Jackson Township (part 1 of 2)

Jackson Township

OF the townships of Coshocton county Jackson is second in size, Linton slightly ex. ceeding it in area. It includes the fifth township of range 7, according to the original survey, and that- portion of township 5 of range 6 which lies west of the Walhonding and Muskingum rivers, embracing a little more than the one-fourth part of it. The former is composed wholly of congress land, which was surveyed into the, usual half sections, of 820 acres each, by Silas Bent, Jr., in 1803, many years before it was required for actual settlement. The land east of this, the eastern part of the township, consists of the fractions of the two western military sections of Tuscarawas township proper which lie west of the Muskingum and Walhonding rivers, the upper one of which is the Bowman section, the lower one the section. An account of them is

Jackson township was organized in 1828. The eastern portion of it was taken from Tuscarawas township ; the full original township west of this had previously been within the civil jurisdiction of Washington township. It was named in honor of the nation's military hero, who was just then passing through his first presidential campaign. A temporary separation took place between the two portions of the township shortly after its organization, owing to the dissatisfaction of settlers in the western part. It seems that at that time each township was obliged to support its own paupers, the custom being to auction them off for support to the lowest bidder. As it happened, quite a number of poor lived along the river bottoms, and the maintenance of them bore heavily and mainly upon the pioneers in the west, who > were as yet barely able to provide for themselves; hence their petition for divorce, which was granted by the county commissioners, and the eastern part re-united to Tuscarawas township. This condition of things did not last long, however. After two or three years of civil isolation from Roscoe, the advantages of union and the inconveniences of separation became manifest. The township, as it now existed, was wholly rural in its character, and the elections must be conducted at some lonely country cabin, where there was no whisky, no jolly crowd, no bustle or activity. Roscoe was rising in power and beginning to regard itself a rival of Coshocton rather than a mere appendage, and was anxious to become an independent local center. The desires of the two parts became harmonized, and at their mutual request they were re-united. Since then the bounds have been as they now exist. On the north are Bethlehem and Keene townships, on the east Tuscarawas, Franklin and Virginia on the south and Bedford on the west.

No streams of much importance belong to Jackson township except the Muskingum and Walhonding rivers which form its eastern boundary. Into these flow several small runs which drain the ^rface in the eastern part of the township. A branch of Simmon's run, flowing northwest, is found near the western line and toward the south several trickling streams carry the outgushings of numerous springs through their channels into Virginia township. The surface is rough and hilly except in the eastern part along the river and on this account the township was settled very slowly. The soil of the greater part is of good quality, usually sandy in character, and may .be made to yield excellent crops. In population Jackson ranks next to the township containing the county seat It contains 1,968 inhabitants. Linton township follows closely upon its heels with 1,918.

Jackson has perhaps been more closely identified with the canals of the county than any other township. The Ohio canal enters it from the south, and passes uf> the valley to upper Eoscoe where it forms a junction with the Walhonding canal and crosses the Walhonding river into Tuscarawas township. The Walhonding canal pursues a, northwesterly course up the valley of the river the name of which it has assumed, and passes into Bethlehem township.

The earliest settlements in the township were made along the river bottom, in the eastern part of the township. Here several settlements were made which rank among the earliest in the county, although the land beyond in the west was not generally settled for twenty years thereafter. It has been found impossible to fix exactly the date the arrival of the foremost settlers, or perhaps even to mention the names of them all. Eev. Calhoun, writing thirty years ago, states that WiUiam Hoghn, about 1806, -was hving for a whUe in what is now Eoscoe. This was probably the year in which Thomas Cantwell settled here. He was Irish by birth, a shoemaker by trade, and came from near Charleston, Virginia. He cleared a little patch of ground just south of what is now Eoscoe. The little stream upon which he settled is still known as Cantwell's run. Henry Miller was probably here as early as Cantwell, perhaps sooner.' He had been a revolutionary soldier; emigrated here from Virginia, and was a brother to Michael Miller, one of the earliest settlers of Franklin township. He had «ix sons, Nicholas, John, Michael, Thomas, Obed and Alfred. The eldest became one of the first of Keene township. The other boys remained with their father for many years in the northeastern part of this township, on what is now the Haight farm. Thomas subsequently moved up on the Killbuck, where he died. John, Obed and Alfred moved to Indiana. Michael died in this county. One of the earliest orchards in the county was planted by the Millers, oq this farm. Asa Hart, from New Jersey, had emigrated to the township prior to the war of 1812. It was not, however, much before 1816 that the township began to be permanently settled. Beginning with that date and extending over a period of twenty years cabin after cabin slowly rose in the midst of the vast wilderness which then covered the township, and which' in time melted away beneath the sturdy strokes of the hardy backwoodsmen and left behind pleasant hill-side farms, many of which are now furnished with all the conveniences and improvements of modern farming.

Samuel Brown was from Salem, Massachusetts. He first located, in 1814, at Eock run, three miles south of Coshocton. In 1816 he settled on a tract about a mile and a half west of Eoscoe, and, after clearing a few acres and building a cabin, sold his claim to John Demoss. He then built a saw mill on Cantwell's run, which had head of water enough to run the mill on an average three days in the week. For a numbgr of years (until he united with the church) he depended on Sunday visitors to give him a lift in getting enough logs on the skids' to keep the mill at work. The neighborly feeling, mellowed with a good supply of neighbor Sible's corn juice, sweetened with neighbor Craig's maple sugar, was always equal to 'the demands thus made. Later in life Mr. Brown engaged in the making of brick. He remained in the vicinity until he died, in February, 1871, aged eighty-four years. He was for many years a useful and highly esteemed citizen.

About 1815 a man by the name of Craig bought forty acres of land and built a cabin a Httle south of Eobert Crawford's residence, on the tract now owned by Burns & Johnson. He was one of the most successful makers of maple sugar, an article largely made and in universal use in early days in Coshocton county for sweetening cofiee, tea, whisky, etc. Mr. Craig died about 1826, and his family removed from the county.

owned by John G. Stewart. A little later he put up a little mill on Cantwell's run, about a third of a mile up. It was called a thundergust-mill, as it only run with full force after a heavy shower. "Sible's corn-juice" was very popular in that day, and the business done by him and his neighbor, Samuel Brown, was enough to warrant the idea of a town, and doubtless led James Calder to lay out, in that vicinity, Caldersburg. ' Theophilus Phillips was from the state of New Jersey. He lived in Zanesville several years, and in 1816 entered and settled upon the farm now best known as the Dr. Kobert's farm, in the western part of the township. In 1816 he sold this, and built a cabin in what is now Eoscoe, and having lived in that a few years, he built, in 1821, the first brick house in the vicinity, u.'iing it for a tavern for a number of years. He moved to Indiana about 1845, and there died in 1868, being seventy-four years old.

Abel Cain was another early settler, coming from the State of Pennsylvania about 1816. After the township was organized, he, and a Mr. Payne were elected fence viewers for a long series of years. Mr. Cain was a very tall, powerfully built man - a splendid specimen of the pioneer type of mankind, while Mr. Payne was exceedingly diminutive in size. It was the standing joke that Mr. Cain was to inspect the top of the fences and see that they were properly kept up, while Payne was to look after the "hog holes " underneath. Mr. Cain died here, and his children removed to Illinois.

Jonathan Butler entered the northeast quarter of section 1. The most of this farm lies in the Walhonding valley, and it was among the first to be entered. Mr. Butler came to the township at a very early day, just how early it is impossible to say. He afterwards moved to Schuyler county, Illinois.

James Huffman, in 1817, settled in the western part of section 24. He was a blacksmith by trade, and, after the country became somewhat settled, he pursued this calling, in his backwoods home, in connection with farming. Mr. Huffman remained in the township all his life; after his death, his two children moved away. A brother, Joseph, accompanied James here. He was at the time unmarried, and lived with his

The Posters were among the first settlers in the western part of the township. There were six brothers: Samuel, Moses, William, David, Benjamin and Andrew. Their father, John Foster, entered eighty acres apiece for them, most of it in section 6. The family was originally from Virginia, but had lived a number of years in Harrison county, prior to their emigration here. Samuel and Moses came out first, in 1816, tlie others following soon after. Andrew moved West, stopping for a time in Indiana,, then continuing onward in the same direction. The others remained citizens of the township' till they died. William was the last survivor. He died about two years ago.

Abraham Handles, from Loudon county, Virginia, had settled in Harrison county, prior to the war of 1812, where he remained till he removed to Jackson township, in 1817. Three younger brothers, Enoch, Isaac and John, and their father, James, came with him. Abrahami and his father, together, entered the northeast, quarter of section 5. Abraham afterwards removed to the Killbuck, in the northern part of the county, where he died. His son, John Handles, now lives in Eoscoe, and is one of the oldest men in the township.

John Demoss, his wife and son Lewis, Thomas. Ramphey and family, and Crispin Tredaway, his wife and son Thomas, crossed the Allegheny Mountains in wagons from Harford county, Maryland, in the fall of 1817, and settled in this, township. Tredaway remained a few years, then moved across into Jefferson township, where the son Thomas still lives. Mr. Demoss first settled in the western part of the township, on Simmons' run. There he remained five years, then moved to a tract of land about a half mile west of Eoscoe. He had been a sergeant in the war of 1812, participating in the engagement at Baltimore. He died in this township, March 4, 1840. His son Lewis is still engaged in active business in the township, at the Empire mills.

