Mississinawa Township

Mississinawa Township

Township 14, Range 1, was a part of Jackson Township previous to 1839, when it was taken from the north end and formed into a township and designated as above. It included all of Township 14, Range 1, except the north tier of sections, which were then included in Gibson Township. April 12, 1848, when Gibson was thrown into Mercer County, this tier of sections was then taken into Ihe township. Mississinawa is five miles wide east and west, and six miles long from north to south, and is absolutely regular in outline.

It derived its name from its principal stream - the Mississinawa Creek, which rises near the center of the township, runs southeasterly just over into the edge of Allen Township, then southwesterly, crossing the pike nearly half-way from Rose Hill to Lightsville, and thence in a general course a little north of south of west to the county line, in the northern part of Section 30, one and three-fourths miles north of Jackson Township line.

The surface is generally level, except the northwest portions, which are somewhat inclined to be hilly. The soil is warm and strong, and along the creek bottom is probably as productive as any other section of the county. About one-third of the surface of this township is timber-land with a fine growth of oak, ash, elm, hickory, sugar-maple and beech. Around the pleasant village of Rose Hill there is a greater predominance of yellowish clay in the soil, and the beech is found in the greatest numbers.

The days of discomfort have passed into forgetfulness, and the farmers to-day improve and enjoy what their predecessors toiled and suffered to make habitable. The old settlers' farms are under a good state of improvement, and, as a rule, are free from incumbrances. Crops of all kinds average well. A great deal of tile has been laid, and much excellent land rendered available to tillage by thorough drainage.

- The pioneer settler in this township was Philip Replogle, who located in the year 1833, on the land since owned by Jacob Replogle, half a mile east of Rose Hill. In 1835, Joseph and William Replogle settled near the village. Other of the earl}- settlers were John B. Anderson, Samuel C. Carter. David Brooks. John A. McKibhen, Hugh McKibben, William Van Kirk, William B. Light. Francis Whitaker, E. H. Fisher and Mahlon Peters.

The first schoolhouse was built on the land of Caroline Grissom, the date of its erection not known. The first church was erected by the Methodists in 1851, on land then owned by Samuel C. Carter, and situated one and a half miles east of the southwest corner of the township, on the line between .Jackson and Missis sinewa Townships. Samuel Carter was the first Justice of the Peace in the township.

Rose Hill is located one mile west of the eastern line of the township and three miles north at the corners of Sections 14, 15, 22 and 23. and was laid out in 1852. The village of Lightsville was laid out by William B. Light, in 1874. It is located on Section 26, just within the eastern boundary of the township, one and a half miles from the southeastern corner. It has a population of about one hundred and fifty.

This village has a fine schoolhouse that will seat eighty pupils. It is a new building, recently erected at a cost of about $1,200. A saw-mill was put up in the southwestern part of the town by A. R. Crumrine. The mill burned down in 1808. Another and the present one was built in the summer of 1873. by William S. Light.

JOSEPH DENNISTON, farmer; P. O. Union City, Ind.; son of Samuel and Sarah Denniston ; he was born in Jackson Township of this county, Feb. 7, 1836 ; the parents of Mr. D., settled in this county as early as 1807, and may be truthfully termed "early pioneers." Mr. Denniston was married to Anna Money, in Jay Co., Ind., Sept 28, 1858 ; they have nine children, namely. Sarah J., Senath E., William C. L., Mary Olive, Azore C, David L., Nancy E.. Frederick and Joseph Roland. Mr. Denniston's farm of 268 acres is located in Sec. 28. 29 and 32, of this township, 180 acres of which are under cultivation ; his residence, built February, 1869, is located on Sec. 29.

HARVEY HILL, Justice of the Peace and Township Clerk ; P. O. Rose Hill ; son of Nathan and Mary Ann Hill, was born near Batavia, Clermont Co., Ohio. June 15. 1838; he came to this township with his parents Oct. 1, 1854, and settled on Sec. 20, on land that his father occupied during his life, and now owned and occupied by our subject ; at the time this family settled here, the township was almost an unbroken wilderness, the woods abounding in nearly all kinds of game : deer and the wild turkey abounded on every hand; these early settlers were subject to the privations and hardships of pioneer life ; but the intervening years have brought about a happy change, and to-day this portion of the county is as promising as any in Western Ohio. Mr. Hill was united in marriage with Martin E. Matthews, of this county, Nov. 17, 1873 ; they have two children, to wit : Will iam .Jesse and Amy <!race.

