Tiverton Township

Tiverton Township

TIVERTON township was so-called from a township in Newport county, Rhode Island, whence a number of early settlers had emigrated. It was organized December 8, 1824, and then named Union. Previous to this time it had formed a part of Richland township, which is still the name of the adjoining township in Holmes county. The name Union did not prove satisfactory to the citizens of the township, for in March, 1825, it was changed by the county commissioners to Tiverton.

Geographically, it lies in the northwest corner of the county, and is bounded on the north by Holmes county, on the eust by Monroe township, on the south by New Castle town.ship and on the west by Union township, Knox county.

The Mohican river traverses the southwestern portion of the township, entering from Knox county and crossing into New Castle township. Its course is through a deep and narrow ravine, which affords but little bottom lands. The small run which enters the river in lot 16 of the military section has been designated Spoon river. The small stream, a little above this, entering the river on lot 28, is called Folly run. Charles Ryan, who in early times lived near its mouth, once prepared the timber for a cabin near its banks, but for some inexplicable cause did not erect it. The hewed logs decayed on the site of the intended cabin, and the fact gave rise to this name. Wolf creek, in the northeast part of the township, flows northeasterly and enters Killbuck creek in Holmes county. In the southern part of the town.ship is Dutch run, named from the preponderating German element in this vicinity. The tallest and most precipitous hills skirt the channel of the Mohican. The land is also rough and hilly in the northern and southern j)arts, but in the central and eastern portions, and likewise to some extent in the north, the ridge lands become rolling, and in places almost level. Sandstone is the prevailing surface rock, and the soil is principally clayey. The hills and valleys along the Mohican River were covered sixty years ago with a heavy growth of timber, comprising black oak, white oak, chestnut, beach, walnut, ash, elm, hickory, and indeed, almost without exception all kinds of forest growth indigenous to this climate. Large quantities of white pine timber were rafted, in early days, down the Mohican from the steep bluff's along the river. Tlie greater portion of the township was wooded, but extensive regions in the eastern and northern parts were covered when the first settlers arrived, with an underbrush of oak, so slight that a wagon could easily override it. This has now grown to thrifty young oaks, twelve or fifteen inches in diameter.

The third section, or southwest quarter of the township, is a military .section, surveyed into forty 100-acre lots by Alexander Holmes, in 1808. The remainder of the township is congress land, surveyed in 1803 by Silas Bent, Jr.

Traces of the aborigines are still discernable in one or two localities. On Mr. S. H. Draper's farm remains of a stone wall or embankment may be noticed extending across the top of the ridge which froats on the Mohican valley. It is probably eight rods in length and at one time was three or more feet in height.

A circular earthen fortification, enclosing about three acres, stood on the northwest quarter of section 8, the old Borden place. On lot fifteen of the military section, near the Walhonding canal, was e\'idently a resort of the prehistoric race. Large quantities of flints, of all sizes and forms, stone axes, pestles, etc., have been found here. Near by was a circular depression in the ground, about two rods in diameter, which was filled with fragmentiiry bones of human skeletons, mingled with coals and ashes, the whole being covered with about two feet of earth. The skeletons did not seem to be arranged in order, but, from appearances, the bodies had been tumbled into the excavation without any regard to order.

One of the nurseries of the famed Johnny Appleseed was located in Tiverton townsliip. It stood near the north line of lot 36, section 3, a short distance from the Mohican river. Tradition saith that it was about one acre in extent, and that in this space Johnny had planted three bushels of apple seeds. While tending this young nursery, he lodged at the house of John Butler, about a mile from the nurserj' and in Knox county. This was before 1807. The earliest orchards in this vicinity were from this nursery. Isaac Draper had one on the northwest quarter of section 15, and many pioneers from Knox county also had resource here in providing themselves with early fruit trees. A single tree, the sole survivor of a once large orchard from this nursery, may still be seen on the farm of K. B. Cummings, lot 15, section 3. It measures about twelve feet in circumference and is much broken down. It blossoms every spring, but has not borne fruit for many years.

Several settlers had entered this township prior to the war of 1812, but it was not till about 1816 that a steady tide of emigration set in, which continued until all available land had been occupied. The earliest settlers were Virginians and New Englanders, the latter coming chiefly from the vicinity of Fall river, near the line between Mas.-<achusetts and Rhode Island, mostly from the Rhode Island side.