Thomas Smith, an Irishman, came about 1816, and located the southeast quarter of section 17. He died about 1825, and his family sold out and moved away. Matthew Stephens came a little

Philo Potter was among the earhest to locate here, but did not become a property owner. He was quite an old man when he arrived here from the East. Was a hearty, good-natured, slow-going creature, and spent the balance of his declining years in the township.

John Loder came April, 1820, from Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and entered the northeast of section 14. His son, Aaron Loder, is one of the oldest citizens now in Jackson township. William Dunshee came from the same -county, but remained here only a few years. Benedict Dunfee, an Indian , ranger, who had been in the United States service at Wheeling, Virginia, came a little later. James Hardin, from New Jersey, came out with John KnofT, about 1820, lived in Caldersburg a while, then moved to the Solomon farm.

Abraham and Jacob Courtright, two brothers from New Jersey, were here as , early as 1815. Joshua Boring was another early settler. At a later day he moved to Keene township.

One of the early institutions of Jackson township was a brush dam built across the Walhonding by the Millers, at the site occupied later by the dam of the Ohio canal, which was swept away in a freshet several years ago. It was a very crude af&ir, being built of logs, brush and istraw, and had to be repaired incessantly.

About 1829 Joseph Huffman constructed a little horse mill in the southwestern part of the township, which served the pioneers in the vicinity for five or six years. The buhrs used at first were very small, perhaps a foot in diameter. They were set on edge, one being stationery, the other set in motion by means of a spindle. The of the mill was but about ten bushels of meal per day. After some little time, Mr. Hoffman bought a larger pair of buhrs, which had been used in grinding the plaster for the cement used in building the canal locks.

John Carhart, as early as 1824, was running a tannery on the Haight farm, north of Eoscoe. About 1840 he removed it to Eoscoe. John A. L. Houston had owned it before Carhart. William Starkey, who came from Virginia in the spring of 1815, worked for a time in Carhart's tannery.

The village of Eoscoe lies just across the Musking river from Coshocton, partly in the narrow valley that here skirts the river and partly on the steep bluflf that rises just beyond. From this bluff a commanding prospect of the surrounding country is presented. A fine bird's-eye view of Coshocton is obtained and the Muskingum, Tuscarawas and Walhonding rivers which meet almost at the foot of the hill, may be traced for miles through broad and level valleys fringed with wooded hillsides. In point of poulation, Eoscoe ranks second in the county. The school district to which it belongs contains six hundred and eighty souls, but the village proper perhaps not more than six hundred. Previous to the construction of the Ohio canal it was an ordinary little village with a tavern or two, a dry goods store and the few little industrial shops common to every collection of houses; but with the opening of this highway of commerce and the water power facilities it afforded, an impulse was given to oomm.erce, merchandizing and manufacturing which placed the village as a business center in the front rank in Coshocton county. .When the railroad was built through Coshocton it drew to a great extent the business to that place, and the luster of Eoscoe's name suffered in consequence. Though it is still a live business place, and contains several of the largest industrial establishments in the county, its business transactions are unequal to those of thirty or forty years ago.

Caldersburg, the former name of this village, was laid out in Janua,ry, 1816, by James Calder. The original plat consists of sixty-seven lots, lying in what is now the lower part of town. In 1831, a large addition was made by Eansom & Swayne ; in 1844, another by Eansom, Swayne & Medberry. In 1849, Samuel Hutchinson and John Frew each made an addition ; the former is known as Hutchinson's, the latter as the central addition. Mr. Colder, the founder of the village, was a Yankee, who had come to Coshocton about 1811, and there engaged in business and failed. A tract of land lying west of the Muskingum river was saved from the wreck of his fortunes, and he moved across and laid out the town. It is said that he brought with him a remnant of goods, which he closed out at his npw home. The cabin he occupied, probably the first in the village, was built on lot 8, Main street, was owned by Philip Hoop. No vestage of it now remains. Calder afterward moved to the Rickett's farm, two miles west of Roscoe, on the Newark road, where his Yankee ingenuity was displayed in the making of shingles, etc.

The second building was a large log tavern, perhaps twenty-four by fifty feet in size, one and a half stories high, erected on lot 20, at the northwest corner of Main and White Woman streets. William Barcus was the proprietor of this primal Jackson township hotel. He came here from near Cadiz, and remained in possession of the tavern up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1829 or 1830. The travel through Caldersburg must have been considerable, for Mr. Barcus soon had opposition. In 1821 a brick tavern was built by Theophilus Phillips, who had previously settled in the township, just across Main street from its rival. This was the first brick structure in the township.

In 1825 the first regular store was opened by James Le Retilley and William Wood. The former was born in the Isle of Guernsey, in 1788. He came -to this country in '1806, settling in Guernsey county, where there was a settlement of people from his native island. Removing to Muskingum county, at a point about ten miles below Coshocton, he engaged in the manufacture of salt, along with George Bagnall, who was from Nova Scotia. They made about six bushels a day, selling it for three dollars a bushels, or exchanging a bushel for twelve bushels of wheat. Their salt was carried to remote points, some of it by canoes and pirogues up the Killbuck almost to Wooster. In 1825, the Kanawha and lower Muskingum salt coming into market, rendered the business of Retilley & Bagnall unprofitable, and it w.as abandoned. The same year Mr. Retilley moved to Caldersburg, his partner following him a year or two afterwards. Mr. Retilley was one of the associate judges of the county and an active adherent of the Methodist church in Roscoe. He died in December, 1850, aged sixty-two years. His descendants are still well known in this vicinity. Mr. Woods had also lived in Muskingum near Mr. Retilley's residence. He was a single man when he came to Caldersburg, but shortly after married and went west. George Bagnall purchased his interest in the store, and the firm did a flourishing business here for an extended period of yearg. The store was located for several years in a little log cabin which stood just west of the brick tavern ; it was then removed to the old Barcus tavern stand. The goods were brought by team from Pittsburgh. The team sters, in going for the goods, conveyed large quantities of venison to the east, which had been received at the store by way of trade. Deer were then quitenumerous in the forests, and the farmer, in wending his way to town through the bridle path, was reasonably sure of shooting a deer upon the way. This he would cut up, hang the forequarters upon some overhanging bough beyond the reach of wild animals, to take home on his return, and bring the remaining "saddle" of venison with him to town, receiving for it, at the store, fifty cents. After the canal was built, this firm erected a warehouse and became the first dealers in grain, shipping heavily to Cleveland.

Prosperity for Caldersburg, as it was still called, began to dawn with the construction of the Ohio canal. A canal at that time brought the same advantages to a town situated on its route that a railroad does now, and a place fortunate enough to secure a canal through its borders was universally conceded to be on the highway to commercial success. Coshocton expected the canal, but it seems that less expense attended its building west of the Muskingum, and it accordingly passed through Caldersburg. Leander Ransom, an engineer in the construction of the canal, recognized the advantageous site for a thriving town, and with Noah H. Swayne, the late United States- Justice, then a lawyer in Coshocton, purchased a tract north of the village and laid out, in 1831, an extensive addition to the old town, changing the name to Roscoe, in honor of a then famous English author, William Roscoe. When the Walhonding canal was projected a few years later, the outlook for the town was still brighter. Added to this, its water power was unsurpassed. Steam had not yet come into general use as a motor of machinery, and those towns that af- forded an excellent water power had hitherto been the ones to achieve eminence as manufacturing points. The canals bring together, in Eoscoe the whole water power of the Tuscarawas and Walhonding. The water of the latter, standing in the canal at this place thirty feet above the level of the Muskingum, furnishes a power capable of performing almost anything desired. No less sagacious personage than Charles M. Giddings, at that time one of the most prominent business men of Cleveland, predicted that in a few years the place would contain 10,000 or 15,000 inhabitants. He and one or two others purchased more than 100 acres of land in the vicinity, with the expectation of speedily disposing of it in town lots at a handsome profit. That this glowing outlook was never realized was due to the decline of canal transportation. They were unable to compete with their newly-arisen competitor, the iron horse. A revolution in the transportation of freight was inaugurated just as the village was blooming intova rich promise under the old regime.

For a time it grew rapidly. In commercial operations and business importance it was undoubtedly first in the county. It became a great wheat depot, and in point of -shipment and transshipment ranked fourth or fifth among the towns along the entire route of the Ohio canal, from Portsmouth to Cleveland. Its population in 1840 was 468, while that of Coshocton was 625 During that year, as perhaps a little later, there were in Roscoe five dry goods stores, two groceries, two forwarding houses, one fulling, two saw, and two ilouring mills ; while Coshocton at the same time contained six mercantile stores, one woolen factory and one flouring mill.

An industrial enterprise closely allied to the canal, was a boat yard, owned and run for a few years by J. Blaisdall, a ship carpenter, now living east of Cleveland. A number of substantial canal boats were built here. The " Renfrew," one of the earliest water-crafts on the canal, was built in Roscoe by Thomas B. Lewis. - An extensive distillery- business was begun in 1831-2 by "William Renfrew and Robert Hay. The firm soon after became Love & Hay. A large structure was reared upon a heavy, stone foundation, situated on the canal a short distance below Adams & Gleason's saw mill. After it had bean in operation about ten years, the building with its contents was destroyed by fire, the loss amounting to $30,000 or $40,000. It was then removed to Coshocton and for years was one of the leading industries of the county seat.

