Jerome Township (part 2 of 19)

In 1830 the following" settlers had commenced operations in the township: Abraham Elifritz, Thomas Foreman, Pierce Lamphere, W'illiam Mc- Intire, John Price, David Price, Ira Phelps, John So\ereign and Samuel Simpson.

Deli\'erance Brown built a cabin and lived with his family on Boke's creek, two miles above I'harislnirg. He was called one of the l)est hunters in Union county, and was occupied most of his time in his favorite pursuit. For a number of years this one man killed from seventy-five to one hundred deer annually. He finally left for the west, having thinned out the game so it was hard work to make a successful business of it.

Coming down to a somewhat later period the settlement was increased by the advent of the follow ing : Stephen Davis, Henry Goodrich, Samuel Lafferty, Samuel ]\Ieek and Robert Maskill. John Xewhouse located just north of the site of Magnetic Springs in 1824. He remained on the old farm until 1881 and then removed to Magnetic Springs. Robert Pharis purchased surve}- Xo. 3,693, of one thousand acres, in 1835. He was a shrewd Yankee. In 1833 Joseph Bellville, /of Belmont county, effected his settlement. He died in 1863. ^'.xaT^-c

One of the earliest schools taught in the township was taught in a log house a half mile .south of Pharisburg by Samuel Pharis. (See Educational chapter.)

Milling in early settlements is always an interesting feature of pioneer life. Ever)' member of the household looks forward to the opening of such enterprises with delight. The small boy watches the process of damming up the waters of a creek or river ; then watches the men carry up the frame of the building; if a saw-mill, he watches the men put in the old-fashioned upright saw and turn on the water for the first time. The first slab that comes off from the first log sawed is really a prized piece of lumber in the community. If it be a grist-mill, then the small boy watches the millwright place the elevator and see the corn meal or flour drop into the sack, and hurries home to tell the family that they can now have biscuit for dinner.

Nathan Meek, about 1832-33, constructed a mill known as a "corncracker," on Boke's creek, a mile below Pharisburg, which had a capacity of forty bushels of corn a day. The mill-stones, about twenty inches in diameter, were still in use at Pharisburg in the early eighties. An upright saw was attached to the mill and both of these mills were duly appreciated by the pioneer band. This mill stood on the farm of Samuel Martin. After selling his mill, Mr. Meek built another on the farm of John Woods, a little less than two miles from Pharisburg. He sold to John Warner, and in a few years it was abandoned. Still later, up the creek, there was erected a saw-mill bv Ingham Woods and John Elliott. A long race was dug, but by a mistake of the millwright, a fall of only three feet was obtained where nine had been expected, and the mill project had to be abandoned.

In early davs the Scioto and Darby creek mills, and one on Buck creek, in Champaign county, were largely patronized by the early residents of the township.

The first cemetery in Leesburg township was on the farm of Joseph Brannon, one-half mile east of Pharisburg. Among the goodly number of the pioneers buried there was Alexander Elliott. Before that, the burials took place at the Decker burying ground in Delaware county. The Hopewell church also had an early burying ground. The McAllister graveyard at Union Chapel, though not so large, also holds the dust of many pioneers. Close to the old log Presbyterian church, located in the southwestern part of the township, was a cemetery, which has also ceased to be used. Another, south of Blue's creek, on the farm of William Scott, was known as Scott's graveyard. ^«r'Z''*^-<-'"- ^ 'X'J ''''J' '" ..vu (*-'-vL

Village Of Magnetic Springs

This village, of less than two hundred population, is situated in the northern part of survey Xo. 3,696, in a bend on the south side of Boke's creek. It came into existence on account of the accidental discovery of the medicinal qualities of the water from springs there which have became famous over a large scope of this country. Until about 1864, most of the land on which the place is situated was covered with large forest trees. J. W. Hoskins then built a cabin here, and cleared up a great portion of the timber land. In 1872 J. E. Xewhouse, having purchased the site of the springs, started a nurser\- and garden, which supplied the surrounding farmers for many miles with grape vines and other nurser\' stock. There was a great travel on the roads up this way, and in wet weather the highways were next to impassable. He petitioned the countv commissioners for a pike road, and offered to donate the gravel for two miles of the road, from a fine gravel bed on his place. The gravel road was constructed. Intent on utilizing the cavity left where the gravel had been excavated, here he decided to make a fish-pond. For the purpose of supplying the pond with water, in April, 1879, he sunk a well sixty-eight feet deep without reaching the rock and was about to abandon the enterprise, when the water gushed in from the of)ening, forming a beautiful fountain. The sight was indeed a novel one and many came to view it, and \-er\" naturalh- drank of the spring water. Several were afflicted with kidney troubles and they received much relief. It was not long before wonderful stories were being circulated of the healing properties of these waters, and it was then carried ofif in a score of ways. In the autumn of 1878 JM. F. Langstaft' had become a partner of Mr. Newhouse in the nurserv business, and after the fountain had created much public notice they erected a bath-house near the fountain for the benefit of those who wished its use. A number of persons desired lots and for their accommodation, November 24 and 25, 1879, fifty lots, known as "in-lots,"' and five blocks were surveyed b\' F. A. Gartner for J. E. Newhouse and Duncan and Matilda ]McLean, the latter two ha\'ing bought ^Ir. Langstaff's interest. Since then there have been numerous additions made to the original plat. Among these may be noted Degood's addition, Degood's second addition, Hoskin's addition and McBride's addition.

In 1879 the only building west of the pike was that of ]\Ir. Newhouse. In 1880 about a dozen houses were erected and before two years more there were more than a hundred houses. During the first five vears of its exist- ence. the floating and regular population run from three to five hundred. John Smith was appointed postmaster of the newly created office of Kokosing, the date of establishment being May 17, 1880. The name was changed January 31, 1881. to ^Magnetic Springs. The postmasters having served here are John A. Smith, May 17, 1880, to November 13, 1884, when S. S. Merrinian was appointed, serving until Francis Merriman took the office, December 14, 1886; William King was appointed May 19, 1892; J. M. Hoskins, February 20, 1894; William King, February 8, 1898; Elmer M. [Nlackan, January 9, 1914.

The first dry goods store was opened by A. L. Smith & Sons, of Richwood, in the early spring of 1881. Other very early dealers were Buftington Lynn and Hill & Jolliff. In 1882 there were also two grocers, L. Roley and John Smith : one hardware store, by Boe & Murphy ; one drug store, by Dr. H. McFadden; one jeweler, Ramsey & Son; a billiard hall, bakerv- and restaurant ; a photograph gallery, meat market, an extensive livery stable and a blacksmith and shoe shop. There were also three good hotels and a number of good boarding houses. The Fountain House was built by M. F. Langstaff in 1880. He sold to A. Thompson. The Park House was also soon in operation. The Hoskins Flouse was commenced in 1881. W. M. Murphy & Sons, of Cleveland, in 1882, were engaged in sinking an artesian well to a great depth. It had been sunk seven hundred feet in November of that year. The town prospered until 1907, when the heart of the town was destroyed by fire. In 1914 the business interests of the village are as follows:

There are now four strong mineral springs flowing at this point. The postoffice is a fourth-class office and is a money order station. There is one rural free delivery route, with a total length of eighteen miles. It was established in February. 1908.

The \-illage is the center of the centralized school system for three districts in Union and two in Delaware county. There is being finished a new central school house, made of brick and c(.)sting $15,000. Four wagons will transport the pupils to this building.

Magnetic Springs is incorporated and has for its present officers: Mayor, L. M. Gopeland : clerk, John A. Sayre : marshal, Cyrus Tlughes; councilmen, D. F. Koffroth. E. l^'elds. Murle Shirk, (ieorge Frwin and Hiram McCombs. The fire department is volunteer, with the town marshal as chief. V'>uv deep wells furnish the water and a chemical engine, with hook and ladder apparatus, furnish the town with adequate service.

The chief characteristic of the waters of the springs is found in the fact of their highlv charged magnetic properties. There are also special sulphur springs at this point. So stronglv impregnated is the magnetic water that a common pocket knife held in the stream a few moments will cause the blade to be magnetized sufficiently to pick up a nail or other small metallic object. Pins will readily adhere to the l)lade frir weeks at a time. The en\-ironments are ideal. Parks and beaut\' spots charm one (^n e\erv hand.

This hamlet was sur\e\ed li\- William B. lr\-in Julv 21, i<S47. for the proprietor, Allen Pharis. administrator of Robert Pharis, deceased. It contained about ten acres. Its location is near the southeast comer of survey No. 3,69.^, and near the center of the township. It had been known before as Scott's Corners. The residence of .Samuel Pharis, a large two-stor\' log house, stood on the plat where the town was laid out. Francis Scott soon after built a frame house west of the road running north and south. Merilla Cameron, a young Kentuckian, sold the first goods here. He brought them before the \illage was laid out and conducted the store only a, year or two. Not long after this Mr. J. Reed opened a general store and did business for some time. Matilda Chuggage taught the first school. Thomas Barcus was

Doctor McClaskey, of Pennsylvania, was the pioneer physician. Among the merchants of the village have been A. B. Strieker, A. G. McAdow and William Haves. Today it is a small trading point and has about one hundred and twentv-five population. It is now on a rural free delivery from Marysville.

