Newton Township (part 2 of 4)

WILLIAM M. NORTH, fanner ; P. O. Laura : is one of the early pioneers of Newton Township; he was born in Union Township Feb. 24, 1807, and is the son ot John North, a Georgian by birth ; his father, John N., Sr., was born in Yiiginia,from which State he emigrated to Georgia ; he was employed as a messenger during the war for American independence, and was frequently in danger from the British troops. He was married to Rachel Nichols, and they lived together for sevent\* three years ; Mr. North emigrated to this State in 1805, and located in Miami to-- of which he afterward became a prominent citizen ; he and his wife lived to a ni>e old age, he dying at the age of 96 years, and she at the age of 94 years ; he was a nephew of Lord North, of Revolutionary fame. John North, Jr., was bom previous to the outbreak of the Revolution. He married Miss Tamar Mendenhal in 1798 ; in 1804, he emigrated to Ohio, locating in Union Township, in this count) . during the war of 1812, he was employed as a teamster ; he reared a fanu) o five sons and two daughters - Martha. Delany, Singleton, Win. M., Lay toil, Aus in and Richard; all grew up to maturity and reared families; Austin h:is hh?» Judge of the Court of Franklin Co., Iowa, for several years. John N., Jr.,in - became the first settler in Twin Township, Darke Co., and kept the first sum i Ithaca. Our subject has experienced all the trials and triumphs incideut PJj neer life. He was married, Aug. 2, 1830, to Miss Esther Hall, who was born Union Township in 1810, and was the daughter of Amos and Susan (Coatc) originally from South Carolina ; in November, 1832, Mr. N. purchased the I amw w'hich he now resides, and moved on it. He held the office of Township were members of the 71st O. V. I., in the three-years service ; they pnrtieipaieu the battle of Pittsburg Landing, where L. M. was wounded through the was subsequently discharged ; Amos H. remained in the sen-ice almost tun years, but was discharged on account of some trouble with his eyes ; " - - ' wife, March 8, 1879. Mr. North merits special mention for the kind, filial iwa which he rendered to his own and his wife's parents during the latter , their lives. Mr. and .Mrs. Hall, the parents of Mrs North, lived to npe old Vs- Mr. Hall died suddenly, lamented by all who knew him. . Tr -

SAMUEL M. OAKS, farmer; P. O. Pleasant Hill; he was torn in <Jn« Montgomery Co.. Ohio, in 1833, and is a son of Samuel Oaks, born in Pcnns> vania in 1806; Samuel was a smith b\T trade, and when about 6 years ol, to Dayton, Ohio, with his parents, the place then consisting of only a w* "° '

He married Isabella Hamel, of Pennsylvania, in 1828. by whom he had eM> sons and four daughters ; five still survive, as also do the parents at an adv subject was inured to farm labor, and has made farming his occupa ? m this he takes a great interest and exhibits great enterprise, the aggregate o crops attesting his skill and success as a farmer ; in 1858, he moved to this co ) and located in Concord Township, and, at the end of nine or ten years, he retu to Ins native county ; some three or four years later, he located on his presto place, where he has since resided, and made many improvements ; he is a

+m Ufe> thrown upon his own resources, he has, by industry andecon ) a4 V?3}Uon of affluence ; socially, he is pleasant and affable, ChSto^f £bri8tla"> and, witb his wife. » member of the Congregational Bw* Piea8ant Hlll; He married Melinda J. Smith, nee Buley, m 185j ,6 ^ th!Lin thlS ?Punty in 1837 i °f Ws five sons and one daughter, four sons « chHrt^SU-POn.ti'e 8ame da>" i Mr- Oaks takes a great interest in educating lj. « Bito them the best opportunities in this direction ; his daughter, were born of this unioa Our subject was mi ' three ,sons "n* two daughtere common school ; he improved hwedueiSZf^ PS? a ?"m and Seated hi the profession of teaching in 1875 which he hu 0Pportumties well, and entered the devoting his summed months to h !,nce °o"«nued during the winter Protestant in religion! teW a memW ^j v " » Republican ^^03, Zda sonally, he is pleasant, affable th h'8 wlfe> of the ChristianChureh ; per- tiieir way into the Stillwater Valky 'l^Sid^tUnth * *' In !f8'. they Pioneered Township. When war was dec5 h S »n the present limits of Newberrv southern part of the county wheZhZ^V^ ^^"!^ them ^ retire to the Union Township - after a "©J located in the extreme southeast part of

«mrse of lectures, receiving his dtetems w four years when he attended another from there cam., to hu "fP101?®- He made his first location at Laura, and t*as been succZte « ^ " **, 8Pring of 18fi7- As a physictenT J- Dawell, of this (bounty te l 849 °hantable; He mairied Sarah

23, 1832 ; was nri«£Z' r"d "ow llv" " the house in which he was bom, April education ; he then ""''j.18' dnnn3 which time he obtained a ftir the same fkimfailteJh^f wagon-making at Covington three years, abandoning went to Ft. Kearney8 wte!re 1853' went to Iowa, and in the spring of 185^ he then went t^^anmri Jh. wounded by a ball passing through his foot; fered much pain - the Anm.rt r?i? w»gon, and during the twelve-days' journey sufthenoe by boat to ot r gn?t foU.°w'Qg, went by ox team to Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., with another accent I^?I8'?rnv?ng ,atn?"a in a weak ®°ndition> where he met ofDr.CableofCnvfw^kT*?^1?8 to 0hl0' recovered his health under the skill he theZ«le a^nT?4n^m 1866 * 18®7 he,wPrked at ottering, etc., in Iowa; Thousand Sprint Voii0.. h ac??s? P^118 to California, via the beautiful Indians : he^ocated w^lch tfaeJ had frequent encounters with the with the measles, and for twelve days lay in shelter made by shoveling away the deep snow, during which time his doctor's two trips per day was $16 each ; he was then taken to town on a mule, but did not recover sufficiently to labor until the next July, when he became night manager of the mines for four and » half at $210 per month ; the following spring, he bought a claim and worked until the fall of 1867, when he sold out and quit mining, haying suffered the hardships of a miner's life for ten years ; he then returned home via Portland, San Francisco, central America and New York ; he followed the saw-mill and lumber business seA en years, but has since been occupied in farming ; is a member ofthe A., F. & - - * Franklin Chapter, R., A. M. and Coleman Commander}', No. 17, Troy, Ohio, of w he is a standard bearer. Married Jane McCurdy Sept 3, 1868 ; they have ° children - Lydia J., born Sept 19, 1869 ; Ida May, Dec. 21, 1870 ; Eliza D., e . 23, 1873 ; William H. H., Oct 11, 1875. tt . _ . .

HORATIO PEARSON, teacher, Pleasant Hill ; born in Union Township Sept 15, 1836 ; he is a son of Isaac P. and Mary Pemberton both of cnion Township. Robert Pearson, his grandfather, was a native of Newberry ^l8 ;

S. C., and emigrated to Ohio about 1806, locating in Union Towns ip. he had five sons and four daughters ; three sons and three daughters still the youngest being 60 years old. He was married to Keziah Hollingswo , South Carolina, and was a farmer by occupation, as were all his sons. Isaac located in the vicinity of the homestead till 1846, When he pre-empted a pi t of land in Howard Co., Ind., on which he moved. Here in a few years e called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, Mary', who died, leaving a family o sons and two daughters; Mr. P. then returned to his native place, wnere family were reared. He still survives, making his permanent home in in t Our subject is the oldest of the family, and the scenes of his boyhood ?nclf^ were passed upon the farm, engaging in such duties as fall to the lot of a a boy ; his educational opportunities were limited to the common school, exc p short time spent in the Ohio Wesleyan University, of Delaware, Ohio ; tm was left to take the slower but surer route to a thorough education, that o culture. By close application to his books, he early qualified himself for the p sion of teaching. At the age of 17, he engaged in the carpenter trade, wnic * he acquired, and has since worked at at intervals ; he commenced .

age of 19, which has since been his principal occupation. In the fall of l » took charge of the Pleasant Hill school, and has since superintended it wi * nent success. He was recently employed for three years by the Board of hclu » a mark of his excellence as a teacher ; previous to taking this school, he supe tended with satisfaction the Georgetown school. Mr. P. is a Republican in po 1 '

He married, Dec. 10, 1857, Mary P., daughter of Elijah, and a direct descendant . w Marmaduke Coate ; four sons and four daughters have been the issue o union ; one son died in 1874, at the age of 15. , . 5n

EPHRAIM PEARSON, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; born in this township in August, 1834 ; is the son of Wilkinson Pearson and Eleanor Leavell, the tonne of South Carolina, and the latter of this township ; Wilkinson Pearson is the of Benjamin Pearson, who immigrated to Ohio in 1 805 ; in the fall oflb ? came to this township, settling on the banks of the Stillwater ; here Wukm passed his youth in the wilderness ; he lived in this township until after the c of the war, when he moved to Newberry Township, where he still resides. Be married to Eleanor Leavell, daughter of Robert Leavell, a pioneer ; they had n children, six deceased ; four of the sons were in the late civil war - two CHieoaru and Job) as members of the 110th O. V. I. ; Job was shot at the battle of torn Harbor ; Richard was wounded five times during his term of service ; James - and the subject of this sketch were members of the 147th O. N. G. Ephraim brought up on a farm and received his early education in the common school , made his first permanent move from his birthplace to his present place in 1° ' r^ided, operating his farm, consisting of 140 acres ; it is un est of modern improvement, and everything indicates thrift, industry and this townthis county ; hi9 father, Elisha P was bom^nVh a?£ W8re early pioneers of and was brought to this county by to ^ ®18tr,ct' S- about 1804,

