Harrison Township

Harrison Township

THIS is a township of very fine farming land, its entire surface being capable of cultivation, and a large portion of it now under a high state of cultivation. It was primarily covered with a dense growth of hard wood timber - oak, beech, sugar, ash, hickory, etc. There was some swamp lands in places, but no prairie, and the pioneers were compelled to cut away the trees to get to their lands, and clear away the timber before they were able to erect their cabins. It is watered principally by South fork and its tributaries. This creek passes across the southern part of the township, its course being generally southeast, from Pataskala to Kirkersville, passing on its way through a small portion of Etna township. Its principal tributary in the township is Grass lick, which rises in the higher lands of the northern part and runs south near the center of the township, entering the main stream near Kirkersville. Grass lick sends out its tributaries at short intervals on its way. Several other small streams and brooks rise in the township and flow southward into South fork. These streams are divided from the tributaries of the Raccoon by an irregular ridge or body of high lands in the northern part of the township. The main tributary of South fork on the south is Bloody run, which corhes in from Fairfield county, running a little west of north and joining South fork at Kirkersville. The National road crosses the small part of the township in which Kirkersville is situated. The Central Ohio railroad passes across the township, near its center, from east to west, nearly in a bee-line, with but one station, Kirkersville, within the township limits.

in the shape and form of human beings to occupy this territory, so far as known. A few evidences of their works yet remain, though disappearing through the operations of time and the plow. Some years after the first settlement of the township two small mounds were plainly visible on what is known as "Refugee road," about half a mile north of Kirkersville. They were probably twenty or thirty feet in diameter at the base and four or five feet in height One of these has entirely disappeared, being plowed down in building the road, but the other is yet visible. There is little doubt that many others existed in this direction, but from one cause or another they have mostly or entirely disappeared.

Indians occupied the territory in limited numbers for hunting, fishing, and trapping, at the date of the first white occupation, but no permanent camp of these sons of the forest was known to have an existence within the township limits. It was an excellent hunting ground for both whites and Indians, the forest being thick with underbrush, forming excellent hiding places for wild animals of every description. The Indians who hunted here were, probably, those who had a permanent camp at Raccoon town, at the headwaters of the Raccoon creek. An Indian trail, not much traveled, passed across the township in a northwesterly direction, along South fork, probably used by the Raccoontown Indians in their

This township was taken from the territory included in Union township, and organized in 1816. In addition to the five miles square, a strip of land two and a half miles long from north to south, and one and a half miles wide was taken from the Refugee tract and added to its southeast corner, giving the township an outlet into Fairfield county. This addition contains the village of Kirkersville on the National road.

The origin of the settlements of Lima and Harrison townships are so nearly contemporary that the history of one is the history of the other. The first settlements made were on the headwaters of the South fork of Licking, near where the village of Pataskala now stands. Mr. Hatfield, in the winter of 1805-6, "slashed" a small piece of ground near W. H. Mead's sheep shed, for browse for his cattle. That spot was never cleared for cultivation, and is now covered with a beautiful grove of timber of second growth. After building his cabin near the line of the railroad where it passes this grove, and remaining a few years, he disappeared from the settlement and nothing further was heard of him.

The next settler was Mr. Henry Drake, who came in 1805, from western Pennsylvania to Lancaster, Ohio, and to Harrison with his young family in 1806, building his cabin on land since owned by the heirs of the late Joseph Baird. Mr. Drake raised quite a large family here.

The next settlers were John Evans, Thomas Geary, John Piatte, and William Craige. Evans built a cabin on the land since owned by Joseph Atkinson; Geary, on land since owned by Abraham Baird; Piatte on land since owned by Abraham Miller, and Craige, on land since owned by Jesse Horn; his cabin being on the southwest field of Mr. Horn's farm.