In 1836 a large flouring mill was built by Arnold Medberry, Leander Ransom and John Smeltzer. In 1858, being then under the control of Mr. Medberry, it was burned. In 1840 the Union mill was built in lower Roscoe by the Union Mill company, consisting of R. M. Lamb, Dr. S. Lee and John Frew, of Coshocton ; "William and John Carhart, James LeRetilley and James Bagnall, of Roscoe, and Peter Marquand, ol Wills creek. Becoming embarrassed, the company sold this mill to D. N. Barney & Company, of Cleveland, and it was by them sold to Arnold Medberry. It was burned in the spring of 1853. These two mills had two run of buhrs each, and were considered in their day among the first mills in Ohio. Their capacity together was five hundred barrels per day.

The Empire mill, now doing business here, is one of the largest and finest in the State. It was built in 1858, by Arnold Medberry, who died in the summer of 1861. The mill was then purchased by Samuel Lamberson and Lewis Demoss, who subsequently sold a one-fourth interest to F. E. Barney, and a like share to D. L. Triplett, since which time business has been transacted under the firm name of Barney, Demoss & Co. The mill stands at the junction of the Walhonding with the Ohio canal, and its water power can not be excelled. The building is a six-story frame of imposing dimensions, contains seven run of buhrs, and has a capacity of eighty thousand barrels per year. It is fitted up with the most recent improvements in milling machinery and fixtures - $12,000 having been expended for this purpose alone during the last year - and produces flour equal to any made in the State. This may be believed when it is known that the flour is sent to all parts of the world. Just preceding this writing, an extensive shipment was made to Glasgow and London. No custom work is How done. Employment is given to thirty persons.

building is thirty by forty feet, contains three run of buhrs and is doing a fine business both by way of custom work and exportation of flour.

A carding mill was started in 1833 in upper Eoscoe by Samuel Mofiat. After a few years it was burned down and another built by C. S. Miller and S. Moffat. Miller died in 1848 and in 1855 the property passed from the hands of his widow to Thomas Wilson. With this enterprise Wilson McClintick, afterward removing to Butler, Missouri, was for some years identified. The building was a frame one, stood a little above the planing mill and was burned down in 1867. Wilson proceeded promptly after the fire to build the large brick mill, thirty by forty feet in, size, now operated by him upon a site a little west of the old one, drawing water from the Walhonding canal instead of the Ohio canal.

The saw mill, now run by Adams and Gleason, was erected in 1832. It was probably built by Arnold Medberry or if not came into his possession very shortly after. A planing mill was attached by James W. Beebe about 1871, since when both saw and planing mills have been operated conjointly. An immense business is done here, covering all' kinds of lumber, by far the greatest in the country.

Madberry, Eansom & Co , about 1831, built a large hotel in which J. H. Board was installed first proprietor. He was succeeded by H. V. Horton and by Mrs. Eebecca Johnson and others. The building was remodeled, almost entirely rebuilt, by Matthew Stewart about 1840, and several years later it burned to the ground. Mr. Medberry replaced it with a new brick, still in use, with which Charles Simmons and others have since been connected. Mrs. Hutchins is the presens hostess. Several other hotels have flourished here but they have now passed away.

Eoscoe has been peculiarly unfortunate in her fire losses. The little town seems to have been a special object for the fury of the fire fiend, for nearly every building of any note that has had an existence here, has been long reduced to ashes. The long list includes two large flouring mills, two carding mills, one large distillery, one church, two hotels, one school-house and one drygoods store, besides many other smaller buildings.

The number of merchants, who have been actively identified with the interests of Eoscoe, ha been a large one, including the names of John Smeltzer, Eobert L. Lamb, Joseph Johnson, Hickox & Wallace, John Frew, Burns & Mofiat, Seth McClain, McClain & Brown, A. Medberry & Co., Samuel Burrell and others. None were more prominent than Mr. Medberry. The following sketch of him is taken from Hunt's Historical Collections :

Arnold Medberry was born in New Berlin, Chenango county. New York, March 24, 1806. He came to Eoscoe in the fall of 1832, and remained a citizen of that place until his death, August 12, 1861. During this time he was one of the most prominent business men of the region. His farming, milling, merchandising and connection with the public works, were features of the locality where carried on. Indomitable energy and ceaseless activity were his characteristics. He was undaunted before that which would have made many quail. He thought nothing of taking his buggy, riding thirty miles to Mount Vernon, and there taking the cars, thus reaching Cleveland in a few hours. Losing two flour-mills by fire, he, within a few hours, had matters all arranged for building yet a third. A zealous politician, he yet had little desire for office. He was, however, postmaster of Eoscoe for many years, and was also county commissioner. When the public works of the State, with which from the first he had been thoroughly acquainted, were offered for lease, he was -one of the principal lessees, and continued in that relation until his death. A single anecdote illustrates his keen discernment and disposition to have the best in every line attainable. A wagonmaker, having built him a wagon, called for his inspection and acceptance of it. He discovered, by close examintion, a few places stopped up and made to appear smooth and good by putty. The wagonmaker protested that there was no real defect, that in fact the parts where the putty was were as strong as any, and would do just as good work. " Very good, then," said Medberry, with his accustomed twinkle of the eye, " just you keep this wagon, and make me another all out of putty, and we will then see whether putty is as strong as oak." Severe requirement was the rule with him in his relations to his employes, and what he thus demanded he was ready to yield to those having rightful claims. His personal appearance was fine, his manner calm and stately, but, withal, kind. His wife, who had been Miss Phoebe Denman, survived him several years, dying at the home of her daughter, in ICansas. His two sons died in each case as they were approaching manhood. Two of his daughters are living in Kansas, the other in Columbus.

The mercantile business is at this time represented as follows: Moore & Caton, dry goods; "Wright, Biggs & McCabe, dry goods; Martin Hack & Co., dry goods; Leander Miller, groceries; J. R. Stanford, groceries; Abram Rose, groceries; Le Retilley & Ferguson, drugs; Mrs. R. drugs; Harrison & Johnson, hardware and tinware; Relda Lockhart, millnery.

The earhest school in Roscoe of which anything is known, probably the first, was held in the upper story of the Calder building, where John Smelzer afterwards kept store. It was started about 1826, and held in this room only two winters. During the first winter it was taught by John B. Turner. He was a plasterer, by trade; moved here from Zanesville; soon after became county treasurer, and subsequently moved to Indiana, where he took a prominent position in the administration of public affairs. Henry Colclazer taught the second winter. He was from Georgetown, D. C, and was a very well informed man for those times. He subsequently became a Methodist Episcopal minister and, when last heard from, was living in Detroit, Michigan. A little cabin, standing on the hill, became the next fount of learning for Roscoe's youth. It had previously been used as a dwelling house and, after it had subserved its purposes as a school building, was converted into a tannery and used as such until very recently. Basheba Lightener was the school mistress in this building for two winters. William Mc- Gowen next taught, in a little brick, which stood near Dr. Johnson's present residence. Next, Mr. Brown's house, then the Methodist church, were each temporarily utilized for school purposes. A brick school-house was ei:fected about 1835, and school held in it till transferred to the present brick structure, erected abotit; 1850. The school at present contains three (departments. During the past year, the teachers in charge have been, Messrs. L. W. Martin and George Hill and Miss Anna Waddle. The school enrollment, at the opening of the year, was 132.

Dr. M. Johnson, the only resident practitioner now in the village, has perhaps been longer in a continuous practice than any other physician now in the county. He settled here in 1833, and has been in constant practice ever since. He came as the successor of Dr. William Emerson, who died of pneumonia, June, 1833. He was the son of Timothy Emerson, of Keene township; had read medicine with Dr. Samuel Lee, of Coshocton, and, after attending lectures in Cincinnati, opened an office in Roscoe about 1828. He was probably the first physician in the place. From that time to the present quite a number of physicians have had a residence here ; generally a brief one. Among them was Dr. Edward Cone, now residing in Washington township, who has changed his occupation several times since. He has been a Methodist preacher, farmer, and recently reports himself a " grower of peaches and apples on sheep lands." Josiah Harris, still practicing in Coshocton, was here from 1837-40. Dr. Barger, the father of G. H. Barger, Esq., of Coshocton, from 1835-37. Drs. J. W. Brady, McBride, 0. Farquhar, an Uriscopian; Peck, and others, have also resided here.

The first postmaster was James Le Retilley. He received the appointment about the time Jackson township was organized. Mr. Retilley was succeeded by Arnold Medderry, and since then quite a number of changes have been made in this office. The present incumbent is Mrs. R. Hooker.

Lodges of the Masonic order and of the Sons of Temperance have been established here, but both have been defunct for these many years. The former was organized about 1848, and disbanded in 1865, uniting at that time with the Coshocton lodge. The latter was organized about 1846, and survived for the brief space of three years.

Besides the buildings already mentioned, there are here at present a foundry, a tannery, a brewery, a leather shop, and various other small industrial establishments.

There is one other postoffice in Jackson township. It is called Tyrone, and belongs in the southwestern part of the township. Joseph D. Smith has been postmaster for about twelve years. The office was established about 1850, and the former postmasters have been James Waddle, Aaron Reed, Catherine McCoy, Hiram Riden-

About 1825, a noted Fourth of July dinner was served at what is known as Falling Off Eock, one and a half miles west of Eoscoe. The rock rises perpendicularly about thirty feet, and down this declivity a little rivulet dashes only after a storm. Beneath is a cave extending back about forty feet, and from it a fine spring of water issues. James Oalder and several others, deeming it a pleasant spot for celebrating in a quiet way the' national birth day, issued a general invitation and prepared the cave for the reception of the public. A large crowd, for those- times, gathered' at the place, from Coshocton, Caldersburg and elewhere at the appointed time and partook of the bounteous provision there spread before them. Lewis Demoss was ,the only participator in this affair who is now known to survive.

