Montgomery Township

Montgomery Township

Montgomery township was surveyed by Jonathan Cox, in 1807, and the same year the survey was platted and certified to Jarad Mansfield, surveyor general of the United States. The township was organized by the commissioners of Richland county in 1816. Prior to that time Vermillion and Montgomery each elected one justice of the peace and acted as one township. The pioneers of Montgomery, at the period of its organization, are believed to have been Robert Newell, Daniel Carter, Jacob Fry, Benjamin Cuppy, Henry Baughman, Samuel Burns, Daniel Mickey, Solomon Urie, Samuel Urie, Jacob Figley, William Montgomery, Jacob Crouse, James Kuykendall, Joseph Markley, John McNaull, Michael Springer, John Springer, Henry Springer, Daniel and Henry Vautilburg, and probably a few others not now remembered. The first justice of the peace was Robert Newell, who was succeeded by Daniel Carter, Sr.

The date of the settlement of Montgomery township may be said to have commenced about the year 1818, the settlers prior to that time being very few in number. From 1818 until about 1821, the township had received considerable accessions to its population. Squire Newell was the largest landholder, he being the owner of one thousand acres; the next largest was a Mr. Lanterman, of Trumbull county, who was the owner of about nine hundred acres, embracing what was later known as the 4 4 Tunker Settlement. " Under the laws of congress in force at that time, no one could enter less than a quarter section, and very few of the original settlers entered more than that quantity. These quarters were often divided and sometimes subdivided by the original purchasers, and sold to other settlers, which had a strong tendency to promote the density of the

In the southern part of Montgomery township was the well known Wyandot trail which in 1761 was followed by Rogers and his rangers in their route to the forks of the Muskingum on their return to Fort DuQuesne. It was also the route of General Beall on his expedition to Sandusky. This trail passes into Milton township and then into Richland county.

Montgomery, lying back from the principal streams, was not settled as early as the other parts of the county, as no settlers were found within its limits until several years after the settlement at Greentown. It was mid-winter when the first settler arrived and his shelter until his cabin was built was an open-ended tent. He cut and hauled the logs for his cabin as quickly as possible, but could not raise it without help, and had to travel sixteen miles through the forest to get the fourth man for that purpose. This cabin was one mile northeast of the present town of Ashland.

These pioneers were brave men with a determined purpose to thus settle in the dense woods, in January with no shelter from the cold, the snow, the wolves, the bears, etc., but a tent.

But after the war of 1812, the county and township began to fill up quite rapidly and their pioneer history is much the same as has been written of the pioneers in other townships. As soon as the settlers could get a clearing about their cabins, and provide for their immediate wants, they began to plan about schools and churches.

"Old Hopewell" was the first erected here. It was called "Old" from the fact that later there was another of the same name erected in the town of Ashland. The old church was erected of logs, a mile west of Ashland, in 1819, by the Presbyterians.

Source changes here: from History of Ashland Country Ohio, by A.J.Baughman, published 1909; 587 words in this source stream.

Montgomery Township

Montgomery township was surveyed by Jonathan Cox, in 1807, and the same year the survey was platted and certified to Jarad Mansfield, surveyor general of the United States. |The township was organized by the commissioners of Richland county in 1816. Prior to that time Vermillion and Montgomery each elected one justice of the peace and acted as one township. The pioneers of Montgomery, at the period of its organization, are believed to have been Robert Newell, Daniel Carter, Jacob Fry, Benjamin Cuppy, Henry Baughman, Samuel Burns, Daniel Mickey, Solomon Urie, Samuel Urie, Jacob Figley, William Montgomery, Jacob Crouse, James Kuykendall, Joseph Markley, John McNauil, Michael Springer, John Springer, Ilenry Springer, Daniel and Henry Vautilburg, and probably a few others not now remembered. The first justice of the peace was Robert Newell, who was succeeded by Daniel Carter, Sr.

The date of the settlement of Montgomery township may be said to have commenced about the year 1818, the settlers prior to that time being very few in number. From 1818 until about 1821, the township had reccived considerable accessions to its population. Squire Newell was the largest landholder, he being the owner of one thousand acres; the next largest was a Mr. Lanterman, of Trumbull county, who was the owner of about nine hundred acres, embracing what was later known as the ''Tunker Settlement.'' Under the laws of congress in force at that time, no one could enter less than a quarter section, and very few of the original settlers entered more than that quantity. These quarters were often divided and sometimes subdivided by the original purchasers, and sold to other settlers, which had a strong tendency to promote the density of the

In the southern part of Montgomery township was the well known Wyandot trail which in 1761 was followed by Rogers and his rangers in their route to the forks of the Muskingum on their return to Fort DuQuesne. It was also the route of General Beall on his expedition to Sandusky. This trail passes into Milton township and then into Richland county.

Montgomery, lying back from the principal streams, was not settled as-early as the other parts of the county, as no settlers were found within its limits until several years after the settlement at Greentown. It was mid-winter when the first settler arrived and his shelter until his cabin was built was an open-ended tent. He cut and hauled the logs for his cabin as quickly as possible, but could not raise it without help, and had to travel sixteen miles through the forest to get the fourth man for that purpose. This cabin was one mile northeast of the present town of Ashland.

These pioneers were brave men with a determined purpose to thus settle in the dense woods, in January with no shelter from the cold, the snow, the wolves, the bears, ete., but a tent.

But after the war of 1812, the county and township began to fill up quite rapidly and their pioneer history is much the same as has been written of the pioneers in other townships. As soon as the settlers could get a clearing about their cabins, and provide for their immediate wants, they began to plan about schools and churches.

'"Old Hopewell'' was the first erected here. It was called ''Old'' from the fact that later there was another of the same name erected in the town of Ashland. The old church was erected of logs, a mile west of Ashland, in 1819, by the Presbyterians.