same endowment, and were set apart for that purpose at the same time. Mercy Collett died December 22, 1839, and was the first laid away in these grounds, at the age of nearly fifty years.

Caesar Creek Monthly Meeting. - The early settlers of Chester Township were by a large majority members of the church of Friends, or Quakers. The customs of their fathers and grandfathers were rigidly enforced and complied with, and none more so than the necessary provision of erecting at once a suitable building in which to meet and worship God. As early as 1807, the settlers along Caesar Creek erected the " old log house," yet standing on their grounds, and on which the Caesar Creek Monthly Meeting-House now stands, in Warren County. The meetings held there in those days were " indulged," and among those known to its earliest organization were Henry Millhouse, Sr.,, Robert Millhouse, Sr., John Furnas, David Whitson, Joel and William Sanders, Amos Hawkins, Sr., Mordecai Spray. " At Miami Quarterly Meeting, held the 12th of 5th month, 1810, the committee appointed to attend Centre and Caesar Creek Preparative Meetings produced the following report: ' We,, the committee appointed on the proposition of Centre Monthly Meeting, having attended Centre and Caesar Creek Preparative Meetings, after a free conference on the subject of our appointment, agree to report as our sense that weapprehend it may be useful to concur with the proposition, and that Centre Monthly- Meeting continue to be held at Centre, at the usual time in each month, and that another monthly meeting be established at Caesar Creek, to beheld the last seventh day in each month, to be called Caesar Creek Monthly Meeting,' which, claiming the attention of this meeting, is united with. Joseph Cloud, Joel Wright, John Stubbs, Thomas Horner, are appointed to attend at the opening thereof, on the last seventh day of the present month, and. their preparative meeting to be held on the fifth day preceding."

Pursuant to the foregoing minute, Friends assembled at the time appointed, and when the afore-mentioned attended, and a monthly meeting was opened, the minutes and proceedings of which are as follows: "At Csesar Creek

This is the history of Caesar Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends. Time,, on its relentless wings, has flown on, and seventy-two years have gone since then, and with them all those who assembled there on that occasion. In 1849, the present frame building was erected, and meetings are held there on the first and fifth days of each week. If we turn to the graveyard hard- by and examine the silent marble, we find these names:

The Wesleyan Methodist. - In 1844, the great question then agitating the people politically had grown to mammoth proportions, and the public feeling one of intensity and vehemence. In fact, it grew so bitter and protracted that it became the prevailing topic, and none knew where or when, to a certainty, the end would come. For years, like the black cloud of a midsummer day,' it had muttered in the distance, with its deep voice of thunder, the occasional flash of lightning foretelling the coming storm. The Congress of our land was locked in the desperate struggle; State Legislatures had grasped and had undertaken the solving of the mighty problem; the churches, schools, and the families of our land, were and had been engaged in long and fierce debates upon the subject. The question of which I speak was the election of Polk, and the desire and demand on the part of the Southern States for additional slave territory. Already had the blighting curse extended throughout the length and breadth of fourteen States, and yet the demand was for more. Two millions and a half of human souls were then crying aloud for freedom (and had been for over half a century), in a country whose chief corner-stone was grounded on civil and religious liberty. So malignant did it finally become that a split occurred at New Burlington, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the anti-slavexy members going off by themselves, and, on the - day of , 1844, the latter purchased of John Compton Fractional Lot No. 2 of Lot No. 1, southwest square of that village, the consideration being $100. They erected thereon, by subscription of money and labor, a frame church edifice, yet standing. The church was organized under the discipline and doctrine of the American Wesleyans, and its adherents were denominated "Woolly-Heads" by their late brethren in the church. The following are the names of the prominent movers in the new church: John Grant, Elizabeth Grant, Peter Harrison and wife, John Harrison and wife, Delaney C. Hurley and wife, Walter B. Hamilton and wife, and probably others, could their names be called. They received several adherents, and prospered for a number of years. But the war, and the liberation of those human souls from bondage, closed the prime object of these people, and they afterward identified themselves with the Episcopal Church. In 1870, the building was sold, and became the property of the Orthodox Friends, who hold therein semi-weekly meetings.

The streams in the township in days gone by furnished the motive power for saw mills, grist-mills, fulling and carding mills, which have, in every instance, long since gone into decay upon their banks. In a journey through the township to-day, one cannot help noticing their ruins, and what excites the interest of tho people of our time is to know where the water camo from by which they were made to perform their labor and furnish to tho early settlers the necessaries of life. But these little mills and their dams (if such the latter might be called) were built in the most homely manner, and fashioned to do the most work for the least outlay of expense. The machinery was in each case very simple in construction, brief in its details, and required but little skilled labor to build, or, when built, to keep in repair. Neither did owners of these little mills depend upon them, in every instance, for their chief support, but, on the contrary, made them a secondary matter, and operated them at night, wet days, or in the winter season of the year, while at other times they cleared their lands or tended their growing crops. They are gone, the cause in some cases being an insufficiency of water, but in a majority of cases they served their purpose to their owners and gave way to the mills of modern times.

In those days, the Eall and winter rains (when the country was new, and in its primeval form) did not run off all the ground, as in the torrents of today, but remained upon the land; nor did the constant action of the sun's rays then, as now, produce rapid evaporation. The beds of these forest trees were filled with fallen leaves and limbs, until the free passage of the water was held back, and, in many cases, wholly prevented from flowing at all. It then spread itself over the low places, and thus formed pools, ponds and miniature lakes, which slowly trickled out and down to the mills, where it furnished sufficient power to run them, if necessary, a great part of the year. But the flight of time went on; the lands were cleared out and, under the warm rays of the summer sun, evaporation followed, and these fountains succumbed to their magic influence. Following in the line of advancing civilization came the open, and then the blind, or tile, drain; and to-day, whore stood the heavy timber and these lakes of water, the eye is gladdened by fine farms and fields of waving grain.

