Jerome Township (part 1 of 19)

First Settlement

Be^'ond anv tloiilit the first to become permanent settlers in this township, as well as in the count}- of Union, were two brothers, Joshua and James Ewing, who settled in this tnwnship in i jqS and erected the first cabin of the township and count} . .\ town had been laid out the }"ear pre\'ious by Lucas Sullixant, who named his town .\ortli Liberty. This town never materialized, not even a house being erected by its proprietor. Then, all was wild and Indians roamed at will along Darby creek. The pioneer I)and of this township were remarkable men in many ways. They were temperate, intelligent, educated and a God-fearing people. It is to their credit that a saloon has ne\er cursed their fair domain and none of them or their descendants have e\er been con\'icted of a felon}". IMau}- of the first settlers emigrated from \'irginia, Pennsxhania, X>w Jerse}' and some one of the Xew England states. Manv were from Re\(ilutionary War ancestors and others had served in that struggle for independence. .Among others was Colonel James Currv, wlio recei\-ed a thousand acres of land in part payment for his services in that war. He was an officer for se\en long years during that conflict, belonging to the Virginia Continental line. Henry Shover, a settler of 1800 was also a soldier of the Rex'olution.. Some of the land granted to Colonel Currv is still held b}' members of the Curn- faniil}'.

The greater part of the original settlers in the township were stanch Presb}'terians and Seceders, the latter now known as the United Presbyterian church. This was, indeed, good stock from which to erect a prosperous division of the count\-. It was James Ewing who established the first store

It was not long after the settlement effected by the Ewings was made until a goodh- company came in and cast their lots with the little handful of settlers who had already set the stakes and commenced operations as home builders. Among those who came to the township and county within the next few years may be mentioned the Taylors, Robinsons, Mitchells, Kents, Currys, Cones, McCulloughs, Bucks, Provins, Notemans, McCunes, Sagers, Shovers, McClungs and Conners. A little later came in the families of the Wises, McCampbells, Liggetts, Robinsons, Beards, Woodburns, Hawns, M. C. Crory, Flecks, Ketches, Rue^hlens, Dorts, Crottingers, Nonnemakers, Beaches, Colliers, Bishops, Hudsons, Kiles, Stones, Donaldsons, Dodges, Pattersons, McKittricks, b^rys, Norris, Jacksons, Laugheads, Evans, Stewarts, Magill, Biggers, JNloss, Rickards, Roneys, Adams, Hernotts, Hensels, Chapmans, Ivilburys, Brinkerhoofs, Hagers. Morrisons, Wells, Cooks, Arnolds, Channels, Warners, Bethards, Cramers, Hills, Hoberts, Greens, McCunes, Bowersmiths, Cases. lierringtons and Wagners, all being considered settlers of an early date.

When the pioneer band first came here to make homes for tliemselves, Jerome township, especially along the banks of Darby creek, was a favorite hunting ground of the Indians. The marks left by their peculiar customs, their trails and wigwams, were all in evidence. The country was also full of wild game and beasts, including bears, deer, wolves, panthers and small game. Just to the north of Plain City, the Indians had a town or village where they lived in large numbers, in wigwams co\'ered with bark, until about the year 1800.

On the old Kent farm on Sugar run was a sugar camp where the Indians made maple syrup. Parties from Chillicothe frequently came here for the purpose of trading with the Indians, exchanging goods for their raccoon skins and other valuable furs. The Indians had by that date become quite friendly to the whites.

Pioneer fames Ewing brought the first sheep to Jerome township. He kept them in a high pen built of logs to keep the wolves from killing them. On a certain day a number of Indians called at his cabin and one of their dogs jumped into the pen and attacked the sheep, whereupon Mr. Ewing took his rifle and killed the dog. Oxer this incident the Indians were enraged and some troul)le arose in the settlement, but Jonathan Alder, who had been among the Indians manv years and fully understood their ways, interposed and [jeace was estalilislied between the I'ed-skins and the pale faces.

In this connection it is well to state that Jonathan Alder resided on the west side of the Darljy, just north of Plain City. He was taken prisoner by the Indians in Virginia when but a small lad and lived with them until he reachetl manhood, in Jerome township he lived with a scpiaw wife. He then talked the Indian dialect, but soon learned .the English. He sul)sequently parted from his squaw, she accompanying her tribe to the far north. He then married a white wnman, hut always feared that his first wife might make him serious tmuble. ( )n une occasion she did return during his absence and destroyed his \\hite wife's clothing. She then left the settlement and never returned. The following inscription is on the tombstone marking the resting place of Jonathan Alder:

At the beginning of the War of 181 2, it was feared that serious trouble would ensue in this section of the state, but the Indians remained friendly 1(1 the settlement. Some of the rougher class of pioneer settlers would join in the feasts and frolics with the Indians and this made the savages feel that the whites in this section, at least, were friendly toward them - hence peace pre\ailed. But there were numerous scares and threats enough to greatly alarm the whites. Many families were panic stricken and fled farther south. Finally, a party of settlers went to the Indian village to learn for themselves, if possible, the attitude held by the Indians toward the settlement. They found them engaged in a council, but after remaining all night they concluded it did not refer to an invasion or destruction of the white settlement but to other matters. This was reported at home and things soon quieted ckjwn. Among the number who went on this scouting trip w'as jNIoses Alitchell, then a lad of sixteen summers. It t<i()k much bra\'er}- and courage fur a small band of whites to enter an Indian cam]) when war was going on, as it was at that day, l)ut all ended well.

In the history of Jerome township published in 1913, Col. W. L. Curry wrote as follows: "James Robinson had one of the earliest orchartls in the ^-icinity, and after the trees approached the age of bearing he was greatly annoyed by the birds that had a strong liking for his choice fruit and manifested the design of indulging their appetites before it was ripe enough to pluck. Some Indian lads belonging '0 se\'eral families near by were very expert in shooting l)ir(.ls with small bows and arrows, and Mr. Robinson agreed with them, by means of signs, that for each bird they killed in the orchard he would give an apple. It happened the following day was Sunday and as Mr. Robinson, who was a God-fearing Presbyterian, was engaged in the usual morning prayers, the Indian lads rushed in with a bird the\' had killed. The conscientious pioneer could not tolerate the idea of profaning the Sabbath by this unhallowed sport and by shaking his head and gesticulating intimated to them that they must not engage in it that day. They departed highly incensed, thinking he had withdrawn from his agreement, and after the old folks had gone to church that day, the Indian youths amused tliemsehes 1;)\- pointing their weapons at the children left at home, who fled to the house for protection and remained within bolted doors till their parents returned."

Early Milling .And Other Industries

The first mill erected in the township was by Frederick Sager, who settled on Darby creek in the early years after 1800. Before this mill was erected the settlers had to use a pestle and stone mortar, the same as those in use by the Indians. In this manner they w'ould mash the corn and make coarse meal and hominy. At intervals they would place a wooden pack saddle on the back of a strong horse and load it up \\ith sacks of shelled corn. The pioneer would mount his horse and start on a long and tedious journey to Lancaster of Chillicothe followed by the pack-horse. This trip would consume several days and his return was anxiously awaited by the family and neighbors as he would not only bring the precious meal but the capacious saddle-liags would be filled to full capacity with newspapers and other reading matter which would be liberally distributed among the settlers.

The site of the old mill erected by Frederick Sager is just above the bridge on the California and Plain City road on the east bank near the farm of Samuel H. Ruehlen. The dam was built of logs and brush and this work was \er\- largelv done through the volunteer assistance of the settlers. The building was erected in the same manner as they were all intensely interested in this new enterprise.

The first burrs for this mill were chiseled out of a boulder that Mr. Sager found on the farm of John Taylor. After w-eeks of tedious work the boulder was split open and the stone dressed ready for use. As soon as the mill was in running order there was a great rush by the pioneers and also by the Indians who came both on foot and horse back from many miles around with their sacks of corn.

For a few years he only ground corn but there was a demand for flour as the farmers began to raise wheat and he instahed a flouring boU. For many )ears the bolting was done by hand. During the dry season the miU could run but little as there was not sufticient water, but when the creek was not frozen in the winter and spring months, it was a very busy place as farmers came with their grain for great distances. When the water power was sufficient the mill ran day and night.

Mr. Sager also erected the first saw mill in this township, attached to his grist-mill and run b\- the same w ater thus furnishing the first boards and sawed lumber used in the cabins. Before that date the floors and doors were made of puncheons split out of timber and smoothed by a drawing knife and adz. Mr. V. Hemingway finally purchased this mill and it bore the name of the "Hemingway Mill" for many years until it was finally abandoned for want of water power.

The Kahler boys erected a saw mill in the fifties on Robinson Run just above the bridge on the Plain City and California road which was run by water power and was the last mill in Jerome township operated by water power. They also erected a grist mill near the same site run by steam power which they operated successful!}- for a number of years.

The above described are the only grist mills that were ever erected in the township although some of the saw mills have had burrs attached for corn grinding.

]Many times a boy sent to mill on horseback on a sack of corn would have to wait all day for his grist. If the fishing was good he did not object as he always took his hook and line along. The miller did not exchange meal and flour for corn and wheat, as was the custom in later years, but took toll out of the grain. He did not have the facihties for weighing the grain and generally took the farmer's word for the amount that the proper toll might be taken out for grinding.

Other Industries

In the earlv days the tanning business was quite extensively carried on in the township. \Villiam iNIcCune operated a tan yard for many years just over the line in the township near Plain City. In those days in the spring when the sap was coming up many large white oak trees were cut down and the bark peeled for tanning purposes. Unless the trees were needed for rail timber they were frequently allowed to rot.

