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Decorative drawing: a farm township drawn in detail. Not a photograph of this place.

Union Township (part 3 of 4)

Part 3 of 4 of the account of this township in The History of Brown County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Brown County; Constitution of the United States .., published in 1883. 15,954 words, covering 8 settlements.

Contents

8 sections

The section headings the book prints inside this chapter, on this part. Each one jumps to where it begins.

Parts

4 pages

The source prints this as one continuous account. It is split here so no single page grows too heavy to load; the text runs straight on across the parts and nothing is omitted.

The chapter

15,954 words

Reproduced complete and unedited. The text is machine-read from a scan of the 1883 printing, so expect the errors a machine makes reading a century-old page: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters. Nothing has been corrected, because correcting a proper name invents one. The headings below are the book's own.

While the men of the township contested the question of secession in the field, there was also an army of noble women at home, who bore an exalted part in the great contest. They never wearied in their efforts to supply to the soldiers at the front many tokens of remembrance; the sick were supplied with innumerable delicacies, and their fervent petitions were almost continuous to the God of battles for the cause of the Union; that right might triumph, and that the country might emerge from the great contest purified by defeat and disaster, till it be worthy of its founders and its defenders. The following list embraces nearly all who enlisted from this township; it is as near correct as can be obtained, since no record of enlistments was kept in the township. This list has been prepared with great care and labor. If any names have been omitted, it is to be regretted. It is possible that some name3 are recorded that do not properly belong to this township; if so, it is not for the purpose of over-estimating the township's honor, or encroaching upon the honor of any other portion of our great country. They served in nearly all the great battles of the" rebellion; first, in Western Virginia, and, as the war progressed, they were scattered to almost every portion of the South, though the greatest number, perhaps, were engaged in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Virginia. The following were commissioned officers from this township: George B. Bailey, Captain, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Joseph Blackburn, Captain Company F, Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; James Drennan, Captain Company F, Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; I. W. Adams, Second Lieutenant Company F, Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; D. A. Dodds, Captain Company F, Seventieth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry; John Redman, Second Lieutenant, Eighty-ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry ; J ohn Moore, Lieutenant in Tenth Kentucky Cavalry; Samuel Evans, First Lieutenant, Fiftyninth United States Colored Infantry; John E. Carpenter, First Lieutenant, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; William Hubbert, First Lieutenant Company H, Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Frank Harding, First Lieutenant Company H, Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

Soldiers of the war of 1812, residents of the township, all of whom are now dead: Nelson Austin, Bichard Brown, George Brown, William Burnett,

Aberdeen is the only incorporated village in the township. It was originally laid out by Nathan Ellis, July 5, 1816. A. Woodough, Surveyor of Adams County, surveyed it. The plat was recorded July 12, 1816, by J. Darlington, Becorder of Adams County. James Power's Addition was laid out in 1832. John Beasley's First Addition was laid out in 1841, his second in 1845, and his third in 1850, at which time; the village became incorporated. Arthur Mitchell was the first to engage in the mercantile business. Ills store, a frame building, stood just below Pike street on the river bank. The ground on which it stood is nearly all washed into the river. Andrew Scott was the second busi - ness man. His store was about where John O. Herron's grocery now is, on Ferry and Front streets. Nathan Hodges, William Parker and Shelby Campbell were pioneers in the grocery business, and following them were Ely Davison, James G. Lane, Morgan and Thomas Sharp, I. H. Warstell, James C. Power, J. S. Acklin and Moses Lamb. The first settlers were Nathan Ellis, James Edwards, Evan Campbell and James Power, all business men. James Helm was also one of Aberdeen's early business men, and was engaged in the dry goods business, hotel, ferry, and coal and lumber trade. William Parker and William Carpenter, about the year 1845, erected a large steam fiouringmill on the river bank, just below Market street, and operated it for a few years, but it did not prove profitable. It stood idle for several years, and then was torn down. The tannery now owned by Martin Rudle has been operated successfully for many years. It was built by Samuel McDaniel, and sold to Henry Grimes. Benjamin Bradford owned it for several years, then Martin & Cole became the owners, and enlarged it considerably, and operated it successfully till about the commencement of the late civil war, when L. C. A. Budle became a pariner. Since then, they have enlarged the buildings, added a fino steam engine and a great amount of machinery, and employ from forty to sixty hands. The first steam ferry that plied between Aberdeen and Maysville was owned by Maysville men, and was only operated about a year, when it was sold and went out of the trade. Campbell A Helm put in the second ferry-boat in the Aberdeen and Maysville trade, and ran it for a few years. James Helm owned the third, and ran it till after the rebellion, when William Linton bought him out, and put in the trade another boat. During 1879, James C. Power had a large double- engine boat built, and placed it in the same trade. Soon after, William Linton had his boat rebuilt, and named it Frank S. Owens, and in 1882 James C. Power bought and sold it His boat, the Gretna Green, is still in the trade, and is a very fine ferry-boat.

In 1856 or 1857, Aberdeen built a large sehoolhou.se on Mountain street, below Main Cross street, in which there are now employed four teachers, besides the colored school. The number of white scholars is about three hundred and ten. The school is in a very good condition. The population of Aberdeen in 1880 was 883, being a slight increase in the last decade.

The Baptist Church was built in 1852, on Mountain, between Market and Locust streets. The Baptist Sabbath school is in a flourishing condition.

The Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, below Market street, was erected a few years ago. It is a small frame church, and the society is in good working order.

The Ohio Valley Mill, built by T. B. Fulton and Elijah Davis, is one of the finest mills of its size in the State, and is a very valuable addition to Aberdeen and vicinity. It was erected in 1881, at a cost of about $12,000.

H. S. True & Son, O. B. Spears and W. S. Spears are dealers in leaf tobacco, which is a new enterprise, and has given new life to Aberdeen through .the tobacco season.

Campbell's saw-mill, built by Campbell & McCalla, on the corner of Front and Walnut streets, is a good mill, and worthy of notice. There are now in the town two dry goods stores, two drug stores, five groceries, two restaurants, two hotels, three blacksmith shops, three saloons, and two coal and lumber dealers. Taylorsville, on the Aberdeen & Zanesville pike, three miles from the Ohio River, was laid out by William Lawwill, Sr., in 1850, and contains two stores, two smith shops, a school building and wood shop. It has a population of eighty-three.

Hiett is situated about six and a half miles north of Aberdeen, on the Ripley & Bradyville Turnpike, and contains a post office, dry goods and grocery store, one church (Presbyterian), one doctor (W. H. Evans) and stock scales. W. D. Grierson is Postmaster, and also runs the store. A few years ago, a Granger Lodge- and another store existed here. The mail is semiweekly. The Post Office Department has granted a tri-weekly mail, but as yet nothing further has been done to establish the new route.

Aberdeen Lodge, No. 149, F. & A. M., was chartered October 20, 1847. The first meeting after dispensation was granted was held April 23, 1845. The first officers were: Caleb Atherton, M. ; Marshall McKinley, S. W. ;

Thomas Mills, J. W. ; T. H. Worstess, Treasurer; James Dennis, Secretary; T. M. Moore, S. D. ; Jesse Ellis, J. D. ; James Helm, Tiler. These were also charter members. The officers for the year 1882 are: T. Heaton, M. ; T. M.

Martin, S. W. ; Samuel Evans, J. W. ; John Brookover, Treasurer; S. C. Bradford, Secretary; James Drennin, S. D. ; G. Sorries, J. D. ; W. R. Ellis, Tiler. The lodge is in fair working order, and has at present about sixty members.

Charter Oak Lodge, No. 137, I. O. O. F., was instituted October 12, 1849, with the following charter members: James C. Power, W. C. Clift, John Mc-

Calla, James S. Scott, Dyas Power, John Lepage, Thomas Sharp, James Bricker and John Stevens. James C. Power is the only charter member now belonging to the lodge, and Dyas Power, John McCalla and J. C. Power are the only charter members now living. The present officers are: A. B. Gray,

N. G. ; W. R. Brittingham, Y. G. ; A. H. Porter, Secretary; L. Schlitz, Treasurer. This lodge is in a good condition, has a good, comfortable hall, a large cemetery below Aberdeen, and a surplus fund of more than $1,000. The present number of members is seventy-five.

Magnolia Encampment, No. 186, L O. O. F., of Aberdeen, was instituted June 17, 1875, with the following charter members: Dyas Gilbert, Daniel

Pence, A H. Porter, W. R. Flaugher, Thomas Sharp, J. W. Cheesman, P. W. Waldron, J. C. Waldron, J. W. Stewart, L. Schlitz and G. H. Wheeler. The present officers are: M. Jones, C. P. ; John Curtiss, S. W. ; John Sutton, H.

P. ; L. Schlitz, Treasurer; and A. H. Porter, Scribe. The present number of members is sixty-five. This is a flourishing society, many of its members being leading citizens of the township.

Gretna Green Lodge, No. 99, K. of P., of Aberdeen, was instituted, under a charter of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, May 18, 1876. The charter members were: G. H. Wheeler, Dyas Gilbert, Lawrence Schlitz, S. C. Bradford, F. W.

Sharp, E. M. Flaugher, F. H Miller, C. B. Sutton, P. J. Neeper, Joha Crane, John Enis, Moses Jones, A. B. Jones, G. W. Schlitz, A. R. Brookover and Julius Clames. The present number of members is sixty-five. The officers for 1882 are: N. J. Sutton, C. C. ; W. A. Rist,V. C. ; Robert Helm, Prelate;

General

This township, on a full vote, could poll about seven hundred votes. The largest vote ever polled in the township was in 1880, at the Presidential elec- tion, viz.: AY. S. Hancock, 394; James A. Garfield, 281; Neal Dow, 2; total, 677. The Democratic majority is strong. At a general election, it does not vary much; yet a nomination for township officers does not always insure an election. The best of feeling generally prevails between contending parties, and the contests are nearly always good-humored.

Tradition says Nathan Ellis was the first Justice of the Peace in the township. Thomas Shelton succeeded him in 1816, and held the office for fortyfour years without intermission. James Parker, John F. Games, AVilliam Gilbert, Benjamin Evans, Henry Yane, Massie Beasley, Andrew Evans, Alex Grierson, John C. AYaldron, William Riggs and Samuel Evans all served as Justices.

