Richland Township (part 5 of 5)

JESSE B. WILLIAMS (deceased) was born October 24, 1837, in Hamilton County, Ohio, son of Jesse and Mary Williams, who were among the early settlers of Hamilton County. He was reared on a farm, and received the rudiments of education in a district school. When twenty-one years of age, he married Miss Ann Maria Carroll, daughter of Stephen and Rebecca Carroll. To them have been born two children, viz., Alonzo M. and Harriet A. In 1848, he removed to a farm located about a mile south of Bloomington ; lived thereon one year, and removed to a farm belonging to the Telfair estate, where he lived about three years, at the expiration of which time the war of the rebellion broke out. He enlisted in the Seventy-ninth (Company D), Ohio Volunteer Infantry in August, 1862 ; was mustered into the service at Camp Dennison. From there his regiment was called away to Kentucky, where he was taken quite ill, and was obliged to be taken into the hospital, at Louisville, Ky., where he remained a few weeks, and subsequently was sent home, where he remained a few months, when lie was again called to duty, and was sent to Nashville, where his regiment at that time was stationed, but owing to his ill health, the greater part of the time, he was allowed to do hospital duty in Nashville Hospital. He remained here till he returned homo, in September 25, 1865 ; lived about six years after his return from the war, and died March 27, 1871. He was a kind and loving father and indulgent husband, and respected by all who knew him.

Source changes here: from The History of Clinton County, Ohio : Containing a History of the County; Its Townships, Cities, Towns ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio .., by Albert J. Brown (A.M.), published 1915; 6,817 words in this source stream.

Richland Township

Richland was one of the three original townships into which the county was divided by the commissioner* on April 0, 1K10, and was erected In words as follows: "Ordered, thnt all that port of Clinton county east of the old boundary line of Warren county shall be oue township known by the name of Richland." This was the preliminary act. but the township was not surveyed nor Its boundaries described until August 10, 1813, at which time the original boundaries were fixed as follow: "Beginning at large hickory at the corner of Green township. In the line of Union township, thence running with the line of Green township, to the southerly comer of the county and at the corner of Fayette county, thence north with the county line to the northeast corner, thence west with the county line to the original line of Warren county, thence south with said original line of Union township, thence with the line of Union township to the place of beginning." The township originally comprised all of that teritory now Included in Wilson, Wayne and Green, in addition to Its present territory, also parts of Liberty, Union and Clark.

Changes In Area

The township has been cut down four times. The first was on August 21. 1S1JI. when a part of the township was cut off from the west side to form Union and Green townships: on July 15. 1S17. another part was taken from the same side to form Liberty : the third change came on March 4. 1837. when a part was taken to form Wayne township: and the last change enme in August. 1850, when Wilson township was formed. The township, as It now exists, is of nn Irregular shape, being in Its longest part, east and west, about eight miles long, by four miles wide, and containing twentyone thousand two hundred and ten and seventy-two hundredths acres of land.

Richland township is situated in the extreme northeastern corner of the county and its boundaries are as follow: On the north by Wilson township and Fayette county; on the east by Fayette county: on the south by Wayne township, and on the west by Wilson and Union townships. It Is not definitely known from whence the name was derived, but It Is supimsed and rnther well warranted, thnt it was so named on account of the rich soil of the territory originally comprised within its border.

Nati'Rai. Tea Tubes

The township has good drainage through the waters of Lee's creek in the sonth and Rattlesnake creek in the northeast corner. As tributaries to this latter creek and serving as an excellent drain for the eastern part, are Palmer's branch. Wilson's branch and Grassy branch, and the western part is drained by Anderson's and Todd's fork.

On almost a due line with the old Urbana road, extending through the full width of the township, from north to sonth. Is a water shed. This shed has nn elevation of about one hundred feet and divides the wnters of the Scioto from those of the Miami, the streams of the east running into the Scioto, through Rattlesnake creek and Its tributaries, while those of the west flow Into the Miami river. Anderson's fork, runulng north-northeast empties into Caesar's creek in the extreme northwest corner of the county, at New Knrlinglnn. and a branch of Todd's fork drains the western limit of the township.

kind, although the grade in the eastern part Is about six feet to the mile, ascending to the table lands or water shed. The slope on the western side Is much less. The land Is somewhat rolling between Anderson's fork and the water shed, bat resumes the level appearance from Anderson's fork to the western side of the township. This township Is blessed with a lack of waste land; there are no swamp* bogs or land under water; no broken, billy country, and no stone lands, and. In fact, no unrJllable lands Even the beds of the streams are so narrow that they occupy a very small acreage of the land as compared with those In adjoining counties.

Soil

Richland township, in the beginning of the nineteenth century, was little better than a huge swamp of bog. Timber covered the ground with such a heavy growth that the fallen limber, leaves and undergrowth were unable to dry out and lay in u hnlfdecayed mass of several Inches in depth. The earth wns wet and almost covered with pools of standing water and the rays of the sun were prevented from penetrating the thick foliage and reaching the sodden earth. This made It undesirable on the part of the early settlers, who preferred locating on more elevated louds, free from water, and It is not hard to see why this township was slow In beginning Its growth. But with the clearing of this land and the Introduction of droin tile, this has become one of the banner townships of the county.

The soil of Richland township Is of a rich, alluvial formation and Is based on a clayey subsoil. In some places this has a stratum of stone underlying It at a depth of from four to six feet. An example of this underlying stone Is the bed of Anderson's fork. It is composed entirely of this stone, a stratum of which underlies the creek, extending about a mile from the stream on the west side and about a hundred yards from it on the east. This is a limestone formation and belongs to the group called Clinton, which is found quite extensively throughout the county. This limestone is used for building purposes and macadamised road material; it also produces a very good grade of lime, which, although the color Is not pure white. Is just as good for building purposes as the whiter grade. The land of the township Is particularly well adapted to the raising of corn and grass, but until recently it has not been as profitable for cereals as other townships of the county. However, with the Improved system of drainage and the Introduction of drain tile, It Is rapidly moving to the front in the raising of all farm products.

The timber of the township covered a wide variety and quality. Some of the timber grew to a great size and was used in the manufacture of different products. Kim and maple grew in great abundance in the lower lands and clearly Indicated the richness of the soil on which they grew. The burr oak and sugar tree grew In great profusion on the higher lands and. in fact, in all parts of the township. Other trees of a wide and varied variety peculiar to this locality could be found.. The black walnut and blue ash was used by the settlers to make rails from and today would be of great value if still standing. There was also a great growth of underbrush and vines through which a passage could only be cut with great difficulty and labor.

The whole of this township is In what Is known as the Virginia military district. This is composed of surveys entered by holders of military warrants, which were Issued, by the government for payment to the Revolutionary warriors who were not regularly enrolled In the army, but were a sort of militia. The government at that time did not have money to pay their soldiers for their services and In consequence would issue them tracts of land as payment. The following is a list of the entries and surveys made in this township:

Entry No. 550, August 4. 1787. Richard C. Anderson and Mayo Carrlngton, four thousand acres of land on military warrant No. 808. Surveyed March 3, 1794, by John O'Bannon, district surveyor. '

Entry No. 698, August 8, 1787. Jonathan dark, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 172. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 4, 1794.

Entry No. 729. August 8. 1787. John Tench, assignee, one thousand two hundred acres of land, a part of military warrant No. 2,377. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 4, 1794.

Entry No. 730. August 8, 1787. Lieut. Nathaniel Anderson, one thousand acres of land, n part of military warrant No. 2,235. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 4, 1794.

Entry No. 732, August 8, 1787. Capt. William Lindsay, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 1.199. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 8, 1794.

Entry No. 738. August 8, 1787. Capt. Nathaniel Burwell, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 2,133. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 8, 1794.

Entry No. 763. August 8, 1787. Lleut.-Col. Presley Neville, one thousand four hundred acres of land, a part of military warrant No. 18. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 8. 1794.

Entry No. 766. August s, 1787. Lleut.-Col. Presley Neville, one thousand four hundred acres of land, part of military warrant No. 18. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 10, 1794.

Entry No. 837. August 9, 17S7. Lleut.-Col. Presley Neville, one thousand four hundred acres of land east of bis entry No. 766. but withdrew the entry and on May 7, 1784, he entered one thousand four hundred acres, part of military warrant No. 18. Sun-eyed by John O'Bannon. June 15, 1794.

Entry No. 854. -August 10. 1787. Lleut.-Col. Thomas Posey, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 240. Surveyed by John O'Bannon. March 22. 1794.

Entry No. 855, August 10. 1787. Capt. Thomas Pemherton. one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 398. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 19, 1794. Four hundred acres of this entry was withdrawn and entered In survey 274.