The tan-yard of Asa Converse, located on his farm just west of the David Moss farm, on the CaHfornia and L'nionville road, was perhaps the most extensive tannery of those days. In addition to the tanning business, he ran a boot and shoe manufacturing and repair shop. He employed a number of shoemakers during the winter season and did quite a large and profitable business.

Arthur Collier for a number of years carried on the tanning business in Jerome. The country tan-yard was so convenient to farmers in either selling hides or having them tanned for their own use, but is' now a business of the past and of which the younger generation has little knowledge.

Asheries for the manufacture of black salts and sometimes salteratus were quite common. The proprietors had wagons running all over the country buying up the ashes sa\ed by the housewives or by the boys in the springtime when burning logs in the clearing, and it was quite a source of revenue.

Kiburne and Amos Beach operated quite an extensive ashery in the village of Jerome for many years. Peter Beaver was also engaged in that business at New California, but these industries are all abandoned, although in the early days the business was quite profitable.

The manufacture of barrels was engaged in quite extensively in this township by a number of citizens. The McCampbell brothers, John, Joseph, Andrew and Charles, were all coopers by trade and engaged in that business on their farms during the winter season. Robert Curry, John Oliver, James and William Woodburn were also engaged in that line. They made sugar, flour and pork barrels, many of which were disposed of in the neighborhood, but the bulk of them was hauled to Columbus. They had great high racks on heavy wagons which were used to transport the barrels to market, and merchandise of all kinds was brought back in return. The loads were immense, and while we ha^'e no definite knowledge as to the number of flour barrels that could be loaded in (jne of these wagons, it seems that fifty would be a safe guess.

The tradesmen of all kinds were in the country, and there was scarcely a farmer's family that did not have some member who could do mechanical work, either as shoemaker, harnessmaker or a woodworker. Nelson Cone was, perhaps, the l>est mechanic along Sugar run. He made boots and shoes, harness and saddles. He was also a woodworker and made sleds, ox-yokes, plow-stocks and all kinds of farm implements.

Among the shoemakers were Perry Buck, the Fleck boys, David Beard and some of the Germans, a Mr. Myers and others. George Reuhlen. who arrived in Jerome township direct from Germany, along in the fifties, was an expert wood workman and erected one of the first cider mills and presses in the township. He also operated a saw mill for a number of years.

Nearly every farmer had a good set of tools and made and repaired all kinds of farm implements himself instead of running to town and to the shop of a carpenter or blacksmith every time it was necessary to have a nail driven or a board sawed. They were especially expert in the manufacture of ax handles out of tough hickory timber.

The fathers always took a great deal of pains to instruct their boys in the use and care of tools. There was one kind of work along this line that did not appeal to the farmer boy ]iarticularly, and that was filing a cross-cut saw. He was well aware that getting the old saw out in company with a rattail file meant hard work as soon as the saw was sharpened. If there was one kind of labor harder than another on a farm, it was for a boy to tackle a saw log about four feet in diameter with a cross-cut saw. for the other fellow was sure to "lay down" on the saw. Did you, my old farmer-boy friend - now three score and ten - ever know it to be otherwise? I think not.

Before the days of the Ci\il War the young people residing along Darby creek and Sugar run were noted far and near for musical talent, both vocal and instrumental. Every winter singing schools and literary societies furnished the principal entertainments for all, old and young.

These entertainments were held in the school houses of the neighborhood, and on special occasions, such as concerts or literary exhibitions at the close of the schools, they were held in the old Seceders' church, either at New California or in one of the churches at Jerome.

Until about the vear 1850, the old square or "buckwheat"' notes were used in the music book. The .first singing Ixjok that used the round notes was the Carmina Sacra, and the first teacher was a ]\Ir. Alaynard. Then came a Mr. Dixon, Pinney Case of Jerome. Mr. ]\Ioulton of Boston. William M. Robinson of Marysville. Sireno B. Phipps of Columbus. Samuel Robinson of Darby township and Nelson Cone. In later years James Curry, a Presbyterian minister, now a resident of Newark, California, taught a few terms.

After the regular terms of the singing school closed with a day concert in the spring, the teachers would insist that the young people keep up the practice during the spring and summer months. These practices were held in the evening and Dan Cone, James Currv and David C Robin.son were

There was great rivalry between the choruses of Jerome and Darby townships, and there were many concerts and musical contests. In the summer of i860 the singers of Jerome, Darby and Milford Center held an alldav concert in the grove on the farm of Michael Sager at Unionville. A number of the music teachers were present in the interests of their favorites and considerable feeling was displayed by the different factions, each chorus claiming the laurels.

There were few pianos and organs, and violins, flutes and violincellos were the principal musical instruments. Some of the young people were quite talented, and all of the Cone family of seven boys were violinists.

Xo public dances were held, but when the young people would meet in the evenings, even at the house of a strict jNIethodist or Presbyterian, they would indulge in a little social dance, a cotillion, swinging eight, Virginia reel, or French four, with a jig by a few of the boys to the tune of ^lony ilusk.

Then there was the apple cutting which closed at nine o'clock sharp, after all the tul's, jars and crocks had been filled with apples, pared, cored and quartered read}- to be strung on cotton cords two or three yards in length and hung to the joist aboA'e the fireplace to dry. There was no canned fruit and the apples and peaches were dried around the open fireplace or on kilns. The kilns were usually made in the orchard by digging a trench a foot deep, a yard wide and two or three yards long. This trench was arched over by brick and at one entl a chimney several feet in height was erected. The brick o\er the trench was given a coat of thick clay mortar, smoothed down carefull}*, and was soon dried ready for use by building a fire in the kiln. Newspapers or cloth were spread over the kiln to keep the fruit clean when it was put in and in this manner apples and peaches were dried for winter use.

\\"hen the apples were all pared and cut at these evening gatherings, the floors, without carpets, were swept, refreshments were served and the evening's festivities commenced. The old plays were Snap Up, March to Quebec and many others. Some of the older persons will remember the old songs as the boys and girls would march around the room by couples.

Then there were wood choppings, when the young men of the neighborhood would gather at some farmer's home, especially when the father or some of the boys were sick, Init frequently for a visit, chop wood and haul it to the home in long lengths, working all day and getting out a sufficient amount of wood to last many weeks. On tlie same day the girls would assemble at the house and have a quilting party. In the evening a great supper would be spread and all would be merry with songs until the "wee small hours.''

Corn huskings were also evenings of amusement and helpfulness among the farmers. There was always some strife among the bo}'S to see who could find the largest number of red ears, as ever}- red ear found entitled him to kiss his best girl. It would even be intimated that a girl would quietly pass a red ear to the right l)oy, or if a boy had any doubt about finding one, he would place an ear in a con\-enient pocket before he started to the husking bee.

The deljating society furnished entertainment and amusement for many winter e\enings at the school houses. These debates were participated in by many of the old settlers, who were well versed in current events and were good historians as well. In fact it may well be doubted if the average citizen of today is as well versed in the early history of the republic as the pioneers of fifty years ago, and these debates were usuallv quite interesting.

The best class of farmers usually took two or three weekly newspapers, one of which was the church paper, and it is recalled that the favorite one among the Presbyterians was The Watchman of the Valley, published in Cincinnati. The Dollar Xezvspaper. published in Philadelphia, was also a favorite among- the farmers, as, in addition to all the current news, it had continued stories by one of the good writers, which continued for months. There were no dailies outside of the cities and the arrixal of the weeklies in the Saturday's mail was hailed with great interest.

The writings of some of the standard prose writers and poets were in man}- households, including Shakespeare, Byrc^n, Burns, Shelley, Scott, Young, Josephus, Rollin and many standard histories. The Bilile and hyn-in book were alwavs on the stantl in the li\-ing room and thev were both used every day.

Jerome

Jerome, sometimes known as Beachtown, Pleasant Hill or Frankfort, was platted in 1846 by William Irwin, county surveyor, for Henry Beach, and the Beach fan-iily was the only one residing there at the time. At an early dav it was a li\-ely little trading jjlace, but. like all other towns off the railroad, it has never come to be a place of any consideralile in-iportance. Good citizenship has always been the boast of its few people. The farming country around this pretty village is excellent and the busii-iess transacted by the few dealers there has generally been on the square deal order, and hence successful at all times. Amos and Kilburn Beach were the first to engage in merchandise, and William Case was the pioneer tavern keeper. Other dealers may now be recalled as H. B. Seely, Lattimer & Hamilton, George Dixon and Oliver Asbury. Coming down later, the dealers were Daniel Landecker and the H. B. Seel}' Company. This last-named firm descended from the old pioneer store of Herrick B. Seely, who for many years was a thrifty merchant and the postmaster of the village. He stood high among wholesalers and jobbers. At his death the business fell into the hands of his sons, one of whom still carries on the business.

The population of Jerome is about seventy-five. The following have served as postmasters in this village since the establishment of the postoffice, in April, 1848: Joel A. Converse, appointed April 17, 1848; Isaac N. Wells, April I, 1851 ; William Andrews, August 8, 1853; Dyman Andrews, June 3, 1854; William H. Brinkerhoff, February 22, 1856; Horace Beach, June 10, 1856; George Leisure, December 2^, 1857; Hurd Lewis, July 16, 1866; S. H. Brake, February 17, 1868; William O. Harra, May 18, 1869; John Latham, November 27, 1871 ; J. C. Collier, July 20, 1874; George Leisure, May 26, 1875; Joseph Brobeck, January 14, 1878; Jennie Wells, November 5, 1883; H. B. Seely, August 21, 1885; A. L. Seely, April 11, 1892; George H. Dickson, April 21, 1897; O. T. Asbury, March 17, 1899; George H. Dickson, February 16, 1903; Pearl E. Hyland, November 7, 1903; office discontinued December 15, 1905. It is now furnished with mail from the rural free delivery out of Plain City.

