Franklin Township

Franklin Township

1826 - Trustees, John Lindsey, William Brown and Uriah Springer; Clerk, H. Lindsey; Lister, H. Lindsey; Constables, James Lindsey, E. C. Sellenberger and James Prickett; Overseers of Poor, E. Roddy and Seth Flowers; Supervisors, James Prickett, Sr., Michael Pindell, Davis Pindell, Hiram Higgins, Silas Abbott, Enoch Laycock, John Rich, John T. Wills, Ezra Pool and Jacob Kratzer; Fence Viewers, John Clark and Dudley Prickett.

1827 - - Trustees, Uriah Springer, Lawrence Rose and William Brown; Constables, James Robins, James Lindsey and Thomas Grogan; Clerk, H. Lindsey; Treasurer, Joseph Rich; Supervisors, J. Pitzer, L. Remely, T. Silman, D. Reynolds, J. Woods, D. Newman, J. Carbery, R. Bunner and D. Johns; Overseers of Poor, P. Lindsey and Martin Gatts.

1828 - Trustees, John Lindsey, U. Springer and E. C. Sellenberger; Constables, Henry Straight, T. Silman and James McFadden; Treasurer, Nicholas Smith; Overseers of Poor, Martin Gatts and Everett D. Smith; Fence Viewers, Josiah Carbery and S. Pindell; Supervisors, John Forsythe, D. D. Brown, John T. Wills, John Fields, Asahel Lucas, Silas Abbott and Henry Young.

1829 - Trustees, John Lindsey, Uriah Springer and William Brown; Clerk, Michael Pindell; Treasurer, Benjamin Hays; Supervisors, Josiah Lucas, Samuel Pindell, Enoch Laycock, Thomas Pindell, Jr., Ferrel Dunn, John Lafabre, Joseph Abbott and James Gilman; Fence Viewers, Augustus Straight and Williaw Evans; Overseers of Poor, James Ball and Phillip Lindsey; Treasurer, Terry Womacks.

1830 - Trustees, Uriah Springer, John Lindsey and Terry Womacks; Clerk, Greer Abbott; Constables, Henry Straight and Isaiah Lucas; Overseers of Poor, Uriah Springer and John Brown; Supervisors, John Brady, V.. D. Carbery, David M. Pindell, Henry Young, Ferrel Dunn, Richard Brown, William Masterson and Peter Runyon; Treasurer, Gabriel Pindell; Fence Viewers, Henry Straight and Silas Abbott.

1831 - Trustees, Terry Womacks, Uriah Springer and John Lindsey; Clerk, Greer Abbott; Constables, Thompson Lindsey and Isaiah Carbery; Overseers of Poor, Basil McLefresh and John Lafabre; Supervisors, Robert Morrow, Robert Elder, Eli Hewitt, George Reynolds, David Rogers, Augustus Straight, Joseph Long and James Ball; Treasurer, Gabriel Pindell.

1832 - Trustees, John Lindsey, Terry Womacks and Uriah Springer; Clerk, Samuel Work; Constables, Thomas Lindsey and Lemuel Rachford; Treasurer, Gabriel Pindell; Supervisors, Basil McLefresh, Charles Abbott, Asahel Lucas, Issac Bunner, James Pindell, Uriah Springer, V. D. Carbery and Terry Womacks; Overseers of Poor, John Bunner and David Newman; Fence Viewers, John Lafabre, David Rogers and Nathaniel C. Heaton.

The dates of Commissions of Justices of the Peace for Franklin Township for the above time are as follows: Uriah Springer, May 13, 1822; John Lindsey, January 13 1823; Joseph Newman, January 13, 1823: Uriah Springer, April 20, 1825; Lawrence Rose, January 7, 1826; John Lindsey, January 7, 1826; Ma^in Gatts, January 14, 1828; John Lindsey, January 12, 1829; John Lindsey, December 31, 1831; Uriah Springer, April 13, 1832. This is the last record of this kind until 1853, and, with the exception of Township Clerk, we find no record of the officers until 1858.

1868 - Trustees, M. A. Courts, A. J. Jacobs and Job Inskeep; Clerk, G. C. Reisinger; Treasurer, Joseph List; Assessor, Enoch E. Roney; Constable, Valentine Kaufman; Supervisors, Joseph Schatzman, G. W. Hanselman, A. J. Jacobs, A. Lucas, Adam Bauer, Phillip Kautz and Isaac Waters.

1869 - Trustees, M. A. Courts, Joseph Schatzman and Huston Rhoten; Treasurer, Joseph List; Assessor, E. E. Roney; Constable, J. W. Morrow; Clerk, G. C. Reisinger; Supervisors, Reason Schatzman, G. W. West, A. Shaw, L. Bier, W. A. Waterman, Jacob Weber, C. Arn, Phillip Kautz and Isaac VTaters.