Isaac Draper was the first settler in the township, and for several years the only one. He was a Virginian, and in 1806 settled upon the northwest quarter of section 15, and soon after entered it. Mr. Draper remained a life-long resident of this place. He died and was buried in the township.

Tlie next settler, of whom anything is known, was William Humphrey, who came to this township about 1812, from the vicinity of Fall river, Massachusetts. He was a brother to Squire Humphrey, a prominent pioneer of New Castle township, and owned lots 19, 20 and 29, of section 3. He brought his family and goods through the wilderness on a litter, made by strapping poles to two horses, placed one in front of the other. The cabin which ho hastily put together for the shelter of his family, was without door, floor or chimney, and often at night wild-cats and coons would clamber over the roof and make night hideous with their squalling and screeching.

Mr. Humphrey emigrated to his western home in time to be here drafted for service in the frontier army. His cabin was some distance from other settlements, and it is said that while out in the woods one day, he was accosted by an oflBeer, a stranger to him, come to summon the drafted men to service, who inquired of him the course to William Humphrey's cabin. Mr. Humphrey informed him and, suspecting his errand, passed further into the forest in the opposite direction. He saw no more of the officer and was not disturb any further. This is the nearest approach to early military service by the pioneers of this township, of which any knowledge is had. Mr. Humphrey purused a farmer's life and died and was buried u])on the homo place.

Thomas Bordon settled on seventy acres in the northwest quarter of section 8, which he had l)urchased from Isaac Draper, soon after the close of the war of 1812. He was from Rhode Island, and had led a life on the ocean wave. Farming was his occupation here until his death. For a time, however, he kept a tavern on his home place.

Stephen and Isaac Thatcher, two brothers, came about the same time and from the same place tliat Bordon did. Stephen had been the captiiin of a sailing craft, and entered the northwest quarter of section 3. Isa;ic was a housejoiner by trade, and followed this occujiation in connection with farming. He owned lot 39, of section 3. Both died and were buried in the township.

little leisure he could spare from clearing his land and raising crops was devoted to his trade. Mr. Hart at an early day made an attempt in the production of silk. A house for the silkworni.s was built, and a long row of mulberry trees planted ; but tlie project failed. The house is still standing. The climate proved injurious to the health of his wife, and at her request he returned to Rhode Island. The name of Tiverton for this township is said to have been suggested and urged by Jlr. Hart until it was adopted.

John Hyatt, in 1817, emigrated from the south branch of the Potomac, Virginia, to the northwest quarter of section 7. He was a farmer, and raised a large family of children. The most of these have removed to other places. One of his sons, Matthew Hyatt, is at thi.s writing still living in this township, and is one of its oldest residents.

John Conner, who was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, moved from Virginia to the northeast quarter of section 6, in 1818, where he followed farming up to the time of his death. His brother, James Conner, another early settler, moved to the west half of the northeast quarter of section 13. He afterward emigrated to Iowa, and there died.

Abram Simmons and his son-in-law, Lemuel Church, who was a shoemaker, removed about 1818, from Rhode Island to this township. Neither acquired much property, but both continued to live here the remainder of their lives.

Charles Ryan was an early settler, who located lot 28 of the third section. He was a singular character, fond of hunting, careless about his affairs, and consequently always indebted to his neighbors. He rarely possessed much ready money, and during harvest and other busy seasons his services were in much demand by his creditors. It was not unusual for him to promise to labor for five or six men on a day, and when the time arrived to .-^pcnd it in hunting and disappoint them all. When questioned about this reprehensible conduct, his reply was that he did not wish to see his neighbors leave his presence feeling down-hearted, and that in consequence he

The above mentioned settlers include all the resident tax-payers of Tiverton township for 1822, as indicated by the t;ix duplicate for that year. Four years later, the following were additional tax-paying residenls of the township, and as five years must intervene between the time land is entered and the time it becomes taxable, it is probable that the greater number of these had located in the township as early as 1820.

Levi Beaty emigrated from Virginia to this county, and at first leased a tract of land from Mrs. Hull, of New Castle township. He soon after entered and removed to the east half of the southeast quarter of section 13.