Mitered the southwest quarter of Sec^a rJ^L1^ **1 move<1 to tb>s township and bfe with his son Jeremiah his death oL^hP ll h® P888^ the latter part of his ned to Julia Ann Van H^ of twT^hr ^h ^ {®ttre.ag0 Hewasmardying when she was but a ctod ; she w^^i hv T W" 1816> her fether Township, and still survives. Elisha p ? i** Peareon' of Monroe be was married the second time 'to ManVr^h "If"? *2"" a^0' two sons ; one deceased. e' to Manetta Shephard ; they have had five children, of this coun^^tom^^irke p' P1^8aDt.Hi^,; a descendant of the early pioneers Penny, of He l840' "d fa 4116 « fl>J£ Mrs. Condon, forme'rlv M?« wF? i toD?18. State when <luite a boy. He married daughter of WitomMiSwh^Uved^tb * nati v® of Hamilton Co, Ohio., and early settler on the Miami a#£2 ** to **2 of 101 ^eare- He was also an and reared eight children ofwkm^ ""W of P he settled in Darke Co., true spirit of Mtriotism akd^n fhfiVG areJ,vPg- We find this family ftdl of the the father and five sons were auto* f°antry demanded soldiers for her protection, stationed most of the timt^ ba^e^*Pltt?burg Landin& our subject was recruit a batterv of ^Cincinnati, Ohio, where he received a commission to

Co.,Pcm in l84CBJ.I?h"i8ter ?r fanner; P- 0. Pleasant Hill ; born in Mifflin former of Mifflin6 ' ^ of Isaac and Eli2abetli Price, of Pennsylvania, the life a period of seventy-three years, in the same house. The subject of this sketeli was brought up on a farm, and thus, from boyhood, acquired a ow 8e ° iZ Which he has followed through life, and with eminent success, as tofcrtthat henow possesses a large, fine farm, under the best of improvements, bears "2" testimony; his early education was limited to the common school ; in of 1861, he immigrated to this State and located in Newton Township ; he sooti - gaged himself toMr. Fox as a farm laborer; in tiie foUowing faU tepumhasedrf Mr Fox 73f acres of land, a part of the tract which he "OW owns , he to this 100 acres, by his industry and good management. Mr. Pnce isa in the German Baptist Church, whose official duties he has years, with fidelity to his church and commendable zeal in the cause of thri tianity ; Mr. Price is a good worker in the cause of religion, us g , good account for the Master's service ; personally, he is a ge^em^, honest an upright in all his dealings with his fellow-man. He wasi ^ to Mary J. Fox, a native of Montgomery Co. ; she is the daughter o ,."7, ^ . Elizabeth Fox, the former a native of Maryland, whence h®

^ JOHN REED, farmer; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; was born May 12 1818, near Pleasant Hill, and is the son of John Reed, of Botetourt Co., Va.; ried Elizabeth Miller, of Virginia, and immigrated to of seven children, our subject is next to the sixth ; his early life was pafsedmthe pioneer times of this township, with the usual experiences of such a life , ne the parental roof when only 8 years old, and went to live with his msterjjf -

Deeter ; here he remained until he was 14 years old, when he was thro P® own resources. He was married in 1836 to Catherine, daughter erf Day1 ' on the old homestead, and in 1839 purchased his present place, where he has sine lived ; he has made farming his chief occupation. Of his family of thirteen dren, six are deceased ; three sons, W m. H., David and Fredenck, and four £ ters, Elizabeth, Melinda, Christina and Lucinda, still survive. Willmm and liaviu were soldiers in the late civil war ; William enlisted in 1861 in the 1st O. V . served three years ; he was engaged in all the battles of the regiment up time of his discharge. David was in the 71st 0. V. I., and enlisted m lool, ing four years ; he participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Do >

JOSEPH REEDER, farmer; P. 0. Pleasant Hill; was bom m Wastengton Township, Montgomery Co., in 1827, the 12th day of July ; he is the son of w ill Reeder and grandson of Joseph Reeder. Joseph R. and family emigrated to State in the beginning of the present century ; they made the voyage d0WPf. Ohio River on a flatboat, landing in Cincinnati in 1801, their property consisti g of a cow, a horse, and a two-wheeled cart ; with these they took up their journ J northward, penetrating the wilderness as far as Montgomery Co., where tn y located on Sugar Creek ; here he entered a piece of land and built a rude caom ^ serve as a temporary dwelling. William Reeder was his only child ; his birthplace was Virginia, and he was only a boy when his parents settled in Montgomery t/0-» he was possessed of great muscular strength, and could perform the remarkaDi feat of lifting a barrel of cider to his mouth, drinking out of the bung hole ; farming was his exclusive occupation till his 30th year, when he met with an acciden which prevented him from active work on the farm ; but being of an ingenious turn of mind he engaged in various pursuits, as shoemaking, blaeksmithing, coopering, carpentering, etc., in the meantime managing the farm till our subject gtew up. He was married twice and reared a family of eight children, four sons ana four daughters ; his death occurred in 1865. Our subject was the youngest of this family ; he early formed habits of industry and good management which have a«riculture haa been Uschi^f Pupation ; in 1852 °f la2d in M^mety Co., and purebred 2

Furaaai in 1856, he disposed Of hU farmTt KansM wl*kUrC^a8e^-lf ^e.wton Township ; the following year, he made a trip to «l»ve Question TnrT lo'ftin« there J be found the people much agitated overthe (anno? ^ d h® rS;urned content to remain in his native State; he has a £er»I thfreS T /uWton- "d 40 «*"» "here be resides. Mr. and Mrs. Mr R is a consinwt children, one daughter now married, and two sons.

withTe trife Jh,CJ*^e S?ntm.ued till his death, April 18, 1872. He was, Deacon abont thv?^ *be Christian Church for a number of years, and was Pennsylvania In lrt? ,was married twice, first to Mary Fenical, of

HiU. In 6 t"e unexpired term of the first Mayorship, of Pleasa ship Ciowir . ' 1111(1 . two succeeding years, he was elected to the office of Tow as Wv\fUl^ u vem oer, i«t>5, and has filled an official position thirteen years, _ -anti; * n - - p. years > he is also a member of the Franklin Chapter, No. 24, she ia a Han vH°anC1' ^°* 16» Troy. He married Maria Williams Aug. 27, 1857 ; antofM^hi Michael Jane (Coppock) Williams, and a direct descend-

JoWpi^££L' wko die<l Aug. 26, 1879, from diphtheria, to 1845 - \a 5 HEIBER, farmer ; P. 6. Pleasant Hill ; bom in Newton Township he ia of a* *he 8011 ®^enry Reiber, who was bom in Perry Co., Penn., in 1816; Co. pGn r"lai1 extraction, and is the son of Jacob and Catherine Reiber, of York ties' anH a-1 j waa ^toed a farmer, and obtained his education under the difficultoian^iiT^^111^68 of those early days ; his father being in poor cfrcimistanc^ 1835 ho ^2 was early to go from home and labor for a livehhood ,

££& su?4ption.school system ^ jj age of 15, he* entered his father's distillery, and remained in it JjWBy " fether sold out in 1848 ; since then, he has devotedhis ? Bur.

and one daughter have died. Mr. Reach's political inclinations are with t J£i?S5? though he is no zealous partisan ; he identifies himself with the German Baptist Church, of which he and his wife are both "®"^nrthwegt qQarter T P PIENOH farming; P. 0. Covington; born m 1848, on nortnwes q he moved to Wayne Township, near Webster ; at the end of two years, h tohTplTnt pl^. He is politically identified ^h^moctatic religiously with the German Baptist Churches is also his mfe. plea8ant Hill, given to Mr. and Mrs. Bench ; one was bom Dec. 23, 1873, and died in infency , the other, Fredonia Bench, was bom Feb. 4, 1876. . .