1871 - Trustees, M. A. Courts, Huston Rhoten and Joseph Schatzman: Treasurer, Peter Bohrer; Clerk, G. C. Reisinger; Assessor, M. G. Ziegler; Constable, J. W. Morrow; Supervisors, A. Shaub, Phillip Dunn, Ed Inskeep, C. Sullivan, Charles Elschlager, John WTeisbradt, Jacob Bohrer, John Davis and H. A. Palmer.

1872 - Trustees, M. A. Courts, Huston Rhoten and Joseph Schatzman; Treasurer, Peter Bohrer; Clerk, G. C. Reisinger; Assessor, M. G. Ziegler; Constable, Stephen Myers; Supervisors, Stephen Myers, L. M. Wolcott, S. P. Berry, Harvey Wills, Henry Weber, A. Wells, A. Bauer, William Shaub and C. Keller.

Politically, Franklin Township is strongly Democratic, but in local elections there is no party spirit manifested; but in county, State and Presidential elections, although the people are strictly divided by party lines, good feeling and harmony generally prevail. Some of the votes cast in the township have been as follows:

Population

The census returns show that Franklin Township had a less number of inhabitants in 1880 than in 1870, as follows: Population in 1870, 1,225; in

PIKE contains about twenty three square miles, or 14,720 acres; its extreme length from east to west is eight and three-quarter miles; extreme width, about three and one- fourth miles. It is in the western part of the county, occupying the middle position in the western tier of townships. It is bounded on the north by Sterling and Green Townships and Highland County, on the east by Washington and Scott, on the south by Scott and Clark, on the west by Clermont County. The boundary lines were established in 1823, the survey being made by John McBeth. This was originally a part of Clark Township. Its topography is not very marked, as the land is mostly level or rolling. White Oak Creek on the eastern boundary causes some brQken land in that portion, and Sterling Creek, crossing the township from north to south, a short distance east of the center, is bounded by low hills; some slight depressions are in the western part, through which small streams take their meandering courses.

Agriculture and stock-raising are the chief pursuits of the people; wool growing receives considerable attention. The principal agricultural products are wheat, rye, corn, oats, potatoes and tobacco. Many varieties of timber which have been planted by nature grow on our soil, the principal of which are oaks, beech, maple, elm, ash, gum, dogwood, locust and hickory.

The township is drained by the branches of White Oak Creek and the East Fork of the Little Miami Eiver. Although the locality is not adapted to fruitgrowing to any desirable extent, yet enough is generally gathered to supply the home demand.

Less than half a century ago, most of Pike Township was a dense wilderness; blazed roads and bridle paths constituted the principal thoroughfares for public travel; churches, commodious school buildings, cozy dwellings, roomy barns and easy vehicles were only pictured in the fancy of the sturdy pioneers of the forest; but subsequent energy and perseverance have caused the forests to give way to beautiful meadows, vast fields of growing grain and rich pasturage. The rude huts have given place to more comfortable dwellings and spa cious barns. Temples have taken the place of private dwellings for religious homage; the old-time log schoolhouses, with slab benches without backs or desks, have ceased to be the dread of the youthful mind in his intellectual pursuits; the meandering tracks without their guides, and with but few evidences of civilization, have been straightened and improved until we have a system of roads over which a traveler may pass with the satisfaction of knowing from whence he came and whither he is going.

A large portion of this section of the county is almost level, and before the forests were broken the land was covered with water almost the year round, but the ever patient and persevering tiller of the soil has demonstrated the fact that this element cannot stop the wheels of agricultural development. In early times, this level portion was considered as almost worthless property, but since the clearing and draining of the land has been accomplished to a great extent, this has proved one of the most productive portions of the township. Many of the water courses have been enlarged by the regulation of the ditch law, and improvement in this line is still going on, and in time the swampy section will have a network of ditches which will carry away the surplus water before it can have time to damage the crops. One of the first and most noted drains thus established and improved is that known as the head- waters of one of the branches of Clover Creek.

The spirit of improving the public highways still moves on. In the summer of 1881, the citizens near the central part of the township improved the road, beginning at the top of the hill south of the residence of James Blair, and completing to the bridge across Sterling Creek at Blair's Crossing. This was done by grading the road, bridging and covering with gravel, and is said to be one of the best jobs of public road improvements by individual donations in the county. The Mount Orab & Georgetown Free Turnpike passes from north to south through the township, and was built in 1867-68 on the twomile system. Artus Pepper, who lived on the road at that time, was the principal contractor.

Through the northeastern part of the township passes the Cincinnati & Eastern Railway. The only mill built in the township was erected by Christian Drum in 1856, in the hamlet now known as Gorgonia. The chief articles of commerce manufactured and sold at this mill were lumber and chair material. It has ceased to be used as a mill, the machinery being out of order and the building being old and almost ready to fall.

