Oliver Township

Oliver Township

Jam: Mi Clung - Xow in her 86th year, was the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Clark, and was born in Rockbridge county-, in the State of Virginia, on the 13th day of September, JT'.U. Samuel Clark, her father, came to this country in the year ] - »i and settled three miles north of West Union, oil the farm \v owned by David Stroke, then a vast forest. His eldest son,

1 i. married Betsey Gaul. Before leaving the State of Virile. with his young wife and two children, settled on Cherry >n<' mile above where Ilarshaville now stands. lie sunk a ..id and worked at the business of tanning and dressing i.-r in connection with that of clearing up and opening out a in. Jlis family consisted of seven sons and six daughters. Of i-i- >oi;s, all arc living except one, who was killed by being caught in a thresher. His daughters are all dead but two. His son John lives on, and owns the old farm. Samuel, the next eldest son, married Nancy Brown, D3cember 20, 1821 (an aunt of W.

Ik Brown, the Treasurer elect of this county,) and settled in the woods, one mile South of- where Unity now stands, oa the old comity road leading from West Union to the mouth of Cherry Fork. He was also a tanner, and went into that business in collection with that of clearing out his farm. lie built upon his a rude log cabin, and liv d in th same for a number of years. Afterwards lie built a double hewe ag house, one and a Half Hlories ifi height. It was at the ra ;g of one of these houses that a young man by the name of 5 eph Brown was killed by the falling of a heavy log. which struck him on the head, causing his death in a few day 9 afterwards. Mr. Clark continued the | business oftanuing for many years, doing a large amount of work for all the western and northern parts of the county, ami | Was familiarly called " Uncle Sammy Clark, the tr.uaer." He was a strict adherent to the " Galvani9tic doctrines, ami wait one of the ruling elders of the 'U- P. Congregation at Unity, from the time of organizing until his death, which occurred March 22, lk%r. He was a man greatly beloved and respected for h-s n;a?iy Christian virtues. His wife only survived a tew years, a. id they now -lw|» side by side in the cemetery at Unity. Their children all survive them, and are living within tlm bonds of (lie Unity Congregation. Junius, the second son, married .lane Young. Their history is comprised In a few words. To know them, was to love them. They, were not possessed of an excess of the world's goods, but were possessed of loving hearts, and raised a small family, cbnsistingof threo daughters and one son, all of whom arc dead, except one daughter. Andrew, the fifth and last son, never married, and died at the ago of fiftv-threo years. H is grave was the second in the cemetery at Unity. He was a model of virtue and honesty. Edward, the fourth son, manned Sul I io Baker, and settled on Milligan's brand) of Cherry Fork, now Newton Tollo's farm. About 1837, he sold out and moved lo Logan county, Ohio. Aflor a year's stay there, lie returned to Adams county, and settled in the woods, on the road leading from West Union to Hillsboro, near Hemphill's mills, live and a half miles north of the former place. lie was Justice of the Peace for many years in t lie township of Wayne, and was possessed of superior intellectual endowment - was one of the ablest debaters of the time in which lie lived, and was a leader of the Democratic party, understanding its principles perhaps better than most of men of his dtly. He cleared out his farm and worked at the carpenter trade, and raised a large family, consisting of live sons and four daughters. W. R., the oldest son, edited the "Adams County Democrat," at West Union, for several years, with great credit to himself and the satisfaction of the party, lie retired from the editorial chair on account of failing health, and soon alter fell a victim to tha", " fell destroyer, " consumption. Edward died Juno, 1862. Ills widow is still living at the old home, with an unmarried son and daughter. Mary, the oldest daughter, married Archibald Caruthers, a widower with two children. They reared a family of live children, three sons and two daughters, all deceased but two, Hugh and Erwin, the first of whom lives in Illinois, the latter in Oregon. Frances, the second daughter, married James Clark, and lived for many years on Gift Ridge, near where now stands Quinn Chapel, in Monroe township. At this place Mrs. Clark died, October. 1849. Mr. Clark moved to Hamilton county, Indiana, about one year after the death of his wife, and if living, is still in said county and State. There were eight children born to this couple, three sons and live daughter.:. Of these, there are yet living one son and four daughters. Sarah, the third daughter, was married to Robert Clark, and settled near the Old Bridge road, leading from West Union to Manchester, on what is now known as " Ellison's Ridge. " Their family consisted of five sons and three daughters. There is now but two surviving members of this family, a son and a daughter. Both reside on the old farm. We now come to the history of Jane, the youngest daughter, and only surviving member of the family of Samuel and Sarah Clark. She was joined in marriage to John McClung, by Rev. AVm. Baldridge, January 4, 1827, and moved with her husband to his farm, then in the woods, in Liberty township, on the head waters of Eagle Creek, better known as Hill's Fork. There they opened out their little farm, suttcring many hardships and privations, such as are common to the early settlers. Iler bus? band and herself were among the original members of the Associate Reformed congregation at Cherry Fork, and continued to worship with the congregation for about twenty years, when they sold their farm and moved to t lie farm on which the widow now Jives, (better known as " Caruther's farm.") This farm is four miles north of West Union, and in Oliver township. They united with the U. P. Congregation at Unity, shortly after -its organization. Her husband died February 8th, 1873, in his 83th year, and had been a member of the church for seventy years. Their family consisted of two sons and three daughters. All arc now living except Samuel, the eldest son, who died June 29, 1869. Both of her sons enlisted in Co. E. of the 70th Ohio Regiment, Colonel J. R. Cockcrill, on the first day of November, A. D. 1861, and served for three years. Iler two youngest daughters live with her on the old farm. The old lady's devotion to her government is only equaled by her devotion to her Lord and Master, which subject she loves to talk on above all others.

