Marion Township

Marion Township

Alarion is one of the three townships bordering on the eastern Hne of Fayette county. It was originally a part of Madison, from which it was separated July i8, 1840. On its north is Madison township, on the east is Pickaway county, on the south is Union and Wayne and on the west is LTnion. Wayne and Paint townships. Its population is now about eight hundred, not including that portion of the village of New Holland within this county.

Coming directly to the first settlement of Marion township, it should be stated that it occurred thirty odd years prior to the township's organization. Among the earliest in the vanguard of pioneers in this part of Fayette county was John Uriah Blue, who came in from Virginia in 1804 and settled on N^orth fork of Paint creek, on land later owned by Charles McRea. He remained there until his death in 1820.

Either that year or in 1805 came William Curry, a celebrated counterfeiter, who was also from the Old Dominion state, and who squatted on land afterwards owned by Smith and Jonathan Chaffin. Curry belonged to an organized band of counterfeiters and horse thieves, of which the Funk family were members, with their headquarters at Curry's house. Curry was finallv arrested and sent to the Ohio penitentiary for fifteen years.

As early as 1808, possibly a year earlier, came John McCarty from near Frankfort, Ross county, settling on land bought of Ceneral McArthur, and there he resided until called by death in N^ovember, 1844. In 18 10 Edward Wilcox located where Smith Chaffin later lived. He was a worthy citizen and resided here until 1832, then removed to Illinois. Nathaniel and William Newman emigrated from Virginia in 18 10, and also held part of the land subsequently owned by Smith Chafiin. In 1810 another settler named Peter Blue came from Virginia. He was another excellent addition to the pioneers and died in 1848.

Jonathan Shepherd, born in Hardy county, \'irginia, in 1787, emigrated at the age of fifteen years with his father's family to Ross county, one-half mile from b>ankfort. In 18 10 he came to Marion township, purchasing a four-year lease of one John Dixon. In 1815 he bought three hundred acres of land, in Quarrell's survey No. 607, of Cadvvallader Wallace, where he immediately made settlement and lived there until his death in xApril, 1862, at the advanced age of seventy-two. He was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Salem chapel.

Daniel Grubs, a Virginian, emigrated to Kentucky, then to Marion township in 181 2, locating in G. Reinch's survey No. 6522. He spent much time in hunting and many were the panthers, bears, wolves and deer killed in his hunting exploits. He died in 1838.

A Pennsylvanian named Adam Turner came into Marion township from Ross county in 18 14, locating on military survey No. 628, consisting of one thousand acres, purchased from John Johnson, a Revolutionary soldier, a part of which land was in Wayne township. He remained until 1835 and removed to Indiana. His public spirit did much towards developing Wayne and Marion townships.

George Bohrer, of Hagerstown, Pennsylvania, born in 1776, accompanied his father's family to Berkeley county, Virginia, where he lived until 1799, when, with his bride, he located near Steubenville, Ohio, remained until 181 4, then moved to Marion township, this county, buying land of Uriah Blue, in survey No. 6941. He moved to Washington C. H. in 1827 and there engaged in the dry goods and millinery business with James Woods, continuing until 1829, then moved to New Holland and set up in a similar trade there. He continued there until overtaken by death, in October, 1832. He was the father of eleven children, all of whom grew to be men and women of importance in Fayette county. He was zealous in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, and donated the lot on which the Salem church was erected.

Horatio W^alker, Daniel Beats, Samuel Coover, George Slaughter, Joseph and Jonathan Bryan, were all early settlers in Marion township. Walker came from Virginia. Beates was from New Jersey, originally, but emigrated from Virginia to this county. Slaughter was from Delaware. Coover was a Pennsylvanian, who arrived here from Kentucky in 181 2. He was a tailor and worked at his trade ; later he became known as an extensive land speculator and materially aided many to secure homes in Marion to^ynship. He died in 1830 with a fortune, honestly accumulated. Bryan settled on Paint creek, where he spent a long and very useful life as both farmer and stock raiser.

James Murray, a Pennsylvanian, came to Ross county, Ohio, when twelve years old, with his father, James H., who settled four miles west of Chillicothe. He helped lay out that place and was the first representative from Ross county. During the War of 18 12 he served as general, while his son was a major of militia, which guarded the frontier. Immediately after the marriage of young Murray, he settled on a farm in Marion township, while the parents of his young wife settled on an adjoining tract of land. Murray was elected associate judge. He was an original member of the Bloomingburg Presbyterian church.

Thomas Cook, Sr., was born in Delaware and came to Ohio in about 1808, settling in Ross county. He later moved into Marion township, this county, located on a tract of land subsequently owned by Hezekiah BrovvU. He then removed to Indiana and died. He was probably another soldier in the War of 18 12.