New Harmony, a small village in the northwestern part of the township, was laid out by E. B. Whorton in 1847, and probably at this day the population does not exceed 100 persons. David Wade kept a store here in 1848. Delos Laughlan was engaged in store business in 1850; after Laughlan, Luther Lyons and Test & Heming were in the goods business; later, Colthar & Long; McLain & Reynolds succeeded by Calvin Owens. Louis Thompson is at present in the mercantile business in the place; also small grocery stores by Maggie Thompson and Daniel Frazee. Jared E. Winter and Daniel Long are blacksmiths at this point.

Locust Ridge, another hamlet containing probably less than threescore inhabitants, is located to the southwestern part of the township. The first buildings were erected in the place probably in 1835. Adam Earheart was among the first who was in the mercantile business at this point. Henry H. Jones was for twenty years in the goods business here. Andrew Earheart was also in business here for several years previous to his death in 1860. Alonzo Earheart sold goods here for several years. The only merchants of the place at the present time are Jones & Vaughan, partners in general store. Dr. W. H. Langstaff lives at this place, and is the only physician living in the township. The blacksmiths are Charles M. Zollers and Robert Duncanson; boot and shoe manufacturer, John Vandelph; marble works, Charles Hancock.

Surryville consists of a store and post office, kept by C. C. Donley; blacksmith and repair shops of Wilber O. Robinson; church, school building and a few dwellings.

White Oak, a station on the Cincinnati & Eastern Railway, consists of a store and post office, kept by Perry Hoss; blacksmith shop by Mr. Stump, and several dwellings.

Early Settlers

Henry Moyer, Sr., born in 1767, came to Brown County, Ohio, in the year 1816; lived on the land now owned by his sons and heirs in the western part of the township, near Locust Ridge, making that his residence until his death in 1829, aged sixty-two years. Henry was father of John and George F. Moyer, pioneer boys of the township whose names appear further on. He was a native of Chester County, Penn. The father of Henry came with him to Ohio; died in earlier days, and of his history not much can be gathered except he was a native of Germany.

Thomas Foster came to the township prior tu the arrival of Henry Moyer and lived at that time on the farm which is now occupied by Wesley Thompson; he died in Williamsburg, Clermont Co., Ohio, about 1878.

William Thompson came from Greenbrier County, Va., in pioneer days, and settled on the farm now owned by Elijah McGohan. William was the father of Alexander, Isaac, James, John, William, Andrew and Felix, who were well known by many of the present citizens of Brown County as worthy and good men.

Charles Hunt was among the earliest who sought the unbroken forests of this part of the State. Of him, tradition can give but little account, as none of his posterity are here to give us the genealogy of the Hunt family. He lived on the farm now owned and occupied by George F. Moyer.

Jonathan Hunt was among the first comers to this section, and located on the farm which is now the home of Adam Earhart. His history, like that of Charles Hunt, is obscured in the mist of the past.

Jasper Shotwell flourished in the days in which it tried men's hearts to cope with the inhabitants of the dense forests, and resided subsequent to the settlement of Charles Hunt on the Moyer farm.

George F. Moyer, one of the eldest pioneers now living in the township, was born in Chester County, Penn., January 10, 1810; came with his father, Henry, and settled on the Moyer land, and has been a resident of the township ever since. He recollects distinctly the howl of the wolf, the wail of the wild cat, the fleet-footed deer and flocks of wild turkeys. He used to attend the musters of militia on the Allen farm (now Blair's farm).

John Moyer, born in Chester County, Penn., June 24, 1805, came to Ohio with his father, Henry, in 1816, and was a resident until his death, which occurred in 1880. His son, William H. Moyer, is a citizen of the township at this time.

Elijah Winter was born in Virginia in 1798, came here in 1817, and first lived in the vicinity of Locust Ridge, but during the latter part of his life, lived on the land now owned by Henry Seirs, near the New Harmony Cemetery; he died in 1844. Jared, James and William, sons of Elijah, have long been residents of the township. James died on his farm in 1876. The estate after his death was purchased by W. H. Holmes, of Maysville, Ky., and is now the home of his family. Jared and William are still living here, the latter a farmer by occupation, and the former a blacksmith, residing in New Harmony. During the^ear 1869, he was subjected to the misfortune of losing his dwelling and its contents by fire.

John Earhart, born October 11, 1777, in the State of Pennsylvania, came here in the spring of 1815, and purchased the farm on which he ever afterward lived, located southwest of Lccust Ridge, now the property of George F. Moyer, and present residence of Lydia Thompson. Although he spent much of his time on his farm tilling the soil, he was a cooper by trade, and timber being plenty and of little value until manufactured into implements of utility, the profits of his labor were such as to enable him to live comfortably and happily. He died in February, 1851, and was laid to rest in the little family graveyard on the farm. His sons - Adam, David, John and William - are still living, Adam and William being present residents of the township. The former was born in

Lancaster County, Penn. ; came with his father to Ohio when a boy not ye? four years old, and lived at home until he married and moved on the farm on which he qow lives; he also purchased part of the homestead of his father, which joined his first purchase. He is in his seventy-first year, and has always made farming his occupation. William was born five years after his father settled at the old home He, like his father, is a cooper, but does not work much at his trade of late.