Chapter Xxvi

Allen was first enibracetl in L'nidn township. When Liberty township was organized in 1822, Allen was chiefly within that sub-division of Union county. .Vt a board meeting in June. 1S27. it was agreed "That a new township be set off to be called Allen township, to be bounded as follows : Beginning at the southeast corner of Liberty t(_n\nship : thence running with the east line of said township, north six miles ; thence running west to the west line of said Liberty township : thence south to the line between Champaign and L"'nion counties : thence east with the said Liberty township line, three miles to the corner; thence south with the said line of Liberty township, to the northwest corner of L'nion township ; thence east with the north line of L'nion tow nship to the beginning." [Le\-i Phelps, Clerk of the Board of Countv Commissioners.]

The earliest sur\e}- was made in this township in October, 1797: the earliest recorded was that of seven hundred and forty acres, June 6, 1813, known as survey Xo. 102. It was surveyed for Henry Whiting.

This township, in common with others of L'nion county, is quite level. Along the numerous streams are level bottom lands : in the southern portion is a tract formerly known as the Crane swam]:). Another in the northeast portion was called Bear swamp. These lands, now counted among the rich and valuable land of this goodly county, were originally thickly grown up to underbrush and some trees, so thick that it was impossible to get through on horseback. These places, once the home of wild beasts and game. ha\e all been ditched and drained out till they have become fields and pastures of great agricultural value to their owners. The Big Darby is the main water course of this township. Buck Run is the only other stream of any great \-olume or importance within the township. South of Allen Center it makes junction with Bear Swamp run. which rises in Bear swamp. The flat bottom lands are a dark, rich deposit loam and \ery prcxluctixe when once drained. In the extreme south part of this township, on the farm formerl\- known as the Xathan

Howard t'arni, are what was once known as the "Indian Fields."' This was so called because when the first settlers came to the county they found the Indians cultivating corn on these lands. After the Indians left, and before the settlers came in and took the lands once so clear and easily cultivated, they had become covered with thick underbrush and it required much toil to clear them up again fit for general cultivation. \\"hen white men first beheld this township, wild game was here in great abundance and gave them a good supply of meat. One locality south of Allen Center, near Bear Swamp run, where it enters into Buck run, was a notable deer lick. The deer there congregated in great droves.

Early Settlement

Allen township was the fifth to be organized in Union county. While there were se\eral settlements made in the county prior to those effected in this townsliii). there were some who entered this locality at a very early date. Settlement was made very rapidly after immigration had once set in. The township is located in the southwestern part of the county. While there seems no way. at this late day, to know fully from record, or hearsay, just who was first to settle in this township, as several immigrated thither about the same date. \et there is no question but Henry X'angordon was one if not the very first tu settle here. He was from Pennsylvania. He came to Ohio about 1820 and settled on Buck run on land later owned by Jacob Leonard. Later, he moved to Illinois where he died. He reared a large family of sons and daughters who were prominent in their day and generation. Henry \"angordon was one of thirteen -voters at the first township election and one of its early trustees and its fourth treasurer.

Daniel Allen, another son of Pennsylvania, about 1813, married, moved to Ohio and settled in ]\Iadison county: about 1821-22 he came to this township: he was thrown from a load of oats and killed in 1832. The township was named in honor of this unfortunate pioneer. As a man and good citizen he was highlv thought of by all the early settlers. He was a devoted Christian, a class leader in the ^lethodist church : one of the township's first officials and had he lived would no dotibt have succeeded in his newly found home. His brother, Isaac Allen, moved to Ohio in 181 1. In 1829 he came to Union countv and became a settler in this township, dying in 1863.

Southard Mather, of Maryland, came with his father's family to Milford Center, where he married Paulina Rice, and settled in Allen township in 1822.

Later, he renioved to Iowa where he died. He was another of the first thirteen \-oters in the first election. He was elected the first township clerk.

Aloses Redford, a native of X'irginia, emigrated to Ohio, first locating at Milford Center, where he fnljowed shoemaking. He married Betsey Southard, settled on Buck run and also voted at the first township election. He nii)\-ed (in to Champaign count}-.

Another immigrant from old \'irginia was William Epps, who settled in C'hampaign count}- in the } ears between 1806 and 1809. Aljout 1825 he located in Allen township, where he subsequently died. T-ie was also numbered among the voters at the first tow-nship election.

\\'illiani W. liaines, born at Chillicothe in 1801, and in December of that }-ear mo^-ed with his father's faniilv to Logan count \- ; he remained there until 1818-20, then can-ie to Union county, settled in .\llen township and remained a resident until his death in 1850. He \-oted at the first election of this townshij). He married .Atlantic Ciru1)bs and by her had a large famih- of sturdv sons and daughters.

\\'illiam Asher, a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, in 1800 emigrated with the family to Ohio, first settling in Ross count}-, then in Logan county, locating in .\IIen township. Union county, about 1823. He and his son John n-iade two more of the original xoters at the original election in Allen to\\-nship. He had a large famil}-.

Ximrod Garwood was another original \-oter in this township. He was one of the first set of township trustees and a leading man in the organization of Allen townshi]:). He was clerk of the township from 1828 to 183 1.

J(-ihn Pa\-er, a native Marv-lander, emigrated to Fairfield coui-it\-, Ohio, in 1802. In 1820. he remo\-ed with his famih- to I'nion cc^untv, settling ii-i Allen township, where he died in 1831. He was one of the sturdv, hard working pioneers, who married and reared a family of nine children. He performed every duty as a citizen of the newl}- fcirn-ied county and ci\-il township in which he was c(iunted among the early settlers.

Aliraham Leonard, from A'irginia. eniigrated to Ohio, settled in Pickawa}- county, married Elizabeth Paver, and in 1827 remo\-ed to this township.

.Amos A. Williams became a .settler in Allen township in either 1827 or 1828'. He suffered the loss of one of his feet by being run over by the cars; it was amputated and he only lived a few weeks after the operation. His son. William, was a soldier in the Civil War and died in the Union army.

Ahin Wilcox, a native of New York state, emigrated to Madison county, Ohio, at an early date, and in the spring of 1829 to Allen township, Union countv. He later moved to Illinois and then to Missouri.

Luther Wood, a native of Connecticut, born March, 1799, emigrated with his father's family to York state, where the father died. In 1820, he removed to Ohio, settling in I'nion township, where in 1823 he married Rosana Cochran. In 1829 he located in -\llen township, where he lived until a short time before his death, when lie moved into Jerome township, then to Piqua, Ohio, where six weeks later, August i, 1867, he died. He was the father of a large number of sons and daughters who made up a part of the robust element that braved the dangers and hardships incident to that day in this county.

Matlock Stokes, from Virginia, emigrated to Ohio, settling first in Logan count-\', but in about 1830 came to the western part of Union county. He resided in Allen township man\- years and then moved to West Liberty, Ohio.

William Inskeep, Jr., son of John Inskeep. one of the early settlers of Logan county, Ohio, married Mary Stokes and settled in Allen township, Union countv, on the tract of land where Hiram Inskeep later resided. There he died in ^84^. He was an honored citizen and was elected to many township and county offices.

Other settlers along about 1829-30, were Elisha Cowgill, Edward Tyler of Virginia, Cornelius Meshon of Kentucky, John Milligan, a half brother of William Milligan, John Dawson of Pennsylvania, Joseph Dunlap of Putnam county ; in later years, Daniel Spain of Virginia, Abraham Holycross and many more whose names have slipped from the gleaner of this late date.

Isaac Brodrick, born in New Jersey in 1802, was brought by his parents when six months of age to Wheeling, West Virginia. In 1813 he moved to Warren county, Ohio, where Isaac grew to manhood and married Hannah Wood. In the winter of 1833 he settled in Union county. When he came here he knew but two settlers between his ])lace and Newton (now known as

Raymond), one being James Wilbur and annther farther north. His wife died in 1876, the mother of foin' children: Alary Ann, who married Richard Wells; Isaac, who married Sarah Hiifi': James, who moved away during the Ci\il War, located in New Orleans as an engineer on a steamboat and was not heard of afterward; Hannah Jane, who married Charles Van Wye, and J(jhn W. Brodrick, of Marysville, judge of the common pleas court.

James Stillings was born in .Maryland in 1783; in 1829 emigrated to Clark ciiunty, Ohio; in 1834-35 moved to this county, settling in Allen township where he died many years later.

Samuel Marsh was born in what is n<.iw West Virginia, 1809. He married and in 1835 settled in this county- and tnwnship. He had onlv one hundred and fifty dollars in cash and a team of cows. He went in debt for his land, but as the years went by he accumulated a handsome property.

The above were early settlers in Allen township and also the following, of whom but little is now known ; Vandever Reed, Joseph Coberly, George Miller, John r,abriel, Dixon Mitchell, Samuel Ballinger, Alfred Hale, William Smith. Thomas Dodds, James Cochran, W^illiam Hoff, William Rowland, Benjamin X'ickers, 'I'homas Dunn, J-llijah Kinney. Elijah Burroughs, L. Hibbard antl John C. Hilibert.

One more pioneer cnuple should l)e mentioned, James Ca\'ender and wife. Air. Cavender was ])(_irn in New Hampshire, Alay 15. 1776. He married Rachel Buttler, born in 1789, and in 1846 they emigrated to Ohio, locating in this tnwnship, where they spent the remainder of their days. They had nine children, Annis, Abraham H., Jonathan B., Sarah, Charles, Alary E. Burnham, Rachel and David. This worthy cnuple tra\eled life's journey together for more than se\-enty-tw() years, longer than the a\erage span of human life.