She says that the first water mill in the county that she can recollect, was Hemphill's, on West Fork of Brusk Creek, above the mouth of George's Creek. And the next one was built by Andrew Ellison, on Lick Fork of Brush Creek, opposite to which the old Stone House stands, on the AVcst Union and Jacksonville road. This mill was builf about the year 1808. The Stone House was built in the year 1S93, by Andrew Ellison, who was a full cousin to her father, Samuel Clark. She says the scaffolding was still up when their folks arrived in this country in 1805, and -that Mr. Ellison had received an injury from a fall from the scaffold, about the time the house was being completed, of which he never afterwards fully recovered. Andrew Ellison was the father of John Ellison and Andrew Ellison. John was elected to the Legislature, and served as member with no little distinction. He was also Sheriff of the county for a term of years, and officiated, at the hanging of David Becket, which she thinks took place in November, 1893. John was the father of A. B. Ellison, now of Manchester, and of the late John Ellison, of the firm of Ellison & Co., bankers of Manchester. Of the third son, AVilliam, she cannot tell anything about, Andrew, the brother of John, she never know ihticli of his history, he lull the eouiily when young, and wont Into businos»and heuamo wealthy. The oldest daughter of Andrew Ellison was named Sarah. She died when quite young. Isabel, or Ibbv, another daughter, was married to the Rev. Dyer Burgess, anil lived near West. Union. Mary married Thomas Huston, and lived in West Union on a farm now occupied by It. AV. MoNoal. Both of the daughters died childless. His daughter. Margaret, married Adam McCormick. They also lived at West Union, apd both of them fell victims of that death dealing scourge, cholera, during its visit to that plain in 1848. These parents never had but one child, Joseph, by nunc, and well remembered by the citizens of tho county as a "brilliant man and fine lawyer. " She says of the daughters of John and sister* of A. B. Ellison, that Alary was married to William Ellison, late of Manchester, but now dead. The present Auditor, it. II. Ellison, is one of their children. AVilliam Ellison was a man highlv respected by all who knew him for his many Christian virtue*. Mary, his widow, still lives at their old home in Manchester, anis respected and loved by all, and especially the poor and need) The first white child born in this county was John Clark, cou-ii to our informant, born at Manchester, March 17th, 1791. He wa* the soli of John Clark and Margaret, formerly Margaret Ellison, sister to Andrew Ellison, who built the Old Stone House on Lick Fork. John Clark and his wife, Margaret, settled on the old Ridge Road, leading from Manchester to AVest Union, on the farm owned and occupied by widow Nixon. They settled there about the year 1793, and raised a family of thirteen children, all of whom arc now dead except one, James, well known to many of the old citizens of the county, now a resident of Hamilton county. Indiana, and in his 86th year. Ilis youngest daughter is the wife of John Clark, near Ilarshaville. She is the only member of the family living in this county. Samuel Clark, and his wife Sarah, parents of Jane McClung, were born in the county of Tyrone, Ireland. Her mother's maiden name was Sarah Lamina, and her grandmother's name was AVilson. Her brother. John Clark, was born in Ireland, and crossed the " briny deep " when a child with his parents.