Daniel Brenaman.in 1826, owned lot 28, section 3, tlie Ryan lot. George Baker, a Pennsylvanian, had purchased it from Mr. Ryan, and he and his son Peter successively lived here a few years, then removed to Knox county. Mr. Brenaman purchased it from Baker, but did not occupy the place for many years. He sold it and also removed to Knox county.

George Cummins, of Fauquier county, Virginia, emigrated to Licking county, Ohio, in 1815, and soon thereafter to Knox county. Some time later he came to this township, where he continued to live up to the time of his death. Of his three sons, Eli and Ludwell went west and Kidder B., now in his seventy-ninth year, still has possession of the old home place, lot 15 and a fraction of 16, section 3.

Henry Miller was left an orphan when a small child, and was reared to manhood in the State of Maryland, ^^'hile yet a young man he came west,and worked from place to place until he accumulated means sufficient to enter the west half of the southeast quarter of section 13. He married, and spent the remainder of his life on this place.

John Winslow, in the spring of 1820, came to this township from near Fall River, Bristol county, Massachusetts. For a few years he engaged in "cropping" for Stephen Thatcher, then entered the west half of the southeast quarter of

Joseph Walker entered the southeast quarter of section 7. He was from Pennsylvania, a cooper by trade and pursued farming and coopering together. He remained a life-long citizen of the township.

George Titus at a very early day opened a blacksmith shop on the Cummings place. He remained only a few years and owned no real estate here.

It is notable that almost all the pioneer names of this township arc still represented here. There has been no noticeable change in nationality since the first settlement, except that the southeastern portion of the township has been settled almost exclusively by Germans in small farms of from forty to eight}- acres each. Many of them were laborers on the Walhonding canal and from their earnings saved sufficient to enter a small homestead.

The first school in the township was taught about 1816 by Mrs. Stephen Thatcher in a school cabin which had been built on Mr. Thatcher's place, lot 39. The school was small and not kept up very long. A few years later another was started on Joseph Walker's farm, southeast quarter of section 7. John Johnson, a young man from the Clear Fork, taught the school. Orin Lane, from Knox county, and Alexander Campbell succeeded him. The latter was an Irishman, proficient in the languages, and a strict disciplinarian. He received as wages twelve dollars per month. A log cabin was built in section 7 by the .settlers in the vicinity, which for many years served the double purpose of school-house and church. "Pap" William Purdy, who was a Baptist, preached here. Many of the earliest settlers were Baptists in religious belief when they emigrated to this township and services were held with greater or Jess regularity from their date of settlement.

Tiverton Regular Baptist church, as now constituted, was organized in 1841. Of its early membership were James and Abram Workman, Cyrus and Hannah Hyatt, Hannah Workman and Solomon Conner and wife. Elders J. M. Winn and H. Sampson assisted in its formation. Until about 18.50, the meetings were held in the school-house. A strong and capacious frame house of worship was then erected on the northeast quarter of section 6. It is capable of seating 500 people, and is still in service. In 1854, there were about fifty members and in 1860, over 100. Since then the number has decreased to about seventy. The ni'nisters who have labored with this 'church as pastors are as follows : L. Gilbert, R. R. Whittaker, R. M, Lockhart, B. M. Morrison, A. W. Arnold and S. W. Frederick' Elder Hall is the present pastor. A Sundayschool of long continuance is still in active operation.

A Disciple church is situated almost a half mile north of Tiverton Center. The congregation is the strongest body of this denomination in the county, its present membership amounting to about 150. Rev. J. W. Finley has recently been elected pastor, succeeding John F. Rowe. The present church building is a handsome edifice, erected in 1876, at a cost of $2,000. It is thirty-four by forty-six feet in size, and is surmounted by tower and bell. Its windows are of stained glass, and the interior is wainscoted with walnut and ash. The building was dedicated in November, 1876, by Rev William Dowling, then of Kenton, Ohio. The old church stood on the opposite side of the road, and had been erected about forty years, serving as the house of worship until the present church was built. Lemuel Church and wife, John Bailey and wife, Beneely Purdy and wife and Matthew Hyatt and wife, were some of the earliest members. The society was organized more than forty years ago, the first services being held at the house of Lemuel Church.

with Samuel Stringfellow as first superintendent and a membership of about thirty-five. School has been held every summer since, and now has an average attendance of seventy-five.