Among the first of these in the township was a mill erected by Robert Millhouse, at the mouth of Buck Run, but operated by the waters of Osesar Creek. When built, it was a saw-mill only. In after years, a corn stone was placed therein, and corn grists were ground there. George Arnold erected upon his lands, and upon the banks of Buck Run (or just above the bridge, on the "Dakin Corner pike"), a saw-mill that remained in use for very many years. Lower down on the run, the Millhouses erected a carding and fulling mill, which remained there until 1828, when it was torn down and removed to the lands of David Jay, Sr., where it was made into a schoolhouse, under the supervision of the Csesar Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends.

On Trace Branch, west of the township house, in a very early day, there was in operation a carding and fulling mill. James Brown owned it in 1810, and it is presumed that he built it. In after years, a saw-mill was connected with it. It has long since gone into disuse. Another enterprise that flourished to a considerable extent in the early settlement of the township was the distilling of whisky and brandy in little copper stills. They have been so long gone into decay, however, that it is difficult to locate them with any degree of certainty.

It will be a difficult matter for me, in the absence of exact data, to settle upon the earliest road traversing our corporate limits. I am of the opinion, however, from what information I can get, that the first one to be laid out for that purpose was the one from Waynesville to Wilmington. Tradition says, in a very early day the road from Waynesville to Wilmington passed north of where Harveysburg now is, north of the McIntyre Tavern to Oakland, thence by way of Centre to Wilmington; that it was a perfectly straight lino, blazed by an Indian, who received for so doing one gallon of whisky. But let this be

Source changes here: from The History of Clinton County, Ohio : Containing a History of the County; Its Townships, Cities, Towns ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio .., by Albert J. Brown (A.M.), published 1915; 3,886 words in this source stream.

Chester Township

Chester township occupies the northeast corner of Clinton county. It Is bounded on the wist by Liberty and Union and on tbe south by Adams townships, of this county. On the west It Is bounded by Wayne and Massie townships, of Warren county, and on tbe north by Spring Valley and Caesar Creek townships, of Greene. It is four and eighty-seven hundredths miles in widtb from east to west and Its length from north to smith measures six and thirty-one hundredths miles. It Includes within its bounds thirty and seventy-three hundredths square miles of land.

Clinton county, when first organized. In 1810, included but three townships, Chester. Kichland and Vernon. Chester township wbb by far the largest In the area and population of the three. Its boundary lines nt that time are lost In the dim vistas of the past and are impossible to locate definitely and accurately, but perhaps the following is as nearly correct as can be ascertained at the preseut time: All of Liberty township, part of Wilson, then on a line south so as to include Wilmington, and to a point where a line drawn west would Include the northern half of Adams township, then along the Warren and Greene county-lines to the beginning.

In 1813 Union township was formed from parts of Chester, Kichland and Vernon townships. Hence Its name. Liberty township, including the present territory included within Liberty township and the west half of Wilson, was formed from the territory of Chester township In 1«17. In May, 1849. the southern part of Chester went to form the northern part of the newly-created Adams township. Since that date there have been no changes in the townships* boundaries.

All the township records from the date of Its organization. 1810. up to 1829. and from 1S45 to 1M54. have disappeared. It is not known whether they were lost by fire or were destroyed. Due to that fact, very little can be gleaned about the early history of the township.

At a meeting of the trustees at the residence of James Dakln on Saturday. April IS. 1*12). a tax of three-eighths of one mill was levied for township purposes, and tbe roads of the township were redlstrtcted. In June. 1829, at an extra session of tbe trustees, the schools of the township were redlstrlcted, "agreeably to the provisions of the law passed February 10, 1820."

The st renins of Chester township nre small, none of the larger streams of tbe county extending within its limits for any distance. However, the tributaries of tbe larger streams are numerous and sufficient to give necessary and entirely adequate drainage of the land. Dutch creek enters the township from Union township, near the south end of the east boundary, flows across the southeast corner to empty Its waters into Todd's fork. Just outside of the township. Anderson's creek finds its source in Wilson township, meanders Its way across Liberty to merely cross the tip of the northeast corner of Chester, before it passes on its way into Greene county, where It returns aero** the northwest corner of the township and Joins its waters with those of Caesar creek us they How from the northwest, and quietly glides out of the township (17) again, this time tutu Warren county. The tributaries of tills stream are Buck run, Turkey run. Trace branch, Jonah's run and I^ayton'R run. AH these but I^iyton's run are trlbutarj* to Caesar creek. Buck run rises In Liberty township, flows in a westerly direction across the length of Chester towushlp to empty into Caesar creek Just above the point where the latter crosses the Warren county line. Ijiyton's run Is a branch of Dutch creek.

One of the first mills of the township was that of Robert Mlllhonse, at the mouth of Buck run. but operated by the waters of Caesar creek. This was originally a sawmill, but Inter stone-burrs were put in and corn-grists were ground there. George Arnold erected n saw-mill on Buck ruu. Just above the Dnkln Corner pike, which was kept in operation for many years. The Mill housed also built a canting and fulling mill on Buck run. which was kept In operation until about when It was removed to the old David Jay farm ami turned Into a school house under the direction of the Caesar Creek monthly meeting of Friends. James Brown built a carding- ami fulling-mill on Trace branch In a very early day. A saw-niill was afterward erected there also. All these mills have given up their duties decades ago. They, with their dams, have long ago crumbled into ruins and today. In most Instances, their sites are in cultivation These little mills and their crude dams were built in the most bumble manner and with the least possible outlay for expense. Their machinery was meager, simple In construction and brief in details. Their operation was often a side line with their owners and they were not infrequently operated only at nights, on wet days and during the winter months.