Chapter Vi

THE township of Clark was one of the original townships of the county, and before the organization of Brown County was a township of Clermont County. It was created by the Commissioners of Clermont County October 18, 1808, and the boundaries established as follows: Beginning where the State road from Denhamstown to West Union crosses White Oak; thence running with the State road to the Adams County line; thence north with said line to Highland County; thence west with said county line to the corner of Highland County, and continuing' west so far as to include Aaron Leonard and Moses Moss; thence south to the Lewis Township line; thence with the same to the place of beginning. The township originally included nearly one hundred square miies of territory, but it was reduced December 2, 1822, by the formation of Washington and Franklin Townships; March 23, 1823, by the formation of Pike Township, and December 1, 1828, by the formation of Scott Township. This left it in its present dimensions, containing 18,223 acres.

There are no streams of any magnitude in the township; the head- waters of Cloverlick drain the western part, Bullskin the southern, and several small tributaries of White Oak the eastern part. These streams are all too small to afford good water power for machinery.

The township lies on an elevated ridge, dividing the waters of White Oak Creek from the waters of the East Fork of the Little Miami River. It consists mostly of level table-lands, somewhat broken in the eastern and western part, but all susceptible of easy drainage. The soil consists of a heavy limestone clay, which was formerly very heavily timbered with oak, beech and sugar in the dry part, soft maple in the wet parts, poplar, walnut, hickory, some white and red elm, hackberry, buckeye, linn, blue and white ash, mulberry, black and red locust, sycamore, willow and dogwood, There are now 5,116 acres of woodland, 6,515 acres of plowed land and 6,592 acres of pasturage. The total value of real estate in the township is $367,870, which includes $8,409 of village lots. The population at the census of 1880 was 780 white males and 799 white females. The chief products of the township are corn, tobacco, wheat and oats. Grasses do not grow as well here as in the country farther north, and the land is not well adapted to stock-raising, though a goodly number of cattle and sheep are raised in small herds. The fruit crops become more uncertain and the yield poorer as the forests disappear; in the early settlement of the township, peaches were abundant, and the crop rarely failed, but now they are scarce, and of a poor and small character, and a crop is rarely yielded. Apples do not grow as large and fine or in as great abundance as they did in the virgin soil. Pears, plums and the smaller fruits are not extensively grown, but blackberries grow spontaneously in great abundance.

Political

The first regular election held in the township was on the 8th day of November, 1808, when Jonathan Liming, James Liming and Christian Smith were Judges, and Jacob Bradberry, Clerk, and the following township officers were elected: Robert Wardlow. Christian Smith and Samuel Liming, Trustees, William Still and John Pitzer, Constables-, Christian Smith. Clerk: Henry Zumalt, Treasurer; Thomas Liming and George W ashburn, Supervisors; John Hill and Benjamin Smith, Overseers of the Poor; Thomas Liming, John Fiscus and Francis Myers, Sr., Fence Viewers; number of votes cast, eighty.

The first mention of a Justice of the Peace in the records is on April 3, 1809, when Alexander Me Beth, Justice of the Peace, administered the oath to the Judges and Clerks of the second election. At this election, only twentyseven votes were cast, and the following officers were elected: Alexander Me Beth, James Thompson and Phillip Lindsey, Trustees : William Morecraft and William Hill, Listers and Constables; Christian Smith, Clerk; Henry Zumalt, Treasurer.

The first order drawn on the treasury of the township was on March 15, 1809, in favor of William Still for SI for township services. On January 11, 1809, James McKinny took the oath of office as Justice of the Peace for Clermont County. On January 12, 1809, Alexander McBeth was sworn as a Justice. In March, 1810, the township was divided into four road districts instead of two, as before. The first jurors, returned March 4, 1811, were as follows: John Allen, James McCall, Samuel Liming, John Lindsey, Samuel Wardlow and George Little. By the year 1812, the wealth of the township must have materially increased, as the records show the following large sums to have been paid to the Supervisors - probably the first money paid from the treasury to those officers: William Still, $1.50; Abram Liming, $1.50; Robert Davidson, $1.50; Nicholas Devore, $1.50. October 11, 1811, James McKinny and William White were commissioned as Justices of the Peace. In 1812, the number of road districts was increased to six by the board, which then consisted of Joseph Foor, Christian Smith and Robert Allen, Trustees, and Francis Myers, Clerk. From the records it appears that up to the close of the year 1816 only thirty orders were drawn on the treasury, the total amount of which was $41. 08. In 1820, although the township was reduced in size, the number of voters had increased to 132, and the following officers were elected: Robert Kennedy, John Lindsey and Christian Smith, Trustees; Francis Myers, Clerk; William White, Treasurer; A. Gibson, Constable and Lister. In the year 1819, soon after the organization of the county, Nathaniel Gist, by his trustees, purchased about one thousand two hundred acres of land on the east side of White Oak Creek, on which he settled thirty-four families (200 persons) of colored people, who were all legally warned to depart from the township, lest they should become a township charge.

An amusing incident is related by one of the old citizens of the township, explaining why Henry Clay received no votes in the township at the election in 1824. The election was held in a log schoolhouse on the farm of John Wilks, and Robert Kennedy, Lot Stratton and William Gould were Judges, and Joseph Ralston, Clerk. One of the Judges, who was also one of the four Whigs in the township, brought with him to the polls a roll of Clay's tickets, and laid them on the writing bench; they rolled back into a crack between the logs, and another of the Judges, who was not one of Clay's supporters, pushed the ballot-box back against them in such a way as to effectually hide them till the polls were closed; as these were the only tickets to be had, and as the voters were unable to remember the names on the tickets, they were not able to vote for their candidate.

In 1840, the number of electors in the township had increased to 232; of these, William Shannon had 175 for Governor, and Thomas Corwin had fiftyseven. In 1880, Hancock received 297 votes for President, and Garfield received 106, showing a Democratic majority of 191. The township has been

Justices Of The Peace

The following is a list of the Justices of the Peace of the township with - the dates of their election, the two. previously mentioned being excepted: William White, 1812; William Chapman, January 3, 1815; John Lindsey, 1817; Francis Myers, January, 1818; Robert Allen, January 17, 1818; William White, 1821; Robert Kennedy, 1824; James Rounds, 1826; William Gould. April 7, 1828; Robert Kennedy, December 1, 1828; William Neal, April 4, 1831, served twelve years; William H. Kennedy, April 6, 1840; James Lindsey, April 3, 1843; James Ross, October 10, 1845; S. M. Blair, October 14, 1834; James Ross, October, 1846; George C. Moore, April, 1849; Jonas Murphy, October, 1849; William H. Kennedy, October, 1855; William Neal, Jr., October, 1858; R. M. Wilson, October, 1859; O. P. Ralston, April, 1864; James Redmon, April, 1865; J. P. McBeth, April, 1867; J. W. Lucas, April, 1870; Asher Brooks, April, 1876; T. B. McChesney, October, 1879; James O. Liming, April, 1882.

Settlement

The first settlement was made in the northwestern corner of the township in 1802 by John Colthar and his sons, Mathey, Isaac, James and John, and John Frazee and family. In the latter part of the same year, or in the year following, Thomas Liming, James Liming and Samuel Liming settled on the creek in the eastern part of the township on R. Gamble's Survey, No. 3,024. In March, 1804, Christian Smith settled on Survey No. 3,062. From 1805 until 1808, the settlement seems to have been rapid. James and Lemuel Rounds, two soldiers of the Revolutionary war, settled on Survey No. 2,- 937; Aaron Leonard and Joseph, on the same survey; Henry Yandament, on Survey No. 3,859; Rasonna Roney and Thomas Allen, on Survey No. 3,862; George Wresler and John Pitzer, on Survey No. 3,862; Elijah Hall and John Springer, on Survey No. 2,937.

The central or more level portion of the township was not settled until 1810 or 1812, when William Kennedy came down the river in a "bruad-horn" with two married sons, John and Robert, and a son-in-law, George Flick, and settled on Survey No. 3,779; a little later, James and Joseph Liming settled on Survey No. 2,936; James Thompson purchased Survey No. 2,737, on which he settled with his sons, William, John and Jesse P., and his son-in-law, Henry Whiteman. Jacob Kylander settled in the southern part on Survey No. 3,627. William Neal settled in the year 1820 on No. 573; Asa Dutton settled on the west end of Survey No. 573, about 1820, and erected the first saw-mill within the present boundaries o* the township; it was built in 1822, and continued to cut lumber until 1836 or 1838, when it fell into disuse, and now no trace of where it stood is visible. John Brooks settled on Survey No. 2,939 as early as 1807 or 1808. William Gould and Daniel Gould, sons of Joseph Gould, and William C. Goff settled on No. 3,869.

The northeastern corner was not settled until after 1820; John Derry settled on Survey No. 10,658; Levi Wilson settled on Survey No. 12,012; Lewis Perry, on the east end of No. 573. John Wilks, James Kennedy and Hugh Kennedy settled on Survey No. 3,781; David Ogden and Samuel Price settled on No. 2,940; Michael Holman, on No. 4,857; William Jacobs, on No. 3,628; Lewis Shick, on No. 3,606 ; Moses Moss, on the northern corner of No. 3,627.

Pioneer Biographies

John Colthar, Sr., was the first white settler in the present limits of the township. He and his sons, Matthew, Isaac, James and John, were natives of New Jersey, and settled in the northwestern part of the township on William Lytle's Survey, No 2,939, in the fall of 1801 or spring of 1802. The father was a good type of the hardy pioneer farmer, straightforward, honest and industrious; many of his descendants are still citizens of the township. Matthew Colthar, son of the above, was born in Essex County N. J., in 1777 ; he married Mary Church in 1816, and by her had the following children: Harrison, Rebecca, Jonathan, Harriet, Eliza, Sarah John P. and Sophia. Mr. Colthar mysteriously disappeared November 9, 1831. He was serving on the jury at Georgetown, and, on being dismissed Saturday, was seen to leave the court house just at dusk as if going home, but he was never heard of afterward. The country was scoured in every direction, but not a trace of him could be found.