JACOB BENCH, deceased ; one of the early settlers and j!S of Newton Township ; was bom in Pennsylvania in 1797, and was *® ^®" Qhioto and Susannah (Deeter) Bench. Joseph emigrated from Pennsylvania to .Ota 1812 or 1813, and located north of the present site of Pleasant BhB "® " wife were not long permitted to enjoy their new home in the wilderness, ne ayrug Ml# with the m& sickness, and his wife the following year They leftaftody^of four sons and three daughters, the oldest, Joseph, being yet in his ; family thus left without father or mother suffered all the privations and hara P® of pioneer life ; the burden of providing and caring for them fell to the Jacob, who was industrious and possessed of extraordinary .business sanity , y his indomitable will and perseverance, he rose on the very difficulties he had tend with, and became, before his death, wealthy, leaving at his demise a of $35,000 to $40,000. He was a farmer by occupation, but did a great a«u teaming and milling ; he made a trip to New Orleans in 1825, by flat-boat the Stillwater, Miami, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers ; his teaming w^^°fUyh"°wag and was done at a time when it was regarded hazardous and difficult ; u enterprising and possessed many sterling qualities ; integrity was the ruling p

, he was of Protestant faith, havhurch, and at his death with the German Baptist. His death occurred Ang. 13, 1874. He was married three times : rnt, in 1819, to Anna Hums, of Pennsylvania ; she died in 1820, leaving a son, Jotm. His second marriage was in 1826 or 1827 to Susannah Blickenstafll of Pennsylvania, who died in 1832 or 1833, leaving three children, Hannah, Emanoel ^ w was (Soggs) Valentine, of this county ; they had ten children - Mary L., Jacob, T. B., Fredonia, deceased ; Ezekiel B., one daughter aied m rafancy ; Joseph B.; R. E. C. ; Sarah E., deceased ; Valentine T., deceased, ms. Kench had two children by her first marriage, George H. Valentine, and one _ - m m Ezekiel Boggs, father of Mrs. Bench, was bom in Pennsyl- H ; he was the only child of the family, and was early appren-

* mason's trade ; being cruelly used, he was induced by his uncle to hiooirol^fu brought by bim to this State, where he was apprenticed to the owctomith trade, which he followed a short time. He married in 1804 or 1805 j -, i' rf®®y 5 bis financial circumstances were meager, as he depended upon his fj ^ for subsistence ; he served six months in the war of 1812, on the flronh ' ma^e a to New Orleans, by flat-boat, with produce, and then purchased a IfiiQ k Wa®°n' embarking in the peddling business with gratifying results ; in 1828 h061?6 ^ county> locating near Piqua, and en^ged in farming till

*9r n^^.""rongb life with eminent success, leaving at his death an estate worth anri' .I* i°u His wife, Catherine, was bora in Pennsylvania Jan. 29, 1783,

- ' u d hi8 wife, was a member of the United Brethren Church for forty her death " "en°b ^ited with the German Baptist Church a short time before

BENCH, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; bom in 1847, on the northwest on tKo h 8 ' *8 hbe son of Jacob and Sarah (Boggs) Bench ; he was reared whan k ome8^^» where he remained, assisting in farming till the spring of 1876, TownaV ID0V^ to his present place ; in 1877, he removed to Darke Co., Wayne wnsmp, an<* remained one year ; at the end of this time, he returned to his pres- Ronok' 7here be b^s since resided ; he owns and operates, with his brother, T. P. wm m' a ? j m thrasher, which they have successfully used for several years. He ernitrM^S 4 mr December, 1872, to Mary E. Faber, a native of Pennsylvania ; she timpW^ b) the State of Indiana in 1866, and lived near Union City till a short wftfl ?erore ber marriage, when she moved to Troy ; one daughter, Sarah , Anna, Church^ 1116111 ln SePtember5 1879- Mr. B. is a member of the German Baptist in 1 899 BOSZELL, minister and farmer ; P. O. Troy ; born in New Jersey tW i 18 the 8011 of Joseph and Hannah Roszell, natives, also, of New Jersey ; emigrated to Ohio in 1832, and located near Centerville, in Montgomery Co. ; m ' ' . > waa a farmer by occupation ; in the spring of 1842, he moved to Bethel rhm A this county, where he passed the remnant of his days, his death occur- ^^1 5 bis devoted wife survived him till Dec. 28, 1869. His early tioual opportunities were necessarily limited, but were well improved ; he is youngest son of a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters , e at borne, discharging his filial duties, until the death of his father. The of vt ?U.De' 1851' he ^obrated his marriage with Miss Rachel A. Crow, a native irgmia j she emigrated to Ohio with her parents in 1835, and s^led m the *5? southeast part of Bethel Township, in this county. Mr. and Mrs Crow ^th tlE 1879' he at the ^ age of 87, and she aged 75 years ; they were ifcUtfU 5*®bere of the M. E. Churched in their death the church lost ua5"' the marriage of Mr. R., he removed to a place near ^ppeomoe i Sf®? m Jarming ; be remained here for a period of twenty-six or y ^ )®ars. and, one year ago, moved to the farm on which he now resides.

Mrs. It. are the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters ; four years ago a son was instantly killed, a horse throwing and falling on him. Mr. R. united' with the M. E. Church in January, 1851, and in 1853 was licensed as an exhorter, and in 1861 was ordained a local minister in the same church ; the duties of this official relation he discharged faithfully and with commendable zeal ; his wife and four children are members of the church.

JOEL ROTHERMEL, shoemaker, Pleasant Hill. Among the business men worthy of special mention in Pleasant Hill, is Joel Rothermel ; he comes of German parentage, and was bom in 1833 in Berks Co., Penn. His father, Isaac Rothermel, is also a native of Berks Co., and still resides in his native place at an advanced age. Mrs. Rothermel died when our subject was only 2 years old ; he then found a home with his paternal grandfather, with whom he passed his boyhood days on a farm ; at the age of 16, his father placed him in his shop to learn the shoemaker's trade ; this he continued till 1858, when he emigrated to Ohio, locating in Pleasant Hill ; here he resumed his former occupation, combining with it for tiie first year the hotel business ; he worked as journeyman with several parties till 1862, when he formed a partnership with M. D. Myers ; three years subsequent, this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Rothermel has since continued successfully the shop in Ids own name. He was a soldier in the late civil war, and member of the 147th 0. N. G., which regiment was employed most of the time on guard duty. In July, 1862, be was appointed Postmaster of Pleasant Hill, which position he held for sixteen years ; he has also been several times elected Councilman of the village. In addition to his trade, he deals in flour and patent medicines. His marriage with Miss Esther Longanecker was celebrated in Pennsylvania in 1857 ; she is a native of Juniata Co., Penn. They have had three children - one deceased.

WILLIAM E. SHELLABERGER, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; born in Juniata Co., Penn., in 1827. Is the son of David and Elizabeth (Reynolds) Shellaberger, both natives of Pennsylvania ; David was a farmer by occupation, and passed his entire life in his native county, his death occurring in 1854, at the age of 54. He was married to Elizabeth Reynolds, and had eight children, one of whom is dead. His wife, Elizabeth, moved to this State after his death, and married David Shellaberger of Pennsylvania. She died some eight years ago. The subject of this sketch is the third child of her last marriage ; he ha* made agriculture his occupation, and the thrifty appearance of his fine, large farm, his buildings and other improvements, indicate success in this direction ; in 1850, he located in Covington, in this county, .but afterward moved to a farm in Newton Township near Pleasant Hill, where he lived two years, then came to his present place, where he has since resided ; he is one of the successful farmers of Newton Township, now operating a farm of 172 acres. He and wife have been consistent members of the German Baptist Church for a number of years. Mr. Shellaberger is a man of industrious habits, and, in all his relations with the world, integrity is his ruling principle. He married, in 1854, Susan, daughter of Rudolph Mohler, and is now living with her at the age of 79 years. They have had eight children - two deceased. Rudolph Mohler was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., in 1801, and is the son of Jacob and Mary Mohler ; at the age of 18, he was apprenticed to the tojde of a tanner, which he followed twenty -three years ; in .1842, he emigrated to Ohio, located in Newton Township, this county ; here he resided till 1875, when he went to live with his son, Henry Mohler ; here he remained till about one jear ago, when he moved to his present place. He has been married twice, first in Susanna Bousm&a, of Pennsylvania. Three children were bom to this died June 27, 1827. His second marriage was with Elizabeth Miller, in 1827, hy whom he had a family of ten children. He is a member of the German Raptmt Church, m which he has held the office of minister since 1832, and that of

Source changes here: from The History of Miami County, Ohio : Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Miami County; Constitution of the United States; Miscellaneous Matters, Etc., Etc, by W.H. Beers & Co, Publisher, published 1880; 37,694 words in this source stream.

Newton Township

Newton Township is situated in the extreme western part of Miami County, belonging to the central tier of townships running east and west, and containing some forty -two sections, eighteen of which belongs to Town 8, Bange 4 east, the remaining four-and-twenty belong to Town 7, Range 5 east, embracing in all about forty-two square miles of surface, measuring seven miles from east to west and six miles from north to south, so that within its limits are found 26,880 acres, the most of which is tillable. Its boundaries are Newberry and Washington Townships upon the north, Concord on the east, Union on the south, and Franklin, one of the eastern townships of Darke County, bounds it on the west. Possessing as it does a superior system of drainage, fertile soil, ever-living springs and streams of excellent water, ample railroad and shipping facilities, its citizens at the present time are happy in the possession of a country inferior to none in that which conduces to render prosperity accessible to all within its limits. The township is traversed almost centrally from north to south by the Dayton, Covington & Toledo Railroad, which, though yet in its infancy, is of incalculable benefit to the country through which it passes in affording its citizens traveling and shipping accommodations, thereby greatly enhancing the value of the lands and encouraging industrial pursuits in general. In addition to this, the township is intersected by a perfect network of free pikes, excellent county and township roads kept in good condition, her streams are spanned by numerous magnificent bridges, all of which stand as enduring monuments and attest to the industry and progressive spirit of the people by whom they were constructed.