Vincent Applegate was born in Mason County, Ky., in 1795; came here in 1836, and settled on the land now in possession of his heirs on the Williamsburg & New Hope road. He was among the first settlers in that portion of the township, and one who had a full realization of the inconveniences and disadvantages of settling in the woods, and having to clear and improve his lands, and at the same time provide a competence for a large family. - He served as Justice of the Peace six years. His wife, originally Anna Lemon, whom he married in 1824, was a native of Maryland, born in 1808. Vincent died in the fall of 1869; Anna survived him twelve years, and died in the spring of 1881 at the old home. They had four sons and three daughters, namely, Milton, Frank, Mahlon, Newton, Amanda, Cordelia and Eliza. Eliza, Cordelia and Milton are dead; the rest, though living, are non residents.

John Allen was probably the first man who settled in the eastern part of the township. He located on the farm now in the possession of Jerome Allen in 1810; was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., October 15, 1785. He was Colonel of the militia, which mustered on his farm in pioneer days. He lived in the township several years; the latter part of his life he spent in Georgetown, Ohio, where he died in 1879. He served in the capacity of Justice of the Peace for several years. He had three sons and four daughters - Sanford (who was probably the first white person born in the township), William, John, Eliza, Melinda, Khoda and Nancy.

Vincent Brown was born in Kentucky in 1786; came to this township in 1801, and was married soon after his arrival here to Martha Ann Allen, thus being the first marriage ceremony performed in the township. He resided for a number of years on the old Brown homestead, now in possession of the heirs of Elliott Brown, prior to his death, January 7, 1853. Martha A., wife of Vincent Brown, was born in Kentucky in 1793, and died at the old homestead October 17, 1857.

James Young, born in 1811 in Bracken County, Ky., settled in 1856 on the land now occupied by his heirs in the southeastern part of the township; he was a lawyer by profession. Mary Young, wife of James, and daughter of Vincent Brown, was born in this township April 6, 1814, and is still living on the home property.

John B. Stump, born in 1796 in Hampshire County, W. Va., came here in 1828, and settled in the eastern part of the township on the farm now occupied by his son James, and lived there until his death in September, 1877. Mary C., his wife, is still living at the old home.

Joseph Keethler, born in October, 1780, was a native of the glades of Pennsylvania; came to Brown County, Ohio, in 1810, and located on the farm which was long the home of Christopher Day, Sr., and remained there about ten years, removing thence to Green Township, where he died.

James Brown, a native of Kentucky, born in 1795, came to this township in 1812; was married in 1814, and built a cabin on the land where George W. Watson now lives, and began to clear away the timber in order that the arrows from the eternal quiver of the sun might smite the earth and cause vegetation to spring forth for his subsistence. He lived in the township until 1855, when his career ended, and his remains were deposited in the Hendrickson Grave- yard. His wife, Mary, in her eighty -fifth year, still, lives in the township with her daughter, Maria Higgins, and is the oldest of the early pioneers of the central part of the township who are now living. Well can she recollect when the wolves and bears and deer were as plentiful throughout the township as the timid hare which gambols over the meadows now.

Henry Gates was the first who settled where James Liming now lives, and out of a family of ten, six died in 1848 with the cholera, three of whom lay dead in the house at the same time.

Nicholas Peddicord first settled on' the land where Reuben Wilson now lives, and was for several years thereafter a resident of the township.

Isaiah Wells, born in Wales in 1777, came to Pike Township in 1826, and built him a cabin on the land be purchased near New Harmony. The house stood on the land now owned by John Simpkins. He, like the other early settlers, located in the timber, and began to clear off the land, on the products of which he depended for subsistence. He continued a laborer on his farm until 1842, when he departed this life, and was taken to his last resting place in the New Harmony Cemetery. His sons, James and Daniel, came with their father, and the latter is still living on part of the old homestead, and drinking in the quiet enjoyment of rural life; he is now in his sixty-seventh year.

During the same year came Daniel Newberry, who purchased a farm on the New Harmony & Williamsburg road, on which he built a cabin, and commenced to exercise his strength and ingenuity by making less forest in the vicinity of his new home. He labored on his farm during the summer, and in the winter season was employed in going from house to house making shoes for the different families in the neighborhood. He continued to perform the dutiesdevolving upon him until the year 1851, when he died from the effects of a stroke of paralysis at the age of eighty-five. Smallwood, son of Daniel Newberry, is still living on the old home place, and, although seventy- one years of age, he is still engaged in tilling the soil.