JOHN MLLLIG AN. tanner and stock-raiser, Sec. 32; P. 0. Union Citj ; was born in Perry Co., Penn.; he came West with his parents and settled in Shelby Co.; from there they moved to Randolph Co., Ind.; he came to Darke Co. in 1862. and settled on his father-in-law's farm, in Sec. 32, Mississinawa Township : he then moved near Union City, and lived two years, then moved on to his present farm, in 1868. He married Miss Rominah Carter June 29, 1850 ; she wj - born in Hamilton Co.. Ohio; twelve children have been the fruit of this union.

seven of whom are now living, viz., Emeretta, Marguretha, Mary C, William F., Sarah P John W. and Ella K. Mr. Milligan owns 120 acres of fine land, which is situated in Sees. 28 and 32 ; he has been Township Trustee for twelve years, which office he now holds ; he has taken an active part in religion for the last six years, and is a member of the Methodist Church.

GEORGE W. REICHARD, Sec. 8 ; P. 0. Rose Hill ; is the son of Israel and Sarah (Garland) Reichard ; Israel Reichard was born in Preble Co, Ohio ; Sarah Reichard, his mother, was born in Tennessee ; George W. Reichard was born May 26, 1851 ; he is a carpenter by trade, and works at his trade in summer and at coopering in the winter ; he is still unmarried.

DAVID SMITH, farmer, Sec. 31 ; P. 0. Union City. The subject of this sketch was born in Clermont County, Ohio, April 8, 1809 ; he followed milling for about eight years before coming to this county, Oct. 3, 1847, since which time he has devoted his attention principally to agriculture. He was married Dec. 27, 1827, in Clermont County, to Julia A. Riley ; she was bom in New Jersey ; the fruit 'of this union has been nine children, viz., Peter, Simon, Levi, Elisha R., John Z., James, Phoebe, Elizabeth A. and Eliza O. Mr. Smith held the office of Township Treasurer for the remarkable period of twenty -two years in succession, and has had a surfeit of minor offices. He has a fine farm of 80 acres.

DANIEL SNYDER, harness-maker and farmer, Sec. 14 ; P. O. Rose Hill. The subject of this sketch was born Jan. 20, 1842, in this township ; he is the son of John K. and Amy (Hidley) Snyder ; John K. Snyder was born in New Jersey, and died in this township in July, 1849 ; Amy Snyder was born in New Jersey, and is now married a second time ; Daniel Snyder's parents settled in this township in 1839. Mr. Snyder was married Oct. 31, 1869, to Miss Lydia I. Winterrowd - she was born in this township ; the fruits of this union have been five children, viz., Rolla W., James H., Amy J., Sallie and Clifford. He owns 40 acres of land in this township, which is under a good state of cultivation. He enlisted in the 187th O. V. I. February, 1865, and was mustered out at Macon, Ga., Jan. 20, 1866 ; is a good strong Democrat, and is serving his third term as Township Treasurer.

EDWARD LAWRENCE WELROURN, physician, Union City ; son of George Welbourn and Jane Lawrence ; was born in Marion County, Ohio, Jan. 11, 1843. Mr. Welbourn graduated at the Eclectic Medical College of Pennsylvania, Jan. 25, 1866. and began the practice of medicine at Union City, Ind., March 31 of the same year ; from the first, his practice was a grand success, and he made money rapidly, but owing to failing health he purchased a farm on Sec. 20 the next year, and turned his attention to farming and experiments in organic chemistry ; in the spring of 1870, he began the manufacture of a chemical antidote for rheumatism, and has been so successful in its introduction that it is known from Maine on the east to the Pacific Coast on the west ; at the same time the Doctor has an office practice one day each week at Union City, which he intends to continue in the future. The Doctor was married to Martha Levina Jones, of Harrison Township, Jan. 1, 1866. Two children were born to them, namely, Ulysses Edward Alaska and Oclasco Carlos ; Mrs. Welbourn departed this life Oct. 28, 1879.