John Frazee was one of the first settlers of the township. He located on Survey No. 2,939 in 1803 or 1804, and raised a large family. He was killed by the falling of a tree in 1822. As all of his decendants have left the county, no further account of him can now be learned.

John Brooks came to the township in 1805, and located on Survey No. 2,939, where he remained until his death in 1833. He raised a family of twelve children - three boys and nine girls: Jane, the eldest, was born in 1801, and is now the widow of William Neal, Sr. ; John and Elizabeth, twins, were born in April, 1803; John is still a resident of the township, a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, and a highly respected citizen; William, born in 1805, resides on the old homestead; he was for many years a minister in the Baptist Church, and is characterized by his honesty and piety.

William Neal, Sr. , was born in 1800, and came to the township when ten years of age, and when twenty years of age married Jane Brooks. He bought his first piece of land of William Duncanson in 1818, and by industry and strict economy he amassed nearly one thousand acres during his lifetime. He raised a family of eight children, five boys and three girls, most of whom still live in the township. His eldest child, Elizabeth, married Jonas Murphy; Julia Ann married John Colthar, and resides in Pike Township; Lewis, the oldest son, married and lives on Survey No. 10,717; John married Sarah J. Kennedy, and lives in Pike Township ; William married Miss Dean, and is a farmer and storekeeper; Sarah married Stephen Kennedy; Sanford lives in the old homestead, and Randolph lives just south of the old homestead.

Christian Smith, who settled in the eastern part of the township on Survey No. 3,962, on Miranda's Fork of White Oak, was born in Holland in 1748; bis parents died while he was small, and he was placed in a Catholic school to be educated for a priest, but on reaching his majority and finding the church had absorbed all his property, a comfortable patrimony left him by his father, he concluded to embark for the New World. He spent a few years in the coast trade from New York, and in 1790 married Elizabeth McDuffv, of New Jersey, with whom he emigrated to the backwoods of Kentucky, settling at Washington, where he remained a few years. In 1797 or 1798, he located on Robert Lawson's Entry, No. 2, 523, near Georgetown, but a few years later, being disturbed by a still-house that was built near him, he traded his land for a farm in this township, on which he moved in 1804, and where he remained until his death in 1832. Joseph Ralston, the veteran school-teacher, who married Mr. Smith's only daughter, Eleanor, in 1813, got most of his education from his father-in-law, who in education was far in advance of his neighbors. Mr. Smith brought the first sheep to this section of the country, and for some years was obliged to keep them in a pen winter and summer to protect them from wolves.

with his father (who was a blacksmith in Wayne's army) to Manchester, where he remained until 1807, when he removed to White Oak, and settled at the mouth of Miranda's Fork, on the northwest corner of Entry No. 901. There he resided until his marriage with Eleanor Smith, September 5, 1813, after which he resided on the Smith farm until his death, February 18, 1869. When twenty-eight or thirty years of age, his back was injured at a log rolling, and he was afterward unable to do hard work; he taught school with eminent success for forty years. He had three sons and seven daughters, but three of the latter died while small. The sons were Christian Smith, Andrew Jackson and Oliver Perry, and the girls were Orphia, Zorilda, Alniira and Matilda Jane. Christian was born November 4, 1814, married Sarah Martin in 1836, removed to Bipley County, Ind., in January, 1842, and died September 27, 1869. Andrew was born September 8, 1818, married Nancy J. Perry in 1839, moved to Fulton County. 111., in 1848 and died in February, 1875.

Samuel M. Blair was born near Knoxville, Tenn. , October 24, 1798, and at the age of eleven years removed to Brown County, Ohio, with his father, who settled on the farm now owned by W. P. Macklem, two miles north of Georgetown. In 1821, when twenty-three years old, Mr. Blair settled on J. Watts' Entry. No. 3,781, one mile northeast of Hamersville. He was twice married, first to Matilda Tweed, by whom he had three children - Amanda, Jane and Matilda. Amanda is the widow of Samuel Wilkes, and still lives in Hamersville, the " good Samaritan " of the village. Mr. Blair's second wife was Mary Ann Davis, by whom he had ten children - four boys and six girls, viz., Marcus, Lafayette and Leander, who live in Illinois; C. Columbus, the Clerk of the Court of Brown County; Samuel Warren, the ticket agent at Hamersville; America, Martha, Almira, Minerva, Eliza and Sarah, the three eldest girls being dead. Mr. Blair, after filling most of the township offices, including six years as Justice of the Peace, was in 1857 elected County Commissioner, which position he creditably filled six years. He was a consistent Christian, and for many years was an Elder of the church. He died m 1871, and was buried in the cemetery at Unity Church; his wife survived him ten years, dying July 24, 1881.

Henry Van Deman settled on Survey No. 3,024 about the year 1806. He had a large family; Jacob settled on Survey No. 3,862, and when Scott Township was formed his house was in that township, although the larger part of his farm was in Clark. He was a farmer, but also preached for a number of years, first as a New Light, then as a Methodist, and lastly as a Campbellite. Benjamin married Susan Shick in 1842, and settled on Survey No. 3,781, where he raised four children - Daniel, who now occupies the old homestead; John, Mary and Barton S. George settled south of Benjamin, on the same survey. He was a preacher of the Campbellite Church, and raised a large family, who, after his death, emigrated to Illinois.

Bobert Kennedy was born in Butler County, Penn. , and settled just north of Hamersville in Browu County, Ohio, in 1811, where he remained until his death. He was a man of strict integrity and more than ordinary ability. He took an active interest in the early politics of the township, and for many years was a Justice of the Peace. He raised five children, viz. , Thomas, who was three times married, and died of cholera at the old homestead at the age of forty years. He and his wife were found dead in the morning, having died alone during the night; James, a retired physician of Clermont County; John C., a retired physician, now residing at Felicity; Ella, the wife of S. B. Smith, and William H. , who raised a large family, all of whom are dead.

George Flick was born in Butler County, Penn., June 11, 1785, and in 1806 married Jane Kennedy. They came to Ohio in 1811, and settled where

Hamersville now stands, where he remained until his death, October 7, 1861, his wife having died October 11, 1848. Their children were William K., born June 28, 1807; Catharine, born February 29, 1809; Jacob, born August 17, 1810; Margaret Jane, born in 1812, and George Wayland, born in 1815. William K. was a painter and chairmaker, and for eight years was Postmaster at Hamersville. He married Nancy A. Ford, August 9, 1832, and by her had seven children - Pauline J., Fernandes W., Martin Y. B. , William Benton, John K, Joseph S. and Martha M. ; most of them are still residents of the township.

Nathaniel Moore was born in Pennsylvania in 1770, and spent his boyhood days in the Susquehanna Valley. When quite young, he made his way across the mountains to Pittsburgh, and engaged in boating and rafting on the Ohio Biver. From Pittsburgh he went to Limestone (now Maysville), and in 1799 he married Nancy Welch; in the following year, he moved to Ohio, and located on Eagle Creek. On his farm the first church in that region was built; it stood on the site of Moore's Chapel of to-day. In 1821, he moved to Brown County, where Hamersville now stands, his son Henry having cleared some land and built a cabin during the year previous. The house was the first one in this settlement that had stairs, hewed plank floor and doors. It was Ihe meeting house for years, and in it such pioneers of the pulpit as Quinn, Findley, Collins, Westlake and others were entertained. As soon as he had his farm in shape, Mr. Moore commenced sawing lumber with which to supply the country for miles around. In 1828, he, with several others, contracted to carry the mails from Cincinnati to Portsmouth, and in this he was engaged twelve years. In 1844, he lost his wife, and went to live with his youngest son in Indiana, where he died in 1861.

Joseph Liming was born and raised near Philadelphia, Penn. He was a soldier in the Bevolutionary war, and served in several severe battles. In 1799, he moved to the West, and settled near Lexington, Ky., where he remained four years; he then moved to Ohio, and after a three years' residence, there he moved to Clark Township, and settled on White Oak in 1806. At the same time, his father, Henry, and two other sons came from Pennsylvania, and settled on White Oak. Joseph raised a large family of children, viz., Jonathan, Abraham, Samuel, Sarah, Joseph, William, James and Ahira Dellaplane. Samuel fought the Indians under Wayne, and Abraham, Joseph and James served in the war of 1812 until James was taken sick in the swamps near Detroit, and his two brothers were left to nurse him. James Liming was born in Pennsylvania, and in 1815 he married Christina Wrestler, and located on Survey No. 2,936. She died in 1829, leaving seven children, and he married Eunice Leonard, by whom he had seven children. He kept a nursery, and supplied many orchards of Ohio and Indiana. He died in 1847. The number of the descendants of this name in the township is very large, and the family have figured very extensively in the religious, political and agricultural growth of the township.

The practices of the first settlers were nearly uniform. They would build a rude log cabin, clear a few acres of ground for corn to supply their families with bread, potatoes and garden vegetables, trusting to their rifles to supply the table with meat other than pork, which was afforded by the few hogs they owned and allowed to run wild in the woods. For several years, little if any wheat was raised, as there were no mills at that day to make flour. The only sugar and molasses they had was that procured from the sugar trees of the forest. Their few wants were at all times supplied out of the abundance of the forest, which also furnished them with fuel, timber for building, and the tender shoots of the trees formed good pasturage for their cattle. They were

Clark Township has always been characterized for the interest taken in the cause of education by its citizens, and by the great number of teachers that received their primary education in its schools. The early history of the schools of the township is almost lost; the first schoolhouse was the little round log pen that has been so often described elsewhere as to make it unnecessary to mention it here. The first schools were taught in private houses, and sometimes in huts that had been built and vacated by squatters who had been in the neighborhood some years prior to the first settlement. The first schoohouse built in the present limits of the township was located near the east tine of the township on the land of Jacob Yandeman; it was built about the year 1812. Near the same time, another was built near the northwest corner of the township on the land now owned by Thornton. The first teachers were William I. Bowler, the poet, known in the early newspapers as the " Backwoodsman," John Duly, John Morgan and John Derry. The first regular division of the townships into school districts was made by the Trustees June 6, 1826, when it was divided into nine districts, including the territory from Clermont County to White Oak Creek. The first district contained twentyseven house holders; the second twenty- two; the whole township contained 145 families. After the reduction of the township to its present size, it was divided into seven districts, each about two miles square, and each district was supplied with a good schoolhouse. After Hamersville became a village, it was made a special district, designated as No. 8, being in the northwestern corner of District No. 4. Each district is supplied with a neat and substantial Schoolhouse of frame or brick, seated with the most improved desks, and in each, school is taught eight months in the year. The prominent teachers after the organization of Brown County were Joseph Ralston, William Fite, - - * - Lawson, William H. Stephenson, Frederick Morgan, Mary A. Moore, Morgan Victoria Moore, D. W. Fite and C. C. Blair. The township has furnished and sent out into the world more well -qualified teachers according to its population, perhaps, than any other township in this part of the State. They are found in all grades here and in the Western States nobly teaching " the young idea how to shoot." The school fund of the township is as follows: Teachers' fund, State, $1,821.49; Virginia military, $58.50; township, $802.20; total, $2,177.19.

