Staunton Township (part 1 of 2)

Staunton Township

Eleanor 30f John 14m Joseph 11m Wm. H. 9m Matilda J. Ti Daniel 5m Abbott 2m Margaret E. 7/12f Pearson, Sarah TEE Hipple, David 37m Elizabeth SOf Enyeart, Sarah J.11f cont.

Vcoqoq000 Ces

Sarah 27Ff Wm. Henry 9m Charity PE Marshall, Charles 38m Elizabeth 28 Ff Sarah Catherine2f Marshall, Wm. 68m Brown, Margaret 29f Wm. 10m Henry 6m Marion 4m Franklin 2m

Sarah 25Ff David C. 2m Stilwell, Elizabeth 46f Martha 14f Joseph M. 12m Morris 9m Phebe M. 7f Benjamin 27m Shell, Wm. 56m Sarah 50Ff Thomas 23m Margaret 25f Mary 21f Elizabeth 18Ff Wm. 16m John 13m Jacob A. 11m George W. 8m Riddle, Jacob A. 49m Hope 30Ff Aseneth 12f Wm. 8m Joseph 5m George W 2m Stilwell, Mary 22f Stilwell, Elias 66m Elisabeth 59Ff Eleanor 28 Ff Daniel 25m Eliza J. 18f Elias 14m Elizabeth 13f Weatherhead, Abraham 29m Eleanor 26f Aidezera 6 Ff Melissa 4f Florence 2f Benjamin F. 1m Sarah oer Lennon, Eli 13m

Mary E. eet Wm. A. 5m James A. 3m Duncan, Rachael 42f Jane 44f Margaret 20f Isabell 17Ff James Robert 13m George 11m Eleanor She Catherine 5 f Mary R. teh Byers, Alexander 37m Sophronia 38 Ff Charlotte 17f George 13m Wm. 4m Louisa cf Lavina 1/12f Juskip, Samuel 48m Anna 48f Eliza Ann 19f Joseph 17m Wm. 15m Angeus 11m Amelia Of Matilda 8f James 6m

Ooqo0Qo0Oat

Walters, Nicholas4im Hannah 375 Spencer, Isabell 51f Eliza 26f Maria 26f David 23m Amariah 21m Amos 19m John 17m Jesse 14m Rufsell, Wm. 41m Amanda 29Ff Mahala 15% Hannah 153.T Mary Jane Of Wm. 8m Melissa 6f Sarah 4f Simms, Joseph 61m Mary Ann 63 Ff James 21m Westfall, Lavina 74f Martha 32.5 Yount, Samuel 53m Adam 21m Elizabeth leet i Andrew 16m Phebe 14f Robbins, Benjamin 41m Catherine 26f Sarah 18f Olverines 17m Madison 15m Erastus 12m Philene Of Clarissa 6f Benjamin 4m Jones, Abner 44m Julia Ann 44f Eliza J. 25f cont.

Martha Ann 37F Philander W. 10m Fenner F. 9m Samantha A. 6 f Estey, James 38m Jane 33 f John 8m Webb, Thomas 29m Sarah E. 2k James E. 3m John S. 10/12m Youtsey, Hezekiah 33m Elizabeth 34 Ff John 13m Maria C. LAF McDowell, George 31m Mary 24f Frances Jane 6 f Samantha Ann 4f Wm. 2m

Source changes here: from The History of Miami County, Ohio, by W. H. Beers & Co, published 1880; 9,257 words in this source stream.

Staunton Township

Inasmuch as Staunton was the first place of settlement permanently maintained in this county, and the nucleus around which all subsequent settlements clustered, and, by natural sequence, the starting-point and reservoir from which the greater portion of the earlier county history has been drawn, it was, therefore, unavoidably blended and absorbed in the same, leaving facts for an individual history almost as anaemic as King Psammis' mummy, in Caesar's reply to Clodius, over the Greek girl, Zoe. Staunton should not, therefore, be jealous or feel slighted if she loses the luster of individual history in the more exalted flame of the initial point of county history.

Aside from this, Staunton possesses several features taking precedence over all others in Miami County. She has the greatest length of territory, the longest sea shore, the first plotted town, the first seat of justice, the oldest graveyard, the County Infirmary, all of which are good cause whereof to be proud. Her infirmary, as a county institution, has been fully represented in the county history. The increased the stren^h 'comfort^nd^.^"^ ®-lue and Abram Hathaway who As the Indian retired and apprehensions ean^K11 °S the bttle fore8t settlement ments sprang up, clearings were made cmns^f ^ Pje!ence subsided, settleon. The soil, once cleared nf ,*ta k * Cro?8 ,put oufc and improvements carried growth of all the cereal^essan' toth£ tlmbeI' admirablJ adapted to the dame of all kinds was abundant of aa mcreasing population.

«s squirrels and coons, abound^to m«e^d> 901116 of the smaller kinds, such the small farmers, frequently destrovimr h^fU?u°n M to be a great annoyance to "- their attacks upon the few sheeD 't,li5 tbe ,Cr°P' , Wolves, also, were bold pose of manufacturing home elothine' in S brought with them for the purmen came to Staunton, or by some afith^f180^3 nUmber °f CaQadia" Frenehlocahty previous to thos^ flrsT Were ^ to have been in this were sfgglers of that nationaliU^anl tT°f Vf?' U 13 quite IikelJr that these wold Indian trader streno+hfn= « td tbe.fact tbat Peter Felix, one of them, was bsh the settlement of Staunton To^ah to to^f8! iand thi8' carried out. might estabraDd,y was also of this nimih.r S to t*1 1 more remote antiquity. Simon deeper in Staunton havino-m?^ Fe!" subsequently became the firet tavemhonse. It fa related of hfrn thlt "!?^0ff the Indians to build a good

5*25* °"t, a' the age of etohtv h T^ndnP^nded 0n' throu&h Ufe- "ntU hwt "180,6- He left thJdd State o7Vi^!? ®efrees ®nt®red 160 acres in Section 28 «te of Ohio, and lived fora JLJ 2®®k a home and wealth in the for- ^bor wrested from the'woods ."""ber of years, on the farm that his own Kentucky to this place and lt«u "«?e 8ame J'ear' Henry Marshall came from William McCamnb^lliv re W1 over ei«hty years of age. nft'thwestqnarter^^tion 22to^M7 "o Weaver by Profession, located on the settlement.* ;n r ,e?.on 22 ln 1807- He was of great benefit to th« Rurmnnit.

su^ceS SS S^tion 10, and by hard labor, combined with »ot to have pleased the eve ?f fh fortune fr°m the soil. Sections 4 and 16 seem they remained under forilt Z ^le Jfari^ P10neer> for, while all others were taken up, from PJ'^^ven^s till 1820. WiUiam and James Clark

DDtered the northwest nnu!!^ Section 27, m 1808. Nine years after, John Gilmore hy F. HUhar^ of VlnriS^i the northea8fc ^rter was taken up than fourscore TIipL^i!11 wbo bved uP°n the old homestead until more ***> in 1806. ' SeetinnTthW?t, qu^rter was Purchased by John Julian, of Maiy- , . In 1807, Uriah Blnf John Heweese, of Pennsylvania, in 1806.

Poring the same rflowT - J^8 nine yen^8 in settling on a part of Section 18. I*** of ground S Jjewi®, Deweese selected a part of Section 8, cleared out a . 1 a nnd erected a log tanneiy, and, perhaps, started

As has been said previously, the first settlements in Staunton Township were made by the Knoops and Michael Carver, who came from Pennsylvania in 1799. One year later, Carver purchased a half-section of J. C. Sy names, at $2.50 per acre. At this period, civilization had not yet reached this region, which for miles was one vast forest, inhabited only by straggling bands of Indians. There was a great spirit of rivalry manifested between this portion of the county and the upper part, in the location of the seat of justice, which was carried to such an extent as to sever the social ties in great part.

We shall give two or three interviews with old settlers, as they tell it, somewhat, so that it may savor of their own individuality and carry the reader back to

Gen. John Webb : " I was present at the first court held at Staunton. The first schoolhouse was located where the Piqua road crosses Spring Creek." owned by myself, which was often resorted to by the neighbors for protection. Father (Jonathan Rollins) bought this farm in 1815, at which time there were no meeting-houses in the township. Among the early preachers were Nathan Worley, of the Christian denomination, Samuel Deweese, Presbyterian, and Abbott Goddard, a Methodist Raper Chapel was built about thirty-five years ago. In early times, they would hold meetings wherever there was a large log-house. The Orbisons and the Frenchs were our nearest neighbors. Father came here from Vermont during the popular cry, ' Go to Ohio.' One day father sent me after the horses, which had strayed away, when I saw about ten deer in the meadow. Being but a small boy, I was very much alarmed, and ran back to the cabin and told father and mother about the animals with big horns that I saw. In those days, the game we killed furnished the most of our living. There were some bears, for I remember having seen one. It is generally supposed that at one time there were plenty of buffalo in this county.

" Two-thirds of the old pioneers wore buckskin pantaloons. I remember Tom Rogers, the great hunter, who lived in two sycamore trees in the woods. He wore long gray whiskers, a skull-cap and buckskin breeches. Rodsy Church was built over fifty years ago. I remember the high pulpit, which was first painted green.