Inasmuch as the Stillwater River has been one of the most important factorsin the early settlement of this and all other townships bordering its banks, we think it is well worthy of particularization. We shall not, however, begin at its source, nor carry it to the mouth, but shall endeavor to describe it in sections bounded by the limits of the township lines whose history we are recording. Stillwater enters this township near the division line between Sections 5 and

6, and flows in a southwesterly course through Sections 5, 8 and 17, when it bends somewhat abruptty in its course, and flows southwest through the southeastern corner of Section 18, thence turning in its course it flows south to the center of Section 18 ; flowing back, it enfolds the southeast corner of the section, after which it assumes a different direction, flowing in a tortuous channel a southeasterly direction and making its exit from the township at Section 33.

Panther Creek, the northern and most important branch of the Stillwater in this township, has its source in Twin Township, Darke Co., and, flowing east, enters Newton Township, at the southwest corner of Section 10 ; it then takes a northeasterly course to Section 2, where its waters are increased b}r the addition of a small stream flowing from the northwest ; it then takes a generally easterly course, and reaches the stream of which it is the principal tributary, in this township, in the southern part of Section 6, Range 4 east. As to how this creek received the appellation by which it is commonly known there are two versions, one of which is, that in earlier times, before the curiosity and enterprise of man had led him to penetrate the wilderness, and establish himself a home in this vicinity, when the howl of the wolf and the whoop of the Indian were the only sounds which struck the tympanum of nature's auditory apparatus, and sent the echoes reverberating through the almost impenetrable forest - at such a time as this, tradition tells us the story of two hunters, Abbott and Jones by name, who, led away by the fascinations of the chase, had penetrated thus far in the sylvan solitudes, when, tired and disappointed with the almost fruitless labors of the day, they were preparing, as the shades of night were fast settling o'er the solemn forests, to recruit their wasted energies by " tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep and. without previous warning, their preconcerted plans were suddenly terminated by the appearance upon the scene of a huge panther, whose domicile, it appears, the}^ had unwittingly invaded, and the animal, not willing to retire from the place without asserting her rights to the use of the same, from the legal standpoint of having been the original possessor of the soil, made a vigorous attack upon the hunters, but, after a brief hand-to-hand conflict, which appeared of great length to the tired men, the battle terminated in perfect accordance with the theory of scientists concerning the survival of the fittest. The victorious hunters throwing the carcass of the brute into the gurgling waters of the little brook, again sought to recuperate their ebbing strength, bjT passing the remaining hours of darkness in undisturbed repose ; and since that time, the stream has been called Panther Creek, in commemoration of their struggle with that animal upon its banks. The other version of the story is that long years after the members of the Caucasian race had sought and made for themselves homes in this vicinity, and the wild children of the forest had retired from the hunting-grounds of their ancestors, and had gone to seek a place nearer the Great Father of Waters, where they might hope for awhile, at least, to free themselves from the encroachments of their white brothers, one among their number, a warrior of the Miamis, whose name was Painter, unwilling to quit in his later years the hunting-grounds and graves of his forefathers, refused to follow his people, and, constructing his lodge on the borders of the stream which bears his name, remained upon the spot, watching with philosophic eye the metamorphosis of his childhood's home and, no doubt, as he saw the primeval forests rapidl}' fading from his view, he wondered if the change was a reality, or mere delusion caused by his failing, senses. Well might he say with the poet :

However, as to which of the two stories is the more authentic, it is not possible for us, at a period so remote from the time when these events should have occurred, to determine with absolute certainty ; although for various reasons, which the limited nature of our work does not permit us to chronicle, we are led to think that the former of the two versions is probably the more plausible. Be this as it may, it is a well-known fact that the portion of the township drained by this creek offered the greatest inducements to the earlier settlers, and by no means the least of these advantages was the exceeding fertility of the soil, to which the extreme healthfulness of the climate and bewitching beauty of the location united to make it an extraordinarily desirable place for the heads of families to choose as a permanent home. These advantages, together with that offered by the stream, which was capable of producing power sufficient to run the various mills, which were very essential, and, indeed, almost indispensable factors in the earlier settlements, account for the first settlements of the township having been made in this locality ; besides the streams to which reference has already been made, there are several minor ones, two of which flow in an easterly course through the southern tier of sections, and finally empty into the Stillwater, while another flows, a more southerly course and pours its waters into Ludlow Creek, in Union Township. Excellent springs of never-failing water also well up in various localities, than which, water more sparkling or refreshing is not to be found within the limits of our country. As regards the chorography of this portion of the county, it can be said of Newton that it is mostly level ; the township slopes gently from the east of the Stillwater, and no waste land is to be found. The western banks of the river, however, in some places rise abruptly into rather high bluffs, which, in several places, extend some distance west of the river, but a very small portion of this land cannot be tilled, the most of it at the present time being in a high state of cultivation ; this productive condition of the soil is not a mere matter of chance, but has been brought about only after spending long years of manual labor at agricultural pursuits, assisted in later years by the mechanical arts. In the beginning of the present century, when the first settlements were made, the township was one densely wooded forest, with but two exceptions ; what to-day is the meadow green, with its abundant herbage, was then an unknown forest, fit home for the wild animal and native Indian, who held a joint proprietorship in the land, and each walked unmolested, as was their wont, the " monarchs of all they surveyed." The purity of the atmosphere was then tainted by nothing save the smoke which curled in fantastic wreathings from the wigwam of the red man ; now the air is rendered noxious by the impure vapors rising from the noisy locomotive, as it rushes through with its load of freight, exchanging the products of other climes for the surplus products in this ; then the giant oak reared its lofty head deep into the ethereal depths ; now the monarch of the forest is fallen, and in its place fields of waving corn and wheat, orchards bending beneath their loads of luscious fruits, dot the landscape here and there as far as the eye can reach. Within the memory of the oldest inhabitant of the township the county has been perfectly transformed - much farther back than this we cannot go ; but the old trees, could they speak and tell the history of this township as far back as there are circles by which the years of their growth are numbered, would tell a story that now lies locked in the silent bosom of dead centuries, but their dumb tongues refuse to reveal the secret that inquisitive man longs to know ; and, although we have many indications of the existence of a people who toiled and lived upon what is now Newton Township long before the advent of the white man or even Indian, what they were, together with their manners, customs and language, remains too deeply buried in the mold of centuries to be soon unearthed by scientific researches. The soil in this section of Miami County is an alluvial deposit of great depth, formed by the slight additions of successive years ; it is remarkable for its continued fertility, inasmuch as the ground which has been tilled three quarters of a century has not the least abated in productiveness ; on the contrary, the amount of its products is constantly increasing instead of diminishing.

The only exception to the universal forest which occupied the township, and, indeed, the whole count}', upon the arrival of the oldest settlers, was what is now known as " Williams' Prairie ; " it was a spot of land not encumbered by a single tree, situated east of the Stillwater River, mostly on Section 19. The original tract embraced between sixty and eighty acres ; now, however, it cannot be distinguished from the adjoining tracts, which have been cleared and form part of the original prairie. How or when this section was cleared, or who was instrumental in its clearing - for it, doubtless, was at one time as densely wooded as the rest - can only be theorized upon, and there is a theory contended for by some who have examined the location, of which we shall make mention in another connection. Besides this, there was another small prairie in the south part of the township, the main part of which is situated in Union Township. After these, nothing broke the monotony of the wooded depths, which, to the earl}' settler, seemed almost limitless.

This township, as are most of the others in this county, is well provided with numerous excellent roads, offering splendid facilities for traveling or teaming in almost any season of the year ; these are, however, comparatively speaking, a modern invention ; the oldest inhabitant of the township remembers well how, in former times, when it became necessary to construct a highway for general utility, the neighbors would collect together with ax and mattock, and persistently chop and grub their way through the forest till they had reached the place for which they started. These roads, if not so smooth and straight as the beautiful drives of to-day, possessed the redeeming feature of being well shaded. Numerous pikes cross the township in various directions ; of these, the Covington and Panther Creek traverse a part of the northern portion of the township, Hogpath Pike runs from Pleasant Hill west through the township, while the Troy & Newton Pike extends from Pleasant Hill to Troy. The Newton & Covington Pike is the oldest in the township, and probably as old as any in the county.

To give the history of Newton Township and not speak of her first white settlers, would be as impossible as to demonstrate a mathematical proposition by means of ciphers alone, not taking into consideration the more important digits. We shall, therefore, speak briefly of the sturdy pioneers who left the more hospitable East and came to brave the perils of the wilderness in search of homes for themselves and their descendants. Some time between the years 1797 and 1800, Michael Williams, who had removed with his family from North Carolina to Ohio, learned, from Hen. Harrison, with whom he met in Cincinnati, and who had, some time previously, made an expedition through this section of the country, of the existence of the prairie of which mention has already been made. He immediately resolved to remove thither, and, like Jacob of old, he collected together his sons, with their wives and all their earthly goods, and started immediately for the land which was to be the heritage of his children for many generations, and which he reached in safety, and located on Section 19, which embraced the prairie, the only oasis in the wilderness of trees that surrounded him. He was the head of a family of four sons, the youngest of whom, John, was the first minister produced by the township. The remaining five children were daughters.