Moses Thompson, an Englishman by 1)irth, moved to Delaware in 1720. He served in the Revolutionary War under Washington. His sons, John, Moses, Jesse, Thomas and Joshua, all emigrated to Ohio in 1805. The son, Thomas, was born in Delaware in 1771. He finally located in Marion township, this county, was twice married and had numerous children. He settled on Compton's creek. He was a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, and his house was the stopping place for all the ministers who chanced to come that way. He died on his farm in 1847.

The Hawkins family was another of the early arrivals in the township. They came from Virginia. In 1827 came Elihu D. Scott, from Ross county. He located on land purchased of William Newman, and remained there until 1847, moved to Van Wert county and there died.

Benjamin Glaze accompanied his father's family to Union township in 1805, remained at home until he attained man's estate, married, lived on his father-in-law's farm until 1829, then bought two hundred and fifty acres of wild land, of Thomas Carey, in the Ladd and Newell survey No. 9128.

Perhaps no better citizen ever lived within Marion township than pioneer William Strope, who was justice of the peace thirty-eight years and who died in 1881. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1805, and died in New Holland, this county. He had lived in Ohio since boyhood. He was a bright Freemason, but never professed religion or held a membership in any church.

The history of schools, churches, etc., will be found in the general chapters of this volume, with those of all other sections of Fayette county.

grist-mill and saw-mill on his own land in 1818. This was the first watermill in Marion township and was operated more than twenty years. He finally moved to Indiana, after which this mill was run by John Cooper, and later by William Lucas.

The tanneries in this township were that of John Myers in about 1820 and one run by Amor Lloyd in 1845. The last named was built near the Otterbein church, and was operated ten years, then sold to Thomas Thompson, who closed it shortly afterwards.

The only villages in this township are Manara, a mere hamlet, and a part of New Holland, the greater portion of which is situated in Pickaway county. The Pennsylvania railroad runs through this township from Washington C. H. to the northeast, with New Holland as a station point, on the county line. Manara is situated on the Bloomingburg and New Holland pike.

New Holland is a good, enterprising business point, with a few acres of platting in its incorporate limits which are situated in Fayette county. There are a number of residences, but no business portion of the town is within Fayette county.

Johnson's Crossing is also within Marion township, about three miles to the southwest from New Holland ; here there is simply a country store for the accommodation of the near-by farming community.

Source changes here: from History of Fayette County Ohio, by Frank M. Allen, published 1914; 1,425 words in this source stream.

Marion Township

Marion is one of the three townships bordering on the eastern line of Fayette county. It was originally a part of Madison, from which it was separated July 18, 1840. On its north is Madison township, on the east is Pickaway county, on the south is Union and Wayne and on the west is Union, Wayne and Paint townships. Its population is now about eight hundred, not including that portion of the village of New Holland within this county.

Coming directly to the first settlement of Marion township, it should be stated that it occurred thirty odd years prior to the township's organization. Among the earliest in the vanguard of pioneers in this part of Fayette county was John Uriah Blue, who came in from Virginia in 1804 and settled on North fork of Paint creek, on land later owned by Charles McRea. He remained there until his death in 1820.

Either that year or in 1805 came William Curry, a celebrated counterfeiter, who was also from the Old Dominion state, and who squatted on land afterwards owned by Smith and Jonathan Chaffin. Curry belonged to an organized band of counterfeiters and horse thieves, of which the Funk family were members, with their headquarters at Curry's house. Curry was finally arrested and sent to the Ohio penitentiary for fifteen years.

As early as 1808, possibly a year earlier, came John McCarty from near Frankfort, Ross county, settling on land bought of General McArthur, and there he resided until called by death in November, 1844. In 1810 Edward Wilcox located where Smith Chaffin later lived. He was a worthy citizen and resided here until 1832, then removed to Illinois. Nathaniel and William.Newman emigrated from Virginia in 1810, and also held part of the land subsequently owned by Smith Chaffin. In 1810 another settler named Peter Blue came from Virginia. He was another excellent addition to the pioneers and died in 1848.

Jonathan Shepherd, born in Hardy county, Virginia, in 1787, emigrated at the age of fifteen years with his father's family to Ross county, one-half mile from Frankfort. In 1810 he came to Marion township, purchasing a four-year lease of one John Dixon. In 1815 he bought three hundred acres of land, in Quarrell's survey No. 607, of Cadwallader Wallace, where he immediately made settlement and lived there until his death in April, 1862, at the advanced age of seventy-two. He was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Salem chapel.

Daniel Grubs, a Virginian, emigrated to Kentucky, then to Marion township in 1812, locating in G. Reinch's survey No. 6522. He spent much time in hunting and many were the panthers, bears, wolves and deer killed in his hunting exploits. He died in 1838.