Mrs. James Dye (now living in Troy): u I am a daughter of John M. and Elizabeth Dye. The Cumminses, Morpheys and Metcalfs were among the early settlers of Staunton Township. I was bom in 1800, and married in 1818, and settled near the Elizabeth Township line, on land now owned by Mack Hart. The Indians often came to our cabin, but never disturbed anything. We made our own sugary and would often take sugar-water, yeast, sassafras and spices and make beer, which was a favorite beverage of the Indians. At one time, my father-in-law, Stephen Dye, obtained a half-barrel of cider from a num living below Dayton, which was, perhaps, the first ever brought to this settlement, and possibly, to the county. 1 remember once, while my husband, myself and children were returning from a virit to his father's, we were attacked by wolves. We were on horseback, and the wolves were very close to their heels, and my husband barely succeeded in getting into a place of security. When he returned with a gun, they had given up the chase and skulked away. I can remember well when calico was $1 a yard." in early times, the squirrels were very troublesome here, even destroying the C01n^r0P ' 8°m,e^me8 shocks of com would seem almost alive with them, and well-beaten paths would be made through the fields, and from the shocks to the bordering forest, to which the provident little animals would carry the ears of corn ^ r? a.man. make a living and pay taxes, he was consi dered , nate* Cmcmnati was the nearest market, to which wheat and pork ,were roads through the woods. The nearest mil was

--orders, chief an!°U' 14 "aturally follows that^nm^ baa," ^ur"l9hes the richest former of *1.7°"? which « ^ 2^772 tributaries penetrate its

Still lower dowt\ is the Troy and Urbana pike, running from Troy in a broken line northeastwardly across the township. Again, on the south, extends the Troy and Casstown pike, intersecting the township transversely near the center, and passing through the town of Staunton. Still lower down passes the Troy and Springfield Pike, running through the lands of J. and J. H. Knoop and the Enyeart's. Passing from the lower end, on the east side comes the Troy and Dayton Pike, running nearly north, bearing west to intersect the former pike on the lands of Abner Enyeart, and pass over the river on the bridge near Benjamin Enyeart s.

The Dayton & Michigan Railroad enters the township from the north, in the extreme northeast corner of Section 28, and passing in a straight line a little east of south, until near the river, when it deflects to the southwest, crosses the same and passes through Troy, and on down to Dayton, connecting with railroad for Cincinnati and all other important points north and south.

The churches of Staunton Township, which formerly consisted of log huts, have been replaced by more modem structures, and the routine of transition and improvement is so generally alike in all townships, that it is not necessary to particularize. Some of the old churches have been mentioned in the interviews with Mrs. Dye, John Webb and others, and our information being limited in regard to both church history and schools in this township, we are obliged to omit a more extended notice of them in this connection. The old Staunton Cemetery, formerly situated where the Eastern School building now stands in Troy, was abandoned and most of the bodies exhumed and re-interred in the Riverside Cemetery, north of Troy, on a beautiful spot fronted by a high-rolling ridge sloping from the river toward the north. Stones may be seen of plain and unpretentious design, recording deaths as far back as 1810, when the lonely pioneer watched alone by the bedside of his wife or his child, or the mother pillowed the head of her only child as it breathed away its soul, and as its spirit took its untrammeled flight to the source from which it emanated, the grief-stricken parent watched alone the little piece of clay until it was forever laid away. We next introduce the old Baptist Church at Staunton.

" To-day, while the knell of the bell assembles a congregation of church-going people to the worship of God according to the dictates of their own conscience, where there are none to molest or make afraid, let us remember the days of our Miami, our mater familias , where the only sanctuary was the hearth-stone of a log-cabin, and worship was conducted at the peril of life. For it was amidst circumstances like these our ancestors planted the first Gospel church of Miami, and raised the banner of Immanuel at Staunton, which place afterward became the temporary seat of justice for the county.

Henry Gerard, of Pennsylvania, in connection with four others moved near the present site of Staunton in the spring of 1798, and established there a station, for the security of their families. In the following year, Nathaniel Gerard and wife tWs 8ettlement from Pennsylvania, where they held their membership in the Red Stone Baptist Church. In 1801, Mr. WiUiam Knight, and his wife Priscilla, moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and settled on Lost Creek, near this station. Dc the spring of 1804, Moses Winters moved his family from North Carolina to Uh!o and settled on Honey Creek not far from this little village. In 1801, Mr.

Lis^ofthai^ ltS e®cac^» imbued their hearts and minds with a deep Apostolic dootri the Church of Christ, and their duty to propagate the Christ must hp 9ecu^ar interest they felt that the cause of

Vlsit was not to secure « ** v.I8lted by Elder John Thomas. We presume this nnU8g^J^hose days. Pa8t°rate' but a mere gratuitous call, something not

?1° grantl metropolis of^lnLnISt|^' n?tllra% constituted the Baptist Church Atoneofthe regufc throu^ont the whole region round aS f ««ted the privilege T abo.ut.th,s ^e: Bro. H. Stites, was, by his own reS

The same necessity of meeting from house to house, prevailed until the year 1818, when it was resolved to build a church. Measures were taken, therefore, immediately, and a committee appointed to select a suitable location, to ascertain the price of the same, and report to the church. In April of the following year, the deacons reported that they had procured the lots of land which the church requested them to purchase, and the terms, $50 ; one-half to be paid in six weeks from date, the balance in one year from contract, the deed to be given in J une. In 1822, the house was completed, and on the 25th of May, was for the first time opened for service, and a glorious service it was.

The church was duly recognized by Elder Gutridge, who was the only minister present. On the following da}' (Sabbath), the church met and set apart Bro. Corbly Martin, to the work of the Gospel ministry, by ordination. So, now, wit.i theif new house and new preacher, the people had reasons to be encouraged aud to hope for days of prosperity.

A strange subject for Baptist people presented itself about this time, and caused considerable discussion. Some members were in favor of introducing into the service the practice of " feet washing." but, the majority being opposed, it was deferred from meeting to meeting, until it died out. A slight disagreement arose in 1824, in regard to the Philadelphia Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, which resulted in the exclusion of all the members except two, who were pro-mission ; this left the church a pure and unadulterated anti-con-missiou.

About this time, Bro. Joshua Deweese was licensed to exercise his gifts of preaching in a public manner. In 1833, Bro. Enos French was grauted the same privilege. In 1833, meetings were begun in Troy, held on the second Saturday of each month. In March, a church was established there, which was fully recognized May 10, 1834. In February, 1834, Lewis was licensed to preach. In April, 1834, the " Staunton Branch at New Carlisle" was organized, recognized in February'. In September, Bro. Enos French was ordained b}' laying on of hauds. The Staunton Church, growing weak, was removed to Casstown and the name changed to Casstown Baptist Church. This was accomplished by granting letters of dimission to all the members of Staunton Church except one, who was left; tp hold the church property and deed the same into the hands of the church at Casstown ; but we have not heard whatever became of that one, whether he united with the Casstown Church on experience, or deeded away his right and title to all churches. j ©

Some few other changes were made, and, at the present, the church in Casstown, the outgrowth of the old church in Staunton, has a neat little house, worth about $1,800, and a membership of eighty-four.

W e have given this church in full, because it was the first and the largest and the only one of which we could obtain any facts for its history. We aim not to be partial, neither are we sectarian. We have copied very nearly the minutes in the above history.

Among first things in this township, we may mention that Peter Felix was e first Indian trader, the first man who could sell a needle for a dollar, the first wuo could make an Indian believe the needle-maker had died and that he had the laat ones the first man who owned the house in which the first court was held m The Dutch Station was the first place of settlement, Staunton was thp <w 'e th(i and the first seat of justice, Jane Gerard Deweese was w^TflllT' The 9cho°l teacher was Isaac Gerard. The first ministers era Willinm -John Stapleton. Peter Landre was one of the first coopwas onJ of Amanah Smalley were the first blacksmiths. Lewis Deweese keener Tnannh Qi,^anners' was the first and Abram Dye the second tavern- routiJeonncZntewM^^ Cwk Towuship, nothing beyond the ordinary to other places, came the Sv ^ b y 8ettJement will be found. Here as be subdued by no difflculties^and trusty « and a heart' to lie nChMe' reacll®d the banks' of the' streak i himself lost after a long and unsuccesshe now saw for the fW tlle 9tream m his wanderings. It was a creek which abound everywhe^and of ttoLe1!!,1^88' 7h°86 ,SuppIy ofc°o1 water is exhaustless, Lost Creek to-dav on. J *$' l6ttler Was not slow to take advantage. State, her soil yields readilv nnH°- 6 l be8t gram-producing townships in the points with pride. - ^ ln Abundance, and to her rich acreage she justly n^L^fderedarat the'thfrtfl^iT Commissioners of Miami County, assembled at Creek, and, on the ^>5th of T ^ townablP should be known by the name of " Lost ^ahy its bounties JaiAtarfh°f succeed.ing ^ear, they proceeded to fix

First Records

The first records of the Township Clerk's office, which are still well preserved, show that at the first election held under the permanent establishment of boundaries, John Lenon, George W. Green and James Buckles were elected Township Trustees, and J. K. McFarland, Clerk. Of these parties, but one, James Buckles is living at this date. The election was held at the house of George Puterbaugh, a short distance east of the Lost Creek Baptist Church, and on the old Puterbaugh farm, now owned by Harrison Youtsey. The poll-books of that election, could they be unearthed, would show a meager poll, for the inhabitants of Lost Creek Township were " few and far between " at that time, and it would be safe to say that there was no " log-rolling " at that election. The pioneers went to the farmhouse, deposited their ballots, and, after discussing local affairs, which meant the common good, not politics, mind you, they returned to their work.

In the spring of 1820, Jonathan Yates, J. K. McFarland, Jonas Sutton and John Webb were drawn as grand, and Levi Westfall, Willis Hance and James Frazee, Sr., as petit jurors. The Township Clerk of that date denominates the last mentioned gentlemen as " petty jurors."

Prior to the formal organization of the township, as has already been said, a number of settlements had been made. Beside dwelling houses at that day, principally log-cabins, George Green had erected a grist-mill, with which a distillery was connected, and James Frazee had also put up a still. In 1814, John K. McFarland put up a carding and foiling mill near the site of Casstown ; but, as the new venture did not yield the desired profits, we believe it was abandoned a few years later. During this time, the several accomplishments were not entirely neglected, for, as already mentioned, Gen. Webb had taught the young idea, and John E. Cory had conducted a singing-school. Mr. Cory opened the school in his own house, in 1814, and probably numbered among his scholars, nearly all the young folks in the community. * *

The War Of 1812

During these times, the early settlers of Lost Creek Township were not wholly without fear. The outbreak of the seoond war with Great Britain was calculated to seriously interfere with their repose. The Indians were not far distant, and more than once, the pioneer and his little family cowered, as it were, in the shadows of the tomahawk. Almost within the boundaries of the township, David Gerard and Henrv Dilbone and wife fell before the merciless hatchet of the Shawanoes. Alexander McDowell, Sr., with Gen. Webb and others whose names have, unfortunately, been lost to your historian, entered the army and t*1® frontfer P06**- In 1811, Gen. Hull's troops, en route to Detroit, passed through this section of the county. A halt was made at Rogers' blockftouse, that occupied the site of George G. McDowell's dwelling, and the pioneer w<mien relieved the wants of the troops, many of whom were shoeless and in a anffOTng condition. It is supposed that anterior to this event, Gen. Wayne marched through a portion of Lost Creek Township on his way to punish the ^LatJhe -raPidB of the Maumee. After the war of 1812, our honflAH blessings of peace, and settlements rapidly increased. As

___ .jP ® uP everywhere, the distances between neighbors became lessened, acquaintance was extended, and society received the long-needed impetus.