Marmaduke Coate, the second white settler in the township, was born in the year 1738, in South Carolina, from which place he emigrated in his sixty-eighth year. He was the father of seven sons and two daughters, each of whom reared a large family of children. Moses, Marmaduke's second child, and Samuel, the fourth, came to the Miami Valley on a prospecting tour in 1804. Being well pleased with the appearance of things in this locality, they determined to take permanent homes here, and, consequently, were joined by the remaining members of their families in the fall of 1805. They immediately established themselves upon the southeast quarter of Section 32, in this township. They made themselves as comfortable as circumstances would permit in their new quarters, and proceeded at once to remove the forest, preparatory to planting in the spring, knowing well that unless they sowed they would not reap. They plied their axes vigorously, the effects of which soon made themselves apparent in more ways than one. Not only was a spot of ground laid open to the genial influence of the sun, but, one particularly clear morning, when the sounds created by their vigorous strokes sent the echoes rebounding merrily through the surrounding forest, the woodmen were surprised by the appearance upon the scene of Michael Williams, who had been roused from " the even tenor of his way " by the sounds which bespoke the onward move of civilization. Having previously considered himself the only settler in the vicinity, he proceeded at once to investigate matters, and, in company with one of his sons, pushed his boat up the Stillwater to the place from where the sounds proceeded, and was not a little surprised at the sight which greeted his eyes. The emotions of gladness which thrilled him at the prospect of establishing friendly relations with one of his own kind can better be imagined than described. His desire being fully reciprocated by Mr. Coate, for, in those primeval days, a neighbor was an article not to be lightly estimated, they at once became fast friends, and, probably, the first highway in the township was the simple footpath that spanned the distance between their dwellings, and which was indicated by the blazed trees that marked its course. Mr. Coate died in the year 1822, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, having been a resident of this township some eighteen years. He lived to see much of the land occupied by the enterprising white settlers who immigrated here between the war of 1812 and his death, and to see his sons, the most prominent men in the vicinity, happily situated on homes of their own, free from any incumbrance, save the trees, the spontaneous products of the soil.

The wife of Mr. Coate died some time previous to the death of her husband. The life of the lady, could it be written, would make a large and interesting book. She had been captured by the Indians at the age of seven, and, after enduring hardships that but few of her sex could have outlived, finally escaped from her captors after having been in their custody for five long, wearisome years, during which time she became conversant with their customs and language, which accomplishments, if so we may term them, proved very beneficial to the whites during the time of hostilities.

Thomas Hill was probably the third white man who established himself permanently in this township ; he came from the East about the year 1805 or 1806,, accompanied by his family, which consisted of two sons, viz., Nathan and John,, and two daughters, viz., Elizabeth and Sarah. Mr. Hill established himself at once on Section 20, where he resided until his death. He early identified himself with the manufacturing interests of the township, building as soon as practicable after his arrival, the first and only copper still ever erected in this township. This he ran very successfully till the year 1818, when he disposed of the property to Jacob Rench, who operated it till 1831 or 1832, when the whole establishment was destroyed by fire.

Thomas Coppock was probably the fourth white man who conceived and put into execution the idea of making his permanent abiding-place in this township. He was the second son of a family of nine children, consisting of six boys and three girls. South Carolina was his native State, and there he would probably have remained ; but being opposed to slavery in any form in which it might appear, he found it impossible to prevent his opinions from conflicting with those of the great mass of the people in that old Slave State, and he determined at last, if he* could not assuage their grief nor loosen the fetters with which they were so firmly bound, he would not, at least, remain to witness the miseries of the colored people engendered by the lash of the most cruel task-masters. He believed these people to be possessed of that spiritual something which philosophers denominate soul this, however, was an attribute not coincided by the majority of the people to belong to them. Therefore, not being able to coincide in his views of these things with the people of his State, he resolved to quit it and carry his family away from such dangerous influences ; consequently, with his three sons and five daughters, he left the land of bondage, and, after enduring the hardships consequent upon so long a journey through a sparsely settled country, he reached this township in the fall of 1805 or 1806. and located at once on southwest quarter of Section 33. He turned his attention at once to the task of clearing the ground, from which he expected to obtain his sustenance ; by trade, however, he was a blacksmith, the first person of that ancient and honorable profession in the township. A short time after his arrival, he built his shop, but, being, as it was, just across the line in Union Township, it cannot be claimed as being the first smithy built in this township ; it was run by a tilt-hammer, which piece of machinery is by no means complicated, as it consisted of a simple beam of wood about six feet long, one end of which was attached to a pivot, and the other, to which a hammer was firmly fastened, extended just over the anvil ; to this wonderful piece of mechanism a treadle was attached, so that when it was necessary to employ both hands in holding the work , the smith, by means of his foot, which worked the tilt-hammer, was enabled to accomplish the work of two men. Coal was then almost an unknown article here, and Mr. Coppock obtained fuel for his shop by burning charcoal, which answered his purpose very well. At the first election held in the county for Commissioners, in 1808, Mr. Coppock was elected and served in that capacity three years. He was a prominent man in the county, and died at a good old age, mourned not only by his relatives, but by the people of the county in general, who felt that their loss would not soon be replaced. At this period in our history, immigrants began pouring into the township more rapidly than heretofore. The face of a white man, although always beheld with pleasure, was not such a novelty as it had been a few years hitherto, and the sound of an ax did not produce so much astonishment among the settlers as that instrument had been seen to do on a former occasion. In the fall of 1806, the little colony was increased by the addition of three families, originally from South Carolina, but subsequently from Warren County, Ohio, where they had located upon removing from their native State. Upon arriving here, the}' took immediate possession of three qu?rter-sections of land, lying in a direct line north and south. The heads of these several families were all brothers-in-law, consequently, as far as family ties were concerned, they formed quite a settlement of themselves. Samuel Teague, the elder, located on the middle quarter, Section 28, Benjamin Pearson on the south quarter, Section 33, while William Furnas took the north quarter, Section 33 ; the latter died the 21st of December, 1835, and is buried in the cemetery at Pleasant Hill. These men were endowed by nature with a resolute will, which, added to their thrift and unflagging industry, soon enabled them to change the gloomy aspect of the forest, if not into an Eden, at least into such homes as they learned to love, where they lived happily and prosperously man}' years with their children, who had located themselves comfortably near them. Jacob Embree was a native of Tennessee, from which State he emigrated at a very early day in the beginning of the present century, and located first in Montgomery County in this State. Not being satisfied here, and hearing the wonderful fertility of the soil in this county commented on in the most favorable terms, he determined to remove thither, and consequently, in the spring of 1807, we find him settled on the southeast quarter of Section 29, in this township, on land now owned by J. C. Coppock. Mr. Embree identified himself at once as being an enterprising citizen, and proved a valuable addition to the people among whom he settled. Under his wise supervision, the manufacturing interests soon began to be developed and an important epoch in the history of the township was reached. Mr. E. had resided on his farm many years before he learned that it had not been entered by other parties, and, immediately upon receiving intelligence in regard to this matter, he set off for Cincinnati on horseback, riding all the night and day, when he reached the land office and secured for his own a home such as is calculated to make the heart of man glad.

William Long, one of the oldest settlers in the township, brought his family from Virginia in the year 1806 or 1807 and located himself near the ford of the river, on the northwest quarter of Section 7. He was the head of a family of four sons, one of whom, Stephen, was the third preacher produced by the township.

Benjamin Iddings, from Tennessee, came about the same time as the preceding, and erected his cabin on Section 33, for which purpose land was given him by Mr. Pearson.

Joseph Furnas settled on the banks of the Stillwater in 1808 ; he had a family of seven children, and taught the first school in the township, in his own house.

The first settlers west of the river were William and David Miles, who hailed from South Carolina in 1807. The former died the same year of his arrival. At this period, settlements began to be made in the northern part of the township, on Panther Creek. Bobert Leavell, from South Carolina, settled on Section 2, in 1808, and William Perry, from Tennessee, located himself on Section 6 at about the same time, while Robert Dickson, the father of two sons and several daughters, located himself on northwest quarter, Section 7, in 1808-09.

Inasmuch as the township, at this date, was rapidly filling up in every direction, it would be impossible in the limited space allotted us, to follow each family through the perils of the wilderness to the spot where they located ; among the later settlers we might mention Samuel Falkner, Jacob Rench, George Freshour and many other men of indefatigable perseverance, who rapidly transformed the forest into productive farms, and laid the foundation for that high degree of prosperity enjoyed by the present population. From the result of their labors, we imagine their motto must have been -

Jacob Embree may be legitimately credited with being the father of the manufacturing interests of the township ; prior to his arrival, the power offered by the streams had not been utilized ; it was not loner after this, however, till the grating of the crank as it turned the hopper of the old mill, and the whirring sound of the saw as it passed rapidly through the ponderous logs, whispered a story of better days, when the puncheon floor and split-slab door would give place to smooth oaken boards, and flour for famity use could be obtained at home.

A short time after Mr. Embree erected the saw-mill, in 1808, he attached to it a flouring-mill, or corn-cracker, as it was then called. It was a very simple piece of machinery, consisting of a hopper, around which four forks were set in the ground, held together by cross-pieces and covered with brush, in order to serve as a shelter for the grinder while the mill was being operated. On so small a scale as this began the milling interests of the township, which have since assumed in comparison almost gigantic proportions. These mills were operated by Mr. E. for several }^ears, but have long since been replaced by more modern and pretentious structures, the products of which are more satisfactory than those of their predecessors. The mill now owned by J. C. Coppock was built by Mr. Embree in 1828, and occupies the site of the first mill in the township.