William Lewis K inner was born August 14, 1759, in Westmoreland County, Ya. ; his real name was William Lewis, but at the age of six years he was kidnaped while playing near the coast, and carried away by a seaman. He was taught by his new friend, whose name was Banner, to call himself William L. Kinner, which name he adopted. He was married to Nancy Becham in 1784, and emigrated to Adams County, Ohio, in 1796; thence to Ross County in 1800; from there to Clermont County, and finally to Brown County on the 23d day of February, 1815. He settled on the farm now owned by Elizabeth Strain, and there lived until his death, which was only a few years later.

Richard L. Kinner, son of W. L. Kinner, was born in Highland County, Ohio, December 23, 1805; came with his father in 1815 to Brown County, and has lived in sight of the place where his father first settled ever since. Although in his seventy-seventh year, he has a very correct recollection of the early events of his life.

James Hughs, a native of England, settled near Augusta, Ky., but soon left the State and came to Ohio. He married Sarah Cochran in 1819, and in 1823 purchased the farm on which William Hancock now lives, near the Pleasant Hill Schoolhouse, and there resided until his death in 1856.

William Hughs, son of James Hughs, born in 1822, came with his father, and has lived in the township ever since; now lives on his farm near where his father died.

James D. Higgins was among the earlier settlers, having come to the township in 1818. He taught a school the first year he was here on the Allen farm. He was a native of North Carolina, and was married in 1822 to Nancy Fiscus. He settled on the farm now the property of Elizabeth Strain; died in 1837, and his remains were interred in the old Allen Graveyard, on the land now owned by Charlotte Carr. Nancy survived him many years, and died in 1877. They had nine children - Robert, Mary, Dow, Sarah, William, Andrew, Nancy, John and James, all of whom are still living, five being residents of the township.

James Allen was born October 20, 1806, in Pennsylvania; was married in 1827; came to this township in 1837, and settled on the farm which is now the property of his son Jerome. He served for sixteen years as Justice of the Peace; died on his farm in 1858, and was buried in the Hendrickson grounds in Scott Township. The children of James were Milton, Martha, Robert, one child which died in infancy and Jerome.

John Allen, Jr., lived in the township several years from 1830; settled on the land now the property of Robert Boyd (part of the Blair farm)

Smith J. Cowdrey, a native of Connecticut, was among the first settlers in the northwestern part of the township. He was born in 1785; went from his native State to New York; thenc9 to Indiana; from there to Kentucky, where he was married in 1817 to Mary Brush (originally Beatty), and during the same year came to Pike Township, and settled on the farm now owned by Matthew Dyer. He lived in the township most of the time thereafter until his death; he died in 1860 at the age of seventy-five, and he was taken to his final resting-place near New Harmony. Although twenty-two years have elapsed since Mr. Cowdrey's death, his wife is still living among her children here; she is now in her ninety-second year, but has a vigorous mind and good recollection of early events. Her first rememberance of Ohio was when she was but four years old, living with her uncle, Gen. Lytle, where Williamsburg now stands, in Clermont County. In the year 1795, one Snider killed an Indian belonging to one of the neighboring tribes. The red men sought revenge, and came to the settlement, which stood on the present town plat of Williamsburg, and made known their intentions to have the scalp of the pale face who did the deed or spare none; but L}dle, fully awake to the value of strategy, so common to frontier life, gave them a feast of good things, many presents, and promised that the life of the offender should pay the forfeit, which quieted the savages, and they returned to their wigwams without further hostile demonstrations. William, James, Clara (now Brooks), Joseph, Achsah, Mary and Olive are the children of Smith and Mary Cowdrey; the first three are residents. The third and fourth generations being very numerous, give them a large posterity among us.

Daniel Kain is reputed to have been the first white man who settled in the western part of the township, none of whose posterity are here to narrate anything interesting concerning him and his pioneer home, only that he was a settler on the land now in possession of W. H. Holmes, adjoining New Harmony, and came here about 1811 or 1812.

Thomas E. McLain came here as early as 1834, and purchased the land now belonging to David Wilson in the northern part of the township. He was born in the county on the old homestead in Sterling Township, which is now the property of his brother, Archibald, and was married in 1833 to Mary

William P. Taylor, a native of Ireland, was born in 1808; came to Pike Township in 1845, and settled on the farm now owned by Daniel Long, after which he purchased the farm now owned by John Day. He was a cooper and manufacturer of chair stuff in connection with farming. He died in 1855 at his last-mentioned home, and was laid to rest in the burial-grounds at New Harmony. There were four sons and two daughters - Robert, John, James, William, Mary and Sarah. Robert only is a present resident.

In 1845, Reuben Wilson, Sr., came, and purchased a farm and built a house thereon in the midst of the thick forest. The house which he built is now the home of Elizabeth Buchanan. He was a native of Vermont; was born in 1795, and lived in the township until 1848, in which year he died of the cholera.

Samuel Wardlow was one of the early settlers in the eastern part of the township, when all the modes of egress and ingress were to follow blazed roads through the woods for miles. He, like most of the other pioneers, lives no more to watch the march of civilization and improvement.

