Paris Township

Paris Township

To tho southeast lies Paris Township. In accordance with a petition presented by Rudolph Bair, it was incorporated on tho first of April, 1818, and tbo first election was held on tho lUh of April, in tho town of Paris. Tho surface along the Black Creek to the west of tho division is comparatively level ; to tbo south- Ward bills rise lo greet tbe vision in constant succession, and they are rich in their store of mineral wealth, requiring only ibc construction of an already surveyed railroad lo develop and market their enormous deposits. The proposed railroad passes through tbo villages of Paris and Robertsville, and may yet waken ibcir dormant energies. Tho grade is easy ; the gauge is narrow ; estimated oost per mile, eight thousand dollars.

In crop' the hills and valleys allernalc according to tbo season. Near Paris, a large orchard of eight years' growth attracts attention, planted by Jacob Qcrwig, Black and Sandy Creeks drain the lands. On road croHsings guide-boards are universally found, - a favorable indication.

The first settler on Ihe Clear Fork (to distinguish it from tho Muddy) of tho Sandy River was Mr. Rinehart, from " Old Pittsburg," PonnFylvania, who arrived about the year 1814, camped on the bank east of Minerva, olcnred a smoll patch, and built bis rude cabin-home. John 'Wbilaore, a minister, coming in on December 10, 1819, moved upon land upon which a part of the town of Minerva

In tbe spriug of 1820 a saw- and flouring-mill, with tbe necessary and lucrotiva addition of a distillery, was built by John Wbilacre, and was long known ob the Whilacro Mills.

The lending religious aect boro tho name of Bible Christians, and created a strong feeling on sacred subjeels during the year 1822. Revival meetings were held at dilTcrenl houses, and, during tbo summer, in the woods.

Tho town of Minerva was laid out in tbo winter of 1333-34 by John Pool and John Whitocro. Pool was tho first guardian and deliverer of mail matter. Tbo town has a newspaper and railroad cnmmunieation with tho outside world. Bonnet Perdue, in 1634, built a house and enlortniucd travelers. Robartsville was laid out by Joseph Robard, a Frenchman, in 1840, who bought tbe land from Samuel Roads, one of the early peaeo-guardians. Of its first tavern, Samuel Young was proprietor. There were no schools until the establishment of free schools in 1827. New Franklin, in the northeast part of Iho township, was platted by John Unkcfer, about 1830. This man erected a brick house and initiated himself in the present obsolete business of tavorn-kccping (it is all hotels now), and gave a | Duoleus to the town. To Ifae northwest of tbo township wo como lo Paris, whoso ! first store keeper was Robert Alexander. First resident physician, Robert Eslep. 1 First justice in tho lownsbip, Doniol Phillips. Daniel Bair put up ono of tho | earliest grist-mills, and Peter Oyster, in a little hut, made it his business to dress | Guoh hides as were intrusted to him, and so finds a name as Iho first tanner in tho township. Jacob Weuti, Bossermau, and SponBcllcr were early settlers in tho northwest part of the township ; Neidig settled in the southwest about 1803, and Heuning came in 1800 and settled wilh his family in the western pari. The old settlers arc gone; their doaoeudants have indiCTeront recoUeetion, and tbo town- | ship records ore wanting prior lo 1840. Tho lownsbip clerk is engaged in teach- | ing, at aro tho clerks of other townships. Churchea, sobool-houaes, public-houses, ' stores, and doctors' offices aro indicative of an ability and disposition to provide | for human wants, spiritual and temporal. j

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. i John Mecse with \iU family came west in 18011, and settled about ono mile cast \ of Mount Union, in the midit of an unbroken forest. Ellis N. Johnson came the same year from Penusyivauia to Ibis neighborhood, to enter government land, I

In 1823 Ezekiel Marsh and John Buvnl made a small clearing in the northeast part of the township. No roads were as yet laid out. The nearest road was four miles south of Mount Union, connecting Canton and New Lisbon. A wood path led to a grist-inill at Lexington, five miles north, and a road was brushed and blar.ed to Salem.

April 14, 1824, Ellis N. Johnson moved into his new log house, erected where his briek now stands on the hiU. This was tho first family that moved into the present corporate limits of Mount Union. Kiehard and Amoa Fawcelt and J. Sharpless owned tho lands cornering in Ihc town. Job Johnson built a hewed log house in 1330 for a dwelling-house and store. During this year a post-office was granted, and Johpson was appointed postmaster. Tho town of Mount Union was named from its high position, and at first rejoiced in tho cognomen of ^obsviiio.

The first mail-carrier was James Vaughn, a Harrisburg shoemaker. He made bis Irip between his vilbigo and Salem weekly, cullcating and dislributing as bo went. He went on foot through Ihickols and clearings.

In 1331 the first road through Mount Union was made. In 1S33, tho road known as Portage Street in town was worked. Then, men gave ono day in the week to roods ; now, two days in a year.

In 1334 Johnson kept store, tavern, doctor's office, and post-office in his bouse. Enoch Shrovcs looked after tbo office. Maltbias Hester was nest store-keeper. Tavern-keepers wero in demand, and C. Black and Z. Bolton bought out Hester, and the store became a tavern. In 1836 Hilton auccoeded them. Groat six-horse canvas-covered wagons now came through, loaded Wilh dry goods and grooerios for tbe towns and villages beyond.

13411 is memorable in tbo annals of the township for Robert Hilton's temperance meeting. Ho burned his stock of whisky and the notes ho hold against parties for liquor, and kept ii Icmperancc tavern.

In 1840, Washington had a population of ono thousand three hundred and eighty-nine. It has eleven school districts. Tho Pittsburg, Fort Wayne it Chicago Railroad cropscs the lownsbip on tho northwest. Maximo Post-OfBco is on tho rood. Frcehurgh Post-OOico is a hamlut in the south. Tho country is well watered with creeks and has fine springs in tho oast, which aro said lo never fail.