The children of these settlers attended their first school within the present boundary of Lima township. This first school was taught by Miss Cubberly, in a double log cabin that stood on the ground now occupied by the steam grist-mill, near the village of Pataskala.

by the heirs of William Stone, so early that thei were considered neighbors of those above mes tioned. Esquire Randall performed the first mar riage ceremony in the settlement between Mr Richmond and Miss Cubberly.

In 1814, Philip Wagy moved from FairikX county and bought out John Piatte on the Milk: farm. Mr. Wagy raised a large family, most c: whom were daughters

Joseph Wilcox, from Herkimer county, New York, settled on "Black's" road in 1814, an; raised a family of four sons and two daughter* His nearest neighbor must have been William P. Gibbons, who settled one and a half miles northwest of him, some years earlier, but at what date not known. Mr. Gibbons had been employed b} a large land holder (a Mr. Backus, from Blenner hasset's Island, and an accomplice of Aaron Bur: , as early as 1806-7, to deaden, or girdle, 'the trees on eighteen hundred acres of land. To comper. sate him for his labor he was to receive, and die receive, one hundred acres of land in fee simple The whole of this deadening was in this township.

In 1815 or 1816, according to Colonel J. C Alward's recollection, his father, Samuel Alward. came from New Jersey and settled on the farm where the colonel still resides. Their nearest neighbors at that time were, on the west, Captain John Herron, two and a half miles; east, William Gibbons, the same distance, and northeast, Jtssc Munson, about three miles. Mr. Alward was a! that time about fifty years of age. Being ver> industrious and economical, he succeeded in securing for each of his six sons a landed horoe. He died December 3, 1842, at the age of seventy - five. His wife survived him, and died in 186', aged eighty-six.

In 1816, Mr. Joseph Wells and John Dennison came and settled in the southern part of the township, on lands purchased of Hon. William Sun berry, of Newark. Mr. Dennison remained or. his farm until 1839, when he sold and removed West. Mr. Wells remained on his farm until hideath in 1863, and raised a large family. In 1S10 or 1817, Joseph Pond settled on a farm in the southeast corner of the township.

and 1840 it rapidly filled up. The building of the National road was no doubt the cause of this. It was in this decade that many came and settled on the road running north and south through the township. It was called "York street," as the settlers were mostly from New York State. Isaiah Nichols, Henry and Charles Butler and Thomas Munsell, in the northern part of the township, and Jacob Artz in the southern part, erected cabins and settled between the years 1820 and 1830.

In early days a large portion of this township was owned by Rathburn, Backus, Hogg,, and other non-residents, and their lands remaining uncleared, made an excellent range for wild game, as well as hogs that would stray away from settlements in different parts of the county. One season the hogs of Samuel Thrall, Roswell Graves and others wandered away in the wilderness of Harrison township, as they were wont to do, also into Union and Licking townships. John Ward, who owned and lived on a farm five and one-half miles wrest of Granville, on the Columbus road, feeling in need of pork, concluded to supply his larder from these woods. Selecting hogs that were in excellend condition, he shot down several. The wrord soont reached Granville, and those having swine in the woods visited Mr. Ward and found him dressing the game he had secured. Unfortunately for Ward, people in those times were in the habit of putting ear- marks and other marks on their stock before turning them into the commons. Samuel Thrall found, on the ears of two or three of the hogs killed, his mark. Ward was arrested, tried and found guilty of stealing hogs. There wras strong talk of a public whipping, but better counsels prevailed ; nevertheless, a mark was made on the man as indelible as lash could make, by the community, in naming him "Hog Ward."

The principal reason why Harrison and Lima townships were so late in filling up with people, was the fact that much of the land was held by non-residents and was not brought into market.

The Rathburn section in Union township, within two miles of Granville, held by Lawyer Downer, of Zanesville, was not offered for sale until the* National road was in process of construction in 1832 or 1833. So it was with the Hogg section in this township and the Frisbie section in Lima. As soon as they were offered, P. Atkinson, from New Hampshire, A. Miller, from western Pennsylvania, and William and Joseph Baird, from western Virginia, came on and purchased land at five dollars per acre, or less.

