Jefferson Township

Jefferson Township

Jefferson township was organized in.the year 1839 from the territory taken from Clark and Marion townships. This is one of the three townships which lie along the southern border of Clinton county. It is bounded by Brown county on the south, by .. Clark township on the east, by Marion township on the west and by Washington township on the north. The survey of this township was made in the winter season by one of the pioneers of the county, Peyton West, who was elected and served as county -« surveyor for several terms. Jefferson township took its name fiom the third President of the United States. This township contains about twenty-three square miles, or fourteen thousand seven hundred and twenty acres.

Natural Features

The surface of Jefferson township is generally level, but is susceptible of drainage at a reasonable cost. The only broken land in the township lies along the West fork of the Miami river and near the Brown county line, but this portion of land may be cultivated without difficulty and is now under a good state of cultivation. Jefferson township is drained by the West fork of the Miami river, which is the only stream flowing through this township, although it has as its branches and tributaries Plum run, Dry run, Moon's branch, Hale's branch, Lick branch, Sugartree branch and Bee branch. The West fork, as it is known to the natives, enters the township in the northeastern parti and runs in a southwesterly direction to a point near the village of Westboro, where it bears south, crossing the Brown county line, and continues about one and one-half miles in the same direction and empties into the East fork of the Little Miami river.

There is a considerable outcrop of blue limestone along the West fork, Dry run and Moon's branch, and large quantities of this have been taken to different parts of the county and utilized in the stone work of buildings and miscellaneous purposes. Some of the quarries along the creeks, where the stone comes near the surface, have been opened: and considerable stone taken out and utilized in the macadamized roads of this section The heavy growth of timber, which covered almost every acre of the township, has prevented the rapid settlement and improvement. Oak, hickory, white maple, elm, with specimens of almost all other varieties common to this part of Ohic, were the distinguishing varieties of timber found in this locality by the early settlers. The value of the white oak was great and, owing to the fact that it was very extensive and of a good size and growth, made the early settlers quite wealthy in itself. Much of it was made into planks, shingles and staves and taken to other parts of the county for use. A large portion of the oak was of a tough variety and was well adapted for the manufacture of plows and wagons, for which purpose great quantities were shipped. Much of the ash and hickory has also been used by wagon and buggy manufacturers. The white maple has been chiefly used for house building. But a great amount of the timber was ruthlessly wasted in the clearing of the land for cultivation. In the pioneer days only the finest timber could be sold and there was not a ready market at all times, in consequence the only expedient was to cut down and burn the trees, 'or deaden and finally burn on the ground, in order that the fields could be plowed.

Storm

Clinton county was visited by a great tornado, May 22, 1860, which was especially destructive to Jefferson township. It made havoc with the timber, much of which was broken down and torn up by the roots, or bent and damaged. This storm also did much damage to buildings and orchards, many houses and barns being unroofed. A portion of the brick school house at Westboro was blown down while school was in session, but, thanks to Him who "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," no one was injured; also a portion of the Methodist Episcopal church at Westboro was blown down. This storm was probably the most remarkable meteorological occurrence that has been witnessed since the settlement of the township. . SOIL.

The most of this township may be regarded as fairly productive, with some portions as quite fertile. All cereals are successfully raised and the soil is regarded as particularly well adapted to the cultivation of the potato. On the level portions, which include by far the greater part of the township, it 'has been proved quite profitable to tile, owing to the compact nature of the soil.

Early Settlers

Samuel Jackson bears the distinction of building the first house in this township about the year 1812. Mr. Jackson had emigrated from Tennessee in the year 1800, and had settled in the eastern part of what is now Highland county, on Rocky fork. Hunting was his chief occupation and during the year 1801 he killed two panthers and quite a number of deer and bears. Brush creek and Sun Fish hills were his chief hunting grounds for a number of years. He removed to the southwestern part of the township in 1818 and there settled on the lands which were later owned by Alfred Daugherty and known as the Lyons farm. Soon after this time Mr. Jackson returned to Tennessee and later he moved to Cass county, Texas, where he was still living at the outbreak of the Civil War.

selection of a building site while in the company of John Randall, John Bunson and Ephraim Jones. This party, which was engaged in shipping salt from the salt works wear Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, on flat-bottom boats, was returning on foot across the country, about the year 1818, as was their custom. They encamped for the night in what was then a beautiful oak forest, near a branch not far from where Wilson Bailey lived. The following morning. as one of the party related, when about to break camp, Hale remarked that the place was so attractive that he intended to return and settle there. True to his word. he did return, built a cabin, cleared a field and resided here a short time but soon became dissatisfied and left. Jesse Hockett was the next settler, and. in facet, the first permanent settler, as Mr. Hale's sojourn had been only temporary. He settled on the same branch and became a permanent resident. The first hewed-log house built in the township was erected by Joseph Hockett, who emigrated from Tennessee and cleared the lands near Hixon's school house, but soon afterward bought land in the Hale's branch neighborhood, to which he removed and there remained until bis death, in 1843. The early settlers in the Bee branch neighborhood were John Garner, Thomas Comer and Mr. Brunson. John Starr, Richarée Starr, Willinm Starr and John Thornhill were among the first settlers in the vicinity « Westboro, ;