Fir8T Churches

Among the other early Justices ware eointcrruptedly, we believe, until 1849 Pordyce and Thomas 3Shidler The laft°hn ^n0n' Abraham Buckles, James Counlj- m the Ohio Legislature gentleman represented Miami fell everywhere wifoouTmercT^d^in ^0PrP'est b°mes in the township. Its blows and chiMren were b'urted in X lnstances th»n one, husband and wife, connected with this terrible via fotfon that egTe' There are several incident^ une night a merry party of npitrhh00 tIjat ^approach the domain of the thrilling Keports from districts then rafa^Tb^the^ rf the ',t>U9e of Mr John Marti"- w^ver8?ti°n ; but, by the * uV* once became the th®e

,K ' ha,id that drew the bow tha^niLhrV161'111? f8ii v''ct'ras to the dread plague. Possessor still lives, an Led nn^, g\ basn.ot 1,fted another since, although its dwad scourge again visftwl trr en®.rated citizen of the township. In 1836, the ^nce that ch^acteriz^dUts fo^r °">°f tb? ?unt^ but did not rage with the ,d?d in Troy, and more than n n V18lt' At that time the nearest physicians cholera patient an ° ce 1 ley were hurried out on Lost Creek, to attend name was changed to Casstown, in honor of Lewis Cass, United States Senator and General, and an unsuccessful candidate for the 'Presidency. Mr. Daniel Knoop put up the first brick house in the town, a small affair, only fourteen feet square, and Joseph Green and Joseph Campbell opened the first stock of goods. Knoop also brought on a lot of goods, and continued in the business at the original stand until a few years since. He is now dead but his widow still resides in Casstown.

Casstown is noted for civility and good morals. Not a drop of liquor is sold within the corporation. It contains three churches, and one hall devoted to the I. 0. 0. F., which order is in a flourishing condition. Small as it was during the late civil war, it sent out an entire company of soldiers, who did good service around Washington, for which the}' received the personal thanks of President Lincoln. Several miles north of Casstown, and in the township, is a small collection of houses which bears the name of Sodom, or Peucetown ; but it lias no post office and is hardly called a village.

Educational

In education, Lost Creek Township has a good record. Forty years ago the total number of school children enrolled in the township was 647 ; the school build'.ngs were mostly log structures, and poor affairs at the best ; but now a substantial brick building graces every district, and the school furniture is of the latest pattern and cannot be excelled. In Special District No. 1, which includes the village of Casstown, a large and handsome brick building has been erected within the past few years. In this a thorough graded school is kept nine mouths of the year, and the result is that it ranks among the best schools in the county.

More than forty years ago, when Thomas Long was Superintendent and Visitor of the common-schools of Lost Creek Township, the system of school visitation was strictly adhered to. Mr. Long was a careful, methodical and painstaking man, and the entries in his journal exhibit the condition of our country schools at that day. Of a visit to the school in District No. 1, January 22, 1839, he says: "The order in the school is not good, too much confusion, but little government exercised by the teacher, very little exercise of moral influence, and but very little time is spent to convince the scholars of the propriety of such measures as would be conducive to their good." He found in the schools at that day not enough sysnn?1 wr*ting, the philosophy of arithmetic illy taught, and, finally, noisy schools. The Board of Education of Lost Creek Township, profiting by Mr. Long's experience, have brought the schools to a high grade, and all to-day are in a flourishing condition. ® J

_ The Lost Creek Baptist Church . - The oldest religious body in Lost Creek ip 18 the Lost Creek Baptist Church. The nucleus were members of the 0 Staunton Church, now torn down, and an organization was effected at the house w ilk8 kan Lavault, in 1816. Samuel Deweese was the first minister, and Rachel Webb was the first accession. David Archer had the honor of being the first !,ierai and John Wilson, afterward Judge, and a member of the Legislature, poa+ Jlf u?toiy of the building of the church structure has already been given. S»Tnnf.i °f u c^ur^» since its organization to the present time, have been Wnn^T' Mo8!! *razee, Robert Stapleton, Willis Hance, Thomas A. War- David F ThnlU8°?! Th0J?as J' Price> N. Martin, John Blodgett, David Scott, W. S HamHn ^ W* R* Thomas, W. A. Welsher, I. M. Chapman, no eXsT/e i^co^ of f ' Wlth ^ twelve Ambers. For the first nine years Elder JoseohTirtfv f Proceedmgs were kept. The first regular Pastor was years. WMle^his^n^ Thf<?ma? LoqS 9erved as Clerk for forty-two consecutive gregation has made no noise in the world, it has pursued the

State »nth °1 -Nfovember, 1797 mv Zth* church members before I was bom. In lowteJT admitted into the Union l*?er removed to Ohio, six years before the wheregthh° 8?Uled in the denwTilderneli"^ nearuWaynesville. - In March folt»-yof Da,ton the 'T0 Miami Rive«. near cabin in/"'1?'1 toma hawks) there until mwtiT** "j ,mark of an ax (excepting cove J ^!*,ch he put his) and brotber8 cu' logs to build £ firsteXfity rods east of our hoiiX!^J^Uatlcn'i 1 t,10ugllt *t a paradise. About HdewSte?0' but we were soon on ? -ltt ,e Prairie. in which we made our ^ fence, to keep the^er^miTd^f^' .m0 0fe il with a high 'staked and r ue aeer from destroying the fruits of our first planting. -

We had to watch our cornfields, to prevent the squirrels and raccoons from pulling up the com in the spring and from eating the ears in the fall. The wild pigeons were very plentiful and destructive, picking up the wheat almost as soon as sown.

" My father sowed the first wheat and clover seed, and planted the first apple and peach trees and built the first cabin in that region. After eight years of life there, father exchanged farms with my brother-in law, Timothy Green, and moved three miles west, near the present site of Beavertown.

" There being no school near us then, my mother taught my youngest sister and myself at home. Our main books were the spelling book, Testament and Bible. I was eight years old before I saw a schoolhouse, and never went to school in any house but a log-cabin. In 181 1 , father sold his farm of 240 acres for $2,000, intending to purchase land in this (Miami) county for his sons. One day he mounted a young, hard-mouthed horse, intending to select a location, and started off. But the horse, becoming frightened, ran a quarter of a mile, threw my father against a stump, broke his arm in two places, and crushed his shoulder and skull, of course killing him instant^. This occurred on Thursday, November 28, 1811.

" On the day following father's funeral, our family assigned to mother all the money and property that he left, and shortly afterward I purchased the land I now occuPY» two miles north of Casstown, from John Rogers, for $320. At that time Rogers owned an entire section. There were two cabins on my piece, a lot of land iqclosed ; and I gave Rogers in payment an order on my mother, for I was but eighteen years old, and engaged in "keeping" school. Two years before this I taught the first school ever held in this region.

"In the following spring, mother and I, with my brothers Elisha and Joseph, moved to this neighborhood. Joseph, having no house ou his land, moved into one of my houses. He had purchased a quarter-section of land, where John Mitchell now lives [t. e. the present Hvatt farm - Ed.], and subsequently built a cabin there. He afterward exchanged it for a quarter-section then owned by Richard Palmer, my brother-in-law, and now owned by* George Hammon and Joel Burton, adjoining the village of Casstown.

" In the latter part of the winter of 1813, 1 volunteered as a soldier, expecting to go to Detroit. But the surrender of Hull's army there, left our whole northern and northwestern frontier exposed to Indian depredations. The general Government, therefore, caused a line of block-houses to be built along the frontier of Ohio and Indiana, and called out a large portion of the frontier militia to be stationed m them. So we were marched to Greenville, Darke County, under Captain Charles Hilliard, where we remained six months. . John Sconer and Goeberry Elliott, two of our soldiers, were killed by the Indians, also Philip Taylor, an Indian trader, Mr. Rush, a settler, and two little girls, daughters of a Mr. Wilson. In August of the same year (1814) the savages killed David Gerard within a mile of our house, and the same evening Henry Dilbone and wife further up on Spring Creek.

In the month of March, 1815, our two houses were consumed by fire, and we removed to Roger's until I built another cabin. I was teaching school in one ow?TCa^n8 a* ^me this calami ty. During this year, Priscilla tvmght and I were married, and lived happily together for more than half a cencomPany muster, after our return from Greenville, I drilled the *he ureque8t °.f our ^Ptain. I was twenty years old at that time Cantnin m ^>een aPP°mted Orderly Sergeant, I was shortly afterward elected ante at that membership extended as far north as there were inhabitas where were a tew settlers scattered along the Miami as far was elected BriirJlw?161 ai?d Colonel successively. A short time subsequent, I was elected Brigadier General, receiving every vote in the county but one, and, by after the war of 1812, 1 receive? i»a m faI? coramission, and, many years each, and I now receto a vearlvrJn^r f°r ®!ghty 80168 of Government "In 1861, at the outbreak of the rendered the nation, hinds for the purchase of a beautiful The Patriotic ladies raised Casstown. On that day, thTmmoan^wI } *** presented the company at

Lillis Hance. He was for man 17 * ^aPtl8t Church, and baptized by Elder- Prepared its minutes for tbe Msd River Association, and his on horseback to attend °ne occ^'.on> Mr- Webb went to Columfore the Legislature. 6 b 1,816688 pertaining to the church charter be- to the calhfof Ui^Pr^ident r' ^ n° rural township replied more liberally *? enlist in 1861 and Lost Creek. Her citizens were among the first gle,8he had more than two hnn?^ntPli!fPer,od BD® ^ termination of the strugef the most sanguinary battle 8°. cber^.at tbe ^oat. They took part in some sujgle one of thefrnm^ he/iri nLTth?U-t' u80 far 88 we are able to learn, having a eh'P is justly proud anlTah!? ^ u°Utr?g-ht 0f ber war record> L°st Creek TownaTm8 « fiefe^?f D' ^iJbou,d heru61tl26" ever be called upon again to take up

H18Tory Of Miami County A List Of The Old 8Ettler8

We here append a list, as complete as can be obtained at this late day, of the old settlers of the township : John Webb*, Elisha Webb, Asa Rogers, John Sliidler, Alexander McDowell*, Abram Cromer, James Buckles*, Timothy Green,

Of all the foregoing, only those whose names are marked with an asterisk ( ) are living at the present time. The rest have passed down the M corridors of time, and rest from the arduous labors which they performed so well. Truly, it can be said of them, when looking upon the fair land which they helped to improve, " Their works do follow them."