One of the earliest mills in the townshi]i was the I'eltz grist mill, located on Big Darby, near the Champaign county line. About i8jo. Samuel Hawkins built a saw mill nn this site, run b\- water power. After a few years it was sold to Thomas Dunn, who was succeeded in 1833 by Beltz Brothers, and it remained in that family's hands for more than a half century. Soon after Mr. Beltz purchased this mill he put in a distillery and it

The older settlers of the county will recall the Wetzel Alill further down the Darby in the extreme southern portion of the township. Daniel Coe here erected a saw mill about 1S36-37 and commenced the digging of a race to suppi}- power from the w aters of the Darby sufficient to run a grist mill. He was two years in constructing this race and it cost him one thousand three hundred dollars. He also laid a good foundation for a grist mill, but being unable to complete it for want of capital, he finally sold out to Ira Johnson, who then erected the grist mill, and also at one time had a distillery there with a large warehouse for grain. This entire property was destroyed by fire. Later, it was rebuilt on a smaller scale. But this undertaking caused the owner to fail in l)usiness and it passed into the hands of Williams & Bennett, who also failed, which put an end to all distilling business. Howard & Leonard purchased the old mill at auction and sold it to Alartin \\'etzel. While in the latter's hands it was burned in 1856. Lie re-built and operated it several years, when it was removed to Unionville.

The Finley saw mill, built in 1850, b\- James Finley on the JNIilford & Allen pike, was run by steam power. Just before the Civil W^ar it was sold to S. B. Childs.

This \'illage dates its platting from Februar}- 18, 1869. when David A. Williams and George F. Bennett had sur\eyed twenty-four lots and named it in the records of the county "Pottersburg." It is situated on survey No. 315.

October J2. 1872, W. A. Armstrong caused to be surveyed fourteen lots as an addition to the original village of Pottersburg, the same being situated on the nurth side of the railroad then known as the Atlantic & Great Western.

In the summer of 1868, before the first platting was executed at Pottersburg. Jonas Cline, a carpenter, erected a saw mill. He also erected the first house, the same lieing for .\l)el Lary. hi i860 he also l:)uilt a store room twehe l)y eighteen feet and filled it witli groceries, the first store of the village. B. Andrews was the first l)lacksniith. In 1S69 Captain Cline petitioned for a postoffice and was appointed postmaster the same year. In the spring of 1864 the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio railroad was completed and the first train put in operation. Captain Jonas Cline was appointed ticket agent. By 1882 there were about one hundred people residing at Pottersburg.

Allen Center

At this point the first business enterprise was the ashery, carried on at an early day by Joel Everett. It was about 1848-49 when Joshua Eaton purchased five acres and laid out a few town- lots. A postoffice was established in 1 85 1 with Reuben Foote as commissioned postmaster. Ransel Smith was engaged in the cabinet business and Stephen Donahue was the village blacksmith. In 1 86 1 Barnett Bennett erected a large two-story frame building and the next year placed in it a large stock of merchandise. He continued in trade until about 1865, then sold to Jacob Painter, who ran it until about 1875, when he sold and. moved to Mississippi. About the opening of the Ci\il War the postoffice was discontinued and the site of the once hopeful hamlet is now covered with fields of waving grain.

Chapter Xxvii

This is the extreme northeastern township of Union county and is bounded as follows : on the north and east by Marion county, on the south by Claibourne township, on the west by Washington township. The first land surveys were made in 183 1, tract No. 3,473, of four hundred acres, for John \\'iilianis, being the first to be surveyed. Rush creek is the only stream of much importance \\ithin this ci\il township. It enters from Washington township on the west, flows southeastwardly until it reaches the interior of the township and then turns northward and crosses over into Marion county. It was named for the large quantities of wild rushes found growing along its banks at an early day. Lime rock and gravel is found along this stream. The surface of the land in Jackson is slightly rolling, though by no means considered rough or very hilly. The few ponds or swamps found by the pioneers in the township ha\e all long since disappeared and their beds have become productive fields of corn, wheat and grasses common to this latitude. Drainage has been very successful in this part of the county. Beaver Pond was a large sheet of water in the northwestern portion and originally contained about forty acres, but no traces of the pond can now be seen. Few springs abound and the water supply is known as limestone water. The father of this township, so to speak, was Ebenezer Cheney, who petitioned the county commissioners March 3, 1829, for a new township. The prayer of the petitioners was granted and the bounds set forth as follows: "Beginning at the countv line eight miles south of the northeast corner of Union county : thence running west parallel with the north line of the county of Union to the east line of Liberty township ; thence with the Lilierty township line to the northern boundary of the county of Union; thence south eight miles to the place of beginning." At the same date it was ordered sun'eyed by Levi Phelps.

Tune 3, 1829, the following entry appears of record : "The commissioners of Union county reconsidered the order for the running of the township of Jackson, and ordered that the said townshi]) shall be laid of¥, beginning two miles and rme-half north of the first mile-tree north of Bokes creek on the eastern boundarv of the county of Union ; thence west parallel with the south- em boundary of said county of Union to the boundary line between Liberty and Leesburg - all north to be considered as tlie township of Jackson." The same day an election was ordered to be held June i6, 1829. As thus constituted it will be observed that the new township embraced the greater part of what is now Claibourne township, as well as the Miller settlement in York township. The township was reduced to its present form and size by the erection of Claibourne township in 1834.

Just where the first election was held is n<it now known, but no doubt in some one of the pioneer houses in what is now styled Claibourne township. In 1832 the election was held at the house of David Carr and in 1838 it was ordered that the township trustees should call the election at the house of Michael Blue. In 1843 the school house at Essex became the regular voting place and so continued for many years.

The Indians

Before referring to the white settlement in this part of Union county it Avill be interesting, no doubt, to mention some items connected with the race that preceded the white race. The Indian tribe here found was the VVyandots. These Indians, with possibly other friendh' tribes who from time to time visited this tribe, lingered hereabouts until 1833. Se\Tral burying grounds of this race reveal their former occupancy. On the old farm of Jason Chapman, in a gravel bed situated between the road and the creek, six skeletons were dug up in 1834 and other evidences were found of the Indian occupancy and a regular camping ground. On the farm settled by Joseph Cameron, later owned b}- \\'. F. Chene}-. was a large mound that had served as an Indian grave-yard. The mound or knoll was composed of sand and gra\el and on the north, east and south rose quite abruptly, while on the west it sloped gradually to the loamy soil below. It covered about two acres. When the gravel and sand were remo\-ed f<:)r reads and building uses a number of human skeletons were exhumed. Arrow heads and otlier trinkets were found.

The Wyandots were expert bee-hunters. Ebenezer Chene}', while on a bee-hunting expedition, once found a large bee tree. The hive was in an upper limb and hence inaccessible to him without chopping down the tree, which was the usual course adopted by white hunters. While deliberating whether it would pay to cut down the giant oak, an Indian hunter approached and obligingly offered to procure the coveted honey for him. The offer was gladly accepted. The brave drew his tomahawk and felled a small sapling so that its top fell against the lower branches of the bee tree. He ascended on this to the lower branch of the oak and then proceeded to cut and trmi a hnib with a hook at one end. He caught the hook in a Hmb overhead and dimbed up to it hand over hand. Throwing away the hooked Hmb he cut of? the branch containing the hone\-. Then balancing himself, he leaped down to the lower limb and descended to the ground by the same means he had employed in ascending.

On another occasion an Indian appeared at the cabin of Ebenezer Cheney and desired to obtain a gun-lock to replace his own which was lost. He exchanged a cotton shawl for one and when he had finished hunting returned to the cabin and wanted to trade back. Onl_\- a daughter of Mr. Cheney was then present and to the demand of the red man she exclaimed "Xo swap." "Swap anyhow," said the hunter and taking the shawl from the wall, he threw down the gun-lock and strode out of the door. Miss Cheney, displeased with this procedure, set the dogs at the retreating Indian, but the boys working in the field, not knowing the cause of the disturbance, called them off.

Man}' of the Indians became christianized. After the race had about disappeared from the township, an Indian minister named Manonku, camped out in the woods and while here attended a Methodist meeting then in progress, and at his own invitation, participated in the religiovis exercises.

When grain was first grown here the only market was at Lake Erie. The only highways were mud roads. Wheat brought from sixty to seventy cents a bushel, and farmers usually hauled it to Portland, taking forty bushels at a load, and consuming an entire week to make the round trip. The first ground prepared for the seed in this township was by John Cheney, who used a mattock. He sowed the land to beets. Daniel A. ^^'hite brought the first joint of tile into the township.

Early Settlement

Benjamin Carter was undoubtedly the first white settler in Jackson township. He was born in Tennessee in 1787 : emigrated to Ohio in 1805. settling in Champaign county; there he married in 1812, served a short time in the War of 181 2. Christmas day, 1826. he landed with his family in Jackson township, purchasing a hundred acres of land in survey Xo. 9.889, southwest from Essex. He spent the remainder of his life in clearing up and cultivating the soil of his own farm. He died in March, 1866, and his wife in 1871. They had a large and highly interesting family of sons and daughters.

Ebenezer Cheney made tiie ne.xt settlement. He was born in Virginia in 1777; emigrated to Ohio in i8'07 and to Jackson township in 1827. He was attracted hither on account of the wild game then found here. The route by which he and Mr. Carter before him reached this country was by an Indian trail from Fulton creek north to Rush creek, which almost followed the line of the present pike road. They came by ox-team and were often obliged to stop and cut logs away in order that their team might pass. Their cabins were reared by the aid of men from far and near. Cheney was a famous hunter in this township and killed hundreds of deer. He had the ill luck to lose one eye by being hit with a brush while working in the timber. He died in 1833.

Jacob Reed, born in Virginia, 1807, came to this township in 1829 and erected his cabin a mile or so west of Essex. He did not move his family here until 1830. Subsequentl_v he became a merchant at Essex. He sold out his store in 185 1 and then emigrated to Mahaska county, Iowa, where he died in the spring of 1880.