It was in this township that the famous wolf hunt of 1823 occurred, a brief account of which may be interesting, and worthy of preservation. The pioneers were much annoyed by depredations on their sheep folds and pig-pens by wild beasts of the forest. Among these, wolves were the most destructive. Who was the originator of this wolf hunt does not appear on record; but in 1823 the people of the county determined upon a combined effort to extinguish this animal, and to make the experiment as effectual as possible, they determined to surround a specified territory in a methodical and thorough manner, and by marching toward a common center, bring them within range of their rifles. For this purpose James Holmes, surveyor of the county, was employed to survey in the western part of the county, a tract of land four miles square. The most of this tract, if not the whole, was in this township. The east line was the road running north from Kirkersville, and the south line passed a little north of Isaac White's dwelling house. This territory was selected on account of its embracing most of "Gibbon's deadening," before mentioned. There wTere some fifteen hundred acres in this deadening, and no part of it yet cleared for cultivation. It had been deadened some fifteen or sixteen years, and the second growth of timber was in the very best condition to make the deadening a complete harbor for wild animals. So dense was the brush and undergrowth that it was with difficulty men could pass through it on foot. A day was appointed and notice given in ail parts of the county, for men to meet at sunrise, and be ready to occupy every part of the surveyed line, which Mr. Holmes had caused to be plainly marked by blazed trees. He had also run diagonal lines through from corner to corner, so as to prevent confusion or mistake in finding the common center. Mr. Holmes was also, more than any other man, zealous in spreading the news and arousing the country. He told all whom he met to be on the ground promptly and bring their dinners, but

At sunrise, on the appointed day, a vast crowd gathered at the old Ward place, since better known as the "cheese farm," four miles west' of Granville, on the Columbus road. This company was to form the east line.

Before separating and being placed on the lines, hornsmen were appointed who were stationed at equal distances around the square, and when the lines were filled on every side, the hornsmen were to sound their trumpets, commencing at a given point, thus conveying the news all around the square that the lines were full. A second sounding of the trumpets was the signal for all to march. These arrangements were nicely carried out The lines had advanced but a short distance when frightened deer made their appearance, running parallel with the lines, seeking a place of exit. The rifles now began to crack along the line. Those passing through the deadening, could scarcely prevent the game from escaping through the line, as the bushes and trees were so thick that it could not be seen until very near, and it was difficult shooting. Deer would come bounding toward the line, and nearly penetrate it before discovering it, then they would turn quickly and fly in the opposite direction unless stopped by a rifle ball. The wolves kept at a greater distance from the line; they were not seen on the east line until the men were out of the deadening and in more open woods, then they were seen at intervals running parallel with the lines, but so far from them that the best shots failed to bring them down. When the lines began to double up a good deal and surround a piece of open woods, the deer appeared in droves, and the rattle of fire arms sounded like a young battle. As the deer passed along the line, the firing would be continuous for minutes in succession. Thus the day passed, and few indeed were the intervals when the guns could not be heard in some direction. J ust as the east line was emerging from the thick undergrowth of the deadening, a large black bear was discovered, making his way in a lazy gallop toward the southeast corner of the enclosure. No gun was fired at him until he was within twenty or thirty yards of the line ; then simultaneously fifteen

Continuously, from the commencement of the march, wild turkeys were seen flying over the lines like flocks of pigeons. The march was continued until lines were reached indicating a fourth of a mile square. It had been anticipated that it might become necessary to halt before reaching the center, and so it was. This one-fourth of a mile line had been surveyed, and the trees blazed. With all the shooting no wolf had yet been killed, and at least, three of these animals had been seen; they had become cowed, and were skulking behind the logs and under the banks of the stream that meandered through the center of the square. This stream was Grass Lick run, or one of its branches, the hunt culminating on the farm now owned by J. C. Alwood. To kill wolves was now the grand object ; the best marksmen were therefore selected at this halting place, and sent in to do that work. The men stood shoulder to shoulder, and no one on the lines was allowed to shoot. Mr. Leverett, Mr. Butler and Captain Timothy Spellman were among those who went in.