Recapitulation

Lost Creek Township is now in a healthy condition. The roads that bisect it are well piked, and in admirable condition for travel. The farming land is well drained, and much of it clovered in alternate seasons. Plenty of good water is afforded for stock, and all the farms are highly improved. A great deal °f c0^1 is annually raised in Lost Creek, which finds a ready market at Troy, and the acreage of wheat and other cereals is large and constantly increasing. Of her citizens, we have said much in the foregoing pages. The}' are intelligent, industrious and energetic, worthy successors to the men who cleared' the unbroken forests, and brought order and light out of " chaos and confusion." We predict that the future of Lost Creek Township is one to be envied, for her exhaustless resources are certain to place her in the first rank, of such organizations. She might well claim our State motto as her own - Imperio imperivm.

in this county" l" »j"fe o^iheap^7oP' ?ther' PMSed "* eDtire Iife township for several years. When h?o 5 ^ twenty years, and Clerk of the the patriots who wcnt'to his country's defend a^® .reb^.Ilion catne, he was one of when he was discharged for disability He den ^If ?J°r ,about sixteen months, hewg 64 years of age, havino- like his father ^r^ ^ llfe m November, 1874, encreet c life, devoted to the public h,m>Pa38ed «* active and resides with his father-in-law wherehr^ l°?ated on the Place where he now Knoop farms, where he lived Thn^fit rem&me^wou Years, thence to one of the when he moved back to t^e old fa^ hi l ,the death of his wife's father, one of the old pionm^of Mi^ipf ' ?' °* Piqua' was a 80,1 of Christian Le Fevre, to this county in 1808 locating llnn' 7h° 7*** * native of Maiyland, and emigrated land, when he located ^ D°W °?ned by Cyrm' his ^This

Pnt up his log cabin but did not *7 Y^®111®88 5 he made the first opening and he should get back from pI?8tered' but having that to be done after

Christmas* Aft? the marH?! ' ^ he went to many his wife, it being near home to his cabki on Ch^tm^f ir061'6111^ wa8. P61^0^ he returned, a^iving reg, quite a depth of snow T?J h^me' lt °°m®eneed snowquent snows all winter so thltth' th®n and remained so with frethe cold blasts s weenimr th^ to,llv1e ,n their cabin jU8t as it was, with next spring. At this time thppp aCP0S ?u tlmber land? and PrePared it for corn the families of Kuood onp P wcre thrce families by the name of Dye, three tuted about ^entire f &nd one other of Le Fevre J these constihardships and dangers Stn°/u 18 part of the township ; they braved all the fered much from\Vpr W and and from sickness ; they sufhomes for themselves nn^h^^i AU ,thls theY endured that they might make times when theS ma^fflPtnrSf?K -them d°Wn ^ their Posterity. Those were the mer wear, and whatevpr ?Jured th®11* own material for clothing for winter and summade up in coarsen!^ I a want?3 ln b^nty, closeness of texture and warmth, was body, and keenincr i^ d ^ou?hness, producing irritation of the surface of the Persevered, they were fnd^Hn011011^011 °f the Iife_givin^ fluid - the biood. They These qualities enawl]^? ^0118' they were economizing, and they were honest with as good soil ^ tb,em .to overcome all obstacles, and procured good homes, the subject of this «L?1?duCtlVyfness. 88 th® 8Un ®ver shon® uP°n- Mr- Le Fevre, home farm which hi* was bom in 1824, and bas always lived upon the old his death occnprir,o- u {atIl®r> aboje mentioned, cleared, and upon which be died, have had two SUn aDd c?m® JjO °hio nearly fifty years ago ; by this union they Feb. 7 IQ7 pl . dren J V1Z'> Walter and Franklin. He lost his wife by death place which » W^* Fevre and his father have erected all the buildings on the ' ® mrge and commodious, arranged for comfort and convenience ; he now owns 260 acres of the excellent bottom land of the Miami Valley, of which 200 acres are in cultivation. The selection of this fine quality of land by his father and the early settlers, while it was all in the wilderness, shows the wisdom and judgment they exhibited in obtaining some of the best land that could be found in the State ; and they will be honored and remembered for their noble work by their children's children for ages to come.

URIAH B. LLOYD farmer ; P. 0. Troy ; was bom on the farm upon which he now resides, Aug. 23, 1833, is the son of John and Anna (Deweese) Lloyd; he was bom in Pennsylvania April 1, 1790, and his wife in Virginia about 1797. John, thef ather, came to this county in February 1 814 ; after being here about two or three years, he was united in marriage with Anna Deweese, daughter of Lewis and Mary Deweese, who were bom in Virginia and came to Ohio at a very early day. By this marriage they had eleven children, viz., Margaret, deceased ; David ; Mary, now Mrs. H. Puterbaugh, living in Elkhart Co., Ind ; Isabel ; Rachel, now Mrs. D. Counts, living in Troy ; Ruth ; Mehitabel, now Mrs. George Buckles ; Elizabeth, deceased ; Uriah B ; Henry, and Hannah L., now Mrs. William Burton, living m Indiana. After his marriage, he lived one year with his uncle, and then locate upon the farm upon which Uriah and Henry now reside ; here he commenced right in the woods, and cut out the first stick of timber, made an opening, built a log cabin, and began a pioneer life ; from day to day and year after year he toiled and labored, enduring the hardships and deprivations, such as pioneers only know and realize; after sixty years of industrious labor, he died, attaining the venerable . age of nearly 85 years ; his works remain as mementoes of his lftbore» Baying brought 93 acres from the dense forest into a good cultivation, with good buildings erected and everything quite comfortable and convenient, in contrast to the dreary wilderness of sixty years before. His wife departed this life about three years prior to his death. Uriah B. and two sisters, Isabel and Ruth, all still unmarried, live upon the home place ; also Henry, who is married, resides in another house upon the farm, and have, since the death of their father, continue the management of the estate.

SP AFFORD W. MAXWELL, farmer and Justice of the Peace ; P. 0. Troj > he was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Oct. 20, 1836 ; is a son of Thomas ana Susanna (Jones) Maxwell, who came from New Jersey to Ohio in 1806 ; they were tiie parents of four children, viz., Stephen J., Martha A., deceased, Rachel ana Spafford W. The grandfather, Thomas, was also bora in New Jerse}T. Thegrea grandfather, Thomas, was a native of Scotland, and came from Edinburgh to New York in a very early day, prior to the Revolutionary war ; he was a tailor by trade. Thomas Maxwell, the father, came to Miami Co. in the fall of 1839, and located upon .the farm upon which Esquire Maxwell now lives. This is one of tue old pioneer farms, which was first purchased by Caleb Hathaway, one of the ml settlers of Miami Co., who located here in 1798, opened out and cleared up the Thomas bought the farm of Mr. Hathaway at above date (1839), and has ys remded here since ; is still living with his son, and is now about 80 years whtSf pauord Maxwell, our subject, remained with his father till his marriage, dan 1868, when he was united with Rachel A. Rev°' svlvania h ^arnson mid Jane L. Devol ; he was bom in Ohio, and she in ' Peim-

Si ifnQm' Up°n which he haa 8ince resided. He has an excellent Mr.Maxwell itTrLif«n ^ acrSf of land wRh good buildings, and every convenience, and is now serrina hia * ^®mocrat > wa» elected Justice of the Peace in April, 18 , in the war of therpKnir600^ term °f office » Be was also one of the patriots wh, V L in the Bon, went to his country's defense, enlisting in the 147th 0.

wTo here heT^u°D the aorthwe8t Quarter of Sec. 4, in Staunton buildings and t ^ d the, &rea.^er P°rtion of the farm, and erected all the March 9 1876 Ved , Z'5? P^ace till he had a fine farm and comfortable home ;

70 years of fJr» - hTf8 e<? ftway by death, from labors to rewards, being nearly 05th year ^Jdia, is still living on the home place, and is in her

1876 was nn^* .re llv®d with his father until his death, and, March 23, and Elizabeth a I^ma^*lafe w,th Florence E. Brandenburg, daughter of Cornelius county about iqr9 who were natives of Maryland, and came to this E.; bv this moi- 5 we,re parents of two children, viz., Laura A. and Florence Moore after hia mge 5av® had two children, both dying in infancy ; Mr. years then i remained with his mother on the home farm for two land is a Vn.m g5t the farm upon which he now lives ; he owns 80 acres of good beautiful home^ man energ^ ? and wlB doubtless in a few years have a fine and and died - ^ lnfan^> her parents removed to Marlboro, N. H., where they lived Semina' 8a® received a good preparatory education, then attended the Female *y at Holyoke, Mass., where she graduated and received her diploma Aug.

Biographical Sketches

1, 1844 ; for two succeeding years, she taught high schools for young ladies, in South Adams, Mass., and Winchester, N. H. ; in 1846, she came to Troj*,Ohio, and engaged as a teacher in the high school ; on the 13th of July she was married to David W. Orbison, with whom she had a congeniel Christian companionship for nearly nine years, when the merciless messenger, Death, came, and he passed from works to rewards ; by this union she had five children, of whom three died in infancy ; two are now living, viz., Ora D., born Nov. 25, 1849, and David W., Oct 29, 1856. After Mr. Orbison's death, his wife remained on the farm, which had been originally purchased of Gen. Harrison, who, in an early day, owned a large tract of land in this township ; here she managed to support herself and two children, and met the back payments on the place as they became due, making such improvements upon the place as were necessar}', for a period of nine years, at the expiration of which, Aug. 24, 1865, she was married to Moses G. Grosvenor, with whom she lived as a true helpmeet' till Feb. 1, 1878, when she departed this life with every assurance of a blesssed immortality beyond ; she was an active member of the church for thirty-seven years, and was always noted for her zealous efforts in every good word and work. Since the death of their mother, the two sons, Ora D. and David W., have taken charge of the farm, where they have a very pleasant home.