Joseph Cameron's permanent arri\al in the township was in 1830. He came with his brother-in-law Reed. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1807 and when two years old accompanied his parents to Ohio. The family settled in Champaign county where he grew to man's estate.

Samuel Sanders, lx)rn in Maryland in 1766, was married in 1785 to Nancy Reed. They settled in Jackson township in 1830 at a point about one mile north of the village of Essex. He died in 1846 and his wife in 1851.

Jacob Collins in about 1829 built himself a cabin two and a half miles west of Essex. He was not a land owner, but a squatter. He built a small blacksmith shop. When not engaged at the glowing forge he hunted. He sold his squatter's rights to Ebenezer Davis, moved to Washington township and later moved to unknown parts.

David Carr was born in Bradford county, Pennsyhania, in 1802, and emigrated to Champaign county, Ohio, in 181 7. He married Mary Cheney in 1826 and in 1831 moved into Jackson township, settling southeast of Essex, where he died in 1874.

with his parents in 1818 to FrankHn count}-, Ohio, making the journey by teams from Xew York state. He taught a term of school in Mill Creek township in 1825 and later in Jerome township. He married Elizabeth Cheney in 1832 and settled west of Essex. He farmed, taught and clerked in Essex a number of \ears. In 1854 he was elected clerk of the courts for Union count}'. He lived in ]klar}'s\'ille fifteen years and held other county positions at Alarysville.

James Bell, born in Pennsylvania in 1801, was married in 1822 to ]\Iargaret Sanders. They settled in 1832 in Jackson township. He farmed and run a blacksmith shop until he removed to Marion county, where he died in 1872.

Ira Bennett effected his settlement in the township in 1830; a few years later he wended his wa\- on to the west and was lost sight of in this county.

Albert R. White, born in Bradford count}', Pennsylvania, in 1801, came with his parents to Alill Grove, Warren count}', Ohio, in 1819, and the following year mox'ed to Franklin county, Indiana. He moved to this township in 1 83 1. He lived to be past eighty.

Jason Chapman, of Frederick county, Virginia, born 1793, married in 181 3, came to Ohio in 1825, and in 1833 removed to Jackson township. He made an excellent citizen and did his full share of hard work as a farmer. He died in 1880. He was a strong \\'hig in the days of that political party. He belonged to the Methodist Protestant church. During the War of 1812, he served eight months in the Northwestern army under General Harrison. He was present at the building of Ft. ]Meigs. He had eleven children and one son, Joseph, was killed at the battle of Missionar}- Ridge during the Civil War.

Michael Blue, born in \'irginia in 1801. married in 1820: came to Jackson township in September, 1833. settling a .short distance northwest of the village of Essex nn a. farm of one hundred and fifty acres. He purchased the place before his removal here. He died in 1857 and his wife in 1876.

Southworth Mather, a native of Xew Jersey, when a young man moved to Virginia, and from there the family came to Ohio. He was married in Union township, in this county, to Philona Rice, and in about 1831 moved to Jackson township. He became a squatter a mile west of Essex village. He later purciiased land in Wasiiington township, but finally removed to Iowa, where he died.

The names already given, together with the following, all came in before 1840: Henry Bennett, Francis Baldwin, Ira Bennett, Jesse Bowen, John and Henry Baldwin, Benjamin Bradshaw, Daniel Bell, Michael Deck, John Dixon, Absalom Forbes, Samuel Grant, Jacob Honaker, Peter Hinkle, David Jones, William Lockhart, Hiram Keeler, George Knightlinger, Samuel Alerritt, Reuben Redding, Thomas Temple, Nicholas Van Buskirk, David Washburn, David, Dennis and Benjamin Welch.

The Early Mills

Is'otwithstanding Jackson was settled much later than any of the other townships, its milhng facilities were poor for many years. It was no unusual thing for a number of families to band together and send a four-horse wagon tilled with grain to a mill near Mechanicsburg, thirty miles distant. Mills came in later and they greatly helped the pioneers. While these mills were nut in the townshii). they were within eas}- driving distance from home, one being sixteen miles distant, at jMilhille, on the Scioto river. There were numerous "corn-crackers" put in by which corn meal was produced in abundance. These were only used when wheat grinding mills could not be reached on account of high water ur bad roads. In 1840 William Britt built a small grist mill and had a saw-mill attachment on Rush creek, a mile below Essex. Later, Warner Bridge constructed a saw mill two miles west of Essex, and soon had a rude pair of burrs set in motion by which a poor grade of flour was made.

A stationary steam saw mill was constructed at the village of Essex by John B. Stout. Later, it was sold to Sprague & Haynes, who added a distillery.

Essex

At what is now st}'led Rush Creek postoffice. in the central portion of Jackson township, once flourished the little village of Essex. It was surveyed September 2. 1836, by William C. Lawrence, deputy surveycir, for John Cheney, the proprietor. There were but forty lots platted. At that date it was hoped by the citizens of that section that a new county might be organized and Essex hoped to be named the county seat. The first cabin was erected by Dr. David Welch in 1838. Tabor Randall was the first postmaster, the office being called Rush Creek. ]\I. P. Camp succeeded him as postmaster. Other postmasters there were Sidney Hogden, John A. Peasley, Richard Davis, S. E. Williams and Richard Davis for a second term. The office has been discontinued and mail is received over the rural free delivery route out from Richwood. The \illage now has a population of about one hundred. It is a small trading point.

The first store at Essex was the stock put in by L. H. Hastings, then a merchant at Richwood. Thomas Cheney operated it for a year or two for its owner. Other merchants were James Stout, Jacob Reed, William Wurl, Camp & Search and possibly a few others. A flour and saw mill was operated in 1881 by W. A. Hall & Son. At one time Lewis Hack, son-in-law of Dr. operated a potash factory there.

Woodland

This postoffice village is in the eastern part of the township. It is a station on the old New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio railroad line. As early as 1882 it contained a large planing mill, operated by Henry Hazen. A store was started about 1866 and run several years by Ed. Hazen. The village has a population of about one hundred and twenty-five and is nicely situated.

Chapter Xxviii

On the west line of Union county and in the second tier of civil townships is found Vori<. Tlie organization of this township was completed by the election of its hrst township officers April 7, iS^4. This election was held at the house of Aaron Shirk and he was therefore permitted to cast the first vote at this the first township election. The election resulted in the election of the following officers; Trustees, Herman Tohey, Joseph Miller and Harmon J'atrick : t)verseers of the poor, Charles Miller and John Coons; fence viewers, George Cocttis, Jonathan Miller and Charles Bennett; treasurer, William Tohey; constable, Aaron Shirk; clerk, William Hartford; supervisors, John Stamates, Hiram Parker and Jonathan Shirk. The trustees met at Mr. Tobey's, April 13, 1834, and divided the township into road districts. Jonathan Miller was elected the first justice of the peace at the fall election in 1834.

The ^'ork township of today is not the same in form and size as the one originally |)lanned or even as was originally ordered laid out, as will be seen by the transcript of county rec(jrds which shows the following proceedings :

"Decemljer 3, 1833 - The board of commissioners ordered that a new township be laid off on the north end of Liberty township, to be called York; commencing on the east boundary of said township of Liberty, fi\e miles north of the southeast corner thereof ; thence west, parallel to the south boundary of said Libertv townshi]), to the west boundary thereof; all north thereof to the north boundar\- of l'ni(.in county to l)e considered York township, to be surxeyed by Levi Pheli^s, when it may suit his conxenience. previous to March session next.

"March 4, ]8'34 - The board took into consideration the report of Levi Phelps, surveyor, on his proceedings on laying oS the township of York, and its api^earing to said board that it would be more convenient to the townships of both Libertv and York to remove the line aKS now run one mile farther north ; it is therefore ordered that the said Phelps, at s(jmetime ])rior to the next June session, re-survey the said township of \'ork, commencing on the east line of the township of Liberty at the six-mile tree being six miles north of the southeast corner of the township of Liberty, as originally established; thence to run west with the southern boundar}' thereof to the western boundary of the county ; all north to be considered as the township of York.

"December 4, 1834 - A petition was presented by William Hartford, praying for a re-consideration of their order, for running the line between the townships uf Liberty and Yurk. and an alteration; whereupon, it is ordered b_\' the board that the said line shall begin five miles north of the southeast corner of the t(jwnship of Liberty, on the east line thereof; thence running west parallel to the south line thereof three and one-half miles; thence north, parallel with the east line of said township one mile, and two hundred forty-two poles ; thence west parallel to the south line of the township, to the western boundary of the county."

In 183') ^'urk township was divided and Washington formed from the northern division, it is useless to try to follow the various changes that ha\e from time to time been made in the lines of York township. As at present constituted its northern and western boundary is regular. The western l)()undar_\- is the county line. On the east is Claibourne township and Taylor and on the south is Liberty and Taylor. September 11, 1799, the first survey was made of government lands in what is now known as York township.

The principal stream of the township is Bokes creek, which is formed l)y the confluence of several streams in the western part of the territory. It flows southeasterly. Fulton creek crosses the northeastern part of the township. The surface of the land is usually level or slightly undulating. Originally there was found much good timber, including the beech, sugar, elm, hickorv, oak and other less valuable \arieties. The present population, according tij the 1910 United States census, was one thousand four hundred and ninety-eight.