New California

This little hamlet was platted in 1853, and the first general store was opened by S. B. Woodburn and Dr. Albert Chapman. Soon after the plat was executed, Samuel Ressler, of Marysville, erected a two-story frame building on the southwest corner of the public square and there transacted a good business for a nun"iber of years. He carried a good grocery stock in the same building. New California soon became the center for live stock business in the southern portion of Union count}-. Scales were put in and hundreds of hogs were driven there for marketing in the swine shipping seasons. These hogs were usually driven to Worthington or Pleasant Valley, from which points they were shipped to New "S'ork. Some droves would exceed four hundred tat hog.s. Neighlioring boys were paid lifty cents a day to help dri\-e these hogs to market. As there were no bridges, it was a great task to land the hogs on the right side of half-frozen streams of water. It was the work of hours, even on the solid frozen ice, to force a large drove over the ice.

The first physician to practice medicine in the village was Doctor Culver, who was succeeded in turn by Milo Lawrence, Thomas J. Hayes, James Cutler, B. F. McGlade, J. S. Rowland, Doctor Merriman and Doctor Vigor.

The pioneer "Village Blacksmith" was John Walley, in whose shop, beside the glowing forge, used to congregate the school boys at noon hour. He used to interest the boys by telling wonderfully big stories, not all strictly true. He claimed to ha\e in\entcd a magnifying glass through which he could look into the earth three miles. With this glass he said he located several gold mines in the neighborhood, as well as rich silver deposits, but these were never developed for lack of funds. He never allowed anyone to see this magnifying glass, as he claimed he did upon one occasion let a man look through it and it magnified so strong that it killed the man.

Other blacksmiths were the Gowan boys, Wilson Martin and John Hickman, all possessing queer traits of character. Especially some of these characters should find a paragraph in the annals of Jerome township. While Martin, the blacksmith, was shoeing a farmer's horse, a boy came running into the shop and declared that there was a large flock of wild turkeys at a quarry not far distant. Martin dropped the half-shod horse's foot, seized his rifle, powder horn and bullet pouch. He fairly flew to the desigiiated spot. After two hours he returned with three very large turkeys swung over his shoulder. All the villagers assembled to see the big game. Martin related in his own pecifliar and elastic manner how he had driven these wild turkeys, swifter on foot than the fastest deer hound in the country, to co\-er and how he had brought them down from the highest oak trees with his good and unerring rifle. "Black Bess." It was really a thrilling story and well told. But it was not long before a neighboring farmer appeared at the shop looking for the man who had been killing his tame turkeys. Martin was much crestfallen when he learned the truth and the farmer, a very liberal man, presented Martin with the turkeys and bade him "sin no more." But the end had not come, for many years afterwards he had to listen to the ston' in a teasing manner from the \illage boys, who laughed him to scorn for not knowing a tame from a wild turkey.

great deal of travel on the old State road, running from Pleasant Valley to Delaware, as well as on the road from Columbus to Marysville. Many were the yarns spun in the ding}' old bar-room as travelers, drovers and others gathered around the open-front wood fire Franklin stove, smoking the pipes and "stogies" furnished by the genial landlord. The first mails came once a week on horseback from Dublin. The mail was usually carried in large saddle-bags and in these were the weekly papers and, of course, all were eager to hear the latest news - but a week old.

The postmasters (who also ran the one store in the village) serving at Xew California, according to a recent list forwarded from Washington, D. C. especially for this history, have been as follows: Samuel B. Woodburn. January 7. 1850; Perry Buck, July 8. 1856: John T. Liggett. Jr., June 19, 1857; Thomas Robinson, Jr.. September 9. 1858; William Thompson, June 2^. 1862: John P. McDowell, November, 1872; Nancy A. Bain. May ^20, 1S73; R. C. Hager, November i, 1875: H. M. Dort. June 26. 1879; Phineas Bell. December 7. 1885; J. W. Kuhus, December i, 1886; G. E. Herriott, Alay 11, 1891. Office discontinued May 14, 1904.

Plain City

The greater part of this sprightly town is within Madison county. It has one thousand five hundred population, about four hundred of whom reside over the line in Cnion county. The flouring mill of U. D. Beard, on the west bank of Darby creek, is in Jerome township. It was erected by Doctor Ballinger and Richard Woodruff in 1873, ^^^ has always been a prosperous plant. The Methodist Episcopal church building is also in this county. The society was organized at Pleasant Valley in 181 2. (See Church history chapter. )

At a very early day there was a tannery operated by William [NlcCune on his farm. Today this site is included in the beautiful Pastime Park, consisting of twenty-seven acres, with a fine race track. The grove makes it an ideal summer resort and here the popular Chautauqua meetings are held annually. Before the Civil War many of the Fourth of July celebrations were held at this beautiful spot. Long tables were erected and "the fat of the land" was placed thereon, free for all.

The postoffice was originally called Darby Creek, but changed to Plain City on September 6, 1871. The postmasters here ha\e been : (Darby Creek) James Ewing, July i, 181 1; D. K. Bigelow, March 22, 1837: Isaac Bigelow, August 17, 1843; P. E. Guitner, February 21, 1850; Israel E. Bigelow,

This is a new village, located on the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad, at the crossing of the gravel road leading from Plain City to Xew California. The station and village were located in the fall of 1893 on land belonging to Mrs. George Arnold, for whom the town was named. It was first named "New California," after the old \illage, until a petition for a postoffice was presented to the department, when its name had to be changed, and ".Arnold" was wisely chosen. James Arnold, who established the first grocery there and was postmaster, discontinued business when the postoffice was discontinued. Fred Snnth was commissioned postmaster in 1896, but never performed the duties, as he sold his l)usiness just as his commission arrived. Carrie I'leck was then ajjpointed to the position and she, with her husband. Perry l-'leck. established a general store in the \illage in the fall of 1896. Mrs. Meek ser\ed as postmistress until the office was discontinued, March i, 19 10, by reason of the establishing of a rural free delivery route from Plain City. 2\Ir. and Mrs. Fleck, in 1914, were doing a thriving business and ran several produce wagons into Columbus each week. Other business factors are the grocery store iif J. W. Cumiingham, an ex-handle factory and two warehouses, Ijoth owned l)y J. R. Herriott. The ^'illage has about thirtv-fi\"e buildings and a population of over one hundred and twenty-five. The children attend the Central School at New California.

Jerome township occupies the southeastern corner of L'nion count\'. It is bounded on the east by Delaware and Franklin counties, on the south by Franklin and Madison; Darby township bounds it on the west and Mill Creek on the north.

Big Darby creek, its principal stream, crosses the southwest corner. Sugar run flows southward thr()ugh the central i)ortion, and farther east several small streams take their origin and flow into Delaware and Franklin counties. The surface is level or slightly rolling. The valley of Big Darby is narrow, and the soil of it is a rich, black loam. Back of this a ridge of land rises, having a width of perhaps one-half mile, the soil of which is somewhat gravelly. A fertile black soil is found beyond this, covering much of the southern portion of the township. Farther to the north, clay predominates. In early times the entire surface was densely forested and much timber that would now possess great value, including black walnut and cherry, was felled and burned in large heaps, to make way for crops of corn and grass. Hickory, oak, walnut, elm, beech and swamp ash were the prevalent types of timber.

The first election was held May 10, 1821, for the selection of a justice of the peace. Clark Provin received the entire fifteen votes cast. James Ewing. who was then sheriff of the county, and Frederick Sager and Simeon Hager were the judges of this election. John Taylor and John McCune were the clerks.

It was only a short time after the first settlers came that the woods were filled with wild hogs. Most of the early settlers brought a few hogs with them, and as the mast of the forest was amply sufficient for their sustenance, they were allowed to run at large. Each settler branded his hogs with a private ear-mark, and could thus identify his own property. Many of these swine were lost; they multiplied rapidly and a breed of wild, vicious hogs was the result. They would attack dogs and sometimes men, when the branches of a tree would be the only retreat. For many years it was customarv for the settlers to allow their hogs to run at large during the fall and when winter approached it was often extremely difficult to get them back w ithin inclosures. Good hog drivers were in great demand and received high wages. The unruly animals were usually driven in large droves by men on horseback, assisted by dogs, into an inclosed field, where they were assorted and their ownership determined Ijy the ear-marks. Sometimes wide circuits, miles in extent, must be made before they could be secured. Those belonging to widows were always brought in free by the neighbors.

W'ohes were plenty at first, but the bounty of four dollars a scalp paid by the county made them nnich sought after by hunters and the forests were cleared of them before other large game disappeared.

James Ewing ^\as one of the best and foremost citizens of Union county during the first thirty years of its existence. His old homestead in Jerome township was in survey 12,125, where he li\ed to the time of his death. He was elected and served as the first sheriff of Union county. In religious belief he was a Presbyterian and a firm member and for many years a ruling elder of Lower Liberty church. In politics he was an unflinching Whig. In 1810 ^Ir. Ewing purchased a stock of goods at Chillicothe, brought them to his fami and opened a country store, thereby becoming the first merchant in what is now L'nion cminty. Through his efforts a postoffice was secured and he was appointed the first postmaster. He operated the store for about ten }ears and then withdrew for a time from the mercantile business. In 1833 he erected a large frame store room adjoining his dwelling and filled it with an extensive stock of goods. He continued in business this latter time only two years. In 1835 his vounger son, David, to whom he was deeply attached, met with an untimely death just as he was entering upon a life of brilliant promise and under his sense of loss Mr. Ewing retired permanentlv from business. He had been the possessor of some means when he came to Ohio and by his stern, honorable business qualities he accumulated considerable property. He was one of the first trustees of the bVanklin County Bank. He was scrupulously honest in all his dealings and his word passed current for almost any amount. Small currency was \-er\' scarce, and in order to meet the demand for this kind of money, and facilitate trade, he issued what was termed in those days "shin plasters,"' payable on demand. They were considered by the people as good as coin and were never dishonored bv their maker.

