Linton Township (part 2 of 2)

The first village laid out in the township was called Plainficld. It was located about a mile south of the present village of Plainfield, on the west bank of Wills creek, and platted October 10, 1816. Thoniiis Johnson, ;is executor of the estate of Richard Johnson, and Edward Wiggins were tlie joint proprietors, part of the village platted lying on Wiggin's laud, the northwest quarter of section 17, and part on Richard Johnson's, the southwest quarter of section 10. The road dividing the two sections was dubbed Coshocton street, and twelve lots were laid off" from each section facing this street. The road running north from this along the creek was called Water street, and nine lots belonging to Johnson's land fronted on it. The first house was built by Thomas Johnson for a tavern, in 1816. It was a two-story, loghewed building, and is still standing. Plainfield was then on the road between Zanesville and Philadelphia ; the road was traveled a great deal. Mr. Johnson kept a small stock of goods at his tiivern stand, and the following year (1817) a store, owned by Dwight Hutchinson, of Cambridge, was opened and managed by Joseph White, also of Cambridge. It was removed the next year and Mr. Luccock became the village storekeeper. The same year Benjamin Chambers started his tannery, as mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, and Mr. Johnson brought his distillery here. In 1817, John Vernon built a frame house in the village, the first of the kind built in the township. He was a carpenter and cabinetmaker by trade, and emigrated from New York. He died of consumption a few years later. Thomas Johnson became the first postmaster in the township here, his appointment dating November 27, 1819. The postoffice was afterward removed to East Plainfield. The little for some reason, was not a success. At no time did it contain many more than half a dozen houses. It was named, doubtless, from the plains surrounding it. Jacobsport was laid out in August, 1836, by Jacob Waggoner and named after him. He was the owner at that time of the northwest quarter of section 6, range 4. All the land lay east of Wills creek except a small piece in a bend of that stream. Deeming it a fine location for a village he laid it out into lots. At the time, there was a single log hut on this ground, one which had been occupied by Andrew Ferier when his mill was in operation. Thomas Piatt erected the first dwelling house, a comfortable frame building. Butler ife Shook owned the first store, opened about 1839. Several years previous to this Thomas Johnson had opened a store on his land adjoining Jacobsport, and in 1840 had a number of lots laid off contiguous to Jacobsport. Several years later his son John M. Johnson increased the number of lots and recorded the plat, calling the village East Plainfield. Though forming but one village, in reality each part retained its original name. Jacobsport was entirely hemmed in by the creek and East Plainfield and consequently had little chance to extend its limits. East Plainfield on the contrary had a whole quarter section before it and grew slowly but surely. In March, 1878, the whole was incorporated as one village under the name of Plainfield. Its first officers, elected April, 1878, were as follows: J. A. Mayhugl), mayor; David Duling, clerk; John Faniil-

Cora E. M Gui Re Fannie G. Jiguire

FRANCIS McGlTIRE, Jr., Lafayette township, farmer; postoffice, Coshocton; was horn April 12, l.Sl2,in this township; son of Francis McGuire, a native of this township. He was raised on the farm adjoining the home where he now hves. Mr. McGuire has always taken great pride in dealing in the finest blooded stock possible to be obtained, and without doubt has the finest flock of sheep in this part of the State, having selected strains of blood from the finest of Lee Archer's noted sheep of Washington county, Pennsylvania. He has always taken an active interest in the agricultural development of the county, and at the present time is one of the Directors of the Agricultural Society of this county. He was married, IMarch 29, 1871, to Miss Susan J. Russell, daughter of John N. Russell, of this township. They have two children, Cora E. and Fannie G.

The village is compactly built .nnd lies in the lower bottom land, close to the creek. It is concealed from view in almost every direction by the' terrace which rises abruptly behind it. Its present population is three hundred. As a business center it is not excelled in the county away from Coshocton. If contains three stores, two mills, one drug store, two hotels, one saloon, one jeweler shop, two shoe shops, three blacksmith shops, two harness shops, one tin store, one wagon shop, one tannery, one tailor shop, two churches, and three physicians.

During the summer of 1879 the township built a fine two-story hall, about thirty-six by fifty feet in size. Several township offices and a festival room occupy the lower floor ; the upper story is used as an audience hall.

The village of Linton, comprising 115 inhabitants, is situated in the southeastern part of the township on Wills creek, at the base of a steep range of hills. It was laid out in 1S49, by J. V. Heslip, the land which formed it being mostly in timber at that time. The first building was erected by I\[r. Heslip, in 1847, and was used iis a boarding house for the workmen employed by him in constructing a mill-dam. A saw-mill, grist-mill, distillery and tavern were built within a few years, all by Mr. Heslip. A great amount of business was done in the mills formerly, but they have lost much of their activity. The village contains two stores ' and the usual complement of shops. Joseph Heslip was the first postmaster, in 1847.

Bacon postotHce, situated on Bacon run, was established about 1858, with John H. Sicher as postmaster. A country store was started here several years after by William Fowler, and has been in operation most of the time since.

Maysville, situated in the southwestern corner of the township, was laid out in 1837, by Alexander Ballentine. It never jorospered, and for years - has flickered between life and death. It possibly numbers a half dozen houses, one of which is used as a blacksmith shop.

The population of the township in 1880 was 1,918, an increase of 318 in ten years. The early settlers were principally from the. States of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, with a fair sprinkling from the Emerald Isle. The hills in the western part of the township were settled almost exclusively by German and French emigrant.s. Descendants of most of the pioneer families still reside on the farms which their grandfathers wrestled from primitive wilderness, a fact which speaks well of the agricultural and social qualities of the township.