Among the first to claim land here was Joseph Aliller, whu was born in Saratoga countv. New York; married in 1801 and reared three sons and one daughter. In 181 7, he remo\ed with his family to Ohio and bought land in i'Vanklin countv along the Scioto ri\er. .\fter making man_\' improvements, he l(jst his land b\' reason of a defecti\e title. He then located on land he claimed in the very northeast corner of York townsiiip, Union county. Mr. .Miller and his son Jonathan came out ahead of the remainder of the family about lA'bruary, 1828. There was then no road to guide them to their new home west of the site of jiresent Riciiwood, and Henry Swartz, of Claibourne township, who had hunted o\er the territory, was famihar with it and piloted them, by hacking trees here and there, along a direct course to the land the\' had claimed as theirs. This trail was the first "road" ever cut from out the dense forest, leading from Richwood to the west. His cabin was soon reared on the spot where in later years stood the brick house of Benjamin Thomas, west of the Presbyterian church. The Millers brought with them two teains and a scanty lot of household goods, with a few sheep, hogs and cows. The sheep were soon all found missing and were probably devoured by the hungry woh'es. ]\Ir. Aliller was a modest, kind-hearted man and made many friends among the newcomers. He was a Methodist, but in the absence of his church, communed with the F'resbyterians. He died in York township. August 31, 1866, aged ninety-two years and almost eight months. The son, James C. Miller, came to the township in 1830.

Among the next earliest settlements in York township was the one effected on the John Brown surveys, near Somer\"ille. HaruKJU Patrick is believed to have been the first here. He came in fn^m Hardy county, \'irginia, indirecth, hut directly here from Ross county, Ohio. He came about the date the ^Millers came in. He occupied a farm on sur\-ey No. 3,470, a mile south of the \'illage. He was a splendid man, and remained here many years, finally going to Marion county.

Caleb Arahood, also of Ross county, Ohio, was next to in\ade the new section ; he claimed land in survey No. 3,469. He was born in Hardy county, \Trginia. Pie was a real backwoodsman, rude and uncouth, but clever and kind-hearted. As a marksman and expert hunter he had few equals. He sold his farm to Da\id Da\is a few years later and settled in Coles county, Illinois. He died in that county soon after mox'ing there.

William Hartford was a Canadian by birth. \\'hen the W'-av of 1812 came on his sympathies were all with the .\merican cause. With his father, he came to the United States and was soon enlisted in the service of this country. At the close of the war he returned to Canada and was imprisoned for bearing arms against his country. He etTected a release in some manner and came back to the United States, settling in Muskingum cmmty. Ohio. From there he emigrated to ^"ork township. Union count}', aljout 1830. He settled in the southwest corner of survey No. 3.470. His nature was impulsive and positive. At first he was intensely Democratic, but later in liis life was a strong party Republican. He was well liked, notwithstanding his hot temper. He finally sold and mo\ed to Illinois, invested in land and became \er\" wealthv. Still later he mo\ed to Iowa.

Samuel Hyde, who had a slight ac(juaintance with General jMcArthur, was offered land by the latter in this township. He was born in Pennsyl- \ania, but married and settled in tiarrison county, Ohio. In the spring of 1832, in a lumber wagon drawn by a yoke of big oxen, he set forth toward the setting sun and traveled till he had reached the small settlement, just south of present Somerville. Here he was satisfied, and at once built a rude cabin in the midst of a wilderness. He cleared eight acres, fenced it in from the surrounding forest, planted it in corn and returned home by a tedious iournev. In the fall he again visited the locality in company with his son, John B. Hyde. They harvested their little crop of corn. Mr. Hyde and wife had eight children, one son and seven daughters. On his trip back to the new found home, with members of his family, in 1833, Mr. Hyde was taken ill with what proved to be lung fever at Berkshire, Delaware county. He believed he would be able to master the disease, and directed that the family proceed to the new home in the township of York. The daughter, Rebecca, soon returned to her father in Delaware county, but upon her arrival was told of the death and burial of her father. John B., the son, was then onlv seventeen vears of age. His father had not as yet contracted for the land he had squatted upon. John B., in his own name, in a short time bought one hundred acres, paying the government price of two dollars and twentyfive cents per acre. He lived there many years and was known as a man of sterling traits of character. He was first a Whig and later a Republican. The family were of the Methodist faith.

Eli Johnson came to York township in the early autumn of 1833 and settled near Somerville. He reared a large family; served a short time in the War of 1812; taught several of the pioneer schools and was highly respected. He died at a ripe old age in 1865.

In the same fall John Sterling located here. He was born in Ireland, came to America and settled in Tuscarawas county. From that county he wended his wav to this county and purchased a hundred-acre tract in the wilderness south of Somerville, later known as the Fulton farm. He sold his farm, attended school at Delaware, returned a Methodist minister and was faithful in that calling until his death.

John Johnson came in with his family from Harrison county, Ohio, in 1834, settling near Somerville. Before emigrating to this township he had traveled on a circuit as a Methodist minister in the Pittsburg conference and also in New York, but in Union county he served only as a local preacher. He was one of the original proprietors of the village of Somerville. He farmed and also engaged in a small general merchandise business at the town he helped to found. In 1844 he moved to Marysville, having been elected county auditor. At the expiration of two terms he opened a drug store at the county seat. It did not suit his health and he returned to farm life in York township in i8'33, there passing the remainder of his days. At Somerville he taught the first term of school at eight dollars per month and boarded himself. He did more than any other pers(in to build up the Methodist Episcopal church at Somerville. He died in July, 1873, aged .seventy-three vears ; his wife sur\'i\ed until 1882.

David Davis, a nati\"e of Pennsvlvania, came from Harrison county, Ohio, to what is now ^'ork township in 1833, settling a half mile south of Somer\ille, on Bokes creek. He added tract to tract until his land holdings in the township \vere large. Early in life he was a Methodist, but later united with the United Brethren society. For a time he preached on one of the circuits of the church last named. He died in 1878, aged eighty-two years.

Washington G.. Elza and Amon S. Davis, three younger brothers of David Davis, settled in this township in 1837. Amon S. settled at Somerville and worked at carpentering three years, at the same time reading medicine under Dr. Hamilton, of East Liberty. He entered into medical practice at Somerville, continuing until 1866 and then moved to Decatur. Indiana, where he died of milk sickness in 1874.

James R. Smith, another of the original proprietors of the village of Somerville, was born in Maryland in 1794 and emigrated to Ohio when a young man. He came to York township in 1834. He was by trade a shoemaker and in connection with clearing up his land, he followed his trade. He became a justice of the peace and served as an associate judge in Union county eight years. For six years he was engaged selling goods at Somerville. He was then elected probate judge of this county and served for ten years. He then returned to York township and carried on a small garden and flower farm. He was a leading factor in the township and li\ed to attain the advanced age of eighty-three _\-ears, dying suddenly of heart disease in 1877. He had served a short time in the War of 1812.

Thomas R. Price, a Pennsylvanian by birth, came to this township in 1836 and settled at Somerville. He was variously engaged - hotel keeping, selling goods, running a boot and shoe shop, etc., until his health failed in 1865. He was long an in\-alid, dying in March, 1877.

William Kirk, reared near Alexandria, Maryland, settled in York township about 1834. He purchased a small farm and besides tending that, he made shoes, tailored, and for a few years was a local minister of the Methodist denomination. He lived to a good old age, dying in 1874.

The third settlement in this township was made by George Coons on survey No. 5,289, two miles north of York Center, in the fall of 7829. During that following winter he br(jught out several loads of goods and in the spring fiMlowing came his family, arriving April i, 1834. Being a farmer, he spent the remainder of his years there. He died in October, 1856, aged seventy-eight years. His wife survived him twenty years and (lied at the age of ninety-three years.

Nathaniel Brooks settled in the Coons settlement in 1832. He was from New York, a Methodist class-leader, politically a strong Whig. He died in 1836, leaving four sons.

Herman Tobey removed from Saratoga county, New York, in 1831, and purchased the sur^'ey of one thousand acres in which York Center is now located. He paid one thousand dollars for the tract. He utilized some for himself and sons and sold the remainder to other incoming pioneer settlers. He was a shrewd, honest Yankee and a member of the Baptist church. He died while on a visit to one of his children, aged sixty-four x'ears.

(jregory Storms mo\'ed in 1833 from Orleans county. New York, to a farm just north of York Center. He purchased the land of Henry Tobey at one dollar and twenty-fi\e cents per acre. It is now worth at least one hundred times that amount. He was a Whig in politics and a zealous Methodist in church faith. He helped to organize a class which met at his house for some time. He died at the age of seventy-four years on the farm he had cleared up.

One of the first trustees of the townshij) was Hiram Parker, who came about 1833 and settled tliree-(|uarters of a mile from York Center. Later, he remoN'ed from the county.

Aaron .Shirk, a native of Hardy county, Virginia, when he was eight years of age, with his father, .\aron Shirk, moved to Ross county, Ohio, in 1816, crossing the mountains with a five-horse team and consuming six weeks on the journey. After a two-years' sojourn in Ross county the Shirks moved lo Liberty township, L'nion county. Here the son grew to manhood and spent his time in assisting his father dear up tlie land and hunting. Aaron Shirk, Jr.. was married in 1833, to Rosanna Tobey. He immediately commenced improving a farm of one hundred and forty-five acres which cost him a dollar and a half per acre. His house was of hewed logs of superior finish for those times. He secured the services of competent workmen and the cabin boasted of a good board floor and three twelvelight windows, an unheard-of extravagance then. Most of the pioneer cabins had but four nr six panes of glass or more likely were content with deer skin or oiled pajier fur window-panes. For many years Mr. Shirk made brick, burned lime and followed shoemaking when not engaged at farm duties. He also hunted much. He estimated that he had killed more than five hundred deer in this and adjoining counties.