The Taylors were among the foremost pioneers of Big Darin- in Jerome township. There were five brothers by this name, Richard, Daniel, Isaac, William and John, all of whom settled on the creek in close proximity to each other. They came in 1800 or 1802. They were \^irginians who had settled in Kentucky, but, not liking the country there, emigrated to Ohio.

Another of the earliest settlers on Big Darby in Jerome was Andrew Noteman. No record has been kept of the date of his settlement and the time cannot be definitely determined. The date of his deed is 1802, and it was probably about that year or soon after that he arrived. He was born June i, 1773, near Harper's Ferry, Maryland.

The Sagers were also among the earliest settlers and occupied some of the best land in the township. Henry. T^Vederick and Abraham located in Jerome.

Patrick Conner was the first settler on Sugar nm. coming from Pennsylvania about 1804-05. He owned and occupied a small farm in the lower part of survey 5.132. He was of Irish descent and a A-er\- intelligent man. Joseph McClung came to Sugar run fmm Pennsylvania ver\- early. He was in the War of 1812. John Kent settled in survey 5,126, on Sugar run, in ic%6.

One of the few Revolutionary officers who settled in Union countv was Col. James Curry. He was born near Belfast, Ireland, in 1752, came to America with his father when ten vears of age, and located in Augusta county. \'irginia. After a most honorable service as an officer of the army tliroughout the Revokitionary War. he removed, in the year 1797, to Ohio, settHng first in Ross county. In 181 1 he came with his family to the territory now known as Union county, where he located a large body of land and on which he erected the cabin in which he died. He was a member of the Legislature when the county was organized and was for many years after one of the judges of its courts. The following are brief notices of his children: James A., burn in Virginia ^klarch 30. 1787: Harriet S., born June 7, 1791 ; Stephenson, born December 3, 1801 ; Otway, born March 26, 1804; Louisa, born Jul}' 24, 1807: Roljert Burns, the youngest of this family, born June 3, 1811.

Samuel AlcCullough was a son of Samuel McCullough. Sr., who died in Darby township in 1800. He lived with his mother, who married John Taylor in Madison county, till he arrived at the age of. maturity. He then purchased a small farm in the southwestern part of Jerome township.

Survey 5,132 of six hundred acres, on Sugar run, in the south central portion of the township, was purchased at an early date by Judge Mitchell, of Darby township. He divided it into three portions, upon each of which one of his sons located. George Mitchell came first, probably as early as 1 814. David Mitchell, Jr., his brother, settled on the adjoining tract about 1816. The third son of Judge Mitchell, who occupied land on this survey, was Jesse Mitchell. He was the first white child born in what is now Union county. The date of his birth was November 4, 1799, a few weeks after his parents had settled in Darby township. Jesse remained with his parents until his marriage, in December, 1823, to Elizabeth Robinson, daughter of Rev. James Robinson, then of Union township. He at once settled with his young wife on his farm on Sugar run. l\Ir. Mitchell remained on the farm, an industrious, energetic farmer until his death, ]\Iay 13, 1881. He had nine children, all of whom are deceased.

Pbilli]) Hawn settled on survey 3,750 of one hundred acres, in the western part of the township in 18 19, and remained there till his death. Simeon Hager and Abner Chapman were pioneers. Samitel P. Morrison came from "N'ork county, Pennsyhania. about 1820. Simeon Rickard, a native of Virginia, a soldier of the War of 1812, in 1828 emigrated to Darby township, and a year later to southwestern Jerome. Landon Bishop emigrated from Virginia to Franklin cnunty, Oliin, in 1824, and three years later came to Jerome township.

All of the al)o\'e named settlers located in Jerome township prior t(j 1830. Soon after came rnanx^ other prominent families, whose descendants still reside in the townshii), among whom were Nelson Cone, Jndah Dodge, Titus Dort, Jesse (iill. William McCampbell. Sr., S. B. Woodburn, Dickey Beard, John Fleck, Chester l-nx, William Bigger, John W. Evans, Samuel Herriott, William McCrory, John R. McDowell, John AIcKitrick, John Moss, John F. Norris, Jesse \Yeldon, Jacob Frederick, John, William and Templeton Liggett. James D. Robinson and John ]\I. Robinson. George Ricard, Samuel C. Ryan and many others came in later.

William McCampbell, Sr., emigrated from Rockbridge county, \'irginia, in 1S35 and settled in Jerome township. He was a prominent citizen, and he, with his large family and the Beard family, whi:i came at the same time, were the principal organizers of the Seceder church in that townshi]). .Vdilison T. McCampbell, a grandson, visited, a few^ months ago, Staunton, Virginia, and examined the records of marriages, wills and lands, where he found some interesting data connected with the family history, which is of interest to the large number of descendants. As shown by the will of his great-grandmother, she gave to her grand-daughter, Polly McCampbell, a "sla\e maid," which it is understood she brought to Ohio in 1835. Polly married Da\id Beard, a fanner, school teacher and surveyor, and thev resided in the townshi]) until about the }-ear 1855, then emigrated to Iowa, where the}- bntli died at an advanced age. Mr. McCampbell also \isited the old stone church still in use at Timl)er Ridge, erected in I73'i, where his ancestors worshiped, and read the tablet erected in menK^ry oi tlie women of the church "who made and carried the mortar used in the building." The great-grandfather, William McCampbell, served in the War of the Revolution. He also found records of the marriages of the Curry family, who came to the township early in 1800.

Chapter Xxii

This was one of the three original townships in Union county. On the second division of the county into civil townships, in 1821, the boundaries of ^lill Creek were lixed as follows: "It is agreed to divide the county of Union into five townships, and the fifth township is to embrace all east of Paris township to the west boundary line of said county, and to be known by the name of Mill Creek."'

This township is situated in the southeast part of Union county and takes its name from Mill Creek which flows through its northern part. It is bounded on the north by Dover township and the county of Delaware, on the east by Delaware county, on the south Ijy Jerome township, and on the west bv Darby, Paris and Do\'er townships. The original surveys of this township occupied about eleven years" time. However, some of its surveys were made in a remarkaljly sliort time, for it is shown that in one day seven thousand acres were sur\e_\ed into eight different tracts.

Mill creek is the chief stream in the township. It enters from Dover township, passing through survey 3,956, and for more than one mile forms the boundary line between said townships, crossing in an easterly direction till it reaches sur\e_\- .\o. 1.307. when it takes a ^'er_\- crooked course in a general northeast direction, passing diagonally through said survey and so un out of the county into Delaware county. At an early day the waters of this stream furnished the pi(ineers with an abundant water power. Many of the first mills of Union c(junty were built along this stream. Spring run is another fair-sized stream, in the central portion of the township. Few, if any, townships in the county present a better surface for farming purposes than Mill Creek. The soil is deep, rich and very productive. Along the creek bottoms and fiat portions it is a black loam, while the remainder is a strong clay soil, most of it underlaid with a disintegrated limestone and gravel, the latter forming a gciod material for road making. The timber here was similar to that found elsewhere in l^nion county. The great num- ber of maple trees affurdeil an aljundant siipph' of maple sugar aiul syrup, both for the home and tor shipment. Grain, corn and stock raising have always been the main features of agriculture in this township, and from these much wealth has been accumulateil with the passing of the }'ears.

Early Skttlement

To Ephraim I'.urroughs, a native of Xew Jersey, must be accorded the distinction of having been the first white settler to invade the wilds of what is now Mill Creek township. In the autumn of 1795 he left his native state with his fannly for Kentucky. In 1804 he moved to Clark county, Ohio, and at the close of the War of uSu he settled in Union county. His location was a little east of the village of W'atkins. He bought one hundred acres, remained about four }'ears and then moved to Indiana.

There were three or four families, all of whom came in at about the same dates, and soon after the hrst settler. Burroughs, made his settlement. Among this number was William Conklin, a native of Delaware, who located oh land next to that entered by Ijurmughs and there remained until just before the breaking out of the Ci\il War. The date of his coming was 1816. Here he reared a good-sized family. One of his daughters married a Mr. Anderson, oi whom it was related that he paid for his farm bv selling hickory nuts gathered by his own hands. These nuts all grew on his own land and he hauled them o\er the mud roads to Da>'ton and Springfield.

Daniel Bell, born in Xew Jersey, but an early settler in Ohio, came to this township in 1816, settling near Mr. Conklin's place. He was a blacksmith by trade and followed it in connection with his farming operations. Later he mo\'ed to the White Ri\er country, Indiana, 1)ut afterwards returned to Union county and died near ^^"atkins.

John T. Thompson, with his aged father. James Thompson, emigrated from Virginia to Ohio, settling in Union county about 1816 on Mill Creek survey No. 5,477. The father died there in 1843, aged almost ninety years. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary war. This was perhajis one of the first five families to settle in the township. The son became a \'er\- prominent factor in the early history of the township and county.

Alvin Randall, a native of New Hampshire, emigrated to York state in 1809; to Worthington, Ohio, in 1812; to Madison, Indiana, in 1813, cast his first vote at the first election after that state was admitted to tiie Union, in 1816. In 1817 he became a resident of Darby townshi]) and in 1819 came

Asa Robinson, a native of ]\lassachusetts, moved with his family from his nati\e state to York state, and in 1809 is said to have moved to Ohio. At a \ery earl\" date he settled in Delaware county. He was engaged in the milling" business at Hinton's mills. Later he sold out and bought land in sur\"ey No. 2,992, where he remained until his death.

