Clay Township

Clay Township

O^ the 9tli of Marcli, 1825, this township was created, and honored with tlie name of the great American commoner, Henry Clay. The surface of the country is uneven, the soil is generally very fertile, and the tillers of it have ever heen among our foremost for industry and intelligence. Iri 1830, the population was 1,300, and upwards of 15,000 acres were returned for taxation. In 1810, the inhabitants counted 1,301 ; in 1850, 1,210 ; in 1860, there were 1,098 white and 10 colored persons. There were six industrial establishments, producing to the value of $10,830. Among the old settlers were Ziba Leonard, I. D. Johnson, the Elliotts, the Greens, the Barneses, Yances, Pollock, Paul, Harrods, Larrisons. Insley D. Johnson, from about 1823 until 1837, was in business, and during the latter part of his mercantile existence was one of the heaviest operators in produce in Central Ohio. David Lawman, of Rockingham CO., Ya., came here in 1833 ; he is engaged in farming and milling. The Boggs family have been among the good citizens of this township for many years. The oldest was William, a native of Virginia. His sou William, the first white child born in Belmont, died in Richland co., about 1835. William, sr., died about 1851, aged 98 years, and

Elizabeth liis wife died in 1861, aged 93 years. Their children, John and Ezekiel, born in Belmont, have been long known to our citizens. Ezekiel served as Representative, and died in 1853. His wife is living in Clay. John Boggs married a danghter of one of the old settlers, Catharine Stephenson. Mary married Wallace Mc Williams, and lives in Kansas.

Martinsburg has ever possessed a very patriotic population. At the celebration of July 1, 1861, addresses were made by Henry Hervey and A. J. Lyon, and a good dinner eaten. An accident occurred to mar the pleasures. John Clark had t^'o of his fingers shot off by discharge of a small cannon. Martinsburg contains 300 inhabitants. It was part styled Hanover, and the other part Williamsburg, and the present name is a compromise. The following are the artisans and business men : Philo Higgins, blacksmith; E. Hardiman, tailor; wagon maker, Wm. Henderson ; saddlers, M. L. Dayton, J. M. Bowland ; shoemakers, S. Ejdwell, S. Hollabaugh, S. D. Rouse, M. Chandler, A. Lyon ; Wm. Penick carries on a tanyard ; A. & R. Barnes and Thomas Rodgers are the merchants ; M. L. Dayton sells groceries ; D. Booze keeps the tavern. The physicians are D. H. RalstonTPeter Pickard, and S. B. Dodd. There are five churches : Presbyterian, Rev. H. Hervey ; Methodist, Rev. A. J. Lyon ; Eree Presbyterian, Rev. J. Whitam ; Baptist, Rev. Gr. Tunison ; Associate Reformed, Rev. G. Torrance. Its schools are good, and the Rev. Henry Hervey deserves special commendation for his long and faithful service in the cause of christi- anity and education. Eor over 35 years lie lias devoted himself zealously to tlie work in tliis place. J. M. Coulter is Principal of the Academy ; A. S. Kerr and Miss Susan Jennings are also teachers. The only men now living in the village who were here in 1822 are W. McOreary, 0. Barkalow, and W. Mc Williams. The post-office was established by the name of Hanover in 1820, and changed afterwards to Martinsburg. The postmasters have been I. T>. Johnson (S. P. Warden, deputy), Jacob Pearson, Wesley Spratt, J. H. Pierson, W. Mc- Oreary, Johnson, W. McWilliams, and W. Mc- Oreary.

Since the foregoing was written, the patriotism of Clay and Morgan has been verified, by the spontaneous uprising of the hardy sons to defend the soil of Ohio from invasion, when, under Captain I^orton, and Lieutenants Bell and JMercer, they responded to Governor Tod's call ; and, assisted by Capt. Baugli and Lieutenants Mefford and Church, and Captain Israel's companies, thet/ saved Cincinnati from the devouring Secessionists.

Source changes here: from History of Knox County, Ohio, Its Past and Present, Containing a Condensed, Comprehensive History of Ohio, Including an Outline History of the Northwest; a Complete History of Knox County ... a Record of Its Soldiers in the Late War; Portraits of Its Early Settlers and Prominent Men ... Biographies and Histories of Pioneer Families, Etc, by Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), Comp, published 1881; 6,680 words in this source stream.

Clay Township

CLAY township was created out of Morgan and organized March 9, 1825. It was named after Henry Clay, the great Whig statesman. TJie- first election after its organization " was held the first Monday of April, 1825, in the village of Williamsburgh, now Martinsburgh, when the following officials were elected : Rynard Reece, David Hann, and William Lyon, trustees ; William Barton and Washington Houck, constables; William McCreary, clerk; James Elliott, treasurer; Ebenezer Brown, house appraiser; Robert Dillon and James Pollock, overseers of the poor ; William McWilliams, lister ; . Abraham McLane and Arony Pierson, fence-viewers. The first settlement of the trustees with the treasurer was had March 6, 1826, when orders to the amount of twenty-six dollars -'were lifted." The official records of that year show that the township clerk, trustees, treasurer, and the other township officers "charged the township nothing for the year 1825." Robert Dillon and William Dehart were selected for grand jurors, and John Reagh and Ebenezer Brown petit jurors for 1826.

Topograpically the surface of the country is uneven, with the exception of the northern portion of the township, which is a beautiful level prairie. The land is all tillable, and generally of fine quality. A branch of the Wakatomika crosses the northeast portion of the township, and the Big run the northwest. Paul's run traverses the southern part from east to west. In an early day the larger part of the township was heavily timbered with oak and hickory, more especially oak, and at this date large forests of oak remain.

In the northern part of the township several mounds exist. The largest one is about two acres in area, and was covered with a dense growth of heavy timber when the first settlers came to Clay. This mound is on the farm now owned by Charles Murray. The smaller mounds have an area of from one-half to one acre. When the first settlers came to Clay they found wild game in great abundance. The first season that Levi Harrod lived here he killed sixty deer and ten bears, and wolves were so numerous that he found it necessary to build fires at night to protect his flocks of sheep, which were in small enclosures near his residence. The southern parts of Knox county were the favorite hunting grounds of the Indians residing at Greentown and Upper Sandusky, and they annually encamped here for several weeks at a time during the hunting season, and were generally successful in securing large quantities of game.