Robert Dickson built the second saw-mill in the township, and the first one on Panther Creek. Deeter's Mill now stands upon the spot formerly occupied by this.

George Freshour also built a saw-mill on Section 10, Range 4, in a very early day. This mill has not been operated for many years, but the frame still stands, a lonely landmark of the past, bent and tottering beneath its weight of years. An oil-mill was established below the falls on Panther Creek, by Abraham Deeter, some time prior to 1840. Jacob Rench built a distillery in 1818. This was the first establishment of the kind on the Stillwater, in the northern part of the township. Mr. R. ran this business successfully until his building was destroyed by fire, in 1831-32. He immediately erected another structure, on the west bank of the river, where the Sugar Grove Mill now stands. He was again burned out, in 1837, but rebuilt a second time, and devoted his attention to this work till the spring of 1848, when he disposed of the business and propert}T to the Deeter brothers, who shortly abandoned it. The second regular grist-mill in the township was built by Mr. R. in 1833. In the spring of 1848, he sold this also to the Deeter brothers. This mill was run till about one year ago, when it was destroyed by fire, and the present Sugar Grove Mill was then built by John Crumrine, who, at the present time, is doing a good business.

F. and I. Deeter started a tile factory, about one mile east of Pleasant Hill, several years ago, since which time they have been in successful operation. The}T burn a kiln each week, and constantly employ in their factory five or six hands.

The grain mill of Patty, Whitmore & Co. was built in 1879, and is of inestimable value to the farmers in the vicinit}7, as it fills a want long felt, and offers a ready market for their grains. They have a capacity for shelling 4,000 bushels of corn per day.

The war of 1812 put a stop for awhile to the stream of immigration westward, and this township proved no exception to the general rule. Wars and rumors of wars, with blood-curdling stories of Indian barbarity, began to reach the ears of the people, so that many settlers in the northern part of the township, fearing an invasion, collected together their families and household effects, and removed to various places in the State, where the danger was less threatening. Many removed their families only, and returned themselves to care for their growing crops. The majority, however, disdained to flee before an imaginary foe, and instead, made preparations for self-defense, for which purpose the neighbors collected and began constructing the " block- house." It was built on Section 19, west of present site of Pleasant Hill. A trench was dug inclosing a sufficiently large space of ground to contain the people, and inside of this, palisades were driven ; in the inclosed space several cabins were erected, and this formed the fortification, which was by no means inaccessible. Here, however, the families would congregate at night for their mutual support in case of attack. Nothing appearing to disturb their usually peaceful lives, the " Fort " was soon abandoned without the necessity for its construction having been verified in a single instance. The building has long since crumbled away, but the spot upon which it stood is readily pointed out by the old settler, through whose sluggish veins the blood flows with almost youthful vigor, as he recalls the excitement which existed during that warlike period.

To those persons who delight in evolving theories in regard to the existence, in America, of a pre-historic race, and in wiping the dust of centuries from the pages of the past, Newton Township offers them a field, wherein their inventive as well as imaginary powers can be exercised to their utmost capacit}\ West from Pleasant Hill, just across the river, stand a number of fortifications, which have stood so long that, in the words of Blackstone, " The mind of man runneth not to the contrary." The largest one is inclosed on three sides by a ravine, in most places 100 feet deep, while the remaining side is provided with breastworks, at the present time about six feet high, but, inasmuch as there are trees on this which are about two feet in diameter, and must have grown after the ground was thrown up, we are led to believe that the wall of earth was formed many hundred years ago ; and, if this is the case, it was at least fifteen feet high when first built. About one acre of surface is inclosed, now covered with saplings, but it must have been almost entirely free from trees when the fortification was formed. Numerous articles denoting the presence of a race that had some knowledge of the fine arts, have been found ; among these are pieces of pottery, curved in form, showing that the vessels, of which they are pieces, were circular in shape. Human skeletons have been found near at hand, and many things go to show that this almost impregnable fortress was occupied by a people of more than the ordinary intelligence of the Indian. As to who these people were, or when they lived upon the spot, we pretend not to determine, but leave for more speculative minds the agreeable task of creating the hypothesis, from which the origin and destiny of this people may some day be ascertained. The prairie of which previous mention has been made, was just across the river from this fort, and probably was used by this people as a burying-ground. It may, indeed, have been cleared by them in the beginning. Many skeletons have been found here, and the fact that this spot of prairie-land was partially surrounded by sycamore trees, goes to show that they were planted by human hands, for this species of tree is usually found only upon the banks of streams. We can be positive in regard to several matters : First, the human skeletons show that a people did really exist ; secondly, the earthenware vessels, that the}7 were creatures of intelligence ; thirdly, the existence of the fortification proves that they had an enemy. Who that foeman was that inspired the erection of such a fortification, is not explained even by tradition, and probably never will be known, but to those who have long since gone to the land of spirits.

Pleasant Hill, the only village in this township, has a population of about 500 inhabitants, and includes one square mile of surface in its corporate limits.

The town was for many years called Newton, after the township, which, by the way, was named in honor of the philosopher, Sir Isaac. The ground upon which it is situated was surveyed by James Hauks, and laid out by J. K. Teeter, May 26, 1843. The original plat consisted of eight lots, all west of Main street, which bounded them on the east, and which was sixty-six feet wide then, but subsequently had its width increased to eighty feet. The lots were 132 feet deep, with seventy-five feet front, and were divided by two cross streets, viz., Higb and North, each forty-nine and one-half feet wide. These streets are now eighty feet wide, while the cross-streets which intersect Main on the east, are sixty-six feet wide. After having been laid out, the growth of the village rapidly increased, and in 1850, became of so much importance that it was decided, for general convenience, to move the post office from Coppock's mill to Newton. The post office had first been kept about one mile southeast from town, and, from the peculiarly beautiful spot of its location, was called Pleasant Hill. It was moved from here in about 1840, to Coppock's mill, and was kept awhile in the mill, but it still retained its first name, and, upon its being removed to Newton, it was decided, in order to prevent all irregularities in regard to postal matters, to change the name of Newton to Pleasant Hill, which was accordingly done. After the removal of the office here, John Whitmore became Postmaster, which position he retained five or six years. At present, the position is filled by Mr. J. Reiber, a brave soldier in the late rebellion, who, in a single engagement, was the target which received five leaden bullets while battling for the Union under the banner of the old Stars and Stripes.

The village was incorporated June 30, 1866. The first officers were as follows : Mayor, Charles W. Davis ; Recorder, N. B. Teeter ; Trustees, William Patty, M. D., John H. Williams, D. Minnich, John Whitmore and Joseph Pearson ; Treasurer, Fred Deeter ; Marshal, J. G-. Ritter. The number of business establishments are as follows :

Three merchants, one boot and shoe shop, three blacksmiths, one silver-smith, one agricultural implements, two wagon-makers, five physicians, one grain dealer, one furniture dealer, one confectionery, two milliners, and one saloon.

The progress made by a country in civilization is denoted in a great measure by her educational advantages. The mighty strides taken in this direction, may well be regarded with pride by the enterprising citizens of Newton.

The first school in the township was taught by Joseph Furnas, in the year 1808, in his own cabin, which stood on the banks of the Stillwater. The greater part of his pupils consisted of his own children, seven in number ; to these were added the children of the neighbors when they could be spared from

Home. The house was warmed by a fire-place, and gathered around this, seated on sticks of wood, an inverted basket or some other article equally comfortable, the young hopeful conned his daily lesson, and was glad when the task was completed and he might indulge in sports more congenial to his nature. In 1811, a schoolhouse was built on Furnas' land, and was probably the first in the township ; it was not particularly noticeable for architectural beauty, neither for the convenience of its furniture. The roof was made of clapboards so put together as to provide such a ventilation as would now be considered neither pleasant nor healthy ; the door was a rude affair of oak swung on wooden hinges, which, upon being opened, produced such a screeching noise as sent the blood curdling through the veins of the strongest ; the patent bench with stationary inkstand had not yet made its appearance, but in lieu of this, the pupils were seated on benches rudely hewn from saplings and held up by wooden legs driven through auger holes provided for that purpose. In such rude and homely edifices as this did the children of the old settlers receive their earljr instruction and fit themselves for the business of life. The second teacher in the township was Richard Clegg, who taught in 1813. Amos Perry was the third and John Pearson the fourth man who taught " the young idea how to shoot" in Newton. At about this period, schoolhouses began to spring up in different places, the second was built west of the river ; and as soon as practicable the log house gave way to more convenient and comfortable structures, and at the present time there are thirteen neat schoolhouses in the township, giving employment during thirty-six weeks in the year to thirteen efficient teachers, while the whole amount of school property is valued at $22,000. The amount of funds on hand September 1, 1879, was $2,337.98, after all expenditures had been deducted. From the Clerk's report for the year ending August 31, 1879, we- learn that the number of pupils enrolled that year was 669 ; average month!}' enrollment, 490 ; average daily attendance, 354 ; pupils enrolled between sixteen and twenty-one years, 103 ; number of different teachers employed during the year, 23 ; average wages - gentlemen $38.97 ; ladies, $24.95.