The Eoscoe Methodist Episcopal church is the only religious society now in active operation in this village. From 1820 to 1826, there had occasionally been a sermon preached in Eoscoe (then Caldersburg) in the dining-room of the tavern kept by William Barous ; but in 1826 two Methodist ministers were appointed by the annual conference to the circuit in which Eoscoe was embraced, and in the spring of that year the first class was formed by those ministers (their names were Abner Gough and H. O. Sheldon). The persons forming the class were Theophilus Phillips, Mrs. Samuel Brown, James Le Eetilley and wife, Mrs. William Barcus, Eachel Le Eetilley and Joseph Shoemaker and wife. Meetings continued to be held in the same tavern until about 1828, about which time Samuel Brown jo'ined, and the meetings after that were held at his house until 1831, in which year they built a neat little brick church, twenty-four by forty feet, in the lower part of the village on the brow of the hill. A little incident in regard to Samuel Brown : He was, by his own account, a very wicked man then. There was to be a love feast held on Sunday morning, and he went along with his wife to carry the child, not intending to stay in; but when they got there it was about time to close the door, as it was the custom in those days. So, when he stepped in to hand the child to his wife, they closed the door and drew a bench against it, so that he could not get out, and was compelled very reluctantly to remain, and during the exercises he became powerfully convicted, and then and there joined the church.

In 1853, the old church being too small, they concluded to build a larger one. The old one was torn down, and one erected forty by sixty feet on the site of the present church; amd in March, 1874, it was burned and rebuilt the same year at a cost of $8,000, exclusive of materials out of the old building. It is a handsome brick of the same size as the old one, with brick tower and a fine bell. The windows are of stained glass, and the pulpit and pews are very neat. It was dedicated December 27, 1875. The present membership is one hundred and twenty.

The Sunday-school is an attractive and important auxiliary of the church. It was organized in 1830 in the village school-house by the election o^ the following officers: James Le Eetilley, Sr., superintendent; Thomas Colclazer, secretary; John Brown, librarian. A library was formed directly after the organization but comprised a class of books much better adapted for mature minds than juvenile readers, consisting almost exclusively of weighty doctrinal works, books of sermons, etc. The school has enjoyed a prosperous existence of more than fifty years and now has an average attendance of about olie hundred and twenty. During the winter the meetings are held in the afternoon at two and a half o'clock; in summer at nine o'clock in the morning. John W. Barkhurst now has charge of the school.

A Presbyterian church, formerly located here, has become extinct. It was organized April 25, 1847. Eev. H. Calhoun supplied it -for eleven years, and it received a^ part of the time of Revs. Henderson, Wallace, and other pastors of the Second church of Coshocton. At its organization there were fifteen members, among whom were George Bagnall, James Hill, Wilson McClintiok, Mrs. Phoebe Medberry, Mrs. Charlotte Eansom and Peter Thurgood. Under the care of Mr. Calhoun and also, at a later day, under the labors of Kev. C. W. Wallace, Ecv. S. P. Hildreth and Kev. H. 0. McBride, considerable accessions were received to the churph. A good frame building was erected in 1853, chiefly through the spirited exertions of Mrs. P. W. Medberry. The elders have been James Hill, George Bagnall, T. Carnahan, S. Sayre. The church membership became greatly reduced through removals and deaths, and, about 1873, services were discontinued. A flourishing Sunday-school was long kept up under the superintendency of John Oarhart, Sr.

The Warner Methodist Episcopal church, located near the center of section 21, about three miles northwest from Roscoe, was so named in honor of the late Dr. Warner, of the North Ohio conference. It was organized in the year 1870 by Eev. S. E. Surie. Du.ring the same year a neat frame building was erected at a cost of $2,000. The principal members were William Biggs, John B. Markley, John Peoples, Eichard Eckels, Joseph Stubbs, William Austin, James Davis, William Shearn, Christopher Hall and E. D. Wolford. The present membership is sixty-six. A Sabbath-school was organized in 1870, and has now a. membership of fifty-six.

The Branch Methodist Episcopal church was formed at the residence of Eli Smith, January 3, 1839, by Eevs. Martin P. Kellogg and Joseph S. Brown, then the preachers on the Eoscoe circuit of the Ohio conference. The class, as organized, consisted of the following members: Ebenezer Taylor and Margaret, his wife, Benjamin Taylor, Nancy Taylor, Joseph Smith and Elizabeth, his wife, Julia Ann Ogle, Eli Smith and Katherine, his wife, Mindwell Eoberts, Jonathan Thomas and Mary, his wife, and Maria Holbrook. Directly afterwards steps were taken to erect a house of worship. Joseph Smith, David Middleton, Eobert Eansom, Ebenezer Taylor and Thomas McLain were appointed trustees, and a frame building, twenty-eight by thirty-two feet was erected. The present church edifice was built in 1872. It is located in the southwestern part of the township, within a mile of the township corner. It is a large frame structure, forty by fifty feet, which will comfortably seat a congregation of 500. The cost of this building was $2,300; it was dedicated February 10, 1873. The present membership is forty-two. Eev. J. Williams ia pastor. The church has always been connected with the Eoscoe circuit. The Sunday-school, held only during the summer, last year had an average attendance of sixty-eight.

Pleasant Hill Eegular Baptist church, located on William McCoy's land, about five miles west of Eoscoe on the gravel road, was organized as a branch of Mill Creek church, about 1845, with a membership of perhaps forty, and called Crooked Eun church. Among its principal early members were David Tracy, Samuel C. Heney, Abraham Eandles, John Tracy and Aaron Loder. The earliest meetings were held in private houses, and in a vacated cabin which was rudely and temporarily furnished for this purpose. Services were continued here but a short time, however, for a meeting-house was built on Aaron Loder's farm soon after the society was organized. The society advanced steadily for a few years, then declined, and in about fifteen years became virtually extinct. In 1862, they were organized,and the church re-named Eock Hill. Some progress was made, and in 1868 a comfortable frame house of worship was built - the one now in use - and named Pleasant Hill. The first pastor was probably William Mears. Other ministers who have since served the congregation are Eevs. L. L. Eoot, H. Sampson, J. G. Whitaker, E. E. Whitaker, W. S. Barnes, A. W. Odor, S. W. Frederick, E. B. Senter and J. C. Skinner. Eev. A. W. Odor was recalled, succeeding Eev. Skinner, and filled the pulpit during the last year. At present there is no regular pastor, but the congregation is still served occasionally by Eev. Odor. The present membership is ninety-four. Allen Marshall, Joseph Askren and Aaron Loder are the deacons. A Sunday-school is conducted during the summer. Its membership last year was seventy-three.

The Valley Presbyterian church was organized on the road from Coshocton to Newark, six miles west of Coshocton, in 1847,' and a squared-log church built. Eev. P. H. Jacobs, of Coshocton, and Eev. C. C. Bamberger supplied it from 1847 to 1860. The neighborhood had at first a few Presbyterian families, including those of John Smith, John McCullough, John Graham, Thomas

Smith and William Crooks, but death and removal to the west soon effaced these, and, as the territory was occupied from the start by other denominations, this retired from the field. In 1863, the old organization having become extinct, a second effort was made, kut with no better success than before. To this second congregation Kev. John Moore, D. D., while settled in Jefferson church, ministered. The church never numbered a score of members, and soon perished a second time. Rev. Akey was the last minister in charge. The Disciples, for a number of years, had a society in the southwestern part of the township. A frame church, about thirty feet square, was built in 1845, or shortly before, in which services were held for perhaps fifteen years. Then the society became too weak to maintain its organization and perished. Werley Graves, Zachariah Ogle, Williajn Richards, Samuel, Wellman, Joseph and Uriah Hufiinan were the principal members. The last named subsequently became a minister of this denomination.

Blooming Grove Methodist Episcopal church is located in the northwestern corner of the township. In 1849 Rev. W. C. Huestis, of Roscoe circuit, preached occasionally in this neighborhood. He was followed by Rev. T. H. Wilson, who succeeded in organizing a society February, 1860. It first met in Antioch church, a house close by, belonging to a sister denomination, but in the year 1851, under the pastoral administration of T. H. Wilson, the church was erected and dedicated by him in August of the same year. Moses Finley was the architect and builder. At the close of Rev. Wilson's two years labors, the membership amounted to ninety-nine. Of the first members may be mentioned Simon Murray, Ruth Murray, Thomas James, Sarah A. James, Nathan Price, Nancy Price, Jbshua Fry, Mary Fry, Samuel Neldon, Jane Neldon, James Shaw, Sr., Sarah Shaw, Ephraim Deviney and Dorintha Deviney. S. Murry was the first steward and Nathan Price and Samuel Neldon the first classleaders. Of the first mentioned ninety-nine members there are but about seven in fellowship with the church at the present time. The membership now numbers 102 ; the present pastor is Rev. J. Williams. A Sunday school was organized by Rev. T. H. Wilson, in May, 1850. This branch of christian work has been continued to the present time. The last -reports show a membership of seventy, with John Demoss as superintendent.

An old church building, known as the Antioch church formerly, stood on the north line of the township, very near to the extreme northwest corner. It was built many years ago by a feeble and short-lived christian society, and was afterward occupied for a brief period by the AUbrights and the Methodist Protestants.

Source changes here: from History of Coshocton County, Ohio;, by Hill, Norman Newell, Jr., [from Old Catalog] Comp, published 1881; 16,116 words in this source stream.