Between 1818 and 1822 the following came into Mill Creek township and effected a permanent settlement : Joseph Harrison and sons, Aaron, ]Moses and Benjamin, all locating on survey Xo. 2,998; Valentine T. Shover, Joim Sherman, Thomas Daniel, Silas Oslxjrn, Xathaniel Toothacre and John Gray settled in survey Xo. ^A77 ) John. William, Asa and Randolph Death, four brothers, colored men, settled near Harrisons, but most of them soon mo\"ed from the county.

George Graham, a nati\'e of England, emigrated to America, first settling in York state, but later mu\ed to Ohio. He had a large family, most of whom settled in this township about 1823.

Aniither immigrant of 1823 was Aaron Tossey, a nati\-e of X'ew England. Alany of his cliiklren li\ed in the township and were active in its earlier development.

Elder Daniel Long, a native of Maryland, born in 1789, was a soldier in the War of 181 2 and became a settler in !\Iill Creek township in 1820. He had tra\'eled i)\er a large portion of southern and central Ohio, organizing Christian churches. The Watkins Christian church of this township was one of the first to be formed in this section and he w-as pastor of this church for many years. He died in 1873, at the age of eighty-five years and had preached up to within a short time of his death. He died while in the midst of a revival season. He was one of Ohio's great pioneer ministers. He married and had one child, Thomas \\'. Long.

Other settlers coming in about 1823-24 were George Lukenbill and John McCawley, the latter a native of Scotland. He moved to Marysville, where he subsei|uently died.

Bennett Beard, who settled on Mill creek about 1824, erected one of the first saw mills in this .\b(iUt the same time the following people came to tlie settlement: Jac(il> Hawk, Alexander Garringer, John Herilif, Samuel Saunders, Z. Smith, Jeremiah Roe, John Keens and Jacob Taylor. Also that year cjr not later than the following year came Joseph Watkins, Asahel Rose and James Fowler. In 1826 came William Rogers, a school teacher. William Newhouse and Edmnnd Holycross settled on survey No. 5,477. In 1828 and 1829 we find that Christian Myers. Charles Hamlin, Abraham Stiner and na\id Smith appear as settlers, all located on survey No. 1,573.

This l)rings the settlement down to about 1830 and after that it commenced t(i increase too rapidly to undertake to trace out the coming and going of the multitude, many of whoiu ha\e li\ed and labored and finalh' passed on to the great beyond, lea\'ing descendants to take up the activities of , life.

Watkins is the only \illage in Mill Creek township. It now has a population of about eighty people. It is within surx'ey No. 1,307 and was platted July 12, 1838. The proprietors were Thomas P. Watkins and William Conklin. James Thompson erected th : first house on the village platting just east of where Ra\' Thompson's .-lore in later years was built. He opened the first store of the place in 1840 in one room of his residence. The postoffice was established in 1840 and the government furnishes the author with the following as the correct list of postmasters: James Thompson, Jr., appointed March 18, 18-10; \\''illiam Thompson, November 11, 1842; James Thompson, April 29, 1859: S. R. Heath, .April 21, 1862; \\^arrett Owen, April 9, 1863: W. T. Thompson, October C>. 1885: Warrett Owen, July 18, 1889; R. B. Thompson, August 31, 1893: Lemuel Tossey, December 24, 1896: F. J. Hinterschend, April 10, looi ; L. L. Williams, August 5, 1904; Leonard Kalteis, November 30, 1907. Office was discontinued July 31, 1908.

The \arious physicians who have practiced here include these, in about the order given : Mains Wasson, Doctor Reed, Doctor Rose, William Andrews, T. P. Shields, John Pounds and several of a later date, whose names appear in the Medical chapter of this work.

Chapter Xxiii

Dover is one of the latest organized townships within Union county. It is in the central portion along the eastern boundary of the county. It is bounded on the north by Leesburg township, on the east by Delaware county and Mill Creek township, on the south by Mill Creek and on the west by Paris township. Its territory originally belonged to Mill Creek township and so remained until in December, 1838, when it was made a separate civil township. The records show that on March 5, 1839. it was ordered by the county ctmimissioners that the Ijoundary line of i\Iill Creek and Dover townships be altered so as to detach from Alill Creek and attach to Do\er township survey No. 3,007. The first land surveyed, 1,087 acres, survey X^o. 3.007. in the township was executed June 3, 1797, for John Graham.

Blue's and Mill creeks are the principal water courses in the township. The former enters from Leesburg township on sun'ey No. 5,497, and courses a little south of east through the north central part of the township into Delaware county, leaving Do\'er from sur\ey Xo. 7,358. One of its chief tributaries is Grass Run. Mill creek enters the township about the center of its western boundary from survey No. 3.355. taking a southeasterly course. It finally falls into Delaware county. This is the largest stream within Union county as regards water power, and at an early day provided much water power, furnishing mill sites for many mills and factories of the smaller sort, but \ery useful to the pioneer settlement of the county.

Along these two streams. Blue's and Mill creek, the land is rolling and in ])laces quite hilly. The remainder of the township is very level, easily cultixated and the ^uil is uncommonly ])r<i(lucti\'e. The creek bottoms are made u]j of a dee]), black loam. Other [larts of the township are made up of clav subsoil, tliough not liable to be aftected bv dry weather. These lands were originally very wet, Init along in the seventies and eighties the system of tile drainage began to obtain and today the swamps have all disappeared. Wheat, corn, oats and ]jotatoes, the main ])roductions, are raised with profit. Grass grows here in luxuriance and cattle grazing has long been a leading industry. W^hen the pioneer came here he found great forests covered the most of the township. These forest trees, some hundreds of years old, had to be felled and removed and it took many years before all the stumps of these forest kings were entirely obliterated from the fields. It may be stated that the first generation had all they could do to clear away these forests and prepare sufficient land for cultivation. The next generation, bowe\Tr, commenced to reap the reward of the hard pioneer work performed by their fathers. The timber along the creek bottoms consisted chiefly of walnut, hickory, elm, sycamore and some cherry and oak. Thousands of immense walnut logs were rolled into the log-heap and burned which would bring fabulous prices today. The country has Ijeen destitute of walnut timber, practicallv speaking, for thirty-five or forty years. The sugar maple gro\es. however. ha\e been cared for on account of the sugar and s\rup they afl:ord.

E.Arly Settlement

The first exidence'of a settlement by white men in this part of Union county was when the sound of the woodman's ax broke in upon the green solitude of the immense forests on the south or west banks of ^Nlill creek, in the southwest part of this township. .\ few years earlier pioneer Ephraim Burroughs had settled in the wilderness of Alill Creek township, near the present village of Watkins. His second son, Jonathan ]M. Burroughs, born in Xew fersev in 1794, married ]\Iercv Bell, and in the winter of 181 5 located on Mill creek in what is now Do\-er township, on four hundred acres of land which he leased of Thcunas C. Grary, of \'irginia. Here he struck the first blow at clearing the f(.irests of the township. He erected a small log cabin, daubed it with mud and in mid-winter moved into it with his young wife. In one corner of this cabin was erected a frame for a bedstead, consisting of two poles extending from holes l)ored in the logs i>f his cabin and supported bv a single corner post, with poles laid across for slats, u])on which was laid a straw bed. F(ir co\ering- they used one blanket and a feather bed containing seven pounds o{ feathers. Their table consisted of a large slab with logs placed underneath. Airs. Burrouglis had one broken plate, one knife with part of the handle broken oft" and a fork with one tine gone. Air. Burroughs made himself a wooden plate and a wooden fork and used his pocket knife to eat with. Spring and the sugar-making season were soon at hand. Sugar ma]ile trees were found on every hand, and as nnich sugar was made as possible. But they had no utensils with which to manufacture the syrup and sugar. Air. Burroughs finally succeeded in renting three big kettles and with his own hands fashioned out sugar troughs and tapped about two hundred trees. Now the work and labor commenced ; day and night, week in and week out, they toiled, gathering the sugar water, boiling it down and making sugar until the season was past. Xext the sugar must be marketed and with the money some necessarj' household articles must be purchased. James Ewing's store at Plain City was the nearest one where goods could be purchased and that was only ten miles distant. He had no horse and the roads were mere bridle paths run by blaied trees. He took upon his l)ack all the sugar he could carr)- and tra\-eled the entire distance to the store on foot. In exchange for his sugar, he purchased a half dozen plates, a half dozen kni\es and forks, a half dozen cups and saucers, a tin teapot, a cpiarter pound of tea, and with these on his back he made his way homeward. His good wife unpacked and washed the dishes, while Mr. Burroughs took his trusty a.x and split out a large slab and dressed it up smooth as possible. T."pon pins driven into a log in the cabin he placed his slab as a shelf and on this was placed the new sup])ly of tableware. With hearts full of gratitude and eyes beaming with delight, on the opposite side of the room stood the young pioneer wife, gazing upon the small though beautiful outfit, the result of the first united effort toward olrtaining a home and li\-elihood. Years later Mr. Burroughs remarked that "1 tapped my wife on the shoulder and said to her 'we'll make it yet." "' He said at that moment he felt prouder than he would have felt years later if some one had presented him with ten thousand dollars. He was highly successful and made a handsome fortune, which he used for the good of his family and for the worthy objects all about him, never once forgetting the early trials and sacrifices he had undergone.

William Bradley was probably the next man to locate in Dover township. He settled on Mill creek just below Mr. Burroughs in 1818. He was a native of Maryland. He was an honest, worthy and upright pioneer. During the same year there were se\eral who found their way into the township as settlers. These included John Hannaman, the third settler, who came from Chillicothe and settled on Mill creek, south of Marysville and Delaware pike. He bought two hundred acres and upon this he located in 18 18. After a few years he sold and moxed on west.

