Mill Creek Township

Bryan, Ohio 43506

Next to local vital records, the best source of genealogical data about specific individuals is the federal decennial census. At the present time there is no state-wide index to the 1870 Ohio federal census. With this in mind the 1870 Williams County, Ohio, Federal Census including surname index was chosen to be transcribed into manuscript form township by township by the Williams County Genealogical Society to serve as a usefui tool in family research.

1. Page number written py census taker found at the top left of each microfiim frame, the date of the enumeration, the township, and the nearest post office for residents on each microfilm page.

2. Capitalized surnames preceded by an asterick # for head of householld, followed by lower case first name and initial, if given, for each person residing in the household; other surnames of those living within the household are capitalized also, but only the head of household is preceded by the asterick #.

3. Age, sex, occupation/trade of each person given; the color of residents in Millcreek Township was white; therefore, it was decided to delete that information which would be an unnecessary repetition; in the case of children, the census taker may have listed 'at home'.

4, Householders possessing a valued real estate are indicated by the symbol r; householders possessing valued personal property are indicated by the symbol p; money values can be found by a personal check of the microfilm itself.

6. A surname index is included with the surname of not only the heads of household but also those listed within the house whose surname is different from the head; all surnames are followed by the page number of the microfilm page within Millcreek Twp. When using this please check the entire census page as some surnames are found in multiple spots.

7. An alphabetical list is included of children born in the 12 months prior to the 1870 census, the page number on which it is found, and the month of the birth. This is followed by an alphabetical list of marriages which were indicated on the census form

If an individual wishes to take a personal look at the census roll, he/she can find additional information not listed here which includes: physical impairments, whether parents were foreign born, whether the enumerated males were eligible to vote, and whether the individual attended school during the census year. This transcription of the census is not to be considered a substitute for looking at the actual microfilm roll.

The microfilm census rol! for Millcreek Township was difficult to read in spots. In all cases the surnames were checked with other sources to make sure the transcription was correct. These other sources were: list of personal property owners of Millcreek Township 1867; Williams County, Ohio, Atlases, 1864 & 1874; biographical sketches within several county histories; and, Williams County, Ohio Marriages, Volumes I-III (1824-1868). There were some surnames that were opviously misspelled by the census taker; therefore, family researchers should be careful to check various surname spellings.

Aside from the obvious family data that can be gleaned from this census, I found the following occupational statistics to be of interest in regard to Millcreek Township:

There was one person who fulfilled the occupation/trade for each of the following: cabinet maker, dry goods merchant, engineer, harnessmaker, milliner, shoemaker, and stonemason.

Page Monte

artna CUTER. Rache! WY Jonna Ri wade Vwlll Mee nGather ina nan ey Cook, Henry r , { gather ine vaher sonn W. Mary J. Eiizapeth ad -- ~_- Ghar. 63 MILLER, Hiram Catherine RFitan

Ciciodce Cic Ic Ic Ice Ul

DEAN. Sarah * RHOADS, William ®} isabeth Margaret George £. Jane Aicinda Will lam He BROWN, Warren * HOOVER , George Repecca Repecca A. David + pts ead

Source changes here: from The County of Williams : a History of Williams County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, with Special Chapters on Various Subjects, Including Each of the Different Townships ; Also a Biographical Department, by Shinn, William Henry, published 1905; 351 words in this source stream.

Mill Creek Township

lation is mainly of that solid, permanent character, which adds financial strength and stability. According to the census of 1900, the population is four hundred and eighty two. The town now has well built residences and business blocks and good educational advantages and church facilities.

Isaac Shaefifer was the first druggist in Alvordton, going into business there in 1880. Shipman & Page established the first hardware store, the same year.

Millcreek is well supplied with district schools, now in striking contrast with the log houses and antiquated methods of instruction of former days. Among the early teachers in the township were Joseph Reasoner, Miss Sarah McClean, S. B. Doty and David Black - all "sturdy knights of the birch/' with the possible exception of the lady. Reference has been made to the first schoolhouse, just north of Alvordton, where, in addition to education, "celestial fire" was sometimes infused into the souls of those who yearned for it. But those were not its only mission. While serving in the multitudinous capacities of town hall, voting place, a general receptacle for itinerant shows and all classes of public meetings, it was also the birthplace of educational interest in Millcreek township. The old log schoolhouse has been superseded by a fine structure in Alvordton, with a systematic arrangement for the instruction of pupils in all grades of advancement, each of the various departments being in charge of a teacher specially adapted to the class of instruction required, and the whole under the supervision of an educator of known ability and success. The schools of Alvordton are second to none of like grade in the county and reflect in a marked degree the intelligence and public spirited enterprise of those who sustain them.

The soil of Millcreek township is generally fertile and well adapted to the raising of all kinds of grain, grasses and fruits. The valleys of Mill and Brush creeks are rich and productive, and as a whole the soil of the township is of excellent quality. It was originally covered with a fine growth of timber in which the hardwood varieties predominated.