AV. B. Brown. - The ancestors of Mr. Brown, were of German origin. His father, whose name was James, was the fourth generation of a family, that each succeeding generation had but one son, and that son's name was each time "James." Air. Brown's grandfather was born in AVashington county, Pennsylvania, where lie married Jane Reed. They moved to Alanchestcr, Adams county, previous to 1800, where they remained a year or two, then came to Cherry Fork, and settled on the farm now owned by J. AV. Baldridge, Jr., about two miles below North Liberty. Here they both lived and died. Mr. Brown died in 1804, and is the second person buried in the Cherry Fork cemetery, as elsewhere stated. Airs. Brown died March 13th, 1821, and is buried there also. Janies Brown, of this family of children, is the father of \V. B. Brown, and was born 1802. He grew up on the old homestead, and was married to Alaria Baker, lie became the owner of the old homestead, where he lived until his decease. March 22, 1832. lie reared a family of four children, three sons and one daughter. AVilliam B., born March 24, 1824, James. R., boruAlay 17. 1826, Jacob N., born October 19, 1828. Alary J*, born March 4. 1831. AVilliam B. Brown, the subject of pur sketch, who is the eldest of these children, married Ellen Ralstin, April 12. 1848. settled about a mile from Unity, and engaged in the tanning business. lie followed this business until the fall of 1S50, when lie removed to Unity, and in 1851, engaged in the mercantile business which he carried on until 1874. lie was succeeded by bisons, James AV'. and Ilenry II. Brown. Since 'that time Air. Brown lias devoted his attention to the saw and flouring mill* which he had owned for some years before. lie has had a faini Iv of six children, live sons and one daughter. James A\'., Ilenr\ II., Louis R., N. AI., AlaVv AL, and Carey II., besides Hermes ( who died at 18 months. Henry II. married Ruth Alclntire, Loui- R. married Ella Smith, N. AL married Belle llumcs. Henry 11. and James AV. arc engaged in the mercantile business in Unity. Louis R. is fanning in Iowa. Mary AI. and Carey II. are not married, and reside with their parents. Air, Brown has acted a prominent part in the public affairs of the township and county in which he lives. He was the most influentijal person in procuring the location of the Grace's Run anil Dunkinsville pike, took a leading part in securing the organization of Oliver township, lie was elected township Treasurer, consecutively, for twentysix years, and was l^t^all (1879) elected county TriTasurcr. Though liberal towardsothers in religious or political matters, his religious opinions are expressed in the creed of tfie U. P. church ; while in politics, he has always adhered to the principles of the Democratic party.

AI.vrtua Harsh a.' - Airs.- Ilarsha was born at Cha'mbcrs'burg, Cumberland county, Pa., March 22, 1810. She was the daughter of AVilliam Buchanan. Her parents removed to Washington county, Pa., in 1812, where she married Paul Ilarsha, May 22J. 1831. In 1814, she camn with her husband to Adams copiitv, who settled near where Ilarshaville now stands. Air. Ilarsha, who appears to have been an energetic business man. bought up large qualities of laud in the neighborhood, including the land oil. which- the village that bears his name, is located, anil with it the

| ; >i t four of them now survive. William 11. has become the proprietor ol the Ilarsha mills; D. II. is the proprietor of the Campbell mills, in Scott township; James W. <lied at the ago of nineteen : N. I*, ilioil during the rebellion, at Memphis, Tonn. ; Klizaheili II. married C. S. ration. Paul Ilarsha was born April I, IS;U. died April I, 1870, aged 70 years. Mis widow occupies Ihe old homestead.