Entry N°- August 10, 1787. Lieut. William Whltaker, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 2.121. Surveyed hy John O'Bannon. March 21, 1794.

Entry No. 891. August 10, 1787. Capt. Joseph Scott, Jr., one thousand acres of land, part of military survey No. 1.887. Surveyed by John O'Bannon. March 17. 1794.

Entry No. 900. August 10. 1787. Lleut.-Col. Edwanl Carrlngton. one thousand five hundred acres of land, part of military warrant No. 1.792. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, April 5, 1794.

Entry No. 932. August 11. 1787. James Gait, heir, one thousand acres of land, on military warrant No. 194. Surveyed by John O'Bannon. March 18, 1794.

Entry No. 1.061, August 13. 1787. Oen. Daniel Morgan, two thousand five hundred acres of land, on military warrant No. 19. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, April 1, 1794.

Entry No. 1.449, August 18. 1787. Col Edward Carrlngton, one thousand Ave hundred ares of land, which was withdrawn, and on March 13. 1794. he entered one thousand two hundred acres on military warrant No. 1.792. Surveyed by John O'Bannon. March 29. 1794.

Entry No. 6,298, July 17. 1809. Thomas Bagwell and Agnes Lingo, representatives of Thomas Lingo, deceased, three hundred and nine acres of land on two military warrants. Bagwell, two hundred acres on No. 5,579, and Mrs. Lingo, one hundred and nine acres on part of 5.589. Surveyed by John Galloway. Jr., July 20, 1809.

Owing to the fact that the early titles were very imperfect on the lands derived by the settlers, the early settlement of this township was greatly retarded. In quite a number of cases the settlers would purchase tracts of land, of varying extent, and, after clearing it and making improvements, would And that the seller had no title. In consequence, they would have to pay for the land a second time, or engage iu a useless lawsuit, which would invariably result iu a judgment in favor of the new claimant. People were, therefore, afraid to buy, and preferred taking the land direct from the government in regularly surveyed townships.

Eablt 8K.Ttlehs

The honor which Is always due the first settler or settlers In a new community can not Ite definitely placed in the instance of Richland township. Who the tlrst settler of this township was. has long been n matter of doubt and the honor will have to he divided. It Is the general belief among the older Inhabitants of this township that the first home was established in what Is now called the Heed settlement. This was one of the three distinct settlements which was made In this county in the beginning. The Heed settlement was located on the Wimlington and Washington pike; the second was the Upper Prairie settlement, along Anderson's fork, and the third was the Palmer settlement. In the Tench survey.

If we are right In order of settlement, then the honor is due Absalom and Samuel RcinI. as they were the founders of the Reed settlement. They emigrated from Bourbon county. Kentucky, with their families. In ISifl. jiiiiI settled on land iu the Lindsay survey. At the time when the Reed brothers settled here the celebrated Indian chief. I.ogan. with his band, is sjiid to have been occupying this land. They were joined by their brother. Cyrus, who luid passed through the War of 1*12. coming here in 1*19. The next year. 1*«U. saw the second settlements by Thomas Stett. David Reed and Samuel Reed. Alt of these settlers were of Irish descent and were related, as Mr. Stett had married a sister of the Reeds. All of these settlers look up land, and being sturdy, industrious men. contributed greatly to the early growth of the township. Thomas llardwick was the next settler, coming to this comity In lSlW-Ofl. Mr. IlardwieW built the first horse-mill in the township, lie was a respectable, honest, hardworking frontiersman. Kzekiel Spurgeon settled in Richland township in ISO*. Other and later settlers who contributed to the early growth of the township are. Levi Arnold, who came Into t lie township shortly after ISO": William Cue. who took out one hundred acres of land In the Tench survey and settled here In 1*10: William Hurris. who came to this township previous to 1*12: James Cnllahcr. who settled here In 1*10; David Oshorn. Richard Thornburg, Richard Mills. Michael Myers and Henry Myers, all of whom settled on Rattlesnake and Wilson branch, north of Sabina. prior to lsi.'i; Joshua White, who was one of the soldiers from New Jersey who helped to put down the insurrection in Pennsylvania: after his discharge, he settled In Pennsylvania and came to this township In 1*29; Joseph Roberds settled here in 1S1K and located on the Posey survey: Mrs. Catherine Jacks came to this township in 1*1*. but her husband had settled here in 1*10; John Jacks settled here In 1*1*. but was one of the unfortunate who lost his laud through defective titles; Mr. Jacks huilt n horse-mill in 1*25. which was well patronized by the early settlers: Francis Wining came luto the township iu 1M"»; Edward f'Xed") Crabb was In this township as early as 1*12 and was located in the Posey settlement. We close with this list, as the township was beginning to be pretty well settled by this time and the settlers experienced less difficulty nnd labor, on account of the drier condition of the ground and the convenience furnished by civilization. One more early settler should well bo

Tbe first road of any kind in tbe township was a trail, called tbe "Miami" or "Cbllllcotlie trace," which was a mere path cleared through the forest and is supposed to have been opened by tbe Indians. It extended from Cbillicothe, through Sablna and down Anderson's fork to Oldtown. The Kenton trace is another such road. The Urbana road was the first regulnrly established highway in the township. Other roads followed soon after and have been worked out In detail in another chapter.

Tbe schools of this township follow along the general lines similar to those of other townships of this comity. The log school house was the first seat of teaming. There were schools in this township as early as 1814. James Ferguson, an itinerant schoolmaster, was the first regular teacher in this section. He was followed by Bloointngdale, Daugherty. In 1S15. This school house was In the Riddle survey, about half a mile west of the "Burnt tavern." Another early school was conducted by a man named Pellnm. In 1K2JKM. A subscript Ion school was taught In the eastern part of the township In 181 7- IS. being conducted first by Thomas Powell, but It wns short lived. These, log school houses continued until the year 1X10. when a definite school system was innngu rated.

Among other Industries than those previously mentioned, was a distillery built by William Spurgcon, in It operated for about five years and wns then moved to the old '"Cherry lot." but It only operated oue year In Us new quarters. The first brick yard wns on ground which Is now within the corporation of Sablna. This was started In l.*»27, by William I-omnx. who furnished the brick for many of the first brick houses In the township. The day for the bricks was tramped out by oxen. The first stationary saw mill was built by .lames Spurgeon In 1S30. The first steam saw-mill was built by A. ('. Mills. In I>sil. The first steam grist or flonrlng-mlll was erected by Benjamin and James Jarolds, In Keesville. In IStil.

The following are the officers of Richland township for 101.1: Trustees, W. A. Kwing. Peter Yowrell and Clyde Haines; clerk. Frank L Johnson; treasurer, Herman (liilliiher. Population, two thousand six hundred and fifty-six.

The town of Sablna Is located !n the central eastern part of Richland township. It was platted by Warren Sabln in and the proprietor named It In his own honor. The land on which the town is situated is a part of survey 700 and wns originally entered by P. Neville. The plat of the town was recorded on December 0, 18SO, and contained thirty-seven lots, distributed along one main street. Howard, and one cross street, Washington. To the average iwrson of the present time the width of the lots and streets and alleys may appear confusing. The description of the town on the plat book In the recorder's office at Wilmington says that the lots and streets are so many "poles" wide, which. In language of today, means so many rods, a "pole" being equivalent to sixteen and a half feet.

It Is hardly necessary to state that the first building within the limits of the present town was a log structure. On the site of the town. Klishn Long built this first rude building many years before anyone thought of laying out a town. Kiljah Sabln built the first house In the town after it was laid out. In 1830. although it apiiears that he was really not the first actual settler. This honor goes to Andrew I^ove, who was also the first fKistmaswr and tavern keeper, a dual line of activity, which made him the most important man In the Infant village. Warren Sabin. the proprietor, and William

McMillan were tiie first store keepers. For a decade they bad alt the mercantile business to themselves, but In 1S41 they were compelled to share the trade of the community with Jacob Theobold, the third merchant in the village. Isaac Haines was probably the first blacksmith and, as may easily bo imagined, be found all be could do.

It is not possible to trace the growth of the town in detail during the eighty-fire years since it* enterprising proprietor first placed It on the map of Clinton county. With the coming of the railroad, in the fifties. It took on new life, and its natural location in a fine farming section, has insured It a steady growth from year to year since that time. It may not be amiss to note the nature of the business and professional life of the town thirty-five years ago. Speaking of that time, It is recorded that there were "three drygoods stores, three drag stores, two hardware stores, three clothing stores, nine groceries, one furnltore denier and undertaker, two saddleries, two grain dealers, two butchers, two tailor shops, three shop shops, two milliners, one bnker and confectioner, one wagonninker, one silversmith, three blacksmiths, two tin shops, two la ruber dealers, two mantun makers, two stock dealers, two painters, three plasterers, three brick makers, five brick masons, eleven carpenters, one barber shop, one tile factory, one coal dealer, one newspaper, one real estate agent, two Insurance agents, a telegraph and express office, one bank, two ministers, three lawyers, four doctors, two hotels, two milliner shops, a brass band of fifteen members - and three saloons."