Isaac Penny was among the early settlers, and was the first person who lived on the farm where Lafayette now lives. He has been dead several years.

David H. Carpenter, born in Highland County, Ohio, in 1816, settled on the farm on which he now lives in 1847, on the Georgetown & Mount Orab pike.

Daniel Keethler, born in the township August 24, 1812, has always lived here, and now resides on his farm in the northern part of the township. He at present keeps his bed, being the victim of a stroke of paralysis.

James D. Day, born January 11, 1818, on Straight Creek, Brown Co., Ohio, came with his father and setlted in this township in 1824, and has since resided here. By occupation he is a farmer and stone mason.

James Fry, Sr., was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in October, 1806; came from there to Clermont County, Ohio, in 1812, and from thence to Pike Township, locating on his present farm in 1848.

Alexander Holten, a native of Virginia, came in 1812, and located on the land now the property of Robert Boyd, where the old orchard used to stand, being part of the old Blair farm.

Tradition gives John Srofeand Joshua Archer the praise of being the first whose voices were heard proclaiming " the glad tidings of great joy " to the hardy pioneers of the eastern part of Pike Township. They held services at private houses along Sterling Creek, and the first house built exclusively for religious exercises was erected on the land now owned by William Hughs, south of his residence and west of the county road. Those who worshiped here were of the New Light persuasion. Peter Shick, Sr., and George Vandament were the pastors in those days.

Otho Parrell, a minister in the Christian Church, was among the early expounders of the Scriptures; he left the township and moved to Illinois in 1858.

In 1827, services were held at the residence of Isaiah Wells, near New Harmony. Hector Sanford was the first preacher in that locality, and a Methodist Protestant in belief. David Hannah and Sanford Evans were among the pioneer preachers in the northwestern part of the township, and the first church built in that section was on the land now belonging to Caroline Long. It was known as the Providence Meeting-House, and was built by the Methodist Episcopal Church organization in 1841. In 1846, a frame church was built in the graveyard by the Methodist Protestant society. Jonathan Flood preached the dedicatory sermon. The members of the original society were Isaiah Wells, Joseph Brower, James Wells, Elias Newberry, Daniel Wells, John Philipps, William Taylor, Smith J. Cowdrey and the wife of each.

Shiloh Methodist Episcopal Church Society was organized in 1853 by Revs. Bennett and Gossard, and held its meetings first in a cabin which stood near the present residence of Eliza Rush; during the next year, a schoolhouse being built on the present site, the society was permitted to use that and the subsequent building until 1877, when the Shiloh Chapel was erected, and the organization with its paraphernalia moved to a more spacious and lasting home. Shiloh Chapel was built at a cost of $1,400, Joseph Doughty having the contract.

The only pioneer members still connected with the society are Elizabeth J. Donley and Sarah Stuart (now Ogden), the rest having either withdrawn, moved away or died. The ministers who have had charge of the flock at this point are Revs. Wheat, Wolf, Philipps, Morrow, Middleton, Bodkin, Zink, Schultz, Green, Jackson, Armstrong, James, Head, Calhoon, Stokes, Callender, Goudey, Boltin, Nine, Gregg, Smith, Euel, Boyer, Eastman, Ross, McColm, McLaughlan, Edmondson and Fee.

The first school taught in the township was by James Higgins in 1818, on the farm of Jerome W. Allen (present possessor), between where his residence stands and Sterling Creek. The pupils of that school were Sanford Allen, Rhoda Allen, Malinda Allen (children of John), Nancy, Andrew and Thomas Fiscus (children of John Fiscus), Mary and Rhoda Brown (daughters of Vincent), William and Louis Keethler (sons of Joseph). The next was taught in a schoolhouse on the same farm, north of his residence, in 1820; the next in a cabin on the land now belonging to Robert Higgins, in the field opposite the residence of Chambers Brown, in 1821.

The first school taught in the vicinity of Locust Ridge was kept in a vacant cabin on the Jasper Shotwell farm by John Dooly; the first building erected exclusively for school purposes was on the farm of Theodore Knabe. Subsequent to that was a frame building on the old site, opposite the present one; afterward two brick buildings were erected on the same grounds at different times, and when in time it became necessary to change to a new site, on account of the unfitness of the old one, the present building was erected south of the old one on the land purchased of Adam Earhart.

In 1834, Thomas Anderson taught a school in a house which stood on the land where Robert Taylor now lives, back from the road in what was then a hazel thicket. This seems to have been the first school taught in the New Harmony District. Subsequent to this, school was kept in the old Providence Church, and in 1842 a log building was erected on a site purchased off the Bolar farm near the residence of Daniel Wells. In 1865, a frame building was erected on the same site, and in 1881 a lot was purchased in town, and the present building erected.