X. r. Patton. - This gentleman's ancestors were natives of Rockbridge county, Virginia. Mis father. John Patton, was born there. June 9. 17S7, where he married Phcbc Taylor, who was horn February 2, 1704. They came from that place in 1814, and lirst stopped near North Liberty, where they stayed a short time, t lieu bought land on Cherry Fork, about two miles above Ilar- ..li.-iville. to which they moved, and cleared np a farm on which they lived and died. They reared a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters, named Martha, James T., John

Lurissa. Margaret A., Nathaniel C., Elizabeth Ann, Nanev, Phebe. Caroline, and William Ilcnrv Patton, and an adopted child named Phcbc G. Finley. Of these children, three died in early years, two after arriving at the years of maturity, as, also, the adopted child, Phebe G. Finley. The survivors arc John E., Lurrissa (Mrs. Caskv), Nathaniel C., Elizabeth Ann (Mrs. Morrison)- and William 11. Patton. Nathaniel C. Patton, who is the subject of this sketch, was t he sixth child. He was born in Adams county, February 26, 1826, where lie grew up to manhood, lie married March 17, 1847, Ma y Ann Thompson, daughter of Daniel Thompson. She was born February 28, 1824, near Eckmansvillc. They are the parents of six children, Marion M., John M., Mary A., Anabel, Lizzie, and Emma Z. Two of these arc dead. Mary A., who died at four years, and John M., who died in Mis country's service, Marion M. is married and lives on Cherry Fork ; the others remain at home. John M. Patton enlisted in Cj. D., Capt. Laird, 191 Regt. O. V. T. lie died at Harper's Ferry. April 23, 1865, from cold taken in a case of measles. Ilis remains are interred in Cherry Fork cemetery, near North Liberty. Mr. Patton now owns a farm of 2G0 acres. Soon after his marriage, he moved on to this land, then almost a wilderness, but by persevering industry, be has improved it, brought it into a high state of cultivation, and so adorned it by beautiful buildings, that it is now one of the prettiest farms in the county.

Geo. A. Patton, IIarsiiayili.e. - John Patton, father of Geo. A. Patton, was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1798. llis parents removed in 1803, to Ohio, and settled in Liberty township. near the old Governor Ivirkcr homestead. They afterwards removed and settled on what is now known as the Ramsey Duffey farm, two and a half miles north of North Liberty. Here John grew up to years of maturity, and about 1820, married Miss Jane McCague. After bis marriage. John S. Patton settled about a mile and a half south of Harshavillc, on a farm now owned by the Harshas. From this place lie removed to the MeCaguc farm, two miles north of Bcntonvillc. In 182S, he bought land two miles south of Eckmanville, and moved to it, where his wife died, March 31, 1835. Ifc married for his second wife, Sarah Morrison, of that vicinity. Mr Patton lived on this farm until 1 S-V.l. when he sold it and moved to Warren county, Illinois, and -" till'd two miles north of Monmouth, where he died July 12, and where Mrs. Patton also died, March, 1877. There were "» Mr. Patton by bis first marriage, four children, two sons \ " daughters, named George A., Mary J., Nathaniel Thomas, Martha, who all grew to years of maturity and married.

I»y his second marriage, he raised five children, three sons and 1 v\ o daughters. Robert S., Carey S-, Eliza,- John II. and Sarah. Sarah died al ihe age of 12 years. The rest arc all living and ma rried.