Jackson Township

OF the townships of Coshocton county Jackson is second in size, Linton slightly ex. ceeding it in area. It includes the fifth township of range 7, according to the original survey, and that portion of township 5 of range 6 which lies -west of the Walhonding and Muskingum rivers, embracing a little more than the one-fourth part of it. The former is composed wholly of congress land, which was surveyed into the usual half sections, of 320 acres each, by Silas Bent, Jr., in 1803, many years before it was required for actual settlement. The land east of this, the eastern part of the township, consists of the fractions of the two western military sections of Tuscarawas township proper which lie west of the Muskingum and Walhonding rivers, the upper one of which is the Bowman section, the lower one the section. An account of them is

Jackson township was organized in 1828. The eastern portion of it was taken from Tuscarawas township; the full original township west of this had previously been within the civil jurisdiction of Washington township. It was named in honor of the nation's military hero, who was just then passing through his first presidential campaign. A temporary separation took place between the two portions of the township shortly after its organization, owing to the dissatisfaction of settlers in the western part. It seems that at that time each township was obliged to suj^port its own paupers, the custom being to auction them oft' for support to the lowest bidder. As it happened, quite a number of poor lived along the river bottoms, and the maintenance of them bore heavily and mainl}- upon the pioneers in the west, who were as yet barely able to provide for themselves; hence their petition for divorce, which was granted by the county commissioners, and the eastern part re-united to Tuscarawas township. This condition of things did not last long, however. After two or three years of civil isolation from Roscoe, the advantages of union and the inconveniences of separation became manifest. The township, as it now existed, was wholly rural in its character, and the elections must be conducted at some lonely country cabin, where there was no whisky, no jolly crowd, no bustle or activity. Roscoe was rising in power and beginning to regard itself a rival of Coshocton rather than a mere appendage, and was anxious to become an independent local center. The desires of the two parts became harmonized, and at their mutual request they were re-united. Since then the hounds have been as they now exist. On the north are Bethlehem and Keene townships, on the east Tuscarawas, Franklin and Virginia on the south and Bedford on the west.

No streams of much importance belong to Jackson township except the Muskingum and Walhonding rivers which form its eastern boundary. Into these flow several small runs which drain the ^rface in the eastern part of the township. A branch of Simmon's run, flowing northwest, is found near the western line and toward the south several trickling streams carry the outgushings

-of numerous springs through their channels into Virginia township. The surface is rougli and Lilly except in the eastern part along the river and on this account the township was settled very slowly. The soil of the greater part is of good quality, usually sandy in character, and may be made to yield excellent crops. In population Jackson ranks next to the township containing the county seat. It contains 1,968 inhabitants. Linton township follows closely upon its heels with 1,918.

Jackson has perhaps been more closely identified with the canals of the county than any other township. The Ohio canal enters it from the south, and passes up the valley to upper Roscoe where it forms a junction with the Walhonding canal and crosses the Walhonding river into Tuscarawas township. The Walhonding canal pursues a northwesterly course up the valley of the river the name of which it has assumed, and passes into Bethlehem township.

The earliest settlements in the township were made along the river bottom, in the eastern part of the township. Here several settlements were made which rank among the earliest in the county, although the land beyond in the west was not generally settled for twenty years thereafter. It has been found imjjossible to fix exactly the date of the arrival of the foremost settlers, or perhaps even to mention the names of them all. Kev. Calhoun, writing thirty years ago, states that William Hoglin, about 1806, -nas living for a while in what is now Eoscoe. This was probably the year in which Thomas Cantwell settled here. He was Irish by birth, a shoemaker by trade, and came from near Charleston, Virginia. He cleared a little patch of ground just south of what is now Eoscoe. The little stream upon which he settled is still known as Cantwell's run. Henry Miller was probably here as early as Cantwell, perhaps sooner. He had been a revolutionary soldier; emigrated here from Virginia, and was a brother to IMichael Miller, one of the earliest settlers of Franklin township. He had six sons, Nicholas, John, Michael, Thomas, Obed and Alfred. The eldest became one of the first settlers of Kcene township. The other boys remained with their father for many years in the northeastern part of this township, on what is now the Haight farm. Thomas subsequently moved up on the Killbuck, where he died. John, Obed and Alfred moved to Indiana. Michael died in this count\'. One of the earliest orchards in the county was planted by the Millers, on this farm. Asa Hart, from New Jersey, had emigrated to the township prior to the war of 1812. It was not, however, nuich before 1816 that the township began to be permanently settled. Beginning with that date and extending over a period of twenty years cabin after cabin slowly rose in the midst of the vast wilderness which then covered the township, and which in time melted away beneath the sturdy strokes of the hardy backwoodsmen and left behind pleasant hill-side farms, many of which are now furnished with all the conveniences and improvements of modern farming.

Samuel Brown was from Salem, Massachusetts. He first located, in 1814, at Eock run, three miles south of Coshocton. In 1816 he settled on a tract about a mile and a half west of Eoscoe, and, after clearing a few acres and building a cabin, sold his claim to John Demoss. He then built a saw naill on Cantwell's run, which had head gf water enough to run the mill on an average three days in the week. For a number of years (until he united with the church) he depended on Sunday visitors to give him a lift in getting enough logs on the skids to keep the mill at work. The neighborly feeling, mellowed with a good supply of neighbor Sible's corn juice, sweetened with neighbor Craig's maple sugar, was always equal to the demands thus made. Later in life Mr. Brown engaged in the making of brick. He remained in the \icinity until he died, in February, 1871, aged eighty-four years. He was for many years a useful and highly esteemed citizen.

About 1815 a man by the name of Craig bought forty acres of land and built a cabin a little south of Eobert Crawford's residence, on the tract now owned by Burns & Johnson. He was one of the most successful makers of maple sugar, an article largely made and in universal use in early days in Coshocton county for sweetening cofTee, tea, whisky, etc. ISIr. Craig died about 1826, and his family removed from the county.

owned by John G. Stewart. A little later he put up a little mill on Cantwell's run, about a third of a mile up. It was called a thundergust-mill, as it only run with full force after a heavy shower. "Sible's corn-juice" was very popular in that day, and the business done by him and his neighbor, Samuel Brown, was enough to warrant the idea of a town, and doubtless led James Calder to lay out, in that vicinity, Calder.>5burg.

Theophilus Phillips was from the state of New Jersey. He lived in Zanesville several years, and in 1815 entered and settled upon the farm now best known as the Dr. Robert's farm, in the western part of the township. In 1816 he sold this, and built a cabin in what is now Roscoe, and having lived in that a few years, he built, in 1821, the first brick house in the vicinity, using it for a tavern for a number of years. He moved to Indiana about 1845, and there died in 1868, being seventy-four j'ears old.

Abel Cain was another early settler, coming from the State of Pennsylvania about 1816. After the township, was organized, he, and a Mr. Payne were elected fence viewers for a long series of years. Mr. Cain was a very tall, powerfully built man - a splendid specimen of the pioneer type of mankind, while Mr. Payne was exceedingly diminutive in size. It was the standing joke that Mr. Cain was to inspect the top of the fences and see that they were properly kept up, while Payne was to look after the "hog holes " underneath. Mr. Cain died here, and his children removed to Illinois.

Jonathan Butler entered the northeast quarter of section 1. The most of this farm lies in the Walhonding valley, and it was among the first to be entered. Mr. Butler came to the township at a very early day, just how early it is impossible to say. He afterwards moved to Schuyler county, Blinois.

James Huffman, in 1817, settled in the western part of section 24. He was a blacksmith by trade, and, after the country became somewhat settled, he pursued this calling, in his backwoods home, in connection with farming. Mr. Huffman remained in the township all his life; after his death, his two children moved away. A brother, Joseph, accompanied James here. He was at the time unmarried, and lived with his

The Fosters were among the first settlers in the western part of the township. There were six brothers: Samuel, Moses, William, David, Benjamin and Andrew. Their father,- John Foster, entered eighty acres apiece for them, most of it in section 6. The family was originally from Virginia, but had lived a number of years in Harrison county, prior to their emigration here. Samuel and Moses came out first, in 1816, the others following soon after. Andrew moved West, stopping for a time in Indiana, then continuing onward in the same direction. The others remained citizens of the township till they died. William was the last surN-ivor. He died about two years ago.

Abraham Randies, from Loudon county, Virginia, had settled in Harrison county, prior to the war of 1812, where he remained till he removed to Jackson township, in 1817. Three younger brothers, Enoch, Isaac and John, and their father, James, came with him. Abraham and his father, together, entered the northeast quarter of section 5. Abraham afterwards removed to the Killbuck, in the northern part of the county, where he died. His son, John Randies, now lives in Roscoe, and is one of the oldest men in the township.

John Demoss, his wife and son Lewis, Thomas Ramphey and family, and Crispin Tredaway, his wife and son Thomas, crossed the Allegheny Mountains in wagons from Harford county, Maryland, in the fall of 1817, and settled in this township. Tredaway remained a few years, then moved across into Jefferson township, where the son Thomas still lives. Mr. Demoss first settled in the western part of the township, on Simmons' run. There he remained five years, then moved to a tract of land about a half mile west of Roscoe. He had been a sergeant in the war of 1812, participating in the engagement at Baltimore. He died in this township, March 4, 1840. His son Lewis is still engaged in active business in the to^^^lship, at the Empire mills.