Levi Harrod was probably the first settler in the township. He came from Green county, Pennsylvania, to Knox county in 1804. He first settled in Clinton township, near the present site of Mt. Vernon. Mr. Harrod and family was one of seven families that settled permanently in Knox county in 1803 or 1804. The families were those of William Leonard, John Mills, Henry Haines, \\'i\- liam Knight, Levi Harrod, James Harrod, and Peter Baxter. They were all related to each other and lived very harmoniously together. These families all settled in Clinton township, in the same neighborhood. Levi Harrod removed to Clay township some years previous to the War of 18 12. When he first came Clay township was an unbroken wilderness; the woods literally swarming with wild animals. Indians were quite numerous. He settled in the northeastern part of the township on Government land. He went to work clearing his land, and in a few years became quite prosperous. For several years after he first settled here he frequently found elk horns and Buffalo skulls on his farm and in other portions of the township, evidences that these animals at one time were numerous, but none were here at the date of the first settlement.

Steven Cook, an early settler, came from Washington county, Pennsylvania in 1814, where he was born the nineteenth of August, 1789. He first settled in Morgan township. He partially cleared three farms after his removal to Knox county. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian church, and an elder many years. The religious element was strongly developed in Mr. Cook, being an earnest worker in the church and Sunday school. He was liberal in his donations to the church institutions and the poor. He was a believer in the power of prayer to secure temporal as

Having no pasture fields cleard, his horses, cattle, and sheep, ran in the woods, and to prevent their being lost, bells were fastened around their necks. At one time one of these bells was lost, and as there was no store nearer than Mt. Vernon, he was very anxious to find it. He prayed fen'ently that the Lord would assist him in finding it. As he was going through the wilderness to a neighbors one day - earnestly praying as he was walking along - he suddenly caught his foot in the mouth of the bell that was lost, That this was a direct answer to his prayers he did not doubt.

Cornelius Barkalow, who was born in Virginia in 1801, came with his father to Knox county in 1804. His father settled near Utica, Licking county, residing there until 1812, when he removed to Clay township, locating on section fifteen. At that date but a very small number of settlers had as yet located in the township. Wild animals were still numerous j Indians were living in large numbers, and Mr. Barkalow's playmates were Indian children. He still lives in Martinsburgh. Mr. Barkalow has lived to see Clay emerge from a wilderness into a thickly settled county.

John McWilliams came here in 1818 from Belmont county. He was born in Ohio county, Virginia, in 1798. He first settled on Government land near the village of Martinsburgh, where he engaged in farming about half a century, when he sold his farm and removed to Martinsburgh. He has been an active member of the Presbyterian church nearly fifty years, and a deacon forty-one years.

Ezekiel Boggs, who died in 1853, was one of the early settlers of Clay, coming from Belmont county. He served as representative from Knox county in the Ohio legislature. His widow and his children still reside in the township, one of his sons, Coleman, being a very successful teacher, and a member of the board of school examiners.

Ziba Leonard came with his father from Green county, Pennsylvania, in 1804. His father settled in Clinton township. Mr. Leonard attended the first funeral in Knox county. He was also present at the first wedding in the county, the marriage being that of his two sisters. One of the bridegrooms was Amariah Watson, who afterwards removed to Richland county, where he founded the village of

Lexington. Mr. Leonard worked many years at the carpenter trade, and a large number of the houses now standing in Martinsburgh were erected by him. PoHtically he was a Whig, afterwards a Republican, and is now a Prohibitionist. He has been a working member of the Presbyterian church of Martinsburgh a long time. Mr. Leonard has resided in Clay since his removal here in 1831.

James Cook has long been an honored and useful citizen. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1801. He removed to Knox county in 18 17, locating in Clay township. He has been a prominent member of the Presbyterian church more than fifty years, engaging actively in the prayer meeting and Sunday-school. He is also noted for his great liberality in giving of his means to the various boards of the Presbyterian church. He has been elder in the church for many years and is still living at Martinsburgh.

Of the earliest settlers, Ziba Leonard, Jacob Harrod, John McWilliams, C. Barkalow, James Cook, and James McKee are still living in the township.

The early settlers, in addition to those named, were: Abner Brown, Jacob Smith, David Harrison, James Pitney, John Huston, Jaj3Qes^Paul, Abram Day, James Larason, Nathan Yeach, Samuel Porterfield, Robert Dillon, Michael Mills, John Culp, Luther Brown, Samuel Ross, James Hays, William Henry, James Carr, John Williams, John Reagh, Johathan Curtis, Aaron Conger, and Philemon Pierson. They were from Virginia and western Pennsylvania, and generally of Scotch and Irish descent. Almost all of the early settlers are dead, and but a few more years will pass until all will be "consigned to the narrow house appointed for all the living."

Clay has not been as fortunate as many of the other townships of Knox county in securing railroad communication with other places. Owing to the numerous hills in southern Knox and other reasons, there is no probability of its having a railroad for many years at least. There are no streams of sufficient size for manufacturing purposes, and consequently there are no manufactories in the township. Outside of the village of Martinsburgh there are no grist- or saw-mills to note in the history of Clay, and it will in all probability remain as heretofore, an agricultural community. The church, school, and farm employ the time, talent, and labors of the people, and m these they find both profit and happiness. There are no very poor to be found within its borders, and the inhabitants are generally in very comfortable circumstances financially.

The first school was taught by an Irishman named Samuel Hill. The school-house in which this school was taught was a small log cabin with greased windows, similar to the cabins oi a century ago in the frontier settlements. Reading, writing, and arithmetic were all the branches taught. But a small number of scholars were in attendance, probably not more than six or eight. John Roy taught the second school in the township in a small log house near the present site of the Martinsburgh cemetery. Of the original scholars who attended these schools but two are now known to be living, Jacob Harrod, who attended the first, and C. Barkalow, who attended the second. Both are still residents of Clay. In place of these rude structures are now to be found neat and comfortable frame houses, and the schools at present are taught by competent teachers, who, many of them, are able to instruct their pupils not only in the common but also in the higher branches of science.

This township has long been noted for the strong religious sentiment of the people, a large proportion of the inhabitants being connected with some church. At first the meetings were held at the residences of the pioneers, and no churches were erected until after the village of Martinsburgh was started. The Old School Presbyterians were the religious pioneers of Clay, and at one time the township contained more members of that denomination than any other township of the same population in Ohio. There are no churches in the township outside of the villages of Martinsburgh and Bladensburgh, and the description of these churches will be given in another portion of this chapter.

The village of Martinsburgh proper was organized in 1828. Prior to this year it was known as Williamsburgh and Hanover, the street running east and west dividing the place into two villages.