Gi:oim;k A. Patton, who is the subject of this sketch, is the oldest sou of John Patton, by bis first marriage. George A. Patton was born near Bcntonvillc, Adams county, September 20, 1826. lie lived with bis par uts until be was twenty-three years old, when lie bought a lot in Harshavillc, on which he erected a 'mull building, in which l - opened a store, November 13,\lfii9. In the summer of 1850, he erected the dwelling Louse in which he u-»\\ resides, and November 13th, of the same year, he married M i-s Jane Mdnt.irc, daught - of General William Mclntirc. On - Inly In. 1803, Morgan and hi men, as tlffcy moved through Ohio, on llicir ever memorable raid, passed tji rough the village of Harshavilhy and pillaged Mr. Patton's store i f goods to the amount n! about $2,000. In 1867, the building in which he had sold goods -i» many years was removed and its place supplied with a more capacious establishment, one more suitable to the requirements of hi- enlarged business. These parents have had born unto them eight children, three sons and live daughters, named Mary Cathllient are dead. Sarah Alberline, William Mel n lire, anti John Carey. Three of them are married. Sarah Alberline married -John P. Caskv, a farmer on Cherry Fork, where she died. Mary Catharine married William McVcy, who lives in Cincinnati. Martha Belle married Oscar B. Kirkpatrick, a farmer near Harshavillc. Mr. Patton has been engaged in the mercantile business for thirty years, and from a small beginning, lias by strict integrity and honest, dealing, accumulated a handsome property, and secured 1 he confidence nhd respect of all who know him.

The lirsl. mill in Oliver township was built at Ibis point. In 1817, ( icncri'.l Samuel W right, one of I lie early pioneers, put up a log building for a mil!, which lie run until 1824, when be built a frame, he, in 1819, started a carding machine, which he curried on until 1833, when it was discontinued. The mill he continued to run until 1840, When he sold it to Paul Ilarsha. There was, down to this time, but one pair of burrs, but Mr. Ilarsha. being a man of enterprise, the next year, 1817, put in two additional pair of burrs. In 1858, lie removed the old frame building, and put in the present substantial one. Mr. Ilarsha died in 1876, and bis son, W. B. Ilarsha, became the proprietor of the mills, which arc still carried on with their accustomed energy.

Murder Of William Ii. Senter And Jus Wife

In 1855, there lived about a mile and a half southeast of Unity, a man named William II. Senter, and his wife, Nancy Senter. They were some forty-live or fifty years of age, honest, quiet, inoffensive, simple hearted people. They owned a farm of one hundred acres, of rather thin, poor land. They were without, children, and in this retired place, were peacefully living in their humble log cabin, when a young man named Alexander Milligan made his appearance in the neighborhood, sometime in the fall of that year. Milligan seemed to he rather looking for a piece of land, became acquainted with Senter, and after a while contrated for his farm, agreeing to pay him $1,000, the first of December. He then made his home with Senter, and perhaps worked some in repairing the farm. Abiut the latter part of November or first of December, Senter and li is wife were missing from the neighborhood. Milligan stated he bad paid them their money, bad bought their personal property and .they had left, and he did not know where they had gone to. Suspicion was presently aroused, Milligan was arrested and a pretty thorough search instituted, when the mangled bodies of Senter and bis wife were found buried in the spring run, near the milk bouse, with a lot, of logs piled over the place. An examination showed that their heads had been crushed with an axe. and their bodies then dragged with their night clothes only on, to the place of concealment. Their hair was matted with burrs, showing that they had been dragged through a burr patch between the house and spring. Milligan was indicted, and at the November term of Court, 1856, /convicted of murder in the second degree, 'and sentenced to the penitentiary for life. After serving a few years lie became insane and died. Who Milligan was, or where his ancestors lived, was never known. The court that tried this case were: Judge, S. F. Norris. Attorneys for the State, J. W. McForren, Prosecutor; assisted by J. McCormick and T. J. Million. Counsel for prisoner, J. M. Wells, Thomas McCanslcn, J. 11. Thompson and J. R. Cockerill. The jury were, George W. McGinn, Jefferson tp. ; Daniel Kenyon, Greene; Starling C. Robinson, Greene; Michael Roush, Sprigg; Simeon Dunn, Jefferson : James Abbott. Greene; Samuel II. Phillips, Sprigg; James M. Vandcrgri ft, Sprigg ; John Scott. Jefferson ; John Plummer, Sprigg; James M. Middlcswart, Monroe ; Joseph McKee, Greene.