The first church society was a small class of New Lights or Christians that was organized in the southeastern corner of the township. The Protestant Methodists formed a class in the northern part, and a Methodist Episcopal class was formed in the west and central part of the township.

Mt. Nebo Methodist Church, a log building, near the Newhope and Bethel road, on the lands of John Brooks, was erected in 1838. In 18o6, it was replaced by a good and substantial frame building that was burned down in the winter of 1881. The society is now building a new and still better house of worship.

The Disciples or Campbellites built a frame building in the west side of Scott Township about 1835; most of the members were from Clark Township. They worshiped at TJnity, as the church was called, about ten years, when they organized at Hamersville, and, in 1860, built a brick church. They are the strongest society in the township, and still meet at Hamersville.

The Methodist society built a log church in Hamersville in 1848, which they used for fifteen or twenty years, but the class was always rather weak, and the lot and house were abandoned and finally sold.

The early preachers of the township were George Yandeman (Disciples), Peter Shiek, Sr. (Disciples), Rev. Lawson and Sanford Ewing. The church denominations are Campbellite, New Light, Methodist Protestant, Methodist Episcopal, Christian Union and a few people of almost every other belief. The present ministers are Rev. S. B. Smith, Methodist; residence, Hamersville. He has been in the ministry nearly forty years, and has occupied all the offices of honor in the church, including Presiding Eldership. Rev. Bagby, New Light; residence, Hamersville; he has been in the ministry but a few years. James E. West, Disciples, has been six or eight years in the ministry, and now has a charge in Kentucky; William Brooks, Baptist, residence in the northern part of the township, superannuated and nearly eighty years old. P. S. Honaker, Christian, residence east end of the township; he has only been licensed a few years.

During the first few years of the early settlement, corn was reduced to meal in hand mills, consisting of two large stones about two feet in diameter dressed as millstones, between which the corn was crushed. In 1806, James Roney built a mill, a corn-cracker, where the old Thompson Mill, now owned by Mrs. Armstrong, stands. This was in Lewis Township, but served the people of Clark Township for a long time. Henry Zumalt built the mill in what is now Scott Township, on the site now occupied by Henry Young's mill, in 1808. A water saw-mill was built by Asa Dutton on Clover Creek in 1822, and Dilaplane Liming built one on Indian Run about 1830; both were on small streams, and were only operated while the creeks were very high, and when steam began to be generally used they were abandoned.

The first steam saw-mill was built in Hamersville by Eliakim and Nathaniel Moore and W. H. Kennedy in 1838; after being run by them a few years, it was sold to J. W. Prather, in whose hands it was twice burned down and rebuilt. It was afterward sold to C. P. Fite and Peter Kellum, who still operate it. Thornton Bros, are operating a steam saw-mill that was built originally by Thornton & Crooks, but burned down and was rebuilt by the present firm. A great deal of lumber is cut by portable mills. There is no gristmill in the township, nor has there been one since the days of corn-crackers.

The first public road laid out in the township was known as the " Waters road," from Levanna to Williamsburg, then the county seat of Clermont County; it was laid out by Josephus Waters, and crosses the township diagonally, entering it on the eastern side near the middle, and leaving it near the northwest corner. The next road laid out was the Georgetown & Cincinnati State road, which crosses the township in nearly the same direction, entering on the southern line about one and a half miles from the southeast corner, and, passing through Hamersville, leaves near the middle of the western line. The next road is the Augusta & New Market road, which crosses the southeast corner of the township in a southwesterly direction. These and the New Hope & Bethel road are the leading throughfares. The Georgetown & Bethel and the New Hope & Bethel roads are piked across the township; the Hamersville & Higginsport is piked from the State road to Higginsport.

the fall of 1868, and the first train of cars was run into Hamersville in December, 1881, which place seems likely to be the terminus for some time. A trip from Hamersville to Cincinnati and return, that used to occupy three or four days by wagon, can now easily be accomplished in a few hours.

The village of Hamersville was laid out by Nathaniel Moore, Sr., and George Flick in the year 1838. It was named in honor of Thomas L. Hamer, then a Member of Congress from this district, who was instrumental in having a post office located at that place. William C. Doudney, who kept the first store, was also the first Postmaster. A few years afterward, the post office passed into the hands of William H. Flick, a chair-maker and painter, who held the position during his life; at his death, his wife took charge of the office, and retained the position until her death, when her oldest daughter, Pauline J. Perkins took the office, and continued it until 1880, when it was placed in the hands of Dr. J. C. Stires. The village now contains two dry goods stores, three groceries, one drug store, one tobacco warehouse, one steam saw-mill, three blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, two physicians, two lawyers, and about two hundred inhabitants.

De Soto Lodge, No. 374, I. O. O. F., was instituted in the hall at Hamersville June 14, 1866. The charter members were O. P. Ralston, I. N. Ellsberry, C. Oursler, S. H. Ellis, T. J. Lindsey, W. F. Landon, D. S. Dean, W. 6. Perkins, A. R. Gillet, Harvey Snider, R. F. Bryant, W. P. Landon, W. J. Thompson, Peter Dean and Dr. W. H. Langstaff. Only three of these now remain, viz., Messrs. Ralston, Perkins and Snider; the rest have taken cards and gone elsewhere. The first officers were: I. N. Ellsberry, N. G. ; Charles Oursler, Y. G. ; S. H. Ellis, Secretary; T. J. Lindsey, Treasurer. Sixty- four have been initiated, sixteen admitted on card and four have died, making the present membership forty- two. The present officers are: J. H. Love, N. G. ; C. W. Jordan, Y. G. ; M. Y. Flick, Secretary; Cyrus Fite, Treasurer.

Clark Grange, No. 382, was instituted January 13, 1874, with O. P. Ralston, W. M., and J. S. Salsbury, Secretary. In 1876, they built a good hall, in which they now meet. The present officers are: Frank Devore, W. M., and O. M. Swope, Secretary. They kept a supply store in the first floor room of their building for three or four years, but discontinued it in 1880, and since then the room has been rented to William West for a store room.

An organization of the Good Templars was effected in 1874, but it has only maintained a fitful existence, and the meetings are held very irregularly.

Chapter Vii

fpRANKLIN TOWNSHIP was formed by order of the County Commissioners December 2, 1822, and is bounded and described as follows: " Beginning in the southern boundary line of Highland County dividing in part Highland and Browm, five and one-half miles from the corner or connection of the said line with Adams County, and running from thence due south to the township line dividing the townships of Eagle and Byrd; thence westerly with the line dividing Eagle, Pleasant and Clark Townships, six miles; thence north five and one-half miles to a point, from which point a line shall be run at right angles to the first line, forming one entire township, to be called Franklin Township. " It was also ordered " that an election be held on the first Saturday in January next, at the house of Henry Dunn, in said township, for the necessary officers." March 3, 1823, a petition was made to the County Commissioners by a number of the inhabitants of that part of the county, " praying that the north and south lines or boundaries of Franklin and Washington Townships be so changed as to make White Oak Creek the line between the said townships of Franklin and Washington, thereby attaching all the territory between the said White Oak Creek and the said original north and south boundaries of Franklin and Washington Townships, to the said townships respectively, agreeable to the east and west line dividing said townships of Washington and Franklin; and the said application having been duly considered, it is ordered by the Commissioners that the alteration be made accordingly, and that White Oak Creek to the fork, and thence with the North Fork thereof, shall be the westerly boundary of the aforesaid townships of Franklin and Washington, thereby including all the territory east of the said White Oak Creek in and to the townships of Franklin and Washington." On the same day, a petition to change the line dividing Franklin and Pleasant was presented, " and the same having been duly considered, it is ordered by the Commissioners that the alteration be made accordingly, and that the Williamsburg road, so far as connected with the territory of the said townships, be the boundary line east and westwardly between the said townships of Pleasant and Franklin, thereby attaching all the territory south of the said Williamsburg road to the township of Pleasant." Afterward, Richard and Robert Blair (the latter owning the farm now owned by W. P. Maklem) were, upon their petition, stricken from Franklin into Pleasant Township.

When Scott Township was formed (January 1, 1828), that part of it east of White Oak Creek, and as far north as the southern line of Washington, was taken from Franklin Township. There was no other important change in the boundary of Franklin until June 25, 1853, when Jefferson was formed from Byrd, Jackson and the southeastern corner of Franklin Townships, the portion from this township including the Abbott mill.

On petition of B. W. Whiteman (then owning the farm now owned by Frederick Elschlager) and A. D. Ellis (then owning where Ephraim Brown now lives), the line was so changed as to throw them, together with those now owned by Mat Elschlager and William Ellis and Ephraim Brown, into Scott Township. This line is not straight, and there is some controversy about it. Franklin Township is bounded on the north by Washington, on the east by

When the township was formed, Hosea Banner was appointed by the Commissioners to enumerate the white male citizens, and to list the taxable property of the township. He was allowed for said service $8.