Thomas Smith, an Irishman, came about 1816, and located the southeast quarter of section 17. He died about 1825, and his family sold otit and moved away. Matthew Stephens came a little

Philo Potter was among the earliest to locate here, but did not become a property owner. He was quite an old man when he arrived here from the East. Was a hearty, good-natured, slow-going creature, and spent the balance of his declining years in the township.

John Loder eanie April, 1820, from Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and entered the northeast quarter of section 14. His son, Aaron Loder, is one of the oldest citizens now in Jackson township. William Dunshee came from the same county, but remained here only a few years. Benedict Dunfee, an Indian ranger, who had been in the United States service at Wheeling, Virginia, came a little later. James Hardin, from New Jersey, came out with John Knoff, about 1820, lived in Caldersburg a while, then moved to the Solomon farm.

Abraham and Jacob Courtright, two brothers from New Jersey, were here as early as 1815. Joshua Boring was another early settler. At a later day he moved to Keene township.

One of the early institutions of Jackson township was a brush dan^ built across the Walhonding by the Millers, at the site occupied later by the dam of the Ohio canal, which was swept away in a freshet several years ago. It was a very crude affair, being built of logs, brush and straw, and had to be repaired incessantly.

About 1S29 Joseph Huffman constructed a little horse mill in the southwestern part of the township, which served the pioneers in the vicinitj' for five or six years. The buhrs used at first were very small, perhaps a foot in diameter. They were set on edge, one being stationery, the other set in motion by means of a spindle. The capacity of the mill was but about ten bushels of meal per day. After some little time, Mr. Hoffman bought a larger pair of buhrs, which had been used in grinding the plaster for the cement used in building the canal locks.

John Carhart, as early as 1824, w;is running a tannery on the Haight farm, north of Koscoe. About 1840 he removed it to Roscoe. John A. L. Houston had owned it before Carhart. William Starkey, who came from Virginia in the spring of 1815, worked for a time in Carhart's tannery.

The village of Roscoe lies just across the Musking river from Coshocton, partly in the narrow valley that here skirts the river and partly on the steep blufl' that rises just beyontl. From this blutt'a commanding prospect of the surrounding country is presented. A fine bird's-eye view of Coshocton is obtained and the Muskingum, Tuscarawas and Walhonding rivers which meet almost at the foot of the hill, may be traced for miles through broad and level. valleys fringed with wooded hillsides. In point of poulation, Roscoe ranks second in the county. The school district to which it belongs contains six hundred and eighty souls, but the village proper perhaps not more than six hundred. Previous to the construction of the Ohio canal it w:is an ordinary little village with a tavern or two, a dry goods store and the few little industrial shops common to every collection of houses; but with the oj^ening of this highway of commerce and the water power facilities it afforded, an impulse was given, to commerce, merchandizing and manufacturing which placed the village as a business center in the front rank in Coshocton county. When the railroad was built through Coshocton it drew to a great extent tlie business to that place, and the luster of Roscoe 's name suffered in consequence. Though it is still a live business place, and contains several of the largest industrial establishments in the county, its business transactions are unequal to those of thirty or forty years ago.

Caldersburg, the former name of this village, was laid out in January, 181G, by James Calder. The original plat consists of sixty-seven lots, lying in what is now the lower part of town. In 1831, a large addition was made by Ransom & Swayne; in 1844, another by Ransom, Swayne & Medberry. In 1849, Samuel Hutchinson and John Frew each made an addition ; the former is known as Hutchinson's, the latter as the central addition. Mr. Colder, the founder of the village, was a Yankee, who liad come to Coshocton about 1811, and tliere engaged in business and failed. A tract of land lying west of the Muskingum river was saved from the wreck of his fortunes, and he moved across and laid out the town. It is said that he brought with him a remnant of goods, which he closed out at liis new home. The cabin he occupied, probably the first in the village, was built on lot S, Main street, was owned by Philip Hoop. No vestagc of it now remains. Calder afterward moved to the Rickett's farm, two miles west of Roscoe, on the Newark road, where his Yankee ingenuity was displayed in the making of shingles, etc.

The second building was a large log tavern, perhaps twenty-four by fifty feet in size, one and a half stories high, erected on lot 20, at the northwest corner of Main and White Woman streets. William Barcus was the proprietor of this primal Jackson township hotel. He came here from near Cadiz, and remained in possession of the tavern up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1829 or 1830. The travel through Caldersburg must have been considerable, for Mr. Barcus soon had opposition. In 1821 a brick tavern was built by Theophilus Phillips, who had previously settled in the township, just across Main street from its rival. This was the first brick structure in the township.

In 1825 the first regular store was opened by James Le Retilley and William Wood. The former was born in the Isle of Guernsey, in 1788. He came to this country in 1806, settling in Guernsey county, where there was a settlement of people from his native island. Removing to Muskingum county, at a point ^ibout ten miles below Coshocton, he engaged in the manufacture of salt, along with George Bagnall, who was from Nova Scotia. They made about six bushels a day, selling it for three dollars a bushels, or exchanging a bushel for twelve bushels of wheat. Their salt was carried to remote points, some of it by canoes and pirogues up the Killbuck almost to Wooster. In 1825, the Kanawha and lower Muskingum salt coming into market, rendered the business of Retilley & Bagnall unprofitable, and it was abandoned. The same year Mr. Retilley moved to Caldersburg, his partner following him a year or two afterwards. Mr. Retilley was one of the associate judges of the county and an active adherent of the Methodistchurch in Roscoe. He died in December, 1850, aged sixty-two years. His descendants are still well known in this vicinity. Mr. Woods had also lived in Muskingum near Mr. Retilley's residence. He was a single man when he came to Caldersburg, but shortly after married and went west. George Bagnall purchased his interest in the store, and the firm did a flourishing business here for an extended period of years. The store was located for several years in a little log cabin which stood just west of the brick tavern ; it was then removed to the old Barcus tavern stand. The goods were brought by team from Pittsburgh. The teamsters, in going for the goods, conveyed large quantities of venison to the east, which had been received at the store by way of trade. Deer were then quite numerous in the forests, and the farmer, in wending his way to town through the bridle path, was reasonably sure of shooting a deer upon the way. This he would cut up, hang the forequarters upon some overhanging bough beyond the reach of wild animals, to take home on his return, and bring the remaining "saddle" of venison with him to town, receiving for it, at the store, fifty cents. After the canal was built, this firm erected a warehouse and became the first dealers in grain, shipping heavily to Cleveland.

Prosperity for Caldersburg, as it was still called, began to da'mi with the construction of the Ohio canal. A canal at that time brought the same advantages to a town situated on its route that a railroad does now, and a place fortunate enough to secure a canal through its borders was universally conceded to be on the highway to conmiercial success. Coshocton expected the canal, but it seems that less expense attended its building west of the Muskingum, and it accordingly passed through Caldersburg. Leander Ransom, an engineer in the construction of the canal, recognized the advantageous site for a thriving town, and with Noah H. Swayne, the late United States Justice, then a lawyer in Coshocton, purchased a tract north of the village and laid out, in 1831, an extensive addition to the old town, changing the name to Roscoe, in honor of a then famous English author, William Roscoe. \V\\en the Walhonding canal was projected a few years later, the outlook for the town was still brighter. Added to this, its water power was unsurpassed. Steam had not yet come into general use as a motor of machinery, and those towns that af- forded an excellent water power had hitherto been the ones to achieve eminence as manufacturing points. The canals bring together in Roscoe the whole water power of tlic Tuscarawas and Walhonding. The water of the latter, standing in the canal at this place thirty feet above the level of the Muskingum, furnishes a power capable of performing almost anything desired. No less sagacious personage than Charles SI. Giddings, at that time one of the most prominent business men of Cleveland, j)redicted that in a few years the place would contain 10,000 or 15,000 inhabitants. He and one or two others purchased more than 100 acres of land in the vicinity, with th(? expectation of speedily disposing of it in town lots at a handsome profit. That this glowing outlook was never realized was due to the decline of canal transportixtion. They were unable to compete with their newly-arisen competitor, the iron horse. A revolution in the transportation of freight was inaugurated just as the village was blooming into a rich promise under the old regime.

For a time it grew rapidly. In commercial operations and business importance it was undoubtedly first in the county. It became a great wheat depot, and in point of shipment and transshipment ranked fourth or fifth among the towns along the entire route of the Ohio canal, from Portsmouth to Cleveland. Its population in 1840 was 468, while that of Coshocton was 625 During that year, a.s perhaps a little later, there were in Roscoe five dry goods stores, two groceries, two forwarding houses, one fulling, two saw, and two flouring mills ; while Coshocton at the same time contained six mercantile stores, one woolen factory and one flouring mill.

An industrial enterprise closely allied to the canal, was a boat yard, owned and run for a few years by J. Blaisdall, a ship carpenter, now living east of Cleveland. A number of subst^mtial canal boats were built here. The " Renfrew," one of the earliest water-crafts on the canal, was built in Roscoe by Thomas B. Lewis.

An extensive distillery business was begun in 1831-2 by William Renfrew and Robert Hay. The firm soon after became Love & Hay. A large structure was reared upon a heavy, stone foundation, situated on the canal a short distance below Adams it Gleason's saw mill. After it had bean in operation about ten years, the building with its contents was destroyed by fire, the loss amounting to 1*30,000 or $40,000. It was then removed to Coshocton and for years was one of tlie leading industries of the county seat.