The election of this township in 1840 showed eighty-four voters and prior to that date the above, together with the following, were residents of York township :

The first settlers arri\ed at the township only a few years before the Indians had departed from this neighborhood forever; but while here they hunted in common with the whites. The Indians would, whenever a favorable opportunity presented, steal raccoons and other game from the traps of the pioneers and in return the latter paid little regard to the rights of their savage acquaintances. One of the foremost settlers discovered an Indian robbing his traps and at almost the same instant the Indian espied him and sprang behind a tree. To the demand of the hunter to come forth, the red man made no response for a while, but afterward pled the lateness of the hour of the day and the necessity of reaching his camp immediately. He sped away fleetly, leaving the trapper indignant but in possession of his game. The next morning with his brother he started through the woods in search of the camp of the Indians. It was in tlie lower part of Washington township, but the Indians were not there. After searching in the \icinity for them they returned t(T the cam]), placed the combustible matter it contained in the center and applied a torch. They lingered about until the camp was reduced to ashes and then returned home. The Indians were ne\er seen or heard of afterward. Another pioneer missing game from his traps, cut in the bark of a beech tree the figure of an Indian, bound and laslied by a white man. Soon after an Indian drew the figure of a white man on a tree, with a bullet hole through the arm. On the same tree the original artist later sketched a dusky savage pierced through the heart with a rifle ball. This was the last of the series and the Indians avoided that \icinitv thereafter.

As has been related. Aaron Shirk in his youth was a great hunter, and on one occasion it is recorded that he shot at a buck with what he supposed was a full charge. It happened that his brother had loaded the gun for scjuirrels and hence it had but half a charge in it. He hit the buck in the neck, but i^nl\- stunned him. Not having time to reload, he caught the animal by the horns and tried to cut his throat with his butcher knife. The fight continued for a full hour. Once the young man, despairing of winning out, released his hold on the animal's horns and sprang behind a tree. His dog, however, which had been with him in the terrible encounter, sprang at the buck, caught him by the throat and caused him to stumble, whereupon Aaron again entered the lists. In the contest he had lost his knife, but when the struggling of the animal became feebler through exhaustion, Mr. Shirk succeeded in opening his pocket knife with his teeth and severing an artery in the neck of the buck. It was fully two weeks before the plucky hunter recovered from his contest.

On Boke's creek in the eastern part of York township is located the (|uaint old village of Somerville. It was laid out in the southern part of survey No. 3,468. This survey was purchased by James R. Smith, John Johnson and William Summers, who were the townsite proprietors. Mr. Summers was a ^ilethodist minister at Leesburg and never lived in York township, but the other two proprietors did. This platting was surveyed bv Levi Phelps and recorded August 11. 1835. It comprised forty-eight lots. When surveyed the land was not yet cleared of its heavy timber and thick underbrush. Thomas Price built the first cabin there. John Johnson had had an ashery at this point and he was the first merchant of the newly platted village in the forest. At first he bought his goods at Columbus and sold them from his cabin home. His stock consisted mostly of groceries with a few dry goods. John Price, son of Thomas Price, moved to the village soon after it was platted and followed carpentering. William Kirk, a Methodist minister, was an early arrival. He came from Carroll

"Sale of land and town lots - The subscriber will ofifer at public sale on Friday, the 25th of February next, lots in the town of Sunmiersville and adjoining thereto. These will be laid off in tracts of various sizes, say from three to ten acres each, fronting on State roads, so as to suit mechanics and tradesmen, sex'eral of whom would meet with good employment in this new and growing conmiunity. A blacksmith, gunsmith, carpenter and joiner, caliinet-maker, wheelwright, cooper, saddler, etc.. are much needed. There are at present in the village one tannery, one boot and shoe-maker, two chair and bedstead factories and one wagon shop; also a good saw-mill within one-half mile. Terms : One-third in hand or to be paid on the first of April, and. the balance in two ec[ual payments annually."

The first shoemaker was Charles Bennett ; the first tannery was operated by John Thomas, and John Price ran the bedstead factory. The first physician of the place was Dr. Charles Morrow, who came from eastern Ohio in 1837. He was an herb doctor. He later removed to Delaware in order to gi\'e his children a college education. (See Medical Chapter.)

When mud roads [jrevailed this town was a good trading point, but in i88'2 it was little better than in that early time. At one date it boasted of two good stores and an excellent hotel. In 1882 the only store \vas conducted by A. M. Crawford: there were then two blacksmith shops, two churches, a good school and about one hundred and fifty people, with James Darling as postmaster. The postoffice was known as Bokes Creek. The department at Washington, D. C, gi\'es the following list of its postmasters: Amos S. Davis, April 26, 1854: William G. Elliott, December 21, 1863: R. J. Thompson, March 23, 1865: Sylvanius Taylor, May 14, 1866: J. M. Darling, January 10, 1867: L. W. Smith, January 16, 1873; J- ^^- Darling, March 16. 1874: George \V. Westlake, January 29, 1884: Albi Colver, January 28, 1889: Thomas Mulcahy, July 17, 1983: B. C. Bolenbaugh, December 28, 1897. Discontinued June 30, 1904. Mail is now received by rural free deliverv from Peoria.

York Center

York Center was platted June 24, 1841, but it appears that it never materialized to any considerable extent. There were at one time a dozen or fifteen buildings there. A few years before the beginning of the Civil war the site of the village was void of any buildings, save one or two farm buildings. Charles Corey built a cabin there and brought in a stock of goods which he offered for sale. A few years later Ed Cranston bought him out. A few came in and settled, and in 1883 there was two merchants, Dexter White and George Hornbeck. A jxistoffice was established early in the history of the township at Jonathan Miller's. The postmasters here have been as follows: John Thomas, appointed May 30, 1844; Henry Tobey. June 10, 1850; H. T. Knox, April 29, 1854; H. R. Tobey, February 20, i860; H. T. Knox, June 12, i860; C. L. Corey. February 26, 1862; Edwin Cranston, December 2, 1864; J. J. Watts, May i, 1867; J. F. Winters, F~ebruary 21, 1868; William H. Storms, October 21, 1868; Isaac Welshimer, February 11, 1875; H. C. Mofiitt, July 19, 1875; Pelatrah AUyn, April 30, 1877; N. L. Moffitt, April 14, 1880; George W. Hornbeck, February 7, 1881 ; D. G. White, December 30, 1885 ; J. F. Copelin, October II, 1886; F. E. Milligan, May 14, 1887; B. F. Newell, Februaiy 28, 1888; George W. Hornbeck. May 23, 1888: Thomas Hornbeck, April 18, 1891 ; L. W. Stiggers, May 8, 1893; Robert W. Kimble, June 3, 1897; Thomas Hornbeck, February 16, 1900; D. S. Davis, March 2, 1903; Maty L. Cody, April 12, 1904; F. M. Hornbeck, March 2, 1905; discontinued May 31, 1905.

The pioneer mill of this township was the grist mill built by Thomas R. Price on Boke's creek just north of York Center. In order to have the advantages of such an industry, .Varon Shirk and Harrison Storms volunteered to assist in the iniilding of the same. It was within a log structure, stylish by having its logs hewed. Price sold it to Joseph Cahill. It was not finished until about 1840, and after a few years was transferred to H. T. Knox, who added steam power and a saw-mill, using water power whenever the stream was sufficient. This mill run until the early eighties.

Thomas Price constructed a corn-cracker on Boke's creek south of Somerville, near the cemetery. In a few years a great freshet swept it away.

Adam Winters liad a sa\\-mill, operated by water power, west of Somer\il!e, and attached a pair of small burrs, which were useful for some time.

Chapter Xxix

Tliis township has formed a part of numerous sub-divisions of Union county. In 1825, soon after the first settlement was effected here, it became a part of the new township of Leesburg. In 1829, at the formation of Jackson township, most of its territory was embraced in that, and so it remained until the organization of Claibourne in 1834.

The county commissioners' records show the following concerning the township for which this chapter is especially written : "This day Cyprian Lee presented a petition for dividing the township of Jackson into two townships, the southern part to lie called Claibourne, and the northern part to retain the name of Jackson; whereupon the commissioners order that said township of Claibourne be laid off from said township of Jackson, beginning at the fourth mile-tree southwardly from the northeasterly corner of said Jackson township ; thence parallel with the north line thereof."'

March 5, 1833 - "This day it was ordered by the commissioners that Levi IMielps proceed to lay off the township of Claibourne, beginning at the fourth mile-tree southwardly from the northeast corner of the township of Jackson ; thence running westwardly, parallel with the north line of Jackson township to the division line between the township of Liberty ; to be done as soon as convenient."'

For some unknown reason the new township was not laid off as directed. The next entry in the commissioners" journal reads as follows : "March 5, 1834 - This is the day it was ordered by the commissioners - on the application of various individuals - that a new township be called Claibourne, to commence on the east boundary' of the county of Union at the first mile-tree south of the Indian boundary line; thence west parallel with the boundary of said countv to the east boundar}^ of York, to be laid off; to be run by Levi Phelps, prior to the next June session."

The first election for state and county officers was held October 14, 1834. The following nineteen men voted: Absalom Carney, X'athaniel Wilson, George Clark, John T. l^xans. John Carney, William Price, Nathaniel Wilson, J. P. Brookins, Philip Plummer, William Phillips, George

Politically, this township was at first strongly Democratic, but at the above named election it was Whig and so remained until the ushering in of the Republican party, since which date it has been largely of the same political complexion.