Stephen Dysert came in from Ross county about 181 8 and remained until his death. He and his estimable wife were buried on the farm where they had spent most of their li\es.

Lancelot Maze, a native i)f Ireland, became a settler here in 1818, and died in 1823. it has been claimed that he was the first jnstice of the peace elected in Dover township.

^\'illiam Richey, Sr., of Pennsyhania, but whose father came from the north of Ireland, came to Darby Plains in 1813, and in 1819 located in Dover township on Mill creek in sur\e\' No. q,0-j8, and died there in August, 1847. His son, William, Jr., was a W big and represented his county in the Legislature in 1845-46, and also w'as justice of the peace for twenty years. He resided here more than fifty \ears and cleared uj) and improved a large and valuable tract of laud. Ab(.)ut 1873 he removed to Franklin count}-, Kansas, where he died on March 16, 1882, aged eighty-eight years.

Another early settler was John Dinwiddle, a \'irginian. who came to L'nion county in 1823, settled on Mill creek and resided until death oxertook him. His remains were buried on his ow n fami.

Daniel Williams, a native of Marylantl, with bis father's family, emigrated to Ohio in 1808 and settled near ChillicDthe, where the father tiled. In 1828 the son moved to Dover township and died in tlie townsbij) in 1866.

Jonathan Bowen, a Virginian by birth, emigrated with his family to Ross count}-, Ohio, and in about 1825 moved to Doxer township. James B. Clark, another Virginian, settled in 1825 on Dun's run, D(_)ver township, and there died in 1829, aged forty-five years. He reared a large family, members of which still reside in the township. He taught many terms of school in Dover township.

Still other settlers of the twenties were Daxid W. Worlev. a \'irgiuian. who came in 1824: Coats Thornton and Ceorge H. Houser. Then came Amos Spurgeon, of Virginia, who settled on Blue's creek in survev Xo. ^,499. In 1865 he moved to Illinois.

Rev. John Carney, nf \'irginia, emigrated to Ohio and located in Do\-er township in 1828 and resided there until his death. He was a ver\- zealous Baptist and an early preacher in this denomination. He w-as uneducated, but the type of a man who in those early times took well with the masses. He was a power for good in the community in which he settled. In 1828-29 Abner Liggett came in and settled on the south bank of Blue's creek, where he resided until 1882, when be removed to Green Bend, Ohio.

Rev. Ebenezer Mathers w^as a Methodist preacher. The first class of the Afount Herman church was organized at his house about 1838. He worked faithfully until his death, in 185 J, when he had reached his sixty-third year. Joseph Russell and Elijah Brown settled in 1831-32; Levi and Daniel Longbrake the same year; }ilathew Columber and Alexander Ross in 1833.

But few mills have ever been (^)perated in this township. Most of the lumber and hour used by the citizens here have been manufactured outside of the township. About 1850 Adam Richey and Beal Selman erected a steam saw-mill three-quarters of a mile from the village of Dover. Later J. H. Felkner and J. D. Burkabill owned the property and did an extensive business. About 1 871 L. B. Dennis erected a saw-mill and spoke factory in the \-illage of DoNcr. Fifteen men were employed along about 1874, when the plant was sold to D. F. D\al. who in 1878 mo\ed the machinery to Arkansas. There have been numerous portable steam saw-mills within the township from time to time.

The village of Dover was ])latted in Alay, 1854, on lands owned by William Richey, Adam Richey, Thomas Alpin and B. F. Benton. William B. Irwin was the surveyor of L'nion county at the time and executed the platting. In the fall of 1854 the first house on the plat was built by Adam Richey. The first industry started in the embryo \-illage was the harness shop of J. ^'. Servin, who erected the third house on the plat. Calvin Richey opened a store in a building erected for the purpose in the fifties. M. W. Peck was the first phvsician to practice medicine at this point. It was the construction of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis railroad through the township in 1852-53 that encouraged the laying out of this \illage, which in 1882 had a population of only one hundred and fifty pe(j]ile. There ha\e been numerous small manufacturing plants in Dover, comiuencing in the seventies and eighties. These included the tile factory, erected in 1874 and a factory for the manufacture of heading, clothes racks, chair rounds, etc., built in 1870 by D. & W. A. Shuler. For a small place Dover has always possessed more enterprise and industry than any town in the county. It now has a population of about two hundred and seventy-five with the usual amount of small town stores and shops. The schools and churches of Dover township, including the village, will be treated in special chapters in this work.

Chapter Xxiv

The sixth township of Union county was Liberty township, wliich was organized, as shown by the records, as follows: "At a meeting of the commissioners of the county of Union, the first Monday in June, 1822, the township of Liberty was organized as follows : Beginning at the southwest corner of Paris township, thence west to the county line, thence north to the north Ijoundary line of said county, thence east to the west boundary of Paris township, thence south with said line to the place of beginning, to be known by the name of Liberty township." When York township was created the northern boundary of Liberty was materially changed, the territory of the latter being made much smaller.

Land surveys began in this township quite early, though not quite so soon as farther south in the county. The first survey was made in September, 1799. The population of the township in 1910 was 1,488.

Streams, Soil And General Features

Liberty is usually spoken of as a level township. The western and southwestern portions are quite flat and originally were very wet, but the ditching and draining of many years has made it an excellent agricultural section. The bottom lands and some of the higher lands possess a rich black loam, but as a general rule it is of a more clay-like mixture and very productive, especially in corn and wheat.

Mill creek is the principal stream of the township. It enters the township on the west from Logan county, meanders through in a southeasterly direction before entering Taylor township. This is the largest stream in Union county and gave water power for all the early mills in this township. It was natural that the first pioneers should settle as near this beautiful water course as possible. There are .smaller streams, but none of any importance at this day. Originally this township was heavily covered with fine timber, embracing such \arieties as white, red, Ijlack and burr oak. hickory, walnut, elm, sugar maple and beech.

Pioneer Settlers

The first immigrants to this i)art of Union county made their way up Mill creek and formed a settlement in the dense forests of what is now Liberty township. This was se\eral years before any settlement had been effected in Allen townsliip. It was al)out 1813 when Levi Carter, supposed to have been a native of Virginia, invaded this unbroken wilderness. He was one of the judges at the first election when Liberty township was organized. As an inducement to settlers ( iencral McArthur offered one hundred acres to any man who would permanentl}- settle upon it and Mr. Carter accepted the proposition. He was a worthy man, a good citizen and kind neighbor. About 1840 he and his family remo\e(l to Illinois, where he died.

Charles Colver, a New ^'(lrker, mentioned in the history of Union township, located there in 1812 and in the fall of 181 5 moved to Liberty township. He died here in 18J3, aged fifty years. They reared a large family which did honor to the name.

Israel Carter, brother of Levi Carter, the first settler, settled in the township two vears later than his brother. He married, reared a good-sized family and died in the township in which he had lived and labored so long and hard.

Samuel Porter, a Vermonter, settled, with his family, in Liberty township about 181 7, resided until 1823 and then moved back to Vermont, where both he and his wife died. While here he made a valuable and highly esteemed citizen.

Tames Herd, of Berkeley county, \'irginia, emigrated to Clark county, Ohio, just before the War of t8ij. In March, 1817, they settled in Liberty township. His wife died in 1834 and he in 1842.

Dr. Winthrop Chandler, from \'ermont, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Union township in 18 18. He married a ]\Iiss Hammond and about 1826 settled in Liberty township on Mill creek, where he practiced medicine until 1846, when he removed to Illinois. It is said of him that he was the laziest man in Union county. It was stated by more charitable ones that "he was born tired."'

Isaac Brake and wife, natives of old Virginia, emigrated to Ross county, Ohio, in 1818, remained there two years and settled in Liberty township in 1820. They located on what was known as the Joshua Juddy farm, and there remained until death. They were advanced in years when the\- came to this county. In her latter years Mrs. Brake was made the victim of a \ery peculiar disease and when its attacks came on slie felt great desire for water immediately, and that once administered she at once found relief. She had obser\ed that if she was attacked where she could not get water, she believed she would die. In that day shooting matches were frec^uent and legitimate occurrences. On one of these occasions Mr. Brake and family attended, it being nearb\- his home. .\t an early hour, Mrs. Brake took her leave and started for home. Suljsec|uently the remainder of the family returned home. On their arrival they missed her and thinking she had called at a near neighbor's did not look for some time later. Searcli was instituted, horns were blown and all done to rouse the neighborhood, but not until the next morning was any intelligence as to her whereabouts gained. She was found dead a short distance from the road, near some water. It is believed that on her wa\- home she was attacked by her strange disease and had gone to that spot for water and while there died. This was in 1826. Mr. Brake died about 1833. Thev left a large and respectable family of sons and daughters.

South Carolina furnished a settler in the person of Mordecai Baughan in 1S20. He located three-fourths of a mile l>elow Newton. He remo\-ed to Illinois just before the Civil War and died there a few years later.