In 1881 the town and township together built n large, two-story brick building, with a town hall In the second story and offices for the town and township officials on the first floor. The building also contains the village lock-up and the fire department. The fire department has a one-horse wagon, with ladders and all necessary equipment for a town of this size.

The finances of Sablna and the community are safely trusted to the careful management of the two banks. The First National, with a capitalization of fifty thousand dollars, has C. R. Ellis, president: Lewis Whltnery. cashier; William Snyder, teller, with Grant Martin. Tniston Waddle. Oliver Waddle. C. R. F.llis and A. N. nalnes. as directors. The Sablna Hank, organized in 187B. has won and held the confidence of the conservative people. E. A. Lewis Is president ; G. A. Pavey, vice-president, and W. R. Gallaber, cashier. This bank Is the home of the Building and Loan Company, a prosperous organization that for twenty-seven years has not foreclosed a mortgage and has been the agency of financial growth.

Two hotels furnish homes for the traveling public as well as the home people, who live nf these hostelries. The Haney hotel, near the railroad. Is equipped with modern conveniences. Arch Brown Is proprietor and B. Q. Brown, mnnager. The Rapp House needs no description of any kind. It has stood the test of time. For seventy years It has been the mecca for tired and hungry i>eople. Today It Is owned and managed hy three of the Rapp sisters, the Misses Agatha. Alice and Kate. The Key boarding house Is more private in Its appointments, yet lays covers for scores dally.

The mercantile establishments are representative of Ohio energy, and the merchants, to a man. endeavor to place honesty above gain. P. J. Curren. proprietor of the Old Home Ftore, has been Identified with Rabina's business perhaps as long and as satisfactorily as any of the present merchants. In the dry-goods and ready-to-wear clothes emporiums. E. A. Tlionihlll's is the longest established, having been here since 1806. In the various departments of this store one will find up-to-date goods rivaling city stores. Rice Brothers, with George Shack, of Columbus, as manager. Is a new firm, and the courteous treatment accorded each customer by the salespeople In this bnsy store Is drawing a large and deserved patronage. The Worthmore. with I^niis Goodman as manager. Is worth more than a half doeen stores run on the usual scale of villages. In Ort's department store, dry-goods, furniture, queensware, groceries and rugs are all disposed of to the satisfaction of the purchasers. The Spot Cash store and the National flve-and-ten-cent stores are both enterprising concerns. In the hardware line there are (our store*. Hargrove, near the railroad, has a full line of hardware and keeps men busy on the road all the year with the sale and delivery of Implement*. Smith Brothers, who have taken over the Pavey store, are more centrally located and are In the front rank with displayed goods. They also handle groceries.

Fred Dufau, since 1892, has served the people when they were In need of harness, leather goods and hardware. Recently, with no detriment to bis harness interests, be hna enlarged his hardware department and Is now showing a complete line. Charles Robins & Son have, in connection with their hardware, a tin shop and plumbing office. This industrious firm sells furnaces and bus installed many hot air, steam and hot water plants. H. C. Snoop A Company, successors to James B. Tener, have experienced workmen in their harness and saddlery departments. They also handle a line of trunks, suitcases and handbags.

In up-to-date garages, Sabina compares favorably with other towns In southern Ohio. The Auto Inn. E. R. Mills, proprietor, is so conveniently located that autos coming either direction on the state roads run In for a stop, whether or not they need repairs. The business of this garage has so Increased that It was necessary to build a new addition to be used for storage exclusively. The Sabina Motor Car Company, Harry Griffith & Sons, proprietors, also handle popular machines.

There are four flrst-clnss groceries, with a separate fruit store, owned by James Matthews. E. K. Beck and Ed Ferrill handle the trade from the northern end of the town, and Q. C. Martin and the Farmers grocery, each have stores of quality. In the Martin grocery can be found rare and costly china and cut glass. James Ruuiyan and the Sparks Jewelry Company both handle splendid goods and each guarantees their repair work.

Two liveries lend their assistance, when solicited, to add to the pleasure of the l>eople. Jaines Richards attracts trade, as be holds friends, by his Integrity. Frank Reynolds, next to the postoffiee, has, in addition to the usual country service, auto livery and is busy seven days out of the week. The Gasklus furniture store, with more than seven thousand square feet of floor space. Is the rival of city stores. It is due to the proprietor, nenry Tenellyn. whose upright business dealings have put this store in the front rank.

There are four drug stores, that of John Spurgeon's being, perhaps, the most widely known. G. W. Dunn and Darius Welch have clean, fresh drugs with able pharmacists, The Sabina Drug Company, C. C. Best-lshman, proprietor, Is an up-to-date store. It's the only place of the kind with an Ice crenm parlor in connection with the fountain and the only drug store in the county not holding an internal revenue license.

Three restaurants cater to the hungry man: Swlsshelm. In the Kennedy building; Webb's, with John Tewellyn. as the chef, and the Palace, where Sam Terry cooks and nerves meals. Hyer's bakery is sufficient reason for the housewives not baking their bread .mid cakes. Henry Adnro*. the poultry man, averages two thousand dosen eggs per day and about three thousand ponnds of poultT.v each week.

George Manmtsel and Christ Shoop have meat markets, and W. D. Rapp & Sou own and operate two grain elevators. They also have n coal yard. Stephen Thorne is the pioneer elevator man and wool buyer. Sam Moore, with his feed store, and J. I. Stover, with his feed and seed store, bandle only the best In their line.

Roy T. Curtis has, in connection with his hlg coal business, all supplies needed by builders. The two lumber firms also bandle coal. The Allen Lumber Company. R. W. Allen, manager, and the lumber yard of Samuel Plymlre are two of the substantial organizations of rhe town.

Hill k Curtis for years has been the firm name of the book store and news-stand. Often have members of the firm changed, the older giving plnce to the younger, but the flrui nauie and the Arm policy remain (be same. Johnson Brothers, tailors, bare a clientele of which any tailoring establishment might be proud. John K. Chance, the dry -cleaner, is kept busy and his shoe agency is making rapid sales. L\ K, Day. E. Ewlng, Charles Barnes, Betty I'ettlford and Bert Moou, a former Wilmington boy, have sanitary barber shops. J. E. Allmon and (Jeorge Erity look after the leather reptiirs. The insurauce interests are looked after by John Burris. Uallaher k Dnkln and Will Allen. Beautiful homes have beeu earned by each of the four village smithies and there are no men of higher repute than Messrs. Varo & Mout Dowden, James Maddox and Will Andrews.

Summer amusements are centered In the Airdrome ami the Pastime theater. The opera bouse, a township building, has a seating capacity of eight hundred and is a handsome addition to the town. It was built In 1804. at a cost of thirty thousand dollars, under the regime of John W. Moore. John 1*. Langdon and John J. Custis.

The town lacks not for the arts. Prof. H. C. Halle, a Sahiua boy, who studied under lending English musters lu art, conducts classes and gives private lessons in his beautifully apivointcd studio. During his seventeen years In Canada he received important public commission*: his mayoralty |>ortraits are now hanging in the Kingston municipal building. He gained reputable standing as au Ivory miniature painter and taught drawing in the government art schools of Canada. He has passed the Royal College of Music examinations, studying with Dr. James Dickinson. He also sang In St. Michael's cathedral for eight years. Mrs. Leola Brown-Haines has large classes In music, both vocal and instrumental.

While imth precincts defeated woman's suffrage, yet the voters take off their huts to their business women. Mrs. Winetta Thorpe Smith has been very successful as the manager of the telephone exchange. The Miller studio is being managed by Marie Colin, whose work Is pleasing to the people. Four millinery stores, owned and mauagt-d by the following ladies .speak well for the vanity of their sex : the New Idea, with Mrs. Heasley and Miss Williams, Dunn & Blakley. Rilla Hayties and Retry Henry.

Among the secret orders of the town are the Masons. Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, Rebekahs. Modern Woodmen and the Royal Neighbors. Besides a nunnVr of dubs, devoted to the furtherance of social affairs the town has the Thrice-Flve Club and the Ray View Club, two literary organizations.