This is situated in the northeastern portion of Union county. It is bounded on the north by Jackson township, on the east by Marion and Delaware counties, on the south by Leesburg and Taylor townships and on the west by York township. It is one of the largest townships in the county and ranks second in population, Richwood, the second largest town, being situated within this township. It tooks its name from the Buller-Claibourne survey. This was the largest survey in Union county and at its date contained nearl}- all the settlers then within the limits. Fulton creek is the principal watercourse. It is related that this stream took its name from the Mr. Fulton, an employee of the sur\-eying party, then surveying the lands in that part of this county. While attempting to cross the creek on a log one cold winter day he slipped and fell info the water. The stream was high and it was with difficulty that he was rescued by his surveyor comrades. The soil is argillaceous : the surface generally level and in places slightly rolling. A heavy growth of timber covered the township originally, as will be observed lay the following paragraph :

"Daniel Swartz, residing just north of Richwood, on going to mill at Milh'ille, thirteen miles distant, directed Mrs. Swartz to watch the cattle and not permit them to stray far from home. After a while, not seeing them, she climbed on an old log that had fallen partly to the ground, not far from the cabin door, and on looking around discovered the cows only a few rods away, almost at her feet, in the thick brush that had obscured her view from below. This shows the level country and the dense underbrush growth then growing there."

by the presence of white men after the settlement of pioneers in other parts of the state. It Hes adjoining the Greenville Treaty line, the territory north of which had been reserved by treaty for the exclusive use of the red men. Within the township were some favorite hunting grounds. The site of Richvvood elevated slightly alx)ve the surrounding country was rich not only with an abundant growth of plants and forest trees, but in game as well. That the Indians often tented on these grounds has been handed down bytradition and is established by the many relics that have been found in the vicinity. Knives, fragments of Indian saddles, broaches, tomahawks and all the accoutrements of camp life ha\e been brought to light in the preparation of the soil for agriculture. In a gravel pit situated just north of Richwood numerous skeletons have been exposed.

After the earliest pioneers had taken possession of the countiy the forest was ranged by hunters from both races for many years. The Indians would not tolerate the presence of white men north of the Greenville line, but frecjuently hunted south of the line. The best state of feelings did not exist between the Indians and the settlers, though amicable relations were usually maintained, ^\'hether the red or white men were the first aggressors is not now known, but if either committed a wrong, however slight, retaliation would surely ensue. The Indians, either in a spirit of retaliation or from an innate proneness to evil, would occasionally shoot the settlers' hogs as they were feeding in the woods and commit other depredations. In bee-hunting it was a custom sacred among the pioneers, engaged in this pursuit, to mark a bee-tree when found by one of them with the finder's initials. It at once became his property, to be relieved of its honey at the hunter's leisure and for another to abstract the honey was regarded as detestable a crime as to steal a horse. The Indians were not affected by any such scruples and when one of them discovered the home of a swarm of bees he rifled it of its treasure whether or not a prior badge of ownership had been stamped upon the tree. Such proceedings naturally incensed the settlers. The principal game was deer, but the practice of the Indians while hunting on the white man's hunting ground were such as to drive the game from the vicinity. They would crouch low in the tall grass and imitating the bleeting of a fawn, attracted the doe to the spot where they were concealed. They would then kill and skin it, leaving the young to perish. The stench arising from the decaying;- carcasses would drive the deer to other grounds. An old hunter counted in one Indian camp between Fulton and Boke's creek the hides of sixty deer that had been killed in this wav. Yet a friendlv relation was maintained. The Indians would call at the

The tradition prevails that Henry Swartz and Ned Williams, two of the first settlers of Claibourne, killed two Indians on Peacock run in the southern part of the township. The fact was never established, but the missing Indians were never heard of again. And circumstances pointed strongly to their removal from this world by these two backwoodsmen. Mr. Swartz possessed an irascible temper, which would often vent itself on the heads of the sa\ages. On one occasion he beat one of them with the ramrod of his gun. He would steal into their camps while they were off hunting and there plav annoying tricks. The Indians sought Swartz and wanted a reconciliation. He gave them no satisfaction. They then set up sticks with bullets on the ends of arrows around their camp to indicate war. Soon after two Indians who had gone hunting did not return. Their comrades searched diligently for them, but without any result. Suspecting foul play, they carefully examined brush heaps and thickets and wandered excitedly along the banks of the creeks, peering intently into their depths, but no trace of the lost men was found. They had traced them to Peacock run, but there found no further indication of their presence. Captain Henry Swartz and Ned Williams had been clearing land and burning brush in this vicinity and the Indians suspected them. The}- visited the Swartz cabin ; he was apparently unconcerned but watchful. They wished to be friendly, they said ; wanted to shoot at a mark with him, to borrow his gun, but he refused every request. One day an old Indian hunter came to him and proposed a hunt, to which Ca]jtain Swartz at length agreed. The Indian desired Swartz to lead, but the latter declined. They hunted for a long time, watching each other more closelv than for game. Finally the Indian brave proposed that they divide. "\'ou take this side and I this." "No," replied Swartz. "you take this and I that." He chose the side toward home. They separated and when Swartz supposed he had left the Indian out of sight, he turned and hastened rapidly home. The Indian soon followed and in great rage exclaimed, "You lie, you no hunt!" But as a charge remained in the rifle of Captain Swartz, the Indian made no further demonstration and they parted speedily. Mr. Swartz was afterwards very cautious and vigilant when he believed the Indians were near him. They soon afterwards withdrew permanently from the region.

Captain Swartz, when asked about this affair later, would never commit himself one wa}' nor the other. He neither denied or admitted that he killed or knew of the death of the Indians. But "Neddy"' Williams, when he was made somewhat indiflerent to consequences by a few drinks of liquor, loved to boast that he knew where there were two good rifles in the hollow sycamore tree, and said they were put in by climbing a slender tree by the side of the sycamore and dropping them in an opening in the tree made by the breaking off of the upper part of the trunk. There was a wellbeaten path along Peacock run by the side of which stood an old sycamore from which had fallen a large limb, sinking deep into the ground. This was near the place where Swartz had ]xen with Williams clearing and around the limb a large fire had been made. After a fall of snow, Mr. Zach Stephens, a ])rother-in-la\v of Henry Swartz, while hunting for some lost cattle, stepped into the hole made by the limb. He fell, and upon withdrawing" his foot found the lower jaw bone of a human being clinging to the heel of his boot. Suspecting the manner in which it had been placed there, he took it with him to Swartz's cabin and, holding it before the proprietor of the domicile, said: "Henry, do you know anything about this?" Swartz grew pale but made no response. It was airrently believed that he and Williams had killed the Indians and buried their remains. The above was published in the annals of "Ohio Indian Occupancy," many years ago.

It is an undisputed question that the first settler in Claibourne township was Cyprian Lee. He was the heir to one-third of the Buller-Claibourne survey of 4,267, and for his portion took the southern third of the tract. This settlement is in question, l)ut all concede that it was effected between the years 1820 and 1825. Mr. Lee was from Delaware. He first came to these parts of Ohio in 1820 to see his land; he was unmarried at that date. He returned to Delaware, married and brought his young bride out to this county. By trade he was a shoemaker, and he followed this some in this township. His was the first cabin built west of the Scioto river in this region. It stood several miles south of Richwood, on the south bank of Fulton creek. When his cabin was finished it was proposed by the men who helped to raise it, that the settlement should be styled "Leesburg.'' This came about by reason of John L. Swartz, a jolly German, who said, "Boys, ketch Lee.'' Lee eluded their grasp for some time, but finally submitted with good grace to the ordinance of christening. The ceremony was performed by Mr. Swartz, who took a flask of whisky, and pouring the contents on the uncovered head of Lee, exclaimed with all the solemnity he could assume, "Veil, ve calls it Leesburg." The new township later received the same name. Mr. Lee was only there a few years when he was elected county treasurer. He then moved to Marysville, where he became a prominent factor in the building up of the countv seat.

The ne.xt settlers were Edward Williams, Robert Cotrell and Henry Swartz. Each purchased a farm from Mr. Lee and settled near him. Of this number "Ned" Lee, as he was always called, was the first to arrive in 1822. He was a hard-working farmer and was a good hunter. He was addicted to too frequent use of the product of the still. He died suddenly while on his way with a load of wheat to Portland on Lake Erie.

The third settler was Robert Cotrell. who came in 1823. He was a native of Virginia, but had emigrated to Ohio, living two or more \-ears in Delaware county. He died in the place he had settled in Claibourne township. He was fond of telling big yarns, and when first he came in told many stories of the large amount of stock and other property he held in this and other parts of the countr)-. He related all this to a stranger, who turned out to be the county assessor. This official taxed him much higher than he would have done otherwise. This taught him a lesson which he never forgot. He was, however, an uj^right and industrious citizen.

Henry Swartz was born in Pennsylvania and emigrated with his father, John L. Swartz, to Highland county. Ohio, and later lived in Delaware county. He bought his land in Claibourne from Cyprian Lee, just north of the Sidle Methodist Protestant church, and erected his cabin northeast of Fulton creek. He was a tall, strong and wiry man; had been in the War of 1812 and understood the Indian character to perfection and had no use for a red man. He was a great hunter, killing from sixty to eighty deers each year for a number of years after efi'ecting his settlement in this county. He also felled some seventy bee-trees. He finally sold his first farm and settled north of Richwood, where he resided many years. For a short time he was engaged in business at Richwood. Later, he removed to Defiance, Ohio, where he died.