The absence of early records makes Its difficult to locate the early roads. There la a tradition that the first road of the township was one that run from Waynesvllle to Wilmington, that it passed north of where Harveysburg now is, north of the old Mcltityre tavern to Oakland, thence by way of Centre to Wilmington : that It was a |>erfectly straight line, blazed by an Indian, who received a gallon of whiskey for his services. There is some evidence that points to the conclusion that this trail was traveled as early as 18<»2. The Bullskin mad started from the Ohio river, traversed the state due north to the lakes and was laid out in 1N07. Another early road was the Jenkins mill road, that extended from Fort William to Ml. Holy, on the Little Miami, crossing the Bullskin In the village of Burlington. Another started from the village of Clarksvllle, and Intersected the Bullskin Just south of where the latter village stands today. The roads of those days were mere trails, blazed through the forest and filled with stumps, logs, tree tops and sloughs. The toll roads that followed were a great improvement, but to get off of a toll road was to get into trouble. Then followed the plank roaiK of which but one was ever built In the township. It was on the Wilmington & Tlarveysburg road and was constructed in 1S.V_'. It was made of sawed oak plank, one and a half Inches In thickness, eight or ten feet In length, laid down on the ground. They were never a success ami were often the source of grave accidents. It was later covered with gravel. About the year 1S(I7 every road In the township was graveled and the result was a system of beautiful pikes.

Undoubtedly the oldest cemetery In the township. If not in the county, is the old Jenkins graveyard. It is located three-quarters of a mile east of New Burlington, to the left of the pike leading from that village to Llmherton. The Greene county line passes tb rough It. It Is upon lands In survey .r<71. entered by Albert Gallatin In 17*7. and purchased by Aaron Jenkins in 17Pf>. The land was set aside by the latter for burial purposes and has since borne his name. Ills was the first body to be buried there in

1807, ono hundred mid eight years ago. It belongs to no sect nor church, hut la kept up by Spring Valley township In Greene county nnd Chester In Clinton.

The first jierson to be burled In the cemetery at the Springfield monthly meeting house was Lydla. the wife of Isaac Harvey and who died on January 1, 1813. Many of the pioneers of this nnd Adams township found their last resting place here.

In 1N30 the Methodist Episcopal church organized a congregation at Mount Plsgah. In survey 3,908. A little graveyard was attached to their church building. Only a few graves are to he found there. Other burial places are to be found at the Jonah's Run meeting house and at the Caesar Creek monthly meeting bouse.

By the laws of the state of Virginia, two thousand six hundred sixty-six and twothirds acres of land were to be the reward to James Robertson for his services as a lieutenant for three years In the Continental regiments of Virginia. Philip Barbour was his heir-nt-lnw and. in time. Albert Gallatin beinnie the hitter's assignee and. on October IS. 17S7. entered survey 571. "situated on the lower side of ttesar creek." and containing seven hundred sixty-six and two-thirds acres of land. Twelve years afterward, or in 171)0. Aaron Jenkins came from Tennessee and purchased the entire tract of land. He erected thereon a hewed-log house, of the double pattern. Ills family consisted of five children, three sons. Aaron. James and Baldwin, and two daughters, one of whom was named I.ydla. He died in 1S07. He was probably the first person to settle within the present confines of Chester township.

One of the most prominent of the early pioneer families was that descended from Thomas Lucas. The members of this family originally came from New Jersey, where they were among the first settlers of that colony, receiving, with others, land grants from the English crown. A member of this family, at a very early date, emigrated beyond the Appalachian mountains, settled ujion the Indian's "happy bunting ground" and saw the erection of the state of Kentucky. A son of his. Thomas Lucas, mentioned above, early left his parental fireside and moved to Cincinnati about lS7f>, where he remained for some years. He was the father of six sons. Thomas. Abraham, Ebenezer. John. Caleb and Francis. In 1S02 Caleb Lucas purchased of Ahljab O'Neal, a land speculator, of Lebanon, one hundred and fifty acres of land in survey 3.01(1. wholly within the limits of Clinton county. He moved upon his purchase the same year. erecled a hewed-log cabin, and began at once to clear his land, ne was the father of the following children: Thomas, horn October 13. 1709: Sarah. March 20. 1S02: Catherine. December lo. l.MM: Elizabeth. February 7. 1S07: Mary. March IS, 1KO0: Rachel. April 13. 1811; Frederick. February 22. 1814: Caleb, February 1, 1817; and Ebenezer. October, 1810.

Ijiyton Jay. and wife. Nancy, came to Ohio from New Berry district. South Carolina, about 1804. Tbey came by way of Tennessee and Kentucky, crossing the Ohio river at Cincinnati on a flat boat, the hon*es tied to It and swimming behind. They landed near Ihe present site of Waynesville, and the family remained there in camp for some time, or until the husband and father could find a place of settlement, ne finally took a lease cm the lands of James Murray, or what was afterwards known as the Thomns I»ngst retch farm. His coming was contemporary with the arrival of Iloliert Eachus. Jacob Haines. Isaac Perkins, Mahlon Ha worth and n few others.

Isaac Webb. who. for seven years, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, received from his grateful c ountry a warrant for two thousand six hundred sixty six and two- (Jiirds acres of land. One thousand of this he entered as a part of warrant No. 2.440. "on the upper side of Caesar creek." and was numbered survey RS3. bearing the date October 17. 1702.

James Hawkins came from I'nlon county. South Carolina, to Ohio with the everygrowlng stream of emigrants In the year 1SO0 and settled In present Chester township.