An incident occurred while dispatching the wolves. Mr. Butler took his brother Henry with him to carry the hatchet. Mr. Butler shot at a wolf and it fell, his brother sprang forward, straddled the wolf and struck it three blows between the ears, but being greatly excited, struck with the edge instead of the head of the hatchet. The wolf escaped from him but was shot by Mr Leverett. Three marks made by the edge of the hatchet were discovered between its ears. The skin of this animal being dressed with the hair on, was afterward used by General Munson as a saddle cloth.

When it was announced that there was no more game to kill, all marched to the center. Perfect order was observed, and not a single person appeared intoxicated, a very remarkable thing for that time, but it went to show that the settlers had cheerfully obeyed the order to take no ardent spirits to the hunt. The management of the whole matter was admirable, and no serious casualty occurred. The game had been brought along as it was killed, and when it was all piled up in the center, it presented a sight never before seen in

Licking county, and ne^er can be again. There were the large black bear, three wolves, forty-nine deer, sixty or seventy turkeys, and one owl.

The next thing was to prepare the spoils for distribution. The bear and the deer were skinned and cut up into pieces weighing about four pounds each. The number of pieces being ascertained it was found that about every third man would get a piece. The men were, therefore, formed into three companies, and cast lots to see which should have all. This arrangement was satisfactory, and at sunset the company dispersed. General Munson drew the bear skin, and wrapped it around him, fleshy side inward, over a new broadcloth coat. Thus ended one of the greatest hunts Licking county ever witnessed or ever will witness. It does not appear that the number of wolves killed was dangerously large, and the probabilities are that the hunt was indulged in more for the "fun of the thing," than for any especial benefit to be derived from the destruction of wolves.

Squirrel hunts were indulged in in early times, both as an amusement and as a means of protecting the corn crop. These hunts were frequently indulged in as late as 1840 or 1850, and perhaps later. The little destructive creatures sometimes became very numerous, and were sometimes man's most formidable enemy, so that it was indispensable that he should be checked in his depredations; and this could be most effectually done by the combined efforts of the people. The time and place of meeting having been agreed upon beforehand, the squirrel hunters met, divided themselves into two companies, elected a captain for each company and then proceeded to their day's work. On coming together in the evening, and reporting results, it was no unusual thing to find the number of squirrels killed that day by the two companies to number many hundreds, and the number not unfrequently ran into thousands. The squirrels were not brought in, only their scalps. Whenever a squirrel was killed the scalp, containing the two ears of the animal wfent into the pocket of the hunter, and the body was thrown away. These scalps were counted at night, and generally the winning side - those who could show the most scalps - were treated to an excellent supper by the losers, and not unfrequently both parties were treated to much beside the supper, and possibly the squirrel hunt might end in a grand carouse, which was continued into the small hours of the night

The National road was the means of building up many towns along its route, and among others Kirkersville, in this township; and, in fact, it is the only village in the township except Kirkersville station. It was laid out in 1832, by Dr. Williaiif C. Kirker, who owned some fine land at this point on South fork, at the mouth of Bloody run. He, probably, built the first dwelling in the place. Thomas Youmans was, probably, the first man of family to settle there; he erected a building and kept a "tavern," as these were in great demand along that road, both while it was in course of construction, for the purpose of feeding the workmen, and for many years after, for the traveling public.

Mr. Bazalleel Brown started the first store, soon after the town was laid out; he also erected a sawmill, and the town grew rapidly for some time, but the advent of railroads checked the growth, by taking the business away from the National road.