Ohio, Nov. 21, 1800 ; is a son of Harp and Charity (Senteny) Peterson ; he was bom on Long Island, and his wife in New Jersey-, her ancestors being from England and his . ancestors from Holland ; he (the father) was one of the first emigrants mto^Ohio ; locating in Kentucky, where he remained onlj* one season ; in the spring of 1 j 94, came to Cincinnati and located, planting a field of corn on ground w ere the fountain now stands, on Fifth street ; the}' were the parents of nine children, of whom five are now living, all located in the Miami Valley except one, w o is living in Illinois, viz., Sarah, now living near Glendale, who is eighty-seven re ot age; EHzabeth, four miles north of College Hill ; Ralph, our subject; nrovprl *nia 0mi? Vbe a loo cabin, and from year to year cleared and imhiffs a'vpr,rni°W htLla8 one of tbe best farms in the neighborhood, with fine buildhafTkll arge fr.anJe jlouse and everything for comfort and convenience ; this activp mpn a^comPbshed by energy and industry, Mr. Peterson being one of those fense of neJer tl*e- Bering the rebellion, three of his sons went to the dewar and wjiia ^ret one> enlisted for tliree years or during the in AndersonJ>ne0f ^ trooPs who crossed the Ohio River ; he was a prisoner amomr thp 8u®B5ed unt°ld hardships, almost starving to death ; was we^ff'TLS!ipmentJof Prisoners who left the terrible place; his sufferings covered as to hp . made a cripple probably for life ; after he became so far restore-keeper threp mil 6 ^id° business, he obtained a Government office as John* G. and Jacob !?S be°W. Pi(luaJ which position he still holds ; the other sons, days of the countv nnri^!?0^ bas served as County Commissioner in the earl} permanent brides' e^r ^ ^Perintendency of the building of the first three Republican. built m the county ; M r. Peterson, politically, is a stanch inti IloI^1118> who were born in the Stat/^f 4r 88 * 80n of Josial1 and Nancy ente of ten children, of whom twn f ?ew Hampshire. They were nar

»°«* cleared, on £hich sZuZ '' £? b°"gLht «" tan with juTt alew the farm is of historic totereaf n - ?? cabins , the cabin on the east Dart nf ter of Charles and Nancy (Clwmujrl'mT IWt "8' 1828j with Eleanor Hart, (laughbntcame to Miami Co. in 1812 Bv thu ' Th° Were native» °f New Jeray Charles Josiah B Caroline n«2 , un'°\they have had seven children ZI and Horace J. Mre 5-..." ' now deceased ; LeanderJ., Marion J., Sylvester a'

J812 ; although but a ohiM ,7 *- *iand tna 8 tIley passed through during the war of Mr. Rollins' firm ^U8iste the evei,ts were indelibly fixed upon W memorf by the Rollins family fo^ about si xT-fi excel,ent ,an.d' and has now been owned ?*®.oa' 0f the six sons of Mr RolMns eT 3f!^' .,During the war of the rebellion, until discharged by sickness fcSt ISte? m defense of their country-, serving Charles H, 4ved tZZZ °T t* 'J088 of the war ! the

S 8UCh 88 Pittsburg Landing IT?' being ?" SOIne of the hard-fought Iranklin and Nashville, ifun durtoVl- ?a*npaign, and in the battles^ and meritorious conduct from -g this service, he was promoted for bravery its history, dates back for nY7i , to Captain. The Rollins family, in toe notice of the publto T^i,1® ltS PrlnoiPles which entitles him to «*>"<* ; he is author of a 'h°fe who are students and lovers of this he resided for a few years, when he removed into Lost Creek Township, on to the Cromer farm, where he resided about three years, and his son, Madison, our subject, was born ; then he moved back upon the old home farm, where he lived till his death, which occurred in February, 1854 ; Madison remained with his father until his death. Oct. 14, 1855, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Eamhart, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Robeson) Earahart, who were natives of New Jersey, and came to Ohio at an early day ; in 1823, located in Brown Township, where they opened right in the woods in pioneer style, by erecting a log cabin, in which they lived many years ; here on the same farm which they cleared, and, by constant labor and industry, had brought to a high state of cultivation, having procured everything to make home comfortable and pleasant, they passed away from works to rewards. Madison and wife by their marriage have had two children, viz., Lucinda Jane and Sarah Frances ; after their marriage, they located on a farm in Lost Creek Township, where they remained about three years, then to the old home farm for three years, returning to Lost Creek again for two years, finally going back to the old farm, where they remained till 1871 ; removed to Springfield, Ohio, and lived about two years, thence back to the old farm where they have since resided. Mr. Robins and wife are members of the Christian Church, his membership dating back for fifteen years and hers for twenty-five years, i? v» o ^klAM B. RUSSELL, farmer ; P. 0. Troy ; was bom in Pennsylvania Feb. 3, 1809 ; and is the son of John and Hannah (Hough) Russell, who were bom in Pennsylvania ; the grandfather, Elijah, was also a native of Pennsylvania, is ancestors coming from Ireland ; the mother's ancestry were from Cheshire, Eng., and came over in the ships Endeavor and Friendship, in the year 1683 ; Ihe father, John, came to Ohio in 1831, and located in Staunton Township, on e farm now owned by James Gardner, where he lived about twenty-five years, thenm°ved to Elkhart, Ind., where he lived and died ; they were parents of three ennaren, viz., William B., John H., now deceased, and Newton, also deceased; Mr. wlfifk* wit!1 kls father to Ohio, being then 22 years of age. He remained w i *8 father till June 19, 1833, when he was united in marriage with Martha dRiighter of Benjamin and Chloe (Kimball) Hamlet; he being born in Ooraivi y aa" coiaing to this county about the same time with the Knoops, ;lr, 8j e"i\' earliest pioneers of the county ; by this union they had four W,in!^"^lrai?' d?ing in infoncy ; Mahala, now Mrs. James Post ; Hannah and ha.lo8t his wife hy death in April, 1840. Aug. 19, 1843, was marna18^ daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann Simms, who Mrs TornM t°^ ^T1118 » by this union they have four children, viz., Melissa, now his first mo *°Ve i 8ara^' kaura Bell and jfohn dying in infancy ; Mr. Russell afte a oontinn«Hmavi ocat?d uP°n the farm where he has ever since resided, making about QJesiden^c of forty-seven years ; when he came to the farm, there were bam on it - cJeared standing in a " deadening," with a log house an tions of earlv Jaborcd and toiled, enduring the hardships and depnvafine farm of^lAQ ^er8' ^ i no^ " ke 8*te under his own vine and fig-tree," having under fence with*01^9*0^ 11° are in good cultivation, and the balance all sylvania emiJLtoi!^8 ^ntry when about 17 years of age ; she was bom m Pennof ten childreiTof wh!^^10 her Parents when a child. They were the parents Sarah and Daniel now !ivin& viz-, Mary, Eleanor, William F., David, of whom five are no^f livin' ab?ut ; by this union they have had nine children? and Luella L. Mr Rust1)?' VIZ? ^jdiam Franklin, Lettie, Walter Scott, Edwin N.

Ji/r- Ste wartli ved^ with h f h ' SA??Q?iizabeth' Thomas C. and one^nfant located upon the farm whX he L ^i'11 Jf 2' when be came *> Miami Co. and for tome yearn and returned^afelv 11" V in the war of the rebellion

Co- were the^ila^fami 'i an7°DTr?y' . Among the early settlers of Miami fa Jersey and came to +h- ' m ^07, Richard W. Winans left his native State, united in marriage Jan. 1, 1770 ; their son, Richard, was born Jan. 3, 1781 ; on June 4, 1807, Richard was united in marriage with Sarah R. Winans, who was bom May 20, 1788. In coming from New Jersey to Ohio, they came with ox teams to Wheeling, Va., then by boat to Cincinnati, then by their teams to this county, the time consumed in making the journey being forty-one days ; about two years after, or in 1809, his father, Samuel, came to this county and located on the southwest quarter of Sec. 14 ; shortly after, his son came from Upper Piqua and located with him ; in the same year, between Christmas and New Year's, Richard W.^and wife were taken into the M. E. Church on probation, being the first persons uniting with the church, in this manner, in Miami Co. ; for several years after locating on their farm, their house was used as a place for preaching and worship ; here they lived and labored in pioneer style, opening out, clearing, and enduring all the hardships, deprivations and dangers of such early settlements ; but the prospects of a better future, the comforts and benefits which they hoped to hand down to their children, renewed their courage from day to day and from jrear to year, enabling them to bear all their burdens patiently ; finally, in their latter days, they were permitted to enjoy, to some extent, the comforts and conveniences which their labors had won. Samuel Winans, the grandfather, departed this life May 6, 1830, and his wife, Hannah, followed him on Oct. 29 of the same year ; Richard, their son, continued to reside upon the home place till his death, which occurred Jan. 10, 1863. John C. Winans, the son of Richard W. Winans, was bom March 8, 1822, on June 2, 1869, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Rachel Rollins, who was born Jan. 8, 1830 ; by this union they have one child, viz., Richard Maxwell, born April 14, 1871. Mr. Winans has alwajrs remained upon the old home farm where he was born, and probably will continue here during his life, as he can see no reason to desire any other location, having a beautiful residence and home, with everything to make his life comfortable and pleasant ; Mr. Winans and wife are members of the M. E. Church, his membership dating back for nine years, and here for thirty-five years.