Dully, from 1806, the tide of Immigration flowed on unequal ugly. From the hilla of Pennsylvania and Virginia, the barren lands of the Carolina a, the dark grounds of Tennessee and Kentucky, from New York and far-off New England, they came. But the majority of the early emlgrauts were Carollulaua, not all natives, but persons who came by that route from Pennsylvania and Virginia. Among the most prominent must be mentioned such names as the following: Henry Millbouse, Daiv and Clement Wbltson, John Furnas, George Arnold, James Cralne, Preserved Dakln, Joshua Nickcrson, Elijah So bin, William, Enoch and Charles Haynes, Enoch Harlan, Nathan and William Harlan, Jacob Hale, Willium and Deborah McMillan, William and Enoch Faveraham, Job Jeffries, Daniel Blrdsell, Robert Reese, Caleb Easterllng, John Mills, Sr., Moses McKay and John Buckley.

The following are the officers of Chester township In 1915 : Trustees, T. C. Hnydock, Clark Osborn and Alfred Van Tress; clerk, W. A. Bailey; treasurer, H. L. Laudy. Population, twelve hundred and nine.

The second village In ]>oiiil of age, but the first in point of size, in Chester township, is New Burlington. It is located In the extreme northwest corner of the township and the northern iwrtlon of the village extends Into Greene county. It is located in Gallatin's survey, No. 57o. The original purchaser of the luud ou which it stands was Aaron Jenkins, who, on his death, left the land to his sou. Baldwin. About the year 1820 Baldwin Jenkins sold one hundred acres of his land to Edward Powers, who. In the same year, built a log house on It and settled there. Shortly afterward Powers sold the hundred acres iu question to James Jay, n native of Newberry district. South Carolina, who, in 1821*. erected, in the northwest quarter of his land, a Btory-and-a-half frame dwelling, and occupied it, Griswold B. Hawes. in 1831. rented this building of Jay, converted part of it into a building room and occupied it the sumo year as a dwelling and store. In the spring of ls.'$3. Jacob Feirson, Sr., Jacob Peirson. Jr.. John Grant and John Morford, who were doing business at that time at Mt. Holly under the firm name of Peirson, Grant & Company, came to New Burlington, purchased the stock of Hawes and opened a branch under the management of John Grant. At the same time they purchased of Jay the lot Just mentioned, with a frontage on the Bullskin road of thirty feet and n depth of twenty feet, and lot No. 1 In the northeast '-square." which contained fifty-nine square rods. The consideration for this, including the building, was one buudred dollars. In this same year (1833) the above mentioned John Grant erected on the latter piece of land a substantial two-story frame building. This building stood for many years. James Joy erecred a Conger, a hewed-log house; William Osborn, a log bouse; William Hurley, a one-story two-story frame building the same year. Others who built homes this year were: Joel frame, and Jordan Whltson and Area Gage, log dwellings.

The year 1834 saw the village in a flourishing condition. In that year came F.zra Smith, from Mt. Holly, and purchased lot No. 2, northeast square, aud erected a one-story frame dwelling and shoe-shop. In the same year Samuel Weaver, a native of Hampshire county. Virginia, purchased lot No. 3. In the northeast square. He received a half acre for twenty-nve dollars. He was a tailor by trade and opened a shop in his dwelling. Also, In this year, Aaron Hendley purchased lor No. 4, in the same square. With him came William Hendley and his son. John M.. and their families. The son purchased hind north of lot No. 4, and the father all the land belonging to Jay north of the village plat, namely, fifty-one and a half acres. John M. Hendley "s land consisted of about four acres, on which he imiwdialely er«"c(»"d a tannery. The first school in the village was ojiened in KW. with Sarah Hotliugsworth as the Instructor. On February 13. 1K!4. Isp) Fills purchased of James Jay. for thirty dollars, lot No. 2. In the northwest square, and a few years later erected a substantial two-story frame building. By the year is:t4 the store of Mr. Grant was In a flourishing condition, and among the names to be found on his ledger of that year the following should be mentioned : Charles Mann, Asa Fisher, Henry Mann, Sr., Bellfleld Jenkins. William Hurley, David Gaskill, Francis McKay, William Ogborn, James Smith, Solomon Whltson, James Grant, David Mann, John Sanders, Aaron Collet t, James Jenkins, John Arnold, Frederick Incas. Joel Bills, Samuel Spray, Benjamin Hawes, Burgess Morgan, Alex Jay, Aaron Jenkins, Zebulon Dakln, WUUam Arnold, Jordan Whltson, Jacob Ellis. Jacob Peterson. John Spray, Robert Kelley, Joseph Mlchner, Daniel H. Collett, Allen Linton, John Wilson, Isaiah Qulnby, James Hawkins, Sr., Solomon Van Meter, Ana Gage, Henry Fletcher, 8tephen Bnckley and George Arnold. In 1886 James Jenkins erected a two-story building on lot No. 2. southwest square, which was occupied the next year by John Hurriaon, a native of England, wlfh n general merchandise stock. Harrison remained in business until 1838, when be sold the stock to the Ann of Harrison, McKay & Company, of which be himself was the senior partner. James Smith, a resident of Mt. Holly, came to the vlllnge In 1835 and opened n blacksmith shop. For many years he waa associated with John Grant In the manufacture of cnrringes, wagons, buggies nnd general blacksmitblng. He died In 1875. at the age of sixty-five years. Other early settlers of this hamlet were : Francis Moffet, a blacksmith : James Haydoek. coming from New Jersey In 1838, a tanner by trade; W. B. Hamilton, from Maryland, a harness-maker and a saddler. The postofflce was established In 1830. under the administration of Martin Van Buren. John Grant was tbe first postmaster, with David Holllngswortb as deputy. William Burr, a young man, and a nephew of Grant's, was the mall-rlder. the route being from Burlington to Xenla.

By 18H0 the vlllnge contained seventy dwellings, two dry-goods stores, three groceries, one saw-mlll. two churches, one school, one undertaking establishment one wagon shop, three blacksmith shops, two physicians and one carpenter shop. Its population at that time was about four hundred.