This township is watered, or rather drained, by Straight Creek (so called because it is straight the distance of half a mile or so from where it empties into the Ohio River), the West Fork of the same, which is generally spoken of as West Fork, and the West Fork of Eagle Creek, with their tributaries. Straight Creek enters the northeastern part of the township, flows in a westerly direction until it reaches Arnheim, where it trends to the south, and emerges from the south central part of the township into Jefferson, soon, however, to pass into Pleasant. West Fork flows through the western part of the township in a southerly direction, trending somewhat to the east, and empties into Straight Creek, about one and a half miles from the southern boundary of the township. The West Fork of Eagle Creek rises in the southeastern part of the township, and passes out near the southeastern corner into Jackson Township.

The surface of Franklin Township is generally level, but along the streams it is somewhat broken. The soil is generally fertile, yet there is considerable land that is badly worn. It has literally been " corned to death."

Originally, the land was heavily timbered with the different varieties of oak (the majestic white oak predominating), beech, hickory, maple, sweet gum, and, along the streams, walnut, poplar, ash, hard maple or sugar tree, elm and wild cherry, and, although there has been almost reckless destruction of the timber, there is still enough, with the exceptions of cherry, walnut and poplar, for local demands. Blue limestone for building purposes, as well as for roads, and for burning into lime, is abundant, and is easily obtained along the streams, where it crops out, but back from the streams it is deeply covered by clay drift.

The residents of Franklin are generally engaged in agriculture, manufactures of any kind having received but little attention. The principal crops for many years were corn, wheat, oats and hay. After the German element was added to the population, there was some barley raised, and a few vineyards planted, but the manufacture of wine has been abandoned, and at the present time there is not a vineyard in the township. Of late years, tobacco has been raised quite extensively, and can now be ranked as one of the principal crops. Last year (1881), the crops of the township were materially shortened by the drouth, but this year there has probably been raised the largest crop of corn, wheat, hay and tobacco ever produced in the township. The favorable weather of last fall gave an opportunity of putting in a larger acreage of wheat than usual, and the mild winter prevented it from freezing out. The hay was mostly put up in good condition, but some cut later was somewhat injured by wet weather The crop of oats was poor, being badly injured by rust. The corn on wet land is light, as is also tobacco, but, taken as a whole, they are up to the average - tobacco above, as a larger acreage was planted this year. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are raised in abundance for home consumption, as well as for market, and the same may be said of sorghum. The culture of flax, once so necessary for home wear, is a product of the past, and only remembered by the older citizens of the township.

Early Settlement

Among the first settlers in what is now Franklin Township were Joseph Long, Robinson Lucas, Uriah Springer, Job Springer, Jacob Springer, John

Springer, George Washburne, Uriah Washburne, James Prickett, John Prickett, John Lindsey, Phillip Lindsey, Thomas Pindell, John Pindell, Reuben Bunner, Joseph Abbott, John Abbottt, Silas Abbott, Joseph Abbott, Jr., Greer Brown, John Carbery, James Dunn, Henry Dunn, Ferrel Dunn, Benjamin Hays, Charles B. Smith, McCord Brady, James Ball, Jacob Lucas, John Stansberry, Thomas Stansberry, Isaac Stansberry, Benjamin Wells, Josiah Stansberry, David Thorp, Terry Womacker and David Newman. They came mostly from Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, and, on their way, crossed mountains, rivers and forests, and fought their way through hardships, dangers and privations. They and their children were familiar with the alarms and dangers of a frontier life. There being no market within easy access for the products of the soil, there was little grain raised, and that little mostly Indian corn. The forests abounded in game of all kinds, deer and turkeys being abundant for many years, and, when the first settlers arrived, bears were plentiful, especially among the hills near the Ohio River. The wild bee had stored its honey in the hollow trees, and, when the hardy pioneers wished honey for their " johnny-cake," they felled a "bee tree," and carried the honey home in the fresh skin of a deer, the legs being tied together over a pole, which was placed on their shoulders, and stored in troughs hewn from the trunks of fallen trees, such things as jars and cans being unknown in the settlements, and even buckets were few. They were all expert in the use of the rifle (it being their almost constant companion), and were familiar with the habits of the bear, wolf, deer, turkey, etc.

As the country became more thickly settled, there was developed a propensity for horse-racing, horse-trading, and, occasionally, getting on a "spree, " as whisky was considered "legal tender," and was easily obtained, as still - houses were numerous, and a gallon of whisky was exchanged for a bushel of corn, or its equivalent. The hardy pioneer was brave and generous, but without the polish and formality of the present day, and the occasional traveler who entered his rude cabin was freely entertained, the fare simple, but being pressed upon him with genuine hospitality.

William Long and his wife, Mary (Evans) Long, came to the United States from Ireland, and, as early as 1798, if not before, they came from Kentucky, and settled on Cornick's Run, near the present site of Ripley, where the husband died and was buried, leaving his widow and six children - Nancy Jane, Margaret, Sarah, Joseph and Mary.

About 1800 or 1801, Mary Long and her children, who were not married, came to what is now Franklin Township, and settled on what is known as the Joseph Long farm, where Henry Miller now lives. Nancy married Uriah Springer. Jane married John Bunner, who was a cooper, and the son of Reuben Bunner, and they settled on his father's farm, now owned by L. Spencer. Margarefc married Isaiah Lucas, son of Robinson Lucas. Sarah married Benjamin Purdum a tanner, who established a tan yard, the first in the township, on his father-in-law's farm, where he lived for some years. Joseph (born January 22, 1784), married Charlotte Bunner; he lived on the home farm, his wife died May 17, 1855. In February, 1865, he went to Illinois, and, on October 23 of the same year, died, aged eighty-one years, eight months and one day. He was brought back to Franklin Township and buried by his wife in the old Baptist Churchyard.

Robinson Lucas moved from Virginia to Kentucky, came from Kentucky and settled near the Ohio River, at Cornick' s Ran, withWilliam Long, Uriah Springer and James Prickett. We are informed that his sons, William and John, came over about a week before the rest of the family, and built the first shanty ever built at the mouth of Red Oak Creek, and, when the family arrived, they had twenty-one bears killed and hung to the trees around the shanty. After living here a short time, Mr. Lucas came up Straight Creek and settled on the farm now owned by Huston Rhoten, where he died and is buried. There were born to Robinson Lucas and wife nineteen children, fifteen living to grow up, viz.. Temperance, Elizabeth, William, John, Jacob,' Drucilla, Mary, Cynthia, Anna, Isaiah, Isaac, Sarah, Robert, Rhoda and James - -the last two born after their parents came here. Temperance married Wdlliam Arnold; lived for awhile north of the present site of Arnheim; afterward moved one mile east of Arnheim, where she died, Elizabeth married John Lindsey. William married Mary Hickem bottom; settled on the farm now owned by the widow of Jacob Biery; they removed to Indiana in L830, where the wife died; he came back, and died on West Fork. John married Margaret Harper, and settled on the farm adjoining his brother William; the farm is now owned by H. F. Pindell; he sold and went to Illinois. Jacob remained in Virginia when his parents moved to Kentucky; he married the widow of Moses Stansberry, and. about 1810, came to Ohio and settled on Straight Creek. Drucilla married Phillip Lindsey. Mary married Edward Pindell, son of Thomas Pindell. Cynthia married James Robins, and settled ou Brown's Run, in Washington Township, where he died; she afterward married John Jacobs; they lived and died near Arnheim. Anna married Isaac Bunner ; lived on West Fork, where they died; their son, Isaac Bunner, now owns the farm. Isaiah married Margaret Long, daughter of William Long; lived for some years on the east side of Straight Creek, on land now owned by B. W. Gordon; he sold to John Ernst and moved to Indiana, where he died. Isaac married Euphemia Harper, and settled on Straight Creek, above Arnheim, and, while running on a keel-boat on the Ohio River, he died at Gallipolis. Sarah never married. Robert married Mary Grogan; settled on Straight Creek adjoining his brother William, and, later, moved to Indiana, and from there to Illinois, where he died. Rhoda married Thomas Arnold ; lived on West Fork till he died; she lived at Phillip Lindsey's until her death. James inherited the home farm; he married - - Harris, who lived but a few years; he afterward married Sarah Smith; he sold his farm to Michael Pindell and went to Indiana, and from there to Illinois. John Lucas and Margaret (Harper) Lucas had born to them Lydia, Presley, Reason, Euphemia and John. Lydia married Nathan Springer, son of Uriah Springer; they moved to Illinois, where she still lives, her husband having died some eight years ago. Presley went to Illinois with his father, and married Louisa Prickett, daughter of James Prickett; he died in December. 1881; his widow is still living. Reason married Martha A. West in 1839, and lived on the West Fork of Eagle Creek for eight years, then moved to Russellville, where they still live. Euphemia went to Illinois with her father, and married Reuben Long, and is still living there. John went to Illinois with his father, and married Sarah Smith; is still living in that State.

Uriah Springer, when he first came to Ohio, settled near where Ripley now is. He married Nancy Long, daughter of William Long, and there were born to them Hannah, Nathan, William, Joseph, Zadoc, Levi, Drucilla, Nancy, Uriah, Theresa and Mahala. When he came to what is now Franklin Township, he settled on the farm where Isaac Waters now lives, where he lived for many years. After the close of the war of 1812, he made a trip across the State on horseback, after the late James Bunner, who had been discharged from the army, but, on account oE ill health, was unable to reach home. Bunner worked for him afterward, and off- bore the brick for the house which he shortly afterward built. This and the house where M. A. Courts now lives, built by John Lindsey about the same time, were the first brick houses built in the township. Mr. Springer was elected Justice of the Peace in 1822, and served as such officer, and as one of the Township Trustees, for many years. He and all his family went to Illinois.

Jacob Springer, brother of Uriah, settled on the farm on which J. W. Barnes now lives. John Springer settled on the opposite side of the creek.

