Morgan Township

Morgan Township

It was formerly parts of Seal and Union, and was organized June 7, 1825. It was named for Thomas Morgan, an early settler. It was first settled on the Scioto river and on Bear Creek near its mouth, about 1800.

Some of the first settlers were: John and William Devers, Thomas Morgan, Abraham Glaze, Isaac Glaze, David Shelpman, Spicer Shelpman, Pliny Cutler, Joshua Cutler, Aaron Noel. There was also a settlement of Murphys, Walls, McCullochs and Corbleys.

The boundaries were: Beginning at John Dever's lower line on the Scioto river, following said line to the west end thereof; thence in a direct line to Comstock's cabin on McCulloch Creek; thence in a direct line to the County line between Scioto and Pike Counties, so as to include twenty-two square miles for said township; thence with said County line to the Scioto river; ihence with the meanders of the said river to the place of beginning. There have been no important changes in the boundary.

The value of the Township real estate is $107,500; personal property, $35,190, and the total valuation is $142,694. Among the Townships, it ranks twelfth in population; thirteenth in value of real estate; fifteenth in the value of personal property and thirteenth in total value of both. It is tenth in size and contains 18,369 acres.

The electors of Madison Township met on the 4th of July, 1825, at the house of Cornelius Shelton and elected their first Township officers. The first Justice of the Peace was William DeVers. The records are lost, so none other of the first officers are known. Nothing of consequence is recorded prior to 1880.

Bear Creek flows from northwest to southeast across the Township north of the center. The surface is broken and contains some very rough lands but the valleys of the Scioto river and Lower Bear Creek are excellent farm lands. No better land is found in the county than the strip of bottom bordering the Scioto. Perhaps three fourths of all the land can be profitably cultivated. There is yet some timber and quite an important part of the business of the Township consists of trading in lumber and cross ties. Morgan Township has some minerals, and petroleum springs are found at different places. At three places in the Township, natural gas was found while boring tor oil. There are also a number of mineral springs, similiar to the Blue Lick Springs of Kentucky. Some free stone is quarried in this Township, and small quantities of coal have been mined. The main crop is corn. The high lands produce good crops of wheat. The hills make excellent fruit lands.

The Macedonia Christian Church at Sedan was organizeed about 1865. It held its first services in the Upper Bear Creek school house, but now has a good building which cost about $500.

Lower Bear Creek United Brethern Church was organized in 1845. It was the first church in the Township. Rev. Kretzinger was the first pastor. The services were held in the school house. The first members were: Abraham, Socrates and Jonathan Glaze, William, Thomas and Miss Maria Shelpman. The building is perhaps fifty years old. The church has about seventy-five members and a large Sunday School. The pastor is Rev. William Rowe.

The first school in Morgan Township was taught in a log school house near the mouth of Bear Creek in 1823, by A. B. Banes, who continued to teach here until 1830. There are now six schools.

District No. 1, pupils, fifty-one. District No. 2, pupils, thirty-three. District No. 3, pupils, sixty-six. District No. 4, pupils, forty-seven. District No. 5, pupils, eigh'ty-one. District' No. G, pupils thirty-one. The wages pain teachers is $30.00, and the term is six months. The school property of the Township is worth about $3,000.

There are five Township Cemeteries: Glaze, or Bear Creek Cemetery, Booten, Rimby, Mead's and Martin's. There are also two more public, but not Township, the Rockwell, and the Crabtree Cemeteries. The first four are on Bear Creek. Crabtree Cemetery is on what is known as the Divide. All three of the latter are in the southwestern corner of the Township. The most important in the Township is the Glaze Cemetery.

Source changes here: from History of Scioto County, Ohio, Together with a Pioneer Record of Southern Ohio, by Nelson W. Evans A.m, published 1903; 703 words in this source stream.

Morgan Township

It was formerly parts of Seal and Union, and was organized June 7, 1825. It was named for Thomas Morgan, an early settler. It was first settled on the Scioto river and on Bear Creek near its mouth, about 1800.

Some of the first settlers were: John and William Devers, Thomas Morgan, Abraham Glaze, Isaac Glaze, David Shelpman, Spicer Shelpman, Pliny Cutler, Joshua Cutler, Aaron Noel. There was also a settlement of Murphys, Walls, McCullochs and Corbleys.

The boundaries were: Beginning at John Dever's lower line on the Scioto river, following said line to the west end thereof; thence in a direct line to Comstock's cabin on McCulloch Creek; thence in a direct line to the County line between Scioto and Pike Counties, so as to include twenty-two square miles for said township; thence with said County line to the Scioto river; thence with the meanders of the said river to the place of beginning. There have been no important changes in the boundary.

The value of the Township real estate is $107,500; personal property, $35,190, and the total valuation is $142,694. Among the Townships, it ranks twelfth in population; thirteenth in value of real estate; fifteenth in the value of personal property and thirteenth in total value of both. lt is tenth in size and contains 18,369 acres.

The electors of Madison Township met on the 4th of July, 1825, at the house of Cornelius Shelton and elected their first Township officers. The first Justice of the Peace was William Devers. The records are lost, so none other of the first officers are known. Nothing of consequence is recorded prior to 1880.

. Bear Creek flows from northwest to southeast across the Township north of the center. The surface is broken and contains some very rough lands but the valleys of the Scioto river and Lower Bear Creek are excellent farm lands. No better land is found in the county than the strip of. bottom bordering the Scioto. Perhaps three fourths of all the land can be profitably cultivated. There is yet some timber and quite an important part of the business of the Township consists of trading in lumber and cross ties. Morgan Township has some minerals, and petroleum springs are found at different places. At three places in the Township, natural gas was found while boring for oil. There are also a number of mineral springs, similiar to the Blue Lick Springs of Kentucky. Some free stone is quarried in this Township, and small quantities of coal have been mined. The main crop is corn. The high lands produce good crops of wheat. The hills make excellent fruit lands.

The Macedonia Christian Church at Sedan was organizeed about 1865. It held its first services in the Upper Bear Creek school house, but now has a good building which cost about $500.

Lower Bear Creek United Brethern Church was organized in 1845. It was the first church in the Township. Rev. Kretzinger was the first pastor. The services were held in the school house. The first members were: Abraham, ates and Jonathan Glaze, William, Thomas and Miss Maria Shelpman. he building is perhaps fifty years old. The church has about seventy-five members and a large Sunday School. The pastor is Rev. William Rowe.

The first school in Morgan Township was taught in a log school house near the mouth of Bear Creek in 1823, by A. B. Banes, who continued to teach here until 1830. There are now six schools.

District No. 1, pupils, fifty-one. District No. .2;~ - pupils, thirty-three. District No. 8, pupils, sixty-six. District No. 4, pupils, forty-seven. District No. 5, pupils, eighty-one. District No. 6, pupils thirty-one. The wages paid teachers is $30.00, and the term is six months. The school property of the Township is worth about $3,000.

There are five Township Cemeteries: Glaze, or Bear Creek Cemetery, Booten, Rimby, Mead's and Martin's. There are also two more public, but not Township, the Rockwell, and the Crabtree Cemeteries. The first four are on Bear Creek. Crabtree Cemetery is on what is known as the Divide. All three of the latter are in the southwestern corner of the Township. The most important in the Township is the Glaze Cemetery.