Li the earlier days of the settlements here wild beasts and game of all kinds fairly swarmed through the forests. It was a perfect paradise for hunters and daring spirits who delighted in wild, dangerous adventures. Wolves and bears were often caught in traps. Gen. Samuel Wright, one of the pioneers, was a man of stout frame, and a great hunter. He, one .morning; found a wolf caught in a trap. This animal, for some reason, he desired to take home alive. In cogitating upon some way to do it, he approached too near to it, and was attacked, by it. With a tremendous blow of bis -powerful list, be knocked the beast down. Where there is a will, however, there is a way. The general, by getting poles over the wolf'.* neck, pinioned him down, and with cords, tied his legs and mouth. Mr. Wright was on horseback, and the next thing was to get the wolf on the horse. To do this, he found a tree blown out by the roots, that bad not fallen quite flat, but remained at something of an angle. To this tree he pulled his wolf, and placed it far enough up the log to be on a level with bis horse's back, then lie mounted his horse, road him up beside the log, pulled the wolf on before him and carried it home alive. This occurred on the farm now owned by Mr. Ilarsha. It was carried about one and a half miles. Mr. Wright on another occasion, attacked an old bear with two cubs, and single handed, with an axe killed them all.

J. II. B. Criswell. - James Criswell, father of J. II. B. Crisamir. Sarah Alhcrtinc, William Mclutirc, Minllia Belle, John well, was bo^n in Hartford county, Maryland, April 16th, 1791. Carcx. L-pic Jane, Andrew Elvas, Adolltu George. Three of | In the year 1818, he, with his two brothers and one sister, emigrated to Ohio, and Nell led in Adams county, one and a half mile- N. E. of Unity, in what is now Oliver township, mi the properl.i now owned by W. C. Dunn and George Freeland. On Ihe llih of March, 1819, he married Isabella Edgar, daughter of .limns Edgar, of York county, Pennsylvania, lie raised a family of live children, four of whom grow lo years of maturity, and are yet living. Mary, William, J. H. I>. and Eliza E. Mary '^married David Clark ; William and Eliza E. arc yet single. J. II. B. Criswell, the fourth child, was born in Oliver (then Wayne) township, in 1826, where lie grew to years of manhood, after which lie went to Pennsylvania., where he remained some fifteen years, when he returned lo Ohio, in 1866, and purchased the farm on which he now lives. On Hie 9lh of June., 1868, .he was married to Mi Elizabeth A. McCoiirlney, of York county, Pa., and settled dow n on the farm on which he now resides. This farm, wliie.h lie- mi the Grace's Run and Dunkinsville pike, about one and a Inlf miles east of Unity, has been put in a good state of cultivation Mr; Criswell, who has improved and beautified it by good Dili ings, where be now lives, surrounded by the comforts of L Mr. Criswell was the first lo introduce Sulphur Phosphate of I i * into Adams county, as a fertilizer, in 1807 on corn. In 1872 first tried (lie experiment on wheat, by using two hundred and fifty barrels to the acre, on eight acres, in a field of fifteen, whh-h was attended with satisfactory results, he continued Ids experiments some time before many others would venture to try it, but now the use of these fertilizers lias become general all over tin* county, no less than five hundred tons being shipped to Winchester alone $n 1879.

Source changes here: from History of Adams County, Ohio, by Evans, Nelson W, published 1900; 1,871 words in this source stream.

Oodnty Affairs

This township lies in the north central portion of the county and was organized from territory taken off Wayne, Scott and Tiffin, March 8, 1853. It is one of the two inland townships of the county, and its figure is that of an irregular oval. It was named in honor of John Oliver, a highly respected citizen, who was at the time a member of the Board of County Commissioners.

John Clark, who settled on the old Clark farm west of the present village of Harshaville in 1805, ^s said to be one of the first settlers of the township. Samuel Wright settled in 1806 where Harshaville now stands, and Robert Finley located on the Nathaniel Patton farm in the same year. James Hemphill settled near the mouth of George's Creek about the same date and operated a small mill and a still-house where a good quality of whiskey was made. The celebrated "Whiskey road'' was cut from New Market to Hemphill's, as is told in the chapter on Roads and Highways in this volume.