Subdistrict No. 7, which included the village of Pleasant Hill, was organized into a special district November 3, 1866. The first Directors of this district were William Patty, M. D., C. W. Davis, J. K. Teeter, George Shoemaker, Nathan Hill and David Minnich. The different grades were taught the first year by Oliver Furnas and Harriett Moore. Owing to the rapidly increasing population, the house became too small to accommodate the pupils, so that in January, 1875, it was decided to erect a more commodious structure. Obed Macy was chosen architect, the old schoolhouse and lot were sold for $400, and the new house, 60x62 feet, begun immediately. The building is heated by steam, contains six large and well-ventilated rooms, with a hall in third story capable of comfortably seating 300 people. Horatio Pearson was elected Principal in April, 1875, which position he has faithfully and satisfactorily filled ever since. The subordinate teachers for the year 1880-81 are Miss Mattie Iddings and Miss Dora Deeter. The present officers are : Chairman, Fred Deeter ; Clerk, William Patty, M. D. ; Treasurer, G. W. Whitmore; Directors, J. A. Landis, John Jay and A. Reiber.

The oldest settlers in the township were members of the denomination of Friends, who immigrated here from the East to free themselves from the persecutions of the Puritans, and many of the people of the township to-day, trace their relationship back to Macy, the good Quaker whose sufferings and name have been immortalized by Whittier in his beautiful poem, The Exile." For many years, Divine services were held in barns, dwelling houses and in the open air. The first church was a log building erected in 1820, and was called Union Church, because formed Jjy the union of members from so many different congregations. This denomination was organized in 1813.

The second church in the township was a log house built by the Christians in 1820 ; it was situated south of the cemetery of Pleasant Hill. This house was

ENOCH BEERY, farmer ; born in Fairfield Co. Ohio, in 1823 ; is the son of Isaac Beery, a native of Rockingham Co., Va., whence he emigrated to Fairfield Co., Ohio, in 1806 ; he entered a quarter-section of land, erected the pioneer -log cabin and established a home in the wilderness ; bear's meat and corn bread furnished a large portion of his daily food. He was a minister in the Herman Baptist Church twenty-five or thirty years, traveling on horseback and on foot over Fairfield, Hocking and Perry Cos. He married Mary Cradlebaugh, of Lancaster Co., Penn. ; seven sons and five daughters were reared on the same place ; Isaac B. died in 1851, aged 74 years, and his wife in 1850, aged 65 years. Enoch was reared on a farm, and farming is his life's occupation, in which he takes much pride ; he may be considered an enterprising and successful farmer. He has been twice married ; first, to Mary Hatfield, in 1849, who was born in Union Township ; she died in 1869, a faithful member of the German Baptist Church. He married, in 1870, Mary J., daughter of Jonathan Coate, a son of James, and grandson of Marmaduke ; Jonathan was one of the prominent and enterprising citizens of Newton Township ; he served twelve years as Commissioner of Miami Co., and was an active member of the Friends' Society ; at one time was sent before the State Legislature to ask them to exempt the Quakers from military service in the late war ; he died May, 1872 ; was married three times, and had a family of thirteen children. Enoch B. had seven children by his first, and one by his second, union, one dying in infancy. Mrs. B. had two children by her marriage with Mr. Coate. Mr. B. and wife are faithful members of the German Baptist Church, in which he has been a Deacon for nearly thirty years.

RICHARD W. BRANDON, farmer ; P. O. Laura ; was born in Newton Township in 1836, and is the son of I. P. and grandson of Richard Brandon, an early settler of this county. Richard's father came from Ireland at an early da}' and located in Virginia, where Richard was born, and married to Anna Piersol in 1809 ; she still survives and is deserving of more than a passing notice ; she was born in Loudoun Co., Va., April 18, 1788 ; her father, born in England, came to Virginia when only 6 years old, and served in the war of 1776, with a Virginia regiment. Anna was twice married, and had eleven children. Isaiah, father of our subject, was the oldest child, and was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., May 6, 1810; when 16 years old he came to Miami Co., where his death occurred Feb. 1, 1878. He married Sarah, daughter of Amos Hall, of Carolina ; six sons and six daughters were the issue of this union ; all grew up, were married, and living till within a year, when the oldest daughter, Martha, died. The spirit of 1876 had a well-marked outcrop in the fourth generation in the late war, which received five of the sons, and four of the sons-in-law, all entering the service as members of Co. B, 71st O. V. I., and all as privates but H. K. McConnell, who had a Second Lieutenant's recruiting commission ; when mustered out, the sons' ranks were R. W., First Corporal; Samuel, First Lieutenant ; Amos, Brevet Major ; E. R. and I. V., Privates ; the ranks of the sons-in-law, H. K. McConnell, Brevet Brigadier General ; A. E. Duncan, Assistant Surgeon ; William McConnell, First Lieutenant ; John R. Johnson, Sergeant ; all returned home ; they participated in the battle of Shiloh, Jonesboro, latter part of siege of Atlanta, Lovejoy Station, two days' fight at Franklin, Nashville, Tenn., numerous skirmishes, and, at close of war, were sent into Texas, where they suffered severely by change of climate. Richard, our subject, w'as married in 1855 to Mary A., daughter of John McConnell, of Ireland, who came to this country when about 4 years old with his father. Of the eleven children born to this union, two have died.

WILLIAM H. CADWALLADER, farmer and teacher ; P. O. Pleasant Hill ; he was born in Adams Co. in 1844, and was a son of John Cadwallader, who was born in Bedford Co., Va., Dec. 31, 1799 ; he emigrating first to the Kanawha Salt Works, where he remained about two years, and then came to this State ; he located first in Highland Co., in which and Adams joining, he lived till he came to this county in the fall of 1856 ; he settled here on the southwest portion of Sec. 13, and in this township passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring April 2, 1879, aged 79 years 3 months and 2 days ; he was a minister of the Herman Baptist Church for fifty-five years, and during the latter five years of his life was a minister of the Congregational Brethren Church of Pleasant Hill, of which he was the founder ; he was a man who taught the principles of Christianity, not only by precept, but by his daily walk, and his death was a loss to the church and community. He was married to Anna King about 1823 ; she was born in 1801 in Virginia, she moved to Highland Co., Ohio, with her parents, when she was quite small ; her death occurred July 25, 1864, or 1 865 ; six sons and four daughters were the issue of this union. The subject of this sketch is the ninth child of the family, and was reared on the farm ; his early education was received in the common school of his day, and so well did he improve his time, that he qualified himself for the profession of teaching, which he entered about 1865 ; this profession he has since continued during the winter months, devoting his summers to* farming ; he finds his political creed in the Republican party, and his religious creed in the Congregational Brethren Church, of which he is Secretary.

JAMES H. CALDWELL, farmer ; P. O. Bradford ; born on his present farm in 1841 ; is the son of James, who was born in Pennsylvania, June 8, 1798, and was the son of Stephen and Margaret C. The former died in 1801 at the age of 42. James, Sr., followed smithing his entire life ; he emigrated to Ohio about 1832 or 1833, and located first in Darke Co. In 1835 or 1836, he purchased the quarter-section in the extreme northwest angle of Newton Township ; here he died in 1861 at the age of 63 years. He married Hannah Bouev, born in Emmetsburg, Md., in 1814, who bore him two sons and three daughters ; two sons and one daughter deceased. Hannah Caldwell died when J. H. C. was a small child. The subject of this sketch, is the youngest of the family ; he has made farming his life occupation. In this pursuit he is a success ; he combines industry with skill and experience ; integrity being the ruling principle in all his business transactions. He finds his political creed in the Republican party, in which he is an ardent worker. In religion, he and his wife belong to the Christian Church. Mr. Caldwell has served the people as Township Trustee, discharging his duties with fidelity and zeal. He married in 1861, Eunice M., daughter of Joseph Pearson (see biography of F. Deeks); of their six children, four survive.

MARMADUKE COATE, deceased ; was born in South Carolina in 1738, and came of an illustrious Quaker family of England. In Besse's " Sufferings of the Quakers, " and John Whiting's " Persecution Exposed," we find frequent mention of one Marmaduke Coate, of English notoriety, who was again and again arrested for non-compliance with the intolerant requirements of the parish priests; he was one of the faithful Quakers, who suffered imprisonment and proscription during the Quaker persecution of England ; for liberty of conscience, he suffered imprisonment at sundry times from 1670 to 1685, with short intervals, in all about fifteen years, one of the longest terms on record. All these persecutions could not move him from his steadfast adherence to the right ; he was of Hambridge, Somersetshire, England ; he died about 1689, and left, among other children, a son Marmaduke, who married Ann Pole, daughter of Edward and Mary Pole, originally of Wales, but late of Battlehay, near Wiveliscombe, Somersetshire, England. Marmaduke was imprisoned at Ilchester, the place of his father's long confinement, in Somersetshire in 1683, for attending a meeting at Gregory Stoke, three miles from Curry Revel which latter place appears to have been his place of residence ; his mother, Edith, was imprisoned at the same time. He immigrated to America, and settled in Hanover Township. Burlington Co., N. J., in 1690 ; the house which he built was partly constructed of materials brought from England, probably the leaden window-sash, and the 5x7-inch panes of glass. He died Dec. 15, 1729, aged 77, an

Elder in the Society of Friends. He reared a family of five children, among whom was William. Our subject was a direct descendant of this William, probably a grandson. He was married to Mary Coppick, who passed ten or twelve years of her early life as a captive among the Indians. He came to Ohio and located in Newton Township in 1806, where his death occurred Sept. 25, 1822, at the age of 84. His children were, in order of birth, Esther, Moses, Henry, Samuel, Sarah, James, William, John and Jesse, from whom have sprung numerous descendants.