In 1836 a large flouring mill was built by Arnold Medberry, Leandcr Riinsom and John Smeltzer. In 1853, being then under the control of Mr. Medberry, it wa.-« burned. In 1840 the Union mill was built in lower Roscoe by the Union Mill company, consisting of R. M. Lamb, Dr. S. Lee and John Frew, of Coshocton ; AVilliam and John Carhart, James LeRetilloy and James Bagnall, of Roscoe, and Peter Marquand, ol Wills creek. Becoming embarrassed, the company sold this mill to D. N. Barney & Company, of Cleveland, and it was by them sold to Arnold Medberry. It was burned in the spring of 1853. These two mills had two run of buhrs each, and were considered in their day among the first mills in Ohio. Their capacity together was five hundred barrels per day.

The Empire mill, now doing business here, is one of the largest and finest in the State. It was built in 1858, b}' Arnold Medberry, who died in the summer of 1801. The mill was then purcliased by Samuel Lainberson and Lewis Demoss, who subsequently sold a one-fourth interest to F. E. Barney, and a like share to D. L. Triplett, since which time business has been transacted under the firm name of Barney, Demoss & Co. The mill stands at the jimction of the Walhonding with the Ohio canal, and its water power can not be excelled. The building is a six-story frame of imposing dimensions, containsseven run of buhrs, and has a capacity of eighty thousand barrels per year. It is fitted up with the most recent improvements in milling machinery and fixtures - 112,000 having been expended for this purpose alone during the last year - and produces flour equal to any made in the State. This may be believed when it is known that the flour is sent to all parts of the world. Just preceding this writing, an extensive shipment Wixs made to Glasgow and London No custom work is now done. Employment is given to thirty persons.

building is thirt)' by forty feet, contains tliree run of buhrs and is doing a fine business both by way of custom worlc and exportation of flour.

A carding mill was started in ISS? in upper Roscoe by Samuel MofTat. After a few years it was burned down and another built by C: S. Miller and S. Mofliit. Miller died in 1848 and in 1855 the jiroperty passed from the hands of his widow to Thomas Wilson. With this enterprise Wilson McClintick, afterward removing to Butler, Missouri, was for some years identified. The building was a frame one, stood a little above the planing mill and was burned down in 1867. Wilson proceeded promptly after the fire to build the large brick mill, thirty bj' forty feet in size, now operated by him upon a site a little west of the old one, drawing water from the Walhonding canal instead of the Ohio canal.

The saw mill, now run by Adams and Gleason, was erected in 1832. It was probably built by Arnold Medberry or if not came into his possession very shortly after. A planing mill was attached by James W. Beebe about 1871, since when both saw and planing mills have been operated conjointlj'. An immense business is done here, covering all kinds of lumber, b}' far the greatest in the country.

Madberry, Ransom & Co , about 1831, built a large hotel in which J. H. Board was installed first proprietor. He was succeeded by H. V. Horton and by Mrs. Rebecca Johnson and others. The building was remodeled, almost entrrely rebuilt, by Matthew Stewart about 1840, and several years later it burned to the ground. Mr. Medberry replaced it with a new brick, still in use, with which Charles Simmons and others have since been connected. Mrs. Hutchins is the presens hostess. Several other hotels have flourished here but they have now passed away.

Roscoe has been peculiarly unfortunate in her fire losses. The little town seems to have been a special object for the fury of the fire fiend, for nearly every building of any note that has had an existence here, has been long reduced to ashes. The long list includes two large flouring mills, two carding mills, one large distillery, one church, two hotels, one school-house and one drygoods store, besides many other smaller buildings.

The number of merchants, who have been actively identified with the interests of Roscoe, has been a large one, including the names of John Smeltzer, Robert L. Lamb, Joseph Johnson, Hickox tt Wallace, John Frew, Burns & MoSIit, Seth McClain, McClain & Brown, A. Medberry & Co., Samuel Burrell and others. None were more prominent than Mr. Medberry. The following sketch of him is taken from Hunt's Historical Collections:

Arnold Medberry was born in New Berlin, Chenango county, New York, March 24, 1S06. He came to Roscoe in the fall of 1832, and remained a citizen of that place until his death, August 12, 1861. During this time he was one of the most prominent business men of the region. His farming, milling, merchandising and connection with the public works, were features of the locality where carried on. Indomitable energy and ceaseless activity were his characteristics. He was undaunted before that which would have made many quail. He thought nothing of taking his buggy, riding thirty miles to Mount Vernon, and there taking the cars, thus reaching Cleveland in a few hours. Losing two fli>ur-mills by fire, he, within a few hi airs, had matters all arranged for building yet a third. A zealous pohtician, he yet had little desire for office. He was, however, postmaster of Roscoe for many years, and was also county conimissicmcr. When the public works of the State, with which from the first he had been thoroughly acquainted, were offered for lease, he was one of the principal lessees, and continued in that relation until his death. A single anecdote illustrates his keen discernment and disposition to have the best in every line attiiinable. A wagonmaker, having built him a wagon, called for his inspection and acceptance of it. He discovered, by close examintion, a few places sto]iped up and made to appear smooth and good by putty. The wagonmaker protested that there was no real defect, that in fact the parts where the putty was were as strong as any, and would do just as good work. "Very good, then," said Medberry, with his accustomed twinkle of the eye, " just you keep this wagon, and make me another all out of putty, and we will then see whether putty is as strong as oak." Severe requirement was the rule with him in his relations to his employes, and what he thus demanded he was ready to yield to those having rightful claims. His personal appearance was fine, his manner calm and stately, but. withal, kind. His wife, who had been Miss Phcebe Denman, survived him several years, dying at the home of her daughter, in Kansas. His two sons died in each case iis they were approaching manhood. Two of his daughters are living in Kansas, the other in Columbus.

Tlie mercantile business is at this time represented as follows: ^Moore & Caton, dry goods; Wright, Biggs & llcCabe, dry goods; Martin Hack & Co., dry goods; Leander Miller, groceries; J. R. Stanford, groceries; Abram Rose, groceries; Le Retilley & Ferguson, drugs; Mrs. R. Hooker, drugs; Harrison ifc Johnson, hardware and tinware; Relda Lockhart, millnery.

The earliest school in Roscoe of which anything is known, probably the first, was held in the upper story of the Calder building, where John Snielzer afterwards kejit store. It was started about 1826, and held in this room only two winters. During the first winter it was taught by John B. Turner. He was a plasterer, by trade; moved here from Zanesville; soon after became county treasurer, and sulisequently moved to Indiana, where he took a prominent position in the administration of public all'airs. Henry Colclazer taught the second winter. He was from Georgetown, D. C, and was a very well informed man for those times. He subsequently became a Methodist Episcopal minister and, when last heard from, was living in Detroit, Michigan. A little cabin, standing on the hill, became the next fount of learning for Roscoe's youth. It had previously been used as a dwelling house and, after it had subserved its purposes as a school building, was converted into a tannery and used as such until very recently. Bashcba Lightener was the school mistress in this building for two winters. William Mc- Gowen ne.Kt taught, in a little brick, which stood near Dr. Johnson's present residence. Next, Mr. Brown's house, then the Methodist church, were each temporarily utilized for school purposes. A brick school-house was erected about 1835, and school held in it till transferred to the present brick structure, erected about 18-50. The school at present contains three departments. During the past year, the teachers in charge have been, Messrs. L. W. Martin and George Hill and Miss Anna Waddle. The school enrollment, at the opening of the year, was 132.

Dr. M. Johnson, the only resident practitioner now in the village, has perhaps been longer in a continuous practice than any other physician nov/ in the county. He settled here in 1833, and has been in constant practice ever since. He came as the successor of Dr. William Emerson, who died of pneumonia, June, 1833. He was the son of Timothy Emerson, of Keene township; had read medicine with Dr. Samuel Lee, of Coshocton, and, after attending lectures in Cincinnati, opened an office in Roscoe about 1828. He was probably the first physician in the place. From that time to the present quite a number of physicians have had a residence here ; generally a brief one. Among them was Dr. Edward Cone, now residing in Washington to^^^3ship, who has changed his occupation several times since. He has been a INfethodist preacher, farmer, and recently reports himself a " grower of peaches and apples on sheep lands." Josiah Harris, still practicing in Coshocton, was here from 18.37-40. Dr. Barger, the father of G. H. Barger, Esq., of Coshocton, from 1835-37. Drs. J. W. Brady, McBride, O. Farquhar, an Uriscopian; Peck, and others, have also resided here.

The first postmaster was James Le Retilley. He received the appointment about the time Jackson township was organized. Mr. Retilley was succeeded by Arnold Medderry, and since then quite a number of changes have been made in this office. The present incumbent is Mrs. R. Hooker.

Lodges of the Masonic order and of the Sons of Temperance have been established here, but both have been defunct for these many years. The former was organized about 1848, and disbanded in 186.5, uniting at that time with the Coshocton lodge. The latter was organized about 1846, and survived for the brief space of three years.

Besides the buildings already mentioned, there are here at present a foundry, a tannery, a brewery, a leather shop, and various other small industrial estiiblishments.

There is one other postofiBce in Jackson township. It is called Tyrone, and belongs in the southwestern part of the township. Joseph D. Smith has been postmaster for about twelve years. The ofliee was established about 18.50, and the former postmasters have been James Waddle, Aaron Reed, Catherine McCoy, Hiram Riden-

About 1825, a noted Fourth of July dinner was served at what is known as Falling Off Kock, one and a half miles west of Roscoe. The rock rises perpendicularly about thirty feet, and down this declivity a little rivulet dashes only after a storm. Beneath is a cave extending back about forty feet, and from it a fine spring of water issues. James Calder and several others, deeming it a pleasant spot for celebrating in a quiet way the national birth day, issued a general invitation and prepared the cave for the reception of the public. A large crowd, for those times, gathered at the place, from Coshocton, Caldersburg and elewhere at the appointed time and partook of the bounteous provision there spread before them. Lewis Demoss was the only participator in this affair who is now known to survive.