DuNKiNSViLLE, near the mouth of Lick Fork on the West Union and Peebles turnpike, is the oldest village in the township. It was laid out December 14, 1841. Postoffice same name.

Harshaville is a little hamlet grown up about the celebrated Harsha Flouring Mills on Cherry Fork in the northwestern portion of the township. The postoffice was established June 30, 1864, with George A. Patton postmaster. ,

Unity is a hamlet on the Harshaville and Dunkinsville pike near the center of the township. The name of the postoffice is Wheat, formerly Wheat Ridge, and was established in January, 1851, William B. Brown, postmaster.

The U. P. Church at Unity was organized at the house of George Clark in 1846. The church building, a frame, was erected in 1847. '^he present frame edifice is a very comfortable building.

Lick Fork Baptist Church was organized in 1840. The first building was a log structure which stood on the site of the present framebuilding which was erected in 1857.

Near the little hamlet of Unity, there resided in 1855, William H. Senter and Nancy, his wife, a daughter of Aaron Roebuck, in a little round-log cabin on the farm now owned by the widow of William Davis.

In the autumn of that year, Clinton Dixon, of Brown County, a relative of the Senters, introduced to them Alexander Milligan, a native of England, who had lived, so he said, several years in Pennsylvania prior to his coming to Ohio. "He had been employed as a farm laborer by Dixon for some months, and at this time said he desired to purchase a small farm, such as Dixon represented the Senter premises to be, and which had been offered for sale. This was about the first of November, and while at Senter's, Milligan bargained for the farm in the sum of $1,000 to be paid on the first day of December following, when the deed was to be delivered to him. The contract for the sale of the farm was drawn up by Willam B. Brown, then a merchant at Unity, and it was witnessed by him and Dixon.

It was agreed that Milligan should take with the farm the live stock, farming implements, and of the household goods and utensils such as would be necessary for his use in keeping a rude sort of "bachelor's hall ;" and that he should be permitted to make his home with the Senters until he could make some collections due him to comply with the terms of the agreement for the sale of the farm.

During his stay with the Senter family, Mlligan familiarized himself with the farm and its surroundings, formed acquaintances in the community, and took a part in the social and friendly gatherings, such as choppings and huskings, occurring in the neighborhood. It is said of him that he was of rather pleasing personality. He is described as being of good stature, fair complexioned with blue eyes, sociable, but quiet in his manners, with a broad Yorkshire accent in his speech, and seemingly intelligent in the ordinary affairs of life. He was at this time about twenty-five years of age, and had borne among the people with whom he had been associated in Brown County for the year and a half prior to his coming to Senter's, the reputation of being a quiet, hardworking young man. Nothing of his former life was ever learned excepting what has already been stated.

The fact of the sale of Senter's farm and chattels to Milligan soon became noised over the neighborhood, and George A. Patton, then a merchant in Harshaville, whom Senter owed a sum of money, upon inquiry was told by Senter that the report of the sale was correct, and that on the first of December he would settle his account with him when he received the cash for his farm.

Within a few days following this conversation with Senter, Patton learned that Seinter and his wife had gone from the neighborhood without informing their relatives and friends of their intentions to leave. Accordingly, Patton, somewhat annoyed about his claim, rode over to Senter's place to make inquiry concerning the rumor of their departure. He found no one at the Senter residence but Milligan who said Senter and his wife had gone away without making him a deed for the farm; but, that he expected them to return the next day, December first, to comply with their agreement, as he had been to Ironton to collect his money and was ready now to make the payment for the farm and chattels.

Mr. Patton returned to the Senter residence the next day and foimd Aaron Roebuck and wife, parents of Mrs. Senter, there whom Milligan informed that Senter and his wife had gone "out among their friends some days before" and had not yet returned.