Cade McGouldric was the first who taught in the Shiloh District. The session was held in an old log schoolhouse which stood on the land now owned by James W. Donley, in the year 1846. Io 1853, J. W. Donley deeded to the district a site off the southeast corner of his land, to be held as long as it is used for schoolhouse lot, and the second building was erected thereon, and in 1866 the present house was built on the same ground.

The first school building in the district, known as Areopagus, stood on the land belonging to the heirs of Martin Bavis, a few rods east of where the present house stands; the building, like the rest of those built in pioneers days, was a log structure. Fairview District originally used a log building, which stood south of the present one, near Shawnee Run.

The first School Board in the township met April 18, 1853, at the Pleasant Hill Schoolhouse. Elliott Brown was elected Chairman, and William Neff, Clerk. The other members were Nelson Applegate, John B. Stump, Gideon Lowe, William Sammons, James W. Donley and James M. Winter.

The resident teachers of the township are Joseph Young, Absalom B. Brooks, Nannie Donley, Y. B. Young, Rufus Johnson, Harvey Hoss and Charles C. Donley.

Secret Societies

Lodge No. 618, I. O. O. F ., at Locust Ridge, was established August 5, 1875. The Noble Grand who first presided was John W. McMahan; charter members, J. W. McMahan, Samuel S. Brooks, Samuel J. Meeker, Charles M. Zollers, Dr. W. H. Langstaff, William H. Jones, J. H. Campbell, Benjamin F. Applegate, Charles Ousler, Edward Duncanson, Absalom B. Brooks and William S. Emmons. Lodge rooms in second story over Jones & Vaughn's store.

New Harmony Lodge No. 435, F. & A. M., was established October 20, 1869, in the town of New Harmony, H. S. Reynolds, First Master; charter members, H. S. Reynolds, G. Patton, D. C. Wells, James W. Winter, J. E. Winter, D. Wilson, L. T. Mattox, W. A. Colthar, William Sammons, L. T. Earhart, W. T. Winter. Lodge room second story over Louis Thompson's store.

Pike Grange, No. 448, was organized in 1874, First Master, Robert Duncanson. The charter members were Robert Duncanson, Sylvanus and Ellen Patten, William and Levanche Chatterton, Clay and Ellen Patton, Newton and Marinda Jacobs, James and Lorinda Cowdrey, Alexander and Martha Henning, Shannon and Nancy Alexander, John and Alonzo Colthar, William Ogden, William Mayer, George Earhart and David Wilson. Sessions are held in the school building in Subdistrict No. 5.

Post Offices

Pike Township contains four post offices. New Harmony, the oldest, was established in 1850. Mails were carried from Williamsburg, in Clermont County, to this place. The first Postmaster was Delos Laughlin, and in 1856 the route was extended through Locust Ridge and Clover Valley to New Hope, Locust Ridge being the second in order established, and H. H. Jones being the first Postmaster at that place. The other two points, one in Clark, the other in Scott Township, did not long continue on the route, after which Locust Ridge became the terminus until 1874, when the route was again extended to Surryville, William Surry being the first Postmaster at that point.

White Oak, on the Cincinnati & Eastern Railway, was the fourth and last, established in 1878, in the extreme northeastern part of the township, George Dunn having charge thereof. Originally the route to Locust Ridge from Williamsburg had only a weekly mail, then in time two mails, on Tuesdays and Fridays, and in 1880 changed to three mails each week - Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. White Oak has a daily mail.

New Harmony Cemetery contained originally one acre, deeded in 1845 to the Protestant Church, and one-half an acre was added in 1866. This continued in the possession of the church until 1880, when it was deeded to the Trustees of the township, who purchased two acres more, making three and one-half acres. The first who was laid to rest here was a small child of James Wells, in 1882.

Justices Of The Peace

The docket of John Allen (Uncle Jack) is the earliest record preserved relative to the office of Justice of the Peace. On this docket are transcripts (in 1824) of cases from the dockets of Francis Meyers and William White, late Justices, showing that Meyers and White, if they are of the township, were the earliest we have any exact account of in this capacity. On Allen's docket is a transcript from the docket of James D. Higgins in 1828, showing him to have been in office prior to that time. Allen held the office for several terms, probably until 1888. Nicholas Srofe held the office from 1838 to 1844; Samuel Wardlow, from 1842 to 1848; William Thompson, from 1842 to 1845; James Allen, from 1843 to 1858; Adam Earhart, from 1845 to 1851; John B. Stump, from 1851 to 1$60; Jared E. Winter, from 1854 to 1857; F. B. Goll, from 1858 to 1861; V. C. Brown, from 1858 to 1861; Vincent Apple? gate, six years, dates not of record; also Isaac Dean, whose record we have not; James L. Irvin, from 1861 to 1866; Abraham BoJer, from 1861 to 1864; Thomas E. McLain, from 1862 part of term, died in office; J. E. Derril, from 1867 to 1870; Henry H. Jones, from 1864 to 1879; Robert A. Higgins, from 1870 to 1879; F. S. Stevens, from 1879 to 1882. V. C. Brown, elected in 1879, one of the present Justices; Absalom B. Brooks, elected in 1882, one of the present Justices.