A Pennsylvanian named Adam Turner came into Marion township from Ross county in 1814, locating on military survey No. 628, consisting of one thousand acres, purchased from John Johnson, a Revolutionary soldier, a part of which land was in Wayne township. He remained until 1835 and removed to Indiana. His public spirit did much towards developing Wayne and Marion townships.

George Bohrer, of Hagerstown, Pennsylvania, born in 1776, accompanied his father's family to Berkeley county, Virginia, where he lived until 1799, when, with his bride, he located near Steubenville, Ohio, remained until 1814, then moved to Marion township, this county, buying land of Uriah Blue, in survey No. 6941. He moved to Washington C. H. in 1827 and there engaged in the dry goods and millinery business with James Woods, continuing until 1829, then moved to New Holland and set up in a similar trade there. He continued there until overtaken by death, in October, 1832. He was the father of eleven children, all of whom grew to be men and women of importance in Fayette county. He was zealous in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, and donated the lot on which the Salem church was erected.

Horatio Walker, Daniel Beats, Samuel Coover, George Slaughter, Joseph and Jonathan Bryan, were all early settlers in Marion township. Walker came from Virginia. Beates was from New Jersey, originally, but emigrated from Virginia to this county. Slaughter was from Delaware. Coover was a Pennsylvanian, who arrived here from Kentucky in 1812. He was a tailor and worked at his trade; later he became known as an extensive land speculator and materially aided many to secure homes in Marion township. He died in 1830 with a fortune, honestly accumulated. Bryan settled on Paint creek, where he spent a long and very useful life as both farmer and stock raiser.

James Murray, a Pennsylvanian, came to Ross county, Ohio, when twelve years old, with his father, James H., who settled four miles west of Chillicothe. He helped lay out that place and was the first representative from Ross county. During the War of 1812 he served as general, while his son was a major of militia, which guarded the frontier. Immediately after the marriage of young Murray, he settled on a farm in Marion township, while the parents of his young wife settled on an adjoining tract of land. Murray was elected associate judge. He was an original member of the Bloomingburg Presbyterian church.

Thomas Cook, Sr., was born in Delaware and came to Ohio in about 1808, settling in Ross county. He later moved into Marion township, this county, located on a tract of land subsequently owned by Hezekiah Brown. He then removed to Indiana and died. He was probably another soldier in the War of 1812.

Moses Thompson, an Englishman by birth, moved to Delaware in 1720. He served in the Revolutionary War under Washington. His sons, John, Moses, Jesse, Thomas and Joshua, all emigrated to Ohio in 1805. The son, Thomas, was born in Delaware in 1771. He finally located in Marion township, this county, was twice married and had numerous children. He settled on Compton's creek. He was a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, and his house was the stopping place for all the ministers who chanced to come that way. He died on his farm in 1847.

The Hawkins family was another of the early arrivals in the township. They came from Virginia. In 1827 came Elihu D. Scott, from Ross county. He located on land purchased of William Newman, and remained there until 1847, moved to Van Wert county and there died.

Benjamin Glaze accompanied his father's family to Union township in 1805, remained at home until he attained man's estate, married, lived on his father-in-law's farm until 1829, then bought two hundred and fifty acres of wild land, of Thomas Carey, in the Ladd and Newell survey No. 9128.

Perhaps no better citizen ever lived within Marion township than pioneer William Strope, who was justice of the peace thirty-eight years and who died in 1881. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1805, and died in New Holland, this county. He had lived in Ohio since boyhood. He was a bright Freemason, but never professed religion or held a membership in any church.

The history of schools, churches, etc., will be found in the general chapters of this volume, with those of all other sections of Fayette county.

grist-mill and saw-mill on his own land in 1818. This was the first watermill in Marion township and was operated more than twenty years. He finally moved to Indiana, after which this mill was run by John Cooper, and later by William Lucas.

The tanneries in this township were that of John Myers in about 1820 and one run by Amor Lloyd in 1845. The last named was built near the Otterbein church, and was operated ten years, then sold to Thomas Thompson, who closed it shortly afterwards.

The only villages in this township are Manara, a mere hamlet, and a part of New Holland, the greater portion of which is situated in Pickaway county. The Pennsylvania railroad runs through this township from Washington C. H. to the northeast, with New Holland as a station point, on the county line. Manara is situated on the Bloomingburg and New Holland pike.

New Holland is a good, enterprising business point, with a few acres of platting in its incorporate limits which are situated in Fayette county. There are a number of residences, but no business portion of the town is within Fayette county.

Johnson's Crossing is also within Marion township, about three miles to the southwest from New Holland; here there is simply a country store for the accommodation of the near-by farming community.