Tbe history of this town would not be complete without a brief reference to tbe "underground railroad." which plied through this town In tbe early times. This important road had a track across Chester township, and New Burlington was one of the chief centers In this county, and which, during the time It was in operation, did a large business.

John Grnnfs house was the principal station in this township and was often filled with dusky passengers, fresh from the blue-grass country of Kentucky. They seemed anxious to try the experiment of a climate nearer the North star and under a different form of government. In Mr. Grant's house there was a hole to the garret, where the fleeing slaves were secreted: sheets were also hung nlong the side porch In order that tbe negroes could be taken down to their meals without any one seeing them.

There wbb also another station In this township, northwest of New Burlington, on Cwsar's creek. This was the home of Stephen Compton. Mr. Compton's house was built with a cellar, but the opening to this was through a hole In the floor, which could easily be closed and even the most careful observer could not discern It.

The slaves were brought from Cincinnati by Samuel and John Compton and Leri Codln and. after secreting them here awhile, they were taken to Monroe's, at Xenla. James Farqubar ran a "Liberator," which waa a large covered wagon made for the purpose to Jamestown. The chief agents in this traffic were Peter Harrison. Allen Linton. W. B. Hamilton. Benjamin Farquhar and James Haydoek.

There are several noteworthy Incidents and special features of the town, among which are the fact that the postofflce is at present located In Greene county. Martoh

Lsenbower Is the present postmaster. The room where W. C. Smith's store Is uow located was an "uodergrouud station" nnd has been built some eighty years ; James Haydock, who was the father of T. C. Haydock, Sr., ran a tannery In this town for fifty years and his sou has kept a shoe store for thirty years. In the aggregate, they have been in the leather business in the same staud for eighty years.

New Burllugton now has a population of three hundred and fifty. It is a very modern little town. It has a good band of sixteen members, with good equipment and uew uniforms. T. C. Haydock, Jr., is the present director. The line of Greene and Clinton counties passes through the town and several of the different houses of worship, lodge buildings, etc., are in Greene county.

The village of Oakland is situated in the southeast corner of Chester township, In Gates' survey, No. on the highway that leads from Wilmington to Waynesville. It is undoubtedly the oldest town in Clinton county. Several of the oldest settlers of the county spoke of Oakland as one of the points in the county when they first came. One sucb mention is that of John Leonard, who spoke of Oakland and Wayuesville as two points well known through which they had to pass in 1805 on their way from Cincinnati to (he place of their settlement on Todd's fork.

The original village plat was laid out by James Murray on December 27, 18**6. with the ho|»e that it would be adopted as a county seat. When this hope wns disappointed on the organization of the county in 1810, It grew very slowly. The village took its name from the many giant trees of oak that stood thickly on the grounds of that locality. In this village the Hrst brick house in the county was built by James Birdsall. William Birdsall came to the towusblp In February. I***- »nd purchased two of the farms that previously belonged to James Birdsall, his cousin. He laid out tbe present village plat of Oakland on the west side of the original plat.

Owing to the fact that it was merely a country village, with no railroad or natural -"Wantages to further its growth. It has remained little more thau a wayside hamlet. There are present some fifteen houses In the village. The professional Interests consist of one physician. J. B. McKenzle. and an apiarist, James Vineard.

This little hamlet lies at the west end of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton railroad. It was never platted and evidently Its existence came about through the "stowage" of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton railroad, which has Its terminus here. The business Interests of the town are taken cnre of by H. W. Smith & Company, who have an elevator and general store In that part of the town known as Sonth Kingman.

That part of the town which Is off the railroad and evidently was laid out first is known as North Kingman. In this part of the town there are about twenty families. The township house Is located here. The business interests are William Hazard s general store and blacksmith shop and I.. D. Fleming's snw-mlll. The high school building burned on November 16, 1914. and a new building is in the process of construction. It will be an eight-room structure nnd will cost twenty-five thousand dollars. This is a consolidated school, with three rooms for the high school and four for the jrrades. The enrollment for this year In the high school was eighty, and the lOlfi graduating class numbered eight, n. H. Smith is the principal.

Source changes here: from History of Clinton County Ohio, by Albert J. Brown, published 1915; 3,863 words in this source stream.

Chester Township

Chester township occupies the northeast corner of Clinton county. It is bounded on the east by Liberty and Union and on the south by Adams townships, of this county. On the west it is bounded by Wayne and Massie townships, of Warren county, and on the north by Spring Valley and Caesar Creek townships, of Greene. It is four and eighty-seven hundredths miles in width from east to west and its length from north to south measures six and thirty-one hundredths miles. It includes within its bounds thirty and seventy-three hundredths square miles of land.

Clinton county; when first organized, in 1810, included but three townships, Chester, Richland and Vernon. Chester township was by far the largest in the area and population of the three. Its boundary lines at that time are lost in the dim vistas of the past and are impossible to locate definitely and accurately, but perhaps the following is as nearly correct as can be ascertained at the present time: All of Liberty township, part of Wilson, then on a line south so as to include Wilmington, and to a point where a line drawn west would include the northern half of Adams township, then along the Warren and Greene county-lines to the beginning.

In 1813 Union township was formed from parts of Chester. Richland and Vernon townships. Hence its name. Liberty township, including the present territory included within Liberty township and the west half of Wilson, was formed from the territory of Chester township in 1817. In May, 1849. the southern part of Chestér went to form the northern part of the newly ereated Adams township. Since that date there have been no changes in the townshi,..' boundaries.

All the township records from the date of its organization, 1810, up to 1829. and from 1845 to 1864. have disappeared. It is not known whether they were.lost by fire or were destroyed. Due to that fact. very little can be gleaned about the early history of the township.