George Washburne and his wife, Azuba (Robins) Washburne, came from Kentucky to this township about 1799, and settled on the east side of Straight Creek, on what was called Cherry Bottom; the land is now owned by Adam Wells. They lived here for some years; moved above the present site of Sardinia, and, after living there three or four years, moved to a farm on Wardlow's Run, but, in a few years, sold this farm and moved to Indiana, where they died. There were born to them Jeremiah, Isaac, Cornelius, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachael, Azuba, Phoebe and Nancy - the last three after they came to Ohio. Jeremiah married Nancy McDaniel; moved away, but where to is not known. Isaac married Rachael Laycock; settled on part of the home farm, on the east side of Straight Creek. Cornelius married Susan Dunn, daughter of James Dunn, and settled on the west side of Straight Creek, and set out an orchard; the house was on land now owned by B. W. Gordon, but the orchard on land now owned by the writer; the last tree has been gone for some seven or eight years. Sarah married James Holmes and moved to Clermont County, but where to from there is not known. Rebecca married John Stansberry. Rachael married Samuel G. Sperry; settled on farm now owned by Jasper Leming, opposite White Oak Valley, where they lived for several years, and moved to Indiana, where she died. Azuba married James Haas; settled on WThite Oak Creek; he lived but a short time, dying at her father's house. Phoebe married William Grant; settled on White Oak, below Sardinia, where they lived for some years, and then moved to Indiana. Nancy married Andrew Lowderback; lived on Brown's Run, on what is known as the Gabriel Hays place, for several years, then moved to Indiana.

James Prickett, with his wife, Mary, after living a short time near the Ohio River, came to this township and settled on the farm just above the present site of Arnheim, now owned by Thomas Lindsey. When he came, he found the second bottom, on which the present house stands, covered with huts or wigwams, made of poles and bark, left by the Indians. Thinking the easiest method to get rid of them was to burn them, he acted accordingly, and, after clearing the ground, put out an orchard, some trees of which are still living, and apparently thrifty; others are nearly dead, some being merely large stumps, from which the bark is gone, a few small limbs on one side still showing signs of life. The writer measured some of these venerable trees, and found three of them eight feet and two inches in circumference at four feet from the ground. Mr. Lindsey says that, three years ago, while the bark was on them, they measured nine feet. Two of those still living measure seven feet and eight inches in circumference. The spring near the house is still called the "Old Indian Spring. " After living on the above-named farm for many years, Mr. Prickett sold it and removed to Illinois. His children were Dudley, Hannah, Sabra, Basha, Louisa and Lexie. Dudley married Eda Washburne and moved to Illinois with his father. Sabra married John Me Daniel, and they moved to Missouri. Hannah married Enoch Laycock, and, for many years, lived where Christian Kieffer now lives, and afterward went to Illinois. Basha, Louisa and Lexie went to Illinois with their father.

John Prickett married Elizabeth Hays in Virginia; came to Franklin Township about 1800, and settled on what is known as the Jacob Arn farm, between the Arnheim and Brownstown and the Arnheim and Sardinia roads. The village of Arnheim was laid out on part of this farm. There were born to them Phoebe, James, William, Zadoc, Henry and Benjamin in Virginia, and Presley, Susan, Nimrod, Amelia, Manerva and Eliza after they came here. Nimrod and Amelia were twins. Phoebe married Simeon Gardner, and both joined the Mormons; they went to Nauvoo, returned to Indiana, and there died. James married Lucy Rice and moved to Indiana and died. William married Catherine Rice (sister of Lucy) ; they also moved to Indiana and died. Zadoc married Mary Ross; moved to Indiana about 1830, and afterward died. Henry married Elizabeth Washburne, moved to Illinois, and has since died. Benjamin married Sarah Ann Fleming, moved to Missouri, and is now dead. Susan married Isaiah Carberry, moved to Indiana, and from there to Michigan, where she died; her husband is still living. Presley married Mary Pindell; moved to Indiana, and there died. Nimrod married Mary Fleming and moved to Missouri, where he died. Amelia, born July 7, 1805, married Jesse Lindsey in 1827; her husband died in 1871; she is still living, on West Fork, the last of her father's family. Manerva married Peter Fraze; moved to Indiana, and from there to Michigan, where they both died. Eliza went to Indiana with her father and mother, and died the year following.

John Lindsey was born in Pennsylvania February 28, 1774, and married Elizadeth Lucas, daughter of Robinson Lucas, but whether in Virginia or Kenturky, or after his father-in-law came to Ohio, we have been unable to learn. He came to the territory now constituting this township about 1801 or 1802, and settled on land now owned by Joseph List, and, with his brother Phillip, who lived with him, cleared a small field. He and his brother shortly afterward bought a tract of land on West Fork, he taking the farm now owned by M. A. Courts, and on which he lives, and Phillip taking where Charles Elschlager lives. The title, however, not being good, they bought it again, from Cadwallader Wallace. IJpon the organization of the county of Brown, in 1818, John Lindsey was one of the Commissioners, and, at the first election after Franklin Township was formed, was elected one of the Trustees. The same year, he was also commissioned as Justice of the Peace, which office, as well as that of Township Trustee, he held for many years. In 1824, Franklin Township gave him seventy-nine votes for Sheriff; in 1825, it gave him ninety-one votes for Commissioner; in 1826, for Sheriff, the vote of Franklin stood: John Lindsey, seventy-four; James Loudon, fifteen; John W. Odell, eighteen; and John Walker, three. In 1830, he was again a candidate for Sheriff, the vote of Franklin standing: Jeremiah Purdum, thirty- one; Robert Allen, four;

Moses Laycock, twenty -four; and John Lindsey, thirty-seven. September 12, 1844, he deeded one acre of land for a burying-ground, and upon which to build West Fork Church. He died April 9, 1847, aged seventy-three years one month and twelve days, and is buried in the above-named churchyard, as is also his wife. There were born to them William, Hezekiah, James, Sarah, Rhoda, Rachel, Emma, Mary, Dorcas and Grant. William, born about 1797 or 1798, married Elizabeth Harris, and lived on the farm now owned by William Ellis, in Scott Township, for many years; he then went to Missouri, where he was living when last heard from. Hezekiah, born in December, 1799, married Nancy Wells, and lived for some years on West Fork, then moved to the farm now owned by Rev. S. A. Vandyke, in Scott Township. He was the first Clerk of Franklin Township, and held the office until 1828. He was elected County Auditor, and moved to Georgetown, and afterward left there, but where he went is not known to the writer. James married Mary Rich; lived near Hamersville for some years, and, on the death of his father, he bought the home farm, where he lived until his death. Sarah married John Rich, and they lived where Frederick Elschlager now lives, then moved near Hamersville, where she died. Rhoda married Henry Spires; moved to In diana, where she died. Rachel married Enoch Smith, and they lived near New Richmond, where she died. Emma married Joseph Smith (brother of Enoch), and they lived at Chilo, in Clermont County, where they both died - the former in the winter of 1881-82, and the latter in the spring of 1882. Mary married Warford Jordon, and, soon afterward, hey moved to Spencer County, Ind. , where she was living when last heard from. Dorcas went with her sister Mary to Indiana, where she died. Grant married America Dennis, and lived on his father's farm. He and Wilson Morrow engaged in a bowing match on West Fork, and, going in bathing while heated, he was taken sick, and died a day or two afterward.

Phillip Lindsey was born in Pennsylvania February 13, 1782; came to this township with his brother John, and lived with him until he was married. He married Drucilla Lucas, and settled on the farm where Charles Elschlager now lives. His house burning down, he moved into the house where he and his brother John first settled until he could rebuild. He lived for many years on West Fork, and then moved to the James Prickett farm, above Arnheim, where he died May 22, 1866, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. There were born to Phillip and Drucilla Lindsey, Jesse, Delilah, Elizabeth, Preston, Thomas, Elijah and Drucilla. Jesse, born August 6, 1805, married Amelia Prickett in 1827, daughter of John Prickett, and bought forty-five acres of land where J. L. Carberry now lives. He cleared part of it, and, after some years, sold, and bought on West Fork, on the Arnheim & New Hope road, where he lived until his death, June 22, 1871. His widow is still living. Delilah married Valentine D. Carberry; her father gave them the farm on the Georgetown & Sardinia road, where F. W. Hanselman lives; he exchanged with Josiah Carberry for the farm on Sycamore Run, where they lived for many years, when he and Thomas Lindsey exchanged farms, they moving to where G. B. Carberry now lives, where he died. She afterward married Henry Dunn, and lived near Brownstown until her death. Elizabeth married Simon Kratzer, and they lived on her father's farm for some years, when they moved to the farm now owned by the writer, purchasing it from George Bohrer; after the death of her husband, she married Lemuel Rachford, and sold the interest in the farm, and bought property above Arnheim, where she died October 16, 1878. Preston died when about seventeeen years of age. Thomas was born November 23, 1813; married Mary Pindell; lived two or three years on his father's place, and then moved to the Carberry farm, on Sycamore Run, where he lived for about twenty years; he then moved to Arnheim, where he lived for nine years; from there he moved to the James Pickett farm, where he is still living. Elijah married Susan Pindell, daughter of Jacob Pindell; lived a few years on the home farm, when he bought the Uriah Springer farm, where he lived until his death.

Thomas Pindell married Elizabeth Mills, and came to this township among the first settlers, and settled on the farm now owned by Magdalene and Dorothy Biehn. There were born to them Sarah, Jacob, Nancy, Edward, Thomas, Gabriel, Samuel, Michael and Davis. Sarah married Benjamin Hays, and settled on Straight Creek, on the farm now owned by Conrad Kattein, opposite where he now resides. They lived there for some time, and moved to the farm on Brown's Run, in Washington Township, known as the Gabriel Hays farm. Jacob married Susannah Hays, sister of Benjamin Hays; settled' on Straight Creek, on the farm now owned by Huston Rhoten, where his wife died; he afterward married Sarah Carbery, daughter of John Carbery, and died August 10, 1825; at the time of his death, was one of the Township Trustees; his widow afterward married Josiah Wolcott. Thomas married Marie Brady, daughter of McCord Brady, and settled on the farm now owned by Simon P. Berry, where he lived until his death. Gabriel married Elizabeth Pindell, daughter of John Pindell; settled on the farm now owned by J. M. Pindell, and there died. Samuel married Sarah McCollister, and settled on the farm above named, which he sold to his brother Gabriel, and moved to Washington Township. Michael married Jane Brady, daughter of McCord Brady, and settled on the farm -jii which Huston Rhoten now lives, where he died. Davis married Mary Springer, daughter of Uriah Springer, and remained on the home farm for some years, when he sold to George Biehn and moved to Illinois.