ROBERT CO ATE, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; born in 1844 ; is a son of John Coate (for a history of his ancestors, notice the sketch of his brother Benjamin J.), and was reared on a farm and afforded the opportunities of a common school education, which was so well improved that he was early qualified for the profession of teaching ; this he followed for about four years, when he abandoned it and turned his attention entirely to farming, which he has since continued. His marriage with Miss Elizabeth Jones was solemnized in August, 1866. She is a daughter of Alexander Jones, and a descendant of earty settlers. Four children have been born to this union, three of whom are deceased ; the one living is Julia Mary. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Friends' Church, in which they were both reared. Mr. C. is no political aspirant, but has been three times elected to office of Township Trustee, the duties of which he has discharged with commendable zeal.

JOSHUA CO ATE, farmer; P. O. Pleasant Hill; was born near the place where he now lives in 1821 ; he is the son of James and grandson of Marmaduke Coate. James was the fourth son ; he came to the Stillwater Valley with his father, and located on a farm now owned b}T Wenger. His first marriage was celebrated before he left South Carolina, and his wife's death occurred before his immigration ; he was again married after coming here, to Laurana, daughter of Samuel Teague ; by this union he reared a family of four sons and two daughters - Jonathan C., now deceased ; Samuel T., Joshua, Thomas E., Mary and Esther. James Coate was born in South Carolina in 1777, and died in Miami Co. in 1838 or 1839 ; his wife, Laurana, was born in South Carolina in 1786, and her death occurred a few years ago at the age of 75 years ; they were both faithful members of the Friends' Church. The subject of this sketch has always lived on a farm ; he remained at home till he reached majority, and was married to Adila Jenkins in 1842 ; she was born in 1821 in this county, three miles south of Troy. After the marriage of Joshua Coate, he located on the homestead two years, and then moved to Montgomery Co. ; at the end of fifteen years, he purchased his present place; a family of nine children, two of wLom have died, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Coate. Mr. Coate and family were reared in the Friends' Church, and are now faithful members of the society.

BENJAMIN J. CO ATE, deceased, was one of the prominent citizens of Newton Township, and a son of Jesse, and grandson of Marmaduke Coate ; he was born in 1813, in Darke Co. He was married in 1835, to Mary Jones, a daughter of John, and granddaughter of Wallace Jones. Wallace Jones emigrated from South Carolina to this State, at an early daj^, with his family of four sons and two daughters ; he settled near West Milton, where he and wife passed the remainder of their lives. John Jones was the second child of this family, and was born Nov. 21, 1797 ; he had no early educational opportunities, but after he had grown to years of maturity, he procured a spelling-book, and while working in the shop (being a smith by 4 trade), would learn with book in one hand, while blowing the bellows with the < other, and in this way was soon able to read his Bible. Such a will as this always wins, and we are not surprised to soon find him a prominent minister in the Friends' Church ; in this capacity he became an efficient worker, traveling through many parts of the United States ; he departed this life in Eastham, Iowa the 5th day of the 8th month, 1877, at the advanced age of nearly 80 years ; his wife still survives at the age of nearly 80 years. John Jones had a family of six sons and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Coate was the oldest. Benjamin J. Coate moved on Sec.

Biographical Sketches

his death occurring Sept. 19, 1870. He was reared in the Friends' Church, of which he and wife were consistent members. Seven sons and six daughters were the issue of this union, all living to maturity but one - Josias, the third son, died in the fall of 1864, at Cumberland G-ap, Tenn., while in his country's service. He was a member of the 86th 0. V. I., C. K.

B. C. COATE, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; was born in 1850 where he now resides. He is the son of John and Nancy (Finney) Coate, and a direct descendant of Marmaduke Coate. John Coate was born in 1807 in Union Township, and was the son of Samuel Coate, and grandson of Marmaduke C. Samuel C. was born in South Carolina in 1772, and at the age of 28 married Margaret Coppock, a native of South Carolina. In 1804, he immigrated to Ohio ; he was one of a family of nine children, who, with their parents, emigrated about the same time. He located on Sec. 5, now within the limits of Union Township. He reared a family of six sons and three daughters. His death occurred in February, 1869 ; his wife died in the spring of 1847. John Coate was the fourth child of this family ; he was twice married - first to Phoebe Miles in 1830 ; she was a daughter of Jonathan Miles ; she died in 1838, leaving a family of three children, two of whom are still living. His second marriage was celebrated in 1842, with Mrs. Nancy Crew ; she was born in North Carolina in 1808, and when quite young her parents immigrated to this State. They located in West Milton, which consisted of one frame house - then vacated - and four log cabins. Here she passed her youth. John Coate reared two sons - Robert and Benjamin C. - by his second union ; he died March 11, 1871. He was reared in the Friends' Society, of which he was always a faithful member. Our subject's life has been that of a farmer. His early education was acquired from the common schools, and the high school of Pleasant Hill. His marriage with Miss Esther Coate was solemnized in 1869. She is a daughter of Joshua C., and a descendant of early pioneers. Two sons have been born to them. Mr. and Mrs. C. were both reared in the Friends' Church, of which they are now consistent members.

JOSIAS CO ATE, farmer; P. 0. West Milton ; is the son of Jesse Coate and grandson of Marmaduke Coate, who was a native of South Carolina ; he raised a family in his native State, of seven sons and two daughters, to wit : Moses, Henry, Samuel, James, William, John, Jesse, Lydia and Sarah. Early in the beginning of the present century, they cast their fortunes in the wilds of Ohio ; of this family, Moses and Samuel led the way, in 1804, locating first in Montgomery Co. ; here they halted one year, and raised a crop ; in the following fall of 1805, these two brothers were joined by the rest of the family, when they all pressed their way farther northward up the Stillwater, some locating in what is now Union, and some in Newton ; of the latter was the head of the family and a portion of the children ; they located on land in Sec. 32, and constituted one of the first families in the township. An incident in the early life of Mary Coate, wife of Marmaduke, is deserving of more than a passing notice. When only a small girl of three or four summers, she was captured by a tribe of Indians, and held by them till she was about 12 years old ; her maiden name was Mary Coppock. Jesse Coate was the youngest child of the family. He celebrated his marriage in 1809 or 1810, with Mary Johnson, a native of Tennessee, and a relative of the late President Johnson ; after living on various farms for a few years, he located on the place where our subject now resides, and there passed the remainder of his life ; he met with a fatal accident, being crushed by a saw-log rolling over him, which caused his death July 8, 1837; the death of his wife occurred Dec. 4, 1865, at the advanced age of 76 years ; they were the parents of nine children, to wit : Eleanor, Benjamin J., Josiah, Elizabeth, Thomas, David, Mary, Sarah, Julian J. ; of these, four are now living. Our subject, the third son of the family, was born in 1816, Dec. 9 ; he remained with his father, assisting in farm duties, till he reached his majority. He was married, in 1838, to Miss Sarah Tucker, a native of Warren Co., Ohio ; she emigrated to this count}", with her parents, in 1836 ; six children

THOMAS H. COATE, blacksmith, Pleasant Hill ; was born in McMinn Co., Tenn., in 1828 ; he is of English descent and son of Miles and Mary (Umphsus) Coate. They emigrated to Ohio in 1832, making the journey on horseback. They settled in Newton Township, where Mrs. C. died, when our subject was only 15 years old. Mr. C. again married and moved to White Co., Ind., and in 1863, enlisted in the late civil war; the 7th of November of the same year he died while in the service, at Knoxville, Tenn, aged nearly 60 years. Our subject was raised on a farm till 15 years old, when he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade and served a term of three years ; blacksmi thing has been his chief occupation, giving his attention to some extent to farming. He was in the late war, as member of the 147th 0. N. G. He is no political aspirant, but has several times been elected to township offices, which he filled with entire satisfaction. He is a chartered member of the A., F. & A M., of Pleasant Hill. Is the present and was the first resident YV. M. He has been married twice, first, May 15, 1849, to Louisa J. Evans, who died June 14, 1854; second to Susannah Jones, of English descent, in 1855 ; three children were born to the first union, all died in infancy, and ten to the second, eight of whom still survive.

SAMUEL COATE, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; is a son of Henry Coate, and was born in Newton Township in 1840. His boyhood was passed on a farm, and he thus early became accustomed to the art of farming, which has always been his occupation. His early education was limited to the common schools of his day. His mother was taken from him, by death, when he was only 6 weeks old, after which he was placed under the care of his aunt until he reached the age of 10 ; at this time he returned to his father's, where he passed the remaining years of his minority. He was united in marriage with Miss Nannie A. Barker May 5, 1863 ; she is a native of Boone Co., Ind., born in 1843. Mr. and Mrs. C. were the parents of three children, of whom one is deceased. They are both members of the Friends1 Church.