At a meeting of the trustees at the residence of James Dakin on Saturday. April 18. 1829, a tax of three-eighths of one mill was levied for township purposes. and the ronds of the township were redistricted. In June. 1829, at an extra session of the trustees. the schools of the township were redistricted. "agreeably to the provisions of the law passed February 10, 1829."

The streams of Chester township are small, none of the larger streams of the county extending within its limits for any distance. However, the tributaries of the larger streums are numerous and sufficient to give necessary and entirely adequate drainage of the land. Duteh creek enters the township from Union township, near the south end of the east boundary. flows across the southeast corner to empty its waters into Todd's fork. just outside of the township. Anderson's creek finds its source in Wilson township. meanders its way across Liberty to merely: cross the tip of the 'northeast corner of Chester. before it passes on its way into Greene county. where it returns across the northwest corner of the township and joins its waters with those of Cnesar creek as they flow from the northwest. and quietly glides out of the township again, this time into Warren county. The tributaries of this stream are Buck run, Turkey run, Trace branch, Jonah's run and Layton's run. All these but Layton's run are tributary to Caesar creek. Buck run rises in Liberty township, flows in a westerly direction across the length of Chester township to empty into Caesar creek just above the point where the latter crosses the Warren county line. Layton's run is a branch of Dutch creek.

One of the first mills of the township was that of Robert Millhouse, at the mouth of Buck run, but operated by the waters of Caesar creek. This was originally a sawmill, but later stone-burrs were put in and corn-grists were ground there. George Arnold erected a saw-mill on Buck run, just above the Dakin Corner pike, which was kept in operation for many years. The Millhouses also built a carding and fulling-mill on Buck run, which was kept in operation until about 1828, when it was removed to the old David Jay farm and turned into a school house under the direction of the Caesar Creek monthly meeting of Friends. James Brown built a carding- and fulling-mill on Trace branch in a very early day. A saw-mill was afterward erected there also. All these mills have given up their duties decades ago. They, with their dams, have long ago crumbled into ruins and today, in most instances, their sites are in cultivation These little mills and their crude dams were built in the most humble manner and with the least possible outlay for expense. Their machinery was meager, simple in construction and brief in details. Their operation was often a side line with their owners and they were not infrequently operated only at nights, on wet days and during the winter months.

The absence of early records makes its difficult to locate the early roads. There is a tradition that the first road of the township was one that run from Waynesville to Wilmington, that it passed north of where Harveysburg now is, north of the old McIntyre tavern to Oakland. thence by way of Centre to Wilmington; that it was a_ perfectly straight line. blazed by an Indian, who received a gallon of whiskey for his services. There is some evidence that points to the conclusion that this trail was traveled as early as 1802. The Bullskin road started from the Ohio river, traversed the state due north to the lakes and was laid out in 1807. Another early road was the Jenkins mill road. that extended from Port William to Mt. Holy. on the Little Miami, crossing the Bullskin in the village of Burlington. Another started from the village of Clirksville, and intersected the Bullskin just south of where the latter village stands today. The roads of those days were mere trails, blazed through the forest and filled with stumps, logs, tree tops and sloughs. The toll rouds that followed were a great improvement, but to get off of a toll road was to get into trouble. Then followed the plank ronds, of which but one was ever built in the township. It was on the Wilmington & Tlarveysburg rond and was constructed in 1852. It was made of sawed oak plank, one and a half inches in thickness, eight or ten feet in length. laid down on the ground. They were never a success nnd were often the source of grave accidents. Tt was later covered with gravel. About the year 1867 every road in the township was graveled and the result was a system/)of beautiful pikes.

Burial Grounds

Undoubtedly the oldest cemetery in the township, if not in the county, is the old Jenkins graveyard. It is located three-quarters of a mile east of New Burlington, to the left of the pike leading from that village to Limberton. The Greene county line passes through it. It is upon lands in survey 571. entered by Albert Gallatin in 1787, and purchased by Aaron Jenkins in 1799. The land was set aside by the latter for burial purposes and has since borne his name. His was the first body to be buried there in

1807, one hundred and eight years ago. It belongs to no sect nor church, but is kept up by Spring Valley township in Greene county and Chester in Clinton.

The first person to be buried in the cemetery at the Springfield monthly meeting house was Lydia, the wife of Isaac Harvey and who died on January 1, 1813.- Many of the pioneers of this and Adams township found their last resting place here.

'In 1830 the Methodist. Episcopal church organized a congregation at Mount Pisgah, in survey 3,908. A little graveyard was attached to their church building. Only a few graves are to be found there. Other burial places are to. be found at the Jonah's Run meeting house and at the Caesar Creek monthly meeting house.

By the laws of the state of Virginia, two thousand six hundred sixty-six and twothirds acres of land were to be the reward.to James Robertson for his services as a lieutenant for three years in the Continental regiments of Virginia. Philip Barbour was his heir-at-law and, in time, Albert Gallatin became the latter's assignee and, on October 18, 1787, entered survey 571, "situated on the lower side of Cesar creek," and containing seven hundred sixty-six and two-thirds acres of land. Twelve years afterward, or in 1799, Aaron Jenkins came from Tennessee and purchased the entire tract of land. He erected thereon a hewed-log house, of the double pattern. His family consisted of five children, three sons, Aaron, James and Baldwin, and two daughters, one of whom was named Lydia. He died in 1807. He was probably the first person to settle within the present confines of Chester township.