Joseph Abbott was born May 29, 1739, and his wife, Esther Abbott, September 17, 1746, and there were born to them eight children, as follows: Mary, born September 7, 1767; Chlol, February 5, 1769; John, November 22, 1770; Rebecca, November 22, 1774; Eunice, September 11, 1777; Silas, June 28, 1779; Jane, November 28, 1781; and Joseph, June 2, 1784. Joseph Abbott, Sr., moved from New Jersey to Virginia; served in the Continental army during the Revolution, and, shortly after the war, in company with Greer Brown (who had also been a soldier), came to Straight Creek and located 1,- 000 acres of Virginia Military land, in one body, each taking 500 acres. This land lies in the south central part of Franklin Township, on both sides of Straight Creek, and embraces some of the best land in Brown County. Mr. Abbott went back to Virginia and worked at his trade (being a millwright) for some years, then moved to Kentucky, and. about 1804, came back to Straight Creek (where his son John already was) with the rest of the family (except Eunice, who had married a Mr. Lake, and moved to Northern Ohio), and settled where John E. Brown now lives, where he remained until his death. He is buried in what is known as the Abbott Graveyard.

John Abbott was born in New Jersey November 22, 1770; went, when a boy, with his parents to Virginia; there he learned the trade of millwright with his father, and, after he became of age, for helping him build a mill in Virginia, his father gave him 250 acres of the land he had located on Straight Creek. He came and picked out the land about 1792, and returned to Virginia, and went with his father to Kentucky, where he remained until about 1800, when he came back to Straight Creek, built a cabin on his land, and for four years lived here by himself. March 1, 1804, he married Hannah, daughter of Joseph and Experience Reynolds, who came and settled in what is now Jackson Township about 1802. The cabin which John Abbott first built, and in which he raised his family, is still standing. When he built the brick house (about 1836), he moved the cabin back, as it stood in front of the new one. John and Hannah (Reynolds) Abbott had borne to them eleven children, viz. : Lewis, December 1, 1804; Amanda, May 28, 1806; Eliza, September 1.5,1807; Charles, July 15, 1809; Esther, March 20,1811; Roxie, June 9,1813; George, May 30, 1815; Elias, December 9, 1817; John M. , February 6, 1820; Elizabeth, March 9, 1822; and Lucy J., June 29, 1827. Lewis married Deborah Jennings; lived one year at his father's mill, on Straight Creek, and moved to his father-in-law's farm, on Camp Run, in Pleasant Township, where he lived until his death, some years ago. Eliza married David D. Brown, son of John Brown and grandson of Greer Brown, and lived on Straight Creek for a number of years, then moved to Clark Township, near Hamersville, where she still lives; her husband died a few years ago. Charles married Sarah Brown, sister of David D. Brown, in 1830; moved to the mill, where he lived until 1838, when he bought and moved to the farm in Pleasant Township where he still resides; his wife dying in 1856, in September, 1864, he married Mrs. Frances Earhart, nee Winter. Esther married Thomas Silman; they moved to Eagle Township, where they lived for several years, and, while there, he built the mill at Fincastle, and afterward moved to McLain County, 111., where his wife died; he went from there to Kansas, and lived but a short time. Roxie married James, son of John Brown, and moved to Cincinnati, where they lived for some years; she died about 1837 or 1838. George married Melinda, daughter of Michael Pindell; lived a year on the Pindell farm, and moved to Eagle Township, where he still lives. Elias inherited the home fann on Straight Creek, where he lived until his death, January 7, 1881; he never married. John M. married Lettie, daughter of David Newman; settled on Straight Creek, where Joel Martin now lives, where he lived for five or six years, and went to Indiana in 1850, where he still lives; his wife died several years since. Elizabeth married Caleb Shreves; lived for a year or two on the Richard Hewitt farm, then moved to near Russellville, where she died a year or two afterward. Lucy J. married J. F. Abbott, son of Joseph Abbott; they lived on Straight Creek, part of the time on the home farm, then bought of J. M. Abbott and lived there some years, where she died. Her husband sold this farm to Joel Martin, and is now living in Clermont County.

Silas Abbott, son of Joseph and Esther Abbott, and brother of John Abbott, married Lettie, daughter of Greer Brown, and settled where Abraham Berry now lives, between Straight Creek and West Fork, where he lived until his death. His wife lived there for some years afterward, when she died. Jane, sister of Silas, married Joseph Reynolds; moved to a farm near Carlisle, where they lived until their death.

Joseph, youngest son of Joseph and Esther Abbott, married Rhoda Masterson in Bracken County, Ky. ; lived on the home farm on Straight Creek (now owned by John E. Brown) until his death. His widow lived there for several years afterward, and died in Missouri while on a visit to her children.

Greer Brown came with Joseph Abbott, after the Revolutionary war, and located his claim with him on the waters of Straight Creek, and came and settled on the farm where William Flaugher now lives, where he died, and was buried in the Abbott Burying- Ground. His wife died in Kentucky. Lettie, daughter of Greer Brown, married Silas Abbott, and Ann, sister to Lettie, married David, son of Joseph Newman, and lived at the home place, where they died.

James Dunn came from Virginia about 1800, and settled on the west bank of Straight Creek, about one mile below the present site of Arnheim. Henry Dunn, son of James Dunn, was born in Monongalia County, Va., January 6, 1779 He married Nancy Pindell, and came to Franklin Township at the same time as his father, and settled on land now owned by Adam Bauer, opposite where Christian Bauer now lives. After the formation of Franklin Township, the first election was held at his house. He lived here until the spring of 1832, when he sold out and moved to Illinois with ox teams, but, not being satisfied, he returned in September of the same year, and bought of Dennis Springer, of Virginia, 533 acres of land in Washington Township (the present village of Brownstown being on a part of it). The land was divided into tracts, and prices fixed on each tract. He paid $1. 25 per acre for the whole. His son Rolla took one tract (116 acres) at 75 cents per acre, and Levi 112 acres at the same price. His wife dying, he married the widow of V. D. Carbery. and they lived there during the rest of their lives. There were born to Henry and Nancy (Pindell) Dunn twelve children, viz. : Roanna, Maria, Wilson, Rolla,

Levi, Sarah, Elizabeth, Pindell, Nancy, Henry and Jane. Roannn married Henry Straight, and they moved to Illinois, and there died. Maria married Gardner Curtis, and they lived on east side of Straight Creek, and, about 1832, joined the Mormons and went to Nauvoo; after the Mormon war at that place, they came back to Ohio, then went to Utah, and are both now dead. Wilson Dunn married Rachel Parker, and lived in Georgetown and worked for Thomas Jennings (being a tanner) in the old Grant Tannery. He went from there to Illinois, where he now lives. Rolla, married Paulina Lucas; lived in Wash- ington Township; laid out Brownstown, and, some years ago, moved to Illinois, where he now lives. Levi was bom in 1813, and went with bis father to Illinois in 1832, driving two yoke of oxen to a wagon; while there, he enlisted in Capt. Payne's company, in the Black Hawk war; he was with the command for a day or two, but his father, wishing to come back to Ohio, induced a man named Brown to take his place, and he was allowed to return. A short time afterward, Brown, while out with a team, was killed by the Indians, who took the horses and escaped. In 1834, Levi married Margaret Lucas; bought 112 acres of land of his father (where Robert Dunn now lives) and cleared up this farm, where he lived until 1856, when he bought where he now resides (288 acres), of George Bohrer, and has lived there ever since; his wife died while in Washington Township, and he married Mrs. Rebecca Kratzer. About 1833, he hewed a set of house- logs for Jesse R. Grant, the house being for - Mr. Grant's sister, Mrs. Margaret Marshall, and was built in Georgetown, where Andrew Armstrong now lives; he boarded with Mrs. Marshall, who, at that time, lived in what is known as German Row. About 1836, he took the job of hewing for J. R. Grant the timbers for lining the jail then about to be erected, boarding with Noah Ellis, who lived about a mile north of Georgetown, on the farm now owned by F. M. Tracy; before he completed the job, however, he cut his foot badly, and had to give it up; he was taken home on a horse, loaned for the purpose by the late Gen. Thomas L. Hamer. Eli married Mary Parker; moved to Iowa in 1856, where they still live. Sarah married William M. Straight, and moved to Iowa in 1856. Elizabeth married Stephen Parker (brother of Rachel and Mary); lived in Jackson Township until the death of her husband; she afterward married Allen Hendrixson, and they are still living in this township, on the Ripley & Arnheim Turnpike. Pindell rfiarried Ann Owens, and lived at Brownstown for some years, where his wife died; he afterward married Catherine Padgett, and now lives in Warren County, but is about to move to Colorado, where he has two sons. Nancy married Uriah Lowderback, and moved to Brazil, Ind. , where they now live. Henry married Lydia, daughter of Aaron Purdum, and lived on a farm in Washington Township; his wife died, and he married Amelia Lowderback and moved to Sardinia, where he formed a partnership with the late James Mc- Intyre in merchandising, and died about 1876. Jane married James Prine, and is now living in Eagle Township, near South Fincastle.

Rev. Charles B. Smith, or, as he is more familiarly spoken of by those who remember him, "Uncle Charlie Smith," was boro in Maryland November 25, 1765, and married his cousin, Lucy Burgess. His father gave him some twenty negroes, and also some three or four hundred acres of land in Kentucky. He, however, did not believe that slavery was right, and acted according to his convictions and gave his negroes their freedom. He did nothing with his land in Kentucky, never going near it, but came to the free territory which now constitutes the proud State of Ohio. Here he settled on the farm just west of Arnheim, known as the James Ball farm, and lived about where George Yockey now lives. (This farm is now divided, Joseph List owning a part of it.) How long he remained here we have not been able to ascertain. James Ball owned and lived on it afterward, and it is probable that he sold to Ball. He bought the farm now owned by Matthias Arn in 1818, fifty acres of Jesse Wood in March, and, in June of the same year, fifty acres of Ezekiel Thorp and Hannah Reed, administrator and administratrix of Luther Reed, deceased.