Some time before Kirkersville was laid out a mill for the manufacture of castor-oil from the bean, had been established, half a mile north of the site of the town on land now owned by L. W. White, on Grass Lick creek. It never accomplished much, and was destroyed by fire. ,

Kirkersville is now a village of three hundred and forty-nine inhabitants by the census of 1880, and contains three or four stores, a hotel, three churches, a planing-mill and the usual number of shops and tradesmen. It probably reached its full growth years ago, and is at present a beautiful village.

Particular attention has been paid to education, and it is doubtful whether Licking county can present an edifice for public school purposes, equal in external beauty and internal convenience to the building erected a few years ago for such purpose, chiefly under the superintendence of Mr. Frederick Schofield, a merchant in the village.

Wheii the railroad was constructed through the township, it passed two and a half miles north of the village, and Kirkersville station was estab-. lished. This, at present, contains a post office

There are at present but three churches within the limits of this township, all located at Kirkersville - the Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal and Baptist.

Nearly half a century ago a nnmber of Welsh families settled on both sides of the line, between the townships of St. Albans and Harrison, and soon formed themselves into a religious organization known as the Welsh Congregational church of Harrison township. Without unnecessary delay they erected a church building, in which for many years they maintained public worship in the Welsh language. After the generation that erected the church had nearly all passed away, and the succeeding generation all speaking the English language, they gradually became absorbed by the surrounding English churches, and public services in Welsh could no longer be sustained. Under these circumstances the organization became extinct.

Revs. John Powell, Jenkin Jenkins, David R. Jenkins and John Williams were pastors of this church at different times, and perhaps about in the order named. The church building was sold some years since, and is now private property.

The Presbyterian Church of Kirkersville: - Rev. Jacob Tuttle came from New Jersey in 1832, and commenced preaching in Lima, Harrison and Etna townships in the spring of 1833, and continued to do so more or less regularly until the spring of 1837. He was highly esteemed, and his memory is cherished by his neighbors and friends. The first Presbyterian minister who preached in Kirkersville was Rev. Jonathan Cable, at the time supplying the church in Hebron, which has ceased to exist. His diary states that he preached three . times in Kirkersville in 1834, and once in January,

March 17, 1836, Rev. C. M. Putnam preached in Kirkersville, and assisted in organizing a Presbyterian congregation. He preached at Kirkersville once a month, from April 9, 1837, until the following October.

In July, 1837, a protracted meeting was held in Mr. Joseph Baird's barn, in Harrison township, conducted by Revs. Henry Little and Jonathan Cable. A large number were converted, and on the eleventh of November following, a Presbyterian church was organized at the log school-house in Lima township. During the following year there was preaching only occssionally to the Kirkersville congregation, in a school-house in the village. In the summer of 1838, Revs. Hugh Carlisle and Francis Bartlett preached occasionally for these churches.

October 14, 1838, Rev. T. W. Howe preached for these Presbyterian congregations, the meetings of the Harrison township congregation being held in a frame school house at the northwest coiner of Kirkersville.

In the fall of 1839, a subscription was started for the purpose of building a church in Kirkersville. The building progressed slowly and was not used until 1842, and not finished and dedica ted until March, 1845. A bell was procured, cost ing about two hundred dollars. The people ot Granville gave one hundred and fifty dollars toward building this church.

In 1852, forty-four persons, living more convenient to the Kirkersville church, joined that church by letter, and organized the First Presbyterian church of Kirkersville. This church employed Rev. H. C. McBride to preach for them one-half his time. He supplied them two years. Rev Jesse Schlosser followed, and supplied them until the spring of 1858. From the spring of 1858 to January 1, 1870, Rev. T. W. Howe preached for them every alternate Sabbath. Mr. Howe was succeeded by Rev. Reuben Hahn. The church is without a regular pastor at present The member ship is about one hundred.

The Methodist Episcopal church in Kirkersville originated at "Fletcher's chapel," in Fairfield county, its original members belonging to that church.

members living near the town organized a class, and held meetings some time in the Presbyterian church, but in a few years erected the present frame building.