Ohio

A History of the County; its Cities, Towns, etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio;

Prepared by Troy Historical Sooiety Genealogist, Virginia 0, Boese, 1973. Lists page references to every personal name, together with maiden name of wife, where known. - If a man was married more than onoe, his wives are listed #1, jj*2, *3, etc., with maiden names. Y/here there are several men Jlth Identical names, each is listed separately, with his wife's name below. Also included are references to early Forts and Taverns. Indian afld leaders. Business Firms, and Place flames containing surnames le.g., Gerard's Prairie). £age numbers are given for location of KlstoraJ}d Biographical Material on each Township, and Portraits, r Tao c°®pller wishes to express her gratitude to Anita Caserta and Mrs.

Source changes here: from The History of Miami County, Ohio : Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Miami County; Constitution of the United States; Miscellaneous Matters, Etc., Etc, by W.H. Beers & Co, Publisher, published 1880; 19,707 words in this source stream.

Staunton Township

Inasmuch as Staunton was the first place of settlement permanently maintained in this county, and the nucleus around which all subsequent settlements clustered, and, by natural sequence, the starting-point and reservoir from which the greater portion of the earlier county history has been drawn, it was, therefore, unavoidably blended and absorbed in the same, leaving facts for an individual history almost as anaemic as King Psammis' mummy, in Caesar's reply to Clodius, over the Greek girl, Zoe. Staunton should not, therefore, be jealous or feel slighted if she loses the luster of individual history in the more exalted flame of the initial point of county history.

Aside from this, Staunton possesses several features taking precedence over all others in Miami County. She has the greatest length of territory, the longest sea shore, the first plotted town, the first seat of justice, the oldest graveyard, the County Infirmary, all of which are good cause whereof to be proud. Her infirmary, as a county institution, has been fully represented in the county history. The little " Dutch Station," the embryo settlement of the now noble count}', has been given a prominent place in the general history. Her noble pioneer fathers - the Knoops, Gerards, Hamlets and Tilders, of 1798 - these brave men pushed their wray through an unbroken wilderness, amid all the dangers of wild beasts and wilder Indians, established a little cluster of cabins, cleared out each a patch of ground, went out armed to the prairie near by to cultivate a little crop of corn, and anxiously watched and waited for the tide of immigration to flow toward them, which hope was realized in the following spring by the advent of John. Abner and Nathaniel Gerard, Joseph Coe, Uriah Blue and Abram Hathaway, who increased the strength, comfort and social elevation of the little forest settlement. As the Indian retired and apprehensions caused by his presence subsided, settlements sprang up, clearings were made, crops put out and improvements carried on. The soil, once cleared of its heavy timber, was admirably adapted to the growth of all the cereals necessary to the support of an increasing population.

Game of all kinds was abundant, and, indeed, some of the smaller kinds, such as squirrels and coons, abounded in such profusion as to be a great annoyance to the small farmers, frequently destroying half the crop. Wolves, also, were bold in their attacks upon the few sheep the pioneers brought with them for the purpose of manufacturing home clothing. In 1800, a number of Canadian Frenchmen came to Staunton, or, by some authorities, they were said to have been in this locality previous to those first mentioned. We know that the French were in equivocal possession of all this country since 1749, and it is quite likely that these were stragglers of that nationality, and the fact that Peter Felix, one of them, was an old Indian trader, strengthens the hypothesis, and this, carried out, might establish the settlement of Staunton Township to still more remote antiquity. Simon Landry was also of this number. Felix subsequently became the first tavernkeeper in Staunton, having made enough money off the Indians to build a good house. It is related of him that he demanded for one needle the price of a coon skin, equal to $1, which, if true, explains his wealth and the means of obtaining it. Levi Martin and family, whose wife was scalped by the Indians, a full account of which is given in the county history, was an early pioneer here, and, as might be supposed, cultivated no warm feeling for the red man. During the year 1807, Amariah Smalley entered one quarter of Section 15, erected a cabin, cleared out a garden spot, put up a blacksmith-shop, and pounded on, through life, until his last fire went out, at the age of eighty. John Defrees entered 160 acres in Section 28 in 1806. He left the old State of Virginia to seek a home and wealth in the forests of Ohio, and lived, for a great number of years, on the farm that his own labor wrested from the woods. During the same year, Henry Marshall came from Kentucky to this place and lived here till over eighty years of age.

William McCampbell, a Virginian, and weaver by profession, located on the northwest quarter of Section 22 in 1807. He was of great benefit to the surrounding settlements in furnishing wearing material ; and, in appreciation of his services, and the good impression he made, they elected him Justice of the Peace in 1809, which office he filled thirty years.

In 1807, Jacob Kiddle entered Section 10, and by hard labor, combined with economy, succeeded in wringing a fortune from the soil. Sections 4 and 16 seem not to have pleased the eye of the early pioneer, for, while all others were taken up, they remained under forest primitiveness till 1820. William and James Clark came from Virginia and entered Section 27, in 1808. Nine years after, John Gilmore entered the northwest quarter of Section 21 ; the northeast quarter was taken up by F. Hilliard, of Virginia, in 1820, who lived upon the old homestead until more than fourscore. The southwest quarter was purchased by John Julian, of Maryland, in 1806. Section 9 was taken by John Deweese, of Pennsylvania, in 1806.

In 1807, Uriah Blue, Richard Winans and Rev. David Clark settled on Section 14. William Jones antedated this nine years in settling on a part of Section 18. During the same year Lewis Deweese selected a part of Section 8, cleared out a patch of ground, built a cabin, and erected a log tannery, and, perhaps, started

As has been said previously, the first settlements in Staunton Township were made by the Knoops and Michael Carver, who came from Pennsylvania in 1799. One year later, Carver purchased a half-section of J. C. Symmes. at $2.50 per acre. At this period, civilization had not yet reached this region, which for miles was one vast forest, inhabited only by straggling bands of Indians. There was a great spirit of rivalry manifested between this portion of the county and the upper part, in the location of the seat of justice, which was carried to such an extent as to sever the social ties in great part.

We shall give two or three interviews with old settlers, as they tell it, somewhat, so that it may savor of their own individuality and carry the reader back to them.

Gen. John Webb : " I was present at the first court held at Staunton. The first schoolhouse was located where the Piqua road crosses Spring Creek."

Father (Jonathan Rollins) bought this farm in 1815, at which time there were no meeting-houses in the township. Among the early preachers were Nathan Worley, of the Christian denomination, Samuel Deweese, Presbyterian, and Abbott Goddard, a Methodist. Raper Chapel was built about thirt}T-five years ago. In early times, they would hold meetings wherever there was a large log-house. The Orbisons and the Frenchs were our nearest neighbors. Father came here from Vermont during the popular cry, ' Go to Ohio.' One day father sent me after the horses, which had strayed away, when I saw about ten deer in the meadow. Being but a small boy, I was very much alarmed, and ran back to the cabin and days, the game we killed furnished the most of our living. There were some bears, for I remember having seen one. It is generally supposed that at one time there were plenty of buffalo in this county.

" Two- thirds of the old pioneers wore buckskin pantaloons. I remember Tom Rogers, the great hunter, who lived in two sycamore trees in the woods. He wore long gray whiskers, a skull-cap and buckskin breeches. Rodsy Church was built over fifty years ago. I remember the high pulpit, which was first painted green."

Mrs. James Dye (now living in Troy): " I am a daughter of John M. and Elizabeth Dye. The Cumminses, Morpheys and Metcalfs were among the early settlers of Staunton Township. I was born in 1800, and married in 1818, and settled near the Elizabeth Township line, on land now owned by Mack Hart. The Indians often came to our cabin, but never disturbed anything. We made our own sugar,, and would Often take sugar-water, yeast, sassafras and spices and make beer, which was a favorite beverage of the Indians. At one time, my father-in-law, Stephen Dye, obtained a half-barrel of cider from a man living below Dayton, which was, perhaps, the first ever brought to this settlement, and possibly, to the county. I remember once, while my husband, myself and children were returning from a visit to his father's, we were attacked by wolves. We were on horseback, and the wolves were very close to their heels, and my husband barely succeeded in getting into a place of security. When he returned with a gun, they had given up the chase and skulked away. I can remember well when calico was $1 a yard."

In early times, the squirrels were very troublesome here, even destroying the corn crop ; sometimes the shocks of corn would seem almost alive with them, and well-beaten paths would be made through the fields, and from the shocks to the bordering forest, to which the provident little animals would carry the ears of corn for future use. If a man could make a living and pay taxes, he was consi dered very fortunate. Cincinnati was the nearest market, to which wheat and pork ^were taken by wagon, over the mud roads through the woods. The nearest mil1 was Freeman's, below Tippecanoe, and Dye's, near Casstown. One of the old spinningwheels is now in the possession of Mr. Ramsey, with which their home-spun cloth- ing was made from flax and wool. They would buy leather in Cincinnati, and traveling shoemakers would go from house to house and make up the stock. Sometimes the early settlers would drive horses as far as South Carolina, in order to get money to pay for their land. At other times, they would build flat-boats, load them with produce, and float down the Miami, Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans sell their produce, dispose of their boat and walk back. Children of course went barefooted ; they hardly knew what shoes were made for.

As has been noticed, the Knoops and Carvers were among the earliest settlers here ; the Carver family were much annoyed by the Indians. Once, while Mr. Carver was hauling wood on a sled, a drunken Indian came along, who, by his peculiar gestures and capers, so frightened the horses, that it was by the utmost endeavors they were restrained from running away. The Indian seemed to enjoy it immensely, which so exasperated Mr. Carver that he struck him with a stake, knocking at once all the whisky and romance out of him: Indians frequently camped on Carver's place. Once they came with a white woman they had captured when a little child in some place in Pennsylvania. This woman refused to leave the Indians, married one of them, and brought up a family of red-skins. The Indians in the neighborhood would do nothing but hunt, and beg bread and whisky from the whites.

Joseph Skinner came here in 1806, and, being rather ingenious, and seeing the necessities of the people, built one of those original machines called a corncracker. While this was a source of some emolument to him, it was a great accommodation to his neighbors, as corn bread was really the staff of life ; and this, with pork and beans in connection with milk, make a meal, which, as Isaac Walton would say, " Is too good for anybody but honest men." Section 4 was earl}' settled b}' the Knoops, and has remained with the same since, now a very fine piece of land, transformed from the dense forest out of which it was literally hewn into its present beautiful fields of waving grain. C. and D. Lefevre came from Pennsylvania and cleared up a home on Lost Creek, and have ever since been worthy and useful citizens of this township. William Shell located on Section 10, in 1812. DanieU Nowland on Section 13, 1821. The following }Tear, J. L. Meredith settled on Section 17. Immigration from this on, poured with increasing rapidity. We shall therefore advert to other features that should be brought into clearer relief.