Both Mr. Littleton and Mr. Bottomtleld are young men of sterling worth and capable funeral directors. Mr. Littleton has the only motor funeral car In the county. The Sablna cemetery is coni|»osed of twenty-live acres of naturally elevated ground and Is a beautiful place. Reuben Merriweather. the caretaker, whose ability for years was aided by his work in a green house, is an artist, ami the resting place for the dead Is a pleasant, pretty spot. There are already four mausoleums, with three more to be erected In the near future. The cemetery board Is composed of .1. C. Burnett. A. N. Dowden, J. B. Wilson. John McDanlel and John Mathew. The clerk of the board Is Howard Rams.

The Ideal Pump Company is putting out cistern pumps that are popular and deservedly so. This company also makes a fruit dryer. The Clinton Manufacturing Company, owned by O. A. West. Is one of the money-making concerns of the community. The big tile yard, owned by the Darbyshlres for a score of years. Is situated Just north of town and has now passed under the management of I'eter Darby shire, a graduate of the high school, class of 1015. Here drainage tile, ranging from four to ten inches. Is made and finds a ready market. Spurgeon Brothers, with their skilled cement work, have done much In the work of Improving- and beautifying the town.

The Custis Ice Cream factory runs throughout the year, and Clyde Custis. the young proprietor, is an artist in the bnslness of making plain and fancy creams and Ices. Daily he ships to Washington C. H., Wilmington. Bowersvllle and all the nearby towns.

Watek And Light Plakt

thousand dollars. At the time of Its inceptiou the present superintendent. O. T. Brown, was at the helui. At divers times changes have been made in the management, but again Mr. Brown is the su|>erintendent. Electric service costs only six cents a watt, as cheap as can be secured in the state. The plant is located in the eastern part of town and three acres of ground Is beautifully parked with flowers blooming to gladden the hearts of the many visitors. With a half dozen assistants, the superintendent leaves nothing undone. The service is secoud to none In the state and the water, which is brought from three drilled wells of one hundred seveuty-flve feet each, is chemically pure. This paying institution is managed by a board of public affairs, consisting of John Mathew, James Itunyan ami Charles Cost is, wltb CJeorge C. Barns as clerk. The clerk's office is in the city bull. ling, and here, again, the superintendent has shown evidence of his beautyloving nature by surrounding tbe building with flowers and plants and a well-kept lawu. Here. too. is tbe Woman's Christian Temperance I'nlon fountain, affording cool refreshment to the warm aud thirsty public.

Another of the larger concerns is the Swalm canning factory, owned by Charles W. Swalm, of Wilmington, mid managed by Hoy Barlow, who. for the past ten years, has been very suivossful at the head of the concern. Tills factory gives employment to one hundred and twenty people from August 10 to September 20, putting in the hands of the lalHirers al>out one thousand two hundred dollars |>er week. The usual output each season Is near one million cans of corn, and tbls year there has been installed another line of machinery, which will enable them to can |M»rk and Iteans. pumpkins, etc. Not only are the village people proud and pleased with the factory and the opportunity thus given them for labor and its resultant advantages, but the f tinners likewise are benefited. With an acreage of six hundred acres, on which tbe yield runs from twenty-flve to forty dollars per acre, the farmer is thus enabled to handle his money three months or more earlier than he would did he wait for the crop to mature.

The \rirK-Rttont. with James F. C.asklus. nil tor. and the Sabiim Trihunr. owjied and edited by Howard Barns, are both wide-awake, newsy pa|K>rs, with moral men l>ehi!id them.

Occasionally local men receive government appointments. Such was the eomnilsslou to T». Merrill (Jrittlth as consul to Santiago. Cuba; to M. I>. Barns, for district assessor, and recently the commission coming to Prof. W. H. Cole from Oovernor Willis, appointing him trustee to the Ohio Archaeology and Historical Association, a |»osltlou his learning qualifies him to All with honor.

The physical well-being of the community Is in the hands of skilled and learned physicians. In the profession are Doctors Craig. Fisher. West. Light tier. Cole and Stuntz. In dentistry there are Drs. W. A. Burnett and J. L. Parrott. Drs. K. C. Langdon and Herbert Armstrong are veterinarians.

The schools are In excellent condition. A commodious structure, well lighted, modernly heated and ventilated, insures comfort to the three hundred and fifty pupils. Beside the eighth grade teachers, the high school, with ninety-five pupils. Is under the care of Professor Hannuin. with three Instructors and a special teacher iti music. The coming year the incrense of pupils will necessitate the addition of another room in the high school and one more teacher is to he added to the already efficient corps. Outside pupils' tuition, under Professor Hannnm. amounts to one thousand per year.

denomination)*, the Friends, with John R. Nelson In charge ; First Methodist Episcopal, N. D. Stafford, pastor; Metnodlst Protestant, Dr. A. L. Reynolds ; Church of Christ and African Methodist Episcopal. These churches are all handsome edifices, and each denomination baa auxiliaries that are splendidly helping In all good cause*.

Uoh1C1Fal Histobt

On August 9, 1878, the corporate limits of the town were extended to meet the growing population. The Incorporation of the town dates from 1800, at which time Mr. Morris was appointed as the first mayor. He served about a month and then resigned, being succeeded by Jacob Theobold. Owing to the fact that the early records of the town are missing, it baa not been possible to secure a complete list of the mayors of the town, but the following list is practically complete: M. Morris, Jacob Theobold, John Brldwell. Jacob Lair, C. P. Gallaber. David Oiffln (died in office, 1881), W. H. Dakln, A. M. Griffith, J. L. Johnson, C. L. Galluber, Martin Kennedy, A N. Dowden, Will C. Dakiu. A. N. Dowden, George C. Barns and W. H. Dakln, the present Incumbent. The town council is now composed of Harry Ort (president), John Burterfleld. Teazle. William I'avey. Kyle Glass and W. H. Barlow. The other town officers are as follow: P. H. Sparks, clerk: Henry I^wellen, treasurer: B. F. Hartley, marshal; Dr. F. G. Lightuer, health officer.

The town of Iteesvtlle. originally known as Cross Roads, was platted by Moses Reese In the summer of 1857. the plat being recorded on July 11 of that year. The town plat originally consisted of twenty acres and "seventeen and seventy-five hundredths poles" of hind, divided Into twenty-five lots, lying along the railroad, with the I'rbnna highway running through It as a cross street. The town is located in Klchlund township, two and a htilf miles west of Sablna.

A ixtstolltce was established soon after the town was laid out, with J. E. Barr as the first postmaster. Jonathan and Henry Ruekers were the first merchants, having established a store here before the town was laid out. In 1857. Other early merchants were Samuel Reed. Baron Douglass. William Wilson and William Lyons. Christiau Rhonemus started a store In 1S&8 and members of this family were engaged in business in the town for many years. In 1WiK Robert Meridian, a tailor, established himself In his trade in the town, but evidently he did not stay long. No other man has ever ventured the establishment of a similar business. Alfred Bloone operated a grist-mill and Alexander Sellars a saw-mill for many years.

The town gradually grew in importance and, according to the census of 1880. was then a flourishing village of one hundred and fifty population. At that time the following enterprises were to he found : Four general stores, a drug store, two saloons, two blacksmith shops, one shoe shop, postofllce. depot, one church, and one school building. In 1915 the village Interests Include the following: Helromlnus & Son, general merchandise; John Weller. groceries; Auher Jenkins and Charles Klngery. barbers; A. A. George and Arnold Conklin. blacksmiths; Brlndlc A Ewing, elevator: E. T. Severs and James Crawford, carpenters and contractors; .1. A. Hatfield, paperhangers and painters; L. J. Stauhus &. Sons, plasterers.

The postoltice Is in the store of Helrouhnus & Son. and about seventy families now receive their mail at this office. The village enjoys six mails daily. The Methodist Protestants have the only church, the present pastor being Rev. John Mercer. A fine school building was erected In 1912 and four teachers are now employed. Two vans haul the children In from the surrounding commnnlty. The Junior Order of I'nited American Mechanics Is the only fraternal order in the village.

The villnge of Melvln is located on the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley railroad, in the extreme western part of Kichland township. It has never been platted. It came into existence after the railroad came through the township in 1883. Jacob Baker and Albert Haines opened the first store. Other merchants bare been George Howard, Philip Cahlll and Daniel Baker. It is essentially a shipping point for farm products, and the two elevators take care of several thousand dollars' worth of grain and live stock annually. There are now three stores in the village, operated by J. W. Channel, F. W. Shrack and

E. E. Howard, respectively. J. W. Channel also owns an elevator and deals largely in grain, wire fencing und posts, coal, etc. The firm of Ewing ft Custls operate the other elevator and also deal in grain, fencing materials, coal. etc.