One of the most prominent of the early pioneer families was that descended from Thomas Lucas. The members of this family originally came from New Jersey, where they were among the first settlers of that colony, receiving, with others, land grants from the English crown. A member of this family, at a very early date, emigrated beyond the Appalachian mountains, settled upon the Indian's "happy hunting ground" and saw the erection of the state of Kentucky. A son of his, Thomas Lucas, mentioned above, early left his parental fireside and moved to Cincinnati about 1875, where he remained for some years. He was the father of six sons, Thomas, Abraham, Ebenezer, John, Caleb and Francis. In 1802 Caleb Lucas purchased af Abijah O'Neal, a land speculator, of Lebanon, one hundred and fifty acres of land in survey 3,916, wholly. within the limits of Clinton county. He moved upon his purchase the same year, erected a hewed-log cabin, and began at once to clear his land. He was the father of the following children: Thomas, born October 13, 1799: Sarah. March 29, 1802; Catherine. December 10, 1804; Elizabeth, February 7, 1807; Mary, March 18, 1809; Rachel. April 13. 1811; Frederick, February 22, 1814; Caleb, February 1, 1817; and Ebenezer, October, 1819.

Layton Jay, and wife, Nancy, came to Ohio from New Berry district, South Carolina, about 1804. They came by way of Tennessee and Kentucky, crossing the Ohio river at Cincinnati on a flat boat, the horses tied to it and swimming behind. They landed near the present site of Waynesville, and the family remained there in camp for some time, or until the husband and father could find a place of settlement. He finally took a lease on the lands of James Murray, or what was afterwards known as the Thomas Longstretch farm. His coming was contemporary with the arrival of Robert Eachus, Jacob Haines, Isaac Perkins, Mahlon Haworth and a few others.

Isaac Webb, who, for seven years, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, received from his grateful country a warrant for two thousand six hundred sixty-six and twothirds acres of land. One thousand of this he entered as a part of warrant No. 2.446, "on the upper side of Caesar creek," and was numbered survey 583, bearing the date October 17, 1792.

James Hawkins came from Union county, South Carolina, to Ohio with the everygrowing stream of emigrants in the year 1806 and settled in present Chester township.

Daily, from 1806, the tide of immigration flowed on unceasingly. From the hills of Pennsylvania and Virginia, the barren lands of the Carolinas, the dark grounds of Tennessee and Kentucky, from New York and far-off New England, they came. But the majority of the early emigrants were Carolinians, not all natives, but persons who came by that route from Pennsylvania and Virginia. Among the most prominent must be mentioned such names as the following: Henry Millhouse, Daiv and Clement Whitson, John Furnas, George Arnold, James Craine, Preserved Dakin, Joshua Nickerson, Elijah Sabin, William, Enoch and Charles Haynes, Enoch Harlan, Nathan and William Harlan, Jacob Hale, William and Debgrah McMillan, William and Enoch Faversham, Job Jeffries, Daniel Birdsell, Robert Reese, Caleb Easterling, John Mills, Sr., Moses McKay and John Buckley.

The following are the officers of Chester township in 1915: Trustees, T. C. Haydock, Clark Osborn and Alfred Van Tress; clerk, W. A. Bailey; treasurer, H. L. Landy. Population, twelve hundred and nine.

The second village in point of age, but the first in point of size, in Chester township, is New Burlington. It is located in the extreme northwest corner of the township and the northern portion of the village extends into Greene county. It is located in Gallatin's survey, No. 570. The original purchaser of the land on which it stands was Aaron Jenkins, who, on his death, left the land to his son, Baldwin. About the year 1820 Baldwin Jenkins sold one hundred acres of his land to Edward Powers, who, in the same year, built a log house on it and settled there. Shortly afterward Powers sold the hundred acres in question to James Jay, a native of Newberry district, South Carolina, who, in 1829, erected, in the northwest quarter of his land, a story-and-a-half frame dwelling, and occupied it. Griswold B. Hawes. in 1831, rented this building of Jay, converted part of it into a building room and occupied it the same year as a dwelling and store. In the spring of 1833. Jacob Peirson, Sr., Jacob Peirson, Jr., John Grant and John Morford, who were doing business at that time at Mt. Holly under the firm name of Peirson, Grant & Company, came to New Burlington, purchased the stock of Hawes and opened a branch under the management of John Grant. At the same time they purchased of Jay the lot just mentioned, with a frontage on the Bullskin road of thirty feet and a depth of twenty feet, and lot No. 1 in the northeast "square," which contained fifty-nine square rods. The consideration for this, including the building, was one hundred dollars. In this same year (1833) the above mentioned John Grant erected on the latter piece of land a substantial two-story frame building. This building stood for many years. James Jay erected a Conger, a hewed-log house; William Osborn, a log house; William Hurley, a one-story two-story frame building the same year. Others who built homes this year were: Joel frame, and Jordan Whitson and Arza Gage, log dwellings.