Here he lived until he sold to Balthazer Yecko, in 1831, and removed to New Market, Highland County, and died November 25, 1844. His remains were brought back to the held of his labors, and buried among his congregation, in the old Baptist Churchyard on Straight Creek. His tombstone bears this inscription:

There were born to Charles B. Smith and wife fourteen children, nine of whom lived to grow up - Walter, Mary, William, Lucy, Abraham, Hays, Sarah Ann, George and Charles. William married Patience Lawson in Kentucky, and lived in Russellville for many years, where he kept a store; his wife died February 16, 1848, aged forty-seven years live months and three days, and was buried in the old Baptist Graveyard, by the side of Charles B. Smith; William married again, and, after some years, went to Illinois, where he died. Lucy married Peter Runyon. McCord Brady settled on Straight Creek, opposite the present village of Arnheim. The farm is now divided, part owned by George Snider, part by the Lutheran Church and part by Conrad Kattein.

James Ball came to Ohio from North Carolina in 1808, and settled on the North Fork of White Oak, where he lived for some years. He afterward bought the farm west of Arnheim, part of which is now owned by Joseph List, but at that time it extended to what is Main street of the village. Here he remained until his death, which occurred May 27, 1849, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. He was one of the leading members of the Straight Creek Baptist society, and took an active part m building the old brick church above Arnheim, in the yard of which he and his wife are buried. His wife lived until August 20, 1855, when she died, in the seventy- eighth year of her age.

Joseph Stansberry married Sarah Lavorce in New Jersey, and moved to Virginia, and there were born to them Josiah, John, Thomas, Isaac and Mary. The father died in Virginia, and his widow married Jacob Lucas, and to them were born Asahel and Amelia. The Stansberry family (with the exception of Josiah) and Jacob Lucas, came to Ohio and settled on the east side of Straight Creek. John Stansberry was born November 18, 1792, and came to Franklin Township with his mother and step-father. Jacob Lucas, about 1810. He en- # listed in the army in 1812, and was one of the command surrendered to the British by Gen. Hull in August of that year. He came home, and, July 4, 1813, married Rebecca, daughter of George Washburne. She was born February 20, 1794. They built a house and went to housekeeping on the east side of the creek, on her father's farm, and there lived for several years, and then moved to the farm on Wardlow's Run, where they resided until the death of Mr. Stansberry, January 3, 1880. His widow is still living, with her son, E. A. Stansberry, in Scott Township, near White Oak Valley. Thomas Stansberry came at the same time and married Margaret Lowderback. He lived and died on his farm on West Fork. (The farm is now owned by Christian Kieffer.) Isaac Stansberry, born December 15, 1799, came with his brothers, and, in August, 1817, married Anna Harris, who was born March 7, 1799. They settled on a farm owned by Thomas Harris (his father-in-law) on West Fork, and, in a few years, he bought the part east of the creek, and on which they moved (fifty-two and a half acres), and have ever since lived there. Mary Stansberry came with her mother and brothers. She married Adam Srofe, who bought a farm near Buford, Highland County, where they lived and died. Josiah Stansberry married Elizabeth Sheerer in Virginia, and came to Franklin Township about 1817, and settled where Frederick Stoehr now lives, and afterward moved to the west side of the creek, on part of the land known as the Lewis Ball farm, now owued by Adam Wells, where he died. Asahel Lucas, son of Jacob Lucas, married Jane Lucas, and died about three years ago. His widow is still living. Amelia Lucas married James Brady, and both died in 1876.

Benjamin Wells was born in Wales, and came with his father, Charles Wells, to the United States while they were colonies of Great Britain, and settled in Maryland, and there married Miss Rice, and, in the Revolution, served the colonies on shipboard, and had one hand disabled. After the death of hie^ wife, he went to Virginia and married Mary Aultz, and lived there some years, where their children - Nancy, Jacob, Sallie, Henry and Adam - were born. They came down the river on a raft, and landed at the mouth of Red Oak Creek in 1810; rented of John Mann, near the " Beech Woods," where they lived for about five years, and bought 100 acres of land of John Springer, on the east side of Straight Creek, where they moved the year following. (Part of this land is now owned by M. B. Smith, and part by J. W. Barnes.) After they came to Ohio, Catherine, Jane, Diademia, Elizabeth and Mary were born Nancy was married three times. Her first husband was Hezekiah Lindsey; the second, William Dye, who was killed by a fall from his wagon between George town and Higginsport; and the third was Allen Jones. She moved to Higginsport, and died in 1880. Jacob married Jemima Rice, moved to Indiana and died in 1866. Sallie married Andrew Newman and moved to Illinois. Henry married Elsie Devore and moved to Washington Township, and there died. Adam was born in 1805, and, in 1829, married Elizabeth Rice, who died in 1842, and in 1844 he married Rhoda, youngest daughter of Josiah Stansberry. They are living on West Fork, where they have lived for many years. Catherine married David Rich, and they moved to the farm north of Arnheim now owned by Rudolph Kress, where she died. J ane married Samuel Smith, and lived for some years on the West Fork of Eagle Creek, then moved to Indiana, where her husband died. She and her children came back to Franklin Township, where she married David Day, and, after some years, went to Missouri, and there her second husband died. Diademia married Cecil Shaw, and moved lo Russellville, where she died. Elizabeth died when about eighteen years of age, and Mary died when a child.

Terry Womacks was born in Virginia in 1789, and came to Ohio in 1806, and, in 1815, married Roxie, youngest daughter of Joseph Reynolds, who settled in Jackson Township in 1802. They settled on what is known as the Womacks farm, in Franklin Township, and here lived and died. There were born to them William H., Marinda D., Willshire, Wesley, Willis, PeterS., Jefferson, Ulysses G., Ellen, Lemuel and Francis M. William H. married Elizabeth Doty, and moved to Ripley, where he lived a short time, and moved to Rock Island County, 111., where he still lives. Marinda married John Milligan, and moved to Byrd Township, where they are now residing. Willshire married Ellen Inskeep, who died in 1855, and he afterward married Mrs. Roush. They moved to Missouri, and he enlisted in the Confederate army. He was in the battle of Pea Ridge, and died from disease while in the Confederate service; his widow returned to Ohio, and is now living in Adams County. Wesley and Willis died when quite young.. Peter S. married Amanda Heaton in 1848, and she died in 1870, and, in 1874, he married Jennie

Hunter. They live near Russellville, on the Russel Shaw farm. Jefferson was accidentally killed by a gun when seventeen. Ulysses G. married a Miss Moore, and lives in Missouri. Lemuel served three years in the Fourth Ohio Independent Cavalry Company during the war of the rebellion, and is now living in Des Moines, Iowa. Francis M. married Miss Rees and moved to Iowa, where they were living when last heard from.

Since 1825, there has been added a large German element to the population of Franklin Township, who, with their descendants, form a large proportion of the present inhabitants.

George Bohrer, born in Germany, came to this township in 1826, and bought of Hugh Meharry about five hundred acres of land, including the farm on which Levi Dunn now lives, and afterward bought the rest of the survey (1,500 acres). He also bought the Mosely Survey (850 acres), and between 800 and 900 acres of the Fox Survey, but lost about two hundred acres of the latter, as he missed one heir, who afterward sold his interest to Luther Reed. He built the house where Levi Dunn lives, Basil Waters, then of Georgetown, building the brick work, and Samuel Tucker doing the carpenter work. He built a horse mill on the run below his house, for grinding corn and wheat; also put up a still-house, and, on the farm now owned by his son Jacob, he built a steam saw-mill. In 1856, he sold out and moved to Illinois; bought a farm near Bloomington, but afterward gave it to his son Lewis and moved into the city, where he died in December, 1879.

About 1828, Michael Ziegler, Philip Faul and George Klceckner came with their families and about 1830, Frederic Neu, Jacob Arn, John Kautz, with their families, Mrs. Kautz, with her sons George and Sebastian, and three daughters.

George A. Kress, John A. Kress, Phillip Miller, Balthazer Yecko, George Bohl and Peter Schatzman, with their families, settled in the township about 1831. Peter Biery and John Lauth, with their families, the same year; also Jacob Gross, with Valentine Dahl and family, Conrad Bauer and family, Lewis Weaver and Francis Hauck.

In 1832, Christian Wahl and Adam Bahl, with their families. Succeeding these came Frederic Gwinner, Joseph Weber, John J. Stephen, Christian Reisinger, George Biehn, Charles Hanselman, Matthias Arn, John Weisbrodt, Christopher Steinmann, Lewis Braun, Frederic Henges, John Ferdinand, Frederic Handman, Jacob Hook, Christian Kieffer and many others.

Frederic Gwinner came about 1833, and started a brewery on Straight Creek. He sold out to Conrad Kattein, who, for many years, manufactured the well-known Arnheim beer, which had a reputation far and wide. About three years ago, Kattein sold to his son Lewis, who built a brewery in the village of Arnheim, put in an engine and added a pair of buhrs for grinding corn. The brewery is not now in operation.

Arnheim, the only village in the township, was laid out on land owned by Jacob Arn, for whom the village was named (Arn's Home), by John D. White, County Surveyor, November 4, 1837, John A. Kress and Frederick Handman being chain-carriers. On July 5, 1838, the addition to Arnheim comprising that portion north of and including Jackson street was laid out; Josiah Wolcott and Elijah Lindsey, chain- carriers. The harvest before, Thomas Lindsey cradled a crop of wheat for Mr. Arn on the site of tbe village. Francis Feike came from Austria and started a tan-yard where Kautz's store now is about 1831. He bought the land of James Ball (whose daughter he married), and, in a few years, sold to John Lauth and went to Cincinnati. He afterward went to Sardinia, where he established a tan-yard. Hill D. Stayton had a tan -yard on Sycamore Run about the same time, and for some years afterward.

Provenance

Text from The History of Brown County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Brown County; Constitution of the United States .., by Morrow, Josiah; Beers (W.H.) & Co., Chicago, Pub, published 1883 and in the public domain in the United States. Digitised by the Internet Archive. The settlements listed against this township are matched by point-in-polygon test of each Geographic Names Information System coordinate against the Census Bureau's county subdivision boundary, not by name.