Soldiers Of The Late War

During the civil war which agitated our nation from 1861 to 1865, our citizens responded to the calls of the Government promptly, leaving their homes in squads, hastening to the scene of action until the last year of the rebellion, when there were less than half a dozen men subject to military duty remaining on their farms. Their wives and children had to take their places on the farms, feeling that the cause for which the husband and father fought was as sacred as their homes. The hard-fought battles of Shiloh, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Stone River, Murfreesboro, Vicksburg, the siege of Corinth, Chickamauga, Franklin and Nashville and many others found them contending with the foe, and protecting the tattered banners which represented the principles for which our Revolutionary fathers had pledged their lives, their property and their sacred honor. Andersonville, Belle Isle, Camp Ford and other prison pens of the South were not without the presence of some of our brave and true. Sherman was not without some of them in his famous " march to the sea." And when the contest was over, and the returning braves came marching home, comrades there were who with them went, but homeward with them never came. They had sealed the pledge of eternal fidelity by sacrificing their lives to protect their country's honor.

Warren Carr, Company I, Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; served three months; also Company A, Fifth Ohio Veteran Volunteer service, two years and ten months.

Capt. William H. Langstaff, commissioned Second Lieutenant of Company - , One Hundred and Seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, September 1, 1864, by John Brough, Governor of Ohio; October 10, 1864, commissioned First Lieutenant of Company E, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and on June 1, 1865, by request of his company, and meritorious conduct at the battle of Franklin and during the Hood campaign, was promoted to Captain of his company.

Frederic S. Stevens, private in Company E, Twenty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, served four months; also Company I, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry three years, and was veteranized; was a prisoner six months and fifteen days at Camp Ford, Tex. ; rank, Sergeant.

Charles W. Hancock, Company B, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; served three months ; and Company L, Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; eighteen months, a private; also One Hundred and Fifty- third Ohio National Guards, 100 days; Corporal.

William H. Moyer, Company F, Seventh Ohio National Guards; served 100 days; rank, a private. Also Company A, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; time of service, nine months; rank, Sergeant.

Lafayette Penny, Company E, Eleventh Independent Volunteer Infantry; rank, a private; served throe years; lost a limb in a skirmish at New Middleton, Tenn.

Granville Patten, Company B, Forty- eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; served six months, and regiment consolidated with Eighty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he seved six months; whole time, one year; private.

Sylvanus A. Patten, Company B, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; time, one year; last six months served in Eighty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

George W. Richards, Company H, Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; veteranized; time of service, three years and ten' months; high private.

John Robins, Company G, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; a private; served three years, and was a prisoner six months at Camp Ford, Tex.

Perry Hoss, Company G, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; a private; was a prisoner at Cohawba and Selma, Ala., three and onehalf months; time of service, ten months.

Orange D. Louderback, Company I), Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; private; served three years three and one-half months; also in the United States service, Company I, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; time, three months.

Lieut. Levett T. Earhart, Company A, Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; enlisted as a private, and was regularly promoted for good conduct to the rank of First Lieutenant; entire time of service, three years and five months.

Taylor Montgomery, Company B, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; private; was a prisoner, taken in a skirmish near Columbia, Tenn.

Henry J. Long, Corporal, Company I, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; time, one year; also Company A, Thirty-fourth Zouave Ohio Volunteer Infantry; eighteen months; was a prisoner at Andersonville almost a year.

Calvin Meeker, Company D, Seventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; a private; time of service, two years and ten months; was a prisoner at Andersonville two months.

James W. Donley, Company A, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; private under Capt. Johnson; time of service, ten months..

Alonzo Earhart, member of Fourth Independent Cavalry under Capt. Foster; rank, private; time, one year; also Company G, Seventy- eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; a private, and served one year.

David E. White, a Sergeant in Company K, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Infantry under Capt. Sloan; served three years; also was a Sergeant in Company C, Twenty- third Ohio Volunteer Infantry; time of service, one year and two months.

William T. Winter, Company B, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; regiment consolidated into the Eighty- third; served one year; rank, a private.

Abram Winter, Company B, Eighty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; enlisted for three years; died in hospital at Carthage, Tenn., before the completion of the first year's service.

Steven Winter, Company B, Forty- eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was killed at the battle of Shiloh; rank, a private; enlisted for three years.

Andrew J. Thompson, Fourth Independent Cavalry under Capt. Forster; rank, a private; prisoner at Andersonville nine months; served three years. Andrew was the only person present when Gen. McPherson was killed at the battle in front of Atlanta. He (Thompson) was captured here. He is now and has been for nine years Superintendent of the Brown County Infirmary.