The year 1834 saw the village in a flourishing condition. In that year came Ezra Smith, from Mt. Holly. and purchased lot No. 2, northeast square, and erected a one-story frame dwelling and shoe-shop. In the same year Samuel Weaver, a native of Hampshire county, Virginia, purchased lot No. 3, in the northeast square. He received a half acre for twenty-five dollars. He was a tailor by trade and opened a shop in his dwelling. Also, in this year, Aaron Hendley purchased lot No. 4, in the same square. With him came William Hendley and his son, John M,, and their families. The son purchased land north of lot No. 4, and the father «J1 the land belonging to Jay north of the village plat. namely, fifty-one and a half acres. John M. Hendley's land consisted of about four acres, on which he immediately erected a tannery. The first school in the village was opened in 1833, with Sarah Hollingsworth as the instructor. On February 18, 1834, Isel Ellis purchased of James Jay, for thirty dollars, lot No. 2, in the northwest square, and a few years later erected a substantial two-story frame building. By the year 1834 the store of Mr. Grant was in a flourishing condition, and among the names to be found on his ledger of that year the following should be mentioned: Charles Mann, Asa Fisher, Henry Mann, Sr., Bellfield Jenkins, William Hurley, David Gaskill, Francis McKay, William Ogborn, James Smith, Solomon Whitson, James Grant, David Mann, John Sanders, Aaron Collett, James Jenkins, John Arnold, Frederick Incas, Joel Ellis, Samuel Spray, Benjamin Hawes, Burgess Morgan, Alex Jay, Aaron Jenkins, Zebulon Dakin, William Arnold, Jordan Whitson, Jacob Ellis, Jacob Peterson, John Spray, Robert Kelley, Joseph Michner, Daniel H. Collett, Allen Linton, John Wilson, Isaiah Quinby, James Hawkins, Sr., Solomon Van Meter, Arza Gage, Henry Fletcher, Stephen Buckley and George Arnold. In 1835 James Jenkins erected a two-story building on lot No. 2, southwest square, which was occupied the next year by John Harrison, a native of England, with a general merchandise stock. Harrison remained in business until 1838, when he sold the stock to the firm of Harrison, McKay & Company, of which he himself was the senior partner. James Smith, a resident of Mt. Holly, came to the village in 1835 and opened a blacksmith shop. For many years he was associated with John Grant in the manufacture of carriages, wagons, buggies and general blacksmithing. He died in 1875, at the age of sixty-five years. Other early settlers of this hamlet were: Francis Moffet, a blacksmith; James Haydock, coming from New Jersey in 1838, a tanner by trade; W. B. Hamilton, from Maryland, a harness-maker and a saddler. The postoffice was established in 1839, under the administration of Martin Van Buren. John Grant was the first postmaster, with David Hollingsworth as deputy. William Burr, a young man, and a nephew of Grant's, was the mail-rider, the route being from Burlington to Xenia.

By 1880 the village contained seventy dwellings, two dry-goods stores, three groceries, one saw-mill, two churches, one school, one undertaking establishment, one wagon shop, three blacksmith shops, two physicians and one carpenter shop. Its population at that time was about four hundred.

The history'of this town would not be complete without a brief reference to the "underground railroad,' which plied through this town in the early times. This important road had a track across Chester township, and New Burlington was one of the chief centers in this county, and which, during the time it was in operation, did a large business.

John Grant's house was the principal station in this township and was often filled with dusky passengers, fresh from the blue-grass country of Kentucky. They seemed anxious to try the experiment of a climate nearer the North star and under a different form of government. In Mr. Grant's house there was a hole to the garret, where the fleeing slaves were secreted; sheets were also hung along the side porch in order that the negroes could be taken down to their meals without any one seeing them.

There was also another station in this township, northwest of New Burlington. on Cesar's creek. This was the home of Stephen Compton. Mr. Compton's house was built with a cellar, but the opening to this was through a hole in the floor, which could easily be closed and even the most careful observer could not discern it.

The slaves were brought from Cincinnati by Samuel and John Compton and Levi Coffin and, after secreting them here awhile, they were taken to Monroe's, at Xenia. James Farquhar ran a "Liberator," which was a large covered wagon made for the purpose to Jamestown. The chief agents in this traffic were Peter Harrison, Allen Linton, W. B. Hamilton, Benjamin Farquhar and James Haydock.

There are several noteworthy incidents and special features of the town, among which are the fact that the postoffice is at present located in Greene county. Maricn

Isenhower is the present postmaster. The room where W. C. Smith's store is now located was an "underground station" and has been built some eighty years; James Haydock, who was the father of T. C. Haydock, Sr., ran a tannery in this town for fifty years and his son has kept a shoe store for thirty years. In the aggregate, they have been in the leather business in the same stand for eighty years.

New Burlington now has a population of three hundred and fifty. It is a very modern little town. It has a good band of sixteen members, with good equipment and new uniforms. T. C. Haydock, Jr., is the present director. The line of Greene and Clinton counties passes through the town and seyeral of the different houses of worship, lodge buildings, etc., are in Greene county.

The villdge of Oakland is situated in the southeast corner of Chester township, in Gates' survey, No. 2,230, on the highway that leads from Wilmington to Waynesville. It is undoubtedly the oldest town in Clinton county. Several of the oldest settlers of the county spoke of Oakland as one of the points in the county when they first came. One such mention is that of John Leonard, who spoke of Oakland and Waynesville as two points well known through which they had to pass in 1805 on their way from Cincinnati to the place of their settlement on Todd's fork.

The original village plat was laid out by James Murray on December 27, 1806, with the hope that it would be adopted as a county seat. When this hope was disappointed on the organization of the county in 1810, it grew very slowly. The village took its name from the many giant trees of oak that stood thickly on the grounds of that locality. In this village the first brick house in the county was built by James Birdsall. William Birdsill came to the township in February, 1838, and purchased two of the farms that previously belonged to James Birdsall, his cousin. He laid out the present village plat of Oakland on the west side of the original plat.

Owing to the fact that it was merely a country village, with no railroad or natural advantages to further its growth, it has remained little more than a wayside hamlet. There ure present some fifteen houses in the village. The professional interests consist of one physician, J. B. McKenzie, and an apiarist, James Vineard.

This little hamlet lies at the west end of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton railroad. It was never platted and evidently its existence came about through the "stoppage" of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton railroad, which has its terminus here. The business interests of the town are taken care of by H. W. Smith & Company, who haye an elevator and general store in that part of the town known as South Kingman.

That part of the town which is off the railroad and evidently was laid out first is known as North Kingman. In this part of the town there are about twenty families. The township house is located here. The business interests are William Hazard's general store and blacksmith shop and L. D. Pleming's saw-mill. The high school building burned on November 16, 1914, and a new building is in the process of construction. It will be an eight-room structure and will cost twenty-five thousand dollars. This is a consolidated school, with three rooms for the high school and four for the grades. The enrollment for this year in the high school was eighty, and the 1915 graduating class numbered eight. H. H. Smith is the principal.