The largest industry in the town Is the Melvin Tile and Brick Company, which was incorporated In 1009 and started business the same year. The principal stockholders are J. W. Channel, F. J. Pendry, Valentine Kaufman. C. E. Custls, Albert Custls, Gertrude Channel, Alexander Wilson and O. W. Wade. The capital stock of the company Is ten thousand dollars and the annual output of the factory averages five thousand dollars.

F. J. I'endry Is president of the company and J. W. Channel Is secretary-treasurer. J. W. and Gertrude Channel own ninety-three per cent, of the stock. C. E. Custls being the next largest stockholder. Walter Channel Is the general manager of the factory. Tile comprises most of the output, only a small amount of brick being manufactured. Just as this volume went to press. Information is received that the Melvin brick nnd tile plant was completely destroyed by Are on the night of August 9. 1915. The loss was fourteen thousand dollars, with insurance of only two thousand dollars.

The postmaster Is F. W. Shrack. who is also the station agent for the Pennsylvania. Henry Denies Is the Baltimore ft Ohio a (tent. The village blacksmith Is James Wright, while John Ford is the only carpenter. The population is in the neighborhood of seventy-five.

Source changes here: from History of Clinton County Ohio, by Albert J. Brown, published 1915; 6,841 words in this source stream.

Richland Township

Richland was one of the three original townships into which the county was divided by the commissioners on April 6, 1810, and was erected in words as follows: "Ordered, that all that part of Clinton county east of the old boundary line of Warren county shall be one township known by the name of Richland." This was the preliminary act, but the township was not surveyed nor its boundaries described until August 10, 1813, at which time the original boundaries were fixed as follow: "Beginning at large Hickory at the corner of Green township, in the line of Union township, thence running with the line of Green township, to the southerly corner of the county and at the corner of Fayette county, thence north with the county line to the northeast corner, thence west with the county line to the original line of Warren county, thence south with said original line of Union township, thence with the line of Union township to the place of beginning." The township originally comprised all of that teritory now included in Wilson, Wayne and Green, in addition to its present territory, also parts of Liberty, Union and Clark.

Changes In Area

The township has been cut down four times. The first was on August 21, 1813, when a part of the township was cut otf from the west side to form Union and Green townships: on July 15, 1817, another part was taken from the same side to form Liberty; the third change came on March 4, 1837, when a part was taken to form Wayne township; and the last change came in August, 1850, when Wilson township was formed. The township, as it now exists, is of an irregular shape, being in its longest part. east and west, about eight miles long, by four miles wide, and containing twentyone thousand two hundred and ten and seventy-two hundredths acres of land.

Richland township is situated in the extreme northeastern corner of the county and its boundaries are as follow: On the north by Wilson towuship and Fayette county ; on the east by Fayette county; on the south by Wayne township, and on the west by Wilson and Union townships. It is not definitely known from whence the name was derived. but it is supposed and rather well warranted, that it was so named on account of the rich soil of the territory originally comprised within its border.

Natural Features

The township has good drainage through the waters of Lee's creek in the south and Rattlesnake creek in the northeast corner. As tributaries to this latter creek and serving as an excellent drain for the eastern part, are Palmer's branch. Wilson's branch and Grassy branch. and the western part is drained hy Anderson's and Todd's fork.

On almost a due line with the old Urbana road, extending through the full width of the township. from north to south, is a water shed. This shed has an elevation of about one hundred feet and divides the waters of the Scioto from those of the Miami, the streams of the east running into the Scioto. through Rattlesnake creek and its tributaries. while those of the west flow into the Miami river. Anderson's fork, running north-northeast empties into Caesar's creek in the extreme northwest corner of the county. at New Burlington. and a branch of Todd's fork drains the western limit of the kind, although the grade in the eastern part is about six feet to the mile, ascending to the table lands or water shed. The slope on the western side is much less. The land is somewhat rolling between Anderson's fork and the water shed, but resumes the level appearance from Anderson's fork to the western side of the township. This township is blessed with a lack of waste land; there are no swamps, bogs or land under water; no broken, hilly country, and no stone lands, and, in fact, no untillable lands. Even the beds of the streams are so narrow that they occupy a very small acreage of the land as compared with those in adjoining counties.

Soil

Richland township, in the beginning of the nineteenth century, was little better than a huge swamp of bog. Timber covered the ground with such a heavy growth that the fallen timber, leaves and undergrowth were unable to dry out and lay in a halfdecayed mass of several inches in depth. The earth was wet and almost covered with pools of standing water and the rays of the sun were prevented from penetrating the thick foliage and reaching the sodden earth. This made it undesirable on the part of the early settlers, who preferred locating on more elevated lands, free from water, and it is not hard to see why this township was slow in beginning its growth. But with the clearing of this land and the introduction of drain tile, this has become one of the banner townships of the county.

The soil of Richland township is of a rich, alluvial formation and is based on a clayey subsoil. In some places thjs has a stratum of stone underlying it at a depth of from four to six feet. An example of this underlying stone is the bed of Anderson's fork. It is composed entirely of this stone, a stratum of which underlies the creek, extending about a mile from the stream on the west side and about a hundred yards from it on the east. This is a limestone formation and belongs to the group called Clinton, which is found quite extensively throughout the county. This limestone is used for building purposes and macadamized road material; it also produces a very good grade of lime, which, although the color is not pure white, is just as good for building purposes as the whiter grade. The land of the township is particularly well adapted to the raising of corn and grass, but until recently it has not been as profitable for cereals as other townships of the county. However, with the improved system of drainage and the introduction of drain tile, it is rapidly moving to the front in the raising of all farm products.

Timber

The timber of the township covered a wide variety and quality. Some of the timber grew to a great size and was used in the manufacture of different products. Elm and maple grew in great abundance in the lower lands and clearly indicated the richness of. the soil on which they grew. The burr oak and sugar tree grew in great profusion on the higher lands and, in fact, in all parts of the township. Other trees of a wide and varied variety peculiar to this locality could be found. The black walnut and blue ash was used by the settlers to make rails from and today would be of great value if still standing. There was also a great growth of underbrush and vines through which a passage could only be cut with great difficulty and labor.

Land Entries

The whole of this township is in what is known as the Virginia military district. This is composed of surveys entered by holders of military warrants, which were issued, by the government for payment to the Revolutionary warriors who were not regularly enrolled in the army, but were a sort of militia. The government at that time did not have money to pay their soldiers for their services and in consequence would issue them tracts of land as payment. The following is a list of the entries and surveys made in this township:

Entry No. 550, August 4, 1787. Richard C. Anderson and Mayo Carrington, four thousand acres of land on military warrant No. 856. Surveyed March 3, 1794, by John O'Bannon, district surveyor.

- Entry No. 698, August 8, 1787. Jonathan Clark, one thousand acres of land, part of inilitary warrant No. 172. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 4, 1794.

Entry No. 729, August 8, 1787. John Tench, assignee, one thousand two hundred acres of land, a part of military warrant No. 2,377. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 4, 1794.

Entry No. 730, August 8, 1787. Lieut. Nathaniel Anderson, one thousand acres of land, a part of military warrant No. 2,235. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 4, 1794.

Entry No. 732, August 8, 1787. Capt. William Lindsay, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 1,199. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 8, 1794.

Entry No. 738, August 8, 1787. Capt. Nathaniel Burwell, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 2,133. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 8, 1794.

Entry No. 763, August 8, 1787. ITieut.-Col. Presley Neville, one thousand four hundred acres of land, a part of military warrant No. 18. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 8, 1794.

Entry No. 766, August 8, 1787. Lieut.-Col. Presley Neville, one thousand four hundred acres of land, part of military warrant No. 18. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 10, 1794.

Entry No. 837, August 9, 1787. Lieut.-Col. Presley Neville, one thousand four hundred acres of land east of his entry No. 766, but withdrew the entry and on May 7, 1784, he entered one thousand four hundred acres, part of military warrant No. 18. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, June 15, 1794.

Entry No. 854, August 10, 1787. Lieut.-Col. Thomas Posey, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 240. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 22, 1794.

Entry No. 855, August 10. 1787. Capt. Thomas Pemberton, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 398. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 19, 1794. Four hundred acres of this entry was withdrawn and entered in survey 274.

Entry No. 895, August 10, 1787. Lieut. William Whitaker, one thousand acres of land, part of military warrant No. 2,121. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 21, 1794.

Entry No. 891, August 10, 1787. Capt. Joseph Scott, Jr., one thousand acres of land, part of military survey No. 1.887. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 17, 1794.