John Shirk, from Virginia, Ijorn in 1787, in [820 emigrated to Ross count}', Ohio, and two years later settled on the old Judy farm. In 1832 he purchased land where the Disciples church was later erected. He died there in 1873. Mr. Shirk was a verj- large, robust man and physically had few equals. \\'hile a resident of Virginia he was the acknowledged champion both in ph_\-sical strength and acti\'it_\". He was also possessed of an unswerx'ing character. In kindness and justice tt) all with whom he had dealings he was excelled 1)\' but few. His conclusions on right and wrong were drawn with great nicety of distinction and adhered to with great firmness in all the minutest details of business life. -\t one time in his life there was a scarcity of corn throughout this section of country, l)ut Mr. Shirk had an abundance and to spare. He always said that the true \alue of corn was twenty-five cents per bushel : that it was worth that to raise it and no more. Consecjuentlv he would nex^er sell his corn for any more or any less than that ]jrice. He found many poor ]ieo])le through the neighborhood who had to Iniv corn and supplied them with wliat they needed at the al)ove stated price, while at other places, not many miles distant, corn was selling at fifty cents per bushel. One of his neighbors who knew the market value of corn and learned that Mr. Shirk had a quantity to sell for twenty-five cents a bushel, concluded that he would speculate in corn. He harnessed up a four-horse team and drove over to Mr. Shirk's residence and told him he understood he had corn to sell. Mr. Shirk replied that he had and the man with the team told him he would take all he had. Mr. Shirk replied: "You cannot ha\e a bushel of it ; you do not want it for your own use and do not need it, but are trying to speculate off of poor people." So he gave the man some strong moral advice and sent him home without any corn. Thus was his kindness and generosity e\er exhil)ited to the poor. At the time he concluded to make a purchase of land one of his neighbors. Air. Moore, decided also to buy. They were both paor. Judge McLean owned a large tract of land which they concluded they would endeavor to purchase jointly. The Jutlge would n(->t sell to speculators. They desired it for their own use and concluded to go and see Judge McLean in Ross county and set the day to start on their journey. Mr. Moore had nothing but an old ragged suit of clothes and felt unable hnancially to buy a new one. He borrowed a fine suit of his neighbor and on the morning appointed, dressed in his fine black suit, he made his appearance at Air. Shirk's ready to start on the trip. Air. Shirk looked the man all o\er fnini head to fimt and then he told him to go right liDUie and take off his fine suit and put on his did cluthes or he would not go with him; that they were going to see the Judge in their plain old clothes and tell him their situation financially and make no fine show of fine dress or any misrepresentation in any form. He did as Air. Shirk directed; they visited the Judge in that plain way ; with plain talk were successful and purchasen seven hundred and thirty acres (jf land for one thousand dollars on easy terms. The same land when ctirrectly surveyed emljraced nine hundred and twelve acres. This success was all due to Air. Shirk's straightforward course and true representation of themsehes and circumstances. .And the aliove examjiles are but good illustrations of the ])rinci|)le and character which made up the warp and woof of this noble pioneer's life.

Other pioneers were Jacob Humphreys, from North Carolina; Elisha \\'hite, of A'ermont ; Da\id Lockwood, another Vermonter ; Israel Lockwood, a Xew Englander ; ^^'illiam Gladhill ; .Allen Rea, a A'irginian ; W^illiam Crowder. of Virginia: Sanuiel (irifhn. a nati\e of Alaryland. and Da\'id Hosack, a nati^-e of Guernsey county, Ohio, all settled in this townshi]) between the first settlement and about 1835.

.Another list furnished for a former bistor\- of the township contains the names of many more who may well l)e termed "first and early settlers:" Silas Burson, 1824; Jesse Judy. 183J; John Raymond, of New Hampshire; Nathaniel Norveil, of Vermont: L. Ford, of A^irginia; George Baxley, born in A'^irginia. in 1801. He left a diary of events covering a period of thirtv years. From this we quote the following important entries :

Spiritualism - January 14, 1852, spiritualism in full play. Mr. Baxley witnessed the knockings at the house of Mr. Titus - David Rowland, the medium. "People turned nearl}- craz\- about mysterious rappings, which are all the go."

E-xtremes of Heat and Cold - January 20. 1852, thermometer twenty below zero. June 5, 1852. hea\'y frost: o\'ercoat and sitting by the fire feels comfortable : thermometer forty-four above zero at sunrise ; beans, cucumbers, pumpkins and other tender vegetables killed by frost last night. February 4, i8'56, thermometer fourteen degrees below zero. May 31, 1856, heavyfrost; June 5, 1859, heav}' freeze, thermometer twenty-eight above zero; ice one-eighth of an inch thick, crops cut down. June 4, i860, ground covered white with hail; duration of hail storm ten minutes; sixty-two panes of glass broken out of the Methodist Episcopal church. January i, 1864, thremometer ten below zero, ^lay 2, 1864, snow two inches deep. June 12 and 13. heavy frost. February 5, 1866, thermometer ten below zero. February 3, 1868, thermometer ten below zero. April 10, 1868, snow five inches deep. August 18, 1869, thermometer one hundred and eighteen degrees above zro.

Great freshets, January i, 1847, another on April 14, 1859; ^n^ ^ still greater one April 10, i860, doing great damage, destroying property all along Mill creek. March 31, 1865, great freshet, highest water known since

Great Temperance Crusade - On Christmas, 1865, twenty or more ladies entered a saloon kept in Newton (now Raymond) and destro3'fed all licjuors, decanters, glasses, etc. The ladies were subsequently arrested for riot; also twenty indictments were found against the saloon keeper ; he was fined and jailed, and at last completeh- prostrated financially, and unable to continue ])rosecution against said ladies ; but at this juncture the wholesale liquor men from whom he had purchased his licjuor came to his rescue and took up the prosecution against the ladies. Subsequently, the ladies in the case, and numerous citizens, raised money by subscription and paid the damages to property, and thus ended the suit.

Milling In The Townsliip

The first mill erected in Liberty township was built in 1831-32 by Samuel Orahood. It was a grist-mill run by water power on Mill creek, a mile and a fourth abo\e where Xewton now stands, on the old Israel Lockwood farm. It was a g'uod but a small frame mill. After about three years Mr. Orahood sold to G. Smith, who added a saw mill attachment. In the spring of 1843 (jeorge W. Baxley became pro]3rietor, continuing to operate the same ;intil 1856, when he rebuilt the flouring mill and ceased to run the saw mill It was run fur more than twenty-fi\'e years, but on account of the ill health of its owner and the fact that many freshets washed out the mill dam, making it expensi\'e to keep up the water power, the mill was abandoned soon after the close of the Civil War.

Clements" saw mill was erected by Ransom Clements in 1833 and was dri\-en by the water of Mill creek. It was the first saw mill in Liberty township and run about ten }'ears. In 1847, '^^ ^ point a mile north of old Xewton, Mr. Clements built another saw mill, on the ^'ork Center road. It was soon burned and was at once rebuilt. Se\-eral men owned it at one time or another, but finally it was allowed to close down fore\ er. The Thomas grist mill was erected in 1845-46 on Mill creek, three and a half miles above Newton. It was operated about a dozen years. The Peoria saw mill was first erected and operated by INIr. Feltner, who was succeeded by Barnet Bennett.

A tannery was put in operation in ab(.)ut 1849 by T. L. and Daniel Wiswell. It was located a mile north of Xewton, near Clements' saw mill. It was operated by different men and owners until 1870, when owing to the general changes in the tanning industry, it went down. E. and F. ("i. Lockwood were the last proprietors.

What was originally styled Xewton. but, for postoffice purposes, has been long known as Raymond, was sur\eyed for r)a\id Paul and laid off into town lots and streets August 25, 1838. .An addition was made in the fifties by the same proprietor. Hezekiah Davis was the first to erect a house on the plat. It was later owned b\- James W'ootl. John Ra^-mond kept the first hotel and Edward Inskip started the first general store. The first black-

Bv 1882 there had grown up quite a lively town. There were among other dealers and artisans the following : Dague & Wilson, C. W. Case, general merchandise; drug store. Doctor \\'right; hotel, E. Wells: two blacksmith and wagon shops ; a photograph gallery ; boot and shoe repair shop ; a harness shop : one two-story frame school house ; a Methodist Episcopal, Christian and Free-Will Baptist church. The population was then said to have been one hundred and seventy-five. The town is not incorporated and todav has about four hundred, according to the census of 1910.

The Town In I9I4

In the fall of 1914 there were three churches in Raymond - the Methodist Episcopal, Baptist and Christian denominations. (See Church chapter.)

Raymond is the seat of the new consolidated school and takes in all the districts within Liberty township. A thirty-thousand-dollar building has just been finished.

The township hall is located here, a two-story frame structure, the second stor\' being used for pulilic hall purposes by the citizens of the township and \'illage.

Concerning the postoihce it may he stated that a recent list of postmasters sent from Washington to the author of this work gives the subjoined facts :

It appears that there was a town site platted ow about the same land as is contained in Raymond ( Xewton ) a few years before this place was platted. It bears date on the county records as ha\-ing lieen in existence in Octoljer, 1 834, four vears before Xewton was platted and recorded. It would appear that nothing came of this town: at least, there were no houses built on that platting. The project was doubtless dropped. Its proprietor was Samuel King, and he named his village Kings\il!e.

Peoria is within Libert}' township, at the crossing of the Erie and l^iledo & Ohio Central railroads, as well as the junction of the main line and St. ]\Iary"s Branch of the Toledo & Ohio Central line. It had in Kjio a ])()[)ulation of one hundred and fift\". The platting of this \illage was executed in May, 1870, and, exclusive of railroad land, harl a fraction more than nine acres within its limits. In 1872 an extensive addition was made to the \illage for Robert D. F"inley, who opened the first store of the hamlet. The pioneer blacksmith was George Wesley. In 1882 Gosnell Brothers conducted the only store of the' place, and a warehouse was operated by Rogers & Thompson. The postoffice was secured in 1872 and from an official source the following list of postmasters is here given : Robert D. Finley, appointed September 26, 1872; F. D. Gosnell, February 7, 1881 ; Samuel Turner, May 14, 1882: William J. Strader, April 10, 1882; J. N. Gosnell, December 29, 18S2: William O. Titus, August 13, 1885; Maggie Downs, April 11, 1888; J. N. Gosnell, August 13, 1889: Maggie Downs, April 11, 1893; E. M. Gibson, February 7, 1894; S. H. Hemlen, January 5, 1897; J- F- Finley, April 28, 1897; Thomas C. Danforth. April 1, 1899; J. F. Finley, December 28, 1905; I. Delia Finley. August. 1908: William J. Hamilton, August 10. 1914.