A consolidation was affected in 1828 and the name changed to Martin sburgh. James Pollock built the first dwelling-house in the village. The first merchant who established a store in the village was I. D. Johnson, who came firom Richland county in 1818, and with a limited capital and a very small stock of goods commenced business. By aid of friends and dint of perseverance he succeeded in a few years in establishing such a business as was hardly equalled by any merchant in Knox county at that time. He purchased very large quantities of wheat, wool, pork, tobacco, and various kinds of produce and marketable commodities, hauled them to Newark and shipped to the eastern markets. He continued doing business on a remarkably large scale until 1837 when he failed, leaving eight of his friends, who had indorsed his notes, to pay thirtytwo thousand dollars to eastern parties. He soon aftelwards removed from Martinsburgh. Mr. Johnson was considered the leading merchant of Knox county for many years after he first commenced business in the village and was a great help to the early settlers in enabling them to pay for their farms. He was a leading member of the Martinsburgh Presbyterian church and a very liberal supporter of the same. He died some years after his removal from the village.

The Beckwith Brothers opened a store about the year 1824, and were successful in doing a good business for some years, when they sold their stock of goods to other parties. The first hotel was kept by Solomon Cook on the corner where Bird's store formerly stood. The first mill was erected at a very early date in the history of the village by Enos Beckwith. It was operated by horse-power. The second grist-mill, run by steam-power, was built by Slocum Bunker. The exact date of the erection of these mills is not known. O. Drake was the first blacksmith.

At present there are two stores kept by the Cline and Tilton Brothers, respectively, a hotel by Isaac Simpson, one saddler's shop by James Snyder, three shoe shops by David Chandler, Sylvester Rouse and Samuel HoUabaugh, a butcher shop by Conn Simpson and Hugh Boyd, four blacksmith shops by R. P. Gordon, Leroy Beeney, Henry Upfold and Milton Mahaffy, one tailor shop by Ehas Hardman, one barber shop by David Kidwell, one tannery by Charles G. Cromer. There are three physicians - Thomas B. Miser, N. S. Toland and John F. Shrauntz.

Martinsburgh has long been celebrated for its educational facilities. In 1838 the building known as the Martinsburgh academy was built. The first trustees were Hugh Elliott, Samuel C. Porterfield, Steven Cook, James Elliott, George McWilliams, Uriah Reece and Aaron Davis. Rev. Henry Hervey was the president, Joseph Clingan, Rev. James Ferguson, David Elliott, Samuel McCreary, Rev. John Elliott, Dr. A. C. Scott, Rev. Israel Dodd, Robert McLoud, Patterson Reese and Alexander S. Berryhill were some of the students who attended the first session of this somewhat noted institution. Among the graduates of the academy who attended subsequent terras were Hon. William Windom, now of Minnesota, who has attained a national reputation; Hon. Judge West, of Bellefontaine ; Rev. Alexander Scott, now a noted Presbyterian minister in Iowa, and many others who became useful ministers of the Presbyterian and other churches. The academy was discontinued about i86o,and the building was purchased by the township board of education for the Martinsburgh district school. Owing to the loss of the records a full history of this academy cannot be given.

John Roy was probably the first school teacher of the village school. The union school of Martinsburgh is at present under the superintendency of Professor Ikes, who is assisted by Miss Anna Davis. The board of directors are Wesly Tilton, John Shrauntz, and R. H. Morgan.

Martinsburgh has been noted for religion, morality and temperance. The temperance element is so strong that it is impossible for any vendor of intoxicating liquors to procure a foothold in the I village ; all attempts to start a saloon have ignominiously failed, and no one can now be found [ who will brave public sentiment by making the experiment.

The Old School Presbyterians organized a church at a very early date in the history of the town. Rev. James Scott was the first pastor. He remained pastor until 1827, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. John McKinney, who was succeeded by Rev. James Campbell. Rev. Campbell officiated until the installation of Rev. Henry Hervey in 1830. When Rev. Henry Hervey assumed the pastorate of this church there were about one hundred members in good standing. His labors were greatly prospered, and at one time there were three hundred members in full connection with the church, and sixty male members who could lead in prayer when called upon so to do. But three of the members who belonged at the time of Rev. Hervey's installation are now living, viz: Ziba Leonard, James Cook, and John McWilliams.

In this connection it would be proper to give a short biographical sketch of Rev. Henry Hervey, who so long "broke the bread of life" to this people. He was born in Brooke county, Virginia, November, 22, 1798. He graduated at Jefferson college, class of 1825, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Washington in 1827, and ordained to the ministry, and installed pastor of the Martinsburgh Presbyterian church, April 15, 1830. Prior to this date he had preached several months in western Virginia and eastern Ohio. In the early part of the year 1829, he came to Knox county, where some months afterwards he received a call from the church at Martinsburgh. He continued to be the faithful and honored pastor of the church until the eighteenth of October, 1867, when he resigned his pastoral charge on account of increasing years and failing health. His death occurred at Martinsburgh, February 17, 1872. The services connected with his funeral were held in the Presbyterian church, March 20th, and an unusually large number of persons of all religious denominations from Knox and Licking counties were present to pay their last tribute of respect to the loved and honored dead. Rev. N. C. Helfridge and Rev. Mr. Walkinshaw were the successors of Rev. Mr. Hervey. The present officers of the church are Elders John Lyon, Smiley Boyd and William Freece; Deacons Isaac Simpson, John McWilliams, William Gilmore, Johnson Sims, and Thomas Stevenson; Trustees William Boyd, Isaac Simpson, and William Gilmore. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Porter who is also superintendent of the Sunday-school.

The Baptists organized a church May 14, 1846, with a membership of twelve, viz : Elias Hardman, Jackson Clutter, Michael Cline, Joshua Conway, Nancy Hardman, Sarah Clutter, Jane Conway, Susan Perrick, Elizabeth Barkalow, Nancy Watson^ Susan Cline and Eliza Waldron. Elias Hardman was the first clerk, and Michael Cline the first deacon. Rev. D. D. Walden wag the first pastor, who was succeeded by Reverends Amos Pratt, Mr. Northrop, N. Martin, R. Lockhart, S. West, J. G. Tunnison, D, B. Sims, C. King, S. Yarnall, A. J. Wiant and S. Yarnell. who is the present pastor. The church is now enjoying a good measure of prosperity.

The Disciples, though not as early in the field as the other denominations, are quite prosperous. They organized a church June 19, 1876. Nathan Veach, H. C. Dicus and W. J. Denton were the first trustees, J. B. Wilson treasurer. Rev. James E. Harris was the first pastor. His successors were Elders Lyman P. Streeter, S. M. Cook and Philo Ingraham. There is a flourishing Sunday school in connection with this church.

The Methodists have not been as prosperous here as the other churches. Their ministers commenced to labor here in early times, and the denomination erected a large and substantial church building many years ago. At the present date the society is very small, and as the official records of the church cannot be found, its early history cannot be given in this chapter.

The Free Presbyterians organized a society some time during the period of the great anti-slavery excitement, which swept over the entire north. They were seceders from the Old School Presbyterian church of Martinsburgh. Quite a large number of the members of the church, who were the most bitterly opposed to slavery, seceded from the church and organized an anti-slavery society under the name of The Free Presbyterian church. They had a moderate degree of prosperity for some years when the church ceased to exist, the majority of the members returning to their former societies. All of the churches mentioned have neat and commodious buildings.