Chestnut Ridge Baptist church was organized in the school-house west of 'the river in 1873, with about twenty members, among whom were John Spurgeon, Abraham Hyatt, Jeremiah and Alexander Harding and Jacob McClain. Soon after a church was built in Knox county and the society now properly belongs to that county.

In 1874 or 187-'), a " Union Christian " society was organized in the same scliool-house with a small membership, and with Frank Cummings as pastor. Its endeavor to affiliate under one organization the beliefs of diverse sects proved unsuccessful, and in a few years the bonds of union were dissolved, and the membership resolved to its original component parts.

In the southeastern part of the township, on the northwest quarter of section 21, stands a German Reform Church. The society was organized about forty years ago by Rev. Baety. The principal original members were John Bauer, Philip Wagner, George Cly, John Rees, J. Craft, J. Shear and Frederick Fry. The early meetings were held in private houses. In 1840, a church was built at a cost of $300. The present frame structure was erected in 1867 at a cost of 11,200. Of the pastors of this church may be mentioned F. Hunche, who served nineteen years ; J. Goekler. three years; H. Wolf man, three years; J. Ludwig, three years, and J. Biery, the present pastor, six years. The membership is now about 100. A Sunday-school was organized about 1850. It now has a membership of about fifty, and is superintended by Lewis Fisher.

There is no village in this township. At the center of the township, known as Tiverton Center, is a store, a blacksmith shop and half a dozen houses. The store is owned by Ed. Day. Benjamin Purdy started the first store at this place, and those who followed, him in mercantile business were George and Samuel Stringfellow, John Trimble, Thatcher & Newell, Newell & Brother, then Mr. Day. The postoffice called Yankee Ridge is kept in the store. It is the only one in the townshijj. The mail is bi-weekly, the office being on the route between Niishville and Walhonding.

In lots 39 and 40, east of the river, arc a few dilapidated structures, most of them uninhabited, which mark the site of a once flourishing little village. Rochester was laid out in January, 1833, by Isaac Thatcher and Isaac Draper. The plat consisted of forty-four lots, and small additions were made in 1839 and in 1842, by Mr. Thatcher. Messrs. Thatcher & Draper had built a saw and grist-mill here before the town was laid out. A dam had been built across the Mohican, and three rim of buhrs were operated in the grist-mill. It remained in their possession eight or ten years, and the subsequent owners have been Thatcher & Lambaugh (Henry), Thatcher & Greer (John), John Greer, Silas & Mark Greer, William Conner, and George Jordon, who resold to Mr. Conner. It remained in his possession until his death, about three years ago, and soon after the mill was bin-ned.. It has not been rebuilt, but a little saw-mill has been erected on the site.

William Critchfield built the first house in the plat. It was a small, rude, log affair, but he soon after erected a frame building and kept tavern in it. S. H. Draper sold the first goods here, beginning about 1835, and continued five or six years. There have since been as many as three stores in operation at one time. The construction of the Walhonding canal gave an impetus to the little village, which presaged a prosperous future, but the failure to extend the canal militated against much commercial glory and eminence. The terminus of the canal is about a mile below Rochester. A dam is here constructed across the river, and the slack-water navagation as far as Rochester made practicable.

Soon after the canal was finished, a large warehouse was built by Isaac Tliatcher and James Clement. A large amount of grain was handled here for a few years, but from some unknown cause the business was permitted to decline.

Conner afterwaril kept the oflice in turn. It was then held by Henry Borden about two and onehalf miles north of Rochester, and a year later, in 18G1, it was removed to the Center.

Tiie population of Rochester, in 1840, was 111. This w;is before the completion of the canal. At one time there were here two hotels, three stores, two blacksmith shops, one mill, one ware house, one tannery, a wagon maker, a cabinet maker and a tailor, but none of these now remain. The village has almost passed the period of decadence and will soon pass into oblivion. The Cleveland and Mt, Vernon railro.ad, which is only four miles north, has attracted to the villages on its route the trade in this vicinity.

A small saw mill was operated for a few years, in early times on Folly run by William Smith. Bradford Borden, son of Thomas Borden, about 1837 opened a little distillery on his father's place, but continued its operation for a few years only.