William Hamer, while looking at the country in 1816, killed a large black bear. Whether this had any influence on Mr. Hamer's location or land we cannot say, but it is a fact that the following year he settled in the southern part of the township, not far from where he encountered the bear. During the years 1817-18. William Hamer and John Thompson built a saw-mill on the West fork. This was the first saw-mill in the township and was operated with some degree of success for a number of years, but in the time of a great freshet. the dam, which was made of logs, washed away and was yever rebuilt. The foundation logs were still left as a monument to these men, who

Another well-known settler in the southern part of this township was Thomas Sermon, who had served in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Sermon came from Kentucky and settled on the lands of James Taylor, who would not sell to anyone as long as the old veteran desired to occupy it. An incident is told of his regard for the old soldier. A party was desirous of buying some land of Mr. Taylor and, when he refused, they assigned aS a reason why he should sell "that the old fellow was eutting timber where he pleased and doing no good generally." This provoked the wrath of Mr. Taylor, who replied, in substance, with his usual warmth when aroused, that, "such a man as the applicant was not worthy of being a landowner, and that he would not sell land to a man that sought to dispossess or disturb an old soldier, who had gone, as it were, with his life in his hands, and suffered to secure the liberty we enjoy."

Peter Shick made the first settlement north of where the Baltimore & Ohio railroad now runs. Mr. Shick was a Baptist minister and settled here in 1830. Among the other early settlers of the township wha came here and became permanent and prominent settlers were, William Garner, Joseph Hinshaw and Granville Haines, who settled in the Westboro neighborhood; Thomas Moon, Nathan Hoggatt, Jesse Hockett and others, in the Hale's branch neighborhood; Joseph D. Moon, Daniel H. Moon, John Holaday, Thomas B. Johnson and John W. Johnson, who settled on or near the old road leading from Martinsville to Woodville.

William Moon built a saw-mill on the West fork about the year 18381, which proved to be a success and was a great public benefit to the early citizens, as large quantities of lumber was turned out from this mill, which was needed for building purposes and the manufacture of wagons, plows and other implements. This mill continued in operation until about the year 1855. In the year 1850, two brothers, Lewis and Thomas Hockett, built the first steam saw-mill in the township. It was operated with great success by them for a number of years and was later sold to Jacob Rhonemus, who continued to run it for a time, but it was afterward owned by several parties and continued in operation for quite a number of years. Jonathan Vandervort built the first flouring-mill, in the year 1858. It was located at Westboro and was still in operation in the early nineties, at which time it was owned by Settles, Lacock & White. In the year 18388 John Hamer built and put in operation the first carding machine. It was located on the west side of the West fork, a short distance from where the village of Westboro now stands; to this he had a grist-mill attached, and continued to run the same for quite a number of years, but it proved his financial downfall.

S. J. Spees, Tummouse & Adams built the Westboro woolen-mills in the year 1868 at a cost of about seven thousand dollars. The building was ninety feet long and thirty feet wide and covered a commodious cellar, thirty by sixty feet. This portion of the building was originally built for a railroad depot. In April, 1874, the establishment was purchased of S. J. Spees by S. Wickersham & Sons, who continued to operate it for a time. When running, eight hands were employed. and both merchant and custom work was done by this factory. The products were shipped to all the towns in this immediate locality and the following towns have been supplied with jeans, flannels and blankets from this mill: St. Martins, Fayetteville, Cynthiana, Newtonville, Edenton. Goshen, Blanchester, Wilmington, Cuba, Clarksville, Martinsville, New Vienna, Washington Court House and 'Lynchburg.

The first church organization in the township was that of the Friends, about the year 1825. In 1838 the United Brethren organized a society made up of the citizens of Plum run and Westboro neighborhoods. The later changes in the church history will be taken up in full in another chapter of this book.