The business consists of a general store or two, hotel, barber and blacksmith's shop, depot for the junction of the main line and Marysville branch of the Toledo & Ohio Central and the crossing of the Erie railroad. There are numerous tastv residences scattered here and there over the extended town platting. The \'illage is less than two miles from Raymond and about the same from Broadway, in the midst of a rich agricultural section. Were it not for so many nearby villages this would have made an excellent place for business.

Chapter Xxv

Leesburg is tlie central township on the eastern line of Union county. It is on the Delaware county line, with Claibourne township on its north; Taylor on the west ; Do\er and I'aris on the south. Its shape and boundary is very irregular, owing to the manner in which the original surveys were made. Its population in 1914 was 1,245. Its topography and general natural features do not differ materiall}' from other portions of Union county, being generally le\el and quite low in places. Boke's creek, Blue's creek and Grassy run are the chief water courses, none of which are very large streams. The soil of this township is clayey, with a slight admixture of sand in places. The swale lands are of a black clay, underlaid with a substratum of blue clay. The springs of the township are not numerous, but when found, are of the finest water to be had anywhere. Some are strongly mineral in their character. In this township are found the famous ^Magnetic springs, of which the world has heard so much in the last quarter of a century. The reader w ill find an account of these celebrated healing waters at another place in this chapter. When first settled, this township was largely covered b}' a heavy growth of forest trees, most of which has been cut down and the ground on which the stately kings of the ancient forest stood has been con\'erted into excellent farming sections, which yield up their annual harvests of all crops common to this soil and latitude.

Leesburg was the seventh township to be organized in Union county. The date of its erection was 1825, and originall_\- it embraced the territorv of Jackson and Claibourne townships. The first election was held October II, 1825, when ten votes were cast, Robert Cotrell, Culwell Williamson, Henry Swartz, Samuel Gardner, Samuel ^Martin, Simon Gates, Sr.. Simon Gates, Jr., Cyprian Lee, Edward Williams and Thomas Timks. At this election James Curry received the entire ten \"ntes for representati^-e, and Matthias Collins all the \-otes for commissioner. Simon Gates was the first justice of the peace.

The original land survey was made in 1809. \\'illiam Semple's survey No. 803, of one thousand acres, was made N^ovember 17, <if that year. It is ^29) located in the central western part of the township. A majority of the surveys in the township were of one thousand acres each, but the exact acreage frequently far exceeded this amount when, in years afterward, the land was resurveyed.

The tax ^-aluations in 1825 of personal property returned in Leesburg township consisted of six horses and twenty-seven cattle. A majority of this property was found in the territory now included in Claibourne township. By 1830 the property had increased to thirty-three horses, one hundred and fifteen cattle ; total valuation, $2,240, upon which the tax levied was only $22.40. Tliere were 22.975 acres of land, valued at $24,550. and taxed at $227.99. In 1840 the total valuation was $42,848, taxed at $728.42. In 1850 it had increased to a land measure of 19,217 acres, valued at $76,326; town property, $857; chattels, $18,000. The total valuation, of 895,000, was taxed for $1,469. The total valuation in i860 of real estate $257,849, and taxes w^ere $2,665. I" 1870 the value of the 19,000 acres of taxable land was $425,000, with value of buildings. $24,425. In 1880 it had reached a land value of $457,000: buildings, $31,000; town property, $8,699; chattels, $172,484. For the present statistics on the township's valuations see table including all townships of the county.

Pioneer Settlement

Clark county, Ohio, furnished a majority of the first settlers for this township. Some of these pioneers came for the purpose of hunting, while others came to establish homes. Deer was the principal game sought for at that early day in this portion of the county. Honey bees swarmed everywhere in the forests and wild honey was found on the table of all pioneers. Bee hunting was the chief occupation of many of the first-comers to this township. The bee-hunter was generally supplied with a trusty pocket compass to note the course in which the bees were flying. Bees were attracted to a spot by the scent arising from honey-comb burnt by the hunter between two heated stones. Honey, mixed with anise seed, was sprinkled near, and when the bees alighted they soon became surfeited. After circulating around for a few times, they would fly away in a "bee line" (hence the common term) for their home. By getting the course of two bees of the same swarm from two localities, the swarm would be found in the tree at the intersection of the two lines. When a bee tree was once found, the hunter would cut his initials on the bark of the tree, and by universal consent it became his indi\-idual property, to be cut down and the honey extracted therefrom at his leisure. The Indian method of Imney gathering was to climb a tree and cut out the honey. In a three-weeks' hunt an early settler in Leesburg township found twenty-five trees and from two hives in one of them, procured ten gallons of fine honey.

The original settlement in this township was effected on Blue's creek. It is impossible to determine who made this settlement, or the exact date, as all the records concerning such settlement have long since been lost. The first squatters, as these persons probably were, are sometimes called "first settlers." They came here for the purpose of hunting and gathering honey, and this w-as a long time before any actual settler came with the view of locating permanently. It is known that a small colony came in from Clark county in 1820. In this company was one leading character, Simon Gates. He was highly esteemed in those rough pioneer times. He did not remain long after the township began to develop, but moved on to newer and wilder conquests. His father, Simon Gates, Sr., owned sixty-one acres in Survey No. 5,506, and died soon after coming to the township.

Hale Winchester was among the sturdy and first settlers. He, too, was from Clark county, Ohio, and occupied land on Blue's creek as a squatter, but later bought land. Finally, he went to the west. Da\-id Gallant, George Anthony, Nelson Emery and Henry Hulse were probably among the \er\- earliest settlers on the Blue's creek. These all came in from Clark county, and a few years after their coming purchased land.

Culwell Williamson, of Lynchburg, \''irginia, early in the nineteenth century, purchased a thousand acres in survey No. 3,694. Of the tract two hundred acres were reserved for two local preachers from the Old Dominion state. These men were Revs. Munson and Denton. In 181 1 Mr. Williamson visited the land, riding horseback from \'irginia. No white settlers were then near, but the forests were full of Indians. He soon returned to Virginia, and made two more trips before finally emigrating. In 1824 he collected his belongings at bis old Virginia home, placed them in his fourhorse wagon, bade farewell to his native state and, with his sister, Mrs. Jane Martin, a widow, her three children - Samuel, Culwell and Ann - and Tames and Nancy Oglesbie, a young nephew and niece, began a long, wearisome journey to Ohio. Eight weeks were consumed on this trip. Upon his arrival he procured assistance from the Scioto river, the men coming before seven in the morning and working like beavers till late at night. In the one day the cabin was raised, clapboarded, roofed, a doorway sawed out and a door hung in place. That night, for the first time since they left their old Virginia home, it rained ; but there was a shelter over head, and the pattering rain drops on the new ly made roof were but sweet music to their ears. This constituted the tirst real settlement in the upper part of the township. The cabin stood on what was later known as the O. Jewett farm, one mile up Boke's creek from the Magnetic springs. Mr. Williamson was an old bachelor, and by trade a house carpenter. He surveyed his land into small tracts and sold much of it to incoming settlers. Thomas Tunks, Joseph Brannon, Henry Hulse and Isaac White each bought one hundred acres from him. Richard Hoskins bought the Rev. Denton hundred-acre tract above mentioned, while William Wells bought the Munson hundred acres. Mr. Williamson died in 1828, having laid well the foundation stones of what has come to be one of Union county's prosperous and wealthy townships.

Richard Hoskins, born in Franklin, Franklin county, Ohio, in 1804, first moved to Delaware count}-, and in 1827 settled in Leesburg township, Union countv. on the hundred-acre tract, later known as the Doctor Skidmore farm, about one mile up Boke's creek from Magnetic Springs. There, in the deep, dark forest, he set to work clearing up a farm. He was married in 1827 to Ann H. Martin, and she bore him ten children, all becoming respected citizens of Union county. The father died in 1870, highly respected for his true and honorable career as a pioneer of the township and county.

Thomas Tunks settled in the township in 1825. The same year came in Joseph and Benjamin White and Arad and William Franklin, from Clark county. The companv had but one horse between them. Arad Franklin was just recovering from a sick spell and Joseph White was an aged man. The two rode the horse alternately, while the others walked. They reached Xewton and remained there over one night and then traveled northward till they reached Blue's creek, eight miles above Pharisburg, from which point Joseph White returned to Newton with the horse. The other three continued down stream until they had reached the place purchased by Thomas Tunks. That pioneer was there with his sons building a cabin. The_\- remained that night with theni and the next da)'- returned. They were pleased with the countrv and decided to locate here. Isaac ^^'hite came out first in February, 1826. He died of typhoid te\er a few years later.

Henry Gandy, "the Yankee from Xew Jerse\-," had originally located in Darbv Plains, but came to Leesburg township in 1827, settling up the creek two miles from Pharisburg, on the south side of the stream, in survey Xo. 3,692, where he bought two hundred acres. He was an old man when he arrived here, and had a family of grown sons and daughters.

F,]ihraim Carey emigrated from Washington county, Pennsylvania, to near Marietta, Ohio, in 1796, and in 1801 .settled near Plain City, Ohio. He

About 1827 came John Woods and Alexander ElHott from Clark county. He had contracted the disease known as "milk sickness" before coming to this township. He o\erworked here in clearing up land and building rude cabins, took a relapse and died at the home of Abijah Gandy. His family later removed to the place he had sought so hard to improve.

Alexander Cowgill was a very early settler nn the present site of Mineral Springs. He was from Delaware C(iunt\-, where he served as a scout in the War of 181 2. He only remained a short time, selling his holdings to Samuel Barcus, and crossing the line over into Claibourne township, where he died. He had one son, George, and a large number of daughters.