The village has been a sufferer by two fires, the first occurring June 21, 1850, and the second in February 1854. In both cases business blocks were consumed, and the village has never fully recovered from the effects of the loss. But a small amount of business is now done in Martinsburgh, in comparison with that of fifty years ago. The village was incorporated some years since. R. H. Morgan is mayor at this date.

A small portion of the village of Bladensburgh is in Clay towhship, but as that village is fully described in the history of Jackson township, it need not be repeated here.

Chapter Xlvhi Clinton Town.Ship

Original Divi.sions of the County - Later Modifications - MouND.s - Andrew Craig - A Tragedy - Butler's Visit - Henry Haines' Insanity - John Mills- Other Early Settlers - The Pioneer Mill - Other Mills - Roads - An Indian Tragedy - Township Officers - Justices OF the Peace.

CLINTON is one of the four original townships into which Knox county was divided by the commissioners, May 2, 1808. The order in reference to Clinton township is as follows :

Ordered, That the following bounds be laid off into a separate township: Beginning at the northeast corner of Wayne township; thence east to the west side of the eleventh range; thence south to the centre of the township; thence west to the west line of the twelfth range; thence south to the south line of the sixth towhship; thence west to the west line of the county, which shall be called by the name of Clinton township.

The township thus constituted included Bloomfiield, now in Morrow county, Liberty, the north half of Pleasant, Monroe, Pike, and the south half of Morris. After various changes in the boundaries of the township the commissioners caused this entry to be made in their journal, March 9, 1825: "Clinton township shall be composed of the sixth towhship in the thirteenth range."

By this last order the area of the township was reduced to about twenty-five square miles of terri tory, which is well watered by Owl creek and its tributaries. The land is all tillable, and of good quality, a great portion of it being an alluvial deposit, highly cultivated.

One half mile north of the residence of Morgan F. and Oilman B. Stilley may be seen a mound about fifteen feet high and twenty five yards in diameter, built of the same material as the surrounding soil. It was opened by Aaron Loveridge, but nothing of importance discovered in it.

To Andrew Craig belongs the honor of being the first white man to locate within the present limits of Clinton township. He came to Ohio from the mountain regions of Virginia. Like his native mountains, he was a rough, rugged, bold man, a regular frontier character, who took delight in hunting, wrestling, and kindred athletic sports. The exact time of his locating on Owl creek is not known, but it is certain that he was in this section of Ohio when Ohio was in its territorial condition.

In September, 1801, Benjamin and John Butler went on an exploring expedition up the Kokosing as far as the mouth of Centre run, and camped over night about one hundred yards north of the creek bank, and about one half mile east of the present site of Mt. Vernon. There they found Andy Craig living in a little log hut, with a woman he had brought with him from the vicinity of Wheeling, Virginia. Not another white family at that time inhabited the entire country watered by the Kokosing and Mohican and their tributaries. An Indian chief and his tribe were encamped at the Indian Fields" near by, and was having a grand pow-wow at the time. In the spring of 1805 Benjamin Butler returned to the country that had so charmed him in 1801, and found Andy Craig and the Indians still enjoying themselves. From long association with the Indians, and having so fallen into their customs and modes of life as to be almost identified with them, Craig could not brook the restraints of even such civilization as the white society of that day imposed upon him. So he cast his lot with his dusky friends, and in 1809 removed to Greentown.

About the year 1800 a tragedy was enacted on the point of the bluff between Centre run and Owl creek, which ended in the death of two persons, one white, the other a mulatto. Two slaves had run away from their master, one Tomlinson, who lived in Virginia, and coming into this part of the country had taken up with squaws. Their pursuers tracked them through Zanesville and up Owl creek, and finally came upon them at Andy Craig's. One of the boys, a mulatto, recognized his master's son as he approached with two other men, and sprang to the bank into the creek, pursued by the men, who overtook him in the middle of the stream, and a deadly struggle took place, in which he killed his young master, but was then overpowered, taken to the hut, tied, and shortly after placed on the horse his young master had ridden, and the company started for Virginia with him. The second night after leaving Craig's they built a camp fire and left the mulatto tied by it, when they went out for game. On their return he was found to have been shot. It is believed that they had become tired of taking him along, and as he was surly and troublesome, he was killed out of revenge for the loss of young Tomlinson.

Benjamin Butler related that on the occasion of his trip to Owl creek in 1801, Andy Craig told him the particulars of this fight, and that in 1805, when he made a visit to Sandusky plains, he saw the negro that escaped, who was then living with a squaw among the Indians, and talked with him about this affair.

Henry Haines, one of the members of the Pennsylvania colony, came to Knox county about 1803 or 1804 with his family, and settled in what is generally termed the Ten Mile settlement, the farm now owned by the Hon. Columbus Delano forming part of the colony's possessions. The land was first purchased by William Leonard, the patriarch of the settlement. Mr. Haines was one of the best men in the county at its organization in 1808. He was a native of Washington county,

Pennsylvania. He was a man of education and property, and was, at the time of his melancholy death, in easy circumstances. He was a man of great ingenuity, and with a turning-lathe he had in his house, made many useful household arTicles.

Prior to 1825, the commissioners appointed the county treasurers. Mr. Haines was their first appointment, it having been made in the year 1808, shortly after the organization of the county. Mr. Haines held the ofBce up to 18 15, when he was succeeded by Mr. George Downs.

Mr. Haines became deranged on the subject of religion, and was at the time an active and leading member of the Christian denomination at that early day called New Lights. He officiated with James Smith in the first conference held in the county, of which David Young, of Zanesville, was presiding elder.

Mr. Haines became a loud exhorter, and, being deranged, secured a tin horn and rode around the town and county, day and night, notifying the people to prepare for judgment, as the world was coming to an end. He proclaimed the same doctrine in his insane moments as that subsequently promulgated by the Millerites.

When he became ungovernable he was taken to Dr. R. D. Moore, who confined him in a mad shirt, or straight jacket, and treated him for several weeks, until he was restored to reason; but he said if he ever became insane again he would kill Dr. Moore. Shortly after this the doctor removed to Fayette county, Pennsylvania. Haines again became deranged, and was soon missed by his relatives and friends. Search was made for him, but with failure. His unexplained absence created considerable alarm. The first information that his family received of his whereabouts was in a letter from Dr. Moore. Haines had made his way to Connellsville for the purpose of killing the doctor, and had stolen the family silver spoons to pay his way. Upon his arrival at Connellsville he had become rational again, and he told the doctor what his purpose had been. Dr. Moore took the poor man to his home, cared for his wants, retained him for several weeks, and provided means for his return home. In the summe? of 181 7 the tin horn had ceased to be heard on the streets of Mt. Vernon for several days and nights. Haines had left his home once more. Word was brought to town that Hains was missing, and fears entertained that he had made away with himself It was on Sunday, and nearly all the population of the village turned out to scour the woods adjacent to his farm. It was not until late in the afternoon that he was found, suspended from the limb of a small tree, about a quarter of a mile south of his residence on the Merritt farm. Thomas Kerr, now of Liberty township, was one of the searchers, and has a vivid recollection of the occurrence.