The military history of Jefferson township will also be taken up in another chapter, as it would require more space than can be here allowed to give even a synopsis of the many deeds of valor and heroism that were performed in the late Civil War by her volunteers.

controlled by the Baltimore & Ohio line and give the citizens of Jefferson ample train accommodations, both for travel and also as a means of transporting their products to the foreign markets. ; The first school taught in the township was conducted by Thomas Abbott in the year 1823, in a cabin on the West fork. This was only a short distance from where the village of Westboro now stands. The next teacher was probably Jesse Hockett. The first school house was located on the north bank of the West fork, opposite the lands of John W. Jackson. This was also used as a meeting house by the society of Friends. The later changes will be taken up under the Educational chapter.

The following are the officers of Jefferson township in 1915: Trustees, Taylor Connor, Gideon Hoggatt and Frank Brandenburg; clerk, Harley Johnson; treasurer, W. S. Osborn. Population, thirteen hundred thirty-eight.

Westboro was laid out and platted on June 7, 1838, for Josiah Graham, proprietor, by David Wickersham, surveyor. It is part of the John Breckenridge survey No. 3,045. This village is located in Jefferson township, on the Hillsboro branch of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, four miles east of Blanchester. It was originally the voting place for the township, and its growth did not begin until the railroad was run through the county. The Westboro woolen mills were built in the year 1868 by S. J. Spees, Tunmous & Adams, at a cost of about seven thousand dollars. The building was ninety feet long by thirty feet wide. It covers a commodious cellar, thirty by sixty feet, under that portion of the building which was originally constructed for a depot. In April, 1874, the establishment was purchased of S. J. Spees by S. Wickersham & Son, who operated the same until about fifteen years ago. It is now used as a wareroom by W. A. Hudson. While the mills werein operation they did both merchant and custom work, and their products were shipped to the following towns and supplied their respective neighborhoods with flannel, jeans and blankets: St. Martins, Fayetteville, Cynthiana, Newtonville, Edenton, Goshen, Blanchester, Wilmington, Cuba, Clarksville, Martinsville, New Vienna, Washington Court House and Lynchburg.

Westboro now has a population of two hundred and fifty. D. L. Woodruff is the agent for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. G. B. Wiles is the postmaster. It has three general merchandise stores, operated as follow: ©. J. Uible & Company, Harley Johnson, manager ; WwW. P. Hammer & Son; J. D. Hodson & Company, HE. J. Hockett, manager. The flour-mill is owned and operated by R. H. Burton. W. A. Hudson uses the building which was formerly occupied by the Westboro woolen mills for a wareroom and deals in coal, cement, tile, ete. Other business interests are: Barber, Harley Johnson; stock buyer, T. W. Hixon; blacksmith shop. F. M. Nichols; fancy chicken fancier, J. R. Hammer. The physicians of the village are, Drs. ©. A. Tribett and A. F. Dennison. Westboro is an important shipping point for hogs, grain, wool and hay. It is also the pump station for the Hillsboro branch of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. There are three churches in the village. Friends. New Tight and Methodist Hpiscopal. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows owns a nice building and has a very strong chapter here.

Midland City

Midland City is situated on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and the crossing of the Wilmington and Westboro pike, twelve miles south of Wilmington. It was first laid out as Clinton Valley. It is noted for being a great coaling and water station of the said road and gives employment to a number of men. It is also accommodated by the Midland division of the same road. The village has a population at present of approximately four hundred people. Midland City is incorporated and the town officials at present are: Riley Davis, mayor; B. V. Moon, clerk; Ezekiel Walker, marshal; J. A. Walker, George Fordice, A. C. Hamilton, George Patton, Quince Henderson and Harry Hall, councilmen. Maces Foster is the postmaster and Roy Wallace the agent for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.

The business interests of the town are as follow: General stores, Maces Foster, F. J. Martin and E. H. Osborn; F. P. Walker runs a grocery store. Roy O. Boulwar, grocery and general merchandise; C. N. Connor, grocery and restaurant: Ed Shaw. barber shop; F. A. Flora and J. A. Walker, blacksmith shop; J. C. Wickersham. grain dealer: Dennis Foster. hotel; Inez Waiker, boarding house; B. V. Moon and C. C. Foster, livery: William Badey, butcher; Harry and Forest Bady, cement block manufacturers; A. B. Martin is the village physician. Midland City is an excellent shipping point for the different farm products.

Big Onion is a flag stop on the Hillsboro branch of the Baltimore & Ohio. Kluck's Crossing is in the southeastern part of Jefferson township and on the Clark township line. This was a charcoal-burning station for a number of years. The ovens were the largest in this part of the state and gave employment to quite a number of men. but this industry has died out and at present Kluck's Cressing is merely a flag stop.

Sanders

SANDERSON LaDe ph aklipeees Alexander, 922 Alzina, 212 Avelie, 2Le ema geal a ples, sme igete LS Bernice, 214, 283 Dayton, 212 Eveline, S01 Frances (West),