Entry No. 900, August 10, 1787. Lieut,-Col. Fdward- Carrington, one thousand five hundred acres of land, part of military warrant No. 1,792. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, April 5, 1794.

Entry No. 932, August 11, 1787. James Galt, heir, one thousand acres of land, on military warrant No. 194. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 18, 1794.

Entry No. 1,061, August 13, 1787. Gen. Daniel Morgan, two thousand five hundred acres of land, on military warrant No. 19. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, April 1, 1794.

Entry No. 1,449, August 18, 1787. Col Edward Carrington, one thousand five hundred ares of land. which was withdrawn, and on March 13, 1794, he entered one thousand two hundred acres on military warrant No. 1,792. Surveyed by John O'Bannon, March 29, 1794.

Entry No. 6,298, July 17, 1809. Thomas Bagwell and Agnes Lingo, representatives of Thomas Lingo, deceased, three hundred and nine acres of land on two military warrants, Bagwell, two hundred acres on No. 5,579, and Mrs. Lingo, one hundred and nine acres on part of 5,589. Surveyed by John Galloway, Jr., July 20, 1809.

In addition to these surveys, there are, jutting into the township. small corners of T. Bland's entry. No. 885, Lieut. John Jameson's entry, No. 907, and Capt. William Lindsay's entry No. 963.

Owing to the fact that the early titles were very imperfect on the lands derived by the settlers, the early settlement of this township was greatly retarded. In quite a number of cases the settlers would purchase tracts of land, of varying extent, and, after clearing it and making improvements, would find that the seller had no title. In consequence, they would have to pay for the land a second time, or engage in a useless lawsuit. which would invariably result in a judgment in favor of the new elaimant. People were, therefore, afraid to buy, and preferred taking the land direct from the government in regularly surveyed townships.

Early Settlers

The honor which is always due the first settler or settlers in a new community can not be definitely placed in the instance of Richland township. Who the first settler of this township was, has long been a matter of doubt and the honor will have to be divided. It is the general belief among the older inhabitants of this township that the first home was established in what is now called the Reed settlement. This was one of the three distinct settlements which was made in this county in the beginning. The Reed settlement was located on the Wimlington and Washington pike: the second was the Upper Prairie settlement, along Anderson's fork, and the third was the Palmer settlement. in the Tench survey.

Tf we are right in order'of settlement, then the honor is due Absalom and Samuel Reed. as they were the founders of the Reed settlement. They emigrated from Bourbon county, Kentucky. with their families. in 18603. and settled on Jand in the Lindsay survey. At the time when the Reed brothers settled here the celebrated Indian chief. Logan. with his band. is said to have been occupying this land. They were joined by their brother, Cyrus. who had passed through the War of 1812. coming here in 1819. The next year, 1804, saw the second settlements by Thomas Stett. David Reed and Samuel Reed. All of these settlers were of Irish descent and were related. as Mr. Stett had married a sister of the Reeds. All of these settlers took up land, and being sturdy. industrious men, contributed greatly to the early growth of the township. Thomas Hardwick was the next settler, coming to this county in 1805-06. Mr. Hardwick built the first horse-mill in the township. He was a respectable, honest, hardworking frontiersman. lizekiel Spurgeon settled in Richland township in 1808S. Other and later settlers who contributed to the early growth of the township are, Levi Arnold, who came into the township shortly after 1807; William Cue, who took out one hundred acres of land in the Tench suryey and settled here in 1810; William Burris, who came to this township previous to 1812: James Gallaher, who settled here in 1810; David Osborn, Richard Thornburg, Richard Mills, Michael Myers and Henry Myers, all of whom settled on Rattlesnake and Wilson branch, north of Sabina, prior to 1818; Joshua White. who was one of the soldiers from New Jersey who helped to put down the insurrection in Pennsylvania: after his discharge, he settled in Pennsylvania and came to this township in 1829; Joseph Roberds settled here in 1818 and located on the Posey survey; Mrs. Catherine Jacks came to this township in 1818, but her husband had settled here in 1810; John Jacks settled here in 1818, but was one of the unfortunate who lost his land through defective titles; Mr. Jacks built a horse-mill in 1825, which was well patronized by the early settlers: Francis Wining came into the township in 1815; Edward ("Ned") Crabb was in this township as early as 1812 and was located in the Posey settlement. We close with this list, as the township was beginning to be pretty well settled by this time and the settlers experienced less difficulty and labor, on account of the drier condition of the ground and the convenience furnished by civilization. One more early settler should well be

The first road of any kind in the township was a trail, called the "Miami" or "Chillicothe trace," which was a mere path cleared through the forest and is supposed to have been opened by the Indians. It extended from Chillicothe, through Sabina and down Anderson's fork to Oldtown. The Kenton trace is another such road. The Urbana road was the first regularly established highway in the township. Other roads followed soon after and have been worked out in detail in another chapter.

The schools of this township follow along the general lines similar to those of other townships of this county. The log school house was the first seat of learning. There were schools in this township as early as 1814. James Ferguson, an itinerant school, master, was the first regular teacher in this section. He was followed by Bloomingdale Daugherty, in 1815. This school house was in the Biddle survey. about half a mile west of the "Burnt tavern." Another early school was ecnducted by a man named Pellum. in 1820-21. A subscription school was taught in the eastern part of the township in 1817-18, being conducted first by Thomas Powell. but it was short lived. These log school houses continued until the year 1880, when a definite school system was inaugurated.

Early Industries

Among other industries than those previously mentioned. was a distillery built by. William Spurgeon, in 1822. It operated for about five years and was then moved to the old "Cherry lot." but it only operated one year in its new quarters. The first brick yard was on ground which is now within the corporation of Sabina. This was started in 1827, by William Lomax, who furnished the brick for many of the first brick houses in the township. The clay for the bricks was tramped out by oxen. The first stationary saw-mill was built by James Spurgeon in 1836. The first steam saw-mill was built by A. C. Mills, in 1851. "The first steam grist or flouring-mill was erected by Benjamin and James Jarolds, in Reesville, in 1861.

The following are the officers of Richland township for 1915: Trustees, W. A. Ewing, Peter Yowreil and Clyde Haines; clerk, Frank LL. Johnson; treasurer, Herman Gallaher. Population, two thousand six hundred and fifty-six.

Sabina

The town of Sabina is located in the central eastern part of Richland township. It was platted by Warren Sabin in 1830 and the proprietor named it in his own honor. The land on which the town is situated is a part of survey 766 and was originally entered by P. Neville. The plat of the town was recorded on December 6, 1830, and contained thirty-seven lots, distributed along one main street, Howard, and one cross street, Washington. To the average person of the present time the width of the lots and streets and alleys: may appear confusing. The description of the town on the plat book in the recorder's office at Wilmington says that the lots and streets are so many "poles" wide, which, in language of today, means so many rods, a "pole" being equivalent to sixteen and a half feet.

It is hardly necessary to state that the first building within the limits of the present town was a log structure. On the site of the town, Elisha Long built this first rude building many years before anyone theught of laying out a town. Elijah Sabin built the first house in the town after it was laid out, in 1830. although it appears that he was really not the first actual settler. This honor goes to Andrew Love, who was also the first postmaster and tavern keeper, a dual line of activity, which made him the most important' man in the infant village. Warren Sabin, the proprietor, and William

McMillan were the first store keepers. For a decade they had all the mercantile business to themselves, but in 1841 they were compelled to share the trade of the community with Jacob Theobold, the third merchant in the village. Isaac Haines was probably the first blacksmith and, as may easily be imagined, he found all he could do.

It is not possible to trace the growth of the town in detail during the eighty-five years since its enterprising proprietor first placed it on the map of Clinton county. With the coming of the railroad, in the fifties, it took on new life, and its natural location in a fine farming section, has insured it a steady growth from year to year since that time. It may not be amiss to note the nature of the business and professional life of the town thirty-five years ago. Speaking of that time, it is recorded that there were "three drygoods stores, three drug stores, two hardware stores, three clothing stores, nine groceries, one furniture dealer and undertaker, two saddleries, two grain dealers, two butchers, two tailor shops, three shoe shops, two milliners, one baker and confectioner, one wagonmaker, one silversmith, three blacksmiths, two tin shops, two lumber dealers, two mantua makers, two stock dealers, two painters, three plasterers, three brick makers, five brick masons, eleven carpenters, one barber shop, one tile factory, one coal dealer, one newspaper, one real estate agent, two insurance agents, a telegraph and express office, one bank, two ministers, three lawyers, four doctors, two hotels, two milliner shops, a brass band of fifteen members - and three saloons."