Robert Thompson, from Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, ascended Owl creek in 1804, and selected a site for a farm two miles west of the public square in Mt. Vernon, now on the old Delaware road and occupied by Morgan F. and Gilman B. Stilley. Mr. Thompson was a surveyor, and was in July, 1805, employed by Butler, Patterson & Walker to survey the new town of Mt. Vernon. He spent the greater part of life on his farm, and he and his wife now sleep together on a little knoll east of the old homestead.

John Mills was one of the parties who emigrated from Ten Mile, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, to the Harris settlement south of Mt. Vernon, in 1804.

On the fourteenth of February, 1808, the general assembly of Ohio by joint ballot appointed William W. Farquhar, John Mills and William Gass, associate judges for Knox county, and on the twenty-eighth of March of the same year, the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice for Knox county appeared before John Mills, justice of the peace, .and were qualified to perform their duties. Mr. Mills held the office of associate judge until May 9, 18 14, when he was succeeded by Samuel Kratzer.

Peter Baxter was one of the original settlers m the Hames' settlement, and v/as a member of the first jury impanelled in the county - the jury that convicted William Hedrick, who was publicly whipped for stealing. Isaac Bonnett came to CUnton township in 1805, located north of the old Delaware road and built the first brick house in the township, now occupied by Albert Sharp.

About 1805 or before, the Haines settlement was augmented by the arrival of the Leonard family, and the last will and testament of William Leonard was the first instrument of that kind admitted to probate in the courts of Knox county.

Matthew Merritt came from Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1806, and located on the land now occupied by Hon. Columbus Delano. Mr. Merritt was foreman of the first grand jury impanelled in Knox county, March 29, 1808, and in October of the same year he was elected county commissioner, for two years. Mr. Merritt was also elected justice of the peace for Clinton township in 1809.

The Beams, Lafevers, Walkers and others were also early settlers of Clinton township, but as their history is more closely identified with that of Mt. Vernon, it will be found in that connection.

Ebenezer and x^bner Brown came from AVashington county, Pennsylvania, in 1804, and located in the Haines settlement. Here they erected the first grist-mill in Knox county. It was a very primitive structure, and while it bore no outward resem.blance to Solomon's temple, it was yet constructed "without the sound of the hammer upon iron." It was built entirely of wood; a sugartrough sufficed for a meal-box, and for want of iron the stones, which were about two feet in diameter, i The building was about ten feet square, constructed of rough logs, and was located on Delano's run, above the Martinsburgh road. It was principally fed at that time by what was called the Little Lake, but the lake, like the mill, is a thing of the past, having been so drained and altered by ditching as to no longer be entitled to that appellation. This mill, although of the rudest possible construction, was sufficient to "amaze the gazing rustics round" with its wonderful mechanical perfection. The stones are still relics of "ye olden time."

About the year 181 5 a man named Wolgamott owned a small saw-mill on Delano's run, just below where the Martinsburgh road crosses the same. Later Walter Turner built a saw-mill on Owl

The Martin steam saw-mill, Mr. George R. Martin being proprietor, is located at the intersection of the Newark and Granville roads, near the city of Mount Vernon, and is the only manufacturing establishment in Clinton township, outside of the city limits. The first mill was erected on these grounds by the firm of Shipley, Martin & Hart, in 1854, where they manufactured all kinds of hard lumber up to 1856, when the mill was destroyed by fire. The firm soon erected a new and more complete mill on the old site. This mill they operated with entire success until after the close of the late war of the rebellion, the demand for hard lumber being up to the full capacity of the mill. After the war, business being dull, and little or no demand for their lumber, a change in the proprietorship took place, until Mr. George R. Martin became sole owner. The business was continued with more or less success, as the demand increased or decreased, until 1874, when fire again destroyed the mill. With his usual energy and business tact, Mr. Martin soon erected the present mill upon the old site where he continues to manufacture hard lumber of all kinds, fully equal to the demand.

In 1870 Robert Kelly and Byron Welch erected the Mount Vernon flax mills on the west bank of Owl creek, one and a half miles west of Mount Vernon. The main building is forty by seventy feet square. The engine-house is built of brick and is twenty by thirty feet in size. The buildings and machinery when ready to commence the manufacture of bagging for cotton bales, cost twenty-two thousand dollars.

Messrs Kelly & Welch operated the mills about five years, when, owing to the action of Congress in abolishing the tariff on jute, they failed in business, and at the assignees' sale Messrs. F. C. Wolf and Benjamin Martin purchased the mills for four thousand six hundred and seventy dollars. Wolf & Martin ran the mills two years, since which time they have been standing idle.

The first roads laid out through Clinton township were the following: A road from Mt. Vernon to the west line of the county, petitioned for by Samuel Kratzer and others. Ziba Leonard, Nathaniel Critchfield, and Joseph Coleman, were appointed viewers, and John Dunlap, surveyor, and

The next was the Mt. Vernon and Newar'k road, petitioned for by John Dunlap and twenty-one others. William Gass, Henry Haines, and James Colville, were appointed viewers, and John Dunlap surveyor. The return to the county commissioners was made September 22, 1808. A road frorn'Mt. Vernon to Francis Hardesty's was returned June 12, 18 10. The State road from Cleveland to Columbus afterwards occupied very nearly the same ground. "John Stilley's road" was laid out in 1814.

The old Delaware road was surveyed by the State in September, 181 7, and laid out on very nearly the same ground as the first road from Mt. Vernon to the west line of the county. The new Delaware road was laid out by Frederick Avery, John Storm, and George Lewis, commissioners appointed by the State, and a copy of the survey filed in the office of the commissioners of Knox county, November 30, 1830.