Probably the next settlement in Claibourne township was made bv the four Clark brothers, James, George, Henry and John. The first three became the owners of one thousand six hundred and seventy-three acres in the north part of the Buller-Claibourne tract, just east of Richwood. Thev settled there in 1826. They were from Amherst county. Virginia, and in 1822 emigrated to Miami count}', Ohio, and from there remo\ed to Delaware county, then on to I'nion county. George came in first. He was a single man and died on his place here aged eighty years. Henry, his brother, a married man, resided here a few years, then sold and moved to Illinois. James sold out and returned to Delaware county, where he subsequently died. John Clark came from the east to Ohio in 1816 and to Union county in i8jS. He died in Delaware county in 1850, aged seventy-se^'en years.

^Irs. Sarah Touguet, a sister of the Clarks, and a widow, came with her eight children to Claibourne township in 1826 and made the cabin of her bachelor brother, George Clark, her home.

David Field, a colored man, recei\ed one hundred acres of land from Cyprian Lee for two years' labor and settled on it about 1826. He was born a slave, given his freedom and brought to Delaware county when a boy by John Mark. He was a strong, muscular man and would not stand for any insult. For a time has was very industrious, but through sickness his farm became involved and finally he lost it. He never regained property and died in an adjoining county as a pauper.

Nathaniel Wilson came from Ross count)', Ohio, about 1830 and settled on the Lee farm. He was Scotch-Irish and affiliated with the Presbyterians.

"Buffalo Smith," John Smith, was a large, rough character, rough in exterior but possessed of a kind heart. He took a squatter's claim on one hundred acres in the Lee settlement. Later he moved to another county.

The Henry Swartz place, three miles to the south of Richwood, was purchased by Henry Shisler, a German who came to the township from Licking county. Ohio, about 1832.

Basil Bridge, in 1834, bought a farm of one hundred and fourteen acres just southwest of Richwood, from one of the Clark brothers, and settled there with his large family of sons and daughters. He was then in a dense wilderness. He was a native of Canada, but in 1812 moved to New York State, and there enlisted in the American army though then but sixteen years of age. He married in 1814 and in 1815 moved to Ohio, settling in Athens county. Later he went to Delaware county, and on to Claibourne township, L'nion county, in 1834.

In the fall of 1832 Zarah Lindsley removed to this township from Delaware countv. At that time fifty acres of land sold for one horse and the labor of splitting one thousand rails. He later settled in Richwood.

John Dilsaver settled on a farm in 1835, which he still owned in the eighties, two miles south of Richwood. He came in December, having been married the Jul}- preceding to Jane Bridge. John Dilsa\er working out for others at tirst and later moved on his own land. He was reared on the frontier and in his youth wore deerskin breeches and jacket, the customary garments for hunters and backwoodsmen. He saved his earnings and paid in full for his land and became a highly respected citizen of this township.

Another settler of 1S35 was Adam Imbody, who located three miles south of Richwood, north of Fulton creek. He was a German who had emigrated from Xew York state. Later he moved to INIarion county, where he died.

It will be obser\'ed that most of the settlers so far mentioned were on the Buller-Claibourne survey, as none other had yet been placed in market. Betwen 1835 and 1S40 the settlements became more scattered, finally dotting the entire township. The Grahams made the most important settlements. Samuel Graham, son of John and Jane Graham, was born in Jefferson county in 1800. The family removed to Carroll county and then to White Eyes township, Coshocton county. He was married in 1821 and followed farming there until i8'36. In June of that year he purchased one hundred acres just north of Richwood from Henry Swartz and in the following September moved his family there. He resided there until his death in 1864. He had occasion to \'isit Marion. The railroad was then being constructed and he received permission to travel on the construction train. On his return trip the weather was severe and the car upon which he was riding was an open one. He was walking back and forth from one car to another in order to keep warm. A sudden jerk of the cars threw him beneath the wheels and he was instantlx' crushed. He had been an upright citizen and had lieen a member cif the Methodist church f(3r thirt\-eight years. He was the father of twelve children.

In 1837 John and Jane Graham, parents of Samuel, settled on a farm of one hundred acres in the woods about one mile west of Richwood. He was born in Penns_\-lvania of Scotch-Irish descent. He died about 1848.

Another settler from Coshocton county was Samuel Livingston, who located in 1839 on a small farm a fourth of a mile southwest of Richwood, where he attained a ripe old age. He was both a farmer and blacksmith. Mr. Livingston furnished five sons for the Union army during the Ci\"il War and all returned uninjured.

his wife and several cliildren, settling a half mile west of Richwood. At one time he was a minister in the New Light church, later became a Methodist Protestant and still later in life a member of the Disciple church.

John Cahill was one of the early settlers in the western part of this township. He there accumulated a large fortune and was looked upon as a leading spirit in the northern part of Union county.

William Hamilton, another sturdy pioneer of this township, resided here more than thirty years. He was born near Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1789, when that state was still a part of the Old Dominion. In 1807 he emigrated with his father, William Hamilton, Sr., to ^luskingum county, Ohio, arriving there the day he was eighteen years of age. Here he aided in clearing up a farm from out the great timbered section. By 1837 he had acquired a large property and then sold out and expected to push on farther west. He finally decided to settle in this township and purchased one thousand acres of the Cadwallader Wallace survey, northwest of Richwood, paying three thousand six hundred dollars for it. He reached Claibourne township April 30, 1838. The sur\-ey was afterwards found to contain nearly fourteen hundred acres. He settled there and there died. W'hen he took this land there was no kind of improvements upon it. He set about clearing up his land and making a splendid farm home for himself and family. Though uncultured, he was thoroughly honest and full of genuine public spirit. He had a fashion of scathingly denouncing a person who was caught at any mean, low, contemptible trick. He belonged to the Methodist Protestant church and was a local preacher for nearly forty years. He was a Whig in politics and later a stalwart Republican. He was county commissioner both in ^Muskingum and Union counties. This county owes it to him that the infirmary farm was purchased at so early a date and the necessary buildings erected thereon. He died in 1867. He had been twice married and left a large family.

Other pioneer settlers in Claibourne township were Richard Ward, Peter Jackson (1835), Jacob Beem (1834), Alexander and George Cowgill, Michiel Cramer, .'\braham Decker, Benjamin Fisher, Isaac Gearheart, Sylvester Grindle, Elisha Higbee, Isaac Headley, Joseph Murphy (1834), Charles Morse, Samuel Moses (1835), Isaac D. Stewart, William H. Sherman, William and John Wynegar (1837). Tobias Robinson (1838), John W'arner (1837), Martin Walters and A))raham Taylor, brothers-in-law (1838).

and south through Richwood. In 1825 Cyprian Lee and Henry Swartz took the contract for cutting this road from the southern to tiie northern hne of the township. They only cleared away the underbrush and smaller trees, leaving many obstacles in the shape of larger trees. The road was made fifteen feet wide.

Here, as well as in every new countr)-, the matter of getting milling facilities early as possible was one of great interest to the pioneer band who here sought to build for themselves homes. For sex'eral weeks the family of Henry Swartz ground, in a hand coffee mill, all the meal the famil\- used. John Swartz, of the Scioto river country, possessed a hand mill upon which [)y terrible struggles in the course of a few hours one could produce a fairly good cpiality of corn meal. Robert Cotrell and other settlers of Claibourne township frequently took advantage of this mill and, when not in use liy Swartz, would keep it going for themseh-es.

.V horse mill was constructed In- Adam Dilssver a short distance from Richwood. His custiiniers had to furnish their own jiorse-power and as three or four horses were necessary to propel the cumliersonie machinery, several would sometimes arrange to be there at the same time. So slow was the process that it had to be running nearly all the time anil many a farmer had to leave home at two o'clock in the morning in order to be on hand to take his turn. Occasional!)-, this hnrse-mill was obliged to run all night.

Richard Trwin. one and a half miles east of Richwood, also had a similar mill. Some of the farmers preferred going forty miles to a real water mil! than to use their horses on these horse-power mills. .\ large four-horse load was once taken to a mill on Mad river in Champaign county, where the press of business was so great that several weeks elapsed before the hungry settlers in this township obtained grists. A mill on Owl creek, in Knox county, was also sometimes patronized, but usually the mills on Darby creek were available. No water grist-mills are known to have been erected in Claibourne township

John Dilsaver operated a small tannery for a few years on his farm south of Rich\^-ood. .Another was operated a long time at Richwood by the sons of John Graham.

Burying Grounds

At the Sidle ALethodist Protestant church, two miles south of Richwood, the earliest burials were made, and this came to be the leading cemetery in Claibourne township. Here, on lands formerly belonging to Henry Swartz, burials were commenced while the country was still an unbroken forest. The first burials were probably the two small children of Henry Swartz and wife. Among the early burials were those of Mr. Garner, John Logue, Mrs. Ira Bennett and Mrs. Rose. When Jacoli Sidle became owner of this tract he generously donated an acre for cemetery purposes. Later it came into the hands of the township authorities and was cared for by the township, which made se\-eral additions thereto.

At the old Lenox schoolhouse, a quarter of a mile northwest of Richwood, there was also another early burj'ing place. At Stony Point in the western part of the township is another cemetery.

This is the second largest incorporation within the limits of Union county. Its population in 1910 was 1,729 and it has been making a steady growth ever since. It is beautifully situated and has more than three miles of brick pa\ed streets. Perhaps there is not another town of its size in the commonwealth with as much paving and general excellent improvements as Richwood has today. In 1840 it had a population of 99; in 1870 it had increased to 436; in 1880 it had reached 1,317 - a wonderful increase.