In 1881 the town and township together built a large, two-story brick building, with a town hall in the second story and offices for the town and township officials on the first floor. The building also contains the village lock-up and the fire department. The fire department has a one-horse wagon, with ladders and all necessary equipment for a town of this size.

The finances of Sabina and the community are safely trusted to the careful management of the two banks. The First National, with a capitalization of fifty thousand dollars, has C. R. Ellis, president; Lewis Whitnery, cashier; William Snyder, teller, with Grant Martin, Truston Waddle, Oliver Waddle, C. R. Ellis and A. N. Haines, as directors. The Sabina Bank, organized in 1875, has won and held the confidence of the conservative people. EK. A. Lewis is president; G. A. Pavey, vice-president, and W. B. Gallaher, cashier. This bank is the home of the Building and Loan Company, a prosperous organization that for twenty-seven years has not foreclosed a mortgage and has been the agency of financial growth.

Two hotels furnish homes for the traveling public as well as the home people,, who live at these hostelries. The Haney hotel, near the railroad, is equipped with modern conveniences. Arch Brown is proprietor and B. Q. Brown, manager. The Rapp House needs no description of any kind. It has stood the test of time. For seventy years it has been the mecca for tired and hungry people. Today it is owned and managed by three of the Rapp sisters, the Misses Agatha, Alice and Kate. The Key boarding house is more private in its appointments, yet lays covers for scores daily.

The mercantile establishments are representative of Ohio energy, and the merchants, to a man, endeavor to place honesty above gain. P. J. Curren, proprietor of the Old Home store, has been identified with Sabina's business perhaps as long and as satisfactorily as any of the present merchants. In the dry-goods and ready-to-wear clothes emporiums. BH. A. Thornhill's is the longest established, having been here since 1896. In the various departments of this store one will find up-to-date goods rivaling city stores. Rice Brothers, with George Shack, of Columbus, as manager, is a new firm, and the courteous treatment accorded each customer by the salespeople in this busy store is drawing a large and deserved patronage. The Worthmore, with Louis Goodman as manager, is worth more than a half dozen stores run on the usual scale of villages. In Ort's department store, dry-goods, furniture, queensware, groceries and rugs are all disposed of to the satisfaction of the purchasers. The Spot Cash store and the National five-and-ten-cent stores are both enterprising concerns. In the hardware line there are four stores. Hargrave, near the railroad, has a full line of hardware and keeps men busy on the road all the year with the sale and delivery of implements. Smith Brothers, who have taken over the Pavey store, are more centrally located.and are in the front rank with displayed goods. They also handle groceries.

Fred Dufau, since 1892, has served the people when they were in need of harness, leather goods and hardware. Recently, with no detriment to his harness interests, he has enlarged his hardware department and is now showing a complete line. Charles Robins & Son have, in connection with their hardware, a tin shop and plumbing office. This industrious firm sells furnaces and has installed many hot air, steam and hot water plants. H. C. Shoop & Company, successors to James B. Tener, have experienced workmen in their harness and saddlery departments. They also handle a line of trunks, suitcases and handbags.

In up-to-date garages, Sabina compares favorably with other towns in southern Ohio. The Auto Inn, BE. R. Mills, proprietor, is so conveniently located that autos coming either direction on the state roads run in for a stop, whether or not they need repairs. The business of this garage has so increased that it was necessary to build a new addition to be used for storage exclusively. The Sabina Motor Car Company, Harry Griffith & Sons, proprietors, also handle popular machines.

There are four first-class groceries, with a separate fruit store, owned by James Matthews. HE. E. Beck and Ed Perrill handle the trade from the northern end of the town, and Q. C. Martin and the Farmers grocery, each have stores of quality. In the Martin grocery can be found rare and costly china and cut glass) James Rumyan and the Sparks Jewelry Company both handle splendid goods and each guarantees their repair work.

Two liveries lend their assistance, when solicited, to add to the pleasure of the people. James Richards attracts trade, as he holds friends, by his integrity. Frank Reynolds, next to the postoffice, has, in addition to the usual country service, auto livery and is busy seven days out of the week. The Gaskins furniture store, with more than seven thousand square feet of floor space, is the rival of city stores. It is due to the proprietor, Henry Tenellyn, whose upright business dealings have put this store in the front rank. P

There are four drug stores, that of John Spurgeon's being, perhaps, the most widely known. G. W. Dunn and Darius Welch have clean, fresh drugs with able pharmacists. The Sabina Drug Company, C. C. Best-Ishman, proprietor, is an up-to-date store. It's the only place of the kind with an ice cream parlor in connection with the fountain and the only drug store in the county not holding an internal revenue license.

Three restaurants cater to the hungry man: Swisshelm, in the Kennedy building; Webb's, with John Tewellyn, as the chef, and the Palace, where Sam Terry cooks and serves meals. Hyer's bakery is sufficient reason for the housewives not baking their bread and cakes. Henry Adams, the poultry man, averages two thousand dozen eggs per day and about three thousand pounds of poultry each week.

George Manmisel and Christ Shoop have meat markets, and W. D. Rapp & Son own and operate two grain elevators. They also have a coal yard. Stephen Thorne is the pioneer elevator man and wool buyer. Sam Moore, with his feed store, and J. I. Stover, with his feed and seed store, handle only the best in their line.

Roy T. Curtis has, in connection with his big coal business, all supplies needed by builders. The two lumber firms also handle coal. The Allen Lumber Company, R. W. Allen, manager, and the lumber yard of Samuel Piymire are two of the substantial organizations of the tewn.

Hill & Curtis for years has been the firm name of the book store and news-stand. Often have members of the firm changed, the older giving place to the younger, but the firm name and the firm policy remain the same. Johnson Brothers, tailors, have. a clientele of which any tailoring establishment might be proud. John R. Chance, the dry-cleaner, is kept-busy and his shoe agency is making rapid sales. .U. R.« Day, .E. Ewing, Charles Barnes, Betty Pettiford and Bert Moon, a former Wilmington boy, have sanitary barber shops. J. E. Allmon and George Frity look after the leather repairs. The insurance interests are looked after by John Burris, Gallaher & Dakin and Will Allen. Beautiful homes have been earned by each of the four village smithies and there are no men of higher repute than Messrs. Varo & Mont, Dowden, James Maddox and Will Andrews.

Summer amusements are centered in the Airdrome and the Pastime theater. The opera house, a township building, has a seating capacity of eight hundred and is a handsome addition to the town. It was built in 1894, at a cost of thirty thousand doHars, under the regime of John W. Moore, John P. Langdon and John J. Custis.

The town lacks not for the arts. Prof. H. C. Halle, a Sabina boy, who studied under leading .English masters in art, conducts classes and gives private lessons in his beautifully appointed studio. During his seventeen years in Canada he received important public commissions; his mayoralty portraits are now hanging in the Kingston municipal building. He gained reputable standing as an iyory miniature painter and taught drawing in the government art schools of Canada. He has passed the Royal College of Music examinations, studying with Dr. James Dickinson. He also sang in St. Michael's cathedral for eight years. Mrs. Leola Brown-Haines has large classes in music, both vocal and instrumental.

While both precincts defeated woman's suffrage, yet the voters take off their hats to their business women. Mrs. Winetta Thorpe-Smith has been very successful as the manager of the telephone exchange. The Miller studio is being managed by Marie Cohn, whose work is pleasing to the people. Four millinery stores. owned and managed by the following ladies speak well for the vanity of their sex: the New Idea, with Mrs. Heasley and Miss Williams, Dunn & Blakley, Rilla Haynes and Betty Henry.

Among the secret orders of the town are the Masons, Eastern Star, Odd Fellows, Rebekahs, Modern Woodmen and the Royal Neighbors. Besides a number of clubs, devoted to the furtherance of social affairs the town has the Thrice-Five Club and the Bay View Club, two literary organizations.

Both Mr. Littleton and Mr. Bottomfield are young men of sterling worth and capable funeral directors. Mr. Littleton has the only motor funeral car in the county. The Sabina cemetery is composed of twenty-five acres of naturally elevated ground and is a beautiful place. Reuben Merriweather, the caretaker, whose ability for years was aided by his work in a green house, is an artist, and the resting place for the dead is a pleasant, pretty spot. There are already four mausoleums, with three more to be erected in the near future. The cemetery board is composed of J. C. Burnett, A. N. Dowden, J. B. Wilson, John McDaniel and John Mathew. The clerk of the board is Howard Barns.

The Ideal Pump Company is putting out cistern pumps that are popular and deservedly so. This company also makes a fruit dryer. The Clinton Manufacturing Sompany, owned by O. A. West, is one of the money-making concerns of the community. The big tile yard, owned by the Darbyshires for a score of years, is situated just north of town and has now passed under the management of Peter Darbyshire, a graduate of the high school, class of 1915. Here drainage tile, ranging from four to ten inches, is made and finds a ready market. Spurgeon Brothers, with their skilled cement work, have done much in the work of improving and beautifying the town.