The Ohio Register of May 7, 181 7, contains the following account of an Indian murder which occurred in Clinton township the week previous. The murder took place at an Indian encampment a short distance north of where the present White bridge spans the creek at the west end of High street. The encampment was on the west side of the creek :

Some day last week a small party of Indians, prmcipally of the Mohawk tribe, arrived in this town for the purpose of trading off their cranberries, etc., to the white people. They encamped on the west side of Owl creek, and remained there in apparent harmony until Friday last, when that arch enemy of the civilized and savage (whiskey) made his appearance among them. It appears that two of the Indians ha\ing become rather "cockoosey," began scuffling with each other through diversion, when a third (more into.xicated than the others) interfered, and fell upon Jim Wyandott, who took the rough salutations of his adversary in good part, until he became too severe, when he informed him that they two had only been diverting themselves; but the murderer, disregarding the protestations of the deceased, fell upon him with the greater fury, armed with a tomahawk, scalping-knife, and club, and finally succeeded in killing Wyandott by giving him a blow on the breast with the club. It appears that Wyandott, when he found that forbearance had ceased to be a virtue, made a strong resistance - but in vain! The murderer belongs to the Delaware tribe, and we are informed that this is the second homicide he has committed. He decamped the next morning.

Clinton township - outside of the city limits - has a population of nine hundred and twenty-six, six schools and a convenient number of good roads. Two railroads traverse its territory - the Lake Erie division of the Baltimore & Ohio road, and the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus road.

The first election was held in Mt. Vernon, and all subsequent elections until April, 1866, when the voting place was changed to the brick schoolhouse south of the Owl Creek bridge. At the last election Samuel Davis, John Boyd, and William McFadden were chosen trustees; R. N. Kindrick, treasurer; L. E. Huntsberry, clerk; Edvvard M. Knight and W. L. Vance, constables ; F. M. Shaffer, assessor; W. L. King, Norman L. Wall, Ezra Thayer, Thomas Spearman, C. D. Rinehart, William L. Morey, and J. B. Steinmetz, board of education.

The following is a list of justices of the peace in and for Clinton township: John Mills, 1806; T. B. Patterson, 1808; Matthew Merritt, 1809; Samuel Kratzer, Silas Brown, and Allen Scott, 181 1; James Smith and Benjamin Barney, 181 5; Benjamm Martin and Stephen Chapman, 1817; John Roberts, 1818; William Y. Farquhar and Benjamin Martin, 1820; John Roberts, 1821; John H. Mefford, 1822; W^illiam Y. Farquhar, 1823; John Roberts, 1824; Joseph Brown and James McGibeny, 1S25; John Roberts, 1826; Gideon Mott and William Bevans, 1830; S. W. Hildreth, 1 831; William Bevans and Thomas Irvine, 1833; S. W. Hildreth, Johnson Elliott, and Thomas Irvine, 1836; Timothy Colopy, 1837; B. F. Smith and Robert F.Hickman, 1839; William Welsh, 1840; B. F. Smith, Robert F. Hickman, E. W. Cotton, 1842 ; William H. Cochran, 1843; Benjamin McCracken, 1845; E. W. Cotton, 1845; Nathaniel McGiffin, William H. Cochran, and Truman Ward, 1846; E. W. Cotton, 1848; William H. Cochran, 1849; Josephs. Davis, 1850; E. W.Cotton, 1851; Wilham H. Cochran, 1852; Joseph S. Davis, 1853; Thompson Cooper, 1854; Samuel O. Beach and William H. Cochran, 1855; Thompson Cooper, Thomas V. Parke, and William H. Cochran, 1858; Calton C. Baugh and Thomas Cooper, i860; Henry Warner, 1 861; Henry Phillips, 1863; Edmund V. Brent, 1864; Henry Phillips, 1866; John Y. Reeve, 1867; Thomas V. Parke, 1869; William Dunbar, 1870; Thomas V. Parke, 1872; B. A. F. Greer, 1873; Thomas V. Parke, 1875; John D. Ewing, 1876; Calton C. Baugh, 1878; John D. Ewing, 1879.

Source changes here: from History Knox County, Ohio, by N. N. Hill., Jr, published 1881; 3,370 words in this source stream.

Clay Township

LAY township was created out of Morgan and organized March 9, 1825. It was named after Henry Clay, the great Whig statesman. The first election after its organization was held the first Monday of April, 1825, in the village of Williamsburgh, now Martinsburgh, when the following officials were elected: Rynard Reece, David Hann, and William Lyon, trustees; William Barton and Washington Houck, constables ; William McCreary, clerk; James Elliott, treasurer; Ebenezer Brown, house appraiser; Robert Dillon and James Pollock, overseers of the poor; William McWilliams, lister ; Abraham McLane and Arony Pierson, fence-viewers. The first settlement of the trustees with the treasurer was had March 6, 1826, when orders to the amount of twenty-six dollars 'were lifted." The official records of that year show that the township clerk, trustees, treasurer, and the other township officers "charged the township nothing for the year 1825.' Robert Dillon and William Dehart were selected for grand jurors, and John Reagh and Ebenezer

Topograpically the surface of the country is uneven, with the exception of the northern portion of the township, which is a beautiful level prairie. The land is all tillable, and generally of fine quality. A branch of the Wakatomika crosses the northeast portion of the township, and the Big run the northwest. Paul's run traverses the southern part from east to west. In anearly day the larger part of the township was heavily timbered with oak and hickory, more especially oak, and at this date large forests of oak remain.

In the northern part of the township several mounds exist. The largest one is about two atres in area, and was covered with a dense growth of heavy timber when the first settlers came to Clay. This mound is on the farm now owned by Charles Murray. The smaller mounds have an area of from one-half to one acre. When the first settlers came to Clay they found wild game in great abundance. The first season that Levi Harrod lived here he killed sixty deer and ten bears, and wolves were so numerous that he found it necessary to build fires at night to protect his flocks of sheep, which were in small enclosures near his residence. The southern parts of Knox county were the favorite hunting grounds of the Indians residing at Greentown and Upper Sandusky, and they annually encamped here for several weeks at a time during the hunting season, and were generally successful in securing large quantities of game.

Levi Harrod was probably the first settler in the township. He came from Green county, Pennsylvania, to Knox county in 1804. He first settled in Clinton township, near the present site of Mt. Vernon. Mr. Harrod and family was one of seven families that settled permanently in Knox county in 1803 or 1804. The families were those of William Leonard, John Mills, Henry Haines, William Knight, Levi Harrod, James Harrod, and Peter Baxter. They were all related to each other and lived very harmoniously together. families all settled in Clinton township, in the same neighborhood. Levi Harrod removed to Clay township some years previous to the War of 1812. When he first came Clay township was an unbroken wilderness; the woods literally swarming with wild animals. Indians were quite numerous. He settled in the northeastern part of the township on Government land. He went to work clearing his land, and in a few years became quite prosperous. For several years after he first settled here he frequently found elk horns and Buffalo skulls on his farm and in other portions of the township, evidences that these animals at one time were numerous, but none were here at the date of the first settlement.