The Roscoe Methodist Episcopal church is the only religious society now in active operation in this village. From 1820 to 1826, there had occasionally been a sermon preached in Roscoe (then Caldersburg) in the dining-room of the tavern kept by William Barcus; but in 182G two Methodist ministers were appointed by the annual conference to the circuit in which Roscoe was embraced, and in the spring of that year the first class was formed by those ministers (their names were Abner Gough and H. 0. Sheldon). The persons forming the class were Theophilus Phillips, Mrs. Samuel Brown, James Le Retilley and wife, Mrs. William Barcus, Rachel Le Retilley and Joseph Shoemaker and wife. Meetings continued to be held in the same tavern until about 1828, about which time Samuel Brown joined, and the meetings after that were held at his house until 1831, in which year they built a neat little brick church, twenty-four by forty feet, in the lower part of the village on the brow of the hill.

A little incident in regard to Samuel Brown : He was, by his own account, a very wicked man then. There was to be a love feast lield on Sunday morning, and he went along with his wife to carry the child, not intending to stay in; but when they got there it was about time to close the door, as it was the custom in those days. So, when he stepped in to hand the child to his wife, they closed the door and drew a bench against it, so that he could not get out, and was compelled very reluctantly to remain, and during the exercises he became powerfully convicted, and then and there joined the church.

In 1853, the old church being too small, they concluded to build a larger one. The old one was torn down, and one erected forty by sixty feet on the site of the present church; and in March, 1874, it was burned and rebuilt the same year at a cost of SS,000, exclusive of materials out of the old building. It is a handsome brick of the same size as the old one, with brick tower and a fine bell The windows are of stained glass, and the pulpit and pews are very neat. It was dedicated December 27, 1875. The present membership is one hundred and twenty.

The Sunday-school is an attractive and important auxiliary of the church. It was organized in 1830 in the village school-house by the election o' the following officers: James Le Retilley, Sr., superintendent; Thomas Colclazer, secretary; John Brown, librarian. A library was formed directly after the organization but comprised a class of books much better adapted for mature minds than juvenile readers, consisting almost exclusively of weighty doctrinal works, books of sermons, etc. The school has enjoyed a prosperous existence of more than fifty j'ears and now has an average attendance of about one hundred and twenty. During the winter the meetings are held in the afternoon at two and a half o'clock ; in summer at nine o'clock in the morning. John W. Barkhurst now has charge of the school.

A Presbyterian church, formerl5r*located here, has become extinct. It was organized April 25, 1847. Rev. H. Calhoun supplied it for eleven years, and it received a part of the time of Revs. Henderson, Wallace, and other pastors of the Second church of Coshocton. At its organization there were fifteen members, among whom were George Bagnall, James Hill, Wilson McClintick, Mrs. Phoebe Medberry, Sirs. Charlotte Ransom and Peter Thurgood. Under the care of Mr. Calhoun and also, at a later day, under the labors of Kev. C. W. Wallace, Rov. S. P. Hildrcth and Kev. H. C Mc Bride, considerable accessions were received to the church. A good frame building was erected in 1853, chiefly through the spirited exertions of Mrs. P. W. Medbcrry. The elders have been James Hill, George Bagnall, T. Carnahan, S. Sayre. The church membership became greatly reduced through removals and deaths, and, .about 1873, services were discontinued. A flourishing Sunday-school was long kept up under the superintendency of John Carhart, Sr.

The Warner Methodist Episcopal church, located near the center of section 21, about three miles northwest from Roscoe, Was so named in honor of the late Dr. Warner, of the North Ohio conference. It was organizeil in the year 1870 by Rev. S. R. Surie. During the same year a neat frame building was erected at a cost of $2,000. The principal members were William Biggs, John B. Markley, John Peoples, Richard Eckels, Joseph Stnbbs, William Austin, James Davis, William Shearn, Christopher Hall and E. D. Wolford. The present membership is si.xty-six. A Sabbath-school was organized in 1870, and has now a membership of fifty-six.

The Branch Methodist Episcopal church was formed at the residence of EU Smith, January 3, 1839, by Revs. Martin P. Kellogg and Joseph S. Brown, then the preachers on the Roscoe circuit of the Ohio conference. The class, as organized, consisted of the following members: Ebenezer Taylor and Margaret, his wife, Benjamin Taylor, Nancy Taylor, Joseph Smith and Elizabeth, his wife, Julia Ann Ogle, Eli Smith and Katherine, his wife, Mindwcll Roberts, Jonathan Thomas and Mary, his wife, and Maria Holbrook. Directly afterwards steps were taken to erect a house of worship. Joseph Smith, David Middleton, Robert Ransom, Ebenezer Taylor and Thomas McLain were ai)pointcd trustees, and a frame building, twenty-eight by tliirty-two feet was erected. The present church edifice was built in 1872. It is located in the southwestern part of the township, within a mile of the township corner. It is a large frame structure, forty by fifty feet, which will comfortably seat a congregation of 500. The cost of this building was $2,300; it dedicated February 10, 1873. The present membership is forty-two. Rev. J. Williams is pastor. The church has always been connected with the Roscoe circuit. The Sunday-school, held only during the summer, last 3'ear had an average attendance of sixtj'-cight.

Pleasant Hill Regular Baptist church, located on William McCoy's land, about five miles west of Roscoe on the gravel road, was organized as a branch of Mill Creek church, abt)ut 1845, with a membership of perhaps forty, and called Crooked Run church. .Vmoug its principal early members were David Tracy, Samuel C. Heney, Abraham Randies, John Tracy and Aaron Loder. The earliest meetings were held in private houses, and in a vacated cabin which was rudely .and temporarily furnished for this purpose. Services were continued here but a short time, however, for a meeting-house was built on Aaron Loder's farm soon after the society was organized. The society advanced steadily for a few years, then declined, and in about fifteen years became virtually extinct. In 1862, they were organized, and the church re-named Rock Hill. Some progress was made, and in 186S a comfortable frame house of worship was built - the one now in use - and named Pleasant Hill. The first pastor was probably William Mears. Other ministers who have since served the congregation are Revs. L. L. Root, H. Sampson, J. G. Whitaker, R. R. Whitaker, W. S. Barnes, A. W. Odor, S. W. Frederick, E. B. Senter and J. C. Skinner. Rev. A. W. Odor w.as recalled, succeeding Rev. Skinner, and filled the pulpit during the last year. At present there is no regular pastor, but the congregation is still served occa.sionally by Rev. Odor. The present membership is ninety-four. Allen Marshall, Joseph Askren and Aaron Loder are the deacons. A Sunday-school is conducted during the summer. Its membership last year was seventy-three.

The Valley Presbyterian church was organized on the road from Coshocton to Newark, six miles west of Coshocton, in 1817, and a squared-log church built. Rev. P. H. Jacobs, of Coshocton, and Rev. C. C. Bamberger supplied it from 1847 to 1860. The neighborhood had at first a few Presbyterian families, including those of John Smith, John McCullough, John Graham, Thomas

Smith and William Crooks, but death and removal to the west soon eilaced these, and, as the territory was occuijied from the start by other denominations, this retired from the field. In 1S63, the old organization having become extinct, a second effort was made, kut with no better success than before. To this second congregation Rev. John Moore, D. D., while settled in JefTerson church, ministered. The church never numbered a score of members, and soon jierished a second time. Rev. Akey was the la.st minister in charge. The Disciples, for a number of years, had a society in the southwestern part of the township. A frame church, aboiit thirty feet square, was built in 184.5, or shortly before, in which services were held for perhaps fifteen years. Then the society became too weak to maintain its organization and perished. Werley Graves, Zachariah Ogle, William Richards, Samuel Wellman, Joseph and Uriah Huffman were the principal members. The last named subsequently became a minister of this denomination.

Blooming Grove Methodist Episcopal church is located in the northwestern corner of the township. In 1849 Rev. W. C. Huestis, of Roscoe circuit, preached occasionally in this neighborhood. He was followed by Rev. T. H. Wilson, who succeeded in organizing a society February, 1850. It first met in Antioch church, a house close by, belonging to a sister denomination, but in the year 1851, under the pastoral administration of T. H. Wilson, the church was erected and dedicated by him in August of the same year. Moses Finley was the architect and builder. At the close of Rev. Wilson's two years labors, the membership amounted to ninety-nine. Of the first members may be mentioned Simon Slurray, Ruth Murray, Thomas James, Sarah A. James, Nathan Price, Nancy Price, Joshua Fry, !Mary Fry, Samuel Neldon, Jane Neldon, Janles Shaw, Sr., Sarah Shaw, Eijhraim Deviney and Dorintha Deviney. S. Murry was the first steward and Nathan Price and Samuel Neldon the first classleaders. Of the first mentioned ninety-nine members there are but about seven in fellowship with the church at the present time. The membership now numbers 102; the present pastor is Rev. J. Williams. A Sunday school was organized by Rev. T. H. Wilson, in May, 1850. This branch of christian work has been continued to the present time. The last reports show a membership of seventy, with John Demoss as superintendent.

An old church building, known as the Antioch church formerly, stood on the north line of the township, very near to the extreme northwest corner. It was built many years ago by a feeble and short-lived christian society, and was afterward occupied for a brief period by the Allbrights and the Methodist Protestants.