The Custis Ice Cream factory runs throughout the year, and Clyde Custis. the young proprietor, is an artist in the business of making plain and fancy creams and ices. Daily he ships to Washington C. H., Wilmington, Bowersville and all the nearby towns.

Water And Light Plant

In 1898 the municipal water and light: plant was installed, at a cost of thirty-five thousand dollars. At the time of its inception the present' superintendent, O. T. Brown, was at the helm. At divers times changes have been made in the management, but again Mr. Brown is the superintendent. -Electric service costs only six cents a watt, as cheap as can be secured in the state. The plant is located in the eastern part of town and three acres of ground is beautifully parked with flowers blooming to gladden the hearts ef the many visitors. With a half dozen assistants, the superintendent leaves nothing undone. The service is second to none in the state and the water, which is brought from three drilled wells of one hundred seventy-five feet each, is chemically pure. This paying institution is managed by a board of public affairs, consisting of John Mathew, James Runyan and Charles Custis, with George C. Barns as clerk. The clerk's office is in the city building, and here, again, the superintendent has shown evidence of his beauty- Joving nature by surrounding the building with flowers and plants and a well-kept lawn. Here, too, is the Woman's Christian Temperance Union fountain, affording cool refreshment to the warm and thirsty public.

Another of the larger concerns is the Swaim canning factory, owned by Charles W. Swaim, of Wilmington, and managed by Hoy Barlow, who, for the past ten years, has been very successful at the head of the concern. This factory gives employment to one hundred and twenty people from August 10 to September 20, putting in the hands of the laborers about one thousand two hundred dollars per week. The usual output each season is near one million cans of corn, and this year there has been installed another line of machinery, which will enable them to can pork and beans, pumpkins, ete. Not only are the village people proud and pleased with the factory and the opportunity thus given them for labor and its resultant advantages, but the farmers likewise are benefited. With an acreage of six hundred acres, on which the yield runs from twenty-five to forty dollars per acre, the farmer is thus enabled to handle his money three months or more earlier than he would did he wait for the crop to mature.

The News-Record. with James F. Gaskins, editor, and the Sabina T'ribune, owned and edited by Howard Barns, are both wide-awake, newsy papers, with moral men behind them.

Occasionally local men receive government appointments. Such was the commission to P. Merrill Griffith as consul to Santiago. Cuba; to M. D. Barns, for district assessor, and recently the commission coming to Prof. W. H. Cole from Governor Willis, appointing him trustee to the Ohio Archaeolegy and Historical Association, a position his learning qualifies him to fill with honor.

The physical well-being of the community is in the hands of skilled and learned physicians. In the profession dre Doctors Craig, Fisher, West, Lightner, Cole and Stuntz. In dentistry there are Drs. W. A. Burnett and J. lL. Parrott. Drs. E. C. Langdon and Herbert Armstrong are veterinarians.

Schools And Churches

The schools are in excellent condition. A commodious structure, well lighted, modernly heated and ventilated. insures comfort to the three hundred and fifty pupils. 3eside the eighth grade teachers. the high school, with ninety-five pupils, is under the care of Professor Hannum, with three instructors and a special teacher in music. The coming year the increase of pupils will necessitate the addition of another room in the high school and one more teacher is to be added to the already efficient corps. Outside pupils' tuition. under Professor Hannum, amounts to one thousand per year.

denominations, the Friends, with John R. Nelson in charge; First Methodist Episcopal, N. D. Stafford, pastor; Methodist Protestant, Dr. A. L. Reynolds; Church ~é Christ and African Methodist Episcopal. These churches are all handsome ecices, and each denomination has auxiliaries that are splendidly helping in all good, causes.

Municipal History

On August 9, 1873, the corporate limits of the town were extended to meet the growing population. The incorporation of the town dates from 1850, at which time Mr. Morris was appointed as the first mayor. He served about a month and then resigned, being succeeded by Jacob Theobold. Owing to the fact that the early records of the town are missing, it has not been possible to secure a complete list of the mayors of the town, but the following list is practically complete: M. Morris, Jacob Theobold, John Bridwell, Jacob Lair, C. P. Gallaher, David Giffin (died in office, 1881), W. H. Dakin, A. M. Griffith, J. L. Johnson, C. L. Gallaher, Martin Kennedy, A. N. Dowden, Will C. Dakin, A. N. Dowden, George C. Barns and W.'H. Dakin, the present incumbent. The town council is now composed of Harry Ort (president), John Butterfield, Yeazle, William Pavey, Kyle Glass and W. H. Barlow. ,The other town officers are as follow: P. H. Sparks, clerk; Henry Lewellen, treasurer; B. F. Hartley, marshal; Dr. F. G. Lightner, health officer.

The town of Reesville, originally known as Cross Roads, was platted by Moses Reese in the summer of 1857, the plat being recorded on July 11 of that year. The town plat originally consisted of twenty acres and "seventeen and seventy-five hundredths poles" of land, divided into twenty-five lots, lying along the railroad, with the Urbana highway running through it as a cross street. The town is located in Richland township, two and a half miles west of Sabina.

A postoffice was established soon after the town was laid out, with J. E. Barr as the first postmaster. Jonathan and Henry Ruckers were the first merchants, having established a store here before the town was laid out, in 1857. Other early merchants were Samuel Reed, Baron Douglass, William Wilson and William Lyons. Christian Rhonemus started a store in 1858 and members of this family were engaged in business in the town for many years. In 1858 Robert McClellan, a tailor, established himself in his trade in the town, but evidently he did not stay long. No other man has ever ventured the establishment of a similar business. Alfred Bloone operated a grist-mill and Alexander Sellars a saw-mill for many years.

The town gradually grew in importance and, according to the census of 1880, was then a flourishing village of one hundred and fifty population. At that time the following enterprises were to be found: Four general stores, a drug-store, two saloons, two blacksmith shops, one shoe shop, postoffice, depot, one church, and one school building. In 1915 the village interests include the following: Heirominus & Son, general merchandise; John Weller, groceries; Auber Jenkins and Charles Kingery, barbers; A. A. George and Arnold Conklin, blacksmiths; Brindle & Ewing, elevator; E. T. Severs and James Crawford, carpenters and contractors; J. A. Hatfield, paperhangers and painters; L. J. Staubus & Sons, plasterers.

The postoffice is in the store of Heironimus & Son, and about seventy families now receive their mail at this office. The village enjoys six mails daily. The Methodist Protestants haye the only church, the present pastor being Rev. John Mercer. A fine school building was erected in 1912 and four teachers are now employed. Two vans haul the children in from the surrounding community. The Junior Order of United American Mechanics is the only fraternal order in the village.

The village of Melvin is located on the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley railroad, in the extreme western part of Richland township. It has never been platted. It came into existence after the railroad came through the township in 1883. Jacob Baker and Albert Haines opened the first store. Other merchants have been George Howard, Philip Cahill and Daniel Baker. It is essentially a shipping point for farm products, and the two elevators take care of several thousand dollars' worth of grain and live stock annually. There are now three stores in the village, operated by J. W. Channel, F. W. Shrack and EK. E. Howard, respectively. J. W. Channel also owns an elevator and deals largely in grain, wire fencing and posts, coal, etc. The firm of Ewing & Custis operate the other elevator and also deal in grain, fencing materials, coal, etc.

The largest industry in the town is the Melvin Tile and Brick Company, which was incorporated in 1909 and started business the same year. The principal stockholders are J. W. Channel, F. J. Pendry, Valentine Kaufman, C. E. Custis, Albert Custis, Gertrude Channel, Alexander Wilson and G. W. Wade. The capital stock of the company is ten thousand dollars and the annual output of the factory averages five thousand dollars. F. J. Pendry is president of the company and J. W. Channel is secretary-treasurer. J. W. and Gertrude Channel own ninety-three per cent. of the stock, C. E. Custis being the next largest stockholder. Walter Channel is the general manager of the factory. Tile comprises most of the output, only a small amount of brick being manufactured. Just as this volume went to press, information is received that the Melvin brick and tile plant was completely destroyed by fire on the night of August 9, 1915. The loss was fourteen thousand dollars, with insurance of only two thousand dollars.

The postmaster is F. W. Shrack, who is also the station agent for the Pennsylvania. Henry Denica is the Baltimore & Ohio agent. The village blacksmith is James Wright, while John Ford is the only carpenter. The population is in the neighborhood of seventy-five.