Steven Cook, an early settler, came from Washington county, Pennsylvania in 1814, where he was born the nineteenth of August, 1789. He first settled in Morgan township. He partially cleared three farms after his removal to Knoxcounty. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian church, and an elder many years. The religious element was strongly developed in Mr. Cook, being an earnest worker in the church and Sunday school. He was liberal in his donations to the church institutions and the poor. He was a believer in the power of prayer to secure temporal as

Having no pasture fields cleard, his horses, cattle, and sheep, ran in the woods, and to prevent their being lost, bells were fastened around their necks. At one time one of these bells was lost, and as there was no store nearer than Mt. Vernon, he was very anxious to find it. He prayed fervently that the Lord would assist him in finding it. As he was going through the wilderness to a neighbors one day - earnestly praying as he was walking along - he suddenly caught his foot in the mouth of the bell that was lost, That this was a direct answer to his prayers he did not doubt.

Cornelius Barkalow, who was born in Virginia in 1801, came with his father to Knox county in 1804. His father settled near Utica, Licking county, residing there until 1812, when he removed to Clay township, locating on section fifteen. At that date but a very small number of settlers had as yet located in the township. Wild animals were still numerous; Indians were living in large numbers, and Mr. Barkalow's playmates were Indian children. He still lives in Martinsburgh. Mr. Barkalow has lived to see Clay emerge from a wilderness into a thickly settled county.

John McWilliams came here in 1818 from Belmont county. He was born in Ohio county, Virginia, in 1798. He first settled on Government land near the village of Martinsburgh, where he engaged in farming about half a century, when he sold his farm and removed to Martinsburgh. He has been an active member of the Presbyterian church nearly fifty years, and a deacon forty-one years.

Ezekiel Boggs, who died in 1853, was one of the early settlers of Clay, coming from Belmont county. He served as representative from Knox county in the Ohio legislature. His widow and his children still reside in the township, one of his sons, Coleman, being a very successful teacher, and a member of the board of school examiners.

Ziba Leonard came with his father from Green county, Pennsylvania, in 1804. His father settled in Clinton township. Mr. Leonard attended the first funeral in Knox county. He was also present at the first wedding in the county, the marriage being that of his two sisters. One of the bridegrooms was Amariah Watson, who afterwards removed to Richland county, where he founded the village of

Lexington. Mr. Leonard worked many years at the carpenter trade, and a large number of the houses now standing in Martinsburgh were erected by him. Politically he was a Whig, afterwards a Republican, and is now a Prohibitionist. He has been a working member of the Presbyterian church of Martinsburgh a long time. Mr. Leonard has resided in Clay since his removal here in 1831.

James Cook has long been an honored and useful citizen. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1801. He removed to Knox county in 1817, locating in Clay township. He has been a prominent member of the Presbyterian church more than fifty years, engaging actively in the prayer meeting and Sunday-school. He is also noted for his great liberality in giving of his means to the various boards of the Presbyterian church. He has been elder in the church for many years and is still living at Martinsburgh.

Of the earliest settlers, Ziba Leonard, Jacob Harrod, John McWilliams, C. Barkalow, James Cook, and James McKee are still living in the township.

The early settlers, in addition to those named, were: Abner Brown, Jacob Smith, David Harrison, James Pitney, John Huston, James Paul, Abram Day, James Larason, Nathan Veach, Samuel Porterfield, Robert Dillon, Michael Mills, John Culp, Luther Brown, Samuel Ross, James Hays, William Henry, James Carr, John Williams, John Reagh, Johathan Curtis, Aaron Conger, and Philemon Pierson. They were from Virginia and western Pennsylvania, and generally of Scotch and Irish descent. Almost all of the early settlers are dead, and but a few more years will pass until all will be "consigned to the narrow house appointed for all the living."

Clay has not been as fortunate as many of the other townships of Knox county in securing railroad communication with other places. Owing to the numerous hills in southern Knox and other reasons, there is no probability of its having a railroad for many years at least. There are no streams of sufficient size for manufacturing purposes, and consequently there are no manufactories in the township. Outside of the village of Martinsburgh , there are no grist- or saw-mills to note in the history of Clay, and it will in all probability remain as heretofore, an agriculturalcommunity. The church, school, and farm employ the time, talent, and labors of the people, and in these they find both' profit and happiness. There are no -very poor to be found within its borders, and the inhabitants are generally in very comfortable circumstances financially.

The first school was taught by an Irishman named Samuel Hill. The school-house in which this school was taught was a small log cabin with greased windows, similar to the cabins ot a century ago in the frontier settlements. Reading, writing, and arithmetic were all the branches taught. But a small number of scholars were in attendance, probably not more than six or eight. John Roy taught the second school in the township in a small log house near the present site of the Martinsburgh cemetery. Of the original scholars who attended these schools but two are now known to be living, Jacob Harrod, who attended the first, and C. Barkalow, who attended the second. Both are still residents of Clay. In place of these rude structures are now to be found neat and comfortable frame houses, and the schools at present are taught by competent teachers, who, many of them, are able to instruct their pupils not only in the common but also in the higher branthes of science.

This township has long been noted for the strong religious sentiment of the people, a large proportion of the inhabitants being connected with some church. At first the meetings were held at the res idences of the pioneers, and no churches were erected until after the village of Martinsburgh was started. The Old School Presbyterians were the religious pioneers of Clay, and at one time the township contained more members of that denom- - ination than any other township of the same population in Ohio. There are no churches in the town- | ship outside of the villages of Martinsburgh and Bladensburgh, and the description of these churches will be given in another portion of this chapter.

The village of Martinsburgh proper was organized in 1828. Prior to this year it was known as Williamsburgh arid Hanover, the street running east and west dividing the place into two villages.

A consolidation was affected in 1828 and the name changed to Martinsburgh. James Pollock built the first dwelling-house in the village. The first merchant who established a store in the village was I. D. Johnson, who came from Richland county in 1818, and with a limited capital and a very small stock of goods commenced business. By aid of friends and dint of perseverance he succeeded in a few years in establishing such a business as was hardly equalled by any merchant in Knox county at that time. He purchased very large quantities of wheat, wool, pork, tobacco, and various kinds of produce and marketable commodities, hauled them to Newark and shipped to the eastern markets. He continued doing business on a remarkably large scale until 1837 when he failed, leaving eight of his friends, who had indorsed his notes, to pay thirtytwo thousand dollars to eastern parties. He soon afterwards removed from Martinsburgh. Mr. Johnson was considered the leading merchant of Knox county for many years after he first commenced business in the village and was a great help to the early settlers in enabling them to pay for their farms. He was a leading member of the Martinsburgh Presbyterian church and a very liberal supporter of the same. He died some years after his removal from the village.