Bounded on the west by the Miami, whose rich basin furnishes the richest and most fertile soil, it naturally follows, that numerous tributaries penetrate its borders, chief among which we may mention Lost Creek and Spring Creek, the former of which enters the township near the center of Section 4, passing diagonally through the southeast corner of the same, enters Section 3 near the center., flowing southwest to near the west side thereof, when it flows a little east of south out of the township.

Spring Creek enters near the center of Section 10, north, flows nearly south to the lower border of Section 9, thence southwest, emptying into the Miami in Section 19. In addition to these there are, south of Staunton, three considerable streams flowing into the river ; above Staunton, there are six, all forming rich bottom lands. Thus we observe that, with the whole western border laved by the Miami, and otherwise intersected by ten streams, Staunton possesses ver}' fine natural resources in the direction of pasturage and agriculture, indeed, second to none in the county. Her crops of corn, wheat, oats and barley, consequently, are very heavy, and her citizens prosperous.

To afford facilities for the transportation of her produce, and inter-commerciaS relations, she has transformed the old blazed path and corduroy bridge for excellent pikes, roads and bridges, along which the traveler can pass the darkest night, and during the wettest season, with ease and safety.

Running along the dividing line between Staunton Township and Spring Creek, we have the free pike, named after these townships, intersecting the pike from Staunton to Piqua. One mile south and parallel with the former, is the Piqua and Lost Creek pike, extending the full width of the township.

Still lower down is the Troy and Urbana pike, running from Troy in a broken line northeastwardly across the township. Again, on the south, extends the Troy and Casstown pike, intersecting the township transversely near the center, and passing through the town of Staunton. Still lower down passes the Troy and Springfield Pike, running through the lands of J. and J. H. Knoop and the Enyeart's. Passing from the lower end, on the east side comes the Troy and Da}'ton Pike, running nearly north, bearing west to intersect the former pike on the lands of Abner Enyeart, and pass over the river on the bridge near Benjamin Enyeart's.

The Da3'ton & Michigan Railroad enters the township from the north, in the extreme northeast corner of Section 28, and passing in a straight line a little east of south, until near the river, when it defiects to the southwest, crosses the same and passes through Troy, and on down to Dayton, connecting with railroad for Cincinnati and all other important points north and south.

The churches of Staunton Township, which formerly consisted of log huts, have been replaced by more modern structures, and the routine of transition and improvement is so generally alike in all townships, that it is hot necessary to particularize. Some of the old churches have been mentioned in the interviews with Mrs. D}re, John Webb and others, and our information being limited in regard to both church history and schools in this township, we are obliged to omit a more extended notice of them in this connection. The old Staunton Cemetery, formerly situated where the Eastern School building now stands in Troy, was abandoned and most of the bodies exhumed and re-interred in the Riverside Cemetery, north of Troy, on a beautiful spot fronted by a high-rolling ridge sloping from the river toward the north. Stones may be seen of plain and unpretentious design, recording deaths as far back as 1810, when the lonely pioneer watched alone by the bedside of his wife or his child, or the mother pillowed the head of her only child as it breathed away its soul, and as its spirit took its untrammeled flight to the source from which it emanated, the grief- stricken parent watched alone the little piece of clay until it was forever laid away. We next introduce the old Baptist Church at Staunton.

" To-day, while the knell of the bell assembles a congregation of church-going people to the worship of God according to the dictates of their own conscience, where there are none to molest or make afraid, let us remember the days of our Miami, our mater familias , where the only sanctuary was the hearth-stone of a log-cabin, and worship was conducted at the peril of life. For it was amidst circumstances like these our ancestors planted the first Gospel church of Miami, and raised the banner of Immanuel at Staunton, which place afterward became the temporary seat of justice for the county.

Henry Gerard, of Pennsylvania, in connection with four others moved near the present site of Staunton in the spring of 1798, and established there a station, for the security of their families. In the following year, Nathaniel Gerard and wife moved to this settlement from Pennsylvania, where they held their membership in the Red Stone Baptist Church. In 1801, Mr. William Knight, and his wife Priscilla, moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and settled on Lost Creek, near this station. In the spring of 1804, Moses Winters moved his family from North Carolina to Ohio and settled on Honey Creek not far from this little village. In 1801, Mr. Stephen Dye, and Mehitable his wife, came from Pennsylvania, where they were members of the Red Stone Church, and made their home on the Miami within the boundary of the station.

These God-like men of yore, though few in number, were strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. The Christian religion preserved in its pristine purity and honored in its efficacy, imbued their hearts and minds writh a deep sense of their obligations to the Church of Christ, and their duty to propagate the Apostolic doctrine. Without consulting secular interest they felt that the cause of Christ must be sustained, and, therefore, with all the fortitude of a Christian hero, they went forth boldly and magnanimously to plant the first Gospel seed in a hitherto barren land. They left their own pleasant homes and social circles, to go into a land of nought, and to worship God upon the evening air. No frescoed walls or gas-lit streets adorned our pilgrim fathers' home ; would that some to-day knew the deprivations and sacrifices of their predecessors, but " behind a frowning providence, God hides a smiling face." In the midst of nocturnal darkness, lo ! the morning star appears. It was a bright Saturday morning on the 3d of November, 1804, in a county new and wild, when the last standing oak, the one that sheltered the old cabin door, rustled its autumn leaves in silent memory of the past, and the only day spring to usher in a new era, was the distant, mournful cooing of the turtle dove, that a little band of seven believers met as Christian sentinels, with muskets by their side, to constitute a Baptist Church. The place selected was the house of Stephen Dye ; the people present to organize a church were Moses Winters, Nathaniel Gerard, Stephen Dye, William Knight, Elizabeth Winters, Mar}7 Gerard, Mehitable Dye. This band of believers became a church with all the power and authority delegated to the chosen people of God. To them, what a day of joy was this ; when the hallowed shrine of Christianity was again accessible ; when the halos of better days encircled them. Two ministers being present, Elder Joshua Carmon and Elder John Smith, a feast of fat things was enjoyed.

Staunton Baptist Church, Saturday, December 1, 1804. Church met according to appointment, and after services, proceeded to business. Chose Bro. William Knight as Moderator, and Bro. Henry Gerard for Writing Clerk. Thus the church was formed, and is now in running operation. The Apostolic rule of church government was theirs. Upon the basis of the primitive Christian church, theirs was built. They had the Bible for their guide, and, no doubt the Word of God was precious in those days, and good sermons were appreciated by unbelievers. But it was not without difficulty that services were conducted, for the few lonely cabins were scattered over a large area of country, and the sentiment of the red man was :

But they went forth in the name of the Lord of Hosts and claimed the victor}7, and victory came. The Lord blessed them day by day, until their little dwellings were not copious enough to entertain the crowds that came, and they began to contemplate the conveniences and appropriateness of a sanctuary.

It appears that Elders John Smith and Thomas Childers had supplied the church with preaching occasionally, since its organization, but the books do not show that they ever received any compensation for their labors.

In 1800, the church was visited by Elder John Thomas. We presume this visit was not to secure a pastorate, but a mere gratuitous call, something not unusual in those days.

Staunton being the seat of justice, naturally constituted the Baptist Church, the grand metropolis of evangelization throughout the whole region round about. At one of the regular meetings about this time, Bro. H. Stites, was, by his own request, granted tlie privilege to act as missionary for the church. By virtue of a request presented on February 23, 1 81 1 , by the members residing near the Wilson settlement, (now Lost Creek) the church concluded to strike them off as an arm of Staunton, and allow them the privilege of transacting their own business, providing it be done according to the rules of said church. In June, 1816, Lost Creek wras constituted a separate church.

It appears that among other Apostolic usages, the deacons were always ordained, in the early history of the church. Sister Sarah Statler, the oldest member now living (1873), was baptized into church fellowship in 1817. Many other prominent members might be mentioned with profit and interest, could their true chronology be obtained.

The same necessity of meeting from house to house, prevailed until the year 1818, when it was resolved to build a church. Measures were taken, therefore, immediately, and a committee appointed to select a suitable location, to ascertain the price of the same, and report to the church. In April of the following year, the deacons reported that they had procured the lots of land which the church requested them to purchase, and the terms, $50 ; one-half to be paid in six weeks from date, the balance in one }Tear from contract, the deed to be given in June. In 1822, the house was completed, and on the 25th of May, was for the first time spened for service, and a glorious service it was.

The church was duly recognized by Elder Gutridge, who was the only minister present. On the following day (Sabbath), the church met and set apart Bro. Corbly Martin, to the work Of the Gospel ministry, by ordination. So, now, with their new house and new preacher, the people had reasons to be encouraged and to hope for days of prosperity.

A strange subject for Baptist people presented itself about this time, and eaused considerable discussion. Some members were in favor of introducing into the service the practice of " feet washing." but, the majority being opposed, it was deferred from meeting to meeting, until it died out. A slight disagreement arose in 1824, in regard to the Philadelphia Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, which resulted in the exclusion of all the members except two, who were pro-mission ; this left the church a pure and unadulterated' anti-con-mission.

About this time, Bro. Joshua Deweese was licensed to exercise his gifts of preaching in a public manner. In 1833, Bro. Enos French was granted the same privilege. In 1833, meetings were begun in Troy, held on the second Saturday of each month. In March, a church was established there, which was fully recognized May 10, 1834. In February, 1834, Lewis was licensed to preach. In April, 1834, the " Staunton Branch at New Carlisle" was organized, recognized in Februar}*. In September, Bro. Enos French was ordained by laying on of hands. The Staunton Church, growing weak, was removed to Casstown and the name changed to Casstown Baptist Church. This was accomplished by granting letters of dimission to all the members of Staunton Church except one, who was left to hold the church property and deed the same into the hands of the church at Casstown ; but we have not heard whatever became of that one, whether he united with the Casstown Church on experience, or deeded away his right and title to all churches.

