Pike Township

Pike Township

This township, establislied June 7tli, 1819, was named after General Pike. The first election was held the 26th of June, at the house of Michael Harter.

The entire voters in 1822 numbered nineteen. Their names we give : John Arnold, Robert Kennedy, Jacob Swails, Thomas Elwell, Wm. Wright, Aaron Wilson, John Scoles, Wm. Smith, Philip Armentrout, Benj. Austin, John Butler, Wm. Spry, Erancis Popham, David Holloway, Thomas Scoles, John Gordon, Andrew Scoles, Cyrus Mc- Donald, and George Scoles. In 1820, John Arnold listed the taxable property, and received $5 therefor. Amity was laid out in 1832, and contains about 150 inhabitants, among them wagon makers, Adam Cole, John Scarborough ; tanners, John ^yrick, George McClurg ; shoemakers, John Cain, George Nyrick ; tavern keeper, ^ewel Dowds. There are two stores. The post-office is called " Democracy." There are three churches : Baptist, Bev. Arnold, Pastor ; Methodist, Bev. Ball ; and Deciple. The j)hysicians are E. Mast and W. E. Edwards.

The brothers Bartholomew and John Bartlett, natives of Conncc^ticnt, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Knox county in ISOS, and were the heads of numerous families of Bartlett in Knox and Morrow. The sons of Bartholomew were William, David, Hugh, and Leonard ; and the daugliters were Martha, wife of J. 0. Irvine, of ]\It. Yernon ; Polly, wife of Samuel ^Js^ye ; Betsy, wife of Winn Winsliip, and Mrs. Jacob Cooper, deceased. Ed- Avin, son of William, lives on the old home place in Morris township; William Bartlett, carpenter in Mt. Yernon, is one of the sons of David ; bis other son, Simeon, lives in the west. Hugh's children were William E., George, Lafayette, Taylor, and Mary, Mrs. Shurr of Ohesterville. Leonard's (diildren were John, George, who married Ellen (/oopcr, Helen, Preston, Elizabeth, Josephine. John, sr.'s, children were Abner, and Mary, Mrs. John Eicliards, who is dead. Abner's chiUlren are T. M. Bartlett, of Mt. Yernon, Sarah, wife of Bobert Maxwell in Morrow county, John D., of Wayne, Abner, Joel, Abel, Maria, wife of John Barber, Mary, Mrs. Eredericks, Loruma, wife of Alvin Oasson, all of Morrow connty. Of Mro. Mary Richards' children, but one child - David, at Sparta - lives in this State ; the others are in Yeruiont. When the old settlers came to Knox they settled in Clinton and Morris. The Cains - Elias and James - were early settlers. James now lives in Holmes county ; Elias and his brother Bobert yet in this township. The Armstrongs, Johnsons and Kirkpatricks aj^o citizens of many years. Conrad

Doub, a native of Erankfort on the Rliine, came to tliis county in 1832. He is a good farmer ; has seven boys living, two of whom are in Oo. H, 23d Regt. - Conrad and Lewis. John Mahaffey has since 1833 been a citizen of this township. He came from Washington county, Pa., learnt the blacksmith trade with his brother Joe, in Mt. Yernon, and has for many years carried on business in this township.

Howard Toavnship

In the general reorganization of March 9th, 1825, this township was formed. The land is generally rolling and well watered by Owl Creek and the Jelloways, which aiford considerable water power. The Kinderhook Mills, in the days of Elliott, Warden & Co., did a fine business, and the village of Kinderhook was quite a noted place.

The Porters emigrated from Maryland in 1816 ; Thomas J. died in his 83d year. Of his nine children, the living are Henry T., who married Eliza Ann Hedington, Samuel, Michael, Harriet, wife of Hiram Oritchfield. Old 'Squire Porter was an honest and intelligent man, who was highly esteemed by all who knew him. Por nine years he served his neighbors as a justice, and died universally lamented. Dr. Lewis R. is residing in Clinton township, much respected for his intelligence and worth.

The name of Critchfield has been common in this and the adjoining townships, and will continue so. Nathaniel, William, Joseph, John and Isaac, five brothers, emigrated from the neighborhood of Cumberland, Md., to Owl Creek in 1806. Isaac died shortly after. The others had been soldiers in the Revolutionary War, and drew pensions until their death. Nathaniel married Christina Welker ; he died about 1837, and she in July, 1840. They had thirteen children, of whom the following have been generally known, viz : William, Susannah, wife of Jacob Lepley, Joseph, Catharine, wife of Peris Sprague, Jesse, Sally, wife of Jacob Lybarger, Benjamin, Mary, wife of Meshac Oasteel, and Isaac, who died. Wm. Critchfield, Sr., died in 1848. His second wife, who was the Widow Barcus, survives. Their children were - Reuben, Samuel, Betsy Thatcher, Drusilla Thomas, Keziah Magers, Sally Critchfield, and James and Benjamin Barcus. Joseph Critchfield married Peggy Sapp ; he died in 1843. Of their nine children, we have the following memoranda : Mary was the second wife of Col. John Greer ; Elizabeth married Robert Waddle ; Catharine, George Lybarger ; Phoebe, Wm. Beckwith ; Alvin and William are in Indiana ; Isaac in Hardin county ; John in Mt. Holly; Joseph died in Indiana.

William, son of Nathaniel, married Elizabeth Troutman, of Somerset co,. Pa., and begat 13 children. Charles, Reuben, Sam., Hiram, Enoch, who married Maria Dixon ; Jesse, Mary Horton; Dr. S. T., Mary Porter, of Allegheny co., Md. ; William Jackson is dead ; Lucinda married Lewis Lybarger; Matilda married John Cassel ; Delilah married Dr. Mast, and Catharine is at home. Hiram and Jesse are dead.

From the loins of these old soldiers have sprung a numerous tribe of athletic and hardy j)eople. The old set were good marksmen, industrious husbandmen, thorough going yeomen, who endured great liardsliips and perils in tlie *' times tliat tried men's souls," and left to their hundreds of descendants the light of good example, and a just pride in their well spent lives.

Uriah Tracy, Marvin Tracy, James Logue, Jas. Wade, Paul Welker, Ben. Ellis, Philip, George, jr., and Isaac Dial were of the first settlers. George Lybarger, sr., George, jr., and Andrew, were among the first voters in this township. Ludwick Lybarger and his sons - Sam., George, Lewis, Joseph and Jacob, have long been residents. "Old uncle George" moved west many years ago, and is now dead ; he was a kind-hearted man of the pioneer stamp.

The Dawsons and McParlands, from Washington CO., Pa., have resided in this township since 1835, and have been excellent citizens. Henry Eckenrode, a native of Adams co., Pa., settled in this township in 1833, and has helped people it. John Hull has been here since 1820. Here, too, have lived a numerous family of Durbins, the Trolingers. Horns, Whites, Kicholses, Marlows, I\Iillers, Magerses, Berrys, and other most excellent people.