The Beckwith Brothers opened a store about the -year 1824, and were successful in doing a good business for some years, when they sold their stock of goods to other parties. The first hotel was kept by Solomon Cook on the corner where Bird's store formerly stood. The first mill was erected at a very early date in the history of the village by Enos Beckwith. It was operated by horse-power. The second grist-mill, run by steam-power, was built by Slocum Bunker. The exact date of the erection of these mills is not known. O. Drake was the first blacksmith.

At present there are two stores kept by the Cline and Tilton Brothers, respectively, a hotel by Isaac Simpson, one saddler's shop by James Snyder, three shoe shops by David Chandler, Sylvester Rouse and Samuel Hollabaugh, a butcher shop by Conn Simpson and Hugh Boyd, four blacksmith shops by R. P. Gordon, Leroy Beeney, Henry Upfold and Milton Mahaffy, one tailor shop by Elias Hardman, one barber shop by David Kidwell, one tannery by Charles G. Cromer. There are three physicians - Thomas B. Miser, N. S. Toland and John F. Shrauntz.

Martinsburgh has long been celebrated for its educational facilities. In 1838 the building known as the Martinsburgh academy was built. The first trustees were Hugh Elliott, Samuel C. Porterfield, Steven Cook, James Elliott, George McWilliams, Uriah Reece and Aaron Davis. Rev. Henry Hervey was the president, Joseph Clingan, Rev. James Ferguson, David Elliott, Samuel McCreary, Rev. John Elliott, Dr. A. C. Scott, Rev. Israel Dodd, Robert McLoud, Patterson Reese and Alexander S. Berryhill were some of the students who attended the first session of this somewhat noted institution. Among the graduates of the academy who attended subsequent terms were Hon. William Windom, now of Minnesota, who has attained a national reputation; Hon. Judge West, of Bellefontaine; Rev. Alexander Scott, now a noted Presbyterian minister in Iowa, and many others who became useful ministers of the Presbyterian and other churches. The academy was discontinued about 1860, and the building was purchased by the township board of education for the Martinshurgh district school. Owing to the loss of the records a full history of this academy cannot be given.

John Roy was probably the first school teacher of the village school. The union school of Martinsburgh is at present under the superintendency of Professor Ikes, who is assisted by Miss Anna Davis. The board of directors are Wesly Tilton, John Shrauntz, and R. H. Morgan.

Martinsburgh has been noted for religion, morality and temperance. The temperance element is so strong that it is impossible for any vendor of intoxicating liquors to procure a foothold in the village ; all attempts to start a saloon have ignominiously failed, and no one can now be found who will brave public sentiment by making the experiment.

The Old School Presbyterians organized a church at a very early date in the history of the town. Rev. James Scott was the first pastor. He remained pastor until 1827, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. John McKinney, who was succeeded by Rev. James Campbell. Rev. Campbell officiated until the installation of Rev. Henry Hervey in 1830. When Rev. Henry Hervey assumed the pastorate of this church there were about one hundred members in good standing. His labors were greatly prospered, and at one time there were three hundred members in full connection with the church, and sixty male members who could lead in prayer when called upon soto do. But three of the members who belonged at the time of Rev. Hervey's installation are now living, viz: Ziba Leonard, James Cook, and John McWilliams.

In this connection it would be proper to give a short biographical sketch of Rev. Henry Hervey, who so long "broke the bread of life" to this people. He was born in Brooke county, Virginia, November, 22, 1798. He graduated at Jefferson college, class of 1825, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Washington in 1827, and ordained to the ministry, and installed pastor of the Martinsburgh Presbyterian church, April 15, 1830. Prior to this date he had preached several months in western Virginia and eastern Ohio. In the early part of the year 1829, he came to Knox county, where some months afterwards he received a call from the church at Martinsburgh. He continued to be the faithful and honored pastor of the church until the eighteenth of October, 1867, when he resigned his pastoral charge on account of increasing years and failing health. His death occurred at Martinsburgh, February 17, 1872. The services connected with his funeral were held in the Presbyterian church, March zoth, and an unusually tions from Knox and Licking counties were present to pay their last tribute of respect to the loved and honored dead. Rev. N. C. Helfridge and Rev. Mr. Walkinshaw were the successors of Rev. Mr. Hervey. The present officers of the church are Elders John Lyon, Smiley Boyd and William Freece; Deacons Isaac Simpson, John McWilliams, William Gilmore, Johnson Sims, and Thomas Stevenson; Trustees William Boyd, Isaac Simpson, and William Gilmore. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Porter who is also superintendent of the Sunday-school.

The Baptists organized a church May 14, 1846, with a membership of twelve, viz: Elias Hardman, Jackson Clutter, Michael Cline, Joshua Conway, Nancy Hardman, Sarah Clutter, Jane Conway, Susan Perrick, Elizabeth Barkalow, Nancy Watson, Susan Cline and Eliza Waldron. Elias Hardman was the first clerk, and Michael Cline the first deacon. Rev. D. D. Walden was the first pastor, who was succeeded by Reverends Amos Pratt, Mr. Northrop, N. Martin, R. Lockhart, S. West, J. G. Tunnison, D. B. Sims, C. King, S. Yarnall, A. J. Wiant and S. Yarnell. who is the present pastor. The church is now enjoying a good measure of prosperity.

The Disciples, though not as early in the field as the other denominations, are quite prosperous. They organized a church June 19, 1876. Nathan Veach, H. C. Dicus and W. J. Denton were the first trustees, J. B. Wilson treasurer. Rev. James E. Harris was the first pastor. His successors were Elders Lyman P. Streeter, S. M. Cook and Philo Ingraham. There isa flourishing Sunday school in connection with this church.

The Methodists have not been as prosperous here as the other churches. Their ministers commenced to labor here in early times, and the denomination erected a large and substantial church building many years ago. At the present date the society is very small, and as the official records of the church cannot be found, its early history cannot be given in this chapter.

The Free Presbyterians organized a society some time during the period of the great anti-slavery excitement, which swept over the entire north. They were seceders from the Old School Presbyterian church of Martinsburgh. Quite a large number of the members of the church, who were the most bitterly opposed to slavery, seceded from the church and organized an anti-slavery society under the name of The Free Presbyterian church. They had a moderate degree of prosperity for some years when the church ceased to exist, the majority of the members returning to their former societies. All of the churches mentioned have neat and commodious buildings.

The village has been a sufferer by two fires, the first occurring June 21, 1850, and the second in February 1854. In both cases business blocks were consumed, and the village has never fully recovered from the effects of the loss. But a small amount of business is now done in Martinsburgh, in comparison with that of fifty years ago. The village was incorporated some years since. R. H. Morgan is mayor at this date.

A small portion of the village of Bladensburgh is in Clay towhship, but as that village is fully described in the history of Jackson township, it need not be repeated here.