Some few other changes were made, and, at the present, the church in Casstown, the outgrowth of the old church in Staunton, has a neat little house, worth about $1,800, and a membership of eighty-four.

We have given this church in full, because it was the first and the largest and the onl}r one of which we could obtain any facts for its history. We aim not to be partial, neither are we sectarian. We have copied very nearly the minutes in the above histon\

Among first things in this township, we may mention that Peter Felix was the first Indian trader, the first man who could sell a needle for a dollar, the first who could make an Indian believe the needle-maker had died and that he had the last ones, the first man who owned the house in which the first court was held in this county. The Dutch Station was the first place of settlement, Staunton was the first town in the county and the first seat of justice, Jane Gerard Deweese was the first white female child, and J. Knoop was the first male child born in Staunton Township, dating back to 1800. William McCampbell was the first Justice, elected in 1809. The first school teacher was Isaac Gerard. The first ministers were James Frazer and John Stapleton. Peter Landre was one of the first coopers. William Dye and Amariah Smalley were the first blacksmiths. Lewis Deweese was one of the first tanners. Felix was the first and Abram Dye the second tavernkeeper. Joseph Skinner was the first to erect a corn-cracker.

From a consideration of all these initial points, in which Staunton Township slaims precedence over all others in the county, we see no reason why she should be any the less proud of her record, even if some of her sisters have outgrown her. They have yet to acknowledge their allegiance to her and reverence her as their alma mater.

Introduction

In the pioneer history of Lost Creek Township, nothing beyond the ordinary routine of incidents connected with the early settlement will be found. Here, as to other places, came the hardy pioneer, armed with his trusty ax and a heart to be subdued by no difficulties, and, on the banks of the beautiful stream which has given its romantic name to the township, he erected his log cabin and cleared a patch of land. The men of those days have, with few exceptions, joined "the innumerable caravan," and those who remain, notably Gen. Webb and Alexander McDowell, Sr., find the infirmities of years bearing heavily upon them.

Origin Of Name

The origin of the name " Lost Creek " is involved in much obscurity, but, as usual in such cases, tradition is called upon to tell its story. This case is no exception. It is said that, away back, before the white settler planted his foot in this region, a Shawanoes Indian, having found himself lost after a long and unsuccessful chase, reached the banks of the stream in his wanderings. It was a creek which he now saw for the first time, and he eagerly followed it, with the hope that it would lead him out of his unpleasant dilemma. But in vain. The glittering w'ater drew him on and on, until the warrior concluded that, like himself, the stream was " lost," too. From that day. so says tradition, the stream bore the name of Lost Creek, and the naming of the township through which it flows was, of course, a natural sequence.

There is, in the topography of Lost Creek Township, much that would encourage early settlement. The land is gently rolling, the soil rich and fruitful, and the country well watered. Natural springs, whose supply of cool water is exhaustless, abound everywhere, and of these the early Settler was not slow to take advantage. Lost Creek Township is to-day one of the best grain-producing townships in the State, her soil yields readily and in abundance, and to her rich acreage she justly points with pride.

On December 10, 1818, the Commissioners of Miami Count}', assembled at Troy, ordered that the thirteenth township should be known by the name of " Lost Creek," and, on the 25th of January of the succeeding year, they proceeded to fix substantially its boundaries. At the latter meeting (January 25), Brown and Staunton Townships were laid out and bounded. But, before this, the settler had erected his cabin in Lost Creek Township. As early as 1802 to 1804, Willis Northcutt and John Rogers had settled here, and, later, Gen. John Webb, Alexander McDowell, Sr., and a number of others. Gen. Webb says, in his manuscript autobiography, from which we shall quote at length further on, that, as early as 1808, he taught school a short distance from where the village of Casstown now stands.

First Records

The first records of the Township Clerk's office, which are still well preserved, show that at the first election held under the permanent establishment of boundaries, John Lenon, George W. Green and James Buckles were elected Township Trustees, and J. K. McFarland, Clerk. Of these parties, but one, James Buckles is living at this date. The election was held at the house of George Puterbaugh, a short distance east of the Lost Creek Baptist Church, and on the old Puterbaugh farm, now owned by Harrison Youtsey. The poll-books of that election, could they be unearthed, would show a meager poll, for the inhabitants of Lost Creek Township were "few and far between " at that time, and it would be safe to say that there was no " log-rolling " at that election. The pioneers went to the farmhouse, deposited their ballots, and, after discussing local affairs, wrhich meant the common good, not politics, mind you, they returned to their work.

In the spring of 1820, Jonathan Yates, J. K. McFarland, Jonas Sutton and John Webb were drawn as grand, and Levi Westfall, Willis Hance and James Frazee, Sr., as petit jurors. The Township Clerk of that date denominates the last mentioned gentlemen as " petty jurors."

Early Enterprises

Prior to the formal organization of the township, as has already been said, a number of settlements had been made. Beside dwelling houses at that day, principally log-cabins, George Green had erected a grist-mill, with which a distillery was connected, and James Frazee had also put up a still. In 1814, John K. McFarland put up a carding and fulling mill near the site of Casstown ; but, as the new venture did not yield the desired profits, we believe it was abandoned a few years later. During this time, the several accomplishments were not entirely neglected, for, as already mentioned, Gen. Webb had taught the young idea, and John E. Cory had conducted a singing-school. Mr. Cory opened the school in his own house, in 1814, and probably numbered among his scholars, nearly all the young folks in the community.

The War Of 1812

During these times, the early settlers of Lost Creek Township were not wholly without fear. The outbreak of the second war with Great Britain was calculated to seriously interfere with their repose. The Indians were not far distant, and more than once, the pioneer and his little famity cowered, as it were, in the shadows of the tomahawk. Almost within the boundaries of the township, David Gerard and Henry Dilbone and wife fell before the merciless hatchet of the Shawanoes. Alexander McDowell, Sr., with Gen. Webb and others whose names have, unfortunately, been lost to your historian, entered the army and guarded the frontier posts. In 1811, Gen. Hull's troops, en route to Detroit, passed through this section of the county. A halt was made at Rogers' blockhouse, that occupied the site of George G. McDowell's dwelling, and the pioneer women relieved the wants of the troops, many of whom were shoeless and in a suffering condition. It is supposed that anterior to this event, Gen. Wayne marched through a portion of Lost Creek Township on his way to punish the confederated tribes at the rapids of the Maumee. After the war of 1812, our pioneers enjoyed the blessings of peace, and settlements rapidly increased. As houses sprang up everywhere, the distances between neighbors became lessened, acquaintance was extended, and society received the long-needed impetus.

First Churches

The year 1821 saw the erection of the first regular meeting-house in Lost Creek Township. This structure was built of hewn logs, near where the present brick church of the Lost Creek Baptists now stands. Its dimensions were 30x36

" Agreed to employ Brother Abia B. Martin to lay two floors in the meetinghouse, to plough and groove both floors, to plain one side of the upper floor, and to make two doors and casings, for which the church agree to pay Brother Martin $20 in work at Mr. Fordyce's, if said Martin should want it there ; if not, to be paid in corn, wheat or young cattle."

In 1837, a secession from Lost Creek Baptist Church resulted in the erection of another log-house of worship, known as Providence Meeting-House, on the Casstown and Addison turnpike. This latter landmark, like its predecessor, has disappeared before the ravages of time, and, overgrown with weeds, is the site around which " the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."

Afterward, the log church of the Lost Creek Christian Congregation, was erected on the Barnett Rapp farm, and then followed the houses of worship that dot and beautify the township at the present day.

First Justices

Gen. Webb was the first Justice of the Peace within the boundaries of Lost Creek Township. The certification of his bond, by the Township Clerk, bears date of December II, 1819, and he served uninterruptedly, we believe, until 1849. Among the other early Justices were John Lenon, Abraham Buckles, James Fordyce and Thomas Shidler. The last-named gentleman represented Miami County in the Ohio Legislature. He died only a few years ago. John Wilson also served as Justice.

In 1832, the cholera devasted the happiest homes in the township. Its blows fell everywhere without mercy, and in more instances than one, husband and wife, or parents and children were buried in the same grave. There are several incidents connected with this terrible visitation that approach the domain of the thrilling. One night a merry' party of neighbors gathered at the house of Mr. John Martin. Reports from districts then ravaged by' the pestilence, at once became the theme for conversation ; but, by' the merriest of the assembled party', they were lightly' treated, and a dance was proposed. A violin was soon found, and before long its merry strains awakened the echoes of the night. Louder and louder grew the sounds of pleasure. The hand at the bow knew how to use it, and the motto seemed to be, no sleep till morn." At last some one suggested a " cholera tune," which was played ; but at the close of it, so say the few' living participants, frightful noises were heard among the horses in the barn, and almost every cheek became blanched. The soberest said it was a death token, and the assembly', silently and soberly dispersed. Not long afterward, a few hours at the farthest, the cholera did come. It entered that very house, and smote its people with death , and many of the participants in that merry gathering fell victims to the dread plague. The hand that drew the bow that night has not lifted another since, although its possessor still lives, an aged and venerated citizen of the township. In 183(3, the dread scourge again visited this section of the countv. but did not rage w'ith the violence that characterized its former visit. At that time the nearest physicians resided in Troy, and more than once they were hurried out on Lost Creek, to attend a cholera patient.

The only' incorporated village within the limits of the township is Casstown, which is situated in the southeast corner thereof. It is now a village of 375 souls, a beautiful and thrifty place. It wras laid out in 1832, by Rankin Westfall and Luke Daney, from land purchased of James Frazee. At the time of the survey' only three cabins occupied the site of the towrn. which was called Trimmensburgh, in honor of Trimmens, a man who helped to lay it out. Afterward the name was changed to Oasstown, in honor of Lewis Cass, United States Senator and General, and an unsuccessful candidate for 'the Presidency. Mr. Daniel Knoop put up the first brick house in the town, a small affair, only fourteen feet square, and Joseph Green and Joseph Campbell opened the first stock of goods. Knoop also brought on a lot of goods, and continued in the business at the original stand until a few years since. He is now dead but his widow still resides in Casstown.