Two days later Patton went to West Union to take legal advice about his claim. Learning that Milligan had been to Squire William Stevenson's, of Monroe Township, a few days prior, he, on the next day, December fourth, went there and learned that Milligan had been to Stevenson's and had represented himself as William Senter, and had had a deed written for his farm to Alexander Milligan. On the next day Patton again went to the Senter home and saw Milligan, who informed him that Senter and wife had returned with the deed, that he paid them the purchase money, after which they again went away to visit some friends up the river. On being requested to produce the deed, Milligan said he had lodged it with James B. McClellan, and after much persuasion went there with Patton and others, when it was discovered that the alleged deed had not been acknowledged, Squire Stevenson having refused to certify the acknowledgment until Mrs. Senter came before him as he afterwards stated at the trial of Milligan for murder.

Strange as it seems, Patton, Brown, and McClelland all of whom Senter owed money, and whose claims Milligan agreed to secure, came to West Union that day with Milligan, where he gave notes and mortgages to the amount of $250 on the farm to secure the several amounts owed them by Senter. But when Brown returned to his home in Unity that night he found his shop and store crowded with people of the neighborhood who demanded that Milligan be put under arrest for murder. A. J. Roebuck, a brother-in-law of Senter, was sent for, but he refused to make the affidavit until Brown brought Patton who related the facts in the case to Roebuck as he knew them. Squire J. C. Milligan, of Oliver Township, was then aroused from his slumbers, and the affidavit was made and a warrant was issued to old Johnny Moore, the constable, to arrest Milligan on a charge of murder. Milligan was found eating his breakfast and refused to go with the officers until he finished his meal. By this time; a search of the premises was begtm. Blood spots on the pillows and bed-clothing in the cabin were discovered. Then, some bloody clothing was found in some wheat barrels in the smokehouse. And finally the bodies of the murdered couple were discovered buried under some logs and brush in the spring branch below the cabin. They had been killed with an ax while asleep in bed, and then dragged to the spring branch, their hair being matted with blood, burrs and leaves.

Upon closer inspection, the poll of the ax yet had traces of blood on it, and bits of hair from the heads of the murdered pair, and there were marks on the joists of the cabin over the bed where the blade of the ax had struck when uplifted to crush the skulls of the victims. Yet in face of all this, Milligan declared his innocence of the murder, even when taken into the room where the deed had been committed and placed before the bodies of his victims with their ghastly wounds exposed to his view.

He had committed this horrible crime on Sunday night the twentysixth of November, and had slept in the bed in which he had murdered Senter and his wife, every night until their bodies were discovered on the sixth of December. And he had, in the meantime, entertained visitors at the cabin, and one young man, William Johnson, had stayed all night with him on December fourth.

Milligan was indicted for murder in first degree and was tried before Judge S. F. Norris and a jury in November, 1856. He was defended by James H. Thompson, J. R. Cockerill, Thomas McCauslen, and J. M. Wells. The attorneys for the state were J. W. McFerren, Joseph Mc- Cormick and T. J. Mullen. The trial consumed a week and after a day and night's deliberation the jury returned a verdict of murder in the second degree. Milligan was sentenced to the penitentiar}' for life where he died in a few years after his confinement.

The following named persons constituted the Trial Jury : George W. McGinn, Daniel Kenyon, Starling Robinson, Michael Roush, Simofi Dunn, James Abbott, Samuel Phillips, James Vandegrift, John Scott« John Plummer, James Middleswart, and Joseph McKee.

While in the jail at West Union, Milligan attempted to escape October 22, 1856. As the jailor opened the door of the cell in which he was confined, he rushed out past him, made his way through the house, got into the street, and was making off as fast as possible. The jailor pursued him, and after running a few rods, Milligan fell and he was secured and returned to the jail. He had been hobbled, but had cut his irons b two near one leg, and had fastened the long end of the chain up so as to enable him to run, but this came down and he tripped and fell. John Cochran was sheriff at that time.

While Milligan was being tried for murder, "Old Bill" Terry, a negro who had outraged Mrs. Morrison, of Manchester, was taken from the jail by a mob from that town, and hanged on the lower island. Sec Manchester Township.